18th Congress of the European Society for Agronomy

Diversified cropping systems with cereal and legume intercropping to maintain sustainability

Not scheduled

15m

Les Dortoirs (1st floor) (The Couvent des Jacobins)

Poster Synergies between disciplines Poster session #2

Speaker

Christos Dordas (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki)

Description

Abstract
Agriculture faces significant challenges as there is the need to produce more products reducing costs and maintaining sustainability. One of the approaches that can be followed is the inclusion of intercropping systems which can maximize yields by making more efficient use the environmental resources, increasing agricultural income and enhancing agroecosystem biodiversity. The aim of this study was to evaluate different cultivars of faba bean and wheat in intercropping systems under field conditions, during 2022-2023 growing season at the University farm of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Results indicate that the use of appropriate genotype significantly impacts intercropping system productivity compared to monocrops and the proper cultivars can be used in an intercropping system.

Keywords: biomass, yield, yield components, mixtures, LER

1. Introduction
   Intercropping received significant attention in recent years due to its advantages within cropping systems. It notably contributes to enhancing biodiversity (Cappelli et al., 2022). In contrast, monoculture systems, characterized by intense use of fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides (Ren et al., 2014), lead to soil degradation, biodiversity decline and impair agroecosystem functionality (Brooker et al., 2021). Hence, there is an urgent need to adopt practices that enhance biodiversity while ensuring high productivity and sustainability.
   The objective of the present study was to assess the performance of four faba bean and two winter wheat cultivars as sole crops and intercrops, with the aim of identifying the most suitable combination of them.

2. Materials and methods
   The experiment was carried out during 2022–2023 growing season, at the experimental farm of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in northern Greece (40◦32′07.7′′ N22◦59′20.5′′ E). Two bread wheat (Elissavet and Flamenko) and four faba bean (Polycarpi, Organdi, Nebraska, and Bumble) varieties were used. These cultivars have differences in maturity, plant height, and grain size. The characteristics that were studied were morphological, physiological, and agronomic at three stages of plant development. The data were analyzed with the analysis of variance (ANOVA) method within the methodological frame of General Linear Models, using the IBM SPSS, Version 27.0 statistical software (IBM Corporation, Armonk, New York, United States).
   

3. Results

Two cultivars Flamenko and Bumble monocrops and also their intercrop obtained the highest yields for biomass (Fig. 1). In addition, Organdi-Elissavet and Polycarpi-Elissavet treatments recorded the highest grain yield (Fig. 1).

1. Discussion
   In the present study, it was found that the wheat cultivar can be used in an intercropping system for biomass production is Flamenko and from faba bean. On the other hand, Elissavet is a wheat cultivar that is more suitable than Flamenko, for the grain yield. Therefore, intercropping systems of wheat with faba beans using proper cultivars can be used by the farmers as they can give higher biomass and grain yield and utilize the environmental resources more efficiently (Brooker et al., 2021; Michalitsis et al., 2024).

2. References
   Cappelli, S.L.; Domeignoz-Horta, L.A.; Loaiza, V.; Laine, A.L. (2022). Plant biodiversity promotes sustainable agriculture directly and via belowground effects. Trends Plant Sci. 27, 674–687.
   Ren, W.; Hu, L.; Zhang, J.; Sun, C.; Tang, J.; Yuan, Y.; Chen, X. (2014). Can positive interactions between cultivated species help to sustain modern agriculture? Front Ecol. Environ. 12, 507–514.
   Michalitsis, A., Papakaloudis, P., Pankou, C., Lithourgidis, A., Menexes, G., & Dordas, C. (2024). Effect of Cultivar on Faba Bean–Wheat Intercrop Productivity under a Mediterranean Environment. Agronomy, 14(1), 70.
   Brooker, R.W.; George, T.S.; Homulle, Z.; Karley, A.J.; Newton, A.C.; Pakeman, R.J.; Schöb, C. (2021). Facilitation and biodiversity ecosystem function relationships in crop production systems and their role in sustainable farming. J. Ecol. 109, 2054–2067.
   
   ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
   This work was funded by the IntercropValuES research project “Developing Intercropping for agrifood Value chains and Ecosystem Services delivery in Europe and Southern Countries" under the European Union's Horizon Europe the Framework Program for Research and Innovation (2021-2027) under the grant agreement Nr. 101081973.