Growth and development of soybean under changing light environments in relay intercropping system

• DOI: 10.7717/peerj.7262
• Publication Date: 2019-07-23T04:23:03Z
• Authors: Muhammad Ali Raza; Ling Yang Feng; Nasir Iqbal; Mukhtar Ahmed; Yuan Kai Chen; Muhammad Hayder B...; Atta Mohi Ud Din; Ahsin Khan; Waqas Ijaz; Anwaar Hussain; Muhammad Atif Jamil; Muhammd Naeem; Sadam Hussain Bhutto; Muhammad Ansar; Feng Yang; Wenyu Yang
• Keywords: Intercropping

Maize-soybean relay-intercropping (MSR) is a famous system of crop production in developing countries. However, maize shading under this directly affects the light quality and intensity soybean canopy. This challenging scenario which to implement MSR system, terms varieties selection, planting pattern, management since duration resource utilization clearly differs. Therefore, experiment aimed elucidate effect leaf excising treatments from top fully clarify needs balance intercrop-soybean field conditions. The effects different (T0, no removal leaves; T2, two topmost T4, four T6, six leaves plants were applied at first-trifoliate stage (V1) soybean) on photosynthetically active radiation transmittance (PART), red far-red ratio (R:FR), morphological photosynthetic characteristics total biomass second-trifoliate (V2), fifth-trifoliate (V5), flowering-stage (R1) investigated through experiments for 2-years MSR. As compared T0, treatment T6 increased PART R:FR canopy by 77% 37% 70% 34% 41% 36% (R1), respectively. improved environment considerably enhanced area index, SPAD values rate 66%, 25% 49% R1, respectively than T0. Similarly, relative control, also stem diameter (by 29%) but decreased plant height 23%) turn significantly breaking strength 87%) reducing lodging 59%) plants. Overall, relay-cropped produced 78% sole seed-yield, 81% seed-yield. Our findings implied that maintaining optimum level (from 60% 80%) (0.9 1.1), we can improve more attention should be paid when considering sustainability via appropriate pattern selection.