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Durrer, Ademir, Thiago Gumiere, Maurício Rumenos Guidetti Zagatto, Henrique Petry Feiler, Antonio Marcos Miranda Silva, Rodrigo Henriques Longaresi, Sérgio K. Homma, and Elke J. B. N. Cardoso. "Organic farming practices change the soil bacteria community, improving soil quality and maize crop yields." PeerJ 9 (September 23, 2021): e11985. http://dx.doi.org/10.7717/peerj.11985.
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Background The importance of organic farming has increased through the years to promote food security allied with minimal harm to the ecosystem. Besides the environmental benefits, a recurring problem associated with organic management is the unsatisfactory yield. A possible solution may rely on the soil microbiome, which presents a crucial role in the soil system. Here, we aimed to evaluate the soil bacterial community structure and composition under organic and conventional farming, considering the tropical climate and tropical soil. Methodology Our organic management treatments were composed by composted poultry manure and green manure with Bokashi. Both organic treatments were based on low nitrogen inputs. We evaluated the soil bacterial community composition by high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA genes, soil fertility, and soil enzyme activity in two organic farming systems, one conventional and the last transitional from conventional to organic. Results We observed that both organic systems evaluated in this study, have higher yield than the conventional treatment, even in a year with drought conditions. These yield results are highly correlated with changes in soil chemical properties and enzymatic activity. The attributes pH, Ca, P, alkaline phosphatase, and β- glucosidase activity are positively correlated with organic systems, while K and Al are correlated with conventional treatment. Also, our results show in the organic systems the changes in the soil bacteria community, being phyla Acidobacteria, Firmicutes, Nitrospirae, and Rokubacteria the most abundant. These phyla were correlated with soil biochemical changes in the organic systems, helping to increase crop yields. Conclusion Different organic management systems, (the so-called natural and organic management systems, which use distinct organic sources), shift the soil bacterial community composition, implying changes in their functionalities. Also, our results contributed to the identification of target bacterial groups and changes in soil chemical properties and enzymatic activity in a trophic organic farming system, which may contribute to higher crop yields.
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Timsina, Jagadish. "Can Organic Sources of Nutrients Increase Crop Yields to Meet Global Food Demand?" Agronomy 8, no. 10 (October 3, 2018): 214. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/agronomy8100214.
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Meeting global demand of safe and healthy food for the ever-increasing population now and into the future is currently a crucial challenge. Increasing crop production by preserving environment and mitigating climate change should thus be the main goal of today’s agriculture. Conventional farming is characterized by use of high-yielding varieties, irrigation water, chemical fertilizers and synthetic pesticides to increase yields. However, due to either over- or misuse of chemical fertilizers or pesticides in many agro-ecosystems, such farming is often blamed for land degradation and environmental pollution and for adversely affecting the health of humans, plants, animals and aquatic ecosystems. Of all inputs required for increased agricultural production, nutrients are considered to be the most important ones. Organic farming, with use of organic sources of nutrients, is proposed as a sustainable strategy for producing safe, healthy and cheaper food and for restoring soil fertility and mitigating climate change. However, there are several myths and controversies surrounding the use of organic versus inorganic sources of nutrients. The objectives of this paper are: (i) to clarify some of the myths or misconceptions about organic versus inorganic sources of nutrients and (ii) to propose alternative solutions to increase on-farm biomass production for use as organic inputs for improving soil fertility and increasing crop yields. Common myths identified by this review include that organic materials/fertilizers can: (i) supply all required macro- and micro-nutrients for plants; (ii) improve physical, chemical and microbiological properties of soils; (iii) be applied universally on all soils; (iv) always produce quality products; (v) be cheaper and affordable; and (vi) build-up of large amount of soil organic matter. Other related myths are: “legumes can use entire amount of N2 fixed from atmosphere” and “bio-fertilizers increase nutrient content of soil.” Common myths regarding chemical fertilizers are that they: (i) are not easily available and affordable, (ii) degrade land, (iii) pollute environment and (iv) adversely affect health of humans, animals and agro-ecosystems. The review reveals that, except in some cases where higher yields (and higher profits) can be found from organic farming, their yields are generally 20–50% lower than that from conventional farming. The paper demonstrates that considering the current organic sources of nutrients in the developing countries, organic nutrients alone are not enough to increase crop yields to meet global food demand and that nutrients from inorganic and organic sources should preferably be applied at 75:25 ratio. The review identifies a new and alternative concept of Evergreen Agriculture (an extension of Agroforestry System), which has potential to supply organic nutrients in much higher amounts, improve on-farm soil fertility and meet nutrient demand of high-yielding crops, sequester carbon and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, provide fodder for livestock and fuelwood for farmers and has potential to meet global food demand. Evergreen Agriculture has been widely adapted by tens of millions of farmers in several African countries and the review proposes for evaluation and scaling-up of such technology in Asian and Latin American countries too.
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HERENCIA, J. F., J. C. RUIZ, S. MELERO, P. A. GARCIA GALAVÍS, and C. MAQUEDA. "A short-term comparison of organic v. conventional agriculture in a silty loam soil using two organic amendments." Journal of Agricultural Science 146, no. 6 (September 30, 2008): 677–87. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0021859608008071.
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SUMMARYThe transition from conventional to organic farming is accompanied by changes in soil chemical properties and processes that could affect soil fertility. The organic system is very complex and the present work carries out a short-term comparison of the effects of organic and conventional agriculture on the chemical properties of a silty loam soil (Xerofluvent) located in the Guadalquivir River Valley, Seville, Spain, through a succession of five crop cycles over a 3-year period. Crop rotation and varieties were compared in a conventional system using inorganic fertilizer and two organic systems using either plant compost or manure. At the end of the study, organic farming management resulted in higher soil organic carbon (OC), N and available P, K, Fe and Zn. The available Mn and especially Cu values did not show significant differences. In general, treatment with manure resulted in more rapid increases in soil nutrient values than did plant compost, which had an effect on several crop cycles later. The present study demonstrated that the use of organic composts results in an increase in OC and the storage of nutrients, which can provide long-term fertility benefits. Nevertheless, at least 2–3 years of organic management are necessary, depending on compost characteristics, to observe significant differences. Average crop yields were 23% lower in organic crops. Nevertheless, only two crops showed statistically significant differences.
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Bliss, Christine, Pete Andersen, Brent Brodbeck, David Wright, Steve Olson, and James Marois. "The Influence of Bahiagrass, Tillage, and cover crops on Organic Vegetable Production and Soil Quality in the Southern Coastal Plain." Sustainable Agriculture Research 5, no. 2 (April 7, 2016): 65. http://dx.doi.org/10.5539/sar.v5n2p65.
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<p>Conventional farming utilizing bahiagrass (Papsalum notatum Flugge) in rotation with crops has been shown to increase yield, improve soil quality, and decrease weed and disease pressure. Organic production systems in the Southern Coastal Plain are challenged with limited soil fertility and a wide array of insect, disease, and weed pests. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of sequential years in bahiagrass and tillage (conventional and conservation) on organic vegetable yield and soil indices. After 0-4 years in bahiagrass, a crop rotation of rye and oats (winter cover crop), bush beans (spring vegetable crop), soybean (summer cover crop), and broccoli (fall vegetable crop) was implemented. Vegetable crop yields, plant biomass, plant C and N, and soil C, N, and P were measured for the four crops in the rotation over a three year period. Two years or more of bahiagrass prior to initiating the vegetable crop rotation showed positive effects on vegetable crop yields and soil quality parameters. Tillage treatments did not have a consistent effect on measured parameters. Soil C was not impacted by years in bahiagrass but was influenced by years of crop production. Potential soil N and P mineralization indicated an increase of soil organic fractions with years in bahiagrass. Available N increased after cover crops, and available P decreased with increasing years in bahiagrass.</p>
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McLeod, Malem K., S. Sufardi, and S. Harden. "Soil fertility constraints and management to increase crop yields in the dryland farming systems of Aceh, Indonesia." Soil Research 59, no. 1 (2021): 68. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/sr19324.
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In Aceh, Indonesia, low dryland crop yields entrench rural poverty. The lack of soil fertility information hinders the development of soil management programs to assist farmers to increase crop yield. This study identified soil-based constraints to production and management options to increase crop yield. We analysed 254 soil samples from 127 dryland cropping sites across Pidie, Bireuen, Aceh Besar and Aceh Barat districts for pH, soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), base saturation (BS) and cation exchange capacity (CEC). The dominant soils were Entisols, Inceptisols and Ultisols, with some Andisols and Mollisols. Overall, the CEC range was 10–60 cmol(+) kg–1 and available P was 0.5–702 mg kg–1 but most had poor fertility: SOC < 20.0 g kg–1, total N < 2.0 g kg–1, low basic cations and BS < 40%. The Ultisols and some Entisols and Inceptisols were acidic, with aluminium saturation >20% and available P < 6.5 mg kg–1. To sustainably increase crop yield, we concluded that these soils need lime where acidic, fertilisers for nutrients and stable carbon-rich amendments for system stability. This dataset will guide future agricultural research and development programs in Aceh to improve farmer practices and food security.
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Zinati, Gladis M. "Transition from Conventional to Organic Farming Systems: I. Challenges, Recommendations, and Guidelines for Pest Management." HortTechnology 12, no. 4 (January 2002): 606–10. http://dx.doi.org/10.21273/horttech.12.4.606.
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Conventional agricultural systems increase per-area food production, but deplete natural resources and degrade both crop and environmental quality. Many of these concerns are addressed by sustainable agricultural systems, integrated pest management, biocontrol, and other alternative systems. Environmental and social concerns have escalated the need for alternative agricultural systems in the last decade. One alternative, the organic farming system, substitutes cultural and biological inputs for synthetically made fertilizers and chemicals for crop nutrition and pest management. Practices used for crop and pest management are similar during transition from conventional to organic farming systems, but produce is not certified to be organic during the transition period. During the transition from conventional to organic farming, growers may face pest control difficulties and lower yields when conventional practices are abandoned. The objectives of this paper are to 1) give an overview of the reasons for converting to organic farming and the challenges that growers face during the transition period, 2) outline some potential strategies for crop, soil, and pest management, and 3) list guidelines and recommendations for pest management during the transition to organic farming. Implementation of crop and pest management practices depends on geographical location, climate, available onsite resources, and history of the land. During transition, growers rely on cultural mechanisms and on organic and mineral sources to improve soil fertility, to build a population of natural enemies to suppress pest populations. Pest management practices during the transition period that reduce pest populations to economically manageable levels include crop rotation, cultivation, cover crops, mulches, crop diversification, resistant varieties, and insect traps. These practices also enrich the soil biota and increase crop yields before produce is certified organically grown.
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Ghumaiz, Nasser S. AL, Mohamed I. Motawei, and Abdulrahman A. Al Soqeer. "Response of spring wheat genotypes to organic farming systems in low-fertility soil." APRIL 2019 13, (04) 2019 (April 20, 2019): 616–21. http://dx.doi.org/10.21475/ajcs.19.13.04.p1648.
