Increasing plant diversity in agricultural grasslands boosts yields, reducing reliance on fertiliser

Higher plant diversity in agricultural grasslands increases yields with lower inputs of nitrogen fertiliser. Under warmer temperatures, the yield benefits of more diverse grasslands further increase. There are headline results from a landmark study across 26 international sites as part of LegacyNet, and published in Science. 

Sown productive grasslands (used to supply forage for livestock or as a ley in a crop rotation) typically comprise low species diversity. Two widely used grassland practices comprise 1) a single grass species (monoculture) managed with high inputs of synthetic nitrogen fertiliser, and 2) a two-species grass-legume combination that receives lower inputs of nitrogen fertiliser.