Review Article | | Peer-Reviewed

Cropping Systems Diversification as an Approach to Enhancing Crop Productivity: A Review

Published in Plant (Volume 12, Issue 3)
Received: 26 June 2024     Accepted: 12 July 2024     Published: 29 July 2024
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Abstract

Agricultural intensification increased crop productivity but simplified production with lower diversity of cropping systems, higher genetic uniformity, and a higher uniformity of agricultural landscapes. Associated detrimental effects on the environment and biodiversity as well as the resilience and adaptability of cropping systems to climate change are of growing concern. Crop diversification may stabilize productivity of cropping systems and reduce negative environmental impacts and loss of biodiversity, but a shared understanding of crop diversification including approaches towards a more systematic research is lacking. The current review highlights the use of Cropping Systems Diversification as an Approach to Enhancing Crop Productivity. Crop diversification can be considered as an attempt to increase the diversity of crops through, e.g. crop rotation, multiple cropping or intercropping, compared to specialized farming with the aim to improve the productivity, stability and delivery of ecosystem services. It can be one measure to develop more sustainable production systems, develop value-chains for minor crops. Crop diversification practices can include higher crop diversity, more diverse crop, mixed cropping; cultivation of grain legumes in otherwise cereal dominated systems, perennial leys or grassland and regionally adapted varieties or variety mixtures. Crop diversification and/or additional diversification measures like variation of seeding time or changing cropping patterns have the potential to lead to higher and more stable yields, increase profitability and lead to greater resilience of agro-ecosystems in the long term. These practices have the potential to make cropping systems more diverse in space, time and genetics. Through a balanced portfolio approach to agricultural sustainability, cropping system performance can be optimized in multiple dimensions, including food and biomass production, profit, energy use, pest management, and environmental impacts.

Published in Plant (Volume 12, Issue 3)
DOI 10.11648/j.plant.20241203.12
Page(s) 48-65
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Diversification, Intercropping, Crop Rotation, Productivity, Sustainable Agriculture

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    Nasiro, K. (2024). Cropping Systems Diversification as an Approach to Enhancing Crop Productivity: A Review. Plant, 12(3), 48-65. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.plant.20241203.12

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    Nasiro, K. Cropping Systems Diversification as an Approach to Enhancing Crop Productivity: A Review. Plant. 2024, 12(3), 48-65. doi: 10.11648/j.plant.20241203.12

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    AMA Style

    Nasiro K. Cropping Systems Diversification as an Approach to Enhancing Crop Productivity: A Review. Plant. 2024;12(3):48-65. doi: 10.11648/j.plant.20241203.12

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  • @article{10.11648/j.plant.20241203.12,
      author = {Kalifa Nasiro},
      title = {Cropping Systems Diversification as an Approach to Enhancing Crop Productivity: A Review
    },
      journal = {Plant},
      volume = {12},
      number = {3},
      pages = {48-65},
      doi = {10.11648/j.plant.20241203.12},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.plant.20241203.12},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.plant.20241203.12},
      abstract = {Agricultural intensification increased crop productivity but simplified production with lower diversity of cropping systems, higher genetic uniformity, and a higher uniformity of agricultural landscapes. Associated detrimental effects on the environment and biodiversity as well as the resilience and adaptability of cropping systems to climate change are of growing concern. Crop diversification may stabilize productivity of cropping systems and reduce negative environmental impacts and loss of biodiversity, but a shared understanding of crop diversification including approaches towards a more systematic research is lacking. The current review highlights the use of Cropping Systems Diversification as an Approach to Enhancing Crop Productivity. Crop diversification can be considered as an attempt to increase the diversity of crops through, e.g. crop rotation, multiple cropping or intercropping, compared to specialized farming with the aim to improve the productivity, stability and delivery of ecosystem services. It can be one measure to develop more sustainable production systems, develop value-chains for minor crops. Crop diversification practices can include higher crop diversity, more diverse crop, mixed cropping; cultivation of grain legumes in otherwise cereal dominated systems, perennial leys or grassland and regionally adapted varieties or variety mixtures. Crop diversification and/or additional diversification measures like variation of seeding time or changing cropping patterns have the potential to lead to higher and more stable yields, increase profitability and lead to greater resilience of agro-ecosystems in the long term. These practices have the potential to make cropping systems more diverse in space, time and genetics. Through a balanced portfolio approach to agricultural sustainability, cropping system performance can be optimized in multiple dimensions, including food and biomass production, profit, energy use, pest management, and environmental impacts.
    },
     year = {2024}
    }
    

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    AU  - Kalifa Nasiro
    Y1  - 2024/07/29
    PY  - 2024
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.plant.20241203.12
    DO  - 10.11648/j.plant.20241203.12
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    AB  - Agricultural intensification increased crop productivity but simplified production with lower diversity of cropping systems, higher genetic uniformity, and a higher uniformity of agricultural landscapes. Associated detrimental effects on the environment and biodiversity as well as the resilience and adaptability of cropping systems to climate change are of growing concern. Crop diversification may stabilize productivity of cropping systems and reduce negative environmental impacts and loss of biodiversity, but a shared understanding of crop diversification including approaches towards a more systematic research is lacking. The current review highlights the use of Cropping Systems Diversification as an Approach to Enhancing Crop Productivity. Crop diversification can be considered as an attempt to increase the diversity of crops through, e.g. crop rotation, multiple cropping or intercropping, compared to specialized farming with the aim to improve the productivity, stability and delivery of ecosystem services. It can be one measure to develop more sustainable production systems, develop value-chains for minor crops. Crop diversification practices can include higher crop diversity, more diverse crop, mixed cropping; cultivation of grain legumes in otherwise cereal dominated systems, perennial leys or grassland and regionally adapted varieties or variety mixtures. Crop diversification and/or additional diversification measures like variation of seeding time or changing cropping patterns have the potential to lead to higher and more stable yields, increase profitability and lead to greater resilience of agro-ecosystems in the long term. These practices have the potential to make cropping systems more diverse in space, time and genetics. Through a balanced portfolio approach to agricultural sustainability, cropping system performance can be optimized in multiple dimensions, including food and biomass production, profit, energy use, pest management, and environmental impacts.
    
    VL  - 12
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