With reduced N input, NUE significantly increased for all planting patterns, and the NUE of MM, IMS and MS was 32.1%, 103.7% and 545.8% greater, respectively, in RN than in CN (Table 4). Intercropping maize with soybean increased NUE; the NUE of IMS increased by 105.1% over that of MM, and the NUE of RN was 139.0% greater in IMS than in MM (Table 4).