Diversified Cropping Systems Research Articles

Automating Agroecology: How to Design a Farming Robot Without a Monocultural Mindset?

Robots are widely expected—and pushed—to transform open-field agriculture, but these visions remain wedded to optimizing monocultural farming systems. Meanwhile there is little pull for automation from ecology-based, diversified farming realms. Noting this gap, we here explore the potential for robots to foster an agroecological approach to crop production. The research was situated in The Netherlands within the case of pixel cropping, a nascent farming method in which multiple food and service crops are planted together in diverse assemblages employing agroecological practices such as intercropping and biological pest control. Around this case we engaged with a variety of specialists in discussion groups, workshops, and design challenges to explore the potential of field robots to meet the multifaceted demands of highly diverse agroecological cropping systems. This generated a spectrum of imaginations for how automated tools might—or might not—be appropriately used, ranging from fully automated visions, to collaborative scenarios, to fully analogue prototypes. We found that automating agroecological cropping systems requires finding ways to imbue the ethos of agroecology into designed tools, thereby seeking to overcome tensions between production aims and other forms of social and ecological care. We conclude that a rethinking of automation is necessary for agroecological contexts: not as a blueprint for replacing humans, but making room for analogue and hybrid forms of agricultural work. These findings highlight a need for design processes which include a diversity of actors, involve iterative design cycles, and incorporate feedback between designers, practitioners, tools, and cropping systems.

Carbon sequestration capacity in no-till soil decreases in the long-term due to saturation of fine silt plus clay-size fraction

The capacity of soils to stabilize carbon (C) may decrease over time, limiting the potential of no-till soil to act as a C sink in the long-term. Our objectives were to evaluate the effects of long-term no-till cropping systems on (i) C storage in soil, (ii) C stabilization in the fine silt plus clay-size (<20 μm) fraction and its relationship with the decrease of C saturation deficit (CSD) in this fraction, and (iii) on C accumulation in labile fractions of soil organic matter (SOM) in 0–2.5, 2.5–5, 5–10 and 10–20 cm layers of a subtropical Acrisol. The study was based on a long-term (36 years) no-till experiment where five cropping systems, with variable annual C inputs, were assessed: [i] bare-soil, [ii] black oat/maize, [iii] black oat + vetch/maize + cowpea, [iv] lablab + maize and [v] pigeon pea + maize. Cropping systems including maize and tropical legumes (lablab, pigeon pea and cowpea) with high C input led to the highest C storage in the top layers (up to 10 cm depth) of this no-till soil. Also, a decrease of CSD in fine silt plus clay-size fraction was observed in all soil layers to 20 cm depth, but the most expressive impact on CSD occurred in the topsoil (0–2.5 cm), where the capacity to further stabilize more carbon decreased by 90–97% when compared to bare soil. Considering the full C saturation level of the silt plus clay-size fraction and the current C contents in the soil, the remaining capacity of C sequestration up to 20 cm was estimated as ranging from 22.5 to 32.8 Mg C ha−1, and much of it (58–75%) was in the 10–20 cm layer. Our results highlight the importance of diversified cropping systems with high input (quantity and quality) crop residues to C sequestration in soil. Moreover, although the mineral-associated SOM of the top layer reached a C stabilization limit, C accumulation continues in non-saturated labile fractions, and in non-saturated fine silt plus clay-size fraction in deeper layers of subtropical no-till soils.

Effect of diversified cropping systems on crop yield, legacy, and budget of potassium in a subtropical Oxisol

Diversified cropping systems can benefit plant growth and yield, but their impacts on K budget and legacy in no-till Oxisols are still poorly understood. This study, based on a long-term (19-years) field experiment, aimed to evaluate the effect of cropping system diversification as well as the proportion of maize in summer season on crop yields, and on soil K forms, use efficiency, budget, and legacy K in a subtropical Rhodic Hapludox under no-till in Southern Brazil. Five treatments were evaluated: two monocropping of maize and soybean in sucession to barley, and three crop rotations with 21%, 26% and 47% of maize in rotation with soybean in summer, combined with up to four winter crops (barley, wheat, canola, and oat). Soil (0–0.20 m) was sampled at the 19th year for determination of soil K forms, and all records of K fertilization and grain yields, as well as the initial soil analysis, were retrieved, and soil K accumulation, K budget, K usage efficiency, and K legacy were calculated. Across the 19-years and in comparison to monocropping, the diversification of cropping systems increased barley (33%) and maize (52%) yields, while a 10% increment was observed for soybean yield by increasing the proportion of maize in summer season from 0% to 47%. Increasing K input via fertilization as a consequence of the higher proportion of maize in summer was the main factor related to observed increment on potentially available K content in soil and on the potential use of legacy K from 6 to 10 years. Maximum K budget (−160 kg ha −1 ) and use efficiency (114 kg grains kg −1 K applied) were obtained by equating maize-soybean proportion (50/50%) in summer and diversifying winter crops. According to our findings, intercalating maize and soybean in summer and diversifying winter crops are the key for using K more efficiently in subtropical agriculture. • Cropping system diversification increases crops grain yield. • Equating maize-soybean proportion (50/50%) increment the K budget. • Diversifying crops is the key for using K more efficiently in subtropics.

