Dissertations / Theses: 'Soil and Crop Management'

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Isaac, Gura. "Crop rotation and crop residue management effects under no till on the soil quality of two ecotopes in the Eastern Cape, South Africa." Thesis, University of Fort Hare, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/10353/2934.

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The degradation of soil quality due to undesirable farming practices has reached alarming scales in the Eastern Cape and this has had negative repercussions on soil productivity and the environment in general. There is growing evidence that conservation agriculture (CA) practices involving minimal mechanical disturbance, maintaining permanent surface cover and embracing diverse crop rotations increase soil organic carbon (SOC) and therefore has potential to mitigate soil quality deterioration. A study was carried out at two sites located in two ecotopes to investigate the effects of crop residue retention and crop rotations in a no till system on overall soil quality using the Soil Management Assessment Framework (SMAF) as the soil quality assessment tool. The CA study trials were laid out in 2012 at two different locations, one at the Phandulwazi Agricultural High school within the Phandulwazi Jozini ecotope and the other one at University of Fort Hare Research Farm within the Alice Jozini ecotope. The experiment was laid out as a split-split plot arrangement in a randomized complete block design with three replicates. Tillage treatments were applied on the main plots while crop rotation treatments were applied as subplots. Crop residue retention treatments were applied as sub-sub plots. The rotational treatments were maize-fallow-maize (MFM), maize-fallow-soybean (MFS), maize-wheat-maize (MWM) and maize-wheat-soybean (MWS). The initial assessment of the overall soil quality of the two ecotopes using the SMAF soil quality index (SQI) revealed that the soils at the Alice site were functioning at 80% while the soils at the Phandulwazi site were functioning at 79 percent of their optimum capacity. The slight difference in the soil quality of the two ecotopes could be attributed to their different soil organic C contents where the Alice Jozini ecotope had significantly higher soil organic C contents than the Phandulwazi Jozini ecotope. After 3 years of continuous treatment application, crop residue retention significantly improved most of the measured soil quality parameters. Generally across the sites, more soil organic C, microbial biomass C (MBC), ß-glucosidase (BG) activity, mineral N, extractable P and K, Cu, Zn, Mn, Fe, and macro-aggregates were recorded in treatments where crop residues were retained. Crop rotations alone did not have a significant impact on most of the measured soil quality indicators. The crop rotations influenced significantly the availability of mineral N across the two sites, highlighting the importance of using a legume in rotations on available N for the subsequent crops. Most of the measured soil attributes were not significantly influenced after 3 years of continuously applying combined treatment of CA components. Mineral N (NO3 + NH4), K, Zn and Fe were significantly impacted on by the interactions of CA components at the Phandulwazi site, while N, Cu, Zn and Mn were significantly increased at the Alice site. Low response of SOC to combined CA treatments in the short-term prompted the need to examine treatment effects on individual soil carbon fractions. The interaction of crop rotation and residue management techniques were significant on the fine particulate organic matter – C fractions and microbially respired C. These soil C fractions were more sensitive to short-term treatments of combined CA components than SOC and MBC, therefore they can be used as short-term indicators of CA effects on SOM. Soil organic carbon, MBC, extractable P and K, soil pH, EC, b, AGS (aggregate stability) and BG activity were measured and the Soil Management Assessment Framework (SMAF) used to calculate soil quality index (SQI) values for each treatment. The combination of the crop rotations with crop residue retention showed the potential to significantly improve SQI values in the long term. The highest soil quality improvement at both sites was achieved by the maize-wheat-soybean (MWS) rotation with crop residue retention.

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He, Yuxin. "Crop residue management and its impacts on soil properties." Diss., Kansas State University, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/2097/19043.

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Doctor of Philosophy Agronomy DeAnn R. Presley Crop residue removal for livestock feeding and biofuel production at large scales must be evaluated to assess impacts on soil productivity and properties. Among all the potential negative impacts, wind erosion is a major concern in the central Great Plains. We conducted an on-farm study from 2011 to 2013 by removing crop residue at five levels (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100%) to determine the effects of crop residue removal on soil wind erosion parameters such as dry aggregate size distribution including soil wind erodible fraction (EF <0.84 mm aggregates), geometric mean diameter (GMD) and geometric standard deviation (GSD), dry aggregate stability, and soil surface roughness. The sub-model of Wind Erosion Prediction System (WEPS) developed by the USDA-ARS, Single-event Wind Erosion Evaluation Program (SWEEP) is a stand-alone companion software package that can be applied to simulate soil loss and dust emission from a single windstorm event. We applied measured data (i.e. EF, GMD, GSD, and roughness) to SWEEP for predicting wind velocity that can initiate wind erosion and soil loss under each crop residue removal condition with wind velocity at 13 m sˉ¹. The threshold wind velocity to initiate wind erosion generally decreased with increase in crop residue removal levels, particularly for residue removal >75%. The total amount of soil loss in 3 hours ranged from about 0.2 to 2.5 kg mˉ² and depends on soil condition and crop residue cover. On the other hand, high-yielding crops can produce abundant crop residue, which then raises the question that if a farmer wants to reduce residue, what could they do without removing it? The application of fertilizer on crop residue to stimulate microbial activity and subsequent decomposition of the residue is often debated. We conducted wheat straw decomposition field experiments under different fertilizer rates and combinations at three locations in western Kansas following wheat harvest in 2011 and 2012. A double shear box apparatus instrumented with a load cell measured the shear stress required to cut wheat straw and photomicrography was used to measure the cross-sectional area of wheat straw after shearing. Total C and N were also analyzed. The fertilizer rate and timing of application during summer 2012 and Fall 2013 at the Hays site had impacts on wheat straw shear stress at break point. Across site years, earlier (fall) fertilizer application generally resulted in lower remaining aboveground biomass as compared to a spring application. Multivariate and linear regressions suggested that N and C:N ratio partially explain the results observed with respect to treatment effects on winter wheat residue decomposition.

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Eleki, Krisztina. "Soil management, crop rotations, and biomass removal effects on soil organic matter content." [Ames, Iowa : Iowa State University], 2007.

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4

Silvertooth, J. C., A. Galadima, and E. R. Norton. "Residual Soil Nitrogen Evaluations In Irrigated Desert Soils, 2005." College of Agriculture, University of Arizona (Tucson, AZ), 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/198203.

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Field experiments aimed at investigating N fertilizer management in irrigated cotton production have been conducted for the past 16 seasons at three Arizona locations on University of Arizona Agricultural Centers (Maricopa, MAC; Marana, MAR; and Safford, SAC). In 2001-2005, residual N studies were conducted at two of these locations (MAC and MAR). The MAC and SAC experiments have been conducted each season since 1989 and the Marana site was initiated in 1994. The original purposes of the experiments were to test nitrogen (N) fertilization strategies and to validate and refine N fertilization recommendations for Upland (G. hirsutum L.) and American Pima (G. barbadense L.) cotton. The experiments have each utilized N management tools such as pre-season soil tests for NO₃⁻-N, in-season plant tissue testing (petioles) for N fertility status, and crop monitoring to ascertain crop fruiting patterns and crop N needs. At each location, treatments varied from a conservative to a more aggressive approach of N management. Results at each location revealed a strong relationship between the crop fruit retention levels and N needs for the crop. This pattern was further reflected in final yield analysis as a response to the N fertilization regimes used. The higher, more aggressive N application regimes did not consistently benefit yields at any location. Generally, the more conservative, feedback approach to N management provided optimum yields at all locations. In 2001, a transition project evaluating the residual N effects associated with each treatment regime was initiated and no N fertilizer was applied. Therefore, all N taken-up by the crop was assumed to be derived from residual soil N. However irrigation water analysis showed that NO₃⁻-N concentration levels added to the crop ranged from about 5-9 ppm. In 2001-2005 there were no significant differences among the original fertilizer N regimes in terms of residual soil NO₃⁻-N concentrations, crop growth, development, lint yield, or fiber properties. The lint yields were very uniform at each location and season. Trends associated with residual fertilizer N effects are not evident at either location for five seasons following N fertilizer applications.

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Tao, Hsiao-Hang. "Crop residue management in oil palm plantations : soil quality, soil biota and ecosystem functions." Thesis, University of Oxford, 2017. https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:ebcc3bd9-45c0-4d22-9fef-71dff4abecd3.

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The application of crop residues is one of the most common agricultural practices used to maintain soil ecosystems and crop productivity. This thesis focuses on the oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) agroecosystem, an important tropical crop that has expanded rapidly over the past four decades. Both land conversion and business-as-usual practices within the plantations have contributed to soil degradation. The application of oil palm residues, such as empty fruit bunches (EFB) and oil palm fronds, are thought to have positive effects on the soil ecosystem; yet there is currently a deficit of knowledge on their effectiveness. This thesis aims to examine the effects of oil palm residue application on soil physicochemical properties, soil biota, and ecosystem functions. It reports the results of extensive field trials, sample collection, and statistical analysis of crop residue applications in oil palm plantations in Central Sumatra, Indonesia. Four key results emerged from the thesis. First, in this study site land conversion from secondary forest to oil palm does not affect litter decomposition rate, but positively influences soil fauna activity. Second, there is greater soil fauna activity following EFB application than oil palm fronds or chemical fertilizers, and the fauna activity is highly associated with changes in soil chemical properties and soil moisture conditions. Third, EFB application enhances soil ecosystem functions, through the direct provision of organic matter, and by influencing soil biota. Finally, over 15 years of application, EFB appears to be effective in maintaining or increasing annual crop yield in comparison to chemical fertiliser treatment. Temporal changes in crop yield under EFB application appear to be associated with climatic conditions and soil organic carbon. Overall, these findings improve our understanding of the potential of oil palm residue applications to increase soil quality, soil biota, and ecosystem functions. They also provide useful information for a wider audience of soil ecologists, agricultural managers, and policy makers to improve sustainable management of the oil palm ecosystem.

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Reyes, Javier. "EXPLORING SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL VARIABILITY OF SOIL AND CROP PROCESSES FOR IRRIGATION MANAGEMENT." UKnowledge, 2018. https://uknowledge.uky.edu/pss_etds/107.

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Irrigation needs to be applied to soils in relatively humid regions such as western Kentucky to supply water for crop uptake to optimize and stabilize yields. Characterization of soil and crop variability at the field scale is needed to apply site specific management and to optimize water application. The objective of this work is to propose a characterization and modeling of soil and crop processes to improve irrigation management. Through an analysis of spatial and temporal behavior of soil and crop variables the variability in the field was identified. Integrative analysis of soil, crop, proximal and remote sensing data was utilized. A set of direct and indirect measurements that included soil texture, electrical conductivity (EC), soil chemical properties (pH, organic matter, N, P, K, Ca, Mg and Zn), NDVI, topographic variables, were measured in a silty loam soil near Princeton, Kentucky. Maps of measured properties were developed using kriging, and cokriging. Different approaches and two cluster methods (FANNY and CLARA) with selected variables were applied to identify management zones. Optimal scenarios were achieved with dividing the entire field into 2 or 3 areas. Spatial variability in the field is strongly influenced by topography and clay content. Using Root Zone Water Quality Model 2.0 (RZWQM), soil water tension was modeled and predicted at different zones based on the previous delineated zones. Soil water tension was measured at three depths (20, 40 and 60 cm) during different seasons (20016 and 2017) under wheat and corn. Temporal variations in soil water were driven mainly by precipitation but the behavior is different among management zones. The zone with higher clay content tends to dry out faster between rainfall events and reveals higher fluctuations in water tension even at greater depth. The other zones are more stable at the lower depth and share more similarities in their cyclic patterns. The model predictions were satisfactory in the surface layer but the accuracy decreased in deeper layers. A study of clay mineralogy was performed to explore field spatial differences based on the map classification. kaolinite, vermiculite, HIV and smectite are among the identified minerals. The clayey area presents higher quantity of some of the clay minerals. All these results show the ability to identify and characterize the field spatial variability, combining easily obtainable data under realistic farm conditions. This information can be utilized to manage resources more effectively through site specific application.

