Table 5 The planting configuration of wheat and soybean under different planting systems.

From: Spatial differences influence nitrogen uptake, grain yield, and land-use advantage of wheat/soybean relay intercropping systems

Planting systems

Row distance

Strip distance*

Plant distance

Number of rows

Overall plant density **

Total ***

(cm)

(cm)

(cm)

(m-1)

(plants m-2)

Wheat

Soybean

Wheat/Soybean

Wheat

Soybean

Wheat

Soybean

Wheat

Soybean

Sole wheat

15

30

–

–

–

6.67

–

220

–

220

Sole soybean

15

30

–

–

20

–

3.33

–

16.7

16.7

Narrow strips

15

30

22.5

–

10

3.33

1.67

110

16.7

127.8

Medium strips

15

–

22.5

–

10

3.33

1.67

110

16.7

128.8

Wide strips

–

30

22.5

–

10

3.33

1.67

110

16.7

128.8

  1. *Distance between the strips of wheat and soybean in intercropping systems. **Sole wheat and soybean were sown according to the local planting densities: 2,200,000 plants ha-1 for wheat and 167,000 plants ha−1 for soybean. However, in strip intercropping systems, we used 50% of sole wheat density for intercropped wheat and 100% of sole soybean density for intercropped soybean, rendering the relative density of intercropped wheat and soybean equal to 0.5 and 1, respectively. *** The total planting density in strip intercropping systems was equal to 1.5; therefore, the design of strip intercropping systems was additive.
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