{"id":728,"date":"2025-12-08T15:00:16","date_gmt":"2025-12-08T15:00:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/agrifood-futures\/?p=728"},"modified":"2026-05-06T16:31:36","modified_gmt":"2026-05-06T15:31:36","slug":"more-plant-types-in-grassland-boost-crop-yields","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/agrifood-futures\/more-plant-types-in-grassland-boost-crop-yields\/","title":{"rendered":"More plant types in grassland boost crop yields"},"content":{"rendered":"

Higher plant diversity in farmland grass increases yields, reducing farmers’ reliance on nitrogen fertiliser.<\/span><\/p>\n

That is the key finding of an international study led by Trinity College Dublin with contributions from Professor Chris Reynolds at the University of Reading.<\/span><\/p>\n

The research,\u00a0published this week in\u00a0<\/span>Science<\/a><\/em><\/i><\/span>, shows that under warmer temperatures, the yield benefits of more diverse grasslands increase further. This highlights how mixing multiple plant species could help farmers adapt to rising temperatures driven by climate change.<\/span><\/p>\n

Researchers at 26 international sites, including in Reading, carried out an experiment across different climates and conditions. They tested whether adding more plant species \u2013 up to two grasses, two legumes (clovers or similar plants), and two herbs \u2013 could\u00a0maintain\u00a0or improve yields while reducing reliance on nitrogen fertilisers, which harm the environment when overused.<\/span><\/p>\n

The results showed that these plant mixtures achieved high yields because different plants worked together. Grasses combined with legumes, and legumes with herbs. The combined yield was much greater than the sum of each species grown alone.<\/span><\/p>\n