HUBEI AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES ›› 2026, Vol. 65 ›› Issue (8): 50-57.doi: 10.14088/j.cnki.issn0439-8114.2026.08.008

• Resource & Environment • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Effects of rotation and intercropping of Chinese herbal medicines on soil fertility in western Hubei

DUAN Li-wen1, ZHOU Wu-xian2, DENG Li-ping1, ZHOU Jian-xiong3, YANG Xiu-xia1, ZHAO Shu-jun3, XU Da-bing3   

  1. 1. College of Land Resources and Environment, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330045, China;
    2. Institute of Chinese Herbal Medicines, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Enshi 445000, Hubei, China;
    3. Institute of Plant Protection and Soil Fertilizer, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430064, China
  • Received:2026-05-06 Published:2026-09-02

Abstract: To investigate the effects of different planting patterns on soil chemical properties and comprehensive fertility in the main production area of Chinese medicinal materials in western Hubei, the study was conducted in the Chinese medicinal material planting area of Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Hubei Province, with unplanted soil as the control (CK), and the effects of Chinese medicinal material-maize/rapeseed rotation (CC) and Chinese medicinal material intercropping (CR) on soil stoichiometric characteristics and integrated soil fertility index were systematically compared. Thirteen indicators including soil pH, organic matter and mineral nutrient contents were measured, and principal component analysis combined with fuzzy mathematics membership function method was used to comprehensively evaluate soil fertility. The results showed that compared with CK, the CC and CR treatments decreased soil pH, total potassium content, alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen content, exchangeable calcium content and exchangeable magnesium content, while significantly increased available phosphorus and total phosphorus contents. Principal component analysis indicated that pH, exchangeable calcium content, exchangeable magnesium content, available zinc content, CEC, total potassium content, organic matter content and alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen content were key factors affecting soil fertility. The carbon to nitrogen ratio of the CC treatment was significantly higher than that of the CK treatment.Compared with the CK treatment, the carbon to phosphorus ratio and nitrogen to phosphorus ratio of the CC and CR treatments were significantly decreased, while the phosphorus to potassium ratio was significantly increased. There were no significant differences in carbon to potassium ratio and nitrogen to potassium ratio among the treatments. The integrated soil fertility index (SFI) of the CC and CR treatments decreased by 18.35% and 20.66% respectively, compared with CK, and the soil fertility grade dropped from a relatively high level to a medium level. Compared with Chinese medicinal material intercropping, the Chinese medicinal material-maize/rapeseed rotation pattern was more conducive to slowing soil acidification and maintaining higher soil nutrient contents and fertility levels.

Key words: Chinese herbal medicines, planting pattern, soil fertility, stoichiometric characteristics, fuzzy mathematics evaluation

CLC Number: