Effects of alfalfa intercropping on crop yield, water use efficiency, and overall economic benefit in the Corn Belt of Northeast China

Sun, Tao; Li, Zizhong; Wu, Qi; Sheng, Tingting; Du, Mengya

doi:10.1016/j.fcr.2017.11.007

Cited by 54 publications

(41 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…This is mainly due to the following reasons. First, with the increase of China's maize storage and market competition after China's accession to the WTO, the farmers' enthusiasm for agricultural production has severely reduced since the price of maize fell sharply in 2016 [43]. Second, the key limiting factor for large-scale production of intercropping is the mechanization of intercropping [44].…”

Section: N Transfer Between Maize and Alfalfamentioning

confidence: 99%

Root Contact between Maize and Alfalfa Facilitates Nitrogen Transfer and Uptake Using Techniques of Foliar 15N-Labeling

et al. 2020

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Belowground nitrogen (N) transfer from legumes to non-legumes provides an important N source for crop yield and N utilization. However, whether root contact facilitates N transfer and the extent to which N transfer contributes to crop productivity and N utilization have not been clarified. In our study, two-year rain shelter experiments were conducted to quantify the effect of root contact on N transfer in a maize/alfalfa intercropping system. N transfer occurred mainly one direction from alfalfa to maize during the growth period. Following the N0 treatment, the amount of N transfer from alfalfa to maize was 204.56 mg pot−1 with no root barrier and 165.13 mg pot−1 with a nylon net barrier, accounting for 4.72% and 4.48% of the total N accumulated in maize, respectively. Following the N1 treatment, the amount of N transfer from alfalfa to maize was 197.70 mg pot−1 with no root barrier and 139.04 mg pot−1 with a nylon net barrier, accounting for 3.64% and 2.36% of the total N accumulated in the maize, respectively. Furthermore, the amount of N transfer without no root barrier was 1.24–1.42 times higher than that with a nylon net barrier regardless of the level of N addition. Our results highlight the importance and the relevance of root contact for the enhancement of N transfer in a maize/alfalfa intercropping system.

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Section: N Transfer Between Maize and Alfalfamentioning

confidence: 99%

Root Contact between Maize and Alfalfa Facilitates Nitrogen Transfer and Uptake Using Techniques of Foliar 15N-Labeling

et al. 2020

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“…For example, although irrigation volumes (with the same irrigation frequency) for tomatoes were lower than for corn, the soil water content (SWC) in the shallow root zone (0-40 cm) of tomatoes was higher than in the corn region, especially in the 0-20 cm soil layer (Li et al, 2015). Similarly, SWCs in the alfalfa region were lower than in the corn region in the alfalfa/corn intercropping field under identical irrigation regimes, which caused a low water stress of alfalfa, and the water stress increased as corn grew (Sun et al, 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Evaluating soil nitrate dynamics in an intercropping dripped ecosystem using HYDRUS-2D

Chen

Šimůnek

et al. 2020

Science of The Total Environment

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“…Modern agricultural practices heavily depend on the use of pesticides and synthesized fertilizers to reduce the crop pests (weeds, insects and diseases) aiming at improving the crop yields (Tanveer et al, 2018;Gurr et al, 2003). Even though these agricultural practices have significantly increased yield per unit area; on the other hand, resulted in increased cost of production, development of herbicide resistance in weeds, development of a negative impact on human health and crop ecology like the loss of biodiversity, water and soil contamination and habitat degradation (Susha et al, 2018;Sun et al, 2018;Mathur et al, 2005;Giri et al, 2002).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…One of the environment friendly methods is intercropping such as cereals (maize, wheat, rice) with legumes (mungbean, cowpea, berseem etc.). Intercropping is an important agricultural practice that improves diversification of food supply (Betencourt et al, 2012;Dahmardehet al, 2010) and gives high economic benefits (Sun et al, 2018;Midega et al, 2014). Intercropping is a best alternative to the herbicide use which reduces or suppresses the growth of weeds (Liebman & Davis, 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of herbicides and intercropping on weeds and yields of Maize and the associated intercrops

Bibi¹,

Khan²,

Hussain³

et al. 2019

PAK.J.BOT.

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Two field trials were conducted at the farm of the University of Agriculture Peshawar, Pakistan in 2014 and 2015, to investigate the effect of intercropping on maize, mungbean, cowpea and sesbania, in which maize was the main crop and the others were intercrops. A two factorial design was used. Factor A comprised of pendimethalin application as pre-emergence and no herbicide application. Factor B consisted of four mono-cropping treatments of Zea mays L. (maize), Vigna radiata (L.) R. Wilczek (mungbean), Sesbania sesban (L.) Merr. (sesbania), and Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp. (cowpea), along with six intercropping treatments viz. 5 legumes rows and 6 maize rows in combinations i.e. mungbean+maize, cowpea+maize, sesbania+maize, and also 10 legume crops rows and 6 maize rows in combinations mungbean+maize, cowpea+maize, and sesbania+maize. The results indicated a significant influence of the years, the use of herbicide, the treatments of intercropping, and the interaction effect of the herbicide x intercropping on the yields of studied crops which meant that the differences among the observations were statistically significant. For the year effect, the mean yields were higher in 2014; while for the effect of herbicide use, the maize grain yield was higher in pendimethalin applied plots. Stating the effect of intercropping, mungbean grain yield was highest in plots of mungbean mono-cropping and lowest in mungbean: maize intercropping (sown in ratio of 5:6 rows). Cowpea and sesbania biomasses were significantly higher in herbicide plots and also in mono-cropping plots of cowpea and sesbania plots, respectively in 2014 and 2015. The values of the Land Equivalent Ratio (LER) were between 1.40 and 1.49 for all the intercropping treatments, with the highest LER calculated for sesbaniamaize intercropping (10:6 rows). Therefore, the herbicide pendimethalin as pre-emergence @1.5 kg ha-1 in maize crop along with intercropping of any of the studied legume crops at the 1:1 row sowing ratio is the best combination for achieving desirable weed control, higher crop yields and greater LERs.

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Effects of alfalfa intercropping on crop yield, water use efficiency, and overall economic benefit in the Corn Belt of Northeast China

Cited by 54 publications

References 28 publications

Root Contact between Maize and Alfalfa Facilitates Nitrogen Transfer and Uptake Using Techniques of Foliar 15N-Labeling

Root Contact between Maize and Alfalfa Facilitates Nitrogen Transfer and Uptake Using Techniques of Foliar 15N-Labeling

Evaluating soil nitrate dynamics in an intercropping dripped ecosystem using HYDRUS-2D

Effect of herbicides and intercropping on weeds and yields of Maize and the associated intercrops

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