Non-traditional intercropping of wheat with maize means early machine planting but not early germi-nation of maize through
using macromolecule material to coat maize seed and delay its germination.The technology was introduced to Western China(Xinjiang municipality)since1999.The results of field trial and demonstration in recent years indicated that greater solar radiation and thermal resources are available for maize by using this new technology.For example,in north Xinjiang municipality(along Tianshan Mountain),one cropping(wheat)one year could be changed to double cropping(wheat intercropped with maize)one year,which led to additional500growing degree days using10℃as the starting point could be used.The yield of intercropped maize could reach6468.0kg per hectare,and the revenue per hectare could increase3580yuan RMB.In south Xinjiang municipality,intercrop-ping pattern could be changed from wheat with summer maize to wheat with spring maize,which resulted in more2250kg kernels and3269.3yuan RMB revenue per hectare.In addition,the same macromolecule material also could be used to coat cottonseed and make it plant earlier and germinate later,which is not only favorable for germination,because loss of soil water by tillage and planting practices in late spring is less,but also for the decrease of risk of rotten seed and seedling death caused by late frost.