Aguilera-Huertas et al. (2024): Intercropping in rainfed Mediterranean olive groves contributes to improving soil quality and soil organic carbon storage
Jesús Aguilera-Huertas, Luis Parras-Alcántara, Manuel González-Rosado, Beatriz Lozano-García IN: Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 361, 108826, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2023.108826
The objective of this study was to evaluate in the short term (3 years) the effect of alley cropping with minimum tillage versus conventional tillage in a traditional rainfed olive grove on soil organic carbon, total nitrogen concentrations, and stocks. Changes in soil quality through a stratification index, and the success of the 4‰ strategy in these soils with this type of management were also evaluated. Three intercropping strategies were tested: Crocus sativus (D-S), Vicia sativa and Avena sativa in rotation (D-O), and Lavandula x intermedia (D-L), all with minimum tillage versus olive with conventional tillage without intercropping, which was used as a control.