Article
Soil Science
Coline C. Jaworski, Anna Krzywoszynska, Jonathan R. Leake, Lynn V. Dicks
Summary: Sustainable soil management is crucial for preventing agricultural soil degradation and maintaining food production. Regenerative agriculture, gaining popularity in the UK, is one approach to sustainable soil management. However, the understanding of sustainable soil management practices among farmers and its relation to regenerative agriculture principles remains unclear. Additionally, the promotion of sustainable soil management in agricultural knowledge and innovation services is limited. This study conducted a national-scale survey and interviews to address these knowledge gaps and found a variety of understandings and practices of sustainable soil management among UK farmers.
SOIL USE AND MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Edileno Tiago de Sousa Nascimento, Raimundo Formento Pereira Junior, Valeria Silva dos Reis, Bianca de Jesus Figueiredo Gomes, Marco Shizuo Owatari, Ronald Kennedy Luz, Nuno Filipe Alves Correia de Melo, Maria de Lourdes Souza Santos, Glauber David Almeida Palheta, Fabio Carneiro Sterzelecki
Summary: Aquaponics combines fish farming with vegetable production, and this study found that a flooding level of 5 cm resulted in the best plant growth.
Article
Robotics
Thomas Lowe, Peyman Moghadam, Everard Edwards, Jason Williams
Summary: This study presents a novel method for canopy density estimation in vineyards using 3D ray cloud representation and continuous-time SLAM algorithm, allowing for digital twinning and density estimation across different seasons and years for vineyard comparison and analysis.
JOURNAL OF FIELD ROBOTICS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
R. A. Martinez-Feria, B. Basso, S. Kim
Summary: This study investigates the potential of fertilizing marginal lands in the Midwest US with nitrogen fertilizer for greenhouse gas mitigation. The results show that fertilization can exceed the emissions reduction and provide additional benefits to poor fertility lands. However, the effects are not significant on lands rich in organic carbon but limited by climate conditions. The objectives of maximizing yield and minimizing GHG emissions only overlap in a few environments, suggesting a trade-off between maximum yield and climate benefits of cellulosic biofuels.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Mathew Stephen Alexanderson, Hanabeth Luke, David John Lloyd
Summary: Regenerative agriculture is gaining popularity among farmers due to its potential to reduce input costs, improve soil health, and increase farming system resilience. This study analyzed farmers using regenerative agriculture practices and found that a belief in anthropogenic climate change may be a primary factor influencing best-practice implementation. The findings offer insights into Australian farmers' perceptions of regenerative agriculture and may aid in disseminating knowledge for sustainable environmental management.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Economics
Tanner McCarty, Juan Sesmero
Summary: The study found that in equilibrium, the contract signed by farmers and buyers of Miscanthus utilizes a combination of performance payment, establishment payment, and acreage payment. The research indicates that establishment subsidies are more effective at reducing risk for the buyer and are therefore more cost-effective in reducing production costs of cellulosic biofuels, compared to acreage subsidies.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Emma I. Scott, Eric Toensmeier, Fred Iutzi, Nathan A. Rosenberg, Sarah Taylor Lovell, Nicholas R. Jordan, Tessa E. Peters, Esther Akwii, Emily Broad M. Leib
Summary: Perennial agriculture, with its focus on perennial crops, offers a range of ecosystem services and requires support from federal policies and investments.
FRONTIERS IN SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Cristhian dos Santos Teixeira, Buck T. Castillo, Lukas Bernhardt, Nicholas D. Warren, Claudia Petry, Jessica G. Ernakovich, Richard G. Smith, Serita D. Frey
Summary: This study found that frequent defoliation can increase soil carbon storage, and the relative abundance of legumes to grasses also affects soil carbon storage.
Article
Geography
Jonathan D. Beacham, Peter Jackson, Coline C. Jaworski, Anna Krzywoszynska, Lynn V. Dicks
Summary: The empirical applicability and conceptual utility of different agricultural paradigms have been debated within agri-food scholarship. This study examines the adoption of regenerative agricultural practices in two farmer clusters in England to explore how regenerative agriculture reconciles productivist and post-productivist tendencies. Findings highlight the tensions, contradictions, and uncertainties surrounding the environmental appeal and pragmatic adoption of regenerative agriculture among farmers.
