Upland rice production under conservation agriculture cropping systems in cold conditions of tropical highlands

The effects of earthworm inoculation and cropping systems on upland rice systems were examined over a four-year period in the Highlands of Madagascar. Each year, endogeic earthworms Pontoscolex corethrurus (Rhinodrilidae) were inoculated (EW+) at a density of 75 ind m−2 or were not inoculated (EW0). Inoculation was tested in three cropping systems: conservation agriculture (CA) and traditional tillage with or without residues restitution. Soil and plant properties were measured during the first three years while soil biological properties were assessed at the fourth year. At the end of the experiment, earthworm density was three-fold higher in EW+ than in EW0, demonstrating the success of the inoculation. Earthworm density was more important in CA than in tillage systems. Earthworm inoculation had higher significant effects on soil and plant properties than cropping systems. Earthworm inoculation had positive effects on soil macroaggregation (+43%), aboveground biomass (+27%), rice grain yield (+45%), and N grain amount (+43%). Intensifying earthworm activity in field conditions to meet the challenge of ecological transition is supported by our study.

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Conservation agriculture cropping systems reduce blast disease in upland rice by affecting plant nitrogen nutrition

Field Crops Research ◽

10.1016/j.fcr.2017.01.024 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 204 ◽

pp. 208-221 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Julie Dusserre ◽

Harinjaka Raveloson ◽

Roger Michellon ◽

Eric Gozé ◽

Sandrine Auzoux ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Upland Rice ◽

Nitrogen Nutrition ◽

Cropping Systems ◽

Conservation Agriculture ◽

Blast Disease ◽

Plant Nitrogen ◽

Plant Nitrogen Nutrition

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Designing low-input upland rice-based cropping systems with conservation agriculture for climate change adaptation: A six-year experiment in M’bé, Bouaké, Côte d’Ivoire

Field Crops Research ◽

10.1016/j.fcr.2021.108418 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 277 ◽

pp. 108418

Author(s):

Olivier Husson ◽

Bernard F. Tano ◽

Kazuki Saito

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Climate Change Adaptation ◽

Cote D'ivoire ◽

Côte D’Ivoire ◽

Upland Rice ◽

Cropping Systems ◽

Conservation Agriculture ◽

Cote D’Ivoire ◽

Low Input ◽

Côte D'ivoire

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TRADE-OFFS BETWEEN BIOMASS USE AND SOIL COVER. THE CASE OF RICE-BASED CROPPING SYSTEMS IN THE LAKE ALAOTRA REGION OF MADAGASCAR

Experimental Agriculture ◽

10.1017/s001447971100113x ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 48 (2) ◽

pp. 194-209 ◽

Cited By ~ 25

Author(s):

