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Community composition of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria in the rhizosphere of intercropped wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), maize (Zea mays L.), and faba bean (Vicia faba L.)

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Abstract

Cereal/cereal and cereal/legume intercropping systems are popular in the north, northwest, and southwest of China and often result in yield increases compared to monocropping. Rhizosphere interactions may play a significant role in the yield increases, particularly with respect to nutrient availability. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of intercropping on N availability and community composition of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria in the rhizosphere of wheat, maize, and faba bean at different growth stages. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) based on 16S rRNA genes was used to analyze the community composition of bacterial ammonia oxidizers belonging to β-proteobacteria. The results showed that intercropping with faba bean significantly increased nitrate concentrations in the rhizosphere of wheat and maize at the second sampling time (20 June) compared to monocropping or intercropping between maize and wheat. Intercropping significantly affected the community composition of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria in the rhizosphere compared to monocropping, and the effects were most pronounced in the maize/faba bean and wheat/maize intercropping systems when faba bean and wheat were at anthesis and maize was in seedling stage. In wheat/faba bean intercropping, the effects of intercropping on community composition of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria were less pronounced at the seedling stage of the two species but were significant at anthesis.

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Acknowledgements

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

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Lab of Plant and Soil Interactions, MOE, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100094, China

    Y. N. Song, L. Li & F. S. Zhang

  2. Soil and Land Systems, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Adelaide, DP 636, 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. P. Marschner
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  3. L. Li
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  4. X. G. Bao
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  5. J. H. Sun
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  6. F. S. Zhang
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Correspondence to F. S. Zhang.

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Song, Y.N., Marschner, P., Li, L. et al. Community composition of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria in the rhizosphere of intercropped wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), maize (Zea mays L.), and faba bean (Vicia faba L.). Biol Fertil Soils 44, 307–314 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-007-0205-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-007-0205-y

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