Aye Nyein Ko

Competition is a key factor affecting plants, where plant kinship, self and non-self-recognition play an important role. The ability to distinguish between the roots of the same individual and those of other plants may reduce competition, allowing greater resource availability for essential functions such as reproduction. However, the mechanisms underlying competitive discrimination in crop species remain unknown. Our study examined the responses of cherry tomato (C) (Solanum lycopersicum L.) and bell pepper (B) (Capsicum annuum L.) to neighboring plants with different degrees of relatedness (High relatedness-CC, BB: Low relatedness-CB) from early vegetative to fruiting stages under different conditions (rhizoslides, pot and field trials). Cherry tomato grown with bell pepper consistently exhibited enhancements in net CO2assimilation (A), stomatal conductance (gs), chlorophyll content, plant height, stem diameter, biomass, and thick root development across all growth stages, while bell pepper displayed reductions. Additionally, total yield and the production of export quality fruits were also affected. Root respiration and exudate analysis indicated that plants recognized their neighbors based on relatedness. Furthermore, distinct metabolic profiles were observed between the different combination groups of both bell pepper and cherry tomato. Overall, cherry tomato can be a slightly costly neighbor for bell pepper, while bell pepper proves to be a beneficial neighbor for cherry tomato. Our findings demonstrate that neighbor-relatedness effects are species-specific and consistent across growth stages, highlighting the benefits of strategic plant pairing in intercropping systems for increased crop production