Effects of mutual intercropping of tomato on soil enzyme activity and available selenium under selenium stress

Abstract

In order to study the effect of mutual intercropping tomato on soil enzyme activity and available selenium content in selenium-containing soil, cherry tomatoes of red, yellow and purple varieties were selected for pairwise and three intercrops in this experiment respectively. The results showed that the activities of sucrase, phosphatase and urease in soil were increased after the three kinds of tomato were intercropped with each other, and the highest soil enzyme activity was found when red and purple tomatoes were mixed. Soil pH reached the maximum when three tomatoes were mixed. The content of available selenium in soil after intercropping tomato was higher than monoculture, and the content of available selenium was the highest when red and yellow tomatoes were mixed. Therefore, intercropping could improve the soil microecological environment, increase soil enzyme activity and increase available selenium content in tomato rhizosphere soil.

Intercropping with Solanum sect. Solanum (Solanaceae) increases selenium uptake of ‘Summer Black’ grapevine

“…18 Under high concentration of Se, compared with the monoculture of red, yellow and purple cherry tomato respectively, mutual intercropping not only up-regulated the soil enzymes activity (sucrase, phosphatase, and urease), but also increased the pH value and available Se content in soil. 19 Furthermore, the Se content of the early maturity variety of eggplant seedlings and the late maturity variety of eggplant seedlings were higher than their respective monocultures after mutual intercropping at a soil Se concentration of 10 mg/kg. 20 These studies confirmed the feasibility of intercropping to promote the accumulation of Se in crops.…”

“…A suitable intercropping combination can not only increase the utilization of soil nutrients, 16,17 but also enhance the tolerance of crops to excessive ion 18 . Under high concentration of Se, compared with the monoculture of red, yellow and purple cherry tomato respectively, mutual intercropping not only up‐regulated the soil enzymes activity (sucrase, phosphatase, and urease), but also increased the pH value and available Se content in soil 19 . Furthermore, the Se content of the early maturity variety of eggplant seedlings and the late maturity variety of eggplant seedlings were higher than their respective monocultures after mutual intercropping at a soil Se concentration of 10 mg/kg 20 .…”