Arable Production Research Articles

Evaluating Roman influence in southeast Europe by zooarchaeological meta-analysis

This study uses increased specialisation in husbandry practice and the development of larger livestock as a proxy for spatial and temporal variation in Roman influence in southeast Europe. Data are presented from three regions subject to varying levels of Roman control: (a) the Balkan provinces, under long-term occupation; (b) Dacia, a province from 106 to 271/275 CE; and (c) regions beyond the Empire to the northwest and northeast. While little change in husbandry practice occurs during the early Roman occupation in the first centuries BCE and CE, clear changes are evident across occupied regions in the second and third centuries CE. A cattle-focused economic system develops, likely influenced by an increased focus on arable production, and a significant increase in cattle and sheep/goat size is observed. In the Balkan provinces, while larger livestock persist into the early Byzantine period, there is a decline in specialised cattle exploitation at rural sites in the late Roman period, and at urban sites in the early Byzantine period, concurrent with a decrease in Roman political control. In Dacia, in contrast, average livestock size decreases after the Roman withdrawal, while specialised cattle husbandry persists for several centuries. Beyond the Empire, specialised cattle husbandry is evident from the late Iron Age, but increases in the second and third centuries, perhaps indicating the spread of Roman influence beyond occupied regions.

Investigating the relationship between knowledge and the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices: The case of Dutch arable farmers

The intensive usage of synthetic fertilisers and pesticides helps Dutch arable farmers to secure high yields at low costs. However, this intensive arable production system also results in environmental degradation in terms of biodiversity loss and reduced soil and water quality. Adopting sustainable agricultural practices (SAPs) reduces arable farmers’ reliance on fertilisers and pesticides. Therefore, SAPs contribute to enhancing farm sustainability and resilience. Despite the promising potential of SAPs, their adoption rates remain low. We investigate which combinations of SAPs are jointly adopted in portfolios and how the adoption rate of SAP portfolios can be improved. Specifically, this paper aims to explore the relationship between knowledge and the adoption of SAP portfolios. First, we investigate the SAP portfolios that are jointly adopted using Correlation Explanation. Second, we estimate a multivariate probit model to explore if SAP portfolios are complementary or substitutionary to each other. Finally, we run a partial least squares structural equation model to investigate how the level of knowledge and informal knowledge are associated with the adoption of SAP portfolios. Results show that both the level of knowledge and informal knowledge are positively related to the adoption of these SAPs that require initial investments or aim to reduce pesticide and fertiliser usage. However, we find no significant relationship between knowledge and the adoption of SAPs that are already subsidised by policymakers. We conclude that persuading farmers to adopt more SAPs requires policymakers to consider combinations of economic (e.g. subsidies) and behavioural policy interventions (e.g. facilitating peer-to-peer knowledge sharing).

Diversity of Free-Threshing Wheat in Early Medieval England Supported by Geometric Morphometric Analysis of Grains

ABSTRACT Observations of atypical grains and relatively small quantities of diagnostic rachis fragments have led to suggestions that a new type of wheat was introduced into Late Anglo-Saxon agriculture (c. AD 850–1066). This crop was a tetraploid free-threshing wheat (FTW), potentially unknown in Britain since the Neolithic. Based on growing requirements, this wheat is considered to have most likely been rivet, a tall cultivar associated with thatching, presumably grown alongside hexaploid bread wheat. However, cultivation of this crop has not been conclusively demonstrated because traditional morphological approaches do not allow us to identify specific FTW cultivars. New results suggest geometric morphometric analysis can distinguish FTW grains at different taxonomic levels. Modern wheat specimens were compared with >450 charred grains from contexts spanning the 7th–14th centuries at twelve sites, accessed through the ‘Feeding Anglo-Saxon England’ (FeedSax) project. The presence of rivet wheat is suggested at several sites, before and after the Norman Conquest (AD 1066), with intra-species comparisons indicating greater similarity to ‘traditional’ varieties than to modern ‘improved’ forms. Morphological variation relating to diversity both within and between cultivars is described and interpreted within the context of innovations in arable production in the later Anglo-Saxon period.

