Maize/peanut intercropping increases photosynthetic characteristics, ~(13)C-photosynthate distribution,and grain yield of summer maize

Intercropping is used widely by smallholder farmers in developing countries to increase land productivity and profitability. We conducted a maize/peanut intercropping experiment in the 2015 and 2016 growing seasons in Shandong, China. Treatments included sole maize(SM), sole peanut(SP), and an intercrop consisting of four rows of maize and six rows of peanut(IM and IP). The results showed that the intercropping system had yield advantages based on the land equivalent ratio(LER) values of 1.15 and 1.16 in the two years, respectively. Averaged over the two years, the yield of maize in the intercropping was increased by 61.05% compared to that in SM, while the pod yield of peanut was decreased by 31.80% compared to SP. Maize was the superior competitor when intercropped with peanut, and its productivity dominated the yield of the intercropping system in our study. The increased yield was due to a higher kernel number per ear(KNE). Intercropping increased the light transmission ratio(LTR) of the ear layer in the maize canopy, the active photosynthetic duration(APD), and the harvest index(HI) compared to SM. In addition, intercropping promoted the ratio of dry matter accumulation after silking and the distribution of ~(13) C-photosynthates to grain compared to SM. In conclusion, maize/peanut intercropping demonstrated the potential to improve the light condition of maize, achieving enhanced photosynthetic characteristics that improved female spike differentiation, reduced barrenness, and increased KNE. Moreover, dry matter accumulation and ~(13) C-photosynthates distribution to grain of intercropped maize were improved, and a higher grain yield was ultimately obtained.     

Intercropping Studies in Lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus) (Steud. Wats.)

Lemongrass ( Cymbopogon flexuosus (Steud.) Wats) is a perennial, multicut aromatic grass, which yields an essential oil used in perfumery and pharmaceutical industries and Vitamin A, has a long initial lag phase. To utilize the crop growth resources more efficiently during this phase, studies were made to explore the possibility of intercropping food legumes with lemongrass. An experiment conducted during 1992–93 revealed that the food legumes like blackgram ( Vigna mungo (L) Hepper), cowpea ( Vigna unguiculata (L) Walp) or soybean ( Glycine max (L) Merr.) could be intercropped in the initial stages of lemongrass to get extra yields over and above that of lemongrass, without affecting the yield of lemongrass.     

新疆2000-2012年NDVI、降水和RUE的时空特征

本研究分析了新疆2000-2012年每年的6-9月归一化植被指数(NDVI)、降水量和植被降水利用率(RUE)空间分布特征和年际变化趋势。结果显示,1)月平均降水量和月平均NDVI空间分布均呈西北向东南递减的特征,13年间年降水量和年NDVI均呈现北疆递减、南疆递增的特征,但年降水量年际变化范围更明显;2)月平均降水量和月平均RUE空间分布对比不明显,年RUE与年降水量的年际变化呈相反趋势;3)不同土地类型中降水量和NDVI呈显著正相关(r0.3,P0.05),降水条件对植被空间分布影响明显,不同土地类型中降水和RUE呈显著负相关(r-0.22,P0.05),夏季过量降水对植被光合作用的抑制作用是其主要影响因素。     

Does root-sourced ABA play a role for regulation of stomata under drought in quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.)

The Andean seed crop quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is traditionally grown under drought and other adverse conditions that constrain crop production in the Andes, and it is regarded as having considerable tolerance to soil drying. The objective of this research was to study how chemical and hydraulic signalling from the root system controlled gas exchange in a drying soil in quinoa. It was observed that during soil drying, relative g_s and photosynthesis A_max (drought stressed/fully watered plants) equalled 1, until the fraction of transpirable soil water (FTSW) decreased to 0.82 ± 0.152 and 0.33 ± 0.061, respectively, at bud formation, indicating that photosynthesis was maintained after stomata closure. The relationship between relative g_s and relative A_max at bud formation was represented by a logarithmic function (r² = 0.79), which resulted in a photosynthetic water use efficiency WUE_Amax_/gs$\text{WU}{\text{E}}_{A_{\text{max}}/g_{\text{s}}}$ of 1 when FTSW > 0.8, and increased by 50% with soil drying to FTSW 0.7–0.4. Mild soil drying slightly increased ABA in the xylem. It is concluded that during soil drying, quinoa plants have a sensitive stomatal closure, by which the plants are able to maintain leaf water potential (ψ_l) and A_max, resulting in an increase of WUE. Root originated ABA plays a role in stomata performance during soil drying. ABA regulation seems to be one of the mechanisms utilised by quinoa when facing drought inducing decrease of turgor of stomata guard cells.     

