ABSTRACT
Two or more cultures intercropped can have the best soil use, an alternative to reduce losses and increase income. This study aimed to evaluate the agronomic performance of cassava intercropped with sweet potato in different arrangements and determine the Land Equivalent Ratio (LER). The experimental design was randomized blocks with five treatments and five replications. The treatments were: C (cassava monoculture); 2C:1P (two cassava rows intercropped with one sweet potato row); 1C:1P (one cassava row intercropped with one sweet potato row); 1C:2P (one cassava row intercropped with two sweet potato rows) and P (sweet potato monoculture). Each experimental plot consisted of 6 or 8 rows with 7 m length spaced 0.9 m from each other, and the experimental plots were separated by a 2.0 m space. The following were evaluated: commercial yield, individual fresh weight, length, diameter and dry mass of roots. The data were compared by Tukey test at 5% probability. The cassava highest yields occurred in C and 2C:1P, while the sweet potato highest yield was in P. The treatments did not differ significantly for individual fresh mass, length, diameter and dry mass of cassava root. In sweet potato, the treatment 1C:2P resulted in lower value of fresh mass and individual root diameter. There was also advantage of intercropping over monoculture because all arrangements with the intercropping promoted a LER value greater than 1. Thus, cassava intercropped with sweet potato results in better utilization of environmental resources compared to monoculture.
Key words:
Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.; Manihot esculenta Crantz; LER; intercropping; root morphology
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