Combining agro-ecological functions in grass-clover mixtures
- Author
- Brechtje de Haas (UGent) , Nyncke J. Hoekstra, Jan R. van der Schoot, Eric J.W. Visser, Hans de Kroon and Nick van Eekeren
- Organization
- Abstract
- Grass-clover mixtures show many benefits for sustainable agriculture. In the Netherlands, organic farmers often work together in a so-called partner farm concept, with the aim to close nutrient cycles on a regional level. In this system, arable farms grow one-year grass-clover leys, as fodder for a livestock farm, in exchange for, e.g., manure. This practice could also be used in the transition of conventional farms towards a more circular regenerative and nature inclusive agriculture. In the current experiment we assessed the effect of a range of grass (Lolium perenne: Lp, Lolium multiflorum: Lm) and clover (Trifolium pratense: Tp and Trifolium repens: Tr) monocultures and mixtures on both below- and aboveground parameters in light of benefits for livestock and arable farms, and biodiversity. The grass monocultures showed good weed suppression, high root density, and especially Lp had a positive effect on soil structure. Clover, on the other hand, showed high herbage dry matter yield (particularly Tp) and Nitrogen (N) yield, and Tr showed high digestibility. Moreover, clover had a positive effect on the soil mineral N, and earthworm abundance tended to be higher in the clover monocultures. When (some of) the four species were combined in grass-clover mixtures, they combined the positive effects of the species and often even outperformed the (best) monocultures. We concluded that grass-clover mixtures increased agro-ecological functions.
- Keywords
- Trifolium pratense, Trifolium repens, Lolium perenne, Lolium multiflorum, agrobiodiversity, regenerative agriculture, PLANT DIVERSITY, ECOSYSTEM FUNCTION, SOIL-STRUCTURE, ROOT TRAITS, BIODIVERSITY, AGRICULTURE, EARTHWORMS, DRIVERS, CAPTURE, EUROPE
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Citation
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication: http://hdl.handle.net/1854/LU-01HQN4M5ZGE1EHCW74VQ49B4ZR
- MLA
- de Haas, Brechtje, et al. “Combining Agro-Ecological Functions in Grass-Clover Mixtures.” AIMS AGRICULTURE AND FOOD, vol. 4, no. 3, 2019, pp. 547–67, doi:10.3934/agrfood.2019.3.547.
- APA
- de Haas, B., J. Hoekstra, N., R. van der Schoot, J., J.W. Visser, E., de Kroon, H., & van Eekeren, N. (2019). Combining agro-ecological functions in grass-clover mixtures. AIMS AGRICULTURE AND FOOD, 4(3), 547–567. https://doi.org/10.3934/agrfood.2019.3.547
- Chicago author-date
- Haas, Brechtje de, Nyncke J. Hoekstra, Jan R. van der Schoot, Eric J.W. Visser, Hans de Kroon, and Nick van Eekeren. 2019. “Combining Agro-Ecological Functions in Grass-Clover Mixtures.” AIMS AGRICULTURE AND FOOD 4 (3): 547–67. https://doi.org/10.3934/agrfood.2019.3.547.
- Chicago author-date (all authors)
- de Haas, Brechtje, Nyncke J. Hoekstra, Jan R. van der Schoot, Eric J.W. Visser, Hans de Kroon, and Nick van Eekeren. 2019. “Combining Agro-Ecological Functions in Grass-Clover Mixtures.” AIMS AGRICULTURE AND FOOD 4 (3): 547–567. doi:10.3934/agrfood.2019.3.547.
- Vancouver
- 1.de Haas B, J. Hoekstra N, R. van der Schoot J, J.W. Visser E, de Kroon H, van Eekeren N. Combining agro-ecological functions in grass-clover mixtures. AIMS AGRICULTURE AND FOOD. 2019;4(3):547–67.
- IEEE
- [1]B. de Haas, N. J. Hoekstra, J. R. van der Schoot, E. J.W. Visser, H. de Kroon, and N. van Eekeren, “Combining agro-ecological functions in grass-clover mixtures,” AIMS AGRICULTURE AND FOOD, vol. 4, no. 3, pp. 547–567, 2019.
@article{01HQN4M5ZGE1EHCW74VQ49B4ZR,
abstract = {{Grass-clover mixtures show many benefits for sustainable agriculture. In the Netherlands, organic farmers often work together in a so-called partner farm concept, with the aim to close nutrient cycles on a regional level. In this system, arable farms grow one-year grass-clover leys, as fodder for a livestock farm, in exchange for, e.g., manure. This practice could also be used in the transition of conventional farms towards a more circular regenerative and nature inclusive agriculture. In the current experiment we assessed the effect of a range of grass (Lolium perenne: Lp, Lolium multiflorum: Lm) and clover (Trifolium pratense: Tp and Trifolium repens: Tr) monocultures and mixtures on both below- and aboveground parameters in light of benefits for livestock and arable farms, and biodiversity. The grass monocultures showed good weed suppression, high root density, and especially Lp had a positive effect on soil structure. Clover, on the other hand, showed high herbage dry matter yield (particularly Tp) and Nitrogen (N) yield, and Tr showed high digestibility. Moreover, clover had a positive effect on the soil mineral N, and earthworm abundance tended to be higher in the clover monocultures. When (some of) the four species were combined in grass-clover mixtures, they combined the positive effects of the species and often even outperformed the (best) monocultures. We concluded that grass-clover mixtures increased agro-ecological functions.}},
author = {{de Haas, Brechtje and J. Hoekstra, Nyncke and R. van der Schoot, Jan and J.W. Visser, Eric and de Kroon, Hans and van Eekeren, Nick}},
issn = {{2471-2086}},
journal = {{AIMS AGRICULTURE AND FOOD}},
keywords = {{Trifolium pratense,Trifolium repens,Lolium perenne,Lolium multiflorum,agrobiodiversity,regenerative agriculture,PLANT DIVERSITY,ECOSYSTEM FUNCTION,SOIL-STRUCTURE,ROOT TRAITS,BIODIVERSITY,AGRICULTURE,EARTHWORMS,DRIVERS,CAPTURE,EUROPE}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{3}},
pages = {{547--567}},
title = {{Combining agro-ecological functions in grass-clover mixtures}},
url = {{http://doi.org/10.3934/agrfood.2019.3.547}},
volume = {{4}},
year = {{2019}},
}
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