In order to evaluate intercropping of corn and bean, an experiment was carried out in the research field of Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad in the growing season of 2006-2007. The trial was arranged as a complete randomized block design with three replications. For this purpose, row replacement series was used. Treatments included different combinations of bean and corn: 25:75, 50:50, 75:25 and their monoculture. Results indicated that combination of 50 percent of both crops in an alternate manner was superior to all other combinations. Land equivalent ratio (LER) for yield and dry matter production was more than 1 in this treatment. In all combinations of intercropping, changes of seed yield and also dry matter yield was in favorer of corn and consequently not in favored of bean.
As corn density increased in intercropping, seed yield, dry matter yield, harvest index, number of ears per plant, number of seeds per ear and 1000-seed weight were increased (p<0/05). By further increasing bean density in intercropping seed yield, dry matter yield, number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod and harvest index in bean were increased (p<0.05). |
