ABSTRACT
This work aimed to evaluate the phytotechnical performance of the succession involving pre-croppings of maize and Mucuna pruriens (velvet bean) or the intercropping of these species in the agroecological cultivation of broccoli in the presence and absence of fermented compost fertilization. The experimental design was in randomized blocks in a factorial scheme 2 (maize monoculture or intercropped with velvet bean) x 2 (absence and presence of fermented compost fertilization) + 1 (velvet bean monoculture and without fertilization). After cutting the maize and velvet bean biomass, the broccoli seedlings were transplanted. In this stage, the design was in randomized blocks in a 3-factorial scheme (maize monoculture; maize intercropped with velvet bean; velvet bean monoculture) x 2 (presence and absence of fermented compost fertilization). The authors concluded that when the velvet bean was introduced into maize cultivation system no negatively interference was noticed concerning to phytotechnical components of baby corn, and it even allows an additional of 3.46 and 7.75 t/ha of fabaceous phytomass, respectively, in the first and second year. In the absence of fertilization, phytomasses of the intercroppings provided broccoli productivity of 12.87 t/ha, which represents an increase of 43.73% when compared to maize monoculture in the second year. An effect of fertilization with the fermented compost on broccoli cultivation under these study conditions was verified, providing a greater accumulation of N in the inflorescences in the first year and maximum productivity of 12.19 and 14.32 t/ha, respectively, first and second years.
Keywords:
Brassica oleracea var. italica; organic agriculture; horticulture; bokashi