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Trinchera A, Migliore M, Warren Raffa D, Ommeslag S, Debode J, Shanmugam S, Dane S, Babry J, Kivijarvi P, Kristensen HL, Lepse L, Salo T, Campanelli G, Willekens K. Can multi-cropping affect soil microbial stoichiometry and functional diversity, decreasing potential soil-borne pathogens? A study on European organic vegetable cropping systems. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:952910. [PMID: 36237499 PMCID: PMC9552534 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.952910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Crop diversification in spatial and temporal patterns can optimize the synchronization of nutrients plant demand and availability in soils, as plant diversity and soil microbial communities are the main drivers of biogeochemical C and nutrient cycling. The introduction of multi-cropping in organic vegetable production can represent a key strategy to ensure efficient complementation mediated by soil microbiota, including beneficial mycorrhizal fungi. This study shows the effect of the introduction of multi-cropping in five European organic vegetable systems (South-West: Italy; North-West: Denmark and Belgium; North-East: Finland and Latvia) on: (i) soil physicochemical parameters; (ii) soil microbial biomass stoichiometry; (iii) crop root mycorrhization; (iv) bacterial and fungal diversity and composition in crop rhizosphere; (v) relative abundance of selected fungal pathogens species. In each site, three cropping systems were considered: (1) crop 1-monocropping; (2) crop 2-monocropping; (3) crop 1-crop 2-intercropping or strip cropping. Results showed that, just before harvest, multi-cropping can increase soil microbial biomass amount and shape microbial community toward a predominance of some bacteria or fungi phyla, in the function of soil nutrient availability. We mainly observed a selection effect of crop type on rhizosphere microbiota. Particularly, Bacteroidetes and Mortierellomycota relative abundances in rhizosphere soil resulted in suitable ecological indicators of the positive effect of plant diversity in field, the first ones attesting an improved C and P cycles in soil and the second ones a reduced soil pathogens' pressure. Plant diversity also increased the root mycorrhizal colonization between the intercropped crops that, when properly selected, can also reduce the relative abundance of potential soil-borne pathogens, with a positive effect on crop productivity in long term.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Trinchera
- Council for Agricultural Research and Economics-Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment, Rome, Italy
| | - Melania Migliore
- Council for Agricultural Research and Economics-Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment, Rome, Italy
| | - Dylan Warren Raffa
- Council for Agricultural Research and Economics-Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment, Rome, Italy
| | - Sarah Ommeslag
- Plant Sciences Unit, Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO), Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Jane Debode
- Plant Sciences Unit, Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO), Merelbeke, Belgium
| | | | - Sandra Dane
- Latvian Institute of Horticulture, LatHort, Dobeles Novads, Latvia
| | | | - Pirjo Kivijarvi
- LUKE (FI) Natural Resources Institute Finland, Helsinki, Finland
| | | | - Liga Lepse
- Latvian Institute of Horticulture, LatHort, Dobeles Novads, Latvia
| | - Tapio Salo
- LUKE (FI) Natural Resources Institute Finland, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Gabriele Campanelli
- Council for Agricultural Research and Economics-Research Centre for Vegetable and Ornamental Crops, Monsampolo del Tronto, Italy
| | - Koen Willekens
- Plant Sciences Unit, Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO), Merelbeke, Belgium
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Navarro‐Miró D, Blanco‐Moreno JM, Ciaccia C, Testani E, Iocola I, Depalo L, Burgio G, Kristensen H, Hefner M, Tamm K, Bender I, Persiani A, Diacono M, Montemurro F, Willekens K, Védie H, Bavec M, Robačer M, Arlotti D, Deltour P, De Neve S, Gebremikael MT, Chamorro L, Caballero‐López B, Pérez‐Ferrer A, Canali S, Sans FX. The concurrent assessment of agronomic, ecological and environmental variables enables better choice of agroecological service crop termination management. J Appl Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.14112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- David Navarro‐Miró
- Agroecosystems Research Group, Biodiversity Research Institute (IRBio), and Section of Botany and Mycology, Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology University of Barcelona Barcelona Spain
| | - José M. Blanco‐Moreno
- Agroecosystems Research Group, Biodiversity Research Institute (IRBio), and Section of Botany and Mycology, Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology University of Barcelona Barcelona Spain
| | - Corrado Ciaccia
- Council for Agricultural Research and Economics Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment (CREA‐AA) Rome Italy
| | - Elena Testani
- Council for Agricultural Research and Economics Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment (CREA‐AA) Rome Italy
| | - Ileana Iocola
- Council for Agricultural Research and Economics Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment (CREA‐AA) Rome Italy
| | - Laura Depalo
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Agro‐Alimentari (DISTAL) Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna Bologna Italy
| | - Giovanni Burgio
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Agro‐Alimentari (DISTAL) Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna Bologna Italy
| | | | - Margita Hefner
- Department of Food Science Aarhus University Aarhus N Denmark
| | - Kalvi Tamm
- Department of Agrotechnology Estonian Crop Research Institute Jõgeva Estonia
| | - Ingrid Bender
- Department of Jõgeva Plant Breeding Estonian Crop Research Institute Jõgeva Estonia
| | - Alessandro Persiani
- Council for Agricultural Research and Economics Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment (CREA‐AA) Bari Italy
