Positive Effects of Crop Diversity on Productivity Driven by Changes in Soil Microbial Composition

• DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.660749
• Publication Date: 2021-04-15T05:19:27Z
• Authors: Laura Stefan; Martin Hartmann; Nadine Engbersen; Johan Six; Christian Schöb
• Keywords: Intercropping; Crop Diversity

Intensive agriculture has major negative impacts on ecosystem diversity and functioning, including that of soils. The associated reduction soil biodiversity essential functions, such as nutrient cycling, can restrict plant growth crop yield. By increasing in agricultural systems, intercropping could be a promising way to foster microbial functioning. However, plant–microbe interactions the extent which they influence yield under field conditions are still poorly understood. In this study, we performed an extensive experiment using eight species 40 different mixtures investigate how affects activity, whether these changes subsequently affect Experiments were carried out mesocosms natural Switzerland Spain, two countries with drastically soils climate, our communities included either one, or four species. We sampled sequenced DNA assess diversity, measured basal respiration proxy for activity. Results indicate Switzerland, led shifts community composition, particular increase several plant-growth promoting microbes, members bacterial phylum Actinobacteria . These composition 15 35% 2 4-species mixtures, respectively. This suggests positive effects productivity partially explained by composition. microbes relatively small compared abiotic factors fertilization (three times larger) moisture larger). Furthermore, processes context-dependent: where resources limited, did not respond their effect was less strong. research highlights potential beneficial role while also reflecting relative importance drivers microbiomes emphasizing context-dependence crop–microbe relationships.