Relay intercropping and double cropping are the main types of multiple cropping systems and they are promising alternatives to small farm. This work was conducted in Eldorado do Sul, state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, in the 1991/92 growing season with the objectives of comparing relay intercropping and double cropping systems of corn into sunflower with corn as a sole crop, relay intercropping with double cropping systems and determining the best combination of sunflower and corn cultivars cycles. The treatments were composed by relay intercropping or double cropping with early (Cargill 805) or long season (AG 106) corn cultivar into early (Contisol 711) or long season (Dekalb 180) sunflower cultivar established in late July, and their respective corn monocultures. There were no differences between relay intercropping or double cropping corn grain yield and the respective corn monocultures, regardiess of cycle of the cultivar used. Only the relay intercropping system with early corn into early season sunflower presented corn grain yield higher than in the double cropping systems.
relay intercropping; double cropping; sunflower; corn; grain yield
