Towards intercrop ideotypes: non-random trait assembly can promote overyielding and stability of species proportion in simulated legume-based mixtures.

ABSTRACT:

Backgrounds and aims

A major challenge when supporting the development of intercropping systems remains the design of efficient species mixtures. The ecological processes that sustain overyielding of legume-based mixtures compared to pure crops are well known, but their links to plant traits remain to be unravelled. A common assumption is that enhancing trait divergence among species for resource acquisition when assembling plant mixtures should increase species complementarity and improve community performance.

Methods

The Virtual Grassland model was used to assess how divergence in trait values between species on four physiological functions (namely light and mineral N acquisition, temporal development, and C-N use efficiency) affected overyielding and mixture stability in

SUBMITTER: Louarn G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7489071 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature