Tillage and traffic effects on runoff

Soil Research ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 249 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. N. Tullberg ◽  
P. J. Ziebarth ◽  
Yuxia Li

Traffic and tillage effects on runoff and crop performance on a heavy clay soil were investigated over a period of 4 years. Tillage treatments and the cropping program were representative of broadacre grain production practice in northern Australia, and a split-plot design used to isolate traffic effects. Treatments subject to zero, minimum, and stubble mulch tillage each comprised pairs of 90-m 2 plots, from which runoff was recorded. A 3-m-wide controlled traffic system allowed one of each pair to be maintained as a non-wheeled plot, while the total surface area of the other received a single annual wheeling treatment from a working 100-kW tractor. Rainfall/runoff hydrographs demonstrate that wheeling produced a large and consistent increase in runoff, whereas tillage produced a smaller increase. Treatment effects were greater on dry soil, but were still maintained in large and intense rainfall events on wet soil. Mean annual runoff from wheeled plots was 63 mm (44%) greater than that from controlled traffic plots, whereas runoff from stubble mulch tillage plots was 38 mm (24%) greater than that from zero tillage plots. Traffic and tillage effects appeared to be cumulative, so the mean annual runoff from wheeled stubble mulch tilled plots, representing conventional cropping practice, was more than 100 mm greater than that from controlled traffic zero tilled plots, representing best practice. This increased infiltration was reflected in an increased yield of 16% compared with wheeled stubble mulch. Minimum tilled plots demonstrated a characteristic midway between that of zero and stubble mulch tillage. The results confirm that unnecessary energy dissipation in the soil during the traction process that normally accompanies tillage has a major negative effect on infiltration and crop productivity. Controlled traffic farming systems appear to be the only practicable solution to this problem.

Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 1283
Author(s):  
Vasileios Ziogas ◽  
Georgia Tanou ◽  
Giasemi Morianou ◽  
Nektarios Kourgialas

Among the various abiotic stresses, drought is the major factor limiting crop productivity worldwide. Citrus has been recognized as a fruit tree crop group of great importance to the global agricultural sector since there are 140 citrus-producing countries worldwide. The majority of citrus-producing areas are subjected to dry and hot summer weather, limited availability of water resources with parallel low-quality irrigation water due to increased salinity regimes. Citrus trees are generally classified as “salt-intolerant” with high water needs, especially during summer. Water scarcity negatively affects plant growth and impairs cell metabolism, affecting the overall tree growth and the quality of produced fruit. Key factors that overall attempt to sustain and withstand the negative effect of salinity and drought stress are the extensive use of rootstocks in citriculture as well as the appropriate agronomical and irrigation practices applied. This review paper emphasizes and summarizes the crucial role of the above factors in the sustainability of citriculture.


2021 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Federica Zanetti ◽  
Barbara Alberghini ◽  
Ana Marjanović Jeromela ◽  
Nada Grahovac ◽  
Dragana Rajković ◽  
...  

AbstractPromoting crop diversification in European agriculture is a key pillar of the agroecological transition. Diversifying crops generally enhances crop productivity, quality, soil health and fertility, and resilience to pests and diseases and reduces environmental stresses. Moreover, crop diversification provides an alternative means of enhancing farmers’ income. Camelina (Camelina sativa (L.) Crantz) reemerged in the background of European agriculture approximately three decades ago, when the first studies on this ancient native oilseed species were published. Since then, a considerable number of studies on this species has been carried out in Europe. The main interest in camelina is related to its (1) broad environmental adaptability, (2) low-input requirements, (3) resistance to multiple pests and diseases, and (4) multiple uses in food, feed, and biobased applications. The present article is a comprehensive and critical review of research carried out in Europe (compared with the rest of the world) on camelina in the last three decades, including genetics and breeding, agronomy and cropping systems, and end-uses, with the aim of making camelina an attractive new candidate crop for European farming systems. Furthermore, a critical evaluation of what is still missing to scale camelina up from a promising oilseed to a commonly cultivated crop in Europe is also provided (1) to motivate scientists to promote their studies and (2) to show farmers and end-users the real potential of this interesting species.


