• Authors:
    • Vazin, F.
    • Abbasi, M.
  • Source: Advances in Environmental Biology
  • Volume: 6
  • Issue: 4
  • Year: 2012
  • Summary: In most areas of Isfahan Province, the maize is cultivated as a second crop after harvesting the wheat or barely and the farmers of this region are confronting with time-limit problems in performing correct yield of providing the soil bed, and the tillage is an expensive and energy-consuming yield. Thus, for examining the effect of tillage on the elimination of mechanical yield and saving the time and the expense of performing yield as well as the effect of appropriate date for planting the maize on the performance and its components, an experiment is conducted as a split plot design, 4 times in the agricultural year 2010 in Mourchekhort area of Isfahan. The factors including tillage in two levels (Current Tillage "CT" and Non-tillage "NT") on the main plot and the planting date in three levels (29 th June-15 th July-28 th July) with 15-day interval on the secondary plot were operated on the maize sort No. I704. The tillage system is not significantly effective on the biological performance. In tillage system, the performance of the grain, the number of corns in the maize row and the total number of corn in the maize showed respectively 10%, 12% and 22% increases, compared to those in nontillage system. On 29 th June, the weight of one-thousand corns was decreased 13% and the performance of the corn, the number of corns in the maize row and the total number of corns in the maize was respectively increased in 35%, 16% and 30% compared to those on 29 th July. Reciprocal effect of tillage system and planting dates didn't effect on the corn's performance and its components. Considering the results achieved, the best planting date for both tillage systems in this area is 29 th June.
  • Authors:
    • Kutcher, H. R.
    • Johnston, A. M.
    • Bailey, K. L.
    • Malhi, S. S.
  • Source: Field Crops Research
  • Volume: 124
  • Issue: 2
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: The impact of tillage system, rotation sequence and foliar fungicides on diseases and seed yield and quality of wheat, barley, pea, canola and flax was determined in the second cycle of three, 4-year rotations from 1998 to 2001 on a Black Chernozem (Udic Boroll) at Melfort, Saskatchewan, Canada. The objective of the study was to evaluate the impact of reduced-tillage production systems, broadleaf cropping intensity and fungicide use on cereal, oilseed and pulse crops in northeastern Saskatchewan, a sub-humid region of the northern Great Plains. A split-split plot design was used with three tillage systems (conventional, minimum and no-till) as main plots, three rotations of increasing broadleaf crop intensity (1. canola-wheat-barley-barley; 2. canola-barley-pea-wheat; and 3. canola-pea-flax-barley) as sub-plots, and fungicide treatments (treated or untreated) as sub-sub-plots. Fungicides appropriate for the diseases of concern were applied at recommended crop development stages and application rates, followed by assessment of diseases. Tillage system had little impact on diseases of any crop, although seed yield was usually greater under no-till for most crops under dry conditions. Rotation was not a major factor in disease severity of most of the crops, except barley in the rotation where it was grown for two consecutive years. Under dry conditions, barley yield was reduced when it followed flax compared with other crops, most likely due to less available soil moisture after flax. Fungicide application had the greatest impact on disease control and seed yield increase, although results varied among crops and years. In conclusion, the findings indicate that tillage system had little effect on disease severity, rotation contributed to greater disease severity only when a crop was grown intensively, such as on its own stubble, and fungicide application had variable effects on both disease control and seed yield.
  • Authors:
    • Dubois, D.
    • Gaillard, G.
    • Schaller, B.
    • Chervet, A.
    • Nemecek, T.
    • Huguenin-Elie, O.
