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Grain Yield Stability of Cereal-Legume Intercrops Is Greater Than Sole Crops in More Productive Conditions

Author

Listed:
  • Martin Weih

    (Department of Crop Production Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), 75007 Uppsala, Sweden)

  • Alison J. Karley

    (Ecological Sciences Department, The James Hutton Institute, Dundee DD2 5DA, UK)

  • Adrian C. Newton

    (Ecological Sciences Department, The James Hutton Institute, Dundee DD2 5DA, UK)

  • Lars P. Kiær

    (Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 1871 Frederiksberg, Denmark)

  • Christoph Scherber

    (Research Group Animal Ecology and Multitrophic Interactions, Institute of Landscape Ecology, University of Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany
    Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig, Centre for Biodiversity Monitoring, 53113 Bonn, Germany)

  • Diego Rubiales

    (Instituto de Agricultura Sostenible, Consejo Superior de Investigationes Científicas, Avenida Menéndez Pidal s/n, Campus Alameda del Obispo, 14004 Córdoba, Spain)

  • Eveline Adam

    (Saatzucht Gleisdorf GmbH, Am Tieberhof 33, 8200 Gleisdorf, Austria)

  • James Ajal

    (Department of Crop Production Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), 75007 Uppsala, Sweden)

  • Jana Brandmeier

    (Research Group Animal Ecology and Multitrophic Interactions, Institute of Landscape Ecology, University of Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany
    Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig, Centre for Biodiversity Monitoring, 53113 Bonn, Germany)

  • Silvia Pappagallo

    (Research Group Animal Ecology and Multitrophic Interactions, Institute of Landscape Ecology, University of Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany
    Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig, Centre for Biodiversity Monitoring, 53113 Bonn, Germany)

  • Angel Villegas-Fernández

    (Instituto de Agricultura Sostenible, Consejo Superior de Investigationes Científicas, Avenida Menéndez Pidal s/n, Campus Alameda del Obispo, 14004 Córdoba, Spain)

  • Moritz Reckling

    (Department of Crop Production Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), 75007 Uppsala, Sweden
    Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Research Area 2 “Land Use and Governance”, Working Group Resource-Efficient Cropping Systems, 15374 Müncheberg, Germany)

  • Stefano Tavoletti

    (Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60131 Ancona, Italy)

Abstract

The intercropping of two or more crop species on the same piece of land at a given time has been hypothesized to enhance crop yield stability. To address this hypothesis, we assessed the grain yield stability of various barley-pea and wheat-faba bean mixtures grown in seven experimental field trials (locations) across Europe during two years with contrasting weather (2017 and 2018). Three different yield stability measures were used, all based on the expected yield variability of the mixture components grown as sole crops, and the corresponding observed yield variability of the same components grown in 50:50 mixtures in a replacement design. Stability indices were calculated as ratios between the expected and observed variabilities, with values > 1 indicating greater stability of the intercrops. Mean grain yields tended to be higher in intercrops than sole crops. However, in contrast to our hypothesis, the observed (intercrop) yield stability was similar or lower than the expected (sole crop) stability in most locations except one. Furthermore, yield stability significantly increased with increasing mean yields when assessed across differentially productive locations. The results are relevant for the designing of intercropping systems as a means to increase yield stability and the resilience of cropping systems.

Suggested Citation

  • Martin Weih & Alison J. Karley & Adrian C. Newton & Lars P. Kiær & Christoph Scherber & Diego Rubiales & Eveline Adam & James Ajal & Jana Brandmeier & Silvia Pappagallo & Angel Villegas-Fernández & Mo, 2021. "Grain Yield Stability of Cereal-Legume Intercrops Is Greater Than Sole Crops in More Productive Conditions," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-18, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jagris:v:11:y:2021:i:3:p:255-:d:519079
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Lukas Egli & Matthias Schröter & Christoph Scherber & Teja Tscharntke & Ralf Seppelt, 2020. "Crop asynchrony stabilizes food production," Nature, Nature, vol. 588(7837), pages 7-12, December.
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    3. Yongfan Wang & Marc W. Cadotte & Yuxin Chen & Lauchlan H. Fraser & Yuhua Zhang & Fengmin Huang & Shan Luo & Nayun Shi & Michel Loreau, 2019. "Global evidence of positive biodiversity effects on spatial ecosystem stability in natural grasslands," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 10(1), pages 1-9, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Hannah Jona von Czettritz & Seyed-Ali Hosseini-Yekani & Johannes Schuler & Kurt-Christian Kersebaum & Peter Zander, 2023. "Adapting Cropping Patterns to Climate Change: Risk Management Effectiveness of Diversification and Irrigation in Brandenburg (Germany)," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-17, September.
    2. Dowling, Alyce & Roberts, Penny & Doolette, Ashlea & Zhou, Yi & Denton, Matthew D., 2023. "Oilseed-legume intercropping is productive and profitable in low input scenarios," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 204(C).
    3. Johannes Timaeus & Ties Ruigrok & Torsten Siegmeier & Maria Renate Finckh, 2022. "Adoption of Food Species Mixtures from Farmers’ Perspectives in Germany: Managing Complexity and Harnessing Advantages," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-22, May.
    4. Lech Gałęzewski & Iwona Jaskulska & Dariusz Jaskulski & Edward Wilczewski & Marek Kościński, 2022. "Strip Intercrop of Barley, Wheat, Triticale, Oat, Pea and Yellow Lupine—A Meta-Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-21, November.
    5. Martin Weih & M. Inés Mínguez & Stefano Tavoletti, 2022. "Intercropping Systems for Sustainable Agriculture," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-4, February.
    6. Xian Liu, 2022. "Analysis of Crop Sustainability Production Potential in Northwest China: Water Resources Perspective," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-17, October.

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