Legume-based mixed intercropping systems may lower agricultural born N2O emissions

Şenbayram, Mehmet; Wenthe, Christian; Lingner, Annika; Isselstein, J.; Steinmann, Horst-Henning; Kaya, Cengiz; Köbke, Sarah

doi:10.1186/s13705-015-0067-3

Cited by 41 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…2c). A few studies have been carried out showing reduced N 2 O emission when intercropping as compared to sole crops (Pappa et al 2011;Dyer et al 2012;Huang et al 2014;Senbayram et al 2016; Fig. 2c).…”

Section: Global Acquisition Of N From the Soil By Grain Legumesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Intercropping of grain legumes and cereals improves the use of soil N resources and reduces the requirement for synthetic fertilizer N: A global-scale analysis

Jensen

Carlsson

Hauggaard-Nielsen

2020

Agron. Sustain. Dev.

249

165

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Planetary boundaries for terrestrial inputs of reactive nitrogen (Nr) are transgressed and reducing the input of new Nr and its environmental impacts are major global challenges. Grain legumes fix dinitrogen (N 2 ) in symbiosis with soil bacteria and use soil N sources, but often less efficient than cereals. Intercropping grain legumes with cereals may be a means of increasing use efficiency of soil N. Here, we estimate the global sole cropped grain legume acquisition of N from soil to approximately 14.2 Tg N year −1 , which corresponds to one-third of the global synthetic fertilizer N use (109 Tg N year −1 ) for all crops, assuming that grain legumes recover on average 40% of the fertilizer N. Published data from grain legume-cereal intercrop experiments, employing stable 15 N isotope methods, have shown that due to competitive interactions and complementary N acquisition in intercrops, the cereals recover a more than proportional share of the soil N sources. As a consequence, the intercropped legume derives more of its N from the atmosphere, compared with when it is grown as legume sole crop. We estimated that the increased N use efficiency in intercropping can reduce the requirements for fossil-based fertilizer N by about 26% on a global scale. In addition, our estimates indicate that if all current grain legume sole crops would instead be intercropped with cereals, a potential net land saving would be achieved, when also replacing part of the current cereal sole crop area with intercropping. Intercropping has additional potential advantages such as increased yield stability and yield per unit area, reduced pest problems and reduced requirements for agrochemicals, while stimulating biodiversity. It is concluded that crop diversification by intercropping has the potential to reduce global requirements for synthetic fertilizer N and consequently support the development of more sustainable cropping systems.

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Section: Global Acquisition Of N From the Soil By Grain Legumesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Intercropping of grain legumes and cereals improves the use of soil N resources and reduces the requirement for synthetic fertilizer N: A global-scale analysis

Jensen

Carlsson

Hauggaard-Nielsen

2020

Agron. Sustain. Dev.

249

165

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“…Multiple benefits go hand in hand with legumes' nitrogen fertilisation. The fixation of nitrogen diminishes the eutrophication of water courses by mineral fertilisers [7], reduces the emissions of the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide [8], and prevents carbon dioxide emissions related to fertiliser production. The energy costs of nitrogen fertilisers are substantial.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Value of Environmental and Health Claims on New Legume Products: A Non-Hypothetical Online Auction

et al. 2017

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Legumes are valued in agricultural systems, as they can contribute to a more sustainable land use. However, their economic value is low. Despite health and environmental benefits, marketers struggle to communicate the worth of legumes to consumers. We evaluate the worth of health and, in particular, environmental claims that would spread consumers' awareness of ecological advantages. Utilizing a large consumer sample, we execute binding online auctions. Comparing claim-treated and untreated subjects (between design), we model the price premium that potential customers are willing to pay (WTP) for having pasta in a legume instead of a wheat version. We find that claims may increase the WTP, however, a mix of environmental and health claims is superior to individual claims. Effect sizes suggest that the mix of claims increases the WTP by roughly 35% (20 cents). The link of WTP and food attitudes, such as concern for health in eating habits or social reservations towards legumes, varies depending on whether the green-pea or chickpea pasta was evaluated. A critical perception of legumes' association with flatulence reduces the WTP. Developing the online auction may enable researchers to increase the external validity of consumer samples. We discuss implications for researchers and marketers.

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“…or dry pea (Pisum arvense L.) was 340 kg CO 2 eq/ha, or about one-third compared to high-N using canola (Brassica napus L.) and wheat (averaging 940-1,100 kg CO 2 eq/ha;Gan et al, 2014). However, nodule formation and N 2 -fixation in pulses are a complex biochemical process(Rochette & Janzen, 2005), and exceptions occur where the effect of pulses on N 2 O emissions may not be significant(Senbayram et al, 2016).…”

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confidence: 99%

‘Decoupling’ land productivity and greenhouse gas footprints: A review

et al. 2018

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A major challenge of our time is to produce sufficient nutrient‐rich food for the ever‐growing human population with limited land resources. There is a huge gap between current yields and genetic potential in many crops, which can be narrowed by enhancing land productivity. High‐input cropping increases crop yields, but heavy fertilizer and pesticide use can lead to land degradation, increase greenhouse gas footprint, and carry significant risks for eutrophication. What efforts can be taken to ‘decouple’ land productivity and the environmental footprint? Can land productivity increase while concurrently minimizing the environmental footprint? Here, we show that an integrated systems approach can minimize the tradeoff to achieve an effective ‘decoupling’ outcome. Some key components that can be integrated into a system include (i) intensifying crop rotations to enhance carbon conversion from atmospheric CO2 to plant biomass, (ii) diversifying cropping systems to enhance residual soil water and nutrient use and increase systems resilience, (iii) including N2‐fixing pulse crops in rotations to reduce synthetic fertilizer use, (iv) improving fertilizer‐N use efficiency to lower N2O emissions, and (v) sequestering more carbon to the soil to potentially offset CO2 equivalent emissions from cropping inputs. Integration of these proven cropping practices into a system creates a powerful synergy among individual components, thereby improving land productivity and systems resilience for long‐term sustainability. Relevant economic and agro‐environmental policies are needed to reinforce the adoption of a systems approach at the local farm level.

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Legume-based mixed intercropping systems may lower agricultural born N2O emissions

Cited by 41 publications

References 34 publications

Intercropping of grain legumes and cereals improves the use of soil N resources and reduces the requirement for synthetic fertilizer N: A global-scale analysis

Intercropping of grain legumes and cereals improves the use of soil N resources and reduces the requirement for synthetic fertilizer N: A global-scale analysis

The Value of Environmental and Health Claims on New Legume Products: A Non-Hypothetical Online Auction

‘Decoupling’ land productivity and greenhouse gas footprints: A review

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