• Authors:
    • Nepomuceno, A. L.
    • Oliveira, G. M. de
    • Neumaier, N.
    • Rakocevic, M.
    • Farias, J. R. B.
  • Source: Pesquisa Agropecuária Brasileira
  • Volume: 45
  • Issue: 7
  • Year: 2010
  • Summary: The objectives of this work were to determine the heliotropic movements of the upper trifoliates for two soybean cultivars, BR 16 and Embrapa 48, during a daily cycle, in three phenological stages and two water regimes, and to estimate the impact of irrigation and daily leaflet movements on agronomic characteristics and grain yield. Heliotropic movements were studied in three phenological stages: V4-V6, V7-V10, and R5 in irrigated and non-irrigated plots. For each stage, the leaflet elevation and azimuth were measured hourly. Under a low (V4-V6 stage) and mid (V7-V10 stage) leaf area index (LAI) the diaheliotropism was slightly more frequent and intensive in non-irrigated than in irrigated plants, only at early morning and late afternoon hours. At R5 stage (high LAI) the paraheliotropism of superior trifoliates was predominant and more intensive in non-irrigated plants. The heliotropic movements are correlated to carbon gain, but not to environment (light intensity or temperature), for measurements at 11 h. 'Embrapa 48' expresses greater paraheliotropism than 'BR 16' at high LAI, while 'BR 16' displays lower heliotropic plasticity under irrigation. In spite of significant heliotropic differences, genotype and water availability treatments did not influence the final grain yield.
  • Authors:
    • Srivastva, A. K.
    • Mina, B. L.
    • Kundu, S.
    • Bhattacharyya, R.
    • Chandra, S.
    • Pandey, S. C.
    • Gupta, S.
    • Saha, S.
  • Source: Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems
  • Volume: 86
  • Issue: 2
  • Year: 2010
  • Summary: To date, the sustainability of wheat ( Triticum aestivum)-soybean ( Glycine max) cropping systems has not been well assessed, especially under Indian Himalayas. Research was conducted in 1995-1996 to 2004 at Hawalbagh, India to study the effects of fertilization on yield sustainability of irrigated wheat-soybean system and on selected soil properties. The mean wheat yield under NPK+FYM (farmyard manure) treated plots was ~27% higher than NPK (2.4 Mg ha -1). The residual effect of NPK+FYM caused ~14% increase in soybean yield over NPK (2.18 Mg ha -1). Sustainable yield index values of wheat and the wheat-soybean system were greater with annual fertilizer N or NPK plots 10 Mg ha -1 FYM than NPK alone. However, benefit:cost ratio of fertilization, agronomic efficiency and partial factor productivity of applied nutrients were higher with NPK+FYM than NPK, if FYM nutrients were not considered. Soils under NPK+FYM contained higher soil organic C (SOC), total soil N, total P and Olsen-P by ~10, 42, 52 and 71%, respectively, in the 0-30 cm soil layers, compared with NPK. Non-exchangeable K decreased with time under all treatments except NPK. Total SOC in the 0-30 cm soil layer increased in all fertilized plots. Application of NPK+FYM also improved selected soil physical properties over NPK. The NPK+FYM application had better soil productivity than NPK but was not as economical as NPK if farmers had to purchase manure.
  • Authors:
    • Shrivastava, G. K.
    • Lakpale, R.
    • Rathiya, P. S.
    • Bargali, S. S.
  • Source: Journal of Plant Development Sciences
  • Volume: 2
  • Issue: 1/2
  • Year: 2010
  • Summary: The field experiment was conducted during kharif season of 2004 and 2005 at the Instructional Farm, Indira Gandhi Agricultural University, Raipur (C.G.) to study the effect of nutrient blending with FYM and intercropping on biomass production and economics of hybrid cotton-soybean intercrops under irrigated condition. The growth characters of cotton like-plant height, number of branches, number of leaves, dry matter accumulation, LAI, CGR, and RGR were the highest with sole cotton with 100% RDF. In case of soybean, the growth parameters like-plant height, number of branches, number of leaves, dry matter accumulation, LAI, CGR, and RGR were the highest under sole soybean with 100% RDF. The bolls per plant in cotton were the highest under sole cotton with 100% RDF. Similar trend for yield components were observed in case of soybean. Sole cotton with 100% RDF resulted in maximum seed cotton and stalk yield as compared to other intercropping treatments. Similar trend was also noted with sole soybean with 100% RDF, which recorded significantly the highest seed and stover yield as compared to others. The maximum values of LER, cotton equivalent yield, monetary advantage gross realization, net realization ha -1 and B:C ratio were recorded under C+S (2:4)+100%RDF, which was closely followed by treatment C+S (2:4)+1 t FYM ha -1+75% RDF (BL).
