Responses of Collembola communities to mixtures of wheat varieties: A trait-based approach

The genetic diversity of cultivated crops has decreased continuously since the beginning 20th century, because gradual replacement genetically heterogeneous traditional varieties by new homogenous varieties, grown in monospecific stands. resulting agro-ecosystems are now considered as unsustainable. Increasing within-field crop using a mixture could increase sustainability these agro-ecosystems. This also potentially non-crop biodiversity. In present study we used an experimental approach to test whether number wheat (genetic diversity), functional groups (functional composition and traits influence (1) species richness abundance Collembola, (2) trait assemblages Collembola. A total 104 plots were seeded with either monocultures or mixtures 2, 4 8 varieties. Soil cores collected each plot extract Collembola measure soil features. did not sensitivity septoria leaf blotch was positively related while specific root length collembolan richness. Wheat fungal diseases, (more especially blotch) characteristics aerial parts roots impacted assemblages, but effects weak. features, proportion coarse silt, influential. Our show favorable impact on which might result from their low abundance. Nevertheless, it suggests correlations between some variety