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Huang, Xuewen. "Analysis of effects of soil properties, topographical variables and management practices on spatial-temporal variability of crop yields." Diss., Connect to online resource - MSU authorized users, 2008.

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8

Suriadi, Ahmad. "Structural stability and Na-Ca exchange selectivity of soils under sugarcane trash management." Title page, Contents and Abstract only, 2001. http://web4.library.adelaide.edu.au/theses/09ASOM/09asoms961.pdf.

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Battaglia, Martin. "Crop residue management effects on crop production, greenhouse gases emissions, and soil quality in the Mid-Atlantic USA." Diss., Virginia Tech, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/86483.

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Cellulosic biomass-to-bioenergy systems can provide environmental and economic benefits to modern societies, reducing the dependence on fossil-fuels and greenhouse gas emissions while simultaneously improving rural economies. Corn (Zea mays L.) stover and wheat straw (Triticum aestivum L.) residues have particular promise given these crops are widely grown and their cellulosic fractions present a captured resource as a co-product of grain production. Annual systems also offer the ability to change crops rapidly in response to changing market demands. However, concerns exist about residue removal effects on soil health, greenhouse gases emissions and subsequent crop productivity. The carbon footprint and the crop yield productivity and soil health responses resulting from the removal of crop residues has been studied extensively over the last 20 years, but this research has been largely conducted in the Corn Belt. To investigate the impact of crop residue removal in the Mid-Atlantic USA, combinations of corn stover (0, 3.33, 6.66, 10 and 20 Mg ha-1) and wheat straw (0, 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 Mgha-1) were soil applied in a corn-wheat/soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) rotation in Virginia's Coastal Plain. Corn stover (0, 3.33, 6.66, 10 and 20 Mg ha-1) was applied in a continuous corn cropping system in the Ridge/Valley province. For each system, residues were applied following grain harvest over two production cycles. Each experiment was conducted as a randomized complete design with four replications. The highest rates of stover retention resulted in greater greenhouse gas emissions in year 1, but not year 2 of these studies and did not affect overall global warming potentials. Stover application also increased soil carbon but had little effect on other measures of soil quality. Stover K levels were greater with high rates of stover retention. Overall, these studies indicate little effect of residue removal or retention (above typical residue production rates) on subsequent crop production, greenhouse gas emissions, or soil health measures in the short term. This study is one of the first to assess residue removal in the Mid-Atlantic USA and is the first study to investigate the impacts that managing more than one crop residue in a multi-crop system. Longer-term research of this type may be warranted both to determine the consequences of residue management and to start building a regionally-specific body of knowledge about these practices. Ph. D.

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Satiro, Lucas Santos. "Crop prediction and soil response to sugarcane straw removal." Universidade de São Paulo, 2018. http://www.teses.usp.br/teses/disponiveis/11/11140/tde-03052018-171843/.

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Concerns about global warming and climate change have triggered a growing demand for renewable energy. In this scenario, the interest in using sugarcane straw as raw material for energy production has increased. However, straw plays an important role in maintaining soil quality. In addition, uncertainties as to produced straw amount and the straw removal impact on the stalk yield have raised doubts as to the use this raw material. In this sense, the objective this study was evaluate the short-term (2-year) the sugarcane straw removal impacts on soil and yield modeling of sugarcane stalk and straw, using soil attributes of different layers. Two experiments were carried out in São Paulo state, Brazil: one at Capivari (sandy clay loam soil) and another at Valparaíso (sandy loam soil). We have tested five rates of straw removal (i.e., equivalent to 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100 %). Soil samples were taken from 0-2.5, 2.5-5, 5-10, 10-20 and 20-30 cm layers to analyze pH, total C and N, P, K, Ca, Mg, bulk density and soil penetration resistance. Plant samples were collected to determine the straw and stalk yield. The impacts caused by straw removal differed between the areas, however, they concentrated on the more soil superficial layer. In sandy clay loam soil, straw removal led to organic carbon depletion and soil compaction, while in the sandy loam soil the chemical attributes (i.e. Ca and Mg contents) were the most impacted. In general, the results suggest that straw removal causes reduction more significant in soil quality for the sandy clay loam soil. The results indicate the possibility to remove about half-straw amount deposited on soil\'s surface (8.7 Mg ha-1 straw remaining) without causing severe implications on the quality of this soil. In contrast, although any amount of straw was sufficient to cause alterations the quality of the sandy loam soil, these impacts were less intense and are not magnified with the increase of straw removal. It was possible to model sugarcane straw and stalk yield using soil attributes. The 0-20 cm layer was the most important layer in the stalk yield definition, whereas the 0-5 cm layer, which the impacts caused by the straw removal were concentrated, was less important. Thus, we noticed that impacts caused to soil by straw removal have little influence on crop productivity. Straw prediction has proved more complex and possibly requires additional information (e.g crop and climate information) for good results to be obtained. Overall, the results suggest that the planned removal of straw for energy purposes can occur in a sustainable way, but should take into account site conditions, e.g soil properties. However, long-term research with different approaches is still necessary, both to follow up and confirm our results, and to develop ways to reduce damage caused by this activity. Preocupações acerca do aquecimento global e mudanças climáticas tem provocado uma crescente demanda por energias renováveis. Nesse cenário, tem aumentado o interesse em utilizar a palha de cana-de-açúcar como matéria prima para produção de energia. Contudo, a palha desempenha importante papel na manutenção da qualidade do solo. Aliado a isso, incertezas quanto a quantidade de palha produzida e o impacto da remoção da palha na produção de colmos tem levantado duvidas quanto ao uso dessa matéria prima. Nesse sentido, o objetivo desse estudo foi avaliar a curto prazo (2 anos) os impactos da remoção da palha de cana-de-açucar no solo, e modelar a produção de palha e colmo de cana-de-açucar utilizando atributos do solo de diferentes camadas. Para tanto, foram conduzidos dois experimentos nos municípios de Capivari (solo de textura média) e Valparaíso (solo de textura arenosa), estado de São Paulo, Brasil. Foram testados cinco taxas de remoção de palha (i.e., equivalentes a 0, 25, 50, 75 e 100 %). Amostras de solo foram coletadas nas camadas 0-2,5, 2,5-5, 5-10, 10-20 e 20-30 cm de profundidade para determinação de C, N, pH, P, K, Ca, Mg, densidade do solo e resistência do solo a penetração. Amostras de planta foram coletadas para determinar a produção de colmo e palha. Os impactos causados pela remoção da palha diferiu entre as áreas, no entato, se concentraram na camada mais superficial do solo. No solo de textura média a remoção da palha levou a depleção do carbono orgânico e a compactação do solo, enquanto que, no solo de textura arenosa os atributos químicos (i.e teores de Ca e Mg) foram os mais impactados. Os resultados indicam a possibilidade de remover cerca de metade da quantidade de palha depositada sobre o solo (8.7 Mg ha-1 palha remanecente) sem causar graves implicações na qualidade deste solo. Em contraste, no solo de textura arenosa, qualquer quantidade de palha foi suficiente para causar alterações na qualidade do solo, contudo, essas alterações foram menos intensas e não aumentaram com as taxas de remoção da palha. Foi possível modelar a produção de colmo e palha de cana-de-açucar utilizando atributos do solo. A camada 0-20 cm foi a mais importante na definição da produção de colmos, ao passo que a camada 0-5 cm, camada em que se concentra os impactos causados pela remoção da palha, foi menos importante. Assim, notamos que os impactos causados ao solo pela remoção da palha tem pouca influencia na produtividade da cultura. A predição da palha se mostrou mais complexa e possivelmente requer informações adicionas (e.g informações da cultivar e de clima) para que bons resultados sejam obtidos. No geral, os resultados sugerem que a remoção planejada da palha para fins energéticos pode ocorre de maneira susutentável, porém deve levar em conta condições locais, e.g propriedades do solo. Contudo, pesquisas de longo prazo com diferentes abordagens ainda são necessárias, tanto para acompanhar e confirmar nossos resultados, como para desenvolver soluções que atenuem os danos causados por esta atividade.

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Waine, Toby William. "Non-invasive soil property measurement for precision farming." Thesis, Cranfield University, 1999. http://dspace.lib.cranfield.ac.uk/handle/1826/11322.

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This work investigates the application of new sensors to enable agronomists and farm managers to make decisions for variable treatment strategies at key crop growth stages. This is needed to improve the efficiency of crop production in the context of precision farming. Two non-invasive sensors were selected for investigation. These were: 1) The MGD-1 ion mobility gas detector made by Environics OY, Finland. 2) The EM38 electromagnetic induction (EMI) sensor made by Geonics Inc., Canada. The gas detector was used to determine residual nitrogen and to measure carbon dioxide gas as a surrogate indicator of soil quality. In the latter, increased microbial carbon dioxide production was expected on soils with high organic matter content. Overall, the results of gas detection were disappointing. The main problems inherent in the system were; lack of control of the gas sampling, insufficient machine resolution and cross contamination. This led to the decision to discontinue the gas detection research. Instead, the application of electromagnetic induction (EMI) to measure soil variation was investigated. There were two principle advances in the research. Firstly the application of EMI to the rapid assessment of soil textural class. Secondly the mapping of available water content in the soil profile. These were achieved through the development of a new calibration procedure based on EMI survey of the sites at field capacity, working with field experiments from five sites over two years. Maps of total available water holding capacity were produced. These were correlated with yield maps from wet and dry seasons and used to explain some of the seasonal influences on the spatial variation in yield. A product development strategy for a new EMI sensor was considered which produced a recommendation to design a new EMI sensor specifically for available water content and soil texture mapping, that could be mounted on a tractor. For the first time, this procedure enables routine monitoring of the spatial variation in available water content. This enables the effects of seasonal and spatial variation to be included in crop models, targeted irrigation and to aid decisions for the variable application of inputs.

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Whelan, Brett Michael. "Reconciling continuous soil variation and crop yield : a study of some implications of within-field variability for site-specific crop management." Thesis, University of Sydney, 1998. https://hdl.handle.net/2123/27516.

