Two field experiments were conducted to study the effect of intercropping pattern and N fertilizer level on growth , yield and yield components of maize and soybean during 1998 and 1999 seasons at the Agricultural Research and Experimental Center, Faculty of Agriculture, Moshtohor, Kalubia, Egypt. The used treatments were three intercropping pattern (50% maize+100%soybean), (75%maize+100%soybean) and (100%maize+100%soybean) and three levels of N, fertilizer (90,120 and 150 kg N/fed).A spilt-plot layout with three replications was used Results could be summarized as follows:
Maize: some growth and agronomic characters were significantly reduced by intercropping patterns in both seasons, except plant height which was significantly affected in one season, whereas lodged and broken plants % was significantly increased in both seasons Yield and yield components of maize characters were significantly affected by intercropping patterns in both seasons. Intercropping pattern 50%maize+100%soybean recorded the highest values for yield component characters, whereas 75%maize+100%soybean pattern recorded the highest value for maize grain yield/fed.
All studied characters of maize were significantly increased by increasing N fertilizer levels, except lodged and broken plants% was showed the opposite trend in both seasons. Adding 150 kg N /fed produced highest value for maize grain yield/fed in both seasons.
Soybean: Growth, yield and yield components were significantly affected by intercropping patterns in both seasons, except plant height which was significantly affected in one season and wt. of 100 seeds which was not significant effect in both seasons.
All soybean characters under study were significantly increased by increasing N fertilizer level up to 150 kg N/fed in both seasons. The highest seed yield/fed of soybean was produced with level 150 kg N /fed in both seasons.
Land equivalent ratio reached 1.47 and 1. 42 with intercropping pattern 75%maize+100%soybean; and reached 1.43 and 1.41 with the 150 kg N/fed level in the first and second seasons, respectively. The (K) values showed the same trend of (LER) either with intercropping pattern or with N fertilizer levels. Maize was the dominant component with 75 % +100 % and 100%+100%maize/soybean, whereas it was the dominated with 50 % + 100 % maize /soybean.
The significant interaction effects were shown on number of ears/plant, ear length, wt. of 100 grains and wt. of grains/plant of maize in the first season and lodged and broken plants % in the second season. Weight of pods and seeds/plant of soybean in the first season and 100 seeds wt. in the second season were significantly affected by interaction between intercropping patterns X N fertilizer levels.
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