Mechanisation and soil physics in maize and Brachiaria intercropping

The intercropping of maize with forage crops is a technology that promotes the verticalisation of productivity, contributing to the maintenance of soil, water and air quality in a context of agronomic, economic and socio-environmental sustainability. Among the technologies capable of increasing productivity is the Crop-Livestock Integration System (CLIS), associated with no-till farming, whose main advantages are that the soil is not disturbed, it is covered all year round, thus reducing the risk of erosion, the physical and biological conditions of the soil are improved and there is the possibility of greater productivity without the need to open up new areas for farming purposes. For SILP to be successful, it is essential that the mechanised equipment used to install and maintain the crops in the system is used correctly. Improper use of these can cause damage to the structure of the soil and consequently to the plants grown in it, reducing productivity and contributing to environmental degradation.