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A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Crop Physiology and Crop Production".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 October 2023) | Viewed by 21971

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Muhammad Ali Raza

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Guest Editor

1. National Research Center of Intercropping, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur 63100, Pakistan
2. College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Interests: intercropping; maize-soybean; sustainable agriculture
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Wenyu Yang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Interests: plant breeding & genetics; biochemistry; cell signaling; light environment; inter-cropping
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

An increasing population and decrease in cultivated land threatens food security, and this problem is not being addressed by monoculture systems. These intensified monoculture systems have negatively impacted the health and productivity of agricultural lands. In addition, our world is struggling to optimize new planting practices/strategies to improve crop production that use fewer inputs, especially nutrients and water, to satisfy the current and future needs for food, feed, and fiber, while reducing negative environmental impacts. Additionally, this challenge of finding new and sustainable ways to intensify agriculture has been magnified in countries/regions that have a higher population and less arable land for agriculture production. Intercropping is the practice of growing two or more crops in proximity and has been practiced since early in the evolution of agriculture. However, to ensure food security, intercropping based on advanced scientific knowledge has rapidly evolved over the past few decades. Companion crop competition and compatibility are important factors in intercropping that may vary with the type of companion crops, plant morphology and physiology, soil texture and fertility, and the overall environment of the region. For successful intercropping, plant anatomy and genetics also play an important role in achieving a higher output with the lower consumption of inputs. Therefore, with the advancement of knowledge in these influencing factors, intercropping has become a hot spot in modern crop production to achieve higher land equivalent ratios.

This Special Issue addresses the recent advances in intercropping and aims to gather the most recent scientific knowledge on this subject. In this broad context, we invite investigators to submit original research articles and reviews that explore different topics on the overall intercropping/intercropping systems in relation to plant morphology, physiology, anatomy, plant genetics, molecular biology, and biochemistry.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Muhammad Ali Raza
Prof. Dr. Wenyu Yang
Guest Editors

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Plants is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

light environment
land equivalent ratio
fertilizer use efficiency
plant physiology
plant plasticity
plant genetics
molecular biology
sustainable agriculture
agroecology
inter- and intra-specific interaction
low-input agriculture

Published Papers (13 papers)

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Research

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20 pages, 9485 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Integrative Physiological, Transcriptome, and Proteome Analyses Provide Insights into the Photosynthetic Changes in Maize in a Maize–Peanut Intercropping System

by Chao Ma, Yalan Feng, Jiangtao Wang, Bin Zheng, Xiaoxiao Wang and Nianyuan Jiao

Plants 2024, 13(1), 65; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13010065 - 24 Dec 2023

Viewed by 952

Abstract

Intercropping is a traditional and sustainable planting method that can make rational use of natural resources such as light, temperature, fertilizer, water, and CO₂. Due to its efficient resource utilization, intercropping, in particular, maize and legume intercropping, is widespread around the world. However, the molecular details of these pathways remain largely unknown. In this study, physiological, transcriptome, and proteome analyses were compared between maize monocropping and maize–peanut intercropping. The results show that an intercropping system enhanced the ability of carbon fixation and carboxylation of maize leaves. Apparent quantum yield (AQY), the light-saturated net photosynthetic rate (LSPn), the light saturation point (LSP), and the light compensation point (LCP) were increased by 11.6%, 9.4%, 8.9%, and 32.1% in the intercropping system, respectively; carboxylation efficiency (CE), the CO₂ saturation point (Cisat), the Rubisco maximum carboxylation rate (Vcmax), the maximum electron transfer rate (Jmax), and the triose phosphate utilization rate (TPU) were increased by 28.5%, 7.3%, 18.7%, 29.2%, and 17.0%, respectively; meanwhile, the CO₂ compensation point (Γ) decreased by 22.6%. Moreover, the transcriptome analysis confirmed the presence of 588 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), and the numbers of up-regulated and down-regulated genes were 383 and 205, respectively. The DEGs were primarily concerned with ribosomes, plant hormone signal transduction, and photosynthesis. Furthermore, 549 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were identified in the maize leaves in both the maize monocropping and maize–peanut intercropping systems. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that 186 DEPs were related to 37 specific KEGG pathways in each of the two treatment groups. Based on the physiological, transcriptome, and proteome analyses, it was demonstrated that the photosynthetic characteristics in maize leaves can be improved by maize–peanut intercropping. This may be related to PS I, PS II, cytochrome b6f complex, ATP synthase, and photosynthetic CO₂ fixation, which is caused by the improved CO₂ carboxylation efficiency. Our results provide a more in-depth understanding of the high yield and high-efficiency mechanism in maize and peanut intercropping. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Intercropping)

