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Nitrate leaching losses mitigated with intercropping of deep-rooted and shallow-rooted plants

  • Soils, Sec 5 • Soil and Landscape Ecology • Research Article
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose

Nitrate (NO3−) leaching has been recognized as a worldwide problem, and NO3− is a major pollutant in ground and surface waters. The gradual leaching of residual NO3− into soil layers below the root zone is the main way of nitrogen (N) loss in cropping systems. The interception of NO3− by subsurface roots is crucial for crops or vegetables to utilize N. However, few studies were focused on the mechanisms of NO3− leaching under intercropping of deep-rooted and shallow-rooted plants.

Materials and methods

In a greenhouse production system, we selected deep-rooted and shallow-rooted plants for single-season intercropping planting experiments (MP, monoculture of pepper; IPA, intercropping of pepper and alfalfa; IPM, intercropping of pepper and maize). Plants were grown in core drainage lysimeters for 4 months, and leachate was collected by soil solution samplers. The results revealed N transformations between monoculture and intercropping systems by comparing NO3− leaching, N use efficiency, and microbes involved in nitrification.

Results and discussion

NO3− accumulation mainly occurred in 25–40-cm soil layer, which was affected by root morphology. Compared with monoculture, intercropping reduced NO3− leaching, in particular, pepper/maize intercropping significantly reduced NO3− leaching losses. In deep soil layers, roots of alfalfa and maize were more developed than those of the other crops, which made this corresponding intercropping system more effective in absorbing N in the subsoil. N uptakes of pepper/alfalfa intercropping and pepper/maize intercropping were 19% and 28% higher than that from the monoculture, respectively. Ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB) were significantly stimulated with planting especial in the topsoil, while ammonia oxidizing archaea (AOA) decreased with planting along the soil profile. These results indicated that lush plant roots immobilized N from the deep soil and thus improved N use efficiency and reduced NO3− leaching in the deep-rooted and shallow-rooted intercropping system.

Conclusions

Intercropping of shallow-rooted pepper with deep-rooted alfalfa can enhance root nutrient absorption in deep soil layers, increasing N use efficiency and thus reducing NO3− leaching. The nitrification process in the intercropped soil was mainly regulated by AOB.

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Funding

This study was supported by National Key R&D Program of China (2017YFD0800404, 2016YFD0200302), National Natural Science Foundation of China (41671249), and Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (2019QNA6011).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Institute of Soil and Water Resources and Environmental Science, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhang Tang Road, Hangzhou, 310058, Zhejiang, China

    Yu Ding, Xing Huang, Yong Li, Haiyang Liu, Qichun Zhang, Xingmei Liu, Jianming Xu & Hongjie Di

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  1. Yu Ding
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  2. Xing Huang
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  3. Yong Li
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  4. Haiyang Liu
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  7. Jianming Xu
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  8. Hongjie Di
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Correspondence to Yong Li.

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Ding, Y., Huang, X., Li, Y. et al. Nitrate leaching losses mitigated with intercropping of deep-rooted and shallow-rooted plants. J Soils Sediments 21, 364–375 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-020-02733-w

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