Sustainability of European winter wheat- and maize-based cropping systems: Economic, environmental and social ex-post assessment of conventional and IPM-based systems

Vasileiadis, Vasileios; Dachbrodt-Saaydeh, Silke; Kudsk, Per; Colnenne-David, Caroline; Leprince, Florence; Holb, I. J.; Kierzek, R.; Furlan, Lorenzo; Loddo, Donato; Melander, Bo; Jørgensen, Lise Nistrup; Newton, A. C.; Toque, Clotilde; Dijk, W. van; Lefebvre, Marianne; Benezit, Maud; Sattin, M.

doi:10.1016/j.cropro.2016.11.002

Cited by 29 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 31 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Recent studies have demonstrated that the overall sustainability, comprising economic, environmental and social sustainability, of IWM systems surpasses that of conventional cropping systems. In many cases, the environmental disadvantages of pesticide use outweigh any potential socio-economic benefits [18], which may be further undermined by health risks to farm workers and end consumers [8]. A shift towards IWM and away from conventional cropping systems has therefore become a social, economic, and ecological imperative.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Interaction of Preventive, Cultural, and Direct Methods for Integrated Weed Management in Winter Wheat

Menegat

Nilsson

2019

Agronomy

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Crop rotations dominated by winter annual crops and relying on the use of herbicides to control weeds have resulted in weed communities dominated by a few highly specialized species such as Alopecurus myosuroides. Integrated weed management (IWM) represents a sensible strategy to target such difficult weeds, through a combination of preventive, cultural, and direct means. In six field trials over three years, we tested the effect of stale seedbed preparation, winter wheat seed rate, and chemical weed control strategy on Alopecurus myosuroides control efficacy and variability in efficacy. The field experiments were carried out under reduced tillage practice and without pre-sowing use of glyphosate. Stale seedbed preparation alone reduced A. myosuroides infestation level by 25% on average. No clear effect was found of increasing winter wheat seed rate from 300 to 400 seeds m−2. A combination of stale seedbed preparation and herbicide treatment in autumn and spring was found to be synergistic, improving weed control efficacy significantly and moreover reducing the variability in control efficacy and hence the risk for weed control failure.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Interaction of Preventive, Cultural, and Direct Methods for Integrated Weed Management in Winter Wheat

Menegat

Nilsson

2019

Agronomy

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…In addition, some authors agree on the complexity of establishing indicators for sustainability assessment [78,79], and others on the interpretation of the indicators within this type of analysis [14,31,57]. This complexity is one of the main reasons why there is no agreement about the best sustainability measurement methodology [16].…”

Section: Selection Of Indicators (Basic Aggregated and Index)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Sustainability Assessment of Annual and Permanent Crops: The Inspia Model

et al. 2019

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The Initiative for Sustainable Productive Agriculture (INSPIA) project promotes best management practices for agriculture, to enhance the provision of ecosystem services through better stewardship of soil and water resources while ensuring high levels of productivity. This paper presents the INSPIA methodology for the assessment of sustainability and for guiding farmers on strategic decision-making at farm level, applicable to any kind of cropland. The methodology is based on the application of 15 best management practices, which are assessed through a set of 31 basic sustainability indicators that cover the economic, social and environmental dimensions both agreed by a panel of experts. Basic indicators are then grouped into 12 aggregated indicators, to build the final INSPIA composite index. The INSPIA methodology provides farmers and advisers with a tool to understand sustainability and which, to a certain extent, serves to improve performance toward sustainability. Results are presented in three different ways: a bar diagram with the whole set of basic indicator-values; a pie chart representing the sustainability split in the aggregated indicators; and a final sustainability index. In the medium and long term, the INSPIA methodology can help to monitor and assess agricultural and environmental policy implementation, as well as help improve its decision-making processes in the future.

show abstract

“…A qualitative multi-attribute model was built using DEXi software [7,8], for holistic assessment of soil quality [12], which does include a biodiversity element, though the above ground components of the system were not included. Finally, DEXiPM was developed to predict system level impacts of adopting IPM strategies [13], to perform post-hoc analysis of IPM cropping systems [14] and was adapted to include a more comprehensive biodiversity component and provide a common framework for sustainability assessment applicable to more than one type of crop system [15].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Whole-Systems Analysis of Environmental and Economic Sustainability in Arable Cropping Systems: A Case Study

et al. 2019

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The long-term sustainability of crop production depends on the complex network of interactions and trade-offs between biotic, abiotic and economic components of agroecosystems. An integrated arable management system was designed to maintain yields, whilst enhancing biodiversity and minimising environmental impact. Management interventions included conservation tillage and organic matter incorporation for soil biophysical health, reduced crop protection inputs and integrated pest management strategies for enhanced biodiversity and ecosystem functions, and intercropping, cover cropping and under-sowing to achieve more sustainable nutrient management. This system was compared directly with standard commercial practice in a split-field experimental design over a six-year crop rotation. The effect of the cropping treatment was assessed according to the responses of a suite of indicators, which were used to parameterise a qualitative multi-attribute model. Scenarios were run to test whether the integrated cropping system achieved greater levels of overall sustainability relative to standard commercial practice. Overall sustainability was rated high for both integrated and conventional management of bean, barley and wheat crops. Winter oilseed crops scored medium for both cropping systems and potatoes scored very low under standard management but achieved a medium level of sustainability with integrated management. In general, high scores for environmental sustainability in integrated cropping systems were offset by low scores for economic sustainability relative to standard commercial practice. This case study demonstrates the value of a 'whole cropping systems' approach using qualitative multi-attribute modelling for the assessment of existing cropping systems and for predicting the likely impact of new management interventions on arable sustainability.

show abstract

Sustainability of European winter wheat- and maize-based cropping systems: Economic, environmental and social ex-post assessment of conventional and IPM-based systems

Cited by 29 publications

References 31 publications

Interaction of Preventive, Cultural, and Direct Methods for Integrated Weed Management in Winter Wheat

Interaction of Preventive, Cultural, and Direct Methods for Integrated Weed Management in Winter Wheat

Sustainability Assessment of Annual and Permanent Crops: The Inspia Model

Whole-Systems Analysis of Environmental and Economic Sustainability in Arable Cropping Systems: A Case Study

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About