  • Authors:
    • Dalal, R. C.
    • Blamey, F. P. C.
    • Rao, A. S.
    • Rao, D. L. N.
    • Mohanty, M.
    • Reddy, K. S.
    • Dixit, S. K.
    • Pandey, M.
    • Menzies, N. W.
  • Source: Proceedings of the 19th World Congress of Soil Science, Soil Solutions for a Changing World, 1–6 August 2010, Brisbane, Australia
  • Year: 2010
  • Summary: The Mother Baby Trial (MBT) approach is an on-farm participatory mechanism to introduce and test technology options suited to a heterogeneous community. In this study, the MBT concept was followed with integrated nutrient management (INM) technology in a soybean-wheat system. Seven treatments were tested in Mother trials in 2005-06 and 2006-07 on farmers' fields in the Rajgarh and Bhopal districts of Central India. In 2007-08, 100 Baby trials were conducted by farmers in 10 surrounding villages to demonstrate and test the INM technology. The Baby trials were based on the results of Mother trials which showed that INM using 50% of the recommended NPKS fertilizer+5 t FYM/ha+ Rhizobium to soybean and 75% of the recommended NPKS fertilizer+P-solubilizing bacteria to wheat produced higher soybean yield by 46% and higher wheat yield by 24% over the farmers' practice. In the Baby trials, there was a wide variation in soybean yield obtained with INM, balanced fertilization (BF) using inorganic fertilizers, and farmers' practice; in poorer yielding trials, some problems were evident in the control of weeds and insect pests. Wheat responded well to BF and INM in trials irrigated 3-4 times. The MBT approach proved valuable in demonstrating higher productivity of the soybean-wheat system, and the value of INM and BF technologies, but only with proper weed and pest management in soybean, and adequate irrigation in wheat, as a package of practices.
  • Authors:
    • Wrather, A.
    • Shannon, G.
    • Stevens, G.
    • Rhine, M. D.
    • Sleper, D.
  • Source: Irrigation Science
  • Volume: 28
  • Issue: 2
  • Year: 2010
  • Summary: Furrow irrigating soybean prior to a large, unexpected rainfall event can reduce nitrogen fixation and crop yield. The objective of this study was to evaluate the tolerance of soybean cultivars to waterlogged alluvial soils. Five cultivars were selected, which showed a range of tolerances to excessive soil water. Flood duration and flood timing experiments were conducted on clay and silt loam soils. Main plots were flooding duration and flood timing and subplots were soybean cultivars. Most cultivars were able to withstand flooding for 48-96 h without crop injury. Cultivars flooded during the V5 growth stage suffered the least amount of yield loss. The greatest yield losses from flooding occurred at the R5 growth stage. Soybean yields from cultivars flooded at R5 were reduced by 20-39% compared to non-flooded checks. Pioneer 94B73 (cv.) had no significant change in yield from flooding for 192 h at any of the three growth stages, compared to non-flooded controls.
  • Authors:
    • Rogers, D. J.
    • Brier, H. B.
