IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/agisys/v178y2020ics0308521x19306055.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The impact of intercropping, tillage and fertilizer type on soil and crop yield in fruit orchards under Mediterranean conditions: A meta-analysis of field studies

Author

Listed:
  • Morugán-Coronado, Alicia
  • Linares, Carlos
  • Gómez-López, María Dolores
  • Faz, Ángel
  • Zornoza, Raúl

Abstract

A meta-analysis specially based on tree crops was conducted to evaluate the changes in soil organic carbon (SOC), soil N and P, and crop yield in a Mediterranean climate, which are affected by: (i) management practices (crop diversification, tillage, fertilization); (ii) environmental characteristics, such as soil clay and climatic variables; and (iii) study length. The aim of this study was to assess the benefits of crop diversification, conservation tillage (minimum tillage/no-tillage) and organic fertilization as alternatives to intensive conventional mono-cropping in field studies. All the diversified systems and conservation tillage systems and the use of organic fertilizers induced positive effects on SOC. The highest response in SOC was achieved by the growth of permanent crops in the alleys. Soil N showed a similar trend to that of SOC, but the effect of no-tillage was not significant compared to conventional tillage. No significant effect was observed in soil P except for the cultivation of permanent crops in the alleys, which had a negative effect. No effect was observed in tree crop yield due to the growth of alley crops, conservation tillage or organic fertilization. However, the response of crop yield was related to the specific climatic conditions of each region, with possible negative effects in warm and dry areas. Overall, the use of intercropping, conservation tillage and organic fertilization led to improvements in soil quality and fertility and maintenance of a ground cover that can protect soil. However, to avoid possible negative effects on soil P and N availability, the growth of annual alley crops with minimum tillage is suggested instead of permanent crops with no-tillage, especially in dry and warm areas. Our results also suggested that the soil properties evaluated were not the main drivers of long-term yield variability.

