A Six-Year Rotation LTE to Analyse the Effect of Climate Variability and Management Intensity on Crop Yield

Low-input cropping systems may produce substantial benefits to farmers and the environment, such as: (i) reduced energy consumptions (Alluvione et al., 2011), (ii) lower costs, (iii) decreased nutrient losses from soil as leachates and gas and (iv) lower GHG emissions linked to input production (Lehuger et al., 2011). The experience of long-term field experiments (LTE) can help delineate future approaches to cope with variability and uncertainty of climate at local scale and support the design of efficient low-input cropping systems. This work analyses the responsiveness of two management systems, in term of crop yield, to the combined effect of management intensity (Low - L and High - H) and weather fluctuations in a long-term rainfed experiment set up in Pisa (Central Italy) in 1992. The experiment, designed according to a system approach, considered the effect of the combination of cultural practices (tillage, fertilization, weed and pest management) on the yield of four arable crops in a six-year rotation, including one year of set-aside. The L system was designed upon the framework of the Council Regulation (EEC) No 2078/92. This study aims to assess the effect of (i) long term management, (ii) meteorological conditions and (iii) their interaction on the yield of each crop in rotation on yearly bases.