The overarching goal of DIVERSify is to provide a novel system for sustainable crop production by developing arable and grassland crop species mixtures – or 'plant teams' - with improved productivity, pest and disease control and environmental benefits. This community collates the publications and outputs from research and applied practice to understand the benefits of high plant species diversity in agricultural systems. This includes examining how synergistic plant teams can maintain yields, reduce yield losses due to weeds, pests and diseases, and provide resilience against environmental fluctuations, as well as identifying the plant traits and agronomic practices that promote these benefits. For more information visit www.plant-teams.org. The project was funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation programme under Grant Agreement Number 727284.

The DIVERSify project is designed to create a step-change in European agriculture by championing the multi-actor approach, working to build farming capacity to grow plant teams and provide evidence-based support to agricultural policy. By conducting participatory research with farmers and innovating in partnership with extension services, breeders and SMEs, the project has co-constructed a new applied approach capitalising on the benefits of high plant species diversity in farming and the tools to support its implementation. This has been achieved through scientifically proven, field-tested evidence on ecological concepts and mechanisms to identify important crop traits and cultivars for plant teams, and user-friendly tools and guidelines for farmers and advisors in diverse pedo-climatic conditions to promote uptake of diversity-rich crop breeding and agronomic practices. For more information visit www.plant-teams.org.

Awards

Designing InnoVative plant teams for Ecosystem Resilience and agricultural Sustainability
European Commission