Bean production systems in intercropping with sugarcane

Abstract

The intercropping system of beans and sugarcane presents social and economic advantages being of great potential to the north region of the Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. With She objective to adapt technologies for the system, three tillage methods were investigated at four sowing dates utilizing two beans cultivars: one of normal cycle and the other of early cycle. The experimental design was a split plot in randomized complete blocks with three replications, two experiments being accomplished in the period of 1981/1983 at the Campos Experimental Station, at Campos, RJ, Brazil. The tillage method which gave the best results without damage for the sugarcane was the use of two rows of beans at 0,25 m from the sugarcane rows. The bean sowing period up to 15 days after the sugarcane planting was the best one for intercropping. However, different responses in yield were observed between the bean cultivars. The intercropping system raised the land equivalent ratio in about 60%, increased the net monthly income in 220%, and reduced the cost of bean sugarcane plantation up to 35% as compared with the sugarcane monoculture.