Abstract:

The areca and vanilla intercropping system was used to explore the regular pattern of nitrogen nutrients utilization. ‘Reyin No.3’ Vanilla and ‘Reyin No.1’ Areca which were cultivated in the potted simulation experiments and three planting modes including areca monocropping, vanilla monocropping and areca intercropping with vanilla were used to study the effects of pure nitrogen content of 112.5 kg/hm², 225 kg/hm², 300 kg/hm² and no nitrogen fertilizer treatments on plant biomass, nitrogen absorption and utilization, total soil nitrogen content and nitrogen use efficiency. With the increase of nitrogen fertilizer application, the fresh and dry biomass of the plants in different nitrogen treatments under different planting modes were significantly different (P<0.05). The fresh and dry biomass of the plants under the intercropping mode were highest and increasing by 61.3%, 34.9%, 43.1% and 47.2%, 62.7%, 33.8% respectively compared to the control. The total nitrogen content of plants under the intercropping mode was 0.43-2.63 mg/g higher than that of plants under the monocropping. The intercropping mode could significantly increase the nitrogen uptake of the plants, and increased by 40.44 kg/hm², 47.79 kg/hm²and 53.92 kg/hm² respectively compared to the control. The intercropping mode also could significantly increase the plant biomass, total nitrogen content, nitrogen uptake, nitrogen absorption efficiency, nitrogen use efficiency and nitrogen utilization efficiency, but had no obvious effect on soil total nitrogen content.

Key words: intercropping, biomass, nitrogen uptake, nitrogen utilization