Study Of Phenotypic Variability of Vicia Faba Germplasm by Using of Varietal Diversity in Mono Cropping and Intercropping Systems

The objective of this study was to evaluate the phenotypic variability of Vicia faba germplasm by using varietal diversity in identifying genotypes with morpho-productive traits, disease and pest resistance, weed infestation, which can be used as a model in the development of genetic mixtures in integrated management practices for environmentally friendly, diseases, pests and weeds. Productivity, disease and pest descriptors at 50 Vicia faba genotypes of different biological status (10 obsolete cultivars, 30 local populations, 10 inbreed lines), were determined, by testing in intercropping experiments with small grain cereals and mono-cropping, in two different climatic years under the northeastern part of Romania conditions. The statistical estimators resulting from the unidirectional Anova analysis determined in mono-cropping and intercropping systems a hierarchy of heterogeneity of local populations for productivity traits and degree of attack of faba bean weevil (Bruchus rufimanus) and ascochyta blight (Ascochyta fabae) on seeds, for incidence of micromycete Uromyces viciae fabae and of aphids Aphys fabae in intercropping system. There was a weak competition of Vicia faba species, regarding the presence of weeds compared to small grains cereals variants and potentially beneficial for nitrogen symbiotic fixation by increasing oat productivity, in two years of intercropping with faba bean. By using Euclidean distance and Pearson correlation, in classification of genotypes and morpho-productive traits, diseases and pest in clusters from dendograms, similarities were highlighted between productivity and its components and between attacks to diseases and pests and dissimilarities between genotypes, members cluster three with phenotypic variability with maximum values of productivity traits and minimum attacks to disease and pest resistance compared to the other two clusters with possibilities for use in the development of genetic mixtures programs.

Forage Crop Water Use and Production Under Dryland Conditions

Forage crops contribute diversity and buffer agronomic risk in water-limited cropping systems. Knowledge of growth responses to uncertain water supply can help guide crop selection and management—including timing of harvest. Our research objective was to determine water use and growth responses of forage winter triticale and forage sorghum under rainfed conditions.

Cropping system diversification does not always beget weed diversity

Cropping system (CS) diversification appears as a promising solution to increase CS sustainability. However, weed community response to different options of CS diversification remains poorly documented. Moreover, these effects are expected to be more pronounced in experimental than commercial farms because experimental farms explore more diverse combinations of farming practices. We hypothesized that (i) CS diversification would increase weed diversity at multiple spatio-temporal scales but that (ii) different options of CS diversification would select different weed communities and that (iii) responses could differ between experimental and commercial farms. Hence, weed density per species was measured over a 6-year time period in a CS experiment and in a farmers’ network (both resorting to diverse CSs that were numerically summarized to allow their comparison, i.e. different positions along gradients of tillage intensity, herbicide use, crop rotation length etc.). Weed density measures were used to compute weed diversity indices (taxonomic and functional, at annual and plurennial scales) and community weighted means on key response traits for each CS. All experimented alternative CSs (diversified crop sequences with coherent but different combinations of weed management tools) showed that diverse combinations of agronomic tools are available to increase weed diversity, as highlighted by a 3 and 2-fold increase in species richness at the annual and plurennial scales, respectively. In contrast, only one farmer CS (3-year rotation, low tillage intensity, intermediate herbicide reliance) showed significantly higher levels of weed diversity, possibly because the reduced tillage intensity was not compensated by other agronomic levers (e.g. increase of herbicide use and/or crop rotation diversity). Such outcomes were attributed to (i) reduced CS complexity in commercial compared to experimental farms and (ii) high herbicide reliance in commercial farms, irrespectively of CS complexity. Across both experimental and commercial farms, tillage, weed management and crop type appeared as the main factors structuring weed communities. Systems with reduced tillage were associated with a higher percentage of grasses and perennials. Systems with spring/summer crops and/or mechanical weeding were associated with a higher proportion of spring/summer and perennial species. These results suggest that solutions are readily available for farmers to implement sustainable weed management, but supports are required to address the factors hindering the adoption of these experimented CS in commercial conditions.

