Effects of long-term (42 years) tillage sequence on soil chemical characteristics in a dryland farming system

2021 ◽  
Vol 212 ◽  
pp. 105064
Author(s):  
Flackson Tshuma ◽  
Francis Rayns ◽  
Johan Labuschagne ◽  
James Bennett ◽  
Pieter Andreas Swanepoel
Keyword(s):  
Farming System ◽  
Chemical Characteristics ◽  
Dryland Farming

scholarly journals Effects of Long-Term (44-years) Tillage Sequences on Wheat Grain Yield in a Dryland Farming System in South Africa

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Flackson Tshuma ◽  
Pieter Andreas Swanepoel ◽  
Johan Labuschagne ◽  
James Bennett ◽  
Francis Rayns
Keyword(s):  
Grain Yield ◽  
Crop Rotation ◽  
Farming System ◽  
Crop Productivity ◽  
High Yield ◽  
Wheat Grain ◽  
Tillage Practices ◽  
Rotation System ◽  
Dryland Farming

Abstract AimsTo determine the effects of the long-term (44-years) tillage practices on wheat grain yield in a dryland farming system. MethodsEffects of tillage on soil quality and crop productivity were assessed between 1976 and 2020 in South Africa’s Mediterranean climate zone. Seven tillage treatments were investigated: continuous mouldboard (MB) ploughing to a depth of 200 mm, tine-tillage to 150 mm, shallow tine-tillage (ST) to 75 mm, no-tillage (NT), ST conducted once in two years (ST-NT), ST conducted once in three years (ST-NT-NT), and ST conducted once in four years (ST-NT-NT-NT). Two crop management systems were also investigated: wheat monoculture and crop rotation. We evaluated the long-term wheat grain yield responses from the trial and hypothesised that, with time, the (i) monoculture system will lead to reduced grain yield, (ii) MB sequence will lead to reduced grain yield, (iii) infrequent tillage practices will improve grain yield relative to continuous NT.ResultsThe monoculture system led to reduced grain yield over time due to increased weeds. Compared to other tillage treatments in the monoculture system, the MB sequence led to higher (P<0.05) grain yields. However, in the crop rotation system, the NT treatment was the best option as it led to high yield and lower fuel usage. The infrequent tillage sequences failed to significantly improve the grain yield relative to continuous NT.ConclusionsThe infrequent tillage sequences were no better than the NT practice. We recommend that farmers opt for NT and crop rotation to ensure sustainability and avoid intensive tillage.

scholarly journals Various dosages of active powder of cassava improved sustainability of physical and chemical characteristics of Vertisol and Alfisol on dryland farming system

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
IN P SOETEDJO
Keyword(s):  
Chemical Characteristic ◽  
Farming System ◽  
Soil Microbiology ◽  
Organic Fertilizers ◽  
Chemical Characteristics ◽  
P Availability ◽  
Total N ◽  
Physical And Chemical Characteristics ◽  
Dryland Farming ◽  
Physical And Chemical

Abstract. Soetedjo IP. 2019. Various dosages of active powder of cassava improved sustainability of physical and chemical characteristics of Vertisol and Alfisol on dryland farming system. Trop Drylands 3: 29-33. Vertisol and Alfisol are two kinds of dominant soil in dryland farming system of East Nusa Tenggara and other areas with similar ecological conditions. However, both soils generally have a low content of some nutrients such as N, P, K, C organic, and are dominated by clay, high water saturated, and prone to Al, Fe, and Mn poisonings. Some studies reported that improvement practices by application of inorganic and organic fertilizers increased soil compaction and soil microbiology dormancy. An innovation product called active powder may improve soil microbiology activity and physical characteristics of soil, which might then improve the availability of soil nutrients. Research had been done to know the effect of various dosages of active powder to enhance the physical and chemical characteristic of Vertisol and Alfisol in dryland farming system in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara. The research was a factorial treatment designed laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design, and four replicates. The treatments employed were two types of soil (Vertisol and Alfisol) and various dosages of active powder (0, 100, 200, and 300 g ha-1). Parameters observed were subjected to ANOVA and was followed by a Least Significant Different Test at 0.05 level. Results of the research showed that dosage of active powder of 300 g ha-1 was able to improve number colony of soil bacteria, soil porosity, soil bulk density, total N, P availability, and K availability. Generally, the physical and chemical characteristic of Vertisol was better improved than Alfisol. The yield of mungbean was significantly affected by the dosage of the active powder of 200-300 g ha-1 in which yield of mungbean grown at Vertisol was higher than that at Alfisol.

