Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Fengjun Zheng, Xiaotong Liu, Mengni Zhang, Shengping Li, Xiaojun Song, Bisheng Wang, Xueping Wu, Kees Jan van Groenigen
Summary: This study conducted a 17-year field experiment in the Loess Plateau of China to investigate the effects of different tillage practices on soil aggregate stability, organic carbon storage, and microbial community composition. The results showed that reduced tillage with residue incorporation and no-tillage with residue mulching significantly increased aggregate stability and SOC storage. Furthermore, there were strong positive relationships between SOC, gram-negative bacteria, and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in bulk soil.
Article
Agronomy
Bonginkosi S. Vilakazi, Rebecca Zengeni, Paramu Mafongoya
Summary: This study assessed the impact of tillage and fertilizer application on soil properties in rain-fed maize production. The results showed that both no-till and a specific conventional tillage method had better soil properties due to residue cover and minimal soil disturbance.
Article
Agronomy
Shicheng Zhao, Xinpeng Xu, Shaojun Qiu, Ping He
Summary: Tillage practice can affect crop yield by changing soil properties and regulating nutrient availability. No tillage (NT) generally led to negative yield response, while deep tillage (DT) significantly increased wheat and maize yields in comparison to conventional tillage (CT). Environmental and management factors had varying effects on yield response, with sandy soil and high nitrogen fertilizer rates favoring NT for maize, while DT every 2-3 years and monoculture were more beneficial for wheat. Overall, the study highlights the importance of selecting appropriate tillage methods for achieving high crop yield and sustainable agricultural development in China.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF AGRONOMY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Hanlu Zhang, Afshin Ghahramani, Aram Ali, Andrew Erbacher
Summary: Summer cover cropping with timely termination can improve soil water, increase yield, enhance soil health, and promote microbial activities in dryland cropping systems.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Annika M. Weber, Bridget A. Baxter, Anna McClung, Molly M. Lamb, Sylvia Becker-Dreps, Samuel Vilchez, Ousmane Koita, Frank Wieringa, Elizabeth P. Ryan
Summary: Arsenic exposure is a global public health concern that affects millions of people worldwide. This study found that agronomic practices and fermentation techniques can influence arsenic concentrations in rice bran, affecting food safety. Monitoring environmental exposure is crucial for providing guidance on global food safety.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2021)
Article
Agronomy
Ankit Saini, Sandeep Manuja, Suresh Kumar, Aqsa Hafeez, Baber Ali, Peter Poczai
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the impact of different cultivation methods and varieties on the productivity and profitability of the rice-wheat cropping system. The results showed that conventional tillage had the highest grain yield in both crops at both locations, while natural farming had the lowest grain yield. Reduced tillage had a negative effect on the grain yield of wheat and rice. Among the tested varieties, HPW 368 and Him Palam Lal Dhan 1 (HPR 2795) exhibited the highest grain yield and economic benefits.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Maria Semmartin, Diego Cosentino, Santiago L. Poggio, Beltran Benedit, Fernando Biganzoli, Alberto Peper
Summary: The design of sustainable, high-yielding continuous cropping systems requires maintaining or restoring critical ecosystem properties such as soil functioning. This study evaluated the effects of different cropping systems on soil organic carbon stocks and found that increasing carbon inputs through crop rotation, cover cropping, and better agronomic technology is an opportunity to reverse the long-term trend of soil carbon deficit in agricultural lands.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Soil Science
Mitra Ghotbi, Ademir Durrer, Katharina Frindte, William R. Horwath, Jorge L. Mazza Rodrigues, Isaac Danso, Claudia Knief
Summary: This study focused on the comparative and interactive effects of topography and conventional versus conservation agriculture practices on soil physicochemical properties and microbiota. The results showed that topography had a profound influence on soil properties and microbial communities. Different tillage and crop rotation practices had different effects on prokaryotic community structure in different topographic conditions. Soil physicochemical properties, elevation, and spatial distance played important roles in shaping the microbial composition.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Vladan Ugrenovic, Vera Popovic, Milan Ugrinovic, Vladimir Filipovic, Ksenija Mackic, Natasa Ljubicic, Slobodan Popovic, Zeljko Lakic
Summary: The study found that black oat performed better in carbonate chernozem soil type, showing higher yield and protein content compared to humogley soil type. This indicates that black oat can be successfully grown under different agroecological conditions.
