Productivity and resource use efficiency in strip intercropping in the Netherlands

Summary

Intercropping is the cultivation of multiple crop species together in the same field for at least part of their growth cycles. In Western Europe, cereal/legume mixtures are common, often in full mixtures or alternating rows in low-input or organic agriculture, aimed at minimising anthropogenic inputs. However, they typically yield less than strip intercropping, where species are grown in narrow strips with locally recommended input levels for conventional agriculture. Yet, there is limited knowledge on strip intercropping with moderate inputs in Western Europe, leaving its viability uncertain. This thesis assessed yield responses, resource capture and conversion efficiency of strip intercropping involving different species combinations under conventional management in the Netherlands. It aims to offer a viable option for crop diversification in the country and potentially across broader Western-European regions.