Relative Competitiveness between Industrial Tomato and Slender Amaranth

Abstract

The industrial tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is subject to weed interference that depends, among other factors, on plant density. This work aimed to quantify the competitive interactions and competitive indexes between industrial tomato and slender amaranth (Amaranthus viridis L.). An additive experiment for the two monocultures (pure stands) that varied from 20 to 100 plants m -2 was used to determine the value at which the production of each species became independent of the density. A replacement series experiment was also used, with a total density of 60 plants m -2 and five intercropping ratios (tomato: slender amaranth with 100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75 and 0:100 ratio), both experiments used a completely randomized with four replications. Regression and coefficient of competitiveness analyses were performed. Tomato showed a higher competitive ability for resources than slender amaranth, and the intraspecific competition was more important than interspecific competition for the industrial tomato.