IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/masfgc/v30y2025i7d10.1007_s11027-025-10263-4.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Intercropping for sustainable agroecosystems: enhancing biodiversity, resource efficiency, and mitigating greenhouse gas emissions

Author

Listed:
  • Fazal Ullah

    (Northwest Normal University)

  • Saddam Saqib

    (Lanzhou University)

  • Hou Qin-Zheng

    (Northwest Normal University)

  • Wajid Zaman

    (Yeungnam University)

  • You-Cai Xiong

    (Lanzhou University)

Abstract

Intercropping, the simultaneous cultivation of multiple crops, enhances resource efficiency and biodiversity while reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE) compared to monoculture systems. This review assesses intercropping’s potential to mitigate GHGE (reductions of 15–25%) and increase yields (20–40%) across diverse agroecosystems. It emphasizes the need for tailored management strategies and region-specific research to overcome adoption barriers and optimize intercropping for sustainable agriculture. However, these benefits vary significantly by region, crop combination, climate, and management practices, with limitations and trade-offs discussed in detail in this review. A systematic review of 1,356 articles from databases like Google Scholar, Scopus, and Web of Science was conducted, with 95 studies selected for detailed analysis. The focus was on empirical evidence highlighting intercropping’s impact on GHGE, mechanisms such as nitrogen fixation, and regional variations in implementation. Intercropping, particularly with leguminous crops, significantly reduces CO₂ emissions by enhancing biological nitrogen fixation, reducing synthetic fertilizer use, and improving soil fertility. Diverse root systems in intercropping systems promote nutrient cycling, soil structure, and microbial activity, leading to better organic matter decomposition and nutrient availability. However, adoption barriers, including economic constraints and environmental factors, vary regionally, necessitating tailored management strategies. Intercropping offers a viable strategy for balancing agricultural productivity and ecological sustainability by mitigating GHGE and enhancing food security. This review highlights the need for region-specific research and actionable strategies to overcome adoption barriers and optimize intercropping systems for global agricultural sustainability.

Suggested Citation

  • Fazal Ullah & Saddam Saqib & Hou Qin-Zheng & Wajid Zaman & You-Cai Xiong, 2025. "Intercropping for sustainable agroecosystems: enhancing biodiversity, resource efficiency, and mitigating greenhouse gas emissions," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 30(7), pages 1-25, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:masfgc:v:30:y:2025:i:7:d:10.1007_s11027-025-10263-4
    DOI: 10.1007/s11027-025-10263-4
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11027-025-10263-4
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s11027-025-10263-4?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:masfgc:v:30:y:2025:i:7:d:10.1007_s11027-025-10263-4. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.