Crop mixtures in France: dynamics and drivers

There is now evidence that crop diversification in time, with more diversified rotations, and in space, through crop mixtures, can help restore ecosystem services and represent a potential key lever to reduce pesticide use. However, research has often analysed the effects of crop mixtures on pesticide use over small areas (e.g., single plots or fields), whereas these effects need to be evaluated over larger and more realistic spatial extents to fully assess their potential to reduce pesticide use. In this project, we aim to understand the temporal and spatial dynamics of crop mixtures in France and assess the potential of crop mixtures for pesticide use reduction. For that purpose, we need to first identify the drivers for mixture use in France and test the hypothesis that organic farming and livestock are key drivers for crop mixtures.