Conservation agriculture improves soil health and sustains crop yields after long-term warming

Jialing Teng, Ruixing Hou, Jennifer A. J. Dungait, Guiyao Zhou, Yakov Kuzyakov, Jingbo Zhang, Jing Tian (), Zhenling Cui (), Fusuo Zhang and Manuel Delgado-Baquerizo ()
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Jialing Teng: China Agricultural University
Ruixing Hou: Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS)
Jennifer A. J. Dungait: Rennes Drive
Guiyao Zhou: Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
Yakov Kuzyakov: University of Göttingen
Jingbo Zhang: China Agricultural University
Jing Tian: China Agricultural University
Zhenling Cui: China Agricultural University
Fusuo Zhang: China Agricultural University
Manuel Delgado-Baquerizo: Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)

Nature Communications, 2024, vol. 15, issue 1, 1-12

Abstract: Abstract Climate warming threatens global food security by exacerbating pressures on degraded soils under intensive crop production. Conservation agriculture is promoted as a sustainable solution that improves soil health and sustains crop yields in a changing climate, but these benefits may be affected by long-term warming. Here, we investigate the effects of conservation agriculture compared to conventional agriculture on 17 soil properties, microbial diversity and crop yields, during eight-years’ experimental warming. An overall positive effect of warming on soil health over time under conservation agriculture is characterized by linear increases in soil organic carbon and microbial biomass carbon. Warming-triggered shifts in microbial biomass carbon and fungal diversity (saprogen richness) are directly linked to a 9.3% increase in wheat yields over eight years, but only under conservation agriculture. Overall, conservation agriculture results in an average 21% increase in soil health and supports similar levels of crop production after long-term warming compared to conventional agriculture. Our work provides insights into the potential benefits of conservation agriculture for long-term sustainable food production because improved soil health improves resilience to the effects of climate warming.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-53169-6

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