Effects of N fertilization on yield and nutrient absorption in rape and faba bean intercropping system

Few studies of nutrient absorption and utilization were conducted in rape and faba bean intercropping system. A field experiment of rape and faba bean intercropping was carried out to study the effects of the intercropping on crops yields and N, K absorptions and utilizations under different N application levels. The results show that there is a remarkable intercropping yield advantage in the rape and faba bean intercropping system, and the increased rape yield (15.6%44.5%) is higher than that (12.1%26%) of faba bean. In different N levels, land equivalent ration (LER) values range from 1.14 to1.67. The maximum LER value is under the N112.5 level, while the maximum yield is under the N225 level. The N absorptions in lower N levels are increased, and the trend of the amounts of N uptake by rape is in the order: outer raw of intercropping rape inter raw of intercropping rapethe raw of mono-cropping rape. Under both mono and intercropping systems, the amounts of N uptakes by rape are improved under the application of N fertilizer. The maximum N absorption and K absorption of rape seed are under the N225 level. In different N levels, the intercropping could not increase K absorption, however the N transfer from shoots to seeds is improved.