Spain's introduction of perennials among rainfed almond trees helps mitigate climate change

The Diverfarming project team analyzes the effects on the carbon cycle of the introduction of crops in a system of dry almond trees and another of irrigated mandarins Agriculture and land use change produce 23% of all anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, the expansion and intensification of agriculture are considered determining factors in soil loss and degradation by accelerating erosion rates and favoring the loss of organic matter and nutrients. The most widely used sustainable agriculture practices to maintain and restore organic carbon in impoverished soils are the reduction of tillage, the use of vegetative covers, and the application of compost or manure, but how does crop diversification affect the carbon cycle? A team from the European Diverfarming project has analyzed the potential of diversification in woody crops (almond and mandarin), determining that the introduction of perennial plants such as thyme and capers in rainfed almond trees favors the ...