Advantages of quinoa-legume intercrops for the nitrogen availability and the biological regulation of weed species

Few scientific and technical knowledges exist on nitrogen fertilization modalities and weeding practices of Quinoa in France. Legumes as intercrops could provide ecosystem services for nitrogen fixation and for competition against weed species. This study aims at revealing that legumes can compet with weed species, and that N-rhizodeposition, N-transfer between plants can occurs. The study was a factorial experiment in greenhouse, in trays and rhizotrons, with Quinoa (crop, sown at 48 pl/m²), Trifolium repens (legume, sown at 97 pl/m²) and Ambrosia artemisiifolia (weed, sown at 21 pl/m²). The results showed that intercropping clover reduced the biomass of Quinoa without decreasing its yield…