effect of strip intercropping of maize (zea mays l.) and bean (phaseolus vulgaris l.) on yield and land equivalent ratio in weedy and weed free conditions

in order to study the effect of strip intercropping of maize (zea mays l.) and bean (phaseolus vulgaris l.) on the dry matter yield and land equivalent ratio (ler) in weedy and weed free treatments, an experiment was conducted at the agricultural station of college of agriculture, ferdowsi university of mashhad, iran. treatments were strip width of 2, 3, 4 and 5 rows and sole cropping of each crop. in addition two levels of weedy and weed free as strips were also included. results indicated that treatments affected dry matter accumulation of maize and bean. the highest dry matter accumulation found in two strip widths and sole crop showed the lowest. thus by increasing strip width dry matter was decreased. weeds decreased dry matter accumulation by reduction of both rate and content of dry matter. increasing of strip width reduced dry matter yield of maize and bean, and two strip widths showed the highest dry matter yield. dry matter yield in intercropping treatments were more than sole crops in all side rows. in side rows, weeds reduced biological yield of sole stand of maize, bean and intercropped by 18.7, 23.5 and 20.3 percent compared to weed free treatments respectively. in central rows these values were 29.6, 21.3 and 27.3 percent, respectively. land equivalent ratio in strip intercropped was more than sole crops and was reduced with increasing strip width. intercropped ler in weedy treatment enhanced 29 percent in side rows and 21 percent in central rows.