Advancing agroecosystem management through strategic cover crop selection: The role of species identity and community composition for productivity and climate change mitigation

Andrea Fiorini; Diego Abalos; Federico Capra; Giacomo Mortella; Michela Lommi; Nicolaj Franceschi; Federico Ardenti; Vincenzo Tabaglio

doi:10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109942

Advancing agroecosystem management through strategic cover crop selection: The role of species identity and community composition for productivity and climate change mitigation

Andrea Fiorini, Diego Abalos, Federico Capra, Giacomo Mortella, Michela Lommi, Nicolaj Franceschi, Federico Ardenti^*, Vincenzo Tabaglio

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Abstract

Context: Cover cropping may improve soil fertility, nutrient cycling, and soil carbon (C) stocks, yet its effects on nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions and soil greenhouse gas balances remain unclear. The impact of cover crop species and mixtures varies over time, requiring further study. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the agronomic and environmental performance of different cover crops, including hairy vetch, rye, radish, their mixtures, and a seven-species mix, over three years. Methods: Over a three-year field experiment, we tested nine cover crop treatments — including rye, hairy vetch, radish, and their mixtures — and assessed their effects on biomass production, nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) inputs, soil macronutrients (N, P, K), greenhouse gas emissions (N₂O), and yields of maize, sunflower, and soybean. Results: Hairy vetch and rye produced higher biomass, while radish contributed most to soil C inputs belowground. Hairy vetch provided high N inputs (>200 kg N ha⁻¹ annually) but increased N₂O emissions, revealing a trade-off between fertility and greenhouse gas emissions. Rye and radish emitted less N₂O, with rye increasing soil organic C and potassium availability. The rye and vetch mixture combined high biomass production and soil C sequestration with moderate N₂O emissions, making it a promising option for balancing productivity and sustainability. Rye-based treatments achieved a positive net soil CO₂ balance. Sunflower and maize N uptake improved after vetch and rye-vetch cover crops, while soybean yield remained unaffected. Conclusion and implications: Cover crop mixtures with complementary traits can balance productivity and environmental impacts. Integrating rye and vetch enhances ecological functions, supporting sustainable crop production while mitigating climate change.

Original language	English
Article number	109942
Journal	Field Crops Research
Volume	328
Number of pages	13
ISSN	0378-4290
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109942
Publication status	Published - 1 Jun 2025

Keywords

Cover crop
Crop yield
NO emissions
Radish
Rye
Soil C sequestration
Soil nutrients
Vetch

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10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109942

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Fiorini, A., Abalos, D., Capra, F., Mortella, G., Lommi, M., Franceschi, N., Ardenti, F., & Tabaglio, V. (2025). Advancing agroecosystem management through strategic cover crop selection: The role of species identity and community composition for productivity and climate change mitigation. Field Crops Research, 328, Article 109942. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109942

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title = "Advancing agroecosystem management through strategic cover crop selection: The role of species identity and community composition for productivity and climate change mitigation",

abstract = "Context: Cover cropping may improve soil fertility, nutrient cycling, and soil carbon (C) stocks, yet its effects on nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions and soil greenhouse gas balances remain unclear. The impact of cover crop species and mixtures varies over time, requiring further study. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the agronomic and environmental performance of different cover crops, including hairy vetch, rye, radish, their mixtures, and a seven-species mix, over three years. Methods: Over a three-year field experiment, we tested nine cover crop treatments — including rye, hairy vetch, radish, and their mixtures — and assessed their effects on biomass production, nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) inputs, soil macronutrients (N, P, K), greenhouse gas emissions (N₂O), and yields of maize, sunflower, and soybean. Results: Hairy vetch and rye produced higher biomass, while radish contributed most to soil C inputs belowground. Hairy vetch provided high N inputs (>200 kg N ha⁻¹ annually) but increased N₂O emissions, revealing a trade-off between fertility and greenhouse gas emissions. Rye and radish emitted less N₂O, with rye increasing soil organic C and potassium availability. The rye and vetch mixture combined high biomass production and soil C sequestration with moderate N₂O emissions, making it a promising option for balancing productivity and sustainability. Rye-based treatments achieved a positive net soil CO₂ balance. Sunflower and maize N uptake improved after vetch and rye-vetch cover crops, while soybean yield remained unaffected. Conclusion and implications: Cover crop mixtures with complementary traits can balance productivity and environmental impacts. Integrating rye and vetch enhances ecological functions, supporting sustainable crop production while mitigating climate change.",

keywords = "Cover crop, Crop yield, NO emissions, Radish, Rye, Soil C sequestration, Soil nutrients, Vetch",

author = "Andrea Fiorini and Diego Abalos and Federico Capra and Giacomo Mortella and Michela Lommi and Nicolaj Franceschi and Federico Ardenti and Vincenzo Tabaglio",

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Advancing agroecosystem management through strategic cover crop selection: The role of species identity and community composition for productivity and climate change mitigation. / Fiorini, Andrea; Abalos, Diego; Capra, Federico et al.
In: Field Crops Research, Vol. 328, 109942, 01.06.2025.

