Integrating legumes to enhance cereal production: The relative inputs of fertiliser nitrogen and legume biological nitrogen fixation in major wheat and maize producing countries

Abstract

Abstract Background Cereal crops dominate arable agriculture and underpin global food supply. Cereal grain yield is closely related to crop nitrogen (N) uptake. However, excessive inputs of N fertiliser in cereal production systems can have negative environmental consequences and represent high financial risk for farmers. Scope This review explores opportunities to reduce the current reliance of the global staples, wheat ( Triticum aestivum ) and maize ( Zea mays ), on N fertiliser by diversifying cereal-based cropping systems with legumes, in both time (rotation) and space (via intercropping). Increases in cereal grain yield and N uptake resulting from the inclusion of legumes in wheat and maize cropping systems are examined across different geographic regions. The role of grain legumes and legume-based forages, cover-crops and green manures is described for the 15 countries responsible for producing > 70% of the world’s wheat and maize and consuming > 80% of the global applications of N fertiliser to these two cereals. Estimates of the contributions from biological N 2 fixation and legume residual N to cropping soils are provided for individual countries and compared to the N offtake in wheat and maize grain and the quantities of N fertiliser applied. The potential increased area of legumes required for the returns of legume N to match the current amounts of N removed in grain or supplied as fertiliser is assessed for each country, and the strategies that might be necessary to encourage farmers to increase the frequency of legumes used in cereal-dominated cropping systems are outlined.