Summary
This controlled pot experiment compared monoculture and intercropped wheat in a volcanic Chilean soil with high phosphorus-fixing capacity, using non-mycorrhizal companion crops (quinoa, buckwheat, canola, white lupin). Whilst intercropping did not improve wheat growth or phosphorus acquisition, it significantly reduced rhizosphere pH (notably in wheat–canola combinations), increased viable mycorrhizal spores over 100%, and modulated soil microbial biomass, suggesting potential benefits for family farming in phosphorus-limited volcanic soils.
Regional applicability
This study was conducted in Chile and may have limited direct applicability to United Kingdom farming systems, which typically have different soil types, climates, and phosphorus availability profiles. However, the intercropping concepts and emphasis on managing phosphorus fixation in acidified soils could be relevant to UK farmers managing naturally acidic or poorly-draining soils, particularly in organic and low-input systems seeking alternative nutrient management strategies.
Key measures
Wheat shoot height, shoot/root biomass ratio, root morphological traits (total length, root area, forks), phosphorus acquisition, rhizosphere soil pH, mycorrhizal colonization percentage, viable fungal spores per gram soil, and microbial carbon biomass (mg g⁻¹)
Outcomes reported
The study measured wheat growth parameters (height, shoot/root biomass), root morphological traits, phosphorus acquisition, soil biochemical properties (pH, microbial biomass, mycorrhizal colonization), and viable spore numbers at 30 and 44 days after sowing in pot conditions. Wheat intercropped with non-mycorrhizal crops showed reduced root morphology but maintained growth and P acquisition compared to monoculture.
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