Green Manure/Cover Crops for Recuperating Soilsand Maintaining Soil Fertility in the Tropics

Field experiments were conducted for two crop years at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi to study the effect of enriching wheat residue with legume residue on the productivity and nitrogen uptake of a rice-wheat cropping system and soil fertility. The incorporation of wheat residue had an adverse effect on the productivity of the rice-wheat cropping system. When it was incorporated along with Sesbania green manure, not only did its adverse effect disappear but the response to fertilizer N was also increased. There was no response to fertilizer N when Sesbania green manure was incorporated. When wheat residue was incorporated along with Sesbania green manuring, rice responded significantly to fertilizer N up to 120 kg N ha-1 in the first year and to 60 kgN ha-1 in the second year and at these levels of N, Sesbania + wheat residue gave 0.8 to 1.2 t ha-1 more grain, 0.6-1.0 t ha-1 more straw and 8-15 kg ha-1 more N uptake of rice resulting in 0.04-0.17% more organic C, 3-8 kg ha-1 more available P and 17-25 kg ha-1 more available K content in the soil than wheat residue alone at the same rates of N application. The respective increaseas caused by Sesbania green manure + wheat residue over Sesbania green manure alone were 0.3-0.5 t ha-1 in the grain and straw yield, 1-9 kg ha-1 in the N uptake of rice, 0.02-0.10% in organic C, 1-8 kg ha-1 in available P and 35- 70 kg ha-1 in available K content in the soil. These treatments also gave higher residual effects in succeeding wheat than wheat residue alone. The incorporation of residues of both wheat and Sesbania is thus recommended to eliminate the adverse effect of wheat residue and to increase the beneficial effects of Sesbania green manuring.

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Progress towards no-till organic weed control in western Canada

Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems ◽

10.1017/s1742170511000500 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 27 (1) ◽

pp. 60-67 ◽

Cited By ~ 31

Author(s):

Steven J. Shirtliffe ◽

Eric N. Johnson

Keyword(s):

Weed Control ◽

Faba Bean ◽

Cover Crops ◽

Green Manure ◽

Crop Residues ◽

Organic Production ◽

Field Pea ◽

Western Canada ◽

No Till ◽

Green Manure Crops

AbstractOrganic farmers in western Canada rely on tillage to control weeds and incorporate crop residues that could plug mechanical weed-control implements. However, tillage significantly increases the risk of soil erosion. For farmers seeking to reduce or eliminate tillage, potential alternatives include mowing or using a roller crimper for terminating green manure crops (cover crops) or using a minimum tillage (min-till) rotary hoe for mechanically controlling weeds. Although many researchers have studied organic crop production in western Canada, few have studied no-till organic production practices. Two studies were recently conducted in Saskatchewan to determine the efficacy of the following alternatives to tillage: mowing and roller crimping for weed control, and min-till rotary hoeing weed control in field pea (Pisum sativum L.). The first study compared mowing and roller crimping with tillage when terminating faba bean (Vicia faba L.) and field pea green manure crops. Early termination of annual green manure crops with roller crimping or mowing resulted in less weed regrowth compared with tillage. When compared with faba bean, field pea produced greater crop biomass, suppressed weeds better and had less regrowth. Wheat yields following pea were not affected by the method of termination. Thus, this first study indicated that roller crimping and mowing are viable alternatives to tillage to terminate field pea green manure crops. The second study evaluated the tolerance and efficacy of a min-till rotary harrow in no-till field pea production. The min-till rotary hoe was able to operate in no-till cereal residues and multiple passes did not affect the level of residue cover. Field pea exhibited excellent tolerance to the min-till rotary hoe. Good weed control occurred with multiple rotary hoe passes, and pea seed yield was 87% of the yield obtained in the herbicide-treated check. Therefore, this second study demonstrated that min-till rotary hoeing effectively controls many small seeded annual weeds in the presence of crop residue and thus can reduce the need for tillage in organic-cropping systems.

