The effect of intercropping of maize and soybean on microclimate

Abstract

Intercropping induces the diseases decreasing, and yield increasing, may partly due to the improvement of microclimate in fields. In order to understand the mechanism and efficiency of resource utilization in intercropping of maize (Zea mays) and soybean (Glycine max), a field experiment was conducted as factorial on the bases of randomized complete block design of three patterns with three replications. Three cropping patterns were maize monocropping (A), 2 rows maize and 2 rows soybean intercropping (C) and 2 rows maize and 4 rows soybean intercropping (D). Our studies showed that compared with monocropping, the temperature in intercropping was a little higher in the daytime, but in the nighttime, the contrary results were observed; the relative humidity in intercropping was lower in the daytime, but in the nighttime, the contrary results were observed; the light intensity in intercropping was markedly higher than that in monocropping. The yield components of maize in intercropping, including thousand kernel weight, yield per plant and leaf area were increased than that in monocropping. These results imply that microclimate variation of intercropping probably play important role to maize yield increasing. © 2012 IFIP International Federation for Information Processing.