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Low-fertility soil is considered a major challenge for growing wheat (Triticum aestivum) in organic systems. The objective of this study was to identify spring wheat genotype(s) adapted to growing in organic systems with low-fertility soil compared with conventional systems in the central region of Saudi Arabia. Organic and conventional trials were established during the 2010, 2011 and 2012 growing seasons in the arid environment of central region of Saudi Arabia. Both trails were seeded in a sandy loam soil. Eight bread wheat genotypes were evaluated for the following parameters: grain and straw yields, grain-filling rate (GFR), days to heading (DTH), days to maturity (DTM), number of kernels per spike and 1000-kernel weight. The experiment was a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four replications. The findings showed that there were significant differences in grain and straw yields between the two systems and among genotypes. The Egyptian genotypes 'Sids 12' and Early-line produced the highest grain yields (7.8 tons ha-1) in the conventional system, whereas in the organic system, Yocora Rojo (control genotype) and Early-line produced the highest yields (5.8 and 5.9 tons ha-1, respectively). Grain and straw yields were higher in 2011 and 2012 growing seasons compared to 2010. Early-line and ICARDA genotypes (IC8 and IC17) had the highest grain-filling rate, whereas the Australian genotypes (P5 and P3) and the local genotype 'Sama' had the lowest grain-filling rate. The genotype Early-line had the shortest time to heading and maturity in both systems. Therefore, Early-line and Yocora Rojo are promising bread wheat genotypes for organic production systems in low-fertility soil.
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Vateva, Violeta. "OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESTORATION OF SOIL FERTILITY THROUGH METHODS OF ORGANIC AGRICULTURE IN THE YAMBOL AGROREGION." International Conference on Technics, Technologies and Education, no. 1 (2018): 25–31. http://dx.doi.org/10.15547/10.15547/ictte.2018.01.004.
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The quality and quantity of agricultural production depend on the fertility of the soil type on which it is grown. Soil fertility is the result of the interaction of multiple mutually merged factors. Loss of soil fertility leads to soil degradation. Subsequently, it gradually becomes unfit for farming activity. Controlling the maintenance and enhancement of soil fertility is the guarantor of sustainable yields and population satisfaction with food resources, protecting land from degradation, and preserving biodiversity of ecosystems. The report examines the opportunities for restoration of the soil fertility of the agricultural lands of the Yambol Agro region. The aim is to analyze and propose for practice the most suitable methods of organic farming, with the application of which to preserve and improve the fertility of soils from the agricultural fund of the region. The proposed options are in line with the requirements of the European Union and the elements of the Common Agricultural Policy for Conservation of Soil Fertility. As a result of analysis and studies found that the preservation and maintenance of soil fertility in agricultural land in Yambol agroregion is recognized and priority policy of the departments of Agriculture and farmers. From soil fertility conservation methods, organic farmers in Yambol Agro region apply a comprehensive approach, focusing primarily on bio-fertilization, crop rotation and sequential soil treatment systems.
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Vateva, Violeta. "OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESTORATION OF SOIL FERTILITY THROUGH METHODS OF ORGANIC AGRICULTURE IN THE YAMBOL AGROREGION." Applied Researches in Technics, Technologies and Education 6, no. 4 (2018): 287–93. http://dx.doi.org/10.15547/artte.2018.04.001.
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The quality and quantity of agricultural production depend on the fertility of the soil type on which it is grown. Soil fertility is the result of the interaction of multiple mutually merged factors. Loss of soil fertility leads to soil degradation. Subsequently, it gradually becomes unfit for farming activity. Controlling the maintenance and enhancement of soil fertility is the guarantor of sustainable yields and population satisfaction with food resources, protecting land from degradation, and preserving biodiversity of ecosystems. The report examines the opportunities for restoration of the soil fertility of the agricultural lands of the Yambol Agro region. The aim is to analyze and propose for practice the most suitable methods of organic farming, with the application of which to preserve and improve the fertility of soils from the agricultural fund of the region. The proposed options are in line with the requirements of the European Union and the elements of the Common Agricultural Policy for Conservation of Soil Fertility. As a result of analysis and studies found that the preservation and maintenance of soil fertility in agricultural land in Yambol agro region is recognized and priority policy of the departments of Agriculture and farmers. From soil fertility conservation methods, organic farmers in Yambol Agro region apply a comprehensive approach, focusing primarily on bio-fertilization, crop rotation and sequential soil treatment systems.
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Warkentin, B. P. "Tillage for soil fertility before fertilizers." Canadian Journal of Soil Science 80, no. 3 (August 1, 2000): 391–93. http://dx.doi.org/10.4141/s99-108.
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The present concern for decreased tillage in crop production systems makes it interesting to look back 300 years to when Jethro Tull introduced his system of intensive tillage for cereals and fodder crops. His experiments in England, at a time when landowners started paying more attention to farming, established that frequent tillage with plows could substitute for manure or fallow in continuous cropping of wheat. The general understanding was that exposed soil absorbed plant nutrients from the atmosphere; therefore, it was important to turn over lower layers and to leave the soil in a loose condition where more surfaces were exposed. In addition to controlling weeds, a probably equally important factor was speeding up mineralization of organic matter through increased aeration. This would account for the increased yields even where weeds were not present, and the ability to substitute tillage for fallow. Tull's system of cultivating wheat grown in rows, sometimes on ridges, was vehemently debated in the 18th century and was not widely accepted. The benefits would have diminished as organic matter content of soils decreased, and was probably not effective on all soils. Key words: Horse-hoeing husbandry, mineralization, ploughing, Jethro Tull
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Gayar, Attia El. "A study on plant nutrition balance, soil fertility and economic returns of investments." International Journal of Agricultural Invention 5, no. 01 (June 15, 2020): 31–39. http://dx.doi.org/10.46492/ijai/2020.5.1.4.
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Plant nutrition balance plays a major role in the universal need to increase food production to meet the demands of the growing world population. Fertilizer application resulted in marked crop yield increases, which for most crops were more than hundred. The extent to which fertilizers are used still differs considerably between various regions of the world. Soil nutrient status is widely constrained by the limited use of inorganic and organic fertilizers and by nutrient loss mainly due to erosion and leaching. Many small holder farmers do not have access to synthetic fertilizer because of high price of fertilizers, lack of credit facilities, poor distribution, and other socio-economic factors. Consequently, crop yields are low, in fact decreasing in many areas, and the sustainability of the current farming system is at risk. Therefore, the aim of this review was to review the role of integrated Plant nutrition balance management for improving crop yield and enhancing soil fertility under small holder farmers in dry areas, and recommend the appropriate approaches for enhancing soil fertility and increasing crop yield for small holder farmers in dry and semi-dry areas. These are the key challenges of adoption in the scaling up of such alternative soil fertility management practices to millions of small-scale farmers. There is a need, therefore, for research and extension to sort out issues of adoption and scaling up of the available options. In order to address soil fertility problems, potential synergies can be gained by combining technical options with farmers’ knowledge as well as training of farmers and development agent on new soil fertility management approaches. So, the results of this review showed that, the integrated application of organic and inorganic fertilizers improve productivity of crops as well as the fertility status of the soil. The reasons for this are many, which include access or availability of inputs, use of organic resources for other purposes in place of soil fertility, nutrient balancing, collecting, transporting and management of organic inputs and economic returns of investments.
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Pysarenko, V., and P. Pysarenko. "Organic farming is the agriculture of XXI century." Interdepartmental Thematic Scientific Collection of Plant Protection and Quarantine, no. 64 (November 19, 2018): 134–42. http://dx.doi.org/10.36495/1606-9773.2018.64.134-142.
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The data are given about forty years old experience in private enterprise «Agroecology» in the horticulture branch was provided. The wide improving of them allows to receive the high yields of grain crops, ecologically friendly production, increase the soil fertility.
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Atta-Krah, A. N. "Alley Farming with Leucaena: Effect of Short Grazed Fallows on Soil Fertility and Crop Yields." Experimental Agriculture 26, no. 1 (January 1990): 1–10. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0014479700015349.
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SUMMARYA long-term trial with Leucaena leucocephala was initiated in 1982 to test the sustainability of Leucaena-based alley farming compared to a conventional cropping system without trees and with continuous cultivation of maize. It assessed the integration of short grazed fallows in rotation within Leucaena alleys and their effect on soil fertility and crop yields.The various treatments had no effect on soil pH during the four-year period of the trial. The organic carbon and total nitrogen contents of the soils under conventional cropping were lower by the end of the fourth year than those under alley cropping and alley grazing treatments, whereas soil phosphorus levels were lower in the alley cropping and grazing plots. Foliage dry matter production of Leucaena under alley cropping management ranged from 6.0 to 6.7 t ha−1 a−1 under continuous cropping and reached 8 t ha−1 when alley cropping was preceded by a grazed fallow. Crop yields were consistently higher with alley cropping than with conventional cropping. Alley cropping plots in rotation with two year grazed fallows gave significantly higher crop yields during cropping years than those under continuous cultivation.
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OLESEN, J. E., I. A. RASMUSSEN, M. ASKEGAARD, and K. KRISTENSEN. "Whole-rotation dry matter and nitrogen grain yields from the first course of an organic farming crop rotation experiment." Journal of Agricultural Science 139, no. 4 (December 2002): 361–70. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s002185960200268x.
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The possibilities for increasing total grain yield in organic cereal production through manipulation of crop rotation design were investigated in a field experiment on different soil types in Denmark from 1997 to 2000. Three experimental factors were included in the experiment in a factorial design: (1) proportion of grass-clover and pulses in the rotation, (2) catch crop (with and without) and (3) manure (with and without). Three four-course rotations were compared. Two of the rotations had 1 year of grass-clover as a green manure crop, either followed by spring wheat or by winter wheat. The grass-clover was replaced by winter cereals in the third rotation. Animal manure was applied as slurry in rates corresponding to 40% of the nitrogen (N) demand of the cereal crops.Rotational grain yields of the cereal and pulse crops were calculated by summing yields for each plot over the 4 years in the rotation. The rotational yields were affected by all experimental factors (rotation, manure and catch crop). However, the largest effects on both dry matter and N yields were caused by differences between sites caused by differences in soils, climate and cropping history. The rotation without a green manure crop produced the greatest total yield. Dry matter and N yields in this rotation were about 10% higher than in the rotation with a grass-clover ley in 1 year in 4. Therefore, the yield benefits from the grass-clover ley could not adequately compensate for the yield reduction as a result of leaving 25% of the rotation out of production. There were no differences in dry matter and N yields in grains between the rotations, where either spring or winter cereals followed the grass-clover ley. The N use efficiency for ammonium-N in the applied manure corresponded to that obtained from N in commercial fertilizer. There were only very small yield benefits from the use of catch crops. However, this may change over time as fertility builds up in the system with catch crops.
