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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Urbana, Illinois » Global Change and Photosynthesis Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #308562
Title: Disentangling diversity and climatic impacts on crop production

Author
item FERERO, ROSANA - Institute For Sustainable Agriculture
item LIMA, MAURICIO - Catholic University - Chile
item Davis, Adam
item GONZALEZ-ANDUJAR, JOSE - Institute For Sustainable Agriculture

Submitted to: Frontiers in Plant Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/7/2017
Publication Date: 2/24/2017
Citation: Ferero, R., Lima, M., Davis, A.S., Gonzalez-Andujar, J.L. 2017. Disentangling diversity and climatic impacts on crop production. Frontiers in Plant Science. 8:236.

Interpretive Summary: Agricultural intensification has increased crop yields to meet growing global food demand, but at a high economic and ecological cost. Here we examnine the relationship between weed community diversity and stability of crop productivity. We bring together mathematical models, statistical analyses, and long-term field experiments to investigate the effect of weed diversity in an annual cropping system. Weed diversity altered the intrinsic capacity for soybean yield increase in response to the environment. This result appears to be particularly relevant for conditions of low weed diversity situations in which soybeans appear to be less able to resist decline due to negative environmental effects. Weed community composition was described in relation to weed diversity measures. Weed diversity did not affect corn production, however, the length of frost-free periods of the growing season was crucial for this crop. Ensuring both high productivity and stable performance of crops in relation to their environment is of particular importance in view of the negative climate change effects projected on crop productivity and biodiversity of non-crop species.

Technical Abstract: Feeding more people sustainably is among the biggest challenges humanity faces in the next century. Agricultural intensification has increased crop yields, but at a high economic and ecological cost, exacerbated by climate change. Here we propose that weed community diversity benefits crop production and may therefore support the development of a more sustainable agriculture. We bring together mathematical models, statistical analyses, and long-term field experiments to investigate the effect of weed diversity in an annual cropping system. Weed diversity altered the intrinsic capacity for soybean yield increase in response to the environment. This result appears to be particularly relevant for conditions of low weed diversity situations in which soybeans appear to be less able to resist decline due to negative environmental effects. Weed community composition was described in relation to weed diversity measures. Weed diversity did not affect corn production, however, the length of frost-free periods of the growing season was crucial for this crop. Ensuring both high productivity and stable performance of crops in relation to their environment is of particular importance in view of the negative climate change effects projected on crop productivity and biodiversity of non-crop species.