Maize/Peanut Intercropping Affects Legume Nodulation in Semi-Arid Conditions
Chen Feng,
Guijuan Du,
Yue Zhang,
Liangshan Feng,
Lili Zhang,
Qi Wang,
Wuyan Xiang,
Wei Bai,
Qian Cai,
Tianran Sun,
Zhanxiang Sun,
Lizhen Zhang
Affiliations
Chen Feng
National Agricultural Experimental Station for Agricultural Environment, Key Laboratory of Water-Saving Agriculture of Northeast, Tillage and Cultivation Research Institute, Liaoning Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenyang 110161, China
Guijuan Du
National Agricultural Experimental Station for Agricultural Environment, Key Laboratory of Water-Saving Agriculture of Northeast, Tillage and Cultivation Research Institute, Liaoning Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenyang 110161, China
Yue Zhang
College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, China
Liangshan Feng
National Agricultural Experimental Station for Agricultural Environment, Key Laboratory of Water-Saving Agriculture of Northeast, Tillage and Cultivation Research Institute, Liaoning Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenyang 110161, China
Lili Zhang
Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China
Qi Wang
Chinese Academy of Meteorological Science, Beijing 100081, China
Wuyan Xiang
National Agricultural Experimental Station for Agricultural Environment, Key Laboratory of Water-Saving Agriculture of Northeast, Tillage and Cultivation Research Institute, Liaoning Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenyang 110161, China
Wei Bai
National Agricultural Experimental Station for Agricultural Environment, Key Laboratory of Water-Saving Agriculture of Northeast, Tillage and Cultivation Research Institute, Liaoning Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenyang 110161, China
Qian Cai
National Agricultural Experimental Station for Agricultural Environment, Key Laboratory of Water-Saving Agriculture of Northeast, Tillage and Cultivation Research Institute, Liaoning Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenyang 110161, China
Tianran Sun
College of Agricultural Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
Zhanxiang Sun
National Agricultural Experimental Station for Agricultural Environment, Key Laboratory of Water-Saving Agriculture of Northeast, Tillage and Cultivation Research Institute, Liaoning Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenyang 110161, China
Lizhen Zhang
College of Agricultural Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
Maize/peanut intercropping is practiced widely to increase land productivity and considered a sustainable way for using and saving resources through peanut’s complementary N source via biological N2 fixation. Our study aims to understand how maize/peanut intercropping affects the nodulation of peanuts under water-limiting conditions and different nitrogen inputs. A two-year micro-plot experiment in 2015–2016 and a two-year field experiment in 2017–2018 were conducted to quantify nodulation in maize/peanut intercropping and sole peanut cropping under four N fertilization rates (N-free, low, medium, and high N) in rain-fed water-limited conditions. In the micro-plot experiment, intercropped peanuts increased nodule biomass compared to sole peanuts. The nodule number of intercropped peanuts was 51.6% (p = 0.001) higher than that of sole cropped peanuts, while nodule weights did not differ at high N fertilization rates and were lower in the no-N fertilization control. However, the results were different in the field experiment. Both the nodule number and single weight of the sole cropped peanut were 48.7% (p = 0.020) and 58.9% (p = 0.014) higher than that of the intercropped peanut. The ratio of the nodule weight to aboveground dry matter at the beginning peg in the dry year of 2017 was lower in intercropping than sole cropping, especially at low N fertilization rates. The potential increase in nodulation found in a well-controlled micro-plot environment might be limited by strong water and light competitions in field conditions. The results could contribute to the understanding of interspecific interactions in cereal/legume intercropping.
