This study evaluates the dynamics of soil organic carbon (SOC) under perennial crops across the globe. It quantifies the effect of change from annual to perennial crops and the subsequent temporal changes in SOC stocks during the perennial crop cycle. It also presents an empirical model to estimate changes in the SOC content under crops as a function of time, land use, and site characteristics. We used a harmonized global dataset containing paired\uffe2\uff80\uff90comparison empirical values of SOC and different types of perennial crops (perennial grasses, palms, and woody plants) with different end uses: bioenergy, food, other bio\uffe2\uff80\uff90products, and short rotation coppice. Salient outcomes include: a 20\uffe2\uff80\uff90year period encompassing a change from annual to perennial crops led to an average 20% increase in SOC at 0\uffe2\uff80\uff9330\uffc2\uffa0cm (6.0\uffc2\uffa0\uffc2\uffb1\uffc2\uffa04.6\uffc2\uffa0Mg/ha gain) and a total 10% increase over the 0\uffe2\uff80\uff93100\uffc2\uffa0cm soil profile (5.7\uffc2\uffa0\uffc2\uffb1\uffc2\uffa010.9\uffc2\uffa0Mg/ha). A change from natural pasture to perennial crop decreased SOC stocks by 1% over 0\uffe2\uff80\uff9330\uffc2\uffa0cm (\uffe2\uff88\uff922.5\uffc2\uffa0\uffc2\uffb1\uffc2\uffa04.2\uffc2\uffa0Mg/ha) and 10% over 0\uffe2\uff80\uff93100\uffc2\uffa0cm (\uffe2\uff88\uff9213.6\uffc2\uffa0\uffc2\uffb1\uffc2\uffa08.9\uffc2\uffa0Mg/ha). The effect of a land use change from forest to perennial crops did not show significant impacts, probably due to the limited number of plots; but the data indicated that while a 2% increase in SOC was observed at 0\uffe2\uff80\uff9330\uffc2\uffa0cm (16.81\uffc2\uffa0\uffc2\uffb1\uffc2\uffa055.1\uffc2\uffa0Mg/ha), a decrease in 24% was observed at 30\uffe2\uff80\uff93100\uffc2\uffa0cm (\uffe2\uff88\uff9240.1\uffc2\uffa0\uffc2\uffb1\uffc2\uffa016.8\uffc2\uffa0Mg/ha). Perennial crops generally accumulate SOC through time, especially woody crops; and temperature was the main driver explaining differences in SOC dynamics, followed by crop age, soil bulk density, clay content, and depth. We present empirical evidence showing that the FAO perennialization strategy is reasonable, underscoring the role of perennial crops as a useful component of climate change mitigation strategies.In the European Union, various crop diversification systems such as crop rotation, intercropping and multiple cropping, as well as low-input management practices, have been promoted to sustain crop productivity while maintaining environmental quality and ecosystem services. We conducted a data analysis to identify the benefits of crop associations, alternative agricultural practices and strategies in four selected regions of Europe (Atlantic, Boreal, Mediterranean North and Mediterranean South) in terms of crop production (CP). The dataset was derived from 54 references with a total of 750 comparisons and included site characteristics, crop information (diversification system, crop production, tillage and fertilization management) and soil parameters. We analyzed each effect separately, comparing CP under tillage management (e.g., conventional tillage vs. no tillage), crop diversification (e.g., monoculture vs. rotation), and fertilization management (e.g., mineral fertilization vs. organic fertilization). Compared with conventional tillage (CT), CP was higher by 12% in no tillage (NT), in fine- and medium-textured soils (8\uffe2\uff80\uff939%) and in arid and semiarid sites located in the Mediterranean Region (24%). Compared to monoculture, diversified cropping systems with longer crop rotations increased CP by 12%, and by 12% in soils with coarse and medium textures. In relation to fertilization, CP was increased with the use of slurry (40%), and when crop residues were incorporated (39%) or mulched (74%). Results showed that conversion to alternative diversified systems through the use of crop rotations, with NT and organic fertilization, results in a better crop performance. However, regional differences related to climate and soil-texture-specific responses should be considered to target local measures to improve soil management.
