• Authors:
    • Vaccari,F. P.
    • Maienza,A.
    • Miglietta,F.
    • Baronti,S.
    • Lonardo,S. di
    • Giagnoni,L.
    • Lagomarsino,A.
    • Pozzi,A.
    • Pusceddu,E.
    • Ranieri,R.
    • Valboa,G.
    • Genesio,L.
  • Source: Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment
  • Volume: 207
  • Year: 2015
  • Summary: Biochar addition to soil is a promising option for climate change mitigation and is recognized to exert beneficial effects on soil fertility. However, recent meta-analysis documented controversial effects on soil-plant interactions and on crop yields response. The data presented in this paper are the results of a field experiment on a processing tomato crop aiming to enhance the knowledge on the real applicability of biochar at farm scale in a high fertility alkaline soil. The effects of two biochar types on soil properties and on quantitative and qualitative parameters of processing tomato were evaluated. Biochar application significantly increased the soil carbon content, the soil cation exchange capacity and the availability of NH 4+, P and K. Moreover, it stimulated plant growth and N, P and base cation contents at harvest, reducing the leaf water potential in the warmer period. These results demonstrate that also intensive cultivations in fertile soil can benefit from biochar amendment.
  • Authors:
    • Hossain,M. K.
    • Strezov,V.
    • Nelson,P. F.
  • Source: Pedosphere
  • Volume: 25
  • Issue: 5
  • Year: 2015
  • Summary: To investigate the potential effects of wastewater sludge and sludge biochar on growth, yield and metal bioaccumulation of cherry tomato ( Lycopersicon esculentum L.), a pot experiment was carried out under greenhouse environment with three different treatments, control soil (CP), soil with wastewater sludge (SS) and soil with sludge biochar (SB), to reveal the comparative effect between the amendments of wastewater sludge and sludge biochar. The soil used for pot experiment was Chromosol. Wastewater sludge and sludge biochar produced through pyrolysis process at 550°C were applied at 10 t ha -1. No significant difference was found in growth and production of cherry tomatoes between wastewater sludge and sludge biochar applications to the soil. The accumulation rates of metals in the fruits were lower in the treatment with sludge biochar than in the treatment with wastewater sludge. The study highlights the benefits of risk mitigation from toxic metal accumulation in fruits using wastewater sludge and sludge biochar as soil conditioners.
  • Authors:
    • Lee,Hyunok
    • Sumner,Daniel A.
  • Source: Climatic Change
  • Volume: 132
  • Issue: 4
  • Year: 2015
  • Summary: This article establishes quantitative relationships between the evolution of climate and cropland using daily climate data for a century and data on allocation of land across crops for six decades in a specific agro-climatic region of California. These relationships are applied to project how climate scenarios reported by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change would drive cropland patterns into 2050. Projections of warmer winters, particularly from 2035 to 2050, cause lower wheat area and more alfalfa and tomato area. Only marginal changes in area were projected for tree and vine crops, in part because although lower, chill hours remain above critical values.
  • Authors:
    • Mu WeiSong
    • Yan ZhiYong
    • Gavrila,S. P.
    • Moga,L. M.
    • Feng JianYing
    • Jianu,I.
  • Source: Journal of Environmental Protection and Ecology
  • Volume: 16
  • Issue: 2
  • Year: 2015
  • Summary: (Will open in Google Docs) Greenhouse grape cultivation (GGC) has been an important part in grape production in China, and the ecological impact of the production system is vital for its sustainable development. This paper aims to evaluate the net carbon emissions and the overall impact on atmosphere of GGC and open-field grape cultivation (OGC) systems. A methodology of full carbon cycle analysis was adopted, and the net primary production, net ecosystem productivity and net carbon flux were chosen as the main indexes. The data were acquired through field investigations and chemical experiments. The results showed that both systems were the carbon source. The net carbon flux were 9.77 mg ha -1 year -1 and 1.17 mg ha -1 year -1. Compared to the OGC system, the GGC system is a bigger carbon source, however the carbon sink ability was improved and the NEP was increased by 2.18 mg ha -1 year -1. Minimisation the use of high carbon material in greenhouse building is a practical solution to reduction of carbon emission.
