Sustainable intensification in cropping systems through inclusion of legumes

Resource degradation, climate change, and population pressure are a threat to the food production system. Legumes-based SI of cropping systems could also meet current challenges of food security and environmental sustainability. Sustainability implies producing sufficient food without ecological collapse while minimizing off-farm use of synthetic inputs. Legumes are known for resource conservation and their sustainable use. Legumes fix atmospheric nitrogen (N) subsequently supplies 20–60 kg N for component and succeeding crop in a system. Besides this, legumes add carbon to the soil, improve ecological biodiversity, functions ecosystem services, and improve nutrient cycling. Therefore, this chapter aimed to bring the attention of farmers, researchers, and policy makers toward the sustainable inclusion of legumes in the existing cropping system. Legumes-based intensification through crop rotation, intercropping, cover cropping, green manuring, legume-based pasture management, hedgerows planting, and legume-based land management is being advocated for better crop yield (10%–25% higher). Sustainable inclusion of legumes in the existing cropping system is a current need for maintenance of ecological balance and curtailing input requirements.