Year: 2020
Type: article
Abstract: Maize yield is limited by lodging, which increases with increased planting density.The aim of this study was to assess whether lodging could be reduced by changing the planting density through intercropping maize with soybean.Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the effects maize-soybean strip intercropping, compared with sole cropping of maize, on stem and root characters, lodging resistance and yield of maize.Maize was sown in strips intercropping as: M 2 S 2 (maize-soybean intercropping with 2 row strips of each), M 4 S 2 (maize-soybean intercropping with 4 row strips of maize and 2 row strips of soybean), M 4 S 4 (maize-soybean intercropping with 4 row strips of maize and soybean) and M 6 S 6 (maize-soybean intercropping with 6 row strips of maize and soybean) taking sole maize (M) and sole soybean (S) as control.Compared with its traditional sole cropping, maize-soybean strip intercropping changed the stem characteristics and root architecture of maize populations and significantly improved the lodging resistance.Specifically, plant height, ear height, and center of gravity height of strip intercropped maize was significantly lower; and stem diameter, average stalk crushing strength, and lodging resistance index of each node below the ear level were higher than that of sole cropping.The internode diameter, internode unit fresh matter weight, internode crushing strength, and internode unit bending force of stem internodes (2-10) of strip intercropped maize were higher than that of its sole cropping.Nodes 3-6 affected the lodging resistance of plants, and bar intercropping significantly enhanced the lodging resistance of the above key node positions.Morphological and physiological indexes of the intercropped maize roots were significantly higher than that of sole cropped maize and were positively correlated with stalk resistance index but negatively correlated with lodging rate.The composite yield of crops under different strip intercropping systems was in order as M 4 S 2 > M > M 4 S 4 > M 6 S 6 > M 2 S 2 .Moreover, the land equivalent ratio (LER) of all the strip intercropping treatments was greater than 1.0.In conclusion, strip intercropping of maize with soybean seemed an effective and novel way to resolve lodging in maize coupled with its higher yield.
Authors: Xifeng Chen, Ning Sun, Yan Gu, Yaliang Liu, Jianfeng Li, Chunsheng Wu, Zhenmin Wang
Language: English
Subfield: Agronomy and Crop Science
Domain: Life Sciences
SDG: Zero hunger
Open Access status: bronze
Funder: Jilin Agricultural University
OpenAlex ID: W4417522902