The ESSU concept for designing, modeling and auditing ecosystem service provision in intercropping and agroforestry systems.

Sylvain Rafflegeau, Marie Gosme, Karim Barkaoui, Léo Garcia, Clémentine Allinne, Olivier Deheuvels, Juliette Grimaldi, Patrick Jagoret, Pierre-Éric Lauri, Anne Merot, Aurélie Metay, Francesco Reyes, Stéphane Saj, George Nicolas Curry & Eric Justes

The paper proposes a concept for designing, modeling, monitoring, and auditing desired ecosystem services, in intercropping and agroforestry systems, which the scientists have named ESSU (Ecosystem Services functional Spatial Unit).

Modeling soil‑plant functioning of intercrops using comprehensive and generic formalisms implemented in the STICS model

Rémi Vezy, Sebastian Munz, Noémie Gaudio, Marie Launay, Patrice Lecharpentier, Dominique Ripoche, Eric Justes

In this study, the authors propose a set of simple and generic formalisms for simulating key interactions in bi-specific intercropping systems that can be readily included into existing dynamic crop models.

The acquisition of macro and micronutrients is synergistic in species mixtures: example of mixed crucifer-legume cover crops

Antoine Couëdel, Lionel Alletto and Eric Justes

Species mixtures of crucifer-legume have been shown to effectively take up nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) to decrease losses due to leaching, but their ability to simultaneously take up other key macro- and micronutrients remains unknown. This study assessed the performances of a wide variety of bispecific crucifer-legume mixtures to provide synergetic uptake of multiple nutrients to target nutrient-recycling ecosystem services.

What are the benefits of growing multiple crop species together?

Chunjie Li, Tjeerd-Jan Stomph, David Makowski, Wopke van der Werf and others
Associate Editors: Allison Gamzon and Alexandra Appleton 

In early 2023 Wopke van der Werf and his team had the happy news that their meta-analysis on the productive performance of intercropping had been published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, better known by its abbreviation PNAS. Now, in 2024, an adaptation of this journal paper for middle and high school children was published in the American Science Journal for Kids. The editors of this journal have done a marvellous job making the potential of intercropping, accessible to kids. This will bring intercropping to the classroom at high schools.

Early belowground interactions in lupin–wheat intercropping assessed by a simple root phenotyping approach

Roberta Rossi, Daniele Cavalli, Tommaso Notario and Luciano Pecetti 

This study introduces a simple rhizobox-based method to analyze early root interactions in white lupin grown alone or intercropped with wheat. Using a novel Root Merge (RM) index, the researchers showed that lupin alters its root spatial architecture in intercropping, increasing root intermingling and nodulation without reducing growth. The approach provides a practical tool to assess belowground facilitation and phenotypic plasticity in legume–cereal systems.

Functional characterization and weed harmfulness on sugarcane production

Elise Laine, Margaux Ponsart, Aude Ripoche, Gaëlle Damour, Marion Schwartz and François Affholder

This study assessed the impact of three weed groups—dicotyledons, perennials, and lianas—on sugarcane yield in Reunion Island. Lianas caused the highest losses (22%), while perennials and dicotyledons had lower impacts. Functional trait analysis indicated that broad weed categories alone do not fully capture differences in species’ resource-use strategies.

Effect of crop management and climatic factors on weed control in sugarcane intercropping
systems

Soule Mathilde, Mansuy Alizé, Chetty Julien, Auzoux Sandrine, Viaud Pauline, Schwartz Marion, Ripoche Aude, Heuclin Benjamin and Christina Mathias

This study evaluates cover crops for weed management in sugarcane intercropping in tropical Reunion Island. Across eight experiments, chemical control, cover crops, and low weed control were compared, monitoring weed cover, management practices, and yield to assess both effectiveness and economic impact.

Intercropping approach for soil improvement

Srđan Šeremešić, Đorđe Krstić, Bojan Vojnov, Ksenija Mačkić, Velimir Mladenov and Branko Ćupina

This research highlights legume-based intercropping and cover cropping as resource-efficient systems that improve soil fertility, reduce erosion, and enhance nutrient use. Using experiments at the University of Novi Sad, it shows that intercropping can boost yield, root biomass, and weed control, but further research is needed to optimize soil management, crop selection, and adoption strategies for grain and forage production in temperate regions.

