Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2000. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 230-254). Also available on the Internet.

Orientador: Edson Lazarini / Banca: Luiz Malcolm Mano de Mello / Banca: Matheus Gustavo da Silva / Resumo: Com a expansão das áreas sob sistemas consorciados com milho e forrageiras na região dos Cerrados, principalmente em cultivo de segunda safra várias pesquisas têm sido desenvolvidas, porém ainda faltam informações quanto ao cultivar de milho que melhor se adapte ao sistema nestas condições edafoclimáticas, bem como qual recomendação de adubação é a mais adequada para as culturas envolvidas no consórcio. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o consórcio entre cultivares de milho e espécies de braquiária em cultivo de safrinha, submetidos a duas recomendações de adubação visando produtividade de grãos e palhada para a implantação do sistema plantio direto. O experimento foi realizado entre os meses de março e outubro de 2010, na Fazenda experimental da UNESP, Campus de Ilha Solteira, SP, localizada no município de Selvíria, MS, (20°22'S, 51°22'W e altitude de 335 m). O delineamento experimental utilizado foi em blocos ao acaso, em esquema fatorial 2x3x2, com quatro repetições. Os tratamentos foram constituídos por dois cultivares de milho (híbrido e variedade); três consórcios: milho + Brachiaria decumbens, milho + Brachiaria ruziziensis e monocultivo de milho; e duas recomendações de adubação: "normal" baseada na recomendação para a cultura do milho, e "extra" baseada no somatório das recomendações das culturas do consórcio. Foram avaliadas as seguintes variáveis na cultura do milho: altura de plantas; altura de inserção de espiga; população de plantas; comprimento e diâmetro espigas; número de fileiras de grãos por espiga; massa de cem grãos; produtividade de grãos; teor foliar, na planta e acúmulo de nutrientes; matéria seca. Nas braquiárias avaliou-se: teor e acúmulo de nutrientes da parte aérea; população de plantas; matéria seca; e para ambas culturas, matéria... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: With the expansion of areas under intercropping systems with corn and Brachiaria in the Cerrado region, especially in off-season cultivation, many studies have been developed, but still little information regarding the growing of corn best suited to system in these climatic conditions, as well as which fertilizer recommendation is most appropriate for the cultures involved in the intercropping. The objective of this study was evaluate intercropping corn cultivars and Brachiaria species in cultivation in off-season, subject to two fertilizer recommendations in order to yield and straw for the implantation of no-tillage system. The experiment was conducted between march and october of 2010, at the UNESP Experimental Farm, at Ilha Solteira, located in Selvíria, MS, (20°22'S, 51°22'W and altitude of 335 m). The experimental design was randomized complete blocks, as a factorial scheme 2x3x2, with four replications. The treatments consisted of two cultivars (hybrid and variety), three intercropping: corn + Brachiaria decumbens, corn + Brachiaria ruziziensis, and corn without intercropping; two fertilizer recommendations: "normal" based on the recommendation for the corn crop, and "extra" based on the sum of the recommendations of the cultures of intercropping. The following variables in corn were evaluated: plant height, ear insertion height, plant population, ear length and diameter, number of kernel rows per ear, hundred grains weight, grain yield, leaf content, content and accumulation of plant nutrients; shoot dry matter. The Brachiaria were evaluated: content and accumulation of the aerial part, plant population, shoot dry matter and total shoot dry matter both cultures. The extra fertilizer promote increments Brachiaria in shoot dry matter, corn shoot dry matter, total shoot dry matter and grain yield variety. Intercropping... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:29:41Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2012-03-02Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T18:39:33Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 coletti_aj_me_ilha.pdf: 277204 bytes, checksum: 6e3fb914b87bb8904997dbaf95e3b491 (MD5) / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / Com a expansão das áreas sob sistemas consorciados com milho e forrageiras na região dos Cerrados, principalmente em cultivo de segunda safra várias pesquisas têm sido desenvolvidas, porém ainda faltam informações quanto ao cultivar de milho que melhor se adapte ao sistema nestas condições edafoclimáticas, bem como qual recomendação de adubação é a mais adequada para as culturas envolvidas no consórcio. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o consórcio entre cultivares de milho e espécies de braquiária em cultivo de safrinha, submetidos a duas recomendações de adubação visando produtividade de grãos e palhada para a implantação do sistema plantio direto. O experimento foi realizado entre os meses de março e outubro de 2010, na Fazenda experimental da UNESP, Campus de Ilha Solteira, SP, localizada no município de Selvíria, MS, (20°22’S, 51°22’W e altitude de 335 m). O delineamento experimental utilizado foi em blocos ao acaso, em esquema fatorial 2x3x2, com quatro repetições. Os tratamentos foram constituídos por dois cultivares de milho (híbrido e variedade); três consórcios: milho + Brachiaria decumbens, milho + Brachiaria ruziziensis e monocultivo de milho; e duas recomendações de adubação: “normal” baseada na recomendação para a cultura do milho, e “extra” baseada no somatório das recomendações das culturas do consórcio. Foram avaliadas as seguintes variáveis na cultura do milho: altura de plantas; altura de inserção de espiga; população de plantas; comprimento e diâmetro espigas; número de fileiras de grãos por espiga; massa de cem grãos; produtividade de grãos; teor foliar, na planta e acúmulo de nutrientes; matéria seca. Nas braquiárias avaliou-se: teor e acúmulo de nutrientes da parte aérea; população de plantas; matéria seca; e para ambas culturas, matéria... / With the expansion of areas under intercropping systems with corn and Brachiaria in the Cerrado region, especially in off-season cultivation, many studies have been developed, but still little information regarding the growing of corn best suited to system in these climatic conditions, as well as which fertilizer recommendation is most appropriate for the cultures involved in the intercropping. The objective of this study was evaluate intercropping corn cultivars and Brachiaria species in cultivation in off-season, subject to two fertilizer recommendations in order to yield and straw for the implantation of no-tillage system. The experiment was conducted between march and october of 2010, at the UNESP Experimental Farm, at Ilha Solteira, located in Selvíria, MS, (20°22'S, 51°22'W and altitude of 335 m). The experimental design was randomized complete blocks, as a factorial scheme 2x3x2, with four replications. The treatments consisted of two cultivars (hybrid and variety), three intercropping: corn + Brachiaria decumbens, corn + Brachiaria ruziziensis, and corn without intercropping; two fertilizer recommendations: normal based on the recommendation for the corn crop, and extra based on the sum of the recommendations of the cultures of intercropping. The following variables in corn were evaluated: plant height, ear insertion height, plant population, ear length and diameter, number of kernel rows per ear, hundred grains weight, grain yield, leaf content, content and accumulation of plant nutrients; shoot dry matter. The Brachiaria were evaluated: content and accumulation of the aerial part, plant population, shoot dry matter and total shoot dry matter both cultures. The extra fertilizer promote increments Brachiaria in shoot dry matter, corn shoot dry matter, total shoot dry matter and grain yield variety. Intercropping... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

