Growth, nodulation, production, and physiology of leguminous plants in integrated production systems

Choosing the species suitable for cultivation in intercropped systems is a critical limiting factor for grain and forage production. This study aimed to evaluate the growth, nodulation, production, and physiology of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) and guandu bean (Cajanus cajan) intercropped with buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris) and Eucalyptus urograndis (Eucalyptus grandis x Eucalyptus urophylla) in an integrated production system. Two experiments were conducted simultaneously, arranged in a 2 x 4 factorial scheme. The first factor consisted of the use of two integrated production systems. The second factor consisted of four distances (2, 4, 6, and 8 m) from the eucalyptus planting rows. In the first experiment, crop-forest systems (CFIS: eucalyptus trees and cowpea) and crop-livestock-forest systems (CLFIS: eucalyptus trees, cowpea, and buffel grass) were evaluated. In the second, livestock-forest systems LFIS1 (eucalyptus trees and guandu bean) and LFIS2 (eucalyptus trees, guandu bean, and buffel grass) were evaluated. In cowpea, nodulation was not influenced by production systems and distances, whereas in guandu bean, there was a reduction in the nodules' number and dry mass with the distance from the trees. Higher growth, biomass production, and photosynthetic activity of cowpea and guandu bean were observed with the increasing distance from the eucalyptus planting rows. However, cowpea increased the 100-seed weight at 2 and 4 m distances from the eucalyptus rows, improving the grains' quality close to the trees. The simultaneous cultivation with buffel grass did not affect the leguminous plant yield, promoting greater diversification and increasing the total biomass production of the intercropping.