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Acta Prataculturae Sinica ›› 2025, Vol. 34 ›› Issue (8): 30-42.DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2024447

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Effect of strip configuration on canopy characteristics, yield, and the quality of silage produced from co-cultivated corn and soybean

Hai-long MAO1,2(), Ji-cheng TAI2,3, Heng-shan YANG1,2(), Yu-qin ZHANG1,2, Rui-fu ZHANG1,2, Zhen-zhen WANG1,2   

  1. 1.College of Agriculture,Inner Mongolia Minzu University,Tongliao 028043,China
    2.Inner Mongolia Forage Crop Engineering Technology Research Center,Tongliao 028043,China
    3.College of Grassland,Inner Mongolia Minzu University,Tongliao 028043,China
  • Received:2024-11-06 Revised:2025-01-12 Online:2025-08-20 Published:2025-06-16
  • Contact: Heng-shan YANG

Abstract:

In this study, we determined the effects of different strip configurations on the canopy characteristics, dry matter accumulation, and yield of corn (Zea mays) and soybean (Glycine max) plants, and on the quality of silage made from these two species co-cultivated under field conditions. The corn cultivar Jinling 17 and the soybean cultivar Dongdou 9 were used in a field experiment with a two-factor split-zone experimental design. The two factors were corn-soybean row spacing (three levels: 50, 60, and 70 cm), and row-ratio configuration (four configurations: 2 rows corn∶2 rows soybean, 2∶4, 4∶4, and 4∶6). It was found that the corn-soybean row spacing of 60 cm and the 4∶4 row ratio configuration improved the aboveground canopy photosynthetic environment of co-cultivated corn and soybean plants. These two factors jointly affected the distribution of light energy, and the optimal spacing and row configuration promoted the accumulation of photosynthetic products in corn plants in adjacent rows. This was conducive to the improvement of leaf area index and SPAD value, and led to an increase in the photosynthetic capacity of canopy leaves, thereby increasing the biological yield of corn. Across all the different strip configurations, soybean biomass increased with increasing corn-soybean spacing and numbers of adjacent rows. The biological yield of corn was the highest in the 60 cm corn-soybean spacing and 4∶4 row ratio configuration pattern, although the biological yield of soybean was slightly lower in this treatment than in the other treatments. The biological yield of corn+soybean and crude protein output per unit area were the highest in the 60 cm corn-soybean spacing and 4∶4 row ratio configuration pattern. In summary, 60 cm corn-soybean spacing and a 4∶4 row ratio configuration are recommended as the best corn-soybean planting pattern for silage production in the irrigated area of the Xiliaohe Plain.

Key words: silage corn, soybeans, strip configuration, canopy characteristics, yield