• Authors:
    • Jimenez-Munoz, J.
    • Sobrino, J.
    • Julien, Y.
  • Source: International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation
  • Volume: 13
  • Issue: 5
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Several previous studies have shown that the inclusion of the LST (Land Surface Temperature) parameter to a NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) based classification procedure is beneficial to classification accuracy. In this work, the Yearly Land Cover Dynamics (YLCD) approach, which is based on annual behavior of LST and NDVI, has been used to classify an agricultural area into crop types. To this end, a time series of Landsat-5 images for year 2009 of the Barrax (Spain) area has been processed: georeferenciation, destriping and atmospheric correction have been carried out to estimate NDVI and LST time series for year 2009, from which YLCD parameters were estimated. Then, a maximum likelihood classification was carried out on these parameters based on a training dataset obtained from a crop census. This classification has an accuracy of 87% (kappa=0.85) when crops are subdivided in irrigated and non-irrigated fields, and when cereal crops are aggregated in a single crop, and performs better than a similar classification from Landsat bands only. These results show that a good crop differentiation can be obtained although detailed crop separation may be difficult between similar crops (barley, wheat and oat) due to similar annual NDVI and LST behavior. Therefore, the YLCD approach is suited for vegetation classification at local scale. As regards the assessment of the YLCD approach for classification at regional and global scale, it will be carried out in a further study.
  • Authors:
    • Kim, H.
    • Kim, K.
    • Choi, J.
    • Kim, T.
    • Park, J.
    • Kim, Y.
    • Yoo, J.
    • Lee, M.
  • Source: Korean Journal of Crop Science
  • Volume: 56
  • Issue: 3
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Varietal and annual variations in the contents of beta-glucan fractions per weight grain samples were examined in sixteen covered and eighteen naked barley and five oat cultivars developed in Korea. Also, the effect of pearling on beta-glucan content was investigated. Average contents of total, soluble and insoluble beta-glucan fractions were 5.25, 3.72, and 1.53%, respectively, in covered barley, and 5.86, 3.51, and 2.35%, respectively, in naked barley. Soluble beta-glucan content was higher in covered barley, though total beta-glucan content higher in naked barley. The total and insoluble beta-glucan contents were higher in pearled grains. Total beta-glucan content was higher in waxy barley than in non-waxy barley. Duwonchapssalbori, a two-rowed and waxy naked barley cultivar, was highest in total, soluble and insoluble beta-glucan contents. Highly significant positive correlations were observed between total beta-glucan and soluble beta-glucan contents both in covered and naked barley. There were significant annual variations in total beta-glucan content in barley. Average contents of total, soluble and insoluble beta-glucans of oat cultivars were 4.33, 3.44, and 0.89%, respectively. Contents of all fractions of beta-glucans were higher in barley than in oat. These results would be useful for the breeding of high beta-glucan variety and also for the use barley and oat as value-added food ingredients.
  • Authors:
    • Li, L.
    • Zhang, F.
    • Christie, P.
    • Wei, X.
    • Sun, J.
    • Li, Q.
  • Source: Plant and Soil
  • Volume: 339
  • Issue: 1/2
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Interspecific interactions and soil nitrogen supply levels affect intercropping productivity. We hypothesized that interspecific competition can be alleviated by increasing N application rate and yield advantage can be obtained in competitive systems. A field experiment was conducted in Wuwei, Gansu province in 2007 and 2008 to study intercropping of faba bean/maize, wheat/maize, barley/maize and the corresponding monocultures of faba bean ( Vicia faba L.), wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.), barley ( Hordeum vulgare L.) and maize ( Zea mays L.) with N application rates of 0, 75, 150, 225 and 300 kg N ha -1. Total land equivalent ratios (TLER) were 1.22 for faba bean/maize, 1.16 for wheat/maize, and 1.13 for barley/maize intercropping over the 2-year study period. Maize was overyielding when intercropped with faba bean, but underyielding when intercropped with wheat or barley according to partial land equivalent ratios (PLER) based on grain yields of individual crops in intercropping and sole cropping. There was an interspecific facilitation between intercropped faba bean and maize, and interspecific competition between maize and either wheat or barley. The underyielding of maize was higher when intercropped with barley than with wheat. Fertilizer N alleviated competitive interactions in intercrops with adequate fertilizer N at 225 kg ha -1. Yield advantage of intercropping can be acquired with adequate nitrogen supply, even in an intensive competitive system such as barley/maize intercropping. This is important when using intercropping to develop intensive farming systems with high inputs and high outputs.
  • Authors:
    • Foster, A.
    • Malhi, S.
