Effects of Intercropping Oat and Common Vetch on Plant Biomass Yield and Soil Nitrogen and Phosphorus Availability in Different Soil Characteristics

Increasing agricultural productivity and assessing the responses of soil properties in soils with different groups under intercropping are the key steps to meeting both forage demand and soil full utilization. The effect of intercropping oat (Avena sativa L.) and common vetch (Vicia sativa L.) on yield, soil nutrient availability in different soil textures was examined under five planting systems: sole common vetch (V), sole oat (O), or intercropped with common vetch at ratios 1:1, 2:1, and 3:1. The biomass in oat/common vetch intercropping 2:1 (OV2:1) and 3:1 was higher than that of other treatments except for monoculture oat. The soil available nitrogen (AN) of oat/common vetch intercropping 3:1 (OV3:1) was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than O except for chernozem. However, the soil available phosphorus (AP) in OV2:1 was significantly increased by 34.89% and 17.93%, 29.18% and 43.74%, and 39.31% and 14.22% compared with the corresponding oat monoculture while available potassium in saline-alkali was 17.57% and 11.75%, and 13.36% and 7.93% significantly higher than corresponding oat and common vetch monoculture. These results suggest that oat intercropped with common vetch at 3:1 could acquire high biomass while 2:1 is beneficial to the improvement of soil quality.