Maturity selection but not sowing date enhances soybean productivity and land use in a winter camelina–soybean relay system

AbstractEnhancing crop diversification is needed to ensure sustainable food and energy production in the soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] and maize (Zea mays L.) dominated cropping systems of the US Midwest. Relay‐cropping soybean with winter camelina [Camelina sativa (L.) Crantz] is a means to sustainably intensify food and energy production while adding cropping system diversity. However, soybean yields in relay systems tend to be less than a full‐season monocrop. We hypothesized that improved soybean selection and seeding date for relay cropping could minimize this yield gap, thus increasing agricultural land use productivity. A 2‐year field study was conducted to determine the effects of soybean maturity and seeding date (SD) on winter camelina and soybean yields and land use productivity. Three soybean genotypes differing in maturity (MG) were relayed into winter camelina at rosette (SD1), bolting (SD2), and first flowering (SD3) growth stages. The soybean MGs were MG0.2, MG1.1, and MG1.7 representing early, standard, and late maturity, respectively, for the study region. The MG1.1 sown at SD2 was grown as sole crop check using conventional practices (CP). Results demonstrated that SD3 decreased camelina seed yield compared with SD1 and SD2. Soybean yield in the relay system was greatest for the MG1.7 genotype, and averaged across SD1 and SD2, was just 11.6% less than the sole crop CP check. Relaying soybean MG1.7 at SD2 produced 43% greater total (camelina +soybean) oil yield and greatly improved land use efficiency compared with CP. Appropriate soybean genotype selection can enhance winter camelina–soybean relay system productivity and land use efficiency.

GIS based Land Use Suitability of Diversified Cropping Systems in Bareli Watershed

A study was undertaken to evaluate the soils in Bareli watershed, Seoni district of Madhya Pradesh for sustainable land use planning. Five soil series namely, Diwartola, Diwara, Bareli-1, Bareli-2 and Bareli-3 were tentatively identified and mapped into twenty-four mapping units and a soil map was generated using remote sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques. The land information generated during soil survey has been used to evaluate land capability, land irrigability, soil productivity and soil-site suitability for some medicinal, aromatic and spices crops. The soils were grouped into land capability sub-classes IVs and IVst and land irrigability sub-classes 2st, 3s, 3st and 4st. Soils of Diwartola, Bareli-1 and Bareli-3 were average and soils of Diwara and Bareli-2 were poor in soil productivity based on limitations of erosion, drainage and physicochemical properties. Soil-site suitability assessment reveals that soils of Bareli-1 were moderately suitable (S2) for cultivation of medicinal and spices crops like Ashwagandha, Mucana, Davana, Lemongrass, Turmeric and Ginger with moderate limitations of effective depth and slope, while, soils of Diwartola and Bareli-3 were marginally suitable (S3) for cultivation of these crops.

Inter-Kingdom Networks of Canola Microbiome Reveal Bradyrhizobium as Keystone Species and Underline the Importance of Bulk Soil in Microbial Studies to Enhance Canola Production.

The subterranean microbiota of plants is of great importance for plant growth and health, as root-associated microbes can perform crucial ecological functions. As the microbial environment of roots is extremely diverse, identifying keystone microorganisms in plant roots, rhizosphere, and bulk soil is a necessary step towards understanding the network of influence within the microbial community associated with roots and enhancing its beneficial elements. To target these hot spots of microbial interaction, we used inter-kingdom network analysis on the canola growth phase of a long-term cropping system diversification experiment conducted at four locations in the Canadian Prairies. Our aims were to verify whether bacterial and fungal communities of canola roots, rhizosphere, and bulk soil are related and influenced by diversification of the crop rotation system; to determine whether there are common or specific core fungi and bacteria in the roots, rhizosphere, and bulk soil under canola grown in different environments and with different levels of cropping system diversification; and to identify hub taxa at the inter-kingdom level that could play an important ecological role in the microbiota of canola. Our results showed that fungi were influenced by crop diversification, which was not the case on bacteria. We found no core microbiota in canola roots but identified three core fungi in the rhizosphere, one core mycobiota in the bulk soil, and one core bacterium shared by the rhizosphere and bulk soil. We identified two bacterial and one fungal hub taxa in the inter-kingdom networks of the canola rhizosphere, and one bacterial and two fungal hub taxa in the bulk soil. Among these inter-kingdom hub taxa, Bradyrhizobium sp. and Mortierella sp. are particularly influential on the microbial community and the plant. To our knowledge, this is the first inter-kingdom network analysis utilized to identify hot spots of interaction in canola microbial communities.

