Sustainability Trade-Offs Between Crop Rotation and Monoculture in Agricultural Systems

Abstract Both monoculture and crop rotation systems adopt distinct production strategies, offering gains in productive efficiency and resilience to edaphoclimatic variations. Given these increasing environmental pressures and the need for more balanced production systems, this study evaluated the environmental performance of different agricultural arrangements in different countries: Argentina (wheat + soybean), Brazil (soybean + wheat; soybean + maize; cotton + maize), China (wheat, maize, and cotton monocultures), and the USA (soybean and maize monocultures). Using the life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology, which integrates environmental categories related to atmospheric emissions, soil quality, and land use, the objective was to evaluate the trade-offs between productive intensification and resource conservation. The analyses consistently indicate that crop rotation systems tend to exhibit superior environmental performance compared to intensive monocultures. Among the observed benefits, the following stand out greater agroecological stability and edaphoclimatic adaptability, improved nutrient cycling and maintenance/storage of soil organic carbon (SOC), as well as reduced risks of erosion and fertility loss. Thus, the results confirm that, under the evaluated conditions, crop rotation systems – when associated with soil conservation practices and regenerative management – prove to be the best environmental option, as they reduce impacts on soil, water, and the atmosphere without compromising productivity.