The economics of monocropping and intercropping by smallholders: The case of coconuts in Indonesia

This article contains a comparison of the profits of cultivating modern and traditional varieties of coconuts as a monocrop and as an intercrop, in ideal and in average growing conditions, with good and with average management. We carry out the analysis from a private (financial) and from a national (economic) perspective. The results show that intercropping generates more income than monocropping. In the conclusion we discuss why development organizations and Third World countries encourage monocropping.     

Evaluation of N2-fixation and nitrogen economy of a maize/cowpea intercrop system using15N dilution methods

Yields of above ground biomass and total N were determined in summer-grown maize and cowpea as sole crops or intercrops, with or without supplementary N fertilizer (25 kg N ha⁻¹, urea) at an irrigated site in Waroona, Western Australia over the period 1982–1985. Good agreement was obtained between estimates of N₂ fixation of sole or intercrop cowpea (1984/85 season) based on the¹⁵N natural abundance and¹⁵N fertilizer dilution techniques, both in the field and in a glasshouse pot study. Field-grown cowpea was estimated to have received 53–69% of its N supply from N₂-fixation, with N₂-fixation onlyslightly affected by intercropping or N fertilizer application. Proportional reliance on N₂-fixation of cowpea in glasshouse culture was lower (36–66%) than in the field study and more affected by applied N. Budgets for N were drawn up for the field intercrops, based on above-ground seed yields, return of crop residues, inputs of fixed N and fertilizer N. No account was taken of possible losses of N through volatilization, denitrification and leaching or gains of N in the soil from root biomass. N₂-fixation was estimated tobe 59 kg N ha⁻¹ in the plots receiving no fertilizer N, and 73 kg N ha⁻¹ in plots receiving 25 kg N ha⁻¹ as urea. Comparable fixation by sole cowpea was higher (87 and 82 kg N ha⁻¹ respectively) but this advantage was outweighed by greater land use efficiency by the intercrop than sole crops.     

Grain yield, symbiotic N2 fixation and interspecific competition for inorganic N in pea-barley intercrops

The effect of mixed intercropping of field pea (Pisum sativum L.) and spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), compared to monocrop cultivation, on the yield and crop-N dynamics was studied in a 4-yr field experiment using ¹⁵N-isotope dilution technique. Crops were grown with or without the supply of 5 g ¹⁵N-labeled N m^-2. The effect of intercropping on the dry matter and N yields, competition for inorganic N among the intercrop components, symbiotic fixation in pea and N transfer from pea to barley were determined. As an average of four years the grain yields were similar in monocropped pea, monocropped and fertilized barley and the intercrop without N fertilizer supply. Nitrogen fertilization did not influence the intercrop yield, but decreased the proportion of pea in the yield. Relative yield totals (RYT) showed that the environmental sources for plant growth were used from 12 to 31% more efficiently by the intercrop than by the monocrops, and N fertilization decreased RYT-values. Intercrop yields were less stable than monocrop barley yields, but more stable than the yield of monocropped pea. Barley competed strongly for soil and fertilizer N in the intercrop, and was up to 30 times more competitive than pea for inorganic N. Consequently, barley obtained a more than proportionate share of the inorganic N in the intercrop. At maturity the total recovery of fertilizer N was not significantly different between crops, averaging 65% of the supplied N. The fertilizer N recovered in pea constituted only 9% of total fertilizer-N recovery in the intercrop. The amount of symbiotic N₂ fixation in the intercrop was less than expected from its composition and the fixation in monocrop. This indicates that the competition from barley had a negative effect on the fixation, perhaps via shading. At maturity, the average amount of N₂ fixation was 17.7 g N m^-2 in the monocrop and 5.1 g N m^-2 in the intercropped pea. A higher proportion of total N in pea was derived from N₂ fixation in the intercrop than in the monocrop, on average 82% and 62%, respectively. The ¹⁵N enrichment of intercropped barley tended to be slightly lower than of monocropped barley, although not significantly. Consequently, there was no evidence for pea N being transferred to barley. The intercropping advantage in the pea-barley intercrop is mainly due to the complimentary use of soil inorganic and atmospheric N sources by the intercrop components, resulting in reduced competition for inorganic N, rather than a facilitative effect, in which symbiotically fixed N₂ is made available to barley.Abbreviations MC monocrop - IC intercrop - PMC pea monocrop - BMC barley monocrop - PIC pea in intercrop - BIC barley in intercrop     

