{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,22]],"date-time":"2026-09-22T10:01:12Z","timestamp":1790071272725,"version":"4.0.1"},"reference-count":51,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"19","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,22]],"date-time":"2026-09-22T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1790035200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"State Key Laboratory of Aridland Crop Science of China","award":["GSCS-2024-15"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["GSCS-2024-15"]}]},{"name":"China Agriculture Research System of MOF and MARA","award":["CARS-14-1-16"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["CARS-14-1-16"]}],"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/03p5eky76","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"crossref"}]},{"award":["CARS-14-1-16"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["CARS-14-1-16"]}],"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/03p5eky76","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Plants"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Interspecies interaction is key to achieving intercropping advantages. However, in semi-arid rainfed agricultural areas, research on how strip width influences interspecific relationships and system productivity in maize\u2013flax intercropping remains insufficient. A three-year field experiment was conducted to assess the impacts of varying strip widths (80, 120, and 160 cm) on system productivity and interspecies interactions in a maize\u2013flax intercropping system. The results demonstrated that the 160 cm strip-width treatment achieved the highest land equivalent ratio (LER) and total system yield, with average increases of 11.3% and 37.5%, 7.3% and 38.8% compared to the 120 cm and 80 cm strip-width treatments, respectively. The improvement in grain yield was primarily attributed to synergistic increases in maize kernel number per ear and 1000-kernel weight, as well as enhanced capsule number per plant, seeds per capsule, and 1000-seed weight of flax. Analysis of interspecific competition dynamics revealed that flax exhibited stronger competitive ability during its later growth stages (kernel-filling and maturity stage) under the 160 cm strip width, with an average increase of 97.2% compared to other treatments. Furthermore, the wider strip width optimized the relative crowding coefficient (RCC) and promoted the recovery effect of maize (RE) after flax harvest. Correlation analysis indicated a significant negative relationship between the intensity of interspecific competition during the maize V3 and V12 stages and flax yield. In conclusion, adopting a 160 cm strip width in the maize\u2013flax intercropping system maximizes overall productivity by optimizing yield components, promoting dry matter accumulation, and balancing interspecific interactions.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/plants15192895","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,22]],"date-time":"2026-09-22T08:17:54Z","timestamp":1790065074000},"page":"2895","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Increased Strip Width Balancing Interspecific Competition and Enhanced Yield in Maize\u2013Flax Intercropping Systems"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"given":"Yifan","family":"Wang","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Gansu Provincial Key Laboratory of Aridland Crop Science, Lanzhou 730070, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"},{"role":"conceptualization","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"methodology","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"writing-original-draft","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"project-administration","vocabulary":"credit"}]},{"given":"Jing","family":"Han","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Agronomy, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"},{"role":"methodology","vocabulary":"credit"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5023-0646","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Xinkang","family":"Ma","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Agronomy, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"},{"role":"methodology","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"investigation","vocabulary":"credit"}]},{"given":"Bing","family":"Wu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Gansu Provincial Key Laboratory of Aridland Crop Science, Lanzhou 730070, China"},{"name":"College of Life Science and Technology, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"},{"role":"validation","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"visualization","vocabulary":"credit"}]},{"given":"Bin","family":"Yan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Gansu Provincial Key Laboratory of Aridland Crop Science, Lanzhou 730070, China"},{"name":"College of Agronomy, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"},{"role":"software","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"validation","vocabulary":"credit"}]},{"given":"Peina","family":"Lu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Gansu Provincial Key Laboratory of Aridland Crop Science, Lanzhou 730070, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"},{"role":"data-curation","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"investigation","vocabulary":"credit"}]},{"given":"Yuhong","family":"Gao","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Gansu Provincial Key Laboratory of Aridland Crop Science, Lanzhou 730070, China"},{"name":"College of Agronomy, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"},{"role":"supervision","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"conceptualization","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"resources","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"writing-original-draft","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"funding-acquisition","vocabulary":"credit"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,22]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"155","DOI":"10.1080\/1343943X.2024.2372878","article-title":"The advantages of intercropping to improve productivity in food and forage production a review","volume":"27","author":"Pelin","year":"2024","journal-title":"Plant Prod. Sci."