[Effects of phosphorus fertilization on leaf area index, biomass accumulation and allocation, and phosphorus use efficiency of intercropped maize].
A 2-year field experiment was conducted in 2011 and 2012 to investigate the effects of phosphorus (P) fertilization on the leaf area index (LAI), dry matter accumulation (DMA), and P use efficiency (PUE) of maize in wheat/maize/soybean intercropping system. Five P fertilization rates were installed, i.e., 0, 45, 90, 135, and 180 kg P2O5 x hm(-2) for wheat, marked as WP0, WP1, WP2, WP3, and WP4, respectively, and 0, 37.5, 75, 112.5, and 150 kg P2O5 x hm(-2) for maize, marked as MP0, MP1, MP2, MP3, and MP4, respectively. During the coexisted growth periods of wheat and maize, P fertilization increased the LAI, leaf area duration (LAD), and stem and leaf DMA of maize significantly. After the jointing stage of maize, the maize LAI, LAD, DMA, and crop growth rate (CGR) all decreased after an initial increase with the increasing P rate, with the maximum growth in treatment MP2 or MP3. During the reproductive stage of maize, the maize dry mass translocation from vegetative to reproductive organ increased with increasing P fertilization rate, and the grain yield of both maize and whole cropping system increased firstly and decreased then, with the maximum grain yield of maize and whole cropping system being 6588 and 11955 kg x hm(-2) in treatment P3, respectively. The P apparent recovery efficiency of maize was the highest (26.3%) in treatment MP2, being 82.6%, 38.4%, and 152.9% higher than that in MP1 (14.4%), MP3 (19.0%), and MP4 (10.4%), respectively. In sum, for the wheat/maize/soybean intercropping system, applying appropriate amount of P fertilizer could promote maize growth, alleviate the impact of wheat on maize, and consequently, increase the P apparent recovery efficiency of maize. In this study, the appropriate P fertilization rate was 75-112.5 kg P2O5 x hm(-2).
College of Resource and Environmental Sciences, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China. cyxue2002@aliyun.com
Yuan-Xue
YX
Chen
College of Resource and Environmental Sciences, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China.
Han-Han
HH
Li
College of Resource and Environmental Sciences, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China.
Tao
T
Zhou
College of Resource and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100094, China.
Xin-Ping
XP
Chen
College of Resource and Environmental Sciences, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China.
Wei
W
Huang
College of Resource and Environmental Sciences, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China.
Jing
J
Liu
College of Resource and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100094, China.
Chao-Chun
CC
Zhang
College of Resource and Environmental Sciences, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China.
Kai-Wei
KW
Xu
D000383:Agriculture / Q000379:methods*; D018533:Biomass; D005308:Fertilizers; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000378:metabolism*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D013025:Glycine max / Q000254:growth & development; D014908:Triticum / Q000254:growth & development; D003313:Zea mays / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism
D005308:Fertilizers; D010758:Phosphorus