JOURNAL OF RURAL STUDIES
(2023)
Article
Soil Science
Hyemi Kim, D. K. Lee, Thomas B. Voigt, Guanglong Tian, Anthony C. Yannarell
Summary: Planting perennial bioenergy crops on suboptimal farmland for food crops can mitigate nitrous oxide emissions and nutrient loss while producing bioenergy feedstocks. This study aimed to determine the effects of perennial energy crop management practices on soil microbial communities involved in nitrogen cycling. The findings suggest that nitrogen application significantly affects the abundance of nitrogen cycling genes.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Plant Sciences
Rafal M. Gutaker, Caspar C. C. Chater, Jemima Brinton, Elena Castillo-Lorenzo, Elinor Breman, Samuel Pironon
Summary: By domesticating edible wild plants and utilizing advances in genomics and gene editing technologies, we can increase the stability of our food systems against environmental variability and climate change. Neodomestication allows for the rapid generation of new crops by selecting candidates based on climatic parameters, thus increasing food security. Conservation and characterization of edible species play a key role in this process, and the utilization of genetic resources should be carried out ethically and with benefit-sharing in mind.
CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Environmental Studies
Katcho Karume, Jean M. Mondo, Geant B. Chuma, Angele Ibanda, Espoir M. Bagula, Alex Lina Aleke, Serge Ndjadi, Bintu Ndusha, Pascaline Azine Ciza, Nadege Cirezi Cizungu, Daniel Muhindo, Anthony Egeru, Florence Mayega Nakayiwa, Jackson-Gilbert M. Majaliwa, Gustave N. Mushagalusa, Rodrigue B. Basengere Ayagirwe
Summary: Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) is an innovative approach to increase agricultural productivity sustainably, improve livelihoods and incomes of farmers, enhance resilience, and mitigate climate change impacts. In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), farmers are utilizing farming practices that meet the criteria of CSA, although there is no explicit policy or branded CSA practices. This review paper provides comprehensive evidence of CSA-associated practices in DRC, efforts to promote CSA, and the benefits derived from these practices. The returns on investment are promising, but relatively lower than in other sub-Saharan African countries.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Antonin Pepin, Maria Vittoria Guidoboni, Philippe Jeanneret, Hayo M. G. van der Werf
Summary: Biodiversity loss due to agricultural intensification and habitat degradation is a major concern, and current life cycle assessment (LCA) methods lack the ability to assess impacts on biodiversity in vegetable production systems. The SALCA-BD expert system was adapted to assess and compare biodiversity impacts in vegetable production systems by considering habitats and farming practices. The results highlighted the importance of semi-natural habitats and low-intensity practices for preserving biodiversity, and indicated that assessment at the farm level is more informative than at the field level.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2023)
Review
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Shaeden Gokool, Maqsooda Mahomed, Richard Kunz, Alistair Clulow, Mbulisi Sibanda, Vivek Naiken, Kershani Chetty, Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi
Summary: In this study, a scoping review and bibliometric analysis were conducted to examine the applications of UAV technologies in precision agriculture within smallholder farms. The results showed that UAVs have been primarily used for monitoring crop growth and development, guiding fertilizer management, and crop mapping. However, they also have the potential to facilitate other agricultural practices.
Article
Plant Sciences
Christer Jansson, Celia Faiola, Astrid Wingler, Xin-Guang Zhu, Alexandra Kravchenko, Marie-Anne De Graaff, Aaron J. Ogden, Pubudu P. Handakumbura, Christiane Werner, Diane M. Beckles
Summary: The proposal advocates for the design of crop ideotypes with dual functionality, promoting soil carbon contribution and improving belowground ecology, through enhancing root strength, balancing carbon allocation, and designing soil microbial consortia.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
