• Authors:
    • Wei, T.
    • Cui, R.
    • Ding, R.
    • Yang, B.
    • Han, Q.
    • Liang, L.
    • Jia, Z.
    • Wang, X.
  • Source: Transactions of the Chinese Society of Agricultural Engineering
  • Volume: 28
  • Issue: 6
  • Year: 2012
  • Summary: A field experiment (2007-2010) was conducted at Weibei Dryland to determine the effects of different organic fertilizer rates on soil moisture and economic returns of maize (Zea mays L.). Organic fertilizer at rates of 0 (CK), 7500, 15 000 and 22 500 kg.hm -2 combined with the same rate of chemical fertilizer was applied into field plots. The results showed that manure treatments significantly increased soil moisture storage by 11.49%-21.63% compared with CK; high rate of manure treatment increased soil moisture storage by 9.09% than low rate of manure treatment during maize big trumpet period in the fourth year of fertilization (2010). High rate of manure treatment significantly increased the average soil moisture storage in 200 cm soil layer by 4.79%-7.65% compared with control. Medium rate of manure treatment had significantly higher average soil moisture storage in 200 cm soil layer by 6.50% than control in the fourth year of fertilization. Manure treatments significantly increased water use efficiency by 12.37%-37.55% compared with control. High and medium rates of manure treatments significantly increased water use efficiency in contrast with low rate of manure treatment. Soil conditions were no longer the major limiting factors for increasing water use efficiency with the manure application years increased. It is suggested that medium rate of manure treatment had an obvious effect on conserving moisture and increasing income of maize.
  • Authors:
    • Li, F.
    • Gan, Y.
    • Li, X.
    • Si, J.
    • Xiong, Y.
    • Liu, C.
    • Jin, S.
    • Zhou, L.
  • Source: Field Crops Research
  • Volume: 126
  • Year: 2012
  • Summary: Understanding plant-soil relationships may help maximize crop productivity while maintaining and improving soil quality. Field experiments were conducted in 2006 and 2007 at the Dryland Agricultural Experimental Station of the Loess Plateau, Lanzhou University, China, to determine the effects of various ridge-furrow and plastic-mulching techniques on the growth and yield of maize ( Zea mays L.) and soil biochemical properties. Five treatments were designed: (1) flat-plot sowing without ridge-furrow mulching (CK), (2) large (80 cm) and small (40 cm) ridges alternated and fully mulched with plastic (DRM), (3) on-furrow sowing with plastic mulch applied only on the ridge at a row spacing of 60 cm and 40 cm alternatively (RM), (4) flat-plot sowing with plastic mulch at a row spacing of 60 cm and 40 cm alternatively (NM), and (5) flat-plot sowing with plastic mulch at a row spacing of 80 cm and 40 cm alternatively (WM). The results showed that film mulching enhanced soil microbial biomass; where microbial biomass carbon (MBC) in the DRM treatment reached 633 mg kg -1 at harvest in 2007, three times the MBC of the CK. The MBC:SOC ratios were 8.8%, 7.1%, 5.7% and 5.4% in DRM, RM, NM and WM, respectively. The ridge-furrow with plastic-mulching increased soil light fraction carbon (LFOC) in both years, averaging up to 1.04 g kg -1 at harvest. Underground plant biomass increased substantially in the mulching treatments, especially in DRM. Positive correlations were found between total biomass and LFOC, between MBC and LFOC, and between MBC and available phosphorus (AP), but a negative correlation between SOC and soil mineral nitrogen (MN). The carbon to phosphorus (C/P) ratio was highest in DRM among treatments, but the content of SOC, MN, and C/N ratio in DRM was lowest, suggesting that the DRM treatment strengthened the interactions between maize and soil, and that the increased content of LFOC with time provides a basis for increasing productivity in future years. In conclusion, the ridge-furrow and plastic-mulching technique brought about a challenge in maintaining soil fertility, but this technology provides a potential opportunity of substantially increasing crop yields in semiarid rainfed regions.