Rain Use Efficiency,Primary Production and Rainfall Relationships in Desert Rangelands of Tunisia

Desert rangelands are characterised by low and highly variable rainfall regime, low forage production and high heterogeneity in the distribution of natural resources. This study was carried out in the desert rangelands of Tunisia to evaluate the response of different rangelands to annual rainfall in terms of aboveground net primary production (ANPP) and rain use efficiency over a 10‐year period (2003–2012). In general, ANPP values were relatively low (123 kg DM ha⁻¹ y⁻¹) but would tend to increase with increasing annual rainfall for all rangeland types. The highest value of ANPP was observed from Stipagrostis pungens and Hammada shmittiana communities (sandy‐soil) during the wet year 2011. In contrast, rain use efficiency tends to decline with the highest annual rainfall and varies among rangeland types and with an average of 1·9 kg DM ha⁻¹ mm⁻¹ y⁻¹. Rain use efficiency tended to be higher during dry years and lower during wet years and tended to be higher on S. pungens and H. shmittiana (sandy‐soils) and lower on Helianthemum kahiricum (loamy soils). Therefore, understanding how rainfall affects productivity in rangelands is critical for predicting the impact of land degradation on the functioning of these ecosystems. It can be used to explain production decline associated with desertification as well as to assess rangeland conditions. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

绿洲灌区典型间作模式的产量和光能利用效率

为寻求河西绿洲灌区低耗水、高光效、高产多熟种植模式,在限量灌水条件下,通过大田试验对该区主要种植模式的产量和光能利用率进行了量化分析.结果表明:4种间作模式土地当量比均大于1,排序为玉米/豌豆>玉米/油菜>小麦/玉米>小麦/大豆;在同等可比面积上,小麦、玉米、豌豆和油菜在间作模式下均较单作表现出显著增产效应,但在不同模式下增产效应不同,小麦在小麦/玉米和小麦/大豆2种间作模式下产量分别提高49.14%、51.50%,玉米在玉米/油菜、玉米/豌豆和小麦/玉米3种间作模式中产量分别提高20.88%、53.48%、70.34%.各间作模式下的光能利用率为玉米/豌豆>玉米/油菜>玉米/小麦>小麦/大豆.玉米/豌豆间作模式可作为目前河西绿洲灌区低耗水、高光效型种植模式之一.     

云南省不同试验区小麦蚕豆间作的产量优势分析与评价

 小麦蚕豆间作是云南省主要间作种植模式之一,具有提高产量,减少病虫害,提高养分、水分和光能利用效率等优势。本文基于2001—2010年本间套作课题小组40余组田间试验研究结果,对小麦蚕豆间作体系在云南陆良、玉溪、石林和昆明4个试验区的产量优势进行分析评价。结果表明：小麦蚕豆间作具有明显的增产优势。间作小麦比单作小麦平均增产1324%,间作蚕豆比单作蚕豆平均增产1480%,土地当量比（LER）平均值为114。但不同试验区的间作产量效应差异较大,其中玉溪、陆良和昆明试验区间作产量优势较大,LER分别为121,114和114。玉溪试验区间作产量优势主要来自于蚕豆,而其他试验区间作产量优势主要来自于小麦。     

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.     

套种番茄对大棚基质栽培大蒜生长和产量的 影响

为了解大棚基质栽培的大蒜在单、套作条件下生长及产量的差异,设置番茄单作、番茄/大蒜
套作、大蒜单作3 个处理,测定大蒜生长量、产量及基质理化性质。结果表明：与番茄套作的大蒜形态指
标显著低于单作大蒜;套作显著降低了大蒜的鳞茎质量和总产量,同时显著提高了独头率和独头蒜产量。
番茄/大蒜套作土地当量比高达1.56,具有明显的套作优势。在及时摘除番茄老叶、精细管理的栽培措施下,
套作大蒜独头率高达58.1%。大蒜单、套作基质的氮、磷、钾含量均较高,蔗糖酶和脲酶活性、细菌和放
线菌数量也无显著差异,套作大蒜生长的限制条件是光照。     

Competition indices of common vetch and cereal intercrops in two seeding ratio

A 2-year field study was conducted using common vetch (Vicia sativa L.), wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), triticale (xTriticosecale Wittmack), barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), and oat (Avena sativa L.) pure stands as well as two common vetch–cereal mixtures for silage with each of the above four cereals in two seeding ratios (i.e., vetch:cereal 55:45 and 65:35, based on seed numbers) to determine the competition among the different species and the economics of each intercropping system. Intercropping systems were assessed on the basis of several existing intercropping indices such as land equivalent ratio (LER), relative crowding coefficient (RCC or K), aggressivity (A), competitive ratio (CR), actual yield loss (AYL), monetary advantage index (MAI), and intercropping advantage (IA). The LER and K values were greater for the common vetch–wheat (55:45) and the common vetch–oat (65:35) mixtures indicating that in these systems, there was an advantage of intercropping for exploiting the resources of the environment. A similar trend to that of LER and K was also observed for AYL. The aggressivity, CR and partial AYL values were greater for barley and oat than for wheat and triticale, whereas the corresponding values for common vetch were lower in mixtures with barley and oat than in mixtures with wheat and triticale. These findings indicate that barley and oat were more competitive partners than wheat and triticale as common vetch was affected more in mixtures with these two crops. The highest MAI and IA values were recorded for the common vetch–wheat (55:45) and the common vetch–oat (65:35) mixtures indicating that these intercropping systems were the most profitable.