Intercropping with alfalfa and co-inoculation of AMF and PGPR improve growth, yield, grain bioactive quality, and soil fertility of barley

Abstract

The use of intercropping systems and beneficial microorganisms to improve the performance of crops constitutes a promising strategy. In this context, a pot experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of intercropping and inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) on the performance of barley and alfalfa plants and soil health. Three inoculation treatments (for both monocropped and intercropped plants) and the control were used: (1) AMF-inoculated plants; (2) PGPR-inoculated plants; (3) AMF+PGPR co-inoculated plants. Combining intercropping and AMF+PGPR co-inoculation improved shoot and root dry weight by 167% and 300% in barley and by 712% and 617% in alfalfa, respectively, compared to the controls. Similarly, in barley intercropped and inoculated with AMF+PGPR, the number of grains per spike and the thousand-grain weight were enhanced by 124% and 122%, respectively. Applying intercropping and co-inoculation of AMF+PGPR increased the protein, total phenolic, and flavonoid contents of barley grains by 99%, 132%, and 343%, respectively. The contents of soil nitrogen and phosphorus were improved by 387% and 270% in barley soil and by 359% and 212% in alfalfa soil, respectively, compared to monocultures.

Abstract from the paper’s OpenAlex record, shown for indexing and research. Copyright remains with the authors or the publisher. Read at the source ↗

The text the model read, with the source record’s inline markup (italics, sub- and superscripts) rendered and its character entities decoded; quote offsets refer to the raw text.

Claims 13

Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Barley shoot dry weight increased 167% under intercropping and co-inoculation.

Taxon: barleyHordeum vulgaree0
Treatment: intercropping and AMF+PGPR co-inoculatione0
Interactor: AMFe0symbiont
Second interactor: PGPRe0symbiont
Outcome: shoote0
Direction: improvede0
Value: 167%e0
Comparator: the controlse0

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

*Hordeum vulgare* · TaxonJackyM59 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0
“Combining intercropping and AMF+PGPR co-inoculation improved shoot and root dry weight by 167% and 300% in barley and by 712% and 617% in alfalfa, respectively, compared to the controls.”
✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 584–770 · show in text ↑

Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Barley root dry weight increased 300% under intercropping and co-inoculation.

Taxon: barleyHordeum vulgaree0
Treatment: intercropping and AMF+PGPR co-inoculatione0
Interactor: AMFe0symbiont
Second interactor: PGPRe0symbiont
Outcome: root dry weighte0
Direction: improvede0
Value: 300%e0
Comparator: the controlse0

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim

e0
“Combining intercropping and AMF+PGPR co-inoculation improved shoot and root dry weight by 167% and 300% in barley and by 712% and 617% in alfalfa, respectively, compared to the controls.”
✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 584–770 · show in text ↑

Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Alfalfa shoot dry weight increased 712% under intercropping and co-inoculation.

Taxon: alfalfaMedicago sativae0
Treatment: intercropping and AMF+PGPR co-inoculatione0
Interactor: AMFe0symbiont
Second interactor: PGPRe0symbiont
Outcome: shoote0
Direction: improvede0
Value: 712%e0
Comparator: the controlse0

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

*Medicago sativa* · TaxonDrepanostoma · CC BY 4.0 · iNaturalist ↗

Verbatim

e0
“Combining intercropping and AMF+PGPR co-inoculation improved shoot and root dry weight by 167% and 300% in barley and by 712% and 617% in alfalfa, respectively, compared to the controls.”
✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 584–770 · show in text ↑

Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Alfalfa root dry weight increased 617% under intercropping and co-inoculation.

Taxon: alfalfaMedicago sativae0
Treatment: intercropping and AMF+PGPR co-inoculatione0
Interactor: AMFe0symbiont
Second interactor: PGPRe0symbiont
Outcome: root dry weighte0
Direction: improvede0
Value: 617%e0
Comparator: the controlse0

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim

e0
“Combining intercropping and AMF+PGPR co-inoculation improved shoot and root dry weight by 167% and 300% in barley and by 712% and 617% in alfalfa, respectively, compared to the controls.”
✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 584–770 · show in text ↑

Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Barley grains per spike increased 124%.

Taxon: barleyHordeum vulgaree0
Treatment: intercropped and inoculated with AMF+PGPRe0
Interactor: AMFe0symbiont
Second interactor: PGPRe0symbiont
Outcome: number of grains per spikee0
Direction: enhancede0
Value: 124%e0

Not reportedComparator

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim

e0
“in barley intercropped and inoculated with AMF+PGPR, the number of grains per spike and the thousand-grain weight were enhanced by 124% and 122%, respectively”
✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 782–940 · show in text ↑

Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Barley thousand-grain weight increased 122%.

