Ecosystem service-oriented undersowing of complex grass-herb mixtures with legumes in mixed cropping with cereals as a climate-adaptive farming system

Legumes play a key role in the transition to more sustainable, climate-resilient, and ecosystem-friendly agricultural systems. Nevertheless, Flemish farmers remain somewhat reluctant to grow these crops, partly due to fluctuating yields and uncertainty about profitability. EcoVlinder is therefore investigating and optimizing an innovative cropping system. In this system, cereals are intercropped with annual legumes (such as peas or faba beans) as main crop, combined with undersowing a grass-herb mixture containing perennial legumes (such as clovers and alfalfa). This makes it possible to harvest one to two cuts of protein-rich forage within the same growing season after the main crop has been harvested. Within the EcoVlinder project, the cultivation, harvest, and silage conservation of both crop components are being optimized. The project investigates how this cropping system can contribute to more stable and efficient forage production, increased protein self-sufficiency, and enhanced ecosystem services, such as less erosion and increased agrobiodiversity. In this way, EcoVlinder supports the development of future-oriented agricultural systems that offer benefits to both farmers and the broader agro-ecosystem.