Agronomy for Sustainable Development

Optimizing straw return management to suppress plant disease and promote plant growth. A meta-analysis - Agronomy for Sustainable Development Straw return improves soil and nutrient cycling but may aggravate diseases if mismanaged. However, the comprehensive impact of different straw return methods on plant diseases remains unclear. This st...

Chen, D., Yao, Y., Liu, D. et al. Optimizing straw return management to suppress plant disease and promote plant growth. A meta-analysis. Agron. Sustain. Dev. 46, 21 (2026).
doi.org/10.1007/s135...
#PlantDisease #MicrobialBalance

Co-designing a research agenda for UK agroforestry using a multi-actor approach - Agronomy for Sustainable Development There is growing recognition of agroforestry’s potential to help mitigate and provide resilience to the climate and biodiversity crises. Beyond its environmental benefits, agroforestry can also enhanc...

Hood, A.S.C., Scholes, R.E., Degani, E. et al. Co-designing a research agenda for UK agroforestry using a multi-actor approach. Agron. Sustain. Dev. 46, 20 (2026).
doi.org/10.1007/s135...

Implementation of practices shapes the effectiveness of agricultural diversification for arthropod related ecosystem services: a meta-analysis - Agronomy for Sustainable Development Agricultural intensification has increased food production but has also caused significant environmental degradation and biodiversity loss. Diversification practices can mitigate these impacts while s...

Seimandi-Corda, G., MacLaren, C., Tougeron, K. et al. Implementation of practices shapes the effectiveness of agricultural diversification for arthropod related ecosystem services: a meta-analysis. Agron. Sustain. Dev. 46, 19 (2026).
doi.org/10.1007/s135...

Sustainable agricultural practices shape the weed seed bank. A meta-analysis - Agronomy for Sustainable Development The seed bank is a crucial component of weed populations and a key factor in determining future weed infestations in arable fields. Sustainable agricultural practices have been widely promoted as envi...

Shi, S., Yin, W., Niu, F. et al. Sustainable agricultural practices shape the weed seed bank. A meta-analysis. Agron. Sustain. Dev. 46, 18 (2026).
doi.org/10.1007/s135...

Pragmatic principles for supporting the agroecological transition in the field: a review - Agronomy for Sustainable Development The agroecological transition of agriculture is slow despite the wealth of knowledge produced to support it. Given the complexity and uncertainty of changing situations, the deterministic approach aim...

Hazard, L., Crivits, M., Ducos, A. et al. Pragmatic principles for supporting the agroecological transition in the field. A review. Agron. Sustain. Dev. 46, 17 (2026).
doi.org/10.1007/s135...

Evaluation of pesticide reduction strategies in cropping systems. A review - Agronomy for Sustainable Development The unsustainable and excessive use of pesticides in agriculture causes multi-faceted environmental and human health problems worldwide. Numerous strategies have been proposed to reduce pesticide use;...

Zhang, H., Makowski, D. Evaluation of pesticide reduction strategies in cropping systems. A review. Agron. Sustain. Dev. 46, 16 (2026).
doi.org/10.1007/s135...

Clarifying factors involved in historical soybean yield suppression in Japan using national statistics and a crop model - Agronomy for Sustainable Development Soybean yields have remained below 2.0 t ha−1 for over 30 years in Asian countries; however, few studies have analyzed national statistical data in detail to explore the underlying factors. This is th...

Kobayashi, S., Kunimitsu, Y. & Nakano, S. Clarifying factors involved in historical soybean yield suppression in Japan using national statistics and a crop model. Agron. Sustain. Dev. 46, 15 (2026).
doi.org/10.1007/s135...

A 7-year multi-criteria analysis of sugarcane intercropping compared to conventional cropping systems - Agronomy for Sustainable Development Long-term studies are crucial for evaluating how intercropping affects the agronomic, environmental, and socio-economic sustainability of sugarcane systems. Intercropping with cover crops is expected ...