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12 pages, 1807 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Photosynthetic Acclimation of Shade-Grown Soybean Seedlings to a High-Light Environment

by Yahan Su, Huan Yang, Yushan Wu, Wanzhuo Gong, Hina Gul, Yanhong Yan and Wenyu Yang

Plants 2023, 12(12), 2324; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12122324 - 15 Jun 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1023

Abstract

Soybean in relay intercropping is initially exposed to a shade environment, followed by exposure to full sunlight after the harvesting of primary crops, e.g., maize. Therefore, soybean’s ability to acclimate to this changing light environment determines its growth and yield formation. However, the changes in soybean photosynthesis under such light alternations in relay intercropping are poorly understood. This study compared the photosynthetic acclimation of two soybean varieties with contrasting shade tolerance, i.e., Gongxuan1 (shade-tolerant) and C103 (shade-intolerant). The two soybean genotypes were grown in a greenhouse under full sunlight (HL) and 40% full sunlight (LL) conditions. Subsequently, after the fifth compound leaf expanded, half of the LL plants were transferred to a high-sunlight environment (LL-HL). Morphological traits were measured at 0 and 10 days, while chlorophyll content, gas exchange characteristics and chlorophyll fluorescence were assayed at 0, 2, 4, 7 and 10 days after transfer to an HL environment (LL-HL). Shade-intolerant C103 showed photoinhibition 10 days after transfer, and the net photosynthetic rate (P_n) did not completely recover to that under a high light level. On the day of transfer, the shade-intolerant variety, C103, exhibited a decrease in net photosynthetic rate (P_n), stomatal conductance (G_s) and transpiration rate (E) in the low-light (LL) and low-light-to-high-light (LL-HL) treatments. Additionally, intercellular CO₂ concentration (C_i) increased in low light, suggesting that non-stomatal factors were the primary limitations to photosynthesis in C103 following the transfer. In contrast, the shade-tolerant variety, Gongxuan1, displayed a greater increase in P_n 7 days after transfer, with no difference observed between the HL and LL-HL treatments. Ten days after transfer, the shade-tolerant Gongxuan1 exhibited 24.1%, 10.9% and 20.9% higher biomass, leaf area and stem diameter than the intolerant C103. These findings suggest that Gongxuan1 possesses a higher capacity to adapt to variations in light conditions, making it a potential candidate for variety selection in intercropping systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Intercropping)

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18 pages, 3290 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Cereal–Pea Intercropping Reveals Variability in the Relationships among Yield, Quality Parameters, and Obligate Pathogens Infection in Wheat, Rye, Oat, and Triticale, in a Temperate Environment

by Radivoje Jevtić, Vesna Župunski, Milosav Grčak, Dragan Živančev and Desimir Knežević

Plants 2023, 12(11), 2067; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12112067 - 23 May 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 929