  • Source: Crop Protection
  • Volume: 29
  • Issue: 1
  • Year: 2010
  • Summary: The response of vegetative soybean (Glycine max) to Helicoverpa armigera feeding was studied in irrigated field cages over three years in eastern Australia to determine the relationship between larval density and yield loss, and to develop economic injury levels. Rather than using artificial defoliation techniques, plants were infested with either eggs or larvae of H. armigera, and larvae allowed to feed until death or pupation. Larvae were counted and sized regularly and infestation intensity was calculated in Helicoverpa injury equivalent (HIE) units, where 1 HIE was the consumption of one larva from the start of the infestation period to pupation. In the two experiments where yield loss occurred, the upper threshold for zero yield loss was 7.510.21 HIEs and 6.431.08 HIEs respectively. In the third experiment, infestation intensity was lower and no loss of seed yield was detected up to 7.0 HIEs. The rate of yield loss/HIE beyond the zero yield loss threshold varied between Experiments 1 and 2 (-9.440.80 g and -23.173.18 g, respectively). H. armigera infestation also affected plant height and various yield components (including pod and seed numbers and seeds/pod) but did not affect seed size in any experiment. Leaf area loss of plants averaged 841 and 1025 cm 2/larva in the two experiments compared to 214 and 302 cm 2/larva for cohort larvae feeding on detached leaves at the same time, making clear that artificial defoliation techniques are unsuitable for determining H. armigera economic injury levels on vegetative soybean. Analysis of canopy leaf area and pod profiles indicated that leaf and pod loss occurred from the top of the plant downwards. However, there was an increase in pod numbers closer to the ground at higher pest densities as the plant attempted to compensate for damage. Defoliation at the damage threshold was 18.6 and 28.0% in Experiments 1 and 2, indicating that yield loss from H. armigera feeding occurred at much lower levels of defoliation than previously indicated by artificial defoliation studies. Based on these results, the economic injury level for H. armigera on vegetative soybean is approximately 7.3 HIEs/row-metre in 91 cm rows or 8.0 HIEs/m 2.
  • Authors:
    • Meijide, A.
    • Sanz-Cobena, A.
    • Sanchez-Martin, L.
    • Quemada, M.
    • Vallejo, A.
  • Source: European Journal of Soil Science
  • Volume: 61
  • Issue: 5
  • Year: 2010
  • Summary: The aim of this study was to evaluate the pattern of nitrous oxide (N 2O) and methane (CH 4) fluxes, and leaching losses of nitrate (NO 3-) and dissolved organic C (DOC), during a fallow-onion crop-fallow cycle in a Mediterranean area. The importance of the fallow (intercrop) period and the type of fertilizer were also evaluated. Goat and chicken manure (M) from an organic farm, digested pig slurry (DPS) and urea (U) were applied at a rate of 110 kg N ha -1 and compared with a zero N treatment (Control). The crop period contributed more than each fallow period to the total N 2O emission (ranging from 70 to 85% of the total emission, depending on the treatment). The variability of rainfall during fallow periods affected N 2O emissions, with the highest fluxes observed in the second fallow, which was the wetter. Negative net fluxes of N 2O (0 to -0.4 mg N 2O-N m -2 day -1) were mainly observed during the irrigation period and in fallow periods. The type of fertilizer had no effect on N 2O fluxes, but influenced the CH 4 oxidation. The largest CH 4 emission was from the manure treatment (2.4 mg CH 4-C m -2 day -1) during the irrigation period. The lowest NO 3- but highest DOC leaching rates were measured during the second fallow period from the manure treated plots (0.2 kg NO 3--N ha -1 and 3.9 kg C ha -1), which also had the highest drainage. The use of OM, therefore, seems to be a suitable method to reduce the environmental impacts associated with N leaching as well as increase the potential to denitrify NO 3- in groundwater.
  • Authors:
    • Miah, M. N. A.
    • Paul, G. C.
    • Siddique, M. A. B.
    • Amanullah, A. S. M.
