An overview of rhizosphere processes related with plant nutrition in major cropping systems in China

Plant: soil interactions in temperate multi-cropping production systems

“…The bulk of N acquired by legumes and transferred to the component crop only becomes available after senescence (Hauggaard-Nielsen et al 2003). Several studies have assessed the increase in N uptake due to intercropping, and have found that in general: (i) cereallegume/N-fixing tree intercrops and N transfer increased N uptake in both crops grown in close proximity (Seiter and Horwath 1999;Zhang et al 2004); (ii) N-transfer is greater in perennial systems, such as clover-grass pastures, compared to annual crops (Jørgensen et al 1999;Høgh-Jensen and Schjoerring 2001); (iii) no beneficial effects on N uptake have been recorded in cereal-cereal intercrops (Wang et al 2007a). The rate at which N is transferred between crops is affected by biomass ratio between the component crops (Dahlin and Stenberg 2010) and the presence of mycorrhizal connections (Zarea et al 2009).…”

Effects of intercropping and Rhizobial inoculation on the ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms in rhizospheres of maize and faba bean plants

“…Its potential to increase the grain yields of plants has been clearly shown elsewhere, and this efficiency has been attributed to the enhanced utilization of space, time, light (Muoneke andMbah, 2007 Zhang et al, 2008) and water (Jahansooz et al, 2007;Xu et al, 2008), an increased plant nutrient supply resulting from the stimulation of biological nitrogen fixation in legume-rhizobia symbiosis (Inal et al, 2007;Zhang and Li, 2003;Zhang et al, 2004), and the improved mobilization (Khan et al, 1997) and uptake Wang et al, 2007) of phosphorus (P). These benefits may result from the modifications of the microbial interactions and activities in the rhizospheres of intercropped plants (Song et al, 2007;Wang et al, 2007).…”

Effect of row spatial arrangements on agromorphological responses of maize (Zea mays L.) and cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp] in an intercropping system in Southern Cote dIvoire

“…Due to this high pressure of food, agriculture is now intensive with high inputs in irrigation, seeds and chemicals. This has caused serious environmental problems (Zhang et al, 2004), including groundwater pollution by soil nitrates (Ju et al, 2006), the emission of gases into the air (Zhang et al, 2012) and soil acidification (Blumenberg et al, 2014). To ensure food security and environmental quality, it is essential to search best management practices which involve suitable cropping systems that can efficiently utilize solar and soil resources with minimum nutrient inputs.…”