Abstract
Cropland use for biogas production has sparked debate due to its competition with food production and potential environmental trade-offs derived from maize-based systems. Furthermore, climate change influenced cropping conditions, generating the need to adapt productive and sustainable systems. This work aimed to optimise crop production and sustainability in the face of these challenges by exploring alternatives to existing crop sequence, tillage and irrigation strategies. Within a long-term field experiment conducted in Müncheberg (NE Germany), specific cropping systems were assessed from 2008 to 2015, with two alternative crop sequences (continuous maize vs. 4-year crop rotation), tillage practices (plough/no-till), and irrigation (irrigated/rainfed). Productivity indicators, water and N use efficiency, and soil fertility indicators were evaluated at the cropping system level. Continuous maize systems achieved the highest energy and methane yield levels, while the diverse crop rotation achieved the highest protein yields. Irrigation showed variable yield increases (8–125 %) at rainfall levels < 400 mm pa. The tillage reduction showed a trend to lower yield but higher soil C in the later experimental years. Overall, the systems with the highest productivity also showed high levels of resource use efficiency. We observed a trade-off between productivity and sustainability when diversifying continuous maize systems. Higher productivity came with evidence of soil quality decline over time. A maize and perennial legume forage-based system coupled with a target water supply for maize of 400 mm pa and the adoption of strategic tillage could maintain high productivity and sustainability in the long term. • Productive and sustainable biogas production systems were explored in NE Germany. • Continuous rainfed, ploughed maize was compared to diverse, no-till with irrigation. • Continuous maize had highest energetic output and WUE but declining soil quality. • Systems with perennial forage increased protein output and maintained soil quality. • A maize-based system with perennial forage and strategic tillage optimised benefits.
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Claims 12
Claim · model-written summary
Continuous maize systems had the highest energy and methane yields.
- Treatment
- Continuous maize systemse0
- Outcome
- energy and methane yield levelse0
- Direction
- higheste0
- Comparator
- diverse crop rotatione0
Zea maysOrganisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Continuous maize systems achieved the highest energy and methane yield levels, while the diverse crop rotation achieved the highest protein yields.”
Claim · model-written summary
Diverse crop rotation had the highest protein yields.
- Treatment
- diverse crop rotatione0
- Outcome
- protein yieldse0
- Direction
- higheste0
- Comparator
- Continuous maize systemse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Continuous maize systems achieved the highest energy and methane yield levels, while the diverse crop rotation achieved the highest protein yields.”
Claim · model-written summary
Irrigation increased yields by 8–125 % at rainfall below 400 mm pa.
- Treatment
- Irrigatione0
- Outcome
- yielde0
- Direction
- increasese0
- Value
- 8–125 %e0
- Qualifier
- rainfall levels < 400 mm pae0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Irrigation showed variable yield increases (8–125 %) at rainfall levels < 400 mm pa.”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Reduced tillage tended toward lower yield in later years.
- Treatment
- tillage reductione0
- Outcome
- yielde0
- Direction
- lowere0
- Qualifier
- in the later experimental yearse0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The tillage reduction showed a trend to lower yield but higher soil C in the later experimental years.”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Reduced tillage tended toward higher soil carbon in later years.
- Treatment
- tillage reductione0
- Outcome
- soil Ce0
- Direction
- highere0
- Qualifier
- in the later experimental yearse0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The tillage reduction showed a trend to lower yield but higher soil C in the later experimental years.”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
The most productive systems also had high resource use efficiency.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Overall, the systems with the highest productivity also showed high levels of resource use efficiency.”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Diversifying continuous maize systems showed a productivity and sustainability trade-off.
- Treatment
- diversifying continuous maize systemse0
- Outcome
- trade-off between productivity and sustainabilitye0
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“We observed a trade-off between productivity and sustainability when diversifying continuous maize systems.”
Claim · model-written summary
Higher productivity coincided with soil quality decline over time.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Higher productivity came with evidence of soil quality decline over time.”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Continuous rainfed, ploughed maize had the highest energetic output and water use efficiency.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Continuous maize had highest energetic output and WUE but declining soil quality.”
Claim · model-written summary
Systems with perennial forage increased protein output.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Systems with perennial forage increased protein output and maintained soil quality.”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Systems with perennial forage maintained soil quality.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Systems with perennial forage increased protein output and maintained soil quality.”
t0“maize”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors propose a maize and perennial legume forage system with 400 mm pa target water supply and strategic tillage for long-term productivity and sustainability.
- Treatment
- a target water supply for maize of 400 mm pa and the adoption of strategic tillagee0
- Outcome
- high productivity and sustainability in the long terme0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“A maize and perennial legume forage-based system coupled with a target water supply for maize of 400 mm pa and the adoption of strategic tillage could maintain high productivity and sustainability in the long term.”
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