Narrow-wide row planting pattern improves the light environment and seed yields of intercrop species in relay intercropping system.

Different planting patterns affect the light interception of intercrops under intercropping conditions. Here we revealed that narrow-wide-row relay-intercropping improves the light interception across maize leaves in wide rows (60cm) and narrow rows (40cm), accelerated the biomass production of inte...

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Main Authors: Lingyang Feng, Muhammad Ali Raza, Yuankai Chen, Muhammad Hayder Bin Khalid, Tehseen Ahmad Meraj, Faiza Ahsan, Yuanfang Fan, Junbo Du, Xiaoling Wu, Chun Song, Chuanyan Liu, George Bawa, Zhongwei Zhang, Shu Yuan, Feng Yang, Wenyu Yang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2019-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0212885
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author Lingyang Feng
Muhammad Ali Raza
Yuankai Chen
Muhammad Hayder Bin Khalid
Tehseen Ahmad Meraj
Faiza Ahsan
Yuanfang Fan
Junbo Du
Xiaoling Wu
Chun Song
Chuanyan Liu
George Bawa
Zhongwei Zhang
Shu Yuan
Feng Yang
Wenyu Yang
author_facet Lingyang Feng
Muhammad Ali Raza
Yuankai Chen
Muhammad Hayder Bin Khalid
Tehseen Ahmad Meraj
Faiza Ahsan
Yuanfang Fan
Junbo Du
Xiaoling Wu
Chun Song
Chuanyan Liu
George Bawa
Zhongwei Zhang
Shu Yuan
Feng Yang
Wenyu Yang
author_sort Lingyang Feng
collection DOAJ
description Different planting patterns affect the light interception of intercrops under intercropping conditions. Here we revealed that narrow-wide-row relay-intercropping improves the light interception across maize leaves in wide rows (60cm) and narrow rows (40cm), accelerated the biomass production of intercrop-species and compensated the slight maize yield loss by considerably increasing the soybean yield. In a two-year experiment, maize was planted with soybean in different planting patterns (1M1S, 50:50cm and 2M2S, 40:60cm) of relay-intercropping, both planting patterns were compared with sole cropping of maize (M) and soybean (S). As compared to M and 1M1S, 2M2S increased the total light interception of maize leaves in wide rows (WR) by 27% and 23%, 20% and 10%, 16% and 9% which in turn significantly enhanced the photosynthetic rate of WR maize leaves by 7% and 5%, 12% and 9%, and 19% and 4%, at tasseling, grain-filling and maturity stage of maize, respectively. Similarly, the light transmittance at soybean canopy increased by 218%, 160% and 172% at V2, V5 and R1 stage in 2M2S compared with 1M1S. The improved light environment at soybean canopy in 2M2S considerably enhanced the mean biomass accumulation, and allocation to stem and leaves of soybean by 168%, and 131% and 207%, respectively, while it decreased the mean biomass accumulation, and distribution to stem, leaves and seed of maize by 4%, and 4%, 6% and 5%, respectively than 1M1S. Compared to 1M1S, 2M2S also increased the CR values of soybean (by 157%) but decreased the CR values of maize (by 61%). Overall, under 2M2S, relay-cropped maize and soybean produced 94% and 69% of the sole cropping yield, and the 2M2S achieved LER of 1.7 with net income of 1387.7 US $ ha-1 in 2016 and 1434.4 US $ ha-1 in 2017. Our findings implied that selection of optimum planting pattern (2M2S) may increase the light interception and influence the light distribution between maize and soybean rows under relay-intercropping conditions which will significantly increase the intercrops productivity. Therefore, more attention should be paid to the light environment when considering the sustainability of maize-soybean relay-intercropping via appropriate planting pattern selection.
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spelling doaj.art-0231136ae46a40f5b84f603bca3028ac2023-12-23T05:34:16ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032019-01-01142e021288510.1371/journal.pone.0212885Narrow-wide row planting pattern improves the light environment and seed yields of intercrop species in relay intercropping system.Lingyang FengMuhammad Ali RazaYuankai ChenMuhammad Hayder Bin KhalidTehseen Ahmad MerajFaiza AhsanYuanfang FanJunbo DuXiaoling WuChun SongChuanyan LiuGeorge BawaZhongwei ZhangShu YuanFeng YangWenyu YangDifferent planting patterns affect the light interception of intercrops under intercropping conditions. Here we revealed that narrow-wide-row relay-intercropping improves the light interception across maize leaves in wide rows (60cm) and narrow rows (40cm), accelerated the biomass production of intercrop-species and compensated the slight maize yield loss by considerably increasing the soybean yield. In a two-year experiment, maize was planted with soybean in different planting patterns (1M1S, 50:50cm and 2M2S, 40:60cm) of relay-intercropping, both planting patterns were compared with sole cropping of maize (M) and soybean (S). As compared to M and 1M1S, 2M2S increased the total light interception of maize leaves in wide rows (WR) by 27% and 23%, 20% and 10%, 16% and 9% which in turn significantly enhanced the photosynthetic rate of WR maize leaves by 7% and 5%, 12% and 9%, and 19% and 4%, at tasseling, grain-filling and maturity stage of maize, respectively. Similarly, the light transmittance at soybean canopy increased by 218%, 160% and 172% at V2, V5 and R1 stage in 2M2S compared with 1M1S. The improved light environment at soybean canopy in 2M2S considerably enhanced the mean biomass accumulation, and allocation to stem and leaves of soybean by 168%, and 131% and 207%, respectively, while it decreased the mean biomass accumulation, and distribution to stem, leaves and seed of maize by 4%, and 4%, 6% and 5%, respectively than 1M1S. Compared to 1M1S, 2M2S also increased the CR values of soybean (by 157%) but decreased the CR values of maize (by 61%). Overall, under 2M2S, relay-cropped maize and soybean produced 94% and 69% of the sole cropping yield, and the 2M2S achieved LER of 1.7 with net income of 1387.7 US $ ha-1 in 2016 and 1434.4 US $ ha-1 in 2017. Our findings implied that selection of optimum planting pattern (2M2S) may increase the light interception and influence the light distribution between maize and soybean rows under relay-intercropping conditions which will significantly increase the intercrops productivity. Therefore, more attention should be paid to the light environment when considering the sustainability of maize-soybean relay-intercropping via appropriate planting pattern selection.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0212885
spellingShingle Lingyang Feng
Muhammad Ali Raza
Yuankai Chen
Muhammad Hayder Bin Khalid
Tehseen Ahmad Meraj
Faiza Ahsan
Yuanfang Fan
Junbo Du
Xiaoling Wu
Chun Song
Chuanyan Liu
George Bawa
Zhongwei Zhang
Shu Yuan
Feng Yang
Wenyu Yang
Narrow-wide row planting pattern improves the light environment and seed yields of intercrop species in relay intercropping system.
PLoS ONE
title Narrow-wide row planting pattern improves the light environment and seed yields of intercrop species in relay intercropping system.
title_full Narrow-wide row planting pattern improves the light environment and seed yields of intercrop species in relay intercropping system.
title_fullStr Narrow-wide row planting pattern improves the light environment and seed yields of intercrop species in relay intercropping system.
title_full_unstemmed Narrow-wide row planting pattern improves the light environment and seed yields of intercrop species in relay intercropping system.
title_short Narrow-wide row planting pattern improves the light environment and seed yields of intercrop species in relay intercropping system.
title_sort narrow wide row planting pattern improves the light environment and seed yields of intercrop species in relay intercropping system
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0212885
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