Abstract
Abstract The mycorrhizal fungi are symbiotic organisms able to provide many benefits to crop production by supplying a set of ecosystem functions. A recent ecological approach based on the ability of the fungi community to influence plant–plant interactions by extraradical mycelium development may be applied to diversified, herbaceous agroecosystems. Our hypothesis is that the introduction of a winter cereal cover crop (CC) as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF)–host plant in an organic rotation can boosts the AMF colonization of the other plants, influencing crop–weed interference. In a 4‐years organic rotation, the effect of two winter cereal CC, rye and spelt, on weed density and AMF colonization was evaluated. The AMF extraradical mycelium on CC and weeds roots was observed by scanning electron microscopy analysis. By joining data of plant density and mycorrhization, we built the mycorrhizal colonization intensity of the Agroecosystem indicator (MA%). Both the CC were colonized by soil AMF, being the mycorrhizal colonization intensity ( M %) affected by environmental conditions. Under CC, the weed density was reduced, due to the increase of the reciprocal competition in favor of CC, which benefited from mycorrhizal colonization and promoted the development of AMF extraradical mycelium. Even though non‐host plants, some weed species showed an increased mycorrhizal colonization in presence of CC respect to the control. Under intense rainfall, the MA% was less sensitive to the CC introduction. On the opposite, under highly competitive conditions, both the CC boosted significantly the mycorrhization of coexistent plants in the agroecosystem. The proposed indicator measured the agroecological service provided by the considered CCs in promoting or inhibiting the overall AMF colonization of the studied agroecosystems, as affected by weed selection and growth: It informs about agroecosystem resilience and may be profitably applied to indicate the extent of the linkage of specific crop traits to agroecosystem services, contributing to further develop the functional biodiversity theory.
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Claims 9
Claim · model-written summary
Both winter cereal cover crops were colonized by soil AMF.
Verbatim
e0“Both the CC were colonized by soil AMF”
e1“two winter cereal CC, rye and spelt”
Claim · model-written summary
Environmental conditions affected cover crop mycorrhizal colonization intensity.
- Taxon
- winter cereale1
- Outcome
- mycorrhizal colonization intensity ( M %)e0
- Setting
- environmental conditionse0
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“mycorrhizal colonization intensity ( M %) affected by environmental conditions”
e1“two winter cereal CC, rye and spelt”
Claim · model-written summary
Cover crops reduced weed density.
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“Under CC, the weed density was reduced”
e1“two winter cereal CC, rye and spelt”
Claim · model-written summary
Cover crops increased reciprocal competition in their favor.
Verbatim
e0“due to the increase of the reciprocal competition in favor of CC”
e1“two winter cereal CC, rye and spelt”
Claim · model-written summary
Cover crops benefited from mycorrhizal colonization and promoted extraradical mycelium.
Verbatim
e0“CC, which benefited from mycorrhizal colonization and promoted the development of AMF extraradical mycelium”
e1“two winter cereal CC, rye and spelt”
Claim · model-written summary
Some non-host weed species had increased mycorrhizal colonization in the presence of cover crops.
Verbatim
e0“some weed species showed an increased mycorrhizal colonization in presence of CC respect to the control”
Claim · model-written summary
Under intense rainfall, MA% was less sensitive to cover crop introduction.
Verbatim
e0“Under intense rainfall, the MA% was less sensitive to the CC introduction.”
e1“two winter cereal CC, rye and spelt”
Claim · model-written summary
Under high competition, both cover crops significantly boosted mycorrhization of coexisting plants.
- Taxon
- winter cereale1
- Treatment
- CCe0
- Outcome
- mycorrhization of coexistent plantse0
- Direction
- boostede0
- Qualifier
- highly competitive conditionse0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“under highly competitive conditions, both the CC boosted significantly the mycorrhization of coexistent plants in the agroecosystem.”
e1“two winter cereal CC, rye and spelt”
Claim · model-written summary
The proposed indicator measured cover crop effects on overall AMF colonization.
Verbatim
e0“The proposed indicator measured the agroecological service provided by the considered CCs in promoting or inhibiting the overall AMF colonization of the studied agroecosystems”
e1“mycorrhizal colonization intensity of the Agroecosystem indicator (MA%)”