Christina, M., Chetty, J., Ripoche, A. et al. A 7-year multi-criteria analysis of sugarcane intercropping compared to conventional cropping systems. Agron. Sustain. Dev. 46, 14 (2026).
doi.org/10.1007/s135...

Overcoming yield gaps in organic and biodynamic viticulture: insights from an 18-year field trial - Agronomy for Sustainable Development Addressing environmental degradation and fostering agricultural sustainability are critical challenges of the twenty-first century. Agroecological practices such as organic and biodynamic farming are ...

Döring, J., Steng, K., Wohlfahrt, Y. et al. Overcoming yield gaps in organic and biodynamic viticulture: insights from an 18-year field trial. Agron. Sustain. Dev. 46, 13 (2026).
doi.org/10.1007/s135...

Stakeholders’ perceptions of climate change point to future challenges for the adaptation of grain legumes - Agronomy for Sustainable Development The diversification of cropping systems using grain legumes has been identified as a crucial lever in the transition towards more sustainable agriculture in Europe. However, climate change will likely...

Marteau-Bazouni, M., Jeuffroy, MH. & Guilpart, N. Stakeholders’ perceptions of climate change point to future challenges for the adaptation of grain legumes. Agron. Sustain. Dev. 46, 12 (2026).
doi.org/10.1007/s135...

Designing crop rotations to support sustainable and healthy diets - Agronomy for Sustainable Development Balancing the social and environmental costs of food production with the nutritional needs of future populations under climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing twenty-first century agri...

De Clerck, C., Desmarez, T., Delandmeter, M. et al. Designing crop rotations to support sustainable and healthy diets. Agron. Sustain. Dev. 46, 11 (2026).
doi.org/10.1007/s135...

Reviewer acknowledgments—ASD 2025 - Agronomy for Sustainable Development Agronomy for Sustainable Development -

The journal Agronomy for Sustainable Development would like to express their sincere gratitude to the reviewers for their dedicated, thoughtful, and constructive assessments of the articles submitted to ASDE in 2025.
doi.org/10.1007/s135...

ASD launches a new Virtual Issue: Innovation for Agrifood System Transition: Theoretical and Practical Insights.
Call for papers: link.springer.com/collections/...
Guest editors: Marie-Hélène Jeuffroy, PhD - Mariana Scarlato, PhD - Diana Ortiz, PhD - Agnès Lelièvre, PhD -Marjolein Derks, PhD

Farm motorization and expansion in Sub-Saharan Africa lead farmers to intensify legume cropping systems - Agronomy for Sustainable Development In certain Sub-Saharan African countries, a transition is underway that involves increased motorization and herbicide use. This study is the first to investigate whether these recent changes are trans...

Lairez, J., Bakker, T., d’Anfray, A. et al. Farm motorization and expansion in Sub-Saharan Africa lead farmers to intensify legume cropping systems. Agron. Sustain. Dev. 46, 9 (2026).
doi.org/10.1007/s135...
#AgroecologicalTransition #FamilyFarming

Potential of local collective action to reduce pesticide use in a French Mediterranean landscape - Agronomy for Sustainable Development Pesticide use in agriculture has significant negative impacts on human health, ecosystems, and natural resources. The failure to meet targets for pesticide reduction at the farm level underscores the ...

Parmantier, M., Moraine, M. & Prost, L. Potential of local collective action to reduce pesticide use in a French Mediterranean landscape. Agron. Sustain. Dev. 46, 8 (2026).
doi.org/10.1007/s135...
#Pesticide #Agroecology

Intercropping increases soil multifunctionality potentially by increasing the abundance of functional genes: evidence from a long-term field experiment - Agronomy for Sustainable Development Ecosystem functionality and essential services for human well-being have been degraded by intensively managed monoculture cropping systems. Intercropping may offer a means of maintaining and increasin...