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"199","DOI":"10.1016\/bs.agron.2020.02.004","article-title":"Understanding intercropping to improve agricultural resiliency and environmental sustainability","volume":"162","author":"Hashemi","year":"2020","journal-title":"Adv. Agron."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"926","DOI":"10.1038\/s41893-021-00768-6","article-title":"Crops better when grown together","volume":"4","author":"Ryan","year":"2021","journal-title":"Nat. Sustain."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1007\/s11104-024-07111-w","article-title":"Intercropping: Ecosystem functioning and sustainable agriculture","volume":"506","author":"Yu","year":"2025","journal-title":"Plant Soil"},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Maitra, S., Hossain, A., Brestic, M., Skalicky, M., Ondrisik, P., Gitari, H., Brahmachari, K., Shankar, T., Bhadra, P., and Palai, J.B. (2021). Intercropping\u2013A low input agricultural strategy for food and environmental security. Agronomy, 11.","DOI":"10.3390\/agronomy11020343"},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1958","DOI":"10.1890\/0012-9658(1997)078[1958:CAFASA]2.0.CO;2","article-title":"Competition and facilitation: A synthetic approach to interactions in plant communities","volume":"78","author":"Callaway","year":"1997","journal-title":"Ecology"},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"191","DOI":"10.1016\/0169-5347(94)90088-4","article-title":"Positive interactions in communities","volume":"9","author":"Bertnes","year":"1994","journal-title":"Trends Ecol. Evol."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"943","DOI":"10.1038\/s41893-021-00767-7","article-title":"Long-term increased grain yield and soil fertility from intercropping","volume":"4","author":"Li","year":"2021","journal-title":"Nat. Sustain."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"653","DOI":"10.1038\/s41477-020-0680-9","article-title":"Syndromes of production in intercropping impact yield gains","volume":"6","author":"Li","year":"2020","journal-title":"Nat. Plants"},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2","DOI":"10.1007\/s13593-022-00754-y","article-title":"Species choice and N fertilization influence yield gains through complementarity and selection effects in cereal-legume intercrops","volume":"42","author":"Mahmoud","year":"2022","journal-title":"Agron. Sustain. Dev."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"125936","DOI":"10.1016\/j.eja.2019.125936","article-title":"Effects of strip width on yields in relay-strip intercropping: A simulation study","volume":"112","author":"Gou","year":"2020","journal-title":"Eur. J. Agron."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"108122","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fcr.2021.108122","article-title":"Modelling soybean and maize growth and grain yield in strip intercropping systems with different row configurations","volume":"265","author":"Wu","year":"2021","journal-title":"Field Crops Res."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"41","DOI":"10.1016\/j.baae.2022.03.009","article-title":"Intercropping drives plant phenotypic plasticity and changes in functional trait space","volume":"61","author":"Ajal","year":"2022","journal-title":"Basic Appl. Ecol."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"107","DOI":"10.1111\/nph.13132","article-title":"Improving intercropping: A synthesis of research in agronomy, plant physiology and ecology","volume":"206","author":"Brooker","year":"2015","journal-title":"New Phytol."},{"key":"ref_15","first-page":"106312","article-title":"Asymmetric above- and below-ground interactions: Light availability drives root morphogenesis and productivity in maize\u2013soybean intercropping","volume":"245","author":"Qiang","year":"2026","journal-title":"Soil Tillage Res."},{"key":"ref_16","first-page":"10124","article-title":"Ecological drivers of intercropping performance for enhanced global crop production","volume":"4","author":"Beillouin","year":"2026","journal-title":"npj Sustain. Agric."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"127622","DOI":"10.1016\/j.eja.2025.127622","article-title":"Intercropping-driven maize yield gain depending on regional environments, planting conditions, and production managements: A global-scale evidence","volume":"168","author":"Xu","year":"2025","journal-title":"Eur. J. Agron."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"108974","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fcr.2023.108974","article-title":"Limited environmental and yield benefits of intercropping practices in smallholder fields: Evidence from multi-source data","volume":"299","author":"Li","year":"2023","journal-title":"Field Crops Res."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"109363","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fcr.2024.109363","article-title":"Inter-cropping patterns and nutrient management effects on maize growth, yield and quality","volume":"310","author":"Begam","year":"2024","journal-title":"Field Crops Res."