scholarly journals Cost-effectiveness analysis of greenhouse dehumidification and integrated pest management using air’s water holding capacity-a case study of the Trella Greenhouse in Taizhou, China

2021 ◽  
Vol 251 ◽  
pp. 02063
Author(s):  
Yang Tianning ◽  
Xiaohan Ma
Keyword(s):  
Crop Production ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
Control Method ◽  
Evaporative Cooling ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Water Holding Capacity ◽  
Humid Climate ◽  
Agricultural Industry ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Water Holding

Greenhouse technology is becoming an indispensable and feasible solution for modern crop production methods. Technological progress has reduced the impact of severe weather conditions on greenhouse crop yields in high temperature climate. Cooling and dehumidifying are the key to ensure the required temperature and humidity range inside the greenhouse. The purpose of this work is to evaluate the dehumidification technologies used in the agricultural industry. The theoretical and practical aspects of greenhouse cooling technology are shown: working principles, conditions and performance. The primary humidity control method utilized in greenhouses is evaporative cooling by using air’s water holding capacity. According to the experimental results, the quantitative analysis was carried out from the perspective of energy and cost, which demonstrated that the evaporative cooling fan-pad system was also an effective method of greenhouse cooling in humid climate. This work would provide technical support or the optimisation of the energy management of greenhouses in humid climates and recommend the mathematical model in future work.

scholarly journals The Pitfalls of Relating Weeds, Herbicide Use, and Crop Yield: Don't Fall Into the Trap! A Critical Review

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathalie Colbach ◽  
Sandrine Petit ◽  
Bruno Chauvel ◽  
Violaine Deytieux ◽  
Martin Lechenet ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Crop Yield ◽  
Weed Management ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Yield Loss ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Crop Productivity ◽  
Arable Farming ◽  
Herbicide Use ◽  
The Impact

The growing recognition of the environmental and health issues associated to pesticide use requires to investigate how to manage weeds with less or no herbicides in arable farming while maintaining crop productivity. The questions of weed harmfulness, herbicide efficacy, the effects of herbicide use on crop yields, and the effect of reducing herbicides on crop production have been addressed over the years but results and interpretations often appear contradictory. In this paper, we critically analyze studies that have focused on the herbicide use, weeds and crop yield nexus. We identified many inconsistencies in the published results and demonstrate that these often stem from differences in the methodologies used and in the choice of the conceptual model that links the three items. Our main findings are: (1) although our review confirms that herbicide reduction increases weed infestation if not compensated by other cultural techniques, there are many shortcomings in the different methods used to assess the impact of weeds on crop production; (2) Reducing herbicide use rarely results in increased crop yield loss due to weeds if farmers compensate low herbicide use by other efficient cultural practices; (3) There is a need for comprehensive studies describing the effect of cropping systems on crop production that explicitly include weeds and disentangle the impact of herbicides from the effect of other practices on weeds and on crop production. We propose a framework that presents all the links and feed-backs that must be considered when analyzing the herbicide-weed-crop yield nexus. We then provide a number of methodological recommendations for future studies. We conclude that, since weeds are causing yield loss, reduced herbicide use and maintained crop productivity necessarily requires a redesign of cropping systems. These new systems should include both agronomic and biodiversity-based levers acting in concert to deliver sustainable weed management.

scholarly journals Quantifying the impact of land degradation on crop production: the case of Senegal

Solid Earth ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 93-103 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. G. J. S. Sonneveld ◽  
M. A. Keyzer ◽  
D. Ndiaye
Keyword(s):  
Land Degradation ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
Fertilizer Application ◽  
Yield Reduction ◽  
Sufficient Information ◽  
Persistent Problem ◽  
Confounding Variables ◽  
A Site ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. Land degradation has been a persistent problem in Senegal for more than a century and by now has become a serious impediment to long-term development. In this paper, we quantify the impact of land degradation on crop yields using the results of a nationwide land degradation assessment. For this, the study needs to address two issues. First, the land degradation assessment comprises qualitative expert judgements that have to be converted into more objective, quantitative terms. We propose a land degradation index and assess its plausibility. Second, observational data on soils, land use, and rainfall do not provide sufficient information to isolate the impact of land degradation. We, therefore, design a pseudo-experiment that for sites with otherwise similar circumstances compares the yield of a site with and one without land degradation. This pairing exercise is conducted under a gradual refining of the classification of circumstances, until a more or less stable response to land degradation is obtained. In this way, we hope to have controlled sufficiently for confounding variables that will bias the estimation of the impact of land degradation on crop yields. A small number of shared characteristics reveal tendencies of "severe" land degradation levels being associated with declining yields as compared to similar sites with "low" degradation levels. However, as we zoom in at more detail some exceptions come to the fore, in particular in areas without fertilizer application. Yet, our overall conclusion is that yield reduction is associated with higher levels of land degradation, irrespective of whether fertilizer is being applied or not.

