Strip width ratio expansion with lowered N fertilizer rate enhances N complementary use between intercropped pea and maize.

ABSTRACT: Maize (Zea mays L.)/pea (Pisum sativum L.) strip intercropping is considered a promising cropping system to boost crop productivity. The 3-year (2009-2011) field experiment was conducted at Wuwei, northwest China, with two maize to pea strip width ratios (80:80 cm and 120:80 cm), each under three N fertilizer rates (0, 90 and 135 kg N ha^-1 for pea, and 0, 300, and 450 kg N ha^-1 for maize). The results showed that expanding maize to pea strip width ratio from 80:80 cm to 120:80 cm coupled with a reduction of N fertilizer rate intensified N competition and improved N compensation. The apparent N recovery and N utilization efficiency of intercropped pea with strip width ratio of 120:80 cm were increased by 8.0% and 8.9% compared to strip width ratio of 80:80 cm. Compared

SUBMITTER: Hu F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7673023 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature