Plant population and spatial arrangement study on the intercropping of maize and beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in Northeast Brasil.

In Northeast Brazil, the peasant farmers usually raise their crops in mixture, and the intercropping of maize and beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is very frequent. In order to examine plant populations and spatial arrangements of maize and beans intercropped, and experiment was carreid out at Filadelfia, Brazil, located at 10o45' S and 40o07' W at 550 m altitude. The average annual rainfall of the area is 811 mm. The statistical design was a randomized complete block with a split-plot arrangement, with four replications. Four population levels of maize (25.000, 50.000, 75.000, and 100.000 plants/ha) and beans (150.000, 200.000, 250.000, and 300.000 plants/ha) formed the main plots. The subplots were composed of five spatial arrangements (sole maize; 1M:2B; 1M:3B; 1M:4B; and sole beans). It was concluded that the best spatial arrangement was 1:3, comprising 12.500 plants/ha of maize and 150.000 plants/ha of beans