Intercropping fenugreek (Trigonella foenum‐graecum L.) and barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) with and without biochar: Tests along a competition gradient

Integrating soil amendment biochar to legume‐based intercropping systems may amplify the intercropping benefits and lead to more sustainable production due to its positive effects on the soil physicochemical and biological environment. Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum‐graecum) is a legume used in an intercropping system in several countries in Southern Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. A barley cultivar and an Iranian fenugreek ecotype were studied in two replacement series experiments to find the best combination of the two species as well as the effect of adding biochar to the soil. Fenugreek and barley were grown in 4‐L pots in five density combinations (20:0, 15:5, 10:10, 5:15, 0:20) with and without application of biochar in sandy loam soil. The biomass, nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) amount of the two crops were measured fifty days after sowing, and the Relative Yield Total (RYT) was estimated. Our results showed that biochar application resulted in a higher total biomass, N and C amount in all combinations of fenugreek and barley. Total biomass was increased by biochar 19.2% when fenugreek was grown alone and 8.1 and 12.9% in series with 25 and 50% barley when biochar was added, respectively. Biochar increased dry matter, N and C accumulation in both crop species in the mixtures. An exception was the C amount of barley which was not influenced by biochar in intercropping. RYT values were largest for biomass, C and N amount in mixtures with 15 fenugreek plants per pot and 5 barley plants per pot corresponding to approximately 400 fenugreek plants per m mixed with 130 barley plants per m². Biochar application increased RYT of the total dry weight by 2.7 and 5.5% in mixtures of 25 and 50% barley plants, RYT of the total nitrogen by 0.8% in mixtures with 25% barley plants, and RYT of the total carbon by 2.7 and 6.6% in mixtures with 25 and 50% barley plants. The RYT values declined with increasing number of barley plants as a result of a less competitive ability of fenugreek when growing in high barley densities. The yield was highest with intercropping but monoculture of barley also resulted in high yields. The total highest yield was found when approximately 130 fenugreek plants per m² were mixed with 400 barley plants per m². Mixtures with 75% fenugreek and 25% barley obtained RYT values larger than 1 for biomass, carbon and nitrogen percentages.     

菌剂与钾肥配施对连作魔芋生长、生理代谢和发病率的影响

以安康当地花魔芋为材料进行盆栽试验，研究娄彻氏链霉菌（Streptomyces rochei）菌剂D74与钾肥配施对连作魔芋生物学性状、块茎产量、叶绿素含量、活性氧代谢、渗透调节物质含量及软腐病的影响，为魔芋连作障碍微生物-化学双重修复提供理论依据。结果表明：菌剂与钾肥配施对连作魔芋具有一定的促生防病作用，使魔芋单株块茎鲜质量和生长系数分别较对照显著增加86.7%和85.9%，软腐病病情指数降低 33.0%。配施处理中，钾肥和菌剂分别在促进魔芋块茎膨大和抑制软腐病方面发挥主导作用。菌剂与钾肥配施促进魔芋叶片叶绿素的合成，其叶绿素a及叶绿素(a+b)含量分别较对照显著增加51.0%及34.6%，同时叶绿素a/b及叶绿素(a+b)/类胡萝卜素比值分别提高41.8%及22.2%。配施的菌剂效应对叶绿素合成的促进作用占主导地位。菌剂与钾肥配施显著提高魔芋的诱导抗性，其叶片过氧化物酶活性、可溶性蛋白和可溶性糖含量分别为对照的3.1倍、2.9倍和2.2倍。采用主成分分析法对魔芋相关19个生理生化指标分析得出特征值、贡献率、累积贡献率和主成分载荷矩阵，提取3个主成分（叶绿素b、叶幅和相对防效）综合评价菌剂与钾肥配施对魔芋连作障碍的修复效果。不同施肥处理综合得分高低顺序为：菌剂与钾肥配施>单施钾肥>单施菌剂>不施肥对照。综上所述，娄彻氏链霉菌菌剂D74与钾肥配施能提高连作魔芋产量并降低植株发病率，有效缓解连作障碍。     

