Lengthening and diversifying crop rotations is an efficient strategy to reduce the use of fertilizers and pesticides, thereby improving the sustainability of cropping systems. To test this assumption, six innovative cropping system prototypes were designed, each introducing one or more agroecological practices, as alternatives to the 2-year sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.)–durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. subsp. durum) rotation widespread in southwestern France. Two 3-year rotations were implemented at INRAE, Toulouse, from 2011 to 2016. The six prototypes were composed of two low-input cropping systems (with/without cover crops) and four very low-input cropping systems (including cultivar or species mixtures, each with/without cover crops). As compared to the sunflower–wheat rotation, the prototypes aimed at reducing the use of N fertilizers by 25% (low-input) and 50% (very low-input) and pesticides by 50%. A set of agronomic, environmental, technical, and socio-economic indicators was calculated to assess the different components of sustainability. The introduction of agroecological principles resulted in a clear reduction of the use of synthetic inputs as compared to the sunflower–wheat rotation. The treatment frequency index was decreased by 56, 18 and 39% for the low-input cropping systems, very low-input cropping systems with cultivar mixtures, and very low-input cropping systems with species mixtures, respectively. However, the profitability decreased with the diversification of cropping systems as the semi-net margin decreased for the three previous cropping systems (745, 696, and 438 €·ha⁻¹, respectively, vs. 963 €·ha⁻¹ for the sunflower-wheat rotation). Despite the costs of inputs, the short rotation remained the most profitable. Agroecological practices succeeded in reducing the dependence of cropping systems on synthetic inputs, but their implementation needs to be improved to achieve better economic performance, using both scientific knowledge and know-how of innovative farmers.

延长和多样化作物轮作是减少化肥和农药使用的有效策略，从而提高种植系统的可持续性。为了测试这一假设，设计了六个创新的种植系统原型，每个原型都引入了一种或多种农业生态实践，作为 2 年向日葵 ( Helianthus annuus L.)-硬粒小麦 ( Triticum turgidum L. subsp. durum) 轮换在法国西南部普遍存在。2011 年至 2016 年在图卢兹的 INRAE 实施了两次为期 3 年的轮作。 六个原型由两个低投入种植系统（有/无覆盖作物）和四个极低投入种植系统（包括栽培品种或物种混合物）组成，每个都有/没有覆盖作物）。与向日葵-小麦轮作相比，原型旨在将氮肥的使用量减少 25%（低投入）和 50%（极低投入）和 50% 的农药使用。计算了一套农艺、环境、技术和社会经济指标来评估可持续性的不同组成部分。与向日葵-小麦轮作相比，农业生态学原理的引入导致合成投入物的使用明显减少。治疗频率指数下降了 56，低投入种植系统、混合栽培品种的极低投入种植系统和混合物种的极低投入种植系统分别为 18% 和 39%。然而，随着种植系统的多样化，盈利能力下降，因为前三个种植系统（745、696 和 438 欧元·公顷）的半净利润率下降^-1，分别对向日葵 - 小麦轮作的963 €·ha ^-1）。尽管投入成本高，但短期轮换仍然是最有利可图的。农业生态实践成功地减少了种植系统对合成投入物的依赖，但需要改进其实施以实现更好的经济绩效，同时利用创新农民的科学知识和技术诀窍。