Post-farming land restoration schemes exhibit higher soil aggregate stability and organic carbon: Evidence in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area, China

The Three Gorges Reservoir Area was dominated by a farming landscape but has been the target of restorative land management schemes over recent decades, wherein croplands have been converted to forests or citrus woodlands run by commercial enterprises or, alternatively, abandoned for natural vegetation succession. How these ongoing restorative land management schemes imprint soil systems remains poorly understood. Accordingly, in this study, a space-for-time substitution approach was applied to compare soil aggregate stability and organic carbon stocks between lands used for ongoing arable production and areas subjected to restorative practices. Composite soil samples from reforestation woodlands, abandoned croplands, citrus woodlands, and present-day croplands were collected, and a variety of soil metrics (i.e., water-stable aggregate percentage, mean weight diameter, geometric mean diameter, erosion resistance of the aggregates, bulk soil organic carbon and aggregate-specific soil organic carbon) were used as a basis for comparison. Reforestation woodlands and abandoned croplands exhibited a higher mass percentage of macro-aggregates, higher values of mean weight diameter and geometric mean diameter, and higher organic carbon content within the sampled 0–40 cm depth soil profiles. Reforestation and cropland abandonment significantly increased the stability of soil aggregates and organic carbon stocks. Moreover, abandoned cropland samples exhibited higher soil aggregate stability and organic carbon stocks than reforestation woodlands. In contrast, soil aggregate stability for all sampled soil depths and organic carbon content except for the topsoil (0–10 cm) of citrus woodlands exhibited lower values than those for present day croplands. Exclusion of crop farming and reestablishment of restorative vegetation have therefore contributed to changes in soil physical structure and organic carbon stocks, with reforestation and cropland abandonment being more beneficial for soil aggregate stability and soil organic carbon stocks in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area.

Undersowing oats with clovers supports pollinators and suppresses arable weeds without reducing yields

Abstract Sustainable food production requires agriculture to conserve biodiversity and facilitate ecosystem services to maintain productivity levels while reducing inputs detrimental to ecosystem functioning. Increasing within‐field vegetation diversity by legume intercropping seems promising to facilitate cropping system multi‐functionality. Effects of intercropping with legumes on biodiversity‐mediated ecosystem services such as pollination or natural pest control are, however, not sufficiently understood. Using 26 observation plots in a paired field design, we studied the effects of undersowing oats with a mixture of three annual clovers across different aspects of cropping system multi‐functionality. We investigated 16 below‐ and above‐ground ecosystem service indicators related to soil mineral nitrogen, arable weed control, pollination, disease and pest pressures, natural pest control and crop yield. We found lower arable weed cover, higher flower cover and pollinator densities as well as decreased root‐feeding nematode densities in intercropped observation plots compared with the non‐intercropped controls. However, intercropping decreased spider activity densities and oat yield nitrogen content. Root diseases, pest damages, natural pest control and crop yield were not affected by intercropping. The biomass of undersown clovers was positively related with the differences in flower cover and pollinator densities, and negatively related with the differences in arable weed cover between the intercropped and the control treatment. Synthesis and applications: We demonstrate that undersowing annual clovers suppresses arable weeds and simultaneously support pollinators without reducing crop yields or taking land out of arable production. Undersown plant mixtures should, however, be tailored to support a wider spectrum of pollinators and benefit natural pest control to support a higher level of overall cropping system multi‐functionality.

The costs of delivering environmental outcomes with land sharing and land sparing