  • Authors:
    • Wang, J.
    • Kimmins, J.
    • Cao, F.
  • Source: Agroforestry Systems
  • Volume: 84
  • Issue: 3
  • Year: 2012
  • Summary: Intercropping Ginkgo and crop species in southern China is receiving increasing attention because it offers potential advantages for resource utilization, higher economic income to farmers and increased sustainability in crop production, We carried out a 2-year field intercropping system composed of Ginkgo with wheat, broad bean, and rapeseed, respectively, to determine the competitive interactions between the different species, and productivity and the economic yield of each intercropping system. The density of Ginkgo and crop species was varied systematically in a two-way density matrix composed of three monoculture densities and nine intercropping of all possible pairwise combinations of monoculture densities. Intercropping systems were assessed on the basis of several intercropping indices such as land equivalent ratio, relative crowding coefficient, relative competition intensity and vector competition analysis. The results showed that the combined biomass production of the component crop species was significantly greater in the Ginkgo/crop mixtures than in monocultures crops (Ginkgo, broad bean, wheat, and rapeseed). Ginkgo:rapeseed ratio 24:12, Ginkgo:bread bean ratio 24:5, and Ginkgo:wheat ratio 24:200 had the best total biomass production. Ginkgo:rapeseed (and broad bean) ratio 24:5 and Ginkgo:wheat ratio 24:200 in respective Ginkgo/crop mixtures had the maximum economic yield. Vector competition analysis showed that Ginkgo/rapeseed mixture exhibited an antagonistic interaction type and therefore is not suitable for intercropping. Ginkgo/broad bean mixture demonstrated the most beneficial effects among the three intercropping systems.
  • Authors:
    • Li, B.
    • Qiao, B.
    • Zhang, C.
    • Chang, J.
  • Source: Journal of Fruit Science
  • Volume: 29
  • Issue: 2
  • Year: 2012
  • Summary: To improve ecological efficiency of Chinese jujube orchard and to further dig out its productive potentiality, comparative tests between intercropping wheat with Chinese jujube and single-cropping wheat were conducted. The results showed that intercropping wheat with Chinese jujube could obviously decrease dry-hot winds in wheat field; Bulk density and temperature of the soil were decreased, and the total porosity, capillary porosity, capillary moisture capacity and moisture capacity were apparently improved ( P
  • Authors:
    • Liu, We.
    • Meng, P.
    • Zhang, J.
    • Lu, S.
  • Source: Journal of Food Agriculture & Environment
  • Volume: 10
  • Issue: 2 part 3
  • Year: 2012
  • Summary: Agroforestry systems have unique advantages over conventional agricultural land in the carbon (C) balance. In this study, soil respiration under a tree intercropping system, an orchard and an agricultural land in north China were quantified during the growing season of March-November 2010. In the tree intercropping system, eight-year-old walnut ( Juglans regia L.) was intercropped with an annual wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) - mung bean ( Vigna radiata L.) rotation. In the orchard and cropland, the eight-year-old walnut and wheat-mung bean rotation were grown as a mono practice, respectively. During the study period, the overall soil respiration rate was 1.89, 1.63 and 2.05 mol m 2 s 1 for the walnut intercropping, walnut orchard and cropland systems, respectively. Thus, there was a reduction in soil respiration when the cropland was converted to walnut intercropping and walnut orchard in north China. The higher soil CO 2 emission in the cropland result from the higher soil organic carbon and soil temperature. The van't Hoff model described the soil respiration as a function of soil temperature in the walnut intercropping system with R 2>0.78. Moreover, the temperature sensitivity of soil respiration (Q 10) was determined in the walnut intercropping system. The Q 10 values were similar in the walnut intercropping system and walnut orchard at 2.33 and 2.28, respectively, and significantly greater than for cropland (1.59). The result suggests that the walnut intercropping system had a higher sensitivity of soil respiration to temperature change than agricultural land. Compared with cropland, the slightly lower soil organic carbon in the walnut intercropping system may due to the short-term agroforestry practice, while in general the soil organic matter requires long term of turnover interactions. There was no significant difference in the walnut basal diameter and tree height between orchard and intercropping systems, showing that walnut growth was not affected by the introduction of the crop. Our results suggest that walnut intercropping could be practiced above conventional agriculture and produced less soil CO 2 emissions.
