Examination of the Staple and Effective Land Equivalent Ratios

Abstract

SUMMARYTwo extensions to the Land Equivalent Ratio (LER) concept, the Effective LER and the Staple LER, are evaluated for an intercrop of two species. The use of different standardizing sole-crop yields in the Effective LER equation is emphasized for the formation of different comparisons between intercrop and sole-crop yields. The Staple LER for different standardizing sole-crop yields is introduced. The equivalence of the Staple and Effective LERs under certain conditions is shown and illustrated.