Interspecific interactions increase soil aggregate stability through altered root traits in long-term legume/maize intercropping

IF 6.8 1区农林科学 Q1 SOIL SCIENCE

Soil & Tillage Research Pub Date : 2025-08-15 DOI:10.1016/j.still.2025.106808

Xiao-Yang Duan , Surigaoge Surigaoge , Yu-He Du , Dai-Han Fu , Hao Yang , Xin Yang , Huai-Yin Ma , Hu Zhou , Peter Christie , Dario Fornara , Wei-Ping Zhang , Long Li

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Species-diverse intercropping systems are associated with increases in soil aggregation but the underlying root mechanisms responsible for greater soil aggregation remain poorly understood. A three-year-long field study was conducted comprising two nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) application rates (with and without N or P), and five cropping systems: two maize-based intercropping systems (with peanut or soybean) and their corresponding monocultures (peanut, soybean and maize). Water-stable aggregates and six crop root traits were measured in both monoculture and intercropping. At the plot scale the percentage of soil macroaggregates (R_0.25), mean weight diameter (MWD), root length density (RLD), biomass density (RMD), volume (RV), and total surface area (RS) had significantly higher values in legume/maize intercropping and maize monoculture than in legume monoculture. At the field-strip scale, intercropping increased the R_0.25 and MWD of legume strips by 6.4–13.3 % and 13.9–31.9 % compared to the corresponding legume monocultures. This was induced by the synergistic effects of maize root residues from the previous growing season and the spatial extension of maize roots in the current growing season. Maize roots affected the soil aggregate stability of neighboring soybean and peanut strips in different ways. Intercropping promoted soil aggregation of neighboring soybean strips mainly via maize root traits within the growing season. In contrast, intercropping promoted soil aggregation of the same peanut strips mainly via pre-maize root traits. The results indicate that intercropping can promote soil aggregation, especially in the legume strips of the intercropping system, through interspecific maize-legume interactions that determine changes in root traits. These results provide critical insights into the underlying ecological processes that promote the sustainability of species-rich agricultural systems on mollisols.

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种间相互作用通过改变豆科/玉米长期间作根系性状提高土壤团聚体稳定性

物种多样性间作系统与土壤团聚度的增加有关，但对土壤团聚度增加的潜在根系机制仍知之甚少。一项为期三年的田间研究包括两种氮肥和磷肥施用量（含氮和不含磷）和五种种植制度：两种以玉米为基础的间作制度（花生或大豆）及其相应的单作制度（花生、大豆和玉米）。在单作和间作条件下测定了作物的水稳性团聚体和6个根系性状。在样地尺度上，豆科/玉米间作和玉米单作土壤大团聚体百分比（R0.25）、平均重径（MWD）、根长密度（RLD）、生物量密度（RMD）、体积（RV）和总表面积（RS）显著高于豆科/玉米单作。田条尺度下，套作豆科作物条的R0.25和MWD比单作分别提高了6.4 ~ 13.3 %和13.9 ~ 31.9 %。这是由于前一生长季玉米根残与当前生长季玉米根空间延伸的协同效应所致。玉米根系以不同方式影响相邻大豆和花生条的土壤团聚体稳定性。间作主要通过玉米根系性状在生长期内促进相邻大豆条的土壤聚集。间作主要通过玉米前根系性状促进同一花生条的土壤聚集。结果表明，间作通过种间玉米-豆科植物互作影响根系性状的变化，促进土壤团聚，尤其是豆科植物的团聚。这些结果为促进软体动物物种丰富的农业系统的可持续性的潜在生态过程提供了重要的见解。

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来源期刊

Soil & Tillage Research 农林科学-土壤科学

CiteScore

13.00

自引率

6.20%

发文量

266

审稿时长

5 months

期刊介绍： Soil & Tillage Research examines the physical, chemical and biological changes in the soil caused by tillage and field traffic. Manuscripts will be considered on aspects of soil science, physics, technology, mechanization and applied engineering for a sustainable balance among productivity, environmental quality and profitability. The following are examples of suitable topics within the scope of the journal of Soil and Tillage Research: The agricultural and biosystems engineering associated with tillage (including no-tillage, reduced-tillage and direct drilling), irrigation and drainage, crops and crop rotations, fertilization, rehabilitation of mine spoils and processes used to modify soils. Soil change effects on establishment and yield of crops, growth of plants and roots, structure and erosion of soil, cycling of carbon and nutrients, greenhouse gas emissions, leaching, runoff and other processes that affect environmental quality. Characterization or modeling of tillage and field traffic responses, soil, climate, or topographic effects, soil deformation processes, tillage tools, traction devices, energy requirements, economics, surface and subsurface water quality effects, tillage effects on weed, pest and disease control, and their interactions.