Abstract
Field studies to compare utilization and economics of some locally important intercropped and corresponding monocropped systems were conducted in four countries using the following crop combinations: maize/cowpea (Nigeria and Hawaii), maize/soya bean (Sri Lanka), maize/mung bean (Sri Lanka), and sunflower/mung bean (Philippines). N levels used were 0, 50 and 100 per cent of the locally recommended rates for the non-legume crop. At all locations, the non-legume crop showed a positive response to under both cropping systems. Yield of the intercropped legume was, however, depressed at higher rates, due possibly to shading effect of the non-legume crop. Total economic yield and gross economic returns increased with intercropping. The net protein utilization value of the cereal-legume intercropped systems also appeared to be higher, so pointing to the importance of such systems for the subsistence level farmer of developing countries.
