Resource use efficiency, ecological intensification and sustainability of intercropping systems
MAO Li-li, ZHANG Li-zhen, ZHANG Si-ping, Jochem B Evers, Wopke van der Werf, WANG Jingjing, SUN Hong-quan, SU Zhi-cheng, Huub Spiertz
1、College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, P.R.China
2、College of Agricultural Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, P.R.China
3、Centre for Crop Systems Analysis (CSA), Department of Plant Sciences, Wageningen University, Wageningen 6708 PB, The Netherlands
4、Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences/State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Anyang 455004,P.R.China
5、China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing 100038, P.R.China
摘要 The rapidly growing demand for food, feed and fuel requires further improvements of land and water management, crop productivity and resource-use efficiencies. Combined field experimentation and crop growth modelling during the past five decades made a great leap forward in the understanding of factors that determine actual and potential yields of monocrops. The research field of production ecology developed concepts to integrate biological and biophysical processes with the aim to explore crop growth potential in contrasting environments. To understand the potential of more complex systems (multi-cropping and intercropping) we need an agro-ecosystem approach that integrates knowledge derived from various disciplines: agronomy, crop physiology, crop ecology, and environmental sciences (soil, water and climate). Adaptation of cropping systems to climate change and a better tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses by genetic improvement and by managing diverse cropping systems in a sustainable way will be of key importance in food security. To accelerate sustainable intensification of agricultural production, it is required to develop intercropping systems that are highly productive and stable under conditions with abiotic constraints (water, nutrients and weather). Strategies to achieve sustainable intensification include developing tools to evaluate crop growth potential under more extreme climatic conditions and introducing new crops and cropping systems that are more productive and robust under conditions with abiotic stress. This paper presents some examples of sustainable intensification management of intercropping systems that proved to be tolerant to extreme climate conditions.
Abstract The rapidly growing demand for food, feed and fuel requires further improvements of land and water management, crop productivity and resource-use efficiencies. Combined field experimentation and crop growth modelling during the past five decades made a great leap forward in the understanding of factors that determine actual and potential yields of monocrops. The research field of production ecology developed concepts to integrate biological and biophysical processes with the aim to explore crop growth potential in contrasting environments. To understand the potential of more complex systems (multi-cropping and intercropping) we need an agro-ecosystem approach that integrates knowledge derived from various disciplines: agronomy, crop physiology, crop ecology, and environmental sciences (soil, water and climate). Adaptation of cropping systems to climate change and a better tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses by genetic improvement and by managing diverse cropping systems in a sustainable way will be of key importance in food security. To accelerate sustainable intensification of agricultural production, it is required to develop intercropping systems that are highly productive and stable under conditions with abiotic constraints (water, nutrients and weather). Strategies to achieve sustainable intensification include developing tools to evaluate crop growth potential under more extreme climatic conditions and introducing new crops and cropping systems that are more productive and robust under conditions with abiotic stress. This paper presents some examples of sustainable intensification management of intercropping systems that proved to be tolerant to extreme climate conditions.
The project was funded by the International Cooperation and Exchange of the National Science Foundation of China (31461143025, 31210103906, 51209220), the National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program, 2011CB100405) and the Special Fund for Agro-Scientific Research in the Public Interest, China (201003043).
MAO Li-li, ZHANG Li-zhen, ZHANG Si-ping, Jochem B Evers, Wopke van der Werf, WANG Jingjing, SUN Hong-quan, SU Zhi-cheng, Huub Spiertz.
2015.
Resource use efficiency, ecological intensification and sustainability of intercropping systems. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 14(8): 1542-1550.
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