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Abstract

Intercropping is the practice of associating in the same area by planting various crops to increase yield, enrich the biological life of the soil and protect against erosion. However, the establishment and management of the consortium should be prioritized, as legumes and tropical grasses exhibit striking morphological and physiological differences, necessitating a consortium with resilience and harmony for the success of the system. Among the benefits of legumes can highlight the biological nitrogen fixation and transfer to grasses, directly or indirectly, increase soil fertility, improvements in animal production and reducing production costs. However, some factors imply limitations to adoption of intercropping, as the availability of adapted germplasm, agronomic and ecophysiological factors, as well as lack of knowledge about the technique and system acceptance. Meanwhile, the outlook for the coming decades, fully justify the investment in research aimed at increasing the production of ruminants in mixed pastures of grasses and legumes, which fits perfectly into the philosophy of intensification of livestock production sustainably, both in the tropics as in temperate countries.