Little is known about optimising the productivity of intercropping through exploiting differences between genotypes. Our study evaluates the performance of three winter wheat cultivars and eight winter faba bean genotypes (experimental inbred lines) sown as replacement row intercrops with sole cropping comparisons. Detailed agronomic, physiological and soil-based measurements were taken over three consecutive autumn-sown seasons at two sites (a marginal versus a fertile soil) in central Germany. This study aimed to contribute to our understanding of key traits required to achieve highly complementary and well-performing intercrops.

Faba bean plus wheat intercrops yielded higher than sole crop equivalents at both sites, but more so at the marginal site (34 % > 12 %). High intercrop yields were associated with high wheat component yields. Such stands included faba bean genotypes that exhibited low leaf area index (LAI) values and low plant height. Tall and large faba beans i.e. with high vegetative biomass led to excessive lodging, both as a sole crop and when intercropped. To some extent, this concealed effects of faba bean genotype trait variation that would have otherwise been visible had lodging not occurred. The expression of these traits was heavily influenced by variation in environmental conditions. At the less fertile site, even tall intercropped faba beans showed relatively lower vegetative biomass, which promoted intercropped wheat and led to superior overyielding values and relative yield total.

While site-specific differences are key, German winter faba beans need further genetic improvement to refrain from superfluous biomass growth when water resources are plentiful.

通过利用基因型之间的差异来优化间作的生产力知之甚少。我们的研究评估了作为替代行间作物播种的三种冬小麦品种和八种冬季蚕豆基因型（实验自交系）的表现，并进行了单季种植比较。在德国中部的两个地点（边缘土壤与肥沃土壤）连续三个秋季播种季节进行了详细的农艺，生理和土壤测量。这项研究旨在帮助我们理解实现高度互补和表现良好的间作作物所需的关键性状。

在两个地点，蚕豆和小麦间作的单产均高于单季作物当量，但在边缘地区则更高（34％> 12％）。间作高产与小麦成分高产有关。这样的林分包括显示出低叶面积指数（LAI）值和低株高的蚕豆基因型。高大的蚕豆，即具有高营养生物量，无论是单独种植还是套种，都会导致倒伏过多。在某种程度上，如果没有倒伏，这种蚕豆基因型性状变异的隐性影响本来就可以看到。这些特征的表达在很大程度上受到环境条件变化的影响。在肥沃程度较低的地方，即使是高套作的蚕豆也表现出相对较低的营养生物量，

尽管特定地点的差异是关键，但德国冬蚕豆需要进一步的遗传改良，以在水资源丰富的情况下避免多余的生物量增长。