Growing Perennial Species
1. Presentation
Characterization of the technique
Description of the technique:
| Julien Halska | INRA | julien.halska(at)grignon.inra.fr | Epoisses (21) |
| Rémy Ballot | INRA | remy.ballot(at)grignon.inra.fr | Grignon (78) |
Spam prevention: To use these addresses, replace (at) with @
Introduce perennial crops into the rotation: temporary grasslands (pure grasses or mixed with legumes), artificial grasslands (alfalfa, clover, sainfoin, bird's-foot trefoil…) or forage species producing seeds.
Implementation period On established crop
Spatial scale of implementation Farm
Application of the technique to...
All crops: Not applicable
All soil types: Easily generalizable
The diversity of existing perennial species allows adaptation to all soil types.
All climatic contexts: Easily generalizable
The diversity of existing perennial species allows adaptation to all climatic contexts.
Regulation
2. Services provided by the technique
3. Effects on the sustainability of the cropping system
"Environmental" criteria
Effect on air quality: Increasing
acidification: DECREASE
phytosanitary emissions: DECREASE
GHG emissions: DECREASE
particulate emissions: DECREASE
Effect on water quality: Increasing
N.P.: DECREASE
pesticides: DECREASE
turbidity: DECREASE
Effect on fossil resource consumption: Decreasing
fossil energy consumption: DECREASE
Other: No effect (neutral)
The introduction of perennial crops generally leads to a reduction in the use of phytosanitary products and mineral fertilizers at the rotation scale, thus reducing transfer risks. However, caution is needed at destruction: the turning over of a perennial crop is accompanied by intense mineralization resumption which can cause nitrogen loss risks by leaching, especially if the crop has been in place for a long time.
The introduction of perennial crops leads to a reduction in the number of soil tillage operations at the rotation scale, thus reducing fuel consumption. Moreover, it also leads to a reduction in mineral fertilizer use, thus reducing the amount of energy consumed for their manufacture.
The introduction of perennial crops leads to a reduction in GHG emissions related to soil tillage operations or mineral fertilizer manufacture. Furthermore, the reduction in mineral nitrogen fertilizer use is accompanied by a reduction in nitrous oxide emissions by denitrification. Additionally, grasslands fix carbon in their own biomass and in the organic matter produced (dead roots, residues, which transform into humus).
"Agronomic" criteria
Productivity: Variable
The impact of introducing perennial crops on the yield of other crops in the rotation is highly variable depending on the introduced crop and the succession conditions. The impact can be positive due to nitrogen restitution to subsequent crops, soil structuring (alfalfa for example) or negative if the perennial crop is not destroyed early enough before the following crop (risk of water stress, favored pests...).
Soil fertility: Increasing
The presence of perennial crops in a rotation contributes to increasing the soil organic matter content (humus formation from dead roots and other residues), which contributes to soil structure. This effect varies depending on the duration of the crop. Upon destruction of perennial crops, part of the stored organic matter mineralizes and benefits the following crops.
Water stress: Increasing
The increase in organic matter content linked to the introduction of perennial crops implies an improvement in the soil's water retention capacity (increase in water reserve). However, late turning over of a perennial crop (less than one month before sowing the next crop) can result in insufficient water availability for the latter, due to uptake until destruction.
Functional Biodiversity: Increasing
The introduction of perennial crops generally reduces pressure on biodiversity by reducing phytosanitary interventions or mineral fertilizer inputs. However, harvesting/mowing operations can be harmful to mammals and birds if certain precautions are not taken (scaring bar, reduced forward speed, harvesting from the center of the plot...).
Other agronomic criteria: Increasing
Pest pressure: Increasing
The turning over of perennial crops can increase pest pressure favored by the availability of organic matter and the absence of soil disturbance (wireworm…). Therefore, it must occur sufficiently long before the next crop is planted (at least one month).
"Economic" criteria
Operational costs: Decreasing
Fertilization/protection costs of perennial crops are generally lower than those of annual crops. Moreover, costs related to establishment (seed purchase) are spread over several years.
Mechanization costs: Decreasing
Mechanization costs related to establishment (soil work, sowing) are spread over several years. At harvest, several cases are distinguished: grazing, harvest for self-consumption (requires specific equipment) or in arable systems sale to a livestock farmer or a dehydration plant. In the latter case, the harvest is carried out by the client and the farmer does not need to invest in specific equipment.
Margin: Variable
Costs are generally lower for managing perennial crops. However, the effect of their introduction on margins depends on the valorization of the harvests. In arable systems, the harvest is sold standing to farmers or a dehydration plant, and valorization mainly depends on the selling price. In mixed farming, valorization depends on savings made through self-consumption of fodder. Savings on inputs on other crops (fertilization, weed control...) should also be considered.
Other economic criteria: Variable
Market opportunities: variable
In arable systems, it is necessary to ensure a market outlet to be able to introduce perennial crops (farmers or dehydration plant).