  • Source: Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis
  • Volume: 42
  • Issue: 19
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Annual cover crops compete with underseeded perennial forages for light, moisture, and nutrients and may suppress their establishment and growth. Field experiments were established in 2000 and 2001 at Nipawin and in 2002 and 2003 at Melfort in northeastern Saskatchewan to determine the effects of seeding rates of cover crops of oat (19, 38, and 112 kg ha -1) and barley (31, 62, and 124 kg ha -1) on forage dry-matter yield (DMY) of the cover crop cut as greenfeed in the seeding year, DMY of the underseeded meadow bromegrass-alfalfa mixture in the following 1 or 2 years after establishment, and forage quality [concentration of crude protein (CP), acid detergent fiber (ADF) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF)]. In the first establishment year, the no cover crop treatment produced considerably less DMY than the treatments with cover crops. Oat seeded at 112 kg ha -1 produced greater DMY than when it was seeded at 19 or 38 kg ha -1 in all four site-years, but DMY differences between the 19 or 38 kg ha -1 seeding rates were not significant in any site-year. For barley, there was no significant difference in DMY among the three seeding rates in 2000, 2001, and 2002. In 2003, barley seeded at 62 or 124 kg ha -1 produced greater DMY than when it was seeded at 31 kg ha -1, but DMYs were not significantly different between the 62 and 124 kg ha -1 seeding rates. The use of a cover crop did reduce DMY in 2003 of bromegrass-alfalfa mixture underseeded in 2002, but the type of cover crop and its seeding rate did not appear to affect DMY in any site-year. Forage quality in the seeding year was consistently superior in no cover crop treatment compared to that in treatments with cover crops, especially related to CP concentration. There was no consistent trend of forage quality in the cover crop treatments, indicating cover crops and their seeding rates had little effect on forage quality. In conclusion, oat appeared to be more sensitive to seeding rate than barley for forage DMY in the establishment year, but in the subsequent 1 or 2 years after establishment there was little effect of cover crop type and its seeding rate on DMY of bromegrass-alfalfa mixture, although DMY was considerably greater in the no cover treatment than that in treatments with cover crops in 1 site-year.
  • Authors:
    • Ponizil, A.
    • Henriksen, B.
    • Pozdisek, J.
    • Loes, A. K.
  • Source: Agronomy Research
  • Volume: 9
  • Issue: 1/2
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: In 2009, controlled field trials were conducted on three certified organic farms with field pea (leaf type), spring barley and spring wheat in monocultures and mixtures (pea:cereal ratio 60:40) to study the possibility of producing fodder for monogastric animals under Czech conditions. By grain harvest time, seed samples were collected and analysed for dry matter, ash, crude protein, fat and crude fiber, and content of organic matter and nitrogen-free extracts (NFE) were determined. Weed harrowing at various pea heights were included at one farm. Samples for analysis of tannins and trypsin-inhibitor activity (TIA) were taken from treatments with no weed harrowing (H0) and harrowings at 5 and 10 cm pea height (H2). Analyses of amino acids were conducted from H0-samples. To complement the data from the farm trials, samples of grains from treatments with the same pea and cereal varieties in plot trials conducted in 2008 and 2009 studying the effect of pea:cereal seed ratio and weed harrowing at various pea heights, were analysed. In cereals, the crude protein content increased by intercropping with pea. This increase was compensated for by a decrease in NFE. Wheat and barley grown in mixtures with peas seemed to contain more methionine than cereals in monoculture, and there tends to be higher threonine content in intercropped barley compared with barley monoculture. This is positive for the nutrition of monogastric animals. There were no pronounced effects of intercropping on tannins or TIA or on the content of other analysed nutrients in the cereals. The chemical composition of peas was not significantly impacted by intercropping.
  • Authors:
    • Dopieraa, U.
    • Rosada, J.
    • ukaszyk, J.
  • Source: Progress in Plant Protection
  • Volume: 51
  • Issue: 1
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Total concentration of copper was determined by means of AAS in soil and cereal samples collected from the region influenced by air and dust emission from Copper Smelter GOGOW. Studies covered the agricultural area of 6 600 hectares (former protective zone + external belt). The studies revealed that copper, either accumulated in the soils or coming from the current emission, did not cause the phytotoxic effect on cultivated cereals. The obtained results revealed the effectiveness of eco-friendly activities taken by the Smelter for the safety's sake of the neighboring agricultural environment.
  • Authors:
    • Macak, M.
    • Smatana, J.