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Within-field variability in cropping system attributes is often obvious but difficult to accurately and efficiently quantity. The magnitude of the variation also changes with attribute, location and time. Importantly, variability at this scale of the soil/crop system may give rise to economic, environmental and societal problems on cropping enterprises under traditional 'uniform' management. In general, the problems arise from a decision to use 'mean-of-field' information to guide the amelioration of an area which may result in zones being under-or over-treated. Gathering data on, and extracting useful management information from, within-field variability is the goal of Precision Agriculture.

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13

Collins, Shane. "Residue composition influences nutrient release from crop residues." University of Western Australia. School of Earth and Geographical Sciences, 2009. http://theses.library.uwa.edu.au/adt-WU2009.0171.

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[Truncated abstract] A greater adoption of stubble retention, minimum-till and no-till farming practices for the purposes of conserving soil, water and fertility requires a greater understanding of the complexity of physical and chemical interactions between the soil and crop residues. There is currently insufficient knowledge to allow reliable predictions of the effects of different residue types in different environments on soil fertility and crop growth, owing to the many residue characteristics and environmental interactions that have been shown to affect decomposition or nutrient release. The role of fibre and nutrient composition in nutrient release from crop residues, and implications for residue management techniques, were studied. Canola, lupin and field pea residues, obtained from farmland in Meckering and Northam, Western Australia, were separated into upper and basal stems, leaves, and siliques or pods. This was done to provide materials with a wide range of chemical and physical characteristics, and also allowed consideration of differential residue management of plant organs, such as comparing harvested canola siliques and retained canola stubble. Pre-treatment by chopping and/or humidification was applied to residues to provide some information about the processes of nutrient release. Residues were subjected to simulated rainfall to assess nutrient leaching from plant material, and placed on soil in pots in constant-temperature glasshouse conditions to assess decomposition. Amounts and rates of change of residue fibre and nutrients were determined throughout leaching and decomposition. Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) microanalysis was used to assess the location of diffusible ions in air-dried residues and the effects of humidification on nutrient positioning and release. ... However, the release of calcium and magnesium depended on the decomposition of the more recalcitrant components such as cellulose and lignin, as supported by microscopy results showing changes in nutrient distribution following humidification. The proportionality of amounts of calcium and magnesium leached and released during decomposition is likely to suggest a similarity of chemical form more than similarity of function or position of the two elements. Management of crop residues for maximising and optimising the timing of release of different nutrients will need to take into account the placement of different plant types and parts, particle sizes distribution and pre-treatment of material to efficiently manage short- and long-term soil fertility to sustain crops, particularly on degraded soils. Significant nutrient release of potassium, sulphur and magnesium from crop residues can be achieved from surface placement, with the release of potassium and sulphur managed by modifying residue particle size through appropriate harvesting, ploughing or sowing implement selection. High nutrient uptake crops and plant parts where they can be economically viable to grow or separated by the harvesting technique are particularly valuable as sources of nutrients and soil organic matter.

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Stark, Christine. "Effects of long- and short-term crop management on soil biological properties and nitrogen dynamics." Phd thesis, Lincoln University. Agriculture and Life Sciences Division, 2005. http://theses.lincoln.ac.nz/public/adt-NZLIU20070220.010748/.

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To date, there has been little research into the role of microbial community structure in the functioning of the soil ecosystem and on the links between microbial biomass size, microbial activity and key soil processes that drive nutrient availability. The maintenance of structural and functional diversity of the soil microbial community is essential to ensure the sustainability of agricultural production systems. Soils of the same type with similar fertility that had been under long-term organic and conventional crop management in Canterbury, New Zealand, were selected to investigate relationships between microbial community composition, function and potential environmental impacts. The effects of different fertilisation strategies on soil biology and nitrogen (N) dynamics were investigated under field (farm site comparison), semi-controlled (lysimeter study) and controlled (incubation experiments) conditions by determining soil microbial biomass carbon (C) and N, enzyme activities (dehydrogenase, arginine deaminase, fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis), microbial community structure (denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis following PCR amplification of 16S and 18S rDNA fragments using selected primer sets) and N dynamics (mineralisation and leaching). The farm site comparison revealed distinct differences between the soils in microbial community structure, microbial biomass C (conventional > organic) and arginine deaminase activity (organic > conventional). In the lysimeter study, the soils were subjected to the same crop rotation (barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), maize (Zea mays L.), rape (Brassica napus L. ssp. oleifera (Moench)) plus a lupin green manure (Lupinus angustifolius L.) and two fertiliser regimes (following common organic and conventional practice). Soil biological properties, microbial community structure and mineral N leaching losses were determined over 2½ years. Differences in mineral leaching losses were not significant between treatments (total organic management: 24.2 kg N per ha; conventional management: 28.6 kg N per ha). Crop rotation and plant type had a larger influence on the microbial biomass, activity and community structure than fertilisation. Initial differences between soils decreased over time for most biological soil properties, while they persisted for the enzyme activities (e.g. dehydrogenase activity: 4.0 and 2.9 µg per g and h for organic and conventional management history, respectively). A lack of consistent positive links between enzyme activities and microbial biomass size indicated that similarly sized and structured microbial communities can express varying rates of activity. In two successive incubation experiments, the soils were amended with different rates of a lupin green manure (4 or 8t dry matter per ha), and different forms of N at 100 kg per ha (urea and lupin) and incubated for 3 months. Samples were taken periodically, and in addition to soil biological properties and community structure, gross N mineralisation was determined. The form of N had a strong effect on microbial soil properties. Organic amendment resulted in a 2 to 5-fold increase in microbial biomass and enzyme activities, while microbial community structure was influenced by the addition or lack of C or N substrate. Correlation analyses suggested treatment-related differences in nutrient availability, microbial structural diversity (species richness or evenness) and physiological properties of the microbial community. The findings of this thesis showed that using green manures and crop rotations improved soil biology in both production systems, that no relationships existed between microbial structure, enzyme activities and N mineralisation, and that enzyme activities and microbial community structure are more closely associated with inherent soil and environmental factors, which makes them less useful as early indicators of changes in soil quality.

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Svedin, Jeffrey David. "Characterizing the Spatial Variation of Crop Water Productivity for Variable-Rate Irrigation Management." BYU ScholarsArchive, 2018. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/6878.

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Irrigated agriculture is the primary consumer of limited worldwide freshwater resources. Drought, growing world populations, and environmental demands compete with irrigation for freshwater resources"”threatening sustainable global food, fuel, and fiber production. This escalating global crisis demands that agriculture produce more food using less water. Traditional irrigation management has used technology to apply uniform irrigation rates across landscapes"”ignoring natural environmental variation. This provides inherent inefficiencies of over- or under- irrigation within individual fields. Variable-rate irrigation (VRI) is modern technology that employs global positioning systems and geographic information systems to match irrigation to spatially variable crop water demands within a field. Although commercially available, VRI lacks scientifically validated decision support systems to determine spatially and temporally variable crop water demand. The purpose of this research is to explore spatial and temporal variations in crop water demand to inform growers utilizing VRI. This research consists of four seasons of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production on a commercial farm in Idaho that employs a VRI system. In Chapter 1, the spatial variation of crop water productivity (CWP, the grain produced per unit of water consumed), is characterized for two seasons (2016-2017) and we propose a unique conceptual strategy for VRI management targeted at CWP. Observed CWP ranged from 4.1-21 kg ha-1 mm-1 with distinct spatial variation that, when considered together with grain yield, were shown to be useful for VRI management. During the 2017 growing season, VRI zones conserved 25% of irrigation compared to traditional uniform irrigation management. In the second chapter the spatial variation of soil water holding capacity (SWHC) was measured at 90 sampling points throughout the field. Then, during the 2016-2017 growing seasons, the spatial and temporal variation of soil moisture were modelled to characterize crop stress and its influence on grain yield. Soil within the field showed large spatial variation of SWHC, ranging from 147-369 mm. Under uniform irrigation in 2016, the natural variation of TAW created 21 day variation in the onset of crop stress throughout the field and under VRI in 2017 the onset of crop stress spanned 56 d. Surprisingly the variations in TAW did not statistically influence yield in 2016, and in 2017 the rate of irrigation predicted yield and TAW again did not statistically predict yield. This suggests that other environmental variables should be included when delineating irrigation zones and rates for VRI.

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Kuang, Boyan Y. "On-line measurement of some selected soil properties for controlled input crop management systems." Thesis, Cranfield University, 2012. http://dspace.lib.cranfield.ac.uk/handle/1826/7939.

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The evaluation of the soil spatial variability using a fast, robust and cheap tool is one of the key steps towards the implementation of Precision Agriculture (PA) successfully. Soil organic carbon (OC), soil total nitrogen (TN) and soil moisture content (MC) are needed to be monitored for both agriculture and environmental applications. The literature has proven that visible and near infrared (vis-NIR) spectroscopy to be a quick, cheap and robust tool to acquire information about key soil properties simultaneously with relatively high accuracy. The on-line vis-NIR measurement accuracy depends largely on the quality of calibration models. In order to establish robust calibration models for OC, TN and MC valid for few selected European farms, several factors affecting model accuracy have been studied. Nonlinear calibration techniques, e.g. artificial neural network (ANN) combined with partial least squares regression (PLSR) has provided better calibration accuracy than the linear PLSR or principal component regression analysis (PCR) alone. It was also found that effects of sample concentration statistics, including the range or standard derivation and the number of samples used for model calibration are substantial, which should be taking into account carefully. Soil MC, texture and their interaction effects are other principle factors affecting the in situ and on-line vis-NIR measurement accuracy. This study confirmed that MC is the main negative effect, whereas soil clay content plays a positive role. The general calibration models developed for soil OC, TN and MC for farms in European were validated using a previously developed vis-NIR on-line measurement system equipped with a wider vis-NIR spectrophotometer (305 – 2200 nm) than the previous version. The validation results showed this wider range on-line vis-NIR system can acquire larger than 1500 data point per ha with a very good measurement accuracy for TN and OC and excellent accuracy for MC. The validation also showed that spiking few target field samples into the general calibration models is an effective and efficient approach for upgrading the implementation of the on-line vis-NIR sensor for measurement in new fields in the selected European farms.

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Muratore, Thomas Joseph Jr. "LONG-TERM LAND MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AND THEIR EFFECT ON SOIL HEALTH AND CROP PRODUCTIVITY." UKnowledge, 2019. https://uknowledge.uky.edu/pss_etds/115.

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Agricultural intensification reliant on monocrops could change soil health in a way that does not support maximum crop productivity. Twenty-nine-year-old no-till field plots at the University of Kentucky Spindletop research farm showed a significant reduction in corn yields from continuous corn plots compared to those from plots in various types of rotation. The objective of this study was to determine what role soil microbes might play in yield reduction and how management and time effects microbial community structure. Samples were collected from the following treatments: continuous corn (CC), continuous soybean (SS), a 2-year corn/soybean rotation (CCSS), Corn in rotation with soybean with winter wheat cover (C/W/S), and sod controls (SOD). Soil health-related parameters were determined along with microbial community structure using phospholipid fatty acid analysis (PLFA). Results show that there is a strong seasonal dynamic in microbial communities with May, July and September showing the greatest differentiation between treatments. Nonparametric multidimensional analysis (NMDS) shows that microbial communities under SS, CC treatments were significantly different from the CS and CWS treatments across all four years of the study. My findings will prove useful for assessing the contribution of biological indicators to agroecosystem function and will aid in making recommendations of when and how to manage these parameters to improve soil health and maximize yield.

