Relay intercropped soybean promotes nodules development and nitrogen fixation by root exudates deposition.

Background: Legumes, in the initial event of symbiosis, secrete flavonoids into the rhizosphere to attract rhizobia. This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between crop root exudates and soybean nodule development under intercropping patterns.

Method: A two years field experiments was carried out and combined with pot experiments to quantify the effects of planting mode, i.

Simulation of Defoliation Effects on Relay Strip Intercropping Soybean: Elucidating Foliar Shedding and Leaf-to-Nodule Growth Plasticity.

Extensive foliar shedding in monoculture soybeans post-anthesis negatively impacts yield, whereas relay strip intercropping prolongs leaf area duration, enhancing productivity. However, little is known about the causes of leaf shedding in monoculture and its impact on physiological functions and plasticity of source and sink organs, we conducted a 4-year field experiment and leaf-removal simulations in relay intercropped soybeans. Results revealed that monoculture soybeans experienced severe self-shading and defoliation, while relay intercropping maintained better light conditions, supporting higher leaf area, nodule numbers, and carbon allocation.

Relay strip intercropping of soybeans and maize achieves high net ecosystem economic benefits by boosting land output and alleviating greenhouse gas emissions.

Background: Cereal-legume intercropping provides a solution for achieving global food security, but the mechanism of greenhouse gas emissions and net ecosystem economic benefits of maize-soybean relay intercropping are poorly understood. Hence, we conducted a two-factor experiment to investigate the effects of cropping systems, containing maize-soybean relay intercropping (IMS), monoculture maize (M) and monoculture soybean (S), as well as three nitrogen levels at 0 (N0), 180 (N1), 240 (N2) kg N ha on crop grain yield, greenhouse gas emissions, soil carbon stock and net ecosystem economic benefit (NEEB).

Results: The average grain yield of IMS (7.

Effects of soil physicochemical environment on the plasticity of root growth and land productivity in maize soybean relay strip intercropping system.

Background: Soil is a key foundation of crop root growth. There are interactions between root system and soil in multiple ways. The present study aimed to further explore the response of root distribution and morphology to soil physical and chemical environment under maize (Zea mays L.

Maize-legume intercropping achieves yield advantages by improving leaf functions and dry matter partition.

Intercropping can obtain yield advantages, but the mechanism of yield advantages of maize-legume intercropping is still unclear. Then, we explored the effects of cropping systems and N input on yield advantages in a two-year experiment. Cropping systems included monoculture maize (Zea mays L.

Biochar and biofertilizer reduced nitrogen input and increased soybean yield in the maize soybean relay strip intercropping system.

Applying Biochar (BC) or biofertilizers (BF) are potential approaches to reduce the nitrogen input and mitigate soil degradation in the maize soybean relay strip intercropping system (IS). In 2019 and 2020, a two-factor experiment was carried out to examine the effects of BC and BF on soil productivity and yield production in IS. 4 N input levels (8.

Yield advantage and nitrogen fate in an additive maize-soybean relay intercropping system.

Sustainable agricultural development is urgently required to satisfy future food demands while decreasing environmental costs. Intercropping can increase per-unit farmland productivity through a resource-efficient utilization. However, the fate of N in intercropping systems remains unclear.