• Authors:
    • Gill, M. S.
    • Bhale, V. M.
    • Deshmukh, M. S.
    • Narkhede, W. N.
    • Gadade, G. D.
    • More, S. S.
  • Source: Indian Journal of Agronomy
  • Volume: 56
  • Issue: 2
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: A field experiment was conducted for three consecutive years (2005-2007) at Parbhani to find out most productive and profitable cropping system. Among the different cropping systems, highest wheat [( Triticum aestivum L.) emend. Fiori & Paol] equivalent yield (19.9 t/ha) and net monetary returns (Rs 107.8*10 3/ha) were obtained from soybean [ Glycine max (L. Merr.)]-onion ( Allium capa L.) cropping system, followed by turmeric ( Curcuma domestica L.)+castor ( Ricinus communis L.) (WEY-14.0 t/ha, and NMR Rs 89.8*10 3/ha). The soybean-onion system also recorded maximum net monetary advantage per unit time (Rs 573/ha/day), employment (374 mandays) and water use efficiency (221 kg/ha-cm), followed by turmeric+castor intercropping system. The highest nutrient uptake was recorded in sorghum [ Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench]-wheat followed by maize ( Zea mays L.)+cow-pea ( Vigna sinensis L.)-wheat and maize-wheat cropping systems. The highest soil nutrient status was observed in cotton ( Gossypium sp.)-summer groundnut ( Arachis hypogaea L.) followed by soybean-onion cropping systems.
  • 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.
  • Authors:
    • Odhiambo, J. J. O.
  • Source: African Journal of Agricultural Research
  • Volume: 6
  • Issue: 1
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Much of the smallholder farming sector in Limpopo province of South Africa is located on infertile degraded soils, with nitrogen being one of the predominantly deficient nutrient. The use of green manure legume cover crops in combination with Nitrogen (N) fertilizers is one option for improving N inputs into such farming systems. The objectives of this study were to (1) screen a number of green manure legume cover crop species, mucuna (Mucuna pruriens); sunhemp (Crotalaria juncea), lab-lab (Lablab purpureus); cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) and butterfly pea (Clitoria ternatea) in order to determine their suitability for the region and (2) to determine the effect of the green manure and nitrogen fertilizer on maize yield. The legumes were screened during the winter seasons of 2005 and 2006 and the summer seasons of 2005 - 2006 and 2006 - 2007. The best-bet legumes (mucuna, sunhemp and lab-lab) were then evaluated to determine their effect on maize grain yield with or without nitrogen fertilizer. The treatments imposed were mucuna, sunhemp, lab-lab, and a control with (75 kg N ha(-1)) or without (0 kg N ha(-1)) N fertilizer. Maize was harvested at maturity to determine the grain yield. In the screening trials, legume biomass yield ranged between 41 to 1,672 kg ha(-1), while the N content ranged between 2 to 58 kg N ha(-1) in the winter trials. In the summer trials, biomass yield ranged from 899 to 13,586 kg ha(-1), while the N content ranged between 27 to 302 kg N ha(-1). Maize yield ranged between 4.0 to 6.4 tons ha(-1) in the 2006 - 2007 seasons and between 5.8 to 8.4 tons ha(-1) in the 2007 - 2008 season. Control (-N) treatment had the lowest yield in both seasons. Overall, legume treatments, with or without N fertilizers produced between 19 to 58% more grain yield than control (-N). Of the green manure legumes screened, mucuna, lablab and sunhemp seem to be the most suitable green manure legume cover crops for this area and should be planted in the early summer season to maximize biomass production and N accumulation. Use of green manure legumes has the potential to increase maize yield in smallholder farms in Limpopo province.
  • Authors:
    • Jauhiainen, L.
    • Peltonen-Sainio, P.
    • Hakala, K.
