scholarly journals Subsoil constraints to grain production in the cropping soils of the north-eastern region of Australia: an overview

2006 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. P. Dang ◽  
R. C. Dalal ◽  
R. Routley ◽  
G. D. Schwenke ◽  
I. Daniells
Keyword(s):  
Crop Production ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Soil Layer ◽  
Environmental Damage ◽  
Complex Nature ◽  
Eastern Region ◽  
Nutrient Deficiencies ◽  
Potential Yield ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
North Eastern

In dryland agricultural systems of the subtropical, semi-arid region of north-eastern Australia, water is the most limiting resource. Crop productivity depends on the efficient use of rainfall and available water stored in the soil during fallow. Agronomic management practices including a period of fallow, stubble retention, and reduced tillage enhance reserves of soil water. However, access to stored water in these soils may be restricted by the presence of growth-limiting conditions in the rooting zone of the crop. These have been termed as subsoil constraints. Subsoil constraints may include compacted or gravel layers (physical), sodicity, salinity, acidity, nutrient deficiencies, presence of toxic elements (chemical) and low microbial activity (biological). Several of these constraints may occur together in some soils. Farmers have often not been able to obtain the potential yield determined by their prevailing climatic conditions in the marginal rainfall areas of the northern grains region. In the past, the adoption of soil management practices had been largely restricted to the top 100 mm soil layer. Exploitation of the subsoil as a source of water and nutrients has largely been overlooked. The key towards realising potential yields would be to gain better understanding of subsoils and their limitations, then develop options to manage them practically and economically. Due to the complex nature of the causal factors of these constraints, efforts are required for a combination of management approaches rather than individual options, with the aim to combat these constraints for sustainable crop production, managing natural resources and avoiding environmental damage.

Electromagnetic induction sensing of soil identifies constraints to the crop yields of north-eastern Australia

Soil Research ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 49 (7) ◽  
pp. 559 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. P. Dang ◽  
R. C. Dalal ◽  
M. J. Pringle ◽  
A. J. W. Biggs ◽  
S. Darr ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Grain Yield ◽  
Electromagnetic Induction ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
Yield Potential ◽  
Management Options ◽  
Soil Constraints ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
North Eastern ◽  
On Farm

Salinity, sodicity, acidity, and phytotoxic concentrations of chloride (Cl–) in soil are major constraints to crop production in many soils of north-eastern Australia. Soil constraints vary both spatially across the landscape and vertically within the soil profile. Identification of the spatial variability of these constraints will allow farmers to tune management to the potential of the land, which will, in turn, bring economic benefit. For three cropping fields in Australia’s northern grains region, we used electromagnetic induction with an EM38, which measures apparent electrical conductivity of the soil (ECa) and soil sampling to identify potential management classes. Soil Cl– and soluble Na+ concentrations, EC of the saturated extract (ECse), and soil moisture were the principal determinants of the variation of ECa, measured both at the drained upper limit of moisture (UL) and at the lower limit (LL) of moisture extracted by the crop. Grain yield showed a strong negative relation with ECa at both UL and LL, although it was stronger for the latter. We arrive at a framework to estimate the monetary value of site-specific management options, through: (i) identification of potential management classes formed from ECa at LL; (ii) measurement of soil attributes generally associated with soil constraints in the region; (iii) grain yield monitoring; and (iv) simple on-farm experiments. Simple on-farm experiments suggested that, for constrained areas, matching fertiliser application to realistic yield potential, coupled to gypsum amelioration, could potentially benefit growers by AU$14–46/ha.year (fertiliser) and $207/ha.3 years (gypsum).

scholarly journals Effect of agronomic biofortification on growth, yield, uptake and quality characters of maize (Zea mays .L) through integrated management practices under North-eastern region of Tamil Nadu, India

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 278-286
Author(s):  
Augustine R. ◽  
D. Kalyanasundaram
Keyword(s):  
Zea Mays ◽  
Tamil Nadu ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Zea Mays L ◽  
Foliar Application ◽  
Mineral Fertilizers ◽  
Eastern Region ◽  
Yield Attributes ◽  
North Eastern ◽  
Agronomic Biofortification