Effects of 15 years of conservation tillage on soil structure and productivity of wheat cultivation in northern China

Soil Research ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 45 (5) ◽  
pp. 344 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hongwen Li ◽  
Huanwen Gao ◽  
Hongdan Wu ◽  
Wenying Li ◽  
Xiaoyan Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Structure ◽  
Conservation Tillage ◽  
Northern China ◽  
Farming System ◽  
Triticum Aestivum L ◽  
Conventional Tillage ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Total N ◽  
Dryland Farming

An understanding of long-term tillage and straw management impact on soil structure and productivity is necessary for the further development of conservation tillage practice in dryland farming areas. Data from a 15-year field experiment conducted in Shanxi, on the loess plateau of northern China, were used to compare the long-term effects of no-till and residue cover (NTSC) with conventional tillage (CT) in a winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) monoculture. Long-term CT and straw removal resulted in poor soil structure and low productivity. Mean soil bulk density in NTSC was 1.5% less than in CT and capillary porosity (<60 μm) 3.2% greater. Water stability of macro-aggregates >2 mm was much greater for NTSC in the 0–0.20 m profile. Soil organic matter and total N and P were 27.9%, 25.6%, and 4.4% greater in NTSC, respectively, and earthworms (19/m2) were found only in the no tillage treatment. Crop yield and water use efficiency tended to be higher under NTSC than under CT, especially in the years of low rainfall, suggesting that the change in soil structure has provided a better environment for crop development. Our 15-year experimental data indicate that NTSC is a more sustainable farming system, which can improve soil structure, and increase productivity with positive environmental impacts in the rainfed dryland farming areas of northern China.

scholarly journals Variation in mineral element composition of landrace taro (Colocasia esculenta) corms grown under dryland farming system in South Africa

Heliyon ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. e06727
Author(s):  
Abe Shegro Gerrano ◽  
Isack Mathew ◽  
Admire IT. Shayanowako ◽  
Stephen Amoo ◽  
John Jason Mellem ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Farming System ◽  
Colocasia Esculenta ◽  
Element Composition ◽  
Mineral Element ◽  
Dryland Farming

scholarly journals Long-Term Development of Urban Agriculture: Resilience and Sustainability of Farmers Facing the Covid-19 Pandemic in Japan

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 4316
Author(s):  
Shingo Yoshida ◽  
Hironori Yagi
Keyword(s):  
Urban Agriculture ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Direct Marketing ◽  
Farming System ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Short Supply ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Urban People

The coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic has forced global food systems to face unprecedented uncertain shocks even in terms of human health. Urban agriculture is expected to be more resilient because of its short supply chain for urban people and diversified farming activities. However, the short-and long-term effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on urban farms remain unclear. This study aims to reveal the conditions for farm resilience to the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and the relationship between short-term farm resilience and long-term farm development using data from a survey of 74 farms located in Tokyo. The results are as follows. First, more than half of the sample farms increased their farm sales during this period. This resilience can be called the “persistence” approach. Second, short-term farm resilience and other sustainable farm activities contributed to improving farmers’ intentions for long-term farm development and farmland preservation. Third, the most important resilience attributes were the direct marketing, entrepreneurship, and social networks of farmers. We discussed the necessity of building farmers’ transformative capabilities for a more resilient urban farming system. These results imply that support to enhance the short-term resilience of urban farms is worth more than the short-term profit of the farms.

