ABSTRACT
The intercropping of lettuce and green ear corn was evaluated on different soil coverage in no-tillage system. The research was carried out in Cáceres, Mato Grosso State, Brazil, between December 20th, 2012 and June 27th, 2013. The experimental design used was randomized blocks with four replications in a factorial scheme. The treatments consisted of lettuce cropping systems (monoculture and intercropping with green ear corn) and tillage systems [soil turned over without coverage; no-tillage with millet (Pennisetum americanum) mulch and live cover with forage peanut (Arachis pintoi)]. The plots were composed of individual beds with 1.2 m wide and 4.0 m length. Seeding of green ear corn was done in the center of the beds, with 0.5x1.6 m spacing, sown 10 days before transplanting the first lettuce crop. Two cycles of lettuce were grown and evaluated consecutively. Transplanting was done with 30x30 cm spacing, in a quincunx design. The green ear corn harvest was carried out at 80 days, and the lettuce harvest at 42 days, after transplantation in each cycle. The lettuce highest yield (285.4 g/plant) was obtained in monoculture planting system with millet mulch. The lettuce grown over live cover had the lowest yield (123.6 g/plant). The fresh ear corn yield (average of 346.4 g/plant) was not influenced by the intercropping and the soil cover.
Keywords:
Lactuca sativa; Zea mays; Arachis pintoi; Pennisetum americanum; production system; sustainability; tropical conditions.
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