• Authors:
    • Nutsugah, S. K.
    • Amponsah, N. T.
  • Source: Pakistan Journal of Nematology
  • Volume: 28
  • Issue: 1
  • Year: 2010
  • Summary: Soils and roots of 10 field crops grown in Northern and Upper East Regions of northern Ghana were sampled for the presence of plant parasitic and non-plant-parasitic nematodes. Species belonging to Xiphmema, Longidorus and Hoplolaimus were the most predominant and significantly higher, whereas Tylenchorhynchus was the least common genus of plant parasitic nematodes found. Meloidogyne, Pratylenchus, Heterodera and Hirschmanniella spp. were frequently found associated with soils and roots of tomato, peanut, soybean and irrigated rice respectively. In all, 16 genera of plant parasitic nematodes and eight of non-plant parasitic nematodes were recorded with the most ubiquitous being Cephalobus spp., (non parasitic) in root and soil samples of all the 10 crops irrespective of host location. Findings from the survey however, had provided evidence showing that soils and roots of most major crops grown throughout northern Ghana were infected with several types of parasitic nematodes.
  • Authors:
    • Basso, F. C.
    • Montanari, R.
    • Passos e Carvalho, M. de
    • Andreotti, M.
    • Pariz, C. M.
    • Azenha, M. V.
    • Vercese, F.
  • Source: Ciência Rural
  • Volume: 40
  • Issue: 3
  • Year: 2010
  • Summary: The variation and the spatial dependence attributes of the following plant and soil characteristics: soyabean yield (SY) in no-till and irrigated soil; the macroporosity (MA); microporosity (MI); total porosity (TP); and bulk density (BD), in depths of 1 (0-0.10 m), 2 (0.10-0.20 m) and 3 (0.20-0.30 m), were studied in a Red Latosol of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, were analysed during 2004/05, to study the variation and the linear and spatial correlations among the attributes (plant and soil) and select an index of soil physical quality with good capacity to represent the soyabean yield. A geostatistical grid to collect soil and plant data was installed, with 124 sample points, in an area of 4000 m 2. The linear relationship between soyabean yield and physical attributes of soil studied was low. So, there was a direct spatial relationship between SY and MA1 (0-0.10 m), as well as between SY and MA2 (0.10-0.20 m). The MA1 showed its best index of the soil physical quality, when it was destined to estimate the soyabean yield in no-till soil.
  • Authors:
    • Halvorson, A. D.
    • Archer, D. W.
  • Source: Soil Science Society of America Journal
  • Volume: 74
  • Issue: 2
  • Year: 2010
  • Summary: Recent soil and crop management technologies have potential for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions; however, these management strategies must be profitable if they are to be adopted by producers. The economic feasibility of reducing net greenhouse gas emissions in irrigated cropping systems was evaluated for 5 yr on a Fort Collins clay loam soil (a fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Aridic Haplustalf). Cropping systems included conventional tillage continuous corn ( Zea mays L.) (CT-CC), no-till continuous corn (NT-CC), and no-till corn-bean (NT-CB) including 1 yr soybean [ Glycine max (L.) Merr.] and 1 yr dry bean ( Phaseolus vulgaris L.). The study included six N fertilization rates ranging from 0 to 246 kg ha -1. Results showed highest average net returns for NT-CB, exceeding net returns for NT-CC and CT-CC by US$182 and US$228 ha -1, respectively, at economically optimum N fertilizer rates. Net global warming potential (GWP) generally increased with increasing N fertilizer rate with the exception of NT-CC, where net GWP initially declined and then increased at higher N rates. Combining economic and net GWP measurements showed that producers have an economic incentive to switch from CT-CC to NT-CB, increasing annual average net returns by US$228 ha -1 while reducing annual net GWP by 929 kg CO 2 equivalents ha -1. The greatest GWP reductions (1463 kg CO 2 equivalents ha -1) could be achieved by switching from CT-CC to NT-CC while also increasing net returns, but the presence of a more profitable NT-CB alternative means NT-CC is unlikely to be chosen without additional economic incentives.
  • Authors:
    • Domua, C.
    • Borza, I.
    • Ardelean, I.
    • Domuta, C.
    • Bandici, G.
    • Radu, B.
  • Source: Natural Resources and Sustainable Development
  • Issue: 2010
  • Year: 2010
  • Summary: The paper sustain the importance of the crop rotation on quality of the wheat yield and is based on the results carried out during 2003-2006 in a long term trial out placed on the preluvosoil from Oradea in 1990. Both in nonirrigated and irrigated conditions the smallest values of the protein, wet gluten and dry gluten were obtained in wheat monocrop; the values increased in the crop rotation wheat maize and the biggest values were registered in the crop rotation wheat-maize-soybean.
