Article
Agronomy
Upendra M. Sainju, Daniel Liptzin, Brett L. Allen, Sadikshya Rana-Dangi
Summary: This study highlights the importance of soil health indicators that link to ecosystem services and crop yield. The research identified CO2 flush, KMnO4-extractable C, and concentrations of certain elements as the most promising indicators related to crop yield. Soil biological properties may also be considered in routine tests for measuring soil health alongside physical and chemical properties.
Article
Agronomy
Renee A. Belknap, Kelly A. Nelson
Summary: The study evaluated the effects of long-term no-till and reduced tillage cropping systems on yields and economics, finding that no-till systems had higher net income despite greater input costs. Balancing productivity and economic benefits with ecosystem advantages of no-till systems is crucial in crop rotations. Hybrid cropping systems including reduced tillage corn and wheat, followed by no-till corn-soybean rotation are recommended for optimal results.
Article
Plant Sciences
Sharanjit Kaur Brar, Salwinder Singh Dhaliwal, Vivek Sharma, Sandeep Sharma, Manpreet Kaur
Summary: The purpose of this study was to evaluate soil quality under different agricultural cropping systems and assess the impact of long-term rice-wheat (R-W) system on soil quality. The study found that diversifying the predominant R-W system with more profitable leguminous crops, such as soybean and mung bean, can improve soil quality and crop productivity. Among the different cropping systems, soybean-wheat and cotton-wheat systems showed the highest soil quality index values, while the traditionally cultivated rice-wheat system had the lowest values. Soil organic carbon (SOC) was found to be the most important indicator for assessing soil quality. Therefore, it is vital to include leguminous crops in the main cropping systems for sustainable agriculture and to maintain soil productivity in the long run.
JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE AND PLANT NUTRITION
(2023)
Article
Soil Science
Humberto Blanco-Canqui, Raihanah Hassim, Charles Shapiro, Paul Jasa, Hans Klopp
Summary: The long-term effects of no-till management on soil-profile compactibility are still unknown. Previous studies have mainly focused on the upper soil depth, limiting the understanding of compactibility changes at deeper depths. This study investigates the Proctor bulk density, maximum bulk density (MaxBD), critical water content (CWC), and their relationships with soil organic C (SOC) and mean weight diameter (MWD) for different soil depths in long-term tillage experiments. The results show that no-till reduces compactibility only near the surface, while disking reduces compactibility to deeper depths, suggesting that disk tillage may be more effective than no-till in reducing soil compactibility.
Article
Agronomy
Joao William Bossolani, Carlos Alexandre Costa Crusciol, Eduardo Mariano, Luiz Gustavo Moretti, Jose Roberto Portugal, Mariley Fonseca, Letusa Momesso, Andressa Selestina Dalla Cort, Vladimir Eliodoro Costa, Heitor Cantarella
Summary: Soil acidity limits crop growth and yield worldwide. This study aimed to understand the development of maize intercropped with ruzigrass and soybean plants in long-term lime managed soils and the fate of 15N-labeled ammonium sulfate applied in the soil-plant system.
FIELD CROPS RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Soil Science
Partson Mubvumba, Paul B. DeLaune
Summary: This study conducted a long-term experiment on continuous wheat cultivation in the Texas Rolling Plains and found that no-till farming and cover crops can significantly reduce soil water pollution, especially by reducing runoff and decreasing phosphorus load and concentration.
SOIL & TILLAGE RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Soil Science
Thiago Massao Inagaki, Joao Carlos de Moraes Sa, Cassio Antonio Tormena, Andressa Dranski, Amanda Muchalak, Clever Briedis, Ademir de Oliveira Ferreira, Neyde F. B. Giarola, Alvaro Pires da Silva
Summary: The study compared no-till systems without mechanical disturbance, with mechanical chiseling, and with biological chiseling using radish as an intercrop. Results showed that mechanical chiseling depleted SOC stocks, while using radish as an intercrop increased SOC stocks, root development, and crop yield.
