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Diversifying crop rotation increases food production, reduces net greenhouse gas emissions and improves soil health.

Xiaolin YangJinran XiongTaisheng DuXiaotang JuYantai GanSien LiLongLong XiaYanjun ShenSteven PacenkaTammo S SteenhuisKadambot H M SiddiqueShaozhong KangKlaus Butterbach-Bahl
Published in: Nature communications (2024)
Global food production faces challenges in balancing the need for increased yields with environmental sustainability. This study presents a six-year field experiment in the North China Plain, demonstrating the benefits of diversifying traditional cereal monoculture (wheat-maize) with cash crops (sweet potato) and legumes (peanut and soybean). The diversified rotations increase equivalent yield by up to 38%, reduce N 2 O emissions by 39%, and improve the system's greenhouse gas balance by 88%. Furthermore, including legumes in crop rotations stimulates soil microbial activities, increases soil organic carbon stocks by 8%, and enhances soil health (indexed with the selected soil physiochemical and biological properties) by 45%. The large-scale adoption of diversified cropping systems in the North China Plain could increase cereal production by 32% when wheat-maize follows alternative crops in rotation and farmer income by 20% while benefiting the environment. This study provides an example of sustainable food production practices, emphasizing the significance of crop diversification for long-term agricultural resilience and soil health.
Keyphrases
  • climate change
  • human health
  • healthcare
  • public health
  • mental health
  • plant growth
  • health information
  • primary care
  • physical activity
  • life cycle
  • heavy metals
  • anaerobic digestion