Evidence for the impact of different environmental factors on the establishment of Sainfoin ( Onobrychis viciifolia ) in pastures: a systematic map protocol.

Abstract

Background: The concept of Net Zero carbon aims to achieve the optimum balance between production of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and the amount of carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere. Reducing GHG emissions is a challenging objective within the farming sector, requiring major changes to livestock and land management practices to fulfil the target. Perennial forage legumes such as sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) have the potential to offer multiple advantages for sustainable farming systems. These benefits include soil nitrogen fixation, methane and bloating reduction in ruminants alongside natural anthelmintic qualities. In the UK, sainfoin is traditionally grown on alkaline soils in the South of England, however, it not commonly cultivated elsewhere. There is increasing interest in the utilisation of sainfoin as an alternative forage plant to reduce the environmental impact of agriculture, yet at present there is no systematic overview of literature on environmental factors influencing the establishment of sainfoin. Methods: This systematic map protocol addresses the following question: "How do different environmental factors influence the establishment of sainfoin in pastures?" To identify relevant studies, searches will be performed in the English language on four bibliographic databases, one search engine and eight organisational websites. Studies will be screened for relevance against inclusion criteria. Meta-data extraction and coding will include evidence on environmental factors influencing the establishment of sainfoin. This systematic map will produce a searchable database of coded studies and findings will be displayed in the form of an Evidence Atlas.