SOIL & TILLAGE RESEARCH
(2021)
Review
Microbiology
Abhishek Kumar, Lellapalli Rithesh, Vikash Kumar, Nikhil Raghuvanshi, Kautilya Chaudhary, Abhineet, Abhay K. Pandey
Summary: In the current scenario, the use of synthetic fertilizers is causing harmful effects to the environment and human health, leading to an increasing demand for natural and chemical-free food. Biofertilizers and microbe-based biopesticides are alternative options that can reduce the risks posed by synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. The genus Stenotrophomonas is an emerging source of both biofertilizer and biopesticide, with potential applications in plant growth promotion and pest management. However, further research is needed to explore the functions of Stenotrophomonas in different growth conditions and its interactions with plants and soil systems. This review discusses the plant growth and biocontrol attributes of Stenotrophomonas in food crops, along with the potential risks and challenges associated with its use in agriculture.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Soil Science
Rounak Patra, Debasish Saha, Sindhu Jagadamma
Summary: Long-term cover-cropping and no-tillage practices can facilitate soil organic carbon accumulation and redistribution in agroecosystems. This study investigated the effects of different management practices on total SOC and SOC fractions in the soil profile using a 40-year replicated field experiment in a continuous cotton system.
SOIL & TILLAGE RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Soil Science
Yaqi Zhang, Ranjan Bhattacharyya, Damien Finn, Henry W. G. Birt, Paul G. Dennis, Ram C. Dalal, Andrew R. Jones, Gregor Meyer, Buddhi Dayananda, Peng Wang, Neal W. Menzies, Peter M. Kopittke
Summary: Tillage and nitrogen fertilization have varying effects on soil properties in subtropical climates, especially in Vertisols. This study found that total organic carbon significantly increased with nitrogen fertilization under no-till practices. Total nitrogen concentrations were only influenced by nitrogen fertilization and not affected by tillage. Enzyme activity was affected by nitrogen application and tillage, but bacterial and fungal diversity remained unaffected. Overall, no-till and nitrogen fertilization are important for managing soil properties in this subtropical region, although the impact may be less pronounced over long-term trials.
SOIL & TILLAGE RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Soil Science
C. P. Nath, Narendra Kumar, Asik Dutta, K. K. Hazra, C. S. Praharaj, S. S. Singh, Krishnashis Das
Summary: Restoration of degraded cultivated soils in the rice ecologies of South Asia, including the Indo-Gangetic Plains, is urgently needed. Pulse crops can be used to diversify cereal systems, but their effect on soil quality in rice ecologies is rarely considered. After 16 years of field experimentation, a sustainable cropping system involving pulses was found to enhance soil quality in the Inceptisol of Indian IGP.
Article
Soil Science
Lucas Pecci Canisares, John Grove, Fernando Miguez, Hanna Poffenbarger
Summary: The study indicates that long-term no-till practices can increase soil nitrogen levels, enhance nitrogen mineralization, boost corn yield and nitrogen uptake, while reducing reliance on nitrogen fertilizer compared to conventional tillage methods.
SOIL & TILLAGE RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jucimare Romaniw, Joao Carlos de Moraes Sa, Rattan Lal, Ademir de Oliveira Ferreira, Thiago Massao Inagaki, Clever Briedis, Daniel Ruiz Potma Goncalves, Lutecia Beatriz Canalli, Alessandra Padilha, Pamela Thaisa Bressan
Summary: This study evaluated the effects of organic waste biofertilizer from chicken slaughterhouses on soil organic carbon stock, carbon dioxide mitigation, crop energy efficiency, and environmental pollution. Results showed that continuous use of biofertilizer increased crop energy efficiency, CO2eq stock, and offset compared to mineral fertilizer, indicating a positive impact on energy balance and SOC sequestration. The findings support the use of poultry waste biofertilization as a viable alternative to minimize environmental impacts.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2021)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Esben Oster Mortensen, Chiara De Notaris, Leanne Peixoto, Jorgen E. Olesen, Jim Rasmussen
Summary: Cover crops play a crucial role in increasing soil fertility and mitigating climate change through nutrient recycling and organic matter buildup. A study on the short-term effects of incorporating winter vetch into a cover crop mixture found that higher soil fertility led to a significant reduction in relative net phyllo- and rhizodeposition, despite an increase in cover crop biomass. Adjusting for unrecovered root fragments significantly reduced the estimated phyllo- and rhizodeposition, highlighting that many previous estimates may have been overestimated. Autumn cover crop usage provides a key opportunity for carbon storage, with both aboveground biomass input and belowground carbon investment being important factors.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
