Chicory and arugula in intercropping with collard greens1

Abstract

– Vegetable intercropping systems use complementarity between species to increase agricultural profitability. This study evaluated the effects of intercropping chicory and arugula species with collard greens on crop yield and land use efficiency (LUE). Six treatments, consisting of species planted as monocultures or intercropped in various combinations, were evaluated in a randomized block design with four replicates. The cultivars ‘Top Bunch’ (collard greens), ‘Pão de Açúcar’ (chicory) and ‘Folha Larga’ (arugula) were used. The yield of collard greens in monoculture did not differ from those obtained when they were intercropped with chicory, arugula, or both species, whereas chicory and arugula yields were higher in monoculture. However, even with yield losses for chicory and arugula in intercropping, LUE indices were greater than 1.0 in all intercropping systems, indicating their viability. The highest LUE index (2.41) was obtained in the chicory-arugula-collard green intercropping system.