  • Source: The Journal of Agricultural Science
  • Volume: 149
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Global warming has accelerated in recent decades and the years 1995-2006 were the warmest ever recorded. Also, in Finland, the last decade has been exceptionally warm. Hence, this study examines how current field crop cultivars, adapted to northern long-day conditions and short growing seasons, have responded to the elevated temperatures, especially with regard to determination of yield potential and quality. These comparisons were carried out with spring and winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), oats (Avena sativa L.), barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), winter rye (Secale cereale L.), pea (Pisum sativum L.) and rapeseed (turnip rape, Brassica rapa L. and oilseed rape, B. napus L.). Long-term data sets of MTT Official Variety Trials and the Finnish Meteorological Institute were used to study crop responses to precipitation and elevated temperatures at different growth phases. The MTT data sets were also grouped into experiments that could be considered typical of the temperature conditions in the period 1971-2000 seasons (termed '1985' conditions) or typical of the period 2010-39 (termed '2025'). At elevated temperatures, yields generally declined in these relatively cool growing conditions of northern Europe, except for pea. Elevated temperatures tended to have negative effects both in the pre- and post-anthesis phases, but the response depended on species. The response was probably associated with reduced water availability, which limited yield determination, especially in early growth phases. For example, in spring cereals a decrease in early summer precipitation by 10 mm decreased yields by 45-75 kg/ha. As warmer conditions also typically hastened development and growth in such generally cool growing conditions of Finland, it is essential that breeding programmes produce cultivars that are less sensitive to elevated temperatures, which are likely to become more frequent in future.
  • Authors:
    • Gillard, C. L.
    • Sikkema, P. H.
    • Pynenburg, G. M.
  • Source: Crop Protection
  • Volume: 30
  • Issue: 3
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Two common production constraints of dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) in Ontario are annual weeds and anthracnose (caused by Colletotrichum lindemuthianum). Dry bean is not considered a competitive crop and weed interference can result in substantial yield losses, while anthracnose is considered one of the most devastating diseases in dry bean production. A study conducted in Ontario Canada, examined the effect of two herbicide programs on weed management, thiamethoxam insecticide treatment on plant enhancement and three fungicide programs on anthracnose development in a navy bean cv. 'OAC Rex'. The premium herbicide program (s-metolachlor + imazethapyr) reduced percent weed ground cover relative to the economic herbicide program (trifluralin) in five of six locations. Thiamethoxam increased emergence and vigour at only one location, which contradicts reported benefits of thiamethoxam on plant health. The herbicide or thiamethoxam treatments did not affect anthracnose disease severity, visible seed quality, net yield or economic return. The fungicide seed treatment was often superior to the untreated control, for a number of the parameters measured. The application date of the foliar fungicide, relative to the onset of disease, varied between site-years. This dramatically influenced the fungicide's effectiveness. Foliar fungicides increased seed quality and net economic return compared to the control when applied prior to disease development. The combination of fungicide seed treatment followed by a foliar fungicide provided the largest reduction in anthracnose severity. (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
  • Authors:
    • Pederson, C. H.
    • Christianson, R. D.
    • Helmers, M. J.
    • Qi, Z.
  • Source: Journal of Environmental Quality
  • Volume: 40
  • Issue: 5
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Nitrate-nitrogen (NO(3)-N) loading to surface water bodies from subsurface drainage is an environmental concern in the midwestern United States. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of various land covers on NO(3)-N loss through subsurface drainage. Land-cover treatments included (i) conventional corn (Zea mays L.) (C) and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] (S); (ii) winter rye (Secale cereale L.) cover crop before corn (rC) and before soybean (rS); (iii) kura clover (Trifolium ambiguum M. Bieb.) as a living mulch for corn (kC); and (iv) perennial forage of orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) mixed with clovers (PF). In spring, total N uptake by aboveground biomass of rye in rC, rye in rS, kura clover in kC, and grasses in PF were 14.2, 31.8, 87.0, and 46.3 kg N ha(-1), respectively. Effect of land covers on subsurface drainage was not significant. The NO(3)-N loss was significantly lower for kC and PF than C and S treatments (p
  • Authors:
    • Kaleita, A. L.
    • Helmers, M. J.
    • Qi, Z.
  • Source: Agricultural Water Management
  • Volume: 98
  • Issue: 4
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Modification of land cover systems is being studied in subsurface drained Iowa croplands due to their potential benefits in increasing soil water and nitrogen depletion thus reducing drainage and NO(3)-N loss in the spring period. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impacts of modified land covers on soil water dynamics. In each individual year, modified land covers including winter rye-corn (rC), winter rye-soybean (rS), kura clover as a living mulch for corn (kC), and perennial forage (PF), as well as conventional corn (C) and soybean (S), were grown in subsurface drained plots in north-central Iowa. Results showed that subsurface drainage was not reduced under modified land covers in comparison to conventional corn and soybean. Soil water storage (SWS) was significantly reduced by PF treatments during the whole growing seasons and by kC during May through July when compared to the cropping system with corn or soybean only (p
  • Authors:
    • Price, A. J.
    • Balkcom, K. S.
    • Arriaga, F. J.
    • Schwab, E. B.
    • Raper, R. L.
    • Kornecki, T. S.
