Role of Brassica Crops in Climate-Smart Agriculture: Mitigating Environmental Challenges
摘要
Brassica crops such as mustard, rapeseed, cabbage, cauliflower, and broccoli are vital for climate-smart agriculture because they enhance carbon sequestration, soil health, water use efficiency, and resilience to climate extremes. Brassicas naturally manage soilborne pests and pathogens with their biofumigation potential, while their deep root systems improve soil aeration and nutrient cycling. When incorporated into conservation agriculture, crop rotation, and intercropping, brassicas enhance soil fertility, weed control, and sustainability. Brassica crops also help in the reduction of soil erosion, improve water retention, and reduce risk by acting as a cover crop along with improving soil fertility. The brassica crops enhance carbon sequestration and add organic carbon to the soil, also enhancing water use efficiency. Brassicas lead to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, such as methane and nitrous oxide, and increase food security by drought-tolerant cultivars that maintain steady yields under limited moisture conditions. Despite the benefits of growing Brassica, issues such as soil erosion, pest outbreaks, and climate variability threaten Brassica production. Creating stress-tolerant cultivars, implementing precision farming practices, and using Integrated Pest Management (IPM) are needed to overcome these challenges. Regulatory changes such as carbon credit programs, committed research money, and grower subsidies are also important to facilitate greater adoption of brassicas in CSA. Scientific progress, global cooperation, and farmer initiatives are very necessary in order to realize the full potential of Brassica crops in climate-smart agriculture for the future. The dependence on vegetable oils is reduced by the development of high-yielding and climate-tolerant varieties and has enhanced economic resilience because most of the vegetable oil is imported from abroad. The sustainability efforts are also enhanced by the climate-resilient strategies, digital farming technologies and agroecological approaches.