Abstract:

To clarify the differences in the growth period, agronomic traits, yield and land equivalent ratio of maize and peanut under different row ratio configurations in maize and peanut intercropping, explore the optimal maize and peanut intercropping model, and further promote the popularization and application of maize and peanut intercropping planting technology, this experiment established six planting patterns: monoculture of maize (SM), monoculture of peanut (SP), and maize-peanut intercropping with row ratios of 2∶4 (M2P4), 2∶6 (M2P6), 3∶4 (M3P4), and 3∶8 (M3P8). The results indicated that, compared with monoculture, the growth period of intercropped maize remained unchanged, while the growth period of intercropped peanut was extended. The plant height, ear height, ear length, kernal number per row, and 100-grain weight of intercropped maize were all lower than those of monoculture. The main stem, lateral branch lengths, the total number of branches, number of fruiting branches, number of pods per plant, 100-fruit weight, 100-kernel weight, and full fruit rate of intercropped peanut were all lower than those of monoculture. The yields of both maize and peanut in intercropping were lower than those in monoculture. However, the land equivalent ratios of the four intercropping patterns were all greater than 1, among which M2P6 was the highest and the group yield was the largest. In conclusion, the M2P6 (2 rows of maize/6 rows of peanut) intercropping pattern has obvious intercropping advantages.

Key words: maize-peanut intercropping, row ratio configuration, yield, land equivalent ratio, intercropping advantage