Abstract

ALBINO-GARDUNO, Rocio et al. Root distribution and solar radiation in maize-bean intercropping systems. Agrociencia [online]. 2015, vol.49, n.5, pp.513-531. ISSN 2521-9766.

Intercropping systems of maize with common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) have increased species performance compared with simple crops and this advantage would be due to physiological complementarity of this species and the efficiency in the use resources usage. Therefore, the objective of this study was to analyze the effect of the spatial arrangement of maize and beans regard its distribution of aerial biomass and roots, photosynthetically active radiation in the canopy and grain production of both species. This research was carried out in the year 2012; at the experimental field "Valley de Mexico" Zea mays L. ('H-155') and P. vulgaris L. ('Negro 8025') were intercropped. The arrangement was maize (MM) and bean (FF) in simple cultures, two furrows of maize intercropped with two of bean (MMFF) and an alternate with each species (MFMF). An ANOVA and means comparison (DMS; p≤0.05) were assessed from the resulting data using SAS^® software version 9.00. The highest maize yield (p=0.014) arose when it was intercropped, the MFMF treatment had more exploration area with root presence (7861 cm²) and lateral roots (186 cm²). The MM treatments had less maize grain yield (p≤0.05) compared to the intercropping arrangements, as they had the lowest photosynthetically active radiation at the ground level (RFAts) and their roots had less side soil exploration. Beans in MFMF had 38 % less area with root presence and high RFAts values respect to the simple crops, which decreased the biomass since the pre-flowering, the leaf area index in grain filling and yield grain. The beans at the MMFF treatments increased its biomass and yield grain, as the basal leaves got more RFA. The soil relative efficiency was 1.12 in the MMFF treatment and 1.07 in the MFMF.

Keywords : Interspecific interactions; ERT; PAR; leaf; Zea mays L.; Phaseolus vulgaris L..

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