Phaseolus Vulgaris L. Population Density Affects Intercropped Ipomoea Batatas (L.) Lam‪.‬

ABSTRACT Intercropping is a popular farming system in the tropics. Small-scale farmers combine different crops as they wish, but do not know the best plant population densities to use. It would be expedient to elucidate the plant population density of a grain legume that could be planted with a constant density of sweetpotato to obtain the best benefits. A field investigation was conducted in Swaziland to determine the most beneficial plant population size of field bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) that could be associated with a constant density of sweetpotato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.]. Five cropping systems [monocropped sweetpotato at 33,333 plants [ha.sup.-1]; monocropped field bean at 100,000 plants [ha.sup.-1]; sweetpotato (33,333 plants [ha.sup.-1]) + field bean at 100,000 plants [ha.sup.-1]; sweetpotato (33,333 plants [ha.sup.-1]) + field bean at 66,667 plants [ha.sup.-1]; and sweetpotato (33,333 plants [ha.sup.-1]) + field bean at 33,333 plants [ha.sup.-1]] were compared in a randomized complete block design, replicated four times.