• Authors:
    • Bandici, G. E.
    • Ardelean, I.
  • Source: Analele Universităţii din Oradea, Fascicula ProtecÅ£ia Mediului
  • Volume: 17
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: The paper based on the research carried out during 2008-2010 in the long term trial placed in 1990 on the preluvosoil from Oradea. Three kind of crop rotation (wheat - monocrop; wheat - maize; wheat - maize - soybean) were studied in unirrigated and irrigated conditions. The smallest content of the protein from wheat grains were registered in the wheat monocrop both nonirrigated and irrigated variant. In the wheat-maize and wheat-maize-soybean crop rotation the values registered were significant statistically bigger than in wheat monocrop. Irrigation determined the decrease of the protein content.
  • Authors:
    • Dela Piccolla, C.
    • Mafra, A. L.
    • Pelissari, A.
    • de Moraes, A.
    • da Veiga, M.
    • Balbinot Junior, A. A.
  • Source: Pesquisa Agropecuária Brasileira
  • Volume: 46
  • Issue: 10
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of winter land use on the amount of residual straw, the physical soil properties and grain yields of maize, common bean and soybean summer crops cultivated in succession. The experiment was carried out in the North Plateau of Santa Catarina state, Brazil, from May 2006 to April 2010. Five strategies of land use in winter were evaluated: intercropping with black oat + ryegrass + vetch, without grazing and nitrogen (N) fertilization (intercropping cover); the same intercropping, with grazing and 100 kg ha(-1) of N per year topdressing (pasture with N); the same intercropping, with grazing and without nitrogen fertilization (pasture without N); oilseed radish, without grazing and nitrogen fertilization (oilseed radish); and natural vegetation, without grazing and nitrogen fertilization (fallow). Intercropping cover produces a greater amount of biomass in the system and, consequently, a greater accumulation of total and particulate organic carbon on the surface soil layer. However, land use in winter does not significantly affect soil physical properties related to soil compaction, nor the grain yield of maize, soybean and common bean cultivated in succession.
  • Authors:
    • Mengistu, A.
    • Abbas, H. K.
    • Fisher, D. K.
    • Gillen, A. M.
    • Ebelhar, M. W.
    • Bellaloui, N.
    • Reddy, K. N.
    • Paris, R. L.
  • Source: Agricultural Sciences
  • Volume: 2
  • Issue: 4
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Information on the effect of sulfur (S) or sulfur+nitrogen (S+N) on soybean seed composition is scarce. Thus, the objective of this study was to investigate the effects of S, and S+N fertilizers on soybean [( Glycine max (L.) Merr.)] seed composition in the Early Soybean Production System (ESPS) under irrigated (I) and nonirrigated (NI) environments. Two separate field experiments were conducted from 2005 to 2007. One experiment was irrigated, and the second experiment was nonirrigated. Under I condition, S at a rate of 44.8 kg/ha alone or with N at 112 kg/ha resulted in a consistent increase in seed protein and oleic acid concentrations, and a decrease in oil and linolenic acid concentrations compared with the control (C). For example, in 2006 and compared with the C, application of S+N increased the percentage up to 11.4% and 48.5% for protein and oleic acid, respectively. However, oil concentration decreased by 3%. Protein and oleic acid increase were accompanied by a higher percentage of leaf and seed N and S. Under NI conditions, seed protein and oleic acid concentrations were significantly higher in C than in any S or S+N treatments, but the oil and linolenic acid concentrations were significantly lower. The results indicate that specific rate of S alone or S+N combined can alter seed composition under irrigated or nonirrigated conditions. This knowledge may help plant breeders to develop and release cultivars to suit specific target locations to grow new value-added soybeans or select for specific seed composition traits under specific environmental stress factors such as drought.
  • Authors:
    • Gillen, A. M.
    • Reddy, K. N.
    • Bellaloui, N.
    • Fisher, D. K.
    • Mengistu, A.
  • Source: American Journal of Plant Sciences
  • Volume: 2
  • Issue: 5
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Information on the effect of planting date and irrigation on soybean [ Glycine max (L.) Merr.] seed composition in the Early Soybean Production System (ESPS) is deficient, and what is available is inconclusive. The objective of this research was to investigate the effects of planting date on seed protein, oil, fatty acids, sugars, and minerals in soybean grown under irrigated (I) and non-irrigated (NI) conditions. A 2-yr field experiment was conducted in Stoneville, MS in 2007 and 2008. Soybean was planted during second week of April (early planting) and second week of May (late planting) each year. Results showed that under irrigated condition, early planting increased seed oil (up to 16% increase) and oleic acid (up to 22.8% increase), but decreased protein (up to 6.6% decrease), linoleic (up to 10.9% decrease) and linolenic acids (up to 27.7% decrease) compared to late planting. Under I conditions, late planting resulted in higher sucrose and raffinose and lower stachyose compared with early planting. Under NI conditions, seed of early planting had higher protein (up to 4% increase) and oleic acid (up to 25% increase) and lower oil (up to10.8% decrease) and linolenic acids (up to 13% decrease) than those of late planting. Under NI, stachyose concentration was higher than sucrose or raffinose, especially in early planting. Under I, early planting resulted in lower leaf and seed B, Fe, and P concentrations compared with those of late planting. Under NI, however, early planting resulted in higher accumulation of leaf B and P, but lower seed B and P compared with those of late planting. This research demonstrated that both irrigation and planting date have a significant influence on seed protein, oil, unsaturated fatty acids, and sugars. Our results suggest that seed of late planting accumulate more B, P, and Fe than those of early planting, and this could be a beneficial gain. Limited translocation of nutrients from leaves to seed under NI is undesirable. Soybean producers may use this information to maintain yield and seed quality, and soybean breeders to select for seed quality traits and mineral translocation efficiency in stress environments.
