Mitteilungen der Gesellschaft für Pflanzenbauwissenschaften Band 23

Total dry matter [kg*ha -1 ]
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
Row 1 Row 2 Row 4
B A A A A A
C A B
269
Total dry matter [kg*ha -1 ]
0
24 39 52 20 43 62
Days after sowing
Days after sowing
3500
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
A A A
Row 1 Row 2 Row 5
A A A
A A A
Fig. 1: Total dry matter [kg*ha -1 ] of bush bean in row one (adjacent to maize strips),
two and the centre row (four and five, respectively) 24, 39 and 52 days after sowing
in China (left) and 20, 43 and 62 days after sowing in Germany (right). Capital letters
denote significance (α < 0.05).
This suggests a positive effect of slight shadowing on bush bean growth up to a
certain threshold where the decreased radiation significantly reduces plant growth.
The maize cultivar experiment demonstrated a significantly higher percentage of
TPAR of the strips of the cultivar with reduced plant height (Lapriora) for all strip
widths. The maize cultivars Lapriora and Companero showed a significantly higher
percentage of TPAR for the strips of four rows than NK Ravello. Above a strip width
of four rows the measured quantity of transmitted radiation did not demonstrate a
clear trend, but suggest that radiation transmittance is not decreased further (Figure
2). The maize cultivars did not differ in leaf area index and final yield.
Plant height [cm]
290
270
250
230
210
190
170
150
Lapriora Companero NK Ravello
Transmitted radiation [%]
60
50
40
30
20
10
Lapriora Companero NK Ravello
0
1 2 6 4 6 8 10 12
Row
Strip width [n rows]
Fig. 2: Final plant height [cm] in row one, two and the centre row (six) of the maize
strips of three cultivars (Lapriora, Companero and NK Ravello) (left), and the
percentage of TPAR (compared to open area PAR) 0.5 m away from the maize strips
of three cultivars with a strip width of four, six, eight, ten and twelve maize rows
(right).
Thus using a maize cultivar of reduced plant height and a strip width below 6 rows
of maize increases the amount of transmitted radiation to the neighboring bush bean
plants and might therefore enhance plant growth in the first row of bush bean next to
maize.
References
Feike, F., Chen, Q., Graeff-Hönninger, S., Pfenning J., Claupein W. 2010: Farmer-developed vegetable
intercropping systems in southern Hebei, China. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems
25(4):272-280.