Pea–wheat intercrops in low-input conditions combine high economic performances and low environmental impacts

Pelzer, Elise; Bazot, Mathieu; Makowski, David; Corre-Hellou, Guénaëlle; Naudin, Christophe; Rifaï, Mehdi Al; Baranger, Edouard; Bedoussac, Laurent; Biarnès, Véronique; Boucheny, Patrick; Carrouée, Benoît; Dorvillez, D.; Foissy, Damien; Gaillard, B.; Guichard, Laurence; Mansard, Marie-Chantal; Omon, Bertrand; Prieur, Loïc; Yvergniaux, Morgane; Justes, Éric; Jeuffroy, Marie‐Hélène

doi:10.1016/j.eja.2012.01.010

Cited by 173 publications

(117 citation statements)

References 41 publications

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“…The cultivar or plant species are totally mixed (mixed intercropping) or arranged in alternate rows or in strips (row intercropping) (Ghaley et al 2005;Pelzer et al 2012). The number of associated plant species or cultivars can vary, but there are usually two species, such as a cereal and a legume, or two to four cultivars of the same species (Zhu et al 2000;Mundt 2002).…”

Section: Plant Diversity In Multiple Cropping Systemsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, with high nitrogen fertilizer input, these systems do not produce more than sole crops and may even produce less, because the mineral nitrogen availability is nonlimiting which changes the competitive interactions and niche differentiation, and the increased growth of the cereal may reduce the growth of the legume (Bedoussac and Justes 2010b). In an experimental system, Pelzer et al (2012) showed that the yield of fertilized wheat (average 5.4 mg ha −1 ) was not significantly different from the yield of fertilized intercropped pea/wheat (average 4.5 mg ha −1 ), when the amount of nitrogen fertilizer applied was 140 kg N ha −1 for wheat as a sole crop and 60 kg N ha −1 for the pea/wheat intercrop. The yield of unfertilized wheat (average 3.9 mg ha −1 ) was significantly lower than that of unfertilized intercropped pea/wheat (average 4.4 mg ha −1 ).…”

Section: Plant Diversity In Multiple Cropping Systemsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Multiple cropping systems as drivers for providing multiple ecosystem services: from concepts to design

Gaba

Lescourret

Boudsocq

et al. 2014

Agron. Sustain. Dev.

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280

190

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Provisioning services, such as the production of food, feed, and fiber, have always been the main focus of agriculture. Since the 1950s, intensive cropping systems based on the cultivation of a single crop or a single cultivar, in simplified rotations or monocultures, and relying on extensive use of agrochemical inputs have been preferred to more diverse, self-sustaining cropping systems, regardless of the environmental consequences. However, there is increasing evidence that such intensive agroecosystems have led to a decline in biodiversity as well as threatening the environment and have damaged a number of ecosystem services such as the biogeochemical nutrient cycles and the regulation of climate and water quality. Consequently, the current challenge facing agriculture is to ensure the future of food production while reducing the use of inputs and limiting environmental impacts and the loss of biodiversity. Here, we review examples of multiple cropping systems that aim to use biotic interactions to reduce chemical inputs and provide more ecosystem services than just provisioning. Our main findings are the identification of underlying ecological processes and management strategies related to the provision of pairs of ecosystem services namely food production and a regulation service. We also found gaps between ecological knowledge and the constraints of agricultural practices in taking account of the interactions and possible trade-offs between multiple ecosystem services as well as socioeconomic constraints. We present guidelines for the design of multiple cropping systems combining ecological, agricultural, and genetic concepts and approaches.

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Section: Plant Diversity In Multiple Cropping Systemsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Plant Diversity In Multiple Cropping Systemsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multiple cropping systems as drivers for providing multiple ecosystem services: from concepts to design

Gaba

Lescourret

Boudsocq

et al. 2014

Agron. Sustain. Dev.