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Аввакумов and Oleg Avvakumov. "Spring wheat productivity forecasting in the forest steppe zone of Volga by least squares method." Vestnik of Kazan State Agrarian University 8, no. 4 (January 13, 2014): 92–98. http://dx.doi.org/10.12737/2167.
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The efficient use of arable land is based on the prediction of crop yields. In extensive farming system the productivity forecasting was carried out by scores of soil fertility, where the level of soil fertility was associated with soil type, and crop yields depended on the leading basic and sustained properties - humus content, cation-exchange capacity, particle size distribution. The system of intensive farming is based on the use of mineral and organic fertilizers. The leading factor in the formation of crop yield is the soil security by mobile soil nutrients on the background of optimal soil parameters. Nowadays, crop yield forecasting is made with the use of the available to plants macro nutrition content. The article presents the results of spring wheat yield prognosis in the Laishevo municipal district with the use of MatLab (matrix operations). The matrix was made according to the data over the last 43 years, it’s moving averages with steps of 11 and 22 years, the content of mobile phosphorus and potassium, determined by the method of Kirsanov. The predictive ability is confirmed by correlation analysis, for the actual number of crop coefficients of correlation with phosphorus and potassium are 0.52 and 0.61, respectively, for the moving average yields are equal to 0.94 and 0.95. A comparison of the actual spring wheat yield (УФ) with the calculated data (the model 1 and the model 2) shows the average deviation of 30%. Similar calculations for the derived series of the moving average of crop yield for the step length of 11 years gives a marked decrease in the deviation of 5-6 %. This convergence of data with the calculated У11 (the model 1 and the model 2, in the left part of the table) indicates for the elimination of weather factor for У11, which influences the overall level of productivity of spring wheat in the forest-steppe zone. The conclusion of the article is the inclusion of agro-climatic conditions (precipitation and temperature) for further calculation of crop yields forecasting.
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Carpenter-Boggs, Lynne, John P. Reganold, and Ann C. Kennedy. "Biodynamic preparations: Short-term effects on crops, soils, and weed populations." American Journal of Alternative Agriculture 15, no. 3 (September 2000): 110–18. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0889189300008614.
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AbstractBiodynamic agriculture is an organic farming system that utilizes fermented herbal and mineral preparations as compost additives and field sprays. This study was conducted to determine whether biodynamic preparations affect lentil and wheat growth and yield, soil fertility, or weed populations in the short run. Each of four nutrient treatments, biodynamically prepared compost, non-biodynamic compost, mineral NPK fertilizer, and no fertilizer, were tested with and without biodynamic field sprays. Crop yield, crop quality, and soil fertility were similar in plots treated with mineral NPK fertilizers, biodynamic compost, or non-biodynamic compost. Use of compost raised soil pH from 6.0 without compost to 6.5 with compost. Compost application reduced the broadleaf weed population by 29% and reduced the grass weed population by 78%. Biodynamic sprays altered soil and grain N chemistry, but the effects are of unknown biological significance. Use of the biodynamic field sprays correlated with higher yield of lentil per unit plant biomass, lower grain C and crude protein contents, greater content in soft white spring wheat, and greater content in soil. In general, soils and crops treated with biodynamic preparations showed few differences from those not treated. Application of composts with or without the preparations produced similar crop yields with lower weed pressure, compared with equal nutrients supplied by mineral fertilizer, but any additional short-term benefits from biodynamic preparations remain questionable.
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Mäder, Paul, and Alfred Berner. "Development of reduced tillage systems in organic farming in Europe." Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems 27, no. 1 (December 16, 2011): 7–11. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1742170511000470.
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AbstractNo-tillage and reduced tillage are considered sustainable options of conservation tillage. While US organic farming researchers have focused on no-tillage, European organic farming researchers have concentrated on reduced tillage through the reduction of tillage depth or the application of noninversion tillage practices. Combinations of these two approaches have been implemented by the use of the two-layer plow or the layer cultivator. These innovations often came from farmers, aiming at reducing off-farm inputs such as fuel, and saving costs and labor, while at the same time building up soil fertility. Systematic, documented research on reduced tillage systems in Europe started only 1–2 decades ago, with experiments in Germany, Switzerland and France. While most experiments mimic stockless farms, other experiments include fodder crops such as grass–clover ley and applications of manure and slurry as is typical for mixed farms with animals and crops. Soil organic carbon, microbial activity and soil structure are often improved in the upper soil layer under reduced tillage compared with plowed soils. However, these positive findings were confounded by lower yields in some cases and enhanced weed pressure, except for the two-layer plow. Often it was not possible to determine whether and to what extent yield reduction was due to weed competition or to nitrogen shortage, because of retarded nitrogen mineralization in spring in reduced tillage systems. In systems with manure use, also higher soil fertility measures concomitant with increased yields were reported under reduced tillage. Indeed, it is difficult to gain an overview on research activities dealing with reduced tillage in organic farming in Europe due to dispersed experimental infrastructures and the scarcity of peer-reviewed published literature. To close this knowledge gap a European Network is being established aiming at further developing reduced tillage systems in organic farming, addressing the issue of carbon sequestration and N2O emissions, as well as weed and nutrient management.
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Chmel, O. P., Yu O. Krypodereia, and I. M. Bondar. "Sideration as an alternative to organic fertilizers and means to increase agrocenosis productivity." Bulletin of Kharkiv National Agrarian University named after V.V. Dokychaiev. The series “Crop production, selection and seed production, fruit and vegetable growing” 2019, no. 2 (December 27, 2019): 35–44. http://dx.doi.org/10.35550/visnykagro2019.21.035.
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The results of studies of optimization processes of nutritional regime and biological activity of soil in the highly specialized grain-potato crop rotation (potatoes – spring barley – peas – winter wheat) for the use of sideratos on sod-podzolic soils of Polissia are presented. The role of sideration in comparison with the traditional fertilizer system in crop rotation with potato crop has been analyzed. It has been found that the alternative fertilizer system – siderate + NPK is not inferior to the indicators (content of NO3, P2O5, K2O) to the traditional system during all phases of crop development. The role of green fertilizers on the balance of biogenic elements, yield and soil fertility indicators has been determined. The use of siderata in intermediate crops will protect the soil from leaching of nutrients in the autumn, as they will be directed to the formation of biomass of the siderate and will help increase yields through the gradual return of the compounds of biogenic elements due to the mineralization of the sideral mass. Agro-climatic resources of the soil-climate zone are more effectively used for the use of green fertilizers, so in modern agriculture, sideration should be considered as an important chain of energy and resource-saving technologies in agriculture. Key words:sideration, organic farming, mineral fertilizers, humus, agrocenosis, nutrients, biogenic elements.
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Dalal, R. C., W. M. Strong, E. J. Weston, J. E. Cooper, K. J. Lehane, and A. J. King. "Farming systems’ productivity and soil organic carbon stocks following fertilisers, no-tillage or legumes on a fertility-depleted soil in a semi-arid subtropical region." Soil Research 56, no. 4 (2018): 429. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/sr17228.
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Depleted soil nitrogen supplies in long-term continuously cultivated soil for cereal grain cropping have resulted in reduced cereal yields, low grain proteins and hence low economic returns. This has necessitated the development of alternative management practices to sustain crop yields, as well as to restore and maintain soil fertility. In the present study we examined the comparative performance of several management options over a 12-year period, including: a 4-year rotation of grass + legume pasture followed by wheat (GL–wheat); 2-year rotations of lucerne–wheat, annual medic–wheat and chickpea–wheat; and continuous conventional tillage (CT) or no-tillage (NT), without or with fertiliser N application (0, 25 and 75 kg N ha–1 for each crop). Average wheat grain yields were highest in the chickpea–wheat rotation, followed by the NT wheat with 75 kg N ha–1; the lowest grain yields were in the CT or NT wheat treatment without fertiliser N application. Crop water use and gross margin were strongly correlated. However, there was an increasing potential for the deep leaching of nitrate-N at 75 kg N ha–1 application, as well as from the GL pasture initiated in 1987, but not from that initiated in 1986, emphasising the effect of variability in growing seasons. Soil organic C stocks increased under the 4-year GL pasture in the 0–0.1 m depth only, then decreased steadily following the cropping phase. The rotation of 4-year GL pasture followed by wheat cropping for 4–6 years may maintain initial soil organic C stock, but a shorter cropping phase is required to increase soil organic C and N stocks and soil fertility in the long term. Partial economic analysis of the treatments suggested that restoring or maintaining soil N fertility, either through legume-based pastures, grain legume and/or N fertiliser, provides long-term positive economic return.
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Unkovich, Murray, Therese McBeath, Rick Llewellyn, James Hall, Vadakattu VSR Gupta, and Lynne M. Macdonald. "Challenges and opportunities for grain farming on sandy soils of semi-arid south and south-eastern Australia." Soil Research 58, no. 4 (2020): 323. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/sr19161.
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Sandy soils make up a substantial fraction of cropping land in low rainfall (<450 mm p.a.) south and south-eastern Australia. In this paper we review the possible soil constraints to increased production on these soils in this region. Many of these soils have a very low (<3%) clay content and suffer from severe water repellency, making crop establishment and weed control problematic. Crops which do emerge are faced with uneven soil wetting and poor access to nutrients, with crop nutrition constraints exacerbated by low fertility (soil organic matter < 1%) and low cation exchange capacity. Zones of high penetration resistance appear common and have multiple causes (natural settling, cementation and traffic induced) which restrict root growth to <40 cm. Crop water use and grain yield are therefore likely to be well below the water-limited potential. Water repellency is readily diagnosed and where apparent should be the primary management target. Repellency can be mitigated through the use of furrow and other sowing technologies, along with soil wetting agents. These techniques appear to be affected by site and soil nuances and need to be refined for local soils and conditions. Once crop establishment on water repellent soils has been optimised, attention could be turned to opportunities for improving crop rooting depth through the use of deep tillage or deep ripping techniques. The required ripping depth, and how long the effects may last, are unclear and need further research, as do the most effective and efficient machinery requirements to achieve sustained deeper root growth. Crop nutrition matched to the water-limited crop yield potential is the third pillar of crop production that needs to be addressed. Low soil organic matter, low cation exchange capacity, low biological activity and limited nutrient cycling perhaps make this a greater challenge than in higher rainfall regions with finer textured soils. Interactions between nutrients in soils and fertilisers are likely to occur and make nutrient management more difficult. While amelioration (elimination) of water repellency is possible through the addition of clay to the soil surface, the opportunities for this may be restricted to the ~30% of the sandy soils of the region where clay is readily at hand. The amounts of clay required to eliminate repellency (~5%) are insufficient to significantly improve soil fertility or soil water holding capacity. More revolutionary soil amelioration treatments, involving additions and incorporation of clay and organic matter to soils offer the possibility of a more elevated crop yield plateau. Considerable research would be required to provide predictive capacity with respect to where and when these practices are effective.
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Mashele, N., and R. M. B. Auerbach. "Evaluating crop yields, crop quality and soil fertility from organic and conventional farming systems in South Africa’s southern Cape." South African Journal of Geology 119, no. 1 (March 2016): 25–32. http://dx.doi.org/10.2113/gssajg.119.1.25.