Abstract

Widespread usage of intercropping systems has been limited because of a lack of knowledge about the key factors that affect the performance of intercrop components. We used general linear modelling to explain the effect of different cropping systems on the relationships among yield, thousand kernel weight (TKW), and crude protein of cereal crops under the same agro-ecological conditions and naturally occurring inocula of obligate pathogens. The results of our study showed that the yield variation under extreme fluctuations in climatic conditions could be lowered through intercropping cultivation. The disease indices of leaf rust and powdery mildew were highly dependent on the type of cultivation. The relationships among the levels of pathogenic infection and yield performances were not straightforward and were highly dependent on the yielding potentials of the cultivars. Our study indicated that changes in yield, TKW, and crude protein, as well as their relationships during intercropping cultivation, were cultivar specific and, therefore, not the same among all cereal crops exposed to the same agro-ecological conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Intercropping)

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19 pages, 3500 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effect of Tree Spacing on Yields of Alley Cropping Systems—A Case Study from Hungary

by Veronika Honfy, Zoltán Pödör, Zsolt Keserű, János Rásó, Tamás Ábri and Attila Borovics

Plants 2023, 12(3), 595; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12030595 - 29 Jan 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2271

Abstract

Alley cropping is a specific agroforestry system, which is regarded as sustainable land use management, that could play a crucial role in climate change adaptation and mitigation. Despite its appealing attributes, farmers’ up-take of the system is slow in temperate regions. This study aims to contribute to scaling-up agroforestry through a case study in Hungary and to help to design productive alley cropping systems. We investigated which tree planting pattern of black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) results in the most productive alley cropping system when intercropped with triticale (x Triticosecale W.) by statistically analysing the yields of the intercrop and of the trees in nine different layouts and by calculating land equivalent ratios (LER). There was significant difference between the treatments both in triticale and black locust yields. The more trees planted on a hectare, the higher the volume of the stand, and the less yield of triticale was observed, although the latter correlation was weak and in some cases the triticale was more productive between the trees compared with sole crop control. Eight out of nine treatments had favourable LER (0.94–1.35) when the trees were five years old. Black locust and triticale seem to be a good combination for productive alley cropping systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Intercropping)

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14 pages, 1700 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Impact of Different Cultivation Practices on Surface Runoff, Soil and Nutrient Losses in a Rotational System of Legume–Cereal and Sunflower

by Aikaterini Molla, Elpiniki Skoufogianni, Alexios Lolas and Konstantinos Skordas

Plants 2022, 11(24), 3513; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11243513 - 14 Dec 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1451

Abstract

Soil erosion is among the biggest problems in the agricultural sector that can affect ecosystems and human societies. A field of 5° slope was selected to study the runoff, soil and nutrient loss as well as crop productivity in different treatments—conventional tillage (CT) vs. no-tillage (NT), plant vs. no plant cover, contour cultivation (CC) vs. perpendicular to the contour cultivation, (PC) under natural rainfall. The experiment was conducted in central Greece in two cultivation periods. In autumn, the field was cultivated with intercropping Triticosecale and Pisum sativum and in spring with sunflower. The total rainfall was 141.4 mm in the 1st year and 311 mm in the 2nd. We found that runoff in the treatment of no tillage with contour cultivation was 85% lower in both years compared to the no tillage-no plant control. Therefore, the contour cultivation-no tillage treatment had a positive effect by decreasing phosphorus and potassium loss from soil: indeed, there was a decrease in P and K by 55% and 62%, respectively, in the NT compared to the CC treatments. We conclude that the NT-CC treatment with plant cover was the most effective in reducing water runoff and soil nutrient loss and increasing yield. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Intercropping)

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11 pages, 997 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Different Tillage Practices on Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) Cultivation in a Crop Rotation System with Intercropping Triticosecale-Pisum sativum

by Aikaterini Molla, Georgios Charvalas, Maria Dereka and Elpiniki Skoufogianni

Plants 2022, 11(24), 3500; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11243500 - 13 Dec 2022