Article
Soil Science
Julia Denier, Michel-Pierre Faucon, Anne-Maimiti Dulaurent, Julien Guidet, Lea Kervroedan, Justine Lamerre, David Houben
Summary: Our study highlights the importance of understanding management factors that drive soil biota in cropping systems. Tillage practices were found to have a greater impact on soil biota than specific cropping systems, while no-tillage generally had positive effects on soil microbial activity and earthworm abundance. Additionally, feed and biogas cropping systems were shown to increase microbial activity and diversity under no-tillage conditions, likely due to higher crop diversity and alternative nutrient sources.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
J. S. Mishra, S. P. Poonia, Rakesh Kumar, Rachana Dubey, Virender Kumar, Surajit Mondal, S. K. Dwivedi, K. K. Rao, Rahul Kumar, Manisha Tamta, Mausam Verma, Kirti Saurabh, Santosh Kumar, B. P. Bhatt, R. K. Malik, Andrew McDonald, S. Bhaskar
Summary: The study found that in the rice-wheat-greengram rotation, zero tillage methods resulted in significantly higher wheat yields, while system intensification planting was comparable to conventional deep plowing for rice production.
FIELD CROPS RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Horticulture
Daniel C. Brainard, Zachary D. Hayden, Marisa M. Benzle, Michael Metiva, Logan R. Appenfeller, Zsofia Szendrei
Summary: Zonal management of cereal-legume cover crop mixtures can help address weed and nitrogen management challenges in organic reduced tillage systems. A field study in Michigan found that the planting arrangement of rye and vetch cover crops did not affect squash yield, but there were still challenges in weed and nitrogen management.
Article
Soil Science
Vesh R. Thapa, Rajan Ghimire, Dawn VanLeeuwen, Veronica Acosta-Martinez, Manoj Shukla
Summary: Cover crops are promoted to improve soil health and carbon sequestration in agroecosystems, with oats and their mixtures showing greater improvement in soil organic carbon and total nitrogen compared to other cover crops in water-limited environments.
Article
Agronomy
Nazmus Salahin, Md Khairul Alam, Nirmal Chandra Shil, Abu Taher Mohammad Anwarul Islam Mondol, Md Jahangir Alam, Mohamed Kobeasy, Ahmed Gaber, Sharif Ahmed
Summary: In intensive crop production systems, finding a balance between productivity and environmental impact is crucial for sustainable agricultural development. This study investigated the effects of different tillage practices and nitrogen fertilizer rates on soil characteristics, crop productivity, and profitability under conservation agriculture systems. The results showed that reducing nitrogen fertilizer rates can improve system efficiency and economic returns in the mustard-boro rice-aman rice cropping pattern.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
S. K. Kakraliya, H. S. Jat, Ishwar Singh, M. K. Gora, Manish Kakraliya, Deepak Bijarniya, P. C. Sharma, M. L. Jat
Summary: The study revealed that the adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices (CSAP) significantly improved energy efficiency and economic benefits in the rice-wheat system compared to conventional practices. The use of CSAP enhanced biomass yield, net farm income, and economic efficiency.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Heng-An Lin, Maria B. Villamil, Santiago X. Mideros
Summary: In this study, replicated multi-location field trials were conducted to characterize Septoria brown spot in soybean. The fungicide treatments significantly affected disease progression and chlorotic area. Soybean yield was negatively correlated with disease progression, with location being the most critical factor influencing disease development.
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF PLANT PATHOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Soil Science
N. Kim, C. W. Riggins, S. Rodriguez-Zas, M. C. Zabaloy, M. B. Villamil
Summary: This study found that long-term residue management and tillage have significant impacts on soil organic matter, water aggregate stability, relative abundance and functional genes of soil microbial communities. The results indicate limited but definite impacts of residue management and tillage on the soil environment, which may be exacerbated under less resilient conditions.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Marianela Estefania Morales, Gaston Alejandro Iocoli, Maria Bonita Villamil, Maria Celina Zabaloy
Summary: This review evaluates the impact of winter cover crops (WCC) in no-till systems on the soil microbiome compared to bare fallows. The results show that WCC inclusion enhances soil enzyme activities and increases microbial biomass in most cases. However, further research is needed to better understand the complexity of the interactions between WCC and the soil microbiome.
