EFFECT OF INTERCROPPING SYSTEMS AND NITROGEN LEVELS ON CERTAIN CHARACTERS OF SNAP BEAN AND PEPPER. III. EFFECT ON COMPETITION PARAMETERS

The competition parameters measured in order to throw some light advance
on the expected yield resulting from the tested treatments.
1. Land equivalent ratio (LER):
The land equivalent ratio (LER) of pepper and snap bean showed
values more than one in all intercropping systems in both seasons. The
highest values for both crops were obtained from the IS₃ intercropping system
in both seasons.
With respect to the nitrogen levels, the data cleared that the highest
value was obtained at zero nitrogen level for pepper, snap bean and both
crops in both seasons. By increasing nitrogen level, the land equivalent ratio
was decreased in both seasons.
The effect of interaction on land equivalent ratio of pepper, snap bean
and both crops Significantly observed in both seasons. The interaction
between IS₃ system and zero nitrogen level gave the bestresults of land
equivalent ratio of pepper, snap bean and both crops in both seasons.
2. Relative crowding coefficient (RCC):
The intercropping systems and nitrogen levels had no effect on this
parameter in both seasons. The same trend was obtained by the interaction
between intercropping systems and nitrogen levels in both seasons, except
relative crowding coefficient of snap bean (Ks) in the second season.
3. Aggressivity (A):
The highest aggression value of pepper (Aps) was obtained under the
IS₄ intercropping system in both seasons. All intercropping systems gave a
dominated aggression value for pepper (Aps) in both seasons, however all
intercropping systems gave recessive aggreSSion values of snap bean (Asp)
in both seasons.
Concerning the effect of nitrogen levels, the highest dominant value of
aggression in pepper (Aps) was obtained by zero nitrogen level in both
seasons. However aggression values of snap bean was negative in both
seasons.
The superior aggression value of pepper resulted from the interaction
between the IS₄ system and zero nitrogen level in both seasons, followed by
the interaction between the IS₃ system and zero nitrogen level in both
seasons.
4. Mean of net income:
The. highest net income was obtained from the IS₃ system, followed by
the IS₄ system in both seasons, whereas the least net income per feddan was
obtained from the ISo system (planting pepper as a solid crop).
Nitrogen levels were not significant on net income per feddan. The
highest net income per feddan was obtained from zero nitrogen level in both
seasons.
With respect to the interaction between intercropping systems and
nitrogen levels, the obtained results showed that the highest net income per
feddan was obtained from the IS₃ system with zero nitrogen level in both
seasons. However, the least net income per feddan was obtained from the
interaction between ISo system and zero nitrogen level in both seasons.