Towards an Integrated Mycorrhizal Technology: Harnessing Mycorrhiza for Sustainable Intensification in Agriculture

Abstract

Sustainability in Agriculture In order to meet future needs of a growing human
\npopulation and to achieve food security in the context of climate change, food
\nproduction will likely need to increase—among other measures—while at the same
\ntime minimizing negative environmental impact (Foley et al., 2011).
\nSustainable intensification of agriculture (Garnett et al., 2013; Pretty and
\nBharucha, 2014; Andres and Bhullar, 2016; Gunton et al., 2016), sometimes also
\ncalled ecological intensification, is likely to include key aspects of
\nconservation agriculture (e.g., Hobbs et al., 2008; Giller et al., 2015).
\nPillars of conservation agriculture (FAO, 2015) are no-till practices
\n(Pittelkow et al., 2015), continuous crop cover (by various means, for example
\ncover crops) and diversification practices (multi-cropping and crop rotations;
\nPonisio et al., 2015).