Soil salinity control and cauliflower quality promotion by intercropping with five turfgrass species

Greenhouse vegetable production contributes 60% of the economic value of the world vegetable industry. However, the secondary soil salinization and nitrate accumulation in vegetable products have become critical concerns in greenhouse vegetable production system. Here we show that cauliflower intercropped with five turfgrass species not only reduces the salinity stress and nitrate accumulation of cauliflower but also improves cauliflower curd quality. Effect of soil salinity control and cauliflower nitrate reduction was associated with the capacity of salt and nitrate uptake and accumulation of turfgrass species. Paspalum vaginatum performed the most significant effects on soil salinity control, reduced 37.8% of nitrate content, increased 50.7% of vitamin C and 21.1% of soluble protein contents in cauliflower curd. Our results demonstrated that intercropping with Paspalum vaginatum could provide a significant help for the sustainable development in the intensive greenhouse vegetable production.