On Difficulties with Replacement-Series Methodology in Mixture Experiments

Abstract

A multi-year field experiment was conducted to study the variation features of rhizosphere environment and crop root growth under the cropping modes of wheat-soybean (A1), wheat-sweet potato (A2), maize (A3), wheat/maize/soybean (A4), and wheat/maize/sweet potato (A). Among the five modes, A4 increased the plant biomass, root activity, and root dry mass of wheat, maize, and soybean at their flowering and maturing stages, and the quantity of rhizosphere soil bacteria, fungi, and actinomycetes. The biomass and quantity of rhizosphere soil microbes were relay strip intercropping > single cropping, soybean > sweet potato, and fringe row > center row. It was suggested that wheat/maize/soybean relay trip intercropping could improve rhizosphere environment, promote the crops root growth and increase their aboveground biomass, and accordingly, realize yield-increasing.