During this journey celebrated on May 26, 2026, at INTIA’s Experimental Site of Sartaguda, the results and experiences worked at Intercrop Values Project between 2022 and 2026 were presented, as well as the previous trials on intercropping strategies studied in the past years. The trial on organic broccoli-faba bean intercrop that is taking place this spring at the Experimental Site was also presented
Sartaguda, May 27, 2026.- Lucía Sanchez, INTIA’s leguminous crops specialist, presented the IntercropValues Project, all the actions performed throughout these years (2022-2026), as well as the most important and relevant results obtained throughout the trials on intercropping wheat and peas, under different nitrogen fertilization strategies. These trials have followed a common protocol, so that the information obtained has been tested in different agro-climatic conditions, reaching a higher consistency level.
Iñigo Arozarena, INTIA’s vegetable crops specialist, presented a case study (CICS#8) on broccoli-vetch intercrop—developed in collaboration with Santiago Apóstol Cooperative in Funes, with the collaboration of INTIA’s advisor at the cooperative Elisa Lapuerta. In these experiences we have been testing the intercrop of broccoli and vetch as a non-commercial service crop, over two spring seasons (2024 and 2025) as an on-farm demonstrative trial. The presentation outlined the advantages and disadvantages of implementing this innovative cultivation technique, which had previously been studied under the ReMIX project—specifically in trials performed during 2019 and 2020 seasons by our colleague Noelia Telletxea, INTIA’s Pest control specialist.
These studies examined the influence of a mixture of different plant species associated with broccoli crops—including vetch—on insects’ presence (pests and natural enemies) during the spring and autumn growing seasons. Finally, the trial currently being conducted in collaboration with SAT Yesfresh at INTIA’s Experimental Site of Cadreita was presented.
Finally, the attendees had the opportunity to learn about the ongoing broccoli and faba bean intercropping trial at INTIA’s Experimental Site of Sartaguda. In this case, the aim is to harvest both crops, thereby adding value to the intercropping system and facilitating its integration into the value chain.
The Remix Project: A Precedent for Crop Diversification (2019-2020)
As part of the European Remix project (remix-intercrops.eu), INTIA conducted species diversification trials evaluating intercropping as an ecological strategy to mitigate pest pressure in broccoli crops. Specifically, researchers tested a broccoli and common vetch (Vicia sativa) intercropping system at INTIA’s Experimental Site of Cadreita. The trials yielded highly positive results across the following growing seasons:
- Spring 2019 cycle: Significant reduction in Brevicoryne brassicae (cabbage aphid), Plutella xylostella (diamondback moth), and Aleyrodidae (whitefly) populations.
- Autumn 2019 cycle: Effective suppression of aphids and whiteflies.