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| Microclimate and its effects on crop productivity in the Malus pumila and Glycine max intercropping systems on the Loess Plateau of West Shanxi Province |
| Xu Huasen1 , Bi Huaxing1 , Gao Lubo1 , Liao Wenchao1 , Chen Jungang1 , Yun Lei1 , Bao Biao2 , Yang Zongru3 |
1. College of Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, 100083, Beijing, China;
2. Hydro-China North Reconnaissance Design Institute Limited Liability Company, 300222, Tianjin, China;
3. Forestry Service Center of Jixian, 042200, Jixian, Shanxi, China
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Abstract The objective of this study was to evaluate ecological and economic benefits of the fruit trees and crops intercropping system, and to provide guidance for selection of intercropping species and cropping spacing in the agroforestry systems. Three-year-old Malus pumila and Glycine max intercropping system (T1), 5-year-old M. pumila and G. max intercropping system (T2), 7-year-old M. pumila and G. max intercropping system (T3), and G. max monoculture system (CK) in Jixian County of Shanxi Province were chosen as experiment objects. Photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), temperature, topsoil temperature, aerial relative humidity and the productivity of G. max were quantified, and the comprehensive effect of microclimate in the intercropping systems was evaluated by grey correlation analysis based on setting root barriers. Compared with the G. max monoculture system, the intercropping systems reduced PAR, air temperature and topsoil temperature by 30.3% - 59.0% , 5.9% - 17.9% and 14.6% - 42.7% , respectively, and increased the aerial relative humidity by 7.0% - 17.9% . The correlation coefficients of microclimate between the intercropping systems and the monoculture system gradually decreased with the increase of the age of M. pumila. The interrelations of aerial relative humidity and PAR were lower than that of other microclimate factors. Biomass of root, stem and leaf, and yield of intercropped G. max were lower than those of sole G. max. The effects of intercepted light, dropped temperature and increased humidity, as well as the comprehensive effect of microclimate of the intercropping systems became more evident with the aging of M. pumila, but the microclimate of all intercropping systems could result in the decrease of productivity of intercropped G. max.
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Received: 08 November 2013
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