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Delate, Kathleen, and Vincent Lawson. "400 Pepper Growth and Productivity Response under Various Certified Organic Soil Treatments." HortScience 35, no. 3 (June 2000): 461F—462. http://dx.doi.org/10.21273/hortsci.35.3.461f.
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Organic farming has increased to a $6 billion industry in the U.S. and continues to expand 20% annually. In Iowa, organic acreage for all crops has increased from 13,000 in 1995 to 130,000 in 1999. Most organic farmers rely on crop rotations, compost, or manure applications, and cover crops to maintain soil fertility. In our trials at the Iowa State Univ. Muscatine Island Research Farm, a cover crop of hairy vetch (Vicia villosa) and rye was seeded in the fall and incorporated 2 weeks prior to transplanting `Lantern' pepper plants. Other organic and conventional soil treatments were applied at transplanting and at 3 weeks post-planting. Four replications of 40 peppers transplanted at 31 × 61-cm spacing under seven fertilization treatments were observed for plant growth and yields. The fertilization goal was to obtain equivalent nitrogen and calcium rates in the organic and conventional systems. Plants fertilized with the compost at 88 kg/ha N plus BioCal® (a liming industry by-product) were not significantly greater in leaf biomass than plants conventionally fertilized with equal amounts of N. All organic and conventional treatments had greater biomass and yield than the organic and conventional controls (no fertilizer), respectively (P = 0.05). Pepper fresh weight was greater in the vetch-strips treatment than in the vetch-incorporated, and the 44 kg/ha N compost treatment, but significantly less than the conventionally fertilized plants. Second year results demonstrated similar results to the 1998 trial where the greatest yields in the organic system occurred in the compost at 88 kg/ha N plus BioCal® treatment, demonstrating to organic farmers that comparable yields can be obtained in systems employing alternatives to synthetic nitrogen fertilizer.
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Adjei-Nsiah, S. "Role of Pigeonpea Cultivation on Soil Fertility and Farming System Sustainability in Ghana." International Journal of Agronomy 2012 (2012): 1–8. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/702506.
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The productivity of the smallholder farming system in Ghana is under threat due to soil fertility decline. Mineral fertilizer is sparingly being used by smallholder farmers because of prohibitive cost. Grain legumes such as pigeonpea can play a complementary or alternative role as a source of organic fertilizer due to its ability to enhance soil fertility. Despite its importance, the potential of pigeonpea as a soil fertility improvement crop has not been exploited to any appreciable extent and the amount of land cultivated to pigeonpea in Ghana is vey negligible. This paper synthesizes recent studies that have been carried out on pigeonpea in Ghana and discusses the role of pigeonpea cultivation in soil fertility management and its implication for farming system sustainability. The paper shows that recent field studies conducted in both the semi-deciduous forest and the forest/savanna transitional agro-ecological zones of Ghana indicate that pigeonpea/maize rotations can increase maize yield by 75–200%. Barrier to widespread adoption of pigeonpea include land tenure, market, and accessibility to early maturing and high yielding varieties. The paper concludes among other things that in order to promote the cultivation of pigeonpea in Ghana, there is the need to introduce varieties that combine early maturity with high yields and other desirable traits based on farmers preferences.
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Hashimi, Rahmatullah, Eri Matsuura, and Masakazu Komatsuzaki. "Effects of Cultivating Rice and Wheat with and without Organic Fertilizer Application on Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Soil Quality in Khost, Afghanistan." Sustainability 12, no. 16 (August 12, 2020): 6508. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/su12166508.
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The agricultural sector is the most important economic component in Afghanistan, as 80% of the population is involved. The improvement of cereal production is an urgent task to meet the nation’s demand for the staple within the limited arable land. To promote a sustainable crop production system, this study examined the soil quality to learn the basic knowledge of soil fertility and the environmental impact of different rice–wheat cropping systems in Khost, Afghanistan by using the life cycle assessment (LCA) method. The economic analysis of each farming system was conducted by the data gathered by the farmers’ interviews along with LCA data collection. The analysis considered the on-farm activities, which were required to produce 1 kg of wheat and rice. It included energy use, production, and farming inputs such as fertilizer and agrochemicals. Conventional farming with organic fertilizer application (CF+OF) was compared with conventional farming (CF). The LCA results showed the total greenhouse gas (GHG) emission was higher in rice production compared to wheat production. However, CO2 absorption by the crops was far greater than the total GHG emission in both systems and showed great potential for soil carbon sequestration for mitigation of global warming. The soil examination revealed the CF+OF system increased soil total carbon (TC), active C (AC), total N (TN), soil organic carbon storage (SCS), P, and K+ after four years of organic fertilizer application. The yield of each crop was slightly higher in the CF system; however, the CF+OF system increased net income by reducing the cost for fertilizer. The study concluded the CF+OF system can improve soil fertility in the long term while saving the farming operation cost. Further research is required to determine the best combination of practices to improve cattle manure characteristics and farm management for soil carbon sequestration to promote a sustainable farming system in the country.
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Delate, Kathleen, Cynthia Cambardella, Craig Chase, and Robert Turnbull. "A Review of Long-Term Organic Comparison Trials in the U.S." Sustainable Agriculture Research 4, no. 3 (June 18, 2015): 5. http://dx.doi.org/10.5539/sar.v4n3p5.
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<p>Long-term organic farming system trials were established across the U.S. to capture baseline agronomic, economic and environmental data related to organic conversion under varying climatic conditions. These sites have proven useful in providing supporting evidence for successful transition from conventional to organic practices. All experiments chosen for this review were transdisciplinary in nature; analyzed comprehensive system components (productivity, soil health, pest status, and economics); and contained all crops within each rotation and cropping system each year to ensure the most robust analysis. In addition to yield comparisons, necessary for determining the viability of organic operations, ecosystem services, such as soil carbon capture, nutrient cycling, pest suppression, and water quality enhancement, have been documented for organic systems in these trials. Outcomes from these long-term trials have been critical in elucidating factors underlying less than optimal yields in organic systems, which typically involved inadequate weed management and insufficient soil fertility at certain sites. Finally, these experiments serve as valuable demonstrations of the economic viability of organic systems for farmers and policymakers interested in viewing farm-scale organic operations and crop performance.</p>
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POWELL, J. M., F. N. IKPE, Z. C. SOMDA, and S. FERNÁNDEZ-RIVERA. "URINE EFFECTS ON SOIL CHEMICAL PROPERTIES AND THE IMPACT OF URINE AND DUNG ON PEARL MILLET YIELD." Experimental Agriculture 34, no. 3 (July 1998): 259–76. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0014479798343069.
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Most farming systems in semi-arid West Africa rely on organic matter recycling for maintaining soil fertility. The cycling of biomass through ruminant livestock into dung (faeces) and urine that fertilize the soil has long been an important factor in t he nutrient cycling processes of these integrated, mixed crop/livestock systems. While dung greatly improves soil properties and crop yields, little is known about the effects of urine on soil chemical properties and the impact of dung and urine on crop p roduction. An average voiding of sheep urine applied to a sandy, siliceous soil in the Republic of Niger increased soil pH, available phosphorus and ammonium levels dramatically in the upper 10–15 cm of soil, especially during the first week following application. Losses of applied urine nitrogen via volatilization were in the order of 30–50%. A four-year field trial was conducted on the same soil type to evaluate the effects on pearl millet and weed yields of corralling cattle o r sheep overnight on cropland (dung plus urine application) for one, two or three nights, every one, two or three years versus the effects of applying only dung at the same application rates and intervals achieved with corralling. The main results of this field trial were that (1) urine had large positive effects on millet grain, threshed panicle, leaf, stem and weed yields, (2) sheep dung was more effective than cattle dung in increasing yield, (3) two nights of dung application was adequate for maximum yield and (4) the positive effects of dung and urine on yield lasted two to three cropping seasons after application.
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Neina, Dora. "Ecological and Edaphic Drivers of Yam Production in West Africa." Applied and Environmental Soil Science 2021 (June 3, 2021): 1–13. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/5019481.
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Yam is an important food and cash crop in West Africa (the yam belt) whose production is traditionally nonsedentary due to its substantial nutrient demand. Population growth, urbanization, and existing soil degradation have made nonsedentary farming virtually impossible. Despite the numerous research invested in yam production within and outside the yam belt, some gaps remain to be filled owing to changing climate events and global developments. Alarmingly, the yam belt is facing sharp yield declines despite increasing production areas. The key edaphic and ecological drivers of yam production in the global yam belt were reviewed. The implications for yam production were discussed along with prospects for future research, sustainable production, and soil management. The main findings are that (1) agroecological zone, postplanting cultural practices, and climate change and variability ecological drivers, while (2) tillage, soil type, texture, and fertility were the edaphic factors. The most critical among the drivers, principally, soil fertility, entails the biological and chemical through which nutrients are released lude, and physical soil fertility which enhances low bulk density, porosity, and water retention for free yam tuber expansion. Soil fertility was the most cited driver, which explains why yam is often the first crop in the cropland cultivation cycle in the yam belt. Data show that yam yields decline with time under native fertility and mineral fertilizer application due to the voracious nutrient extraction by tubers. Conversely, yields increase chronologically under organic fertilizer application due to the additive effects of the latter on soil properties. Thus, a yam fertilizer program to develop specific yam fertilizer formulations and the adoption of the Terra Preta Model are proposed to sustain future yam production.
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Pastorelli, Roberta, Giuseppe Valboa, Alessandra Lagomarsino, Arturo Fabiani, Stefania Simoncini, Massimo Zaghi, and Nadia Vignozzi. "Recycling Biogas Digestate from Energy Crops: Effects on Soil Properties and Crop Productivity." Applied Sciences 11, no. 2 (January 14, 2021): 750. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/app11020750.
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Digestate from biogas production can be recycled to the soil as conditioner/fertilizer improving the environmental sustainability of the energy supply chain. In a three-year maize-triticale rotation, we investigated the short-term effects of digestate on soil physical, chemical, and microbiological properties and evaluated its effectiveness in complementing the mineral fertilizers. Digestate soil treatments consisted of combined applications of the whole digestate and its mechanically separated solid fraction. Digestate increased soil total organic C, total N and K contents. Soil bulk density was not affected by treatments, while aggregate stability showed a transient improvement due to digestate treatments. A decrement of the transmission pores proportion and an increment of fissures was observed in digestate treated soils. Soil microbial community was only transiently affected by digestate treatments and no soil contamination from Clostridiaceae-related bacteria were observed. Digestate can significantly impair seed germination when applied at low dilution ratios. Crop yield under digestate treatment was similar to ordinary mineral-based fertilization. Overall, our experiment proved that the agronomic recycling of digestate from biogas production maintained a fair crop yield and soil quality. Digestate was confirmed as a valid resource for sustainable management of soil fertility under energy-crop farming, by combining a good attitude as a fertilizer with the ability to compensate for soil organic C loss.
