Article
Sharing Nutrients Between Crops
by Dr Ash Martin PhD BSc(For)Hons
When cereals and legumes grow side by side, they can trade nutrients in ways that boost both crops. This study tested how wheat and faba bean benefit from VAM, showing how these fungi act as nutrient connectors in intercropping systems.
What they did: Researchers grew wheat and faba bean in pots, with and without VAM (Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi, aka AM Fungi or AMF), and measured nutrient uptake, nitrogen fixation, and how much nitrogen moved between the two crops.
What they found:
- Wheat plants with VAM took up more phosphorus, iron, and zinc.
- Faba beans fixed more nitrogen when VAM were present.
- Nitrogen moved more effectively from faba bean to wheat in the presence of VAM.
- Overall, both crops grew better together when VAM were involved.
What this means for you:
- Intercropping cereals and legumes with VAM can improve nutrient efficiency and reduce fertiliser needs.
- Encouraging VAM in mixed cropping systems helps both crops thrive, not just one.
- VAM can make intercropping a more reliable, sustainable option for boosting yields.
VAM act as nutrient brokers in intercropping systems, helping cereals and legumes share resources and grow more productively together.
> Curious whether AMF are pulling their weight in your cropping systems? Use our VAM Wise for Soil, VAM Wise for Plants (Annuals) and VAM Wise for Plants (Perennials) tests to measure VAM activity and see if your soils are set up for nutrient sharing success. Our Structure Wise test can also show you how much carbon is stored as glomalin. The results could be surprising!
Read the full article:
Ingraffia et al. (2019). Impacts of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on nutrient uptake, N₂ fixation, N transfer, and growth in a wheat/faba bean intercropping system.
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