Adaptation of Medicago rigidula to a cereal–pasture rotation in north-west Syria

1986 ◽  
Vol 107 (1) ◽  
pp. 179-186 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. M. Abd El-Moneim ◽  
P. S. Cocks
Keyword(s):  
North Africa ◽  
Farming System ◽  
Livestock Production ◽  
Grazing Management ◽  
North West ◽  
Selection Programme ◽  
Ley Farming ◽  
Medicago Rigidula ◽  
Subsequent Regeneration

SUMMARYThe ley-farming system (integrated cereal and livestock production in which cerealsrotate with self-regenerating pastures) is considered to be of great potential benefit to north Africa and west Asia. In the colder parts of this region (of which north Syria is typical) its application is limited by poor adaptation of commercial medic cultivars (mainly Medicago truncatula and M. littoralis). An extended selection programme hag identified M. rigidula as adapted to the soils and climate of the region but nothing is known of its adaptation to the ley-farming system itself.An experiment which included 23 selections of M. rigidula and one each of M. rotata and M. noeana was conducted over 3 years during which herbage production, seed yield, and the fate of seeds were observed during the 1st year when pastures were established, the 2nd year when wheat was sown, and the 3rd year when the pasture regenerated. Of the 400–800 kg seed/ha produced in the 1st year an average of 87% remained in the soil in spring of the 3rd year. The weight of seed regenerating in the 3rd year varied from 30 to nearly 170 kg/ha, and herbage production, especially in winter, depended heavily on the number of regenerating seedlings. The most productive regenerating pastures produced nearly 2 t/ha of dried herbage by 1 January, and more than 6 t/ha for the whole growing season.The results showed that there was sufficient residual and newly produced seed at the end of the 3rd year to be sure that subsequent regeneration would result in similar herbage yields in the 5th year, and that the pasture was assured of long-term persistence. The significance of this for livestock production is discussed, and it is concluded that the results should encourage further investigation of grazing management and socioeconomic factors seen as constraints to introducing the ley-farming system to north Syria.

Traffic and residue cover effects on infiltration

Soil Research ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 239 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuxia Li ◽  
J. N. Tullberg ◽  
D. M. Freebairn
Keyword(s):  
Conservation Tillage ◽  
Infiltration Rate ◽  
Farming System ◽  
Infiltration Capacity ◽  
Plant Available Water ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Reduced Time ◽  
Factor Governing ◽  
Controlled Traffic

Wheel traffic can lead to compaction and degradation of soil physical properties. This study, as part of a study of controlled traffic farming, assessed the impact of compaction from wheel traffic on soil that had not been trafficked for 5 years. A tractor of 40 kN rear axle weight was used to apply traffic at varying wheelslip on a clay soil with varying residue cover to simulate effects of traffic typical of grain production operations in the northern Australian grain belt. A rainfall simulator was used to determine infiltration characteristics. Wheel traffic significantly reduced time to ponding, steady infiltration rate, and total infiltration compared with non-wheeled soil, with or without residue cover. Non-wheeled soil had 4—5 times greater steady infiltration rate than wheeled soil, irrespective of residue cover. Wheelslip greater than 10% further reduced steady infiltration rate and total infiltration compared with that measured for self-propulsion wheeling (3% wheelslip) under residue-protected conditions. Where there was no compaction from wheel traffic, residue cover had a greater effect on infiltration capacity, with steady infiltration rate increasing proportionally with residue cover (R 2 = 0.98). Residue cover, however, had much less effect on inf iltration when wheeling was imposed. These results demonstrated that the infiltration rate for the non-wheeled soil under a controlled traffic zero-till system was similar to that of virgin soil. However, when the soil was wheeled by a medium tractor wheel, infiltration rate was reduced to that of long-term cropped soil. These results suggest that wheel traffic, rather than tillage and cropping, might be the major factor governing infiltration. The exclusion of wheel traffic under a controlled traffic farming system, combined with conservation tillage, provides a way to enhance the sustainability of cropping this soil for improved infiltration, increased plant-available water, and reduced runoff-driven soil erosion.

