Greenhouse Gas Mitigation and Carbon Sequestration Mechanisms in Diversified Cropping Systems

Agriculture contributes ~10–12% of global anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, primarily through carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), and nitrous oxide (N₂O) fluxes associated with conventional monoculture systems and intensive management practices. In the context of global climate commitments and the “4 per 1000” Initiative, diversified cropping systems—including intercropping, agroforestry, cover cropping, crop rotation, and integrated crop-livestock systems—offer a distinctive nature-based pathway for climate change mitigation, where multiple plant species, sown together or in sequence, jointly reshape carbon and nitrogen cycling in ways that monocultures cannot achieve.Diversified planting regimes can increase soil organic carbon stocks, improve nitrogen use efficiency, and lower net GHG emissions through several biophysical pathways. These include complementary canopy structures and extended photosynthetic carbon capture among companion species, distinct root architectures and exudation profiles that promote rhizodeposition and aggregate stabilization, plant-derived secondary metabolites such as biological nitrification inhibitors that suppress N₂O emissions, and plant-microbe symbioses that regulate carbon stabilization and nitrogen cycling under multi-species planting. However, how these plant-plant and plant-microbe interactions translate into quantifiable carbon sequestration and GHG mitigation outcomes, particularly across different climates, soils, and management intensities, remains poorly understood.This Research Topic aims to advance mechanistic understanding of how species diversity and plant-soil interactions in diversified cropping systems contribute to climate change mitigation, bridging crop physiology, root biology, plant-microbe interactions, and agroecosystem function. We welcome Original Research, Reviews, Methods, and Perspectives addressing:o Carbon sequestration mechanisms in diversified systems, including root-derived carbon input, interspecific facilitation of rhizodeposition, aggregate protection, and microbial carbon use efficiency;o GHG mitigation strategies targeting N₂O and CH₄ emissions through crop diversification, plant-driven biological nitrification inhibition, and optimized fertilizer management;o Plant-microbe-soil interactions, including mycorrhizal and rhizobial symbioses, and root exudate-mediated microbiome assembly, that mediate carbon, nitrogen, and nutrient transformations in intercropping, cover cropping, and rotation systems;o Modeling and life cycle assessment of net global warming potential and carbon footprint in diversified vs. monoculture systems;o Climate-smart agricultural practices that leverage species combinations and plant diversity to synergize productivity, resilience, and mitigation goals.Studies focusing solely on soil GHG fluxes, fertilizer rates, or yield without a clear plant-functional focus or a diversified-system framing will fall outside the scope of this Research Topic. Topic editors: Ping Cong, Yunyun Zheng, Andong Cai Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/82132/greenhouse-gas-mitigation-and-carbon-sequestration-mechanisms-in-diversified-cropping-systems