Abstract
Legumes have become important crops, due to an increasing global population and its demand for feed protein. Furthermore, legumes can improve the characteristics of the soil, improve biodiversity levels in crop rotations, and be cultivated in both organic and sustainable farming systems. In this study, a two-factor field experiment was conducted in Gorzyń, Poland in 2011–2015. The first factor was the farming system: low-external inputs (LI; without fertilization and chemical protection), medium-input (MI; medium fertilization level and chemical protection), and high-input (conventional—CONV; high fertilization level and chemical protection). Narrow-leaved lupin cultivar was the second factor; the indeterminate cv. Kalif and the determinate cv. Regent. We evaluated (a) weed infestation levels, (b) seed and protein production, and (c) the economic effects of narrow-leaved lupin cultivation under different farming conditions. A total of 12 weed species were identified, with the lowest weed density level and biomass production observed in CONV, and the greatest weed density level observed in LI. Seed yield was determined by the farming system; the greatest in CONV and significantly lower in LI (by 0.73 t h−1) and MI (by 0.18 t ha–1). Little difference was observed in seed yield between cultivars. The greatest production values for the Kalif and Regent cultivars (996€ and 949€ ha–1, respectively) were recorded in CONV, although LI proved to be the most profitable (with the highest gross agricultural income and lowest total cost of production). LI farming systems, in conjunction with chemical weed control, should be investigated in future studies.
Highlights
With an ever-increasing human population, the agricultural sector is confronted with a number of critical challenges, namely, how to produce sufficient volumes of food for this population, while at the same time preventing the pollution of natural ecosystems [1]
Lowest weed density and biomass values were recorded in CONV, and the greatest values were recorded in low-external inputs (LI) (Table 4)
The number of weeds/m2 was 54% greater in LI compared to CONV, but there was no difference between MI and CONV
Summary
With an ever-increasing human population, the agricultural sector is confronted with a number of critical challenges, namely, how to produce sufficient volumes of food for this population, while at the same time preventing the pollution of natural ecosystems [1]. According to Fess et al [2], high-input farming systems become less sustainable and practical as the global population increases, because of reduced requirement of resources. Legume crops can be cultivated under both organic and sustainable farming systems [3]. Pulse crops, such as white lupin (Lupinus albus L.), yellow lupin (Lupinus luteus L.), and narrow-leaved. Agriculture 2020, 10, 459 lupin (Lupinus angustifolius L.) are native European plants, and could provide an excellent source of plant protein [4,5]. In European conditions, the most widely cultivated grain legumes (e.g., lupin, faba bean, and field pea) accumulate an average of 130–153 kg N ha−1 (from biological fixation) in their aboveground biomass [6]
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