Organic Waste Management and Integrated Bio-Cycle Farming System for Sustainable Development in Tropical Ecosystem

2020 ◽  
Vol 898 ◽  
pp. 45-50
Author(s):  
Cahyono Agus ◽  
Pita Asih Bekti Cahyanti ◽  
Bambang Suhartanto ◽  
Pipit Noviyani
Keyword(s):  
Health Management ◽  
Biomass Productivity ◽  
Animal Husbandry ◽  
Farming System ◽  
Integrated System ◽  
Good Prospect ◽  
Tropical Ecosystem ◽  
Agriculture Sector ◽  
Key Characteristics

The tropical ecosystem had high biomass productivity but still less in economic values. Integrated Bio-cycle Farming System (IBFS) was an alternative system that harmoniously combines agricultural sectors (agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, fishery, plantation estate, horticulture) and non-agricultural aspects (industry, household, infrastructure, the marketplace) on integrated ecological management. The key characteristics of IBFS developed in UGM University Farm were (i) an integration of agriculture and non-agriculture sector, (ii) value of environment, esthetics and economics, (iii) rotation and diversity of plants, (iv) artificial and functional biotechnology, (v) management of closed organic cycle, (vi) ecosystem health management, (vii) agropolitan concept, (viii) specific management of plant and (ix) holistic and integrated system. The management of cycle of energy, organic matter and carbon, water, nutrient, production, crop, money conducted through 9R (reuse, reduce, recycle, refill, replace, repair, replant, rebuild, reward) to obtain optimal benefits for global environment and livelihood. The system had a sustainable multifunction and multi-product (food, feed, fuel, fiber, fertilizer, biopharma, water, energy, oxygen, edutainment, eco-tourism). They would meet the expected basic need for daily-, monthly-, yearly- and decade’s income at short-, medium- and long- term periods. IBFS was a good prospect for sustainable economic, environmental, and socio-culture aspects.

Incremental transformation: Success from farming system synergy

2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 105-112 ◽  
Author(s):  
John A Kirkegaard
Keyword(s):  
Farming Systems ◽  
Wheat Plant ◽  
Farming System ◽  
Team Approach ◽  
Public Attention ◽  
Environment Management ◽  
Research Teams ◽  
System A ◽  
Agriculture And Food

Those not immediately involved in managing a dryland farm sustainably in a risky water-limited environment such as Australia may think a comparison with rocket science a bit of a stretch. But if the level of challenge, the importance to humanity, the long-term multidisciplinary team approach and planning required, and the level of uncertainty inherent in the pursuit are measures, then I think the comparison is warranted. The importance of the farming systems agronomy research that has supported agriculture and food security in Australia and globally since William Farrer’s time perhaps receives less public attention than some other science areas such as genetics, genomics, or digital agriculture—indeed, agriculture is now literally “rocket science” as satellite-guided machines and sensors gather volumes of data about the soils, plants, and weather on farms at scales and speeds hitherto impossible. Yet despite spectacular advances in individual genetic or management technologies, few have been singularly transformational. Rather significant productivity improvements generally arise when a combination of technologies, often old and new are integrated and synergize in specific ways within a system—a process here termed incremental transformation. William Farrer himself was clearly aware of this fact, as this article shows, he placed as much importance on maintaining the fertility of the soil in which he grew wheat as on improving the wheat plant itself. This article first provides some background to Farrer and on his interests in Genotype × Environment × Management (G × E × M) interactions (though he certainly did not use that terminology). It then describes some examples from my own research teams, to demonstrate the ongoing impact that arises from research to capture synergies from new genetics and improved management in the pursuit of incremental transformation.

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