Maize is the third most important cereal crop in the world and many subsistence farmers are practicing intercropping of it with legumes due to land scarcity and in order to enhance production. Intercropping system is being practiced in may areas of South Africa mainly in the Limpopo province. The objective of the study was to evaluate the crop responses to intercropping maize with different growth length cowpea cultivars. The effects of intercropping on weed growth, maize and cowpea growth and yield components were investigated. The experiment was conducted during the 2005/06 and 2006/07 seasons at Bethlehem and Potchefstroom. Treatments were: maize sole, maize+PAN311 (short duration cowpea cultivar), maize+Glenda (medium duration cowpea cultivar), maize+Agrinawa (long duration cowpea cultivar) and sole plots of all cowpea varieties. Each plot was divided into two weed levels where all the plots were kept weed free for one month after planting, after which one half was left weedy and the other half weed free. Weed sampling was done within each weed treatment. Intercropping reduced maize LAI and plant height while time to physiological maturity was also reduced by weed infestation, especially under drier and warmer environments. Glenda and Agrinawa intercrops produced more nodules per plant under cooler and wetter conditions. Agrinawa produced the highest leaf and total DMY under sole crop conditions and this was significantly reduced by weed infestation. Different growth duration cultivars did not differ in their N2-binding abilities. Maize intercropping, especially with Glenda and Agrinawa, significantly reduced weed biomass. Maize sole crop under zero weeds had high grain yield compared to intercropping. PAN311 and Glenda sole crops under zero weeds produced higher yields under dry and warmer conditions, and cooler and wetter conditions, respectively, compared to intercropping. High cowpea grain yields were strongly correlated to more seeds per pod and larger pod lengths and number of pods per plant especially for Glenda. No intercropping advantage compared to sole cropping was observed (total LER < 1). This implies that maize and cowpeas must rather be planted as sole crops for better yields under wetter and cooler, and warmer and drier conditions. Copyright / Dissertation (MSc(Agric))--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Plant Production and Soil Science / unrestricted

