Evaluation of Yield and Advantage Indices of Maize (Zea Mayz L.) and Faba Bean (Vicia Faba L.) Intercropping Systems

Objective: For investigation of intercropping of maize and faba bean, an experiment was conducted in Research Station of Agriculture Faculty of Tabriz University during growing season of 2013. Methods: Experimental design was randomized complete block design with three replications and seven treatment. Treatments included one row intercropping (1:1), 4 strip intercropping pattern with ratios of (1:2), (1: 3), (2: 1) and (2: 2) maize and faba bean and 2 treatments of faba bean and maize sole culture. Results: Based on results, grain yield and biological yield of two species in sole culture was significantly different from other species and reached their highest level. Evaluation of different patterns of intercropping using Land Equivalent Ratio (LER) showed that strip intercropping with ratio 2:2 dedicated highest ratio of LER to itself. Regarding to maize as a major yield in all cropping patterns, economic value or Relative Value Total (RVT) was lower than one, but regarding to economic production of  faba bean, RVT of all intercropping was more than one, and among them strip intercropping 2:1 had highest RVT(9.65). RelativeCrowdingCoefficient (RCC) showed that in treatments which crowding one of two species is more than other, that species is superior competitively.