Search

Your search keyword '"Laura, Stefan"' showing total 2 results
Start Over Author "Laura, Stefan" Journal frontiers in plant science
2 results on '"Laura, Stefan"'

1. Temporal Differentiation of Resource Capture and Biomass Accumulation as a Driver of Yield Increase in Intercropping

Author

Nadine Engbersen, Rob W. Brooker, Laura Stefan, Björn Studer, and Christian Schöb

Subjects
cumulative biomass accumulation, instantaneous nutrient uptake rates, intercropping, nitrogen, phosphorous, plant–plant interactions, Plant culture, SB1-1110
Abstract

Intercropping, i.e., the simultaneous cultivation of different crops on the same field, has demonstrated yield advantages compared to monoculture cropping. These yield advantages have often been attributed to complementary resource use, but few studies quantified the temporal complementarity of nutrient acquisition and biomass production. Our understanding of how nutrient uptake rates of nitrogen (N) and phosphorous (P) and biomass accumulation change throughout the growing season and between different neighbors is limited. We conducted weekly destructive harvests to measure temporal trajectories of N and P uptake and biomass production in three crop species (oat, lupin, and camelina) growing either as isolated single plants, in monocultures or as intercrops. Additionally, we quantified organic acid exudation in the rhizosphere and biological N2-fixation of lupin throughout the growing season. Logistic models were fitted to characterize nutrient acquisition and biomass accumulation trajectories. Nutrient uptake and biomass accumulation trajectories were curtailed by competitive interactions, resulting in earlier peak rates and lower total accumulated nutrients and biomass compared to cultivation as isolated single plants. Different pathways led to overyielding in the two mixtures. The oat–camelina mixture was characterized by a shift from belowground temporal niche partitioning of resource uptake to aboveground competition for light during the growing season. The oat–lupin mixture showed strong competitive interactions, where lupin eventually overyielded due to reliance on atmospheric N and stronger competitiveness for soil P compared to oat. Synthesis: This study demonstrates temporal shifts to earlier peak rates of plants growing with neighbors compared to those growing alone, with changes in uptake patterns suggesting that observed temporal shifts in our experiment were driven by competitive interactions rather than active plant behavior to reduce competition. The two differing pathways to overyielding in the two mixtures highlight the importance of examining temporal dynamics in intercropping systems to understand the underlying mechanisms of overyielding.

Published
2021
Full Text
View/download PDF

2. Temporal Differentiation of Resource Capture and Biomass Accumulation as a Driver of Yield Increase in Intercropping

Author

Rob W. Brooker, Laura Stefan, Christian Schoeb, Nadine Engbersen, and Bjoern Studer

Subjects
media_common.quotation_subject, Growing season, plant–plant interactions, Plant Science, Biology, root exudates, Competition (biology), nitrogen, SB1-1110, Nutrient, Cumulative biomass accumulation, Instantaneous nutrient uptake rates, Intercropping, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Plant–plant interactions, Temporal dynamics, Root exudates, media_common, Original Research, Rhizosphere, Biomass (ecology), temporal dynamics, Niche differentiation, food and beverages, Plant culture, biology.organism_classification, cumulative biomass accumulation, Agronomy, Monoculture, phosphorous, intercropping, instantaneous nutrient uptake rates
Abstract

Intercropping, i.e., the simultaneous cultivation of different crops on the same field, has demonstrated yield advantages compared to monoculture cropping. These yield advantages have often been attributed to complementary resource use, but few studies quantified the temporal complementarity of nutrient acquisition and biomass production. Our understanding of how nutrient uptake rates of nitrogen (N) and phosphorous (P) and biomass accumulation change throughout the growing season and between different neighbors is limited. We conducted weekly destructive harvests to measure temporal trajectories of N and P uptake and biomass production in three crop species (oat, lupin, and camelina) growing either as isolated single plants, in monocultures or as intercrops. Additionally, we quantified organic acid exudation in the rhizosphere and biological N2-fixation of lupin throughout the growing season. Logistic models were fitted to characterize nutrient acquisition and biomass accumulation trajectories. Nutrient uptake and biomass accumulation trajectories were curtailed by competitive interactions, resulting in earlier peak rates and lower total accumulated nutrients and biomass compared to cultivation as isolated single plants. Different pathways led to overyielding in the two mixtures. The oat–camelina mixture was characterized by a shift from belowground temporal niche partitioning of resource uptake to aboveground competition for light during the growing season. The oat–lupin mixture showed strong competitive interactions, where lupin eventually overyielded due to reliance on atmospheric N and stronger competitiveness for soil P compared to oat. Synthesis: This study demonstrates temporal shifts to earlier peak rates of plants growing with neighbors compared to those growing alone, with changes in uptake patterns suggesting that observed temporal shifts in our experiment were driven by competitive interactions rather than active plant behavior to reduce competition. The two differing pathways to overyielding in the two mixtures highlight the importance of examining temporal dynamics in intercropping systems to understand the underlying mechanisms of overyielding., Frontiers in Plant Science, 12, ISSN:1664-462X

Published
2021

Catalog

Books, media, physical & digital resources
See catalog results