Two field trials were carried out at Sids Agricultural Research Station, Beni Suief Governorate during 2001! 2002 and 2002!2003 seasons to study the effect
of preceding summer crops, i.e. (maize, sunflower and soybean) and relay
intercropping cotton with faba bean under different faba bean plant distributions; 10,
20 and 30 cm on the side and top of ridges. Cotton was planting on the other side of
ridge. The experimental design was split-split plots with three replications, preceding
summer crops were put in main plot, whereas plant distributions were allocated in the
sub- plots and the intercropping systems were applied in sub-sub plots. Results could be summarized as follows: Data indicated that preceding summer crops had significant effect on faba
bean plant height, weight of pods! plant and seed yield! fed. On the other hand, all the
cotton traits were not significantly affected. Increasing hill spaces from 10 cm to 30 cm led to decreaing in plant height
and seed yield of faba bean! fed., but the other yield components increased by
increasing hill spaces. Moreover, all studied traits of cotton were not significantly
affected by hill spaces of faba bean intercropped. Relay intercropping cotton with faba bean had significant effect on weight of
pods! plant and seed yield! fed of faba bean. On the other hand, no significant effect
on cotton characters under study was shown. Interactions showed only in faba bean with preceding crops x hill spaces. Plant height and seed yield! fed recorded the highest values with 10 cm space and
preceded by soybean. Whereas, weight of pods! plant showed the highest values with
30 cm space and preceded by soybean. All the interactions of cotton were not
significant. Total income was 3971.2 L.E when cotton was grown as relay intercropping
with faba bean, compared with 2964.50 L.E as the net income of faba bean and
cotton when grown as solid crop (equal 10076.7 L.E. as net income). In general, it can be stated that relay intercropping cotton with faba bean could be
used as an improved planting technique of cotton.