Effects of intercropping triticale with alfalfa on system yield， resource utilization， and alfalfa seed yield

doi:10.11686/cyxb2024366

Abstract

Abstract:

The high water table in the diverted irrigation area of Ningxia causes low seed yield of alfalfa （Medicago sativa）， because the excessive nutrient supply favors its vegetative growth and limits its reproductive growth. We conducted a field experiment to explore whether intercropping with triticale （Triticosecale） could address this issue. The field experiment began in September 2022， and had a one-way randomized block design， with triticale intercropped with alfalfa. Five seeding rates of triticale were tested， namely： 90 （IMS₁）， 135 （IMS₂）， 180 （IMS₃）， 225 （IMS₄）， and 270 kg·ha^-1 （IMS₅）. Alfalfa monoculture served as the control （SM）. The effects of intercropping with triticale at different seeding rates on the yield of the first forage crop， and the water use and seed production of the second alfalfa crop were investigated. The results show that intercropping with triticale increased the total hay yield and crude protein yield of alfalfa by an average of 25.71% and 6.62%， respectively， compared with those of SM. Intercropping of triticale with alfalfa promoted the water use of the composite population， improved the water use efficiency， and provided a suitable soil moisture environment for the second crop of alfalfa， leading to improved individual plant development and seed yield. The water consumption was significantly higher in all the intercropping treatments than in SM， reaching the maximum of 455.72 mm in the IMS₄ treatment. The alfalfa actual seed yield reached the maximum of 448 kg·ha^-1 in the IMS₄ treatment， which was 28.33% higher than that of SM. Therefore， intercropping of triticale at a sowing rate of 225 kg·ha^-1 with alfalfa improved the performance of the first crop in terms of grass production and water use， and had a significant positive effect on the second crop in terms of alfalfa seed production.

Key words: triticale, intercropping, dry matter yield, water use efficiency, alfalfa seed yield

Yi-yin ZHANG, Bin WANG, Teng-fei WANG, Jian LAN, Hai-ying HU. Effects of intercropping triticale with alfalfa on system yield， resource utilization， and alfalfa seed yield[J]. Acta Prataculturae Sinica, 2025, 34(8): 43-53.

Figures/Tables 8

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处理 Treatment	每m²生殖枝数 Reproductive branches per m²	每生殖枝花序数 Number of inflorescences per reproductive branch	每花序小花数 Number of small flowers per inflorescence	每花序结荚数 Number of pods per inflorescence	每荚种子数 Seeds per pod	千粒重 Thousand seed weight （g）
IMS₁	147.33±4.67b	20.33±1.28bc	19.50±0.99b	7.67±0.33b	4.17±0.31bc	2.10±0.03b
IMS₂	148.00±3.83b	24.83±1.99ab	20.83±0.95a	7.83±0.48b	4.33±0.21bc	2.09±0.05b
IMS₃	150.50±5.41ab	25.67±1.28a	19.50±1.34b	8.00±0.37ab	4.50±0.22bc	2.14±0.01a
IMS₄	162.67±2.43a	27.50±2.26a	21.33±1.23a	9.33±0.21a	5.50±0.22a	2.08±0.02b
IMS₅	153.17±4.11ab	26.67±1.54a	19.67±2.79b	8.17±0.17ab	4.67±0.21b	2.08±0.02b
SM	134.17±3.68c	17.83±0.87c	19.17±0.91b	6.83±0.40c	3.83±0.17c	2.06±0.03b

处理 Treatment	每m²生殖枝数 Reproductive branches per m²	每生殖枝花序数 Number of inflorescences per reproductive branch	每花序小花数 Number of small flowers per inflorescence	每花序结荚数 Number of pods per inflorescence	每荚种子数 Seeds per pod	千粒重 Thousand seed weight （g）
IMS₁	147.33±4.67b	20.33±1.28bc	19.50±0.99b	7.67±0.33b	4.17±0.31bc	2.10±0.03b
IMS₂	148.00±3.83b	24.83±1.99ab	20.83±0.95a	7.83±0.48b	4.33±0.21bc	2.09±0.05b
IMS₃	150.50±5.41ab	25.67±1.28a	19.50±1.34b	8.00±0.37ab	4.50±0.22bc	2.14±0.01a
IMS₄	162.67±2.43a	27.50±2.26a	21.33±1.23a	9.33±0.21a	5.50±0.22a	2.08±0.02b
IMS₅	153.17±4.11ab	26.67±1.54a	19.67±2.79b	8.17±0.17ab	4.67±0.21b	2.08±0.02b
SM	134.17±3.68c	17.83±0.87c	19.17±0.91b	6.83±0.40c	3.83±0.17c	2.06±0.03b

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