Viewed by 1309

Abstract

The objective of this work was to investigate the effect of different soil tillage practices on sunflower cultivation in a rotation system with intercropping of Triticosecale-Pisum sativum. For this purpose, a two-year experimental field with a 5% slope was established in central Greece. There were four treatments with three replications each. The treatments were as follows: (a) no tillage planting parallel to the contour (NTC-PAC), (b) conventional tillage planting parallel to the contour (CTC-PAC), (c) no tillage planting perpendicular to the contour (NTC-PEC), and (d) conventional tillage planting perpendicular to the contour (CTC-PEC). During the experiment, the plant height, leaf area index, specific leaf area, plants’ total nitrogen, and plants’ proteins were measured. According to the results, the plant height ranged from 64.9 (CTC-PAC) to 85.2 cm (NTC-PEC) for the first year and between 66.5–86.5 cm in for the CTC-PAC and NTC-PEC treatments in the second year. Furthermore, the leaf area index (LAI) and specific leaf area (SLA), plants’ total nitrogen and protein content and N-uptake were affected positively by the no tillage practice. To conclude, sunflower is a promising crop in a rotation system intercropping Triticosecale-Pisum sativum, cultivated under rainfed sloping conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Intercropping)

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13 pages, 1599 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Could a Legume–Switchgrass Sod-Seeding System Increase Forage Productivity?

by Kyriakos D. Giannoulis, Dimitrios Bartzialis, Elpiniki Skoufogianni, Ippolitos Gintsioudis and Nicholaos G. Danalatos

Plants 2022, 11(21), 2970; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11212970 - 03 Nov 2022

Viewed by 1282

Abstract

Nowadays, the lack of cattle feed, particularly green fodder, has become a key limiting factor in the agricultural economy. Switchgrass appears to offer a viable solution to the feed shortage. An improved cultivation practice might be needed to boost switchgrass forage production all season long. This study was conducted to quantify the positive effects of introducing different legume crops (vetch and pea), optimally fertilized, on the production and quality of mixed harvested switchgrass–legumes hay in late spring (May) and switchgrass hay harvested once more in early fall (September). The studied intercropping systems, independently of the legume species used, increased forage productivity (almost threefold), reaching 7.5 t ha⁻¹ and quality characteristics, with protein content almost rising threefold, reaching 12.5%. The aforementioned practice can assist the perennial crop (switchgrass) in providing a high hay production during the early fall harvest, even without fertilization. The overall annual economic benefit for the farmers may be increased by 90–720 € per ha, depending on the prevailing weather conditions. Overall, it may be concluded that the suggested cropping system produces a significantly higher yield of cattle feed compared to traditional monocultures, improving the agricultural economy while reducing the negative effects of modern agriculture on the environment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Intercropping)

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19 pages, 7240 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of Different Harvesting Stages and Cereals–Legume Mixture on Forage Biomass Yield, Nutritional Compositions, and Quality under Loess Plateau Region

by Poe Thinzar Bo, Yinping Bai, Yongli Dong, Hongxia Shi, Maw Ni Soe Htet, Hamz Ali Samoon, Ruifang Zhang, Sikander Khan Tanveer and Jiangbo Hai

Plants 2022, 11(20), 2801; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11202801 - 21 Oct 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1730

