Land Use, Yield and Quality Changes of Minor Field Crops: Is There Superseded Potential to Be Reinvented in Northern Europe?

Diversification of agriculture was one of the strengthened aims of the greening payment of European Agricultural Policy (CAP) as diversification provides numerous ecosystems services compared to cereal-intensive crop rotations. This study focuses on current minor crops in Finland that have potential for expanded production and considers changes in their cropping areas, yield trends, breeding gains, roles in crop rotations and potential for improving resilience. Long-term datasets of Natural Resources Institute Finland and farmers’ land use data from the Agency of Rural Affairs were used to analyze the above-mentioned trends and changes. The role of minor crops in rotations declined when early and late CAP periods were compared and that of cereal monocultures strengthened. Genetic yield potentials of minor crops have increased as also genetic improvements in quality traits, although some typical trade-offs with improved yields have also appeared. However, the gap between potential and attained yields has expanded, depending on the minor crop, as national yield trends have either stagnated or declined. When comparing genetic improvements of minor crops to those of the emerging major crop, spring wheat, breeding achievements in minor crops were lower. It was evident that the current agricultural policies in the prevailing market and the price environment have not encouraged cultivation of minor crops but further strengthened the role of cereal monocultures. We suggest optimization of agricultural land use, which is a core element of sustainable intensification, as a future means to couple long-term environmental sustainability with better success in economic profitability and social acceptability. This calls for development of effective policy instruments to support farmer’s diversification actions.

农业多元化是欧洲共同农业政策（CAP）绿色支付的强化目标之一，相较于谷物集约化轮作模式，多元化农业可提供诸多生态系统服务。本研究聚焦芬兰当前具备扩大种植潜力的小宗作物，分析其种植面积变化、产量趋势、育种增益、在轮作制度中的角色以及提升农业抗风险能力的潜力。本研究采用芬兰自然资源研究所的长期数据集与农村事务署提供的农户土地利用数据，对上述趋势与变化展开分析。对比CAP实施的早期与后期阶段，小宗作物在轮作中的占比有所下降，而谷物单作的地位则得到强化。小宗作物的遗传产量潜力与品质性状遗传改良均有所提升，但伴随高产改良也出现了部分典型的权衡效应。不过，受小宗作物品类差异影响，潜在产量与实际产量之间的差距有所扩大——全国层面的产量趋势要么陷入停滞，要么出现下滑。将小宗作物的遗传改良进展与新兴主栽作物春小麦相比，小宗作物的育种成果相对有限。研究表明，当前市场与价格环境下的农业政策并未鼓励农户种植小宗作物，反而进一步强化了谷物单作的主导地位。我们提出，优化农业土地利用（可持续集约化的核心要素）可作为未来兼顾长期环境可持续性与提升经济收益、社会认可度的可行路径。这一目标亟需开发有效的政策工具，以支持农户开展多元化种植行动。