Improving yield stability and climate sustainability of organic farming by mixed cropping and autumn sown protein crops

The main objective of the project is to develop and test mixed cropping techniques and cultivation of autumn sown protein crops in practice. Actions aim to increase crop yields and thus improve the climate efficiency of organic farming systems, increase adaptation to climate change as well as diversify cultivation to promote soil health and carbon sequestration.

The practical actions and detailed objectives of the project are:

1) To develop mixed cropping on a farm scale and evaluate its potential in improving organic crop yields and yield stability, resource efficiency, crop diversity and climate sustainability.

2) Produce information on the success of autumn-sown seed protein plants in Finland.

3) To evaluate the development of organic crop yields and yield potential of different organic arable crops based statistical data collected by Luke since 2014.

The development of cultivation methods and techniques that diversify cultivation also supports the adaptation of conventional cultivation to climate change and increase the self-sufficiency of protein crops and resource efficiency of production. Increased cultivation of protein crops also contributes to the goal of reducing the use of mineral nitrogen fertilizer and dependence of agriculture on fossil energy sources.