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Doumbia, Salif, Sidiki G. Dembele, Fagaye Sissoko, Odiaba Samake, Fernando Sousa, Harun Cicek, Noah Adamtey, and Andreas Fliessbach. "Evaluation de la fertilité des sols et les rendements de cotonnier, maïs et sorgho à >Gliricidia sepium (Jacq.) Kunth ex. Walp." International Journal of Biological and Chemical Sciences 14, no. 7 (December 7, 2020): 2583–98. http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ijbcs.v14i7.17.
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De nos jours, la carence en fertilité des sols est un problème très répandu dans la plupart des pays subsahariens. G. sepium a été testé en association avec le cotonnier, le maïs et le sorgho afin de développer les meilleures pratiques dans deux stations de recherche et en milieu paysan dans les zones soudaniennes et soudano-guinéenne du Mali. L'objectif de cette étude était de développer, avec les producteurs participants, une technologie agro-forestière basée sur le Gliricidia sepium dans le système de culture en couloir. Le dispositif expérimental utilisé a été le Split plot à quatre répétitions. Le pH, le carbone organique du sol et l'azote ont été analysé dans des échantillons de sol de 0 à 20 cm de profondeur prélevés en 2016 au début de l'expérience et en 2018. Les rendements grains moyens de coton, de maïs et de sorgho associés au G. sepium étaient respectivement de 812, 1457 et 1377 kg.ha-1, alors qu'ils étaient significativement plus faibles sans G. sepium, avec 623, 1014 et 807 kg.ha-1 respectivement. Pendant la troisième année suivant la plantation de G. sepium, la teneur en carbone organique et en azote total du sol a augmenté de 5% dans les sols situés entre les allées. Le G. sepium en association avec les cultures a le potentiel d'améliorer leurs rendements et le sol.Mots clés : Carbone organique, azote, rendements, zones soudanienne et soudano-guinéenne, Mali
English Title: Evaluation of Gliricidia sepium (Jacq.) Kunth ex. Walp effect on soil fertility, yields of cotton, maize and sorghum
Nowdays, soil fertility deficiency is a widespread issue in most Sub-Saharian countries specially where the application of less input is the common agricultural practices. Thus the legume plant, G. sepium was established with cotton, maize and sorghum to develop best practices for increasing crop yield and soil fertility at two research stations and farming environment in the Sudanian and Sudano-Guinean zones of Mali. The objective of this study was to develop an agroforestry technology with farmers based on Gliricidia sepium in alley cropping system. The experimental design was Split plot with four replications. Soil pH, soil organic carbon and nitrogen were analyzed from 0-20 cm deep soil samples taken in 2016 at the beginning of the experiment and in 2018. Mean grain yields of cotton, maize and sorghum associated with G. sepium were 812, 1457 and 1377 kg.ha-1, respectively, while they were significantly lower without G. sepium with 623, 1014 and 807 kg.ha-1 as respectively cotton, maize and sorghum yield. In the third year after planting G. sepium, the soil organic carbon and total nitrogen content increased by 5% between the alleys. G. sepium in association with crops has the potential to improve crop yields and soil fertility.Keywords: Gliricidia sepium, organic carbon, nitrogen, yields, Mali.
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Tuhuteru, Sumiyati, and Inrianti. "Pembuatan Mikroorganisme Lokal Bonggol Pisang pada Kelompok Tani Tunas Harapan Distrik Walelagama, Jayawijaya, Papua." Agrokreatif: Jurnal Ilmiah Pengabdian kepada Masyarakat 5, no. 3 (November 27, 2019): 188–94. http://dx.doi.org/10.29244/agrokreatif.5.3.188-194.
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One efforts to increase crop production include improvements in cultivation systems, for examples the application of sustainable organic farming, such as use of the liquid organic fertilizers. The continuous use of liquid organic fertilizer on the soil serves to increase soil fertility. Provision of fertilizers can add nutrients to the growing media. The application of fertilizer can be in the form of organic or inorganic fertilizers. One alternative to maintain and improve crop yields is by providing liquid organic fertilizer. The purpose of this study was to provide additional knowledge related to the forms of liquid organic fertilizer and the benefits of using liquid organic fertilizer through the manufacture of Micro-Organism (MOL) banana weevil which is one form of liquid organic fertilizer that is easily obtained by the community. The activity through KKN-PPM is to provide socialization and training in making MOL of banana weevil. The result show that the community in the Walelagama District can develop knowledge related to organic fertilizers can beincrease plant productivity through the use MOL of banana weevil, whose ingredients are easily obtained so that the community can improve the existing organic farming system.
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Rurangwa, Edouard, Bernard Vanlauwe, and Ken E. Giller. "The response of climbing bean to fertilizer and organic manure in the Northern Province of Rwanda." Experimental Agriculture 56, no. 5 (October 2020): 722–37. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0014479720000277.
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AbstractClimbing beans play a central role in food security of rural households in the densely populated highlands of East and Central Africa. Soil fertility degradation and the lack of nutrient inputs are major limitations to yield of beans and other crops. We conducted field trials in Northern Rwanda in Kinoni and Muko villages to evaluate the effect of mineral N, P, and K fertilizers (both alone and in combination) and farmyard manure on nitrogen fixation and grain yields of climbing bean in smallholder farmers’ fields. The trials were laid down in a randomized complete block design with seven replicate blocks in each village. Manure and fertilizer application led to greater yields in all fields, and the largest yields were achieved when manure was combined with NPK. Large variability in yield between fields was observed. Application of fertilizer together with manure increased the grain yield from 1.5 to 3.9 t ha−1 in Kinoni and from 2.6 to 5.4 t ha−1 in Muko. Fertilizer and/or manure increased stover yield from 0.8 to 2.3 t ha−1 in Kinoni and from 1.5 to 3.4 t ha−1 in Muko. Application of 30 kg P ha−1 and 5 t manure ha−1 led to increased N and P uptake (from 49 to 106 kg N ha−1 and from 6.1 to 12.4 kg P ha−1 in Kinoni and from 46 to 128 kg N ha−1 and from 5.3 to 17.9 kg P ha−1 in Muko). There was no clear relationship between soil fertility characteristics and the response of climbing bean to applied inputs at Muko site. However, at Kinoni site, limited response to manure and NPK application was observed in plots where soil available P and soil exchangeable K were relatively low. Our results show the benefits of using manure along with mineral fertilizers for increased climbing bean yields and nutrient uptake in smallholder farming systems.
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Umar, Bridget Bwalya. "Reversing Agro-Based Land Degradation through Conservation Agriculture: Emerging Experiences from Zambia’s Smallholder Farming Sector." Sustainable Agriculture Research 1, no. 2 (July 8, 2012): 72. http://dx.doi.org/10.5539/sar.v1n2p72.
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<p>This study reports on the land degradation minimizing effects of Conservation Agriculture (CA) as promoted among smallholder Zambian farmers. It found no evidence of CA associated improvements in soil fertility after five years of CA practice, most probably because crop residues were removed from the fields. The study reports high phosphorus (15.53 mg kg<sup>-1</sup>) and potassium (0.75 cmol kg<sup>-1</sup>) levels, low nitrogen (0.12 %) and organic carbon (1.19 %) levels, and no plough/hoe pans in soils from both CA and conventionally (CV) managed fields. This is in part contrary to the dominant land degradation narratives which have been the basis for promoting CA in the study areas. <em>Faidherbia albida</em>, a leguminous tree promoted as part of the CA package in Zambia, is associated with significantly higher levels of nitrogen, organic carbon and potassium under its canopy. Its planting by CA farmers is linked to the incentives provided by CA promoters. Average maize yields of 3.8 t ha<sup>-1</sup> and 2.8 t ha<sup>-1 </sup>were reported under CA and CV systems respectively. Government subsidies for mineral fertilizer and hybrid seed promote maize mono-cropping and remain unsupportive of CA. It is concluded that the dominant land degradation narrative, which posits population induced land degradation, may not hold in this case. Instead, the removal of crop residues and low levels of mineral fertilizer and manure amendments may better explain the soil fertility status of the study areas. More nutrient replacement strategies are required if the benefits of CA on soil fertility are to be actualized in the immediate future.</p>
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Mckenzie, DC, TS Abbott, and FR Higginson. "The effect of irrigated crop production on the properties of a sodic vertisol." Soil Research 29, no. 3 (1991): 443. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/sr9910443.
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Irrigated cotton yields in the lower Macquarie Valley, New South Wales, declined within a decade of the inception of irrigation, particularly on grey clays. Degradation of subsoil structure was thought to be involved. Two adjacent sites, one used for irrigated cotton production since 1968 ('cultivated'), the other for native pasture and grazing ('uncultivated'), were compared. The soil at each site, a sodic grey cracking clay (Vertisol), was described and sampled for a range of physical and chemical analyses. In the cultivated soil there was increased surface sodicity, greater dispersion of soil aggregates at 0 - 0-3 m, decreased organic carbon levels to 0 - 3 m and increased subsoil compaction. Also, the cultivated soil was observed to have more massive structure, with fewer macropores, between 0.2 and 0.7 m than the uncultivated soil. Probable reasons for this degradation of chemical and physical fertility following 15 years of intensive irrigated farming are discussed.
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Adeyolanu, O. D., G. A. Oluwatosin, A. O. Denton, A. O. Adelana, K. S. Are, and J. A. Adediran. "Quality Assessment and Suitability Evaluation of Soils under Tuber-based Cropping System in Katsina Ala Local Government Area, Benue State, Nigeria." Journal of Applied Sciences and Environmental Management 24, no. 8 (September 9, 2020): 1341–50. http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/jasem.v24i8.6.
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Crop yields together with economic and social benefits of farming depend in part on land management and soil quality. Soil management and cropping systems have long-term effects on agronomic and environmental functions. This study aimed at assessing soils under yam-based cropping systems for quality and suitability so as to enhance sustainable production. The study was carried out in Katsina Ala local government area of Benue state where yam is a major crop. Sixteen modal profile were dug, described for characterization and suitability evaluation. Ten cluster locations were selected and twenty soil samples randomly collected within each cluster. The soils were subjected to laboratory analyses and results subjected descriptive statistics. Suitability of the soils for yam, citrus and groundnut were evaluated using parametric approach and soil quality of the area was assessed using Relative Soil Quality Indices (RSQI). The soils encountered are sandy to silty in nature with some having plinthite at depth. The soils, classified as Alfisol, Entisol and Inceptisol are moderately (S2) to highly suitable S1) for the three crops and have moderate to high quality for crop production with percentage soil quality index ranging from 60. 37 to 74.31 %. Soils of the study site are of good quality and are suitable for production of yam, citrus and groundnut. However, because yam is a great feeder and tropical soils are fragile making them prone todegradation, there is need for maintenance of soil fertility through organic matter management for sustainable use.
