A comprehensive assessment of diversified cropping systems on agro-environmental sustainability in three Mediterranean long-term field experiments

• DOI: 10.1016/j.eja.2022.126598
• Publication Date: 2022-08-04T11:10:25Z
• Authors: Silvia Vanino; Claudia Di Bene; Chiara Piccini; Gianni Fila; Bruno Pennelli; Raúl Zornoza; Virginia Sanchez-...; Jorge Álvaro-Fuentes; Roman Hüppi; Johan Six; Roberta Farina
• Keywords: Soil Quality; Monoculture; Cropping system; Crop Rotation; Agricultural diversification

The intensification of agricultural systems has caused a noticeable impact on agro-ecosystem services. Thus, the adoption more sustainable practices such as crop diversification and reduction external inputs represent an alternative strategy to minimize impacts intensive environment. This study aimed at evaluating effects rotation, conservation tillage, low-input strategies soil quality farming performance using set 7 indicators based fuzzy logic approach. Data were collected from three Mediterranean long-term field experiments (LTEs) mostly oriented cereal-based vegetables cropping systems, located in Spain Italy. selected agro-environmental clearly discriminated both geographical point view between monoculture diversification, showing their suitability for evaluation diversified systems. Such highlighted that implementing reducing disturbance chemical enhanced quality. In this context, most significant increase crucial variables organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), available phosphorus (Pav), bulk density (BD) maintaining stability yields all LTEs. These results provide strong evidence benefits areas, highlighting represents very promising land management. Simple composite calculated method can be proposed tool assess performance. approach used define local solutions help re-design system through transition across Europe.