Abstract

One of the main problems in the animal industries currently is the constant provision of forage in sufficient amounts with acceptable nutritional content for large and small ruminants, as livestock is a significant source of income for rural people in the Loess Plateau region. Cereals and legumes are essential forage crops because of their nutritional significance, particularly the protein concentration in legumes and the fiber content in cereals. Therefore, combining cereal and legume crops may be a practical solution to the problems of inadequate forage nutrition, an insufficient amount of forage, unsustainable agricultural methods, and declining soil fertility. The current study predicts that mixed cropping of cereals and legumes at the harvesting stage of the soft dough stage and maturity stage based on the cereal growth stage will have different effects on forage biomass output, forage quality index, and nutritional value of the forage. In this study, wheat (Triticum aestivum) and ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) are used as cereal crops and pea (Pisum sativum), and alfalfa (Medicago sativa) are used as legume crops. Three sample replicates and a split-plot design with a randomized block design are used. The study is conducted in the 2020–2021 and 2021–2022 cropping seasons. The experimental results show that cereal–legume mixed cropping, particularly the cereal–alfalfa combination, has a positive impact on the biomass yield and nutritional composition of the forage. However, adding peas to cereal has a negative impact on biomass yield, nutritional composition, mineral composition, and forage quality index. Among the treatments, ryegrass–alfalfa mixed cropping was shown to have higher values of WSC%, CP%, EE%, CF%, and ash% in both growing seasons. The values are WSC (15.82%), CP (10.78%), EE (2.30%), CF (32.06%), and ash (10.68%) for the 2020–2021 cropping seasons and WSC (15.03%), CP (11.68%), EE (3.30%), CF (32.92%), and ash (11.07%) for the 2021–2022 cropping seasons, respectively. On the other hand, the current study finds that cereal–alfalfa mixed cropping had a detrimental impact on NDF and ADF concentrations. All nutritional indices, including CP, WSC, EE, CF, ash, NDF, and ADF, have favorable correlations with one another. Furthermore, in both growing seasons, RA, ryegrass–alfalfa mixed cropping, has higher mineral compositions and forage quality indicators. Furthermore, harvesting times have a significant impact on the fresh biomass yield, dry matter yield, nutritional compositions, mineral compositions, and forage quality parameters (p < 0.001), with the highest values being shown when harvesting at the soft dough stage. The current study concludes that, based on chemical composition and quality analysis, the soft dough stage is the greatest harvesting period, and that the cereal–alfalfa mixed cropping is the most preferable due to its maximized quality forage production and nutritional content in livestock feedstuff in the Loess Plateau region. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Intercropping)

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16 pages, 1548 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Seasonal Variations of Fine Root Dynamics in Rubber-Flemingia macrophylla Intercropping System in Southwestern China

by Farkhanda Bibi, Durairaj Balasubramanian, Muhammad Ilyas, Jan Sher, Hamz Ali Samoon, Muhammad Hayder Bin Khalid, Hesham F. Alharby, Ali Majrashi, Sameera A. Alghamdi, Khalid Rehman Hakeem, Muddaser Shah and Shabir A. Rather

Plants 2022, 11(20), 2682; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11202682 - 12 Oct 2022

Viewed by 1639

Abstract

Intercropping cover crops with trees enhance land productivity and improves the soil’s physio-chemical properties while reducing the negative environmental impact. However, there is a lack of quantitative information on the relationships between fine root biomass and available soil nutrients, e.g., nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K), especially in the rubber-Flemingia macrophylla intercropping system. Therefore, this study was initiated to explore the seasonal variation in fine root biomass and available soil nutrients at different stand ages (12, 15, and 24 years) and management systems, i.e., rubber monoculture (mono) and rubber-Flemingia macrophylla intercropping. In this study, we sampled 900 soil cores over five seasonal intervals, representing one year of biomass. The results showed that the total fine root biomass was greater in 12-year-old rubber monoculture; the same trend was observed in soil nutrients P and K. Furthermore, total fine root biomass had a significant positive correlation with available N (p < 0.001) in rubber monoculture and intercropping systems. Thus, it suggests that fine root growth and accumulation is a function of available soil nutrients. Our results indicate that fine root biomass and soil nutrients (P and K) may be determined by the functional characteristics of dominant tree species rather than collective mixed-species intercropping and are closely linked to forest stand type, topographic and edaphic factors. However, further investigations are needed to understand interspecific and complementary interactions between intercrop species under the rubber-Flemingia macrophylla intercropping system. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Intercropping)

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11 pages, 284 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of Mineral Fertilizer and Manure Application on the Yield and Quality of Maize in Relation to Intercropping in the Southeast Republic of Kazakhstan

by Maksat Batyrbek, Fakher Abbas, Ruqin Fan and Qingfang Han

Plants 2022, 11(19), 2644; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11192644 - 08 Oct 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1733

