Peanut and cotton intercropping increases productivity and economic returns through regulating plant nutrient accumulation and soil microbial communities

Table 2 Yield and yield components of peanut in different cropping systems

Position	Treatment	Peanut pods yield (kg ha⁻¹)	Yield components
Position	Treatment	Peanut pods yield (kg ha⁻¹)	Pod density (pods m⁻²)	100-pod weight (g)
PingDu	MP	5192a	190.9a	272a
	IC	4465b	163.0b	274a
	NC	4048c	152.2c	266b
	SC	3816d	144.9 cd	263b
GaoTang	MP	4967a	189.3b	262a
	IC	4470b	224.9a	199bc
	NC	3974c	182.7b	217b
	SC	3775c	182.5b	207b
LiJin	MP	5146a	196.7a	262a
	IC	4296b	161.7b	266a
	NC	3934c	151.9c	259ab
	SC	3726c	147.3c	253b

Means denoted by different letters within the same column of the same position indicate significant differences according to Tukey’s test (P < 0.05); MP: monocropping of peanut; IC: intercropping of peanut and cotton without barriers; NC: intercropping of peanut/cotton with 100 μm nylon mesh barrier; SC: intercropping of peanut/cotton with solid barrier

ISSN: 1471-2229