  • Authors:
    • Hedtcke, J. L.
    • Stoltenberg, D. E.
    • Posner, J. L.
    • Bernstein, E. R.
  • Source: Agronomy Journal
  • Volume: 103
  • Issue: 4
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: A major challenge that organic grain crop growers face is weed management. The use of a rye (Secale cereale L.) cover crop to facilitate no-tillage (NT) organic soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] production may improve weed suppression and increase profitability. We conducted research in 2008 and 2009 to determine the effect of rye management (tilling, crimping, and mowing), soybean planting date (mid-May or early June), and soybean row width (76 or 19 cm), on soybean establishment, soil moisture, weed suppression, soybean yield, and profitability. Soybean establishment did not differ between tilled and NT treatments; and soil moisture measurements showed minimal risk of a drier soil profile in NT rye treatments. Rye mulch treatments effectively suppressed weeds, with 75% less weed biomass than in the tilled treatment by mid-July. However, by this time, NT soybean competed with rye regrowth, were deficient in Cu, and accumulated 22% as much dry matter (DM) and 28% as much N compared to the tilled treatment. Soybean row width and planting date within NT treatments impacted soybean productivity but not profitability, with few differences between mowed and crimped rye. Soybean yield was 24% less in the NT treatments than the tilled treatment, and profitability per hectare was 27% less. However, with fewer labor inputs, profitability per hour in NT rye treatments was 25% greater than in tilled soybean; in addition, predicted soil erosion was nearly 90% less. Although soybean yields were less in NT rye mulch systems, they represent economically viable alternatives for organic producers in the Upper Midwest.
  • Authors:
    • Joshi, O. P.
    • Billore, S. D.
    • Bhatia, V. S.
    • Ramesh, A.
  • Source: Soybean Research
  • Volume: 9
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: The work done so far on soybean-based intercropping systems in India involving crops like sorghum, maize, pigeonpea, pearl millet, cotton, sugarcane, minor millets, wheat, rice, oilseeds and plantation crops is reviewed. The compilation brings out the possibilities of rational utilization of natural resources by resorting to diversified cultivation rather than monoculture of crops. Soybean being a short duration leguminous crop with wide agro-climatic adaptability, offers a good opportunity to fit in cropping systems in different regions with added advantage of better economic returns, risk coverage and utilization of natural resources. The benefits of sustainability can be harnessed by adoption of scientifically evaluated and suggested intercropping systems.
  • Authors:
    • Lal, R.
    • Jagadamma, S.
  • Source: Biology and Fertility of Soils
  • Volume: 46
  • Issue: 6
  • Year: 2010
  • Summary: Soil organic carbon (SOC) is distributed heterogeneously among different-sized primary particles and aggregates. Further, the SOC associated with different physical fractions respond differently to managements. Therefore, this study was conducted with the objective to quantify the SOC associated with all the three structural levels of SOC (particulate organic matter, soil separates and aggregate-size fractions) as influenced by long-term change in management. The study also aims at reevaluating the concept that the SOC sink capacity of individual size-fractions is limited. Long-term tillage and crop rotation effects on distribution of SOC among fractions were compared with soil from adjacent undisturbed area under native vegetation for the mixed, mesic, Typic Fragiudalf of Wooster, OH. Forty five years of no-till (NT) management resulted in more SOC accumulation in soil surface (0-7.5 cm) than in chisel tillage and plow tillage (PT) treatments. However, PT at this site resulted in a redistribution of SOC from surface to deeper soil layers. The soils under continuous corn accumulated significantly more SOC than those under corn-soybean rotation at 7.5-45 cm depth. Although soil texture was dominated by the silt-sized particles, most of the SOC pool was associated with the clay fraction. Compared to PT, the NT treatment resulted in (i) significantly higher proportion of large macroaggregates (>2,000 m) and (ii) 1.5-2.8 times higher SOC concentrations in all aggregate-size classes. A comparative evaluation using radar graphs indicated that among the physical fractions, the SOC associated with sand and silt fractions quickly changed with a land use conversion from native vegetation to agricultural crops. A key finding of this study is the assessment of SOC sink capacity of individual fractions, which revealed that the clay fraction of agricultural soils continues to accumulate more SOC, albeit at a slower rate, with progressive increase in total SOC concentration. However, the clay fraction of soil under native woodlot showed an indication for SOC saturation. The data presented in this study from all the three structural levels of SOC would be helpful for refining the conceptual pool definitions of the current soil organic matter prediction models.
