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RESEARCH PRODUCT

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

subject

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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, with or without weed species. Rageweed did not compet the Quinoa and the addition of clover did not reduce the biomass of Ambrosia. N-transfers occurred. Atmospheric nitrogen has been fixed by legumes and transfered to other plants. Even if legumes seemed to not compet weed species, their ecosystem service in nitrogen fixation has been demonstrated here for the Quinoa.