Effects of seven different companion plants on cucumber productivity, soil chemical characteristics and Pseudomonas community

Abstract

Companion cropping can influence cucumber productivity by altering soil chemical characteristics and microbial communities. However, how these alterations affect the growth of cucumber is still unknown. In this study, seven different plant species were selected as companion plants for testing their effects on cucumber productivity. The effects of different companion plants on changes in soil chemical properties such as electrical conductivity (EC) and contents of essential nutrients as well as the structure and abundance of the soil Pseudomonas community were evaluated. The results showed a higher cucumber yield in the Wheat/Cucumber companion system than in the cucumber monocultured and other companion cropping systems. The lowest phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) contents in the soil were found in the cucumber monocultured system, and the highest NO 3 +-N and NH 4 +-N contents were observed in the Rye/Cucumber companion system. PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and real-time PCR analysis showed that the Trifolium/Cucumber companion system increased the diversity of the soil Pseudomonas community, while the Chrysanthemum/Cucumber companion system increased its abundance. Interestingly, plant-soil feedback trials revealed that inoculating the soil of the Wheat/Cucumber companion system increased the growth of cucumber seedlings. In conclusion, the effects of different companion plants on cucumber productivity, soil chemical characteristics and the soil Pseudomonas community were different, and wheat was a more suitable companion plant for increasing cucumber productivity. In addition, the altered microbial community caused by companion cropping with wheat contributed to increased cucumber productivity.

Hiseq Base Molecular Characterization of Soil Microbial Community, Diversity Structure, and Predictive Functional Profiling in Continuous Cucumber Planted Soil Affected by Diverse Cropping Systems in an Intensive Greenhouse Region of Northern China

“…In line with this concept, leafy crops based on the SC and NCCC planting systems corroborate the direct effects of the quantity and quality of crop residue that could be supposed as a premise of organic matter input, soil biological function in continuous replanted soil. The results were in line with previous short-term findings that significant changes in soil properties could be expected in various agronomic conditions such as cropping systems, soil health, and organic input [1,2,3].…”

“…The results indicate that higher yield response was likely caused by greater nutrient deposition and soil biological activation, and these cropping models were beneficial for increased cucumber yield and relief of continuous cropping–based soil sickness. A similar yield-promoting effect was also observed with tomato–celery–cucumber [40], soybean–pigeon pea rotation [34], wheat–cucumber companion cropping [3], and garlic–cucumber [41] systems. The lowest cucumber yield was found with leaf lettuce–cucumber (LLC) during the latter growth period (AW season), and this effect was likely due to the competitive interaction among neighboring plants for resources and nutrients [42].…”

“…The interacting effect of agricultural management practices and cropping systems can evidently influence plant biodiversity, soil health, and productivity by triggering soil biochemical modification and soil microbial activity and composition [1,2,3]. However, the modern agricultural system is often intensified by single repetitions of crop species, characterized as monoculture [4,5,6].…”

Diversity and Co-occurrence Patterns of Soil Bacterial and Fungal Communities in Seven Intercropping Systems

“…The fall trial began on 29 July and ended on 6 October, and the specific operation was consistent with that in spring. A more detailed description of the experiment can be referred to (Chang et al, 2017 ).…”

Impact of Intercropping on the Diazotrophic Community in the Soils of Continuous Cucumber Cropping Systems

“…The diversity and composition of the diazotrophic communities were determined by Illumine MiSeq sequencing, and the abundance of diazotrophs was determined by quantitative PCR analysis of the nifH gene. Our previous studies showed that both cucumber growth and yield were adversely affected by continuous monocultures, while intercropping was able to both improve cucumber yield and increase the diversity of the bacterial and fungal communities ( Chang et al, 2017 ; Li and Wu, 2018 ). Thus, we hypothesize that: (1) intercropping might affect the diversity and composition of the diazotrophic community; and (2) the change in the diazotrophic community are related to soil physicochemical properties.…”