Plastic mulching boosts crop yield and nutrient uptake in intercropping
Intercropping wheat and maize together can increase yield and nutrient uptake. The study used small plots and barriers to look at how above-ground and under-ground interactions affect growth. Results showed that intercropping without plastic mulching gave a yield advantage, but mulching increased it even more. Nutrient uptake was better with intercropping, especially with mulching. Above-ground interactions were more important for yield, while under-ground interactions were more important for nutrient uptake.