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Optimizing Maize Belt Width Enhances Productivity in Wheat/Maize Intercropping Systems

Author

Listed:
  • Guodong Chen

    (College of Agronomy, Tarim University, Alar 843300, China)

  • Yunlong Zhai

    (College of Agronomy, Tarim University, Alar 843300, China)

  • Jianguo Zhou

    (College of Agronomy, Tarim University, Alar 843300, China)

  • Yanfang Li

    (College of Agronomy, Tarim University, Alar 843300, China)

  • Jiao Lin

    (College of Agronomy, Tarim University, Alar 843300, China)

  • Sumei Wan

    (College of Agronomy, Tarim University, Alar 843300, China)

  • Quanzhong Wu

    (College of Agronomy, Tarim University, Alar 843300, China)

Abstract

Wheat/maize intercropping has been widely practiced in northwestern China. It is crucial to optimize the canopy structure and geometric configurations to enhance the performance of the system. This research determined the responses of intercrops to the different canopy structures created by the different wheat/maize intercropping systems. Field experiments were carried out in 2012, 2013, and 2014 at Wuwei, Gansu. Three intercropping patterns—six rows of wheat alternated with two rows of maize (6W2M), six rows of wheat alternated with three rows of maize (6W3M), and six rows of wheat alternated with four rows of maize (6W4M)—were compared with sole wheat and sole maize. The results showed that maize plant heights differed between the inner rows and the border rows, and the difference was greater for the 6W3M system than for the 6W4M system. The three intercropping systems had an average land-use equivalent ratio (LER, calculated based on grain yield) of 1.25, indicating an increase in land-use efficiency by 25% compared to the corresponding sole crops. The shape of maize strips in 6W3M optimized the canopy structure and increased the productivity of wheat and maize. The wheat in 6W3M had significantly more grain yield compared with the sole wheat and the 6W2M due to the maize belt shape, which resulted in the soil evaporation negatively affecting the intercropped wheat grain yield of the 6W3M. Similarly, the maize belt shape facilitated the light penetration and enhanced the reproductive growth by increasing the two cobs per plant rate (TCR) of the maize. The highest TCR of the 6W3M produced a higher maize grain yield than the 6W2M and sole maize in the three growing seasons. The maize belt width in the strip intercropping system had a significant effect on the grain yield of both wheat and maize, which reduced water evaporation, harmonized light distribution, and increased productivity.

Suggested Citation

  • Guodong Chen & Yunlong Zhai & Jianguo Zhou & Yanfang Li & Jiao Lin & Sumei Wan & Quanzhong Wu, 2022. "Optimizing Maize Belt Width Enhances Productivity in Wheat/Maize Intercropping Systems," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-16, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:23:p:16137-:d:992105
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Qinqin Xu & Kangning Xiong & Yongkuan Chi & Shuzhen Song, 2021. "Effects of Crop and Grass Intercropping on the Soil Environment in the Karst Area," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-14, May.
    2. Ai, Pengrui & Ma, Yingjie & Hai, Ying, 2021. "Influence of jujube/cotton intercropping on soil temperature and crop evapotranspiration in an arid area," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 256(C).
    3. Wang, Zikui & Wu, Pute & Zhao, Xining & Gao, Ying & Chen, Xiaoli, 2015. "Water use and crop coefficient of the wheat–maize strip intercropping system for an arid region in northwestern China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 161(C), pages 77-85.
    4. Miao, Qingfeng & Rosa, Ricardo D. & Shi, Haibin & Paredes, Paula & Zhu, Li & Dai, Jiaxin & Gonçalves, José M. & Pereira, Luis S., 2016. "Modeling water use, transpiration and soil evaporation of spring wheat–maize and spring wheat–sunflower relay intercropping using the dual crop coefficient approach," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 165(C), pages 211-229.
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    Cited by:

    1. Hongguang Yang & Wei Sun & Feng Wu & Hongbo Xu & Fengwei Gu & Zhichao Hu, 2023. "Determination of Planting Pattern and Screening of Agricultural Machineries for Maize-Peanut Strip Intercropping: A Case Study in Henan Province of China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-16, May.

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