A six-year field experiment in the North China Plain demonstrated diversifying crop rotations had benefits for long-term agricultural resilience and soil health.
The research, published in Nature Communications, found diversifying traditional cereal monoculture (wheat–maize) with cash crops (sweet potato) and legumes (peanut and soybean) could provide a model of sustainable food production practices.
The collaborative study, led by researchers from China Agricultural University, Hainan University and Wenzhou University in China, was co-authored by The University of Western Australia’s Institute of Agriculture Director Hackett Professor Kadambot Siddique.
Professor Siddique said integrated farming systems with diversified crop rotations helped address the challenges of increased synthetic agrochemicals (fertilisers and pesticides) emitting greenhouse gases (GHG) and causing environmental degradation, as well as the loss of soil fertility from intensified mono crop production.
“Producing more nutritious food to alleviate world hunger while safeguarding the environment is a significant challenge for humanity,” Professor Siddique said.
The research team conducted a six-year (2016–2022) field study in the North China Plain, where crop production is dominated by double-cropping simple winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and summer maize (Zea mays L.).
The study assessed several diversified cropping systems (introducing sweet potato, peanut and soybean rotations) in terms of food production, GHG balance, soil health benefits and farmers’ income.
Researchers found diversified rotations increased equivalent yield by up to 38 per cent, reduced N2O emissions by 39 per cent, and improved the system’s GHG balance by 88 per cent.
Including legumes in crop rotations stimulated soil microbial activities, increased soil organic carbon stocks by 8 per cent, and enhanced soil health by 45 per cent.
Professor Siddique said the large-scale adoption of diversified cropping systems had the potential to increase overall cereal production by 32 per cent and farmer income by 20 per cent in the North China Plain.
“Our findings could guide the North China Plain and similar agro-ecological zones in establishing a more sustainable system to maintain or increase grain and protein production while reducing damage to the environment and soil ecosystems,” he said.
“Agriculture is a net emitter of greenhouse gases however, integrated cropping system developed in this study provide an opportunity towards carbon neutrality while maintaining profitability.
“These results from an intensive food producing region may also provide a guide for countries and regions, such as Australia, with similar agricultural environments to follow on an expanded scale.”
