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Evaluation of the growth characteristics, forage productivity, and feed value of the maize–soybean intercropping system under different fertilization levels

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Abstract

This study evaluated the growth characteristics, forage yield, and feed value of a maize–soybean intercropping system under different fertilizer levels. Maize–soybean intercropping was conducted from 2018 to 2021 in Cheonan, Republic of Korea. The control (210 kg/ha of N:P:K (21:17:17)) was set based on monoculture maize fertilization, and six treatments by increasing or decreasing the N, P, or K levels by 20% (2019) or 50% (2020–2021) were designed. In 2019, there was no significant difference in forage productivity between the maize–soybean intercropping systems and the control. The maize dry matter yield in 2020 in T-1 (50% increase in N) was higher, at 14,125 kg/ha; however, it was not significantly different to the control. The forage productivity of intercropped soybean in treatments with low N fertilization was higher. Therefore, intercropping with soybean can reduce the need for N fertilization as it can fix atmospheric N. There was a significant difference between the maize and soybean feed values. However, the results were not correlated with the fertilization level. In 2021, the forage productivity in treatments with no N fertilization (T-4, T-5, and T-6) was poor. However, treatments (T-1, T-2, and T-3) with 50% N fertilizer application and sufficient P and K produced equal dry matter yields to the control. In conclusion, maize–soybean intercropping achieved excellent forage productivity and feed value, despite a 20–50% reduction in the application of N fertilizer due to the positive effects of intercropping.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the Cooperative Research Program for Agriculture Science & Technology Development (Project No. PJ01358901) and the 2022 Postdoctoral Fellowship Program of the National Institute of Animal Science funded by RDA, Republic of Korea.

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  1. National Institute of Animal Science, Rural Development Administration, Cheonan-si, 31000, Republic of Korea

    Yowook Song, Sang-Hoon Lee, Jae Hoon Woo & Ki-Won Lee

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  1. Yowook Song
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  2. Sang-Hoon Lee
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Correspondence to Ki-Won Lee.

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Song, Y., Lee, SH., Woo, J.H. et al. Evaluation of the growth characteristics, forage productivity, and feed value of the maize–soybean intercropping system under different fertilization levels. J. Crop Sci. Biotechnol. 26, 107–118 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12892-022-00176-y

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