Insights into the influence of intercropping and arbuscular mycorrhizal inoculation on two modern durum wheat cultivars and their associated microbiota

Intercropping, based on the interplay between cereals and legumes, might be an encouraging approach to improve soil fertility and crop productivity and to guarantee more sustainable farming systems. However, plant consociation is also influenced by the interaction between roots and soil microbial communities, and different plant genotypes might differently respond to this management. Here, a 2-year field study was carried out, verifying the impact of intercropping and the inoculation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on two varieties of durum wheat, using a lentil variety as intercropped plant species, on wheat agronomic parameters and grain features, as well as on microbial communities of soil, rhizosphere and wheat roots. Results showed a genotype effect on diverse agronomic parameters, gluten quality and grain elemental concentrations. Additionally, intercropping and AM fungal inoculation affected and shaped the microbial alpha diversity and composition, especially for the AMF community, at root level. Overall, the effects of the considered treatments (intercropping with lentil and AM fungal inoculation) were noticeably influenced by the specific wheat genotype, suggesting the importance to conduct a careful selection of intercropped genotypes.