Abstract The biodiversity and climate crises demand ambitious policies lowering the environmental impacts of farming. Most current interventions incentivise so‐called land‐sharing approaches to address the widespread trade‐off between farm yields and on‐farm environmental outcomes by compensating farmers who adopt yield‐reducing interventions that encourage wildlife or reduce net emissions within farmed land. Here, we present the first quantification of the likely costs to taxpayers of land sharing compared with land sparing, in which large areas are removed from production altogether because of high‐yielding practices elsewhere in the landscape. Focusing on arable production in the United Kingdom, we used a choice experiment to explore farmer preferences and estimated the overall costs of contrasting agri‐environment schemes that delivered increased populations of three well‐studied farmland birds and reduced net carbon emissions in England. We included capital, administration and monitoring costs, and lost food production. Sparing delivered our target biodiversity and carbon emission outcomes at 79% of the food production cost and 48% of the taxpayer cost of sharing. The difference in subsidy payments required by farmers roughly tracked lost food production but other costs favoured sparing even more strongly. The cost‐related merits of sparing would probably increase further in studies incorporating (1) the many species and ecosystem services not deliverable on farmland, (2) the costs of food imports to compensate domestic lost production and (3) countries without as long and extensive a history of agriculture as the United Kingdom. Our results suggest that, for at least some conservation outcomes, continuing a land‐sharing approach in countries such as the United Kingdom is not only an inefficient use of government funds but also undermines conservation and food security in food‐exporting countries which bear the burden of compensating domestic production forgone in the name of conservation. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Farmers' acceptance of results-based agri-environmental schemes: A German perspective

Results-based agri-environmental schemes (AES) seek to overcome reluctance to adopt other forms of AES in the European Union. Instead of complying with inflexible land management prescriptions, farmers receive payments after certain contracted environmental results are verified. In addition to reducing the organizational and administrative burdens, this practice allows farmers to focus on which practices can achieve the desired environmental outcomes. Farmer uptake of results-based payments may be limited by risk-adverse behavior, such as fear of not meeting environmental targets and forfeiting the contracted payment. This study investigated participation in a hypothetical results-based AES among arable farmers in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the number of hectares enrolled (participation intensity). Our hypothetical scheme sought to foster biodiversity in pollinator and bird species by supporting weed-species richness in intensive arable production. Our split-treatment research design investigated how social nudging influences acceptance and intensity. Approximately 60% of the 63 farmers in our convenience sample expressed a willingness to participate in our hypothetical scheme. Using a Heckman style selection model, we could not detect any effect of the social nudge tested on the likelihood of participation or its intensity. Cognitive factors correlated positively with the likelihood of participation, whereas social and dispositional factors correlated with participation intensity. Perceived lack of control was the main obstacle found to adoption. The findings suggest that policies can mitigate barriers to acceptance by reducing the bureaucratic burden and being transparent over expected costs and ecosystem benefits. This study was the first to investigate farmers' acceptance of a hypothetical results-based AES that targets the enrichment of biodiversity in arable farming and thus may serve as a stepping stone for follow-up studies.

Agricultural Development and Socio-Economic Profile of Farmers in Arunachal Pradesh: With Special Reference to Tawang District

Arunachal Pradesh is an agrarian economy and it is the main source of earnings for people. In Arunachal Pradesh, the contribution of the agriculture sector to its GSDP is 44.78 percent. The present study is to analyze the trend and growth in production and productivity of food crops in Arunachal Pradesh. It also tried to examine the socio-economic profile of farmers in rural households. The study was based on both primary and secondary data. The secondary data were collected from NEDFI Data Bank and Statistical Abstracts of Arunachal Pradesh. The primary data were collected by conducting field surveys in Tawang District. The survey was based on a multi-stage sampling technique. In the first stage, the Tawang district was selected and in the second stage, Namazing and Kharsa villages of the Jang block were selected purposively. The sample size was 50 households. During the study, it was found that the overall production of food crops in the state was very low. The main issues of agriculture development in the state are limited arable land and low productivity. There has been a diversification of livelihood towards nonagricultural income sources. The socio-economic profile of farmers are found poor. People’s dependency on the public distribution system for food grains has substantially increased. It is a indication of inadequate production of food grains in the district. There is a need to focus on improving the productivity of major crops as the income of farmers is low.

All Change on the Land? Wheat and the Roman to Early Medieval Transition in England

THE END OF ROMAN RULE IN ENGLAND, combined with Germanic migration during the 5th and 6th centuries ad, had a profound effect on populations, settlements and lifeways. During both the Roman and early medieval periods most people worked the land, as peasant farmers or landowners, and a reduction in the intensity of farming has been widely recognised in the immediate Roman aftermath. This was followed by an increase in arable production during the ‘long 8th century’, and by considerable changes in the range of cereal crops cultivated. Here, a large and up-to-date dataset of archaeobotanical evidence from Roman and medieval rural settlements is reviewed to explore when and why these changes occurred. The 5th to mid-7th centuries emerge as a period of significant change, when the glumewheats—emmer and spelt—which had formed the mainstay of prehistoric and Roman agriculture in England, were replaced by bread wheat, which today accounts for c 90% of wheat production globally. This innovation represents a crucial first element in a series of incremental steps during the early medieval period that saw both agriculture and the lives of those working the land transformed.

