• Authors:
    • Amarante, I.
    • Machado, J.
    • Fontaneli, R.
    • Santos, H.
  • Source: Pesquisa Agropecuaria Gaucha
  • Volume: 17
  • Issue: 1
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: The effects of soil management systems and crop rotation on sorghum yield characteristics agronomic were evaluated during the period 2003/04 to 2010/11 at EmbrapaTrigo, Passo Fundo, RS, Brazil. Four soil management systems: (1) no tillage, (2) minimum tillage, conventional tillage using a disk plow and a disk harrow, and (4) conventional using a moldboard and a disk harrow; and three crop rotation system I (wheat/soybean), system II (wheat/soybean and common vetch/sorghum), and system III (wheat/soybean, white oats/soybean and common vetch/sorghum) were compared. An experimental design of blocks at random, with split-plots and three replications, was used. The main plot was formed by the soil management systems, while the split-plot constituted of the crop rotation systems. Minimum tillage and no-tillage presented higher yield of sorghum, while conventional tillage using a moldboard plow remained in intermediate position and tillage using disk plow the lowest yield of sorghum. The yield of sorghum grown after common vetch in system II was higher than yield obtained for sorghum after common vetch in system I. No significant differences were observed in sorghum characteristics agronomic as a result of soil management and crop rotation systems.
  • Authors:
    • Kawamura, O.
    • Mallmann, C.
    • Itano, E.
    • Ono, E.
    • Takabayashi, C.
    • Santos, J.
    • Hirooka, E.
  • Source: Food Additives and Contaminants Part A-Chemistry Analysis Control Exposure & Risk Assessment
  • Volume: 28
  • Issue: 8
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: An indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method using a monoclonal antibody for deoxynivalenol (DON) detection in wheat and flour was standardised and validated (detection limit - 177.1 g kg -1) and its performance was compared with LC-MS, (quantification limit=140 g kg -1). DON recovery ranged from 88.7% to 122.6% for wheat grain and from 70.6% to 139.3% for flour. Among the 38 wheat samples evaluated, DON was detected in 29 samples (76.3%) by ic-ELISA (281.6-12 291.4 g kg -1) and in 22 samples (57.9%) by LC-MS (155.3-9906.9 g kg -1). The 0.93 correlation coefficient between ic-ELISA and LC-MS data in 19 positive DON wheat samples demonstrated the reliability and efficiency of ic-ELISA. Results indicated that standardised ic-ELISA was suitable for DON screening in wheat samples and the need for continuous monitoring of mycotoxin levels in foodstuffs.
  • Authors:
    • Degrande, P.
    • Soria, M.
  • Source: Revista Brasileira de Milho e Sorgo
  • Volume: 10
  • Issue: 2
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Pest species that are enhanced by cover crops used in no-tillage farming can cause damages to subsequent crops of economic importance planted into cover crops stubble. In the 2006/2007 growing season, in Dourados, MS, Brazil, a study was carried out to assess the arthropod fauna in three soybean no-tillage systems: unseeded vegetation-soybean, pearl millet-soybean and sorghum-soybean. During the soybean pre-planting season and the early soybean season, the incidence of pests and natural enemies was assessed in 1 m 2 of the cover crops and later on their respective stubble with soybean seedlings in development using a wood made frame square ("wood square" sampling method). The most abundant species at the soybean pre-planting season were caterpillars of Mythimna ( Pseudaletia) sequax and Mocis latipes (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), and adults and nymphs of the predator Doru luteipes (Dermaptera: Forficulidae), showing a significant population increase on the pearl millet green cover crop. After the cover crops desiccation the incidence of Lagria villosa (Coleoptera: Lagriidae) species was significant on sorghum and pearl millet stubble and the genus Agrotis sp. (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on sorghum cover. Thus, the bioecology of pests and natural enemies associated with pearl millet as cover crop might be considered on the development of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs in conservation farming systems.
