Cover crops do not increase soil organic carbon stocks as much as has been claimed: What is the way forward?

Global Change Biology, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 29(22), P. 6163 - 6169

Published: Aug. 28, 2023

When compared to virgin land (forest and grassland), croplands store significantly lower amounts of organic carbon (OC), mainly as a result soil tillage, decreased plant inputs the over whole year. Doubts have been expressed how much reduced zero tillage agriculture can increase OC in soils when profile is considered. Consequently, cover-crops that are grown in-between crops instead leaving bare appear "last man standing" our quest enhance cropland stocks. Despite claim by numerous meta-analyses mean sequestration rate cover be high 0.32 ± 0.08 ton C ha-1 year-1 , present analysis showed all 37 existing field studies worldwide only sampled depth 30 cm or less did not compare treatments on basis equivalent mass. Thirteen presented information content stocks, had inappropriate controls (n = 14), durations 3 years 5), considered one two data points per treatment 4), used cash (i.e., longer crops) catch 2), which cases constitutes shortcomings. Of remaining six trials, four non-significant trends, study displayed negative impact crops, positive impact, resulting storage 0.03 . Models policies should urgently adapt such new figure. Finally, more done improve design cover-crop for reaching sound conclusions but also understand underlying reasons low efficiency improved into soils, with possible strategies being suggested.

Language: Английский

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Towards Climate-Smart Agriculture: Strategies for Sustainable Agricultural Production, Food Security, and Greenhouse Gas Reduction

Agronomy, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 15(3), P. 565 - 565

Published: Feb. 25, 2025

Without transformative adaptation strategies, the impact of climate change is projected to reduce global crop yields and increase food insecurity, while rising greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions further exacerbate crisis. While agriculture a major contributor through unsustainable practices, it also offers significant opportunities mitigate these adoption sustainable practices. This review examines climate-smart (CSA) as key strategy for enhancing productivity, building resilience, reducing GHG emissions, emphasizing need strategic interventions accelerate its large-scale implementation improved security. The analysis revealed that nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) has in developed countries, NUE remains at 55.47%, precision nutrient management integrated soil fertility strategies enhance productivity minimize environmental impacts. With 40% world’s agricultural land already degraded, sustainability alone insufficient, necessitating shift toward regenerative practices restore degraded water by improving health, biodiversity, increasing carbon sequestration, thus ensuring long-term resilience. CSA including agriculture, biochar application, agroforestry, improve security, emissions. However, result variability highlights site-specific optimize benefits. Integrating multiple enhances health more effectively than implementing single practice alone. Widespread faces socio-economic technological barriers, requiring supportive policies, financial incentives, capacity-building initiatives. By adopting technologies, can transition sustainability, securing systems addressing challenges.

Language: Английский

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Assessing the phosphorus cycle in European agricultural soils: Looking beyond current national phosphorus budgets

The Science of The Total Environment, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 906, P. 167143 - 167143

Published: Sept. 19, 2023

Phosphorus (P) is an essential nutrient for all crops, yet its excess negatively affects public health, the environment, and economy. At same time, rock P a critical raw material due to importance food production, finite geological deposits, unequal regional distribution. As consequence, management addressed by numerous environmental policies. Process-based biogeochemical models are valuable instruments monitor cycle predict effect of agricultural In this study, we upscale calibrated DayCent model at European level using data-derived soil properties, advanced input data sets, representative practices. Our results depicted budget with average surplus (0.11 kg ha-1 year-1), total (2240.0 ha-1), available content (77.4 ha-1) consistent literature national statistics. Through scenarios, revealed range potential changes in 2030 2050, influenced interlink carbon nitrogen cycles. Thus, developed powerful assessment tool capable i) identifying areas or deficit high spatial resolution 1 km2, (ii) pinpointing where change would be most urgent reach policy goals terms pollution, security resource efficiency material, iii) assessing response modifications management.

Language: Английский

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Long-term soil quality and C stock effects of tillage and cover cropping in a conservation agriculture system

Soil and Tillage Research, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 241, P. 106129 - 106129

Published: April 19, 2024

Conservation and regenerative agriculture are widely considered as approaches aiming at addressing challenges in relation to climate change soil quality. In that respect, no tillage (NT) use of cover crops (CCs) seen key elements achieving the sustainability goals these approaches, but long-term individual interactive effects remain unknown. We examined impact (NT mouldboard ploughing) combined with a fodder radish CC continuous cereal cropping. Soil was sampled 0–10 10–20 cm layer after two decades treatments CENTS experiment AU Viborg (Denmark) situated on sandy loam 9% clay. assessed structural quality, SOC stocks, clay dispersibility (CD), wet stability aggregates (WSA) pore characteristics. Neither nor cropping affected stock 0–20 layer. No improved CD, WSA plant available water capacity depth compared ploughing. The marked improvement CD NT soils could not be explained by per se, rather positive ascribed absence disturbance. contrast, porosity, especially depth, fraction volume represented >30 µm pores gas diffusivity decreased, resulted less good inclusion CCs quality functionality macropore system. Hence, have potential alleviate negative characteristics macroscale. Furthermore, we found macroscale were much more pronounced long- (20 yrs NT; 13 CC) than medium-term (10 5 underlining value conservation experiments.

