{
  "abstract": "This study examines whether maize-soybean intercropping could improve the European Union’s soybean self-sufficiency while minimizing trade-offs with maize and other crops production. Assuming a four-year return, intercropping on 6.3, 13.1, and 20.1 Mha could produce 9.1 (28.8), 18.2 (63.7), and 27.2 (99.0) Mt of soybean (maize), achieving 25% (34%), 50% (75%), and 75% (116%) self-sufficiency. Reaching similar co-productions with sole crops require an additional 11.1, 24.7, and 36.5 Mha, implying 20−21% land savings with intercrops. Full soybean self-sufficiency could require more than 25 Mha of intercrops (23% of European cropland) annually. These estimates held under a large range of nitrogen inputs and temporal overlaps between crop species, provided 1 hectare of intercropping produced more soybean than 0.5 hectare of sole soybean. Geographic variation in sole crop yields should therefore be considered when assessing intercrops land-use efficiency. Our results highlight intercropping as a strategy to simultaneously improve European soybean production, satisfy maize needs, and save lands.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 3,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "Mathilde Chen",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-5982-2143"
    },
    {
      "name": "Nicolas Guilpart",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-3804-0211"
    },
    {
      "name": "David Makowski",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-6385-3703"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/2g02p128zr7gz.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1038/s41467-026-78206-4",
  "fulltext_url": "https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13736886/",
  "id": "2g02p128zr7gz",
  "issns": [
    "2041-1723"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-026-78206-4",
  "language": "en",
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "hal",
      "0.math"
    ],
    [
      "hal",
      "0.sdv"
    ],
    [
      "hal",
      "1.math.math-st"
    ],
    [
      "hal",
      "1.sdv.sa"
    ],
    [
      "hal",
      "2.sdv.sa.agro"
    ],
    [
      "heading",
      "Article"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "1102|Agronomic Practices and Intercropping Systems"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7220680040",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-026-78206-4_reference.pdf",
  "pmcid": "PMC13736886",
  "pmid": "42982832",
  "published": "2026-10-06",
  "publisher": "Springer Science and Business Media LLC",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/2g02p128zr7gz.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:38Z",
      "native_id": "10.1038/s41467-026-78206-4",
      "source": "crossref",
      "url": "https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-026-78206-4"
    },
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:18:00Z",
      "native_id": "hal-05828358",
      "source": "hal",
      "url": "https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-05828358v1"
    },
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-09T12:22:14Z",
      "native_id": "PMC13736886",
      "source": "pmc",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-78206-4"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "hal:0.sdv",
      "subfield": "general"
    },
    {
      "field": "mathematics",
      "origin": "hal:1.math.math-st",
      "subfield": "statistics"
    }
  ],
  "title": "High potential contribution of intercropping to soybean and maize self-sufficiency in Europe",
  "title_text": "High potential contribution of intercropping to soybean and maize self-sufficiency in Europe",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-09T12:22:14Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/2g02p128zr7gz",
  "venue": "Nature Communications",
  "versions": []
}