Different Intercropped Soybean Planting Patterns Regulate Leaf Growth and Seed Quality

Solar radiation is crucial for intercropping, while partial shading can protect intercropped soybean leaves from irradiation damage during the pod-ripening period under high solar radiation. This study explored the leaf dynamics and soybean quality for the maize–soybean system, for monoculture soybe...

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Main Authors: Wei He, Qiang Chai, Cai Zhao, Wen Yin, Hong Fan, Aizhong Yu, Zhilong Fan, Falong Hu, Yali Sun, Feng Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-03-01
Series:Agronomy
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/15/4/880
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author Wei He
Qiang Chai
Cai Zhao
Wen Yin
Hong Fan
Aizhong Yu
Zhilong Fan
Falong Hu
Yali Sun
Feng Wang
author_facet Wei He
Qiang Chai
Cai Zhao
Wen Yin
Hong Fan
Aizhong Yu
Zhilong Fan
Falong Hu
Yali Sun
Feng Wang
author_sort Wei He
collection DOAJ
description Solar radiation is crucial for intercropping, while partial shading can protect intercropped soybean leaves from irradiation damage during the pod-ripening period under high solar radiation. This study explored the leaf dynamics and soybean quality for the maize–soybean system, for monoculture soybean (MS), monoculture maize (MM), two-row maize + three-row soybean (IS2-3), and four-row maize + four-row soybean (IS4-4). The results revealed that soybean leaves under IS2-3 and IS4-4 treatments showed increases in Rubisco activity of 59.8% and 12.4% compared with MS, respectively. The antioxidant capacity in soybean leaves in MS was higher than that under intercropping treatments. Soybean leaves under IS2-3 and IS4-4 exhibited higher alpha and beta diversities in their endophytes compared with MS. The relative abundance of pathotrophs under IS2-3 was reduced by 19.1% and 22.6% compared to that of those under MS and IS4-4, respectively. The total land equivalent ratio (LER) under IS2-3 was more than 1.00, and increased by 6.4% and 15.7% compared with IS4-4 in 2023 and 2024, respectively. Soybean seeds under IS2-3 and IS4-4 showed 4.1% and 4.2% increases in crude protein content compared to those of MS, respectively. Among various biosynthesis and metabolism processes, flavone and flavonol biosynthesis exerted a stronger influence on soybean seeds in MS, IS2-3, and IS4-4. Soybean seeds under IS2-3 showed elevated genistein content and reduced daidzein content compared with those of MS. Intercropping soybean treatments, especially IS2-3, maintained leaf health during the pod-ripening period and enhanced the crude protein content compared with sole soybean treatment, thus guiding the design of intercropping in areas with high solar radiation.
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spelling doaj-art-d200375c698f43fabbcdf2fefa63d1b22025-08-20T02:24:42ZengMDPI AGAgronomy2073-43952025-03-0115488010.3390/agronomy15040880Different Intercropped Soybean Planting Patterns Regulate Leaf Growth and Seed QualityWei He0Qiang Chai1Cai Zhao2Wen Yin3Hong Fan4Aizhong Yu5Zhilong Fan6Falong Hu7Yali Sun8Feng Wang9State Key Laboratory of Aridland Crop Science, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Aridland Crop Science, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Aridland Crop Science, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Aridland Crop Science, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Aridland Crop Science, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Aridland Crop Science, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Aridland Crop Science, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Aridland Crop Science, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Aridland Crop Science, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Aridland Crop Science, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, ChinaSolar radiation is crucial for intercropping, while partial shading can protect intercropped soybean leaves from irradiation damage during the pod-ripening period under high solar radiation. This study explored the leaf dynamics and soybean quality for the maize–soybean system, for monoculture soybean (MS), monoculture maize (MM), two-row maize + three-row soybean (IS2-3), and four-row maize + four-row soybean (IS4-4). The results revealed that soybean leaves under IS2-3 and IS4-4 treatments showed increases in Rubisco activity of 59.8% and 12.4% compared with MS, respectively. The antioxidant capacity in soybean leaves in MS was higher than that under intercropping treatments. Soybean leaves under IS2-3 and IS4-4 exhibited higher alpha and beta diversities in their endophytes compared with MS. The relative abundance of pathotrophs under IS2-3 was reduced by 19.1% and 22.6% compared to that of those under MS and IS4-4, respectively. The total land equivalent ratio (LER) under IS2-3 was more than 1.00, and increased by 6.4% and 15.7% compared with IS4-4 in 2023 and 2024, respectively. Soybean seeds under IS2-3 and IS4-4 showed 4.1% and 4.2% increases in crude protein content compared to those of MS, respectively. Among various biosynthesis and metabolism processes, flavone and flavonol biosynthesis exerted a stronger influence on soybean seeds in MS, IS2-3, and IS4-4. Soybean seeds under IS2-3 showed elevated genistein content and reduced daidzein content compared with those of MS. Intercropping soybean treatments, especially IS2-3, maintained leaf health during the pod-ripening period and enhanced the crude protein content compared with sole soybean treatment, thus guiding the design of intercropping in areas with high solar radiation.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/15/4/880maize–soybean intercroppingendophytecrude proteinisoflavone
spellingShingle Wei He
Qiang Chai
Cai Zhao
Wen Yin
Hong Fan
Aizhong Yu
Zhilong Fan
Falong Hu
Yali Sun
Feng Wang
Different Intercropped Soybean Planting Patterns Regulate Leaf Growth and Seed Quality
Agronomy
maize–soybean intercropping
endophyte
crude protein
isoflavone
title Different Intercropped Soybean Planting Patterns Regulate Leaf Growth and Seed Quality
title_full Different Intercropped Soybean Planting Patterns Regulate Leaf Growth and Seed Quality
title_fullStr Different Intercropped Soybean Planting Patterns Regulate Leaf Growth and Seed Quality
title_full_unstemmed Different Intercropped Soybean Planting Patterns Regulate Leaf Growth and Seed Quality
title_short Different Intercropped Soybean Planting Patterns Regulate Leaf Growth and Seed Quality
title_sort different intercropped soybean planting patterns regulate leaf growth and seed quality
topic maize–soybean intercropping
endophyte
crude protein
isoflavone
url https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/15/4/880
work_keys_str_mv AT weihe differentintercroppedsoybeanplantingpatternsregulateleafgrowthandseedquality
AT qiangchai differentintercroppedsoybeanplantingpatternsregulateleafgrowthandseedquality
AT caizhao differentintercroppedsoybeanplantingpatternsregulateleafgrowthandseedquality
AT wenyin differentintercroppedsoybeanplantingpatternsregulateleafgrowthandseedquality
AT hongfan differentintercroppedsoybeanplantingpatternsregulateleafgrowthandseedquality
AT aizhongyu differentintercroppedsoybeanplantingpatternsregulateleafgrowthandseedquality
AT zhilongfan differentintercroppedsoybeanplantingpatternsregulateleafgrowthandseedquality
AT falonghu differentintercroppedsoybeanplantingpatternsregulateleafgrowthandseedquality
AT yalisun differentintercroppedsoybeanplantingpatternsregulateleafgrowthandseedquality
AT fengwang differentintercroppedsoybeanplantingpatternsregulateleafgrowthandseedquality