Increased nodular P level induced by intercropping stimulated nodulation in soybean under phosphorus deficiency.

Low P availability is a vital constraint for nodulation and efficient N2 fixation of legume, including soybean. To elucidate the mechanisms involved in nodule adaption to low P availability under legume/cereal intercropping systems, two experiments consisting of three cropping patterns (monocropped soybean, monocropped maize, soybean/maize intercropping) were studied under both sufficient- and deficient-P levels. Our results demonstrated that intercropped soybean with maize showed a higher nodulation and N2 fixation efficiency under low P availability than monocropped soybean as evidenced by improvement in the number, dry weight and nitrogenase activity of nodules. These differences might be attributed to increase in P level in intercropping-induced nodules under low P supply, which was caused by the elevated activities of phytase and acid phosphatases in intercropping-induced nodules. Additionally, the enhanced expression of phytase gene in nodules supplied with deficient P level coincided with an increase in phytase and acid phosphatase activities. Our results revealed a mechanism for how intercropped maize stimulated nodulation and N2 fixation of soybean under P deficient environments, where enhanced synthesis of phytase and acid phosphatases in intercropping-induced nodules, and stimulated nodulation and N2 fixation.

[Root morphological changes in maize and soybean intercropping system under different phosphorus levels]. / 不同磷水平下玉米-å¤§è±†é—´ä½œç³»ç»Ÿæ ¹ç³»å½¢æ€å˜åŒ–.

A pot experiment was conducted to investigate the changes of root morphology and its relationship with P uptake under different P levels (0, 50 and 100 mg P2O5·kg-1, represented by P0, P50 and P100, respectively). The results showed that intercropping significantly changed root morphological parameters of both maize and soybean, and increased the root:shoot ratio in soybean under different P levels. Intercropping significantly increased root length, root surface area, root volume, and root dry weight of maize and soybean by 25.6%, 22.0%, 39.2%, 34.3% and 28.1%, 29.7%, 37.3%, 62.3%, respectively, but significantly decreased the average root diameter by 15.2% and 11.7% compared to corresponding monoculture. The phosphorus uptake equivalent ratio (LERP) was >1, showing P uptake advantage of intercropping and that the LERP were unaffected by P levels. The root morphological changes induced by intercropping were closely related to P uptake improvement. The increases of maize root surface area and soybean root length were the main mechanisms driving efficient P uptake in maize and soybean intercropping. Based on the regression equation, 10% increase of maize root surface area or soybean root length caused 5%-10% increase of phosphorus uptake. P uptake of intercropped maize was not declined under P50 level compared to that of monoculture supplied with P100 level. In conclusion, maize and soybean intercropping has the potential to maintain crop P uptake when reducing application of phosphate fertilizer.