Optimising crop rotation according to economic and environmental criteria allows us to improve their performance. As part of the CASDAR-PCB Project , various field-crop rotations in France were studied using the SALCA method.
The studies were conducted in the three French regions of Bourgogne, Moselle and Beauce. Our regional partners selected and described a number of representative and especially promising crop rotations. The modelling and LCA calculation involved the combinations of previous crop and subsequent crop. This permitted the efficient calculation of a large number of crop rotations with a limited number of crop combinations.
Results showed the use of nitrogen to have the greatest influence on environmental impacts. A reduction in nitrogen applications has a favourable effect on both the environmental impacts per unit of area and on eco-efficiency (environmental impacts per € gross margin). Such a reduction can be achieved by introducing legumes into the crop rotation, or by reducing N-fertiliser applications in the fertilised crops.
