Spatial and temporal distribution of root system and interspecific competition strategy in Malus pumila ‘Saiwaihong’ - Glycine max agroforestry system

doi:10.17521/cjpe.2024.0177

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims In order to understand the interspecific competition strategy of the new fruit-soybean agroforestry system and find a planting pattern that balances ecological and economic benefits, the Malus pumila‘Saiwaihong’ - Glycine max agroforestry system (MS) was set up.

Methods Through the study on root length density (RLD), specific root length (SRL), root vertical center, competitiveness index and interspecific relative competitiveness of the MS, their interspecific competition strategy was revealed.

Important findings The results showed that the RLD of intercropping fruit trees and soybean was lower than that of monoculture, and the trend of SRL was opposite. Soybean roots were mainly distributed at 0-20 cm soil depth and 150-200 cm away from the fruit tree, and decreased with the increase of soil depth and the decrease of distance from the fruit tree. The root system of intercropping ‘Saiwaihong’ mainly distributed in the soil depth of 20-40 cm. Within the growth period, the vertical center of fine roots moved downward. In the MS, each plant adopted different interspecific competition strategies. Fine roots of soybean became a strong competitor in the surface soil of the MS by increasing SRL and reducing root mass. Intercropping ‘Saiwaihong’ could reduce niche overlap and resource competition with intercropping soybean by moving down the root distribution center, lengthening root length and increasing root mass. The overall interspecific relative competitiveness of ‘Saiwaihong’ was stronger than that of soybean, but the competitiveness index of soybean was still stronger than that of ‘Saiwaihong’ in the topsoil. The yield of intercropping soybean was 34.12% lower than that of monoculture. There was no significant difference in the yield of ‘Saiwaihong’. The land equivalent ratio (LER) and income equivalent ratio (IER) of the agroforestry system were greater than one. The results showed that the underground competition of MS was weak, and it had good intercropping advantages which were suitable for planting in Xinjiang. The results of this study can provide a reference for the selection of planting patterns of agroforestry systems in arid and semi-arid areas.

Key words: fruit-soybean agroforestry system, root distribution, interspecific competition, Malus pumila ‘Saiwaihong’, fruit tree, intercropping, arid and semi-arid areas

WANG Xiu-Yuan, SHEN Lei, LIU Ting-Ting, WEI Wen-Wen, ZHANG Shuai, ZHANG Wei. Spatial and temporal distribution of root system and interspecific competition strategy in Malus pumila ‘Saiwaihong’ - Glycine max agroforestry system[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2025, 49(5): 748-759.

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URL: https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/10.17521/cjpe.2024.0177

https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/Y2025/V49/I5/748

Figures/Tables 7

Fig. 1 Field layout of sole-cropping and intercropping systems of Malus pumila ‘Saiwaihong’ and Glycine max.

Table 1 Planting and field management information of Malus pumila ‘Saiwaihong’ and Glycine max

处理 Treatment	追肥总量 Total topdressing (kg·hm^-2)		灌溉总量 Total irrigation (m³·hm^-2)	树高 Tree height (m)		冠幅 Crown width (m)
处理 Treatment	水溶肥 Water soluble fertilizer	尿素 Urea	灌溉总量 Total irrigation (m³·hm^-2)	2020	2021	2020	2021
单作大豆 Sole	120	150	3 600	-	-	-	-
间作大豆 Int	120	150	2 400	-	-	-	-
单作‘塞外红’ M	225	-	3 750	2.96	3.36	1.58	1.63
间作‘塞外红’ INT	225	-	3 750	2.89	3.27	1.51	1.61

Fig. 2 Temporal and spatial variation of root length density (RLD) in sole-cropping and intercropping of Malus pumila ‘Saiwaihong’ and Glycine max. Int, intercropping soybean; INT, intercropping ‘Saiwaihong’; M, sole-cropped ‘Saiwaihong’; Sole, sole-cropped soybean. R3, beginning pod stage of soybean; R6, full seed stage of soybean; V4, fourth-node stage of soybean. The black lowercase letters are the results of the significance comparison between INT and M; the red uppercase letters are the results of the significance comparison between Int and Sole at the distance of 200 cm from the fruit trees; different letters indicate significant difference (p < 0.05). In this experiment, the sampling time was set based on the growth stage of soybean.