K. NAUDIN ◽

E. SCOPEL ◽

A. L. H. ANDRIAMANDROSO ◽

M. RAKOTOSOLOFO ◽

N. R. S. ANDRIAMAROSOA RATSIMBAZAFY ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cover Crops ◽

Soil Cover ◽

Upland Rice ◽

Cropping Systems ◽

Biomass Productivity ◽

Conservation Agriculture ◽

Vicia Villosa ◽

Livestock Feed ◽

Trade Offs ◽

Crop Sequence

SUMMARYFarmers in the Lake Alaotra region of Madagascar are currently evaluating a range of conservation agriculture (CA) cropping systems. Most of the expected agroecological functions of CA (weed control, erosion control and water retention) are related to the degree of soil cover. Under farmers’ conditions, the grain and biomass productivity of these systems is highly variable and the biomass is used for several purposes. In this study, we measured biomass production of cover crops and crops in farmers’ fields. Further, we derived relationships to predict the soil cover that can be generated for a particular quantity of mulch. We used these relationships to explore the variability of soil cover that can be generated in farmers’ fields, and to estimate how much of the biomass can be removed for use as livestock feed, while retaining sufficient soil cover. Three different kinds of cropping systems were investigated in 91 farmers’ fields. The first two cropping sequences were on the hillsides: (i) maize + pulse (Vigna unguiculata or Dolichos lablab) in year 1, followed by upland rice in year 2; (ii) the second crop sequence included several years of Stylosanthes guianensis followed by upland rice; (iii) the third crop sequence was in lowland paddy fields: Vicia villosa or D. lablab, which was followed by rice within the same year and repeated every year. The biomass available prior to rice sowing varied from 3.6 t ha−1 with S. guianensis to 7.3 t ha−1 with V. villosa. The relationship between the mulch quantity (M) and soil cover (C) was measured using digital imaging and was well described by the following equation: C = 1 − exp(−Am × M), where Am is an area-to-mass ratio with R2 > 0.99 in all cases. The calculated average soil cover varied from 56 to 97% for maize + V. unguiculata and V. villosa, respectively. In order to maintain 90% soil cover at rice sowing, the average amount of biomass of V. villosa that could be removed was at least 3 t ha−1 for three quarters of the fields. This quantity was less for other annual or biennial cropping systems. On average the V. villosa aboveground biomass contained 236 kg N ha−1. The study showed that for the conditions of farmers of Malagasy, the production and conservation of biomass is not always sufficient to fulfil all the above-cited agroecological functions of mulch. Inventory of the soil cover capacity for different types of mulch may help farmers to decide how much biomass they can remove from the field.

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Corrigendum to: Conservation agriculture effects on soil properties and crop productivity in a semiarid region of India

Soil Research ◽

10.1071/sr18145_co ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 57 (2) ◽

pp. 200 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

J. Somasundaram ◽

M. Salikram ◽

N. K. Sinha ◽

M. Mohanty ◽

R. S. Chaudhary ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Soil Properties ◽

Management Practices ◽

Crop Yields ◽

Cropping Systems ◽

Soil Layer ◽

Conservation Agriculture ◽

Semiarid Region ◽

Reduced Tillage ◽

Organic C ◽

Residue Retention

Conservation agriculture (CA) including reduced or no-tillage and crop residue retention, is known to be a self–sustainable system as well as an alternative to residue burning. The present study evaluated the effect of reduced tillage coupled with residue retention under different cropping systems on soil properties and crop yields in a Vertisol of a semiarid region of central India. Two tillage systems – conventional tillage (CT) with residue removed, and reduced tillage (RT) with residue retained – and six major cropping systems of this region were examined after 3 years of experimentation. Results demonstrated that soil moisture content, mean weight diameter, percent water stable aggregates (>0.25mm) for the 0–15cm soil layer were significantly (Pmoderately labile>less labile. At the 0–15cm depth, the contributions of moderately labile, less labile and non-labile C fractions to total organic C were 39.3%, 10.3% and 50.4% respectively in RT and corresponding values for CT were 38.9%, 11.7% and 49.4%. Significant differences in different C fractions were observed between RT and CT. Soil microbial biomass C concentration was significantly higher in RT than CT at 0–15cm depth. The maize–chickpea cropping system had significantly (P–1 followed by soybean+pigeon pea (2:1) intercropping (3.50 t ha–1) and soybean–wheat cropping systems (2.97 t ha–1). Thus, CA practices could be sustainable management practices for improving soil health and crop yields of rainfed Vertisols in these semiarid regions.

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The crucial role of mulch to enhance the stability and resilience of cropping systems in southern Africa

Agronomy for Sustainable Development ◽

10.1007/s13593-021-00687-y ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 41 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Blessing Mhlanga ◽

Laura Ercoli ◽

Elisa Pellegrino ◽

Andrea Onofri ◽

Christian Thierfelder

Keyword(s):