| | - Mariangela Diacono
- Council for Agricultural Research and Economics Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment (CREA‐AA) Bari Italy
| | - Francesco Montemurro
- Council for Agricultural Research and Economics Research Centre for Vegetable and Ornamental Crops (CREA‐OF) Monsapolo del Tronto Italy
| | - Koen Willekens
- Plant Sciences Unit Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Merelbeke Belgium
| | - Hélène Védie
- Research Group in Organic Agriculture Maison de la Bio Avignon France
| | - Martina Bavec
- Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Institute of Organic Agriculture University of Maribor Hoče Slovenia
| | - Martina Robačer
- Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Institute of Organic Agriculture University of Maribor Hoče Slovenia
| | - Donatienne Arlotti
- Soil fertility and Water Protection Unit, Agriculture and Natural environment Department Walloon Agricultural Research Center (CRA‐W) Gembloux Belgium
| | | | - Stefaan De Neve
- Soil Fertility and Nutrient Management Research Group, Department of Environment Ghent University Ghent Belgium
| | - Mesfin Tsegaye Gebremikael
- Soil Fertility and Nutrient Management Research Group, Department of Environment Ghent University Ghent Belgium
| | - Lourdes Chamorro
- Agroecosystems Research Group, Biodiversity Research Institute (IRBio), and Section of Botany and Mycology, Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology University of Barcelona Barcelona Spain
| | | | - Alejandro Pérez‐Ferrer
- Agroecosystems Research Group, Biodiversity Research Institute (IRBio), and Section of Botany and Mycology, Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology University of Barcelona Barcelona Spain
| | - Stefano Canali
- Council for Agricultural Research and Economics Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment (CREA‐AA) Rome Italy
| | - Francesc Xavier Sans
- Agroecosystems Research Group, Biodiversity Research Institute (IRBio), and Section of Botany and Mycology, Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology University of Barcelona Barcelona Spain
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Agroecological Service Crops Drive Plant Mycorrhization in Organic Horticultural Systems. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9020410. [PMID: 33669446 PMCID: PMC7920451 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9020410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Revised: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Mycorrhizal symbiosis represents a valuable tool for increasing plant nutrient uptake, affecting system biodiversity, ecosystem services and productivity. Introduction of agroecological service crops (ASCs) in cropping systems may determine changes in weed community, that can affect the development of the mycorrhizal mycelial network in the rhizosphere, favoring or depressing the cash crop mycorrhization. Two no-till Mediterranean organic horticultural systems were considered: one located in central Italy, where organic melon was transplanted on four winter-cereals mulches (rye, spelt, barley, wheat), one located in southern Italy (Sicily), where barley (as catch crop) was intercropped in an organic young orange orchard, with the no tilled, unweeded systems taken as controls. Weed “Supporting Arbuscular Mycorrhiza” (SAM) trait, weed density and biodiversity indexes, mycorrhization of coexistent plants in the field, the external mycelial network on roots were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, crop P uptake, yield and quality were evaluated. We verified that cereals, used as green mulches or intercropped, may drive the weed selection in favor of the SAM species, and promote the mycelial network, thus significantly increasing the mycorrhization, the P uptake, the yield and quality traits of the cash crop. This is a relevant economic factor when introducing sustainable cropping practices and assessing the overall functionality of the agroecosystem.
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Ciaccia C, Armengot Martinez L, Testani E, Leteo F, Campanelli G, Trinchera A. Weed Functional Diversity as Affected by Agroecological Service Crops and No-Till in a Mediterranean Organic Vegetable System. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2020; 9:E689. [PMID: 32481720 PMCID: PMC7356168 DOI: 10.3390/plants9060689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2020] [Revised: 05/22/2020] [Accepted: 05/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
This paper explores the effect of agroecological service crops (ASCs), i.e., crops included in the crop rotation for their ecosystem services, terminated with an in-line tillage roller crimper (ILRC) on weed community composition and their functional traits in comparison to a tilled control without ASC. A two-year study was performed in a long-term experiment with vegetables under organic management. Four different cereal crops were introduced as ASCs. Weed abundance and richness and the functional traits were assessed at three different stages, i.e., before and after ASC termination and before harvest of the following crop, melon. All the ASCs showed strong weed suppression, with few differences between the cereals tested. Weed communities with ASCs had later flowering onset and wider flowering span compared to the control, which positively affects weed dispersal and attraction of beneficial insects. However, weed communities with ASCs had higher values for traits related to competition (specific leaf area, seed weight and more perennials). A trade-off between weed suppression and selection of more competitive weed communities by the introduction of ASCs managed with the ILRC should be evaluated in the long-run. The use of the ILRC alternating with other soil management practices seems the more effective strategy to benefit from the minimal soil tillage while avoiding the selection of disservice-related traits in the weed community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corrado Ciaccia
- Council for Agricultural Research and Economics (CREA), Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment, Via della Navicella, 2, 00184 Roma, Italy; (E.T.); (A.T.)
