Field Crop 2024, Vol.7, No.5, 261-269 http://cropscipublisher.com/index.php/fc 261 Research Insight Open Access Environmental Assessments of Triticale Cultivation: Implications for Crop Rotation and Soil Health Renxiang Cai Zhejiang Agronomist College, Hangzhou, 310021, Zhejiang, China Corresponding email: rxcai@sina.com Field Crop, 2024, Vol.7, No.5 doi: 10.5376/fc.2024.07.0026 Received: 17 Jul., 2024 Accepted: 06 Aug., 2024 Published: 18 Sep., 2024 Copyright © 2024 Cai, This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Preferred citation for this article: Cai R.X., 2024, Environmental assessments of triticale cultivation: implications for crop rotation and soil health, Field Crop, 7(5): 261-269 (doi: 10.5376/fc.2024.07.0026) Abstract Triticale, a hybrid cereal, has gained attention for its potential contributions to sustainable agriculture. This study focuses on the environmental assessments of triticale cultivation, particularly its implications for crop rotation and soil health, explores the agronomic characteristics of triticale, emphasizing its historical background, suitability for crop rotations, and soil health benefits, and assesses the environmental impacts of triticale on soil structure, microbial activity, organic matter content, and erosion control. A case study was conducted to evaluate the effects of triticale cultivation on soil health indicators, offering insights into its role in enhancing soil fertility, weed suppression, and pest management within crop rotation systems. While triticale presents benefits for improving soil health and agricultural sustainability, challenges related to environmental constraints, soil management, and economic factors were identified. This study concludes with recommendations for integrating triticale into sustainable crop rotations and offers guidelines for best practices in soil health improvement. Future research should focus on optimizing triticale's role in sustainable farming practices, supporting long-term soil health and crop productivity. Keywords Triticale cultivation; Crop rotation; Soil health; Environmental assessment; Sustainable agriculture 1 Introduction Triticale (×Triticosecale Wittmack) is a hybrid cereal crop developed by crossing wheat (Triticumspp.) and rye (Secale cereale L.). This man-made species combines the high yield potential and grain quality of wheat with the vigor and resistance to diseases and abiotic stresses of rye, making it suitable for cultivation in less favorable environments (Kwiatek et al., 2023; Ma and Cai, 2024). Triticale is primarily used for forage and grain production, but it is also gaining popularity as a cover crop due to its ability to improve soil health and reduce nutrient leaching (Ayalew et al., 2018; Mergoum et al., 2019). The crop's adaptability to various environmental conditions and its potential for high biomass yield make it a valuable addition to agricultural systems (Mcgoverin et al., 2011; Faccini et al., 2023). Environmental assessments are crucial in agriculture to ensure sustainable farming practices that do not compromise soil health or ecosystem services. These assessments help in understanding the impact of different crops and farming techniques on soil properties, nutrient cycling, and overall environmental sustainability (Dias et al., 2015). For instance, dual-purpose cover crops like triticale can provide significant ecosystem services, such as nutrient management and carbon sequestration, while also offering additional forage production (Glaze-Corcoran et al., 2023). Evaluating the environmental implications of triticale cultivation can guide farmers in making informed decisions about crop rotation and soil management practices, ultimately leading to more resilient and sustainable agricultural systems. This study assesses the environmental impact of planting black oats, particularly its effects on crop rotation and soil health, including the evaluation of the ability of crops to improve soil properties, manage nutrients, and promote sustainable agricultural practices, aiming to provide insights to optimize the use of black oats in agricultural systems while ensuring economic and environmental benefits.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjQ4ODYzNA==