Larger yields of mixtures than monocultures of cultivated grassland species match with asynchrony in shoot growth among species but not with increased light interception

•Four species mixtures achieved large yield advantages (+31%) over monocultures.•Seasonal asynchrony in growth of mixed species contributed to this yield advantage.•Different foliar architecture of mixed species did not explain this yield advantage.•Light interception was nearly complete in monocult...

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