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Acta Agronomica Sinica ›› 2021, Vol. 47 ›› Issue (12): 2481-2489.doi: 10.3724/SP.J.1006.2021.01090

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

Synchronously higher planting density can increase yield via optimizing interspecific interaction of intercropped wheat and maize

ZHANG Jin-Dan(), FAN Hong, DU Jin-Yong, YIN Wen, FAN Zhi-Long, HU Fa-Long, CHAI Qiang*()   

  1. Gansu Provincial Key Laboratory of Arid Land Crop Science / College of Agronomy, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China
  • Received:2020-11-30 Accepted:2021-04-14 Online:2021-12-12 Published:2021-06-15
  • Contact: CHAI Qiang E-mail:zhangjd9522@163.com;chaiq@gsau.edu.cn
  • Supported by:
    National Natural Science Foundation of China(31771738);Innovation Group of Basic Research in Gansu Province(20JR5RA037);Natural Science Foundation of Gansu Province(20JR5RA008);Central Government will Guide Local Science and Technology Development Projects(ZCYD-2020-1-4)

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Abstract:

Increasing planting density is the main measure for high yield in intercropping. It is of great significance for the theory and technology of enhancing intercropping system to investigate the effects of intercrop’s density changes on the interspecific interaction and yield. In 2018 and 2019, a field experiment was carried out in Hexi oasis irrigation area, with three cropping patterns of monocropping maize, monocropping wheat, wheat-maize intercropping, and three maize densities of 45,000 plants hm-2 (traditional), 60,000 plants hm-2 (medium), 75,000 plants hm-2 (high), and two wheat densities of 2.84 million grains hm-2 (traditional) and 3.41 million grains hm-2 (high). The effect of synchronously higher planting densities of wheat and maize on inter-specific relationship and yield of intercropping system was studied. The results showed that the densities of intercropped wheat and maize were increased simultaneously, which strengthened the competitiveness of wheat relative to maize (Awm) during the co-growth period. For the intercropped wheat, compared to traditional planting density, high density increased the Awm by 10.9%-20.1%. For the intercropping maize, compared to traditional planting density, high density and medium density improved the Awm by 25.3%-32.0% and 15.8%-17.3%, respectively. In addition, compared to intercropped wheat and maize with traditional density, synchronously higher planting density for intercropped wheat and maize increased the Awm by 35.5%-56.5%. The simultaneous increase of the density of intercropped wheat and maize could increase the recovery growth effect of intercropped maize (Rm) after the intercropped wheat harvested. For the intercropped wheat, compared to traditional planting density, high density increased the Rm by 14.6%-17.1%. For the intercropping maize, compared to traditional planting density, high density and medium density improved Rm by 27.4%-48.5% and 10.3%-30.5%, respectively. In addition, compared to intercropped wheat and maize with traditional density, synchronously higher planting density for intercropped wheat and maize increased Rm by 43.7%-65.5%. Increasing planting density was conducive to improve the advantage of intercropping. The land equivalent ratio of high-density for both intercropped wheat and maize was 8.3%-10.8% higher than that of intercropped wheat and maize with traditional density. The simultaneous increase in the density of intercropped wheat and maize could further improve the advantage of intercropping. For the intercropped wheat, compared to traditional planting density, high density increased the grain yield of intercropping system by 3.6%-5.1%. For the intercropping maize, compared to traditional planting density, high density and medium density improved grain yield of intercropping system by 14.1%-19.3% and 7.3%-15.2%, respectively. Synchronously higher planting density for intercropped wheat and maize had greater grain yield of intercropping system by 19.0%-24.0% than that of intercropped wheat and maize with traditional density. A positive relationship was observed between total grain yield of intercropping system and the competitiveness of wheat relative to maize and the recovery growth of intercropped maize after intercropped wheat harvest. In conclusion, synchronously higher planting density could increase grain yield via optimizing interspecific interaction of intercropped wheat and maize. Our results revealed that 4.5 million grains hm-2 of wheat and 75,000 plants hm-2 of maize were the suitable planting densities for high yield of wheat and maize in intercropping system in oasis irrigation area.

