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Nitrogen soil surface balance of organic vs conventional cash crop farming in the Seine watershed

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  • Anglade, J.
  • Billen, G.
  • Garnier, J.
  • Makridis, T.
  • Puech, T.
  • Tittel, C.

Abstract

In major cash crop farming areas like those of the Paris basin, nitrogen surpluses related to the synthetic fertilization of arable soils are the main cause of severe nitrate contamination of the groundwater and river network. Based on farmer interviews and the Nitrogen Soil Surface Balance integrated at the scale of the entire crop rotation cycle, we assessed the current agronomical and environmental performance of 68 organic rotations (with or without livestock) and compared them with those of the dominant conventional crop rotation in the same pedoclimatic areas. We demonstrated that, compared to conventional systems, organic cropping systems receive 12% less of total N inputs (including legume symbiotic fixation) without significant reduction in N yield. Consequently, the N surplus is 26% lower in organic than in conventional cropping systems. Forage legumes are the key component of the organic cropping systems studied, accounting for around 70% of total N inputs and for 52% of N yield. Therefore, the extension of organic farming to a broader scale to reconcile water quality and food production will substantially depend upon local opportunities of valorizing legume fodder cereal by-products. We also evidenced that the provisional N balance approach that has been promoted in the Nitrate Directive does not guarantee the infiltration of sub-root water fluxes meeting the drinking water standard of 11mgN.l−1 without a downward revision of yield objectives.

Suggested Citation

  • Anglade, J. & Billen, G. & Garnier, J. & Makridis, T. & Puech, T. & Tittel, C., 2015. "Nitrogen soil surface balance of organic vs conventional cash crop farming in the Seine watershed," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 82-92.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:agisys:v:139:y:2015:i:c:p:82-92
    DOI: 10.1016/j.agsy.2015.06.006
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Geels, Frank W. & Schot, Johan, 2007. "Typology of sociotechnical transition pathways," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(3), pages 399-417, April.
    2. de Ponti, Tomek & Rijk, Bert & van Ittersum, Martin K., 2012. "The crop yield gap between organic and conventional agriculture," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 1-9.
    3. Verena Seufert & Navin Ramankutty & Jonathan A. Foley, 2012. "Comparing the yields of organic and conventional agriculture," Nature, Nature, vol. 485(7397), pages 229-232, May.
    4. Poudel, D. D. & Horwath, W. R. & Mitchell, J. P. & Temple, S. R., 2001. "Impacts of cropping systems on soil nitrogen storage and loss," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 68(3), pages 253-268, June.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Connor, David J., 2022. "Relative yield of food and efficiency of land-use in organic agriculture - A regional study," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 199(C).

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