Performance and leaf nutritional content of banana cultivars intercropped with lemongrass

Abstract

ABSTRACT Diversifying cultivars and intercropping with lemongrass can innovative strategies for banana growers to enhance the variety, profitability and sustainability of their orchards and to adapt to climate change. This study took place in the state of São Paulo, a subtropical region of southeastern Brazil and assessed the duration of the cropping cycles, growth and yield performance, and leaf nutritional content of banana cultivars BRS FHIA Maravilha, SCS 451 Prata Catarina, BRS Pacoua and Prata Anã when intercropped with lemongrass. The field experiment spanned two consecutive growing seasons. The growth, yield and nutrient content in the leaves of banana cultivars exhibited similar performance in both monoculture and intercropping with lemongrass. A shorter cycle was observed only in the first harvest with the lemongrass intercrop. The Prata Anã cultivar stood out for its earlier cycle, lower plant height and higher average yield per year. These findings are valuable for planning cultivar diversification in new orchards, exploring the potential for intercropping with lemongrass, and identifying the genotypes and cropping systems that are better suited to adverse climatic conditions.