Key words: wheat/maize intercropping, planting density, interspecific competitiveness, recovery effect, yield

Table 1

Experimental treatments used in this study"

处理
Treatment		 种植方式
Tillage method		 种植密度Planting density (×104 plants hm-2)
玉米Maize 小麦Wheat
SM1 单作玉米
Sole maize		 7.8 —
SM2 10.35 —
SM3 12.9 —
SW1 单作小麦
Sole wheat		 — 675
SW2 — 810
IW1M1 玉米间作小麦
Maize/wheat intercropping		 4.5 284
IW1M2 6.0 284
IW1M3 7.5 284
IW2M1 4.5 341
IW2M2 6.0 341
IW2M3 7.5 341

Fig. 1

Schematic diagram of intercropping field structure (cm) Treatments are the same as those given in Table 1."

Table 2

Analysis of main effects of different densities on competition of wheat/maize intercropping systems"

处理
Treatment		 竞争力Competition
5/10 # 5/30 6/19 7/9 7/29
小麦密度Density of wheat 0.048* 0.001** 0.000** 0.024* 0.000**
玉米密度Density of maize 0.626 0.000** 0.000** 0.000** 0.428
小麦密度×玉米密度Density of wheat × Density of maize 0.251 0.102 0.044* 0.001** 0.409

Fig. 2

Competitive performance of wheat relative to maize of intercropping system under different density treatment in 2018 and 2019 Treatments are the same as those given in Table 1."

Fig. 3

Dynamic variation of maize growth rate under different plant density and cropping system in 2018 and 2019 Treatments are the same as those given in Table 1."

Table 3

Effects of maize intercropping on recovery of post-harvest wheat under different maize and wheat densities"

年际
Year		 处理
Treatment		 恢复效应Recovery effect
7/29-8/17 8/17-9/6 9/6-9/25
2018 IW1M1 1.49±0.05 b 1.35±0.03 c 1.18±0.14 d
IW1M2 1.36±0.04 c 1.54±0.12 b 1.23±0.04 d
IW1M3 1.26±0.05 d 1.62±0.14 b 2.13±0.09 ab
IW2M1 1.62±0.04 a 1.37±0.03 c 1.43±0.08 c
IW2M2 1.49±0.03 b 1.64±0.09 b 2.07±0.05 b
IW2M3 1.48±0.06 b 2.03±0.05 a 2.28±0.19 a
2019 IW1M1 0.96±0.05 c 1.35±0.03 c 1.04±0.02 d
IW1M2 1.18±0.04 b 1.43±0.02 b 1.60±0.08 c
IW1M3 1.18±0.01 b 1.56±0.02 a 1.99±0.07 b
IW2M1 1.13±0.04 b 1.40±0.06 c 1.06±0.15 d
IW2M2 1.34±0.13 a 1.44±0.04 b 2.10±0.06 b
IW2M3 1.19±0.01 b 1.64±0.01 a 2.72±0.06 a
主效应分析Main effects analysis
小麦密度Density of wheat 0.041* 0.016* 0.002**
玉米密度Density of maize 0.709 0.000** 0.000**
小麦密度×玉米密度
Density of wheat × Density of maize		 0.962 0.039* 0.017*

Fig. 4

Land equivalent ratio of different densities in the wheat/maize intercropping system in 2018 and 2019 Different lowercase letters indicate significant differences among different treatments in the same year at P < 0.05."

Fig. 5

Grain yields of different densities in the wheat/maize intercropping system in 2018 and 2019 Different lowercase letters indicate significant differences among different treatments in the same year at P < 0.05."

Fig. 6

Correlation between interspecific interaction and grain yield in wheat/maize intercropping system"

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