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and 2016 summer seasons to maximize land usage and agro-economic feasibility of different intercropping patterns of maize and peanut. Treatments were compared in a randomized complete block design in four replications with nine cropping systems that included two maize hybrids (white hybrid SC 132 and yellow hybrid SC176) were grow in intercropping patterns with peanut cv. Giza 5 (intercropping pattern 100% peanut + 67% maize, intercropping pattern 100% peanut + 50% maize and intercropping pattern 100% peanut + 33% maize) in addition to solid culture of both cops. The results showed that maize and peanut of different cropping systems affected significantly yield and its attributes of both crops. Intercropping pattern 100% peanut + 67% white maize hybrid SC 132 had the highest grain yield fad-1, meanwhile intercropping pattern 100% peanut + 33% yellow maize hybrid SC 176 had the highest pod yield fad-1 in comparison with the other treatments. Intercropping cultures were advantageous compared to solid cultures of maize and peanut. Intercropping pattern 100% peanut + 33% yellow maize hybrid SC 176 was the best treatment which achieved 16.6 ardab of peanut seeds + 10.9 ardab of maize grains with low aggressivity (maize was the dominant and peanut was the dominated component), and high land equivalent ratio (1.32 and 1.32), relative crowding coefficient (7.45 and 5.42), net return (L.E. 10257 fad-1 and L.E. 9855 fad-1) and monetary advantage index (3816 and 3687) in the first and second seasons, respectively, compared with solid culture of peanut.

Identification of specific physiological differences among maize genotypes (six inbred lines, four single crosses and four three-way crosses) to drought would be useful to plant breeders for improving selection criteria. Two field experiments were conducted in optimum and stress moisture conditions at Gemmeiza Agricultural Research Station in 2001 and 2003 growing seasons. The treatments were 14 genotypes, (six inbreds and eight hybrids), which were separately established under three irrigation treatments in split plot design with four replications. The genotypes were compared under water-deficit conditions on the basis of certain rapid techniques to determine leaf area index (LAI), photosynthetic efficiency (photo), canopy temperature depression (CTD), stomatal conductance (SC) and chlorophyll (CHL) content which were deleteriously affected by water stress in the sensitive genotypes. Results revealed that values of LAI, photosynthetic efficiency, canopy temperature depression, stomatal conductance and chlorophyll content of maize hybrids surpassed those of inbred lines. This was true at 30, 45 and 60 days after planting (DAP). Differences among maize hybrids and among inbred lines were significant at different growth stages for the same studied traits, except of the LAI for the inbreds, at 30 DAP and CTD for the hybrids at 30 as well as 60 DAP. Detecting certain physiological criteria, i.e. LAI, photosynthetic efficiency (photo), canopy temperature depression (CTD), stomatal conductance (SC) and chlorophyll content (Chl) could be used as reliable techniques to explore the physiological activity of maize genotypes at early stages of growth and may be recommended in screening different genotypes in maize breeding programs.

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