  • Authors:
    • Klein, V.
    • Denardin, J.
    • Escosteguy, P.
    • Spera, S.
    • Santos, H.
  • Source: Revista Agrarian
  • Volume: 4
  • Issue: 14
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: The goal of the work was to evaluate the effects of soil tillage and crop rotation systems in the restrictive chemical attributes and plant production of grain crops of two layers of soil. The experiment was carried out in Passo Fundo, RS, Brazil, after more than two decades without limestone application. The design was randomized blocks, schedule of split plots, with three modes of soil tillage and crop rotations. It was evaluated the effect on grain yield and dry matter of the shoot of winter ( Triticum aestivum, Avena sativa and Vicia sativa) and summer ( Glycine max and Sorghum bicolor) crops. The effect of these factors in soil chemical attributes has also been evaluated according to the layer of soil (0 to 6.7 and 6.8 to 20 cm). The effects of soil tillage and crop rotation influenced the grain yields of crops of wheat and sorghum only, in addition to the mass of the shoots of soybean crop. Chemical soil attributes were not influenced by the interaction of factors studied, being little influenced by crop rotation. In all treatments, the results indicated a surface layer (0 to 6.7 cm) with a nutrient concentration, and other subsurface (6.8 to 20 cm) compacted and acid. In the surface layer the values of chemicals attributes were appropriated for the developing cropping evaluated. There were no differences between the amounts of organic matter and the particulate fraction. In the layer subsurface, in all treatments, the attributes of the soil acidity were restrictive to plant development.
  • Authors:
    • Denardin, J.
    • Klein, V.
    • Escosteguy, P.
    • Spera, S.
    • Santos, H.
  • Source: Revista Agrarian
  • Volume: 4
  • Issue: 14
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: The objective of this paper was to evaluate the effects of different soil tillage and crop rotation systems in the restrictive physical attributes and plant production of grain crops of two layers of soil. The experiment was carried out in Passo Fundo, RS, Brazil, a dystrophic Red Latosol, after more than two decades without application of limestone. Treatments tested were three soil tillage and three crop rotations, to assess the effect on grain yield and dry mass of shoots of crops. The effect of these treatments on the soil physical attributes (soil bulk density, soil porosities, natural clay, soil mechanical resistance and saturated soil hydraulic conductibility) was also measured by the soil layers analyzed. The interaction between management of soil and crop rotation influenced the yield of grain crops of wheat and sorghum, in addition to the mass of air part and soybean crop. Soil physical attributes were not influenced by the interaction of factors studied, being little influenced by crop rotation. In all treatments, physical attributes results indicated a layer (0 to 6.7 cm) not compacted and another (6.8 to 20 cm) compacted. In the 0 to 6.7 cm layer, the differences of physical attributes were not important between the treatments. In the compacted layer, the notill has zero value for least limiting water range thus being considered restrictive to the development of plants.
  • Authors:
    • Costa, M.
    • Castoldi, G.
    • Pivetta, L.
    • Steiner, F.
    • Costa, L.
  • Source: Revista Brasileira de Ciencias Agrarias
  • Volume: 6
  • Issue: 3
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: The organic carbon is a major component of the soil organic matter, and its stock is influenced by the type of management system used. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of two cropping systems, with and without cover crop rotation, associated to three fertilization sources (mineral, organic and mineral+organic) in the organic and residual carbon contents of an Oxisol, in no-tillage system. Soil samples were collected at 0.0-0.10, 0.10-0.20 and 0.20-0.40 m depth in the first, second and third years of the experiment, installed in 2006. The crops sequence in the rotation system with cover crops was oat+vetch+turnip/corn/wheat/mucuna+brachiaria+crotalaria/corn/soybean, and in the following system it was wheat/corn/wheat/soybean/corn/soybean. The organic and mineral+organic fertilizers consisted in the sole application of organic fertilizers and combined with mineral fertilizer. The organic and residual carbon contents were not affected by the different cropping systems. The organic and mineral+organic fertilizers promoted increases in the organic and residual carbon contents. The system of crop succession fertilized with mineral fertilizer resulted in higher losses of soil carbon.