Farm typology for planning targeted farming systems interventions for smallholders in Indo-Gangetic Plains of India

Due to complexity of smallholder farms, many times technologies with great potential fail to achieve the desired impact in leveraging productivity and profitability of the farming community. In the Indo-Gangetic Plains there is an urgent need to understand the diversity of farm households, identifying the main drivers deciding their system thus, classifying them into homogenous groups. In the present study, the diversity of smallholder farms was assessed using crop, livestock and income related characteristics and associated farm mechanization. Using principal component analysis and cluster analysis for 252 farm households, 4 farm types were identified i.e. Type 1. Small Farm households with cereal-based cropping system and subsistence livestock (39%), Type 2. Small Farm households with diversified cropping system dominated by cereal and fodder crops with only cattle herd (9%), Type 3. Marginal Farm household with diversified cropping system dominated by cash crop and herd comprising of only cattle (39%), Type 4. Marginal Farm household with diversified cropping system dominated by cereal crops and herd dominated by small ruminants (12%). Based on the constraints identified for different components of farming systems, low-cost interventions were planned for each farm type. These interventions have resulted in 84.8–103.2 per cent increase in the income of the farm HH under study suggesting usefulness of typology-based intervention planning in increasing income of small farm holders.

Effects of aromatic crops based cropping systems and residue returning on soil CO2 emission compared to fallow soil

Two years field experiment was done to investigate the impact of aromatic crops based cropping systems and crop residue returning on soil CO2 efflux and its relationship with soil temperature and moisture. Eight diversified cropping systems were compared to fallow soil as control, total nine treatments: T1-(B-W-C) (basil-wheat-cowpea), T2-(B-W-M) (basil-wheat-menthol mint), T3-(B-P-C) (basil-potato-cowpea), T4-(B-P-M) (basil-potato-menthol mint), T5-(B-L-C) (basil-lentil-cowpea), T6 -(B-L-M) (basil-lentil-menthol mint), T7-(B-Pe-C) (basil-pea-cowpea), T8-(B-Pe-M) (basil-pea-menthol mint) and T9-(F-F-F) (fallow soil). Surface soil CO2 efflux, temperature and moisture of each crop were measured in each season at 15 days interval. Cumulative soil CO2-C emission was calculated on basis of soil CO2 efflux values obtained. T9-(F-F-F) emitted maximum CO2-C in both cropping years, 21.57 Mg C ha−1 and 24.28 Mg C ha−1 in first and second year, respectively. Within cropping systems, maximum was emitted by T1-(B-W-C) and T7-(B-Pe-C). T1 (13.64 Mg C ha−1) and T7 (13.48 Mg C ha−1) in first cropping year while in second cropping year both these cropping systems (T1 and T7) emitted 15.82 Mg C ha−1. Minimum soil CO2-C in both the cropping years was emitted from cropping system T4-(B-P-M) (10.66 Mg C ha−1 and 12.74 Mg C ha−1). Crop residue of the previous crop returned back to soil had significant effect on soil CO2 efflux. Soil CO2-C emission of all treatments (T1-T9) was found to increase with subsequent cropping year. Simple linear regression analysis was performed to elucidate the correlation between soil CO2 efflux, temperature and moisture in all the seasons (rainy, winter and summer). In each season, the soil CO2 efflux was positively correlated to soil temperature and negatively correlated with soil moisture in both the cropping years. Aromatic crops based diversified cropping systems along with residue retention did not decrease the soil CO2-C emission but showed less emission compared to fallow soil.