2021 ◽  
Vol 208 ◽  
pp. 104895
Author(s):  
Volodymyr Bulgakov ◽  
Simone Pascuzzi ◽  
Volodymyr Nadykto ◽  
Semjons Ivanovs ◽  
Valerii Adamchuk

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 1926 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shiferaw Feleke ◽  
Steven Michael Cole ◽  
Haruna Sekabira ◽  
Rousseau Djouaka ◽  
Victor Manyong

The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) has applied the concept of ‘circular bioeconomy’ to design solutions to address the degradation of natural resources, nutrient-depleted farming systems, hunger, and poverty in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Over the past decade, IITA has implemented ten circular bioeconomy focused research for development (R4D) interventions in several countries in the region. This article aims to assess the contributions of IITA’s circular bioeconomy focused innovations towards economic, social, and environmental outcomes using the outcome tracking approach, and identify areas for strengthening existing circular bioeconomy R4D interventions using the gap analysis method. Data used for the study came from secondary sources available in the public domain. Results indicate that IITA’s circular bioeconomy interventions led to ten technological innovations (bio-products) that translated into five economic, social, and environmental outcomes, including crop productivity, food security, resource use efficiency, job creation, and reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Our gap analysis identified eight gaps leading to a portfolio of five actions needed to enhance the role of circular bioeconomy in SSA. The results showcase the utility of integrating a circular bioeconomy approach in R4D work, especially how using such an approach can lead to significant economic, social, and environmental outcomes. The evidence presented can help inform the development of a framework to guide circular bioeconomy R4D at IITA and other research institutes working in SSA. Generating a body of evidence on what works, including the institutional factors that create enabling environments for circular bioeconomy approaches to thrive, is necessary for governments and donors to support circular bioeconomy research that will help solve some of the most pressing challenges in SSA as populations grow and generate more waste, thus exacerbating a changing climate using the linear economy model.


Our Nature ◽  
1970 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 270-312 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Inskipp ◽  
H.S. Baral

This paper is a review of the potential impacts of agriculture on Nepal birds. It includes an overview of agriculture in Nepal and the changes that have taken place between the early 1950s and 2007. Agricultural development has been sluggish, and has failed to keep pace with population growth. In recent years the yields of major food crops in Nepal have been lower than other South Asian countries and Nepal is now dependent on food imports. Land holding size per family and field sizes have both decreased markedly during the period. If hill regions are considered independently, all cereal crops yields have stagnated in the last 30 years and gains in production that have been made, have been due to increases in area of cultivation, at the expense of natural habitats: forests, wetlands and grasslands. Crop productivity in the hills has declined due to land degradation. Of the 28% of Nepal land that is degraded, 10% is poorly managed sloping agriculture terraces. As yields and production of cereal crops have fallen, many farmers have shifted to growing cash crops, to meet the demands of the increasing urban population and encouraged by government agricultural policies. Cultivation area, production and yields of some cash crops have significantly increased since 1964/65. Nepal’s livestock population is one of the highest in Asia and nearly every rural household keeps domestic animals resulting in widespread and serious problems of livestock overgrazing. The importance of agricultural habitats for Nepal birds is reviewed: 21% of bird species recorded in Nepal utilizes agricultural habitats for foraging at some season. The many ecological benefits of birds to agriculture and the damage caused by birds to agriculture are described: the former far outweigh the latter. Changes in agricultural practices (including changes in crops and crop production, impacts of livestock overgrazing) are having major and far-reaching impacts on natural habitats - grasslands wetlands and forests and their bird species; these changes and impacts are detailed and analysed. The increasing use of pesticides in Nepal, which is especially high on vegetable cash crops, the serious impacts of pesticides on birds and the environment and alternatives to pesticides are reviewed. Fertilizer use in Nepal and the damaging impacts of fertilizer over-use on birds and the environment are also reviewed. Recommendations to improve farming methods for the benefit of the environment are given. These include government measures to promote organic agriculture; government measures to expand the System of Rice Intensification and to encourage further use of Effective Microorganisms, both of which have significant benefits for environment, birds and farmers; field surveys to monitor bird populations and bird distribution on agricultural lands, and outreach and awareness-raising for farmers to apply best practice for sustainable environmentally friendly farming.DOI: 10.3126/on.v8i1.4339


1986 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 65-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.G. Lamers ◽  
U.D. Perdok ◽  
L.M. Lumkes ◽  
J.J. Klooster

2015 ◽  
Vol 55 (10) ◽  
pp. 1338 ◽  
Author(s):  
U. K. Behera ◽  
H. Kaechele ◽  
J. France

Fast degrading and declining land, water availability, biodiversity, environment and other natural resources, together with shrinking farm returns and reduced crop productivity caused by continuous and intensive cultivation of rice-wheat systems, necessitate diversification of farming in Northern India. Integrated farming systems (IFS) involving animals (livestock, fish, etc.) and cropping (cereals, trees, etc.) are recognised as an alternative for preserving ecosystems and enhancing livelihood security. A study was therefore undertaken under Northern Indian conditions to develop IFS models for various sizes of farm and to compare these models with the existing rice-wheat system for sustainability and profitability. The IFS models were developed in single objective (using linear programming) and multi-objective (using compromise programming) frameworks. Multi-objective analysis provides deeper insight into the problem as it caters directly for the multi-faceted needs of the farmers. These parallel methodologies offer a novel approach to modelling IFS to draw different farming scenarios for comparison. The IFS strategies developed show the potential to generate a greater farm income than with existing rice-wheat cropping for all sizes of farm. The study revealed that IFS offer more perspectives for an economically viable and sustainable agriculture for typical farms in Northern India.


