BMC Plant Biology· 2026Q1
Transcriptomic profiling of roots reveals species-specific adaptive strategies in maize and soybean intercropping
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- Q1SCImago
- 2026year
Short summary
Intercropping maize and soybean triggers species-specific root transcriptomic changes: maize upregulates nitrogen/carbon metabolism genes (e.g., NRT2.1, NR) and increases root biomass, while soybean extensively downregulates phenylpropanoid/flavonoid pathways and enhances individual nodule function (21% higher leghemoglobin content).
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Key points
- Maize roots upregulate nitrogen metabolism (e.g., NRT2.1, NR) and carbon metabolism pathways under intercropping, accompanied by increased root biomass.
- Soybean roots show extensive downregulation (99/107 DEGs) of phenylpropanoid, flavonoid, and isoflavonoid biosynthesis genes.
- Intercropped soybean nodules show no change in number or dry weight but have 21% higher leghemoglobin content per nodule.
- Upregulation of ENOD93, ENOD75, and CPX genes in soybean correlates with increased leghemoglobin content, suggesting enhanced individual nodule function.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
Abstract Maize/soybean intercropping is a well-established agroecosystem for sustainable agriculture, yet the species-specific molecular mechanisms underlying their root adaptive strategies remain unclear. Here, we integrated phenotypic measurements and root transcriptomics to characterize the transcriptional reprogramming of maize and soybean roots in response to intercropping. Transcriptomic profiling identified 3,544 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in soybean roots and 422 DEGs in maize roots. Within the respective DEG sets, soybean exhibited a higher proportion of downregulated genes (56.3%) than maize (46.7%). Intercropped maize roots showed targeted upregulation of nitrogen metabolism and central carbon metabolism pathways, including nitrate transporter ( NRT2.1 ) and nitrate reductase ( NR ) genes, which was accompanied by increased root biomass. In contrast, intercropped soybean roots displayed extensive transcriptional suppression, encompassing near-complete downregulation of phenylpropanoid, flavonoid, and isoflavonoid biosynthesis–related genes (99 of 107 DEGs downregulated; all 18 CHS , CHR , and IFS genes repressed). These transcriptional changes were paralleled by a distinct nodulation phenotype: nodule number and dry weight did not differ significantly between treatments, whereas leghemoglobin content per nodule increased by 21% ( P < 0.01). The upregulation of ENOD93 and ENOD75 (encoding early nodulin 93 and 75, respectively) and CPX (encoding coproporphyrinogen oxidase) coincided with elevated leghemoglobin content, a pattern consistent with enhanced individual nodule function. These findings suggest a hypothetical model in which species-specific transcriptional reprogramming is associated with altered phenotypic traits, offering insights into the belowground competitive and symbiotic interactions in cereal–legume intercropping.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. BMC Plant Biology, 2026 · DOI ↗
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Field: Agronomy and Crop Science
Agronomy and Crop ScienceAgricultural and Biological Sciences