Exploration of intercropping compound planting between fresh edible corn and fresh edamame

Abstract

Fresh edible corn (Zea mays L.) and fresh edamame (Glycine max L. Merr.) are highly nutritious crops with increasing consumer demand and expanding cultivation across both northern and southern regions of China. Recognizing their agronomic and economic potential, the No. 1 Document of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (2020) emphasized the need to promote high-yielding edamame varieties and to advance intercropping systems involving corn and edamame. However, current production practices predominantly rely on monoculture, resulting in low land-use efficiency, suboptimal resource allocation, and heightened susceptibility to pest and disease outbreaks—factors that collectively constrain productivity gains. This paper systematically reviews key technical measures for the strip intercropping of fresh edible corn and edamame, addressing aspects such as field selection, seed treatment, sowing strategies, integrated pest, disease, and rodent control, as well as fertilizer and irrigation management, and harvesting protocols. This study explores a strip intercropping model integrating fresh edible corn and edamame, aiming to improve yield, land-use efficiency, and agroecosystem stability. The intercropping model aims to optimize planting structure, enhance land-use efficiency, improve resource utilization, and reduce biotic stress. Furthermore, it facilitates nutrient complementarity between crops, supports soil health, sustains the agro-ecological balance, and contributes to higher economic returns for farmers