橡胶-砂仁复合系统生物产量、营养元素空间格局的研究

通过对橡胶与砂仁间作林和同龄纯胶林各层次各器官生物量及１０种营养元素含量的测定,对比研究了两种分乔木层生物量按径级分配,林分平均净生产量,营养元素的积累分布规律,林龄为３０ａ,间作龄为８ａ的胶砂间作林的总生物量为１３９．８５ｔ／ｈｍ＾２。其中乔木层占７２．７％,间作层占２２．６％,枯落物层占５．２％,与同龄纯胶林相比,乔木层提高了７．６％,枯落物层提高了３８．９％,两种林分乔木层地上部分生物量约占     

冀西北坝上半干旱区南瓜油葵间作的水分效应

针对冀西北高原水源匮乏、利用低效问题,于2009-2010年在农业部张北农业资源与生态环境重点野外观测试验站通过南瓜//油葵不同间作群体结构试验,探讨了该区南瓜水分高效的种植方式。试验设南瓜单作（Sp）,南瓜行间作1行油葵（IC1）,南瓜行间作2行油葵（IC2）和油葵单作（So）4个处理。结果表明,南瓜行间种植两行油葵（IC2）在南瓜生长中后期出现了油葵与南瓜争夺水分的现象,而南瓜行间种植一行油葵（IC1）无此现象。各处理间水量平衡各分量有较大的差异,在整个生育时期降雨量为201.6mm的情况下,渗漏量占的比重非常小,并且土壤蓄水量变化均为负值,绝大部分水分都是以气态水蒸散掉,但不同间作方式蒸散失水量不同,其中IC1较So、Sp和IC2分别少散失土壤水分36.33%、19.00%和34.87%。得益于油葵的偏利效应使南瓜经济产量下降30.00% ~71.42%,而间种油葵单株产量相对单作田提高190.71%~ 241.26%,虽其土地当量比LER和水分当量比WER分别达1.08~1.22和1.07~1.26,但IC1复合群体的经济效益只能与南瓜单作田持平,其他处理明显低于单作南瓜。在冀西北高原雨养背景下,稀植高效的南瓜单作生产能够实现对区域水资源的高效利用。     

晋西黄土区果农间作的种间主要竞争关系及土地生产力

以晋西黄土区核桃×花生、核桃×大豆、苹果×花生和苹果×大豆4种典型果农间作模式为研究对象,分析果农间作模式中作物光合有效辐射（PAR）、净光合速率（P_n）、土壤水分和产量情况.结果表明：与农作物单作相比,间作模式中作物的PAR和P_n均出现不同程度的降低,并且离树体越近,PAR和P_n越小;P_n与作物产量呈显著正相关,说明光照是影响作物产量的重要因素之一;从整体趋势来看,核桃间作农作物0～100 cm土壤水分与相应单作模式间无明显差异,而苹果间作农作物0～100 cm土壤水分与相应单作模式间差异显著,说明苹果对作物土壤水分的竞争比核桃剧烈.研究区果农间作的土地利用效率平均提高70%,经济效益平均提高14%,且核桃间作模式优于苹果间作模式.为了提高间作作物产量,应加强水肥管理、增加树体与作物的间作距离或设置根障、定期适当修剪果树并种植耐荫作物.     

核桃-大豆间作系统细根分布及地下竞争

以晋西黄土区核桃-大豆间作系统为研究对象,采用分层挖掘法对核桃-大豆间作系统细根分布特征及地下竞争状况进行研究,旨在为该地区果农间作系统的高效可持续经营提供科学依据。结果表明:核桃细根在垂直方向上主要分布在0～40cm土层内,水平方向上55.7%的细根集中分布在距树行0.5～1.5m区域中;间作物大豆的根系在垂直方向上集中分布在0～20cm土层内,水平方向上根干重随距树行距离的增加呈增加趋势;在水平方向上距树行1.0～2.5m的区域是核桃和大豆地下种间竞争主要发生区,其中以1.5～2.0m区域的竞争最为剧烈。     

