**Processing Tomato–Durum Wheat Rotation under Integrated, Organic and Mulch-Based No-Tillage Organic Systems: Yield, N Balance and N Loss**

#### **Giacomo Tosti \*, Paolo Benincasa, Michela Farneselli, Marcello Guiducci, Andrea Onofri and Francesco Tei**

Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences (DSA3), University of Perugia, Borgo XX Giugno 74, 06121 Perugia, Italy; paolo.benincasa@unipg.it (P.B.); michela.farneselli@unipg.it (M.F.); marcello.guiducci@unipg.it (M.G.); andrea.onofri@unipg.it (A.O.); francesco.tei@unipg.it (F.T.) **\*** Correspondence: giacomo.tosti@gmail.com; Tel.: +39-075-585-6333

Received: 9 October 2019; Accepted: 4 November 2019; Published: 6 November 2019

**Abstract:** In a 4-year study, the biannual crop rotation processing tomato–durum wheat was applied to three cropping systems: (i) an innovative organic coupled with no-tillage (ORG+) where an autumn-sown cover crop was terminated by roller-crimping and then followed by the direct transplantation of processing tomato onto the death-mulch cover; (ii) a traditional organic (ORG) with autumn-sown cover crop that was green manured and followed by processing tomato; and (iii) a conventional integrated low-input (INT) with bare soil during the fall–winter period prior to the processing tomato. N balance, yield and N leaching losses were determined. Innovative cropping techniques such as wheat–faba bean temporary intercropping and the direct transplantation of processing tomato into roll-crimped cover crop biomass were implemented in ORG+; the experiment was aimed at: (i) quantifying the N leaching losses; (ii) assessing the e ffect of N managemen<sup>t</sup> on the yield and N utilization; and (iii) comparing the cropping system outputs (yield) in relation to extra-farm N sources (i.e., N coming from organic or synthetic fertilizers acquired from the market) and N losses. The e ffects of such innovations on important agroecological services such as yield and N recycling were assessed compared to those supplied by the other cropping systems. Independently from the soil managemen<sup>t</sup> strategy (no till or inversion tillage), cover crops were found to be the key factor for increasing the internal N recycling of the agroecosystems and ORG+ needs a substantial improvement in terms of provisioning services (i.e., yield).

**Keywords:** cover crops; mulch-based system; N leaching; no-till organic system; intercropping; ecological intensification
