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Effect of intercropping on crop yield and chemical and microbiological properties in rhizosphere of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), maize (Zea mays L.), and faba bean (Vicia faba L.)

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Abstract

In this study, we investigated crop yield and various chemical and microbiological properties in rhizosphere of wheat, maize, and faba bean grown in the field solely and intercropped (wheat/faba bean, wheat/maize, and maize/faba bean) in the second and third year after establishment of the cropping systems. In both years, intercropping increased crop yield, changed N and P availability, and affected the microbiological properties in rhizosphere of the three species compared to sole cropping. Generally, intercropping increased microbial biomass C, N, and P availability, whereas it reduced microbial biomass N in rhizosphere of wheat. The rhizosphere bacterial community composition was studied by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis of 16S rRNA. In the third year of different cropping systems, intercropping significantly changed bacterial community composition in rhizosphere compared with sole cropping, and the effects were most pronounced in the wheat/faba bean intercropping system. The effects were less pronounced in the second year. The results show that intercropping has significant effects on microbiological and chemical properties in the rhizosphere, which may contribute to the yield enhancement by intercropping.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the Major State Basic Resource Development (973) Program of the People’s Republic of China (project no. 2006CB100206), by Program for Changjiang Scholars and Innovative Research Team in University (project no.IRT0511), and by the National Natural Science Foundation China (project no. 30571104).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100094, China

    Y. N. Song, F. S. Zhang, F. L. Fan, H. M. Gao & L. Li

  2. Soil and Land Systems, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, DP 636 University of Adelaide, SA 5005, Adelaide, Australia

    P. Marschner

  3. Institute of Soils and Fertilizers, Gansu Academy of Agriculture Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China

    X. G. Bao & J. H. Sun

  4. Biotechnology Institute, Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Fuzhou, 350003, China

    Y. N. Song

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  1. Y. N. Song
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  2. F. S. Zhang
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  3. P. Marschner
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  4. F. L. Fan
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  5. H. M. Gao
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  6. X. G. Bao
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  7. J. H. Sun
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  8. L. Li
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Correspondence to L. Li.

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Song, Y.N., Zhang, F.S., Marschner, P. et al. Effect of intercropping on crop yield and chemical and microbiological properties in rhizosphere of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), maize (Zea mays L.), and faba bean (Vicia faba L.). Biol Fertil Soils 43, 565–574 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-006-0139-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-006-0139-9

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