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Assessment of Benefits of Conservation Agriculture on Soil Functions in Arable Production Systems in Europe

Author

Listed:
  • Bhim Bahadur Ghaley

    (Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Højbakkegård Alle 30, 2630 Taastrup, Denmark)

  • Teodor Rusu

    (Department of Technical and Soil Sciences, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania)

  • Taru Sandén

    (Department of Soil Health and Plant Nutrition, Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES), Spargelfeldstrasse 191, A-1220 Vienna, Austria)

  • Heide Spiegel

    (Department of Soil Health and Plant Nutrition, Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES), Spargelfeldstrasse 191, A-1220 Vienna, Austria)

  • Cristina Menta

    (Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 11/A, 43124 Parma, Italy)

  • Giovanna Visioli

    (Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 11/A, 43124 Parma, Italy)

  • Lilian O’Sullivan

    (Teagasc Agriculture and Food Development Authority, Environment Research Centre, Johnstown Castle, Co., Wexford Y35 Y521, Ireland)

  • Isabelle Trinsoutrot Gattin

    (UniLaSalle Campus Rouen, AGHYLE UP 2018-C1013 Rue du Tronquet, 76130 Mont-Saint-Aignan, France)

  • Antonio Delgado

    (Department of Agroforestry Sciences, University of Sevilla, Ctra Utrera km 1, 41013 Sevilla, Spain)

  • Mark A. Liebig

    (USDA-ARS, Northern Great Plains Research Laboratory, P.O. Box 459, Mandan, ND 58554-0459, USA)

  • Dirk Vrebos

    (Ecosystem management research group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1c, B2610 Antwerpen, Belgium)

  • Tamas Szegi

    (Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Szent Istvan University, 2100 Gödöllő, Hungary)

  • Erika Michéli

    (Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Szent Istvan University, 2100 Gödöllő, Hungary)

  • Horia Cacovean

    (Office for Pedologic and Agrochemical Studies, Cluj, 1 Fagului Street, 400483 Cluj-Napoca, Romania)

  • Christian Bugge Henriksen

    (Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Højbakkegård Alle 30, 2630 Taastrup, Denmark)

Abstract

Conventional farming (CONV) is the norm in European farming, causing adverse effects on some of the five major soil functions, viz. primary productivity, carbon sequestration and regulation, nutrient cycling and provision, water regulation and purification, and habitat for functional and intrinsic biodiversity. Conservation agriculture (CA) is an alternative to enhance soil functions. However, there is no analysis of CA benefits on the five soil functions as most studies addressed individual soil functions. The objective was to compare effects of CA and CONV practices on the five soil functions in four major environmental zones (Atlantic North, Pannonian, Continental and Mediterranean North) in Europe by applying expert scoring based on synthesis of existing literature. In each environmental zone, a team of experts scored the five soil functions due to CA and CONV treatments and median scores indicated the overall effects on five soil functions. Across the environmental zones, CONV had overall negative effects on soil functions with a median score of 0.50 whereas CA had overall positive effects with median score ranging from 0.80 to 0.83. The study proposes the need for field-based investigations, policies and subsidy support to benefit from CA adoption to enhance the five soil functions.

Suggested Citation

  • Bhim Bahadur Ghaley & Teodor Rusu & Taru Sandén & Heide Spiegel & Cristina Menta & Giovanna Visioli & Lilian O’Sullivan & Isabelle Trinsoutrot Gattin & Antonio Delgado & Mark A. Liebig & Dirk Vrebos &, 2018. "Assessment of Benefits of Conservation Agriculture on Soil Functions in Arable Production Systems in Europe," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(3), pages 1-17, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:3:p:794-:d:136049
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Katharina Helming & Katrin Daedlow & Bernd Hansjürgens & Thomas Koellner, 2018. "Assessment and Governance of Sustainable Soil Management," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-13, November.
    3. Eros Borsato & Alejandro Galindo & Paolo Tarolli & Luigi Sartori & Francesco Marinello, 2018. "Evaluation of the Grey Water Footprint Comparing the Indirect Effects of Different Agricultural Practices," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-15, November.
    4. Tshering Choden & Bhim Bahadur Ghaley, 2021. "A Portfolio of Effective Water and Soil Conservation Practices for Arable Production Systems in Europe and North Africa," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-18, March.
    5. Felicia Chețan & Cornel Chețan & Ileana Bogdan & Paula Ioana Moraru & Adrian Ioan Pop & Teodor Rusu, 2022. "Use of Vegetable Residues and Cover Crops in the Cultivation of Maize Grown in Different Tillage Systems," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-14, March.
    6. Sulav Paudel & Lalit P. Sah & Mukti Devkota & Vijaya Poudyal & P.V. Vara Prasad & Manuel R. Reyes, 2020. "Conservation Agriculture and Integrated Pest Management Practices Improve Yield and Income while Reducing Labor, Pests, Diseases and Chemical Pesticide Use in Smallholder Vegetable Farms in Nepal," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(16), pages 1-16, August.
    7. Magdalena Ruiz & Encarna Zambrana & Rosario Fite & Aida Sole & Jose Luis Tenorio & Elena Benavente, 2019. "Yield and Quality Performance of Traditional and Improved Bread and Durum Wheat Varieties under Two Conservation Tillage Systems," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(17), pages 1-22, August.
    8. Felicia Cheţan & Teodor Rusu & Cornel Cheţan & Camelia Urdă & Raluca Rezi & Alina Şimon & Ileana Bogdan, 2022. "Influence of Soil Tillage Systems on the Yield and Weeds Infestation in the Soybean Crop," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-13, October.
    9. Felicia Chețan & Cornel Chețan & Ileana Bogdan & Adrian Ioan Pop & Paula Ioana Moraru & Teodor Rusu, 2021. "The Effects of Management (Tillage, Fertilization, Plant Density) on Soybean Yield and Quality in a Three-Year Experiment under Transylvanian Plain Climate Conditions," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-13, February.
    10. Maya Sollen-Norrlin & Bhim Bahadur Ghaley & Naomi Laura Jane Rintoul, 2020. "Agroforestry Benefits and Challenges for Adoption in Europe and Beyond," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-21, August.
    11. Rui Zhao & Junying Li & Kening Wu & Long Kang, 2021. "Cultivated Land Use Zoning Based on Soil Function Evaluation from the Perspective of Black Soil Protection," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-29, June.

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