Two field experiments were conducted at Mansoura district (EL-Baqulia village) Dakahlia governorate, during 2003/2004 and 2004/2005. seasons, to study the impact of nitrogen levels i.e 40, 60 and 80kg N/fad. on growth and yield of sugar beet cv. "Sultan" intercropped with faba bean cv. "Giza 2" and wheat cv. "Sakha 93". A split plot design with four replications was used .
The important results could be summarized as follows:
1- Sugar beet:
It was evident that intercropping systems with sugar beet significantly reduced all studied characters of sugar beet except sucrose and purity percentages. The highest values of root fresh weight/plant, root length and diameter, TSS% and top, root and sugar yields/fad were obtained from sugar beet in pure stand, meanwhile maximum values of sucrose and purity percentages resulted from cropping 3 rows of faba bean with sugar beet in both seasons.
Increasing nitrogen level up to 80 kgN/fad significantly increased all sugar beet characters except sucrose and purity percentages which recorded the highest values with 40kg N/fad in the two seasons
The interaction between the two studied factors had a significant affect on top yield/fad in both seasons, root length in the first season as well as root fresh weight/plant and TSS% in the second season only.
2- Faba bean:
From the obtained data, all faba bean studied characters were significantly affected by intercropping systems in both seasons. 100-seed weight, seeds weight/plant and Seed and straw yields/fad gave the highest values from pure stand, whereas number of branches and pods/plant, attained maximum values under cropping 2 rows of faba bean with sugar beet. On the other hand, plant height recorded the tallest plants under cropping 3 rows of faba bean system in both seasons.
All studied characters were significantly affected by nitrogen levels in both seasons. All studied characters recorded the highest values with 40kg N/fad except plant height and straw yield/fad which resulted from 80kg N/fad.
Number of pods/plant and 100- seed weight were significantly affected only in the 2nd season by the interaction between the two studied factors.
3- wheat:
Intercropping systems had a significant effect on all wheat studied characters in both seasons. Which number of tillers and spikes/m2, grains weight/spike,1000- grain weight and grain and straw yields/fad recorded the highest values with planting wheat in pure stand, while number of grains/spike gave the maximum values with cropping 2 rows of wheat with sugar beet, whereas the tallest plants resulted from cropping 3 rows of wheat with sugar beet system.
Concerning nitrogen levels the results revealed that increasing nitrogen levels from 40 up to 80kg N/fad. significantly increased all studied characters in both seasons.
Interaction between the two studied factors had a significant effect on grain yield/fad in both seasons and number of tillers/m2 in the first season as well as 1000- grain weight and straw yield in the second season.
The highest values of LER and gross return were observed when cropping 3 rows of wheat with sugar beet and fertilized with 80kg N/fad. This study showed that cropping 3 rows of wheat with sugar beet gave the highest economic return for the farmers.