An approach to increase sustainability in agricultural systems; An agroecological analysis of the wheat and sugar beet ecosystems

Abstract The goal of this study was to undertake a detailed investigation of the agroecological state of the wheat and sugar beet ecosystems on a local scale. From 2001 to 2016, a set of the most critical agroecological indicators of wheat and sugar beet farming systems in the Torbat-e Heydarieh region, northeast of Iran, were studied. Potential yield calculations using both FAO and modified FAO methodologies revealed that potential yield was nearly consistent for both ecosystems over the research period in the region. The extent of the yield gap for both habitats decreased. The study of the regional yield factor revealed that improving the management system resulted in higher actual yield and thus a smaller yield gap in both ecosystems. In both ecosystems, there was a reduction in yield stability. The rate of nitrogen uptake efficiency, nitrogen utilization efficiency, and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) all decreased during the studied years in the region. According to the findings, the primary cause of the increase in nitrogen consumption, growing intensification, and decreasing stability in the analyzed systems appears to be a deficiency of NUE and its downward trend. As a result, planning and altering management methods focusing on enhancing NUE may be proposed as the first step toward boosting sustainability in the Torbat-e Heydarieh wheat and sugar beet agroecosystems.