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Journal of Integrative Agriculture  2026, Vol. 25 Issue (1): 313-325    DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.02.051
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Maize–green manure intercropping improves maize yield and P uptake by shaping the responses of roots and soil 

Xin Zhao1, Hai Liang2, Danna Chang1, Jiudong Zhang3, Xingguo Bao3, Heng Cui3, Weidong Cao1#

State Key Laboratory of Efficient Utilization of Arable Land in Northern China, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China

Agricultural Resource and Environment Research Institute, Guangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanning 530000, China

Soil and Fertilizer and Water-saving Agriculture Institute, Gansu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730030, China

 Highlights 
Maize–green manure intercropping increases maize yield and grain P uptake.
Intercropping increases the maize root length density and organic acid release rate.
Intercropping increases the soil phosphatase activity and reduces soil pH.
Intercropping converts non-labile P to mod-labile P and enriches beneficial bacteria in the soil.
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摘要  

绿肥对于改善土壤质量和养分吸收至关重要。随着磷资源的逐渐枯竭,人们越来越关注绿肥在种植系统如玉米-绿肥间作中的作用,以寻找提高土壤磷利用率的可能途径。本研究基于一项始于 2009 年的玉米-绿肥间作的田间定位试验,旨在探究间作绿肥提高玉米产量和磷吸收的效果及机制。试验采用了玉米与三种绿肥(毛叶苕子,针叶豌豆,甜豌豆间作(HVT, NPT, SPT)单独种植玉米(CK),共计4个处理。2020-2023 年间,间作处理在 2020 年和 2021 年提高了玉米产量,尤其是 HVT 理,与 CK 相比,分别增产 13.7%1.96 / 公顷)和 13.0%2.13 / 公顷)。2020 年、2021 年和 2023 年,间作处理下玉米籽粒的磷积累量显著高于 CK,四年间平均增幅为 10.6%NPT 5.2%SPT 10.8%HVT 15.9%)。间作促进了玉米根长密度的增加和有机酸释放速率的提高。与其他处理相比,HVT 对土壤性质的改变更为明显,表层土壤(0 - 15 cm)中的酸性磷酸酶和碱性磷酸酶活性分别提高了 29.8% 38.5%,同时土壤 pH 值比 CK处理pH = 8.44)降低了 0.37 个单位。间作处理促进了非活性磷向中度活性磷的转化,并刺激了表层土壤中细菌的生长。与 CK处理相比,以积累多聚磷酸盐而闻名的芽单胞菌门(Gemmatimonadota)和作为生物活性化合物重要来源的放线菌门(Actinobacteriota)的相对丰度在间作处理中显著增加,尤其是在 HVT SPT 处理中。偏最小二乘路径模型(PLS - PM)分析表明,间作通过调节玉米根系形态和生理,促进了土壤磷的活化及有益细菌的富集。我们的研究结果表明,玉米-绿肥间作优化了根系性状、土壤性质和细菌组成,有助于提高玉米的产量和磷吸收,为作物可持续生产提供了一种有效策略。



Abstract  

Green manuring is essential for improving soil quality and nutrient uptake.  With the gradual depletion of phosphorus (P) resources, more attention is being paid to the role of green manures in cultivation systems, such as maize–green manure intercropping, to find possible pathways for enhancing soil P utilization.  A maize–green manure intercropping experiment was started in 2009 to investigate the effects and mechanisms for enhancing P uptake and yield in maize.  Three species of green manures (hairy vetch (HV), needle leaf pea (NP), sweet pea (SP)) and a sole maize treatment (CK) were used, resulting in four treatments (CK, HVT, NPT, and SPT) in the experiment.  During 2020–2023, the intercropping treatments enhanced maize yields in 2020 and 2021, particularly in HVT with increases of 13.7% (1.96 t ha–1) and 13.0% (2.13 t ha–1) compared with CK, respectively.  Grain P accumulation of maize was significantly higher in the intercropping treatments than CK in 2020, 2021, and 2023, and with an average increase of 10.6% over the four years (5.2% for NPT, 10.8% for SPT and 15.9% for HVT) compared with CK.  Intercropping promoted maize growth with a greater root length density and a higher organic acid release rate.  HVT changed the soil properties more dramatically than the other treatments, with increases in the acid phosphatase and alkaline phosphatase activities of 29.8 and 38.5%, respectively, in the topsoil (0–15 cm), while the soil pH was reduced by 0.37 units compared to CK (pH=8.44).  Intercropping treatments facilitated the conversion of non-labile P to mod-labile P and stimulated the growth of soil bacteria in the topsoil.  Compared with CK, the relative abundance of Gemmatimonadota, known for accumulating polyphosphate, and Actinobacteriota, a prominent source of bioactive compounds, increased significantly in the intercropping treatments, especially in HVT and SPT.  A PLS-PM analysis showed that intercropping promoted soil P mobilization and the enrichment of beneficial bacteria by regulating maize root morphology and physiology.  Our results highlight that maize–green manure intercropping optimizes root traits, soil properties and bacterial composition, which contribute to greater maize P uptake and yield, providing an effective strategy for sustainable crop production.   

Keywords:  green manure       root morphology        root exudate        soil P fractions        soil phosphatases        intercropping  
Received: 29 November 2024   Accepted: 26 January 2025 Online: 24 February 2025  
Fund: 

This study was supported financially by the National Key Research & Development Program of China (2021YFD1700200), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32402686), the Earmarked Fund for China Agriculture Research System (CARS-22), the Fundamental Research Funds for Central Non-profit Scientific Institution, China (1610132022013), the Science and Technology Innovation Project of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, and the China National Crop Germplasm Resources Platform for Green Manure (NICGR-2024-19).

About author:  Xin Zhao, Mobile: +86-18730269978, E-mail: zhaoxin@caas.cn; #Correspondence Weidong Cao, Tel: +86-10-82109622, E-mail: caoweidong@caas.cn

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Xin Zhao, Hai Liang, Danna Chang, Jiudong Zhang, Xingguo Bao, Heng Cui, Weidong Cao. 2026. Maize–green manure intercropping improves maize yield and P uptake by shaping the responses of roots and soil . Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 25(1): 313-325.

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