Intercropping and residue retention contribute to high yield and quality of crops. However, their coupled effects on rhizospheric microbial communities under a continuous vegetable cropping system have not been adequa...Intercropping and residue retention contribute to high yield and quality of crops. However, their coupled effects on rhizospheric microbial communities under a continuous vegetable cropping system have not been adequately addressed. The objective of the present study was to assess the effects on soil microbial community and yields of waxy maize（Zea mays L.） intercropped with or without residue retention in a continuous broccoli（Brassica oleracea L.） cropping system, i.e., relay intercropping of broccoli and waxy maize（B/M-B）, relay intercropping of broccoli and waxy maize with residue retention（B/MR-B）, and broccoli monoculture（B-B）. The biomass yields of spring and autumn vegetables in B/MR-B were 16.3%–32.5% and 30.1%–46.1% higher than those of B-B,respectively. Autumn vegetable economic yields of B/MR-B were 28.2%–40.3% higher than B-B. The average well color development followed the order： B/MR-B ＆gt; B/M-B ＆gt; B-B. The Shannon index, Simpson index, and Mc Intosh index were higher in B/MR-B than under monoculture. A principal component analysis showed that microbial communities of B/MR-B soils differed from those of B/M-B and B-B soils. Carbon（C） sources utilized by the rhizosphere microorganisms were mainly carbohydrates, carboxylic acids, amino acids, and polymers; however, the C sources for the soil microbial community differed between intercropping and monoculture. The communities from B/MR-B preferred amino acids and polymers. Available nitrogen（N）, potassium（K）, and phosphorus（P） had an obvious impact on soil microbial community. Additionally, the C source utilization by microorganisms was significantly affected by p H and available K and P. Cropping system diversification through relay intercropping and residue retention effectively improved the functional diversity of the soil microbial communities and increased the yields of vegetables.展开更多
Based on the observed soil water data from experimental site located in southeast of Shanxi Province, the physical characteristics of soil water, crop effect on soil moisture, and the field water circulation pattern w...Based on the observed soil water data from experimental site located in southeast of Shanxi Province, the physical characteristics of soil water, crop effect on soil moisture, and the field water circulation pattern were studied by using the water balance method. The results suggested that soil water deficit often exists in fields of these areas. From May to June, the amount of water deficit in bare land rises to the maximum (232 8 mm) and falls to the minimum (66 6 mm) from August to September. By comparison, because of crop transpiration, both soil water deficit and dry soil layer in cultivated land are 15 1—40 4 mm more and 20—70 mm deeper respectively than those of bare land. Crops mainly planted in these areas have a relatively weak utilization ability to soil water. Winter wheat has the highest utilization ability to soil water among the crops planted in these areas. The soil water utilization ability of winter wheat is 26 2%—30 6% and winter wheat can use soil water that lies in soil layer below a depth of over 200 cm. Spring corn and millet can only consume soil water with the maximum ability of 13 4% and the deepest layer of 0—50 cm or 0—100cm, which shows that the soil water utilization ability of winter wheat is higher than that of spring crops. After crop is ripe, more than 41% of available soil water remains unused in field. So, increasing soil water storage and improving crop utilization ability to soil water by adopting efficient agrotechnique measures are the main ways for improving agricultural productivity in dry farming areas of Northern China.展开更多
The loessal hill region in southern Ningxia is a semiarid and severe eroded area with developed agriculture and animal husbandry. It has long been an argument whether there might be more potentiality of farming and wh...The loessal hill region in southern Ningxia is a semiarid and severe eroded area with developed agriculture and animal husbandry. It has long been an argument whether there might be more potentiality of farming and whether food production can be sustained at a level of local sufficiency.展开更多
基金financially supported by the Special Research Funding for Public Benefit Industries (Agriculture) of China (No. 201503121)the Key Projects in the National Science and Technology Pillar Program during the Twelfth Five-year Plan Period, China (No. 2012BAD14B07)
文摘Intercropping and residue retention contribute to high yield and quality of crops. However, their coupled effects on rhizospheric microbial communities under a continuous vegetable cropping system have not been adequately addressed. The objective of the present study was to assess the effects on soil microbial community and yields of waxy maize（Zea mays L.） intercropped with or without residue retention in a continuous broccoli（Brassica oleracea L.） cropping system, i.e., relay intercropping of broccoli and waxy maize（B/M-B）, relay intercropping of broccoli and waxy maize with residue retention（B/MR-B）, and broccoli monoculture（B-B）. The biomass yields of spring and autumn vegetables in B/MR-B were 16.3%–32.5% and 30.1%–46.1% higher than those of B-B,respectively. Autumn vegetable economic yields of B/MR-B were 28.2%–40.3% higher than B-B. The average well color development followed the order： B/MR-B ＆gt; B/M-B ＆gt; B-B. The Shannon index, Simpson index, and Mc Intosh index were higher in B/MR-B than under monoculture. A principal component analysis showed that microbial communities of B/MR-B soils differed from those of B/M-B and B-B soils. Carbon（C） sources utilized by the rhizosphere microorganisms were mainly carbohydrates, carboxylic acids, amino acids, and polymers; however, the C sources for the soil microbial community differed between intercropping and monoculture. The communities from B/MR-B preferred amino acids and polymers. Available nitrogen（N）, potassium（K）, and phosphorus（P） had an obvious impact on soil microbial community. Additionally, the C source utilization by microorganisms was significantly affected by p H and available K and P. Cropping system diversification through relay intercropping and residue retention effectively improved the functional diversity of the soil microbial communities and increased the yields of vegetables.
文摘Based on the observed soil water data from experimental site located in southeast of Shanxi Province, the physical characteristics of soil water, crop effect on soil moisture, and the field water circulation pattern were studied by using the water balance method. The results suggested that soil water deficit often exists in fields of these areas. From May to June, the amount of water deficit in bare land rises to the maximum (232 8 mm) and falls to the minimum (66 6 mm) from August to September. By comparison, because of crop transpiration, both soil water deficit and dry soil layer in cultivated land are 15 1—40 4 mm more and 20—70 mm deeper respectively than those of bare land. Crops mainly planted in these areas have a relatively weak utilization ability to soil water. Winter wheat has the highest utilization ability to soil water among the crops planted in these areas. The soil water utilization ability of winter wheat is 26 2%—30 6% and winter wheat can use soil water that lies in soil layer below a depth of over 200 cm. Spring corn and millet can only consume soil water with the maximum ability of 13 4% and the deepest layer of 0—50 cm or 0—100cm, which shows that the soil water utilization ability of winter wheat is higher than that of spring crops. After crop is ripe, more than 41% of available soil water remains unused in field. So, increasing soil water storage and improving crop utilization ability to soil water by adopting efficient agrotechnique measures are the main ways for improving agricultural productivity in dry farming areas of Northern China.
文摘The loessal hill region in southern Ningxia is a semiarid and severe eroded area with developed agriculture and animal husbandry. It has long been an argument whether there might be more potentiality of farming and whether food production can be sustained at a level of local sufficiency.
