RESUMO Sistema consorciado e uso de adubação verde com espécies espontâneas tem sido um método alternativo de cultivo aplicado ao setor produtivo de hortaliças na região semiárida nordestina. O objetivo deste trabalho foi determinar qual quantidade de Calotropis procera deve ser incorporada ao solo para proporcionar o melhor desempenho produtivo das culturas componentes e aumentar a rentabilidade do consórcio de cenoura e caupi. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi de blocos completos casualizados com cinco repetições. Os tratamentos consistiram de quatro quantidades de C. procera incorporadas ao solo: 10, 25, 40 e 55 t ha-1, em base seca. As características avaliadas neste sistema consorciado foram: produtividade comercial de raízes de cenoura, produtividade de grãos verdes de caupi, índices de uso eficiente da terra das culturas componentes e do consórcio, escore da variável canônica da associação e os indicadores econômicos renda bruta, renda líquida, taxa de retorno e margem de lucro líquido. A máxima eficiência agronômica do consórcio cenoura x caupi foi alcançada no índice de uso eficiente da terra de 1,12, utilizando-se 43,39 t ha-1 de biomassa de C. procera incorporada ao solo, enquanto a eficiência econômica máxima da associação cenoura x caupi foi obtida com a renda líquida de R$ 17.856,43 ha-1, na quantidade de 40,60 t ha-1 de biomassa de C. procera adicionada ao solo. | ABSTRACT Intercropping system and the use of green manure with spontaneous species has been an alternative farming method applied to the productive sector of vegetables in the northeastern semi-arid region. The objective of this work was to determine which amount of Calotropis procera must be incorporated into the soil to provide the highest productive performance of the component crops and increase the profitability of the carrot and cowpea intercropping. The experimental design used was randomized complete blocks with five replicates. The treatments consisted of four amounts of C. procera incorporated into the soil: 10, 25, 40 and 55 t ha-1 on a dry basis. The characteristics evaluated in this intercropping system were: commercial productivity of carrot roots, yield of cowpea green grains, land equivalent ratios for component crops and for the intercropped system, score of the canonical variable of the association, and the economic indicators of gross income, net income, rate of return, and net profit margin. The maximum agronomic efficiency of the carrot x cowpea intercropping was reached at the land equivalent ratio of 1.12, using 43.39 t ha-1 of C. procera biomass incorporated in the soil, while the maximum economic efficiency of the carrot and cowpea crops association was obtained at the net income of R$ 17,856.43 ha-1, in the amount of 40.60 t ha-1 of C. procera biomass added to the soil.

Intercropping system and the use of green manure with spontaneous species has been an alternative farming method applied to the productive sector of vegetables in the northeastern semi-arid region. The objective of this work was to determine which amount of Calotropis procera must be incorporated into the soil to provide the highest productive performance of the component crops and increase the profitability of the carrot and cowpea intercropping. The experimental design used was randomized complete blocks with five replicates. The treatments consisted of four amounts of C. procera incorporated into the soil: 10, 25, 40 and 55 t ha-1 on a dry basis. The characteristics evaluated in this intercropping system were: commercial productivity of carrot roots, yield of cowpea green grains, land equivalent ratios for component crops and for the intercropped system, score of the canonical variable of the association, and the economic indicators of gross income, net income, rate of return, and net profit margin. The maximum agronomic efficiency of the carrot x cowpea intercropping was reached at the land equivalent ratio of 1.12, using 43.39 t ha-1 of C. procera biomass incorporated in the soil, while the maximum economic efficiency of the carrot and cowpea crops association was obtained at the net income of R$ 17,856.43 ha-1, in the amount of 40.60 t ha-1 of C. procera biomass added to the soil.