Response of sesame to intercropping with maize under different sowing dates and plant distributions of sesame

Intercropping is one way to reduce the request for more environmental resources for agriculture sustainability. A field trail was implemented at Sids Agricultural Experimental and Research Station, Egypt, during 2019 and 2020 season to study the effect of sesame sowing date [3 weeks before sowing maize (D1), simultaneously with maize (D2) and 3 weeks after sowing maize (D3)] and plant distribution of sesame [1 row (S1), 2 rows (S2) and 3 rows (S3)] on yields of both crops, land use and financial benefit. Split-plot design with three replications was used. Results showed that the highest values of maize agronomic traits were observed when late intercropping of sesame at D3 with one row of sesame. In contrast, sowing 3 rows of sesame significantly reduced the productivity of maize, while introducing sesame at D1 resulted in the highest values for sesame agronomic traits. The values of LER, RCC and AYL of D2 x S1 surpassed the other intercropping treatments. Aggressivity was (+) for sesame at D1 and D2 but it was (-) at D3. Furthermore, D2 x S1 surpassed the other intercropping treatments in total return (2297 US$), MAI 633 and increased return by 61.5 % over solid maize. It can be concluded that sesame simultaneously with maize by inter seeding one row of sesame spaced into maize maximize land use, income and food sustainability