赣中北“油稻稻”三熟制下头季稻叶片衰老频度对再生稻再生力的影响

为研究三熟制条件下适合种植的再生稻品种及头季叶片衰老频度对再生力特性的影响,在大田试验条件下,以10个杂交水稻品种为材料,比较分析了这些品种的再生力、再生季产量及头季衰老强度等若干性状。结果表明,头季不同品种结实率与再生季再生力呈正相关关系,相关系数为0.620,头季千粒重、叶干质量下降率、叶绿素含量下降率、产量与再生季再生力呈负相关关系,相关系数分别为-0.522、-0.516、-0.637、-0.676。再生季有效穗数与再生力呈显著正相关关系,与活芽率呈负相关,相关系数分别为0.757和-0.615。头季结实率、叶片叶绿素含量、产量,以及再生季有效穗数和千粒重是影响再生力的重要因素。综合两季产量和再生力特性来看,深两优5814、C两优608、准两优608、丰两优香1号等4个品种可以作为再生稻在江西中北部的三熟制条件下种植。     

甘肃省退耕还林后续政策调查研究

在对甘肃省退耕还林工程整体实施情况及生态、经济和社会三大效益全面了解的基础上,通过对退耕区退耕农户退耕还林前后收入、粮食产量、劳动力转移等变化情况以及补助到期后退耕农户收入的可能变化等进行深入调查研究和分析,提出了完善退耕还林现行政策及制定补助到期后续政策的意见建议。     

Effect of pruning intensities of three woody leguminous species grown in alley cropping with maize and cowpea on an alfisol

Field trials were carried out on an Oxic Paleustalf in the humid zone of southwestern Nigeria withLeucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit,Gliricidia sepium (Jacq.) Steud. andSesbania grandiflora (L.) Pers. alley cropped with maize and cowpea. The three leguminous woody species were grown in hedgerows spaced at 2 m. Trials were carried out one year after establishment of the hedgerows using a split-plot design with four replications. TheLeucaena trial had twenty pruning combinations consisting of five pruning heights (25, 50, 75, 100 and 150 cm) and four pruning frequencies (monthly, bi-, tri- and six-monthly). TheGliricidia andSesbania hedgerows were subjected to nine pruning intensities consisting of three pruning heights (25, 50 and 100 cm) and three pruning intensities (monthly, tri- and six-monthly). For the three woody species, biomass, dry wood and nitrogen yield from the hedgerow prunings increased with decreasing pruning frequency and increasing pruning height. Biomass, dry wood and nitrogen yields were in the following orderLeucaena >Gliricidia >Sesbania. The various pruning intensities had no effect on survival ofLeucaena plants. Pruning frequency had a larger effect than pruning height on survival ofGliricidia andSesbania plants. With monthly pruning, about 25 percent of theGliricidia and all of theSesbania plants died within six months of repeated pruning. Even with lower pruning frequencySesbania plants showed lower survival rates thanGliricidia orLeucaena. The various pruning intensities of all the hedgerow species had more pronounced effects on the grain yield of the alley cropped cowpea than on maize grain yield. Higher maize and cowpea yields were obtained with increasing pruning frequency and decreasing pruning height. IITA Journal paper number 335     

The use of vegetable phytometers in the evaluation of the potential response of understorey crops to the aerial environment in an interculture system

Carrots, onions, radishes and peas, growing in pots were placed at various locations in a pear orchard and used as phytometers to characterise the aerial environment. The growth of plants growing beneath the orchard canopy was not significantly less than that of phytometers grown in the open. However, the bulb diameter of radish and onion was significantly reduced when growing immediately beneath pear trees. Radish was selected as a suitable phytometer for further research.     