  • Authors:
    • Ramirez,T.
    • Meas,Y.
    • Dannehl,D.
    • Schuch,I.
    • Miranda,L.
    • Rocksch,T.
    • Schmidt,U.
  • Source: Journal of Cleaner Production
  • Volume: 104
  • Year: 2015
  • Summary: The water and carbon footprint of the presented dried tomato value chain is compared to the conventional process. The coupling of pre- and post-harvest processes, namely growing and drying respectively, is analyzed for resource consumption optimization. The growing system of tomatoes ( Solanum lycopersicon L. cv, Pannovy) in an energy efficient greenhouse (operating as a solar thermal collector) is databased; while the post-harvest process consists of a model-based solar drying system. The thermodynamic operation zones (temperature, humidity and enthalpy) are detailed to apply energy interaction between both processes. The results of the monthly record of a season show that the water footprint was reduced from 91 to 51.1 L kg -1 with a standard deviation from 53.2 to 12.4 L kg -1. The carbon footprint was reduced from 40.2 to 11 kg kg -1 with a standard deviation from 23.9 to 11.4 kg carbon dioxide kg -1. From the observed variation from monthly values, the relevance of the seasonal effect on resources needed for implementing process improvements is highlighted. The use of renewable energy and energy efficiency concepts is shown to have a positive impact when applied at industrial level in 'compound industries' that share sub-processes in the value chains.
  • Authors:
    • Peridy, N.
    • Zouabi, O.
  • Source: Article
  • Volume: 133
  • Issue: 2
  • Year: 2015
  • Summary: North African countries (NACs) are particularly concerned with climate change because of their geographical position (close to deserts) and their economic dependence on agriculture. We aim to provide additional insight into the impact of climate on agriculture for NACs, through the example of Tunisia. We first use disaggregated data, both at the geographical level (for 24 regions in Tunisia) and at the product level (cereals, olives, citrus fruit, tomatoes, potatoes and palm trees). Second, through spatial panel data analysis, we explore both the time and spatial dimensions of the data. This makes it possible to consider spatial interactions in agricultural production and the role of climate in these spatial spillover effects. Finally, the model not only includes direct climate variables, such as temperature and precipitation, but also indirect climate-related variables such as the stock of water in dams and groundwater. Results show that Tunisian agriculture is strongly dependent on the direct effects of temperature and precipitation for all the products considered at the regional level. The presence of dams and groundwater generally has a positive effect on agricultural production for irrigated crops with interesting spillover effects with neighboring regions. However, this impact is still considerably lessened in the case of detrimental climate conditions (indirect effect). These results raise the question of the sustainability of the growth in agricultural production in Tunisia in the case of significant climate change.
  • Authors:
    • Leps, J.
    • Blazek, P.
  • Source: Article
  • Volume: 211
  • Year: 2015
  • Summary: The recent population declines of annual hemiparasitic Rhinanthus species may be a result of changes in mowing dates associated with the intensification of grassland management, but the causal mechanisms are not well understood. We aimed to determine the dynamics of Rhinanthus regeneration after cutting and of fruit ripening under silage or hay making. Mowing was simulated on several dates from mid-May to mid-July in populations of a vernal ecotype of Rhinanthus minor and an aestival ecotype of Rh. alectorolophus. Survival and regeneration of clipped plants, as well as fruit ripening were monitored in the experiments. We showed that Rhinanthus species were capable of resprouting, albeit with high mortality, but only in early spring before the lower leaves were shed. The time of fruit ripening differed among phenological types by over a month and a considerable number of fruits ripened during hay making. If meadows are mown in the period when plants are not able to regenerate and not enough fruits have ripened, Rhinanthus populations could undergo a massive decline. Postponing the first cut until fruits start to ripen is necessary for the protection of these species. Current Czech agri-environmental measures (AEMs) subsidize postponing the first cut only in protected areas, which limits the distribution of Rhinanthus. Moreover, the earliest date for a postponed cut is mid-July, which is too late considering forage quality. We suggest implementing a late-June mowing, which would diversify the mosaic of various mowing dates within protected areas, and could be widely acceptable for farmers in non-protected landscapes.
