Intra and interspecific competition in spatial arrangements of cassava and peanut intercropping

Intercropping cassava with peanuts in different plant arrangements can increase cassava crop yield. Nonetheless, no experimental evidence has been established on the ubiquitous forces of intra and interspecific competitions affecting cassava development, crop yield, and land use efficiency (LUE) in intercropping. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the intra- and interspecific competition impacts on cassava culture, crop productivity, and LUE under different spatial arrangements in the cassava-peanut consortium. The experiment was arranged in randomized blocks with 5 treatments and 5 replications. The treatments were: cassava in monoculture (T1); cassava + peanuts between the cassava rows (T2); cassava + peanuts in a double row between the cassava rows (T3); cassava planted in a double row + peanuts between double rows of cassava (T4); peanuts in monoculture (T5). The results reveal that intercropping affects the vegetative growth rate of cassava and that denser spatial arrangements promote greater inter- or intraspecific competition between cassava and peanut plants, affecting the height, branching, root length, diameter, and commercial yield of cassava roots. However, less dense arrangements provide more advantageous conditions for cassava root growth, resulting in less root loss. The productivity of cassava and peanut roots and grains was higher in single cultivation. The intercrop of cassava in a single row with peanuts in the alley and the intercrop of cassava in a double row with peanuts presented satisfactory ELU, with an average of 1.30.