Diagnostic agronomique et agro-environnemental des successions culturales en Wallonie (Belgique)

Abstract

Agronomical and agro-environmental diagnosis of crop sequences in Wallonia (Belgium). Crop sequence, recognized as a fundamental concept providing a balance both agronomic at parcel level and agro-environmental at the agro-ecosystem level, is analyzed on the scale of the Walloon agricultural regions (Belgium). This study aims to make a diagnosis of the qualitative performances of crop sequences, through the individual analysis of some of their explanatory components such as the effect of the previous crop on the next one, the observed return time of the re-occuring crops, the number of crops observed during the sequence and finally the duration of intercrop period. These four components are analyzed at parcel level, the results being aggregated at regional level. Study concerns both a spatial analysis based on a period of 7 years, and a temporal analysis aiming to observe a possible evolution, region by region, during two successive and equivalent periods. The drawn up appraisal reveals spatial differences in terms of practices linked to crop sequences, on the other hand, one quasi temporal stability of the analyzed parameters emerges from obtained results. Besides, these results constituting a contribution to an appraisal of the agriculture in Wallonia may serve as reference values for an evolution of regional agricultural practices global follow-up.

Keywords

• Crop sequence
• rotation
• agro-environment
• LPIS
• intercrop
• previous crop effect
• Wallonia
• Belgium