Pea-wheat intercropping brings novelty to grain production in Serbia

Branko Ćupina, Svetlana Vujić, Đorđe Krstić, Srdjan Šeremešić, Bojan Vojnov, Ksenija Mačkić and Velimir Mladenov

The research team from the University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Agriculture (UNSFA) started to develop the concept and method of pea-wheat intercropping mixtures for grain production. The innovative approach includes developing the grain production process, it is also based on understanding the entire value-chain concept through Co-innovative Case Studies (CICS).

Intensification of crop rotation by growing multispecies mixtures for green manure

Svetlana Vujić, Branko Ćupina, Đorđe Krstić, Srdjan Šeremešić, Bojan Vojnov, Ksenija Mačkić and Velimir Mladenov

The inquiry examined how different green manure crops-grown as pure stands or multispecies mixtures-and incorporated at four growth stages affect soil mineral (N) content. A field trial conducted in 2022 near Novi Sad, Serbia, tested several individual species (legumes, cereals, and others) and increasingly complex mixtures (2 to 8 components).

Breeding for Crop Mixtures: Root Phenotyping for Trait Matching in Lupin–Wheat Intercropping

Roberta Rossi, Daniele Cavalli, Filippo Rossi, Tommaso Notario, Luciano Pecetti

This research examined root traits of white lupin for intercropping breeding with spring wheat, aiming to support more sustainable, biodiversity-based agriculture. Indoor and field experiments revealed significant differences among genotypes in biomass, root architecture, nodulation, and response to intercropping. Genotype 5/23 showed greater shoot and root vigor, higher nodulation, and better performance under intercropping than other genotypes. Traits such as root area, root overlap with neighboring plants, and taproot diameter were linked to competitive ability, suggesting that these relatively high-throughput root traits should be included in breeding programs for intercropping systems.

Adaptation of the FLORSYS model for weed management in sugarcane cropping systems on Reunion
Island

Pauline Viaud, Aude Ripoche, Nathalie Colbach

The FLORSYS model, initially designed for arable cropping systems in temperate regions, is a promising tool for overcoming this deadlock. The aim of this study is to assess the performance of the FlorSys model under tropical conditions and its ability to account for the characteristics of semi-perennial sugarcane cropping systems and tropical weeds.

Adapting FLORSYS for climate change: implementing plant-plant competition for water in a 3D mechanistic model for predicting future crop/weed interactions and their consequences in arable cropping systems

Quentin Cournault, Delphine Moreau, Thierry Castel, Nathalie Colbach

The FLORSYS model, initially designed for arable cropping systems in temperate regions, is a promising tool for overcoming this deadlock. The FLORSYS becomes the first weed model to simulate competition for light, water and nitrogen. 

Interspecies diversity in morphological responses to water stress: study on a panel of weed and crop species

Quentin Cournault, Nathalie Colbach, Huggues Busset, Annick Matejicek, Pauline Souche-Suchovsky, Marion Prudent and Delphine Mureau 

This research examinated how five weed species and two crops respond morphologically to water stress. Across species, water limitation reduced specific leaf area, increased height-to-biomass ratio, and generally increased root biomass allocation. Responses varied mainly by species and growth stage, not by crop/weed status or plant group. Geranium dissectum and Abutilon theophrasti showed the strongest adaptations, highlighting species-specific strategies under drought conditions.

Optimizing species traits and proportions and sowing patterns for agroecological weed
management in legume-cereal intercrops

Pierre Lebreton, Laurent Bedoussac, Catherine Bonnet, Etienne-Pascal Journet,
Eric Justes and Nathalie Colbach

Using long-term simulations with the FLORSYS model, this study showed that legume–cereal intercrops, especially barley–pea and triticale–faba bean, can improve weed control and yield compared to sole legumes. Cereal-dominant mixtures and alternating row patterns performed best. Legumes benefited more from intercropping, and early, vigorous emergence was crucial for effective weed suppression.

Effect of sowing patterns and species proportions of cereal–legume intercrops on weed control

Pierre Lebreton, Laurent Bedoussac, Catherine Bonnet, Etienne-Pascal Journet, Eric Justes and Nathalie Colbach

Legume–cereal intercrops, especially barley–pea and triticale–faba bean, were shown in 30-year FLORSYS simulations to enhance weed control compared with sole crops. Legumes gained the most from intercropping due to weed suppression by cereals, while cereals faced minor yield losses. Alternating rows and cereal-dominant mixtures optimized both yield and weed management, demonstrating intercropping as an effective agroecological approach.

