evaluation of maize (zea mays l.) and bean (phaseolus vulgaris l.) growth indices in strip intercropping

intercropping systems are one of the best approaches in development of sustainable agriculture. based on this purpose, the present study was conducted to evaluate effect of strip intercropping on maize and bean growth analysis and their yield during 2009. the experiment was set up in a completely randomized block with 3 replications and 6 treatments based on replacement design. the treatments were strip width, which included 2 rows bean plus 2 rows maize, 3 rows bean plus 3 rows maize, 4 rows bean plus 4 rows maize, 5 rows bean plus 5 rows maize, maize monoculture, and bean monoculture. crop growth ratio, relative growth ratio, biological yield, economic yield, harvest index and land equivalent ratio were measured. our results indicated that all of the measured traits were increased in the strip intercropping treatments compare to the monoculture treatments. increasing of strip width in the central row of intercropping treatments in comparison with the two rows bean plus two rows maize treatment led to decrease crop growth rate (15.3% and 28.7%), relative growth rate (17.5% and 19.2%), biological yield (30.9% and 14%), economic yield (52.9% and 20.2%), harvest index (31.9% and 7.3%) in maize and bean, respectively. with increasing of strip width, all of the measured traits decreased more in the central rows than the side rows. the highest (1.45) and the lowest (1.22) land equivalent ratio were found in the two rows bean plus two rows maize treatment and five rows bean plus five rows maize treatment, respectively. partial of maize had more role compare to bean in terms of enhance land equivalent ratio.