Effect of N supply and wheat/faba bean intercropping on N uptake and accumulation of wheat

Field experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of 4 nitrogen application rates (0, 90 kg·hm^-2, 180 kg·hm^-2 and 270 kg·hm^-2) and intercropping on N content, N accumulation and N uptake rate of wheat plant in wheat/faba bean intercropping system. The results show that intercropping can significantly increase the contents of N in wheat plants during growth stages. In comparison with monocropping, N contents of wheat plant in intercropping are increased by 20.0%, 21.9%, 21.4% and 17.1% in tillering, elongating, heading and maturing stages, respectively. The contents of N in leaves, stems, and panicles of wheat in intercropping are significantly higher than those of monocropping in heading and maturing stages. Intercropping can significantly increase N accumulation and N uptake rate of wheat plant compared with monocropping. N accumulation in plants of wheat increases by 15.5%~30.4% in intercropping during growth stages. N accumulation and N content of wheat plant are increased with increasing of nitrogen supply in both monocropping and intercropping, but impacts of N supply on N content, N accumulation and N uptake rate of wheat plant are stronger in monocropping comparison with intercropping. Intercropping advantages reduce with increasing of N application rate. N uptake rate of monocropped wheat plant increases, and that of intercropped wheat plant increases and then decreases with increasing of nitrogen application rates. The findings indicate that both N supply and intercropping can promote N uptake and accumulation of wheat. N supply influences intercropping advantages in wheat/faba bean intercropping, and a rational N supply is important for crop intercropping.