Effects of Different Farming Patterns on the Physiology and Structure of Maize Leaves
To explore the influence of farming patterns on the physiology and structure of maize leaves in Hexi Irrigation Agricultural Region,this experiment set no-tillage with stubble retention(NT)and conventional tillage(CT),wheat-maize intercropping(W/M),winter-rape and maize rotation after wheat harvesting(W-G→M),wheat-maize rotation(W→M),maize leaf physiology,structure and yield changes of the six different treatments were studied.The results showed that the soluble sugar contents of maize under NT mode were higher than those in CT mode in three period.The soluble sugar contents of CT(W-G→M)and CT(W→M)during the filling period was significantly lower than that of other treatments.The contents of soluble protein in maize leaves under different tillage treatments showed a trend of increasing first and then decreasing,however,the peak occurrence periods were different in the different farming treatments.MDA contents under different tillage treatments increased first and then decreased.SLW under W/M mode at maturity was 23.75%and 19.87%higher than that of W-G-M and W→M modes,respectively,and NT(W/M)treatment was 13.17%-39.66%higher than that of other treatments.Under the NT treatment,the long axes of mitochondria in maize leaves were nearly parallel,inner and outer membrane as well as cristae were clearly visible,and the mitochondria of CT treatment were long and disordered,curved in cells,most of them accumulated in the corner of the cell,the inner and outer membrane were fuzzy.In the W/M mode,wheat yield of NT was 8.17%higher than that of CT,maize yield of NT increased by an average of 13.91%compared with CT,the W/M model showed the largest increase in maize yield;When compared to CT,the no-tillage method could increase the contents of soluble sugar,soluble protein,and SLW of maize leaves,boost the quantity of chloroplasts in the leaves,reduced the MDA content of the leaves by intercropping,and relieved leaf aging.In comparison to conventional tillage,the grain weight per plant and 100-grain weight were 9.24%and 9.40%higher and the yield of no-tillage maize was 13.91%higher,respectively.There was a positive correlation between 100-grain weight,grain weight per plant,and maize yield.The yields of wheat and maize under the different planting modes were lower than the rotation mode because of the different sowing densities.Land equivalent ratios of W/M mode were 1.30-1.36.Consequently,the no-tillage method of intercropping maize is better suited for the adoption and dissemination of the oasis irrigation area.