Picasso, Valentin
- Department of Crop Production Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Abstract
Annual grains form the basis of human diets and thus agricultural systems, but the seasonal fallow phases inherent in their production pose environmental challenges. While cover cropping and perennial grains offer potential solutions, both currently carry significant practical hurdles to wide-scale implementation. Here we introduce self-cover cropping systems - achieved through post-harvest crop regrowth - to deliver cover crop-like ecosystem services with fewer challenges. As a corollary, we define plusquam-annuals (meaning "more-than annuals") as a distinct, novel crop growth habit characterized by a single grain harvest followed by regrowth with no expectation of a second grain harvest. We suggest viable plusquam-annual cereals may already exist and offer a conceptual framework that invites empirical exploration with both applied and theoretical significance for supporting sustainable agricultural systems.
Keywords
Cropping systems; Cover crops; Perennials; Farm labor; Nitrate leaching; Sustainability
Published in
Agricultural Systems
2026, volume: 234, article number: 104657
Publisher: ELSEVIER SCI LTD
SLU Authors
UKÄ Subject classification
Agricultural Science
Publication identifier
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2026.104657
Permanent link to this page (URI)
https://res.slu.se/id/publ/146307