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Silvertooth, J. C., J. C. Navarro, E. R. Norton, and C. A. Sanchez. "Evaluation of a Nitrogen-15 Microplot Design in a Furrow Irrigated Row Crop System." College of Agriculture, University of Arizona (Tucson, AZ), 1998. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/210393.

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Two field experiments were conducted in Arizona in at two locations, Maricopa in 1991 (Casa Grande sandy loam) and Marana (Pima clay loam) in 1995. The purposes of the experiments were to evaluate the dimensions of an ¹⁵N microplot design used in a furrow irrigated row crop system. The experiments each utilized ammonium sulfate fertilizer with 5 atom % ¹⁵N enrichment applied at a rate of 56 kg N/ha in simulated side-dress band application during the early bloom stage of development of Upland cotton (Gossvpium barbadense L). At each location, microplots were 4, 1.02 m rows wide and 1.00 m in length. Whole plant samples were collected at specific locations within and near the microplots. Uptake of ¹⁵N by plants was uniform within microplots but declined symmetrically in relation to microplot borders. Collection of plant materials within 25 cm of microplot borders provided uniform ¹⁵N enrichment levels for determining fertilizer N uptake and recovery. Use of microplots with the dimensions of those used in this study are sufficient for collecting plant materials from a 1 m² area; consisting of two, 50 cm segments from the interior two rows of the four row microplot. This also allows for sufficient distance from the perimeter of the microplot to account for border effects.

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Silvertooth, J. C., and E. R. Norton. "Planting Date Effects on Soil Temperature, Crop Growth, and Yield of Upland Cotton, 1999." College of Agriculture, University of Arizona (Tucson, AZ), 2000. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/197472.

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A field study was conducted in 1999 at the University of Arizona Marana Agricultural Center (1,974 ft. elevation) to evaluate the effects of three planting dates on yield and crop development for eight Upland varieties. Soil temperature effects associated with date of planting and method of planting (dry or wet planting) were also evaluated in relation to soil temperature at the depth of seed placement. Planting dates ranged from 28 April to 20 May and 821-1157 heat units accumulated since Jan 1 (HU/Jan 1, 86/55o F thresholds). Lint yields generally declined with later dates of planting for all varieties. Soil temperatures associated with the dry planting method, which requires a water-up irrigation, experienced much wider diurnal variations, had slightly lower mean temperatures, and were more strongly coupled to ambient air conditions. Thus, dry planting methods impose more potential risk in terms of seedling stress. Overall, crop growth and development patterns or yield results were not significantly different between the planting methods. Either method can provide satisfactory results if managed appropriately.

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20

Treadwell, Danielle Dion. "Tillage and cover crop management influence weeds, insects, soil and crop nutrients, crop development and yield in organically managed North Carolina sweetpotato Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam. systems." NCSU, 2005. http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/theses/available/etd-06182005-181203/.

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In 2004, North Carolina supplied 46% of the nations' sweetpotato and generated 79 million dollars for the state but of the 16,000 ha in production that year; only 405 ha were managed according to federal organic standards. A three-year field experiment was initiated in 2001 to evaluate organic sweetpotato ?Beauregard? production systems that varied in cover crop management and tillage. Three organic systems including 1) compost and no cover crop with tillage (Org-NC), 2) compost and cover crop incorporated prior to transplanting (Org-CI), and 3) compost and cover crop with reduced tillage (Org-RT) were compared to a conventionally managed tilled and chemical control (Conv) production system using a randomized complete block design with six replications. All sweetpotato tissue macro and micronutrient concentrations were within sufficiency ranges defined by North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services. Sweetpotato N (4.6%), P (0.5%), and K (4.3%) tissue concentrations were greater in Org-CI compared to remaining systems at 60 DAP in 2004. Monocot and dicot weed density and biomass were similar between Org-NC and Org-CI each year, and with few exceptions were similar to Conv. In Org-RT, high monocot weed density limited sweetpotato vine above ground biomass (154 g m-2) and total yield 11.2 Mg ha-1) in 2002. In 2001, the percentage of No. 1 grade roots was at least 19% greater in Org-CI (65 %) and Org-NC (62 %) than Conv (50 %). In 2002, the percentage of No. 1 roots was similar among Org-CI (74 %), Org-NC (71 %) and Conv (67 %) and similar among systems in 2004. Root quality was assessed based on degree of insect damage by wireworm-Diabrotica-Systena (WDS) complex. In 2001, Org-RT had the highest percentage of marketable roots (68 %) compared to remaining systems (19-43 %). The number of marketable roots was similar among systems in 2001 and 2004, but reduced in Org-RT (1.3 Mg ha-1) compared to remaining systems. Means of wireworm (Melanotus and Conoderus spp.) densities per trap were significantly correlated with degree of root damage. Overall, organic systems performed as well as the conventionally managed system in at least one or more areas.

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21

Stark, Christine H. "Effects of long- and short-term crop management on soil biological properties and nitrogen dynamics." Lincoln University, 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/10182/30.

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To date, there has been little research into the role of microbial community structure in the functioning of the soil ecosystem and on the links between microbial biomass size, microbial activity and key soil processes that drive nutrient availability. The maintenance of structural and functional diversity of the soil microbial community is essential to ensure the sustainability of agricultural production systems. Soils of the same type with similar fertility that had been under long-term organic and conventional crop management in Canterbury, New Zealand, were selected to investigate relationships between microbial community composition, function and potential environmental impacts. The effects of different fertilisation strategies on soil biology and nitrogen (N) dynamics were investigated under field (farm site comparison), semi-controlled (lysimeter study) and controlled (incubation experiments) conditions by determining soil microbial biomass carbon (C) and N, enzyme activities (dehydrogenase, arginine deaminase, fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis), microbial community structure (denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis following PCR amplification of 16S and 18S rDNA fragments using selected primer sets) and N dynamics (mineralisation and leaching). The farm site comparison revealed distinct differences between the soils in microbial community structure, microbial biomass C (conventional>organic) and arginine deaminase activity (organic>conventional). In the lysimeter study, the soils were subjected to the same crop rotation (barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), maize (Zea mais L.), rape (Brassica napus L. ssp. oleifera (Moench)) plus a lupin green manure (Lupinus angustifolius L.) and two fertiliser regimes (following common organic and conventional practice). Soil biological properties, microbial community structure and mineral N leaching losses were determined over 2½ years. Differences in mineral leaching losses were not significant between treatments (total organic management: 24.2 kg N ha⁻¹; conventional management: 28.6 kg N ha⁻¹). Crop rotation and plant type had a larger influence on the microbial biomass, activity and community structure than fertilisation. Initial differences between soils decreased over time for most biological soil properties, while they persisted for the enzyme activities (e.g. dehydrogenase activity: 4.0 and 2.9 µg g⁻¹ h⁻¹ for organic and conventional management history, respectively). A lack of consistent positive links between enzyme activities and microbial biomass size indicated that similarly sized and structured microbial communities can express varying rates of activity. In two successive incubation experiments, the soils were amended with different rates of a lupin green manure (4 or 8t dry matter ha⁻¹), and different forms of N at 100 kg ha⁻¹ (urea and lupin) and incubated for 3 months. Samples were taken periodically, and in addition to soil biological properties and community structure, gross N mineralisation was determined. The form of N had a strong effect on microbial soil properties. Organic amendment resulted in a 2 to 5-fold increase in microbial biomass and enzyme activities, while microbial community structure was influenced by the addition or lack of C or N substrate. Correlation analyses suggested treatment-related differences in nutrient availability, microbial structural diversity (species richness or evenness) and physiological properties of the microbial community. The findings of this thesis showed that using green manures and crop rotations improved soil biology in both production systems, that no relationships existed between microbial structure, enzyme activities and N mineralisation, and that enzyme activities and microbial community structure are more closely associated with inherent soil and environmental factors, which makes them less useful as early indicators of changes in soil quality.

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22

Pituello, Chiara. "Soil carbon management for future challenges in agriculture: the role of crop residues and biochar." Doctoral thesis, Università degli studi di Padova, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/11577/3424815.

