The production of peach palm for heart-of-palm is increasing in the Amazonian region as a result of its economic potential and adaptation to the edaphoclimatic conditions of the tropical forest. However, the establishment of this crop is very expensive. One option to decrease the costs is to identify species to be used in mixed-cropping systems, providing both a quick economic return without affecting the growth of the peach palm plants. The vegetative growth rate and yield of peach palm in monoculture (with weed control and without it) and in intercropping cultivation system (peanut, rice, sorghum and cassava (manioc)) was evaluated. The best intercropping system was observed using peanuts between the rows, with satisfactory growth of the peach palm at eleven months (better relative growth rate and good nutritional status). The peanut crop produced 2.1 t ha-1, rice produced 2.5 t ha-1, sorghum produced 2.1 t ha-1 of grains and cassava produced 7.2 t ha-1 of roots. Fertilisation studies are necessary in intercropping systems with rice, sorghum or cassava in order to decrease competition for nutrients. It is advantageous to use the intercropping system with annual species during establishment stage of the heart of palm crop cultivated for heart of palm production in order to reduce the cost of production during the establishment of the main crop.
Bactris gasipaes; Arachis hipogaea; Oriza sativa; Sorghum bicolor; Manihot esculentus; pejibaye; intercropping; growth