Farmers-Herdsmen conflicts: Effect of Resilience Strategy on Arable crop Productivity in the Ogbomoso Agricultural Zone of Oyo State

Over the years, contests over land for crop production and pasture for animals among crop farmers and herders have been a subject of concern. The study therefore examine the effect of resilience on arable crop productivity after farmers-herdsmen conflicts in the Ogbomoso Agricultural Zone of Oyo State. A multistage sampling technique was used to select 270 arable crop farmers, which is about 29.4% of the 919 registered arable crop farmers for the study, using a structured questionnaire to obtain primary data. Data collected was analysed using descriptive statistics like tables, percentages and inferential statistics such as ordinary least square regression to analyse the effect of resilience strategy to shocks of conflict anticipation cost and arable crop productivity. All analyses were tested at a 5% level of significance. The result of the OLS regression analysis model for the effect of resilience techniques on arable crop productivity indicated that years spent in school (p = 0.97), size of farm (p = 0.006), hired labour after conflict (p = 0.000), transformative index (p = 0.000), absorptive index (p = 0.008) and adaptive index (p = 0.008) were significantly related to arable crop productivity. The transformative, absorptive, and adaptive resilience strategies significantly influenced arable crop productivity after farmers-herdsmen conflicts in the study area. The study concluded that adhere to the rule and regulations of the community serve as a means of preventing conflicts between farmers and herders, Further increasing farm size requires more commitment from the farmer and thus becomes more attached to the farm materially, physically and emotionally. The study recommends that the resilience strategies employed by the respondents should be investigated and adopted by appropriate authorities in order to mitigate the regular conflicts between farmers and herders in Nigeria.

The role of cover crops for cropland soil carbon, nitrogen leaching, and agricultural yields – a global simulation study with LPJmL (V. 5.0-tillage-cc)

Abstract. Land management practices can reduce the environmental impact of agricultural land use and production, improve productivity, and transform cropland into carbon sinks. In our study we assessed the biophysical and biogeochemical impacts and the potential contribution of cover crop practices to sustainable land use. We applied the process-based, global dynamic vegetation model LPJmL (Lund–Potsdam–Jena managed Land) V. 5.0-tillage-cc with a modified representation of cover crops to simulate the growth of grasses on cropland in periods between two consecutive main crops' growing seasons for near-past climate and land use conditions. We quantified simulated responses of agroecosystem components to cover crop cultivation in comparison to bare-soil fallowing practices on global cropland for a period of 50 years. For cover crops with tillage, we obtained annual global median soil carbon sequestration rates of 0.52 and 0.48 t C ha−1 yr−1 for the first and last decades of the entire simulation period, respectively. We found that cover crops with tillage reduced annual nitrogen leaching rates from cropland soils by medians of 39 % and 54 % but also the productivity of the following main crop by an average of 1.6 % and 2 % for the 2 analyzed decades. The largest reductions in productivity were found for rice and modestly lowered ones for maize and wheat, whereas the soybean yield revealed an almost homogenously positive response to cover crop practices replacing bare-soil fallow periods. The obtained simulation results of cover crop with tillage practices exhibit a good ability of the model version to reproduce observed effects reported in other studies. Further, the results suggest that having no tillage is a suitable complementary practice to cover crops, enhancing soil carbon sequestration and the reduction in nitrogen leaching, while reducing potential trade-offs with the main-crop productivity due to their impacts on soil nitrogen and water dynamics. The spatial heterogeneity of simulated impacts of cover crops on the variables assessed here was related to the time period since the introduction of the management practice as well as to environmental and agronomic conditions of the cropland. This study supports findings of other studies, highlighting the substantial potential contribution of cover crop practices to the sustainable development of arable production.

