scholarly journals Investigación y extensión para promover la sostenibilidad en sistemas de granos básicos en zonas de ladera, El Salvador.

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 159
Author(s):  
Richard Barber
Keyword(s):  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Cover Crops ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Residue Management ◽  
Grain Crops ◽  
Livestock Feeds ◽  
Legume Cover Crops ◽  
Agroecological Zones ◽  
Selection Of

We analyzed the priorities for research and extension that would allow farmers to leave an adequate residue cover on the soil surface, without dirninishing the availability of livestock fodder. We evaluated: 1. The identification of the minimum percentage residue cover to reduce erosion and to promote sustainability for different slope gradients, soil cropping systems and agroecological zones. 2. The practices to improve soil fertility. 3. The selection of improved varieties of grain crops and studies on their association with legume cover crops. 4. Modifications in the residue management 5. The production of alternative livestock feeds for the dry season, to reduce the pressure on residues from livestock. 6. The training of farmers on the need to adopt rational systems of residue utilization, to ensure greater sustainability. We found that to promote sustainability in grain cropping systems, it is essential to carry out carry research and extension activities related to the management of both livestock and grain crops.

Nitrogen fixation in summer-grown soybean crops and fate of fixed-N over a winter fallow in subtropical sugarcane systems

Soil Research ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 57 (8) ◽  
pp. 845
Author(s):  
Lee J. Kearney ◽  
Emma Dutilloy ◽  
Terry J. Rose
Keyword(s):  
Cover Crops ◽  
N2 Fixation ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Peat Soils ◽  
N Losses ◽  
Soybean Residue ◽  
Glycine Max L ◽  
Winter Fallow

Legumes including soybeans (Glycine max L.) can provide substantial nitrogen (N) inputs into cropping systems when grown as a part of a rotation. However, in the wet subtropics where land is fallowed for 4–6 months after soybean crops before planting of sugarcane (Saccharum L. spp. hybrids), climatic conditions over winter can be conducive to rapid mineralisation of N from residues with consequent N losses through nitrate leaching or denitrification processes. Using 15N natural abundance methodology, we estimated N2 fixation in 12 summer-grown soybean crops in the Australian wet subtropics, and tracked the fate of soybean residue-N from brown manure crops (residue from plants at late pod-filling left on the soil surface) using 15N-labelled residue in three of these fields over the winter fallow period. Disregarding two poor crops, N2 fixation ranged from 100–290 kg N ha–1 in shoots at mid pod-filling, equating to 170–468 kg N ha–1 including estimated root N contributions. Following the winter fallow, 61 and 68% of soybean residue-N was recovered in clay and peat soils respectively, to 0.9 m depth at one location (Coraki) but only 55% of residue-N could be accounted for to 0.9 m depth in a sandy soil at another location (Ballina). In addition, around 20% of the recovered 15N at this site was located at 0.3–0.6 m depth in the soil profile. Our results indicate that substantial loss of soybean residue-N can occur during winter fallows in the wet subtropics, suggesting that winter cover crops may be necessary to retain N in fields and minimise losses to the environment.

scholarly journals In Field Measurements of Nitrogen Mineralization following Fall Applications of N and the Termination of Winter Cover Crops

2014 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. ASWR.S13861 ◽  
Author(s):  
Corey G. Lacey ◽  
Shalamar D. Armstrong
Keyword(s):  
Cover Crops ◽  
Cover Crop ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Inorganic N ◽  
Crop Species ◽  
N Application ◽  
Cereal Rye ◽  
And Control ◽  
The Impact

Little is known about the timing and quantity of nitrogen (N) mineralization from cover crop residue following cover crop termination. Therefore, the objective of this study was to examine the impact of cover crop species on the return of fall applied N to the soil in the spring following chemical and winter terminations. Fall N was applied (200 kg N ha−1) into a living stand of cereal rye, tillage radish, and control (no cover crop). After chemical termination in the spring, soil samples were collected weekly and were analyzed for inorganic N (NO3-N and NH4-N) to investigate mineralization over time. Cereal rye soil inorganic N concentrations were similar to that of the control in both the spring of 2012 and 2013. Fall N application into tillage radish, cereal rye, and control plots resulted in an average 91, 57, and 66% of the fall N application rate as inorganic N in the spring at the 0-20 cm depth, respectively. The inclusion of cover crops into conventional cropping systems stabilized N at the soil surface and has the potential to improve the efficiency of fall applied N.

