Ecological and Agronomic Benefits of Intercropping Maize in a Walnut Orchard—A Case Study

The incorporation of trees on traditional agricultural land has the potential for providing beneficial conditions understory crops by altering microclimate. Under these assumptions, we conducted a study maize productivity intercropped in 14-year-old walnut orchard measuring growth and yield parameters, water nutrient uptake. Overall, found that decreased maximum air temperature increased humidity, especially during hot summer months characterized precipitation deficit. A 30% reduction per total area was result significantly reduced plant density, which could be walnut-specific effect due to juglone excretion. Productivity as shown higher harvest index 1000 kernel weight. No meaningful differences were terms grain productivity, recovery, or use efficiency. On systems level, observed an advantage walnut-maize system compared its respective monoculture systems—land equivalent ratios showed gaining same yields system, grown separately would need 32% more 31% water. Our implies there are some outcomes growing with trees, although further research should focus investigating option, possible allelopathic effects.