Taxon: barleyHordeum vulgaree0
Treatment: intercropped and inoculated with AMF+PGPRe0
Interactor: AMFe0symbiont
Second interactor: PGPRe0symbiont
Outcome: thousand-grain weighte0
Direction: enhancede0
Value: 122%e0

Not reportedComparator

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim

e0
“in barley intercropped and inoculated with AMF+PGPR, the number of grains per spike and the thousand-grain weight were enhanced by 124% and 122%, respectively”
✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 782–940 · show in text ↑

Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Barley grain protein content increased 99%.

Taxon: barleyHordeum vulgaree0
Treatment: intercropping and co-inoculation of AMF+PGPRe0
Interactor: AMFe0symbiont
Second interactor: PGPRe0symbiont
Outcome: proteine0
Direction: increasede0
Value: 99%e0

Not reportedComparator

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim

e0
“Applying intercropping and co-inoculation of AMF+PGPR increased the protein, total phenolic, and flavonoid contents of barley grains by 99%, 132%, and 343%, respectively.”
✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 942–1112 · show in text ↑

Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Barley grain total phenolic content increased 132%.

Taxon: barleyHordeum vulgaree0
Treatment: intercropping and co-inoculation of AMF+PGPRe0
Interactor: AMFe0symbiont
Second interactor: PGPRe0symbiont
Outcome: total phenolice0
Direction: increasede0
Value: 132%e0

Not reportedComparator

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim

e0
“Applying intercropping and co-inoculation of AMF+PGPR increased the protein, total phenolic, and flavonoid contents of barley grains by 99%, 132%, and 343%, respectively.”
✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 942–1112 · show in text ↑

Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Barley grain flavonoid content increased 343%.

Taxon: barleyHordeum vulgaree0
Treatment: intercropping and co-inoculation of AMF+PGPRe0
Interactor: AMFe0symbiont
Second interactor: PGPRe0symbiont
Outcome: flavonoid contentse0
Direction: increasede0
Value: 343%e0

Not reportedComparator

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim

e0
“Applying intercropping and co-inoculation of AMF+PGPR increased the protein, total phenolic, and flavonoid contents of barley grains by 99%, 132%, and 343%, respectively.”
✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 942–1112 · show in text ↑

Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Nitrogen content increased 387% in barley soil compared with monocultures.

Taxon: barleyHordeum vulgaree0
Treatment: intercropping and co-inoculation of AMF+PGPRe1
Outcome: soil nitrogene0
Direction: improvede0
Value: 387%e0
Comparator: monoculturese0

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim

e0
“The contents of soil nitrogen and phosphorus were improved by 387% and 270% in barley soil and by 359% and 212% in alfalfa soil, respectively, compared to monocultures.”
✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1113–1281 · show in text ↑

e1
“Applying intercropping and co-inoculation of AMF+PGPR”
✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 942–995 · show in text ↑

Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Phosphorus content increased 270% in barley soil compared with monocultures.

Taxon: barleyHordeum vulgaree0
Treatment: intercropping and co-inoculation of AMF+PGPRe1
Outcome: phosphoruse0
Direction: improvede0
Value: 270%e0
Comparator: monoculturese0

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim

e0
“The contents of soil nitrogen and phosphorus were improved by 387% and 270% in barley soil and by 359% and 212% in alfalfa soil, respectively, compared to monocultures.”
✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1113–1281 · show in text ↑

e1
“Applying intercropping and co-inoculation of AMF+PGPR”
✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 942–995 · show in text ↑

Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Nitrogen content increased 359% in alfalfa soil compared with monocultures.

Taxon: alfalfaMedicago sativae0
Treatment: intercropping and co-inoculation of AMF+PGPRe1
Outcome: soil nitrogene0
Direction: improvede0
Value: 359%e0
Comparator: monoculturese0

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim

e0
“The contents of soil nitrogen and phosphorus were improved by 387% and 270% in barley soil and by 359% and 212% in alfalfa soil, respectively, compared to monocultures.”
✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1113–1281 · show in text ↑

e1
“Applying intercropping and co-inoculation of AMF+PGPR”
✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 942–995 · show in text ↑

Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Phosphorus content increased 212% in alfalfa soil compared with monocultures.