scholarly journals Biomechanics of Atlas Cedar Roots in response to the Medium Hydromechanical Characteristics

Scientifica ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Belkacem EL Amrani ◽  
Mohammed Bendriss Amraoui
Keyword(s):  
Root Architecture ◽  
Aerial Part ◽  
Dry Weight ◽  
Water Holding Capacity ◽  
Root Production ◽  
Main Root ◽  
Short Root ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Water Holding ◽  
Stimulation Of

The biomechanical root flexibility in response to hydromechanical soil heterogeneity is the most determining factor of the root architecture which plays a paramount role in mycorrhizal infection and allows the seedlings to adapt to the environmental constraint. We examined the impact of five different hydromechanical medium properties (hydroponics, vermiculite, vermiculite-gravel, sawdust, and sand) on the morphology, physiology, and anatomy of Cedrus atlantica seedlings at a controlled growth chamber. The growth of the seedling is strongly stimulated by the hydroponic medium through the stimulation of the aerial part dry weight and the main root length. However, the sand medium increases the main root dry weight by the radial expanse stimulation at the level of the epidermis, vascular cylinder, and cortex and compensates the less root architecture by the stimulation of the xylem and phloem areas. In contrast to sand and hydroponic media, the sawdust medium stimulates the phloem/xylem ratio, the root architecture, and the short roots. The Pearson bilateral correlation shows that the aerial part dry weight is positively correlated with the permeability, porosity, and water-holding capacity and negatively with the bulk density and density at saturation, whereas the short root production is negatively correlated with the permeability and water-holding capacity. Hence, the hydromechanical characteristics of the soils must be taken into account in the reforestation and mycorrhization attempts.

Using a Crop Simulation Model to Understand the Impact of Risk Aversion on Optimal Irrigation Management

2017 ◽  
Vol 60 (6) ◽  
pp. 2111-2122 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rulianda P. Wibowo ◽  
Nathan P. Hendricks ◽  
Isaya Kisekka ◽  
Alemie Araya
Keyword(s):  
Risk Aversion ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Irrigation Management ◽  
Water Holding Capacity ◽  
Modeling Framework ◽  
Irrigated Area ◽  
Irrigation Depth ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Water Holding ◽  
Seasonal Irrigation

Abstract. We studied optimal irrigation management by risk-averse farmers with different soil types under limited well capacity. Our modeling framework allowed us to assess the optimal adjustment along the intensive margins (i.e., changes in seasonal irrigation depth) and along the extensive margins (i.e., changes in irrigated area). Our empirical application uses AquaCrop to simulate corn yields with historical weather in southwest Kansas under a large number of potential irrigation strategies. We show that risk aversion significantly increases total water use, especially for low and medium well capacities. While farmers decreased irrigated area due to risk aversion, the increase in water use occurred because it was optimal to increase the seasonal irrigation depth to reduce production risk. The increase in seasonal irrigation depth arises mostly from reduced management allowable depletion (MAD) levels in the initial crop growth stages of corn. Counterintuitively, risk aversion had a smaller impact on water use for a soil with a smaller soil water holding capacity. This result arises because optimal irrigation under risk neutrality is larger for soils with a smaller water holding capacity. Our results highlight the importance of accounting for risk aversion when estimating the optimal irrigation management strategy and show that the impact of risk aversion differs significantly by well capacity and soil type. Keywords: AquaCrop, Irrigation, Risk, Well capacity.

scholarly journals Trends of weather-related impacts on Austrian crop production under changing climate

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sabina Thaler ◽  
Josef Eitzinger ◽  
Gerhard Kubu
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Winter Wheat ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Crop Growth ◽  
Risk Indicators ◽  
Climate Scenarios ◽  
Crop Water

