Phosphorus acquisition by citrate- and phytase-exuding Nicotiana tabacum plant mixtures depends on soil phosphorus availability and root intermingling.

Citrate and phytase root exudates contribute to improved phosphorus (P) acquisition efficiency in Nicotiana tabacum (tobacco) when both exudates are produced in a P deficient soil. To test the importance of root intermingling in the interaction of citrate and phytase exudates, Nicotiana tabacum plant-lines with constitutive expression of heterologous citrate (Cit) or fungal phytase (Phy) exudation traits were grown under two root treatments (roots separated or intermingled) and in two soils with contrasting soil P availability. Complementarity of plant mixtures varying in citrate efflux rate and mobility of the expressed phytase in soil was determined based on plant biomass and P accumulation. Soil P composition was evaluated using solution 31 P NMR spectroscopy. In the soil with limited available P, positive complementarity occurred in Cit+Phy mixtures with roots intermingled. Root separation eliminated positive interactions in mixtures expressing the less mobile phytase (Aspergillus niger PhyA) whereas positive complementarity persisted in mixtures that expressed the more mobile phytase (Peniophora lycii PhyA). Soils from Cit+Phy mixtures contained less inorganic P and more organic P compared to monocultures. Exudate-specific strategies for the acquisition of soil P were most effective in P-limited soil and depended on citrate efflux rate and the relative mobility of the expressed phytase in soil. Plant growth and soil P utilization in plant systems with complementary exudation strategies are expected to be greatest where exudates persist in soil and are expressed synchronously in space and time.

Inter- and intra-species intercropping of barley cultivars and legume species, as affected by soil phosphorus availability.

AIMS: Intercropping can improve plant yields and soil phosphorus (P) use efficiency. This study compares inter- and intra-species intercropping, and determines whether P uptake and shoot biomass accumulation in intercrops are affected by soil P availability. METHODS: Four barley cultivars (Hordeum vulgare L.) and three legume species (Trifolium subterreneum, Ornithopus sativus and Medicago truncatula) were selected on the basis of their contrasting root exudation and morphological responses to P deficiency. Monocultures and barley-barley and barley-legume intercrops were grown for 6 weeks in a pot trial at very limiting, slightly limiting and excess available soil P. Above-ground biomass and shoot P were measured. RESULTS: Barley-legume intercrops had 10-70% greater P accumulation and 0-40% greater biomass than monocultures, with the greatest gains occurring at or below the sub-critical P requirement for barley. No benefit of barley-barley intercropping was observed. The plant combination had no significant effect on biomass and P uptake observed in intercropped treatments. CONCLUSIONS: Barley-legume intercropping shows promise for sustainable production systems, especially at low soil P. Gains in biomass and P uptake come from inter- rather than intra-species intercropping, indicating that plant diversity resulted in decreased competition between plants for P.

Response-based selection of barley cultivars and legume species for complementarity: Root morphology and exudation in relation to nutrient source.

Phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) use efficiency may be improved through increased biodiversity in agroecosystems. Phenotypic variation in plants' response to nutrient deficiency may influence positive complementarity in intercropping systems. A multicomponent screening approach was used to assess the influence of P supply and N source on the phenotypic plasticity of nutrient foraging traits in barley (H. vulgare L.) and legume species. Root morphology and exudation were determined in six plant nutrient treatments. A clear divergence in the response of barley and legumes to the nutrient treatments was observed. Root morphology varied most among legumes, whereas exudate citrate and phytase activity were most variable in barley. Changes in root morphology were minimized in plants provided with ammonium in comparison to nitrate but increased under P deficiency. Exudate phytase activity and pH varied with legume species, whereas citrate efflux, specific root length, and root diameter lengths were more variable among barley cultivars. Three legume species and four barley cultivars were identified as the most responsive to P deficiency and the most contrasting of the cultivars and species tested. Phenotypic response to nutrient availability may be a promising approach for the selection of plant combinations for minimal input cropping systems.