Taxon: alfalfaMedicago sativae0
Treatment: intercropping and co-inoculation of AMF+PGPRe1
Outcome: phosphoruse0
Direction: improvede0
Value: 212%e0
Comparator: monoculturese0

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim

e0
“The contents of soil nitrogen and phosphorus were improved by 387% and 270% in barley soil and by 359% and 212% in alfalfa soil, respectively, compared to monocultures.”
✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1113–1281 · show in text ↑

e1
“Applying intercropping and co-inoculation of AMF+PGPR”
✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 942–995 · show in text ↑

mycorrhiza · yield · Hordeum vulgare (barley)Results differ

23 papers: 22 positive, 1 negative or no effect

21 papers in the same direction as this paper · 1 reporting no difference from an alternative

no effect
The two mycorrhizal fungi had no specific effects on yield parameters or plant nutrient uptake of drought-stressed barley.
Quantification of water uptake of hyphae contributing to barley subjected to drought conditions · 2005 · compared with non-VAM drought stressed plants
No difference from an alternative
positive
AMF plus recommended phosphorus improved barley agronomic traits.
Role of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi and Phosphate Solubilizing Bacteria in Improving Yield, Yield Components, and Nutrients Uptake of Barley under Salinity Soil · 2023
Same direction
positive
Bacterial accession 9 with mycorrhiza produced the maximum thousand seed weight.
Effects of Phosphate Solubilizing Microorganisms and Phosphorus Chemical Fertilizer on Yield and Yield Components of Barely (Hordeum vulgare L.) · 2008
Same direction

19 papers more in this group

See all 23 papers →

inoculation · nutrient: content · Medicago sativa (alfalfa)Results differ

45 papers: 39 positive, 6 negative or no effect

38 papers in the same direction as this paper · 6 in the opposite direction

positive
Co-inoculation buffered leaf N:P stoichiometry against nutrient change.
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and rhizobia synergistically enhance alfalfa productivity and alleviate nutrient limitations, particularly under low-input conditions · 2025
Same directionCites this paper
no effect
Enterobacter did not improve the AM effect on N or P accumulation in rock-phosphate-added soil.
The use of isotopic dilution techniques to evaluate the interactive effects of Rhizobium genotype, mycorrhizal fungi, phosphate‐solubilizing rhizobacteria and rock phosphate on nitrogen and phosphorus acquisition by Medicago sativa · 1998
Opposite direction
negative
Without inoculation, alfalfa shoot Cd was 1.87 times that in inoculated plants at 0.5 mgkg(-1) Cd.
Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Colonization Alters Subcellular Distribution and Chemical Forms of Cadmium in Medicago sativa L. and Resists Cadmium Toxicity · 2012 · compared with fungi-inoculated plants
Opposite direction

41 papers more in this group

See all 45 papers →

intercropping · yield · Hordeum vulgare (barley)Results differ

49 papers: 36 positive, 13 negative or no effect

35 papers in the same direction as this paper · 12 in the opposite direction · 1 reporting no difference from an alternative

no effect
Forage yield was unaffected by intercropping.
Forage and Nitrogen Yield of Barley—Pea and Oat—Pea Intercrops · 1998
Opposite direction
negative
Medic intercropping reduced barley yield 6% at Rosemount relative to fertilized monoculture.
Intercropping Annual Medic with Conventional Height and Semidwarf Barley Grown for Grain · 1996 · compared with monoculture barley fertilized with N
Opposite direction
no effect
Intercropped common vetch did not reduce seasonal barley dry matter yield.
Forage production by four annual cropping sequences emphasizing barley under irrigation in southern interior British Columbia · 1992
Opposite direction

45 papers more in this group

See all 49 papers →

inoculation · growth · Hordeum vulgare (barley)Results differ

88 papers: 66 positive, 22 negative or no effect

65 papers in the same direction as this paper · 22 in the opposite direction

no effect
Inoculation did not change foliar ascorbate pool size or redox state.
Pathogen-Induced Changes in the Antioxidant Status of the Apoplast in Barley Leaves · 1998
Opposite direction
negative
Separate inoculations at growth stages 21 and 34 reduced green leaf area, root weight, leaf sheath and stem weight and tiller number.
Effects of net blotch on growth and yield of spring barley · 1987
Opposite direction
no effect
Gigaspora margarita did not differ from controls in growth or P, Cu and Zn uptake.
INFLUENCE OF FOUR VESICULAR‐ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZAL FUNGI ON NUTRIENT UPTAKE AND GROWTH IN BARLEY (HORDEUM VULGARE) · 1982 · compared with control plants
Opposite direction

84 papers more in this group

See all 88 papers →

intercropping · quality: protein · Hordeum vulgare (barley)Positive and negative results

