Yield of nasturtium in monocrop and intercropped with 'green' and 'purple' cabbage under two arrangements of plants

This work has as aim to study yield of nasturtium flowers and of cabbage 'heads' that were cultivated as monocrops and intercrops. 'Jewel' nasturtium (Ca) was studied in monocrop and intercropped with 'Sooshu' green leaves (RV) or 'Red Extra Early' purple leaves (RR) cabbages, under two (2) or three (3) rows of plants per plot. The ten resultant treatments (Ca-2, Ca-3, RV2, RV3, RR2, RR3, Ca2RV3, Ca3RV2, Ca2RR3, Ca3RR2) were arranged in a randomized block experimental outline, with three replications. Harvests of nasturtium flowers were between 30 and 155 days after transplant (DAT) and the ones of cabbages between 102 and 140 DAT. The highest number and the greatest fresh mass of nasturtium flowers (12,022,220 ha(-1) and 8.20 t ha(-1), respectively) were obtained from monocrop system. For intercropping, the highest values were with purple cabbage (7,555,560 ha(-1) and 5.04 t ha(-1), respectively. Average yields of fresh mass of cabbage plants of green leaves in monocrop system and intercropped were of 33.78 and 35.76 t ha(-1) and of plants with purple leaves were of 23.19 and 19.50 t ha(-1), respectively. Land Equivalent Ratios were 1.56 (Ca2RV3), 1.33 (Ca3RV2), 1.30 (Ca2RR3) and 1.45 (Ca3RR2), what indicates that is viable to cultivate in monocrop system. Considering the gross income one may conclude that the intercrop of nasturtium and cabbage was viable for cabbage producer, who must opt for the Ca 3 RR, arrangement. For nasturtium producer, the monocrop system with two rows per plot was the best.