Forage vs. Grain Legumes: Contrasting Effects on Soil Organic Carbon Stocks–Evidence From 30 European Field Experiments

• DOI: 10.1111/ejss.70086
• Publication Date: 2025-03-29T15:10:40Z
• Authors: Ioanna S. Panagea; Paul Quataert; María Alonso‐Ayuso; Teresa G. Bárcena; Maarten De Boever; Mariangela Diacono; Anna Jacobs; Johannes L. Jensen; Felix Seidel; Daria Seitz; Heide Spiegel; Thijs Vanden Nest; Axel Don; Greet Ruysschaert
• Keywords: Soil carbon; Carbon fibers

ABSTRACT Sustainable land management can play an important role in climate change mitigation by reducing soil organic carbon (SOC) losses or even sequestering C soils. This be achieved through practices that increase inputs to the and/or improve quality of these inputs, thereby facilitating removal atmospheric dioxide (CO 2 ) and storing it as SOC. In this study, we investigated potential increased share legumes crop rotations enhance SOC accrual—defined stocks at a given unit compared baseline scenario—using data from 30 mid‐term (MTEs, 5–20 years) long‐term (LTEs, 20+ field experiments across Europe. Our findings indicate increasing proportion forage (based on 21 39 paired comparisons) led accrual up 13.25 Mg ha −1 (0.44 year ), while grain nine 28 resulted decrease 14.37 (−0.48 reference treatment. For legumes, largest gains were sites with smallest greater rotation. observations suggested duration growth (annual vs. perennial) did not exert significant impact stock increase, pedoclimatic zone did. Positive effects more pronounced Atlantic climatic contrast Mediterranean zone. larger observed Overall, integrating cropping systems their sustainability present viable option for mitigation. Finally, regression equation derive emission factors (EFs) estimating changes due rotation, another The first used support assessment impacts purpose rewarding farming estimation national‐scale potential, second losses.