| This paper was about the changes in water distribution and water use efficiency in maize rows with 1.6 m and 2.0 m width under the maize-soybean strip intercropping systems during the symbiotic period. It was shown that with the increase of maize rows, spatial distribution of maize leaves on the ground was different. LAI of narrow rows was higher than that of wide rows, resulting in soil evaporation, throughfall, and soil moisture in the order of maize rows＜maize-soybean rows＜soybean rows. Uneven distribution of throughfall and the differences in abilities of maize and soybean absorbing moisture were the main reasons for the uneven distribution of soil moisture during the symbiotic period. When distance between maize rows became large, the group yield and maize yield were first increased and then remained steadily, reaching the highest with a maize rows distance at 50cm. When maize rows distance was 50 cm, the water use efficiencies of the two width strips were the highest, 23.06 kg·hm-2·mm-1 and 26.60 kg·hm-2·mm-1, respectively. Overall speaking, water use efficiencies by the maize-soybean relay strip intercropping were 38.92% and 22.98% higher than those by monoculture. The water equivalent ratios were 1.45～1.66 and 1.60～1.79 under cultivations with two kinds of strip width. 2.0 m strip width could improve more of water use efficiency of farmland than 1.6 m strip width. When maize rows were 40 cm to 50 cm, maiz
e-soybean relay strip intercropping could improve water use efficiency. |