Biochar in manure can suppress water stress of sugar beet (Beta vulgaris) and increase sucrose content in tubers

Increased soil drought events threaten the yields of sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) and other staples of arable production in central Europe. In this study we evaluated soil moisture and nutrients as impacted by a two and five % (wt) addition of biochar, manure and their blend to a loamy-sand Regosol. Cyclical soil drought was achieved by the controlled reduction of watering by 75% in pot experiments. Ongoing soil moisture and nutrient measurements were taken, and physiological parameters of sugar beet plants were analysed three weeks after the induced drought. At the end of the experiment (16 weeks) plants were harvested and their mass assessed, as well as their nutrient, pigment and sugar contents. In contrast to the addition of manure, soil volumetric water contents were two to three times greater after biochar amendment, compared to the control soil. Porewater analysis revealed that nutrient leaching (e.g., NO3−, K+) from manure addition to soil was reduced when biochar was blended in (by ≤86% compared to manure alone). Crop analysis showed that leaf gas exchanges were moderated during drought following soil amendment, and leaf and tuber yields were increased furthest when combined biochar-manure blends were applied (> 2-times compared to the control). Perhaps most importantly, the advantageous soil conditions induced by the combined biochar and manure addition also resulted in significantly increased sugar contents in plants (2.4-times) pointing to immediate practical applications of these results in the field.

The effect of tillage in combination with the use of fertilizers and protective equipment on the yield and economic efficiency of crop cultivation in the North-Eastern region of the central chernozem zone

The studies were carried out on typical chernozem. The purpose of the research was to develop resource-saving technological methods of crop cultivation, ensuring an increase in yield and economic efficiency of production. The work was carried out in a long-term stationary field experiment against the background of two types of crop rotations: in 2007-2010 – grain-fallow-hoe (black fallow – winter wheat – sugar beet – barley) and in 2013-2020 – grain-fallow (black fallow – winter wheat – soy – barley). Four systems of basic tillage were compared in the grain-fallow-hoe crop rotation: traditional dump multi-depth, surface, non-dump multi-depth, combined (25% dump + 75% non-dump). There are five tillage systems in the grain-fallow crop rotation, with the inclusion of a combined system in the experiment scheme (25% dump + 75% surface). Fertilizers and plant protection products were used against the background of treatments for crop rotation cultures. The best conditions for the formation of crop yields, arable land productivity in crop rotations and the best economic indicators are formed with combined (25% dump and 75% non-dump) and (25% dump + 75% surface) tillage systems in combination with a low level of mineral nutrition and plant protection products. An increase in the level of mineral nutrition in crop rotations without the use of plant protection products leads to a significant decrease in the economic efficiency of production.

Technical Note: A Comparison of Supervised Machine Learning Algorithms for Predicting Subfield Yield Variability of Maize Grain

Abstract. Precision farming is about managing within-field spatial variability by applying appropriate inputs with the right amount, at the right place, and at the right time. This typically leads to the delineation of site-specific management zones that represent different yield potentials. However, a focus on spatiotemporal interactions is generally lacking. This technical note explores the viability of predicting spatial yields within fields, in the small-field arable production commonly practiced in New Zealand, using supervised machine learning algorithms. The methods used are multiple linear regression (MLR), feed-forward backpropagation neural network (FFNN), classification and regression tree (CART), random forest (RF), XGBoost, and Cubist, using predictors compiled from a range of spatiotemporal factors, including soil electrical conductivity (EC), soil organic matter (OM), elevation, rainfall, growing degree days, and solar radiation. Despite poor results (R2 = 0.06 to 0.50) for predicting the spatial yield of each year, the RF, XGBoost, and Cubist models demonstrated greater capability for modeling spatiotemporal interactions than the previously tested FFNN and MLR. The inclusion of consistently calibrated yield data for additional years and more related variables (e.g., soil moisture and canopy cover) could improve the models. The results of these modeling analyses could lead to the delineation of dynamic yield management zones for improving the precision of mid-season fertilizer prescriptions to improve yield. Keywords: GIS, Machine learning, Precision farming, Spatiotemporal.

