Development of Lycium barbarum-Forage Intercropping Patterns

The intercropping patterns of protected cultivations have been widely used to increase productivity and sustainability in modern agriculture. However, there have been few studies of wolfberry intercropping cultivated by clean tillage. We introduced 10 forages into wolfberry cultivation through land productivity and an interspecific competitiveness analysis, and we screened out the appropriate intercropping modes to provide a scientific basis for wolfberry green cultivation and pasture production. The results showed that the wolfberry-forage intercropping land equivalent ratio (LER) of greenhouse and field tests increased from 29% to 59% and from 62% to 170%, respectively, when compared with the monoculture weighted mean, showing significant yield advantages (p < 0.05), particularly in wolfberry-mangold, wolfberry-ryegrass, wolfberry-alfalfa, and wolfberry-clover. The aggressivity of interspecific competitiveness analysis showed that the forage introduction did not affect the dominant competitive position of wolfberry. In addition, wolfberry-forage intercropping could promote the monetary advantage index (MAI). Wolfberry-mangold, wolfberry-ryegrass, and wolfberry-alfalfa performed well, with MAI values of 827.63, 994.18, and 1918.57 for fruit and 2106.54, 1706.27, and 3103.13 for biomass, respectively. Finally, wolfberry-mangold, wolfberry-ryegrass, and wolfberry-alfalfa were screened out, which can form a new mode of wolfberry and forage production.

Automated summary

Introducing forages into wolfberry cultivation has been found to increase productivity and sustainability. The intercropping of wolfberry with mangold, ryegrass, and alfalfa showed significant yield advantages, with increased land equivalent ratio (LER) values. Additionally, intercropping promoted the monetary advantage index (MAI), particularly in the wolfberry-mangold, wolfberry-ryegrass, and wolfberry-alfalfa combinations. These findings suggest that wolfberry-forage intercropping can form a new mode of production for wolfberry and forages.