Self Cite

280

190

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…As stated, in addition to organic fertilization, cereal-legume intercropping is one of the agroecosystem strategies most investigated and adopted for wheat production (Costanzo and Bàrberi, 2014;Pelzer et al, 2012). In a previous study, Tosti and Guiducci (2010) pointed out the advantages of cereal-legume TIC for durum wheat production in the Mediterranean environment.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In conventional agriculture, the use of split application of mineral N fertilizers has been shown to increase fertilization effi ciency and the harvest index of wheat (Blandino et al, 2015;FuertesMendizábal et al, 2010). In organic farming, side dressing fertilization is not commonly used and the management of N fertilization is normally based on: (i) increasing the presence of legumes in the crop rotation (Th omsen et al, 2013), (ii) broadcasting organic compounds before sowing (Mazzoncini et al, 2015;Petersen et al, 2013) and (iii) adopting cereal-legume intercropping (Pelzer et al, 2012). An improvement in the use of legume crops represents the most promising option for the achievement of farm N self-suffi ciency (Amosse et al, 2014;Farneselli et al, 2013).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Nitrogen Fertilization Strategies for Organic Wheat Production: Crop Yield and Nitrate Leaching

et al. 2016

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Nitrogen fertility management represents a crucial aspect for common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production, particularly when we deal with organic agriculture. Th is study was conducted to determine the eff ect of fi ve N fertilization strategies on yield, grain protein content, and N leaching risk. In a 3-yr fi eld experiment, a faba bean/wheat temporary intercropping (TIC) and four fertilization treatments with extra-farm N sources were compared. Extra-farm N sources were represented by blood meal (BM) and roasted leather (RL) (broadcast all-at-once at seeding or split into one-half at seeding and one-half at tillering in a side-dressing application). Unfertilized and mineral fertilized controls were included. Th e eff ect of the legume on TIC wheat N uptake was always positive while dry weight accumulation and yield were generally poorly aff ected. Regardless of the broadcasting method, BM treatments generally showed a slightly higher yield and grain protein content compared to wheat fertilized with roasted leather (this was also confi rmed by fertilizer release effi ciency). Th e risk of N leaching was maximum at the onset of drainage (i.e., during the fi rst phase of crop growth), so using organic fertilizers at preseeding stage appeared to be a very risky practice, especially if quick-N-releasing ones are used. Splitting the organic fertilizer rate avoided a large amount of mineralized N to be leached in the watershed during the critical stage of drainage onset. Th e TIC was the best option in terms of environmental preservation, and assured a constantly higher grain protein content compared to the other organic fertilization treatments.

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“…Thus, polyculture has the potential to save land. Polycultures with LERs greater than one in European cereal-legume intercropping systems include pea with wheat, or barley and faba bean with wheat or barley [127][128][129][130]. Additionally, the use of polycultures was proposed to achieve synergies among ES from agricultural ecosystems [21] or to enhance ecosystem properties that are closely linked to ES [126].…”

Section: Potentials and Limitations Of Perennial Polyculturesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Supporting Agricultural Ecosystem Services through the Integration of Perennial Polycultures into Crop Rotations

et al. 2017

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This review analyzes the potential role and long-term effects of field perennial polycultures (mixtures) in agricultural systems, with the aim of reducing the trade-offs between provisioning and regulating ecosystem services. First, crop rotations are identified as a suitable tool for the assessment of the long-term effects of perennial polycultures on ecosystem services, which are not visible at the single-crop level. Second, the ability of perennial polycultures to support ecosystem services when used in crop rotations is quantified through eight agricultural ecosystem services. Legume-grass mixtures and wildflower mixtures are used as examples of perennial polycultures, and compared with silage maize as a typical crop for biomass production. Perennial polycultures enhance soil fertility, soil protection, climate regulation, pollination, pest and weed control, and landscape aesthetics compared with maize. They also score lower for biomass production compared with maize, which confirms the trade-off between provisioning and regulating ecosystem services. However, the additional positive factors provided by perennial polycultures, such as reduced costs for mineral fertilizer, pesticides, and soil tillage, and a significant preceding crop effect that increases the yields of subsequent crops, should be taken into account. However, a full assessment of agricultural ecosystem services requires a more holistic analysis that is beyond the capabilities of current frameworks.

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Pea–wheat intercrops in low-input conditions combine high economic performances and low environmental impacts

Cited by 173 publications

References 41 publications

Multiple cropping systems as drivers for providing multiple ecosystem services: from concepts to design

Multiple cropping systems as drivers for providing multiple ecosystem services: from concepts to design

Nitrogen Fertilization Strategies for Organic Wheat Production: Crop Yield and Nitrate Leaching

Supporting Agricultural Ecosystem Services through the Integration of Perennial Polycultures into Crop Rotations

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