Sustainability of Diversified Organic Cropping Systems—Challenges Identified by Farmer Interviews and Multi-Criteria Assessments

Diversification of cropping and farming systems is a central agroecological principle, which may improve resource use efficiency, reduce pests and diseases, diversify income sources, and enhance the resilience of the production. The main objective of this study was to identify challenges related to the sustainability of organic cropping systems that were diversified according to one or several of the following practices: diverse crop rotation, integration of cover crops, and intercropping. The sustainability assessments were made using a multi-criteria decision aid method (MCDA) and a framework based on the FAO Sustainability Assessment of Food and Agricultural Systems (SAFA) guidelines. Social, economic and environmental aspects were integrated in the sustainability assessments and combined with semi-structured interviews to identify and discuss farmer's perceptions of barriers to crop diversification and sustainability transition. The results showed that diversified organic cropping systems could achieve high overall sustainability, especially in the environmental dimension thanks to non-inputs of pesticides or mineral fertilizers and efficient use of resources. On the other hand, social and economic dimensions were more variable, with challenges of lower sustainability in profitability and management complexity for several of the diversified cropping systems. Limited access to knowledge, technology and markets for minor crops, and concerns about the consistency of policies were highlighted by farmers as barriers for crop diversification. We discuss how the identified challenges can be overcome and argue that fostering collaboration among stakeholders may increase investment capacity and improve access to new or alternative markets, thereby stimulating transitions toward more diversified and sustainable cropping systems.

English

Soybean has the potential to bring significant benefits in diversified cropping systems, which could help restructuring soil fertility and allow smallholders to increase grain yield.&nbsp;Rhizobium&nbsp;inoculation improves the biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) in legume crops and assists resource-poor farmers to increase grain yield at lower financial costs. The efficacy of symbiotic bacteria on legumes can also be improved through supplementation of phosphorus fertilizer. In this work, a meta-analysis of 29 peer-reviewed studies was performed to understand the effects of various&nbsp;Rhizobium&nbsp;strains and phosphate fertilizer application on soybean nodules. &nbsp;Results showed that&nbsp;Rhizobium&nbsp;inoculation was highly effective in increasing the number of soybean nodules, nodule dry weight, and shoot dry weight. Application of phosphorus fertilizer increased the overall nodule number due to improved BNF processes by&nbsp;Rhizobia. The main effects of both&nbsp;Rhizobium&nbsp;inoculation and phosphate fertilizer resulted in moving grain yields to 1.67 t ha-1&nbsp;and 1.95 t ha-1, respectively. Furthermore, the interaction of&nbsp;Rhizobium&nbsp;inoculants and phosphorus led to relatively higher grain yield (2.51 t ha-1). Therefore, African smallholders were advised to adopt&nbsp;Rhizobium&nbsp;inoculation in soybean fields concomitantly to phosphate fertilizer application, to improve soybean productivity at lower costs. &nbsp; Key words:&nbsp;&nbsp;Phosphorus application, nodule number, nodule dry weight, shoots dry weight, grain yield.&nbsp

Broadening farmer options through legume rotational and intercrop diversity in maize-based cropping systems of central Malawi

• Evaluated diverse legume-maize systems in a 4-year, multi-site, on-farm study. • Pigeonpea-maize rotation had the most biomass, ideal for amending infertile soils. • In hot and dry environments, groundnut increased maize yield in a subsequent year. • Pigeonpea biomass was key to high N fixation yet suppressed by intercropping. Smallholder farmers across southern Africa have limited access to adequate quantities of inorganic fertilizers, and this limits crop productivity. Integration of legumes such as groundnut ( Arachis hypogaea L.) and pigeonpea ( Cajanus cajan L.) improve soil fertility and subsequent cereal crop productivity through biological nitrogen fixation (BNF), and high-quality residues. The objective of this four-year, multi-site, on-farm study in Malawi was to evaluate diverse legume systems, quantify crop production, economic viability, and total N accumulation in groundnut and pigeonpea. The study involved six research sites with different agricultural productivity potential based on precipitation, elevation, and temperature; to evaluate crop performance by environment. The six cropping systems evaluated were sole pigeonpea or sole groundnut rotated with maize ( Zea mays L.) (PP-MZ and GN-MZ), groundnut/pigeonpea intercrop rotated with maize (GNPP-MZ), maize/pigeonpea intercrop (MZPP), continuous unfertilized maize (MZ-MZ), and fertilized maize (MZ+F). Total N accumulated by cropping system was in the order GNPP > PP > MZPP > GN at 180, 130, 103 and 87 kg N/ha respectively. In the groundnut/pigeonpea intercrop, despite a reduction of pigeonpea biomass, pigeonpea was still the main driver for N cycling in the systems. The average percentage of N derived from BNF (BNF-N%) from all plant components and across sites was 66% for groundnut and 52% for pigeonpea. Average maize grain yield for response years when rotated with legumes was 4.82, 3.25, and 2.16 Mg/ha for sites with high (Linthipe), medium (Kandeu), and low (Golomoti) agricultural productivity potential. System performance in terms of gross margins ranged from $1145 (pigeonpea-maize rotation) to $1407/ha (groundnut/pigeonpea-maize rotation). The pigeonpea-maize rotation produced the most biomass but had modest economic and agronomic returns during the legume phase. This study highlighted that, for hot and dry environments, groundnut was the most effective species at increasing maize yield in a subsequent year. The groundnut/pigeonpea-maize rotation system met multiple goals including high pigeonpea biomass, profitable groundnut grain, and high maize yields during the rotational year. This system is recommended for ecological intensification, as it provided an economically feasible means to enhance BNF on smallholder farms, while ensuring multiple grain harvest goals in different environmental contexts.

