In order to evaluate different sowing dates and the effect of desiccation on Brachiaria decumbens intercropped with two beans cultivars (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), an experiment was conducted in Coimbra, MG in a factorial design involving two bean cultivars (Ouro Vermelho and VC3), two sowing dates (simultaneous and during bean weeding), three desiccation types (without desiccation, Carfentrazone-ethyl and Paraquat), plus two additional plantings of monoculture bean and brachiaria in DBC with four replications. The beans were seeded by mechanized planting with 0.50 m spacing between the rows. Brachiaria was sown by manual planting between the bean rows. We evaluated the final stand and grain yield of the beans, and the dry biomass of the brachiaria shoots, at 15 and 60 days after the bean harvest. It was concluded that the cultivar Ouro Vermelho was most suitable for intercropping with B. decumbens in the rainy season. Sowing brachiaria after weeding the beans increased the grain yield of the beans, but hindered the production of dry biomass in the brachiaria shoots. Pre-harvest desiccation does not influence the grain yield, but when performed with Paraquat it again hinders the production of dry biomass in brachiaria shoots.
Crop-livestock integration; formation of pasture; bean crops
