Intercropping Systems: An Opportunity for Environment Conservation within Nut Production

Bruna Moreira, Alexandre Gonçalves, Luís Pinto, Miguel A. Prieto (), Márcio Carocho, Cristina Caleja () and Lillian Barros
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Bruna Moreira: Centro de Investigação de Montanha (CIMO), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 5300-253 Braganca, Portugal
Alexandre Gonçalves: MORE—Collaborative Laboratory Mountains of Research, Brigantia Ecopark, 5300-358 Braganca, Portugal
Luís Pinto: MORE—Collaborative Laboratory Mountains of Research, Brigantia Ecopark, 5300-358 Braganca, Portugal
Miguel A. Prieto: Nutrition and Bromatology Group, Department of Analytical Chemistry and Food Science, Instituto de Agroecoloxía e Alimentación (IAA)–CITEXVI, Universidade de Vigo, 36310 Vigo, Spain
Márcio Carocho: Centro de Investigação de Montanha (CIMO), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 5300-253 Braganca, Portugal
Cristina Caleja: Centro de Investigação de Montanha (CIMO), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 5300-253 Braganca, Portugal
Lillian Barros: Centro de Investigação de Montanha (CIMO), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 5300-253 Braganca, Portugal

Agriculture, 2024, vol. 14, issue 7, 1-23

Abstract: Global population growth and intensive agriculture have both contributed negatively to the environment. As a result, there is increasing interest in the use of sustainable alternatives is increasing to promote better use of natural resources and create an equilibrium between agriculture and the environment. Intercropping, the simultaneous cultivation of multiple crops, aims to optimize land use economically while enhancing biodiversity through plant–microorganism interactions, thereby boosting crop productivity. This practice has particularly benefited nut production by combining the nutrient-sequestering capacity of trees with continuous annual crop production, improving soil nutrient and water utilization. Intercropping systems not only enhance nut yield and quality but also offer economic advantages to farmers. This review synthesized the existing literature with the aim of highlighting not only the positive aspects that intercropping brings to the production of nuts, but also the challenges and limitations faced in different regions when it comes to agricultural production.

Keywords: diversified crop cultivation; nuts; sustainability; biodiversity; polyculture; intercropping (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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