Productivity, sustainability, and rainfall-use efficiency in Australian rainfed Mediterranean agricultural systems

2005 ◽  
Vol 56 (11) ◽  
pp. 1123 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neil C. Turner ◽  
Senthold Asseng
Keyword(s):  
Weed Control ◽  
Nitrogen Availability ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Disease Risk ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Agricultural Systems ◽  
Deep Drainage ◽  
Deep Roots ◽  
Environmentally Sustainable ◽  
Perennial Vegetation

Mediterranean environments are characterised by hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters. The native vegetation in Mediterranean-climatic regions is predominantly perennial shrubs and trees intermixed with annual forbs. In south-western Australia, the spread of agriculture has seen the well adapted perennial vegetation replaced by rainfed annual crops and pastures. This has increased waterlogging and secondary salinity, thereby causing loss of productivity in ~10% of the cleared land area. To reduce deep drainage and make the agricultural systems environmentally sustainable requires the re-introduction of perennial vegetation in the form of belts of trees or shrubs, and phase-farming systems with perennials such as lucerne replacing annual pastures between the cropping years. To be economically viable, agricultural productivity needs to increase by at least 3% per annum. Yields of dryland wheat, the predominant crop in the Mediterranean agricultural regions of Australia, have increased at ~1%/year for the century preceding the 1980s and since then by nearly 4%/year. Increases have arisen from both genotypic and agronomic improvements. Genotypic increases have arisen from selection for earliness, early vigour, deep roots, osmotic adjustment, increased transpiration efficiency, improved disease resistance, and an improved harvest index from high ear weight (grain number) at flowering and high assimilate storage and remobilisation. Agronomic increases have arisen from early sowing that has been enabled by minimum tillage, increased fertiliser use, especially nitrogen, weed control, and rotations to improve weed control, minimise disease risk, and increase nitrogen availability. Evidence is presented suggesting that the rapid increase in yield of wheat in the last two decades has likely arisen from the rapid adoption of new technologies. For productivity to be maintained in the face of the increasing requirement to be environmentally sustainable will be a challenge and will require better integration of breeding and agronomy.

Modelling shows that the high rates of deep drainage in parts of the Goondoola Basin in semi-arid Queensland can be reduced with changes to the farming systems

Soil Research ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 48 (1) ◽  
pp. 58 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. B. Robinson ◽  
D. M. Silburn ◽  
D. Rattray ◽  
D. M. Freebairn ◽  
A. Biggs ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Balance ◽  
Good Condition ◽  
Shallow Groundwater ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Field Measurements ◽  
Simulation Modelling ◽  
Soil Types ◽  
Native Vegetation ◽  
Deep Drainage ◽  
Deep Roots

Clearing native vegetation and introducing crops and pastures may increase deep drainage and result in dryland salinity. In south-west Queensland, native vegetation of the Goondoola Basin has been substantially cleared for cropping and pastoral activities, resulting in shallow groundwater and localised salinity. Simulation modelling was used to estimate the water balance of a range of vegetation and soil types. Six soils were studied, with plant-available water capacity (PAWC) of 71 mm (a Kandosol) to 198 mm (a Vertosol) for 1200 mm depth. Vegetation types were annual wheat, opportunity cropping, and perennial pastures in poor and good condition, and high quality perennial pasture with deep roots growing on deep (2400 mm) variants of the 6 soil types. Opportunity cropping did not reduce deep drainage. Substantial differences were found in long-term average deep drainage (mm/year) between wheat crops and pastures for all soil types. The differences in deep drainage between wheat cropping and pasture in good condition were greatest for the 2 Kandosols, which had the lowest PAWC (34 and 21 mm/year less deep drainage, reductions of 53% and 62%, respectively), and a Vertosol with intermediate PAWC (23 mm/year less deep drainage). A Chromosol and a Dermosol with intermediate PAWC had smaller reductions in deep drainage (14 and 11 mm/year, respectively). In the case of a Vertosol with high PAWC (198 mm), deep drainage was negligible with all pastures. Due to increased infiltration and reduced soil evaporation, more deep drainage was simulated with pasture in good condition than pastures in poor condition, especially for 2 Kandosols. Pasture with deep roots (2400 mm) growing on deep variants (2400 mm) of the 6 soils had lower rates of deep drainage than the other pastures. Simulated deep drainage and other components of the water balance were in good agreement with field measurements and expectations. These results indicate that large reductions in deep drainage can be achieved in the Goondoola Basin by replacing cropping with pastoral activities. Kandosol soils used for wheat cropping should be the primary target for land use change.

