Plant Diversity‐Mediated Facilitation Enhances Radish Agronomic Efficiency in Aromatic and Condiment Intercropping Systems

The objective of this study was to evaluate the agronomic performance of radish intercropped with aromatic and spice species in two production cycles. The experiment was carried out in randomized blocks in a split‐plot scheme, with four replicates. Plots were represented by treatments: T ₁ —radish sole cropping; T ₂ —radish and coriander; T ₃ —radish and chives; T ₄ —radish and garlic chives; T ₅ —radish and dwarf basil, whereas the subplots comprised the production cycles (1st cycle and 2nd cycle). The evaluated characteristics were plant height (PH), LA, shoot fresh mass (SFM), shoot dry mass (SDM), tuber diameter (TD), tuber length (TL), tuber fresh mass (TFM), tuber dry mass (TDM), and yield (Y). The highest PH of radish was observed in the 2nd cycle for sole cropping and intercropping with coriander and basil, while the highest LA occurred in the first cycle. TD was higher in the sole cropping and in the intercropping with chives, garlic chives GCh and basil, in the two production cycles. TL was lower in the intercropping with basil. TFM and TDM did not differ between treatments in the first cycle and were higher in the second cycle in the intercropping with coriander and garlic chives. Radish yield was higher in the second cycle, in the intercropping with coriander and garlic chives, and lower in the intercropping with chives and basil. Radish agronomic performance was better in the intercropping with coriander, followed by garlic chives, being the most recommended.