Intercropping rapeseed with black oats in no-till organic system for grain and straw yield and weed management

Abstract

In no-till system, besides providing physical-chemical benefits to the soil, mulch can prevent
the growth of weeds if in enough amount and if it is from adequate plant species. Intercropping
winter cash crops and cover crops can also increase the system profitability. The objective was
to evaluate the grain yield of rapeseed intercropped with black-oat, and their mulch effect on
the suppression of weeds in soybean, and on the soybean yield. The experiment was carried
out in Londrina-PR during 2015/16 season. It was started by sowing the winter crops that were
flattened in the summer, before the soybean sowing. Although the rapeseed yield have been
reduced by competition from black-oats when intercropped, this treatment provided enough
mulch yield and had a positive influence on soybean yield in no-weeding plots.