Palisadegrass effects on N fertilizer dynamic in intercropping systems with corn

Area of Science:

• Agronomy
• Soil Science
• Plant Science

Background:

• Nitrogen (N) fertilizer is crucial for corn production.
• Intercropping systems aim to optimize resource utilization and improve crop productivity.
• Understanding plant interactions in intercropping is vital for sustainable agriculture.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of palisadegrass intercropping on corn grain yield.
• To evaluate nitrogen fertilizer efficiency and distribution in corn and palisadegrass intercropping systems.
• To determine if palisadegrass competes with corn for nitrogen.

Main Methods:

• Field experiment using a randomized block design.
• 15N-labeled fertilizer was applied to track nitrogen movement.
• Measurements included corn grain yield, total N accumulation, N use efficiency, and N distribution in soil and plant components.

Main Results:

• Corn grain yield, total N accumulation, and N use efficiency (NUE) were unaffected by palisadegrass intercropping (8.7 t ha-1, 205 kg ha-1, 37% NUE).
• Palisadegrass produced 1.9 t ha-1 dry mass, absorbing only 6 kg ha-1 (5.5%) of the applied N fertilizer.
• Nitrogen fertilizer distribution in the soil-plant system remained unchanged, with 28.2% in soil and 40.4% in plants.

Conclusions:

• Palisadegrass intercropping, in the tested forms, does not negatively impact corn yield or nitrogen uptake.
• Palisadegrass exhibits low nitrogen absorption from fertilizer, indicating minimal competition with corn.
• These findings support the viability of corn and palisadegrass intercropping for efficient resource management.