Language: Английский

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Cover cropping associated with no-tillage system promotes soil carbon sequestration and increases crop yield in Southern Brazil

Soil and Tillage Research, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 242, P. 106162 - 106162

Published: May 23, 2024

Language: Английский

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Soil health explains the yield-stabilizing effects of soil organic matter under drought

Soil & Environmental Health, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 1(4), P. 100048 - 100048

Published: Nov. 2, 2023

Soil organic matter (SOM) stands out as one of the foremost indicators soil health. Soils with high SOM concentrations have been shown to be associated crop yield under drought conditions. However, a critical question remains unanswered: is yield-stabilizing effect attributable inherent properties, which remain unresponsive agricultural management practices, such texture and taxonomy? Or it driven by dynamic properties that reflect overall health soil? Following Health Assessment Protocol Evaluation (SHAPE), we derived score (SHS; range: 0-1) from concentration accounting for site-specific variables, including climate, texture, suborder. Using county-level data rainfed corn across U.S. 2000 2016, found higher SHSs were yields. During most severe events, an increase 0.5 in SHS was 1.15 ± 0.18 Mg ha-1 increment yield, suggesting helps stabilize drought. Interestingly, smaller but statistically significant effects on during less intensive droughts. The slightly better predictor than SHS. We also similar different peer groups, i.e., textures or suborders, Our results suggest main factor explaining benefits SOM, while not differences argue resilience against can potentially increased adopting agronomic practices aimed at augmenting improving broad spectrum geographical locations site characteristics.

Language: Английский

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Machine learning on multi‐spectral imagery to estimate nutrient yield of mixed‐species cover crops

Agricultural & Environmental Letters, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 10(1)

Published: Jan. 16, 2025

Abstract This study aimed to estimate mixed‐species cover crop (CC) biomass and nutrient contents using remote sensing, as ground‐based measurements are time‐consuming costly. Eleven CC treatments with varying grass‐legume proportions (GLP) were sampled, determined along multispectral imagery captured during the first fourth weeks of March week April 2023. Biomass N ( R 2 = 0.46–0.60) K% 0.41—0.71) decreased increasing GLP. The chlorophyll absorption ratio index normalized difference vegetation closely followed nutrients N, P, K combined yield (Bio_NPK) trend. Machine learning algorithms random forest (RF) partial least square (PLS) regression better for 0.74 RF) N% 0.72 PLS) prediction compared Bio_NPK prediction. These results crucial scientists devise appropriate analysis approaches estimating benefits CC.

Language: Английский

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Impact of climate change stressors—temperature, CO₂, and UV‐B—on early growth and development of different cover crop species

Agrosystems Geosciences & Environment, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 8(1)

Published: Jan. 21, 2025

Abstract Different cover crop (CC) species may respond differently to the projected climate change scenarios. A study was carried out in a controlled environmental chamber evaluate early season growth and development of five CC species: cereal rye ( Secale cereale L.), triticale (x Triticosecale Wittmack), winter wheat Triticum aestivum crimson clover Trifolium incarnatum mustard Brassica juncea ). Treatments consisted two levels carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) (420 720 ppm), ultraviolet‐B (UV‐B) radiation (0 10 kJ m −2 day −1 ), temperatures (29/21°C 19/11°C day/night), their combinations. Root, shoot, physiological parameters were recorded, combined stress response index (CSRI) derived. Results indicated that higher CO (+CO had net positive effect on all species, with CSRI values ranging from 1.0 5.1. Conversely, UV‐B (+UV) negative impact, −2.9 −7.6. The most favorable environment for combination increased fall temperature elevated (+T+ impact +UV mitigated an high environment, mimicking US Midsouth. Among responsive, 151% increase root shoot dry weight under +T+ treatment 86% decrease treatment. Rye least impacted by imposed climatic stressors. These results are particular interest agricultural science community as they offer insights into developing selecting adaptable desirable morphological characteristics anticipation changing climate.

Language: Английский

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Soil bacterial communities benefit from long-term cover crop mixtures

European Journal of Soil Biology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 124, P. 103714 - 103714

Published: March 1, 2025

Language: Английский

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Tillage intensity reductions when combined with yield increases may slow soil carbon saturation in the central United States

Scientific Reports, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 15(1)

Published: March 28, 2025

Tillage intensity reduction when coupled with higher yields and better equipment, has increased the potential to sequester carbon in farm fields. However, a few experiments have demonstrated that this is occurring. This studies objective was investigate macro-scale effects of crop tillage decreases yield increases on soil organic (SOC) storage Nebraska (NE), Iowa (IA), Minnesota (MN), South Dakota (SD) from 2000 2021. The analysis based grower surveys, state 2021, over 12 million surface samples were aggregated by year. model used first order kinetics, it consisted three pools [non-harvested (NHC), SOC, atmospheric dioxide (CO2)]. Annual NHC additions estimated state-level reductions producer surveys. Across four states 21 years, there an decrease 0.0339 mixing events per year, corn (Zea mays) soybean (Glycine max) 63 38%, respectively, SOC at rate > 460 kg SOC-C/(ha × year). In addition, strong (p < 0.01) linear correlations between gains indicate state-scale not approaching saturation.

Language: Английский

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