In the context of a recent massive increase in research on plant root functions and their
impact on the environment, root ecologists currently face many important challenges to keep …

Food security, lowering the risk of climate change and meeting the increasing demand for
energy will increasingly be critical challenges in the years to come. Producing sustainably is …

The concept of a root economics space (RES) is increasingly adopted to explore root trait
variation and belowground resource‐acquisition strategies. Much progress has been made …

Food security has been a significant issue for the livelihood of smallholder family farms in
highly populated regions and countries. Industrialized farming in more developed countries …

Soil phosphorus (P) availability is critical to plant productivity in many terrestrial ecosystems.
How soil P availability responds to changes in plant diversity remains uncertain, despite the …

Background The potential benefits of intercropping are manifold and have been repeatedly
demonstrated. Intercropping has the potential to create more productive and resilient …

This study investigated the early responses of four common food crops (Italian lettuce,
radish, wheat and corn) by exposing their seeds to suspensions of polystyrene …

Intercropping is a powerful way to promote a more diversified plant community in the field,
thereby enabling complementary and facilitative relationships. In these systems, legumes …

Background Phosphorus (P) is a limiting nutrient in many agroecosystems and costly
fertilizer inputs can cause negative environmental impacts. Cover crops constitute a …

Intercropping is a farming practice involving two or more crop species, or genotypes,
growing together and coexisting for a time. On the fringes of modern intensive agriculture …