Abstract:

In order to study the influence of maize-peanut intercropping on crop and soil characteristics, this paper sets up the root separation test of corn and peanut potted plants to study the influence of maize and peanut intercropping on crop agronomic traits, physiological activities, soil microorganisms, soil enzyme activity and soil rapid nutrients. The results showed that maize-peanut intercropping affected the morphological and physiological indexes of crops. Plant height and relative chlorophyll content of peanut were increased by 71.4% and 11.3%, but root length, root weight and leaf weight were not significantly affected. Plant height, leaf fresh weight and root length of maize were increased by 43.9%, 122% and 45.6%, respectively. But there was no significant effect on the relative content of chlorophyll. Maize-peanut intercropping improved plant stress resistance, increased SOD and POD activities of peanut leaves by 66.7% and 129%, and decreased MDA content of peanut roots by 19.8%, respectively. The activities of SOD in leaves and roots of maize were increased by 39.9% and 17.0%, respectively, while MDA content in roots decreased by 61%. Maize-peanut intercropping changed soil available nutrient content, decreased peanut soil available N by 79.5%, but increased soil available P by 11.5%, and had no effect on soil available K content. It had no effect on maize soil available N and K, but decreased soil available P by 9.4%. Maize-peanut intercropping affected soil biological characteristics and increased soil enzyme activities, especially the alkaline phosphates activity. The soil alkaline phosphates activity in peanut and maize fields increased by 122% and 330%, respectively. The Maize-peanut intercropping could improve soil microenvironment and physiological activities of leaves and roots in seedling stage.

Key words: intercropping, soil characteristics, physiological activity, maize, peanut, agronomic traits, soil microorganisms, soil enzyme activity, soil available nutrients