2019 ◽  
Vol 49 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shamsheer ul Haq ◽  
Ismet Boz

ABSTRACT: The primary purpose of this study was to analyze the efficiency level of tea farms operated by owners and shareholders, and to explore the effect of different decisional, structural and management factors on efficiency. The data were collected from a stratified sample of 138 tea farmers operated in Rize province Turkey in 2017. The data envelopment analysis (DEA) program was used to estimate the efficiency scores. Tobit model was used to explore determinants of technical efficiency. Results disclosed that farmers can reduce their inputs use by 43% without compromising their yield level. However, they have low economic efficiency (0.41). Shareholder-operated farms were highly efficient (0.76) than the owner-operated farms. The factors such as old tea parcels, high land slope, and altitude were having a significant negative effect on farms’ efficiency. Applying fertilizer in the root zone or mixed with soil, terracing of farmland, and performing of soil test was positively and significantly contributing to efficiency. Generally, the efficiency of tea farmers is low, and mostly farm management and structure related factors were negatively affecting the farmer’s efficiency. The farmers should be aware of associated benefits with early replanting tea, fertilizer application in the root zone and terracing to control their production cost.


Author(s):  
Fidelis W. Githua ◽  
Winnie Ntinyari ◽  
Nicholas K. Korir ◽  
Joseph P. Gweyi-Onyango

Phosphorous is a limiting mineral element in crop productivity due to its less availability and fixed form in the soil. Due to its agricultural benefit, most farmers seek for alternative method to supply phosphorous in sufficient amount in the farming systems. Although the soluble P is relatively expensive for the peasant farmers, rock phosphate has proved to be quite efficient due to availability among the small scale holders. However, rock phosphate is faced with insolubility challenges hence is not readily available in the soils to promote crop growth.  Therefore, this study sought to establish the influence of various acidulating agents in dissolution of phosphorus in to rock phosphate. The study was carried out in a laboratory environment in Completely Randomized Design consisting of the following treatment: control (bare soil); Mijingu Rock Phosphte (MRP) and soil; MRP, soil and oxalic acid; MRP, soil and phosphoric acid; phosphoric acid and soil; MRP, soil and elemental sulphur and replicated three times. The incubation period was 90 days and the phosphorous dissolution rate was measured at interval of 30 days. The result revealed that the treatments had significant (P≤0.05) influence on the dissolution of the phosphorus from both rock phosphate and soil. Elemental sulphur was superior in increasing the rate of phosphorus dissolution form rock phosphate.  At 30 days, elemental sulphur had elicited release of a total of 37.5 ppm phosphorus while the control had the least, recording 5.37 ppm. A similar trend was observed in both 60 and 90 days. Regression analysis also exhibited positive relationship between the acidulating agents and the phosphorous dissolution rate from the rock phosphate. Therefore, elemental sulphur can be recommended to be used by in agricultural fields to enhanced solubilisation of rock phosphate and enhance supply of phosphorous.


2018 ◽  
Vol 69 (12) ◽  
pp. 1822 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jamie R. Dodd ◽  
Jonathan D. Bolland ◽  
Jon Hateley ◽  
Ian G. Cowx ◽  
Sam E. Walton ◽  
...  

The exploitation of riverine systems for renewable energy has resulted in large numbers of small-scale hydropower schemes on low-head weirs. Although considered a clean and ‘green’ energy source in terms of emissions, hydropower can affect upstream migrating species by diverting flow away from viable routes over the impoundment and attract fish towards the turbine outfall. In an attempt to reduce this negative effect, hydropower outfalls with co-located fish-passage entrances are recommended, utilising turbine flows to attract fish towards the fish pass. The present study used acoustic telemetry to understand the performance of a co-located Larinier fish pass at a low-head hydropower scheme at a weir on the tidal Yorkshire Esk, England. The majority of the sea trout (anadromous Salmo trutta L.) individuals that approached the impediment were attracted to the hydropower and the co-located fish pass. Fish ascended through the pass under a wide range of river flows, tide heights, downstream river levels and hydropower flows, and there was no evidence that the hydropower operation affected fish-pass ascent. The information presented is urgently required to inform management decisions on the operation of hydropower schemes during the migratory period of salmonid fish, and help determine best-practice designs and operation at these facilities.


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