Sunflower crop: environmental-friendly and agroecological

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) crop is often labelled as environmental-friendly for many objective reasons: limited amounts of N fertiliser, no irrigation, and limited use of pesticides. In addition, sunflower has a potential for providing multiple ecosystem services in diverse cropping systems (e.g. pollinators feeding). However agroecological innovations have been less developed or disseminated than for cereals or oilseed rape. Based on results from the sunflower research consortium in Toulouse (Mestries and Debaeke. 2016. Journees d’echanges Tournesol, 28 et 29 juin 2016, Toulouse (France)), we illustrate some innovating and promising approaches for more agroecological practices in sunflower cropping. Our results suggested that: integrated crop management could be proposed to limit the use of pesticides and mitigate crop damages; cover crops could be used as biofumigants to control soilborne diseases in sunflower; intercropping sunflower with soybean could be a valuable option for maximizing resource-use efficiency in low-input environments; sunflower yield could be maintained at good level in very low input cropping systems. Previous examples point out how agroecological principles could be applied to sunflower crop to improve its production in low-input conditions, and enhance the ecosystem services deliverable by this oilseed crop.

[1]  N. Langlade,et al.  Sunflower crop and climate change: vulnerability, adaptation, and mitigation potential from case-studies in Europe , 2017 .

[2]  E. Justes,et al.  Innovative cropping systems to reduce N inputs and maintain wheat yields by inserting grain legumes and cover crops in southwestern France , 2017 .

[3]  Thierry Doré,et al.  Using a multicriteria assessment model to evaluate the sustainability of conservation agriculture at the cropping system level in France , 2016 .

[4]  F. Vear.  Changes in sunflower breeding over the last fifty years , 2016 .

[5]  L. S. Pereira,et al.  Modeling water use, transpiration and soil evaporation of spring wheat–maize and spring wheat–sunflower relay intercropping using the dual crop coefficient approach , 2016 .

[6]  E. Justes,et al.  How to implement biodiversity-based agriculture to enhance ecosystem services: a review , 2015, Agronomy for Sustainable Development.

[7]  Eric Justes,et al.  Ecological principles underlying the increase of productivity achieved by cereal-grain legume intercrops in organic farming. A review , 2015, Agronomy for Sustainable Development.

[8]  Santiago L. Poggio,et al.  Intercropping sunflower and soybean in intensive farming systems: Evaluating yield advantage and effect on weed and insect assemblages , 2014 .

[9]  C. Neubauer,et al.  Biofumigation potential of Brassicaceae cultivars to Verticillium dahliae , 2014, European Journal of Plant Pathology.

[10]  H. Gómez-Macpherson,et al.  The impact of conservation agriculture on smallholder agricultural yields: A scoping review of the evidence , 2014 .

[11]  D. S. Rana,et al.  A Review on Recycling of Sunflower Residue for Sustaining Soil Health , 2014 .

[12]  Jean-Noël Aubertot,et al.  Injury Profile SIMulator, a Qualitative Aggregative Modelling Framework to Predict Crop Injury Profile as a Function of Cropping Practices, and the Abiotic and Biotic Environment. I. Conceptual Bases , 2013, PloS one.

[13]  P. Debaeke,et al.  Analysis of the influence of a sunflower canopy on Phomopsis helianthi epidemics as a function of cropping practices , 2013 .

[14]  E. Justes,et al.  Is sunflower-soybean intercropping an efficient solution for increasing natural resources use efficiency and yield production? , 2013 .

[15]  F. Delmotte,et al.  Emerging virulence arising from hybridisation facilitated by multiple introductions of the sunflower downy mildew pathogen Plasmopara halstedii. , 2012, Fungal genetics and biology : FG & B.

[16]  José F. Andrade,et al.  Sunflower–Soybean Intercrop Productivity under Different Water Conditions and Sowing Managements , 2012 .

