Intercropping of parsley and chives for production of mixed bunches of green seasoning

ABSTRACT:

The objective of this research was to test an intercropping system of parsley and chives in substrate for production of commercial mixed bunches. The experiment was carried out at the Departamento de Fitotecnia from Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil, from September 12^th to October 22^nd, 2012, using sand (2,5 L) in polypropylene pots placed over benches in a closed fertirrigated growing system (with collection and reuse of drained nutrient solution). Five electrical conductivities (CE) of the nutrient solution were compared, 0.5; 1.5; 2.0; 2.5 and 3.0 dS/m, and eight crop arrangements, four intercropped and four monocropped. The intercropped arrangements were formed with transplants of parsley and chives from one cell of the commercial tray set side by side in the same pot (1S+1C); from two cells of parsley and one of chives (2S+1C); one of parsley and two of chives (1S+2C); two of parsley and two of chives (2S+2C). The four monocropped arrangements, as controls, were formed by parsley transplants from one cell of trays (1S); by chives from one cell of trays (1C); by parsley from two cells of trays (2S) and by chives from two cells of trays (2C) per pot. The experimental design was an entirely randomized bifactorial (5x8) and each pot was considered as a plot, with five replications. At the end of the experiment, plants of both species were harvested separately and fresh (MVPA) and dry mass (MSPA) of shoot were determined. The intercropping arrangement composed by transplants of parsley and chives from one cell of the commercial tray and fertilized with nutrient solution with the CE of 2.0 dS/m was the most efficient to produce mixed commercial bunches of green seasoning.

Keywords:
Petroselinum crispum; Allium fistulosum; nutrient solution; electrical conductivity.