Twelve 10 × 10 meter plots were established in 3 completely randomized treatments with 4 replicates each: a high density peanut monocrop (HDM), a low density peanut monocrop (LDM), and an intercrop (INT) of peanuts and maize in which the peanuts were planted at the same density as in the LDM treatment. A focal epidemic was initiated by inoculation with Cercospora arachidicola and severity evaluated in 16 quadrats at 4 times to characterize spatial and temporal progress. Area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) was reduced 50% in the INT treatment and 32% in the LDM treatment (P < .05) relative to the HDM treatment. AUDPC in the INT and LDM treatments were not different (P > .20) by the Tukey-Kramer test. Rates of disease progress based on a logistic model did not differ among treatments (P > .50). The results of this study indicate that intercropping does have an effect on severity of peanut early leaf spot. They further suggest that the reduction in severity is due to a decrease in host plant density and not to the presence of a non-host intercrop.