Seed aggregation tips the scale in plant competition

The desire to reduce the negative impact of crops on the environment, as well as the growing concern for consumer health, is increasing interest in organic fruit production. In this context, the development of new environmentally friendly agrotechnical methods which allows for reducing the use of organic fertilizers by improving the nutrient use efficiency and consequently decreasing the leaching of them is a task of a great importance. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of mycorrhizal arbuscular fungi (AMF) combined with plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) on growth and nutritional status of apple trees cultivated on a silty-loam, rich in clay minerals and humus soil under organic farming conditions. Thus, a trial was established in an experimental orchard in Wilanów in Central Poland with three cultivars (‘Topaz’, ‘Odra’, and ‘Chopin’) and a promising clone, U 8869. Trees were or were not inoculated with AMF + PGPR within a split-block experimental design with four replicates. According to the results, mycorrhizal frequency obtained in the inoculated tree roots was on average two-fold higher than in the roots of the control plants. After four years of AMF + PGPR inoculation, 24% higher trunk cross-section area (TCSA) was observed, with the nitrogen and magnesium concentrations in leaves increasing, on average, by 7.8% and 64.2%, and phosphorus and potassium content decreasing by 37.2% and 46.5%, respectively. This study shows that using AMF + PGPR inoculum supports tree roots colonization by AMF. As a result, better nitrogen nutrition status is observed that promote vigorous growth of trees and more efficient uptake of magnesium from the bulk soil. On the other hand, lower phosphorus content in inoculated tree leaves might be explained by a dilution effect, and potassium decrease could occur as a result of fungus–plant competition in conditions of this element deficiency in soil.

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Competition Effects and Productivity in Oat–Forage Legume Relay Intercropping Systems under Organic Farming Conditions

Agriculture ◽

10.3390/agriculture11020099 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. 99

Author(s):

Viktorija Gecaitė ◽

Aušra Arlauskienė ◽

Jurgita Cesevičienė

Keyword(s):

Grain Yield ◽

Organic Farming ◽

Field Experiments ◽

Plant Competition ◽

Nutrient Content ◽

Forage Legume ◽

Forage Legumes ◽

Medicago Lupulina ◽

Competition Effects ◽

Productivity Indicators

Cereal-legume intercropping is important in many low-input agricultural systems. Interactions between combinations of different plant species vary widely. Field experiments were conducted to determine yield formation regularities and plant competition effects of oat (Avena sativa L.)–black medick (Medicago lupulina L.), oat–white clover (Trifolium repens L.), and oat–Egyptian clover (T. alexandrinum L.) under organic farming conditions. Oats and forage legumes were grown in mono- and intercrops. Aboveground dry matter (DM) measured at flowering, development of fruit and ripened grain, productivity indicators, oat grain yield and nutrient content were established. The results showed that oats dominated in the intercropping systems. Oat competitive performance (CPo), which is characterized by forage legumes aboveground mass reduction compared to monocrops, were 91.4–98.9. As the oats ripened, its competitiveness tendency to declined. In oat–forage legume intercropping systems, the mass of weeds was significantly lower compared to the legume monocrops. Oats and forage legumes competed for P, but N and K accumulation in biomass was not significantly affected. We concluded that, in relay intercrop, under favourable conditions, the forage legumes easily adapted to the growth rhythm and intensity of oats and does not adverse effect on their grain yield.

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Competition among seedlings of perennial grasses, subterranean clover, white clover, and annual ryegrass in replacement series mixtures

Australian Journal of Agricultural Research ◽

10.1071/ar99098 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 51 (3) ◽

pp. 377 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

G. M. Lodge

Keyword(s):

White Clover ◽

Plant Competition ◽

Perennial Grass ◽

Subterranean Clover ◽

Trifolium Subterraneum ◽

Perennial Grasses ◽

Maximum Likelihood Estimates ◽

Annual Ryegrass ◽

Replacement Series ◽

Successful Establishment

Seedlings of 3 perennial grasses, Danthonia linkii Kunthcv. Bunderra, D. richardsonii Cashmore cv. Taranna(wallaby grasses), and Phalaris aquatica L. cv. Sirosa,were each grown in replacement series mixtures with seedlings ofTrifolium repens L. (white clover),Trifolium subterraneum L. var. brachycalycinum (Katzn.et Morley) Zorahy & Heller cv. Clare (subterraneanclover), and Lolium rigidum L. (annual ryegrass). Plantswere sown 5 cm apart in boxes (45 by 29 by 20 cm) at a density of 307plants/m2. Maximum likelihood estimates were usedto derive parameters of a non-linear competition model using the dry matterweights of perennial grasses and competitors at 3 harvests, approximately 168,216, and 271 days after sowing. Intra-plant competition was examined inmonocultures of each species, grown at plant spacings of 2, 5, and 8 cm apartwith plants harvested at the above times.Competition occurred in all perennial grass–competitor mixtures, exceptin those of each perennial grass with white clover and thephalaris–subterranean clover mixture (Harvest 1) and those withD. richardsonii and phalaris grown with white clover(Harvest 2). For D. richardsonii (Harvests 1 and 2) andD. linkii (Harvest 1 only) grown with white clover andthe phalaris–subterranean clover (Harvest 1), the two species in themixture were not competing. In the phalaris–white clover mixture, eachspecies was equally competitive (Harvests 1 and 2). These differences incompetition and aggressiveness reflected differences in individual plantweights in monocultures where there was an effect (P < 0.05) of species ondry matter weight per box, but no significant effect of plant spacing.These data indicated that for successful establishment,D. richardsonii and D. linkiishould not be sown in swards with either subterranean clover or white clover,or where populations of annual ryegrass seedlings are likely to be high.Phalaris was more compatible with both white clover and subterranean clover,but aggressively competed with by annual ryegrass.

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The Models of Berendse and Tilman: Two Different Perspectives on Plant Competition?

Functional Ecology ◽

10.2307/2389820 ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 8 (3) ◽

pp. 282 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

J. Huisman

Keyword(s):

Plant Competition

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Impacts of altered precipitation, nitrogen deposition and plant competition on a Mediterranean seed bank

Journal of Vegetation Science ◽

10.1111/jvs.12183 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 25 (5) ◽

pp. 1289-1298 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Raúl Ochoa-Hueso ◽

Esteban Manrique

Keyword(s):

Nitrogen Deposition ◽

Seed Bank ◽

Plant Competition ◽

Altered Precipitation

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Effects of Plant Density and Thinning on High-Yielding Dry Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) in Mexíco

Experimental Agriculture ◽

10.1017/s0014479700008085 ◽

1977 ◽

Vol 13 (4) ◽

pp. 325-335 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Aguilar M. Immer ◽

R. A. Fischer ◽

Joshue Kohashi S.

Keyword(s):

Phaseolus Vulgaris ◽

Leaf Area ◽

Seed Weight ◽

Plant Density ◽

Plant Competition ◽

Growth And Yield ◽

Positive Relation ◽

Dry Beans ◽

Leaf Area Duration ◽

Pod Number

SUMMARYThe influence of leaf area and inter-plant competition on the growth and yield of a crop of high-yielding dry beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in central Mexico was studied, using density and thinning treatments. The highest seed yield (4210 kg/ha at 14% moisture) was obtained with the highest density (28·8 plants/m2). Thinning showed that pods/plant was sensitive to inter-plant competition between 36 and 78 days after seeding (first flower at 50 days), but seeds/pod, and especially seed weight, were not sensitive. It is suggested that the close positive relation between yield and leaf area duration derives from the influence of photosynthate supply upon pod number.

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