Crop variety mixtures have the potential to increase yield stability in highly variable and unpredictable environments, yet knowledge of the specific mechanisms underlying enhanced yield stability has been limited. Ecological processes in genetically diverse crops were investigated by conducting field trials with winter barley varieties (Hordeum vulgare), grown as monocultures or as three-way mixtures in fungicide treated and untreated plots at three sites. Mixtures achieved yields comparable to the best performing monocultures whilst enhancing yield stability despite being subject to multiple predicted and unpredicted abiotic and biotic stresses including brown rust (Puccinia hordei) and lodging. There was compensation through competitive release because the most competitive variety overyielded in mixtures thereby compensating for less competitive varieties. Facilitation was also identified as an important ecological process within mixtures by reducing lodging. This study indicates that crop varietal mixtures have the capacity to stabilise productivity even when environmental conditions and stresses are not predicted in advance. Varietal mixtures provide a means of increasing crop genetic diversity without the need for extensive breeding efforts. They may confer enhanced resilience to environmental stresses and thus be a desirable component of future cropping systems for sustainable arable farming.

中文翻译：

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通过生态过程提高田间种植的冬大麦（Hordeum vulgare L.）品种混合物的产量稳定性

作物品种混合物有可能在高度可变和不可预测的环境中提高产量稳定性，但对提高产量稳定性的具体机制的了解仍然有限。通过对冬季大麦品种（Hordeum vulgare）进行田间试验，研究了遗传多样性作物的生态过程，这些品种在三个地点的杀菌剂处理和未处理地块中作为单一栽培或三元混合物种植。尽管受到包括褐锈病（Puccinia hordei）和倒伏在内的多种预测和不可预测的非生物和生物胁迫，混合物仍实现了与表现最佳的单一栽培相媲美的产量，同时提高了产量稳定性。通过竞争性放行进行补偿，因为最具竞争力的品种在混合物中产量过高，从而补偿了竞争力较弱的品种。通过减少倒伏，促进也被确定为混合物中一个重要的生态过程。这项研究表明，即使没有提前预测环境条件和压力，作物品种混合物也有能力稳定生产力。品种混合提供了一种无需大量育种工作即可增加作物遗传多样性的方法。它们可以增强对环境压力的适应能力，因此成为未来可持续耕作种植系统的理想组成部分。这项研究表明，即使没有提前预测环境条件和压力，作物品种混合物也有能力稳定生产力。品种混合提供了一种无需大量育种工作即可增加作物遗传多样性的方法。它们可以增强对环境压力的适应能力，因此成为未来可持续耕作种植系统的理想组成部分。这项研究表明，即使没有提前预测环境条件和压力，作物品种混合物也有能力稳定生产力。品种混合提供了一种无需大量育种工作即可增加作物遗传多样性的方法。它们可以增强对环境压力的适应能力，因此成为未来可持续耕作种植系统的理想组成部分。