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

Table 3 Seed cotton yield and yield components in different cropping systems

Position	Treatment	Seed cotton yield (kg ha^− 1)	Yield components
Position	Treatment	Seed cotton yield (kg ha^− 1)	Boll density (bolls m⁻²)	Boll weight (g boll^− 1)
PingDu	MC	4420d	82.53d	5.36a
	IC	7160a	158.18a	4.53b
	NC	5924b	133.78b	4.43b
	SC	5680c	105.86c	5.37a
GaoTang	MC	4124d	80.69c	5.11bc
	IC	6846a	115.93a	5.91a
	NC	6021b	117.23a	5.14b
	SC	5691c	108.83b	5.23b
LiJin	MC	4276d	73.39d	5.83b
	IC	6778a	108.66b	6.24a
	NC	6053b	114.20a	5.30c
	SC	5798c	98.83c	5.87b

Means denoted by different letters within the same column of the same position indicate significant differences according to Tukey’s test (P < 0.05); MC: monocropping of cotton; 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