Energy use pattern of diversified cropping systems under different nutrient and crop residue management practices in Eastern Indo-Gangetic plain

Aim: Assessment of energy input output relationship, greenhouse gases emission and carbon footprint of diversified jute-rice cropping systems under different nutrients and crop residue management practices. Methodology: The inventory was prepared for all inputs required for crop cultivation and outputs of crops in cropping systems. These inputs and outputs were converted into energy by multiplying with energy equivalent coefficient and CO2 emission coefficient following standard procedure. Results: Jute-rice-baby corn cropping system recorded significantly higher net energy (324 GJ ha-1) and energy use efficiency (8.02). Among different nutrient and crop management (NCRM) practices, significantly higher energy output (336.9 GJ ha-1) and net energy (291.4 GJ ha-1) recorded 100% NPK with crop residue. The highest carbon footprint recorded with rice-rice (0.44 kg COe kg-1 economic yield) and the lowestwith jute-rice-pea (0.29 kg COe kg-1 economic yield) cropping system. Among different NCRM practices, higher carbon footprint was (0.38 kg COe kg-1 economic yield) recorded with 100% NPK with crop residue. Interpretation: The energy efficient and low input required cropping systems which include legume crops like garden pea and mungbean should be considered for cultivation for diversifying the existing rice-rice cropping system in Eastern India.

Ecological intensification of cropping systems enhances soil functions, mitigates soil erosion, and promotes crop resilience to dry spells in the Brazilian Cerrado

Water scarcity threatens global food security and agricultural systems are challenged to achieve high yields while optimizing water usage. Water deficit can be accentuated by soil physical degradation, which also triggers water losses through runoff and consequently soil erosion. Although soil health in cropping systems within the Brazilian Cerrado biome have been surveyed throughout the years, information about soil erosion impacts and its mitigation are still not well understood; especially concerning the role of cropping system diversification and its effects on crop yield. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess whether ecological intensification of cropping systems –inclusion of a consorted perennial grass and crop rotation– could promote soil coverage and consequently decrease water erosion and soil, water, and nutrient losses. This work studied the effects of crop rotation and consorted Brachiaria, along with different levels of investment in fertilization on soil physical quality and on soil, water, and nutrient losses, and crop yields. Results proved that soybean monoculture (SS) is a system of low sustainability even under no-till in the Brazilian Cerrado conditions. It exhibited high susceptibility to soil, water, and nutrient losses, causing low crop yields. Our results showed that water losses in SS cropping system were approximately 10% of the total annual rainfall, and total K losses would require an additional 35% of K application. Conversely, ecological intensification of cropping systems resulted in enhanced soil environmental and agronomic functions, increased grain yield, and promoted soil and water conservation: high soil cover rate, and low soil, water and nutrient losses. Ecological intensification proved to be an adequate practice to boost crop resilience to water deficit in the Brazilian Cerrado.

