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Acta Agron Sin ›› 2017, Vol. 43 ›› Issue (05): 754-762.doi: 10.3724/SP.J.1006.2017.00754

• TILLAGE & CULTIVATION · PHYSIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Synergistic Effect of Root Interaction and Density on Yield and Yield Components of Wheat/Maize Intercropping System

WANG Yi-Fan,QIN Ya-Zhou,FENG Fu-Xue,ZHAO Cai,YU Ai-Zhong,LIU Chang,CHAI Qiang*   

  1. Gansu Provincial Key Laboratory of Arid Land Crop Science / Agronomy College, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
  • Received:2016-06-03 Revised:2017-03-01 Online:2017-05-12 Published:2017-03-07
  • Contact: Chai Qiang,E-mail: chaiq@gsau.edu.cn E-mail:wangyifan1301@163.com
  • Supported by:

    This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31360323) and the National Key Technology R&D Program of China (2012 BAD14B10).

Abstract:

As planting density is a key strategy for improvement of yield and efficiencies in intercropping, the present study was conducted to explore the mechanism of yield response to close planting in intercropping systems. The field experiment was carried out in Hexi oasis irrigation area from 2014 to 2015, of which, three root partition patterns, i.e. no root barrier, nylon mesh barrier (obstructs overlapping of wheat roots with maize roots, but allows water and nutrients to exchange through the nylon mesh) and plastic sheet barrier (prevents water and nutrients from exchange between the two intercrops and no overlapping of wheat roots with maize roots), were combined with two planting density levels, i.e., 90 000 plants ha-1 and 105 000 plants ha-1. The main objective was to determine the effect of above- and below-ground interrelation on grain yield and yield components. The results showed that a complete effect of above- and below-ground interaction increased the intercropping-advantage (i.e. LER) by 48.3% compared to sole cropping. Besides, increase of maize density would led to the LER increased by 9.7%. Generally, the below-ground interaction attributed 21.0% to the LER, and with maize density increased, the contribution rate was increased by 5%. The compensation effect of root overlapping and the complementary of moisture/nutrient exchange attributed 9.0% and 11.1% to the LER, respectively. A complete effect of below- and above-ground interaction also had the highest grain yield, which was increased by 58.8%–62.2% under the higher density and by 36.1%–36.8% under the lower density, compared to the corresponding monocultures. On average, the below-ground interaction attributed 26.5%–31.5% to the grain yield of intercropped wheat, of which, the compensation effect of root overlapping and the complementary of moisture/nutrient exchange attributed 12.9%–13.2% and 12.2–16.0%, respectively. For maize grain yield in the wheat-maize intercropping, the below-ground interaction attributed 9.7%–22.6%, and with maize density increased, the contribution rate was increased by 7.0–11.0%. Increase of maize density increased grain yield by 18.1%–23.3% and 12.5%–21.5% under no root barrier and nylon mesh barrier, this indicated that a complete root interaction could improve the positive effect of close planting. The below-ground interaction attributed 5.5%–11.4% to wheat era number, but not influenced by the density. Similarly, the below-ground interaction attributed 12.5%–16.3% to maize era number, and was further increased by 3.6% to 14.1% with the increase of the density. Based on the result of path analysis, it could conclude that the improvement of grain yield of wheat and maize was mainly attributable to the increase of era number per area. This study showed that increase of planting density could significantly promote the intercropping advantage and the contribution rate of the below-ground interaction. Furthermore, a complete effect of above- and below-ground interaction would facilitate the positive effect of close planting. Accordingly, the results will provide sound theoretical base for the further exploring of the mechanism in intercropping advantage under close planting.

Key words: Intercropping, Planting density, Root interaction, Grain yield, Yield components

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