Keywords: soil quality, suitability, yam, cropping systems, soil management
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Romaneckas, Kęstutis, Aida Adamavičienė, Egidijus Šarauskis, and Jovita Balandaitė. "The Impact of Intercropping on Soil Fertility and Sugar Beet Productivity." Agronomy 10, no. 9 (September 16, 2020): 1406. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10091406.
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There is a lack of research on the practice of intercropping sugar beet and the impact of such agrocenoses on soil and crop fertility, especially under organic farming conditions. For this reason, a three-year stationary field experiment was performed at Vytautas Magnus University, Agriculture Academy, Lithuania. Sugar beet was grown continuously with intercropped Persian clover (Trifolium resupinatum L., MC), white mustard (Sinapis alba L., MM) and spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L., MB) as a living mulch. Inter-row loosening (CT) and mulching with ambient weeds (MW) were used as comparative treatments. The results showed that, under minimal fertilization, CT and intercropping increased the average content of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in the soil. However, the average content of magnesium was reduced in single cases (MW, MB), and the average content of sulphur was reduced in all cases. Intercropping significantly decreased the yields of sugar beet root-crop, but was mainly neutral in quality terms. The meteorological conditions during experimentation had a weak impact on root-crop quantity and quality. Generally, the practice of sugar beet intercropping requires more detailed research on how to minimize the competition between the sugar beet, living mulch and weeds, and how to balance the nutrition conditions.
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Niggli, Urs. "Sustainability of organic food production: challenges and innovations." Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 74, no. 1 (September 15, 2014): 83–88. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0029665114001438.
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The greatest challenge for agriculture is to reduce the trade-offs between productivity and long-term sustainability. Therefore, it is interesting to analyse organic agriculture which is a given set of farm practices that emphasise ecological sustainability. Organic agriculture can be characterised as being less driven by off-farm inputs and being better embedded in ecosystem functions. The literature on public goods and non-commodity outputs of organic farms is overwhelming. Most publications address the positive effects of organic farming on soil fertility, biodiversity maintenance and protection of the natural resources of soil, water and air. As a consequence of focusing on public goods, organic agriculture is less productive. Meta-analyses show that organic agriculture yields range between 0·75 and 0·8 of conventional agriculture. Best practice examples from disadvantaged sites and climate conditions show equal or, in the case of subsistence farming in Sub-Saharan Africa, higher productivity of organic agriculture. Hence, organic agriculture is likely to be a good model for productive and sustainable food production. Underfunding in R&D addressing specific bottlenecks of organic agriculture are the main cause for both crop and livestock yield gaps. Therefore, the potential for improving the performance of organic agriculture through agricultural research is huge. Although organic farming is a niche in most countries, it is at the verge of becoming mainstream in leading European countries. Consumer demand has grown over the past two decades and does not seem to be a limiting factor for the future development of organic agriculture.
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Kudria, S. I. "Effects of hydrothermal conditions on agrophysical properties of typical chernozem and crop rotation productivity in the system of organic farming." Міжвідомчий тематичний науковий збірник "Меліорація і водне господарство", no. 2 (December 21, 2020): 70–80. http://dx.doi.org/10.31073/mivg202002-250.
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Relevance of research. Having the variability of hydrothermal conditions, the rate of plant life, the intensity of photosynthesis and evaporation and the activity of plant nutrient consumption change. As a rule, the optimization of the water-air regime of the soil by conducting various types of amelioration makes it possible to significantly reduce the negative effects of adverse weather conditions and ensure high sustainability of agroecosystems. However, with regard to the requirements for organic agriculture in the regions with a shortage of water supply without sufficient water resources and without the use of fertilizers to effectively conduct agricultural production is problematic. Thus, the establishment of the patterns of the dynamics of agrophysical soil properties, taking into account their impact on the bioproductivity of agrophytocenoses under variable weather conditions is the theoretical basis for solving the problem of increasing agricultural sustainability, in particular using only natural fertility and obtaining organic crop products.
Purpose and objectives of research: To establish the mechanisms of changes in the nutrient regime of typical chernozem, its agrophysical properties and crop yields in different crop rotations in relation to the dynamics of agrometeorological factors under the conditions of insufficient water supply in the eastern Forest-Steppe of Ukraine; to evaluate the productivity potential of cereals and grain crops in the system of organic farming without the use of mineral fertilizers.
Research methods and techniques. Evaluation of the changes in agrometeorological resources of the territory was carried out using the method of mathematical and statistical analysis of the indicators of heat and moisture supply conditions: climatic water balance and precipitation. The data obtained from the stationary experiment were processed by the methods of system generalization, correlation, economic, calculation and comparative analyzes.
Research results and main conclusions. Based on the information obtained in the course the stationary agrotechnical experiment it was established that the soil density changes over the years and depends on the hydrothermal conditions with the approximation certainity of (R2) 0.75. The inverse relationship between the specific weight of the soil and its water conductivity in terms of crop rotations with R2=0.8-0.9, by years with R2=0.6 was revealed. The variation coefficient of legumes yield was 30-33%, winter wheat – 33-37%, spring barley – 36-37%, which are the indicators of its low stability over the years. Crop yields, depending on the weather conditions of the year, also fluctuated significantly: peas between 0.8-3.2, lathyrus – 0.8-2.6, winter wheat – 0.6-6.8, buckwheat – 0.6-1.9, spring barley – 0.6-3.5 t/ha. Crop rotation with peas in terms of productivity of 2.4 t/ha of grain on average outperformed the others (2.2 and 2.0 t/ha) while maintaining the patterns of fluctuations of this indicator in relation to hydrothermal conditions.
Having the average statistical selling price, the yield per 1 ha of crop rotation area of all studied crop rotations was almost the same with the fluctuations in the unfavorable years of 27-35 c. u./ha, in favorable ones – 97-104 c. u./ha, with the average value of 66-73 c. u./ha. If we assume that the selling price of organic products will be 25% higher than usual, the average annual yield will triple.
Prospects for further research should correspond to the global trend of scientific research aimed at developing conceptual bases for the effects of hydrothermal conditions on agrophysical soil properties, taking into account their impact on bioproductivity of agrophytocenoses as a theoretical basis for solving the problem of increasing agricultural sustainability, in particular, using only the natural fertility of the organic-oriented model of developing the agricultural sector of the economy.
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Soldat, Igor E. "Reducing the negative impact of soil erosion in the Belgorod region through adaptive landscape farming system." RUDN Journal of Agronomy and Animal Industries 15, no. 2 (December 15, 2020): 182–90. http://dx.doi.org/10.22363/2312-797x-2020-15-2-182-190.
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In the Russian Federation, solving problems of land use, land relations, and land policy leave the basis for social, environmental, economic, and overall political stability of the state. The area of the Belgorod region is 2713.4 thousand hectares, including arable land - 1654.4 thousand hectares (61 %), pastures - 347.6 thousand hectares (12.8 %), hayfield - 68.1 thousand hectares (2.5 %), forests and other lands - 316.5 thousand hectares (22.7 %). The area of eroded soils is 53.6 % of the entire territory of the region. They include: slightly washed out soils - about 35 %, moderate washed out soils - about 13 %, strongly washed out soils - 5.6 %, and flushed - about 1 %. According to Belgorod agrarian scientific center of the RAS area of eroded lands in the Belgorod region has increased in the Western natural-agricultural zone - by 5.1 %, in the Central - by 8.4 % and in the South-East - by 9.1 % over the last 3040 years. Currently, the concept of adaptive landscape farming has been developed, which provides for comprehensive measures to prevent soil degradation and create environmentally sustainable agricultural landscapes. Adaptive landscape soil protection system of agriculture provides for expansion of perennial grasses up to 25 %, introduction of leguminous crops and annual grasses in crop rotations. With a reduction in the use of mineral and organic fertilizers in modern economic conditions, it is impossible to achieve a balance of humus acceptable for sustainable development of the studied agricultural landscape. System of agriculture adapted to local landscapes provides for introduction of the whole complex of soil conservation measures which can stop land degradation caused by soil erosion. Introduction of adaptive landscape system of agriculture in the pilot farm of the Belgorod agricultural research center allowed to minimize erosion processes, stabilize soil fertility, and significantly improve economic indicators and energy efficiency of agriculture in the economy. The area of arable land was slightly reduced, and the area of forest belts and soil protection crop rotations increased. The average yield of grain crops and sugar beets increased greatly, the use of organic and mineral fertilizers increased significantly, their payback improved, and the crop industry became profitable and cost-effective. Only through adaptive landscape agriculture it is possible to stop water erosion, create conditions for stabilizing and increasing soil fertility, ensure the biologization of agriculture and increase its economic efficiency. Ultimately, this will increase production of domestic agricultural products and increase Russias food security.
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Lyon, Drew J., and Gary W. Hergert. "Nitrogen fertility in semiarid dryland wheat production is challenging for beginning organic farmers." Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems 29, no. 1 (October 23, 2012): 42–47. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1742170512000324.
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AbstractOrganic farming systems use green and animal manures to supply nitrogen (N) to their fields for crop production. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of green manure and composted cattle manure on the subsequent winter wheat (Triticum aestivumL.) crop in a semiarid environment. Dry pea (Pisum sativumL.) was seeded in early April and terminated at first flower in late June. Composted cattle manure was applied at 0, 11.2 or 22.5 Mg ha−1just prior to pea termination. Winter wheat was planted in mid September following the green manure or tilled summer fallow. No positive wheat response to green manure or composted cattle manure was observed in any of the 3 years of the study. In 2 of the 3 years, wheat yields and grain test weight were reduced following green manure. Green manure reduced grain yields compared with summer fallow by 220 and 1190 kg ha−1in 2009 and 2010, respectively. This may partially be explained by 40 and 47 mm less soil water at wheat planting following peas compared with tilled summer fallow in 2008 and 2009, respectively. Also, in 2008 and 2009, soil nitrate level averaged 45 kg ha−1higher for black fallow compared with green manure fallow when no compost was added. Organic growers in the semiarid Central Great Plains will be challenged to supply N fertility to their winter wheat crop in a rapid and consistent manner as a result of the inherently variable precipitation. Growers may need to allow several years to pass before seeing the benefits of fertility practices in their winter wheat cropping systems.
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Flores-Sánchez, Diego, Jeroen C. J. Groot, Egbert A. Lantinga, Martin J. Kropff, and Walter A. H. Rossing. "Options to improve family income, labor input and soil organic matter balances by soil management and maize–livestock interactions. Exploration of farm-specific options for a region in Southwest Mexico." Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems 30, no. 4 (April 29, 2014): 373–91. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1742170514000106.
