Advancing agroecosystem management through strategic cover crop selection: The role of species identity and community composition for productivity and climate change mitigation

IF 5.6 1区农林科学 Q1 AGRONOMY

Field Crops Research Pub Date : 2025-04-26 DOI:10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109942

Andrea Fiorini , Diego Abalos , Federico Capra , Giacomo Mortella , Michela Lommi , Nicolaj Franceschi , Federico Ardenti , Vincenzo Tabaglio

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Context

Cover cropping may improve soil fertility, nutrient cycling, and soil carbon (C) stocks, yet its effects on nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions and soil greenhouse gas balances remain unclear. The impact of cover crop species and mixtures varies over time, requiring further study.

Objectives

This study aimed to assess the agronomic and environmental performance of different cover crops, including hairy vetch, rye, radish, their mixtures, and a seven-species mix, over three years.

Methods

Over a three-year field experiment, we tested nine cover crop treatments — including rye, hairy vetch, radish, and their mixtures — and assessed their effects on biomass production, nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) inputs, soil macronutrients (N, P, K), greenhouse gas emissions (N₂O), and yields of maize, sunflower, and soybean.

Results

Hairy vetch and rye produced higher biomass, while radish contributed most to soil C inputs belowground. Hairy vetch provided high N inputs (>200 kg N ha⁻¹ annually) but increased N₂O emissions, revealing a trade-off between fertility and greenhouse gas emissions. Rye and radish emitted less N₂O, with rye increasing soil organic C and potassium availability. The rye and vetch mixture combined high biomass production and soil C sequestration with moderate N₂O emissions, making it a promising option for balancing productivity and sustainability. Rye-based treatments achieved a positive net soil CO₂ balance. Sunflower and maize N uptake improved after vetch and rye-vetch cover crops, while soybean yield remained unaffected.

Conclusion and implications

Cover crop mixtures with complementary traits can balance productivity and environmental impacts. Integrating rye and vetch enhances ecological functions, supporting sustainable crop production while mitigating climate change.

查看原文本刊更多论文

通过战略性覆盖作物选择推进农业生态系统管理：物种特性和群落组成对生产力和减缓气候变化的作用

覆盖种植可以改善土壤肥力、养分循环和土壤碳(C)储量，但其对一氧化二氮（N₂O）排放和土壤温室气体平衡的影响尚不清楚。覆盖作物种类和混合物的影响随时间而变化，需要进一步研究。本研究旨在评估不同覆盖作物的农艺和环境性能，包括毛豆、黑麦、萝卜、它们的混合物，以及7种混合物，为期三年。方法在为期3年的田间试验中，对9种覆盖作物处理（包括黑麦、毛豆、萝卜及其混合处理）进行了试验，评估了它们对生物量、氮和碳输入、土壤宏量养分（N、P、K）、温室气体排放（N₂O）以及玉米、向日葵和大豆产量的影响。结果紫薇和黑麦生物量较高，萝卜对地下土壤碳投入贡献最大。毛豆提供了高氮输入（>；200 kg N ha -¹每年），但增加了N₂O排放量，揭示了生育和温室气体排放之间的权衡。黑麦和萝卜排放的N₂O较少，黑麦增加了土壤有机C和钾的有效性。黑麦和野豌豆的混合物结合了高生物量生产和土壤碳封存以及适度的二氧化碳排放，使其成为平衡生产力和可持续性的有希望的选择。以黑麦为基础的处理取得了正的土壤净CO₂平衡。紫薇和黑麦紫薇覆盖后，向日葵和玉米的氮素吸收增加，而大豆产量未受影响。结论与意义具有互补性状的杂交作物可以平衡生产力和环境影响。黑麦和野豌豆的结合增强了生态功能，在支持作物可持续生产的同时缓解了气候变化。

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来源期刊

Field Crops Research 农林科学-农艺学

CiteScore

9.60

自引率

12.10%

发文量

307

审稿时长

46 days

期刊介绍： Field Crops Research is an international journal publishing scientific articles on: √ experimental and modelling research at field, farm and landscape levels on temperate and tropical crops and cropping systems, with a focus on crop ecology and physiology, agronomy, and plant genetics and breeding.