  • Source: Pakistan Sugar Journal
  • Volume: 25
  • Issue: 4
  • Year: 2010
  • Summary: An experiment was conducted at Regional Sugarcane Research Station (RSRS), Thakurgaon during 2005-06 and 2006-07 cropping seasons to assess effects of different levels of irrigation and split application of N-K fertilizers in sugarcane (var. Isd 36) intercropped with potato (var. Dimond). The intercrop, potato received recommended fertilizer as usual. Application of Urea and Potash (N-K fertilizers) in two splits (B 1) produced highest number of tiller, millable cane and also highest yield in both levels of irrigation in both years. Though the difference was not significant over B 2 and B 3. But irrigation level A 1 (six light irrigation with 65 mm effective rainfall) had significant difference over A 2 (five comparatively deep irrigation with same effective rainfall). Highest number of tiller (215.3*10 3 ha -1), millable cane (114.7*10 3 ha -1) and cane yield (109.9 t ha -1) were produced by the treatment B 1 under A 1 level of irrigation in the crop year 2006-07. Hence split application of N-K fertilizers with two equal splits applied at plantation and at 145 days after plantation and also light irrigation, 6 to 7 number with total amount of 460-500 mm including effective rainfall may be preferred for loamy and sandy loam soils.
  • Authors:
    • Sa, M. E. de
    • Lazarini, E.
    • Silva, J. B. da
    • Vieira, R. D.
  • Source: Revista Brasileira de Sementes
  • Volume: 32
  • Issue: 2
  • Year: 2010
  • Summary: During the maturation and harvest of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) seed the ideal climatic conditions include dryness and lower temperatures. Using winter-sown (July to September) soybean we verified the effects of irrigation on the physiological quality of soybean seeds during maturity using a factorial treatment design with three varieties (IAC-19, Conquista and IAC 8-2) and two irrigation interruption times (starting at stage R 7 and irrigating until 14 days after stage R 8). The samples were taken at stage R 7 and at 3 days, 7 days, 10 days, 14 days (stage R 8) and 28 days after starting stage R 7. We evaluated the percentage germination, vigor using accelerated aging and electric conductivity tests, and the percentage of spotted and imperfect seeds and found that irrigation after stage R 7 does not reduce seed quality but can improve the physiological potential of the seeds.
  • Authors:
    • Sujatha, S.
    • Bhat, R.
  • Source: Agricultural Water Management
  • Volume: 97
  • Issue: 7
  • Year: 2010
  • Summary: A 5-year field trial to assess the impact of microsprinkler irrigation and nutrition on vanilla grown as intercrop in arecanut plantation was conducted on a laterite soil. Pooled analysis indicated that microsprinkler irrigation at 1.0 Epan resulted in significantly higher green bean yield (842 kg ha -1) than 0.75 Epan (579 kg ha -1). Organic manure application in the form of vermicompost (720 kg ha -1) and FYM (768 kg ha -1) and recommended NPK (718 kg ha -1) produced green bean yield at par with recycling of gliricidia prunings (625 kg ha -1). Irrigation at 1.0 Epan proved superior by registering maximum benefit:cost (B:C) ratio of 2.25 compared to 1.62 at 0.75 Epan. The highest B:C ratio was obtained with recommended NPK (2.27) followed by recycling of gliricidia prunings (2.10), vermicompost (1.87), vermicompost+arecanut husk mulching (1.80) and FYM (1.64). The soil pH increased by 0.4 units in 2008 compared with the pre-experimental soil pH of 5.6 in 2004. Nutrition alone and in combination with irrigation had significant impact on soil pH. Organic manure application increased the soil pH (6.1-6.2) significantly over recommended NPK (5.6) at the end of experiment in 2008. Significant variation in soil organic carbon (SOC) was noticed due to different nutrition treatments. Application of vermicompost and FYM significantly increased the SOC content by 38-54% in 2008 over initial levels in 2004. Bray's P availability was influenced by nutrition and its interaction with irrigation. Application of FYM continuously for 4 years has resulted in significant increase in Bray's P content (41.3 mg kg -1) compared to other nutrition treatments (9.4-17.2 mg kg -1). Irrigation equivalent to 0.75 Epan (223 mg kg -1) increased the K availability significantly over 1.0 Epan (172 mg kg -1). The K availability was significantly higher in recommended NPK (416 mg kg -1) than in other organic treatments (98-223 mg kg -1) at 0-30 cm soil depth. Overall, vanilla responded well to irrigation and nutrition in arecanut-based cropping system with a better economic output and improved soil fertility.