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Plantation Agriculture in the Tropics

Outlook on Agriculture ◽

10.5367/0000000053295150 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 34 (1) ◽

pp. 11-21 ◽

Cited By ~ 41

Author(s):

Alfred E. Hartemink

Keyword(s):

Carbon Sequestration ◽

Soil Erosion ◽

Soil Fertility ◽

Cover Crops ◽

Fertility Decline ◽

Crop Yields ◽

Perennial Crops ◽

Tropical Countries ◽

Plantation Agriculture ◽

National Economies

Plantation agriculture is more than 400 years old and contributes to the regional and national economies in many tropical countries. This paper reviews some of the main environmental issues related to plantation agriculture with perennial crops, including soil erosion, soil fertility decline, pollution, carbon sequestration and biodiversity. Soil erosion and soil fertility decline are of concern in some areas, but in most plantations these are being checked by cover crops and inorganic fertilizer applications. Few studies have been conducted on the issue of carbon sequestration under perennial plantation cropping. Reductions in deforestation yield much greater benefits for a reduction in CO2 emissions than expanding plantation agriculture. The biggest threat to biodiversity is the loss of habitat through expansion of the plantation area. Despite the environmental problems and concerns, this review has shown that crop yields of most perennial crops have increased over time due to improved crop husbandry including high-yielding cultivars and improved soil management. It is likely that more attention will be given to the environmental aspects of plantation cropping due to the increasing environmental awareness in tropical countries.

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Green manure: Alternative to carbon sequestration in a Typic Ustipsamment under semiarid conditions

Spanish Journal of Soil Science ◽

10.3232/sjss.2018.v8.n3.01 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

Author(s):

Nelson Virgilio Piraneque Gambasica ◽

Sonia Esperanza Aguirre Forero ◽

Adriano Reis Lucheta

Keyword(s):

Carbon Sequestration ◽

Cover Crops ◽

Green Manure ◽

Block Design ◽

Climatic Variability ◽

Plant Cover ◽

Caribbean Region ◽

Full Potential ◽

Semiarid Conditions

Vegetative soil cover mitigates climatic variability and enhances the balance between mineralization and humification processes. Under aerobic conditions, most of the carbon that enters the soil is labile, but a small fraction (1%) is humified and stable, contributing to the soil carbon reserve; therefore, it is important to assess the carbon content captured after green manure cultivation and decomposition. During two consecutive semesters, July to December 2016 and January to June 2017, green manure plots (Zea mays L., Andropogon sorghum subsp. sudanensis and Crotalaria longirostrata) were cultivated individually, in a consortium or amended with palm oil agro-industrial biosolids in a randomized complete block design with 12 treatments. Once decomposed, the different carbon fractions (organic, oxidizable, non-oxidizable, removable and total) were determined. The results showed high total and organic carbon contents under the sorghum treatment, at 30 and 28 Mg ha-1, respectively, followed by those under the fallow + biosolid treatment, at 29.8 Mg ha-1 and 27.5 Mg ha-1, respectively. Despite the short experiment duration and the possible contributions of previous management on recalcitrant carbon soil stocks, these findings suggest the importance of maintaining plant cover and utilizing green manure in the Colombian Caribbean region. Long-term experiments may be conducted to confirm the full potential of cover crops on carbon sequestration under tropical semiarid conditions.

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Influence of soil fertility on waterlogging tolerance of two Brachiaria grasses

Agronomía Colombiana ◽

10.15446/agron.colomb.v33n1.48412 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 33 (1) ◽

pp. 20-28 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Juan De la Cruz Jiménez ◽

Juan Andrés Cardoso ◽

David Arango-Londoño ◽

Gerhard Fischer ◽

Idupulapati Rao

Keyword(s):

Soil Fertility ◽

Nutrient Availability ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Nutrient Content ◽

