Intercropping systems: a pathway to more sustainable and resilient camelina cultivation

Agriculture in developed countries has increasingly relied on intensive practices, contributing to the degradation of soil health and biodiversity. Organic farming is considered a key model for improving the sustainability of current agricultural practices. However, sustainable strategies are needed in order to increase the use of nutrients that can only be supplied organically. Numerous studies have highlighted the significant ability of intercropping systems to increase seed yield, plant N and P acquisition, weed control, and below and aboveground biodiversity. Camelina is attracting considerable attention from both the research community and the industry due to its agronomic traits and quality characteristics. The aim of the present study evaluates the productive, quality, and environmental aspects of intercropping systems including camelina under organic farming. In the first chapter, two intercropping systems were studied: camelina-pea and camelina-lentil, in comparison to their respective monocultures. The camelina-pea intercropping system proved to be the most promising, yielding more than the combined yields of their respective monocultures on the same land area (LER>1), without compromising the pea’s yield. In the second chapter, qualitative analyses were conducted on the most promising intercropping system. Camelina in intercropping significantly increased the oil percentage (36.5%) and reduced the percentage of saturated fatty acids (SFA, 10.06%), while the pea showed no significant variations. In the final chapter, the role of microorganisms in the absorption of nitrogen and phosphorus in the intercropping system was explored. An increase in nitrogen fixation and nitrogen absorption exceeding 165% was observed compared to when the individual species are grown separately. After three years of study, camelina has proven to be suitable for intercropping with pea, offering advantages in terms of productivity, quality, and environmental impact. Further research is needed regarding genetic improvement and mechanization to make these systems more efficient and cost-effective.