TGMB_2025v15n4

Tree Genetics and Molecular Breeding 2025, Vol.15, No.4, 161-167 http://genbreedpublisher.com/index.php/tgmb 164 4.3 Biodiversity enhancement and natural pest/disease control Intercropping can also increase the variety of plants and insects in the garden. The diverse plant environment attracts more pollinating insects and natural enemies of pests, such as bees and predatory insects, making it easier to control pests and diseases. A richer plant hierarchy can also inhibit the growth of weeds and pests, thereby reducing the use of pesticides, helping to maintain the balance of the ecosystem and making it healthier and more sustainable (Huss et al., 2022). 5 Agronomic and Technical Considerations 5.1 Compatibility of crop species with chestnut growth cycle and canopy What crops to grow together with chestnuts depends on whether they are “compatible”. Studies have found that some tree crops, such as cherries, red oaks and European oaks, when planted together with chestnuts, not only did not affect chestnuts, but also made chestnuts grow faster, produce more wood, and no increase in pests and diseases was found. This indicates that the growth rhythms and spatial structures among them are coordinated (Loewe-Muñoz et al., 2023). If tea trees are planted, the influence of tree age and season on soil fertility and microorganisms also needs to be considered in order to make them combine better (Wu et al., 2021b). 5.2 Management of water, fertilizer, and light competition Water, fertilizer and light are several resources that everyone needs. When chestnuts and tea trees are grown together, if well managed, the organic matter and nutrients in the soil can increase, which is conducive to improving the absorption efficiency of crops (Wu et al., 2021b). However, the management methods should be flexibly adjusted according to the seasonal changes and the age of the chestnut trees. Practices such as not ploughing the land for a long time, covering the ground with plants, and using organic fertilizers instead of chemical fertilizers can all help maintain soil fertility, reduce the situation of “resource competition” among crops, and make the ecosystem more stable (Papaioannou et al., 2022). 5.3 Labor input, mechanization adaptability, and cost implications For the stable development of chestnut forests, scientific management methods and technical assistance are indispensable. Some intercropping methods, such as growing together with tree crops, are more suitable for machine operation, which can reduce the number of workers and save costs (Loewe-Muñoz et al., 2023). However, at present, many places still face problems in promoting intercropping, such as the lack of technical guidance and financial support, which all affect large-scale development (Wolpert et al., 2023). 6 Comparative Evaluation of Different Intercropping Models 6.1 Strengths and weaknesses of representative intercropping systems In chestnut economic forests, the adoption of intercropping mode can generally increase the organic matter, available phosphorus and nitrogen in the soil, which is conducive to better growth and faster fruiting of chestnut trees, and can also bring higher economic benefits. For example, when chestnuts are planted together with tea trees, it not only makes the soil more fertile, but also enriches the microorganisms in the soil, which is conducive to the recycling of nutrients (Wu et al., 2021b). Meanwhile, intercropping can also lead to higher crop yields and smaller fluctuations, and enhance the system's ability to respond to climate change (Li et al., 2021). However, the management of intercropping is more complex than that of monoculture, and it requires higher labor and technical skills. Sometimes it may also lead to a decrease in yield or an increase in the risk of pests and diseases (Huss et al., 2022). Intercropping of chestnuts and tea trees, in some areas, may also slow down soil water infiltration and affect water utilization efficiency (Sun et al., 2024). 6.2 Yield-ecology trade-offs and optimization potential Studies have shown that reasonable intercropping can generally increase the total yield by at least 22%, and also make the soil more fertile and have better ecological functions (Li et al., 2021; Wu et al., 2021b). However, if high yields are pursued too much, some ecological indicators such as soil structure and water retention may be affected (Sun et al., 2024). To balance yield and ecology, it is necessary to select the right crops, control planting density well, and adjust management methods in a timely manner (Himmelstein et al., 2017; Huss et al., 2022). In addition, different regions and different crops have different conditions. It is necessary to breed more suitable varieties and new technologies to improve the overall performance of the system (Stefan et al., 2022).

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