Report

Teaser, summary, work performed and final results

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - ReMIX (Redesigning European cropping systems based on species MIXtures)

Teaser

ReMIX (Redesigning European cropping systems based on species MIXtures) is a European H2020 project that aims at designing sustainable and diversified cropping systems, based on species mixtures, also called intercrops, for agricultural production. ReMIX relies on the...

Summary

ReMIX (Redesigning European cropping systems based on species MIXtures) is a European H2020 project that aims at designing sustainable and diversified cropping systems, based on species mixtures, also called intercrops, for agricultural production. ReMIX relies on the principles of agroecology, notably on the benefits of planed biodiversity associating different species (particularly cereals and grain legumes). It aims at delivering a scientific assessment of the performances of mixed cropping and operational responses that will improve the sustainability of European cropping systems, for both conventional and organic agriculture. In order to do so, the following objectives are pursued:
•Decipher plant-plant interactions so as to optimise the use of resources (water, nitrogen, carbon, light);
•Analyse and model the influence of species mixtures on the development of animal pests, diseases and weeds so as to propose strategies that will limit crop losses;
•Analyse the role of species mixtures in improving the ecosystem service provision;
•Create and test new breeding and phenotyping methods by developing approaches adapted to species mixtures using existing genetic resources, to identify innovative plant materials (lines and varieties) adapted to species mixtures;
•Use simulation models to develop generic rules for species assemblage that guarantee efficient production;
•Optimise the specifications and settings of harvesting equipment and the cleaning and sorting of mixed harvests;
•Reduce technical, economic and sociological drivers that hamper the adoption of species mixtures by farmers, and more generally by different actors in agri-food sectors;
•Develop new crop management plans to optimise performances of species mixtures;
•Develop a tool box for farmers and advisors, notably through the compilation of technical datasheets and the design of a serious game.
In order to achieve these objectives, ReMIX relies on a cross-disciplinary and multi-actor approach that permits to identify the needs of end-users through the joint design of field trials in experimental facilities and on farms, along with innovative and efficient farming practices. The conducted work will also integrate the evaluation of new varieties and genetic resources adapted to intercropping. Eleven multi-actor platforms (MAPs) were set up in ten countries in order to demonstrate potential performances and interests of species mixtures (www.remix-intercrops.eu/The-Project/ReMIX-multi-actor-Platforms), in order to promote high-yielding, resilient and environmentally friendly production. MAPs were developed with farmers and stakeholders and are open-access to anyone interested in order for favour their promotion and future adoption.

Work performed

Local MAPs differ in formats and objectives. Here is a non-exhaustive list of specific objectives: i) focus on regular yields with lower inputs, ii) reintroduction of traditional productive cereal-legume practices; iii) reduction of production costs, or iv) local supply of proteins satisfying market requirements. All MAPs include demonstrations and additional experimentations, which is expected to increase the stakeholders’ knowledge and awareness of the possible benefits and opportunities of species mixture options. Several MAP events (workshops, field days) related strong farmer and advisor interests in cropping species mixture and personal knowledge capacity building. This was more successful than expected since some events already stressed that several farmers were enthusiastic to test mixtures on their farms. Direct contacts with stakeholders confirmed that the design and development of a toolbox (ecosystem service tool, technical factsheets and serious game) for species mixtures is highly expected to help adapting the choice and management of intercrops to local conditions.
The first set of experiments did not produce results that can be disseminated at this stage. However, several meta-analyses (papers submitted to international journals) were produced on the performances of intercrops as a way i) to increase the land equivalent ratio and the capture of nutrients, and also ii) to control animal pests, diseases and weeds. They revealed that species mixtures are often efficient to increase LER or to control pathogens, but highlighted also some cases without any benefit. Preliminary experimental results also shown that positive, negative or neutral effects of species mixtures can be observed on different parameters measured (abiotic and biotic factors), indicating that optimization is needed for proposing efficient species mixtures and management solutions. Preliminary results point out the importance of the selection of appropriate intercrop components to benefit from positive effects of species mixtures on yield, suppression of weeds, diseases and animal pests.
A review paper was produced on breeding legumes for intercropping for publication in Advances in Agronomy (under review) that will allow making process on breeding methods and new concepts.
A new conceptual framework was proposed to model intercrops. It is presented in a scientific paper entitled “Modelling mixed annual crops: current knowledge and future research avenues. A review” (paper under review in Agronomy for Sustainable Development). Another successful achievement was the first step towards a generic functional-structural plant model (FSPM) by the coupling of Min3P and ArchiSimple models for two intercropped species. Moreover, FLORSYS crop-weeds model was parameterised to simulate weeds and intercrops interactions. Lastly, the existing intercrop version of the STICS soil-crop model was adapted to represent the functioning of bispecific intercrops. It will permit to simulate performances of various management strategies under climate change scenarios.

Final results

The 11 MAPs organised to enable the design and evaluation of species mixtures are open to farmers, stakeholders, and also to consumers on specific days. This permits to involve a broad community of actors working together and sharing their own expert knowledge, such as: farmers, consultants, equipment manufacturers, technicians from cooperatives, engineers from technical institutes, companies involved in collection and processing, and research scientists from the ReMIX project. Trial platforms operated by several actors in a given region allow to evaluate species mixtures under real-life conditions and consider practical aspects of their management (sowing technique and date, fertilisation, weeding, etc.).
Web page and social media profiles are the main project communication channels for a wider public. After 18 months, here is a list of quantitative indicators for dissemination: 4.278 visitors of the ReMIX website, 104 subscriptions to the newsletter, 578 Twitter followers, and 165 Facebook followers. Partners themselves are actively disseminating at the national level in order to ensure the socio-economic impacts of the project and contribute to a wider societal implication.
The scientific impact has already started since partners have published or presented 22 scientific communications, including posters, papers or oral presentations. Researchers of ReMIX attended 16 scientific conferences, or events at the national or European level, in particular at the EUCARPIA Symposium “Breeding for Diversification”, organised by UNI KASSEL (Germany, Feb. 2018), and at XVth European Society for Agronomy Congress (Switzerland, Aug. 2018).

Website & more info

More info: http://www.remix-intercrops.eu.