AimsIntercropping can improve plant yields and soil phosphorus (P) use efficiency. This study compares inter- and intra-species intercropping, and determines whether P uptake and shoot biomass accumulation in intercrops are affected by soil P availability.MethodsFour barley cultivars (Hordeum vulgare L.) and three legume species (Trifolium subterreneum, Ornithopus sativus and Medicago truncatula) were selected on the basis of their contrasting root exudation and morphological responses to P deficiency. Monocultures and barley-barley and barley-legume intercrops were grown for 6 weeks in a pot trial at very limiting, slightly limiting and excess available soil P. Above-ground biomass and shoot P were measured.ResultsBarley-legume intercrops had 10–70% greater P accumulation and 0–40% greater biomass than monocultures, with the greatest gains occurring at or below the sub-critical P requirement for barley. No benefit of barley-barley intercropping was observed. The plant combination had no significant effect on biomass and P uptake observed in intercropped treatments.ConclusionsBarley-legume intercropping shows promise for sustainable production systems, especially at low soil P. Gains in biomass and P uptake come from inter- rather than intra-species intercropping, indicating that plant diversity resulted in decreased competition between plants for P.

中文翻译：

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大麦品种和豆科植物的种间和种内间作，受土壤磷有效性的影响

目的间作可以提高植物产量和土壤磷（P）利用效率。本研究比较了种间和种内间作，并确定间作的磷吸收和地上部生物量积累是否受到土壤磷有效性的影响。方法四种大麦品种（Hordeum vulgare L.）和三种豆科植物（Trifolium subterreneum、Ornithopus sativus 和 Medicago） truncatula）是根据根系分泌物的对比和对缺磷的形态反应来选择的。在盆栽试验中，单一栽培以及大麦-大麦和大麦-豆类间作作物在非常有限、轻微限制和过量的有效土壤 P 条件下生长 6 周。测量了地上生物量和芽 P。结果大麦-豆类间作作物有 10-70%与单一栽培相比，磷积累量更大，生物量增加 0-40%，最大收益发生在大麦亚临界磷需求量或以下。没有观察到大麦间作的好处。植物组合对间作处理中观察到的生物量和磷吸收没有显着影响。结论大麦-豆类间作显示出可持续生产系统的前景，特别是在土壤磷含量较低的情况下。生物量和磷吸收的增加来自于种间间作，而不是种内间作。 ，表明植物多样性导致植物之间对 P 的竞争减少。