Agronomic biofortification increases the concentration of target mineral in edible portions of crops by the use of mineral fertilizers to increase dietary intake of target minerals. Among these iron and zinc deficiencies in human nutrition are noticed in countries where maize is the staple food. The objective of this study was to evaluate agronomic biofortification performance in association with Integrated Nutrient Management in maize (Zea mays .L). The study was conducted under field conditions in Chinnakandiankuppam village, Vriddhachalam Taluk, in the North-eastern region of Tamil Nadu state, India of Kharif 2020 season. Two hybrids in main plots (M1 – Non biofortified and M2 – Biofortified) were combined with six treatments in sub-plots (100 % RDF through NPK (S1), 100 % RDF through FYM (S2), 50% RDF through NPK + 50% through FYM (S3) as soil application, S1+ Zinc + Iron (S4), S2 +Zinc + Iron (S5) and S3 + Zinc + Iron (S6) as foliar application with evaluations were carried out in wet season period of the year. Application of 50 percent RDF through NPK + 50 percent RDF through FYM with Fe, Zn, foliar applications (S6) was the most efficient agronomic biofortification practice for growth attributes, yield and yield attributes, nutrient uptake, and quality parameters for the maize cropping system under the irrigated condition of the northeastern zone of Tamilnadu State, India. 

Changes in soil organic carbon and nitrogen after 47 years with different tillage, stubble and fertiliser management in a Vertisol of north-eastern Australia

Soil Research ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 58 (4) ◽  
pp. 346
Author(s):  
K. L. Page ◽  
R. C. Dalal ◽  
S. H. Reeves ◽  
W. J. Wang ◽  
Somasundaram Jayaraman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Soil Organic Matter ◽  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Organic Carbon ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Crop Residues ◽  
Residue Management ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
North Eastern ◽  
Over Time

No-till (NT) farming has been widely adopted to assist in reducing erosion, lowering fuel costs, conserving soil moisture and improving soil physical, chemical and biological characteristics. Improvements in soil characteristics are often driven by the greater soil organic matter accumulation (as measured by soil organic carbon (SOC)) in NT compared to conventional tillage (CT) farming systems. However, to fully understand the effect of NT it is important to understand temporal changes in SOC by monitoring over an extended period. We investigated the long-term effect of NT and stubble retention (SR) on changes in SOC and total soil nitrogen (STN) using results from an experiment that has been running for 50 years in a semi-arid subtropical region of north-eastern Australia. In this experiment, the effects of tillage (CT vs NT), residue management (stubble burning (SB) vs SR), and nitrogen (N) fertiliser (0 and 90 kg-N ha–1) were measured in a balanced factorial experiment on a Vertisol (Ustic Pellusert). The use of NT, SR and N fertiliser generally improved SOC (by up to 12.8%) and STN stocks (by up to 31.7%) in the 0–0.1 m layer relative to CT, SB and no N fertiliser, with the greatest stocks observed where all three treatments were used in combination. However, declines in SOC (up to 20%) and STN (up to 25%) occurred in all treatments over the course of the experiment, indicating that changes in management practices were unable to prevent a loss of soil organic matter over time in this farming system. However, the NT and SR treatments did lose less SOC than CT and SB treatments, and SR also reduced STN loss. The δ13C analysis of samples collected in 2008 and 2015 highlighted that crop residues have significantly contributed to SOC stocks at the site and that their contribution is increasing over time.

Fire-stimulated rainforest seedling recruitment and vegetative regeneration in a densely grassed wet sclerophyll forest of north-eastern Australia

2000 ◽  
Vol 48 (5) ◽  
pp. 651 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul R. Williams
Keyword(s):  
Seedling Recruitment ◽  
Fire Regimes ◽  
Moderate Intensity ◽  
Complex Nature ◽  
Pioneer Species ◽  
Vegetative Regeneration ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
North Eastern ◽  
Sclerophyll Forest ◽  
Soil Seedbank

Details of plant regeneration, combined with soil seedbank data, are documented for a densely grassed wet sclerophyll forest in north-eastern Australia. The following two hypotheses were tested: (1) that established individuals of rainforest pioneer species are killed by low to moderate intensity fires and (2) that seedling recruitment of these species is evenly distributed throughout the intervals between fires. Both the sclerophyll and rainforest pioneer species displayed strong regenerative abilities as a response to low or moderate intensity fires. Most of the rainforest pioneer species were not killed by two recent fires but vegetatively regenerated. Alstonia muelleriana showed fire-enhanced vegetative expansion via root suckering. Both the sclerophyll and rainforest pioneer species were found to recruit seedlings primarily as a pulse in the first year or two after a fire, with limited recruitment after longer intervals between fires. This is consistent with suggestions that grass competition may limit tree recruitment. The germinable soil seedbank was dominated by rainforest pioneers, herbs and grasses, with heat treatment of the seedbank enhancing seed germination of two rainforest pioneer species. These results demonstrate the ability of rainforest pioneers to exploit the post-fire environment and indicate the complex nature of rainforest boundary dynamics. Further research into tropical rainforest expansion is required to examine the effects of fire regimes on vegetative and seedling regeneration across a range of sites.

