Assessment of sugarcane cultivation in agroforestry systems in Piracicaba, SP, Brazil. / Avaliação do cultivo de cana-de-açúcar em sistemas agroflorestais em Piracicaba, SP.

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2003

RESUMO

In Piracicaba, many smallholders grow sugarcane in areas of high solpe, but the mechanization of the harvest process has made inviable its cultivation under this situation. Agroforestry systems (AFs) are an alternative that may join the cultivation of the crop under this scenario with conservation of natural resources. However, there is lack of research of its cultivation in AFs. Therefore, the use of simulation models and evaluation of on-farm tree-crop interfaces may play an important role to investigate its potentials and restrictions. Thus, we identified and selected lands and trees to the cultivation of the AFs and assessed plant growth and yield of sugarcane x rubber and sugarcane x eucalyptus AFs. We did two field experiments and used the WaNuLCAS model and another one that simulates the available irradiance for intercrops, related with their dry matter production. Contourhedgerows are a feasible alternative for sugarcane cultivation in Piracicaba, where many tree species may be part of it, especially rubber and eucalypts. Light and water are limiting factors for crop growth and competition increases with tree growth. The relative importance of each variable depends on the distance from the trees. However, the sugarcane x eucalyptus AF has similar production of the monocropping of each specie. The models allowed to assess the AFs and to drive field trials, but their results should be verified in experiments. The recomendation of the AFs should be done after their economic analysis.

ASSUNTO(S)

agroforestry sugarcane piracicaba cana-de-açúcar sistema agroflorestal

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