Screening of Soybean Varieties under the Fresh maize-soybean strip intercropping system

In order To screening suitable soybean varieties under the Fresh maize-soybean strip intercropping system（with a cropping arrangement of 2 rows of corn to 3 rows of soybean), twelve introduced soybean varieties were evaluated for their growth period, agronomic traits, and yield performance, using 'Minchengdou 8' as the control. The results showed that 'Huaxia 26' exhibited optimal overall performance, characterized by moderate plant height, the highest number of pods per plant and seeds per plant, and an average yield of 1677.0 kg·hm⁻², which was 13.84% higher than that of the control, with the increase reaching a statistically significant level. 'Huaxia 21' and 'Huaxia 14' ranked second and third, with average yields of 1569.3 kg·hm⁻² and 1503.9 kg·hm⁻², representing increases of 6.52% and 2.09% over the control, respectively, though the differences were not statistically significant. All three superior varieties exhibited compact plant architecture and good lodging resistance, while the remaining varieties showed yield reductions compared with the control. In conclusion, 'Huaxia 26' and 'Huaxia 21' are recommended for further demonstration and extension under the Fresh maize-soybean strip intercropping system, whereas 'Huaxia 14' merits continued introduction and pilot testing.