Study about the intercropping sorghum-cowpea density in brazilian semiarid

Abstract

This research work aimed to study the effect of plant density variation of sorghum and cowpea in intercropping system on grain and fodder yields under rainfall conditions. It was comprised by three plant densities (25,000, 50,000 and 75,000 plants ha-1) for sorghum and two plant densities for cowpea (20,000 and 40,000 plants ha-1). Sorghum plant density had adverse effects for the two crops while grain and fodder yields for sorghum increased significantly as the number of plants per area increased from the lowest to the highest. The results obtained for cowpea showed a tendency for reduction in the two productions with the increment of the sorghum plant density. Yields of grain and fodder per plant for sorghum and cowpea decreased as their plant densities were increased. This suggests an intra-specific competition in both species. Although both crops showed lower results under intercropping, compared to sole cropping, they produced average yields for grain and fodder per area corresponding to 63 and 57% for sorghum and 43 and 53% for cowpea.