Growing Diverse Species in Rotation
1. Presentation
Characterization of the technique
Description of the technique:
| Marie-Hélène Jeuffroy | INRA | jeuffroy(at)grignon.inra.fr | Grignon (78) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lionel Jouy | Arvalis | l.jouy(at)arvalisinstitutduvegetal.fr | Boigneville (91) |
| Jacques Girard | Chamber of Agriculture of Calvados | j.girard(at)calvados.chambagri.fr | Caen (14) |
| Laurence Guichard | INRA | laurence.guichard(at)grignon.inra.fr | Grignon (78) |
| Alain Rodriguez | ACTA | alain.rodriguez(at)acta.asso.fr | Baziège (31) |
| Julien Halska | INRA | julien.halska(at)grignon.inra.fr | Dijon (21) |
| Innocent Pambou | Chamber of Agriculture of Maine-et-Loire | innocent.pambou(at)maine-et-loire.chambagri.fr | Angers (49) |
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Extend the return period of a crop on itself (or even crops of the same family) on a plot. Cultivate different species alternately on a plot. Alternate host and non-host plants of the same diseases or pests, rooting type, growth habit, botanical family, available herbicide and fungicide range (resistance management)... The "recommended" return period varies according to crops: between 2 to 3 years for wheat, up to 4 to 6 years for crops such as oilseed rape, pea or soybean. The choice of cover crops during intercrop periods also plays a role.
Example of implementation: The risk of take-all lodging on winter soft wheat is increased if this crop returns on itself or if the previous crop is another cereal (beware of interactions with ploughing). Similarly, the risk of fusarium on wheat is increased with a preceding maize, especially in the absence of ploughing between the two crops. The risk of flora inversion is increased in monoculture.
Details on the technique:
General observations: The effects of this technique at the territorial level are not described here but in the sheet on diversification of crops at the territorial scale. For this reason, no influence on highly mobile organisms, particularly airborne pathogens, has been considered.
Implementation period On established crop
Spatial scale of implementation Plot
Application of the technique to...
All crops: Easily generalizable
On rotated crops (annual and/or perennial).
All soil types: Easily generalizable
Depending on the soil types, the possibilities for crop choice and diversification differ and may be limited.
All climatic contexts: Easily generalizable
Depending on the pedoclimatic zone, the possibilities for crop choice and diversification differ and may be limited.
Regulation
POSITIVE influence
See http://agriculture.gouv.fr for more details on "rotation" agri-environmental measures (MAE), other MAEs, green infrastructure
2. Services provided by the technique
3. Effects on the sustainability of the cropping system
"Environmental" criteria
Effect on air quality: Variable
Phytosanitary emissions: DECREASE
GHG emissions: VARIABLE
Effect on water quality: Increasing
N.P.: DECREASE
Effect on fossil resource consumption: Variable
Fossil energy consumption: VARIABLE
Other: No effect (neutral)
Pollutant transfer to water (N, P, phytosanitary products ...): Decrease
By reducing the use of phytosanitary products, the risk of transfer is reduced. This effect also depends on the local context (plot characteristics), the resource considered (groundwater, surface water) and the characteristics of the molecules (transfer capacity, half-life, etc.).
Pollutant transfer to air (N, P, phytosanitary products ...): Decrease
By reducing the use of phytosanitary products, the risk of transfer is reduced. This effect also depends on the local context (plot characteristics) and the characteristics of the molecules (transfer capacity, half-life, etc.).
Fossil energy consumption: variable
Depends on the choice of species in the rotation. In arable farming systems, fossil energy consumption is mainly linked to the use of nitrogen fertilizers (fossil energy consumption necessary for the production of these fertilizers) and to a lesser extent to mechanization (fuel consumption). Any crop highly dependent on the use of mineral fertilizers will therefore increase fossil energy consumption in the rotation. Conversely, any crop more autonomous regarding nitrogen (e.g., legumes) will help improve this impact.
GHG emissions: variable
Depends on the choice of species in the rotation. In arable farming systems, GHG emissions are mainly CO2 and N2O. CO2 is linked to energy consumption (and thus indirectly to fertilizer manufacturing). N2O is linked to nitrogen fertilizer spreading. The extent of GHG emissions is therefore strongly dependent on the amount of nitrogen fertilizer used in the rotation.