  • Authors:
    • Xu, L.
    • Li, W.
    • Ning, W.
    • Qiu, C.
    • Liao, K.
    • Ma, Y.
  • Source: Xinjiang Agricultural Sciences
  • Volume: 49
  • Issue: 1
  • Year: 2012
  • Summary: Objective: In order to know the environmental temperature and humidity daily variation regularity in apricot-wheat intercropping zone. Method: Temperature and humidity recorder (EI-USB-2), and portable tester soil temperature and humidity (Stevens POGO) were used to detect the change of air temperature, land surface temperature and relative humidity in apricot-wheat intercropping zone and apricot monoculture zone were observed. Result: The results showed that, the temperature and humidity change lies both in intercropping zone and monoculture zone. There was a positive correlation between the temperature, land surface temperature and PAR, but a negative correlation between relative humidity and PAR. The average temperature and land surface temperature in intercropping zone decreased 4.53°C and 0.7°C, respectively; The average temperature and land surface relative humidity increased 4.90% and 3.93% respectively in intercropping zone. Conclusion: To some extent, intercropping has a significant function of reducing temperature decrease and humidity in the orchard.
  • Authors:
    • Jiang, D.
    • Jiang, G.
    • Chen, Z.
    • Shi, D.
  • Source: Journal of Beijing Forestry University
  • Volume: 34
  • Issue: 1
  • Year: 2012
  • Summary: Soil erodibility K value could provide an important basis for the prediction of local soil loss and for benefit evaluation of soil conservation measures. Five methods were used to estimate the soil erodibility K values of different cropping patterns in purple hilly area. The paper aims to select appropriate estimation methods for calculating K values, which could reflect the process of soil formation and erosion characteristics in the purple soil. Results showed that: (1) for the same soil parent material and land use types, the soil erodibility K values got by the five estimation methods could be lined in the order of KEPIC > Kmodified-nomo > Knomo > KShirazi > KTorri. The inherent differences among these K values were resulted from choosing varied soil physical and chemical properties as basic parameters for each estimation method. Soil erodibility K value of alfalfa was the smallest, indicating that alfalfa and other legumes were suitable plants for intercropping and alley cropping in local agricultural system on hillsides since they can effectively lower soil erosion sensitivity in this area. (2) For the same soil parent material and soil types, different land use types responded differently to the stability of estimation methods for K value, and the sensitivity order was alfalfa land > wheat land > mulberry land. Concerning the local cropping patterns with regular sloping land farming, there was no distinct differences in the stability of estimation methods. (3) In the purple hilly area, the estimated K values by nomogragh model and EPIC model were close most to the standard value, and also the two methods were sensitive to the changes in soil physical and chemical properties of this area. Therefore, nomogragh model and EPIC model can be used to estimate soil erodibility K value when predicting soil loss amount and assessing soil erosion sensitivity in the purple hilly area.
  • Authors:
    • Wu, L.
    • Li, F.
    • Zhu, O.
    • Sun, Z.
  • Source: Journal of Resources and Ecology
  • Volume: 3
  • Issue: 1
  • Year: 2012
  • Summary: The major function of clover in a winter wheat-white clover intercropping system is to supply nitrogen (N) for the wheat. A field experiment was conducted at Yucheng Comprehensive Station of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, to evaluate the effect of cutting white clover on N fixation and the transfer of fixed N to the associated winter wheat. A method of 15N natural abundance was used to determine the nitrogen dynamics in the intercropping system. The results showed that the amount of N transferred from the clover to the wheat, throughout the growing season, varied between 34.4 and 57.5 kg ha -1. Compared to leaving the clover standing, cutting the clover increased the amount of N that accumulated in the soil and also resulted in reduced N concentrations in the leaves and stems of the wheat. Using the cut clover as mulch between wheat rows led to decreased N concentrations in the wheat plants' leaves and stems. The present study provides preliminary information on the amount of N transferred from clover to wheat in an intercropping system.