Identification of varietal ideotypes for weed management: Example of
peas associated with wheat

Nathalie Colbach, Judith Burstin, Delphine Moreau

This study ran virtual experiments with the FLORSYS model to identify, depending on the
intercropping design and weed flora, (1) the key pea parameters (traits) that drive crop production and weed control in pea intercropped with wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), (2) optimal combinations of pea and wheat parameter values, and intercrop management techniques, to maximise these goals. Simulations included existing (5 pea and 3 wheat) and virtual varieties (5 and 10).

Sowing patterns, traits and species proportions for agroecological weed management in legume-cereal mixtures

Nathalie Colbach, Judith Burstin and Delphine Moreau

The aim of this study was to evaluate by simulation with the previously parameterized and evaluated FLORSYS model, the effects of bispecific legume-cereal intercrops on weed dynamics and crop production, in the absence of nitrogen or water stress. 7 species proportions, 9 spatial sowing patterns and 4 species mixtures (triticale–faba bean, wheat–faba bean, wheat–pea, barley–pea) were compared to their corresponding pure crop controls.

Evaluating the AgMIP calibration protocol for crop models; case study and new diagnostic tests

Daniel Wallach, Kwang Soo Kim, Shinwoo Hyun, Samuel Buis, Peter Thorburn ,Henrike Mielenz, Sabine Julia Seidel, Phillip D. Alderman, Benjamin Dumont et alt.

This study focuses on improving how crop simulation models are calibrated. Since different calibration methods can produce inconsistent results, the AgMIP group proposed a standardized statistical protocol using weighted least squares and model selection criteria (AICc). The study introduces diagnostic tools to evaluate whether this protocol provides good parameter estimates and effectively reduces bias.

Why is there so much variability in crop multi-model studies?

Daniel Wallach, Taru Palosuo, Henrike Mielenz, Samuel Buis, Peter Thorburn,
Senthold Asseng, Benjamin Dumont, Roberto Ferrise, Sebastian Gayler et alt.
 

This study shows that in multi-model crop simulations, differences in model parameters often cause more uncertainty than diferrences in model structure. Analyzing multiple groups and calibrations methods, the authors found parameter variability can contribute twice as much to overall uncertainty.

Resource acquisition and interactions in spring wheat/faba bean intercropping under diverse environments

Dereje T. Demie, Sabine J. Seidel, Daniel Wallach, Thomas F. Döring, Frank Ewert, Thomas Gaiser, Madhuri Paul and Ixchel M. Hernández-Ochoa

Cereal/legume intercropping offers numerous advantages over monocultures, often attributed to complementary resource use of soil water, soil nitrogen (N), and radiation. The research explores how the dynamics of crop resource (radiation, water, soil N) demand and use drive productivity in intercropping systems under different environmental conditions.

The overlooked effects of environmental impacts on root:shoot ratio in experiments and soil-crop models

Sabine Seidel, Seyed Hamid Ahmadi, Lutz Weihermüller et alt.

Although work has been done on the effects of crop type and climate on the root:shoot (biomass) ratio, there is a gap in research on the effects of specific environmental or management conditions such as drought, temperature, nutrient limitation, elevated CO₂ or tillage on the root:shoot ratio and thus, atmospheric C sequestration. In this study, we quantified the effects of these factors on the root:shoot biomass ratio by reviewing the current literature, presented common simulation approaches and performed model simulations using different examples.

Evaluating a new intercrop model for capturing mixture effects with an extensive intercrop dataset

Dereje T. Demie, Daniel Wallach, Thomas F. Döring, Frank Ewert, Thomas Gaiser, Sofia Hadir, Gunther Krauss et alt.

Cereal-legume intercrops have numerous advantages over monocultures. The objective of this study was to calibrate and evaluate a new process-based intercrop model using an extensive experimental data set and to test whether the model is suitable for comparing intercrop management strategies.

A calibration protocol for soil-crop models

Daniel Wallach, Samuel Buis, Diana-Maria Seserman, Taru Palosuo, Peter J. Thorburn, Henrike Mielenz, Eric Justes, Kurt-Christian Kersebaum, Benjamin Dumont,
Marie Launay and Sabine Julia Seidel

This study proposes an innovative generic calibration protocol. The two major innovations concern the treatment of multiple output variables and the choice of parameters to estimate, both of which are based on standard statistical procedure adapted to the particularities of soil-crop models.