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Soil loss of organic carbon is a widely recognised global threat. In this view, the study on management practices which precisely focus on soil C is a pressing need for the research community. The incorporation of crop residues at the end of the growing season to reintegrate organic matter losses has been currently jeopardised by their alternative use for bioenergy (mostly biogas production). In north-eastern Italy the fast spread of biogas production has generated two major drawbacks: firstly it has deprived soils from an important source of organic carbon utilizing plant parts which would otherwise be left in the field; secondly, it has produced huge quantities of digestates which need to be safely disposed. The return of digestates to soils as amendants has some disadvantages (i.e. increased GHGs emissions, nitrogen leaching and scarce contribution to stable soil organic matter, spread of pathogenic bacteria). An alternative disposal-valorisation route would be to use them as feedstocks for biochar production. However, to soundly evaluate the environmental value of this alternative pathway, information about the effects on soil properties of the head-of-the-chain product (crop residues) and of the final material (biochar) need to be comparatively evaluated. For these reasons, the objectives of this thesis are to clarify the effects of these two very different forms of carbon (crop residues as a source of mostly labile C, and biochar as a source of mostly stabile C) on: (i) crop productivity, (ii) soil organic carbon dynamics and (iii) selected indicators of soil physical fertility. These parameters have been studied considering soils with contrasting textures: clay, sandy-loam and sandy. For crop residues, a corpus of data deriving from a long-term (43 years) field rotation was used. Biochar effects were analysed after two years of field application. The results showed that biochar application had positive effects on crop yields and aggregate porosity and stability indexes. Furthermore, it resulted useful in increasing the carbon content of the soils. All the effects were clearly visible after one year of application and on all the soils considered, even if with different intensities. Indeed, soil properties were affected in a more pronounced way in sandy-loam, while crop yield was especially boosted in sandy soil. On the contrary, residue effects in the short-term were slighter, indeed our results showed that soil organic carbon was significantly affected only by the long-term (43 years) incorporation of crop residues with effects quantitatively more evident in clay soil and high relative increments in sandy soil. The effects were not limited to the upper soil layer, but extended to lower depths especially for sandy and sandy-loam soil. The residue-induced effects on soil organic carbon were not accompanied by a relevant change in soil pore size distribution from nano to macro scale, even though residues induced an increase in total porosity. In addition, even if only slightly influenced in quantitative terms, the pore network showed a rearrangement towards a more elongated and irregular structure. On the contrary, residue influence on crop yields was relatively low, with modest increments of biomass in the most fertile soils, and their effect could be compensated by N fertilization. In conclusion, the use of biochar emerges as a recommendable practice to increase soil fertility in the climatic conditions of North-Eastern Italy, while its long-term effects remain a knowledge gap that needs to be investigated to prevent possible side-effects and elaborate effective application and management guidelines. Conversely crop residue effects, although present, design this practice as effective only with a long-term perspective. La perdita di sostanza organica da parte dei suoli è ampiamente riconosciuta come una minaccia a livello globale. Per questo motivo, lo studio riguardante le pratiche di gestione del suolo che si focalizzano sul carbonio rappresenta una necessità molto urgente per la comunità scientifica. La pratica di restituire a fine stagione i residui colturali al suolo al fine di reintegrare le perdite di carbonio organico è stata recentemente messa a repentaglio a causa del loro alternativo uso per la produzione di biocombustibili (specialmente biogas). Nell’area del Nord-Est italiano la diffusione degli impianti per la produzione di biogas ha generato due principali effetti negativi: in primo luogo ha privato i suoli di un’importante fonte di carbonio organico, utilizzando biomassa che altrimenti sarebbe stata lasciata in campo; secondariamente ha fatto sì che ci sia la necessità di smaltire in modo sicuro una grande quantità di digestati. L’utilizzo di questi ultimi come ammendanti ha tuttavia degli svantaggi (ad es. aumento della produzione di gas serra, lisciviazione dell’azoto e scarso contributo al carbonio stabile del suolo, diffusione di batteri patogeni). Una via alternativa di smaltimento-valorizzazione potrebbe consistere nel loro utilizzo per la produzione di biochar. Tuttavia, per dare una robusta valutazione sul valore ambientale di questa proposta alternativa, è necessario comparare gli effetti sul suolo dei residui colturali e del biochar. Per questo motivo, gli obiettivi di questa tesi sono quelli di valutare gli effetti di queste due forme molto diverse di input carboniosi su: i) la produttività delle colture; ii) le dinamiche del carbonio organico del suolo; e iii) alcuni parametri di fertilità fisica del suolo. Questi studi sono stati fatti utilizzando suoli con tessiture molto differenti: un argilloso, un franco-limoso ed un sabbioso. Inoltre, per quanto riguarda i residui colturali, è stato utilizzato un corpus di dati proveniente da una prova di campo di lungo periodo (43 anni), mentre nel caso del biochar i suoi effetti sono stati studiati dopo due anni di applicazione in campo. I risultati hanno dimostrato che il biochar ha influenzato positivamente le rese delle colture, nonché il contenuto di carbonio e la stabilità degli aggregati dei suoli. Tutti gli effetti si sono verificati già dopo un anno dall’applicazione, ma con diverse intensità per i diversi suoli. Infatti, la fertilità è stata influenzata in modo maggiore nel medio-limoso, mentre gli effetti sulla produttività si sono verificati prevalentemente nel suolo sabbioso. Al contrario, l’influenza dei residui colturali nel breve periodo è stata meno pronunciata, infatti i risultati hanno mostrato che i contenuti di carbonio organico dei suoli sono stati modificati solo nel lungo periodo (43 anni), con effetti quantitativamente maggiori nel suolo argilloso e alti incrementi relativi nel sabbioso. Inoltre questi cambiamenti non sono rimasti circoscritti allo strato più superficiale del suolo, ma si sono verificati anche a profondità maggiori, specialmente nel caso del franco-limoso e del sabbioso. I sopra descritti effetti sul carbonio organico non sono stati accompagnati da cambiamenti rilevanti nella distribuzione dei pori (dalla nano- fino alla macro-porosità), anche se è stato osservato un aumento della porosità totale. In aggiunta, anche se poco influenzata a livello quantitativo, l’architettura dei pori ha mostrato un ri-arrangiamento verso una struttura più allungata ed irregolare. In aggiunta, l’influenza dei residui sulla produttività delle colture è stata generalmente bassa, con incrementi modesti di biomassa nei suoli più fertili, ed un effetto ampiamente compensabile dalla fertilizzazione azotata. In conclusione, l’utilizzo del biochar si configura come una pratica raccomandabile per incrementare la fertilità dei suoli nelle condizioni pedo-climatiche specifiche del Nord-Est italiano, con risultati immediatamente visibili. Tuttavia i suoi effetti nel lungo periodo rimangono per ora sconosciuti, ed il loro studio è di fondamentale importanza per prevenire possibili conseguenze negative sull’ambiente ed elaborare linee guida riguardanti la sua applicazione e gestione. L’utilizzo dei residui colturali al contrario si configura come una pratica, seppur utile, applicabile solo con una prospettiva di lungo periodo.

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Niaghi, Ali Rashid. "Advanced Evapotranspiration Measurement for Crop Water Management in the Red River Valley." Diss., North Dakota State University, 2019. https://hdl.handle.net/10365/31644.

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As the main component of terrestrial energy and water balance, evapotranspiration (ET) moves a large amount of water and energy in the form of latent heat flux from bare soil and vegetated surfaces into the atmosphere. Despite the development of many methods and equations through past decades, accurate ET estimation is still a challenging task, especially for the Red River Valley of the North (RRV) that has limited updated information on ET either for landscape or agricultural water management. The overall objective of first study was to evaluate the ASCE-EWRI reference ET (ETo) method by developing an accurate crop coefficient (Kc) using an eddy covariance (EC) system over an unirrigated turfgrass site. The results showed that with mean ETgrass/ETo ratio as 0.96 for the entire growing seasons of turfgrass, the ASCE-EWRI ETo method is valid for guiding the turfgrass irrigation management in cold climate conditions. In a Controlled drainage with subirrigation (CD+SI) field, an EC system was used to measure and quantify energy flux components along with soil water content (SWC) and water table depth (WTD) measurements during four corn growing. This study showed that the subsurface drainage along with the CD + SI system can be used for optimal water management with an improvement of 26.7% and 6.6% of corn yield during wet and dry year, respectively. For the final task, ET was measured using EC, Bowen ratio system (BREB), and soil water balance (SWB) method during the corn growing season. The comparison of the EC and the BREB system illustrated the advantages of using the residual method to close the energy balance closure of EC. Among the different time approaches for SWB method, ET by the SWB method using the average soil water contents between 24:00 to 2:00 time period showed non-significant differences (alpha = 0.05) compared to the BREB system during the observation periods. USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture project USDA NCR SARE project ND Soybean Council ND Water Resources Research Institute ND Agricultural Experimental Station USDA Hatch project NASA ROSES Project

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Anusontpornperm, Somchai. "Land evaluation using soil properties in relation to genesis and classification to make guidance on soil management for cassava crop practice." Thesis, University of Reading, 2003. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.413676.

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25

Wolters, Bethany Rose. "To Mix or Not to Mix: Performance and Management of Diverse Cover Crop Mixtures." Diss., Virginia Tech, 2020. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/96592.

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Cover crops (CC) are planted in between cash crops to improve soil quality and to supply nitrogen (N) to cash crops through biological N fixation or soil N scavenging. Most producers use single species CC, in part because potential benefits of using mixtures of three or more CC species are poorly understood. A three-year study was initiated at Painter, Virginia to observe effects of CC mixtures on a no-till (NT) corn (Zea mays), wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), and soybean (Glycine max) rotation to measure CC performance, N cycling, cash crop yield, and soil quality in a sandy, low organic matter soil. Twelve treatments were created with conventional tillage (CT), NT, no CC control, and monoculture or CC mixtures of 3 to 9 species. Corn was grown in year 3 in all 12 treatments and four N rates were applied (0, 56, 112 and 156 kg N ha-1). Cover crop biomass, N accumulation, CC C:N ratio, and corn and soybean yield were measured annually. Soil bulk density, compaction, infiltration rate, pH, electrical conductivity, soil respiration, earthworm counts, soil microbial respiration, and soil microbial biomass carbon (C) after three years of CC. Cover crop biomass production varied significantly each year (5633 kg ha-1 in year 1, 755 kg ha-1 in year 2, 5370 kg ha-1 in year 3) due to climate and agronomic parameters, but a CC mixture always produced the highest biomass at termination. Nitrogen accumulation was strongly correlated with biomass production (R2= 0.94) and followed the same trend due to all CC having C:N < 30:1. Corn and soybean yields in years 1 and 2 were not significantly different, but corn yield was significantly affected by treatment and N fertilizer rate in year 3. After 3 years, soil respiration, earthworm populations and soil microbial biomass C increased in CC compared to CT without CC. However, infiltration rate, bulk density, microbial respiration, pH did not improve or declined compared to CT. In conclusion, adding CC mixtures to crop rotations shows promise for producing high CC biomass, accumulating N, and increasing crop yields, while improving some soil quality parameters on sandy low organic matter soils. Doctor of Philosophy Cover crop (CC) are planted in between cash crops to protect the soil from erosion, improve soil quality, and supply N to next cash crop through biological N fixation or soil N scavenging. Traditionally, CC were single species, but new CC methodologies utilize mixtures of three or more species planted together to protect soils as well as produce high biomass to suppress weeds, conserve soil moisture, and improve soil quality. A long-term study was initiated in fall 2014 in Painter, VA to observe CC mixture effects on no-till (NT) corn (Zea mays), wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), and soybean (Glycine max) rotations on CC performance, N cycling, cash crop yield, and soil quality of a sandy, low organic matter soil. Twelve treatments were created that compared NT rotations with CC monocultures, CC mixtures of 3-9 species, and without CC. In the third year corn was grown in all 12 rotations and four N rates were applied (0, 56, 112 and 156 kg N ha-1). To evaluate CC mixture performance in rotations, CC biomass, CC N accumulation and corn and soybean yield was measured over three years. To evaluate changes in soil quality, nine soil physical, chemical and biological soil properties were measured after three years of NT and CC. Biomass production varied significantly each experimental year (5633 kg ha-1 in year 1, 755 kg ha-1 in year 2, 5370 kg ha-1 in year 3) due to climate and agronomic differences, but CC mixtures were the highest biomass producing CC each spring and accumulated the highest amount of N. Cover crop mixtures had equal corn and soybean yield as CC monocultures. In year 3 corn yield and was greater in treatments with CC than in treatments without CC and was greater in legume dominated monocultures and mixtures than majority grass CC mixtures and monocultures. After 3 years of CC and NT, some soil quality parameters improved. Indicators of soil biology (soil respiration, earthworm populations, and soil microbial biomass C) increased in CC treatments. However, some soil physical and chemical properties (infiltration rate, bulk density, pH and EC) did not improve. In conclusion, adding CC mixtures to crop rotations shows promise for producing high CC biomass, accumulating N, and increasing crop yields, while also improving some soil quality parameters that are important for agricultural systems.

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Florence, Darlene Christina. "Agronomic Land Management Effects on Soil Fertility and Grain Crop Productivity in Western Kenya and Ohio." The Ohio State University, 2012. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1338341162.

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Castellucci, Alessia. "Soil carbon cycle measurement and modelling in two crop managements and two climates." Master's thesis, Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna, 2021. http://amslaurea.unibo.it/24822/.