scholarly journals Cropping System and Rotational Grazing Effects on Soil Fertility and Enzymatic Activity in an Integrated Organic Crop-Livestock System

Agronomy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 803
Author(s):  
Fernando Shintate Galindo ◽  
Kathleen Delate ◽  
Bradley Heins ◽  
Hannah Phillips ◽  
Andrew Smith ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Soil Properties ◽  
Soil Ph ◽  
Cover Crops ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
C:N Ratio ◽  
Cropping System ◽  
Cattle Grazing ◽  
Rotational Grazing ◽  
Microbial Decomposition

Alternative grazing systems that incorporate cover crops may be useful to achieve a longer grazing season and maximize forage production. However, little is known about their impact on soil properties, especially in the presence or absence of cattle grazing in the early spring. The aim of this study was to evaluate the interacting effects of cropping systems with and without cattle grazing in rotation with corn or soybean on the balance and dynamics of soil fertility and enzyme activity. This study was conducted as a system experiment between 2015 and 2019 in Minnesota and Pennsylvania, USA. The experimental design was a randomized complete block design with four replications. Treatments included presence or absence of cattle grazing and two types of cropping systems (pasture-rye-soybean-pasture [P-R-SB-P] and pasture-wheat/vetch-corn-pasture [P-W/V-C-P]. Soil samples were collected six times during the study. Soil properties analyzed were soil pH, organic matter, salinity, K, Ca, Mg, cation exchange capacity (CEC), P, β-glucosidase, alkaline phosphatase, aryl-sulfatase, fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis, ammonium, nitrate, permanganate oxidizable carbon (POXC), N%, C%, S%, and C:N ratio. Grazing increased glucosidase activity, available Ca, Mg, NO3−, NH4+, soil pH, soil C%, S%, and the C:N ratio. In the P-W/V-C-P cropping system, soil pH, available Ca, NO3−, and sulfatase activity were found to increase compared with the P-R-SB-P cropping system. In contrast, soil OM, available K, Mg, CEC, glucosidase, phosphatase, POXC, and total C%, N%, and S% were greater in the P-R-SB-P cropping system compared with the P-W/V-C-P cropping system. The results of this study suggested that rotational grazing can increase soil quality and microbial decomposition under the P-W/V-C-P cropping system, and that this result was greater than under the P-R-SB-P cropping system, leading to a faster nutrient cycling. These results show promise for producers who are seeking methods to diversify their farming operation and reduce the need for external inputs.

scholarly journals 640 Sustainable Cropping Systems

HortScience ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 558A-558
Author(s):  
Chad M. Hutchinson ◽  
Milton E. McGiffen
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Cover Crops ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Cropping System ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Organic Soil ◽  
Reduced Tillage ◽  
Conventional Agriculture ◽  
Green Waste

The goals of sustainable agriculture include decreased reliance on synthetic nutrients and pesticides and improved environmental quality for the long-term benefit of the land, livelihood of growers, and their communities. Cropping systems that maximize these goals use alternative fertility and pest control options to produce crops with minimal soil erosion and nutrient leaching. Cropping system elements that can help achieve these goals include: reduced tillage, cover crops, and organic soil amendments. Cover crops are grown before the cash crop and used to replenish the soil with nitrogen and organic matter. Cover crops often also influence pest populations and can be selected based on site-specific growing conditions. Cover crops can be mulched on the soil surface to prevent erosion and weed emergence or can be tilled directly into the soil to incorporate nitrogen and organic matter. Green waste mulch is an increasingly used soil amendment. Many municipalities are encouraging farmers to use green waste mulch in farming systems as an alternative to green waste disposal in landfills. Reduced tillage was once restricted to large-seeded field crops but recent technical advances have made it a feasible option for vegetables and other horticultural crops. Alternative farming practices; however, are still only used by a small minority of growers. Increases in price for organic produce and changes in laws governing farming operations may increase adoption of alternatives to conventional agriculture.

