KindHarvest summary: A 2022 study of long-running field experiments found that ecological practices could maintain or improve crop yields while reducing reliance on synthetic fertiliser and herbicides. The strongest results came from combining practices rather than treating any one change as a complete solution.
What the study found
Researchers analysed more than 30 experiments in Europe and Africa, many running for at least nine years. The systems included diverse crop rotations, nitrogen-fixing legumes and organic amendments such as manure, compost and plant material.
Manure combined with smaller amounts of mineral fertiliser often supported strong yields. Longer rotations helped suppress weeds and diseases, while legumes contributed biologically fixed nitrogen. The results support ecological intensification: using biological and ecological processes to make targeted inputs work more efficiently.
Limits and application
The experiments covered different crops, climates and management systems, and none provides a universal fertiliser-reduction formula. Results need to be interpreted through local soils, nutrient budgets, manure availability, machinery, labour and farm economics.
The strongest practical approach is to test an integrated package, measure yield and input use over several seasons, and protect against nutrient mining or short-term production risk.
Related KindHarvest reading
This report covers the same research from a different publication. Read KindHarvest’s companion summary of the ecological-intensification study.
Source and credit
This KindHarvest Team research brief is based on a No-Till Farmer report published 28 June 2022. Read the No-Till Farmer report or view the peer-reviewed study in Nature Sustainability.