<p>Weather-related risks can affect crop growth and yield potentials directly (e.g. heat, frost, drought) and indirectly (e.g. through biotic factors such as pests). Due to climate change, severe shifts of cropping risks may occur, where farmers need to adapt effectively and in time to increase the resilience of existing cropping systems. For example, since the early 21st century, Europe has experienced a series of exceptionally dry and warmer than usual weather conditions (2003, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2018) which led to severe droughts with devastating impacts in agriculture on crop yields and pasture productivity.</p><p>Austria has experienced above-average warming in the period since 1880. While the global average surface temperature has increased by almost 1°C, the warming in Austria during this period was nearly 2°C. Higher temperatures, changing precipitation patterns and more severe and frequent extreme weather events will significantly affect weather-sensitive sectors, especially agriculture. Therefore, the development of sound adaptation and mitigation strategies towards a "climate-intelligent agriculture" is crucial to improve the resilience of agricultural systems to climate change and increased climate variability. Within the project AGROFORECAST a set of weather-related risk indicators and tailored recommendations for optimizing crop management options are developed and tested for various forecast or prediction lead times (short term management: 10 days - 6 months; long term strategic planning: climate scenarios) to better inform farmers of upcoming weather and climate challenges.</p><p>Here we present trends of various types of long-term weather-related impacts on Austrian crop production under past (1980-2020) and future periods (2035-2065). For that purpose, agro-climatic risk indicators and crop production indicators are determined in selected case study regions with the help of models. We use for the past period Austrian gridded weather data set (INCA) as well as different regionalized climate scenarios of the Austrian Climate Change Projections ÖKS15. The calculation of the agro-climatic indicators is carried out by the existing AGRICLIM model and the GIS-based ARIS software, which was developed for estimating the impact of adverse weather conditions on crops. The crop growth model AQUACROP is used for analysing soil-crop water balance parameters, crop yields and future crop water demand.</p><p>Depending on the climatic region, a more or less clear shift in the various agro-climatic indices can be expected towards 2050, e.g. the number of "heat-stress-days" for winter wheat increases significantly in eastern Austria. Furthermore, a decreasing trend in maize yield is simulated, whereas a mean increase in yield of spring barley and winter wheat can be expected under selected scenarios. Other agro-climatic risk indicators analysed include pest algorithms, risks from frost occurrence, overwintering conditions, climatic crop growing conditions, field workability and others, which can add additional impacts on crop yield variability, not considered by crop models.</p>

scholarly journals Importance of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) in agriculture: A Review

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (1-2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tabish Akhtar ◽  
Shubham Kumar ◽  
Sukhdeo Kumar ◽  
M. R. Meena
Keyword(s):  
Plant Growth ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Plant Pathogens ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria ◽  
Agricultural Industry ◽  
Plant Growth Promoting ◽  
Growth Promoting ◽  
Increasing Demand ◽  
Environmentally Sound

The growth of plants promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) has gained widespread importance in agriculture. These are beneficial bacteria found in nature that live actively in plant roots and improve plant growth and increase agricultural productivity.. (PGPR) promoting plant growth shows an important role in the sustainable agricultural industry. The increasing demand for crop production is a major challenge nowadays, with a significant lack of use of synthetic chemical fertilizers and pesticides. The use of PGPR has proven to be an environmentally sound way of increasing crop yields by facilitating plant growth through direct or indirect mechanisms. The mechanisms of PGPR include regulating hormonal and nutritional balance, inducing resistance against plant pathogens, and dissolving nutrients for easy uptake by plants. Furthermore, PGPRs show synergistic and antagonistic interactions with microorganisms within the rhizosphere and in bulk soils, which indirectly increases plant growth rates. There are several bacteria species that act as PGPR. This review summarizes the methodology of PGPR as a bio-fertilizer in agriculture.

scholarly journals Effects of water deficit on the growth and yield formation of maize (Zea mays L.)

2017 ◽  
pp. 143-148
Author(s):  
Mahama Salifu
Keyword(s):  
Water Content ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Water Content ◽  
Water Deficit ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Water Holding Capacity ◽  
Field Soil ◽  
The World ◽  
Soil Water Holding Capacity ◽  
Water Holding

Maize (Zea mays L.) is the most important consuming cereal crop in the world after rice and wheat. This requires an understanding of various management practices as well as conditions that affect maize crop performance. Water deficit stress during crop production is one of the most serious threats to crop production in most parts of the world and drought stress or water deficit is an inevitable and recurring feature of global agriculture and it is against this background that field study of crops response to water deficit is very important to crop producer and researchers to maximize yield and improve crop production in this era of unpredicted climatic changes the world over.A pot experiment was carried out to determine the effects of water deficit on growth and yield formation of maize. Two maize cultivars were used Xundan20 and Zhongdan5485. Three levels of soil water content were used in two stages of water control levels at two stages of the maize plant development1. The JOINTING STAGE: A. CONTROL (CK) soil water content: from 70% to 80% of soil water holding capacity at the field, soil water content: from 55% to 65% of soil water holding capacity at the field, soil water content: from 40% to 50% of the Soil water holding capacity at the field.2. The BIG FLARE PERIOD: A. CONTROL (CK) soil water content: from 75% to 85% of soil water holding capacity at the field, soil water content: from 58% to 68% of soil water holding capacity at the field, soil water content: from 45% to 55% of the soil water holding capacity at the field.This research mainly studied the effects of water deficit on physiological, morphology and the agronomical characteristics of the maize plant at the different water stress levels.The importance of these results in this experiment will enable plant producers to focus and have a fair idea as to which stage of the maize plant’s development that much attention must be given to in terms of water supply.

scholarly journals Smallholder African farms in western Kenya have limited greenhouse gas fluxes

