Abstract: A field experiment was carried out for revealing the effects of nitrogen application and planting pattern on yield, biomass, N and P absorption, protein yield of maize (Zea mays L.)-peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) intercropping system in 2004 and 2005. The results showed that the yield, N and P absorption of intercropping maize increased significantly, however, the yield and N absorption of intercropping peanut was reduced in the intercropping system, compared with monocropping maize or peanut respectively. The 2-row maize and 4-row peanut pattern (2:4 pattern) showed higher (P<0.01) values than the 2-row maize and 8-row peanut pattern (2:8 pattern) in yield, biomass, protein yield, N and P fertilizer absorption efficiencies, N and P use efficiencies of intercropping system, and higher (P<0.01) values than the two monocropping systems in N and P absorption efficiencies. Both the land equivalent ratio for yield (LER) and land equivalent ratio for protein yield (PLER) in 2:4 pattern were above 1, and the land use ratio enhanced by 8%–17%, implying obvious intercropping dominance. Compared with zero N application, nitrogen fertilizer increased yield and protein yield of maize and peanut in the intercropping system by promoting the accumulation and absorption of N and P, enhancing P use efficiency, but the intercropping dominance was weakened with the increase of nitrogen fertilizer.

Key words: Planting pattern, Nitrogen application level, Maize-peanut intercropping, N absorption and use, P absorption and use