Corn and bean growth and production in agroforestry systems

Cultivating a biodiverse ecosystem through the intercropping of corn and beans in an agroforestry system (AS) can be a strategy for sustainable and weather-resilient production. However, the reduction in solar radiation availability may pose a challenge to the success of this agricultural practice. The objective of this study was to determine the potential effects of solar radiation transmittance in an AS on the growth and production of corn and beans in both sole-crop and intercropped conditions. We conducted experiments using a randomized complete block design in a three-factorial arrangement (2 × 6 × 2) for corn and a two-factorial arrangement (2 × 5) for beans. The treatments included different cultivation environments (AS and full sun), corn cultivars (BRS 015FB, BRS 019TL), and plant arrangements. The plant arrangements involved both corn and bean cultivars (BRS Paisano) in monoculture and intercropped configurations with one and two rows of each species interspersed (1:1; 2:2). We assessed plant growth, yield, and biological efficiency indices for the crops. The results indicate that AS, with its reduced solar radiation, promotes greater plant height and leaf area in both corn and bean plants but results in lower productivity compared to full sun. Among the corn cultivars, BRS 019TL exhibited the highest productivity. However, in years with severe droughts, the use of intercropping with BRS 015FB shows greater land use efficiency within the AS. Furthermore, corn can be successfully intercropped with beans without a loss in production, while beans are best cultivated as a monoculture.