No-tillage combined with deficit irrigation improves canopy photosynthesis and water use efficiency to stabilize yield in intercropped maize

Our findings provide mechanistic evidence that coordinated tillage and irrigation strategies regulate canopy source-sink dynamics and enzyme-mediated carbon assimilation, thereby reconciling the trade-off between yield stability and water conservation. This study highlights no-tillage intercropping with medium irrigation as a scalable pathway toward climate-resilient and water-efficient maize production in arid regions.