Pathways ahead for New Zealand hill country farming

2016 ◽  
Vol 78 ◽  
pp. 73-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
F.G. Scrimgeour
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Rural Communities ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Hill Country ◽  
The Status ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Hill Farming ◽  
The Hill

This paper provides a stocktake of the status of hill country farming in New Zealand and addresses the challenges which will determine its future state and performance. It arises out of the Hill Country Symposium, held in Rotorua, New Zealand, 12-13 April 2016. This paper surveys people, policy, business and change, farming systems for hill country, soil nutrients and the environment, plants for hill country, animals, animal feeding and productivity, and strategies for achieving sustainable outcomes in the hill country. This paper concludes by identifying approaches to: support current and future hill country farmers and service providers, to effectively and efficiently deal with change; link hill farming businesses to effective value chains and new markets to achieve sufficient and stable profitability; reward farmers for the careful management of natural resources on their farm; ensure that new technologies which improve the efficient use of input resources are developed; and strategies to achieve vibrant rural communities which strengthen hill country farming businesses and their service providers. Keywords: farming systems, hill country, people, policy, productivity, profitability, sustainability

Development of more effective conservation farming systems through participatory on-farm research

1999 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 98-102 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.B. Wuest ◽  
D.K. McCool ◽  
B.C. Miller ◽  
R.J. Veseth
Keyword(s):  
Participatory Research ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Agricultural Research ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Scientific Methods ◽  
Conservation Farming ◽  
Working Together ◽  
On Farm ◽  
Current Emphasis

AbstractResearch aimed at advancing conservation farming practices is typically performed using traditional scientific approaches, which have been highly successful in increasing agricultural output and efficiency. With the current emphasis on environmental and economic sustainability of agriculture, there is a need for a more integrated approach to applied agricultural research. Participatory research helps to bring scientific methods and the integrated production needs of farmers together to develop practical, effective, and carefully tested farming methods. The strength of participatory research is in the synergism of scientists and farmers working together to design, implement, and evaluate research. The development of new technologies for farming systems large or small, conventional or organic, can be greatly enhanced through more extensive use of participatory research.

scholarly journals Demographic and Socioeconomic Factors Influencing Uptake of Striga Weed Control Technologies in Kenya

2021 ◽  
pp. 51-59
Author(s):  
Godfrey Nakitare Nambafu ◽  
Richard Ndemo Onwonga
Keyword(s):  
Socioeconomic Factors ◽  
Weed Control ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Modern Technology ◽  
Sample Population ◽  
Population Type ◽  
Control Technologies ◽  
Land Size

Over the years, new technologies have been tested and introduced to control Striga in maize producing areas but adoption has remained low. The study done in 2013, determined the demographic and socioeconomic factors that influenced the adoption of Striga control technologies in Kisumu West, Bumula and Teso South sub counties of Western Kenya. Through Multi stage sampling technique, 40 households were selected per sub county for questionnaire administration; to gather information on demographic profiles of the sample population, type of fertilizer and seed variety used, income of the household, source of credit facilities and challenges faced in weed control. Chi square test at P<0.05 and logistic regression analysis, using R software was used to determine the relationship between demographic and socioeconomic factors and uptake of Striga control technologies. Farmers cited high cost, poor availability of improved varieties and lack of adequate knowledge as reasons for non-adoption of the Striga control strategies. Farmer’s age, education, land size and hiring of labour were found to significantly influence the adoption of the Striga control technologies. The low levels of adoption of modern technology indicate that they were not meeting farmers’ expectations, thus, researchers should put into consideration farmers’ education, age, land size and ability to high labour in their planning for an informed technology adoption. In addition, alternative options should be extended to farmers who are not able to use expensive technologies.

scholarly journals PENGGUNAAN KOMPOS BAGASE UNTUK MENGOPTIMALKAN PRODUKSI TANAMAN TERUNG (Solanum melongena L.)

HORTUSCOLER ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (01) ◽  
pp. 20-26
Author(s):  
Risa Selfiani ◽  
Darmansyah Darmansyah
Keyword(s):  
Crop Production ◽  
Organic Matter Content ◽  
Solanum Melongena ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Matter Content ◽  
Market Potential ◽  
Plant Production ◽  
Chemical Fertilizers ◽  
Food Ingredient ◽  
Environmentally Sustainable

Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) is a plant species that is known as the fruit and vegetables grown for use as a food ingredient. These plants belong to one group of plants that produce seeds Eggplant Trunk divided into two kinds, namely the main stem and branching. Eggplant leaf consists of a petiole and the leaf blade. Eggplant flowers are hermaphrodite flowers, or better known as the bisexual flowers, the flowers are one of the stamen to the pistil. Eggplant fruit is the fruit of a true single.. Cultivation of eggplant in the Project of Independent Business is using composting technology bagase. Bagase compost is compost that comes from bagasse or the rest of the sugar mill. Bagase own compost organic matter content of about 90%, N content of 0,3%, 0,02% P2O5, K20 0,14%, Ca 0,06% and 0,04% Mg. The project goal independent business is the use of compost bagase on the cultivation of eggplant to reduce the use of chemical fertilizers and optimize plant production eggplant, farming systems semi-organic environmentally sustainable and analyze the feasibility of cultivation of eggplant with market potential in Payakumbuh and the District Fifty City. Independent business projects implemented during the four months from September to December 2015 and conducted experiments dikebun State Agricultural Polytechnic Payakumbuh with total area of ​​300 m2. Eggplant crop production on the independent business projects with the use of compost bagase treatment that is 575 Kg/300 m2, a profit of Rp. 835.310, the profitability of 92% and RC Ratio of 1,92.

