The reduction in the number of sole crop plots in intercropping experiments would be of great benefit because it would enable a greater part of the resources for an experiment on intercropping to be used for investigating intercropping. Many intercropping experiments which I have seen have used between onethird and one-half of the plots for sole crops. To some extent this reflects a propensity for continuing to ask whether intercropping has an advantage, when this is widely established, instead of asking the practically more important question of how to grow a crop mixture.

It is possible to take the reduction of sole crop treatments further. The analysis in this chapter and the previous chapter do not require sole crop treatments within the experiment to be treated Like other treatments. For the bivariate analysis no sole crop information is essential though sole crop information does provide a standard against which to compare the pairs of yields. For the analysis and interpretation of LERs, estimates of mean yields fo the two sole crops are needed as divisors. However there is no need for the sole crops to be randomized and grown on plots with the main experiment. Sufficient information for the calculation and interpretation of LERs can be obtained from sole crop areas alongside the experimental area. This will tend to improve the precision of the experiment by reducing block sizes and also simplifies the pattern of plot size.