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The potential of soil carbon sequestration (SCS) in arable soil is well-established; however, it is difficult to estimate it with confidence, due to both: soil organic carbon (SOC) large variation in time and space, and large uncertainty in measurement methods. RothC model is a widely used model of C dynamics in soil often used to estimate SCS, but different versions exist for different pedoclimatic and agronomic conditions in which it is applied. Here, two management practices, Conventional Cropping System (CCS) and Efficient Cropping System (ECS, featuring catch crops and optimized field operations according to predicting models), are compared in two Italian sites (Ravenna and Foggia) with different pedoclimatic conditions. All the C input to the soil were measured, as well as the weather conditions, soil temperature, soil moisture, and SOC. Moreover, total soil respiration (Rs) was measured using automated stationary gas chambers. Then, the ability of two different versions of RothC (standard and modified for Mediterranean climate by Farina et al. 2013) to simulate adequately the field observation is investigated; more precisely, the RothC versions were calibrated using field data, and their output for soil water dynamics, SOC stock and soil heterotrophic respiration (Rh) were compared with field observations. In order to compare total soil respiration with RothC estimates of soil heterotrophic respiration, a method to partition Rs into autotrophic respiration (Ra) and Rh was devised. The results of this thesis show that: (a) Rh estimated using the partitioning method and the Rh estimated using RothC compared well, especially in the Ravenna site; (b) none of the RothC versions were able to properly reproduce the soil water regime observed in the two sites; (c) no SOC trend could be determined using field measurements. However, RothC model calibrated using Rh can be used to hypothesize future SOC trends.

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Zou, Congming. "SOIL MANAGEMENT AND NITROGEN DYNAMICS IN BURLEY TOBACCO ROTATIONS." UKnowledge, 2015. http://uknowledge.uky.edu/pss_etds/64.

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Agronomic practices, including tillage, crop rotation and N fertilization, have been developed to efficiently manage soil N dynamics and crop N nutrition. These practices can affect soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil total nitrogen (STN) sequestration, and consequently influence soil nitrogen mineralization (SNM) and crop N nutrition. However, little research has been systematically and simultaneously conducted to examine the effect of agronomic management on (1) SOC and STN stocks; (2) SNM; and (3) crop N nutrition. Burley tobacco (Nicotiana tobacum L.) is a N demanding crop and subject to inefficiency in N fertilization. Moreover, conservation tillage and rotation have been integrated into traditionally tillage intensive tobacco cropping systems. Thus, a tobacco tillage and rotation study was used to test how agronomic practices can affect N dynamics and crop N status in a series of sequential experiments. Firstly, different tobacco production systems were utilized to investigate the effects of tillage and rotation on soil aggregate stabilization and associated SOM sequestration. No-tillage and rotation management enhanced SOC and STN stocks, mainly by increasing the proportion of macroaggregates and SOC and STN concentrations. Secondly, a series of studies were conducted on SNM, including: (1) comparison of laboratory and in situ resin-core methods in estimating SNM; (2) evaluation of the influence of N fertilizer application on SNM; and (3) comparison of chemical indices for predicting SNM across management treatments over time. Laboratory method had different results relative to in situ method due to sample pretreatments. Fertilizer N application had a priming effect on SNM, but priming depended on both the N fertilizer rate and the background SOM level. The effect of rotation/tillage treatments on SNM was stable across years and SOC appeared to be the best indicator of SNM among other soil carbon and N estimates. Thirdly, a N fertilizer study for different tillage systems was conducted in 2012 and 2013. Crop parameters and plant available N (PAN) were collected to investigate the impact of tillage on tobacco production. Crop parameters showed that no-tillage can result in N deficiency in dry years. Similar PAN for both tillage methods suggested N deficiency in no-till tobacco was due to the crop’s lower N uptake capacity. In 2014, tobacco root analysis confirmed that no-tillage can result in less root exploration of the soil volume than conventional tillage.

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Nafi, Eeusha [Verfasser]. "Interactive tillage & crop residue management effects on soil properties, crop nutrient uptake & yield in different weathered soils of West Africa : measurements, modelling & scenario simulations / Eeusha Nafi." Bonn : Universitäts- und Landesbibliothek Bonn, 2020. http://d-nb.info/1235525945/34.

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Ducamp, Fernando Arriaga Francisco J. "Effect of rye residue on soil properties and nitrogen fertiization of cotton." Auburn, Ala, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/10415/1532.

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Jacobs, Timothy. "Effects of Sudangrass Cover Crop and Soil Solarization on Weed and Pathogen Management in Organic Strawberry Production." DigitalCommons@CalPoly, 2019. https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/theses/2069.

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Field and lab experiments were conducted to determine the efficacy of sudangrass (Sorghum X drumondii (Nees ex Steud.) Millsp. & Chase) cover crop management techniques and soil solarization on important agricultural weeds and pathogens in organic strawberry production in Central California. Lab experiments assessed the time needed to kill weed seeds at temperatures typically achieved during soil solarization (40°C, 45°C, 50°C, 55°C, and 60°C) in California. Seeds tested included little mallow, redstem filaree, bristly oxtongue, annual sowthistle, common purslane, nettleleaf goosefoot, and redroot pigweed. Efficacy of simulated solarization temperatures differed between different species. Cool-season annuals annual sowthistle and bristly oxtongue were more susceptible to heat treatments than warm-season annuals common purslane, redroot pigweed and nettleleaf goosefoot. Hard seeded weed species little mallow and redstem filaree were the least susceptible to heat treatments. Annual sowthistle, bristly oxtongue and nettleleaf goosefoot were affected at all temperatures. Redroot pigweed and little mallow were not affected by temperatures below 40°C. Common purslane was not affected by temperature below 45°C and redstem filaree was not affect by any temperatures tested. Hours of exposure and percent mortality of weed seeds were used to create thermal death models for weed seeds. Field experiments were conducted at the Cal Poly Organic Farm in San Luis Obispo, CA testing the effects of soil solarization and sudangrass residues on weeds, Verticillium dahliae populations, plant health, and yields in organic strawberry production. Using a split plot design, sudangrass was grown, mowed and then developed into two treatments: surface mulch or incorporated into the soil. The sudangrass treatments and a control were tested with and without soil solarization (n=4). Maximum soil temperatures in solarized treatments were 53°C at a soil depth of 5 cm and 42°C at a soil depth of 15 cm. Solarization reduced weed biomass between 49.8 and 95.2% during the first 3.5 months after tarp removal (p=0.03), reduced Verticillium dahliae populations by 80.7% (p=0.01), reduced plant mortality by 54.9% (pV. dahliae populations (p=0.33) or yields (p=0.25). However, mulched treatments reduced weed biomass between 45.0 and 61.3% (p=0.03) compared to other sudangrass treatments. Results indicate solarization can be used in central coast organic strawberry production to reduce hand-weeding, disease incidence, and increase yields.

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Kenney, Ian T. "Regional assessment of short-term impacts of corn stover removal for bioenergy on soil quality and crop production." Thesis, Kansas State University, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/2097/13186.

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Master of Science Department of Agronomy Humberto Blanco DeAnn Presley The U.S. agricultural sector is in a prime position to provide crop residues such as corn (Zea mays L.) stover as feedstock for large-scale bioenergy production. While producing renewable energy from biomass resources is a worthy initiative, excessive removal of corn stover from agricultural fields has the potential to increase soil erosion, degrade soil properties, and reduce corn yields. A need exists to objectively assess stover removal impacts on agriculture and the environment on regional scales. This project assessed the effects of removing various rates of corn stover on runoff and erosion and changes in soil physical properties and corn yields on a regional scale across three soils at Colby, Hugoton, and Ottawa in Kansas, USA. The soils were Ulysses silt loam (Fine-silty, mixed, superactive, mesic Aridic Haplustolls) at Colby, Hugoton loam (Fine-silty, mixed, superactive, mesic Aridic Argiustolls) at Hugoton, and Woodson silt loam (Fine, smectitic, thermic Abruptic Argiaquolls) at Ottawa, all with slopes [less than or equal to] 1%. Five stover treatments were studied that consisted of removing 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100% of stover after harvest from no-till and strip-till continuous corn plots. Simulated rainfall was applied in spring 2010 at rates representing 5 yr return intervals at each site and included a dry and wet run. Runoff increased with an increase in stover removal at Colby and Hugoton, but not at Ottawa. At Colby, stover removal rates as low as 25% caused runoff to occur 16 min sooner and increased sediment loss. At this site, runoff and sediment-carbon (C) loss increased as removal rates exceeded 25%. At Hugoton, complete stover removal increased loss by total N by 0.34, total P loss by 0.07, PO[subscript]4-P by 0.003 and NO[subscript]3-N by 0.007 kg ha-[superscript]1. At Ottawa, PO[subscript]4-P loss decreased by 0.001 kg ha-[superscript]1 with 25% removal and by 0.003 kg ha-[superscript]1 with 50% removal. Mean weight diameter (MWD) of wet aggregates decreased with an increase in stover removal on all soils. At Ottawa, stover removal at 75% reduced soil C in the top 5 cm by 1.57 Mg ha-[superscript]1. Soil volumetric water content decreased with stover removal at Colby and Ottawa, but was variable at Hugoton. Soil temperature tended to increase with stover removal during summer months and decrease during winter months. Soil temperature also fluctuated much more widely with stover removal, resulting in more freeze-thaw events compared to no stover removal. No effect of stover removal on soil water retention was observed on any of the soils. In 2009, removal rates [greater than or equal to]50% resulted in greater grain yield at Colby, while removal rates [greater than or equal to]75% resulted in greater grain yields at Ottawa in 2009 and 2010. Results from the first two years of stover management suggest that stover removal at rates above 25% for bioenergy production increased water erosion, degraded soil structural properties, and altered soil water and temperature regimes. Higher rates of removal ([greater than or equal to]75%) can also reduce soil C concentration in the short-term in rainfed regions. However, grain yields may be enhanced by stover removal from irrigated soils and from rainfed soils with adequate moisture. Overall, the increase in water erosion and alteration in soil properties in the short-term suggest that stover removal can detrimentally affect water quality and soil productivity in Kansas. Further long-term monitoring is warranted to conclusively discern stover removal implications.

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Ottman, M. J., A. D. Day, I. L. Pepper, and B. B. Taylor. "The Influence of Sewage Sludge on Nitrogen Availability, Crop Growth, and Yield at Marana, 1988." College of Agriculture, University of Arizona (Tucson, AZ), 1989. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/204829.

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Rodrigues, Ana Raquel Martinho da Silva Felizardo. "Indicadores de qualidade do solo em pomares de pereira "Rocha" - enrelvamento permanente versus mobilização." Master's thesis, ISA/UTL, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10400.5/5303.

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Mestrado em Engenharia Agronómica - Instituto Superior de Agronomia Different management systems induce modifications on ecosystems functioning, changing soil quality. In the context of growing concern for sustainability issues it becomes crucial to use physical, chemical and biological indicators able to identify effects on soil properties and processes. Such is the case of the Portuguese ‘Rocha’ pear (Pyrus communis L.) groves which represent an important economical value and specificity, mainly in the Centro NUT II region. Four orchards subjected to different management systems were selected (NT - no tillage with permanent natural cover crop; CT+E - tillage with manure incorporation; CT1 and CT2 - conventional tillage). Bulk density, exchangeable Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+ and K+, pH, extractable P and K, total organic C and N, non humified and hot water soluble C, microbial biomass C and N, C and N mineralization, spontaneous vegetation biomass and biodiversity were determined. The NT orchard showed better quality in the upper layer of soil between tree rows. The CT+E system showed the greater increase in organic matter, but lower potential to nutrient recycling and supply. CT1 and CT2 presented a tendency to organic matter decline and deterioration of related properties. Long term experiments are needed to confirm these trends

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Segarra, Eduardo. "A dynamic analysis of the crop productivity impacts of soil erosion: an application to the Piedmont area of Virginia." Diss., Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1986. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/51930.