Abstract

Maize (Zea mays L.) is a valuable forage crop. It is also an essential and promising crop for the Republic of Kazakhstan, cultivated in the southern zone. Some new maize hybrids have been introduced, which have been beneficial for high yields with less fertilizer input. This study aims to introduce the new maize hybrid, Arman 689, for the judicial use of fertilizer and the high yield. This study was carried out in 2015 in the southeast region of Kazakhstan. There are five treatments with various mineral fertilizer and poultry manure doses: 1. control (T0), 2. P₆₀ K₁₀₀ (T1), 3. N₁₀₀P₆₀K₁₀₀ (T2). 4. N₁₀₀P₆₀K₁₀₀ + 40 tons of manure/ha (T3), and 5. N₁₀₀P₆₀K₁₀₀ + 60 ton of manure/ha (T4). The fertilizers used were ammonium nitrate (N—34.6%), amorphous (N—11.0%, P₂O₅—46.0%), and potassium chloride KCl (K₂O—56%). The results showed that the grain yield ranges from 5.51 t/ha (T0) to 8.49 (T4) t/ha. The protein contents in the maize grain varied from 9%(T0)–11.3%(T4). The grain nitrogen content accounted for 54.2 to 52.0%. The nutrient uptake results by different treatments indicated that nitrogen contributed to 41.5% of the total yield increase. Using manure in combination with mineral fertilizers reduced the payback of the applied resources, as the payback of T2–T4 was 8.8–9.1 kg of grain. With the application of recommended mineral fertilizer (NPK), the protein yield was 0.83 t/ha, 0.33, and 1.22 t/ha higher than T0 and T1 treatments, respectively. There was no significant yield difference under T3 and T4 treatments (p > 0.05). Overall, the treatment, NPK + 40 tons of manure, was proved the ultimate for the Arman hybrid in providing the optimum quantity and quality of maize, as well as reducing the payback cost (8.8–9.1 kg of grain). It is suggested to apply NPK-recommended doses along with manure in maize (Arman hybrid)-based intercropping systems to utilize the resources efficiently. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Intercropping)

21 pages, 2992 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Optimization of Alfalfa-Based Mixed Cropping with Winter Wheat and Ryegrass in Terms of Forage Yield and Quality Traits

by Poe Thinzar Bo, Yongli Dong, Ruifang Zhang, Maw Ni Soe Htet and Jiangbo Hai

Plants 2022, 11(13), 1752; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11131752 - 30 Jun 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2213

Abstract

Forage has a significant association with animal nutrition because it is an essential part of milk and meat production in the livestock industry. Thus, for the production of high-quality forage, cereal–legume mixed cropping is an efficient method for meat and milk production in the livestock sector. In a two-year experiment between 2020 and 2021, the forage yield, nutritional compositions, amino acid profile, and forage quality were evaluated in the mixed cropping of winter wheat and ryegrass with alfalfa. In this study, a split-plot design with a randomized block design was employed with three sampling replicates. Cultivars were harvested at three maturity stages, namely, flowering, milk, and soft dough, depending on the wheat growth stage. The experimental results show that wheat 2 (Baomai 9)–alfalfa and ryegrass–alfalfa mixed cropping produced higher fresh biomass output than mono-cropping of wheat and ryegrass harvested at the flowering stage. Furthermore, the dry matter (DM) percentage range increased from 20.18% to 36.39%. By contrast, crude protein, crude fiber, neutral detergent fiber, and acid detergent fiber were higher at the flowering stage than at other harvesting stages with DM values of 14.28%, 34.12%, 55.06%, and 32.55%, respectively. Ryegrass–alfalfa mixing yielded higher values of mineral compositions, and T5 (Baomai 9–alfalfa) generally achieved more extraordinary amino acid compositions. The results demonstrate that wheat and ryegrass with alfalfa mixed cropping, and harvesting at the flowering period produces high-quality forage. Additionally, mixed cropping with alfalfa remarkably affected forage quality parameters, while mixed cropping of wheat cultivar 2 (Baomai 9) and alfalfa obtained the highest dry matter intake, digestible dry matter, relative feed value, total digestible nutrient, relative forage quality, and quality index values of 2.56, 68.54, 136.49, 60.50, 127.41, and 1.69, respectively. Thus, the mixed-cropping of wheat and ryegrass with alfalfa forage is recommended for its maximized quality forage production and nutritional values in livestock feedstuff. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Intercropping)

