Abstract
Most research on micronutrients in maize has focused on maize grown as a monocrop. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of intercropping on the concentrations of micronutrients in maize grain and their acquisition via the shoot. We conducted field experiments to investigate the effects of intercropping with turnip (Brassica campestris L.), faba bean (Vicia faba L.), chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), and soybean (Glycine max L.) on the iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) concentrations in the grain and their acquisition via the above-ground shoots of maize (Zea mays L.). Compared with monocropped maize grain, the grain of maize intercropped with legumes showed lower concentrations of Fe, Mn, Cu, and Zn and lower values of their corresponding harvest indexes. The micronutrient concentrations and harvest indexes in grain of maize intercropped with turnip were the same as those in monocropped maize grain. Intercropping stimulated the above-ground maize shoot acquisition of Fe, Mn, Cu and Zn, when averaged over different phosphorus (P) application rates. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the effects of intercropping on micronutrient concentrations in maize grain and on micronutrients acquisition via maize shoots (straw+grain). The maize grain Fe and Cu concentrations, but not Mn and Zn concentrations, were negatively correlated with maize grain yields. The concentrations of Fe, Mn, Cu, and Zn in maize grain were positively correlated with their corresponding harvest indexes. The decreased Fe, Mn, Cu, and Zn concentrations in grain of maize intercropped with legumes were attributed to reduced translocation of Fe, Mn, Cu, and Zn from vegetative tissues to grains. This may also be related to the delayed senescence of maize plants intercropped with legumes. We conclude that turnip/maize intercropping is beneficial to obtain high maize grain yield without decreased concentrations of Fe, Mn, Cu, and Zn in the grain. Further research is required to clarify the mechanisms underlying the changes in micronutrient concentrations in grain of intercropped maize.
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Claims 13
Claim · model-written summary
Grain of maize intercropped with legumes had lower Fe and Mn concentrations than monocropped maize grain.
- Organ / stage
- graine0
- Treatment
- intercropped with legumese0
- Outcome
- concentrations of Fe, Mne0
- Direction
- lowere0
- Comparator
- monocropped maize graine0
Zea maysOrganisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Compared with monocropped maize grain, the grain of maize intercropped with legumes showed lower concentrations of Fe, Mn, Cu, and Zn”
Claim · model-written summary
Grain of maize intercropped with legumes had lower Cu and Zn concentrations than monocropped maize grain.
- Organ / stage
- graine0
- Treatment
- intercropped with legumese0
- Outcome
- Cu, and Zne0
- Direction
- lowere0
- Comparator
- monocropped maize graine0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Compared with monocropped maize grain, the grain of maize intercropped with legumes showed lower concentrations of Fe, Mn, Cu, and Zn”
Claim · model-written summary
Grain of maize intercropped with legumes had lower harvest indexes of Fe, Mn, Cu and Zn than monocropped maize grain.
- Organ / stage
- graine0
- Treatment
- intercropped with legumese0
- Outcome
- harvest indexese1
- Direction
- lowere1
- Comparator
- monocropped maize graine0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Compared with monocropped maize grain, the grain of maize intercropped with legumes showed lower concentrations of Fe, Mn, Cu, and Zn”
e1“lower concentrations of Fe, Mn, Cu, and Zn and lower values of their corresponding harvest indexes”
Claim · model-written summary
Micronutrient concentrations and harvest indexes in grain of maize intercropped with turnip were the same as in monocropped maize grain.
- Organ / stage
- graine0
- Treatment
- intercropped with turnipe0
- Outcome
- micronutrient concentrations and harvest indexese0
- Direction
- the samee0
- Comparator
- monocropped maize graine0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The micronutrient concentrations and harvest indexes in grain of maize intercropped with turnip were the same as those in monocropped maize grain”
Claim · model-written summary
Intercropping stimulated above-ground maize shoot acquisition of Fe and Mn, averaged over phosphorus application rates.
- Organ / stage
- above-ground maize shoote0
- Treatment
- Intercroppinge0
- Outcome
- acquisition of Fe, Mne0
- Direction
- stimulatede0
- Qualifier
- averaged over different phosphorus (P) application ratese0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Intercropping stimulated the above-ground maize shoot acquisition of Fe, Mn, Cu and Zn, when averaged over different phosphorus (P) application rates”
Claim · model-written summary
Intercropping stimulated above-ground maize shoot acquisition of Cu and Zn, averaged over phosphorus application rates.
- Organ / stage
- above-ground maize shoote0
- Treatment
- Intercroppinge0
- Outcome
- Cu and Zne0
- Direction
- stimulatede0
- Qualifier
- averaged over different phosphorus (P) application ratese0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Intercropping stimulated the above-ground maize shoot acquisition of Fe, Mn, Cu and Zn, when averaged over different phosphorus (P) application rates”
Claim · model-written summary
Maize grain Fe and Cu concentrations were negatively correlated with maize grain yields.
- Organ / stage
- maize graine0
- Outcome
- Fe and Cu concentrationse0
- Direction
- negatively correlatede0
- Qualifier
- maize grain yieldse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The maize grain Fe and Cu concentrations, but not Mn and Zn concentrations, were negatively correlated with maize grain yields”
Claim · model-written summary
Maize grain Mn and Zn concentrations were not correlated with maize grain yields.
- Organ / stage
- maize graine0
- Outcome
- Mn and Zn concentrationse0
- Direction
- but note0
- Qualifier
- maize grain yieldse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The maize grain Fe and Cu concentrations, but not Mn and Zn concentrations, were negatively correlated with maize grain yields”
Claim · model-written summary
Fe and Mn concentrations in maize grain were positively correlated with their corresponding harvest indexes.
- Organ / stage
- maize graine0
- Outcome
- concentrations of Fe, Mne0
- Direction
- positively correlatede0
- Qualifier
- corresponding harvest indexese0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The concentrations of Fe, Mn, Cu, and Zn in maize grain were positively correlated with their corresponding harvest indexes”
Claim · model-written summary
Cu and Zn concentrations in maize grain were positively correlated with their corresponding harvest indexes.
- Organ / stage
- maize graine0
- Outcome
- Cu, and Zne0
- Direction
- positively correlatede0
- Qualifier
- corresponding harvest indexese0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The concentrations of Fe, Mn, Cu, and Zn in maize grain were positively correlated with their corresponding harvest indexes”
Claim · model-written summary
The decreased Fe, Mn, Cu and Zn concentrations in grain of maize intercropped with legumes were attributed to reduced translocation from vegetative tissues to grains.
- Treatment
- intercropped with legumese0
- Outcome
- decreased Fe, Mn, Cu, and Zn concentrations in graine0
- Qualifier
- reduced translocatione0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The decreased Fe, Mn, Cu, and Zn concentrations in grain of maize intercropped with legumes were attributed to reduced translocation”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors suggest the lower grain micronutrient concentrations may also be related to delayed senescence of maize plants intercropped with legumes.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“This may also be related to the delayed senescence of maize plants intercropped with legumes”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors conclude that turnip/maize intercropping is beneficial to obtain high maize grain yield without decreased grain Fe, Mn, Cu and Zn concentrations.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“We conclude that turnip/maize intercropping is beneficial to obtain high maize grain yield without decreased concentrations of Fe, Mn, Cu, and Zn in the grain”
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