  • Source: Agricultural Systems
  • Volume: 104
  • Issue: 3
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Extensive or low-input farming is considered a way of remedying many problems associated with intensive farming practices. But do extensive farming systems really result in a clear reduction in environmental impacts, especially if their lower productivity is taken into account? This question is studied for Swiss arable cropping and forage production systems in a comprehensive life cycle assessment (LCA) study. Three long-term experiments (DOC) experiment comparing bio-dynamic, bio-organic and conventional farming, the "Burgrain" experiment including integrated intensive, integrated extensive and organic systems and the "Oberacker" experiment with conventional ploughing and no-till soil cultivation, are considered in the LCA study. Furthermore, model systems for arable crops and forage production for feeding livestock are investigated by using the Swiss Agricultural Life Cycle Assessment method (SALCA). The analysis covers an overall extensification of cropping systems and forage production on the one hand and a partial extensification of fertiliser use, plant protection and soil cultivation on the other. The overall extensification of an intensively managed system reduced environmental impacts in general, both per area unit and per product unit. In arable cropping systems medium production intensity gave the best results for the environment, and the intensity should not fall below the environmental optimum in order to avoid a deterioration of eco-efficiency. In grassland systems, on the contrary, a combination of both intensively and extensively managed plots was preferable to medium intensity practices on the whole area. The differences in yield, production intensity and environmental impact were much more pronounced in grassland than in arable cropping systems. Partial extensification of a farming system should be conceived in the context of the whole system in order to be successful. For example, the extensification solely of fertiliser use and soil cultivation resulted in a general improvement in the environmental performance of the farming system, whereas a reduction in plant protection intensity by banning certain pesticide categories reduced negative impacts on ecotoxicity and biodiversity only, while increasing other burdens such as global warming, ozone formation, eutrophication and acidification per product unit. The replacement of mineral fertilisers by farmyard manure as a special form of extensification reduced resource use and improved soil quality, while slightly increasing nutrient losses. These results show that a considerable environmental improvement potential exists in Swiss farming systems and that a detailed eco-efficiency analysis could help to target a further reduction in their environmental impacts.
  • Authors:
    • Jabro, J. D.
    • Lartey, R. T.
    • Evans, R. G.
    • Allen, B. L.
    • Sainju, U. M.
    • Lenssen, A. W.
    • Caesar-TonThat, T.
  • Source: Plant and Soil
  • Volume: 338
  • Issue: 1-2
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Novel management practices are needed to increase dryland soil organic matter and crop yields that have been declining due to long-term conventional tillage with spring wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.)-fallow system in the northern Great Plains, USA. The effects of tillage, crop rotation, and cultural practice were evaluated on dryland crop biomass (stems+leaves) yield, surface residue, and soil organic C (SOC) and total N (STN) at the 0-20 cm depth in a Williams loam (fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid, Typic Argiustolls) from 2004 to 2007 in eastern Montana, USA. Treatments were two tillage practices [no-tillage (NT) and conventional tillage (CT)], four crop rotations [continuous spring wheat (CW), spring wheat-pea ( Pisum sativum L.) (W-P), spring wheat-barley ( Hordeum vulgaris L.) hay-pea (W-B-P), and spring wheat-barley hay-corn ( Zea mays L.)-pea (W-B-C-P)], and two cultural practices [regular (conventional seed rates and plant spacing, conventional planting date, broadcast N fertilization, and reduced stubble height) and ecological (variable seed rates and plant spacing, delayed planting, banded N fertilization, and increased stubble height)]. Crop biomass and N content were 4 to 44% greater in W-B-C-P than in CW in 2004 and 2005 and greater in ecological than in regular cultural practice in CT. Soil surface residue amount and C and N contents were greater in NT than in CT, greater in CW, W-P, and W-B-C-P than in W-B-P, and greater in 2006 and 2007 than in 2004 and 2005. The SOC and STN concentrations at 0-5 cm were 4 to 6% greater in CW than in W-P or W-B-P in NT and CT from 2005 and 2007. In 2007, SOC content at 10-20 cm was greater in W-P and W-B-P than in W-B-C-P in CT but STN was greater in W-B-P and W-B-C-P than in CW in NT. From 2004 to 2007, SOC and STN concentrations varied at 0-5 cm but increased at 5-20 cm. Diversified crop rotation and delayed planting with higher seed rates and banded N fertilization increased the amount of crop biomass returned to the soil and surface residue C and N. Although no-tillage increased surface residue C and N, continuous nonlegume cropping increased soil C and N levels at the surface layer compared with other crop rotations. Continued return of crop residue from 2004 to 2007 may increase soil C and N levels but long-term studies are needed to better evaluate the effect of management practices on soil C and N levels under dryland cropping systems in the northern Great Plains.
  • Authors:
    • Slepetiene, A.
    • Slepetys, J.
