Organic milpa: yields of maize, beans, and squash in mono- and polycropping systems

Authors

  • Roland Ebel Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México
  • José Gonzalo Pozas Cárdenas Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México
  • Florencio Soria Miranda Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México
  • Jesús Cruz González Programa de Incentivos a Productores de Maíz y Frijol

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.28940/terra.v35i2.166

Keywords:

agrobiodiversity, traditional farming, State of Mexico, overyielding

Abstract

The milpa is a traditional Mesoamerican production system based on polycropping corn (Zea mays L.), squash (Cucurbita spp.), and bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). Milpa is characterized by synergetic interactions between these plants that favor the total output of this arrangement and increase resilience to perturbations of the entire agroecosystem. Still, current environmental and socio-economic threats decrease the milpa’s attractiveness for farmers. Therefore, innovations of milpa are necessary but should not affect its principal strength: its agrobiodiversity. In Piedras Blancas, central Mexico, in 2015, an experiment was carried out to compare all possible combinations of maize, squash, and bean polyculture. Crop management was based on the principles of organic farming and fertilization was provided using manure compost. The combination of maize and beans achieved higher total production, in which maize yielded 7.9 Mg ha‑1 and beans 1.9 Mg ha‑1. In this maize-bean polyculture, each maize plant produced 68.3 g, 1.2 times higher than the yield per plant in monoculture and each bean plant yielded 27.5 g, which was equal to its performance in monocropping. All other combinations of crops (maize-squash, bean-squash, and maize-bean-squash) also exceeded their respective monocultures in terms of total production. As regards squash, it was revealed that the diverse associations increased its yield per plant, but per plant production of maize and beans decreased when they were associated with squash. The overyielding of maize and beans in association, compared with their respective monocultures, highlights the potential of polycropping systems to provide satisfactory yields for all involved crops.

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Author Biographies

Roland Ebel, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México

’Doctorado en Ciencias de la Tierra’ (PhD), Universität für Bodenkultur (BOKU), Viena, Austria. Proyecto ‘ Producción orgánica del tomate a cielo abierto’, implementado en Gran Canaria, España.

‘Maestría en Horticultura’ (Master Degree), Universität für Bodenkultur (BOKU), Viena, Austria-.Proyecto ‘Producción de la alcachofa en clima templado’  implementado en la Technische Universität Munich, Alemania.

2015

Profesor, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México

2008-2014

Jefe del Departamento de Desarrollo Sostenible y Profesor investigador de carrera, Universidad Intercultural Maya de Quintana Roo

2013 Evaluador Acreditado, Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología

2013 Coordinar del XIII Curso Internacional de Agroecología, Community Agroecology Network

José Gonzalo Pozas Cárdenas, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México

Profesor-investigador  en el área  de producción de hortalizas orgánicas de la Facultad de Ciencias Agrícolas de la UAEM (Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México)

Florencio Soria Miranda, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México

Ingeniero Agrónomo Fitotecnista egresado de la UAEM. Productor de maíz y en el municipio de Atlacomulco, Estado de México.

Jesús Cruz González, Programa de Incentivos a Productores de Maíz y Frijol

Ingeniero Agrónomo Fitotecnista egresado de la UAEM. Prestador de servicios en el Programa de Incentivos a Productores de Maíz y Frijol (PIMAF) del gobierno federal mexicano.

Published

2017-04-06

How to Cite

Ebel, R., Pozas Cárdenas, J. G., Soria Miranda, F., & Cruz González, J. (2017). Organic milpa: yields of maize, beans, and squash in mono- and polycropping systems. REVISTA TERRA LATINOAMERICANA, 35(2), 149–160. https://doi.org/10.28940/terra.v35i2.166

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Section

Scientific Papers

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