Chinese Journal of Agrometeorology ›› 2022, Vol. 43 ›› Issue (07): 551-562.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1000-6362.2022.07.004

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Yield and Water Use of Maize/Soybean Intercropping Systems in Semi-Arid Western Liaoning

CAI Qian, SUN Zhan-xiang, WANG Wen-bin, BAI Wei, DU Gui-juan, ZHANG Yue, ZHANG Zhe, FENG Chen, XIANG Wu-yan, ZHAO Feng-yan   

  1. 1. Tillage and Cultivation Research Institute, Liaoning Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenyang 110161, China; 2. Crop Research Institute, Liaoning Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenyang 110161; 3. National Agricultural Experimental Station for Agricultural Environment, Fuxin 123100；4. College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100094
  • Received:2022-03-31 Online:2022-07-20 Published:2022-07-20

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Abstract: To explore the mechanism of overyielding, improvement of land productivity and water use of maize/soybean intercropping, and optimize the configuration of the intercrop in semi-arid western Liaoning, a 2-year (2018-2019) field experiment was conducted at the National Agricultural Environmental Station for Agricultural Environment at Fuxin. The effects of maize-soybean intercropping on yield, land productivity, spatial distribution of soil water content and water use efficiency were studied. Cropping systems were, (1) 2 rows of maize: 2 rows of soybean (M2S2), (2) 4 rows of maize: 4 rows of soybean (M4S4), (3) 6 rows of maize: 6 rows of soybean (M6S6), (4) sole maize (M) and (5) sole soybean (S). The total yields of the 5 cropping systems were M＞M6S6＞M4S4＞M2S2＞S. In intercrops, the contribution of maize for total crop yield was greater than soybean, with 79.0%−87.3% of the contribution rates for intercropped maize, and 12.7%−21.0% for intercropped soybean. The land equivalent ratios (LER) of M6S6 and M4S4 were 1.13−1.19 and 1.06−1.07, respectively, indicating a yield advantage of the intercrop, among which M6S6 showed the highest land productivity. The LER of M2S2 was less than 1, indicating a yield disadvantage. The spatial distribution of soil moisture showed that there was water competition between maize and soybean in 0−50cm soil layer, and was water complementarity between maize and soybean in 60−100cm soil layer in intercrops. On the same land area, all the intercrops improved water use efficiency of maize. M2S2 and M4S4 decreased the water use efficiency of soybean. The water equivalent ratio (WER) of M6S6 and M4S4 were 1.18−1.21 and 1.05−1.06, respectively, indicating the water productivity was increased by 5%−21%. Both of M2S2 and M4S4 had water use advantages, and M6S6 showed the highest water use advantage. The WER of M2S2 was 0.99−1.01, indicating a not significant water use advantage (P>0.05). Overall, M6S6 showed the most significant yield and water use advantage, and would provide opportunity for sustainable agriculture in semi-arid western Liaoning.

Key words: Maize/soybean intercropping, Yield, Water use efficiency, Land equivalent ratio, Water equivalent ratio