Effect of Wheat/Soybean Intercropping on Fe Accumulation and Mobilization in Root Apoplast

An investigation was carried out to test the effect of wheat/soybean intercropping on iron accumulation and mobilization in root apoplast, and its role of improving iron nutrition of soybean. There were two treatments: soybean monocropping and wheat/soybean intercropping. The plants were grown in sandy soil in pots with two compartments separated by 0.45 μm or 30 μm nylon nets, a central one for root growth and outer ones for soil. The results demonstrated that intercropping improved iron nutrition of soybean. Under the conditions that soybean roots were separated by nylon nets and intercropped with wheat the chlorophyll content of young leaves, iron content of shoot and root of soybean all were more than those of monocropping treatment; and intercropping increased the content of root apoplastic iron pools of soybean, that was two times higher than monocropping one. By the way the content of root apoplastic iron pools of soybean and wheat under 0.45 μm nylon nets were lower than under 30 μm nylon nets.