Crescimento e produtividade do inhame cultivado entre faixas de guandu em sistema orgânico

Abstract

Growth and productivity of taro intercropped with pigeon pea hedgerows in organic system under different management was tested in Bom Jardim, upland region of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The treatments consisted of unpruned hedgerows; hedgerows pruned with the biomass maintained on the soil surface; and hedgerows pruned with the biomass removed from the experimental area. The unpruned hedgerows system was advantageous by protecting taro leaves against sun burning and keeping the same productivity of the hedgerows pruned system. In addition, it represented an effective way to control weeds, reducing manual labour and costs of organic taro production in which herbicides are not allowed. The legume hedgerows pruned promoted a significant input of organic matter and nitrogen (6.58 t dry biomass and 159 kg N/ha) and the recycling of other nutrients, such as 20 kg P, 136 kg K, 64 kg Ca and 16 kg Mg/ha.