E. B. Gorska, W. Stepien, A. Cunha, I. N. Sierra-Garcia, K. Szyszkowska, D. Gozdowski, B. Gworek, L. Sas-Paszt, A. Lisek, E. Hewelke, A. Predecka, I Olejniczak, P. Trzcinski, A. H. Baczewska-Dabrowska
Summary: The idea of agricultural sustainability in the EU is based on minimizing interference with the soil system and diversifying crop rotation. This study used metagenomic analysis to investigate the impact of different cultivation methods on soil microbiome composition, structure, and metabolic profiles. Microbiological indicators were selected, and the results suggest the need for further research on the effects of cultivation methods on microbial communities and soil metabolism.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Xiaofei Wang, Jiawei Zhang, Xiaoqin Wang, Yibo Hu, Xiaolong Ren, Zhikuan Jia, Tiening Liu, Zhenlin Wang, Tie Cai
Summary: Film mulching ridge-furrow planting (RF) is an important dry farming mode for wheat, but it often causes lodging due to lignin accumulation in the stems. This study investigated the effects of regulating the population distribution on lodging occurrence in wheat and found that adjusting the population distribution can improve lodging resistance by enhancing the mechanical properties of the stems and promoting lignin synthesis and accumulation. The light environment plays a crucial role in lignin biosynthesis and lodging resistance.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF AGRONOMY
(2024)
Article
Agronomy
Wei Wang, Jian-Hua Zhao, Meng-Ying Li, Wei Zhang, Muhammad Maqsood Ur Rehman, Bao-Zhong Wang, Fazal Ullah, Zheng-Guo Cheng, Li Zhu, Jin-Lin Zhang, Hong-Yan Tao, Wen-Ying Wang, You-Cai Xiong
Summary: This study investigated the physiological mechanism of yield loss in intercropped inferior species and found that plastic film mulching can alleviate water competition between maize and faba bean, reducing kernel abortion in maize.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF AGRONOMY
(2024)
Article
Agronomy
Michael Merkle, Matthias Schumacher, Roland Gerhards
Summary: This study conducted a field experiment to test different methods and species of cover crops. The results showed that early establishment of cover crops, specifically direct sowing or sowing 10 days before harvest, had a positive impact on biomass formation and weed suppression. The performance of cover crops varied depending on the species, sowing date, and weather conditions, but a diverse cover crop mixture showed more stable performance under variable weather conditions.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF AGRONOMY
(2024)
Article
Agronomy
Dereje Ademe, Kindie Tesfaye, Belay Simane, Benjamin F. Zaitchik, Getachew Alemayehu, Enyew Adgo
Summary: This study used simulation experiments to evaluate the effects of planting time, nitrogen rate, and crop variety choice on potato productivity in Ethiopia. The results showed that shifting planting time forward and changing the nitrogen application rate had greater productivity benefits than switching varieties. In the mid-century climate period, early planting of medium and long maturity varieties with higher nitrogen rates showed potential adaptation benefits.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF AGRONOMY
(2024)
Article
Agronomy
Wenlong Li, Xiaobo Gu, Heng Fang, Tongtong Zhao, Rui Yin, Zhikai Cheng, Chuandong Tan, Zhihui Zhou, Yadan Du
Summary: This study aims to establish critical nitrogen dilution curves (CNDC) for maize and diagnose the nitrogen status under different mulching planting patterns. The results showed no significant differences in CNDC and its estimated parameters across years and mulching planting patterns, suggesting the establishment of a universal CNDC model for maize nitrogen diagnosis.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF AGRONOMY
(2024)
Article
Agronomy
Guillermo A. A. Dosio, Pablo Cicore, Roberto Rizzalli
Summary: This study demonstrates through field experiments that reducing sink demand during the grain filling period in maize accelerates leaf senescence, particularly at specific phenological stages. The results also suggest that protecting grains can prevent yield reduction.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF AGRONOMY
(2024)
Article
Agronomy
Xuan Wei, Yongjie Liu, Qiming Song, Jinping Zou, Zhiqiang Wen, Jiayu Li, Dengfei Jie
Summary: This study successfully established a model for detecting the spores of Agaricus bisporus disease using hyperspectral imaging and deep learning methods, providing a new approach for early prevention and detection of the disease.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF AGRONOMY
(2024)
Article
Agronomy
Ferdaous Rezgui, Adolfo Rosati, Fatima Lambarraa-Lehnhardt, Carsten Paul, Moritz Reckling
Summary: The intensification of Mediterranean farming systems has had negative impacts on the environment, but agroforestry systems can address these issues. This study developed a practical methodology to assess the sustainability of Mediterranean agroforestry systems and found that they provide agro-environmental benefits and economic profitability, although they also require increased workload.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF AGRONOMY
(2024)