  • Source: Grassland farming and land management systems in mountainous regions. Proceedings of the 16th Symposium of the European Grassland Federation
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: The main objective of the current study was to evaluate the effects of six legume species ( Trifolium pratense, Medicago sativa, Trifolium repens, Galega orientalis, Medicago lupulina, Trifolium resupinatum) ploughed down as green manure, on the seed yield of timothy ( Phleum pratense) and meadow fescue ( Festuca pratensis). Legumes were undersown into barley. In the first year of production legumes were chopped and ploughed down for green manure in June. The sown timothy and meadow fescue were used for organic seed for three years. Although T. resupinatum grew well in the year of sowing it completely disappeared after winter. Based on 3-year mean production data, the highest timothy and meadow fescue seed yield was obtained after ploughing down a mixture of three legumes ( T. pratense+ M. sativa+ T. repens). Seed yield increased by 27.8-33.1%. Ploughed-down pure legumes (except G. orientalis) gave a lower but significant increase in seed yield. Having ploughed down legumes, the positive effect on organic seed was more substantial in the second and third years of production.
  • Authors:
    • European Food Safety Authority
  • Source: EFSA Journal
  • Volume: 9
  • Issue: 1
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Difenoconazole is one of the 84 substances of the third stage part B of the review programme covered by Commission Regulation (EC) No 1490/2002,3 as amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 1095/2007.4 Difenoconazole was included in Annex I to Directive 91/414/EEC on 1 January 2009 pursuant to Article 11b of the Regulation (EC) No 1490/2002, as amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 1095/2007 (hereinafter referred to as "the Regulation"). Sweden, being the designated rapporteur Member State submitted a draft assessment report (DAR) on difenoconazole in accordance with the provisions of Article 10(1) of the Regulation, which was received by the EFSA on 22 December 2006. A peer review was initiated by EFSA on 6 March 2007 by dispatching the DAR for consultation of the Member States and the notifier Syngenta Ltd. Following consideration of the comments received on the DAR, EFSA conducted a focused peer review the active substance difenoconazole, its, physicochemical and technical properties, mammalian toxicology, residues, environmental fate and behaviour, ecotoxicology, and risk assessment on the environment. The conclusions laid down in this report were reached on the basis of the evaluation of the representative uses of difenoconazole as a fungicide on pome fruit, carrot, wheat, barley, triticale, rye and oats as proposed by the notifier.
  • Authors:
    • Zekaite, V.
    • Deveikyte, I.
    • Kadziuliene, Z.
    • Sarunaite, L.
    • Maiksteniene, S.
    • Arlauskiene, A.
    • Cesnuleviciene, R.
  • Source: ZEMDIRBYSTE-AGRICULTURE
  • Volume: 98
  • Issue: 4
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Intercropping of cereals and grain legumes is a technology intended to enhance biodiversity in organic agroecosystems, increase and stabilize yields and make better use of plant growth resources. The experiments were designed to investigate the intercrops' yield advantage in different soil, climate and plant competition conditions in organic farming. Field trials were carried out during 2007-2010 at the Lithuanian Institute of Agriculture at three different soil sites: on a loamy Endocalcari-Epihypogleyic Cambisol ( CMg-p-w-can) (Dotnuva), on a clay loam Endocalcari-Endohypogleyic Cambisol ( CMg-n-w-can) (Joniskelis) and on a sandy loam Hapli-Albic Luvisol ( LVe-ha) (Perloja). Pea ( Pisum sativum L. (Partim)) and spring wheat ( Triticum aestivum L. emend. Fiori et Paol.), spring barley ( Hordeum vulgare L.), oat ( Avena sativa L.) and spring triticale (* Triticosecale Wittm.) were sown as intercrops (50:50 - a relative proportion of grain legume and spring cereal seeds) or as a sole crop. The result showed that weather and soil conditions during plant emerge determined the optimal productive density and created a basis for competition between the intercrop components. Spring cereals were dominant due to higher aggressivity index and competition rate compared with peas. Under various soils' conditions the aggressivity of cereals increased with increasing density of pea. In productive soils (Dotnuva, Joniskelis), the highest competitive and suppressive power in the intercrops was exhibited by oats, in low productivity soils (Perloja) - the dominant species varied. Under the conditions of various soils, the production of pea intercrop with oats or barley was directly affected by cereals, while pea intercropped with wheat or triticale by the two components of the intercrop. In terms of grain yield, intercrops ranked as follows: pea/oats > pea/wheat, pea/triticale > pea/barley. In loamy soil (Dotnuva), these regularities were less consistent, therefore the advantages of intercrops' yield over sole crops' yield were negligible when the relative yield total (RYT) was >1.0, except for the pea intercropped with barley. In Joniskelis and Perloja, the relative yield total showed greater and more stable yield advantages of intercrops, except pea intercropped with triticale. The efficiency of intercrops stood out even more vividly in the treatments managed under organic cropping system for a longer period of time.
