[Light environment characteristics in maize-soybean strip intercropping system].

ABSTRACT

Observations on the light environment characteristics in maize-soybean narrow stnp intercropping system were made in 2006 and 2007 to study the spatial distribution of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) in intercropped crop canopy, and to analyze the effects of light environment on crop biomass. The results indicated that in early growth period, the light transmittance at the bottom of the edge rows of soybean strips adjacent to maize was higher than that of the inner rows of soybean strips, while it was in adverse for maize strips. The horizontal variation of light transmittance at the bottom of crop canopy did not vary significantly at reproductive stage, and the average light transmittance was less than 7%. In soybean strips, the daily photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) above inner rows canopy in early growth period was 10% higher than that above edge rows canopy, and the average light transmittance of edge rows and inner rows in 1 3 intercropping system (treatment I1) was about 15% higher than that in 23 system (treatment I2), indicating that the shading of maize strips on soybean strips was more senous in treatment I2 than in treatment I1. After flowering, there was a significant difference in the daily PPFD between inner rows and edge rows of soybean strips, but no significant difference was observed between edge rows. The mean light transmittance of edge rows and inner rows of soybean strips was 27% and 38%, respectively, and there was no significant difference between treatment I1 and treatment I2, which indicated that the shading effects of maize strips on soybean strips in treatment I1 and treatment I2 were similar at reproductive stage. The biomass of inner rows of soybean strips was larger than that of edge rows, and there was no significant different between edge rows, indicating that under adequate irrigation, the effects of different narrow strip intercropping systems on crop biomass were primarily due to the changes of light environment.