| | - Laura Armengot Martinez
- Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), Ackerstrasse 113, Postfach 219, 5070 Frick, Switzerland;
| | - Elena Testani
- Council for Agricultural Research and Economics (CREA), Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment, Via della Navicella, 2, 00184 Roma, Italy; (E.T.); (A.T.)
| | - Fabrizio Leteo
- Council for Agricultural Research and Economics (CREA), Research Centre for Vegetable and Ornamental Crops, Via Salaria 1, 63030 Monsampolo del Tronto, Italy; (F.L.); (G.C.)
| | - Gabriele Campanelli
- Council for Agricultural Research and Economics (CREA), Research Centre for Vegetable and Ornamental Crops, Via Salaria 1, 63030 Monsampolo del Tronto, Italy; (F.L.); (G.C.)
| | - Alessandra Trinchera
- Council for Agricultural Research and Economics (CREA), Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment, Via della Navicella, 2, 00184 Roma, Italy; (E.T.); (A.T.)
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Mulch-Based No-Tillage Effects on Weed Community and Management in an Organic Vegetable System. AGRONOMY-BASEL 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/agronomy9100594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Weeds can cooperate with the agroecosystem’s functioning by providing ecosystem services. Effective weed management should mitigate negative weed–crop interference, while maintaining a functional and balanced weed community. In a two-year trial, the in-line/roller crimper (RC) was used to terminate an agroecological service crop (ASC; here barley, Hordeum vulgare L.) before organic zucchini (Cucurbita pepo, L.) and compared with green manure (GM) ASC and tilled no-ASC with Mater-Bi mulch on the rows (No_ASC). Zucchini yield, soil N availability, weed density/cover, biomass, and community composition were assessed. Analysis of variance, exploratory statistical analysis, and non-parametric inferential approaches were run, respectively, on agronomic data, species-specific weed frequencies, and Shannon diversity. Zucchini yield was the highest in No_ASC, due to soil N immobilization under high C:N barley residues in GM and RC. Multivariate analysis discriminated RC from tilled systems, outlining a specific ensemble of weed species correlated to Shannon diversity. From zucchini fruit set, RC selectively favored Polygonum aviculare L. and Helminthotheca echioides (L.), reasonably because of their oligotrophy and creeping habit. Their dominance finally caused low RC weed control. Results highlight strong weed selective pressure by the mulch-based no-tillage. Understanding the mechanisms underpinning the impact of soil management practices on weed community can drive towards a tailor-made and more effective weed management.