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Advancing agroecosystem management through strategic cover crop selection

T2 - The role of species identity and community composition for productivity and climate change mitigation

AU - Fiorini, Andrea

AU - Abalos, Diego

AU - Capra, Federico

AU - Mortella, Giacomo

AU - Lommi, Michela

AU - Franceschi, Nicolaj

AU - Ardenti, Federico

AU - Tabaglio, Vincenzo

PY - 2025/6/1

Y1 - 2025/6/1

N2 - Context: Cover cropping may improve soil fertility, nutrient cycling, and soil carbon (C) stocks, yet its effects on nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions and soil greenhouse gas balances remain unclear. The impact of cover crop species and mixtures varies over time, requiring further study. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the agronomic and environmental performance of different cover crops, including hairy vetch, rye, radish, their mixtures, and a seven-species mix, over three years. Methods: Over a three-year field experiment, we tested nine cover crop treatments — including rye, hairy vetch, radish, and their mixtures — and assessed their effects on biomass production, nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) inputs, soil macronutrients (N, P, K), greenhouse gas emissions (N₂O), and yields of maize, sunflower, and soybean. Results: Hairy vetch and rye produced higher biomass, while radish contributed most to soil C inputs belowground. Hairy vetch provided high N inputs (>200 kg N ha⁻¹ annually) but increased N₂O emissions, revealing a trade-off between fertility and greenhouse gas emissions. Rye and radish emitted less N₂O, with rye increasing soil organic C and potassium availability. The rye and vetch mixture combined high biomass production and soil C sequestration with moderate N₂O emissions, making it a promising option for balancing productivity and sustainability. Rye-based treatments achieved a positive net soil CO₂ balance. Sunflower and maize N uptake improved after vetch and rye-vetch cover crops, while soybean yield remained unaffected. Conclusion and implications: Cover crop mixtures with complementary traits can balance productivity and environmental impacts. Integrating rye and vetch enhances ecological functions, supporting sustainable crop production while mitigating climate change.

AB - Context: Cover cropping may improve soil fertility, nutrient cycling, and soil carbon (C) stocks, yet its effects on nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions and soil greenhouse gas balances remain unclear. The impact of cover crop species and mixtures varies over time, requiring further study. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the agronomic and environmental performance of different cover crops, including hairy vetch, rye, radish, their mixtures, and a seven-species mix, over three years. Methods: Over a three-year field experiment, we tested nine cover crop treatments — including rye, hairy vetch, radish, and their mixtures — and assessed their effects on biomass production, nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) inputs, soil macronutrients (N, P, K), greenhouse gas emissions (N₂O), and yields of maize, sunflower, and soybean. Results: Hairy vetch and rye produced higher biomass, while radish contributed most to soil C inputs belowground. Hairy vetch provided high N inputs (>200 kg N ha⁻¹ annually) but increased N₂O emissions, revealing a trade-off between fertility and greenhouse gas emissions. Rye and radish emitted less N₂O, with rye increasing soil organic C and potassium availability. The rye and vetch mixture combined high biomass production and soil C sequestration with moderate N₂O emissions, making it a promising option for balancing productivity and sustainability. Rye-based treatments achieved a positive net soil CO₂ balance. Sunflower and maize N uptake improved after vetch and rye-vetch cover crops, while soybean yield remained unaffected. Conclusion and implications: Cover crop mixtures with complementary traits can balance productivity and environmental impacts. Integrating rye and vetch enhances ecological functions, supporting sustainable crop production while mitigating climate change.

KW - Cover crop

KW - Crop yield

KW - NO emissions

KW - Radish

KW - Rye

KW - Soil C sequestration

KW - Soil nutrients

KW - Vetch

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DO - 10.1016/j.fcr.2025.109942

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Advancing agroecosystem management through strategic cover crop selection: The role of species identity and community composition for productivity and climate change mitigation

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