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This study was born out of the desire to analyze the complex soil management problem faced by individual economic agents as well as society. The focus of this study, however, was on the theoretical formulation and estimation of partial equilibrium dynamic economic models directed toward optimizing the private use of the soil resource. In particular, four empirical representative farm models were formulated. Solutions to the four representative farm models showed that sizable reductions in topsoil loss, which contributes to non-point source pollution, and aggravates the crop productivity impacts of soil erosion, can be accomplished by adopting alternative support practices. Because of the change in support practices, reductions in the present value of net returns are expected, but this decrease in return was found to be minimal when compared to reductions in topsoil loss. Policy implications as well as several policy recommendations stemming from those results, with respect to soil conservation, are outlined and analyzed. Ph. D.

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Prater, Jacob. "Long term effects of phosphorus and conservation tillage management on crop yield and soil phosphorus in corn-soybean rotations." [Ames, Iowa : Iowa State University], 2007.

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Bottoms, Emily L. "Soil greenhouse gas emissions and soil C dynamics in bioenergy crops." Thesis, University of Aberdeen, 2012. http://digitool.abdn.ac.uk:80/webclient/DeliveryManager?pid=194783.

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The second generation bioenergy crops Miscanthus x giganteus and short rotation coppice (SRC) willow are the two main bioenergy crops in the UK and have become an integral part of legislation to provide an alternative to fossil fuels and to reduce national greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. To reach emission targets, it is estimated that approximately 350,000 ha of land could be made available for bioenergy crops by 2020. Despite the promise of these crops, there have been very few field-studies regarding soil GHG (CO2, CH4 and N2O) emissions and many of the published studies are life cycle analyses or modelled fluxes from soils using default values from the IPCC. The first aim of this research was to quantify the in situ soil GHG budget and to establish the drivers of these GHG fluxes for Miscanthus and SRC willow. The second aim of this research was to provide a more in-depth understanding of C cycling under Miscanthus i.e. litter and roots through two field experiments. Overall, the results from this work confirm minimal emissions of CH4 and N2O from soil under Miscanthus and SRC willow. CO2 flux was found to be the major efflux from soils and it was found in Miscanthus, that the majority of this flux was derived from below ground respiration. Litter played an important part in providing nutrients to the soil, which is vital in systems that are not fertilised. Litter also contributed to SOM accumulation on the soil surface and may promote long-term C sequestration. The results from this work combined with other literature would suggest that these second generation crops offer advantages to first generation crops, but more field-based studies are required to say if they can offer the large-scale GHG savings needed to be a viable alternative to fossil fuels.

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Mahinda, Athuman Juma. "SOIL WATER AND NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT FOR IMPROVING SORGHUM PERFORMANCE IN DRYLAND AREAS OF TANZANIA." Kyoto University, 2020. http://hdl.handle.net/2433/245848.

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Kyoto University (京都大学) 0048 新制・課程博士 博士(農学) 甲第22163号 農博第2377号 新制||農||1074(附属図書館) 学位論文||R2||N5243(農学部図書室) 京都大学大学院農学研究科地域環境科学専攻 (主査)教授舟川晋也, 教授縄田栄治, 准教授真常仁志 学位規則第4条第1項該当

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Pelcat, Yann S. "Soil landscape characterization of crop stubble covered fields using Ikonos high resolution panchromatic images." Thesis, Winnipeg : University of Manitoba, 2006. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk3/MWU/TC-MWU-224.pdf.

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Thesis (M.Sc.)--University of Manitoba, 2006. A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science, Department of Soil Science. Includes bibliographical references.

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Nishigaki, Tomohiro. "Improvement of Water- and Nutrient-Use Efficiency with Optimum Agricultural Management Practices in Upland Cropping Systems in Morogoro, Tanzania." Kyoto University, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/2433/228243.

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Oliveira, Rodrigo Alves [UNESP]. "Adubação nitrogenada da cultura do milho consorciada com plantas de cobertura no sistema de semeadura direta." Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/11449/88328.

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Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:23:25Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2010-04-30Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:29:20Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 oliveira_ra_me_jabo.pdf: 1692880 bytes, checksum: 54b9f7142df8bcb517bcc5f6ad5e1d41 (MD5) O milho é o principal cereal produzido no Brasil e entre os vários fatores que causam a baixa produtividade, o manejo incorreto do nitrogênio se destaca. Objetivou-se com este estudo, avaliar a eficiência das plantas de cobertura em consorciação com milho na produção de fitomassa e fornecimento de N e por objetivos específicos de: i ) verificar o efeito das plantas de cobertura nas propriedades físicas e químicas do solo; ii) verificar o efeito das plantas de cobertura na produtividade do milho; iii) verificar as melhores doses de N dentro da consorciação de plantas de cobertura com o milho. Para tanto, foi realizado um experimento no município de Ituverava-SP, no Sitio Córrego das Pedras, em Latossolo Vermelho distróferrico típico, textura argilosa para o ano agrícola de 2007/2008 e 2008/2009. O delineamento experimental foi o de blocos casualizados com parcelas sub-subdivididas e quatro repetições. As plantas de cobertura utilizadas foram: braquiária, calopogônio e estilosante do campo grande e as doses de N: N0=0; N1=60; N2=120; N3=180 kg de N/ha. Não foram observadas diferenças significativas para a densidade, porosidade, microporosidade e macroporosidade entre plantas de cobertura e profundidade. Não houve diferença significativa para diâmetro médio geométrico e diâmetro médio ponderado. Não foram observados diferença significativa entre plantas de cobertura e doses de N. Foram observadas diferenças significativas de produtividade entre as plantas de cobertura, destacando-se o estilosante do campo grande com maior produtividade, seguido da calopogônio e braquiária safra 2007/08 e estilosante do campo grande, braquiára e calopogônio safra 2008/09. Para dose de N, foi observado aumento de produtividade para ambas as safras, destacando-se a dose N3. Observou-se incremento na produção de um ano para outro Corn is the main cereal produced in Brazil and among the several factors that cause low productivity, it is possible to detach the incorrect management of the nitrogen. This study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of cover crops intercropped with corn on the production of the phytomass and the providing of N and for specific aims of: i) checking the effect of cover crops on physical and chemical properties of the soil; ii) checking the effect of cover crops on the corn productivity; iii) verifying the best N rates for the intercropping of cover crops and corn. For such reason, an experiment was conducted in Ituverava – SP, at Córrego das Pedras Farm, at a typical Red Oxisol, clay texture for the agricultural year of 2007/2008 and 2008/2009. The experimental design was made in randomized blocks with split plots and four replications. The cover crops used were: Brachiaria brizantha, Calopogonium mucunoides Desv and Stylosanthes capitata and S. macrocephala under the rates of N: N0=0; N1=60; N2=120; N3=180 kg of N/ha. It was not possible to notice significant differences for density, porosity, microporosity and macroporosity among the cover crops and depth. There was no significant difference for the geometric mean diameter and for the average diameter. Significant differences were not noticed among the cover crops and N rates. It was possible to notice significant differences on the productivity among the cover crops, highlighting the Stylosanthes as a cover crop with a higher corn yield, followed by Calopogonium mucunoides Desv and Brachiaria brizantha, harvest 2007/08 and Stylosanthes capitata and S. macrocephala, Brachiaria brizantha and Calopogonium mucunoides Desv, harvest 2008/09. Concerning the N rate, it was possible to notice an increase for both harvests, highlighting the N3 rate. It was possible to observe an increase on production from one year to the other

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Graham, Michael William. "Evaluating the interactions of crop management, carbon cycling, and climate using Earth system modeling and remote sensing." Diss., Virginia Tech, 2019. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/102386.

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Crop management practices, such as soil tillage and crop residue management, are land management activities with potentially large impacts on carbon (C) cycling and climate at the global scale. Improvements in crop management practices, such as conservation tillage or 'no-till' (NT), have been proposed as climate change mitigation measures because such practices may alter C cycles through increased sequestration of soil C in agricultural soils. Despite their potential importance, regional to global scale data are lacking for many crop management practices, and few studies have evaluated the potential impact of the full range of crop management practices on C cycling and climate at the global scale. However, monitoring of crop management practices is crucial for assessing spatial variations in management intensity and informing policy decisions. Inclusion of crop management practices in Earth system models used for assessing global climate is a key requirement for evaluating the overall effects of different crop management practices on C cycling and their potential to mitigate climate change. Studies in this dissertation seek to address these issues by: (1) evaluating the efficacy of remote sensing methods for monitoring differences in soil tillage and crop residue management practices in Iowa; (2) incorporating soil tillage practices into an Earth system model and assessing the potential for soil C sequestration and climate change mitigation through adoption of NT practices; (3) assessing the historical impact of including the full range of crop management practices (residue harvest, grain harvest, soil tillage, irrigation, and fertilization) on changes in C cycling associated with land use and land cover change (LULCC) to crops in an Earth system model. The remote sensing study found that performance of the minimum Normalized Difference Tillage Index (minNDTI) method for assessing differences in tillage and residue management was below average compared to previous studies, even when using imagery from both Landsat 8 and Sentinel-2A sensors. Accurate assessment of these practices using minNDTI was hindered by issues with image quality and inability to obtain sufficient cloud-free, time series imagery during the critical planting window. Remote sensing research aimed at obtaining regional to global scale data on tillage and residue management practices is likely to continue to face these issues in the future, but further research should incorporate additional sensors and assess the efficacy of the minNDTI method for multiple locations and years. Adoption of NT practices in the Community Land Model, which is the land component of the Community Earth System Model, resulted in a cumulative soil C sequestration of 6.6 – 14.4 Pg C from 2015 – 2100 under a future climate change scenario (Representative Concentration Pathway 8.5), and cumulative soil C sequestration was equal to approximately one year of present-day fossil fuel emissions. Adjusting for areas where NT is already practiced had minor impacts on cumulative soil C storage, reducing gains in soil C from NT adoption by 0.4 – 0.9 Pg C globally. These results indicate that soil C sequestration and potential for climate change mitigation through NT may be more limited than has been anticipated elsewhere. Soil C sequestration via NT adoption was highest in temperate regions of developed countries with high initial soil C contents, indicating these areas should be targeted for NT adoption. Simulating the full range of crop management practices in the Community Land Model resulted in an increase in C emissions due to LULCC of 29 – 38 Pg C compared to scenarios with generic crops and model defaults. Individual crop management practices with the largest impact on LULCC emissions were crop residue harvest (18 Pg C), followed by grain harvest (9 Pg C) and soil tillage (5 Pg C). Although implementation of crop residue harvest and soil tillage was extreme in this study, these results imply that Earth system models may underestimate emissions from LULCC by excluding the full range of crop management practices. Studies in this dissertation corroborate the importance of crop management practices for C cycling and climate, but further research on these management practices is needed in terms of data collection, improving process-level understanding, and inclusion of these practices in Earth system models. Doctor of Philosophy

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Walia, Maninder Kaur. "GYPSUM AND CARBON AMENDMENT’S INFLUENCE ON SOIL PROPERTIES, GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS, GROWTH AND NUTRIENT UPTAKE OF RYEGRASS (Lolium perenne)." The Ohio State University, 2015. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1437140322.