  • Authors:
    • Tzanopoulos, J.
    • Bravo-Monroy, L.
    • Potts, S. G.
  • Source: Article
  • Volume: 211
  • Year: 2015
  • Summary: Bees and other insects provide pollination services that are key to determining the fruit set on coffee plantations. These pollination services are influenced by local ecology as well as human factors, both social and economic. To better understand these different factors, we assessed their effect on pollinators and coffee pollination services in Santander, Colombia. We quantified the effect of key ecological drivers on pollinator community composition, such as the method of farm management (either conventional or organic) and the surrounding landscape composition, specifically the proximity to forest. We found that ambient levels of pollination services provided by the local pollinator fauna (open pollination) accounted for a 10.52.0% increase in final coffee fruit set, and that the various pollinators are affected differently by the differing factors. For example, our findings indicate that conventional farm management, using synthetic inputs, can promote pollinators, especially if they are in close proximity to natural forest fragments. This is particularly true for stingless bees. Honeybee visitation to coffee is also positively influenced by the conventional management of farms. Factors associated with greater numbers of stingless bees on farms include greater shade cover, lower tree densities, smaller numbers and types of trees in bloom, and younger coffee plantations. A forested landscape close to farms appears to enhance these factors, giving increased stability and resilience to the pollinating bees and insects. However we found that organic farms also support diverse pollinator communities, even if distant from forest fragments. The contribution of honeybees to pollination value (US$129.6/ha of coffee) is greater than that of stingless bees (US$16.5/ha of coffee). Since the method of farm management has a major impact on the numbers and types of pollinators attracted to farms, we have analysed the statistically significant social factors that influence farmers' decisions on whether to adopt organic or conventional practices. These include the availability of technology, the type of landowner (whether married couples or individual owners), the number of years of farmers' formal education, the role of institutions, membership of community organizations, farm size, coffee productivity and the number of coffee plots per farm. It is hoped that the use of our holistic approach, which combines investigation of the social as well as the ecological drivers of pollination, will help provide evidence to underpin the development of best practices for integrating the management of pollination into sustainable agricultural practices.
  • Authors:
    • Smucker, A. J. M.
    • Basso, B.
    • Zhang, W.
    • Kavdir, Y.
  • Source: JOURNAL OF SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION
  • Volume: 69
  • Issue: 5
  • Year: 2014
  • Authors:
    • Hormaza, J. I.
    • Hermoso, J. M.
    • Burgos, P.
    • López, R.
    • González-Fernández, J. J.
  • Source: SOIL & TILLAGE RESEARCH
  • Volume: 143
  • Year: 2014
  • Summary: The recycling of almond shell as mulch would allow avocado orchards to be managed organically, maintaining plant yield and improving soil conditions simultaneously. This study aims to analyze the long term effects of successive applications of almond shell as mulching for organically grown avocado. Effects on soil properties, enzyme activities and soil carbon storage as well as avocado yield and growth were studied in comparison to no-tillage conventionally managed (using mineral fertilizers and herbicides) avocado. In 2002, 2007 and 2012 almond shells were applied in a 7cm thick layer (26.0kg dry matterm-2) covering 4m×8m per tree. After a 10-year period a new soil organic horizon was established in the organic treatment, and the upper mineral soil layer (0-25cm) enhanced its C content from 43gkg-1 in F to 91 in gkg-1, and proportionally P and N contents. The high lignin content of almond shells, 362gkg-1, led to low organic matter degradation, 37% for the 10-year period. Nevertheless, this reduced rate of organic matter mineralization was sufficient to supply the needed nutrients and to maintain or even increase fruit yield in the organic treatment. Urease, β-glucosidase, dehydrogenase, protease and phophomonoesterase showed high microbiological activity in the organic layer decreasing in mineral layers. Enzyme activities were significantly correlated to soil OC (organic C) content and site specific soil moisture. Reduced mineralization and high surface microbiological activity make almond shell an ideal mulch for avocado trees combining increased soil organic C content and agricultural benefits.