Yin, XT., Xiao, CL., Hao, ZH. et al. Intercropping increases soil multifunctionality potentially by increasing the abundance of functional genes: evidence from a long-term field experiment. Agron. Sustain. Dev. 46, 7 (2026).
doi.org/10.1007/s135...
#Intercropping #MicrobialFunctionalGenes

Production advantage of crop-ley pasture-livestock mixed farming over pure-cropping system under climate change - Agronomy for Sustainable Development The adoption of crop-livestock mixed farming systems offers product diversification and reduces reliance on external inputs compared to traditional cropping systems. However, the impact of rotation de...

Wang, Z., Liu, D.L., Wang, B. et al. Production advantage of crop-ley pasture-livestock mixed farming over pure-cropping system under climate change. Agron. Sustain. Dev. 46, 6 (2026).
doi.org/10.1007/s135...
#MixedFarmingSystem #ClimateChange

Crop residues moderately influence cumulative N2O emissions through their carbon to nitrogen ratio in a 12-year experiment in northern France - Agronomy for Sustainable Development Crop residues and their management are central to the performance of cropping systems. However, we lack information on the extent to which crop residues influence their N₂O emissions, especially over ...

Belleville, P., Keuper, F., Ferchaud, F. et al. Crop residues moderately influence cumulative N2O emissions through their carbon to nitrogen ratio in a 12-year experiment in northern France. Agron. Sustain. Dev. 46, 5 (2026).
doi.org/10.1007/s135...
#CroppingSsystem

Comparing controlled-environment-urban agriculture to conventional agriculture across Canada - Agronomy for Sustainable Development The growth and urbanization of the world’s population necessitate re-evaluating how cities procure food. Urban food systems rely on industrialized agriculture and extended supply chains which generate...

Cabanillas, E., Goldstein, B. & Lefsrud, M. Comparing controlled-environment-urban agriculture to conventional agriculture across Canada. Agron. Sustain. Dev. 46, 4 (2026).
doi.org/10.1007/s135...
#UrbanAgriculture

Impacts of long-term conservation agriculture and nitrogen management on maize yield, soil carbon sequestration, and nitrogen cycling in the Indo-Gangetic Plains - Agronomy for Sustainable Development To address sustainability challenges in the North-Western Indo-Gangetic Plains (NW-IGP), conservation agriculture and diversification from rice to maize have been promoted. However, nitrogen (N) manag...

Patra, K., Parihar, C.M., Jat, S.L. et al. Impacts of long-term conservation agriculture and nitrogen management on maize yield, soil carbon sequestration, and nitrogen cycling in the Indo-Gangetic Plains. Agron. Sustain. Dev. 46, 1 (2026).
doi.org/10.1007/s135...
#ConservationAgriculture

Corn responses to nitrogen fertilization as influenced by cover cropping. a meta-analysis - Agronomy for Sustainable Development Adoption of cover crops in corn-producing regions of the United States (U.S.) has progressed at an uneven pace. Since corn is a nitrogen (N) demanding crop, a limited understanding of N fertilizer man...

Juneja, P., Baath, G.S., Brar, J.S. et al. Corn responses to nitrogen fertilization as influenced by cover cropping. a meta-analysis. Agron. Sustain. Dev. 46, 3 (2026).
doi.org/10.1007/s135...
#Maize #Yield #CoverCrops

Grower motivations, challenges, and perceptions of sustainability for vineyard floor management in Australia - Agronomy for Sustainable Development As the degradation of agricultural soils and loss of biodiversity are becoming more widespread in response to intensive agricultural practices, the strategic management of vineyards for resilient and ...

Kesser, M.M., Cavagnaro, T.R., De Bei, R. et al. Grower motivations, challenges, and perceptions of sustainability for vineyard floor management in Australia. Agron. Sustain. Dev. 46, 2 (2026).
doi.org/10.1007/s135...
#SustainableViticulture

Due to the holiday season, article processing and correspondence to authors will be in slow mode until January 5. Thank you for your understanding.