Nitrogen levels regulate intercropping-related mitigation of potential nitrate leaching

Intercropping improves yield and is broadly adopted worldwide; however, the risk and regulatory mechanism of nitrate leaching in intercropping compared with monocropping remain elusive. A fixed plot field experiment was conducted with three cropping patterns (maize monocropping, potato monocropping, and maize–potato intercropping) under four (nitrogen) N levels in Kunming, China during 2014–2017. Based on crop N uptake and soil nitrate transformation, the underlying mechanism of potential nitrate-N (NO3−-N) leaching (NO3−-N accumulation below the root layer) and N regulation was explored under intercropping and monocropping. The results showed that the area-scaled potential NO3−-N leaching under intercropping was mitigated by 3.4–37.4%, with a mean of 15.8% relative to the weighted mean of maize- and potato-monocropping. Intercropping-related mitigation of potential NO3−-N leaching was enhanced with increasing N level. Intercropping increased the ammonia-oxidizing archaea population and soil nitrification potential but had no significant impact on the abundance of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria and narG. Redundancy analysis and structural equation modeling indicated that soil water played a crucial role in regulating the intercropping-related mitigation of potential NO3−-N leaching, while the improvement in N uptake by intercropped maize reduced the potential NO3−-N leaching at low and medium N levels. The results highlight the intercropping advantage over monocropping in mitigating the risk of NO3−-N leaching. This study provides insights into the environmental impacts of diversified cropping systems and regulating mechanisms.

Crop Diversification for Improved Weed Management: A Review

Weeds are among the major constraints to any crop production system, reducing productivity and profitability. Herbicides are among the most effective methods to control weeds, and reliance on herbicides for weed control has increased significantly with the advent of herbicide-resistant crops. Unfortunately, over-reliance on herbicides leads to environmental-health issues and herbicide-resistant weeds, causing human health and ecological concerns. Crop diversification can help manage weeds sustainably in major crop production systems. It acts as an organizing principle under which technological innovations and ecological insights can be combined to manage weeds sustainably. Diversified cropping can be defined as the conscious inclusion of functional biodiversity at temporal and/or spatial levels to improve the productivity and stability of ecosystem services. Crop diversification helps to reduce weed density by negatively impacting weed seed germination and weed growth. Additionally, diversified farming systems are more resilient to climate change than monoculture systems and provide better crop yield. However, there are a few challenges to adopting a diversified cropping system, ranging from technology innovations, government policies, farm-level decisions, climate change, and market conditions. In this review, we discuss how crop diversification supports sustainable weed management, the challenges associated with it, and the future of weed management with respect to the diversification concept.

Impact of integrated farming system on residue recycling, nutrient budgeting and soil health

In this study, the effects of integrated farming system on residue recycling and soil quality in rice-based integrated farming systems have been examined. The effective nutrient budget for nitrogen was found higher with rice-fishpoultry- cowpea and the negative values were obtained for rice-chili and rice-baby corn systems. However, the effective budgets for phosphorus and potassium were negative in all these cropping systems. The results indicated that, about ten tonnes of organic matter was recycled, and the major share was from the dairy unit (~52%) in the form of dung and cow urine. Total internal nutrient supply due to recycling was estimated at 55 kg of nitrogen, 17 kg phosphorus and 76 kg of potassium, which is equivalent to 118 kg urea, 106 kg single super phosphate and 126 kg muriate of potash, thus reduction in cost of inputs. In the rice+fish+poultry-cowpea system, the indices of soil quality showed higher values, which indicated the improvement in soil fertility due to availability of poultry manure, plankton production, and the continuous fish activity. The current study confirmed that available N, DHA, Zn, B and Fe as the key indicators of soil quality under humid tropics of west coast India, which greatly influence the soil functions and soil productivity. The study conclusively reveals that integration of dairy, fishery, poultry components with diversified cropping systems in coastal lowland ecosystem is essential to improve the nutrient use efficiency and for enrichment of soil fertility.

Evaluating Non-Market Values of Agroecological and Socio-Cultural Benefits of Diversified Cropping Systems

We explored how consumers value the ecological and socio-cultural benefits of diversified food production systems in Finland. We used a stated preference method and contingent valuation to quantify consumers’ willingness to pay (WTP) for the benefits of increased farm and regional scale diversity of cultivation practices and crop rotations. Three valuation scenarios were presented to a representative sample of consumers: the first one focused on agroecosystem services on cropland, the second on wider socio-cultural effects and the third was a combination of them. The results suggest that consumers are willing to pay on the average €228 per household annually for the suggested diversification. This is equal to €245 per hectare of cultivated cropland. The results also indicate that 21% of consumers were not willing to pay anything to support more diverse cropping systems. The relatively high WTP for both agroecological and socio-cultural benefits provide important messages for actors in the food chain and for policy makers on future targeting of economic resources within agri-environmental schemes.