Editorial: Breeding for intercropping

Intercropping, also known as mixed cropping, consists on simultaneously growing more than one species on a field. It has a great potential for enhancing water- and nutrient-use efficiency and improving plant productivity, yield stability and resilience to biotic and abiotic stress, including those triggered by climate change. Despite their manifold benefits, the practice of intercropping has not risen above its niche status in many regions of the world. The selection of varieties specifically adapted to intercropping remains a major practical challenge to its widespread deployment. This Research Topic hosted at Frontiers in Plant Sciences entitled “Breeding for intercropping” gathers a series of articles covering new insights in the areas of quantitative genetics, ecology, ecophysiology and agronomy integrating theoretical, experimental as well as participatory approaches.