Evaluation of Yield, Yield Components and Competitive Indices in Different Patterns of Intercropping on Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd) and Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

In order to investigate the effects of different intercropping arrangements on quinoa and bean, a field experiment based on randomized complete block design (RCBD) was conducted with three replications during growing season of 2019-2020 in Ahar, northwest of Iran. The treatments included different intercropping patterns consisting of 1 row of quinoa + 1 row of bean (1:1), 1 row of quinoa + 2 row of bean of quinoa (1:2), 1 row of quinoa + 3 row of bean of quinoa (1:3), 2 row of quinoa + 1 row of bean of quinoa (2:1), 2 row of quinoa + 3 row of bean of quinoa (2:3), 3 row of quinoa + 1 row of bean of quinoa (3:1), 3 row of quinoa + 2 row of bean of quinoa (3:2) and sole cropping of quinoa and bean. Results showed that intercropping patterns had significant effect on all of the studied traits of quinoa and bean. The maximum grain yield (1123.4 kg/ha) and biological yield (2625.25 kg/ha) of quinoa were obtained at 2 row of quinoa + 3 row of bean in quinoa and sole cropping, respectively. The maximum grain yield and biological yield for bean were achieved at sole cropping. The average yield loss (AYL) index of quinoa in different arrangements of intercropping was higher than the AYL of bean, which indicates that quinoa in intercropping is more resistant to yield reduction compared to bean. The highest land equivalent ratio (LER) values (1.84) were obtained from 2 row of quinoa + 3 row of bean arrangement. This means that intercropping improved land use efficiency by 84%, compared with monocropping.