REVISTA ARGENTINA DE MICROBIOLOGIA
(2022)
Correction
Agronomy
Ziqi Qin, Kaiyu Guan, Wang Zhou, Bin Peng, Maria B. Villamil, Zhenong Jin, Jinyun Tang, Robert Grant, Lowell Gentry, Andrew J. Margenot, German Bollero, Ziyi Li
FIELD CROPS RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Nakian Kim, Gevan D. Behnke, Maria B. Villamil
Summary: Modern agricultural systems heavily rely on inorganic nitrogen fertilization to increase crop yields, but excessive use of nitrogen can have negative impacts on soil properties, leading to acidification, depletion of phosphorus and potassium, and changes in soil bulk density. While N fertilizer significantly increases corn yield compared to unfertilized controls, long-term use of monocultures can potentially lead to nitrogen losses to the environment.
Article
Agronomy
Nakian Kim, Chance W. Riggins, Maria C. Zabaloy, Marco Allegrini, Sandra L. Rodriguez-Zas, Maria B. Villamil
Summary: Cover cropping is a promising practice to improve soil health and mitigate nitrogen losses. This study shows that the introduction of cover crops can enhance soil microbial diversity and functionality, leading to reduced nitrate leaching. However, without proper nutrient management, cover cropping may increase the risk of nitrous oxide emissions.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Danielle R. Cooney, Nictor Namoi, Colleen Zumpf, Soo-Hyun Lim, Maria Villamil, Robert Mitchell, D. K. Lee
Summary: Growing dedicated bioenergy crops on marginal land can have various benefits, including biomass production, energy, resource management, and ecosystem services. The study found that harvest timing and nitrogen fertilizer rates have an impact on yield and nutrient removal of perennial grasses. Increasing nitrogen fertilizer rates can enhance biomass and nutrient removal. Switchgrass is ideal for optimizing biomass production and nutrient removal at peak harvest. Killing frost harvest is recommended for long-term stand longevity and adequate nutrient removal, with miscanthus being the ideal option for maximizing biomass yield potential.
BIOENERGY RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Soil Science
Wenguang Sun, Maria B. Villamil, Gevan D. Behnke, Andrew J. Margenot
Summary: This study evaluated the effects of crop rotation and nitrogen fertilization on soil phosphorus dynamics using a long-term experimental field trial. The results showed that the management effects were mainly limited to the surface soil layer, with nitrogen fertilization leading to a decrease in soil pH and organic phosphorus content, while the introduction of soybean crop increased soil phosphodiesterase activity and decreased water-extractable organic phosphorus. Furthermore, the negative agronomic balances over the 36-year period indicated the presence of legacy phosphorus and suggested a significant output of phosphorus equivalent to 11-35% of the soil P stocks at the initiation of the experiment.
Article
Microbiology
Nakian Kim, Chance W. Riggins, Maria C. Zabaloy, Sandra L. Rodriguez-Zas, Maria B. Villamil
Summary: Cover cropping is a promising practice to improve soil health and reduce nitrogen losses from excessive fertilization. However, little is known about how soil N-cycling microbial communities respond to cover cropping in typical agricultural systems. This study investigated the relationship between soil N-cycling communities and cover cropping in long-term corn monoculture.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Jay E. Howard, Maria B. Villamil, Chance W. Riggins
Summary: Growing consumer demands for healthier foods have driven the trend in the food industry to replace synthetic colorants with natural alternatives. Amaranth betalains have advantages over anthocyanins as natural colorants. This study investigated the diversity of betalain concentrations among 48 amaranth accessions grown as leafy vegetables, following the methodology based on the U.S. FDA guidelines. The findings will guide future research on determining the economic viability and suitability of amaranths for the natural colorant market.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Marianela E. Morales, Marco Allegrini, Gaston A. Iocoli, Jessica Basualdo, Maria B. Villamil, Maria C. Zabaloy
Summary: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of WCC suppression methods on the rhizosphere microbiome of oats. The results showed that the composition of the bacterial and fungal communities in the rhizosphere were influenced by the WCC suppression methods. Some bacterial and fungal taxa were favored by the suppression methods, but other taxa associated with plant growth promotion were negatively affected.
Article
Agronomy
Gevan D. Behnke, Nakian Kim, Chance W. Riggins, Maria C. Zabaloy, Sandra L. Rodriguez-Zas, Maria B. Villamil
Summary: The study found that continuous corn cultivation increased nitrous oxide emissions by 44% compared to continuous soybean cultivation, and reduced soil pH by nearly 1 unit. No-till practices decreased soil nitrate levels, while cover crop mixtures may increase nitrous oxide emissions.
FRONTIERS IN AGRONOMY
(2022)