Abstract
Establishing desirable cropping systems with higher fertilizer-use efficiency and lower risk of environmental pollution is a promising approach for more sustainable agriculture development. Intercropping may facilitate phosphorus (P) uptake and reduce P-fertilizer application rates. However, how root-root interactions mediate enhanced P-fertilizer-use efficiency in intercropping under field conditions remains poorly understood. Using a long-term field experiment established in 2009, where there have been three P-fertilizer application rates (0, 40, and 80 kg P ha −1 ) and nine cropping systems (four intercropping combinations and corresponding monocultures), we calculated aboveground biomass, grain yield, aboveground P content, P-use efficiency indicators, e.g., the apparent recovery efficiency of applied P, and diversity effects. We also investigated the P-related physiological and morphological traits of crop species and linked root traits with agronomic indicators. We found that 12 years of intercropping significantly increased productivity, shoot P content, agronomic efficiency of applied P, and the apparent recovery efficiency of applied P in all combinations compared with the weighted means of corresponding monocultures; intercropping with 40 kg P ha −1 application showed relatively high productivity, P content and P-use efficiency. The P-uptake advantage in intercropping was mainly related to the positive complementarity effect. The companion crop species (i.e. faba bean, oilseed rape, chickpea, and soybean) exhibited greater P-mobilizing capacity than sole maize. Intercropped maize exhibited greater root physiological, e.g., rhizosheath phosphatase activity and carboxylates (proxied by leaf manganese concentration), and morphological traits (e.g., specific root length) than sole maize, partly related to facilitation by efficient P-mobilizing neighbors. The greater P-use efficiency was mainly contributed by morphological traits of maize rather than traits of companion crop species. We highlight that the enhanced P-use efficiency in intercropping systems is partly mediated by belowground facilitation, and desirable intercropping systems have the potential to save P-fertilizer input and improve the sustainability of P management in agroecosystems.
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Claims 11
Claim · model-written summary
Twelve years of intercropping significantly increased productivity against corresponding monocultures.
Verbatim
e0“12 years of intercropping significantly increased productivity, shoot P content, agronomic efficiency of applied P, and the apparent recovery efficiency of applied P in all combinations compared with the weighted means of corresponding monocultures”
Claim · model-written summary
Intercropping significantly increased shoot phosphorus content.
Verbatim
e0“12 years of intercropping significantly increased productivity, shoot P content, agronomic efficiency of applied P, and the apparent recovery efficiency of applied P in all combinations compared with the weighted means of corresponding monocultures”
Claim · model-written summary
Intercropping significantly increased agronomic efficiency of applied phosphorus.
Verbatim
e0“12 years of intercropping significantly increased productivity, shoot P content, agronomic efficiency of applied P, and the apparent recovery efficiency of applied P in all combinations compared with the weighted means of corresponding monocultures”
Claim · model-written summary
Intercropping significantly increased apparent recovery efficiency of applied phosphorus.
Verbatim
e0“12 years of intercropping significantly increased productivity, shoot P content, agronomic efficiency of applied P, and the apparent recovery efficiency of applied P in all combinations compared with the weighted means of corresponding monocultures”
Claim · model-written summary
At 40 kg P per hectare, intercropping had relatively high productivity, phosphorus content and phosphorus-use efficiency.
Verbatim
e0“intercropping with 40 kg P ha −1 application showed relatively high productivity, P content and P-use efficiency.”
Claim · model-written summary
The phosphorus uptake advantage was mainly related to a positive complementarity effect.
- Taxon
- intercroppinge0
- Treatment
- intercroppinge0
- Outcome
- P-uptake advantagee0
- Qualifier
- positive complementarity effecte0
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“The P-uptake advantage in intercropping was mainly related to the positive complementarity effect.”
Claim · model-written summary
Faba bean, oilseed rape, chickpea and soybean had greater phosphorus mobilization than sole maize.
Verbatim
e0“The companion crop species (i.e. faba bean, oilseed rape, chickpea, and soybean) exhibited greater P-mobilizing capacity than sole maize.”
Claim · model-written summary
Intercropped maize had greater rhizosheath phosphatase activity and carboxylates than sole maize.
- Treatment
- Intercroppede0
- Outcome
- rhizosheath phosphatase activity and carboxylatese0
- Direction
- greatere0
- Comparator
- sole maizee0
Zea maysOrganisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Intercropped maize exhibited greater root physiological, e.g., rhizosheath phosphatase activity and carboxylates (proxied by leaf manganese concentration), and morphological traits (e.g., specific root length) than sole maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Intercropped maize had greater specific root length than sole maize.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Intercropped maize exhibited greater root physiological, e.g., rhizosheath phosphatase activity and carboxylates (proxied by leaf manganese concentration), and morphological traits (e.g., specific root length) than sole maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Greater phosphorus-use efficiency was mainly attributable to maize morphology rather than companion crop traits.
- Organ / stage
- morphological traitse0
- Outcome
- P-use efficiencye0
- Qualifier
- rather than traits of companion crop speciese0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The greater P-use efficiency was mainly contributed by morphological traits of maize rather than traits of companion crop species.”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors conclude that intercropping can save phosphorus fertilizer input and improve phosphorus management.
Verbatim
e0“desirable intercropping systems have the potential to save P-fertilizer input and improve the sustainability of P management in agroecosystems.”
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