Cereal-legume intercropping to stabilise yields in tropical regions: evaluation of the
STICS soil-crop model

Mathilde de Freitas, Antoine Couëdel, Gatien N. Falconnier, Mathias Christina, Alpha B. Balde, François Affholder  et alt.

The ability of cereal-legume intercropping to increase and stabilise yields in tropical climates has not been tested over a wide range of environments. We evaluated the STICS crop model and simulated a 20-year historical climate series for sole crops and cereal-legume intercropping on sites with contrasting climates in tropical regions.

Traque aux stratégies innovantes de construction de chaînes de valeur d’espèces mineures pour soutenir l’adoption des cultures associées en Europe

Lene Kollmorgen, Margot Leclère, Félipe Buendia and Marie-Hélène Jeuffroy

This study aimed to identify and analyse these innovative practices to support the development of intercropping systems across Europe. Using an adapted innovation-tracking methodology, comprehensive interviews were conducted with various stakeholders in the processing sector across four countries. Five distinct strategies for value chain development were identified.

The acquisition of macroand micronutrients is synergistic in species mixtures: example of mixed crucifer-legume cover crops

Antoine Couëdel, Lionel Alletto and Éric Justes

This study assessed the performances of a wide variety of bispecific crucifer-legume mixtures to provide synergetic uptake of multiple nutrients to target nutrient-recycling ecosystem services. Cultivars from eight crucifer and seven legume species were tested as sole and bispecific
cover crops at an experimental site near Toulouse, France.

Modeling soil-plant functioning of intercrops using comprehensive and generic formalisms implemented in the STICS model

Rémi Vezy, Sebastian Munz, Noémie Gaudio, Marie Launay, Patrice Lecharpentier, Dominique Ripoche and Éric Justes

Soil-crop models are critical in understanding these interactions in dynamics during the whole growing season, but few models are capable of accurately simulating intercropping systems. In this study, we propose a set of simple and generic formalisms (i.e. the structure and mathematical representation necessary for designing a model) for simulating key interactions in bi-specific intercropping systems that can be readily included into existing dynamic crop models.

Root growth and belowground interactions in spring wheat / faba bean intercrops

Sofia Hadir, Thomas F. Döring, Eric Justes, Dereje T. Demie, Madhuri Paul, Nicole Legner, Roman Kemper, Thomas Gaiser et alt.

The aim of the study was to characterize root growth and interactions inspring wheat/faba bean intercrops to better understand belowground interactions that govern resource capture.

A workflow for processing global datasets: application to intercropping

Rémi Mahmoud, Pierre Casadebaig, Nadine Hilgert and Noémie Gaudio

The purpose in the present study was to provide several methodological paths related to the design of global datasets. We considered 37 field experiments as the use case for designing a global dataset
and illustrated how tidying and disseminating the data are the first steps towards open
science practices.

Which pea traits for agroecological weed management in peawheat intercrops

Nathalie Colbach, Judith Burstin, Delphine Moreau

The objective of this research was to identify, depending on the type of cropping system and weed flora, (1) the key pea parameters that drive crop production and weed control in pea intercropped with wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), (2) optimal combinations of pea and wheat parameter values (“ideotypes”) to maximise these goals.

A low-cost simple and rapid phenotyping pipeline to study early belowground interactions
in intercropping

Roberta Rossi, Daniele Cavali, Tommaso Notario, Angelo Passerini, Giusepe Morone, Luciano Pecceti

The aim of this research was to test a simple phenotyping pipeline based on the use of low-cost a simple phenotyping pipeline based on the use of low-cost, easily to assemble rhizoboxes, and rapid graphic indicators of root interactions. The pipeline was tested on white lupin (Lupinus albus L.) grown for three weeks as sole crop or intercropped with bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). We measured root system projected contour, visible root length, root system shape parameters and the area overlap between neighboring roots.

Interplay©: a support tool to help novice farmers choose cereal-legume intercrops

ENGLISH / FRENCH

Reduce herbicide use by intercropping sugarcane with service crops

ENGLISH / FRENCH

Renewed approach of extension services to advance modern intercropping in South Mozambique

ENGLISH

Designing “intercrops friendly” policies: lessons from the analysis of barriers to intercropping

Boosting intercropping in the post-2027 CAP (Common Agricultural Policy)

Compilation of lock-ins encompassing whole value-chain and its actors