In protected vegetable systems of the Mediterranean area, rotations are based on a limited number of species and botanical families. In the long term, this favours the development of soil pests and diseases.

On arable farms without livestock, nitrogen insufficiency can occur when cultivating nutrient demanding crops like maize. This can lead to yield losses and weed infestation. Use a green manure of winter field peas before growing crops that have a high nitrogen demand in the rotation.  Ploughing in winter field peas in spring can provide more than 100 kg of nitrogen to the following crop and increase yield. The improved development of the crop also leads to improved weed control.

The study is published in the journal Insects. Mediterranean environments are especially susceptible to soil erosion and to inappropriate soil management, leading to accelerated soil loss. Sustainable Land Management (SLM) practices (such as reduced tillage, no-tillage, cover crops, etc.,) have the potential to reduce soil, organic carbon (OC), and nutrient losses by erosion. However, the effectivity of these practices is site-dependent and varies under different rainfall conditions.