Effects of Soil Heterogeneity Fertilization on the Nutrient Uptake and Utilization Characteristics of Maize and Potato Intercropping System

PurposeHeterogeneous fertilization is the main way to cause soil nutrient heterogeneity and can significantly affect the growth of plants. In order to study the effect of heterogeneous fertilization on the nutrient uptake and utilization in the intercropping system and monoculture system.

MethodsDifferent nutrient distribution and fertilization were carried out in maize and potato intercropping population to study the law of absorption and utilization of heterogeneous fertilization nutrients by different crops.

ResultsThe spatial heterogeneity of soil nutrients could increase the nutrient accumulation of maize and potato both under single cropping and intercropping. In intercropping system, soil nutrient heterogeneity significantly decreased the nutrient use efficiency of maize (P<0.01), and the phosphorus use efficiency decreased significantly of potato (P<0.05), however, in monoculture system, the effect of nutrient heterogeneity on the potato phosphorus (P=0.027) and potassium (P=0.013) utilization decreased significantly. In intercropping system, high amount of fertilizer within interspecific rows significantly increased the soil equivalent ratio (LER) (P=0.003).

ConclusionOverall, spatial heterogeneous fertilization of soil nutrients (high amount of fertilizer within interspecific rows) was beneficial to nutrient uptake and utilization of intercropped maize and potato population, and increased compound yield by 15%.