Search

The intercropping-led diversified tillage is crucial for sustainable development in dryland agriculture. However, the plant-plant interaction transition and its effects on soil physiochemical characteristics along soil phosphorus (P) levels are not clear. To address this issue, maize-grass pea intercropping system was used to investigate the variations in plant-plant facilitation along soil P gradients (low- to high-P) and their effects on rhizosphere soil N and P availability and microbial biomass. The data showed that total net effect (NE) was always positive, indicating facilitative effects of intercropping on total community productivity. Specifically, the relative yield (RY) for both species was greater than 0.5 in the P-deficient soils, representing mutually facilitated effects. Yet, under the P-sufficient condition, maize and grass pea acted as facilitated species and facilitator respectively. Rhizosphere phosphatase activity was significantly enhanced in the P-deficient soils, accordingly fostering P mineralization for higher P availability and N utilization. The contents of microbial biomass carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus (i.e., MBC, MBN and MBP) were evidently elevated in intercropping systems than those of monoculture. Also, global meta-analysis verified above phenomenon, showing that high P addition decreased facilitation intensity with type shift, regarding plant productivity, N and P utilization and vice versa. We confirmed a relatively full picture of P-driven facilitation intensity and type shift along stress gradients by field observation and meta-analysis. The findings provided a new insight of biodiversity in soil physiochemical traits and also revealed a critical mechanism affecting resource utilization in the P-limited soils. [Display omitted] • Plant facilitation was significantly enhanced in low soil phosphorus conditions. • Meta-analysis confirmed P availability altering interspecific facilitation model. • The universality of stress gradient hypothesis was validated in intercropping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intercropping, the simultaneous production of two or more crops on the same field, offers opportunities for sustainable agricultural intensification by providing higher yield per unit of land than monoculture. However, intercropping is largely ignored when evaluating regional carbon (C) cycle and ecosystem service function. We hypothesized that interspecific interactions in intercropping systems might induce changes in rhizosphere soil properties and accordingly affect carbon emission. To test the hypothesis, three intercropping systems including maize-soybean (2 M:4 S, 2-row maize: 4-row soybean), wheat-soybean (4 W:4 S), and maize-wheat (2 M:4 W) were established to explore the effects of interspecific interactions on land equivalent ratio (LER), C emission and soil properties in a typical semiarid rainfed site from 2019 to 2020. The results showed that interspecific facilitation (LER>1 and RII>0) was observed when soybean was intercropped with maize and wheat. On average, soil C emission was substantially increased by 10.6%, compared with their respective monocultures. Particularly, the intercropping with soybean not only alleviated N deficiency in the rhizosphere of maize or wheat, but also improved water use efficiency (WUE) of maize or wheat via complementary effect. Moreover, facilitating process evidently promoted the input of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and easily oxidized organic carbon (EOOC) in rhizosphere soils (P < 0.05). This resulted in greater microbial activities, N mineralization rate, and inorganic N supply in the maize and wheat strips. However, the belowground competition from the intercropped wheat significantly lowered soil moisture and inorganic N content in maize strips. Also, soil labile C input (DOC and EOOC) and microbial activities were declined, while carbon emission was evidently lowered by 7.4%. Interestingly, the trade-off between grain yield production and carbon emission showed that interspecific facilitation promoted the yield per unit of carbon emission, indicating higher carbon emission efficiency. Yet, interspecific competition led to an opposite trend. The findings enhanced the understandings on carbon emission efficiency and its potential management strategy regarding crop diversity and green production in semiarid agroecosystems. [Display omitted] • Soybean intercropped with cereal promoted crop yield, showing plant facilitation. • Plant facilitation was resulted from water complementary use and N enrichment. • Increased labile carbon input and microbial activities enhanced carbon emission. • Yet, wheat-maize mixture showed an opposite trend due to interspecific competition. • Soybean-led rhizosphere interaction promoted carbon production efficiency & yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]