The perception of Climatic Change on Climatic Resilience Crop Cultivars among Arable Farmers in Adamawa state, Nigeria

The study examines the perception of climatic change and climatic resilience crop cultivars among arable farmers in Adamawa State. With the specific objectives as to determine the socio-economics of arable farmers, examine the perception of change in temperature by farmers farming experience, examine the perception of farmers on rainfall pattern change due to climatic change, identify the source of information about climatic resilience crop cultivars, identify the varieties of climatic resilience crops cultivated by arable farmers, examine the farmer’s perception on the effects of climatic change on arable crop production, determine the level of farmers adoption of climatic resilience crop cultivars and examine the socio-economic factors influencing the adoption of climatic resilience crop cultivar for effects of climatic change on arable production. Primary data was the main sources of data for the study collected through the use of well-structured schedule. Descriptive statistics (tables, frequency and percentage) and inferential statistics such as Chi-square, and Probit regression were used as analytical tools for the analysis of data. The study revealed that majority of the respondents are in their most active age (21-40years), hence their strength could be effectively utilized to increase agricultural production and majority of them were males with 49.0% were married. The study shows that the household size in the study area is relatively large and most (60.8%) of the respondents are educated (they can read and write) and this could be effectively utilized to boost arable production in the study area and 60.8% of the respondents were full-time farmers with a good farming experience which will help them to improve their production techniques and to increase their productivity. The study therefore, concluded that climatic change have significant effects on arable production which reduces potential yield and farmers were aware of the climatic resilience crop cultivars of which their sources of information on it were NGOs and other farm associate but their level of adoption is low and recommended that Farmer exposure to and knowledge of climate-resilient crop cultivars should be increased. This can be achieved through organizing more training on climate change adaptation and encouraging farmers to attend.

Medieval Activity at Beech Tree Close, Oakley, Hampshire

An archaeological excavation in advance of a housing development revealed a range of deposits dating from the 11th to 13th centuries. The features do not conform to what would be expected either for the nucleus of an isolated farmstead or as part of a medieval village, but they perhaps indicate an area of activity adjacent to a more densely settled area. The deposits were relatively rich in charred plant remains indicating arable production. The parish church, usually considered to be located close to a village centre, lies several hundred metres to the west and if the deposits here do not relate to an independent farmstead, perhaps they pre-date the formation of the nucleated village. One feature is potentially a Saxon SFB (sunken-featured building). Some early Saxon and Roman pottery sherds were also recovered.

Evaluating the contribution of synthetic fungicides to cereal plant health and CO2reduction targets against the backdrop of the increasingly complex regulatory environment in Europe

AbstractThe global COVID pandemic has impacted the world in ways and at a scale that few could have predicted, with many industries severely disrupted. Despite this, crops were sown and harvested, food was produced and agriculture continued to function, albeit it with many logistical challenges. Plant health lies at the heart of preventing crop losses through a combination of varietal resistance and agronomic practices. In the case of foliar plant diseases in wheat, varietal resistance plays a key role, but the use of synthetic fungicides is essential to minimize crop losses. European arable production faces a dilemma: how to contribute and maintain global food supplies but at the same time decrease emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs), reduce inputs potentially harmful to biodiversity, society and the environment while ensuring no more land is brought into production. Throughout history, major disruptions in society have led to big steps in agricultural innovation. Presently, the major disruptive forces in Europe are not just a result of the COVID pandemic but the increasingly urgent need to address climate change. Within the European Green Deal, the Farm‐to‐Fork strategy is in place to help achieve climate neutrality by 2050, aiming for a reduction of GHG emissions of 55% by 2030. To achieve this, there will need to be a major adjustment to how food is produced, a realignment in plant health strategies and accelerated innovation across the agricultural sector. This paper aims to evaluate how synthetic fungicides presently contribute to plant health (mainly wheat) and food production as well as the management of GHG emissions. In addition, it explores the future challenges and prospects for their positive contribution in achieving global food security alongside emerging innovative technologies.