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14 pages, 3352 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Integrated Starches and Physicochemical Characterization of Sorghum Cultivars for an Efficient and Sustainable Intercropping Model

by Maw Ni Soe Htet, Honglu Wang, Lixin Tian, Vivek Yadav, Hamz Ali Samoon and Baili Feng

Plants 2022, 11(12), 1574; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11121574 - 15 Jun 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1814

Abstract

Sorghum has good adaptation to drought tolerance and can be successfully cultivated on marginal lands with low input cost. Starch is used in many foods and nonfood industrial applications and as a renewable energy resource. Sorghum starches with different amylose contents affect the different physicochemical properties. In this study, we isolated starches from six sorghum varieties (i.e., Jinza 34, Liaoza 19, Jinnuo 3, Jiza 127, Jiniang 2, and Jiaxian) and investigated them in terms of their chemical compositions and physicochemical properties. All the starch granules had regular polygonal round shapes and showed the characteristic “Maltese cross”. These six sorghum starches showed an A-type diffraction pattern. The highest amylose content of starch in Jinza 127 was 26.90%. Jiaxian had a higher water solubility at 30, 70, and 90 °C. From the flow cytometry analysis based on six sorghum starch granules, Liaoza 19 had a larger and more complex granules (particle percentage (P1) = 66.5%). The Jinza 34 starch had higher peak (4994.00 mPa∙s) and breakdown viscosity (4013.50 mPa∙s) and lower trough viscosity (973.50 mPa∙s). Jinnuo 3 had higher onset temperature, peak temperature, conclusion temperature, gelatinization enthalpy, and gelatinization range. The principal component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis based on classification of different sorghum starches showed that Jiniang 2 and Jinnuo 3 had similar physicochemical properties and most divergent starches, respectively. Our result provides useful information not only on the use of sorghum starches in food and non-food industries but for the great potential of sorghum-based intercropping systems in maintaining agricultural sustainability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Intercropping)

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Review

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18 pages, 327 KiB

Open AccessReview

Intercropping Systems to Modify Bioactive Compounds and Nutrient Profiles in Plants: Do We Have Enough Information to Take This as a Strategy to Improve Food Quality? A Review

by Ana Patricia Arenas-Salazar, Mark Schoor, Benito Parra-Pacheco, Juan Fernando García-Trejo, Irineo Torres-Pacheco and Ana Angélica Feregrino-Pérez

Plants 2024, 13(2), 194; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13020194 - 11 Jan 2024

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Abstract

Various environmental, food security and population health problems have been correlated with the use of intensive agriculture production systems around the world. This type of system leads to the loss of biodiversity and natural habitats, high usage rates of agrochemicals and natural resources, and affects soil composition, human health, and nutritional plant quality in rural areas. Agroecological intercropping systems that respect agrobiodiversity, on the other hand, can significantly benefit ecosystems, human health, and food security by modifying the nutritional profile and content of some health-promoting bioactive compounds in the species cultivated in this system. However, research on intercropping strategies focuses more on the benefits they can offer to ecosystems, and less on plant nutrient composition, and the existing information is scattered. The topic merits further study, given the critical impact that it could have on human nutrition. The aim of this review is therefore to collect viable details on the status of research into the profile of nutrients and bioactive compounds in intercropping systems in different regions of the world with unique mixed crops using plant species, along with the criteria for combining them, as well as the nutrients and bioactive compounds analyzed, to exemplify the possible contributions of intercropping systems to food availability and quality. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Intercropping)

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