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AbstractFarming systems in the Costa Chica region in Mexico face limitations linked to low yields and soil fertility degradation. Several alternative maize-based cropping systems have been proposed to improve current limitations. These field-level options need to be evaluated at farm level in order to assess their feasibility, taking into account input requirements, contributions to self-sufficiency in food and long-term soil fertility, and the availability of labor. In this study, we defined four scenarios to explore consequences of changes in current farming systems for eight typical farms in the region; the first two scenarios comprised redressing current imbalances in crop nutrition and organic matter (OM) supply, respectively, and the last two scenarios explored high fertilizer input and animal husbandry. Farms responded in different ways to the various options depending on available land, current soil quality, current cropping systems and presence of livestock. Improvements in crop nutrition based on mineral fertilizers increased family income but only had substantial effects on soil OM (SOM) balances when fertilizer rates were double the amount currently subsidized. Addition of organic fertilizers resulted in positive effects on SOM balance, but with often strong trade-offs with family income due to costs of acquisition, transport and application. Animals played an important role in increasing SOM balances, but had relatively little effect on improving family income. The results demonstrated that improvements in family income and SOM balance at farm scale were feasible but that without more fundamental system changes trade-offs between short-term yield increases and longer-term soil fertility increases should be expected. The results highlight the need for policies that take into account farm-specific differences in crop and livestock intensification opportunities.
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Zerssa, Gebeyanesh, Debela Feyssa, Dong-Gill Kim, and Bettina Eichler-Löbermann. "Challenges of Smallholder Farming in Ethiopia and Opportunities by Adopting Climate-Smart Agriculture." Agriculture 11, no. 3 (February 26, 2021): 192. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/agriculture11030192.
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Agriculture is the backbone of the Ethiopian economy, and the agricultural sector is dominated by smallholder farming systems. The farming systems are facing constraints such as small land size, lack of resources, and increasing degradation of soil quality that hamper sustainable crop production and food security. The effects of climate change (e.g., frequent occurrence of extreme weather events) exacerbate these problems. Applying appropriate technologies like climate-smart agriculture (CSA) can help to resolve the constraints of smallholder farming systems. This paper provides a comprehensive overview regarding opportunities and challenges of traditional and newly developed CSA practices in Ethiopia, such as integrated soil fertility management, water harvesting, and agroforestry. These practices are commonly related to drought resilience, stability of crop yields, carbon sequestration, greenhouse gas mitigation, and higher household income. However, the adoption of the practices by smallholder farmers is often limited, mainly due to shortage of cropland, land tenure issues, lack of adequate knowledge about CSA, slow return on investments, and insufficient policy and implementation schemes. It is suggested that additional measures be developed and made available to help CSA practices become more prevalent in smallholder farming systems. The measures should include the utilization of degraded and marginal lands, improvement of the soil organic matter management, provision of capacity-building opportunities and financial support, as well as the development of specific policies for smallholder farming.
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Hulugalle, N. R., and F. Scott. "A review of the changes in soil quality and profitability accomplished by sowing rotation crops after cotton in Australian Vertosols from 1970 to 2006." Soil Research 46, no. 2 (2008): 173. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/sr07077.
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In agricultural systems, soil quality is thought of in terms of productive land that can maintain or increase farm profitability, as well as conserving soil resources so that future farming generations can make a living. Management practices which can modify soil quality include tillage systems and crop rotations. A major proportion of Australian cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) is grown on Vertosols (~75%), of which almost 80% is irrigated. These soils have high clay contents (40–80 g/100 g) and strong shrink–swell capacities, but are frequently sodic at depth and prone to deterioration in soil physical quality if incorrectly managed. Due to extensive yield losses caused by widespread deterioration of soil structure and declining fertility associated with tillage, trafficking, and picking under wet conditions during the middle and late 1970s, a major research program was initiated with the objective of developing soil management systems which could improve cotton yields while concurrently ameliorating and maintaining soil structure and fertility. An outcome of this research was the identification of cotton–winter crop sequences sown in a 1 : 1 rotation as being able to sustain lint yields while at the same time maintaining soil physical quality and minimising fertility decline. Consequently, today, a large proportion (~75%) of Australian cotton is grown in rotation with winter cereals such as wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), or legumes such as faba bean (Vicia faba L.). A second phase of research on cotton rotations in Vertosols was initiated during the early 1990s with the main objective of identifying sustainable cotton–rotation crop sequences; viz. crop sequences which maintained and improved soil quality, minimised disease incidence, facilitated soil organic carbon sequestration, and maximised economic returns and cotton water use efficiency in the major commercial cotton-growing regions of Australia. The objective of this review was to summarise the key findings of both these phases of Australian research with respect to soil quality and profitability, and identify future areas of for research. Wheat rotation crops under irrigated and dryland conditions and in a range of climates where cotton is grown can improve soil quality indicators such as subsoil structure, salinity, and sodicity under irrigated and dryland conditions, while leguminous crops can increase available nitrogen by fixing atmospheric nitrogen, and by reducing N volatilisation and leaching losses. Soil organic carbon in most locations has decreased with time, although the rate of decrease may be reduced by sowing crop sequences that return about 2 kg/m2.crop cycle of residues to the soil, minimising tillage and optimising N inputs. Although the beneficial effects of soil biodiversity on quality of soil are claimed to be many, except for a few studies on soil macrofauna such as ants, conclusive field-based evidence to demonstrate this has not been forthcoming with respect to cotton rotations. In general, lowest average lint yields per hectare were with cotton monoculture. The cotton–wheat systems generally returned higher average gross margins/ML irrigation water than cotton monoculture and other rotation crops. This indicates that where irrigation water, rather than land, is the limiting resource, cotton–wheat systems would be more profitable. Recently, the addition of vetch (Vicia villosa Roth.) to the cotton–wheat system has further improved average cotton yields and profitability. Profitability of cotton–wheat sequences varies with the relative price of cotton to wheat. In comparison with cotton monoculture, cotton–rotation crop sequences may be more resilient to price increases in fuel and fertiliser due to lower overall input costs. The profitability of cotton–rotation crop sequences such as cotton–wheat, where cotton is not sown in the same field every year, is more resilient to fluctuations in the price of cotton lint, fuel and nitrogen fertiliser. This review identified several issues with respect to cotton–rotation crop sequences where knowledge is lacking or very limited. These are: research into ‘new’ crop rotations; comparative soil quality effects of managing rotation crop stubble; machinery attachments for managing rotation crop stubble in situ in permanent bed systems; the minimum amount of crop stubble which needs to be returned per cropping cycle to increase SOC levels from present values; the relative efficacy of C3 and C4 rotation crops in relation to carbon sequestration; the interactions between soil biodiversity and soil physical and chemical quality indicators, and cotton yields; and the effects of sowing rotation crops after cotton on farm and cotton industry economic indicators such as the economic incentives for adopting new cotton rotations, farm level impacts of research and extension investments, and industry- and community/catchment-wide economic modelling of the impact of cotton research and extension activities.
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Armstrong, R. D., R. Perris, M. Munn, K. Dunsford, F. Robertson, G. J. Hollaway, and G. J. O. Leary. "Effects of long-term rotation and tillage practice on grain yield and protein of wheat and soil fertility on a Vertosol in a medium-rainfall temperate environment." Crop and Pasture Science 70, no. 1 (2019): 1. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/cp17437.
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Fundamental changes in farming systems occurred throughout the medium-rainfall zone of southern Australia during the late 1990s. Pulse and canola crops replaced pastures and long-fallowing, and minimal-tillage practices were increasingly adopted. An experiment was established in 1998 to examine long-term effects of these changes on crop productivity and soil fertility. Nine rotation–tillage treatments based on 3- and 6-year cycles were compared by using wheat (Triticum aestivum) as a bioassay crop over 2001–17. Seasonal conditions during the study ranged from the Millennium Drought to the top rainfall decile. Averaged across the 17 seasons, wheat yields were significantly lower in rotations based on continuous wheat (1.73t/ha) or 3 years of perennial lucerne (Medicago sativa) (1.93t/ha) and highest after traditional long-fallow (2.92t/ha) or vetch (Vicia sativa) green manure (2.57t/ha). Wheat yields following a pulse (2.23t/ha) or canola (Brassica napus) (2.21t/ha) were intermediate. Whereas rotation effects varied with seasonal rainfall, there was a long-term trend for relative yields in continuous wheat rotations to decline and those following a green manure or fallow to differ increasingly from other treatments. Compared across the same rotation (canola–wheat–pulse), average wheat yields under no-tillage (2.09t/ha) were significant lower (P<0.05) than under reduced (2.22t/ha) and conventional (2.29t/ha) tillage. By contrast, grain protein concentration increased with increasing proportion and type of legumes (green manure and pasture>pulse) in the rotation via their effect on soil mineral nitrogen (N). Lowest protein was recorded in continuous wheat and highest where at least one-third of the rotation contained a non-pulse legume, i.e. vetch green manure, lucerne or annual medic (Medicago truncatula). Soil-borne cereal fungal pathogens and nematodes generally had little effect on grain yields. Soil organic carbon (SOC) and total N stocks declined in all treatments over time, except in the lucerne and green manure treatments, where total N was maintained. Greatest declines in SOC and total N occurred in the fallow treatment. Results from the first 20 years of experimentation suggest that differences in grain yield (and protein) of wheat were most likely the result of treatment (rotation and tillage practice) effects on soil nitrate and water (growing-season rainfall and fallow storage) rather than disease. We found no evidence that current farming systems based on use of pulses, canola and reduced tillage are less able to maintain intervening cereal yields than traditional systems. On the contrary, practices such as long-fallowing are expected to have increasing negative influence on productivity in the longer term via decreased soil C and N fertility.
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Manna, M. C., A. Swarup, R. H. Wanjari, and H. N. Ravankar. "Long-term effects of NPK fertiliser and manure on soil fertility and a sorghum - wheat farming system." Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 47, no. 6 (2007): 700. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ea05105.
Full textAbstract:
Yield decline or stagnation under long-term cultivation and its relationship with soil organic matter fractions are rarely considered. To understand this phenomenon, soil organic matter fractions and soil aggregate size distribution were studied in a long-term experiment at Akola, in a Vertisol in a semiarid tropical environment. For 14 years, the following fertiliser treatments were compared with undisturbed fallow plots: unfertilised (control), 100% recommended rates of N, NP, NPK (N : P : K ratios of 100 : 21.8 : 18.2 and 120 : 26.2 : 50 kg/ha for sorghum and wheat, respectively) and 100% NPK plus farmyard manure (FYM) and continuous cropping with a sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) system during 1988–2001. The significant negative yield trend was observed in unbalanced use of inorganic N application for both crops. However, yields were maintained when NPK and NPK + FYM were applied. Results showed that soil organic C and total N in the unfertilised plot decreased by 21.7 and 18.2%, compared to the initial value, at a depth of 0–15 cm. Depletion of large macroaggregates (>2 mm) accounted for 22–81% of the total mass of aggregates in N, NP and unfertilised control plots compared to fallow plots. Irrespective of treatments, small macroaggregates (0.25–2 mm) dominated aggregate size distribution (56–71%), followed by microaggregates (0.053–0.25 mm, 18–37%). Active fractions, such as microbial biomass C, microbial biomass N, hot water soluble C and N, and acid hydrolysable carbohydrates were greater in NPK and NPK + FYM treatments than in the control. Carbon and N mineralisation were greater in small macroaggregates than microaggregates. Particulate organic matter C (POMC) and N (POMN) were significantly correlated (P < 0.01) with water-stable aggregate C and N (0.25–2 mm size classes), respectively. It was further observed that POMC and POMN were significantly greater in NPK and NPK + FYM plots than N and NP treated plots. Microbial biomass C was positively correlated with acid-hydrolysable carbohydrates (r = 0.79, P < 0.05). Continuous cropping and fertiliser use also influenced humic acid C and fulvic acid C fractions of the soil organic matter. Acid-hydrolysable N proportion in humic acid was greater than fulvic acid and it was greatest in NPK + FYM treatments. Continuous application of 100% NPK + FYM could restore soil organic carbon (SOC) to a new equilibrium level much earlier (t = 1/k, 2.4 years) than N (t = 1/k, 25.7 years), NP (t = 1/k, 8.1 years) and NPK (t = 1/k, 5.02 years). In conclusion, integrated use of NPK with FYM would be vital to obtain sustainable yields without deteriorating soil quality.
