Cropping Systems: Applications, Management and Impact

The Role of Intercropping in Plant Biofortification 13

with narrow-leafed lupin and oat than in sole cropping. Moreover, it was
observed that proximity with lupin contributed to greater accumulation of Fe
in the strip cropping (Table 3).
In other studies cowpea/sorghum intercropping also significantly
increased the Fe content of sorghum seeds (Musa et al., 2012 ). Some plants,
such as lupin and chickpeas, can release substantial quantities of carboxylates
through their roots, increasing utilization by plants of Fe and Zn – even of
forms less accessible to plants (Veneklaas et al., 2003, Nuruzzman et al.,
2005 ). Furthermore, legumes (Fabaceae) may release more carboxylates than
species of the Poaceae family (Pearse et al., 2006 ), which could explain the
differences in iron content depending on the adjacent plant species in the strip
cropping (Table 3).

Table 3. Effect of narrow-leafed lupin/dent maize/oat strip cropping

system and row position in the strip on the content and uptake of

microelements by maize. Data is from Głowacka (2014c)

Cropping system Content Uptake

Fe Zn Cu Fe Zn Cu

Sole cropping 68.7 33.2 7.1 1262 587 123

Strip cropping 84,70 49,83 8,1 1604 951 151

Row

in the

strip

Next to narrow-leafed lupin 91.6 56.8 7.1 1906 1182 147

Inner 82.9 43.0 8.1 1362 707 149

Next to oat 79.6 49.7 9.1 1544 963 157

Table 4. Effect of common bean/dent maize/spring barley strip cropping

system and row position in the strip on the content and uptake of

microelements by maize. Data is from Głowacka (2013c)

Cropping system Content (g kg-^1 d.w.) Uptake (kg ha-^1 )

Fe Zn Cu Fe Zn Cu

Sole cropping 100.7 37.2 5.9 1809 673 107

Strip cropping 111.2 41.4 6.8 2025 756 120

Row

in the

strip

Next to common bean 123.9 41.7 6.7 2425 914 134

Inner 106.0 37.0 6.2 1638 675 97

Next to spring barley 110.8 33.0 7.4 2011 680 130