Intercropping Ganoderma lucidum and Vegetable for Improvements on Crop Yield and CO₂ Emission

  Objective  Effects of fungi-vegetable intercropping on crop yield and environmental CO₂ were studied.

  Method  By intercropping Ganoderma lucidum and vegetables in varied ratios, the plant growth, carbon transformation and CO₂ emission were monitored in a confined chamber.

  Result  The daily CO₂ emission of vegetable cultivation was relatively constant. But the intercropping induced significant variations. It was heightened at night and declined in daytime as carbon was discharged as CO₂ from G. lucidum (accounting for 51.62% to 52.46% of total carbon emission). The fungal yield under the total-and half-G.lucidum intercropping increased by 9.8% and 23.6%, respectively. The intercropping raised the yield of lettuce or leaf sweet potato to different extends.

  Conclusion  By cultivating G. lucidum along with vegetables, crop yields benefitted, and at the same time, CO₂ emission from the cultivation was reduced.