Tradition
No chart mentions this pair.
Sweet corn
Zea mays
Poaceae
Fava bean
Vicia faba
FabaceaeCan you plant corn and fava beans together?
It depends. The sources disagree about corn and fava beans. Corn yielded more next to fava beans in a field trial, but the two competed for light, water and nutrients in 3 field trials.
Why it depends
Mixed results on harvest. In 2 field trials, results on harvest were mixed.
Intercropping maize (Zea mays L.) and field beans (Vicia faba L.) for forage, increases protein production. (Sowiński J. · 2024 · Scientific reports)and 1 more sourceMixed results on pests. In a field trial, results on pests were mixed.
Mixed results on harvest. In a field trial, results on harvest were mixed.
Effects of planting density and variety on productivity of maize-faba bean intercropping system. (Nurgi N · 2023 · Heliyon)Mixed results on harvest. In a field trial, results on harvest were mixed.
Prospects of maize-faba bean intercropping in monocropping highlands of Ethiopia. (Dinsa GF · 2024 · agriRxiv)Competes for light and water. In 3 field trials, the two competed for light, water and nutrients.
Competition for light and nitrogen with an earlier-sown species negatively affects leaf traits and leaf photosynthetic capacity of maize in relay intercropping (Dong B · 2024 · European Journal of Agronomy.)and 2 more sourcesBigger combined harvest. In a field trial, corn yielded more next to fava beans.
Biomass formation and yield performance in diverse multicrops and their potential for biofuel use in short-growing boreal climate conditions. (Balandaitė J · 2026 · Scientific reports)
What to plant with corn and fava beans
Good neighbours of both, best tested first.
What to keep away from corn and fava beans
CeleryWith corn: Garden charts advise against it, not tested
The evidence in detail
For readers who want to dig in: every chart entry, study and yield trial behind the answer above, with the numbers.
Tradition, research and yield trials
Research
Mixed
avoidgood
13 papers found: 5 positive, 3 negative, 5 mixed.
yield / land use x7competition x3nutrients / soil x2pest suppression
auto-classified not reviewed by a person
Yield trial
No intercropping yield trial.
It's complicated
What happens above and below ground
Each animation illustrates a mechanism a study reported for this pair. Pick a card to focus on it.
Everything at once.
Companion plants for both corn and fava beans
Plants that are good neighbours of each. Biggest harvest gain first; each cell links to the evidence for that pair.
| Plant | With corn | With fava beans |
|---|---|---|
 Carrot | 50% more harvest from the same spaceField trial, 2 studies. Charts: not listed.Evidence for corn and carrots | Bigger combined harvestField trial, 1 study. Charts: not listed.Evidence for fava beans and carrots |
 Radish | 40% more harvest from the same spaceField trial, 2 studies. Charts: not listed.Evidence for corn and radishes | Better soil and nutrient uptakeField trial, 1 study. Charts: not listed.Evidence for fava beans and radishes |
Harvest from the same space compares a bed with both crops against the same area split into single-crop beds, counting the harvest of both crops (the land equivalent ratio in yield trials).
