- Authors:
- Source: Bird Conservation International
- Volume: 17
- Issue: 1
- Year: 2007
- Summary: Migration routes used by Nearctic migrant birds can cover great distances; they also differ among species, within species, and between years and seasons. As a result, migration routes for an entire migratory avifauna can encompass broad geographic areas, making it impossible to protect continuous stretches of habitat sufficient to connect the wintering and breeding grounds for most species. Consequently, ways to enhance habitats converted for human use (i.e. for pasture, crop cultivation, human settlement) as stopover sites for migrants are especially important. Shelterbelts around pastures and fields, if planted with species targeted to support migrant (and resident) bird species that naturally occupy mature forest habitats and that are at least partially frugivorous, could be a powerful enhancement tool for such species, if the birds will enter the converted areas to feed. I tested this approach for Nearctic migrant birds during the spring migration through an area in Chiapas, Mexico. Mature forest tree species whose fruits are eaten by birds were surveyed. Based on life form, crop size and fruit characteristics, I selected three tree species for study: Cymbopetalum mayanum (Annonaceae), Bursera simaruba (Burseraceae) and Trophis racemosa (Moraceae). I compared the use of fruits of these species by migrants and residents in forest with their use of the fruits of isolated individuals of the same species in pasture and cropland. All three plant species Were useful for enhancing converted habitats for forest-occupying spring migrants, although species differed in the degree to which they entered disturbed areas to feed on the fruits. These tree species could probably enhance habitats for migrants at sites throughout the natural geographic ranges of the plants; in other geographic areas for other target bird groups, other tree Species might be more appropriate.
- Authors:
- Source: Egyptian Journal of Plant Breeding
- Volume: 11
- Issue: 1
- Year: 2007
- Summary: These proceedings contain 30 papers on the various aspects of plant breeding including heterosis, combining ability and inheritance studies, characterization of cultivars, performance evaluation and genetic improvement of field crops (including wheat, cotton, soyabean, maize, rice, barley, rape, sorghum and faba bean) and horticultural crops (e.g. mango, tomato, pepper and grape).
- Authors:
- Source: Agricultural insect pests and their control
- Year: 2007
- Summary: This book, which contains 24 chapters, covers the morphology (integument, head, thorax and abdomen), physiology (digestive system, circulatory system, excretory system, respiratory system, nervous system, photoreceptors, endocrine system, and reproductive system), development and metamorphosis, and control (through physical, mechanical, biological, chemical and integrated management strategies, and through quarantine and the use of pheromones) of agricultural insect pests. An overview of the life history and control of pests of cotton and fibre crops, sugarcane, oilseed crops, pulse crops, sorghum, cereals, fruits and fruit trees, vegetables, plantation crops, soyabean, ornamental plants, and stored grains is provided. This book is intended for students of agricultural entomology in India, but will also be useful for those who are preparing for examinations for admission in government agencies.
- Authors:
- Perez, A.
- Ali, M.
- Pollack, S.
- Lucier, G.
- Year: 2006
- Summary: The U.S. fruit and vegetable industry accounts for nearly a third of U.S. crop cash receipts and a fifth of U.S. agricultural exports. A variety of challenges face this complex and diverse industry in both domestic and international markets, ranging from immigration reform and its effect on labor availability to international competitiveness. The national debate on diet and health frequently focuses on the nutritional role of fruit and vegetables, and a continued emphasis on the benefits of eating produce may provide opportunities to the industry. In the domestic market, Americans are eating more fruit and vegetables than they did 20 years ago, but consumption remains below recommended levels. In terms of per capita consumption expressed on a fresh-weight basis, the top five vegetables are potatoes, tomatoes, lettuce, sweet corn, and onions while the top five fruit include oranges, grapes (including wine grapes), apples, bananas, and pineapples. The industry also faces a variety of trade-related issues, including competition with imports. During 2002-04, imports accounted for 21 percent of domestic consumption of all fresh and processed fruit and vegetables, up from 16 percent during 1992-94.
- Authors:
- Source: JIRCAS International Symposium Series
- Issue: 13
- Year: 2006
- Summary: Involvement in environment issues and population carrying capacity was analysed based on three typical agricultural systems: slash and burn semi-sedentary agriculture, recycling agriculture in which organic materials are re-used, and non-cyclic agriculture in which nutrient supply depends chiefly on chemical fertilizers. Our analysis showed that, due to its high productivity, non-cyclic agriculture is obligatory to support an ever-growing population and to offset the resultant continuous loss of arable land per person. Fertilizers to be applied should be quantified to exactly meet the balance between plant requirements and natural supply. Excess application of fertilizers should always be avoided. Degradation of soils in the tropics is caused mainly by water and wind erosion, and to a lesser extent from nutrient disturbance (mainly from shortages). The environmental protective effects of permanent crops are shown using two examples. One is in Erimo, Hokkaido (Japan), where fishermen have revived their local fisheries by reforesting the coastline, and the other in Tanzania where indigenous people thrive on the permanent culture of bananas. In the tropics, the use of vegetation as soil cover confers advantages in highly fragile areas, if only because of protection from erosion. The introduction of permanent crops is an alternative to establishing co-existence between agriculture and the environment.
- Authors:
- Drenovsky, R. E.
