Effects of Different Maize and Soybean Intercropping Patterns on Population Characteristics of Photosynthetic and Matter Production in Northwest Shandong Region
Abstract:In order to provide theoretical basis for the large-scale extension of maize intercropping soybean, two cultivars, denghai605 and dedou17, were planted in field experiments in Dezhou. Monoculture maize and monoculture soybean were treated as controls, four intercropping patterns such as the ratios of 2:4, 2:6, 4:4, 4:6 for maize intercropping soybean were applied to study their effects of different maize intercropping soybean patterns on population characteristics of photosynthetic and matter production. The results showed that intercropping treatment of 4:4 had obvious advantages, of which grain yield was lower than monoculture maize but has no significant difference. The land equivalent ratio (LER) and relative crowding coefficient (K) were greater in maize intercropping soybean treatments than that monoculture, indicating an advantage of intercropping. The aggressivity (A) and competitive ratio (CR) indicated that maize was the dominant species in maize intercropping soybean system. The economic outputs value of intercropping treatments were significantly higher than monoculture maize and monoculture soybean and ranged between 13.93% and 22.95%. The 4:4 intercropping treatment produced the highest economic output value, which were 4144.46 yuan·hm-2 and 3546.88 yuan·hm-2more than monoculture maize and monoculture soybean respectively. Intercropping population had higher leaf area index, photosynthetic potentia, crop growth rate and net assimilation rate, which ensured a higher amount of population dry matter accumulation, but harvest index was lower, which ultimately limited the increase of grain yield. As a result of the existence of marginal advantage, single plant organs and the total weight of aboveground and harvest index of intercropping maize were significantly higher than that of monoculture treatment, and no significant difference between intercropping treatments. Intercropping soybean, in contrast to the regularity of performance of intercropping maize, had certain negative effects. Therefore, under the condition of this test, 4:4 intercropping pattern held the relatively reasonable composite configuration and the obvious advantages of production.This study provided the retical basis for the larage-scale extension of maize intercropping soybean.