  • Authors:
    • Wan, Y.
    • Chen, X.
    • Xiang, D.
    • Yang, W.
    • Yong, T.
  • Source: Acta Prataculturae Sinica
  • Volume: 21
  • Issue: 1
  • Year: 2012
  • Summary: The aim of this paper was to study the variation of interspecies competitiveness in two relay strip intercropping system; wheat-maize-soybean and wheat-maize-sweet potato. The character of biomass accumulation and nitrogen uptake were examined for five cropping systems using years of field experiment. The cropping systems included three sole cropping systems (wheat-soybean, wheat-sweet potato and maize) and two relay strip intercropping systems (wheat/maize/soybean and wheat/maize/sweet potato). Land equivalent ratio (LER), aggressiveness (A), and nutrition competition ratio (NCR) were introduced as indexes to evaluate the interspecies competitiveness in each treatment. The results showed that there was obvious relay strip intercropping advantage ( LER >1, Awc 1) in the wheat-maize-soybean relay strip intercropping system, maize occupied the dominant niche for the whole growing stage in the relay strip intercropping systems, and the interspecies competitiveness of wheat and soybean were lower than that of the maize. Comparing with the sole cropping systems and wheat-maize-sweet potato relay strip intercropping system, the grain yield and nitrogen uptake, total biomass and total nitrogen uptake above ground of crops were increased significantly at both flowering (or spinning) and maturity stages in the wheat-maize-soybean relay strip intercropping system. The values of biomass and nitrogen uptake for the relay strip intercropping system were greater than the sole cropping systems, and that of soybean stubble were greater than sweet potato stubble. The total economic returns of crops in the wheat/maize/soybean relay strip intercropping system was higher 28.02% than those of crops in the wheat/maize/sweet potato relay strip intercropping system.
  • Authors:
    • Zhu, Z.
    • Xiang, D.
    • Yang, W.
    • Yong, T.
  • Source: Acta Agronomica Sinica
  • Volume: 38
  • Issue: 2
  • Year: 2012
  • Summary: The aim of this study was to understand the relationship between diversity of rhizosphere bacterial community and nitrogen uptake of crops in two relay strip intercropping systems: wheat/maize/soybean and wheat/maize/sweet potato. We analyzed the diversities of rhizosphere bacterial community in five cropping systems using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) based on 16S rDNA. The cropping systems included wheat-soybean (A1), wheat-sweet potato (A2), maize single cropping (A3), wheat/maize/soybean (A4), and wheat/maize/sweet potato (A5). Compared to the sole cropping systems (A1, A2, and A3 treatments), the A4 treatment showed increases in grain nitrogen uptake and total nitrogen uptake amounts of aboveground of crops at both flowering (or silking) and maturity stages, and the Shannon-Weiner indices for rhizosphere bacterial community diversity was also increased significantly. The values of nitrogen uptake and the Shannon-Weiner index in the relay strip intercropping systems were greater than those in sole cropping systems, and the values in the treatment with soybean stubble were greater than those in the treatment with sweet potato stubble. The number and strength of the DNA bands from DGGE profiles varied with the cropping systems, especially for the distinguished bands. The comparability of rhizosphere bacterial community composition was low among different cropping systems. The similarity coefficient ( Cs) was higher between two relay strip intercropping systems than between relay strip intercropping system and sole cropping system, but the Cs value was low between A4 and A5 treatments. However, there was obvious difference of rhizosphere bacterial community composition between A4 and A5 treatments, and the A4 treatment was propitious to enhancing rhizosphere bacterial community diversity and increasing nitrogen uptakes of crops.