Intercropping corn with tropical forages under no-tillage can decrease weed incidence as a result of high phytomass production and allelopathy provided by the superficial deposition of straw in the soil. This work aimed to evaluate the influence of intercropping modalities of corn with Brachiaria brizantha in two sowing spacings under no-tillage system on the weed population. The experiment was carried out under field conditions in 2002-2003 and 2003-2004, at the College of Agricultural Science/UNESP in Botucatu-SP-Brazil. The experiment was arranged in a randomized complete block design in a 2x4 factorial scheme with four replications. The treatments consisted of two spacings between the corn rows (E1-0.45m and E2-0.90m) and four tillage modalities (MCS-single corn tillage, MBL-corn tillage with B. brizantha in the sowing row, MBE-corn tillage with B. brizantha in the spacing between two rows and MBLE-corn tillage with B. brizantha simultaneously in the row and interrow). Forage dry matter production, phyto-sociological characterization, and weed incidence and control were evaluated. Corn tillage with B.brizantha simultaneously in the row and inter-row at 0.90m spacing provided highest straw production. In addition, the presence of B.brizantha in the intercropping decreased weed density. Corn intercropping with B. brizantha provided 95% weed control regardless of type of sowing.
spatial distribution; corn-grass intercropping; dry matter productivity; straw
