Turning biennial into biannual harvest: Long‐term assessment of Arabica coffee–macadamia intercropping and irrigation synergism by biological and economic indices

Intercropping that involves coffee (Coffee arabica L.) and macadamia (Macadamia integrifolia Maiden & Betche) can achieve the complementarity between component crops aiming at better use of natural resources, hence resulting in optimum crop production. However, there is no detailed information scientific literature about biological economic efficiency coffee–macadamia intercropping. In this work, we evaluated productivity performance Arabica intercropping under rainfed irrigated conditions for 13 years (2006–2018) São Paulo state, southeastern Brazil. addition, some biological, economic, competition indices were used to understand companion system. Irrigation significantly increased (21%–40%) (33%–44%) yields. Despite greater values aggressivity dominance over have been calculated regime, with reduced more strongly yield irrigation. The higher land equivalent ratio (LER), coefficient (LEC), percentage difference (PYD), income (IER), relative net return index (RNRI) indicated relatively benefits regime than systems productive monocrops, reaching 215% yield, 3.2-fold gross conditions. synergy combined irrigation technologies decreased payback period highest (CEY) monetary advantage (MAI) a cumulative effect on profitability. Here, first time, demonstrated system, least up after planting crops, suggest it may be viable option optimize food production, ecosystem services, making agricultural profitability sustainable stable.