Agronomic Efficiency of Organic Fertilised in the Production of the Intercropping of Coriander and Mint in the Northeastern Brazil
Paulo César Ferreira Linhares *
Department of Agronomic and Forestry Sciences, Federal Rural Semi-Arid University, Jitirana Research Group, Mossoró-RN, 59625-900, Brazil
Lauvia Moesia Morais Cunha
Researcher of the Green Group of Agroecology and Bees-GVAA- POMBAL, Brazil
Roberto Pequeno de Sousa
Department of Agronomic and Forestry Sciences, Federal Rural Semi-Arid University, Jitirana Research Group, Mossoró-RN, 59625-900, Brazil
Ana Paula Morais Neves
Researcher of the Green Group of Agroecology and Bees-GVAA- POMBAL, Brazil
Janilson Pinheiro de Assis
Department of Agronomic and Forestry Sciences, Federal Rural Semi-Arid University, Jitirana Research Group, Mossoró-RN, 59625-900, Brazil
Alany Moisa Bezerra de Almeida
Researcher of the Green Group of Agroecology and Bees-GVAA- POMBAL, Brazil
Maria Francisca Soares Pereira
Researcher of the Green Group of Agroecology and Bees-GVAA- POMBAL, Brazil
Eudes de Almeida Cardoso
Department of Agronomic and Forestry Sciences, Federal Rural Semi-Arid University, Jitirana Research Group, Mossoró-RN, 59625-900, Brazil
José Aluisio de Araújo Paula
SEBRAE, Mossoró, RN, Brazil
Lunara de Sousa Alves
Federal University of Paraiba, Campus Areia, Areia-PB, 58397-000, Brazil
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Oleric plants are grown in a system intercropping by family farmers in organic production areas in the region northeastern Brazil. The experiment was conducted in an experimental area belonging to a semi-arid rural federal university. The study was carried out in the period from August 2014 to November 2014, in order to evaluate agronomic efficiency of organic fertilised in the production of the intercropping of coriander and mint in the northeastern Brazil. The study area was designed in a randomized block area, arranged in a 2 x 4 factorial scheme set up, with three replications. The first factor set up consisted of single crop and intercropping of coriander and mint, and the second was hairy woodrose (Merremia aegyptia L.) added to cattle manure in the amounts (0.0, 2.0, 4.0 and 6.0 kg/2.0 m2). The evaluated characteristics for the coriander crop these were plant height, number of stems, green mass, number of bunches and dry mass. The evaluated characteristics for the mint crop these were biomass height, green mass, number of bunches, dry mass, oil content and yield oil. The agronomic efficiency of mint and coriander in intercropping was was obtained with the addition of 6.0 kg/2.0 m2 of organic fertilised incorporated into the soil. The equivalent area ratio was agronomically efficient, with equivalent area ratio (EAR) of 1.66.
Keywords: Medicinal plant, spice, agroecological production, family farmers