To clarify the production status and limiting factors of intercropping systems in the Hetao Irrigation District, Hanggin Rear Banner, a representative area for crop cultivation in the Hetao Irrigation District, was selected as the research site for the survey. Based on 503 valid questionnaires from 24 administrative villages across eight townships of Hanggin Rear Banner, the results showed that the intercropping systems were widely applied in Hanggin Rear Banner. There were wheat/maize, wheat/sunflower, watermelon/sunflower and maize||soybean (mainly food and cash crops). The wheat/maize and wheat/sunflower relay were cropping the most prevalent, accounting for 42.5% and 23.5%, respectively. Both systems significantly improved land use efficiency, with land equivalent ratios of wheat/maize and wheat/sunflower were 1.48 and 1.29, respectively. There were two main limitations of applying intercropping in this region. On the one hand, field managements were more complex in intercropping than monocultures, with the average number of irrigations and weeding times were higher, with an average of 1.0 and 0.9 times higher than in monocropping, respectively; on the other hand, the average amount of nitrogen application in intercropping systems was 70.7% higher than in monocropping. Overall, it is necessary to further explore field management practices and fertilization strategies suitable for intercropping in the area to reduce water and fertilizer inputs. Meanwhile, the research and development of intercropping machinery, herbicides and other related production materials should be strengthened, and technical training should be carried out to enhance farmersʼ understanding of intercropping.
| 科 Family | 属数 Number of genus | 种数 Number of species | 占总种数比例 Percentage of total species (%) | 属 Genus | 种数 Number of species | 占总种数比例 Percentage of total species (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 鹅膏菌科Amanitaceae | 2 | 11 | 5.26 | 鹅膏菌属 Amanita | 10 | 4.78 |
| 小菇科 Mycenaceae | 2 | 12 | 5.74 | 丝盖伞属 Inocybe | 5 | 2.39 |
| 多孔菌科 Polyporaceae | 8 | 14 | 6.70 | 蜡蘑属 Laccaria | 5 | 2.39 |
| 红菇科 Russulaceae | 3 | 23 | 11.00 | 小皮伞属 Marasmius | 6 | 2.87 |
| 小菇属 Mycena | 11 | 5.26 | ||||
| 光柄菇属 Pluteus | 5 | 2.39 | ||||
| 红菇属 Russula | 17 | 8.13 | ||||
| 栓菌属 Trametes | 5 | 2.39 |