Soil Conditions ◽

Soil Drainage ◽

Waterlogging Tolerance ◽

Waterlogged Soil ◽

Fe And Mn ◽

The Tropics

As a consequence of global warming, rainfall is expected to increase in several regions around the world. This, together with poor soil drainage, will result in waterlogged soil conditions. Brachiaria grasses are widely sown in the tropics and, these grasses confront seasonal waterlogged conditions. Several studies have indicated that an increase in nutrient availability could reduce the negative impact of waterlogging. Therefore, an outdoor study was conducted to evaluate the responses of two Brachiaria sp. grasses with contrasting tolerances to waterlogging, B. ruziziensis (sensitive) and B. humidicola (tolerant), with two soil fertility levels. The genotypes were grown with two different soil fertilization levels (high and low) and under well-drained or waterlogged soil conditions for 15 days. The biomass production, chlorophyll content, photosynthetic efficiency, and macro- (N, P, K, Ca, Mg and S) and micronutrient (Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn and B) contents in the shoot tissue were determined. Significant differences in the nutrient content of the genotypes and treatments were found. An increase of redoximorphic elements (Fe and Mn) in the soil solution occurred with the waterlogging. The greater tolerance of B. humidicola to waterlogged conditions might be due to an efficient root system that is able to acquire nutrients (N, P, K) and potentially exclude phytotoxic elements (Fe and Mn) under waterlogged conditions. A high nutrient availability in the waterlogged soils did not result in an improved tolerance for B. ruziziensis. The greater growth impairment seen in the B. ruziziensis with high soil fertility and waterlogging (as opposed to low soil fertility and waterlogging) was possibly due to an increased concentration of redoximorphic elements under these conditions.

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Use of Crop Rotations, Cover Crops and Green Manures for Disease Suppression in Potato Cropping Systems

Global Journal of Agricultural Innovation Research & Development ◽

10.15377/2409-9813.2021.08.12 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

pp. 153-168

Author(s):

Robert P. Larkin

Keyword(s):

Disease Control ◽

Microbial Activity ◽

Cover Crops ◽

Cover Crop ◽

Green Manure ◽

Cropping Systems ◽

Crop Rotations ◽

Disease Suppression ◽

Green Manures ◽

Rotation Crops

Crop rotations and the inclusion of cover crops and green manures are primary tools in the sustainable management of soil-borne diseases in crop production systems. Crop rotations can reduce soil-borne disease through three general mechanisms: (1) serving as a break in the host-pathogen cycle; (2) by altering the soil physical, chemical, or biological characteristics to stimulate microbial activity and diversity; or (3) directly inhibiting pathogens through the release of suppressive or toxic compounds or the enhancement of specific antagonists. Brassicas, sudangrass, and related plant types are disease-suppressive crops well-known for their biofumigation potential but also have other effects on soil microbiology that are important in disease suppression. The efficacy of rotations for reducing soil-borne diseases is dependent on several factors, including crop type, rotation length, rotation sequence, and use of the crop (as full-season rotation, cover crop, or green manure). Years of field research with Brassica and non-Brassica rotation crops in potato cropping systems in Maine have documented the efficacy of Brassica green manures for the reduction of multiple soil-borne diseases. However, they have also indicated that these crops can provide disease control even when not incorporated as green manures and that other non-biofumigant crops (such as barley, ryegrass, and buckwheat) can also be effective in disease suppression. In general, all crops provided better disease control when used as green manure vs. as a cover crop, but the addition of a cover crop can improve control provided by most rotation crops. In long-term cropping system trials, rotations incorporating multiple soil health management practices, such as longer rotations, disease-suppressive rotation crops, cover crops, and green manures, and/or organic amendments have resulted in greater yield and microbial activity and fewer disease problems than standard rotations. These results indicate that improved cropping systems may enhance productivity, sustainability, and economic viability.

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Organik Matter: It’s Role in Sustainable Farming of Sugarcane

Perspektif ◽

10.21082/p.v14n1.2015.61-71 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

pp. 61

Author(s):

Djajadi Djajadi

Keyword(s):

