Effects of intercropping sugarcane and soybean on growth, rhizosphere soil microbes, nitrogen and phosphorus availability

The effects of sugarcane plantation intercropped with soybean on plant growth, yield, enzyme activity, nitrogen and phosphorus contents, the microbe quantity of rhizosphere soil were investigated. Results showed that dry weight of biomass and yield under sugarcane/soybean intercropping were increased by 35.44 and 30.57 % for sugarcane, and decreased by 16.12 and 9.53 % (100-grain weight) for soybean, respectively. The nitrogenase activity of intercropping soybean nodule was significantly increased by 57.4 % as compared with that in monoculture models. The urease activities of intercrops sugarcane and soybean were promoted by 89 and 81 % as compared to that of the monoculture models, respectively. The effective nitrogen and phosphorus contents of rhizospheric soil of intercrops sugarcane and soybean were increased by 66 and 311.7 %, respectively, as compared to those in the monoculture system. Microbe number of rhizosphere soil in the intercropping pattern increased significantly as compared to those in the monoculture models. The quantities of bacteria, fungi, and actinomyces increased by 42.62, 14.5 and 78.5 % in the intercropping sugarcane, while the intercropping soybean increased by 188, 183 and 73 %, respectively. Therefore, growing sugarcanes in combination with soybean can be considered a good agriculture management practice, helping to promote plant growth, yield and increase soil nutrients.