Effects of Different Intercropping Modes on Growth, Yields and Economic Benefit of Cassava and Peanut in Symbiotic Period

[Objective] This study was conducted to investigate effects of different intercropping modes on growth, yields and economic benefit of cassava and peanut in symbiotic period. [Method] With sole cropping of cassava （M1） and sole cropping of peanut （M2） as control groups, effects of intercropping of cassava with 1 row, 2 rows and 3 rows of peanut （M3, M4 and M5）on crop growth, yields and economic benefit were studied. [Result] Intercropping affected both growth and yields of cassava and peanut. Growth competition existed between cassava and peanut, and plant heights of cassava and peanut changed similarly. In late stages of intercropping, treatments M1, M2 and M5 showed higher plant heights under no nitrogen application, while treatment M3 and M4 exhibited higher plant heights under nitrogen application; intercropping improved leaf temperature, but no obvious law could be observed among different intercropping treatments; and intercropping improved total dry matter amount, which was the highest in M5 in root expanding stage and on the 30th day of the expanding stage, and the highest in M4 on the 60th day of the expanding stage. Intercropping reduced the yield of single plant, but improved the economic benefit of red upland soil; and under no nitrogen application and nitrogen application, cassava yields decreased by 25.35% and 14.55%, respectively, peanut yields decreased by 28.76% and 52.60%, respectively, while economic benefit increased by 72.90% and 56.82%, respectively. [Conclusion] Compared with sole cropping, interplanting cassava with 1 row, 2 rows or 3 rows of peanut could all improve economic benefit, and the economic benefit increased with number of rows of interplanted peanut increasing.