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"107819","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fcr.2020.107819","article-title":"Border-row proportion determines strength of interspecific interactions and crop yields in maize\/peanut strip intercropping","volume":"253","author":"Wang","year":"2020","journal-title":"Field Crops Res."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"21910","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-020-78719-y","article-title":"Strip-width determines competitive strengths and grain yields of intercrop species in relay intercropping system","volume":"10","author":"Raza","year":"2020","journal-title":"Sci. Rep."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Zhang, Y., Henke, M., Li, Y.M., Sun, Z.P., Li, W.J., Liu, X.A., and Li, T.L. (2024). Estimating the Light Interception and Photosynthesis of Greenhouse-Cultivated Tomato Crops under Different Canopy Configurations. Agronomy, 14.","DOI":"10.3390\/agronomy14020249"},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1277","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jia.2022.09.023","article-title":"Review on the fully mulched ridge-furrow system for sustainable maize production on the semi-arid Loess Plateau","volume":"22","author":"Wang","year":"2023","journal-title":"J. Integr. Agric."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"123591","DOI":"10.1016\/j.indcrop.2026.123591","article-title":"Optimizing strip configuration improves intercropping productivity by integrating photosynthetic performance and water resource use and crop physiological adaptation","volume":"248","author":"Han","year":"2026","journal-title":"Ind. Crops Prod."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e364","DOI":"10.1002\/fes3.364","article-title":"The effect of strip orientation and width on radiation interception in maize-soybean strip intercropping systems","volume":"11","author":"Liu","year":"2022","journal-title":"Food Energy Secur."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Sun, X.L., Zhang, Y.Y., Zhang, S.H., Yang, N., Xia, G.M., and Feng, L.S. (2025). Effect of strip width in maize\/peanut intercropping on water use efficiency. Front. Sustain. Food Syst., 9.","DOI":"10.3389\/fsufs.2025.1502362"},{"key":"ref_27","first-page":"558","article-title":"Productivity, relative yield and plant growth of forage corn intercropped with soybean under different crop combination ratio","volume":"39","author":"Baghdadi","year":"2016","journal-title":"Legume Res."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"535","DOI":"10.1007\/s13593-013-0161-x","article-title":"Higher yield and lower carbon emission by intercropping maize with rape, pea, and wheat in arid irrigation areas","volume":"34","author":"Chai","year":"2014","journal-title":"Agron. Sustain. Dev."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Wang, Y.F., Qin, Y.Z., Chai, Q., Feng, F.X., Zhao, C., and Yu, A.Z. (2018). Interspecies interactions in relation to root distribution across the rooting profile in wheat-maize intercropping under different plant densities. Front. Plant Sci., 9.","DOI":"10.3389\/fpls.2018.00483"},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"148","DOI":"10.1016\/j.agee.2017.02.019","article-title":"Intercropping with legume for agroecological cropping systems: Complementarity and facilitation processes and the importance of soil microorganisms: A review","volume":"240","author":"Duchene","year":"2017","journal-title":"Agr. Ecosyst. Environ."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"108793","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fcr.2022.108793","article-title":"Inter-specific root interactions and water use efficiency of maize\/soybean relay strip intercropping","volume":"291","author":"Te","year":"2023","journal-title":"Field Crops Res."},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"767","DOI":"10.1016\/j.scitotenv.2017.10.024","article-title":"The new Green Revolution: Sustainable intensification of agriculture by intercropping","volume":"615","author":"Paquette","year":"2018","journal-title":"Sci. Total Environ."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"217","DOI":"10.1017\/S0014479700010978","article-title":"The Concept of a \u201cLand Equivalent Ratio\u201d and Advantages in Yields from Intercropping","volume":"16","author":"Mead","year":"1980","journal-title":"Exp. Agric."},{"key":"ref_34","unstructured":"Jin, F., Wang, Z.H., Zhang, H.Z., Huang, S.R., Chen, M., Kwame, T.J., Yong, T.W., Wang, X.C., Yang, F., and Liu, J. (2024). Strip intercropped maize with more light interception during post-silking promotes photosynthesized carbon sequestration in the soil. Front. Plant Sci., 15."},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3630","DOI":"10.1093\/jxb\/erab077","article-title":"Estimating the contribution of plant traits to light partitioning in simultaneous maize\/soybean intercropping","volume":"72","author":"Li","year":"2021","journal-title":"J. Exp. Bot."},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"106620","DOI":"10.1016\/j.still.2025.106620","article-title":"Adaptation of deep-rooted maize genotype to compacted soil: Synergy of root mechanical properties, anatomical traits, and PIEZO1 gene regulation","volume":"252","author":"Dai","year":"2025","journal-title":"Soil Till. Res."},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"110277","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fcr.2025.110277","article-title":"Early cotton topping increases peanut yield without sacrificing cotton yield through reducing interspecific competition under intercropping","volume":"337","author":"Nie","year":"2026","journal-title":"Field Crops Res."