  • Source: Transactions of the ASABE
  • Volume: 54
  • Issue: 4
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: The southeastern U.S. has a tremendous potential to grow a biomass crop during winter months when cash crops are not normally produced. These cover crops have proven to be extremely valuable to reduce soil erosion and improve soil quality. However, an opportunity to potentially harvest a portion of the cover crop for bioenergy purposes exists and needs to be considered to maximize the production potential of southeastern soils. An experiment was performed to determine if harvesting these cover crops could adversely affect soil properties or subsequent cash and cover crop yields. The experiment also included the effects of conducting an in-row subsoiling operation at different times of the year Results from cone index measurements indicated that soil strength was significantly increased when the cover crop was harvested and not left on the soil surface to decompose. Not surprisingly, cotton and peanut cash crop yields declined by an average of 9% when the cover crop was harvested. Succeeding cover crop yields were also reduced by 17% due to the harvesting of previous cover crops. Conducting an in-row subsoiling operation in the fall of the year prior to planting the cover crop increased cover crop biomass by more than 18% over spring in-row subsoiling but had little impact on cash crop yields. Recommendations from this study should include a caution to producers who may want to consider their cover crops as a potential bioenergy crop. Reductions in both cash and cover crop production can result if cover crops are harvested instead of left on the surface to enhance soil quality. Additionally, scheduling a necessary in-row subsoiling operation in the fall of the year instead of waiting until the spring will improve cover crop yields.
  • Authors:
    • Mauli, M. M.
    • de Lima, G. P.
    • Pereira Nóbrega, L. H.
    • Rosa, D. M.
  • Source: Semina: Ciências Agrárias (Londrina)
  • Volume: 32
  • Issue: 4
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: The no-tillage system management is considered as an agricultural system very close to sustainability, since it causes less impact to the environment. The crops rotation, when well managed, includes the use of green manure; and leguminous are included in this system as they bring a number of benefits. This context, the study aimed tested leguminous as cover plants on soil with a no-tillage system regarding the growth, yield and maize seeds quality. This decision-making looks for alternatives that contribute for the agroecosystem sustainability, since they allow rational adoption of green manure in production units. The experiment was carried out in the field with leguminous species dwarf mucuna beans, dwarf pigeon pea and stylosanthes, sown in October 2007, in 4 x 5 m plots, with five replications. At 90 days after the cover crops sowing, the leguminous plants were grazed and corn plants were sown 15 days after grazing on waste. The plants heights were determined during the culture development. At the laboratory, after harvest, the productivity and physiological quality of seeds were determined. The experimental design was completely randomized and the averages were compared by the Scott-Knott test at 5% of significance. At 60 days after the maize crop sowing, the treatments with dwarf mucuna beans and dwarf pigeon pea showed higher heights. The other analyzed parameters did not differ among themselves, showing that the treatments not interfere on the maize crop. Actually, it is an alternative to the integrated management of species concerning the summer green manure and crop rotation in no-tillage system.
  • Authors:
    • Drinkwater, L. E.
    • Schipanski, M. E.
  • Source: Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems
  • Volume: 90
  • Issue: 1
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: The incorporation of legume cover crops into annual grain rotations remains limited, despite extensive evidence that they can reduce negative environmental impacts of agroecosystems while maintaining crop yields. Diversified grain rotations that include a winter cereal have a unique niche for interseeding cover crops. To understand how management-driven soil fertility differences and inter-seeding with grains influenced red clover (Trifolium pratense) N(2) fixation, we estimated biological N(2) fixation (BNF) in 2006 and 2007, using the (15)N natural abundance method across 15 farm fields characterized based on the reliance on BNF derived N inputs as a fraction of total N inputs. Plant treatments included winter grain with and without interseeded red clover, monoculture clover, monoculture orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata), and clover-orchardgrass mixtures. Fields with a history of legume-based management had larger labile soil nitrogen pools and lower soil P levels. Orchardgrass biomass was positively correlated with the management-induced N fertility gradient, but we did not detect any relationship between soil N availability and clover N(2) fixation. Interseeding clover with a winter cereal did not alter winter grain yield, however, clover production was lower during the establishment year when interseeded with taller winter grain varieties, most likely due to competition for light. Interseeding clover increased the % N from fixation relative to the monoculture clover (72% vs. 63%, respectively) and the average total N(2) fixed at the end of the first growing season (57 vs. 47 kg N ha(-1), respectively). Similar principles could be applied to develop more cash crop-cover crop complementary pairings that provide both an annual grain harvest and legume cover crop benefits.