Abstract

MORALES-ROSALES, EJ; ESCALANTE-ESTRADA, JAS  and  LOPEZ-SANDOVAL, JA. Growth, harvest index and yield of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in sole crop and in intercropped with sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.). Universidad y ciencia [online]. 2008, vol.24, n.1, pp.1-10. ISSN 0186-2979.

The purpose of this study was to estimate growth, biomass production, yield and yield components of three cultivars of kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in sole crop and intercropped with sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.). The study was carried out during the Spring of 2002 under rainy conditions in Montecillo, State of Mexico. The evaluated variables included: crop phenology, number of leaves m^-2 (NL), leaf area index (LAI), net assimilation rate (NAR), total biomass (TB), harvest index (HI), number of racemes m^-2 (NR), number of pods m^-2 (NP), number of seeds per pod (NSP), number of seeds m^-2 (NS), weight of one hundred seeds (WHS) and seed yield m^-2 (SY). The evaluation took place with an experimental design of randomised complete blocks with four replications in a factorial arrangement, where the study factors were cultivars of kidney bean and planting systems. A simple linear correlation analysis was carried out between seed yield and its principal components. Statistical differences (p = 0.001) were detected for all evaluated variables in the cultivar factor, while the systems factor presented significant differences for the variables NR, NP, NS and WHS. Although the interaction among cultivars per system was not significant (p = 0.05), biomass and seed production increased in the Bayomex and Michoacan cultivars when they were intercropped with sunflower. The variables NR, NP, NSP, NS and WHS were positively and significantly correlated (p = 0.01) with seed yield. Results indicate that Bayomex and Michoacan responded positively to being associated with the Victoria sunflower, and this represents an option for the Texcoco valley farmers.

Keywords : Phaseolus vulgaris L.; Helianthus annuus L.; multiple crops; seed yield; net assimilation rate.