},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"109558","DOI":"10.1016\/j.agwat.2025.109558","article-title":"Research on the advantages and optimal irrigation regime for maize-Cyperus esculentus intercropping system in northwestern Liaoning, China","volume":"316","author":"Dai","year":"2025","journal-title":"Agric. Water Manag."},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e170","DOI":"10.1002\/fes3.170","article-title":"Narrow-wide-row planting pattern increases the radiation use efficiency and seed yield of intercrop species in relay-intercropping system","volume":"8","author":"Raza","year":"2019","journal-title":"Food Energy Secur."},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"109235","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fcr.2023.109235","article-title":"Yield performance response to field configuration of maize and soybean intercropping in China: A meta-analysis","volume":"306","author":"Yang","year":"2024","journal-title":"Field Crops Res."},{"key":"ref_41","first-page":"799","article-title":"Photosynthetic and Chlorophyll Fluorescence Responses in Maize and Soybean Strip Intercropping System","volume":"24","author":"Chen","year":"2020","journal-title":"Int. J. Agric. Biol."},{"key":"ref_42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2160","DOI":"10.2134\/agronj15.0121","article-title":"Effect of nitrogen, row spacing, and plant density on yield, yield components, and plant physiology in soybean-wheat intercropping","volume":"107","author":"Moreira","year":"2015","journal-title":"Agron. J."},{"key":"ref_43","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"4304","DOI":"10.1111\/pce.70031","article-title":"Light distribution, interception and use efficiency of drip-fertigated maize-soybean strip intercropping systems under various row configuration conditions","volume":"49","author":"Kou","year":"2025","journal-title":"Plant Cell Environ."},{"key":"ref_44","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"246","DOI":"10.1111\/pce.70214","article-title":"Soybean variety improves canopy architecture and light distribution to promote yield formation in maize\u2013soybean strip intercropping","volume":"49","author":"Luo","year":"2025","journal-title":"Plant Cell Environ."},{"key":"ref_45","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"423","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fcr.2011.01.011","article-title":"Yield response to plant density of maize and sunflower intercropped with soybean","volume":"121","author":"Echarte","year":"2011","journal-title":"Field Crops Res."},{"key":"ref_46","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"343","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jclepro.2014.10.099","article-title":"Determination of optimal strip width in strip intercropping of maize (Zea mays L.) and bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L) in Northeast Iran","volume":"106","author":"Mahallati","year":"2015","journal-title":"J. Clean. Prod."},{"key":"ref_47","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"178","DOI":"10.1080\/17429145.2016.1266042","article-title":"Existing competitive indices in the intercropping system of Manihot esculenta Crantz and Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standley","volume":"11","author":"Doubi","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Plant Interact."},{"key":"ref_48","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"109642","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fcr.2024.109642","article-title":"Complementarity and competitive trade-offs enhance forage productivity, nutritive balance, land and water use, and economics in legume-grass intercropping","volume":"319","author":"Luo","year":"2024","journal-title":"Field Crops Res."},{"key":"ref_49","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"109690","DOI":"10.1016\/j.agrformet.2023.109690","article-title":"Planting time and stand density effect on radiation interception and use efficiency of maize and sunn hemp intercropping in semi-arid South Africa","volume":"341","author":"Dzvene","year":"2023","journal-title":"Agric. For. Meteorol."},{"key":"ref_50","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"123","DOI":"10.1016\/S0378-4290(01)00156-3","article-title":"Wheat\/maize or wheat\/soybean strip intercropping yield advantage and interspecific interactions on nutrients","volume":"71","author":"Li","year":"2001","journal-title":"Field Crops Res."},{"key":"ref_51","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"249","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fcr.2006.07.008","article-title":"Competition indices of common vetch and cereal intercrops in two seeding ratio","volume":"100","author":"Dhima","year":"2007","journal-title":"Field Crops Res."}],"container-title":["Plants"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2223-7747\/15\/19\/2895\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,22]],"date-time":"2026-09-22T09:04:47Z","timestamp":1790067887000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2223-7747\/15\/19\/2895"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,22]]},"references-count":51,"journal-issue":{"issue":"19","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,10]]}},"alternative-id":["plants15192895"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/plants15192895","relation":{},"ISSN":["2223-7747"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2223-7747","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,22]]}}}