  • Source: Acta Fytotechnica et Zootechnica
  • Volume: 14
  • Issue: 2
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: The research of crop rotation pattern and field homogenization was carrying out during 2000-2010 at company Agrokarpaty Plavnica Ltd in Slovakia. The average temperature of the site during growing period is 14.9degreesC and a sum of precipitation 438 mm. The fields are situated at 300-450 m above the see level. Total acreage of arable land is 380 ha. Share of medicinal plants varied from 85 ha to 145 ha during evaluated period. The main growing medicinal and spices plants are as follows: Galega officinalis L, Medicago sativa L, Hypericum perforation L, Mentha piperita L, Melissa officinalis L, Calendula officinalis L, Fagopyrum esculentum Moench, Carum carvi L., Achilea milefolium L, Agrimonia eupatoria L, Matricaria recutita L, Plantago lanceolata L, Malva mauritiana L. As a forecrop red clover ( Trifolium pratense L), winter wheat ( Triticum aestivum L), spring barley ( Hordeum sativum L.) and oat ( Avena sativa L.) have been growing. The management practices of "Agrokarpaty Plavnica" are in full compliance with the good agricultural practices (GAP). The high priority is maintenance of soil fertility and sustain of nutrients, mainly nitrogen. The green manure, cover crop, growing of legumes and compost from own productions are used. Two steps for designing have been suggested (i) Field consolidation and homogenisation of field for crop rotations area, (ii) Proposal of crop rotation pattern. The interested area is characterized by low production potential of 8 classes of soil production categories. We have proposed new cropping pattern of 14 fields with total acreage of 180.11 ha with average field 12.87 ha. Share of medicinal and spices plants is 68.27%, share of red clover 14.29% and spring cereals 17.46%. The design of propose crop rotation allows to use organic manure mainly before medicinal plants growing for leaves drug, and incorporation of cover crops for maintenance of soil fertility. Supposed crop rotation pattern complies with basic principles of crop rotation and sustainable agriculture.
  • Authors:
    • Hallikainen, A.
    • Kostiainen, E.
    • Turtiainen, T.
  • Source: Journal of Environmental Radioactivity
  • Volume: 102
  • Issue: 5
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: A survey was carried out on the activity concentrations of 210Pb and 210Po in cereal grains produced in Finland. The cereal species were wheat ( Triticum aestivum), rye ( Secale cereale), oats ( Avena sativa) and barley ( Hordeum vulgare), which account for 90% of the Finnish consumption of cereal products. The survey consisted of 18 flour and 13 unprocessed cereal samples and one hulled grain sample from 22 flour mills. According to the results, the mean 210Pb/ 210Po concentrations in wheat grains, wheat flour, rye flour, oat grains and barley grains were 0.29, 0.12, 0.29, 0.36 and 0.36 Bq kg -1, respectively. Combined with the consumption rates of the products, we assess that the mean effective doses from 210Pb and 210Po in cereal products for the adult male and female population are 22 and 17 Sv per year, respectively.
  • Authors:
    • Urashima, A.
    • Silva, C.
  • Source: Journal of Phytopathology
  • Volume: 159
  • Issue: 11/12
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Blast caused by Magnaporthe grisea ( Pyricularia grisea) is a disease that occurs in many important gramineous plants in Brazil such as rice, wheat, triticale and barley. In 2005, the presence of this disease was reported on black oat ( Avena strigosa) at different locations of Parana state. Due to little information of M. grisea that is infecting this host, this work aimed to characterize it at molecular, sexual and pathogenic level. DNA analysis showed that M. grisea from black oat formed a homogenous and genetic distinct group of its own, different from other hosts, including rice, wheat, triticale and barley. Isolate 15720 was an exception, because it was similar to wheat isolate. There was no sexual compatibility between M. grisea from oat and other tested hosts. In pathogenic terms, isolates of M. grisea from oat infected triticale, wheat, rye, millet, barley, sorghum and rice; cross-inoculation was positive with wheat, triticale, rice and barley.
  • Authors:
    • Belgacem, A.
    • Maughan, N.
    • Visser, M.
    • Neffati, M.
  • Source: Journal of Arid Environments
  • Volume: 75
  • Issue: 11
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: All dryland countries struggle with manmade dryland degradation and climate change will reinforce this trend. In arid Tunisia (100-200 mm annual rainfall), depleted cereal fallows are a prominent feature of the desertified landscape. Based on long-term agro-ecological work with promising native steppe grasses, this work explores the societal barriers to restoring cereal fallows with these species. Interviews were conducted with 23 stakeholders (researchers, local decision makers of development agencies and land users) and 40 statements were drawn from these interviews as well as from written sources. These were sorted by 27 stakeholders (some of whom were interviewed before) following a distinct Q-sorting technique inspired by Q-methodology. Principal Components Analysis of these Q-sorts revealed three major types of barriers. (1) A widespread knowledge barrier was obvious since opinion on several agro-ecological statements was often opposite to the scientific evidence. (2) Strong convictions about the sacred nature of barley cropping and olive growing pointed to a cultural barrier to sowing steppe grasses on cereal fallows; (3) Finally, especially non-scientific agropastoralists expressed a lack of trust in any state-backed project aimed at combating desertification. Without the living proof of economic benefits of reseeding, no spontaneous uptake of reseeding can be expected.