Strip intercropping is a feasible cropping pattern to improve crop productivity via enhancing the stability of farmland ecosystem. Straw returning and plastic film mulch are effective and valuable measures to boost crop productivity in arid or semi-arid regions. It is unknown whether the yield advantage of strip intercropping can be further enhanced by improving photosynthetic characteristics when applied synchronously with straw returning and plastic film mulch measures. A field experiment on wheat-maize intercropping system was conducted at strip management with straw and plastic film, and photosynthetic characteristics, leaf and soil water potential, and grain yield were determined. The results showed that the SPAD value of wheat and maize leaves with NTSM/NTP (no-tillage with wheat straw mulch in wheat strips and previous residual plastic film mulch in maize strips) was decreased at the vegetative growth period, a higher SPAD value was maintained at the reproductive growth period, compared to CT/CTP (conventional tillage with no straw returning in wheat strips and annual new plastic film mulch in maize strips), it indicated that NTSM/NTP treatment can maintain high physiological activity of intercropped wheat and maize at their reproductive growth period. NTSM/NTP treatment raised net photosynthetic rate (Pn) and leaf water use efficiency (WUE_L) of wheat by 9.0–15.8 % and 4.9–8.8 % from filling (Feekes 11.0) to doughing (Feekes 11.2) stage, and raised both indexes of maize by 11.5–25.5 % and 4.7–14.8 % from milking (R3) to doughing (R4) stage, with little effect on transpiration rate (Tr), in comparison to CT/CTP, respectively. NTSM/NTP treatment kept relatively high leaf and soil water potential of intercropped strips, and favorably created a suitable soil moisture environment for enhancing the drought resistance on intercrops. In addition, the value of difference between leaf and soil water potential of wheat and maize in NTSM/NTP treatment was lower than that in CT/CTP treatment at given determining stages, it indicated that NTSM/NTP treatment was beneficial to maintaining the stability of crop water demand and soil water supply for growth of two intercrops. Thus, NTSM/NTP treatment obtained high grain yields, increased by 8.6–11.1 % for intercropped wheat, increased by 16.0–20.2 % for intercropped maize, and increased by 13.8–17.1 % for intercropped wheat plus maize, in comparison to CT/CTP treatment. The improved photosynthetic capacity, optimized leaf and soil water potential, and increased grain yields for intercropped wheat and maize in NTSM/NTP treatment. Therefore, strip intercropping integrated of no tillage with wheat straw and previous residual plastic film mulch can be recommended as the excellent technique to coordinate the contradiction between water shortage and high grain yield in arid irrigated regions.

条带间作是一种通过增强农田生态系统稳定性来提高作物生产力的可行种植方式。秸秆还田和地膜覆盖是提高干旱或半干旱地区作物产量的有效且有价值的措施。尚不清楚在秸秆还田和地膜覆盖措施同步应用时，能否通过改善光合特性进一步增强条带间作的产量优势。进行了小麦-玉米间作系统的田间试验，进行了秸秆和地膜条带管理，测定了光合特性、叶片和土壤水势和粮食产量。结果表明，NTSM/NTP（免耕小麦条带麦秆覆盖和玉米条带前期残留地膜覆盖）的小麦和玉米叶片SPAD值在营养生育期降低，较高的SPAD值表明维持在生殖生育期，与CT/CTP（麦条不还草常规耕作和玉米条一年生新地膜覆盖）相比，表明NTSM/NTP处理可以保持间作小麦和玉米的较高生理活性在它们的生殖生长期。NTSM/NTP 处理提高了净光合速率 (Pn) 和叶片水分利用效率 (WUE) 与CT/CTP（麦条不还草常规耕作和玉米条一年生新地膜覆盖）相比，NTSM/NTP处理可以保持间作小麦和玉米在生殖生长期的较高生理活性。NTSM/NTP 处理提高了净光合速率 (Pn) 和叶片水分利用效率 (WUE) 与CT/CTP（麦条不还草常规耕作和玉米条一年生新地膜覆盖）相比，NTSM/NTP处理可以保持间作小麦和玉米在生殖生长期的较高生理活性。NTSM/NTP 处理提高了净光合速率 (Pn) 和叶片水分利用效率 (WUE)_升）从灌浆（Feekes 11.0）到面团（Feekes 11.2）阶段分别增加了 9.0–15.8 % 和 4.9–8.8 %，并且从挤奶（R3）到面团的两个指标分别提高了 11.5–25.5 % 和 4.7–14.8 % (R4) 阶段，与 CT/CTP 相比，对蒸腾速率 (Tr) 的影响很小。NTSM/NTP处理保持了间作条带较高的叶片和土壤水势，有利于创造适宜的土壤水分环境，增强间作作物的抗旱性。此外，NTSM/NTP处理小麦和玉米叶片和土壤水势差值在给定阶段均低于CT/CTP处理，说明NTSM/NTP处理有利于维持小麦和玉米的稳定性。两种间作作物生长的作物需水量和土壤供水量。因此，与 CT/CTP 处理相比，NTSM/NTP 处理获得了高谷物产量，间作小麦增加了 8.6-11.1%，间作玉米增加了 16.0-20.2%，间作小麦加玉米增加了 13.8-17.1%。在 NTSM/NTP 处理中，间作小麦和玉米的光合能力得到改善，叶片和土壤水势得到优化，并提高了谷物产量。因此，小麦秸秆免耕加旧地膜覆盖的条带间作可作为协调干旱灌区缺水与粮食高产矛盾的优良技术。与 CT/CTP 治疗相比。在 NTSM/NTP 处理中，间作小麦和玉米的光合能力得到改善，叶片和土壤水势得到优化，并提高了谷物产量。因此，小麦秸秆免耕加旧地膜覆盖的条带间作可作为协调干旱灌区缺水与粮食高产矛盾的优良技术。与 CT/CTP 治疗相比。在 NTSM/NTP 处理中，间作小麦和玉米的光合能力得到改善，叶片和土壤水势得到优化，并提高了谷物产量。因此，小麦秸秆免耕加旧地膜覆盖的条带间作可作为协调干旱灌区缺水与粮食高产矛盾的优良技术。