Yield of common bean cultivars and castor hybrids intercropped in two cultivation sites with oxisol in the Midwest region of Brazil

Abstract

The consortium between bean and castor aims to increase the yield per unit area and sustainability in land use. This system has several benefits, but the use of different genetic materials must be carefully evaluated, especially the behavior of smaller castor hybrids, since little research on their use in a consortium system is available. This study aimed to evaluate the components of production and yield of common bean cultivars and small castor hybrids, in two field experiments conducted in the intercropping and monoculture systems, in 2015/2016 and 2016/2017 harvests, in two cultivation sites in the Midwest region of Brazil. The experiment was arranged in a completely randomized block design, in a 4 x 2 + 6 factorial scheme, composed of four common bean genetic materials of different growth types and colors (Pérola, BRS Esteio, BRS Pitanga, and BRSMG Realce), a consortium with two short castor hybrid cultivars (Tamar and Agima 110204) and six additional treatments and bean and castor genetic material in monoculture, with three replications. Agronomic components and grain yields were determined in both experiments, for bean cultivars and castor hybrids. Bean and castor genetic materials presented the same agronomic performance in the studied agricultural and local crops, regardless of the cropping system. The intercropping between common bean cultivars (BRS Esteio, BRSMG Realce and BRS Pitanga) and castor hybrids (Tamar and Ag Ima) was classified as viable by the area equivalence index, since this index presented values greater than 1.0 for the intercropping between these cultivars. Thus, it is recommended for common bean in a system intercropped with small castor hybrids, regardless of the cultivated genetic material