  • Authors:
    • Kumari, S. G.
    • Ekzayez, A. M.
    • Ismail, I.
  • Source: Plant Disease
  • Volume: 95
  • Issue: 1
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: A field survey covering the major cereal-production areas of Syria was conducted during May 2009. A total of 938 wheat and 971 barley samples with typical symptoms of viral infection were collected from 45 wheat and 58 barley fields. Serological tests showed that Wheat dwarf virus (WDV) was detected in 16 wheat (cv. Cham 8) and 5 barley (cv. Arabic abiad) samples collected from Al-Hasskah governorate (eastern region of Syria) and showing dwarfing, yellowing, and reduced heading. The identity of WDV was confirmed by PCR assay. Leafhopper transmission tests indicated that only Psammotettix provincialis was able to transmit Syrian barley WDW isolates from infected barley plants to healthy barley (48 plants became infected of 50 plants inoculated) and oats (45 of 50) under greenhouse conditions. WDV has been reported to infect cereals in other countries in West Asia and North Africa (Turkey, Tunisia and Morocco) and causes economic losses on wheat in many countries in Europe (e.g. Sweden). WDV has been reported to be transmitted in a persistent manner only by leafhoppers ( Psammotettix alienus) to a wide range of cereal and wild grasses. Two strains of WDV are known, one that primarily infects wheat and another that infects barley. This is thought to be the first report of WDV (both strains) infecting wheat and barley crops in Syria and the first report of P. provincialis as a WDV vector worldwide.
  • Authors:
    • Emeran, A. A.
    • Shtaya, M. J. Y.
    • Fernandez-Aparicio, M.
    • Allagui, M. B.
    • Kharrat, M.
    • Rubiales, D.
  • Source: Crop Protection
  • Volume: 30
  • Issue: 8
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Chocolate spot incited by Botrytis fabae is a serious faba bean disease of worldwide distribution. The increasing interest in sustainable tools for disease control, together with the lack of sufficient levels of genetic resistance triggered our interest in the use of intercropping as a tool for the management of this disease. The effect of intercropping on chocolate spot severity was studied in field experiments performed in Egypt, the Palestinian Territories, Spain and Tunisia, in which a susceptible faba bean cultivar was grown as a monocrop or with two mixed species intercrops of either barley, oat, triticale, wheat, pea or common vetch, or with three mixed species intercrops of wheat and berseem clover. Chocolate spot was significantly reduced when faba bean was intercropped with cereals, but not when intercropped with legumes. Suppressive effects can be ascribed to a combination of host biomass reduction, altered microclimate and physical barriers to spore dispersal.
  • Authors:
    • Cavariani, C.
    • Gazola, E.
  • Source: BIOSCIENCE JOURNAL
  • Volume: 27
  • Issue: 5
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: The objective of this research was to evaluate crop yield and some characteristics and yield components of transgenic soybean cultivars sown after different winter cover crops in the first year under no tillage system. The experimental design was the completely randomized block with split plots and four replications. The main plots consisted of five winter cover crops, white oat ( Avena sativa L.), forage turnip ( Raphanus sativus L.), barley ( Hordeum vulgare L.), wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) and ground pea ( Pisum sativum L.) and an area under fallow (spontaneous vegetation). The subplots consisted of six soybean cultivars (BRS 243 RR, BRS 245 RR, BRS 247 RR, BRS 255 RR, BRS 256 RR and BRS 244 RR). Variance analysis for agronomic characteristics showed that soybean yield components were influenced by the interaction between winter crop and soybean cultivar. Thus, final population, number of nodes and pods per plant, nodes dry matter per plant, number of grains per pod and grain yield were affected significantly. When soybean nodulation was evaluated, the treatment with the area under fallow showed lower values. There was difference among winter crops for BRS 243 RR grain yield, white oat showed the highest values.