This study was carried out in field of the Universidade Federal da Grande Dourados, in Dourados, Brazil, during the period from March 2005 to September 2006. The aim of the experiment was to evaluate Pfaffia glomerata (Spreng) Pedersen yield under monocropping system or intercropped with Tagetes erecta L. and Ocimum basilicum L, in a Distroferric Red Latosol (sand loam Rhodic Oxisol), using semi-decomposed poultry manure (PM). The study objects were Brazilian ginseng (BG), marigold (M) and basil (B) under monocropping and the intercropping of two Brazilian ginseng, three marigold (BG2M3) and three basil (BG2B3) lines, all of them with or without semi-decomposed poultry manure (PM) as fertilizer. Ten treatments were arranged in randomized blocks design, with four replications. Fresh and dry weight production from shoot of Brazilian ginseng were higher (13.22 t ha-1 and 4.39 t ha-1, respectively) under monocropping, independently of the use of poultry manure. Nevertheless, none of experimental designs influenced the dry and fresh weight production or root number of Brazilian ginseng which produced average values of 10.02 and 2.07 t ha-1 and 417,916 roots ha-1, respectively. Root diameter was higher (23.5 mm) under intercropping system with basil. Dry and fresh weight of marigold flowers were higher (14.28 t ha-1and 1.278 t ha-1, respectively) when intercropped with Brazilian ginseng, but only fresh weight of the flowers was increased (14.17 t ha-1) by poultry manure application. Basil shoot production was higher (52.91 t ha-1) when intercropped, independently of the used species; however, they were not influenced by the use of poultry manure. Land equivalent ration (LER) for the Brazilian ginseng intercropped with marigold was 2.15 under poultry manure application and 1.99 without it, and for the basil 2.44 under poultry manure application and 3.08 without it. Values higher than 1.0 indicate that the intercropping systems were effective.
Pfaffia glomerata; Tagetes erecta; Ocimum basilicum; intercrops