Effect of climate change adaptation options on maize yield across different agro-climatic zones in South Asia. A meta-analysis - Agronomy for Sustainable Development Maize (Zea mays L.), despite being an important cereal crop, faces up to 30% yield loss due to climate-induced hazards such as heat and drought. Various adaptation options have been suggested to mitig...

Jain, N., Verma, H., Deo, A. et al. Effect of climate change adaptation options on maize yield across different agro-climatic zones in South Asia. A meta-analysis. Agron. Sustain. Dev. 45, 78 (2025).
doi.org/10.1007/s135...
#Maize

Open on-Station System Experiments (OSEs) as innovation intermediaries to foster agroecological transitions: case studies from France - Agronomy for Sustainable Development The development of agroecology requires an ambitious, multi-level transformation of knowledge and innovation systems. The literature shows that intermediary actors and organizations play an important ...

Cardona, A., Mignolet, C., Angeon, V. et al. Open on-Station System Experiments (OSEs) as innovation intermediaries to foster agroecological transitions: case studies from France. Agron. Sustain. Dev. 45, 77 (2025).
doi.org/10.1007/s135...
#Agroecology

Competitive yields in organic and agroforestry cacao cropping systems: results from 15 years of a long-term systems comparison trial in Bolivia - Agronomy for Sustainable Development Cacao production is facing challenges of low productivity due to low soil fertility and climate change. Agroforestry and organic farming are potential sustainable and climate-resilient alternatives, b...

Rüegg, J., Saj, S., Schneidewind, U. et al. Competitive yields in organic and agroforestry cacao cropping systems: results from 15 years of a long-term systems comparison trial in Bolivia. Agron. Sustain. Dev. 45, 76 (2025).
doi.org/10.1007/s135...
#CropDiversification #OrganicAgriculture

Co-designing an eco-citizen dairy cattle farming system experiment: insights from practice - Agronomy for Sustainable Development The livestock farming sector is under pressure to transition towards sustainable systems that meet the expectations of both farmers and society. Such transitions require design approaches that combine...

Taverne, M., Bouchon, M., Pomiès, D. et al. Co-designing an eco-citizen dairy cattle farming system experiment: insights from practice. Agron. Sustain. Dev. 45, 75 (2025).
doi.org/10.1007/s135...
#DemonstrationFarm #DairyFarming

To plow or not to plow: Endogenous strategies for preparing mangrove swamp rice fields - Agronomy for Sustainable Development Land preparation practices for rice planting or sowing rely on endogenous knowledge and are compromised by climate change in the mangrove swamp rice farming in Guinea-Bissau. Interventions to adapt to...

Cossa, V.S.I., Stomph, T.J., Barbosa, A.M. et al. To plow or not to plow: Endogenous strategies for preparing mangrove swamp rice fields. Agron. Sustain. Dev. 45, 74 (2025).
doi.org/10.1007/s135...
#RainfedSystem #FarmersInnovations

Enhancing truffle orchard management: agronomic practices and their impact on yield and crop development—a review - Agronomy for Sustainable Development Truffles are highly valued edible fungi belonging to the genus Tuber which grow wild in symbiotic association with the roots of many perennial plants. Due to their high market value and the decline in...

Sánchez, S., Murat, C., Donnini, D. et al. Enhancing truffle orchard management: agronomic practices and their impact on yield and crop development—a review. Agron. Sustain. Dev. 45, 73 (2025).
doi.org/10.1007/s135...
#TruffleCultivation #SoilManagement #CropYield #Sustainability

Tackling the question of work in systemic agronomy. A review - Agronomy for Sustainable Development Changes in farming systems worldwide, such as automation, mechanization, and agroecological transitions, raise issues related to work in agriculture. Several scientific communities have explored dimen...

Bakker, T. Tackling the question of work in systemic agronomy. A review. Agron. Sustain. Dev. 45, 72 (2025).
doi.org/10.1007/s135...
#LivestockSystem #FarmingSystem #AgroecologicalTransition