The evidence, with sources
- Mixedyield / land usefield trialauto-classifiedIntercropping maize (Zea mays L.) and field beans (Vicia faba L.) for forage, increases protein production.Intercropping maize (Zea mays L.) and field beans (Vicia faba L.) for forage, increases protein production. (Sowiński J. · 2024 · Scientific reports)Relevance 88% · effect confidence 69%
- Goodyield / land usefield trialauto-classifiedFava bean helps Sweet cornBiomass formation and yield performance in diverse multicrops and their potential for biofuel use in short-growing boreal climate conditions.Biomass formation and yield performance in diverse multicrops and their potential for biofuel use in short-growing boreal climate conditions. (Balandaitė J · 2026 · Scientific reports)Relevance 88% · effect confidence 70%
- Badcompetitionfield trialauto-classifiedCompetition for light and nitrogen with an earlier-sown species negatively affects leaf traits and leaf photosynthetic capacity of maize in relay intercroppingCompetition for light and nitrogen with an earlier-sown species negatively affects leaf traits and leaf photosynthetic capacity of maize in relay intercropping (Dong B · 2024 · European Journal of Agronomy.)Relevance 91% · effect confidence 59%
Show 10 more
- Mixedpest suppressionfield trialauto-classifiedIntercropping Maize-Faba Bean Reduced Yield and Economic Losses Caused by <i>Busseola fusca</i> (Fuller) in Semiarid Area.Intercropping Maize-Faba Bean Reduced Yield and Economic Losses Caused by <i>Busseola fusca</i> (Fuller) in Semiarid Area. (Gidey T · 2024 · Scientifica)Relevance 88% · effect confidence 33%
- Mixedyield / land usefield trialauto-classifiedEffects of planting density and variety on productivity of maize-faba bean intercropping system.Effects of planting density and variety on productivity of maize-faba bean intercropping system. (Nurgi N · 2023 · Heliyon)Relevance 92% · effect confidence 45%
- Goodyield / land usefield trialauto-classifiedSweet corn helps Fava beanTemporal complementarity drives species combinability in strip intercropping in the NetherlandsTemporal complementarity drives species combinability in strip intercropping in the Netherlands (Wang Z · 2023 · Field Crops Research.)Relevance 92% · effect confidence 47%
- Badcompetitionfield trialauto-classifiedYield loss of inferior crop species and its physiological mechanism in a semiarid cereal-legume intercropping systemYield loss of inferior crop species and its physiological mechanism in a semiarid cereal-legume intercropping system (Wang W · 2024 · European Journal of Agronomy.)Relevance 94% · effect confidence 44%
- Goodyield / land usefield trialauto-classifiedIntercropping Maize with Faba Bean Improves Yield, Income, and Soil Fertility in Semiarid Environment.Intercropping Maize with Faba Bean Improves Yield, Income, and Soil Fertility in Semiarid Environment. (Gidey T · 2024 · Scientifica)Relevance 88% · effect confidence 98%
- Mixedyield / land usefield trialauto-classifiedEffect of spatial arrangement of faba bean variety intercropping with maize on yield and yield components of the cropsEffect of spatial arrangement of faba bean variety intercropping with maize on yield and yield components of the crops (Nurgi N · 2023 · Heliyon)Relevance 90% · effect confidence 31%
- Goodnutrients / soilfield trialauto-classifiedSweet corn helps Fava beanRoot exudates drive interspecific facilitation by enhancing nodulation and N2 fixation.Root exudates drive interspecific facilitation by enhancing nodulation and N2 fixation. (Li B · 2016 · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America)Relevance 89% · effect confidence 95%
- Badcompetitionfield trialauto-classifiedInteraction Between Maize, Intercrops and Weeds in Continuing Relay Cropping SystemInteraction Between Maize, Intercrops and Weeds in Continuing Relay Cropping System (Švereikaitė A · 2025 · Preprints.org)Relevance 83% · effect confidence 33%
- Mixedyield / land usefield trialauto-classifiedProspects of maize-faba bean intercropping in monocropping highlands of Ethiopia.Prospects of maize-faba bean intercropping in monocropping highlands of Ethiopia. (Dinsa GF · 2024 · agriRxiv)Relevance 91% · effect confidence 69%
- Goodnutrients / soilgreenhouse / pot trialauto-classifiedFava bean helps Sweet cornPhosphorus solubilizing bacteria rather than arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi drive maize/faba bean intercropping advantagesPhosphorus solubilizing bacteria rather than arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi drive maize/faba bean intercropping advantages (Liu Y · 2024 · Research Square)Relevance 89% · effect confidence 88%
All neighbours of sweet corn and of fava bean, or every pair at once in the companion planting chart.
Have you grown corn and fava beans together?
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