Produtividade de feijão-caupi (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp) em intercultivo com capim-vetiver

Abstract

The present study aimed to determine the potential of cowpea in interconsorption with vetiver grass in different populations and to verify the N input of the agroecosystem. The research was carried out in Campos dos Goytacazes-RJ, Brazil. The experiment was arranged in a 5 x 2 factorial, whose factors and levels were: planting density of vetiver grass (0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 plants m-1 with line spacing of 1.0 m) and fertilization with N (20.25 kg ha^-1 of N) in the form of urea (0 and 45 kg ha^-1) in coverage with 30 days after emergence in the cowpea crop. The experimental design was in randomized blocks with four replications. In the cowpea monoculture, an average of 8.9 Mg ha^-1 of dry straw material was produced and a productivity of 739 kg ha^-1. In the cowpea monoculture, with application of N, the straw contained 212 and 231 kg ha^-1 of N and K, while, without application of N, 152 and 174 kg ha^-1, respectively. Intercultivation with vetiver reduced both dry matter productivity and N and K contents in cowpea straw.