Economic Sustainability and Riskiness of Cover Crop Adoption for Organic Production of Corn and Soybean in Northern Italy

Techniques based on terminated cover crops are proposed in organic agriculture instead of traditional inter-row tillage for weed control subsequent grain crops. We estimated the profitability and evaluated riskiness novel techniques compared to one. Two-year yield data from three on-farm trials corn one soybean northern Italy were combined with cost revenue calculate compare gross margin distributions different each crop. The relative ranking associated was assessed by these using stochastic dominance principles. Corn response crop-based treatments very variable, making adoption overall less sustainable an economic point view than tillage-based technique. Further research this sense nonetheless warranted observed exceptions. Hairy vetch crop tended higher lower crimson clover cropping. Specific analyses suggested nil or slightly negative nitrogen fertilizer effects legume residues corn. Results indicated that could be maintained practice. In particular, triticale provide better performances tillage.