Herbicide-soil interactions in reduced tillage and plant residue management systems

Weed Science ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. 307-320 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin A. Locke ◽  
Charles T. Bryson
Keyword(s):  
Cover Crops ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Residue Management ◽  
Plant Residue ◽  
Management Systems ◽  
Reduced Tillage ◽  
Agricultural Community ◽  
Weed Emergence

Recent changes in technology, governmental regulation and scrutiny, and public opinion have motivated the agricultural community to examine current management practices from the perspective of how they fit into a sustainable agricultural framework. One aspect which can be incorporated into many existing farming systems is plant residue management (e.g., reduced tillage, cover crops). Many residue management systems are designed to enhance accumulation of plant residue at the soil surface. The plant residue covering the soil surface provides many benefits, including protection from soil erosion, soil moisture conservation by acting as a barrier against evaporation, improved soil tilth, and inhibition of weed emergence. This review summarizes recent literature (ca. last 25 yr) concerning the effects of plant residue management on the soil environment and how those changes impact herbicide interactions.

scholarly journals Combining Legume Groundcovers and Low Nitrogen Fertilization in a Short-rotation Fraser Fir (Abies fraseri) Cropping System: Effect on Productivity, Soil Fertility, and Nutrient Leaching

HortScience ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 46 (3) ◽  
pp. 481-486 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yingqian Lin ◽  
Alexa R. Wilson ◽  
Pascal Nzokou
Keyword(s):  
White Clover ◽  
Cover Crops ◽  
Growth Response ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Cropping System ◽  
N Leaching ◽  
Abies Fraseri ◽  
Nitrate N ◽  
Legume Cover Crops

High rates of inorganic fertilizers are used in conventional intensive production systems such as Abies fraseri (fraser fir) cropping systems for Christmas trees. Groundcovers can be used as green mulches, help reduce the use of farm chemicals, and provide several environmental benefits. We investigated the performance of a low-input cropping system by combining two legume cover crops [Dutch white clover (Trifolium repens) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa)] in combination with low rates of inorganic fertilizers as a step toward a more sustainable production system. The randomized block design comprised one cover crop and one of three applications of reduced rate inorganic fertilizer (75%, 50%, and 25% of the recommended rate). A conventional system using herbicides for weed control and the 100% rate of inorganic fertilizer was used as a control. Parameters measured included tree morphology, foliar nitrogen concentration, soil mineral nitrogen, and nitrate-N leaching below the root zone. A significant positive growth response (height and diameter) was obtained in all alfalfa-based cropping systems. This was accompanied by foliar nutrient concentrations similar to conventional plots and a reduction in nitrate-N leaching. However, in white clover-based cropping systems, the growth response was reduced (both height and diameter), suggesting competition for soil resources. In addition, the total nitrate-N leaching was higher in this system, suggesting an imbalance between mineral nitrogen availability and use in white clover-based cropping systems. We conclude that if the potential competition between cover crops and trees can be properly managed, legume cover crops can be effectively used to make intensive production tree-based systems more sustainable. Further studies related to mineralization and macronutrient flows are needed before any definite recommendation can be made about the use of these systems in large-scale production systems.

scholarly journals Lablab Purpureus Influences Soil Fertility and Microbial Diversity in a Tropical Maize-Based No-Tillage System

Soil Systems ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia Dörr de Quadros ◽  
Adam R. Martin ◽  
Kateryna Zhalnina ◽  
Raquel Dias ◽  
Adriana Giongo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Cover Crops ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Microbial Community Composition ◽  
Bare Soil ◽  
Community Type ◽  
No Tillage ◽  
Lablab Purpureus ◽  
Critical Pathway ◽  
Tillage System

There are multiple mechanisms by which enhanced diversity of plant communities improves soil structure and function. One critical pathway mediating this relationship is through changes to soil prokaryotic communities. Here, nine different cropping systems were studied to evaluate how legume and grass cover crops influence soil fertility and microbial communities in a maize-based no tillage system. The soil’s bacterial and archaeal communities were sequenced (Illumina GAIIx, 12 replicates for treatment) and correlated with eight different soil features. The microbial community composition differed widely between planting treatments, with three primary “community types” emerging in multivariate space: (1) A community type associated with bare soil linked with low P, low pH, and high aluminum [Al]; (2) a community type associated with Lablab beans linked with high soil N, total organic carbon and other base cation concentrations, and high pH; and (3) a community type of all other non-lablab planting arrangements linked with higher soil P (relative to bare soil), but lower soil fertility (N and base cations). Lablab-based arrangements also expressed the highest microbial richness and alpha diversity. The inclusion of Lablab in maize-based cropping systems represents a potential alternative to reduce the use of chemical fertilizers and increase the chemical and biological quality in agricultural soils under the no-tillage system.