  • Authors:
    • Provance-Bowley, M.
    • Wyenandt, C. A.
    • Heckman, J. R.
  • Source: Journal of Sustainable Agriculture
  • Volume: 35
  • Issue: 6
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: When municipal shade tree leaves (MCST-leaf) are used as mulch the residues impact soil fertility for crops in the rotation. Pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo L.), grown near Pittstown, New Jersey, using leaf mulch, was followed in the next year by sweet corn (Zea mays L.) and by a fall-seeded rye (Secale cereale L.) cover crop. A 15 cm layer of MCST-leaf mulch adds an estimated 448 kg ha(-1) of N organically bound within 45 Mg ha(-1) of leaf dry matter. Because of the high C/N ratio, little of this N becomes available in the first growing season as was apparent from the N immobilization and N deficiency temporarily observed when the land was initially cropped to pumpkin. Sweet corn ear size was increased on amended soil compared to unamended soil. Crop responses with both sweet corn and rye indicated that significant amounts of nitrogen became plant available from leaf mulch decomposition. Leaf mulch improves soil fertility for several years after incorporation but in ways not apparent through soil nitrate testing. Besides enhanced N nutrition, sweet corn ear size on MCST-leaf amended soil may be related to other improvements in soil quality such as increased water holding capacity.
  • Authors:
    • Hore, J. K.
  • Source: The Jackfruit
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Jackfruit is popularly known as poor man's fruit in eastern and southern parts in India. The tree can be cultivated on marginal land and does not require intensive management to provide a good crop. The jack fruit is adopted only to humid tropical and near-tropical climates. It thrives from sea level to an altitude of 1600 m. It is grown on a variety of soils, deep alluvial, sandy loam, or clay loam of medium fertility, calcareous or lateritic soil, shallow limestone or stony soil with a pH of 5.0-7.5. The tree exhibits moderate tolerance to saline soils and poor drought and flood tolerance. The jack flourishes in rich, deep soil of medium or open texture, sometimes on deep gravelly or laterite soil. The best time for planting grafts or seedlings is June to August but with irrigation facilities it may be extended upto November. Pits of 1.0 m cube are dug at least 10 days before planting at a spacing of 8*8 m to 10*10 m. About 30 kg well-rotted farm yard manure, 500 g superphosphate and 250 g. muriate of potash are mixed with the top soil of the pit and refilled. Spraying of gibberellic acid (25-200 ppm) enhances both shoot and root growth. The young trees must be kept weed few during first three to four years. A 5-10 cm mulch will be good for suppression of weeds as well as to maintain soil moisture, particularly during the dry period. Regular punning of weak, dead and diseased branches at the end of rainy season is recommended. Fruit thinning is also recommended to prevent damage to branches due to heavy fruit load. Based on the firmness of flesh cultivated types are of two general groups (i) soft flesh - the pulp of ripe fruit is very juicy and soft, (ii) firm flesh - the flesh pulp is firm and crispy at ripe and can be preserved for several months. Some types are available with their common names viz., Gulabi, Hazari, Champaka, Rudrakshi, Singapore etc. The trees need good nutrition to promote regular and good bearing. The quantity of fertilizer required depends on vigour and age of trees and fertility of soil. The quantity of FYM varied from 20-50 kg/plant. The NPK dose (g/plant/year) for mature plant is 750:400:500 in Tamil Nadu, 800:480:1050 in Madhya Pradesh, 600:300:240 in Karnataka and 210:160:1000 in Assam. The yearly amount should be applied in two splits i.e., at the beginning of rainy season and after the rainy season is over. Manures and fertilizers should be applied in the drip zone i.e. 10 m wide circular basin, leaving 50 cm, around tree trunk. The Jackfruit is not normally irrigated. The trees are sensitive to drought and respond well to irrigation between flowering and fruiting. Since jackfruit takes about 8-10 years to attain full bearing, intercropping with vegetables like tomato, brinjal, chilli, cabbage, bhindi etc. and leguminous crops like cowpea, gram, kalai etc. will benefit the farmer. Seedling trees start bearing from 7th to 8th year onwards while the grafted ones from third year. The tree attains its peak bearing stage in about 15-16 years of planting. Period of fruit development is February to June. The optimum stage of harvesting has been reported to be 90-110 days after appearance of the spike. The fruit matures towards the end of summer in June. A tree bears upto 250 fruits annually, weighing about 3 kg to 25 kg with yield variation of 50-80 tonnes of fruit/ha.
