Factors studied

Positive effects

Negative effects

- Necessary knowledge on the possible allelopathic effects of plants.

- Organization of the manpower necessary to manage more species.

- Possible increase in the difficulty of work in the case of associations.

- Less purchase of fertilizers and phytosanitary products if the cultivated species complement each other.

- Income security.

- Yields higher than those of pure cultures in 70% of cases.

- Additional cash due to the sale of the associated culture.

- Increase in cultivated biodiversity.

- Balanced use of environmental resources when the species associated have complementary characteristics (root system, vegetative development, duration of cycles).

- Maintenance of soil structure and fertility.

- Weed management.

- Possible reduction of pest damage with associations (disruption of their visual and olfactory cues).

- Repellent effect of a plant on the pests and diseases of the associated plant.

- Fewer residues of phytosanitary products.

- Preservation of water quality thanks to less use of fertilizers.

- Less fuel consumption because less passage for fertilization