scholarly journals Benefits of Circular Agriculture for Cropping Systems and Soil Fertility in Oases

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 4713
Author(s):  
Mustapha El Janati ◽  
Nouraya Akkal-Corfini ◽  
Ahmed Bouaziz ◽  
Abdallah Oukarroum ◽  
Paul Robin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Crop Residue ◽  
Date Palm ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Cropping System ◽  
Residue Management ◽  
Type I ◽  
Organic Fertilization ◽  
Waste Products ◽  
System Sustainability

Circular agriculture is an effective approach for the management of soil organic inputs that improves soil fertility and cropping system sustainability. We developed a cropping system typology and assessed effects of crop rotation, organic fertilization, and crop residue management on soil fertility properties. Farmers in Drâa-Tafilalet oases in Morocco were surveyed, and soil was sampled and analyzed. In the most common cropping systems (Type I), date palms were associated with cereals, forages, and perennial crops. Type II cropping systems referred to a monocropped date palm of only one cultivar. In Type III, date palm was associated with other crops on part of the utilized agricultural area and monocropped on the other part. In all cropping systems, mean soil organic matter (SOM) content was less than 1.5% and the SOM:clay ratio was less than 12%, which increased the soil degradation risk. Livestock was combined with crops in Type I and III cropping systems and produced 19.4 and 24.2 t of manure per farm per year, respectively. Type I and II cropping systems produced annually 0.98 and 2.1 t.ha−1 of dry palms, respectively. Recycling these organic waste products remains a promising option that could produce organic inputs and offset the current lack of manure.

scholarly journals The role of soil fertility in the management of agricultural bioproductivity

2020 ◽  
pp. 56-60
Author(s):  
O. V. Ruleva ◽  
E. V. Seminchenko
Keyword(s):  
Winter Wheat ◽  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Crop Rotation ◽  
Plant Development ◽  
Humus Content ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Optimal Selection ◽  
Dry Land ◽  
Grain Crops ◽  
Selection Of

Relevance and methods. The optimal selection of precursors and methods of biologization can increase the return of organic matter to the soil, increase the yield and productivity of crops. Corn was studied on irrigation, and crops (sorghum, oats, winter wheat) in crop rotation were studied on the bogar. To elucidate the general patterns of plant development in the system of forest strips and in experimental fields (bogar), statistical processing of the research results was used in the Exel and Statistica software packages, which is based on the generalization and synthesis of the results, which makes it possible to reach forecasts of plant development during the growing season. The soil is light chestnut, heavy loamy, with a humus content in the arable layer of 1.74%, the pH of the soil solution is 8.1. The content of easily hydro-lyzable nitrogen is low — 3.2–3.9 mg/100 g of soil, average phosphorus mobile — 2.1–3 mg and exchange potassium increased — 30–40 mg/100 g of soil. The amount of average annual rainfall is 339.7 mm.Results. A study of the data showed that regardless of crop rotation the maximum content of nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium) was observed in the tillering phase, then decreased. The correlation coefficient on irrigation shows the tightness of communication over the entire array and gives grounds to use the approximation of the multiple regression equation as predictive in the system of forest stripes on irrigation: Y = a + b1 Х1 + b2X2 and on the dry land: Y = a + b1X1 + b2X2 + b3X3. In dry years the yield of grain crops (corn, sorghum, oats, winter wheat) ranges from 0.59 to 1.73 t/ha. In wet years the yield of grain crops increases to 4.95 t/ha. With the help of programs you can calculate the amount of fertilizer for a given yield and manage the bioproductivity of crops in the system of forest belts and on the dry land. The importance of soil fertility in managing bioproductivity is based on the optimal selection of precursors and methods of biologization, which can increase the yield of grain crops. The scope of the recommendations is the Lower Volga soil zone.

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