Data and Code for Hansen et al

Plasticulture is a rapidly growing and globally used high-intensity production system with limited understanding of long-term consequences. We systemically integrate biotic, abiotic, and economic aspects to evaluate compact bed plasticulture (CBP). CBP is a resource-efficient redesign which uses narrower and taller bed geometry to reduce inputs, costs, production stress, and environmental impact. Experimental sites were opportunistically situated on commercial farms to make scale-relevant, translational research for large-scale adoption. The evaluation involved a holistic analysis of several metrics including yield, soil moisture levels, microbial diversity, nematode count, disease incidence, soil nutrient concentrations, input productivity, and economics. CBP increased yield and nutrient uptake and reduced drought/saturation stresses, pest (nematode), diseases (fusarium), runoff/flooding, and nitrate leaching. CBP not only reduced pre-plant pesticides by 40% but also made the use of costly, more selective pesticide alternatives economically analogous to conventional fumigants. Alternative pesticides with CBP increased soil microbial diversity while reducing the abundance of root-knot nematodes and fusarium wilt, two global crop stressors. Reduction in abiotic and biotic stressors achieved greater yields and profits (US$2,798/ha) while increasing nitrogen (12%), phosphorus (12%), water (12%), and plastic (24%) productivity and reducing the carbon footprint (10%). These synergistic benefits have impelled large-scale North American adoption. Complete adoption of CBP on tomato farms in North America would result in a 4.4 Mt reduction in plastics, a 22.8 Mt reduction in pesticide, and a $183 million increase in annual income. The dual strategy of CBP and alternative pesticides is an innovation that enhances productivity sustainability of plasticulture while reducing risks and environmental impacts.