Performance of lettuce in sole cropping and intercropping with green manures

Abstract

The performance of lettuce in sole and intercropped with green manures was assessed under different establishment times. The lettuce fresh and dry weight, number of leaves per plant, diameter and length of head, and fresh and dry weight of green manure were evaluated. The intercropping design was additive and both cash and cover crops were planted in rows. The experimental design was of randomized complete blocks in split plot scheme, with six replicates. The plots represented the green manure sowing days (0, 20, 40 and 60 before transplanting of lettuce), and the sub-plots were assigned by cropping systems (lettuce in sole crop and intercropped with black oat, cowpea or white lupin). Simultaneous planting in the intercropping did not affect the lettuce performance. However, when the green manures were sown before lettuce, they influenced it in a negative way. Among the green manures, cowpea increased biomass and had a higher negative effect on lettuce performance compared to white lupin, which appeared to produce less competition. The sole crop and the intercropping with simultaneous planting of the green manures resulted in a better lettuce performance.

Land Equivalent Ratio in the Intercropping of Cucumber with Lettuce as a Function of Cucumber Population Density

“…Cucumber biomass was guided vertically, so its leaves were on a higher plane than the lettuce plants, causing shade and competition for light. This example indicates that less light decreases the yield [7,9,20,21].…”

Pollinators on Cowpea Vigna unguiculata: Implications for Intercropping to Enhance Biodiversity

“…For example, an increase in crop yield was reported from intercropping tomato and cowpea [ 31 , 61 ] and okra and cowpea [ 31 ]. Meanwhile, in another study, intercropping tomato and okra with cowpea caused between 45 and 55% loss in marketable fruit yields in tomato and okra, respectively, and cowpea grain yield was reduced up to 55% by intercropping [ 62 ]. In such intercropping, the yield increases were not only due to improved nitrogen nutrition of the cowpea component and reduced pest damage but also to other unknown factors which could include the presence of pollinators.…”

Cultivo Consorciado De Batata-Doce E Milho Pipoca: Crescimento E Produção Das Culturas

“…Ceratti et al (2016) quando analisou a competição, porém entre plantas de milho e de soja, observou a baixa produção de matéria seca das raízes, da área foliar e desenvolvimento reduzido do diâmetro de caule da soja devido aos altos níveis de competição com as plantas de milho, independentemente da condição da competição. Negrini et al (2010) observaram no consórcio entre alface (Lactuca sativa) e feijão caupi (Vigna unguiculata), a menor produção de folhas na cultura da alface, devido à grande produção de biomassa e a competição por luz. Rezende et al (2006), verificaram redução do diâmetro da alface, no número de folhas e aumento na altura de plantas, quando consorciada com pimentão e repolho, o autor remete provavelmente, à maior competição interespecífica, principalmente com relação à luz, proporcionado pelo sombreamento exercido das folhas do repolho sobre a alface.…”