Soil water in a corn-alfalfa intercropping system on slope land
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DOI:10.7606/j.issn.1000-7601.2011.01.10
Key Words: slope land  corn-alfalfa intercropping  soil water distribution  soil water movement  volumetric water content
Author NameAffiliation
YUN Feng College of Resources and Environment, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China 
WANG Jian College of Resources and Environment, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China 
WU Faqi College of Resources and Environment, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China 
YIN Wujun College of Resources and Environment, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China 
GAO Xi Soil and Water Conservation and Ecological Environment Monitoring Station, Panzhihua, Sichuan 617000, China 
CAO Weipeng College of Resources and Environment, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China 
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Abstract:
      Slope forage intercropping can intercept slope runoff and reduce soil erosion as well as increase water use efficiency. Using probe-type monitoring of soil moisture dynamics combined with time-domain reflectometer, experiments of soil moisture monitoring in a sloping corn-alfalfa intercropping under different slopes was conducted. The results showed that runoff increased with slope gradient increasing under 5°, 10° and 15°, while the order of runoff volumes derived from different cropping treatments was alfalfa monoculture<corn-alfalfa intercropping<corn monoculture<bare soil, no matter how m uch the slope gradient was (5°, 10° or 15°). Compared to monoculture and bare soil, intercropping could effectively reduce surface runoff. Water consumption by alfalfa was more than that by corn, so the soil water content in alfalfa strips was obviously lower than that in corn strips. As the distance from the interface increased, the soil water content in alfalfa strips declined but increased in corn strips. From the border to both sides, corn plant height increased, while the alfalfa plant height decreased.