Journal Article

Plant: soil interactions in temperate multi-cropping production systems

Ritz, Karl, Ehrmann, Jürgen

2014

Overview

BACKGROUND AND SCOPE: Multi-cropping approaches in production systems, where more than one crop cultivar or species are grown simultaneously, are gaining increased attention and application. Benefits can include increased production, effective pest, disease and weed control, and improved soil health. The effects of such practices on the range of interactions within the plant-soil system are manifest via plant interspecific competition, pest and disease attenuation, soil community composition and structure, nutrient cycling, and soil structural dynamics. Interplant diversity and competition effectively increases the nature and extent of root networks, tending to lead to more efficient resource use in time and space. Increased competitive ability at a system level, and allelopathic interactions, can reduce weed, pest and disease severity. Soil biotic communities are affected by plant diversity, which can increase abundance, diversity and activity of functional groups. Attendant rhizosphere-located processes can facilitate nutrient uptake between component crops. Whilst there are few studies into multi-cropping effects on soil structure, it is hypothesised that such processes are manifest particularly via the role which the belowground biota play in soil structural dynamics. A deeper understanding of eco-physiological processes affecting weed, pest and disease dynamics in the context of multiple cropping scenarios, and breeding cultivars to optimise mutualistic and allelopathic traits of crop mixtures could significantly increase productivity and adoption of more sustainable farming practices. CONCLUSIONS: Wider consideration needs to be given to plant: soil interactions when crop plants are grown in the context of mixtures, i.e. as communities as opposed to monotonous populations. In particular, a better understanding is required of how root systems develop in the context of mixtures and the extent to which resultant interactions with the soil biota are context-dependent. A significant challenge is that crop cultivars or production systems optimised for monocultural circumstances should not be assumed to be most suited for multi-cropping scenarios, and hence alternative strategies for developing new production systems need to take this into account.

• Publisher: Springer-Verlag,Springer,Springer International Publishing,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Acid soils / Agricultural practices / Agricultural production / Agricultural research / Agricultural soils / Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions / Animal and plant ecology / Animal, plant and microbial ecology / biocenosis / biogeochemical cycles / Biological and medical sciences / Biomedical and Life Sciences / Biota / breeding / Community composition / community structure / Cropping systems / Cropping systems. Cultivation. Soil tillage / Crops / Cultivars / disease severity / Ecology / farming systems / Flowers & plants / Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology / General agronomy. Plant production / Generalities. Cropping systems and patterns / Intercropping / Intercrops / interspecific competition / Life Sciences / MARSCHNER REVIEW / Multiple cropping / Nutrient cycles / Nutrient dynamics / Nutrient uptake / Pests / Physical properties / Physics, chemistry, biochemistry and biology of agricultural and forest soils / Plant diversity / Plant Physiology / Plant roots / Plant Sciences / Plant-soil relationships / Plants / production technology / Rhizosphere / root systems / soil ecology / Soil microorganisms / Soil plant interactions / soil quality / Soil science / Soil Science & Conservation / Soil structure / Soil-plant relationships. Soil fertility / Soil-plant relationships. Soil fertility. Fertilization. Amendments / Soils / space and time / Structure, texture, density, mechanical behavior. Heat and gas exchanges / Sustainable agriculture / Sustainable practices / Synecology / Temperature effects / Weed control / Weeds