Cultivar and environment influence growth, interactions, and yield in bread wheat–pea intercropping

Intercropping can enhance productivity, resilience, and stability of cropping systems; however, the effects of drought and rising temperatures on cultivar‐specific resilience and economic performance remain insufficiently quantified. This study evaluated the influence of cultivar selection on growth, productivity, competitive interactions, and profitability of pea ( Pisum sativum L.)–wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) intercrops across three consecutive growing seasons (2022–2023, 2023–2024, and 2024–2025) under Mediterranean conditions using a randomized complete block design (RCBD). The 2023–2024 season was characterized by drought, which reduced biomass and grain yield; however, intercrop performance varied among cultivar combinations. The land equivalent ratio (LER) exceeded 1.0 in two combinations during the first and third seasons, indicating a consistent land‐use advantage. Vegetation indices, especially the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and the enhanced vegetation index (EVI), were positively associated with final grain yield, demonstrating their utility for monitoring stress effects. Specific mixing ability (SMA) analysis identified stable and resilient cultivar combinations across seasons. Drought conditions also altered competitive dynamics, with pea becoming the dominant species (competitive ratio of pea, CR p > 1), contributing to yield stabilization in intercrops. Economic assessment showed positive monetary advantage index (MAI > 0) values in favorable seasons, with the Flamenko–Arvika combination achieving the highest yield and profitability. These findings highlight the importance of appropriate cultivar selection in intercropping systems to enhance agronomic and economic resilience under Mediterranean rainfall variability and support climate‐adaptive cropping system design.