Intercropping usually plants two or more crop species, often with different canopy architectures by row configuration, creates spatial niche differentiation, changes light distribution and affects radiation utilization and yield. In this study, we investigated how row configuration (e.g. the proportion of border rows) affected light interception (LI) and light use efficiency (LUE) in maize (Zea mays L.)/ peanut (Arachis hypogaea Linn.) strip intercropping. Field experiments were carried out for two years in 2015 and 2016. Four intercropping treatments were set as M2P2 (two rows maize and two rows peanut), M4P4, M6P6 and M8P8, with border-row proportion (BRP) of 1, 0.5, 0.33 and 0.25 under an equal land use proportion (0.5 for each crop). Two monocultures, sole maize and sole peanut (with BRP of 0), were set as controls. The LI was estimated by a light interception model developed for strip intercropping. Both light capture and light use efficiency of intercropped crops were significantly affected by strip width. The LI of intercropped high-stalk maize was 23.4 % higher while LI of shaded peanut was 32.2 % lower than the control. The LI of intercropped maize increased with the increasing of BRP. The LI of peanut decreased with BRP but did not show significant difference in low BRP treatment (i.e. in M6P6 and M8P8). The LUE differed within treatments in dry 2015 but not in wet 2016. In dry 2015, LUE of intercropped maize on average 13.6 % lower than the sole crop (2.05 g MJ⁻¹), while LUE of intercropped peanut especially in M2P2 was 23.9 % higher than the sole crop (0.73 g MJ⁻¹). The LUE varied daily and was significantly correlated with leaf area index and incident radiation intensity in both intercropping and the sole crops. Both LI and LUE responded to BRP and the responses differed between intercropped crops. The result could be used as a basis for explaining the mechanism of strip intercropping on light utilization, optimizing row configuration of intercropping design and improving light use algorithm of crop simulation model.

间作通常种植两种或多种作物，通常按行配置具有不同的冠层结构，产生空间生态位差异，改变光分布并影响辐射利用和产量。在这项研究中，我们调查了行配置（例如边界行的比例）如何影响玉米（Zea mays L. ）/花生（Arachis hypogaeaLinn.) 条带间作。2015年和2016年进行了为期两年的田间试验，4个间作处理设置为M2P2（两行玉米和两行花生）、M4P4、M6P6和M8P8，边行比例（BRP）分别为1、0.5、0.33 0.25 在同等土地利用比例下（每种作物 0.5）。两种单一栽培，单一玉米和单一花生（BRP 为 0），被设置为对照。LI 是通过为条带间作开发的光拦截模型估算的。间作作物的光捕获和光利用效率均受条带宽度的显着影响。间作高秆玉米的 LI 比对照高 23.4%，而遮荫花生的 LI 比对照低 32.2%。间作玉米的LI随着BRP的增加而增加。花生的 LI 随 BRP 降低，但在低 BRP 处理（即 M6P6 和 M8P8）中没有显示出显着差异。2015 年旱季不同处理的 LUE 有所不同，但 2016 年旱季没有。在 2015 年旱季，间作玉米的 LUE 平均比单一作物（2.05 g MJ）低 13.6%^-1 )，而间作花生的 LUE 尤其是在 M2P2 中比单一作物 (0.73 g MJ ^-1 )高 23.9 % 。LUE每天都在变化，并且与间作和单作作物的叶面积指数和入射辐射强度显着相关。LI 和 LUE 都对 BRP 有反应，而且间作作物的反应不同。研究结果可作为解释条带间作光利用机理、优化间作设计行配置、改进作物模拟模型光利用算法的依据。