科技資訊:植物世界的互惠互利
Companion planting is the idea that some kinds of plants can help each other grow. Plants that are compatible together generally have similar needs in terms of nutrients, soil and moisture levels.
混栽的想法在於某些種類的植物有助於彼此生長。互相兼容的植物一般在養分、土壤和水分含量上有類似需求。Advice about which plants are compatible is sometimes based more on tradition than proof. But experts say there is evidence to support certain combinations. These can improve harvests, reduce disease and help with pest control by attracting helpful insects.
有關哪些植物能夠互相兼容有時候更多取決於傳統而不是論證。但專家表示某些組合有證據作爲支持。這些組合可以提高收成、減少疾病，並且通過吸引益蟲來幫助控制蟲害。For example, some kinds of soil bacteria take nitrogen from the air and make it into a form that plants can use. The plants hold the nitrogen in their roots. legumes are especially good at this nitrogen-fixing. Then any crops that share the same space as the legumes can get the nitrogen as the roots decompose.
例如，某些類型的土壤細菌從空氣中吸收氮並將其轉化成爲一種植物能夠利用的形式。這類植物將氮保存到根部，豆類尤其擅長於這樣固氮。這樣共享土壤的任何作物，例如豆類，可以在根部分解時獲得這些氮。
Beans and potatoes can also share territory well because their roots reach different levels in the soil. Deep-rooted vegetables get nutrients and moisture from lower down in the soil, so they do not compete with plants with shallower roots.
菜豆和馬鈴薯也能很好地分享領土，因爲它們的根在土壤中的深度不同。深根類蔬菜從更深的土壤中獲得養分和水分，因此它們不會與淺根植物競爭。But some plants placed together may harm each other's development. For example, tomatoes do not like wet soil but watercress does, so you would probably want to keep them separated.
但有些植物放到一塊可能會損害各自的發展。例如，西紅柿不喜歡潮溼的土壤，但豆瓣菜卻喜歡潮溼的土壤，所以你可能需要將它們分開。Some kinds of produce should be kept apart even after being harvested. This is because of ethylene gas. Ethylene is a plant hormone that can cause some foods to ripen too quickly. Apples release ethylene gas. Apricots, melons and tomatoes also release a lot of ethylene. Some vegetable are easily affected by ethylene, including asparagus, broccoli, cabbage and cucumbers.
某些種類的農產品即使在收穫後也應當隔離開。這是因爲乙烯。乙烯是一種植物激素，能夠導致一些食物成熟太快。蘋果會釋放乙烯。杏、甜瓜和西紅柿也釋放乙烯。有些蔬菜很容易受乙烯影響，其中包括蘆筍，西蘭花，白菜和黃瓜。This risk of ripening too soon is why markets often separate high ethylene-producing foods from those that are sensitive to the gas.
這種過快催熟的風險就是市場上經常將產生乙烯多的食物和對乙烯敏感的食物分開的原因。But if you put an apple in a bag with a green banana, the ethylene from the apple will make the banana ready to eat sooner.
但如果你將一個蘋果和未熟的香蕉放進一個袋子裏，蘋果釋放的乙烯將使香蕉很快可以食用。What about peaches, plums and nectarines that are too firm to eat? These kinds of fruit do not need any help from an apple — they release enough ethylene to ripen themselves. But that does not mean there is no way to get the job done faster.
桃子、李子、油桃吃起來太硬怎麼辦？這類水果不需要蘋果幫忙，它們能夠釋放足夠多的乙烯使自身成熟。但這並不意味着沒辦法使這個成熟的過程更快一些。Growers suggest placing the fruit in a fruit bowl or in a paper bag with the top folded over. Keep the fruit at room temperature, out of direct sunlight. Once the fruit is soft enough to your liking, either use it or put it in the refrigerator to keep it from getting too ripe. Yuck.
種植者建議將這些水果放入水果盤或紙袋裏並蓋好。將這些水果保持在室溫下避免陽光直射。一旦水果軟到你喜歡的程度，要麼吃了它，要麼把它放入冰箱以防止它變得太熟。
