Abstract
The performance of cropping systems is a function of crop and management practice interaction in a given growing environment. However, the critical factors affecting productivity remains unclear under varying climate conditions. We conducted a 5 year study at six sites in western Canada to identify the critical factors affecting the productivity, standardized as protein-based yield (PBY), and quantify the relationships between yield and critical factors. We tested six crop rotations, including conventional system (Control), pulse- or oilseed-intensified system (Intensified), diversified system (Diversified), market-driven system (Market-driven), high-risk and potentially high reward system (High-risk), and soil-health enhanced system (Soil-health). The importance index and structural equation modeling were used to identify key factors and explore the underlying relationships among them. Results showed that Market-driven and Diversified rotations outperformed the Control by 2%–6% in PBY, while Soil-health and High-risk yielded 23%–26% lower than the Control. Relative to the Control, all rotations showed an increase trend in PBY over time, with Diversified rotations increasing 13%–28% faster than Market-driven and Intensified rotations. Precipitation and nitrogen (N) management are the primary factors affecting cropping system productivity, explaining 25% and 21% yield variations, respectively. Structural equation modeling analysis revealed that precipitation had a significant indirect effect on yield through affecting biological N fixation of pulse crops, in addition to a significant direct effect. Increasing pulse frequency and rotation complexity mitigated PBY loss by 10%–24% during low rainfall seasons. We recommend integrating pulse crops into cropping systems to enhance N management and mitigate yield loss in low precipitation regions.
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Claims 12
Claim · model-written summary
Market-driven rotation increased protein-based yield by 2%–6% versus Control.
Verbatim
e0“Market-driven and Diversified rotations outperformed the Control by 2%–6% in PBY”
Claim · model-written summary
Diversified rotation increased protein-based yield by 2%–6% versus Control.
Verbatim
e0“Market-driven and Diversified rotations outperformed the Control by 2%–6% in PBY”
Claim · model-written summary
Soil-health rotation yielded 23%–26% less than Control.
Verbatim
e0“Soil-health and High-risk yielded 23%–26% lower than the Control”
Claim · model-written summary
High-risk rotation yielded 23%–26% less than Control.
Verbatim
e0“Soil-health and High-risk yielded 23%–26% lower than the Control”
Claim · model-written summary
All rotations trended upward in protein-based yield over time.
Not reportedSetting
Verbatim
e0“all rotations showed an increase trend in PBY over time”
Claim · model-written summary
Diversified rotations increased protein-based yield 13%–28% faster than Market-driven and Intensified rotations.
Verbatim
e0“Diversified rotations increasing 13%–28% faster than Market-driven and Intensified rotations”
Claim · model-written summary
Precipitation explained 25% of yield variation.
Not reportedSettingDirection
Verbatim
e0“Precipitation and nitrogen (N) management are the primary factors affecting cropping system productivity, explaining 25% and 21% yield variations, respectively.”
Claim · model-written summary
Nitrogen management explained 21% of yield variation.
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“Precipitation and nitrogen (N) management are the primary factors affecting cropping system productivity, explaining 25% and 21% yield variations, respectively.”
Claim · model-written summary
Precipitation had significant indirect and direct effects on yield, with the indirect effect mediated by pulse-crop biological nitrogen fixation.
Verbatim
e0“precipitation had a significant indirect effect on yield through affecting biological N fixation of pulse crops, in addition to a significant direct effect”
Claim · model-written summary
Increasing pulse frequency mitigated protein-based yield loss by 10%–24% in low rainfall seasons.
- Taxon
- pulsee0
- Treatment
- Increasing pulse frequencye0
- Outcome
- PBY losse0
- Direction
- mitigatede0
- Value
- 10%–24%e0
- Qualifier
- low rainfall seasonse0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“Increasing pulse frequency and rotation complexity mitigated PBY loss by 10%–24% during low rainfall seasons”
Claim · model-written summary
Increasing rotation complexity mitigated protein-based yield loss by 10%–24% in low rainfall seasons.
- Taxon
- rotatione0
- Treatment
- Increasing pulse frequency and rotation complexitye0
- Outcome
- PBY losse0
- Direction
- mitigatede0
- Value
- 10%–24%e0
- Qualifier
- low rainfall seasonse0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“Increasing pulse frequency and rotation complexity mitigated PBY loss by 10%–24% during low rainfall seasons”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors recommend integrating pulse crops to enhance nitrogen management and reduce yield loss in low precipitation regions.
Verbatim
e0“We recommend integrating pulse crops into cropping systems to enhance N management and mitigate yield loss in low precipitation regions.”