Bed Orientation and Position in Field Inconsistently Affect Yields of Strip-Cropped Vegetables

Abstract

ABSTRACT Bed orientation and location of crops in the field in a strip-cropping system may affect yield of one or more of the component crops. Tiers of crops were comprised of three beds of sweet corn (Zeamays L.), and one bed each of bell pepper (Capsicum annuum var. annuum L.), or cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.), and a bed that was not planted, oriented east-west or north-south in 1998 and 1999. Yields of individual vegetables in the tier, and their totals for the tier, were determined. Yields in 1998 were generally lower than in 1999. Tier location had small effects on yield. East-west oriented beds in 1998 had yields that were almost 2-fold that of north-south oriented beds. There was little effect on yield due to bed orientation or tier in 1999. The 1998 growing season was hotter and drier than in 1999. Bed orientation and tier inconsistently affected yield when bell pepper, cucumber, and sweet corn were strip-cropped.