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Trinchera A, Ciaccia C, Testani E, Baratella V, Campanelli G, Leteo F, Canali S. Mycorrhiza-mediated interference between cover crop and weed in organic winter cereal agroecosystems: The mycorrhizal colonization intensity indicator. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:5593-5604. [PMID: 31160984 PMCID: PMC6540714 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2017] [Revised: 02/01/2019] [Accepted: 02/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The mycorrhizal fungi are symbiotic organisms able to provide many benefits to crop production by supplying a set of ecosystem functions. A recent ecological approach based on the ability of the fungi community to influence plant-plant interactions by extraradical mycelium development may be applied to diversified, herbaceous agroecosystems. Our hypothesis is that the introduction of a winter cereal cover crop (CC) as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF)-host plant in an organic rotation can boosts the AMF colonization of the other plants, influencing crop-weed interference. In a 4-years organic rotation, the effect of two winter cereal CC, rye and spelt, on weed density and AMF colonization was evaluated. The AMF extraradical mycelium on CC and weeds roots was observed by scanning electron microscopy analysis. By joining data of plant density and mycorrhization, we built the mycorrhizal colonization intensity of the Agroecosystem indicator (MA%). Both the CC were colonized by soil AMF, being the mycorrhizal colonization intensity (M%) affected by environmental conditions. Under CC, the weed density was reduced, due to the increase of the reciprocal competition in favor of CC, which benefited from mycorrhizal colonization and promoted the development of AMF extraradical mycelium. Even though non-host plants, some weed species showed an increased mycorrhizal colonization in presence of CC respect to the control. Under intense rainfall, the MA% was less sensitive to the CC introduction. On the opposite, under highly competitive conditions, both the CC boosted significantly the mycorrhization of coexistent plants in the agroecosystem. The proposed indicator measured the agroecological service provided by the considered CCs in promoting or inhibiting the overall AMF colonization of the studied agroecosystems, as affected by weed selection and growth: It informs about agroecosystem resilience and may be profitably applied to indicate the extent of the linkage of specific crop traits to agroecosystem services, contributing to further develop the functional biodiversity theory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Trinchera
- CREA Research Centre for Agriculture and EnvironmentCouncil for Agricultural Research and EconomicsRomeItaly
| | - Corrado Ciaccia
- CREA Research Centre for Agriculture and EnvironmentCouncil for Agricultural Research and EconomicsRomeItaly
| | - Elena Testani
- CREA Research Centre for Agriculture and EnvironmentCouncil for Agricultural Research and EconomicsRomeItaly
| | - Valentina Baratella
- CREA Research Centre for Agriculture and EnvironmentCouncil for Agricultural Research and EconomicsRomeItaly
| | - Gabriele Campanelli
- CREA Research Centre for Vegetable and Ornamental CropsCouncil for Agricultural Research and EconomicsMonsampolo del Tronto (AP)Italy
| | - Fabrizio Leteo
- CREA Research Centre for Vegetable and Ornamental CropsCouncil for Agricultural Research and EconomicsMonsampolo del Tronto (AP)Italy
| | - Stefano Canali
- CREA Research Centre for Agriculture and EnvironmentCouncil for Agricultural Research and EconomicsRomeItaly
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Madzaric S, Ceglie FG, Depalo L, Al Bitar L, Mimiola G, Tittarelli F, Burgio G. Organic vs. organic - soil arthropods as bioindicators of ecological sustainability in greenhouse system experiment under Mediterranean conditions. BULLETIN OF ENTOMOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2018; 108:625-635. [PMID: 29166981 DOI: 10.1017/s0007485317001158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Organic greenhouse (OGH) production is characterized by different systems and agricultural practices with diverse environmental impact. Soil arthropods are widely used as bioindicators of ecological sustainability in open field studies, while there is a lack of research on organic production for protected systems. This study assessed the soil arthropod abundance and diversity over a 2-year crop rotation in three systems of OGH production in the Mediterranean. The systems under assessment differed in soil fertility management: SUBST - a simplified system of organic production, based on an input substitution approach (use of guano and organic liquid fertilizers), AGROCOM - soil fertility mainly based on compost application and agroecological services crops (ASC) cultivation (tailored use of cover crops) as part of crop rotation, and AGROMAN - animal manure and ASC cultivation as part of crop rotation. Monitoring of soil fauna was performed by using pitfall traps and seven taxa were considered: Carabidae, Staphylinidae, Araneae, Opiliones, Isopoda, Myriapoda, and Collembola. Results demonstrated high potential of ASC cultivation as a technique for beneficial soil arthropod conservation in OGH conditions. SUBST system was dominated by Collembola in all crops, while AGROMAN and AGROCOM had more balanced relative abundance of Isopoda, Staphylinidae, and Aranea. Opiliones and Myriapoda were more affected by season, while Carabidae were poorly represented in the whole monitoring period. Despite the fact that all three production systems are in accordance with the European Union regulation on organic farming, findings of this study displayed significant differences among them and confirmed the suitability of soil arthropods as bioindicators in protected systems of organic farming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzana Madzaric
- Dipartimento di Science per l'Ambiente,Università degli Studi di Napoli 'Parthenope' Centro Direzionale,Isola C4,80143 Napoli,Italy
| | - F G Ceglie
- CIHEAM - Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari,via Ceglie 9,70010 - Valenzano (BA),Italy
| | - L Depalo
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie-Entomologia,Università di Bologna,viale Fanin 42,40127 Bologna,Italy
| | - L Al Bitar
- CIHEAM - Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari,via Ceglie 9,70010 - Valenzano (BA),Italy
| | - G Mimiola
- CIHEAM - Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari,via Ceglie 9,70010 - Valenzano (BA),Italy
| | - F Tittarelli
- Consiglio per la ricerca in agricoltura e l'analisi dell'economia agraria-Centro di ricerca per lo studio delle relazioni tra pianta e suolo CREA - RPS,Rome,Italy
| | - G Burgio
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie-Entomologia,Università di Bologna,viale Fanin 42,40127 Bologna,Italy
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