June 29, 2023 | Nature Climate Change
Researchers from INRAE in France and University of Aberdeen in UK explore the potential impact of scaling up organic farming on cropland soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks.
The study reveals that a complete global conversion to organic farming without cover crops and plant residue would lead to a 40% reduction in soil carbon input and a 9% decline in SOC stocks. However, adopting an optimal organic scenario, incorporating widespread cover cropping and enhanced residue recycling, could mitigate these effects, resulting in a 31% reduction in soil carbon input with preserved SOC after 20 years of organic farming. The findings emphasize the importance of implementing specific farming practices within organic systems to ensure the potential for soil carbon sequestration is maximized.
Read more: Soil organic carbon stocks potentially at risk of decline with organic farming expansion
Fig. 3 Additional SOC stocks per ha (t C ha−1 yr−1) due to cover cropping in the optimal organic scenario compared to the normative organic scenario. The optimal organic scenario compared to the normative organic scenario.