"Agronomic" criteria
Productivity: Increasing
By maintaining or even improving the physico-chemical fertility of the soil and better control of pests and diseases. Depends on the previous effects. However, introduction of diversification crops, less productive in terms of biomass produced/ha.
Soil fertility: Increasing
Various crops explore different soil compartments and do not exploit the same resources.
Water stress: No effect (neutral)
Functional biodiversity: Increasing
Lengthening the return periods of crops on themselves leads to diversifying crop sequences. This directly contributes to improving plant biodiversity, and indirectly animal biodiversity (more diversified plant resource availability).
Other agronomic criteria: Decreasing
Weed control: Increasing
Facilitates weed management in the plot and can help limit herbicide use: diversification of crops in the rotation allows diversification of sowing periods (autumn / spring) and crop establishment methods (more or less deep soil work, possible inversion...). These practices favor low specialization of the weed flora on the plot and a decrease in infestations, making it easier to manage.
"Economic" criteria
Operating costs: Variable
Evolution depending on the crops in the rotation and their technical itineraries. Lower pressure from certain pests and diseases in the cover should allow reducing costs related to phytosanitary product use. This benefit must be assessed at the rotation scale.
Mechanization costs: Variable
Depends on the choice of species in the rotation.
Margin: Increasing
Lower costs and maintained or even improved yield lead to improved margins for each crop. The margin generated on a rotation depends on the choice of crops (some have higher margins than others).
Other economic criteria: Variable
Market opportunities: Decreasing
Finding buyers may be difficult for certain crops depending on the local context and volumes produced.
"Social" criteria
Working time: No effect (neutral)
Peak period: Increasing
Working time may increase due to crop diversification (managed according to different technical itineraries). The overall workload should therefore be considered according to the cropping system envisaged and the level of introduction of time-consuming crops. However, this diversification can also limit peak workloads (sowing, harvesting). Farmers often perceive an increase in workload which actually comes from a different distribution.
Effect on farmer health: Variable
Need for farmer training: Increasing
Managing a larger number of crops requires more know-how, learning, etc. For certain diversification crops, there is not always local reference (neighboring farmers, advisors competent on specific crops).
Observation time: Increasing
Each crop requires specific observations. However, the observation time invested allows self-training and reappropriation of the profession through learning.
4. Organisms favored or disadvantaged
Favored pests and diseases
| Organism | Impact of the technique | Type | Details |
|---|
Disfavored Bioagressors
Auxiliaries favored
| Organism | Impact of the technique | Type | Details |
|---|
Disfavored auxiliaries
| Organism | Impact of the technique | Type | Details |
|---|
Favored climatic and physiological accidents
| Organism | Impact of the technique | Details |
|---|
Disfavored climatic and physiological accidents
| Organism | Impact of the technique | Details |
|---|
5. For further information
- Agronomic approach; cropping systems and plant diseases
- -Meynard J.M. (INRA); Doré T. (INRA); Lucas P. (INRA)
Comptes rendus biologies 326, pp 37-46, Technical brochure, 2003
- Faunistic and floristic covers
- -IBIS Project (Integrating Biodiversity into Agricultural Production Systems)
Chambre d'agriculture of Centre and partners, 2010
- Pollinator covers
- -IBIS Project (Integrating Biodiversity into Agricultural Production Systems)
Chambre d'agriculture of Centre and partners, Peer-reviewed journal article, 2010
- Crop rotations in arable crops
- -Almaric Nicola; Brezillon Marike; Faiq Chahin; Roubinet Eve; Schroeder Marie; Tite Abel
INP-ENSAT/Solagro, Technical brochure, 2008
- Alternative methods to fight diseases in arable crops
- -Delos M., Eychenne N., Folcher L., Debaeke P., Laporte F., Raulic I., Maumene C., Nabo B., Pinochet X.
