The effects of integrated food and bioenergy cropping systems on crop yields, soil health, and biomass quality: the EU and Brazilian experience

Data Set

This multiyear and multi-location study provides new insights on the integration of dedicated legume crops within conventional EU (wheat-maize) and Brazilian (sugarcane) farming systems so to meet the forecasted increasing feedstock demands for the production of renewable transport biofuels without negatively affecting food production nor soil fertility. Sunn hemp demonstrated to be a suitable leguminous fiber feedstock to be grown in extended crop rotations. Integrating sunn hemp within the conventional systems in EU did not have negative effects on food yields, while feedstock availability increased up to 2.0 times. In Brazil, sugarcane stalks yield increased up to 15 Mg ha-1.