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Thorp, Kelly R., Douglas J. Hunsaker, Kevin F. Bronson, Pedro Andrade-Sanchez, and Edward M. Barnes. "Cotton Irrigation Scheduling Using a Crop Growth Model and FAO-56 Methods: Field and Simulation Studies." AMER SOC AGRICULTURAL & BIOLOGICAL ENGINEERS, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/626603.

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Crop growth simulation models can address a variety of agricultural problems, but their use to directly assist in-season irrigation management decisions is less common. Confidence in model reliability can be increased if models are shown to provide improved in-season management recommendations, which are explicitly tested in the field. The objective of this study was to compare the CSM-CROPGRO-Cotton model (with recently updated ET routines) to a well-tested FAO-56 irrigation scheduling spreadsheet by (1) using both tools to schedule cotton irrigation during 2014 and 2015 in central Arizona and (2) conducting a post-hoc simulation study to further compare outputs from these tools. Two replications of each irrigation scheduling treatment and a water-stressed treatment were established on a 2.6 ha field. Irrigation schedules were developed on a weekly basis and administered via an overhead lateral-move sprinkler irrigation system. Neutron moisture meters were used weekly to estimate soil moisture status and crop water use, and destructive plant samples were routinely collected to estimate cotton leaf area index (LAI) and canopy weight. Cotton yield was estimated using two mechanical cotton pickers with differing capabilities: (1) a two-row picker that facilitated manual collection of yield samples from 32 m(2) areas and (2) a four-row picker equipped with a sensor-based cotton yield monitoring system. In addition to statistical testing of field data via mixed models, the data were used for post-hoc reparameterization and fine-tuning of the irrigation scheduling tools. Post-hoc simulations were conducted to compare measured and simulated evapotranspiration, crop coefficients, root zone soil moisture depletion, cotton growth metrics, and yield for each irrigation treatment. While total seasonal irrigation amounts were similar among the two scheduling tools, the crop model recommended more water during anthesis and less during the early season, which led to higher cotton fiber yield in both seasons (p < 0.05). The tools calculated cumulative evapotranspiration similarly, with root mean squared errors (RMSEs) less than 13%; however, FAO-56 crop coefficient (K-c) plots demonstrated subtle differences in daily evapotranspiration calculations. Root zone soil moisture depletion was better calculated by CSM-CROPGRO-Cotton, perhaps due to its more complex soil profile simulation; however, RMSEs for depletion always exceeded 20% for both tools and reached 149% for the FAO-56 spreadsheet in 2014. CSM-CROPGRO-Cotton simulated cotton LAI, canopy weight, canopy height, and yield with RMSEs less than 21%, while the FAO-56 spreadsheet had no capability for such outputs. Through field verification and thorough post-hoc data analysis, the results demonstrated that the CSM-CROPGRO-Cotton model with updated FAO-56 ET routines could match or exceed the accuracy and capability of an FAO-56 spreadsheet tool for cotton water use calculations and irrigation scheduling.

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Georgis, Kidane. "The effect of fertiliser management practices on soil organic matter production in the semi-arid areas : a field and modelling approach." Title page, contents and abstract only, 1997. http://web4.library.adelaide.edu.au/theses/09AFP/09afpg352.pdf.

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Bibliography: leaves 155-169. Studies the effect of nitrogen fertilizer on dry matter production under differing watering regimes. Investigates the accuracy of different crop and soil organic matter models for predicting crop yield, nitrogen uptake and changes in soil organic carbon and nitrogen. Compares the models with data from long-term field experiments on wheat in Australia and sorghum in Ethiopia. Finds that a higher crop yield and better nitrogen and water utilisation can be achieved if addition of nitrogen fertilizer is balanced with soil water.

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Landzela, Besule. "Effects of BT Maize (MON810) crop and its residues on selected soil biological properties and N and P release in a sandy loam soil from Alice, Eastern Cape, South Africa." Thesis, University of Fort Hare, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1007542.

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There are apprehensions that genetic modification of maize with Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) may have negative effects on soil biodiversity, ecosystem processes and functions. This study aimed at determining the effect of Bt maize crop, Bt maize residues and its genetic modification on microbial biomass carbon (MBC), selected enzyme activities, vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungi and N and P release patterns. The study was conducted under field, glasshouse and laboratory conditions. In 2010/2011 season, four maize cultivars; DKC 61-25B (Bt), DKC 61-24 (non-Bt), PAN 6Q-321B (Bt) and PAN6777 (non-Bt) were planted. Determination of MBC, enzyme activities and fungal spore count was done at 42, 70, and 105 days after planting (DAP). A loam soil amended with Bt or non-Bt maize leaf residues from a study of 2009/2010 season was incubated to investigate effects of Bt maize residues on MBC and soil enzyme activities. Leaf residues of Bt and non-Bt maize cultivars (DKC 61-25B, DKC 61-24, PAN 6Q-321B and PAN6777) were used and soil without residues was used as a control. Samples were collected at 7, 28 and 56 days of incubation (DOI). An incubation study was also carried out in the laboratory to determine the effect of Bt maize residues (i.e. leaf, stem and root) and its genetic modification on N and P release patterns. Residues of DKC 61-25B, DKC 61-24, PAN 6Q-321B and PAN6777and soil without residues as a control were incubated in the laboratory. After destructive sampling at 0, 7, 14, 28, and 56 DOI, N in the form of NH4-N and NO3-N and P mineralisation were determined. Amendment of soil with residues enhanced MBC (p < 0.05) at all the sampling dates. For example MBC increased from 95 in the control to 146.3 mg/kg in the DKC 61-25B treatment at the end of the glasshouse trial. In the field DKC 61-25B had 9.1 mg/kg greater MBC than DKC 61-24, while PAN 6Q-321B had 23.9 mg/kg more MBC than PAN6777 at the end of the trial. However, no differences (p < 0.05) were observed in enzyme activities under field and glasshouse conditions except for dehydrogenase that had greater activity where DKC 61-25B and PAN 6777 were grown. There were no differences between the type of residues (Bt and non-Bt) on enzyme activities tested. However, differences were observed among the sampling dates. No effects of Bt maize crop on fungal spore count were observed. Similarly no differences were observed in leaf, stem and root tissues composition between Bt and non-Bt maize cultivars. Net N and P mineralisation from Bt maize cultivars did not differ from that of non-Bt maize cultivars. However, differences were observed among the cultivars. The results of this study suggested that Bt maize with Bt MON810 event can be grown in the central region of the Eastern Cape (EC), South Africa without affecting MBC, soil enzyme activities, VAM, and release of N and P nutrients from its residues.

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Campbell, Brittany Doreen. "Carbon budgets and greenhouse gas emissions associated with two long-term tillage and crop rotation sites in Ohio." The Ohio State University, 2012. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1354559256.

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Oliveira, Rodrigo Alves. "Adubação nitrogenada da cultura do milho consorciada com plantas de cobertura no sistema de semeadura direta /." Jaboticabal : [s.n.], 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/11449/88328.

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Abstract:

Orientador: Itamar Andrioli Banca: Renato de Mello Prado Banca: Marcio Morais Resumo: O milho é o principal cereal produzido no Brasil e entre os vários fatores que causam a baixa produtividade, o manejo incorreto do nitrogênio se destaca. Objetivou-se com este estudo, avaliar a eficiência das plantas de cobertura em consorciação com milho na produção de fitomassa e fornecimento de N e por objetivos específicos de: i ) verificar o efeito das plantas de cobertura nas propriedades físicas e químicas do solo; ii) verificar o efeito das plantas de cobertura na produtividade do milho; iii) verificar as melhores doses de N dentro da consorciação de plantas de cobertura com o milho. Para tanto, foi realizado um experimento no município de Ituverava-SP, no Sitio Córrego das Pedras, em Latossolo Vermelho distróferrico típico, textura argilosa para o ano agrícola de 2007/2008 e 2008/2009. O delineamento experimental foi o de blocos casualizados com parcelas sub-subdivididas e quatro repetições. As plantas de cobertura utilizadas foram: braquiária, calopogônio e estilosante do campo grande e as doses de N: N0=0; N1=60; N2=120; N3=180 kg de N/ha. Não foram observadas diferenças significativas para a densidade, porosidade, microporosidade e macroporosidade entre plantas de cobertura e profundidade. Não houve diferença significativa para diâmetro médio geométrico e diâmetro médio ponderado. Não foram observados diferença significativa entre plantas de cobertura e doses de N. Foram observadas diferenças significativas de produtividade entre as plantas de cobertura, destacando-se o estilosante do campo grande com maior produtividade, seguido da calopogônio e braquiária safra 2007/08 e estilosante do campo grande, braquiára e calopogônio safra 2008/09. Para dose de N, foi observado aumento de produtividade para ambas as safras, destacando-se a dose N3. Observou-se incremento na produção de um ano para outro Abstract: Corn is the main cereal produced in Brazil and among the several factors that cause low productivity, it is possible to detach the incorrect management of the nitrogen. This study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of cover crops intercropped with corn on the production of the phytomass and the providing of N and for specific aims of: i) checking the effect of cover crops on physical and chemical properties of the soil; ii) checking the effect of cover crops on the corn productivity; iii) verifying the best N rates for the intercropping of cover crops and corn. For such reason, an experiment was conducted in Ituverava - SP, at Córrego das Pedras Farm, at a typical Red Oxisol, clay texture for the agricultural year of 2007/2008 and 2008/2009. The experimental design was made in randomized blocks with split plots and four replications. The cover crops used were: Brachiaria brizantha, Calopogonium mucunoides Desv and Stylosanthes capitata and S. macrocephala under the rates of N: N0=0; N1=60; N2=120; N3=180 kg of N/ha. It was not possible to notice significant differences for density, porosity, microporosity and macroporosity among the cover crops and depth. There was no significant difference for the geometric mean diameter and for the average diameter. Significant differences were not noticed among the cover crops and N rates. It was possible to notice significant differences on the productivity among the cover crops, highlighting the Stylosanthes as a cover crop with a higher corn yield, followed by Calopogonium mucunoides Desv and Brachiaria brizantha, harvest 2007/08 and Stylosanthes capitata and S. macrocephala, Brachiaria brizantha and Calopogonium mucunoides Desv, harvest 2008/09. Concerning the N rate, it was possible to notice an increase for both harvests, highlighting the N3 rate. It was possible to observe an increase on production from one year to the other Mestre

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Zhang, Shulan. "Soil hydraulic properties and water balance under various soil management regimes on the Loess Plateau, China /." Umeå : Dept. of Forest Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 2005. http://epsilon.slu.se/2005126.pdf.

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Mohamed, Said Bashir. "Management of spatial patterns in soil acidity and in P and K fertility using geostatistics and mapping techniques to improve crop performance." Thesis, University of Newcastle Upon Tyne, 1997. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.361873.

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Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Soil and Crop Management'

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