Intercropping of oilseeds and faba beans.

Intercrops are considered as less susceptible to pests and diseases and may inhibit weeds more efficiently resulting in enhanced yields and profitability. N2 fixation of legumes is an important nitrogen (N) input factor of Organic Farming systems and results in partly unused plant available soil N (PAN) in sole cropped faba beans. Simultaneously cultivated oilseeds may function as sinks for PAN and enhance biodiversity with all positive aspects. In this respect we investigated several oilseeds intercropped with faba beans at different row distances. Depending on row distance we analysed e.g. the use of soil nutrients and land equivalent ratio (LER). Intercropped oilseeds depleted PAN between FB rows significantly in early development. In 2007 yield performance was impaired by the extreme weather conditions. Under these circumstances LER > 1 in intercrops at wider row distance suggests facilitative interactions and some kind of compensation.