One of the key aims of SoilCare is to identify, test and evaluate soil-improving cropping systems (SICS) that will increase the profitability and sustainability of agriculture across Europe.
SoilCare defines soil improving cropping systems (SICS) as cropping systems that improve soil quality (and hence its functions), and that have positive impacts on the profitability and sustainability of cropping systems. Cropping systems refer to both crop type, crop rotation, and associated agronomic management techniques. The proof of the SICS concept is in the prioritization of specific crop rotations and specific agro-management techniques, and the subsequent optimization.
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Soil Improving Cropping Systems (SICS) |
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| Crop rotations & agro-management techniques | ||||
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| Prioritization & Optimization | ||||
The SICS that have been selected by SoilCare study site stakeholders for field trials are presented HERE.
Two categories of SICS have been distinguished in SoilCare:
- - soil threat specific SICS, which mitigate the threat and alleviate its effects, and
- - general SICS, which enhance soil quality and soil functions in general.
Prioritization of crop types and agro-management technique in soil threat-specific SICS.
| No | Soil threat-specific SICS | Priority crop types | Priority agro-management techniques | ||
| 1 | Acidification | No specific crop type | Liming, manuring | ||
| 2 | Erosion | Permanent groundcover, Deep-rooting crops Cereals with cover crops Alfalfa, Agroforestry |
Zero-tillage, landscape management, Contour traffic Proper timing of activities |
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| 3 | Compaction | Deep-rooting crops, Cereals, perennial rye, alfalfa |
Controlled traffic Low wheel load, low tyre pressures Proper timing of activities |
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| 4 | Pollution | Biofuel crops Some fodder crops No leafy vegetables |
No use of polluted inputs Tree lines to scavenge air-born pollution |
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| 5 | Organic matter decline | Permanent groundcover, deep-rooting crops Cereals with cover crops, alfalfa |
Minimum tillage, Residue return, Mulching Manuring |
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| 6 | Biodiversity loss | Crop diversification | Manuring, minimum tillage, residue return, No pesticides, Minimal fertilization |
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| 7 | Salinization | Salt-tolerant crops | Drainage Targeted irrigation Ridging |
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| 8 | Flooding | Flooding-tolerant crops | Drainage Landscape management |
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| 9 | Landslides | Deep-rooting crops, trees | Landscape management, No arable cropping |
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| 10 | Desertification | Deep-rooting C4 crops | Landscape management |
Prioritization of crop types and agro-management technique in general SICS
| No | Targets of general SICS | Priority crop types | Priority agro-management techniques | ||
| a | Soil structure improvement | Permanent groundcover, Deep-rooting crops Cereals with cover crops Alfalfa, clovers |
Minimum tillage, Proper timing of activities Manuring Liming |
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| b | Balanced nutrition | No specific crops | Fertilization based on soil fertility and plant leaf analyses, targeted manuring | ||
| c | Increasing crop yield | High-yielding crop varieties | Proper timing of activities, in-depth soil analyses, frequent field observation, targeted irrigation, fertilization, pest management and weed control | ||
| d | Coping with and benefiting from spatial variations in soil quality | No specific crops | Establishing relationships between spatial variations in soil quality and spatial variations in crop yield, Variable rate tillage, liming, manuring, irrigation seeding, fertilization, and crop management. |
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| e | Improving soil quality, farm profitability and cropping system sustainability | Wide crop rotations with high values crops, leguminous crops, cover crops | Site-specific optimization of the agro-management techniques |
A non-technical summary of a review of soil-improving cropping systems (in English) can be viewed here HERE. A shorter 4-page summary is also available HERE.
Some voluntary guidelines for sustainable soil management (in French) are available HERE.