Crop Rotation ◽

Southern Africa ◽

Cropping Systems ◽

Conservation Agriculture ◽

Conventional Tillage ◽

Yield Stability ◽

No Tillage ◽

The Stability ◽

Stability And Resilience

AbstractConservation agriculture has been promoted to sustainably intensify food production in smallholder farming systems in southern Africa. However, farmers have rarely fully implemented all its components, resulting in different combinations of no-tillage, crop rotation, and permanent soil cover being practiced, thus resulting in variable yield responses depending on climatic and soil conditions. Therefore, it is crucial to assess the effect of conservation agriculture components on yield stability. We hypothesized that the use of all three conservation agriculture components would perform the best, resulting in more stable production in all environments. We evaluated at, eight trial locations across southern Africa, how partial and full implementation of these components affected crop yield and yield stability compared with conventional tillage alone or combined with mulching and/or crop rotation. Grain yield and shoot biomass of maize and cowpea were recorded along with precipitation for 2 to 5 years. Across different environments, the addition of crop rotation and mulch to no-tillage increased maize grain by 6%, and the same practices added to conventional tillage led to 13% yield increase. Conversely, adding only mulch or crop rotation to no-tillage or conventional tillage led to lower or equal maize yield. Stability analyses based on Shukla’s index showed for the first time that the most stable systems are those in which mulch is added without crop rotation. Moreover, the highest yielding systems were the least stable. Finally, additive main effects and multiplicative interaction analysis allowed clarifying that mulch added to no-tillage gives stable yields on sandy soil with high rainfall. Similarly, mulch added to conventional tillage gives stable yield on sandy soil, but under low rainfall. This is the first study that highlighted the crucial role of mulch to enhance the stability and resilience of cropping systems in southern Africa, supporting their adaptability to climate change.

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Conservation agriculture improves adaptive capacity of cropping systems to climate stress in Malawi

Agricultural Systems ◽

10.1016/j.agsy.2021.103117 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 190 ◽

pp. 103117

Author(s):

Adam M. Komarek ◽

Christian Thierfelder ◽

Peter R. Steward

Keyword(s):

Adaptive Capacity ◽

Cropping Systems ◽

Conservation Agriculture ◽

Climate Stress

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Effects of conservation agriculture on productivity and Economics of maize-wheat based cropping systems in midwestern Nepal

SAARC Journal of Agriculture ◽

10.3329/sja.v17i1.42761 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 17 (1) ◽

pp. 49-63

Author(s):

K Pariyar ◽

A Chaudhary ◽

P Sapkota ◽

S Sharma ◽

CB Rana ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Grain Yield ◽

Cropping Systems ◽

Cropping System ◽

Conservation Agriculture ◽

Crop Productivity ◽

Conventional Tillage ◽

Net Income ◽

Zero Tillage ◽

Higher Plant ◽

Equivalent Yield

The effects of two tillage methods (zero tillage and conventional tillage), two residue managements (residue kept and residue removed) and two levels of cropping system (maize + soybean and sole maize) were studied over 3 years (2015-2017) at Dailekh district of Nepal. Arun-2 and Puja were the varieties of maize and soybean used respectively, followed by winter wheat. The results revealed that the maize + soybean system had significantly higher plant population and ear population (34.83 thousands ha-1 and 34.35 thousands ha-1, respectively), grains per row (37.1), ear length (16.6 cm) and 20.5% higher grain yield as compared to sole maize. The highest maize equivalent yield (7.92 t ha-1) was recorded in maize + soybean as compared to the lower grain yield equivalent (7.06 t ha-1) in sole maize. Zero tillage accounted relatively higher benefits (high net income and B:C ratio) as compared to conventional tillage. The residue kept plot resulted significantly higher B:C ratio (2.41) than the residue removed (2.11) and the maize + soybean recorded 82.5% greater B:C ratio compared to sole maize. Net annual income was significantly higher in zero tillage, residue kept and maize + soybean system (NRs. 223072.00, 222958.00 and 269016.00 ha-1 respectively). Such combinations are recommended for Dailekh district of Nepal to have profitable crop productivity. SAARC J. Agri., 17(1): 49-63 (2019)

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