Phytoma La défense des végétaux, no. 567, pp. 14-18, Press article, 2004
- STEPHY, practical guide for designing cropping systems with reduced pesticide use
- -Attoumani-Ronceux A. (INRA); Aubertot J.N. (INRA); Guichard L. (INRA); Jouy L. (Arvalis); Mischler P. (Agro-transfert ressources et territoires); Omon B. (Chambre d'agriculture de l'Eure); Petit M.S. (Regional Chamber of Agriculture of Burgundy); Pleyber E. (MEEDM-DGALN); Reau R. (INRA); Seiler A. (MAAPRAT-DGPAAT)
Ministry of Ecology, Ministry of Agriculture, RMT Innovative Cropping Systems, Press article, 2011
- Soils, biodiversity and cultural practices
- -Steinberg Christian (UMR MSE INRA/University of Burgundy); Alabouvette Claude (UMR MSE INRA/University of Burgundy)
Phytoma - la défense des végétaux, Technical brochure, 2010
6. Keywords
Bioagressor control method: Cultural control
Mode of action: Avoidance
Type of strategy regarding pesticide use: Redesign
Appendices
Est complémentaire des leviers
Défavorise les bioagresseurs suivants
- Theophrastus' Abutilon
- Mite
- Yarrow
- Agrostis stolonifera
- Creeping bentgrass
- Cereal thrips
- Field lady's mantle
- Tomato early blight
- Cabbage flea beetle
- Flax flea beetle
- White amaranth
- Prostrate amaranth
- Prostrate amaranth
- Hybrid amaranth
- Reflective amaranth
- Ragweed
- Tall ammi
- Mayweed
- Field chamomile
- Tall chamomile
- Spinach anthracnose
- Lupin anthracnose
- Pea anthracnose
- Faba bean anthracnose
- Common chervil
- Aphanomyces
- Thalius' rockcress
- Common mugwort
- Spreading orach
- Alfalfa ascochyta blight
- Jointed oats
- Ludovician sterile oats
- Intermediate barbarée
- Three-lobed bident
- Botrytis alii
- Botrytis cinerea
- Sterile brome
- Broad bean weevil
- Irregular calepine
- Hairy bittercress
- Wild carrot
- Clustered ceraiste
- Cercospora leaf spot
- Siliqua weevil
- Terminal bud weevil
- Milk thistle
- White goosefoot
- Wall goosefoot
- Polysperma goosefoot
- Couch grass
- Corn marigold
- Wheat leafhopper
- Grape leafhopper (Empoasca vitis)
- Crow
- Flax curl
- Nîmes hawkweed
- Jimsonweed
- Blood fingergrass
- Four-angled willowherb
- Poison hemlock
- Spurge
- Common fennel
- Wild oats
- Common fumitory
- Onion fusarium
- Trichothecene Fusarioses A barley
- Trichothecene Fusarioses B zearalenone maize
- Silver scab
- Gangrene
- Round-leaved geranium
- Dove's-foot crane's-bill
- False viper's bugloss helminth
- Soft brome
- Rigid ryegrass
- Rough sow-thistle
- Purple dead-nettle
- Bastard toadflax
- Hedge bindweed
- Macrophomina
- Chamomile matricaria
- Pollen beetle
- Annual mercury
- Spinach downy mildew
- Sunflower downy mildew
- Cabbage fly
- Potato white nematode
- Artichoke moth
- Silver Y moth
- Crucifer powdery mildew
- Flax powdery mildew
- Cock's-foot panicgrass
- Drave bedstraw
- Pea seed-borne mosaic virus
- Paradoxical phalaris
- Soybean phomopsis
- Take-all
- Creeping potentilla
- Horsetails
- Autumn aphid
- Green and pink potato aphids
- Potato aphids
- Bean moth
- Ramularia leaf spot
- Beet ramularia leaf spot
- Shepherd's purse
- Perennial ryegrass
- Bird's knotweed
- Brown Rhizoctonia
- Rhizopus
- Rhynchosporium
- Rodent
- Pea rust
- Barley dwarf rust
- Sclerotinia
- Leaf septoria
- Flax septoria
- Green foxtail
- Aleppo sorghum
- Field spurrey
- Intermediate chickweed
- Field pennycress
- Leek moth
- Tobacco and onion thrips
- Coltsfoot
- Ivy-leaved speedwell
- Persian speedwell
- Field speedwell
- Alfalfa verticillium wilt
- Barley mosaic virus