scholarly journals Synergy between a shallow root system with a DRO1 homologue and localized P application improves rice P uptake

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aung Zaw Oo ◽  
Yasuhiro Tsujimoto ◽  
Mana Mukai ◽  
Tomohiro Nishigaki ◽  
Toshiyuki Takai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Root System ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Soil Layer ◽  
P Uptake ◽  
The Other ◽  
Genetic Traits ◽  
P Use Efficiency ◽  
Use Efficiency ◽  
P Application

ABSTRACTThe development of genotypes and fertilizer management practices that facilitate high phosphorus (P) use efficiency is needed given the depleting phosphorus ore deposits and increasing ecological concerns about its excessive use. Root system architecture (RSA) is important in efficiently capturing immobile P in soils, while agronomically, localized P application near the roots is a potential approach to address this issue. However, the interaction between genetic traits of RSA and localized P application has not been examined. Near-isogenic lines (NILs) and their parent of rice (qsor1-NIL, Dro1-NIL, and IR64, with shallow, deep, and intermediate root growth angles (RGA), respectively) were grown in flooded pots in a uniform and P-sufficient condition (Pinco), and with localized P application by dipping seedling roots into P-enriched slurry at transplanting (P-dipping). The P-dipping created an available P hotspot at the soil surface and substantially improved applied P-use efficiency (equivalent biomass at one fifth of application rate of the Pinco). Further, the qsor1-NIL had significantly greater biomass and P uptake than the other genotypes in the P-dipping. The qsor1-NIL consistently had a greater root biomass and surface area in the 0–3 cm soil layer, despite that there were no genotype differences in total values and that the other genotypes also reduced their RGAs responding to the P hotspot in the P-dipping. The shallow root system of qsor1-NIL facilitated P uptake from the P hotspot. P-use efficiency in crop production can be further increased by combining genetic traits of RSA and localized P application.

scholarly journals EVALUATION OF GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS FROM SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN STATE CAPITALS OF NORTH EASTERN NIGERIA

2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 40-46
Author(s):  
MSHELIA RICHARD BALTHI
Keyword(s):  
Waste Management ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Solid Waste ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Solid Waste Management ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Eastern Region ◽  
The North ◽  
North Eastern ◽  
Waste Management Practices

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions due to solid waste management (SWM) techniques being practiced in the North eastern region of Nigeria are unaccounted for as such these emissions cannot be monitored or controlled. This research estimated GHG emissions into the atmosphere from the current SWM technique practiced in the region, GHG emissions from two different waste management techniques – open burning and incineration was also simulated. The research found that incineration with electricity recovery is the most suitable SWM process therefore suggested that the authorities and other stakeholders in the region should give it serious consideration.

Impact of subsoil physicochemical constraints on crops grown in the Wimmera and Mallee is reduced during dry seasonal conditions

Soil Research ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 125 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. G. Nuttall ◽  
R. D. Armstrong
Keyword(s):  
Soil Water ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Soil Layer ◽  
South Australia ◽  
Continuous Cropping ◽  
Alkaline Soils ◽  
Yield Variation ◽  
Eastern Australia

Subsoil physicochemical constraints can limit crop production on alkaline soils of south-eastern Australia. Fifteen farmer paddocks sown to a range of crops including canola, lentil, wheat, and barley in the Wimmera and Mallee of Victoria and the mid-north and Eyre Peninsula of South Australia were monitored from 2003 to 2006 to define the relationship between key abiotic/edaphic factors and crop growth. The soils were a combination of Calcarosol and Vertosol profiles, most of which had saline and sodic subsoils. There were significant correlations between ECe and Cl– (r = 0.90), ESP and B (r = 0.82), ESP and ECe (r = 0.79), and ESP and Cl– (r = 0.73). The seasons monitored had dry pre-cropping conditions and large variations in spring rainfall in the period around flowering. At sowing, the available soil water to a depth of 1.2 m (θa) averaged 3 mm for paddocks sown to lentils, 28 mm for barley, 44 mm for wheat, and 92 mm for canola. Subsoil constraints affected canola and lentil crops but not wheat or barley. For lentil crops, yield variation was largely explained by growing season rainfall (GSR) and θa in the shallow subsoil (0.10–0.60 m). Salinity in this soil layer affected lentil crops through reduced water extraction and decreased yields where ECe exceeded 2.2 dS/m. For canola crops, GSR and θa in the shallow (0.10–0.60 m) and deep (0.60–1.20 m) layers were important factors explaining yield variation. Sodicity (measured as ESP) in the deep subsoil (0.80–1.00 m) reduced canola growth where ESP exceeded 16%, corresponding to a 500 kg/ha yield penalty. For cereal crops, rainfall in the month around anthesis was the most important factor explaining grain yield, due to the large variation in rainfall during October combined with the determinant nature of these crops. For wheat, θa in the shallow subsoil (0.10–0.60 m) at sowing was also an important factor explaining yield variation. Subsoil constraints had no impact on cereal yield in this study, which is attributed to the lack of available soil water at depth, and the crops’ tolerance of the physicochemical conditions encountered in the shallow subsoil, where plant-available water was more likely to occur. Continuing dry seasonal conditions may mean that the opportunity to recharge soil water in the deeper subsoil, under continuous cropping systems, is increasingly remote. Constraints in the deep subsoil are therefore likely to have reduced impact on cereals under these conditions, and it is the management of water supply, from GSR and accrued soil water, in the shallow subsoil that will be increasingly critical in determining crop yields in the future.

