Positive intercropping effects on biomass production are species-specific and involve rhizosphere enzyme activities: Evidence from a field study

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Less attention has been given to soil enzymes that contribute to beneficial rhizosphere interactions in intercropping systems. Therefore, we performed a field experiment by growing faba bean, lupine, and maize in mono and mixed cultures in a moderately fertile soil. We measured shoot biomass and the kinetic parameters (maximal velocity (V max) and Michaelis-constant (K m)) of three key enzymes in the rhizosphere: Leucine-aminopeptidase (LAP), β-1,4-N-acetylglucosaminidase (NAG), and phosphomonoesterase (PHO). Faba bean benefitted in mixed cultures by greater shoot biomass production with both maize and lupine compared to its expected biomass in monoculture. Next, LAP and NAG kinetic parameters were less responsive to mono and mixed cultures across the crop species. In contrast, both the V max and K m values of PHO increased in the faba bean rhizosphere when grown in mixed cultures with maize and lupine. A positive relative interaction index for shoot P and N uptake for faba bean showed its net facilitative interactions in the mixed cultures. Overall, these results suggest that over-productivity in intercropping is crop-specific and the positive intercropping effects could be modulated by P availability. We argue that the enzyme activities involved in nutrient cycling should be incorporated in further research. [Figure not available: see fulltext.]

Original languageEnglish
JournalSoil Ecology Letters
Volume4
Issue number4
Pages (from-to)444-453
Number of pages10
ISSN2662-2289
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 01.12.2022

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021, The Author(s).

    Research areas

  • Ecosystems Research - enzyme kinetic parameters, phosphorus mobilization, nitrogen fixation, niche complementarity, biomass increase, relative interaction index

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