First insights of cotton intercropping with peach trees under Mediterranean conditions

Agroforestry integrates trees and crops to enhance sustainability and resilience in agricultural systems. This study evaluated the feasibility of cultivating cotton intercropped with peach trees under Mediterranean conditions, focusing on agronomic and physiological responses. The research aimed to evaluate how agroforestry affects cotton's agronomic performance compared to conventional monocropping. Cotton was grown under two systems: monocropping (MC) and agroforestry (AF). Leaf area index (LAI), plant productivity, physiological parameters, water status, and soil water content were measured throughout the investigated growing season. Results revealed no significant difference in final LAI between the two systems, although MC cotton exhibited a higher LAI during the mid-growth stages. Cotton plant productivity was comparable between AF and MC (AF: 32.21 ± 4.28 g; MC: 34.12 ± 3.77 g per plant). The land equivalent ratio (1.35) indicated higher land-use efficiency in the AF system. Physiologically, AF cotton demonstrated improved performance during the late flowering stage, with higher net assimilation rates (AF: 36.03 ± 0.92 μmol m−2 s−1; MC: 28.59 ± 1.69 μmol m−2 s−1) and electron transport rates (AF: 255.85 ± 0.88 μmol m−2 s−1; MC: 206.95 ± 9.87 μmol m−2 s−1). Additionally, AF cotton showed enhanced soil water retention and water-use efficiency. These findings suggest that intercropping cotton with peach trees may offer a viable approach to improve land productivity and resource use in Mediterranean agroecosystems.