Corn and soybean root traits improved by preceding perennial forage crops

IF 3.9 2区农林科学 Q1 AGRONOMY

Plant and Soil Pub Date : 2025-05-23 DOI:10.1007/s11104-025-07532-1

Kassandra Pelletier, Marie-Noëlle Thivierge, Martin H. Chantigny, Gilles Bélanger, Émilie Maillard, Denis A. Angers, Chantal Lachance, Anne Vanasse, Caroline Halde

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background and aims

Benefits for soil health associated with crop rotations can improve plant aboveground biomass, although the effect on root traits is unclear. The aim of this study was to measure the legacy effect of crop rotations typical of dairy farms on root traits of subsequent forage corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr.).

Methods

On a silty clay in eastern Canada, six rotations were compared, varying in crop species (perennials and/or annuals) and fertilizer sources (dairy cattle slurry and/or mineral fertilizer) for 5 years. Roots of subsequent corn and soybean were sampled by coring (0–45 cm), washed, and digitized for image analysis.

Results

Crop rotations including perennial crops rather than only annual crops resulted in greater total net annual productivity in corn (+ 20%) and soybean (+ 21%), corn root biomass (+ 31%) and length density (+ 106%), and proportion of fine roots. Compared to the alfalfa-grass mixture, grass-only mixtures resulted in a greater corn root biomass (+ 23%) and length density (+ 54%). A longer duration (5 vs. 3 years) of the alfalfa-grass mixture improved corn root length density (+ 37%) and corn and soybean fine root proportion at depth, suggesting benefits from maintaining perennial forage stands over time. Mineral fertilizer versus slurry improved root traits of subsequent corn and soybean when applied to perennial but not annual crops.

Conclusion

Our results highlight the positive response of corn and soybean root traits to the presence, species composition, and duration of perennial forage crops, extending further their benefits within rotations.

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玉米和大豆根系性状经前代多年生饲料作物改良

背景与目的作物轮作对土壤健康的益处可以提高植物地上生物量，但对根系性状的影响尚不清楚。本研究的目的是测量典型奶牛场轮作对后续饲用玉米（Zea mays L.）和大豆（Glycine max [L.]）根系性状的遗传效应。)稳定)。方法在加拿大东部的粉质粘土上，采用不同作物种类（多年生和/或一年生）和肥料来源（乳牛浆和/或矿物肥），连续5年进行6次轮作比较。随后的玉米和大豆根部取芯（0-45 cm）取样，清洗，并进行数字化图像分析。结果采用多年生作物轮作比采用一年生作物轮作，玉米和大豆的年净总产能（+ 20%）和大豆的年净总产能（+ 21%）、玉米根系生物量（+ 31%）、长密度（+ 106%）和细根比例均显著提高。与苜蓿-草混合处理相比，草-草混合处理的玉米根系生物量（+ 23%）和长度密度（+ 54%）更大。苜蓿-草混合物的持续时间较长（5年vs. 3年）可提高玉米根系长度密度（+ 37%）和玉米和大豆在深层的细根比例，这表明长期维持多年生牧草林是有益的。在多年生而非一年生作物上施用矿肥与浆肥相比，可改善后续玉米和大豆的根系性状。结论玉米和大豆根系性状对多年生饲草作物的存在、种类组成和持续时间的积极响应，进一步扩大了它们在轮作中的效益。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Plant and Soil 农林科学-农艺学

CiteScore

8.20

自引率

8.20%

发文量

543

审稿时长

2.5 months

期刊介绍： Plant and Soil publishes original papers and review articles exploring the interface of plant biology and soil sciences, and that enhance our mechanistic understanding of plant-soil interactions. We focus on the interface of plant biology and soil sciences, and seek those manuscripts with a strong mechanistic component which develop and test hypotheses aimed at understanding underlying mechanisms of plant-soil interactions. Manuscripts can include both fundamental and applied aspects of mineral nutrition, plant water relations, symbiotic and pathogenic plant-microbe interactions, root anatomy and morphology, soil biology, ecology, agrochemistry and agrophysics, as long as they are hypothesis-driven and enhance our mechanistic understanding. Articles including a major molecular or modelling component also fall within the scope of the journal. All contributions appear in the English language, with consistent spelling, using either American or British English.