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Intercropping alleviates the inhibitory effect of N fertilization on nodulation and symbiotic N2 fixation of faba bean

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Abstract

Symbiotic nitrogen fixation is commonly inhibited by N fertilization in intensive farming systems. We hypothesized that intercropping alleviates the inhibitory effect of N fertilization on nodulation and N2 fixation of legumes. Two years of field experiments (2006–2007) with different N-fertilizer rates (0, 75, 150, 225, 300 kg N ha−1) were carried out to test the hypothesis in a faba bean (Vicia faba L.)/maize (Zea mays L.) intercropping system in the north-western part of China. The results show that both the nodule biomass and nitrogen derived from the atmosphere (Ndfa) in intercropped faba bean were increased by 7–58% and 8–33% at the start of flowering, 8–72% and 54–61% at peak flowering, 4–73% and 18–50% at grain filling, and 7–62% and −7–72% at maturity, respectively, compared with sole faba bean. Intercropping with maize significantly alleviated the inhibitory effect of N fertilization on nodulation and N2 fixation, and improved the productivity of intercropping.

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Acknowledgements

The research was supported by the National Science Foundation of China (No. 30670381), the Major State Basic Resource Development (973) Program (No. 2006CB100206). We are grateful to Dr. Guoan Wang for his help in δ15N analyses and Mr. Hansheng Hu for the valuable suggestions on an earlier manuscript. Ms. Qiuzhu Li and the colleagues of Baiyun Experimental Station for assistance with field experiments are gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Lab of Plant Nutrition, MOA, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100094, China

    Yu-Ying Li, Chang-Bin Yu, Xu Cheng, Chun-Jie Li, Fu-Suo Zhang & Long Li

  2. College of Life Sciences and Technology, Nanyang Normal University, Nanyang, Henan, 473061, China

    Yu-Ying Li

  3. Institute of Soils and Fertilizers, Gansu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, 730070, China

    Jian-Hao Sun

  4. School of Plant Biology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia

    Hans Lambers & Long Li

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  1. Yu-Ying Li
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Correspondence to Long Li.

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Li, YY., Yu, CB., Cheng, X. et al. Intercropping alleviates the inhibitory effect of N fertilization on nodulation and symbiotic N2 fixation of faba bean. Plant Soil 323, 295–308 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-009-9938-8

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