Growth and production of forage species intercropped with physic nut

Abstract

The objective of this work was to evaluate growth and dry matter production of forages species intercropped with physic nut (Jatropha curcas). The experiment was carried out in Dourados, MS, Brazil, in a randomized complete blocks design, in a factorial arrangement 7x2, split‑plotted in time. The evaluated species were: Stylosanthes spp.; Urochloa ruziziensis; U. ruziziensis + Stylosanthes spp.; U. humidicola; Megathyrsus maximus 'Massai'; Cajanus cajan; and Crotalaria spectabilis. Species performance was evaluated in single and in physic nut-intercropped systems. Physic nut was planted in November/2006, in a 3x2‑m spacing, and forages were sown in between rows in March/2009. The evaluations were done in seven periods, from April/2009 to June/2010. The forage species show good productive ability both as forage and soil coverage, when intercropped with physic nut. 'Massai' grass (M. maximus) has a better productive capacity and is more tolerant to shading than the other species, when intercropped with physic nut.