Temporal Differentiation of Crop Growth as One of the Drivers of Intercropping Yield Advantage

Abstract

Intercropping studies usually focus on yield advantage and interspecific interactions but few quantify temporal niche differentiation and its relationship with intercropping yield advantage. A field experiment conducted in northwest China in 2013 and 2014 examined four intercropping systems (oilseed rape/maize, oilseed rape/soybean, potato/maize, and soybean/potato) and the corresponding monocultures. Total dry matter data collected every 20 d after maize emergence were fitted to logistic models to investigate the temporal dynamics of crop growth and interspecific interactions. All four intercropping systems showed significant yield advantages. Temporal niche complementarity between intercropped species was due to differences in sowing and harvesting dates or the time taken to reach maximum daily growth rate or both. Interspecific interactions between intercropped species amplified temporal niche differentiation as indicated by postponement of the time taken to reach maximum daily growth rate of late-maturing crops (i.e. 21 to 41 days in maize associated with oilseed rape or potato). Growth trajectories of intercropped maize or soybean recovered after the oilseed rape harvest to the same values as in their monoculture on a per plant basis. Amplified niche differentiation between crop species depends on the identity of neighboring species whose relative growth rate is crucial in determining the differentiation.

Maize/Soybean Relay Strip Intercropping Reduces the Occurrence of Fusarium Root Rot and Changes the Diversity of the Pathogenic Fusarium Species

“…Intercropping has been well known as one kind of the sustainable agricultural cropping patterns around the world [17][18][19]. Many studies have demonstrated that intercropping not only has obvious advantages on the increase of crop productivity [20][21][22] and efficient exploration of agricultural resources [23,24] when compared with crop monoculture, but simultaneously it can also suppress the soil-borne diseases [17]. Recent research indicated that intercropping reduced the occurrence of Phytophthora blight of pepper in maize/pepper intercropping [25], suppressed the incidence of Fusarium wilt of watermelon in rice/watermelon intercropping [26] and wheat/maize intercropping [15,27], and soybean red crown rot caused by Cylindrocladium parasiticum in maize/soybean intercropping [14].…”

Cassava/peanut intercropping improves soil quality via rhizospheric microbes increased available nitrogen contents

“…There are many intercropping models, such as chickpea/maize [3], maize/lablab [4], rubber/plantain [5], even marine finfish in shrimp ponds [6]. Intercropping showed many advantages, like higher yield [7,8], higher light interception and utilization rate [9], phytoremediation of heavy metal contaminated soils [10], enhancing iron nutrition [11] and phosphorus availability [12], etc.…”

Effects of Multiple Planting Densities on Lignin Metabolism and Lodging Resistance of the Strip Intercropped Soybean Stem

“…In the case of limited cultivated land resources in China, intercropping systems were important measures to improve land utilization efficiency [1][2][3][4]. Among intercropping systems, the maize-soybean intercropping system in southwest China has achieved the purpose of improving the yield of soybean and maize [5].…”