Fig. 3 Temporal and spatial variation of specific root length (SRL) in sole-cropping and intercropping of Malus pumila ‘Saiwaihong’ and Glycine max. Int, intercropping soybean; INT, intercropping ‘Saiwaihong’; M, sole-cropped ‘Saiwaihong’; Sole, sole-cropped soybean. R3, beginning pod stage of soybean; R6, full seed stage of soybean; V4, fourth-node stage of soybean. The black lowercase letters are the results of the significance comparison between INT and M; the red capital letters are the results of the significance comparison between Int and Sole at the distance of 200 cm from the fruit trees; different letters indicate significant difference (p < 0.05). In this experiment, the sampling time was set based on the growth stage of soybean.

Fig. 4 Temporal and spatial variation of fine root vertical center in Malus pumila ‘Saiwaihong’ + Glycine max agroforestry systems (mean ± SD). Int, intercropping soybean; INT, intercropping ‘Saiwaihong’; M, sole-cropped ‘Saiwaihong’; Sole, sole-cropped soybean. R3, beginning pod stage of soybean; R6, full seed stage of soybean; V4, fourth-node stage of soybean. In this experiment, the sampling time was set based on the growth stage of soybean.

Fig. 5 Competitiveness index of Malus pumila ‘Saiwaihong’ + Glycine max agroforestry system (mean ± SD). A, Competitiveness index of vertical. B, Competitiveness index of horizontal. Lms, competitiveness index from Malus pumila ‘Saiwaihong’ to soybean. Lsm, competitiveness index from soybean to Malus pumila ‘Saiwaihong’. Different lowercase letters indicate significant difference for the same species between different soil layers (p < 0.05); different uppercase letters indicate significant difference among different species in the same soil layer (p < 0.05). NA means no data. R3, beginning pod stage of soybean; R6, full seed stage of soybean; V4, fourth-node stage of soybean. In this experiment, the sampling time was set based on the growth stage of soybean.

Table 2 Yield and yield components of Malus pumila ‘Saiwaihong’ and Glycine max in sole-cropping and intercropping systems (mean ± SD)

年份 Year	处理 Treatment	株数 Plant number (plant·hm^-2)	单株荚数 Pods number (pod·plant^-1)	单荚粒数 Seeds number per pod (seed·pod^-1)	百粒质量 100 grain mass (g)	总产量 Yield (kg·hm^-2)	土地当量比 LER	收益当量比 IER	种间相对竞争力 (大豆对‘塞外红’) Aggressivity (A_sm)
2020	Sole	2.4 × 10⁵	32.57 ± 5.36^b	2.31 ± 1.04^a	24.52 ± 2.47^a	4 427.53 ± 237.74^a	-	-	-
	Int	1.1 × 10⁵	39.29 ± 6.77^a	2.94 ± 1.13^a	22.85 ± 1.36^b	2 903.41 ± 510.96^b	-	-	-
	M	1 100	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
	INT	1 100	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
2021	Sole	2.4 × 10⁵	31.06 ± 3.20^b	2.46 ± 0.89^b	25.76 ± 1.65^a	4 723.82 ± 384.95^a	-	-	-
	Int	1.1 × 10⁵	38.32 ± 5.51^a	3.11 ± 1.48^a	23.84 ± 1.36^b	3 125.25 ± 420.19^b	-	-	-
	M	1 100	-	-	-	5 560.02 ± 210.24^a	1.564	1.106	-0.04
	INT	1 100	-	-	-	5 015.68 ± 129.72^a	-	-	-

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