• Authors:
    • Mikkola, H.
    • Rajaniemi, M.
    • Ahokas, J.
  • Source: Agronomy Research
  • Volume: 9
  • Issue: Special Issue I
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: The aim of this study was to analyze greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from oats, barley, spring wheat and rye production in Finland. The GHG emissions were analyzed in a conventional production chain, direct drilling chain and reduced tillage chain. The greenhouse gases were analyzed per kilogram grain (kg CO 2-eq. kg -1) and hectare (kg CO 2-eq. ha -1). The main part of the GHG emissions of the grain production chain originated from fertilizer manufacturing and soil. Soil emissions were a result of using N-fertilizer which induced N 2O emission and liming which induced CO 2-emission. GHG emissions from soil were about half of all emissions of grain production. Therefore, the N-fertilizer application rate had a strong direct and indirect effect on the GHG emissions. Wheat (2,330 kg CO 2-eq. ha -1) and rye (2,270 kg CO 2-eq. ha -1) had higher GHG emissions per hectare than oats and barley. The main reason for this was the higher application rate of N-fertilizer. The emissions of oats and barley were 1,800 and 1,930 kg CO 2-eq. ha -1. The yield had a strong impact on the emissions per kilogram of grain. Oats (570 g CO 2-eq. kg -1), barley (570 g CO 2-eq. kg -1) and wheat (590 g CO 2-eq. kg -1) had lower greenhouse emissions than rye. A low grain yield together with high N-fertilizer application rate caused higher greenhouse gas emission for rye (870 g CO 2-eq. kg -1). Direct drilling and reduced tillage resulted in some lower GHG emissions than conventional tillage. However, differences between production chains were minor.
  • Authors:
    • Kadziuliene, Z.
    • Sarunaite, L.
  • Source: Grassland farming and land management systems in mountainous regions. Proceedings of the 16th Symposium of the European Grassland Federation, Gumpenstein, Austria, 29th-31st August, 2011
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: The potential of white clover to supply winter cereals with biologically fixed N was investigated in an experiment conducted on a loamy Cambisol. Spring barley, white clover as pure-sown crops, and clover with barley cover crops were established in the spring of the first experimental year. In the autumn, wheat was direct drilled into differently sown and managed clover to form a bi-cropping system. In other treatments wheat was conventionally sown after ploughing in of pre-crops. In the autumn of the second year, winter rye was conventionally drilled into the plots. The N content of pre-crop residues incorporated into the soil was higher in clover treatments with the barley cover crop. The wheat grain yield was higher (5.3-6.0 t ha -1) after ploughing in clover. The grain yield was significantly lower in the bi-cropping system and varied depending on the treatments (1.3-4.7 t ha -1); however, the yield was high for an organic crop rotation. The highest N concentrations in wheat grain yield were observed in bi-cropping. The winter rye grain yield was higher after differently direct drilled wheat (2.7-3.5 t ha -1) compared with that of conventionally drilled wheat (1.7-2.05 t ha -1). N concentration in rye grain was higher after a bi-cropping system had been used.
  • Authors:
    • Brazhnikova, T.
    • Shpakov, A.
  • Source: Kormoproizvodstvo
  • Issue: 10
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: The article presents the main results of research into productivity and nutritive qualities of grain forage of winter wheat, winter rye, winter triticale, barley, and oats, on sodpodzolic soils in the Central natural and economical area.
  • Authors:
    • Diekmann, J.
    • Singh, M.
    • Masri, S.
    • Ryan, J.
    • Sommer, R.
  • Source: Soil & Tillage Research
  • Volume: 115/116
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Sustainability of dryland cropping is a major issue in the typical Mediterranean climatic environment of West Asia and North Africa. Management of crop residues and soil organic matter (SOM) and its interrelationship with tillage and crop rotation is of central importance for maintaining soil quality and sustaining crop yields. We examined the medium-term influence of conventional moldboard plowing compared with shallow tillage, under barley-vetch and barley-vetch-wheat-vetch rotation, with different levels of straw management (burned, removed, or incorporated) and compost addition (10 Mg ha -1 every 2 or 4 years) on the distribution with soil depth (0-30 cm) of SOM, total organic nitrogen (N tot), and labile as well as microbial carbon (C) and nitrogen (N). Shallow tillage increased SOM in 0-20 cm across all residue management treatments by on average 2.7 g kg -1. Compost addition every 2 years instead of burning or removing residues significantly increased N tot in 0-20 cm by 0.22 g kg -1, doubled labile N and C in 0-5 cm depth, and increased the ratio of labile N to N tot in 0-20 cm by 4%. Consequently, SOM accumulated in the labile pool, which reacts readily to changes in soil management practice, but which may also be depleted as quickly. Thus, shallow tillage in combination with compost addition can help build-up of SOM, and therefore soil quality. Under conditions of intensive cultivation, where crop residues are not in demand for livestock fodder, the system assessed constitutes a new agronomic direction under dryland agriculture in the Mediterranean region.
