Intercropping spatial arrangements affect pest incidence and agronomic aspects of cassava for industrial use

Abstract

The success of intercropping depends on the spatial arrangement between crops, aiming at the best use of the planting area and greater profitability for the farmer. Here, we evaluated the effect of cassava-peanut intercropping on several agronomic parameters. The research was carried out in the APTA experimental area, in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. The experimental design was randomized blocks with four treatments (peanut in monoculture - P; cassava in monoculture - C, cassava intercropped with peanuts planted between rows - CPb, and intercropping in alternating double rows - CPd) and eight replications. The variables analyzed were vegetative growth of cassava plants, soil vegetation cover and weed control, incidence of the main cassava and peanut pests, productivity, and the land equivalent ratio (LER). Only CPb inhibited cassava vegetative growth, significantly affecting its final height. Greater vegetation coverage and, consequently, lower occurrence of weeds, was obtained in CPb in addition to lower incidence of whiteflies in cassava. The intercropping system, regardless of the spatial arrangement used, increased the incidence of the lace bug in cassava and reduced the incidence of peanut pests. Crop productivity was lower in CPd due to the lower planting density of intercrops. However, both intercropping arrangements increased LER. Thus, despite the spatial arrangement of the intercropping system having implied different agronomic responses of the crops, planting peanuts between the cassava rows brought the best agronomic results.