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Ghosh, Madhusudan. "Climate-smart Agriculture, Productivity and Food Security in India." Journal of Development Policy and Practice 4, no. 2 (July 2019): 166–87. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/2455133319862404.
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This article evaluates the importance of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) in promoting sustainable agricultural development and ensuring food security and mitigating the negative impacts of climatic changes on agricultural productivity in India. A range of CSA technologies, practices and services have been initiated in climate-smart villages as adaptation strategies for coping with climate risks to ensure stability and sustainability in agricultural production. The farmers using CSA adaptation strategies were found to have achieved higher output, yield and return compared to those who did not. There are exciting opportunities for scaling out and immense potentials of these strategies for enhancing crop yields and farm incomes and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Strengthening agricultural extension service and agricultural finance to achieve smart farming practices/technologies by linking climate finance to traditional agricultural finance could play a significant role in scaling out the CSA practices and technologies to make agriculture more sustainable and climate-resilient and a viable source of livelihood and food security for millions of farmers in the country. Zero budget natural farming as a climate-resilient farming system can enhance food and nutritional security, enabling farmers to improve soil fertility and yields through lower costs, risk and irrigation requirements, thus protecting the ecosystem by improving soil organic matter, water retention and biodiversity and reducing air and water pollution as well as greenhouse gas emissions.
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Severino S. Magat. "Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) on Coconut + Lanzones (Lansium domesticum Corr) Agro-ecosystem in Southern Mindanao, Philippines (1993 – 2007): with Emphasis on the Multi-Nutrient Coconut-Specific Mineral Fertilizer*. Part II. Influence on Le." CORD 25, no. 2 (October 1, 2009): 21. http://dx.doi.org/10.37833/cord.v25i2.139.
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A 15- year (1993-2007) long-term integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) study on coconut (‘Laguna’ tall variety) + lanzones fruit tree (‘Paete’ variety) agro-ecosystem was conducted using five fertilizer combinations (FCs) in a dominantly tropical wet climate growing zone (Koppen-Geiger Climate Classification, Kottek et al 2006) of Davao, Southern Mindanao, Philippines (07o05’N 125o37’E. One of the objectives of the study was to determine the response of this agro-ecosystem to the combined application of inorganic multinutrient fertilizer (MNF): N+P+K+Cl+S+B (14% N-5% P2O5-20% K2O, with 15.5% Cl, 4.5% S and 0.02% B) and organic fertilizer sources at different ratios by weight by tree (IF+OF at 1+0; 1+2; 2+4; 4+2 and 4+4) on: crop productivity; soil properties, and leaf nutrient levels of the agro-ecosystem.
The influence of ISFM and MNF on yields and profitability of the agro-ecoystem coconut and lanzones fruit tree crop (Part I) had been presented earlier in the CORD J. (Magat et al 2009)
Results as presented in the first part of the work report showed that the application of the multi-nutrient inorganic fertilizer even at its lowest rate for coconut (1 kg/tree/yr) produced a significant increase in annual nut and copra yield per ha from an average of 8,890 nuts or 1.6 tons to 3 - 4 tons after 2 years of fertilizer applications. The non-significant difference in nut and copra yields of fertilizer combinations (FCs) in almost all years showed that even with the application of FC-1 (1 kg of inorganic fertilizer), the lowest rate of the multi-nutrient fertilizer, even without organic fertilizer, an annual yield over 4 tons copra per ha (or over 17, 000 nuts per ha) was produced in most of years of production, seldom achieved in coconut farms in the country.
The improvement of coconut yield and very productive lanzones fruiting stage in this cropping system may be attributed to the significant influence of fertilizer combinations on the crops’ leaf nutrient contents as N, P, K, Cl and B. The long term effect of organic fertilization contributed much to the improved or enhanced soil physical conditions as the soil bulk density. Soil chemical properties as soil acidity, organic carbon (C), organic matter, available phosphorus (P) and exchangeable potassium (K) were generally enhanced during the 15 years of coconut and lanzones cropping under ISFM with multi-nutrient fertilizer application.
This long-term coconut + lanzones cropping agro-ecosystem proved to be a sustainable farming system. The proper integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) as a major component of the integrated crop management (ICM) using the PCA-formulated crop-specific-fertilizer multi-nutrient 14(N)-5(P2O5)-20(K2O)-15.5(Cl)-4.5(S)-0.02(B) even at the lowest rate of fertilization contributed to stable soils resulting to the total productivity of the coconut + lanzones fruit tree agro-ecosystem.
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Poulton, PR. "The importance of long-term trials in understanding sustainable farming systems: the Rothamsted experience." Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 35, no. 7 (1995): 825. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ea9950825.
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This paper gives examples of how long-term experiments can be used t o improve our understanding of sustainable farming systems. Rothamsted conducts more than 20 long-term (>20 years) experiments in south-eastern England; several were started in the middle of the last century. Some have continued with minor changes, others have been modified considerably t o ensure their continuation and relevance. Examples are given of the effect on soils and crop yields of organic matter, the availability of P, and acidification. The use of archived material in addressing problems not even considered when the experiments began is also discussed. Long-term experiments are essential in determining the factors affecting soil fertility and sustainable production. In many cases, effects may only be observed or interactions become apparent over an extended time. Full use should be made of existing experiments and data; in particular, those on different soil types and under different climatic conditions should be compared so that the information is valuable to farmers, advisers, legislators, and other scientists in both the local and wider community.
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Shrestha, Ashok Kumar, Binod Dawadi, Sabitri Shrestha, Kishor Kumar Maharjan, and Rabin Malla. "Soil fertility status of agricultural land in mid-hill of Gorkha District, Nepal." Nepal Journal of Environmental Science 6 (December 31, 2018): 9–16. http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/njes.v6i0.30121.
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Soil fertility management in agricultural land is challenging in hilly areas of Nepal. The study assesses the soil fertility status of Bari (upland) and Khet (lowland) agriculture land in Mid-hill of Gorkha district. Altogether 30 samples were collected from soil surface (0 to 20 cm) by using hand shovel in January, 2017. The soil fertility parameters like pH, organic matter (OM), total nitrogen (TN), available phosphorus (P) and available potassium (K) were analyzed using standard methods in the laboratory of Central Department of Environmental Science, Tribhuvan University. Results revealed that an average pH in upland (6.62) was higher than the lowland (5.94). Similarly, OM (3.95%) and K (36.49 kgha-1) were relatively high in upland. In addition, pH, OM and available K were significantly varied at p<0.05 in upland and lowland soils, however, there is no significant difference in TN and available P. In addition, soil nutrient index showed that status of available K in both types of land is low, while OM and TN are medium soil quality in upland and lowland soil. The use of organic fertilizer and improved farming system can maintain and sustain soil fertility for crop growth and yield. Understanding distribution of soil nutrients in the study area might be useful for planners to make effective soil fertilizer management strategies.
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Tripathi, BP, and JE Jones. "Biophysical and socio-economic tools for assessing soil fertility: A case of western hills, Nepal." Agronomy Journal of Nepal 1 (February 3, 2013): 1–9. http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ajn.v1i0.7536.
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The middle mountain region of Nepal, which occupies some 30% of the total land, is the homeland of 45% of the total population, with agriculture being the main source of their livelihoods. Hill farming is primarily based on organic manure with livestock, forest and crops being major components of an integrated system. The aim of this study is to develop and promote improved methods for research and development organizations to identify cost-effective and appropriate soil fertility management strategies through; providing an improved understanding of the biophysical and socio-economic factors affecting the adaptability of sustainable soil management strategies in hillside systems, developing methodologies for evaluating soil fertility technologies and management systems for differently resource farmers in different farming systems, and strengthening the capability of local professionals in collaborating institutions to provide useful information to farmers. The work is placing emphasis on promoting cost-effective methods of soil fertility management, building on farmers' own knowledge and systems. Participatory techniques have been used for gaining a better understanding of fertility indicators, trends and existing soil management practices during 2000/01 in the western hills of Nepal. Farmers are now concerned that increasing amounts of chemical fertilizer at increasingly higher cost have to be applied, soils are becoming “harder” and production is declining. As a result farmers in four agro-ecological zones opted to either test methods for “improving” the quality of farm yard manure (FYM), or “improve” crop residue management. Early results show that through covering the FYM with black plastic sheets, yield increases of over 30% can be achieved. The use of participatory farm management techniques is providing a basis for local NGOs and farmers to evaluate their own experiments and develop soil fertility technologies and systems for their environments.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ajn.v1i0.7536 Agronomy Journal of Nepal (Agron JN) Vol. 1: 2010 pp.1-9
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Yang, Zhi Chen, Lian Di Zhou, Yi Zhong Lv, and Hong Li. "Long-Term Effects of Crop Residual and Inorganic Fertilizers on Yield and Soil Organic Matter for a Winter Wheat-Maize System in North China Plain." Advanced Materials Research 356-360 (October 2011): 2523–30. http://dx.doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.356-360.2523.
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Long-term effects of inorganic and corn stalks organic nutrient sources on yield, soil organic carbon(SOC) and the relationship between crop yield and SOC were investigated in Dry-Land Farming Institute of Hebei Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, Hengshui, Hebei Province, China from 1981 to 2005. Hengshui is a part the North China Plain and the dominant cropping systems are Winter wheat-maize rotations. Recently the use of organic manure with grain crops has almost disappeared. This could reduce soil fertility and crop productivity in the long run. There were sixteen treatments applied to both wheat and maize seasons: Inorganic fertilizers as main plots and corn stalks as subplots and the main plot and subplot all have four levels expressed A and B respectively. So there are sixteen treatments with three replicates were set (A1,A2,A3,A4)*(B1,B2,B3,B4). After more than 20 years crop yield and SOC decreased in treatment of without fertilizers and only applicate corn stalks just sustain it. Combine application of inorganic fertilizers and corn stalks increase SOC and crop yield very strongly. For crop yield the more fertlizers the more increase. But the SOC will decrease as the more inorganiac fertlizer application and increase with the increase of corn stalks.