The production capacity of intercropped model of maize (Zea mays) with black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia)

Int. J. Agron. Agri. R.
The results of correlation analysis among leaves
chemical properties are shown in Table 5. In 2016
black locust leaves total nitrogen showed highly
significant and positive correlations with available
phosphorus (0.442) and organic matter (0.365), while
available phosphorus was only positive and
significantly correlated with organic matter (0.504).
Table 7. Leaf water status and chlorophyll concentration of black locust intercropped with maize, subjected to
ten different treatments. 2016.
Treatment Leaf water status Leaf chlorophyll status
RWC (%) WUE (µmol CO2 mmol -1 H2O) (mg g -1 )
M2R2 191.93±0.05a 38.01±30.80d 35.78±2.07c
M2R4 191.89±0.19b 48.72±50.64b 40.34±2.00a
M2R6 191.89±0.19b 15.00±10.31ef 37.12±2.56b
M4R2 191.89±0.19b 10.31±57.97f 33.16±1.24d
M4R4 191.89±0.19b 35.05±37.74e 35.05±2.51cd
M4R6 191.89±0.19b 48.57±75.93b 37.85±2.73b
M6R2 191.89±0.19b 47.63±59.11c 37.01±1.54bc
M6R4 191.89±0.19b 45.58±36.78cd 32.51±2.11e
M6R6 191.89±0.19b 57.07±75.88a 37.72±3.61b
SR 191.89±0.19b 35.36±13.31e 11.82±0.93f
Each value is the Mean±SE of the replicates (Duncan's test, P < 0.05). The same letter within each column
indicates no significant difference among treatments (P < 0.05).
2017
Treatment Leaf water status Leaf chlorophyll status
RWC (%) WUE (µmol CO2 mmol -1 H2O) (mg g -1 )
M2R2 170.58±5.32b 2883.18±72.28e 36.56±1.75cd
M2R4 170.60± 5.32ab 4674.29±1528.79c 40.42±0.99a
M2R6 170.65±5.32a 3622.78±409.15d 39.20±1.33ab
M4R2 170.61±5.34ab 4116.23±721.77c 36.25±1.24cd
M4R4 169.08±5.83c 4326.95±581.49c 36.82±1.46c
M4R6 161.90±3.94d 2561.67±827.22f 39.82±1.49ab
M6R2 158.37±1.23f 2847.20±407.64e 38.63±1.40b
M6R4 158.40±1.24ef 2823.07±958.05e 37.30±2.07bc
M6R6 159.40±0.87e 16055.31±11919.49b 37.83±1.65bc
SR 159.54±0.91de 17371.52±4974.72a 12.88±6.21d
For robinia stems, only total nitrogen displayed
significant and positive correlation with organic
matter (0.42). For maize leave, total nitrogen and
available phosphorus exhibited highly and significant
correlations with available potassium (0.552) and
organic matter (0.432), respectively, whereas no
significant correlations were recorded among
nutrients for maize stems. Thus, positive impact of
increasing nitrogen availability on leaf and soil
nutrients may in turn influence the correlation
relations between soil and plant nutrients. In 2017,
leaves chemical properties didn’t showed significant
correlations (Table 5).
Plant Biomass and Yield
Biomass of plants in the experiment was estimated
based on the algometric relationship and the diameter
of each plant in sample treatments (Fig.1). In 2016,
treatments M2R6, M6R2 and M2R2 showed the
highest biomass of maize for leaves, stems and roots,
respectively. For black locust, treatments M2R2 and
M6R4 displayed the highest biomass for leaves and
stems, respectively. Leaves and stems biomass of
black locust in treatments SR were closely similar.
Wansim et al. Page 57