Abstract

Increasing crop functional richness in rotations can support grain yields more than species diversity in many environments, suggest grain yield data from 32 long-term experiments across Europe and North America.Diversifying agriculture by rotating a greater number of crop species in sequence is a promising practice to reduce negative impacts of crop production on the environment and maintain yields. However, it is unclear to what extent cereal yields change with crop rotation diversity and external nitrogen fertilization level over time, and which functional groups of crops provide the most yield benefit. Here, using grain yield data of small grain cereals and maize from 32 long-term (10-63 years) experiments across Europe and North America, we show that crop rotational diversity, measured as crop species diversity and functional richness, enhanced grain yields. This yield benefit increased over time. Only the yields of winter-sown small grain cereals showed a decline at the highest level of species diversity. Diversification was beneficial to all cereals with a low external nitrogen input, particularly maize, enabling a lower dependence on nitrogen fertilisers and ultimately reducing greenhouse gas emissions and nitrogen pollution. The results suggest that increasing crop functional richness rather than species diversity can be a strategy for supporting grain yields across many environments.

Published in

Communications earth & environment
2023, Volume: 4, number: 1, article number: 89

SLU Authors

• Smith, Monique

  • Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Vico, Giulia

  • Department of Crop Production Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Costa, Alessio

  • Department of Crop Production Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Hallin, Sara

  • Department of Forest Mycology and Plant Pathology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Watson, Christine

  • Department of Crop Production Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    
  • Scotland's Rural College (SRUC)

• Jäck, Ortrud

  • Department of Crop Production Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Sandström, Boel

  • Department of Agricultural Research for Northern Sweden, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Bommarco, Riccardo

  • Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

Sustainable Development Goals

Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss


UKÄ Subject classification

Agricultural Science


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-023-00746-0

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/121838