  • Authors:
    • Lindau, C.
    • Bollich, P.
    • Bond, J.
  • Source: Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis
  • Volume: 41
  • Issue: 13
  • Year: 2010
  • Summary: This field study was conducted over a 3-year time period in Louisiana to determine which soybean ( Glycine max L.) tillage practice discharged the least amount of nutrients and sediment from experimental plots after rainfall/runoff events. In addition, tillage effect on soybean yield was investigated. Experimental design consisted of three Louisiana soybean tillage treatments [conventional (CT), stale seedbed (SS), and no-till (NT)] with three replications per treatment. A randomized complete-block design was used for statistical analysis. Each of the nine treatment plots measured 27.1 m by 106.4 m and was equipped with an automatic runoff sampler integrated with a continuously recording flow meter and H-flume. Composite runoff samples were analyzed for ammonium N (NH 4+-N), nitrate N (NO 3--N), total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), total phosphorus (TP), orthophosphorus (ortho-P), total organic carbon (TOC), and total solids (TS). Analyte discharge (kg ha -1) per rainfall/runoff event was calculated using runoff concentrations and total runoff flows (L). Statistical analysis showed that discharge treatment means were highly variable and that tillage practice had little or no effect on total runoff and on the amount of N and P discharged from treatment plots. Treatment differences over the study were nonsignificant for all N and P forms 93% and 61% of the time, respectively. Only 21% of the time was mean treatment total runoff significant ( P≤0.05). Stale seedbed and NT practices reduced sediment discharges over segments of the soybean growing seasons. Total organic carbon discharge from the NT plots was significantly greater 42% of the time. Soybean yields were highly variable within and between treatments and strongly influenced by rainfall, disease, and insects.
  • Authors:
    • Mulvaney, M. J.
    • Wood, C. W.
    • Kemble, J. M.
    • Balkcom, K. S.
    • Shannon, D. A.
  • Source: Agronomy Journal
  • Volume: 102
  • Issue: 5
  • Year: 2010
  • Summary: A combination of high biomass cover crops with organic mulches may be an option for no-till vegetable production, but information on mineralization rates from these residues is lacking. The objective of this study was to assess nutrient release rates and persistence from mimosa ( Albizia julibrissin Durazz.), lespedeza [ Lespedeza cuneata (Dum. Cours.) G. Don], oat ( Avena sativa L.) straw, and soybean [ Glycine max (L.) Merr.] residues under conventional and conservation tillage. The experiment was conducted in Tallassee, AL using litterbag methodology in a split-plot design (main plots: two tillage systems; subplots: four residue types). Comparison of rate constants showed that labile portions of residues was more affected by tillage than recalcitrant portions. In spring, mimosa residue contained 78 kg N ha -1 when buried the previous fall, compared to 123 kg N ha -1 when surface placed; soybean residue showed similar results (39 vs. 72 kg N ha -1, respectively). Results were similar for lespedeza (72 vs. 101 kg N ha -1, respectively), but not for oat straw (24 vs. 26 kg N ha -1, respectively). After 1 yr, surface placed mimosa residue mineralized 33% of initial N compared to 71% when buried, while surface placed lespedeza mineralized 36% of initial N compared to 64% when buried. Soybean residue mineralized N quickly regardless of placement (73 vs. 87%, respectively). This study demonstrates that cut-and-carry mulches may be used under conservation tillage for the enhancement of soil organic matter (SOM), soil organic carbon (SOC), and soil N status.
  • Authors:
    • Encide-Olibone,A. P.
    • Olibone,D.
    • Rosolem,C. A.
  • Source: Soil Use and Management
  • Volume: 26
  • Issue: 4
  • Year: 2010
  • Summary: Crop rotation and the maintenance of plant residues over the soil can increase soil water storage capacity. Root access to water and nutrients depends on soil physical characteristics that may be expressed in the Least Limiting Water Range (LLWR) concept. In this work, the effects of crop rotation and chiselling on the soil LLWR to a depth of 0.1 m and crop yields under no-till were studied on a tropical Alfisol in Sao Paulo state, Brazil, for 3 yr. Soybean and corn were grown in the summer in rotation with pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum, Linneu, cv. ADR 300), grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor, L., Moench), congo grass (Brachiaria ruziziensis, Germain et Evrard) and castor bean (Ricinus comunis, Linneu) during fall/winter and spring, under no-till or chiselling. The LLWR was determined right after the desiccation of the cover crops and before soybean planting. Soil physico-hydraulic conditions were improved in the uppermost soil layers by crop rotations under zero tillage, without initial chiselling, from the second year and on, resulting in soil quality similar to that obtained with chiselling. In seasons without severe water shortage, crop yields were not limited by soil compaction, however, in a drier season, the rotation with congo grass alone or intercropped with castor resulted in the greatest cover crop dry matter yield. Soybean yields did not respond to modifications in the LLWR.