  • Authors:
    • Singh, J. P.
    • Tripathi, R.
    • Srivastava, P.
    • Behera, S. K.
    • Singh, N.
  • Source: Biomass and Bioenergy
  • Volume: 34
  • Issue: 1
  • Year: 2010
  • Summary: Jatropha curcas L., a multipurpose, drought resistant, perennial plant belonging to Euphorbiaceae family has gained lot of importance for the production of biodiesel. The properties of the crop and its oil have persuaded investors, policy makers and clean development mechanism (CDM) project developers to consider Jatropha as a substitute for fossil fuels to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, basic agronomic properties of Jatropha are not thoroughly understood and the environmental effects have not been investigated yet. Grey literature reports are very optimistic on simultaneous wasteland reclamation capability and oil yields. Studies were undertaken at Solar Energy Centre, Gurgaon, India to evaluate the plant performance under different agro-practices with special reference to irrigation scheduling, VAM and biofertilizers' applications, plant spacing, pruning trials for maximizing tree architecture and higher biomass. Parallel experiments were undertaken to understand the scope of J. curcas for intercropping practices in the under storey of dominating monoculture tree stands (Prosopis, Acacia and Neem).
  • Authors:
    • Domuta, C.
    • Sandor, M.
    • Bara, L.
    • Bara, C.
    • Bara, V.
    • Domuta, C.
    • Borza, I. M.
    • Brejea, R.
    • Vuscan, A.
  • Source: Analele Universităţii din Oradea, Fascicula: Protecţia Mediului
  • Volume: 15
  • Year: 2010
  • Summary: The paper based on the researche carried out in the Agricultural Research and Development Station Oradea in the long term trial placed in 1990 on a preluvosoil. Two factors were studied: crop rotation (maize-monocrop; maize-wheat; maize-soybean-wheat) and water regime (unirrigated and irrigated). In comparison with unirrigated and irrigated monocrop, in the maize-wheat crop and especially in the maize-soybean-wheat crop rotation very significant yield gains were obtained all the three years. The irrigation determined the yield gains very significant statistically every year and in every crop rotation. The smallest protein content and protein production were registered in the variant with maize monocrop and the biggest in the variant with wheat-maize-soybean crop. The irrigation determined the increase of the protein content.
  • Authors:
    • Kochsiek, A. E.
    • Knops, J. M. H.
    • Walters, D. T.
    • Arkebauer, T. J.
  • Source: Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
  • Volume: 149
  • Issue: 11
  • Year: 2009
  • Summary: The litter carbon (C) pool of a single litter cohort in an agroecosystem is the difference between net primary productivity and decomposition and comprises 11-13% of the total C pool (litter and soil 0-15 cm depth) post-harvest. This litter-C pool is highly dynamic and up to 50% can be decomposed in the first 12 months of decomposition. Thus, understanding litter-C dynamics is key in understanding monthly and annual total ecosystem carbon dynamics. While the effects of management practices such as irrigation and fertilization on productivity are well understood, the effects on decomposition are less studied. While irrigation and fertilization increase productivity, this will only lead to increased litter-C residence time and litter-C pool accretion if these techniques do not also result in equivalent or greater increases in decomposition. Management could potentially have impacts on litter-C accretion by increasing litter inputs, changing plant-C allocation, plant tissue quality, or decomposition rates. We examined carbon loss of one annual cohort of maize litter using in situ nylon litter bags for 3 years in three no-till fields with differing management regimes: irrigated continuous maize with a pre-planting fertilization application and two fertigation events, irrigated maize-soybean rotation with the same fertilization regime as the irrigated continuous maize management regime, and rainfed maize-soybean rotation with a single pre-planting fertilization event. We addressed the effects of these different management regimes on net primary productivity and litter inputs, litter nitrogen (N) concentrations and carbon quality measures, plant C allocation, decomposition rates and the potential changes in the overall litter-C balance. We found that irrigation/fertigation management increased litter inputs, led to changes in plant tissue quality, had no effect on carbon allocation, and increased decomposition rates. This balance of both greater litter inputs and outputs of C from the irrigated management regimes led to a similar litter-C balance for this litter cohort in the irrigated and rainfed management regimes after 3 years of decomposition. Our data clearly show that merely increasing litter-C inputs through irrigation/fertigation practices is not sufficient to increase litter-C residence time because decomposition rates also increase. Therefore, close monitoring of decomposition rates is essential for understanding litter-C pool dynamics.
  • Authors:
    • Balasubramanian, A.
    • Lakshmi, K. V.
    • Sankaran, N.
