More N fertilizer, more maize, and less alfalfa: maize benefits from its higher N uptake per unit root length
Root plasticity is fundamental to soil nutrient acquisition and maximizing production. Different soil nitrogen (N) levels affect root development, aboveground dry matter accumulation, and N uptake. This phenotypic plasticity is well documented for single plants and specific monocultures but is much...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2024-02-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Plant Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2024.1338521/full |
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| author | Zeqiang Shao Zeqiang Shao Congcong Zheng Congcong Zheng Johannes Auke Postma Qiang Gao Jinjing Zhang |
| author_facet | Zeqiang Shao Zeqiang Shao Congcong Zheng Congcong Zheng Johannes Auke Postma Qiang Gao Jinjing Zhang |
| author_sort | Zeqiang Shao |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Root plasticity is fundamental to soil nutrient acquisition and maximizing production. Different soil nitrogen (N) levels affect root development, aboveground dry matter accumulation, and N uptake. This phenotypic plasticity is well documented for single plants and specific monocultures but is much less understood in intercrops in which species compete for the available nutrients. Consequently, the study tested whether the plasticity of plant roots, biomass and N accumulation under different N levels in maize/alfalfa intercropping systems differs quantitatively. Maize and alfalfa were intercropped for two consecutive years in large soil-filled rhizoboxes and fertilized with 6 different levels of N fertilizer (0, 75, 150, 225, 270, and 300 kg ha-1). Root length, root surface area, specific root length, N uptake and yield were all increased in maize with increasing fertilizer level, whereas higher N rates were supraoptimal. Alfalfa had an optimal N rate of 75-150 kg ha-1, likely because the competition from maize became more severe at higher rates. Maize responded more strongly to the fertilizer treatment in the second year when the alfalfa biomass was much larger. N fertilization contributes more to maize than alfalfa growth via root plasticity responses. Our results suggest that farmers can maximize intercropping yield and economic return by optimizing N fertilizer management. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T05:13:07Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-58f8e6fe05074d6592847493ae1c87ba |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-462X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T05:13:07Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Plant Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-58f8e6fe05074d6592847493ae1c87ba2024-02-07T05:24:40ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Plant Science1664-462X2024-02-011510.3389/fpls.2024.13385211338521More N fertilizer, more maize, and less alfalfa: maize benefits from its higher N uptake per unit root lengthZeqiang Shao0Zeqiang Shao1Congcong Zheng2Congcong Zheng3Johannes Auke Postma4Qiang Gao5Jinjing Zhang6College of Resource and Environment Engineering, Jilin Institute of Chemical Technology, Jilin, ChinaCollege of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Jilin Agricultural University/Key Laboratory of Sustainable Utilization of Soil Resources in the Commodity Grain Bases in Jilin Province, Changchun, ChinaInstitute of Bio- and Geosciences – Plant Sciences (IBG-2), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, GermanyFaculty of Agriculture, University of Bonn, Bonn, GermanyInstitute of Bio- and Geosciences – Plant Sciences (IBG-2), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, GermanyCollege of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Jilin Agricultural University/Key Laboratory of Sustainable Utilization of Soil Resources in the Commodity Grain Bases in Jilin Province, Changchun, ChinaCollege of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Jilin Agricultural University/Key Laboratory of Sustainable Utilization of Soil Resources in the Commodity Grain Bases in Jilin Province, Changchun, ChinaRoot plasticity is fundamental to soil nutrient acquisition and maximizing production. Different soil nitrogen (N) levels affect root development, aboveground dry matter accumulation, and N uptake. This phenotypic plasticity is well documented for single plants and specific monocultures but is much less understood in intercrops in which species compete for the available nutrients. Consequently, the study tested whether the plasticity of plant roots, biomass and N accumulation under different N levels in maize/alfalfa intercropping systems differs quantitatively. Maize and alfalfa were intercropped for two consecutive years in large soil-filled rhizoboxes and fertilized with 6 different levels of N fertilizer (0, 75, 150, 225, 270, and 300 kg ha-1). Root length, root surface area, specific root length, N uptake and yield were all increased in maize with increasing fertilizer level, whereas higher N rates were supraoptimal. Alfalfa had an optimal N rate of 75-150 kg ha-1, likely because the competition from maize became more severe at higher rates. Maize responded more strongly to the fertilizer treatment in the second year when the alfalfa biomass was much larger. N fertilization contributes more to maize than alfalfa growth via root plasticity responses. Our results suggest that farmers can maximize intercropping yield and economic return by optimizing N fertilizer management.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2024.1338521/fullmaize/alfalfa intercroppinginterspecific competitionN uptakedose-response curveroot plasticity |
| spellingShingle | Zeqiang Shao Zeqiang Shao Congcong Zheng Congcong Zheng Johannes Auke Postma Qiang Gao Jinjing Zhang More N fertilizer, more maize, and less alfalfa: maize benefits from its higher N uptake per unit root length Frontiers in Plant Science maize/alfalfa intercropping interspecific competition N uptake dose-response curve root plasticity |
| title | More N fertilizer, more maize, and less alfalfa: maize benefits from its higher N uptake per unit root length |
| title_full | More N fertilizer, more maize, and less alfalfa: maize benefits from its higher N uptake per unit root length |
| title_fullStr | More N fertilizer, more maize, and less alfalfa: maize benefits from its higher N uptake per unit root length |
| title_full_unstemmed | More N fertilizer, more maize, and less alfalfa: maize benefits from its higher N uptake per unit root length |
| title_short | More N fertilizer, more maize, and less alfalfa: maize benefits from its higher N uptake per unit root length |
| title_sort | more n fertilizer more maize and less alfalfa maize benefits from its higher n uptake per unit root length |
| topic | maize/alfalfa intercropping interspecific competition N uptake dose-response curve root plasticity |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2024.1338521/full |
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