- Whisson, D. A.
- Scow, K. M
- Ingels, C. A.
- Source: American Journal of Enology and Viticulture
- Volume: 56
- Issue: 1
- Year: 2005
- Summary: Several cover crop mixes were planted in a winegrape vineyard in Sacramento County to test their effects on vine growth, production, juice composition, soil microbial ecology, and gopher activity over a three-year period (1998 to 2000). The trial was conducted in a Vitis vinifera L. cv. Merlot vineyard on a silt loam soil. Vines were planted in 1993 on 5BB rootstock, spaced 2.1 x 3.4 m. The mixes used were: California native perennial grass (no-till), annual clover (no-till), green manure (disked), cereals (disked), and disked control. Cover crops were planted on either side of entire rows, with a disked alley separating treatment replicates. A 1.2-m herbicide strip was maintained under the vines. Drip irrigation and fertigation were applied uniformly across all treatments, but additional nitrogen fertilizer was applied to the grass mixes. Weed biomass increased in the clover mix but decreased in the native grass mix. Grapevine petiole nitrogen content was highest in the bell bean mix and very low in the native grass mix. There were very few differences in leaf water potential or pruning weights of the vines, and in yields or juice Brix, pH, or titratable acidity in any year. Cover-cropped soils had greater microbial biomass than disked or berm soils, and the no-till mixes had greater microbial biomass than the disked mixes. Gophers were very numerous in 1999 only, with nearly all activity exclusively in the clover mix.
- Authors:
- Source: Ochrona RoÅlin
- Volume: 50
- Issue: 1
- Year: 2005
- Summary: The importance of cover crops for protection of soil from water and aerial erosion, as well as leaching of nutrients from soil is emphasized. Use of green manures as a mechanical barrier against weeds, and beneficial effects of exudates of green manures on control of weeds, pests and diseases of vegetables are discussed. Recommendations are included for autumn and spring sowing of cover crops (e.g. rye, wheat, oat, barley, sorghum, vetch, rape and mustard), which are cut or desiccated in the spring and are left in the field as mulch. Negative effects of mulching are considered, i.e. a decrease of soil temperature in the spring resulting in a slower growth rate and later ripening of tomato. It is also stated that yield of some vegetables, including tomato, can be lower in the no-tillage cultivation compared with traditional cultivation. However, the dry matter content is higher in tomato grown with no-tillage. Field trials were conducted in Lublin, Poland, to study the effect of cover crops, such as rye, white and red clover, and field pea on health of tomato. Data are tabulated on fungi isolated from soil under tomato grown with rye and field pea as mulch crops compared with the traditional cultivation system during 1998-2000. The results showed that use of cover crops resulted in a good control of plant pathogens, especially Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lycopersici, and an increase in the number of antagonistic fungi, e.g. Trichoderma spp. It is concluded that use of cover crops allows decrease of the number of mechanical cultivations, as well as decrease of the use of fertilizers, fungicides, insecticides and herbicides.
- Authors:
- Source: Iranian Journal of Weed Science
- Volume: 1
- Issue: 1
- Year: 2005
- Summary: An isolate of F. moniliforme [Gibberella moniliformis], a pathogen of winter wild oat (A. ludoviciana [A. sterilis var. ludoviciana]), was obtained from Tehran Province, Iran, in 1994. A host range test performed on wheat, barley, maize, rye, millet, crested wheatgrass, faba bean, red bean, green bean, sunflower, soyabean, oilseed rape, cotton, safflower, cucumber, water melon, berseem clover, and sainfoin, resulted in no symptom induction by the pathogen. However, winter wild oat, crested wheatgrass, johnsongrass and tomato showed susceptibility to the pathogen with 78, 24, 19 and 17% mortality, respectively. The results indicate that this pathogen could be considered as a potential biological agent for the control of winter wild oat.
- Authors:
- Abol-Maatey, S. M.
- Medany, M. A.
- Abou-Hadid, A. F.
- Source: Acta Horticulturae
- Volume: 659
- Issue: 1
- Year: 2004
- Summary: Agricultural practices used to be implemented based on timely fixed operations. This included selection of crops, cultivars, sowing dates, field preparation, trees training and pruning, irrigation, fertilization, and pest and disease control. Although such fixed agenda was useful for centuries in Egypt as a traditional system, it doesn't consider variations such as in daily weather, new crops, new pests, and new irrigation and fertilization systems. Therfore, adaption of the current information technologies in the fields of automatic real-time weather stattions, computer facilities, internet availability, as well as the available wealth of information, was a logical avenue.
This work aims at introducing the basic structure of the new agricultural agenda (AG_AGENDA®). It is a computer tool that embraces crop, cultivar, planting date, daily crop production operations from planting to harvesting including weed, pest and disease control, irrigation requirements, fertilizer requirement according to the source of fertilizer. In addition, it includes details for field preparation, videos for fruit trees pruning, pictures of most prevailing weeds and methods to control, crop characteristics and expected yield, recommendations for the suitability of cultivars to a given region, scientific and general information for many definitions as well as regular and detailed maintenance of irrigation system.
Detailed description of the flow charts of the processes are included. A step-by-step print screens are presented from the start of input till the recommended operation of the day.
