Purpose To investigate the effects of intercropping silage corn (Zea mays L.) with different green manure crops on soil physicochemical properties and microbial communities, and to identify the best green manure crops for intercropping with silage corn, providing theoretical guidance for field production.
Methods The experiment was set up with two intercropping patterns: silage corn intercropping with Vicia sativa L. (VS) and silage corn intercropping with V. villosa var. glabresens (VVG), and silage corn monoculture was used as a control. Soil nutrient levels, rhizosphere soil enzyme activity, and microbial diversity of different planting patterns were measured.
Results After intercropping silage corn with VVG, the content of soil organic matter, available nitrogen, available phosphorus, available potassium, and the activity of urease, sucrase, and cellulose enzyme were significantly higher than in the monoculture (P<0.05), with increases of 80.03%, 17.90%, 16.71%, 21.43%, 85.04%, 61.60%, and 59.32%, respectively. In the silage corn/VS intercropping system, organic matter, available nitrogen, and available potassium were significantly higher than in the monoculture by 64.94%, 23.61%, and 21.74% (P<0.05), respectively. Under intercropping, the microbial count and diversity in the rhizosphere soil of silage corn were also significantly higher than in the monoculture (P<0.05). Specifically, under the silage corn/VVG intercropping pattern, the number of fungi, bacteria, and actinomycetes in the root-zone soil of silage corn was 133.36%, 58.91%, and 193.63% higher than that in the monoculture, respectively; under the silage corn/VS intercropping pattern, the corresponding numbers were 151.55%, 68.21%, and 134.30% higher, respectively.
Conclusion The silage corn/VVG intercropping pattern is more suitable for the Longling region of Yunnan.
DownLoad: