The ambition of the project SUSTAGRI is to characterize benefits and limits of adopting a diversified crop rotation, a reduced soil tillage and a reduced herbicide application by looking at their agronomic, environmental, and socioeconomic impacts. We will base our analysis on three field trials (two in Nyon and one in Reckenholz) where different agroecological strategies are combined according to a proper experimental design. During the period 2026-2029, we will focus more specifically on:

1. Assessment of weed-crop competition and their effects on crop yield;
2. Socio-economics outcomes: profitability and management complexity;
3. Soil microbiome;
4. Soil organic carbon (quantity and quality) and soil structural quality;
5. Cropping system sustainability based on economic, social and environmental indicators.

Our goal is to test, under the specific regional conditions, which management practices work best together as part of the ecological intensification of agriculture so to provide priorities for farmers and policymakers.