Organic Matter ◽

Soil Organic Matter ◽

Soil Fertility ◽

Green Manure ◽

Organic Fertilizer ◽

Soil Health ◽

High Yield ◽

Cane Yield ◽

Sustainable Farming

ABSTRACTOrganik matter has an important role in determining soil health of sugarcane, i.e. soil capacity to support sugarcane to produce sustainable high yield. Soil organic matter influences soil physical, chemical, and biological properties, so that a consequence of declining soil organic matter is poorer soil fertility and lower yield. This paper has an objective to elucidate the important role of organic matter on sustainable farming of sugarcane. The important role of organic matter in soil fertility has been known for a long time before Green Revolution concept was introduced. With more intensity in sugarcane farming and more increasing of sugar demand, application of organic fertilizer started to be substituted by chemical fertilizer. Using green manure and/or biofertilizer has a chance to be spread out to the farmers due to more practical and more efficient than solid organik fertilizer, such as dung manure or compost. Future research should be focusing on the efectivity of green manure and or biofertilzer sources in improving soil fertility and cane yield, minimizing soil pathogen, reducing soil erosion of sugar cane land monoculture, and improving awareness of farmers about soil degradation as consequences of sugarcane monoculture planting for years.Keywords: Organic matter, sugarcane, soil health sustainable farming Bahan Organik: Peranannya dalam Budidaya Tebu BerkelanjutanABSTRAKBahan organik tanah berperan penting dalam menentukan kesehatan tanah tebu, yaitu kapasitas tanah yang dapat mendukung produksi tebu yang tinggi secara berkelanjutan. Kadar bahan organik tanah mempengaruhi sifat fisik, kimia dan biologi tanah. Paper ini bertujuan untuk menguraikan tentang peranan bahan organik dalam memperbaiki sifat fisik, kimia dan biologi tanah pertanaman tebu. Pentingnya peran bahan oganik tersebut sudah disadari dari dulu, sehingga sebelum revolusi hijau penggunaan pupuk organik sudah umum dilakukan petani. Dengan semakin intensifnya budidaya tebu dan semakin meningkatnya kebutuhan gula, pemanfaatan pupuk organik sudah jarang dilakukan. Diperlukan usaha untuk meningkatkan dan mempertahankan kadar bahan organik pada lahan tebu, antara lain berupa gerakan masal dalam bentuk gerakan nasional melalui program aplikasi bahan organik. Pemanfaatan pupuk hijau dan/atau pupuk hayati berpeluang untuk diterapkan karena lebih praktis dan efisien daripada penambahan pupuk organik padat. Penelitian ke depan perlu difokuskan untuk mengkaji jenis-jenis pupuk organik dan pupuk hayati yang efektif memperbaiki kesuburan, dalam menekan serangan penyakit, meminimalkan erosi pada lahan-lahan tebu monokultur, dan meningkatkan kesadaran petani tebu tentang terjadinya degradasi lahan akibat penanaman tebu yang terus menerus.Kata kunci: Bahan organik, tebu, kesehatan tanah, budidaya berkelanjutan

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Integration of cover crops and fertilizer rates for weed management in celery

Weed Science ◽

10.1614/ws-05-078r.1 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 54 (02) ◽

pp. 326-334 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Kevin S. Charles ◽

Mathieu Ngouajio ◽

Darryl D. Warncke ◽

Kenneth L. Poff ◽

Mary K. Hausbeck

Keyword(s):

Soil Fertility ◽

Cover Crops ◽

Weed Management ◽

Weed Suppression ◽

Fertility Level ◽

Hairy Vetch ◽

Bare Ground ◽

Weed Biomass ◽

Cereal Rye ◽

Oilseed Radish

Field studies were carried out in Laingsburg, MI, from 2002 to 2004 on Houghton muck soil to assess the impacts of cover crops and soil fertility regimes on weed populations and celery yield. The cover crops were oilseed radish, cereal rye, hairy vetch, and a bare ground control. The fertility rates were full (180, 90, and 450 kg ha−1nitrogen [N], phosphorus pentoxide [P2O5], and potassium oxide [K2O], respectively), half (90, 45, and 225 kg ha−1N, P2O5, and K2O, respectively), and low (90 kg ha−1N). Each cover crop treatment was combined with the low or half rate of fertilizer. An additional treatment with bare ground plus the full rate of fertilizer was added as standard practice. Treatments were maintained in the same location for the duration of the study. Major weed species were common chickweed, prostrate pigweed, shepherd's-purse, common purslane, and yellow nutsedge. Each year, oilseed radish consistently produced the greatest biomass and provided over 98% early season weed biomass suppression. Hairy vetch and cereal rye provided about 70% weed suppression in early spring. Soil fertility level affected weed populations during the 2004 growing season. In 2004, weed biomass in treatments without cover crops or with vetch increased when greater amounts of fertilizer were applied. Within individual fertility levels, higher celery yields were recorded in the oilseed radish plots. For example, in the low fertility rate, celery yield was 34.8, 29.2, 23.9, and 24.4 ton ha−1in the oilseed radish, cereal rye, hairy vetch, and control plots, respectively in 2003. Overall, the results of this experiment indicate that when included in a system where hoeing and hand-weeding are the only weed control methods, cover crops can successfully improve weed management and celery yield on muck soils, allowing reduced fertilizer inputs.

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