ECPA

BMP 4.- Perform suitable crop rotation/diversification

Crop rotation stimulates biological activity and provides a more diverse diet to beneficial soil organisms. Crop diversity from well-balanced crop rotations (e.g. cereal-legume-oilseed) helps to minimise some weed, pest and disease problems, and also helps mitigate some of the agro-climatic risks caused by monoculture:

  • Fungal diseases, since the inoculum remains in the plant residues and in the soil (i.e. Puccinia striiformis on wheat)
  • Weed problems such as Avena spp. on wheat
  • Pest problems such as Orobanche spp. in sunflower crops


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  • Management target
  • Sustainability Indicators

DIRECT:

1.- Enhancement of Agro-biodiversity (enhance Habitats for birds; enhance soil fauna; increase fauna over the soil and edaphic fauna; enhance landscape diversity; provide ecosystem services such as pollination of crops, opportunities for recreation, …)

13.- Reduction of pest and disease pressure in field

INDIRECT:

2.- Positive impact on soil’s structure

11.- Impact on the nitrogen cycle (mineral nitrogen is trapped and returned to the following crop; legumes contribute to improvement of organic matter level in soil)

1.- EBITDA

The use of different crops on farm can have a clear influence on the economy of the farm. A diversified rotation reduces pest and disease pressure in fields, and then contributes to reduce production costs.

2.- EBITDA/labour unit

The use of different crops on farm can have a clear influence on the economy of the farm. A diversified rotation reduces pest and disease pressure in fields, and then contributes to reduce production costs.

3.- Production costs 

The use of different crops on farm can have a clear influence on the economy of the farm. A diversified rotation reduces pest and disease pressure in fields, and then contributes to reduce production costs.

4.- Yield/ha UAA

Yields can be secured by a diversified rotation.

5.- Yield/ ha main fodder area

Yields can be secured by a diversified rotation.

7.- Effectiveness working time

A diversified rotation reduces pests and diseases pressure in fields, and then contributes to reduce working hours.

8.- SI – Satisfaction Index

The implementation of this BMP could have a positive influence on the farmer’s perception.

10.- Annual soil cover rate

The implementation of crop diversification will modify the number of days on which the soil is covered.

12.- Crop biodiversity/rotation

This indicator is directly linked to the surface of different cover crops.

13.- NPK balance

The use of legumes in rotation crop will improve NPK balance.

14.- Energy balance

The energy consumed (mainly) and produced in the farm will change when implementing this BMP, mainly, due to the reduction of pesticide treatments.

15.- Energy self-sufficiency

When introducing any bioenergetic crop into the current rotation of the farm, the renewable energy produced on the farm will increase and, therefore, this indicator will increase.

20.- Farm’s connection with the environmental network

Although the implementation of this BMP will not have an influence on this indicator, the relevance to an environmental network can imply the obligation to follow more strict controls on waste management.

22.- NO3 level – boreholes and wells

A change in crop rotation can modify the extraction of Nitrogen and therefore the possibility of contamination of boreholes and wells.

24.- Use of PPPs in some farms close to water streams

A diversified rotation reduces pest and disease pressure in fields, and then contributes to reduce the risk of contamination on water streams by PPPs (also depending on the intensity of rainfall or irrigation).