  • Authors:
    • Vanotti, M. B.
    • Matheny, T. A.
    • Stone, K. C.
    • Hunt, P. G.
    • Szogi, A. A.
    • Busscher, W. J.
  • Source: Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis
  • Volume: 42
  • Issue: 22
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: The wastewater from swine production facilities has been typically managed by treatment in anaerobic lagoons followed by land application. However, there have been considerable advances in superior treatment technologies. Wastewater from one of these technologies was effective for subsurface drip irrigation of bermudagrass. The objectives of this experiment were to assess accumulation of soil nitrogen and carbon along with grain yield, dry-matter accumulation, and plant nitrogen accumulation of soybean [ Glycine max (L) Merr., cv.] and wheat [ Triticum aestivum (L), cv.] when supplementally irrigated with treated swine effluent via subsurface drip irrigation (SDI). The soil series was Autryville loamy sand (loamy, siliceous, subactive, thermic Arenic Paleudults). Its low unsaturated hydraulic conductivity of 0.00170.0023 mm h -1 caused problems with water movement to either the soil surface or laterally to adjoining soybean and wheat roots. This condition contributed to complete crop failure in soybean in 2 years and generally poor yields of wheat. In a good rainfall year, the soybean yield was somewhat satisfactory and benefited from the supplemental irrigation. In that year, nonirrigated and irrigated soybean mean yields were 1.55 versus 1.98 Mg ha -1, respectively. The mean yield of wheat was only 1.06 Mg ha -1, and it was not affected by irrigation. The means for soil nitrogen and carbon in the 0- to 15-cm depth were 414 and 5,679 mg kg -1, respectively, and they were not affected by the water treatments. Thus, neither soil conditions nor soybean/wheat production were greatly enhanced by the SDI system.
  • Authors:
    • Brandenburg, R. L.
    • Shew, B. B.
    • Wilkerson, G. G.
    • Jordan, D. L.
    • Lassiter, B. R.
  • Source: Weed Technology
  • Volume: 25
  • Issue: 4
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Experiments were conducted in North Carolina during 2005, 2006, and 2007 to determine peanut and weed response when peanut was planted in strip tillage after desiccation of cereal rye, Italian ryegrass, oats, triticale, wheat, and native vegetation by glyphosate and paraquat before planting with three in-season herbicide programs. Control of common ragweed and yellow nutsedge did not differ among cover crop treatments when compared within a specific herbicide program. Applying dimethenamid or S-metolachlor plus diclosulam PRE followed by imazapic POST was more effective than a chloroacetamide herbicide PRE followed by acifluorfen, bentazon, and paraquat POST. Incidence of spotted wilt in peanut (caused by a Tospovirus) did not differ when comparing cover crop treatments, regardless of herbicide program. Peanut yield increased in all 3 yr when herbicides were applied POST, compared with clethodim only. Peanut yield was not affected by cover crop treatment. Response to cover crop treatments was comparable, suggesting that growers can select cereal rye, Italian ryegrass, oats, or triticale as an alternative to wheat as a cover crop in peanut systems without experiencing differences associated with in-season weed management.