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Enhancement of rhizosphere citric acid and decrease of NO3−/NH4+ ratio by root interactions facilitate N fixation and transfer

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Abstract

Aims

Cereal can stimulate legume N fixation through competition for soil mineral N. In addition, organic acids in the rhizosphere can mobilize external nutrients, which may help nodulation. However, how much NO3− and NH4+ competition and organic acids in the rhizosphere of intercropped crops contribute to N fixation remains unclear and requires study.

Methods

Field and greenhouse experiments were conducted to quantify effects of N competition and organic acids on N fixation in a maize/alfalfa intercropping system.

Results

Intercropping increased nitrogen derived from the atmosphere (%Ndfa), nodules number, and leghemoglobin content by 43.66%, 85.53%, 141.05%, respectively, leading to significantly improved total N uptake and yield, compared to monoculture. The improved %Ndfa was not only due to the depletion of NO3−, but also significantly correlated with the decrease of NO3−/NH4+ ratio and the increase of citric acid in rhizosphere of alfalfa, which could mobilize soluble resources for N fixation under no N addition. Overall, 15.4%–21.5% of N fixed by alfalfa was transferred to associated maize, and the improved N fixation enhanced N transfer.

Conclusions

Our findings provide a mechanism for how root interactions facilitate N fixation, highlighting the importance of NO3−/NH4+ ratio and citric acid in nutrient mobilization for N fixation.

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Acknowledgments

This work was financially supported by the National Key Basic Research Program of China (2016YFC0500703), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31670446, 31471945, 31870436, U1803110), and Jilin Special Program for Key Science and Technology Research (Y8D1161001).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China

    Xinyu Wang, Yingzhi Gao, Hualiang Zhang & Baoru Sun

  2. Key Laboratory of Sustainable Utilization of Soil Resources in the Commodity Grain Bases, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, 130118, China

    Zeqiang Shao & Qiang Gao

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  1. Xinyu Wang
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  2. Yingzhi Gao
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Correspondence to Yingzhi Gao.

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Responsible Editor: Hans Lambers.

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Wang, X., Gao, Y., Zhang, H. et al. Enhancement of rhizosphere citric acid and decrease of NO3−/NH4+ ratio by root interactions facilitate N fixation and transfer. Plant Soil 447, 169–182 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-018-03918-6

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