Paraguay tea in intercrop with chinaberry tree and “louro-pardo”

Abstract

The objective of this research was to evaluate the yield of Paraguay tea (Ilex paraguariensis St. Hil.),
a South American native tree of the Aquifoliaceae family, planted in different intercropping densities with chinaberry tree (Melia azedarach L.) and “louro-pardo” (Cordia trichotoma Vellozo Arrabida ex Steudel.). Six different plant spacing arrangements were used for chinaberry tree and “louro-pardo”, while he Paraguay tea
was planted in the rows by using two, three or four seedlings depending on the inter-row space. The Paraguay tea was evaluated in August 2002 and December 2003 by quantifying the total plots production. In July 2005 an individual evaluation of all plants in the plots was carried out. The chinaberry tree and the “louro-pardo” were
evaluated only once (July 2005) by taking measures of the diameter at breast height (DBH), height and diameter of plant canopy. It was possible to observe that the shade produced by the chinaberry tree affected the production of Paraguay tea. The spacing for the plantation of chinaberry tree and “louro-pardo” affected the yield of Paraguay
tea due to the variation of its population. The highest yield of Paraguay tea was obtained with “louro-pardo” in the density of 941 plants/ha.