Brazil: Lettuce irrigated in consortium in agroforestry system produces more with rational use of water

A study conducted by researchers from the Federal University of São Carlos and Embrapa Meio Ambiente in 2019 investigated the impact of intercropping lettuce with arugula and radish in a single crop and an agroforestry system (SAF) under full sun and drip irrigation. The results showed that intercropping led to a significant increase in the production of dry mass of vegetables per unit area, by 129.5% on average, compared to monoculture. The study highlighted the importance of selecting the right species for intercropping and emphasized that consortium systems are a useful strategy for increasing productivity, product diversity, and making better use of irrigation water in SAFs. The research also underscored the need for complementary irrigation in SAFs to ensure productivity, especially for crops with a deeper root system, as water availability becomes a limiting factor. The experiment was carried out in beds located in full sun and between the rows of a biodiverse SAF planted in December 2018.