果园间作模式下杏树与苜蓿的根系分布特征及其土壤理化性质研究

该研究采用田间小区试验,设计杏树(Prunus armeniaca)下清耕(CK)和杏树间作紫花苜蓿(T)2个处理,实地采集测定各样地不同土层紫花苜蓿的根系生物量以及杏树的侧根系生物量,并测定土壤pH、电导率及其土壤有机质和速效氮含量,分析果园间作模式下紫花苜蓿对果树侧根系垂直分布特征及其土壤理化性质的影响,为果园间作苜蓿模式的推广提供理论依据。结果表明:(1)CK与T处理下的杏树侧根生物量在土壤中的垂直分布都主要集中在20~60cm土层,其生物量分别为750.8g和737.6g,分别占总侧根生物量的64.4%和64.5%;紫花苜蓿根系生物量分布呈倒金字塔型,且主要分布在0~40cm土层(166.3g),其中0~20cm土层的根系生物量最高(97.4g),占根系总生物量的35.8%。(2)与CK处理相比,T处理可有效增加果园表层土壤的有机质含量、速效态氮含量、硝态氮含量和铵态氮含量,其中,在0~20cm土层分别显著增加17.1%、40.8%、28.5%和40.8%,在20~40cm土层分别显著增加36.1%、23.1%、60.2%和23.8%,并显著降低了表层土壤电导率,但对土壤pH无显著影响。研究认为,杏园间作牧草紫花苜蓿虽然杏树与苜蓿根系会发生较小资源的竞争,但有利于改善林下土壤的理化性质和养分状况,能够有效促进果树的生长发育。     

小麦与蚕豆间作系统施氮对蚕豆赤斑病发生和冠层微气候的影响

通过田间小区试验,设N₀(0 kg·hm^-2)、N₁(45 kg·hm^-2)、N₂(90 kg·hm^-2)、N₃(135 kg·hm^-2)4个施氮水平,研究不同施氮水平下小麦与蚕豆间作对蚕豆赤斑病发生和冠层微气候的影响,探讨间作系统氮肥调控下冠层微气候变化及其与蚕豆赤斑病发生的关系.结果表明: 施氮提高了蚕豆单、间作种植模式下蚕豆赤斑病发病盛期的病情指数,增幅27.2%～58.0%,增加了病情进展曲线下面积(AUDPC),增幅15.0%～101.8%,N₃水平下赤斑病病情指数和AUDPC最高.施氮使蚕豆冠层温度降低0.2～1.1 ℃,冠层透光率降低1.7%～29.7%,冠层相对湿度增加0.5%～28.7%.与单作相比,间作蚕豆赤斑病病情指数显著降低36.3%～48.1%,AUDPC显著降低44.0%～53.6%,冠层温度和透光率分别提高2.1%～8.7%和12.0%～53.8%,相对湿度降低11.6%～31.6%.相关分析表明,冠层温度和透光率与赤斑病病情指数呈显著负相关,而湿度与病情指数呈显著正相关.表明高氮恶化了冠层微气候环境,加重了蚕豆赤斑病的发生和危害,而间作对蚕豆冠层微气候的改善是控制蚕豆赤斑病发展的重要原因.     

间作缓解蚕豆连作障碍的根际微生态效应

通过田间小区试验,研究了3个品种蚕豆(92-24、云豆324、凤豆6号)与小麦间作对蚕豆产量、枯萎病病情指数、根际镰刀菌数量、根际真菌代谢功能多样性和土壤酶活性的影响。结果表明:与单作蚕豆相比,云豆324与小麦间作(YD324/W)和凤豆6号与小麦间作(FD6/W)处理均显著提高了蚕豆地上部干重、籽粒产量和百粒重。YD324/W和FD6/W处理使蚕豆枯萎病发病初期病情指数分别降低57.14%和41.67%,镰刀菌数量分别降低32.06%和29.88%,而92-24与小麦间作(92-24/W)处理蚕豆产量、枯萎病病情指数和镰刀菌数量与单作蚕豆均无显著差异。YD324/W和FD6/W处理显著提高了蚕豆根际真菌的多样性指数和丰富度指数,并使蚕豆根际真菌的AWCD值分别比单作蚕豆提高了61.75%和46.49%;YD324/W和FD6/W处理明显改变了蚕豆根际真菌的群落结构。而92-24/W处理对蚕豆根际真菌的多样性指数、丰富度指数和AWCD值均无显著影响,也未明显改变真菌的群落结构。不同发病时期,YD324/W和FD6/W处理均显著提高了蚕豆根际土壤的蔗糖酶、脲酶和过氧化氢酶活性;而92-24/W处理蚕豆根际蔗糖酶、脲酶和过氧化氢酶活性与单作蚕豆均无显著差异。总之,小麦与不同品种蚕豆间作改变了蚕豆根际的真菌群落结构,提高了蚕豆根际真菌的活性、多样性和丰富度,提高土壤酶活性并改善蚕豆生长,增加了蚕豆产量。表明小麦与蚕豆间作改善了根际土壤的微生态环境,降低了镰刀菌的数量,缓解了蚕豆连作障碍,但蚕豆品种的差异影响间作控病效果。