Suggested Citation

  • Morugán-Coronado, Alicia & Linares, Carlos & Gómez-López, María Dolores & Faz, Ángel & Zornoza, Raúl, 2020. "The impact of intercropping, tillage and fertilizer type on soil and crop yield in fruit orchards under Mediterranean conditions: A meta-analysis of field studies," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 178(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:agisys:v:178:y:2020:i:c:s0308521x19306055
    DOI: 10.1016/j.agsy.2019.102736
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308521X19306055
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.agsy.2019.102736?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. De Leijster, Vincent & Santos, Maria João & Wassen, Martin J. & Ramos-Font, Maria Eugenia & Robles, Ana Belén & Díaz, Mario & Staal, Maartje & Verweij, Pita A., 2019. "Agroecological management improves ecosystem services in almond orchards within one year," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 1-1.
    2. Hernandez, A.J. & Lacasta, C. & Pastor, J., 2005. "Effects of different management practices on soil conservation and soil water in a rainfed olive orchard," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 77(1-3), pages 232-248, August.
    3. Shackelford, Gorm E. & Kelsey, Rodd & Dicks, Lynn V., 2019. "Effects of cover crops on multiple ecosystem services: Ten meta-analyses of data from arable farmland in California and the Mediterranean," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    4. Aznar-Sánchez, José A. & Piquer-Rodríguez, María & Velasco-Muñoz, Juan F. & Manzano-Agugliaro, Francisco, 2019. "Worldwide research trends on sustainable land use in agriculture," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    5. Bai, Wei & Sun, Zhanxiang & Zheng, Jiaming & Du, Guijuan & Feng, Liangshan & Cai, Qian & Yang, Ning & Feng, Chen & Zhang, Zhe & Evers, Jochem B. & van der Werf, Wopke & Zhang, Lizhen, 2016. "Mixing trees and crops increases land and water use efficiencies in a semi-arid area," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 178(C), pages 281-290.
    6. Dono, Gabriele & Cortignani, Raffaele & Dell'Unto, Davide & Deligios, Paola & Doro, Luca & Lacetera, Nicola & Mula, Laura & Pasqui, Massimiliano & Quaresima, Sara & Vitali, Andrea & Roggero, Pier Paol, 2016. "Winners and losers from climate change in agriculture: Insights from a case study in the Mediterranean basin," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 147(C), pages 65-75.
    7. Ibrikci, Hayriye & Cetin, Mahmut & Karnez, Ebru & Flügel, Wolfgang Albert & Tilkici, Burak & Bulbul, Yunus & Ryan, John, 2015. "Irrigation-induced nitrate losses assessed in a Mediterranean irrigation district," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 148(C), pages 223-231.
    8. Siti Nuryanah & Sardar M. N. Islam, 2015. "The Context of the Case Study," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Corporate Governance and Financial Management, chapter 5, pages 145-156, Palgrave Macmillan.
    9. Li-Na Yang & Zhe-Chao Pan & Wen Zhu & E-Jiao Wu & Dun-Chun He & Xiao Yuan & Yan-Yu Qin & Ying Wang & Ruey-Shyang Chen & Peter H Thrall & Jeremy J Burdon & Li-Ping Shang & Qi-Jun Sui & Jiasui Zhan, 2019. "Enhanced agricultural sustainability through within-species diversification," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 2(1), pages 46-52, January.
    10. Rosa-Schleich, Julia & Loos, Jacqueline & Mußhoff, Oliver & Tscharntke, Teja, 2019. "Ecological-economic trade-offs of Diversified Farming Systems – A review," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 160(C), pages 251-263.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Chen, Ning & Li, Xianyue & Šimůnek, Jiří & Shi, Haibin & Zhang, Yuehong & Hu, Qi, 2022. "Quantifying inter-species nitrogen competition in the tomato-corn intercropping system with different spatial arrangements," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 201(C).
    2. Colombo, Sergio & Castro-Rodríguez, Juan & Peréz-Pérez, Daniel & Almagro, María, 2024. "Analysis of the environmental and economic performance of common agricultural policy eco-schemes in soil organic carbon sequestration," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 220(C).
    3. Wang, Jiale & Lali, Mohammad Naeem & Dong, Zhihao & Xiong, Huaye & Wang, Yuheng & Zhao, Li & Zhao, Jingkun & Wang, Xiaozhong & Shi, Xiaojun & Lakshmanan, Prakash & Zhang, Yueqiang, 2024. "Organic waste recycling for green and sustainable nitrogen management of fruit production systems in China," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 218(C).
    4. Wen Lv & Xining Zhao & Pute Wu & Jialong Lv & Hailong He, 2021. "A Scientometric Analysis of Worldwide Intercropping Research Based on Web of Science Database between 1992 and 2020," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-14, February.
    5. Wen, Shenglin & Cui, Ningbo & Gong, Daozhi & Xing, Liwen & Wu, Zongjun & Zhang, Yixuan & Wang, Zhihui & Wang, Jiaxin, 2023. "Optimizing nitrogen fertilizer application for achieving high yield with low environmental risks in apple orchard," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 289(C).
    6. Ioannidou, Sotiroula C. & Litskas, Vassilis D. & Stavrinides, Menelaos C. & Vogiatzakis, Ioannis N., 2022. "Linking management practices and soil properties to Ecosystem Services in Mediterranean mixed orchards," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 53(C).
    7. Alcon, Francisco & Marín-Miñano, Cristina & Zabala, José A. & de-Miguel, María-Dolores & Martínez-Paz, José M., 2020. "Valuing diversification benefits through intercropping in Mediterranean agroecosystems: A choice experiment approach," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    8. Bernardo Martin-Gorriz & José A. Zabala & Virginia Sánchez-Navarro & Belén Gallego-Elvira & Víctor Martínez-García & Francisco Alcon & José Francisco Maestre-Valero, 2022. "Intercropping Practices in Mediterranean Mandarin Orchards from an Environmental and Economic Perspective," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-17, April.
    9. Mohsin Mahmood & Sajid Mehmood & Waqas Ahmed & Ahmed Salah Elrys & Yi Tian & Xiaoli Hui & Anam Ayyoub & Ahmed S. M. Elnahal & Weidong Li & Zhaohui Wang & Jinshan Liu, 2023. "Exploring Phosphorus Fraction Dynamics in Loess Soils: Impact of Long-Term Nitrogen and Phosphorus Fertilization on Cropland and Fallow Land," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-17, August.
    10. Abdul-Hanan Abdallah & Awal Abdul-Rahaman & Gazali Issahaku, 2021. "Sustainable agricultural practices, farm income and food security among rural households in Africa," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(12), pages 17668-17701, December.
