Key Laboratory of Sustainable Utilization of Soil Resources in the Commodity Grain Bases in Jilin Province, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, 130118, China.
College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
Plant Biol (Stuttg). 2020 Nov;22(6):1140-1149. doi: 10.1111/plb.13157. Epub 2020 Sep 24.
In Northeastern China, the intensive cropping system and increased use of chemical fertilizer has caused severe problems in terms of sustainable agricultural development. Therefore, to improve agricultural sustainability and crop productivity the farming system needs to be modified in the region. A pot experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of maize-alfalfa intercropping on the physiological characteristics, nitrogen (N) uptake and yield of the maize crops in northeast China in 2017-2018. The study findings showed that intercropping under N fertilization progressively improved the physio-agronomic indices of the maize crop as compared to mono-cropping. The grain yield, 100 seed weight and biomass dry matter of maize crop improved in intercropping when it was practiced with N fertilizer. Furthermore, intercropping with N fertilization increased the chlorophyll content of the maize crop at bell-mouthed, silking, filing and mature stages by 19%, 44%, 12%, and 9% in 2017 and by 23%, 43%, 15%, and 11% in 2018, respectively, as compared with the monocropping system. Unlike monocropping, intercropping with N fertilization increased the photosynthesis rate (14% and 15%), stomatal conductance (74% and 98%) and transpiration rate (74% and 75%) in 2017 and 2018, respectively. However, intercropping reduced intercellular CO (C ). Moreover, intercropping with N fertilization increased the maize N content of grain and leaves as well as total N uptake by 49%, 31% and 93% in 2017 and 53%, 34% and 132%, respectively, in 2018 as compared to monocropping. In conclusion, our results suggest that maize-alfalfa intercropping with optimal N fertilization provides a practical method for improving growth, yield and N accumulation in the maize crop.
在中国东北地区，集约化的种植制度和化肥用量的增加，导致农业可持续发展方面出现了严重问题。因此，为了提高农业的可持续性和作物生产力，该地区的耕作制度需要进行改进。2017-2018 年，进行了一项盆栽试验，以评估玉米-苜蓿间作对中国东北地区玉米作物生理特性、氮（N）吸收和产量的影响。研究结果表明，与单作相比，施氮条件下的间作逐渐改善了玉米作物的生理农艺指标。在间作条件下，施氮可提高玉米作物的粒重、百粒重和生物量干物质。此外，与单作相比，间作施氮可分别提高玉米作物在喇叭口期、抽丝期、灌浆期和成熟期的叶绿素含量 19%、44%、12%和 9%，2018 年分别提高 23%、43%、15%和 11%。与单作不同，间作施氮可分别提高 2017 年和 2018 年的光合作用速率（14%和 15%）、气孔导度（74%和 98%）和蒸腾速率（74%和 75%）。然而，间作降低了胞间二氧化碳（C ）浓度。此外，与单作相比，间作施氮可分别提高 2017 年和 2018 年玉米籽粒和叶片的氮含量以及总氮吸收量 49%、31%和 93%和 53%、34%和 132%。总之，我们的结果表明，玉米-苜蓿间作与最佳氮肥供应相结合，为提高玉米作物的生长、产量和氮素积累提供了一种实用方法。