  • Authors:
    • Gawronska-Kulesza, A.
    • Suwara, I.
  • Source: Fragmenta Agronomica
  • Volume: 28
  • Issue: 2
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Soil structure is one of the most important factors affecting soil fertility. In the structure-forming process the main role is played by organic matter and biological processes occurring in soil. The role of plants largely depends on their influence on the content of organic matter in the soil. The favourable influence of continuous pasture and red clover on formation of the granular structure are commonly known. The aim of these studies was to determine the effect of annual plants grown in narrow (spring barley, winter rye, winter oilseed rape, white mustard) and wide row-spacing (potato, maize) on the structure of light soil. The plants were cultivated in four-year crop rotation: potatoes (or maize) - spring barley - oilseed winter rape (or white mustard) - winter rye. In a permanent fertilization experiment at yczyn near Warsaw established in 1960 soil crumb composition and water resistance were investigated in years 1994-1997. The field was situated on lessive soil, the upper layer of which constitutes light loamy sand on boulder loam. The soil for studies was taken from the arable layer of 0-20 cm. The cultivated plants significantly influenced soil structure and water resistance of soil aggregates. The soil from plots in which winter plants were grown in narrow row-spacing (winter oilseed rape, winter rye) was characterised by the best structure. The highest water resistance of aggregates was formed on these plots. Potato and maize, grown in wide row-spacing had the worst influence on the soil crumb composition and water resistance of aggregates. Their action on the soil started relatively late, what had an effect on the formation of water resistance of aggregates. Plants shading the soil well over the year favour the increase in water resistance of aggregates and those shading poorly like potatoes and maize - its decrease.
  • Authors:
    • Bernardi, T.
    • Tamburini, E.
    • Castaldelli, G.
  • Source: Journal of Near Infrared Spectroscopy
  • Volume: 19
  • Issue: 3
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: The application described in this paper addresses problems encountered during the large scale production of ethanol from renewable sources. Bioethanol can be produced from several starchy raw materials (i.e. wheat, corn, barley, rye). After hydrolysis to glucose, starch can be converted in ethanol by fermentation. The hydrolysis of starch requires a multi-phase process using different enzymes. The degree of hydrolysis is a critical parameter because it determines the physical and chemical properties of the final products. The aims of this work were to monitor the enzymatic hydrolysis of starch from rye using Fourier-transformed near infrared (FT-NIR) spectroscopy, and to identify barriers for an industrial scale application of this technology. The enzymatic hydrolysis of starch from rye was carried out in three steps, using commercially-available enzymes. A FT-NIR reflectance probe was immersed in the reactor to monitor the different phases of the hydrolysis process. The most significant parameters submitted to the NIR calibration were the percentage of dry matter (%w/v) (degreesBrix) and the concentrations of maltotriose, maltose and glucose (% w/v). PLS calibration models were built using 24 samples and spectra fordegreesBrix, 32 samples for maltotriose, and 48 samples for both maltose and glucose, respectively. The models were considered as promising in terms of the squared Pearson correlation coefficient (0.89
  • Authors:
    • Gradin, B.
    • Holm, F.
    • Stevenson, F.
    • Leeson, J.
    • Legere, A.
    • Thomas, A.
  • Source: Weed Research
  • Volume: 51
  • Issue: 1
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Contrasting approaches to integrated weed management (IWM) for prairie cropping systems were evaluated by measuring weed response to six IWM systems in a wheat-oilseed rape-barley-pea rotation at Saskatoon and Watrous, Saskatchewan, Canada. The six IWM systems (high herbicide/zero tillage; medium herbicide/zero tillage; low herbicide/zero tillage; low herbicide/low tillage; medium herbicide/medium tillage; no herbicide/high tillage) included various combinations of seeding rate and date, herbicide timing and rate, and tillage operations, in order to achieve similar weed management levels. Changes in weed communities were assessed over 4 years by monitoring species composition and abundance at various times during the growth season. Principal response curves indicated a gradual increase in Thlaspi arvense, Chenopodium album, Amaranthus retroflexus and Fallopia convolvulus in the no herbicide/high tillage system. Winter and early spring annuals and perennials increased in most systems, but particularly in the low herbicide/zero tillage and medium herbicide/zero tillage systems. Although five of the six IWM systems provided similar results, changes in weed communities would suggest that operations could be revised to improve the overall management of certain weed species and reduce seed return in the no herbicide/high tillage system and in systems with low herbicide inputs and zero tillage. This study confirms the potential of contrasting IWM systems under the challenging environmental conditions of the Canadian Prairies.