[17]  P. Abbate,et al.  Yield response to plant density of maize and sunflower intercropped with soybean , 2011 .

[18]  Jérémie Lecoeur,et al.  SUNFLO, a model to simulate genotype-specific performance of the sunflower crop in contrasting environments , 2011 .

[19]  P. Panneerselvam,et al.  Impact of nutrient management and agro-forestry systems on growth and yield of sunflower. , 2011 .

[20]  É. Pilorgé.  Nouveau contexte environnemental et réglementaire : quel impact pour la culture du tournesol ? , 2010 .

[21]  A. Rodríguez-Lizana,et al.  N, P and K released by the field decomposition of residues of a pea-wheat-sunflower rotation , 2010, Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems.

[22]  V. Olowe,et al.  Intercropping Sunflower with Soyabeans Enhances Total Crop Productivity , 2009 .

[23]  P. Calviño,et al.  Farming Systems of Argentina: Yield Constraints and Risk Management , 2009 .

[24]  R. Larkin,et al.  Control of soilborne potato diseases using Brassica green manures. , 2007 .

[25]  Laurence Guichard,et al.  Pesticides, agriculture et environnement. Réduire l'utilisation des pesticides et en limiter les impacts environnementaux. Expertise scientifique collective Inra-Cemagref (décembre 2005) , 2007 .

[26]  Gregory A. Jones,et al.  Intercropping sunflower in organic vegetables to augment bird predators of arthropods , 2006 .

[27]  Ross Gagliano,et al.  Review of , 2006, UBIQ.

[28]  P. Debaeke,et al.  Experimental determination and modelling of the soil water extraction capacities of crops of maize, sunflower, soya bean, sorghum and wheat , 1998, Plant and Soil.

[29]  J. Kirkegaard,et al.  Biofumigation potential of brassicas , 1998, Plant and Soil.

[30]  D. Griffiths.  The fine structure of developing microsclerotia of Verticillium dahliae Kleb. , 1970, Archiv für Mikrobiologie.

[31]  N. Eychenne,et al.  Les methodes alternatives pour lutter contre les maladies en grandes cultures , 2004 .

[32]  R. Mithen.  Leaf glucosinolate profiles and their relationship to pest and disease resistance in oilseed rape , 2004, Euphytica.

[33]  P. Debaeke,et al.  Influence of crop management on sunflower stem canker (Diaporthe helianthi) , 2003 .

[34]  J. Nolot,et al.  Principes et outils de conception, conduite et évaluation de systèmes de culture , 2003 .

[35]  J. Kirkegaard,et al.  In vitro inhibition of soil microorganisms by 2-phenylethyl isothiocyanate , 2002 .

[36]  Martin H. Entz,et al.  Root System and Water Use Patterns of Different Height Sunflower Cultivars , 2002 .

[37]  K. Delaplane,et al.  Crop Pollination by Bees , 2000 .

[38]  P. Debaeke,et al.  Crop management systems for rainfed and irrigated sunflower (Helianthus annuus) in south-western France , 1998, The Journal of Agricultural Science.

[39]  J. Kirkegaard,et al.  ASSESSING THE BIOFUMIGATION POTENTIAL OF CRUCIFERS , 1998 .

[40]  A. Schneiter,et al.  Intercropping legumes into sunflower at different growth stages , 1997 .

[41]  L. Lazzeri,et al.  In Vitro Fungitoxic Activity of Some Glucosinolates and Their Enzyme-Derived Products toward Plant Pathogenic Fungi , 1997 .

[42]  P. Rosset,et al.  Agroecology and the conversion of lárge‐scale conventional systems to sustainable management , 1996 .

[43]  G. Bruehl.  Soilborne plant pathogens , 1987 .

[44]  R. Robinson.  Sunflower for strip, row, and relay intercropping , 1984 .

[45]  R. W. Willey,et al.  Studies on mixtures of maize and beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) with particular reference to plant population , 1972, The Journal of Agricultural Science.