Abstract
Legume-based intercropping systems are a beneficial alternative for soil functioning, and rhizobacterial community diversity, while can contribute to reduce external inputs. Hence, the aims of this work were to assess: (i) the biological N fixation (BNF) process of cowpea and fava bean under different intercropping patterns compared to monocultures, (ii) the relationship between biologically fixed N and the crop biomass and yields, and (iii) the possible intra- and interspecific competition processes in each intercropping pattern. We compared, for three years, the monocultures of melon and cowpea with three different melon-cowpea intercropping patterns, and the monocultures of broccoli and fava bean with three different broccoli-fava bean intercropping patterns. The different intercropping patterns were: mixed intercropping, row intercropping 1:1 (vegetable:legume), and row intercropping 2:1 (vegetable:legume). Fertilization was reduced by 30 % in the diversified plots. After three years, BNF was higher in cowpea under monoculture (16.55 kg N ha-1), while fava bean showed higher BNF under intercropping row 1:1 (81.49 kg N ha-1). The relative crop yield (g plant-1) and plant biomass (g plant-1) were sensitive indicators to assess the intra- and interspecific interactions. Cowpea showed higher relative yield under mixed intercropping (41.45 g plant-1), coinciding with lower values of N derived from the air (Ndfa = 16.59 %). Fava bean showed the lowest relative yield in the mixed intercropping (195 g plant-1), coinciding with the highest value of Ndfa (92.71 %). The BNF by fava bean was positively correlated with the relative broccoli yield, not observed for cowpea/melon crop. Cowpea showed no effects of inter- or intraspecific competition with similar relative crop yield and plant biomass in monocultures than intercrops. On the contrary, fava bean was more sensitive to inter- and intraspecific competition, with increased biomass and relative crop yields when plant density was low. As a consequence, for fava bean, intercropping row 1:1 and 2:1 contributed to highest relative yield (551 g plant-1 and 613 g plan-1, respectively) and biomass (181 g plant-1 and 101 g plan-1, respectively), just the patterns with lower inter- and intraspecific competition. This research provides insights about how different legumes behave differently when grown intercropped with vegetables, in terms of NBF, growth and yields: competition and facilitation processes are different when comparing fava bean and cowpea grown as intercrops. Both legume species can be recommended for intercropping systems with a reduction in fertiliser rates and no negative effect on cash crops. However, excessive interspecific competition may reduce fava bean biomass and yields, not observed with cowpea intercropped with melon.
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Claims 14
Claim · model-written summary
Cowpea monoculture had higher biological nitrogen fixation of 16.55 kg N ha-1.
- Taxon
- cowpea
Vigna unguiculatae0 - Treatment
- monoculturee0
- Outcome
- BNFe0
- Direction
- highere0
- Value
- 16.55 kg N ha-1e0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“BNF was higher in cowpea under monoculture (16.55 kg N ha-1)”
Claim · model-written summary
Fava bean had higher biological nitrogen fixation in row 1:1 intercrops, at 81.49 kg N ha-1.
- Taxon
- fava bean
Vicia fabae0 - Treatment
- intercropping row 1:1e0
- Outcome
- BNFe0
- Direction
- highere0
- Value
- 81.49 kg N ha-1e0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“fava bean showed higher BNF under intercropping row 1:1 (81.49 kg N ha-1)”
Claim · model-written summary
Cowpea relative yield was higher under mixed intercropping, at 41.45 g plant-1.
- Taxon
- CowpeaVigna unguiculatae0
- Treatment
- mixed intercroppinge0
- Outcome
- relative yielde0
- Direction
- highere0
- Value
- 41.45 g plant-1e0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Cowpea showed higher relative yield under mixed intercropping (41.45 g plant-1)”
Claim · model-written summary
Cowpea Ndfa was lower in mixed intercropping, at 16.59 %.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“coinciding with lower values of N derived from the air (Ndfa = 16.59 %)”
Claim · model-written summary
Fava bean had its lowest relative yield in mixed intercropping, at 195 g plant-1.
- Taxon
- Fava beanVicia fabae0
- Treatment
- mixed intercroppinge0
- Outcome
- relative yielde0
- Direction
- loweste0
- Value
- 195 g plant-1e0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Fava bean showed the lowest relative yield in the mixed intercropping (195 g plant-1)”
Claim · model-written summary
Fava bean had the highest Ndfa in mixed intercropping, at 92.71 %.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“coinciding with the highest value of Ndfa (92.71 %)”
Claim · model-written summary
Fava bean BNF was positively correlated with broccoli relative yield.
- Taxon
- fava beanVicia fabae0
- Outcome
- relative broccoli yielde0
- Direction
- positively correlatede0
- Qualifier
- BNFe0
Not reportedSetting
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The BNF by fava bean was positively correlated with the relative broccoli yield”
Claim · model-written summary
Cowpea showed similar relative crop yield and biomass in monoculture and intercrops.
- Taxon
- CowpeaVigna unguiculatae0
- Outcome
- relative crop yield and plant biomasse0
- Direction
- similare0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Cowpea showed no effects of inter- or intraspecific competition with similar relative crop yield and plant biomass in monocultures than intercrops”
Claim · model-written summary
Fava bean biomass and relative crop yields increased when plant density was low.
- Taxon
- fava beanVicia fabae0
- Treatment
- plant density was lowe0
- Outcome
- biomass and relative crop yieldse0
- Direction
- increasede0
Not reportedSetting
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“fava bean was more sensitive to inter- and intraspecific competition, with increased biomass and relative crop yields when plant density was low”
Claim · model-written summary
Fava bean row 1:1 intercropping yielded 551 g plant-1.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“intercropping row 1:1 and 2:1 contributed to highest relative yield (551 g plant-1 and 613 g plan-1, respectively)”
Claim · model-written summary
Fava bean row 2:1 intercropping yielded 613 g plan-1.
Not reportedTaxon
Verbatim
e0“intercropping row 1:1 and 2:1 contributed to highest relative yield (551 g plant-1 and 613 g plan-1, respectively)”
Claim · model-written summary
Fava bean row 1:1 intercropping biomass was 181 g plant-1.
Not reportedTaxonDirection
Verbatim
e0“biomass (181 g plant-1 and 101 g plan-1, respectively)”
Claim · model-written summary
Fava bean row 2:1 intercropping biomass was 101 g plan-1.
Not reportedTaxonDirection
Verbatim
e0“biomass (181 g plant-1 and 101 g plan-1, respectively)”
Claim · model-written summary
Both legumes were recommended for intercropping with reduced fertiliser rates and no negative cash crop effect.
- Outcome
- intercropping systems with a reduction in fertiliser rates and no negative effect on cash cropse0
Not reportedTaxonDirection
Verbatim
e0“Both legume species can be recommended for intercropping systems with a reduction in fertiliser rates and no negative effect on cash crops”
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See all 73 papers →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.