The #Crop #Diversity #Experiment funded by @snf_ch can show first results available on @biorxivpreprint. First year results from #Switzerland show 21% and 44% increases in yield in 2- and 4-species #mixtures, respectively. Yield benefits in Spain were 3% and 13%. (1/5)
In a first study we can show that these yield benefits of #intercropping are not due to reduced #weed pressure. Weed abundance was related to crop yield, but not affected by crop #richness, but rather by the presence of #cereals (2/)
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.02.021402v1 @LStefan_AgroEco (2/5)
Weeds are not always evil: crop-weed relationships are context-dependent and cannot fully explain...

1. Implementing sustainable weed control strategies is a major challenge in agriculture. Intercropping offers a potential solution to control weed pressure by reducing the niche space available for...

https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.02.021402v1
A second study shows that increased crop yield in mixtures is both related to positive #sampling effects of tall species and positive #complementarity effects through more efficient #nitrogen use
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.17.157008v1 lead @NadineEngbersen (3/5)
Using plant traits to understand the contribution of biodiversity effects to community productivity...

Increasing biodiversity generally enhances productivity through selection and complementarity effects not only in natural but also in agricultural systems. However, explaining why diversity enhances...

https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.17.157008v1
Nevertheless, yield benefits in mixtures are compromised through reduced resource allocation to seeds in #mixtures compared with #monocultures. Selection towards high #harvest index in monocultures might make cultivars suboptimal for #mixtures https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.12.149187v1 (4/5)
Diversity increases yield but reduces reproductive effort in crop mixtures

Resource allocation to reproduction is a critical trait for plant fitness. This trait, called harvest index in the agricultural context, determines how plant biomass is converted to seed yield and...

https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.12.149187v1
@BWSchmid @usys_ethzh @PlantTeams #intercropping
(5/5)
For an impression on the Crop Diversity Experiment please check
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