Intercropping efficiency of two maize hybrids with peanut under sandy soils conditions

A field experiment was carried out at Ismailia Agricultural Research Station, Agricultural Research Center, Ismailia, Egypt, during 2015 and 2016 summer seasons to maximize land usage and agro-economic feasibility of different intercropping patterns of maize and peanut. Treatments were compared in a randomized complete block design in four replications with nine cropping systems that included two maize hybrids (white hybrid SC 132 and yellow hybrid SC176) were grow in intercropping patterns with peanut cv. Giza 5 (intercropping pattern 100% peanut + 67% maize, intercropping pattern 100% peanut + 50% maize and intercropping pattern 100% peanut + 33% maize) in addition to solid culture of both cops. The results showed that maize and peanut of different cropping systems affected significantly yield and its attributes of both crops. Intercropping pattern 100% peanut + 67% white maize hybrid SC 132 had the highest grain yield fad-1, meanwhile intercropping pattern 100% peanut + 33% yellow maize hybrid SC 176 had the highest pod yield fad-1 in comparison with the other treatments. Intercropping cultures were advantageous compared to solid cultures of maize and peanut. Intercropping pattern 100% peanut + 33% yellow maize hybrid SC 176 was the best treatment which achieved 16.6 ardab of peanut seeds + 10.9 ardab of maize grains with low aggressivity (maize was the dominant and peanut was the dominated component), and high land equivalent ratio (1.32 and 1.32), relative crowding coefficient (7.45 and 5.42), net return (L.E. 10257 fad-1 and L.E. 9855 fad-1) and monetary advantage index (3816 and 3687) in the first and second seasons, respectively, compared with solid culture of peanut.