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Rotational complexity increases cropping system output under poorer growing conditions
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Rotational complexity increases cropping system output under poorer growing conditions

K. Ann Bybee-Finley, Katherine Muller, Kathryn E. White, Michel A. Cavigelli, Eunjin Han, Harry H. Schomberg, Sieglinde Snapp, Frederi Viens, Adrian A. Correndo, Leonardo Deiss, …
One earth (Cambridge, Mass.), Vol.7(9), pp.1638-1654
09/20/2024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2024.07.008
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Open Access CC BY V4.0
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https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2024.07.008View
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Abstract

Bayesian analysis crop rotation crop yield environmental index long-term cropping systems experiment multilevel models portfolio effect risk mitigation rotational complexity index rotational diversity
Growing multiple crops in rotation can increase the sustainability of agricultural systems and reduce risks from increasingly adverse weather. However, widespread adoption of diverse rotations is limited by economic uncertainty, lack of incentives, and limited information about long-term outcomes. Here, we combined 36,000 yield observations from 20 North American long-term cropping experiments (434 site-years) to assess how greater crop diversity impacts productivity of complete rotations and their component crops under varying growing conditions. Maize and soybean output increased as the number of species and rotation length increased, while results for complete rotations varied by site depending on which crops were present. Diverse rotations reduced rotation-level output at eight sites due to the addition of lower-output crops such as small grains, illustrating trade-offs. Diverse rotations positively impacted rotation-level output under poor growing conditions, which illustrates how diverse cropping systems can reduce the risk of crop loss in a changing climate. [Display omitted] •Data from multiple long-term crop rotation studies identify generalizable trends•Quantifying portfolio effects entails assessing crops and complete rotations•Corn and soybean output increased in more diverse crop rotations•More diverse rotations performed better under poor growing conditions Agriculture faces increasing challenges from unpredictable weather. Diversifying crops over space and time can help maintain productivity and enhance the resilience of agroecosystems by enabling farmers to adapt to environmental risks. We quantified crop output under different rotations using 20 long-term datasets. By examining crops and complete rotations, we quantified the portfolio effect under various growing conditions. Assessing outcomes using multiple metrics, soil types, and cropping systems reduces uncertainty about adopting more diverse rotations, crucial under increasing production risks from adverse weather. This will inform stakeholders—from farmers to policymakers to lenders—in supporting cropping systems, policies, or programs that reduce risk. Moving forward, our efforts can enhance our understanding of the value of diverse crop rotations and insights connecting agricultural practices to societal outcomes from farm economic performance to consumer nutritional choices. Diversifying cropping systems enhances resilience to increasingly unpredictable weather and climate variability by stabilizing farm output. However, economic hurdles make adopting more diverse crop rotations challenging, particularly when producers are uncertain about the risk-reducing benefits of diverse rotations. This multiregion research examines long-term cropping system experiments with varying crop rotation diversity to quantify their productivity and risks under various growing conditions. The results provide needed information to assist farmers and policymakers in designing more resilient and productive cropping systems.

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