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Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

Abstract

Grasslands constitute one of the largest terrestrial biomes, providing essential ecosystem services such as biodiversity preservation, food production, and climate change mitigation. Globally, the desertification and degradation of grasslands have been accelerated by intensified land use and climate change. It is crucial to conserve and restore grasslands to address climate and biodiversity challenges. However, due to their diverse nature and undervalued benefits for humans, grasslands have often been overlooked in terms of preservation, conservation, and restoration compared to forests. In sustainable agriculture, intercropping grasses with legumes can enhance crop nutritional quality, increase productivity, and impact soil microbiological activity, ultimately leading to higher yields from subsequent crops. Including forage legumes is essential to improve both the quantity and quality of feed, which is crucial for livestock farmers aiming to enhance animal performance. One practical strategy to boost production, protein supply, herbage value, and species diversity in grasslands is the incorporation of forage legumes and herbs. This review examines the impact of grass–legume intercropping on soil nitrogen levels, species recruitment, and forage productivity, as well as the imperatives and opportunities for transforming agriculture and how grasslands respond to global changes.

Author ORCID Identifier

ALINA-ȘTEFANIA STANCIU: 0009-0008-3835-6981

DOI

10.55730/1300-011X.3261

Keywords

Grassland, biodiversity, grass-legume mixture, nitrogen fixation, perennial crops

First Page

215

Last Page

241

Publisher

Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK)

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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