"Social" criteria
Working time: Increasing
The impact of introducing perennial crops is variable. Working time related to establishment (soil work, sowing) is spread over several years. Working time related to harvest depends on the production system. In arable systems, valorization is through sale of standing fodder to a farmer or dehydration plant and is therefore not the producer's responsibility. The average workload per hectare is thus reduced.
Peak period: Variable
Working time related to harvest depends on the production system. In arable systems, the harvest is carried out by the farmer-client or the dehydration plant. The workload is thus reduced. In mixed farming, if the plot is grazed, working time is limited; however, if the fodder is harvested, the workload may increase. In all cases, working time related to establishment (soil work, sowing) is spread over several years.
Observation time: Increasing
The introduction of new crops in the rotation requires additional learning and observation time.
4. Favored or disadvantaged organisms
Favored Pests
| Organism | Impact of the technique | Type | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| wireworm | pest, predator or parasite |
Disfavored bioagressors
Favored Auxiliaries
| 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
- Grass associations - white clover, the winning pasture
- -CRA Pays de la Loire, Technical brochure, 2009
- Diversify species for better agronomic management in organic farming
- -DevAB Agronomy Sheet No. 4, Technical brochure, 2009
- The multi-species grassland
- -Pierre P (CA53), Hubert F (CA 49), Coutard JP (Experimental farm of Thorigné d'Anjou), Fougere M and Capele E (CA44), Bulot N (CA72), Ralu R (Ca85), Delagarde R (Inra), Fustec J and Couvreur S (ESA), Besnard A and Battegay S (Arvalis), Metay X (regional conservatory of the Loire riverbanks and its tributaries)
CRA Pays de la Loire, Technical brochure, 2008
- Multi-species grasslands in organic farming
- -DevAB Agronomy Sheet No. 8, Technical brochure
- Favor grasslands with diverse flora in Organic farming
- -Coutard J.P. (Experimental farm of Thorigné d'Anjou)
CRA Pays de la Loire, Technical brochure, 2007
- Producing with grass: from soil to animal
- -Guillois F., Hérisset R., Roger P., Seuret J.M., Falchier M. (CRA Brittany), Pierre P. (CRA Pays de la Loire)
CRA Pays de la Loire and Brittany, Technical brochure, 2011
- Crop succession
- -Agro-Transfert Resources and Territories, Technical brochure, 2011
6. Keywords
Bioagressor control method: Cultural control
Mode of action: Action on the initial stock
Type of strategy regarding pesticide use: Redesign
Annexes
Est complémentaire des leviers
S'applique aux cultures suivantes
Favorise les bioagresseurs suivants
Défavorise les bioagresseurs suivants
- Yarrow
- Common bentgrass
- Creeping bentgrass
- Field lady's mantle
- White amaranth
- Blite amaranth
- Prostrate amaranth
- Hybrid amaranth
- Reflective amaranth
- Common ragweed
- Bishop's weed
- Mayweed
- Corn chamomile
- Golden marguerite
- Cow parsley
- Thale cress
- Mugwort
- Common orache
- Wild oat
- Sterile oat
- Intermediate wintercress
- Three-lobed beggarticks
- Cornflower
- Sterile brome
- Calepina
- Shepherd's purse
- Hairy bittercress
- Wild carrot
- Sticky mouse-ear chickweed
- Common lambsquarters
- Nettle-leaved goosefoot
- Maple-leaved goosefoot
- Polyspermum goosefoot
- Bermuda grass
- Quackgrass
- Corn marigold
- Smooth hawksbeard
- Jimsonweed
- Large crabgrass
- Perennial wall-rocket
- Common stork's-bill
- Cowbane
- Dwarf spurge
- Sun spurge
- Fennel
- Lesser celandine
- Small-flowered fumitory
- Common fumitory
- Cleavers
- Round-leaved cranesbill
- Small-flowered cranesbill
- Herb-Robert
- Cut-leaved cranesbill
- Dove's-foot cranesbill
- Tuberous pea
- Field gromwell
- Bristly oxtongue
- Creeping soft grass
- Rigid ryegrass
- Toad rush
- Field sow-thistle
- Prickly sow-thistle
- Henbit dead-nettle
- Red dead-nettle
- Bur cucumber
- Common nipplewort
- Common toadflax
- Elatine toadflax
- Lesser toadflax
- Field bindweed
- Hedge bindweed
- Red campion
- Chamomile
- Scentless mayweed
- Common mallow
- Apple mint
- Annual mercury
- Black nightshade
- Common chickweed
- Charlock mustard
- Black mustard
- Field forget-me-not
- Branched broomrape
- Fall panicgrass
- Witchgrass
- Proso millet
- Barnyard grass
- Dallis grass
- Field passerina
- Drave passerina
- Annual meadow-grass
- Kentucky bluegrass
- Prickly poppy
- Common poppy
- Asiatic dayflower
- Field pansy
- Corn parsley
- Coastal canarygrass
- Ten-stamen pokeweed
- Hawkweed oxtongue
- Creeping cinquefoil
- Giant horsetail
- Horsetails
- Wild radish
- Garden radish
