Abstract
In Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China, we conducted an experimental study to evaluate the root morphology and crop yield for the intercropping of maize and cotton. Due to the shading effect of maize and the reduced root surface area of cotton root system, intercropped cotton yield was smaller (14.7%) than monoculture cotton yield. By contrast, intercropped maize with cotton yield was higher than monoculture maize yield. Compared with typical production of each crop separately, intercropping of maize and cotton showed several benefits: increased the land utilization rate, with a land equivalent ratio (LER) greater than 1; and increased the root length, root surface area, and light interception in maize, which contributed to an increase in maize yield.
Highlights
Planting mode, when and where crops are planted, greatly affects the growth and development of the underground root system in crops
After June 30th, intercropped maize plants grew taller than monoculture maize plants, and their difference in plant height was statistically significant (Figure 2(a))
We found that the root length and total root surface area of intercropped maize with cotton was greater than monoculture maize
Summary
Planting mode, when and where crops are planted, greatly affects the growth and development of the underground root system in crops. It is imperative to study the intercropping of maize and cotton by focusing on the growth and development of the roots and how that affects the above-ground yield formation. Such results could be used in cultivar breeding to improve crop production. In this experimental study, we intercropped maize and cotton to a) identify the shading effect of maize on cotton plants; b) compare the dynamic root growth between intercropping and monoculture; and c) jas.ccsenet.org
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