2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (18) ◽  
pp. 15301-15336 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. E. Pelster ◽  
M. C. Rufino ◽  
T. Rosenstock ◽  
J. Mango ◽  
G. Saiz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
N Uptake ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
N2o Emissions ◽  
Vegetation Types ◽  
Western Kenya ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. Few field studies examine greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from African agricultural systems resulting in high uncertainty for national inventories. We provide here the most comprehensive study in Africa to date, examining annual CO2, CH4 and N2O emissions from 59 plots, across different vegetation types, field types and land classes in western Kenya. The study area consists of a lowland area (approximately 1200 m a.s.l.) rising approximately 600 m to a highland plateau. Cumulative annual fluxes ranged from 2.8 to 15.0 Mg CO2-C ha−1, −6.0 to 2.4 kg CH4-C ha−1 and −0.1 to 1.8 kg N2O-N ha−1. Management intensity of the plots did not result in differences in annual fluxes for the GHGs measured (P = 0.46, 0.67 and 0.14 for CO2, N2O and CH4 respectively). The similar emissions were likely related to low fertilizer input rates (≤ 20 kg ha−1). Grazing plots had the highest CO2 fluxes (P = 0.005); treed plots were a larger CH4 sink than grazing plots (P = 0.05); while N2O emissions were similar across vegetation types (P = 0.59). This case study is likely representative for low fertilizer input, smallholder systems across sub-Saharan Africa, providing critical data for estimating regional or continental GHG inventories. Low crop yields, likely due to low inputs, resulted in high (up to 67 g N2O-N kg−1 aboveground N uptake) yield-scaled emissions. Improving crop production through intensification of agricultural production (i.e. water and nutrient management) may be an important tool to mitigate the impact of African agriculture on climate change.

scholarly journals Beet production using vermiculite incorporated with Dystrophic Red Latosol (Oxisol)

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. e26810111157
Author(s):  
Ariel Santivañez Aguilar ◽  
Henrique Vasque ◽  
Antonio Ismael Inácio Cardoso ◽  
Estefânia Martins Bardiviesso ◽  
Raíra Andrade Pelvine ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Beta Vulgaris ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Water Holding Capacity ◽  
Cercospora Beticola ◽  
Vegetable Production ◽  
Leaf Weight ◽  
Linear Decrease ◽  
High Incidence ◽  
Red Latosol ◽  
Water Holding

Vermiculite is an expansive material that can be used for crop production. However, information about the use of vermiculite in vegetable production is scarce. Thus, this study's objective was to evaluate the effects of vermiculite levels incorporated into the soil (Red Latosol Dystrophic) for beet (Beta vulgaris L.) crop production. The experiment was performed during spring using the beet cultivar 'Early Wonder Tall Top' and 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 t∙ha-1 of vermiculite incorporated into the soil before seedling planting. The increase of the vermiculite doses caused a linear decrease of the fresh root and leaf weight. The yield reductions were due to the great water holding capacity of the vermiculite and the consequent high incidence of cercosporiosis (Cercospora beticola Saac).

Agroresource potential and rationale for irrigation North-Central Steppe of Ukraine

2016 ◽  
Vol 1 (90) ◽  
pp. 71-76
Author(s):  
Y. Soroka ◽  
Y.A. Tarariko ◽  
R.V. Saydak
Keyword(s):  
Crop Rotation ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Hydrothermal Conditions ◽  
North Central ◽  
Intensive Farming ◽  
Phosphorus And Potassium ◽  
Major Factors ◽  
The Impact

The purpose of research - a comprehensive assessment of the potential agroresource North-Central Steppe of Ukraine, set limitipuyuschie factors to improve the productivity of agriculture. During the robot conventional research methods were used: field, laboratory, analytical, comparative, kompyuternoy simulation modeling, and system generalization of the results. Experiental part held in a stationary field experiment Zaporozhye experimental station Of Institute oil culture NAAS Studies have shown that the systematic application of fertilizers on a range of agro, chemical, physical, agrohimichesih indicators studied soil has Visokiy potential fertility. Surfacing Systems of soil on crop rotation productivity impact is immaterial. One can only note the trend for the most minor ways of loosening the soil with mulch. The test crop rotation composition simulates one of the most intensive farming options. Indicators of productivity and the variation coefficient of variation it indicates a fairly low level of realization of the potential fertility of chernozem ordinary, which is explained on the one hand, the steady downward trend in the annual water balance, on the other hand, promotion of a balance of humus, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers at the studied systems. The dependence of the yield of the agro-climatic conditions considered by the example of the main cereal region - winter wheat. It was found that the greatest impact on the implementation of crop production potential are hydrothermal conditions of May - June. Analysis of the results of research allowed to evaluate the potential agroresource North Steppe and to establish the impact of the major factors in the formation of crop yields. Irrigation in this zone is the most important factor for improving productivity of crops, and its implementation in 70% of rotations may increase the productivity of not less than 1.8 times.

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