Effect of pruning intensities of three woody leguminous species grown in alley cropping with maize and cowpea on an alfisol

Field trials were carried out on an Oxic Paleustalf in the humid zone of southwestern Nigeria withLeucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit,Gliricidia sepium (Jacq.) Steud. andSesbania grandiflora (L.) Pers. alley cropped with maize and cowpea. The three leguminous woody species were grown in hedgerows spaced at 2 m. Trials were carried out one year after establishment of the hedgerows using a split-plot design with four replications. TheLeucaena trial had twenty pruning combinations consisting of five pruning heights (25, 50, 75, 100 and 150 cm) and four pruning frequencies (monthly, bi-, tri- and six-monthly). TheGliricidia andSesbania hedgerows were subjected to nine pruning intensities consisting of three pruning heights (25, 50 and 100 cm) and three pruning intensities (monthly, tri- and six-monthly).For the three woody species, biomass, dry wood and nitrogen yield from the hedgerow prunings increased with decreasing pruning frequency and increasing pruning height. Biomass, dry wood and nitrogen yields were in the following orderLeucaena >Gliricidia >Sesbania.The various pruning intensities had no effect on survival ofLeucaena plants. Pruning frequency had a larger effect than pruning height on survival ofGliricidia andSesbania plants. With monthly pruning, about 25 percent of theGliricidia and all of theSesbania plants died within six months of repeated pruning. Even with lower pruning frequencySesbania plants showed lower survival rates thanGliricidia orLeucaena.The various pruning intensities of all the hedgerow species had more pronounced effects on the grain yield of the alley cropped cowpea than on maize grain yield. Higher maize and cowpea yields were obtained with increasing pruning frequency and decreasing pruning height.IITA Journal paper number 335     

The Chagga homegardens: a multistoried agroforestry cropping system on Mt. Kilimanjaro (Northern Tanzania)

The homegardens are characterised by an intensive integration of numerous multipurpose trees and shrubs with food crops and animals, simultaneously on the same unit of land.The Chagga are skilled farmers with an intimate knowledge of the crops and their ecological requirements. They have a good idea of functions/uses of the plant species on their farms. The large species diversity provides both subsistence and cash crops. It enables the farmer to keep his management options open and provides insurance against drought, pest and economic risks.     

Growth of four tree species managed as hedgerows in response to liming on an acid soil in West Sumatra,Indonesia

A hedgerow intercropping study was conducted for 7 years in West Sumatra, Indonesia on an acid and highly Al-saturated soil to determine growth and yield responses of tree hedgerows and upland rice and cowpea intercrops. Three tree species,Paraserianthes falcataria, Calliandra calothyrsus, andGliricidia sepium and a no-tree control were planted at three lime rates with low annual fertilizer inputs of 20 kg P and 50 kg K ha^–1.Paraserianthes andCalliandra grew vigorously, whileGliricidia grew poorly and was replaced after four years withFlemingia macrophylla. After four years,Paraserianthes yields declined due to tree mortality, probably due to intensive pruning.Calliandra andFlemingia were well adapted to intensive pruning (4 to 6 times per year). Gliricidia growth was especially limited by low soil Ca availability and high soil acid saturation.Calliandra andFlemingia yields increased with liming only in the last several years of the study whileParaserianthes did not respond to lime. The species can be tentatively ranked in response to lime as:Gliricidia > Calliandra > Flemingia > Paraserianthes.     

Nitrogen mineralization patterns of leaf-twig mixtures from tropical leguminous trees

Green manure applications in alley cropping systems often include twigs despite their potential to absorb (immobilize) nitrogen (N). To assess the impact of twigs on net N mineralization or immobilization from hedge row cuttings, we separated cuttings fromCalliandra calothyrsus andGliricidia sepium into leaf-only, twig-only, and mixed (leaf + twig) fractions and incubated them with moist soil in the laboratory. Soil extractable inorganic N did no differ among treatments after two weeks, but after four and eight weeks was greatest in leaf-only, and least in twig-only treatments. After two weeks, extractable N from the leaf-only treatment rose steadily, while that from the twig-only and mixed treatments was variable due to periods of net mineralization and net immobilization. The pattern of variation in mixed treatments paralleled that of twig-only, indicating that net immobilization in the mixture was largely caused by the presence of twigs. Extractable N from the mixture was somewhat lower than that predicted from the sum of leaf-only and twig-only treatments. We conclude that twigs in green manure reduce short-term N availability to associated crops in agroforestry systems.