Mixture combination and mixed ratio of triticale and legumes in the eastern agricultural region of Qinghai

This study investigated the optimum mixed seeding planting ratio of legumes and triticale in the eastern agricultural region of Qinghai Province. Herein, the effects of mixed cropping the feed pea Pisum sativum variety ‘Qingjian No. 1’ (Q₁) and hairy vetch, sown with the triticale variety ‘Gannong No. 2’ (G₂) at different mixing ratios (0 ꞉ 100, 20 ꞉ 80, 30 ꞉ 70, 40 ꞉ 60, 50 ꞉ 50, 60 ꞉ 40, 70 ꞉ 30, 80 ꞉ 20, 100 ꞉ 0) were evaluated. The results showed that the average fresh weight (41.80 t·ha^–1) of G₂ × Q₁ was the highest among the tested treatments. The average fresh weights (44.45 t·ha^–1) were the highest for the planting ratio of 50 ꞉ 50; the fresh weights of triticale and legume were 17.94% and 17.53% higher than their respective monocultures, respectively. For the interaction between the species combination and the mixing ratio, the best performing treatment was G₂ × Q₁, planted at a ratio of 40 ꞉ 60, with a total fresh weight of 45.55 t·ha^–1; the fresh weights of triticale and P. sativum were 20.09% and 17.00% higher than their respective monoculture, respectively. The results of the index correlation study revealed that the fresh weight of the mixed population was significantly positively correlated with the plant height of both triticale (P < 0.05) and legumes (P < 0.01). In summary, we suggest for G₂ and Q₁, a mixing ratio of 40 ꞉ 60 is optimal for mixed cropping in the eastern agricultural region of Qinghai Province.