Initially, we consulted agricultural stakeholders in Europe and Africa to identify best practice and challenges in plant team cropping. The resulting scientist-stakeholder partnerships led to participatory research with farmers and refinements in best practice guidelines (Objective 1). Guidelines and protocols were shared with farmers via the ‘InfoHub’ on the project website and are supporting follow-on participatory research by partners.
The stakeholder workshops highlighted knowledge gaps in species combinations, sowing designs, and densities. We conducted plant teams trials across Europe and in Lebanon over 3 growing seasons covering >50 plant teams (cereals, legumes, oilseeds, species-rich forage), generating scientific evidence of best performing species combinations and varieties under low/high input management and different pedoclimatic conditions. Data were analysed to reveal the mechanisms and crop traits underpinning plant team benefits in terms of crop yield and quality, soil fertility, resource use, pest and disease control, and agrobiodiversity (Objective 2). This led to a novel concept for plant breeding using an ‘Ecological Approach’ and an open access plant trait database to support future plant team breeding.
A new minimalistic mathematical model (M3), developed with crop breeders, used trial data to simulate plant team performance under different growing conditions and future climates. The model codes and outputs, along with field assessment protocols and findings on best-performing plant teams, were disseminated to scientists, breeders and farmers to aid selection of cultivars and breeding targets for plant team improvement (Objective 3).
Our network of participatory farmers across Europe, supported by scientists, conducted >40 on-farm plant team trials over 3 years, with parallel trials at partners’ research farms. These generated knowledge about practical management of plant teams and downstream processing of products. Solutions for ‘trouble-shooting’ practical challenges were shared with machinery stakeholders to highlight market opportunities. On-farm trials were demonstrated by farmers and scientists to farming communities to encourage wider adoption. Information on the agronomic, socioeconomic, and environmental performance of plant teams was widely disseminated using multiple resources and innovative films to showcase practices that optimise outcomes (Objective 4).
The CropMIXER tool was co-designed with agronomists to support crop choice and management decisions: a web-based interface allows users to search an open database of plant teams trials using specified criteria (Objective 5). The tool is available via the project website; the future ambition is to fill gaps in coverage. The DIVERSiplotter data visualisation tool and a meta-analysis of plant teams trials provide open access resources for scientific and breeding communities.
DIVERSify partners actively engaged with stakeholders in research, farming, agritechnology and policy to identify solutions to the challenges of crop diversification and increase adoption. We created diverse resources for different end users, carried out hundreds of knowledge-sharing activities, and reached national and global audiences exceeding millions. We consulted farmers and researchers to provide recommendations on the regulatory and socioeconomic enablers to increase plant team uptake, summarised in a policy guide and toolbox on the project website. We collaborated with colleagues in aligned projects to build on synergies and amplify impact (Objective 6).