  • Authors:
    • Pecchioni, N.
    • Perata, P.
    • Milc, J.
    • Meriggi, P.
    • Arru, L.
    • Caffagni, A.
  • Source: Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis
  • Volume: 42
  • Issue: 6
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Iodine is an essential microelement for human health, and the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of such element should range from 40 to 200 g day -1. Because of the low iodine contents in vegetables, cereals, and many other foods, iodine deficiency disorder (IDD) is one of the most widespread nutrient-deficiency diseases in the world. Therefore, investigations of I uptake in plants with the aim of fortifying them can help reach the important health and social objective of IDD elimination. This study was conducted to determine the effects of the absorption of iodine from two different chemical forms - potassium iodide (I -) and potassium iodate (IO -3) - in a wide range of wild and cultivated plant species. Pot plants were irrigated with different concentrations of I - or IO -3, namely 0.05% and 0.1% (w/v) I - and 0.05%, 0.1%, 0.2%, and 0.5% (w/v) IO -3. Inhibiting effects on plant growth were observed after adding these amounts of iodine to the irrigation water. Plants were able to tolerate high levels of iodine as IO -3 better than I - in the root environment. Among cultivated species, barley ( Hordeum vulgare L.) showed the lowest biomass reductions due to iodine toxicity and maize ( Zea mays L.) together with tobacco ( Nicotiana tabacum L.) showed the greatest. After the screening, cultivated tomato and potato were shown to be good targets for a fortification-rate study among the species screened. When fed with 0.05% iodine salts, potato ( Solanum tuberosum L.) tubers and tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum L.) fruits absorbed iodine up to 272 and 527 g/100 g fresh weight (FW) from IO -3 and 1,875 and 3,900 g/100 g FW from I -. These uptake levels were well more than the RDA of 150 g day -1 for adults. Moreover, the agronomic efficiency of iodine accumulation of potato tubers and tomato fruits was calculated. Both plant organs showed greater accumulation efficiency for given units of iodine from iodide than from iodate. This accumulation efficiency decreased in both potato tubers and tomato fruits at iodine concentrations greater than 0.05% for iodide and at respectively 0.2% and 0.1% for iodate. On the basis of the uptake curve, it was finally possible to calculate the doses of supply in the irrigation water of iodine as iodate (0.028% for potato and 0.014% for tomato) as well as of iodide (0.004% for potato and 0.002% for tomato) to reach the 150 g day -1 RDA for adults in 100 g of such vegetables, to efficiently control IDD, although these results still need to be validated.
  • Authors:
    • Middleton, A. B.
    • Bremer, E.
    • McKenzie, R. H.
    • Pfiffner, P. G.
    • Woods, S. A.
  • Source: Canadian Journal of Plant Science
  • Volume: 91
  • Issue: 2
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: High crop productivity is essential for irrigated crops and may be strongly affected by decisions of seeding date and rate. An irrigated field experiment was conducted at two locations in southern Alberta for 4 yr to compare the impact of seeding date and rate on productivity and quality of nine cereal crops and two oilseed crops. Seeding rate was only evaluated on one date in late April or early May, when maximum yields were expected. Delayed seeding reduced crop yields by 0.6 to 1.7% per day after the end of April: flax ( Linum usitatissimum L.) ≤ CWRS wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.), feed triticale (* Triticosecale W.) ≤ CPS or SWS wheat ≤ triticale or barley ( Hordeum vulgare L.) silage ≤ durum ( T. turgidum L.), feed or malt barley
  • Authors:
    • Nelson, S. O.
    • Trabelsi, S.
  • Source: Transactions of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers
  • Volume: 54
  • Issue: 2
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Based on microwave dielectric properties of wheat, corn, barley, oats, grain sorghum, soybeans, canola, shelled peanuts and pod peanuts measured over ranges of frequency and moisture content, models for predicting the dielectric constant and loss factor of these commodities are described. Nearly linear relationships between dielectric properties and log of frequency or frequency and moisture content permitted multiple linear regression models to be developed for predicting dielectric constants and loss factors for each type of grain and seed at 23degreesC. Models predicted dielectric constants with s.e. of 1 to 2% with some up to approx. 4% for grain and seed at frequencies in the range 5 to 15 GHz over given moisture ranges. Loss factors are predicted with s.e. of a few percent, but much larger errors can naturally result when loss factors are very small.