scholarly journals A Remote Sensing-Based Approach to Management Zone Delineation in Small Scale Farming Systems

Agronomy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 1767
Author(s):  
Davide Cammarano ◽  
Hainie Zha ◽  
Lucy Wilson ◽  
Yue Li ◽  
William D. Batchelor ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Vegetation Index ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Sustainable Food ◽  
Environmentally Sustainable ◽  
Management Zone ◽  
The North ◽  
Landsat Satellite ◽  
The Village

Small-scale farms represent about 80% of the farming area of China, in a context where they need to produce economic and environmentally sustainable food. The objective of this work was to define management zone (MZs) for a village by comparing the use of crop yield proxies derived from historical satellite images with soil information derived from remote sensing, and the integration of these two data sources. The village chosen for the study was Wangzhuang village in Quzhou County in the North China Plain (NCP) (30°51′55″ N; 115°02′06″ E). The village was comprised of 540 fields covering approximately 177 ha. The subdivision of the village into three or four zones was considered to be the most practical for the NCP villages because it is easier to manage many fields within a few zones rather than individually in situations where low mechanization is the norm. Management zones defined using Landsat satellite data for estimation of the Green Normalized Vegetation Index (GNDVI) was a reasonable predictor (up to 45%) of measured variation in soil nitrogen (N) and organic carbon (OC). The approach used in this study works reasonably well with minimum data but, in order to improve crop management (e.g., sowing dates, fertilization), a simple decision support system (DSS) should be developed in order to integrate MZs and agronomic prescriptions.

Support programmes and the diversity of young farmers in Thailand: A good match?

2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 300-308 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kassirin Phiboon ◽  
Cécile Cochetel ◽  
Nicolas Faysse
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Farming Practices ◽  
Good Match ◽  
Chiang Mai ◽  
Environmentally Sustainable ◽  
Staff Members ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Building Activities ◽  
Support Programmes

Many countries have programmes to help young people start farming. However, some of the programmes have been criticized for not providing enough support, particularly because they do not adequately account for the diverse profiles of young farmers. The present study analyses the profiles of young farmers in Thailand and to what extent they benefit from support programmes. Eighty-four farmers under the age of 40 were interviewed in Chiang Mai and Prachinburi Provinces, along with 15 staff members of support programmes for young farmers. Five types of young farmers were identified, who differed in their motivation, farming systems and engagement in farming. Some farmers focused on economic profitability, while others considered environmentally sustainable farming practices to be important or were actively engaged in other activities at domestic or village level. This wide range of goals and situations entailed varying constraints during the first years of farming. The support programmes helped farmers overcome their lack of farming knowledge and helped them integrate into rural communities, but the support they provided in accessing land and capital was sometimes limited, and often non-existent. To improve support for young farmers in Thailand, the diversity of young farmers’ profiles should be accounted for not only in capacity-building activities but also to help them access other types of resources.

Weed control, large seeds and deep roots: Drivers of success in direct seeding for savanna restoration

2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 406-416 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raquel A. Passaretti ◽  
Natashi A. L. Pilon ◽  
Giselda Durigan
Keyword(s):  
Weed Control ◽  
Direct Seeding ◽  
Deep Roots

The Roles of Creativity and Open-Mindedness in Implementing Sustainable Solutions

2021 ◽  
pp. 234-258
Keyword(s):  
New Technologies ◽  
Environmental Problems ◽  
Economic Systems ◽  
Intellectual Virtues ◽  
Moral Virtues ◽  
Environmentally Sustainable ◽  
Sustainable Solutions ◽  
Sustainable Systems ◽  
New Ideas ◽  
High Degree

Environmental virtue ethicists recognize the importance of the moral virtues for addressing environmental problems. In addition, I argue that there are at least two important intellectual virtues required in the process of developing and implementing environmentally sustainable systems of living: creativity and open-mindedness. A high degree of creativity is needed in the search for environmentally sustainable solutions, whether that be in developing new technologies, in imagining more efficient economic systems, or in reconsidering our current ways of living. But creativity on its own is not sufficient for implementing these solutions; open-mindedness is also essential. Open-mindedness allows us to appreciate and understand the sustainable solutions developed by others and to consider how those approaches might be implemented in our own context. These two intellectual virtues work in tandem to allow both a wide-ranging search for new ideas and the change in ways of thinking needed to make them a reality.

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