8 papers: 6 positive, 2 negative or no effect

5 papers in the same direction as this paper · 2 in the opposite direction

negative
CP of sole barley infected by weeds decreased by 31% compared with the 75:25 combination.
A study on the qualitative and quantitative traits of barley ( Hordeum vulgare L.) and narbon vetch ( Vicia narbonensis L.) in intercropping and sole cropping system under the interference and control of weeds in dry land farming conditions of Iran · 2011 · compared with 75:25 combination
Opposite direction
negative
The net effect ratio for crude protein of barley/faba bean intercrops was lower than 1 (0.87±0.025).
Species combination determines whether forage mixtures gain in dry matter yield or crude protein concentration. A meta-analysis · 2025
Opposite direction
positive
Intercropped common vetch improved forage quality and increased protein yield of both barley crops.
Forage production by four annual cropping sequences emphasizing barley under irrigation in southern interior British Columbia · 1992
Same direction

4 papers more in this group

See all 8 papers →

intercropping · nutrient: content · Medicago sativa (alfalfa)Positive and negative results

9 papers: 8 positive, 1 negative or no effect

7 papers in the same direction as this paper · 1 in the opposite direction

no effect
Intercropping did not affect leaf total nitrogen content or nutritive value.
Effects of Intercropping and Mowing Frequency on Biological Nitrogen Fixation Capacity, Nutritive Value, and Yield in Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L. cv. Vernal) · 2025
Opposite direction
positive
Intercropping lowered Pb concentrations in alfalfa shoots and roots relative to monoculture.
Intercropping of Gramineous Pasture Ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) and Leguminous Forage Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) Increases the Resistance of Plants to Heavy Metals · 2018 · compared with monoculture
Same direction
positive
Phosphorous, potassium and calcium concentrations in maize and alfalfa improved under nitrogen intercropping.
Maize-alfalfa intercropping induced changes in plant and soil nutrient status under nitrogen application · 2020
Same direction

5 papers more in this group

See all 9 papers →

intercropping · nutrient: content · Hordeum vulgare (barley)Positive and negative results

11 papers: 10 positive, 1 negative or no effect

9 papers in the same direction as this paper · 1 in the opposite direction

negative
Mixed cropping negatively affected Ca nutrition of peanut and barley.
Role of Phosphatases, Iron Reducing, and Solubilizing Activity on the Nutrient Acquisition in Mixed Cropped Peanut and Barley · 2007
Opposite direction
positive
Pea-barley and faba bean-barley intercrops increased barley grain N concentration on the sandy loam soil, from 1.7 to 2.2 mg/g.
Comparison of interspecific competition and N use in pea–barley, faba bean–barley and lupin–barley intercrops grown at two temperate locations · 2004 · compared with sole cropping
Same direction
positive
Barley legume intercrops accumulated 10-70% more phosphorus than monocultures.
Inter- and intra-species intercropping of barley cultivars and legume species, as affected by soil phosphorus availability · 2017 · compared with monocultures
Same direction

7 papers more in this group

See all 11 papers →

intercropping · growth · Hordeum vulgare (barley)Positive and negative results

14 papers: 9 positive, 5 negative or no effect

8 papers in the same direction as this paper · 3 in the opposite direction · 2 reporting no difference from an alternative

no effect
Total harvested dry matter remained unchanged under intercropping.
Intercropping annual medic (Medicago scutellata L.) with barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) may improve total forage and crude protein yield in semi-arid environment. · 2013
Opposite direction
negative
Barley height was higher under control than intercropping in 2018.
Biostatistical analysis on desertification in the drylands · 2023 · compared with control
Opposite direction
negative
Intercropped barley had lower plant height (93.55 cm) than sole-cropped barley (99.00 cm).
Influence of climate smart agriculture approach of barley and pea intercropping on yield, land equivalent ratio and profitability in the agro-climatic condition of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa · 2024 · compared with sole
Opposite direction

10 papers more in this group

See all 14 papers →

8 of 24 groups shown: named compounds and organisms first, then groups whose results differ (checked claim by claim), then those with positive and negative results, then the smaller groups.

Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.

Abstract

Claims 13

The same questions in other papers

mycorrhiza · yield · Hordeum vulgare (barley)Results differ

inoculation · nutrient: content · Medicago sativa (alfalfa)Results differ

intercropping · yield · Hordeum vulgare (barley)Results differ

inoculation · growth · Hordeum vulgare (barley)Results differ

intercropping · quality: protein · Hordeum vulgare (barley)Positive and negative results

intercropping · nutrient: content · Medicago sativa (alfalfa)Positive and negative results

intercropping · nutrient: content · Hordeum vulgare (barley)Positive and negative results

intercropping · growth · Hordeum vulgare (barley)Positive and negative results