", "keywords": ["2. Zero hunger", "Tillage management", "diversification", "330", "S", "Viljelyn monipuolistaminen", "Fertilization management", "Agriculture", "crop production", "04 agricultural and veterinary sciences", "15. Life on land", "lannoitus", "arable crops", "Arable crops", "13. Climate action", "sato", "Diversification", "0401 agriculture", " forestry", " and fisheries", "fertilization management", "Crop production", "tillage management"]}, "links": [{"href": "http://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/10/2/297/pdf"}, {"href": "https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/10/2/297/pdf"}, {"href": "https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10020297"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Agronomy", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.3390/agronomy10020297", "name": "item", "description": "10.3390/agronomy10020297", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.3390/agronomy10020297"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2020-02-19T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.5281/zenodo.7014448", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-04-13T16:24:46Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2022-08-04", "title": "A comprehensive assessment of diversified cropping systems on agro-environmental sustainability in three Mediterranean long-term field experiments", "description": "The intensification of agricultural systems has caused a noticeable impact on agro-ecosystem services. Thus, the adoption of more sustainable agricultural practices such as crop diversification and reduction of external inputs represent an alternative strategy to minimize the impacts of intensive agricultural systems to the environment. This study aimed at evaluating the effects of crop rotation, conservation tillage, and low-input strategies on soil quality and farming performance using a set of 7 indicators based on a fuzzy logic approach. Data were collected from three Mediterranean long-term field experiments (LTEs) mostly oriented on cereal-based and vegetables cropping systems, located in Spain and Italy. The selected agro-environmental indicators clearly discriminated both from a geographical point of view and between monoculture and diversification, showing their suitability for the evaluation of diversified cropping systems. Such indicators highlighted that implementing crop diversification and reducing soil disturbance and chemical inputs enhanced soil quality. In this context, the most significant effects of diversified cropping strategies were the increase of crucial variables such as soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), available phosphorus (Pav), and bulk density (BD) maintaining a stability of yields in all the three LTEs. These results provide strong evidence for the benefits of crop diversification in Mediterranean areas, highlighting that diversification represents a very promising strategy for more sustainable land management. Simple and composite indicators calculated using fuzzy method can be proposed as tool to assess the effects of diversification strategies on cropping systems performance. This approach can be used to define local solutions to help the re-design of cropping system through crop diversification transition across Europe.", "keywords": ["0106 biological sciences", "2. Zero hunger", "Fuzzy analysis", "Indicators; Fuzzy analysis; Soil quality; Horticulture; Arable crops; Tillage; Crop rotation", "04 agricultural and veterinary sciences", "Horticulture", "15. Life on land", "01 natural sciences", "Soil quality", "Tillage", "12. Responsible consumption", "Crop rotation", "Arable crops", "13. Climate action", "11. Sustainability", "Indicators", "0401 agriculture", " forestry", " and fisheries"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7014448"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/European%20Journal%20of%20Agronomy", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.5281/zenodo.7014448", "name": "item", "description": "10.5281/zenodo.7014448", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.5281/zenodo.7014448"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2022-10-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "2164/14499", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-04-13T16:27:02Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2020-05-15", "title": "Changes in soil organic carbon under perennial crops", "description": "AbstractThis study evaluates the dynamics of soil organic carbon (SOC) under perennial crops across the globe. It quantifies the effect of change from annual to perennial crops and the subsequent temporal changes in SOC stocks during the perennial crop cycle. It also presents an empirical model to estimate changes in the SOC content under crops as a function of time, land use, and site characteristics. We used a harmonized global dataset containing paired\uffe2\uff80\uff90comparison empirical values of SOC and different types of perennial crops (perennial grasses, palms, and woody plants) with different end uses: bioenergy, food, other bio\uffe2\uff80\uff90products, and short rotation coppice. Salient outcomes include: a 20\uffe2\uff80\uff90year period encompassing a change from annual to perennial crops led to an average 20% increase in SOC at 0\uffe2\uff80\uff9330\uffc2\uffa0cm (6.0\uffc2\uffa0\uffc2\uffb1\uffc2\uffa04.6\uffc2\uffa0Mg/ha gain) and a total 10% increase over the 0\uffe2\uff80\uff93100\uffc2\uffa0cm soil profile (5.7\uffc2\uffa0\uffc2\uffb1\uffc2\uffa010.9\uffc2\uffa0Mg/ha). A change from natural pasture to perennial crop decreased SOC stocks by 1% over 0\uffe2\uff80\uff9330\uffc2\uffa0cm (\uffe2\uff88\uff922.5\uffc2\uffa0\uffc2\uffb1\uffc2\uffa04.2\uffc2\uffa0Mg/ha) and 10% over 0\uffe2\uff80\uff93100\uffc2\uffa0cm (\uffe2\uff88\uff9213.6\uffc2\uffa0\uffc2\uffb1\uffc2\uffa08.9\uffc2\uffa0Mg/ha). The effect of a land use change from forest to perennial crops did not show significant impacts, probably due to the limited number of plots; but the data indicated that while a 2% increase in SOC was observed at 0\uffe2\uff80\uff9330\uffc2\uffa0cm (16.81\uffc2\uffa0\uffc2\uffb1\uffc2\uffa055.1\uffc2\uffa0Mg/ha), a decrease in 24% was observed at 30\uffe2\uff80\uff93100\uffc2\uffa0cm (\uffe2\uff88\uff9240.1\uffc2\uffa0\uffc2\uffb1\uffc2\uffa016.8\uffc2\uffa0Mg/ha). Perennial crops generally accumulate SOC through time, especially woody crops; and temperature was the main driver explaining differences in SOC dynamics, followed by crop age, soil bulk density, clay content, and depth. We present empirical evidence showing that the FAO perennialization strategy is reasonable, underscoring the role of perennial crops as a useful component of climate change mitigation strategies.