Author
Listed:
- Chloe MacLaren
(Rothamsted Research
Stellenbosch University)
- Andrew Mead
(Rothamsted Research)
- Derk Balen
(Wageningen University and Research)
- Lieven Claessens
(Wageningen University and Research
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Duluti)
- Ararso Etana
(Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU))
- Janjo Haan
(Wageningen University and Research)
- Wiepie Haagsma
(Wageningen University and Research)
- Ortrud Jäck
(Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU))
- Thomas Keller
(Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU)
Agroscope)
- Johan Labuschagne
(Western Cape Department of Agriculture)
- Åsa Myrbeck
(Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU)
Research Institutes of Sweden (RISE))
- Magdalena Necpalova
(University College Dublin
ETH Zürich)
- Generose Nziguheba
(International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA))
- Johan Six
(ETH Zürich)
- Johann Strauss
(Stellenbosch University
Western Cape Department of Agriculture)
- Pieter Andreas Swanepoel
(Stellenbosch University)
- Christian Thierfelder
(Southern Africa Regional Office, International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT))
- Cairistiona Topp
(SRUC Edinburgh)
- Flackson Tshuma
(Stellenbosch University)
- Harry Verstegen
(Wageningen University and Research)
- Robin Walker
(SRUC Aberdeen)
- Christine Watson
(Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU)
SRUC Aberdeen)
- Marie Wesselink
(Wageningen University and Research)
- Jonathan Storkey
(Rothamsted Research)
Abstract
Ecological intensification (EI) could help return agriculture into a ‘safe operating space’ for humanity. Using a novel application of meta-analysis to data from 30 long-term experiments from Europe and Africa (comprising 25,565 yield records), we investigated how field-scale EI practices interact with each other, and with N fertilizer and tillage, in their effects on long-term crop yields. Here we confirmed that EI practices (specifically, increasing crop diversity and adding fertility crops and organic matter) have generally positive effects on the yield of staple crops. However, we show that EI practices have a largely substitutive interaction with N fertilizer, so that EI practices substantially increase yield at low N fertilizer doses but have minimal or no effect on yield at high N fertilizer doses. EI practices had comparable effects across different tillage intensities, and reducing tillage did not strongly affect yields.
Suggested Citation
Chloe MacLaren & Andrew Mead & Derk Balen & Lieven Claessens & Ararso Etana & Janjo Haan & Wiepie Haagsma & Ortrud Jäck & Thomas Keller & Johan Labuschagne & Åsa Myrbeck & Magdalena Necpalova & Genero, 2022.
"Long-term evidence for ecological intensification as a pathway to sustainable agriculture,"
Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 5(9), pages 770-779, September.
Handle:
RePEc:nat:natsus:v:5:y:2022:i:9:d:10.1038_s41893-022-00911-x
DOI: 10.1038/s41893-022-00911-x
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Citations
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Cited by:
- Sieglinde Snapp & Tek Bahadur Sapkota & Jordan Chamberlin & Cindy Marie Cox & Samuel Gameda & Mangi Lal Jat & Paswel Marenya & Khondoker Abdul Mottaleb & Christine Negra & Kalimuthu Senthilkumar & Tes, 2023.
"Spatially differentiated nitrogen supply is key in a global food–fertilizer price crisis,"
Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 6(10), pages 1268-1278, October.
- Ramírez-Cuesta, J.M. & Intrigliolo, D.S. & Lorite, I.J. & Moreno, M.A. & Vanella, D. & Ballesteros, R. & Hernández-López, D. & Buesa, I., 2023.
"Determining grapevine water use under different sustainable agronomic practices using METRIC-UAV surface energy balance model,"
Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 281(C).
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