Nitrogen use in maize-grain legume cropping systems in semi-arid Kenya

1995 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. J. Pilbeam ◽  
M. Wood ◽  
P. G. Mugane

The present study was carried out in three districts viz; Rewari, Sirsa and Hisar of Haryana state. A survey of 60 sampled farms was conducted to extract information pertaining to various expenses incurred in cultivation of castor and output attained as well as to ascertain the perception of farmers for various problems encountered in production and marketing of castor seed. The descriptive analysis was employed to draw valid inferences from the study. The results revealed that net profit accrued from cultivation of castor seed was ₹ 46331 ha -1 in the study area. The value of B: C ratio of castor cultivation was more than one and also higher as compared to prevalent cropping systems indicated that cultivation of castor seed is economical viable entity. However, production constraints like retention of F2 seed in the field over year, grain scattering, shortage of irrigation water, frost effect on crop yield and marketing constraints like absence of MSP, higher transportation cost sale of castor seed in distant markets, frequent fluctuation in market price, non-availability of processing units were observed.


2011 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 152-157 ◽  
Author(s):  
You-Liang YE ◽  
Yu-Fang HUANG ◽  
Chun-Sheng LIU ◽  
Ri-Tao QU ◽  
Hai-Yan SONG ◽  
...  

2012 ◽  
Vol 115 ◽  
pp. 148-155 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.M. Miriti ◽  
G. Kironchi ◽  
A.O. Esilaba ◽  
L.K. Heng ◽  
C.K.K. Gachene ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolina Rodriguez ◽  
Linda-Maria Dimitrova Mårtensson ◽  
Erik Steen Jensen ◽  
Georg Carlsson

AbstractDiversifying cropping systems by increasing the number of cash and cover crops in crop rotation plays an important role in improving resource use efficiency and in promoting synergy between ecosystem processes. The objective of this study was to understand how the combination of crop diversification practices influences the performance of arable crop sequences in terms of crop grain yield, crop and weed biomass, and nitrogen acquisition in a temperate climate. Two field experiments were carried out. The first was a 3-year crop sequence with cereal or grain legume as the first crops, with and without undersown forage legumes and forage legume-grass crops, followed by a cereal crop. The second experiment was a 2-year crop sequence with cereal or legume as the first crops, a legume cover crop, and a subsequent cereal crop. For the first time, crop diversification practices were combined to identify plant-plant interactions in spatial and temporal scales. The results partly confirm the positive effect of diversifying cereal-based cropping systems by including grain legumes and cover crops in the crop sequence. Legume cover crops had a positive effect on subsequent cereal grain yield in one of the experiments. Using faba beans as the first crop in the crop sequence had both a positive and no effect on crop biomass and N acquisition of the subsequent cereal. In cover crops composed of a forage legume-grass mixture, the grass biomass and N acquisition were consistently increased after the grain legume, compared to the cereal-preceding crop. However, differences in the proportion of legume to grass in mixture did not influence crop yield or N acquisition in the subsequent cereal. In conclusion, these results support that increased crop diversity across spatial and temporal scales can contribute to resource-efficient production and enhance the delivery of services, contributing to more sustainable cropping systems.


Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 484
Author(s):  
Andrew M. Bierer ◽  
April B. Leytem ◽  
Robert S. Dungan ◽  
Amber D. Moore ◽  
David L. Bjorneberg

Insufficient characterization of soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics in semi-arid climates contributes uncertainty to SOC sequestration estimates. This study estimated changes in SOC (0–30 cm depth) due to variations in manure management, tillage regime, winter cover crop, and crop rotation in southern Idaho (USA). Empirical data were used to drive the Denitrification Decomposition (DNDC) model in a “default” and calibrated capacity and forecast SOC levels until 2050. Empirical data indicates: (i) no effect (p = 0.51) of winter triticale on SOC after 3 years; (ii) SOC accumulation (0.6 ± 0.5 Mg ha–1 year–1) under a rotation of corn-barley-alfalfax3 and no change (p = 0.905) in a rotation of wheat-potato-barley-sugarbeet; (iii) manure applied annually at rate 1X is not significantly different (p = 0.75) from biennial application at rate 2X; and (iv) no significant effect of manure application timing (p = 0.41, fall vs. spring). The DNDC model simulated empirical SOC and biomass C measurements adequately in a default capacity, yet specific issues were encountered. By 2050, model forecasting suggested: (i) triticale cover resulted in SOC accrual (0.05–0.27 Mg ha–1 year–1); (ii) when manure is applied, conventional tillage regimes are favored; and (iii) manure applied treatments accrue SOC suggesting a quadratic relationship (all R2 > 0.85 and all p < 0.0001), yet saturation behavior was not realized when extending the simulation to 2100. It is possible that under very large C inputs that C sequestration is favored by DNDC which may influence “NetZero” C initiatives.


2021 ◽  
Vol 37 ◽  
pp. e37013
Author(s):  
Manoel Galdino Dos Santos ◽  
Rayanne Maria Paula Ribeiro ◽  
Hamurábi Anizio Lins ◽  
Giordanio Bruno Silva Oliveira ◽  
José Ricardo Tavares de Alburquerque ◽  
...  

Nitrogen (N) is an essential macronutrient for plant growth and rate applications can influence the performance of sesame, and when applied in excess can cause nitrogen loss in the environment, and consequently make the cost of production more costly to the producer. Therefore, the objective of this work was to evaluate the efficiency of nitrogen use by different cultivars of irrigated sesame seeds under the edaphoclimatic conditions of the northeastern semi-arid region in two harvests. The experiments were carried out from February to May (1st harvest) and from July to October (2nd harvest) in 2016. The treatments were arranged in a split plot scheme, in which the plots were the five nitrogen doses (0, 30, 60, 90 and 120 kg ha-1), and in the subplots, the four sesame genotypes (CNPA G2, CNPA G3, CNPA G4 and BRS Seda), the design was in randomized complete blocks with four replications. The nitrogen use efficiency assessments evaluated were: agronomic efficiency (AE), physiological efficiency (PE), agrophysiological efficiency (APE), recovery efficiency (RE) and efficiency of use (EU). The rate that provided the greatest efficiency of use was 30 kg ha-1 of N applied. The cultivar BRS Seda had greater efficiency of use in relation to the other cultivars studied. The crop that had better efficiency of use was the 2nd agricultural harvest.


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