    11. Paulo Dimande & Margarida Arrobas & Carlos M. Correia & Manuel Ângelo Rodrigues, 2024. "Ground Management Through Grazing in Rainfed Olive Orchards Provides High Olive Yields and Has Other Potential Benefits for Both the Soil and the Farmer," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-13, June.
    12. Theocharis Chatzistathis & Victor Kavvadias & Thomas Sotiropoulos & Ioannis E. Papadakis, 2021. "Organic Fertilization and Tree Orchards," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 11(8), pages 1-20, July.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Aguilera, Eduardo & Díaz-Gaona, Cipriano & García-Laureano, Raquel & Reyes-Palomo, Carolina & Guzmán, Gloria I. & Ortolani, Livia & Sánchez-Rodríguez, Manuel & Rodríguez-Estévez, Vicente, 2020. "Agroecology for adaptation to climate change and resource depletion in the Mediterranean region. A review," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 181(C).
    2. Dardonville, Manon & Legrand, Baptiste & Clivot, Hugues & Bernardin, Claire & Bockstaller, Christian & Therond, Olivier, 2022. "Assessment of ecosystem services and natural capital dynamics in agroecosystems," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    3. Wang, Zikui & Wu, Yuhuan & Cao, Quan & Shen, Yuying & Zhang, Baoqing, 2021. "Modeling the coupling processes of evapotranspiration and soil water balance in agroforestry systems," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 250(C).
    4. Zhen, Huayang & Qiao, Yuhui & Zhao, Haijun & Ju, Xuehai & Zanoli, Raffaele & Waqas, Muhammad Ahmed & Lun, Fei & Knudsen, Marie Trydeman, 2022. "Developing a conceptual model to quantify eco-compensation based on environmental and economic cost-benefit analysis for promoting the ecologically intensified agriculture," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 56(C).
    5. Sawssen Khlifi & Ghazi Zouari, 2021. "The Impact of CEO Overconfidence on Real Earnings Management: Evidence from M&A Transactions," Journal of Accounting and Management Information Systems, Faculty of Accounting and Management Information Systems, The Bucharest University of Economic Studies, vol. 20(3), pages 402-424, September.
    6. Beniaich, Adnane & Guimarães, Danielle Vieira & Avanzi, Junior Cesar & Silva, Bruno Montoani & Acuña-Guzman, Salvador Francisco & dos Santos, Wharley Pereira & Silva, Marx Leandro Naves, 2023. "Spontaneous vegetation as an alternative to cover crops in olive orchards reduces water erosion and improves soil physical properties under tropical conditions," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 279(C).
    7. Martín-García, Jaime & Gómez-Limón, José A. & Arriaza, Manuel, 2024. "Conversion to organic farming: Does it change the economic and environmental performance of fruit farms?," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 220(C).
    8. Valentin-Marian Antohi & Monica Laura Zlati & Romeo Victor Ionescu & Mihaela Neculita & Raluca Rusu & Aurelian Constantin, 2020. "Attracting European Funds in the Romanian Economy and Leverage Points for Securing their Sustainable Management: A Critical Auditing Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(13), pages 1-27, July.
    9. Carmenta, Rachel & Cammelli, Federico & Dressler, Wolfram & Verbicaro, Camila & Zaehringer, Julie G., 2021. "Between a rock and a hard place: The burdens of uncontrolled fire for smallholders across the tropics," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
    10. Dai, Jiangyu & Wu, Shiqiang & Han, Guoyi & Weinberg, Josh & Xie, Xinghua & Wu, Xiufeng & Song, Xingqiang & Jia, Benyou & Xue, Wanyun & Yang, Qianqian, 2018. "Water-energy nexus: A review of methods and tools for macro-assessment," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 210(C), pages 393-408.
    11. Coderoni, Silvia & Pagliacci, Francesco, 2023. "The impact of climate change on land productivity. A micro-level assessment for Italian farms," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 205(C).
    12. Anne Ventura & Van‐Loc Ta & Tristan Senga Kiessé & Stéphanie Bonnet, 2021. "Design of concrete : Setting a new basis for improving both durability and environmental performance," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 25(1), pages 233-247, February.
    13. Boris Rumanko & Zuzana Lušňáková & Monika Moravanská & Mária Šajbidorová, 2021. "Succession as a Risk Process in the Survival of a Family Business—Case of Slovakia," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-20, September.
    14. Heider, Katharina & Quaranta, Emanuele & García Avilés, José María & Rodriguez Lopez, Juan Miguel & Balbo, Andrea L. & Scheffran, Jürgen, 2022. "Reinventing the wheel – The preservation and potential of traditional water wheels in the terraced irrigated landscapes of the Ricote Valley, southeast Spain," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 259(C).
    15. Kong, Ling & Wang, Dongbo, 2020. "Comparison of citations and attention of cover and non-cover papers," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 14(4).
    16. Annalisa De Boni & Antonia D’Amico & Claudio Acciani & Rocco Roma, 2022. "Crop Diversification and Resilience of Drought-Resistant Species in Semi-Arid Areas: An Economic and Environmental Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-15, August.
    17. Shah Fahad & Sangram Bhanudas Chavan & Akash Ravindra Chichaghare & Appanderanda Ramani Uthappa & Manish Kumar & Vijaysinha Kakade & Aliza Pradhan & Dinesh Jinger & Gauri Rawale & Dinesh Kumar Yadav &, 2022. "Agroforestry Systems for Soil Health Improvement and Maintenance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-25, November.
    18. Shirvani Dastgerdi, Ahmadreza & Sargolini, Massimo & Broussard Allred, Shorna & Chatrchyan, Allison Morrill & Drescher, Michael & DeGeer, Christopher, 2022. "Climate change risk reduction in cultural landscapes: Insights from Cinque Terre and Waterloo," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 123(C).
    19. James P. Herrera & Jean Yves Rabezara & Ny Anjara Fifi Ravelomanantsoa & Miranda Metz & Courtni France & Ajilé Owens & Michelle Pender & Charles L. Nunn & Randall A. Kramer, 2021. "Food insecurity related to agricultural practices and household characteristics in rural communities of northeast Madagascar," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 13(6), pages 1393-1405, December.
    20. Barasa Bernard & Majaliwa J. G. Mwanjalolo & Banduga Moses & Katwere James & Magaya Paul & Sadadi Ojoatre & Wanjiru Lydia & Margaret N. Walusimbi, 2022. "A Simplified Spatial Methodology for Assessing Land Productivity Status in Africa," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-19, May.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:agisys:v:178:y:2020:i:c:s0308521x19306055. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/agsy .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.