  • Source: Madras Agricultural Journal
  • Volume: 96
  • Issue: 1-6
  • Year: 2009
  • Summary: A field experiment was conducted during North East Monsoon season of 2002 and 2003 at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore to study the productive and economically viable integrated rainwater and nitrogen management practice for dryland maize under different rainfall situations. It is concluded that for early withdrawal of rainfall around 45 DAS, two supplemental irrigations given at tasseling and silking stages through run off recycling from farm pond increased growth, yield parameters, grain yield by 134 percent and net returns by Rs.3389 ha -1 over rainfed maize in 2002. For moisture stress at tasseling and soft dough stages, two supplemental irrigation increased growth, yield attributes, grain yield by 88 percent and net return by Rs. 3305 ha -1 over rainfed maize in 2003. Application of 40 kg N ha -1 with intercropping and incorporation of either sunnhemp or cowpea at 45 DAS increased yield and net returns of maize over sole maize with out inorganic nitrogen.
  • Authors:
    • Paltridge, N.
    • Tao, J.
    • Unkovich, M.
    • Gason, A.
    • Grover, S.
    • Wilkins, J.
    • Coventry, D.
    • Tashi, N.
    • Bonamano, A.
  • Source: Crop & Pasture Science
  • Volume: 60
  • Issue: 7
  • Year: 2009
  • Summary: In the south of the Tibet Autonomous Region of China there is a network of valleys where intensive agriculture is practiced. Although considered highly productive by Tibetans, farm incomes in the region are low, leading to a range of government initiatives to boost grain and fodder production. However, there is limited information available on current farming practices, yields, and likely yield constraints. The present paper uses available data and farmer interviews to describe the agro-climate and current systems of crop and livestock production, and considers possible strategies to boost production. Although winters in Tibet are cold and dry, summer and autumn provide ideal conditions for crop growth. Cropping systems are characterised by heavy tillage, frequent irrigation, high seeding rates and fertiliser applications, some use of herbicides, and little stubble retention or mechanisation. Spring barley and winter wheat are the predominant crops, followed by rapeseed, winter barley, and minor fodder and vegetable crops. Average yields for the main grain crops are around 4.0 t/ha for spring barley and 4.5 t/ha for winter wheat, significantly lower than should be possible in the environment. Farmers typically keep five or six cattle tethered near the household. Cattle are fed diets based on crop residues but are generally malnourished and rarely produce beyond the needs of the family. It is suggested that research and extension in the areas of crop nutrition, weed control, irrigation, seeding technology, and crop varieties should enable significant increases in grain yield. Increases in cattle production will require increases in the supply of good quality fodder. Cereal/fodder intercrops or double crops sown using no-till seed drills might enable the production of useful amounts of fodder in many areas without jeopardising food grain supply, and allow more crop residues to be retained in fields for improved soil health.
  • Authors:
    • Schindler, U.
    • Muller, L.
  • Source: Proceedings of the 10th International Agricultural Engineering Conference
  • Year: 2009
  • Summary: Land management practice is a decisive factor for the quantities of seepage flow and solute leaching, which constitute two fundamental aspects of land use characterised by potentially conflictive ecologic implications. Efficient water use and intelligent water management are essential for Northeast Germany as a sub-humid region marked by an annual water balance deficit between 80 and 250 mm. Throughout that region, measures are in demand to support groundwater recharge. To meet this claim, knowledge is required about suitable land management systems providing drainage flow sustainable in quantity and quality. Long-term soil hydrological measurements were used to quantify deep drainage and nitrate leaching insitu under undisturbed soil conditions. Deep drainage rates and nitrate losses from arable land managed under various farming regimes (integrated, integrated with irrigation, ecologic and low input) and tillage systems (plough and no till) were quantified in the Pleistocene region of Northeast Germany from 1994 to 2007. Soil water content and tension measurements down to 3 m depth and soil water sampling were used to determine deep drainage dynamics and loss of nitrogen by leaching. As dependent on the management system, the nitrate concentration varied between 40 and 150 mg l -1. In connection with annual deep drainage rates between 100 mm and 200 mm during the study period, the annual nitrogen loss varied between 14 and 41 kg ha -1. Differences in nitrogen loss observed between the farming systems were low, but yields increased and nitrogen losses decreased as a result of irrigation throughout the variants. No-till treatment resulted in reduced nitrate leaching (18 kg ha -1) as compared with the tillage system with plough and tooth cultivator (27 kg ha -1). The suitability of long-term soil hydrological in-situ measurements for quantifying arable management effects on ecological processes - deep drainage dynamics and solute leaching - was confirmed. The trend of decreasing deep drainage was low and not significant. However, due to no significance and quite short investigation period it is not allowed to suggest on climate change effects.