The potential of agroforestry to alleviate problems related to scarcities of arable land, water, food and fuel wood is subject to understanding system functioning and implementing and managing an efficiently designed system. The objectives of this study were to understand interactions and productivity of a hedgerow intercropping system with reference to water and radiation use, and analyse system design and management scenarios in order to enhance returns. Field trials monitoring soil water, solar radiation and plant productivity were conducted during 2006-2008 at Ukulinga Research Farm (KwaZulu Natal, South Africa) using a Jatropha-Kikuyu (Pennisetum clandestinum) hedgerow intercropping system as case study. In order to extrapolate results, a process-based hedgerow intercropping model was developed by building intercropping and tree growth into the SWB-2D model. Data collected from the field trials were used to parameterise and evaluate the model, which was used to analyse hedgerow orientation and spacing to determine income scenarios of virtual system and to help develop design criteria. Allometric relationships of Jatropha using basal stem diameter and crown width as predictor variables were found to be very reliable. Stem diameter was linearly related with wood and branch proportions and inversely proportional to foliage. Neither below-ground (BG) interspecies competition nor tree spacing had any significant effects on allometry. Allometric equations were proven valid for accurate, non-destructive and rapid predictions of tree growth under various growing and non-destructive canopy management conditions. When interspecies competition was present, none of the tree spacing/arrangement options tested resulted in consistently highest tree relative growth rates (RGR). Treatments had no effect on tree RGR when high water availability and kikuyu dormancy coincided. The single-row treatment (SR) produced the shortest trees, but generally had the highest stem RGR during low rainfall periods. The standard-spacing treatment (SS) had the highest RGR during the spring and summer seasons. Jatropha-only treatment (JO) trees were the tallest and biggest. Treatments affected post-pruning tree height increase, even when rainfall was high. Length of tree-crop interface (TCI) generally decreased tree yield, especially as trees matured toward their maximum-yield age (4-5 years). SR trees showed slow response to pruning due to a high TCI. They, however, exhibited compensatory growth during May to August, when competition for water with grass was low. BG competition reduced tree nut yield more than tree biomass. Tree spacing/arrangements had no effect on tree harvest index. Soil water varied among treatments and was asymmetrically distributed across tree hedgerows. System ET was generally the highest in SR and lowest in the double-row treatment (DR). Differences were mainly due to transpiration. Treatments affected tree root distribution, which was inferred using correlations between tree RGR and soil water deficit (SWD). In JO and SR, fine tree roots were asymmetrically distributed. Their distribution in DR was essentially symmetrical. Strong vegetative RGR-SWD correlations during the 2007/08 season indicated that tree growth was mainly water-limited. Though DR and SR had comparable tree RGRs, DR produced less grass than SR. This implied DR had more intensive BG competition than SR. Interspecific competition was severe due to a lack of temporal complementarity between Jatropha and kikuyu and a shallow soil profile (0.6 m). Tree water uptake predominantly came from the 0.2 – 0.6 depth, which had about 8.6% of the total root biomass in the profile. There was no clear relationship between intercrop growth and root distribution. Radiation use efficiency of kikuyu decreased towards tree hedgerows possibly due to preceding interaction of the irradiance with tree canopy reducing photosynthetically active radiation. The effect of radiation distribution on tree-crop (T-C) interactions was mainly to magnify effects of water. Finally, tree spacing/arrangement could be manipulated to optimise radiation and soil water distribution and intercrop growth. Predictions of solar radiation distribution, profile water content and tree water use were quite accurate. In general, intercrop productivity simulations were acceptable. Intercrop growth was overestimated when rainfall was high and underestimated when rainfall was low. During model calibration, tree woody biomass, leaf area index, crown width and nut yield were predicted adequately, while leaf dry mass was overestimated. During model validation, woody biomass and crown width were simulated reasonably well. However, foliage biomass, leaf area index and nut yield were overestimated. Overall, adequacy of the model for simulating tree productivity was established. Using scenario modelling, model capabilities to facilitate design/planning and management of hedgerow intercropping systems and interpretation of model outputs were demonstrated. The model can be used to determine the T-C trade-off that yields maximum income. By selecting best-case row orientation and spacing scenarios using the model, and keeping in mind values of tree and intercrop yields, system returns can be maximised. Tree crown growth can also be predicted in order to decide on the extent and timing of pruning. The present model is applicable to any potential tree-intercrop combination. It should be linked to a nutrient simulator of SWB, its component, and appraised further by considering shade-intolerant and shade-loving crop species, along with evergreen and deciduous tree species. This provides model users with numerous T-C combinations to choose from. Various tree spacing/arrangement options can also be explored using the model in order to realise the full potential and implications of the experimental findings of this study and others. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / gm2014 / Plant Production and Soil Science / unrestricted

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

Situated on the western edge of Africa's harsh Sahel region, Senegal faces a number of agricultural production constraints. Limited rainfall, poor soil fertility, and insufficient agronomic inputs all contribute to low yielding millet production systems. This study was initiated to assess the potential for intercropping either cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) or mungbean (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek) into traditional pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.) cropping systems. During the 2013 and 2014 growing seasons two varieties of cowpea (upright and viney), and one variety of mungbean (upright) were grown in monoculture and subsequently intercropped with millet to evaluate the potential for increasing millet and overall yields. Millet was also planted with a mulch (2 t/ha of neem leaves) to test the effectiveness of increased ground cover on millet yields. In addition to yield data, soil moisture and plant NDVI data were also collected. Millet grain yields increased when intercropped with either cowpea or mungbean compared to millet that was grown alone, with grain yield increases of up to 55%. Additionally, the combined grain yields (millet + bean) were up to 67% higher than the traditional monoculture millet. The addition of mulch was the most effective treatment and increased millet grain yields up to 70%. Soil moisture increased up to 14% in mulched treatments over millet monoculture treatments. All yield increases were achieved without the addition of fertilizers or nutrient amendments. In an attempt to mimic local practices our experiment was rainfed and no soil amendments were introduced. / Master of Science