scholarly journals Assessing Multi-Micronutrients Deficiency in Agricultural Soils of India

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (16) ◽  
pp. 9136
Author(s):  
Arvind Kumar Shukla ◽  
Sanjib Kumar Behera ◽  
Chandra Prakash ◽  
Ashok Kumar Patra ◽  
Ch Srinivasa Rao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nutritional Quality ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Nutrient Management ◽  
Agricultural Soils ◽  
Nutrient Use Efficiency ◽  
Crop Productivity ◽  
Nutrient Deficiencies ◽  
Agricultural Produce ◽  
The Right

The deficiencies of nutrient elements and inappropriate nutrient management practices in agricultural soils of the world is one of the reasons for low crop productivity, reduced nutritional quality of agricultural produce, and animal/human malnutrition. We carried out the present study to evaluate the single and multi-nutrient deficiencies of sulfur (S) and micronutrients (zinc (Zn), boron (B), iron (Fe), copper (Cu) and manganese (Mn)) in agricultural soils of India for their effective management to achieve sustainable crop production, improved nutritional quality in crops and better animal/human health. Altogether, 24,2827 surface soil samples (0 to 15 cm depth) were collected from the agriculture fields of 615 districts in 28 states of India and were analyzed for available S and micronutrient concentration. The concentration of available S and micronutrients varied widely. There were variable and widespread deficiencies of S and micronutrients in different states. The deficiencies of S, Zn and B were higher compared to the deficiencies of Fe, Cu and Mn. There were occurrences of two-nutrient (namely S + Zn, Zn + B, S + B, Zn + Fe Zn + Mn, S + Fe, Zn + Cu and Fe + B), three-nutrient (namely S + Zn + B, S + Zn + B and Zn + Fe + B) and four-nutrient (namely Zn + Fe + Cu + Mn and Zn + Fe + Cu + Mn + B) deficiencies in different extents. This information could be used by various stakeholders for production, supply and application of the right kind of fertilizers in different districts, states and agro-ecological regions of India for better crop production, crop nutritional quality, nutrient use efficiency and soil and environmental health. This will also help in a greater way to address the issue of malnutrition in human/animals.

The occurrence and control of yellow spot of wheat in north-eastern Australia

1979 ◽  
Vol 19 (98) ◽  
pp. 369 ◽  
Author(s):  
RG Rees ◽  
GJ Platz
Keyword(s):  
Management Practices ◽  
Close Association ◽  
Yellow Spot ◽  
Effective Control ◽  
Wheat Crop ◽  
Cereal Rye ◽  
Pyrenophora Tritici Repentis ◽  
The North ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
North Eastern

Explanations were sought for the increased severity of yellow spot of wheat (Pyrenophora tritici-repentis) in the north-eastern wheat growing areas of Australia. A close association between the severity of yellow spot and stubble management practices was found in a field experiment. There was less disease in plots where stubble had been burned (0.83 lesions per leaf) or burned and cultivated (0.62) than in plots which were mechanically cultivated (2.43) or untreated (11.75). In another study severe yellow spot developed as early as in the second wheat crop in a rotation. Differences in susceptibility to the disease were found among 11 wheat cultivars and lines. Vigorous development of the pathogen occurred on cereal rye and triticale while the fungus was isolated from small lesions on barley and four common grasses. Avoidance of planting wheat into infected wheat stubble, either by crop rotation or removal of surface stubble by incorporation or burning, should provide effective control of the disease in most situations.

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