Biodiversity decline with increasing crop productivity in agricultural fields revealed by satellite remote sensing

Increasing land-use intensity is a main driver of biodiversity loss in farmland, but measuring proxies for land-use intensity across entire landscapes is challenging. Here, we develop a novel method for the assessment of the impact of land-use intensity on biodiversity in agricultural landscapes using remote sensing parameters derived from the Sentinel-2 satellites. We link crop phenology and productivity parameters derived from time-series of a two-band enhanced vegetation index with biodiversity indicators (insect pollinators and insect-pollinated vascular plants) in agricultural fields in southern Sweden, with contrasting land management (i.e. conventional and organic farming). Our results show that arable land-use intensity in cereal systems dominated by spring-sown cereals can be approximated using Sentinel-2 productivity parameters. This was shown by the significant positive correlations between the amplitude and maximum value of the enhanced vegetation index on one side and farmer reported yields on the other. We also found that conventional cereal fields had 17% higher maximum and 13% higher amplitude of their enhanced vegetation index than organic fields. Sentinel-2 derived parameters were more strongly correlated with the abundance and species richness of bumblebees and the richness of vascular plants than the abundance and species richness of butterflies. The relationships we found between biodiversity and crop production proxies are consistent with predictions that increasing agricultural land-use intensity decreases field biodiversity. The newly developed method based on crop phenology and productivity parameters derived from Sentinel-2 data serves as a proof of concept for the assessment of the impact of land-use intensity on biodiversity over cereal fields across larger areas. It enables the estimation of arable productivity in cereal systems, which can then be used by ecologists and develop tools for land managers as a proxy for land-use intensity. Coupled with spatially explicit databases on agricultural land-use, this method will enable crop-specific cereal productivity estimation across large geographical regions.

Assessing agro-food system circularity using nutrient flows and budgets

Nutrient reuse and recycling is a key strategy towards more circular and sustainable food systems and depends on the specific conditions of the area under study, such as geography and the type of agricultural system. In this study we analysed nutrient flows and assessed the circularity of a livestock-dominated and export-oriented agro-food system at different system levels and spatial scales. We quantified the nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) flows and soil balances in the Belgian agro-food system at the sub-regional, regional and national scale, and assessed five P-based indicators that capture different aspects of circularity: total inputs, phosphorus use efficiency, share of reused to total input, recycling rate, and losses. We found that nutrient soil balances depend on the type of agricultural system: areas with intense livestock production accumulate up to 108 kgN/ha, 4.8 kgP/ha and 150 kgK/ha in their soil annually, whereas areas of mostly arable production have low N and K surpluses of <20 kg/ha and P deficits of < -10 kg/ha. We further found that Wallonia, the southern region of the country that is characterized by lower livestock densities and a partial reuse of sewage sludge, outperforms the Flemish region in the North in all five indicators. The food system in the whole of Belgium has a 34% phosphorus use efficiency rate and a 63% overall recycling rate, while 84% of the total inputs in agriculture are from secondary sources. Our results show that the type of production system is the most crucial determinant for circularity, and highlight the benefit of working at different levels and spatial scales to capture all aspects of circularity in agro-food systems.

A Portfolio of Effective Water and Soil Conservation Practices for Arable Production Systems in Europe and North Africa

To secure sustainable food production for meeting the growing global demand for food, it is imperative, while at the same time challenging, to make efficient use of natural resources with minimal impact on the environment. The study objective is to provide insights into the multiple benefits and trade-offs of different sustainable agricultural practices that are relevant across pedo-climatic zones in Europe and North Africa, including conservation agriculture, crop diversification, organic agriculture, and agroforestry. Widespread adoption of these practices in specific regions depends on the effectiveness with which their applications and attributes are communicated to farmers, and their suitability to local conditions and opportunities. Scale impacts of the practices range from field to catchment levels, but the best empirical evidence has been generated at field level in on-farm and experimental trials. The outcomes from the application of each of these practices depend on variables specific to each site, including pedo-climatic zone, geography, weather, ecology, culture, and traditions. Each practice has trade-offs and the same practice can have different effects when compared to conventional agriculture. To make site-specific recommendations, a careful assessment of overall benefits must be made. Adoption can be stimulated when farmers have the opportunity to experiment on their own land and discover the advantages and disadvantages of different practices.