scholarly journals Yam: a neglected and underutilized crop in Brazil

2011 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
MVBM Siqueira

In Brazil current studies and investments on yams are incipient. Similarly, the literature in recent decades lacks adequate information on this group of plants. The existing literature, on its turn, requires more than ever to be revised and organized. Yams have joined the so-called "neglected" group of crops for several reasons, but particularly because they are associated with poor and traditional communities. Many vegetables introduced in Brazil during the colonization period have adapted to different cropping systems, yams being an excellent example. This diversity resulted very widespread, yet poorly recognized in the country. In turn, the gardens using traditional farming systems continue to maintain and enhance yam local varieties. Studies from other countries, with an emphasis on characterization and genetic breeding, brought to light an urgent need for Brazil to invest in yams as a food rich in carbohydrates, even to the point of alterations in food public policy. Reversal of the yam's current stigma is both a challenge to the scientific community and to the population as a whole. This paper aims to raise pertinent questions about Dioscorea species, an important key group for many communities in tropical countries, yet still unrecognized as so in Brazil.

1992 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 117-127 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. O. Olasantan

Most increases in vegetable production come from areas under traditional agriculture, and small-scale farmers seldom adopt any intercropping technology that excludes vegetables in Nigeria, yet less attention has been paid to these crops in mixed cropping studies, compared with field crops. Vegetables are of good nutritional value, and have considerable potential as income-generating crops and as a supplement to diets consisting mainly of carbohydrates. To realize this potential, however, adequate information about the present system of production is essential, as well as improved cultivars and better crop management.


Author(s):  
José A. A. S. do Sacramento ◽  
Jorge A. G. Santos ◽  
Diego C. Loureiro ◽  
Oldair V. Costa ◽  
Alide M. W. Cova

ABSTRACT Information on spatial variability and soil carbon stocks after the conversion of Caatinga vegetation to different cropping systems is scarce. This study aimed to characterize the spatial variability and to evaluate the changes in carbon stocks and the emission of greenhouse gases after the conversion of Caatinga vegetation with different sisal cultivation systems. The study was carried out in three areas in the city of Valente, Bahia, two areas that had been cultivated for 20 years with sisal in either a traditional (TSC) or alternative (ASC) system, and the third area containing natural Caatinga vegetation. The cultivated soils were sampled at 40 soil sampling points with 15 × 10 m spacing at depths of 0-0.20 and 0.20-0.40 m. Total organic carbon (TOC) stocks had spatial dependence and the isoline maps allowed the variability in the studied depths to be analyzed. The conversion of Caatinga vegetation to sisal cultivation using traditional farming systems caused a 30% decrease in soil TOC stocks. Moreover, the alternative culture system caused an 11% increase in soil TOC stocks. The emission factor or carbon absorption due to changes in land use after 20 years was 0.66 t ha-1 yr-1 of carbon in the traditional farming system and -0.25 t ha-1 yr-1 of carbon in the alternative culture system.


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.


2012 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-47 ◽  
Author(s):  
Drew J. Lyon ◽  
Gary W. Hergert

AbstractOrganic farming systems use green and animal manures to supply nitrogen (N) to their fields for crop production. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of green manure and composted cattle manure on the subsequent winter wheat (Triticum aestivumL.) crop in a semiarid environment. Dry pea (Pisum sativumL.) was seeded in early April and terminated at first flower in late June. Composted cattle manure was applied at 0, 11.2 or 22.5 Mg ha−1just prior to pea termination. Winter wheat was planted in mid September following the green manure or tilled summer fallow. No positive wheat response to green manure or composted cattle manure was observed in any of the 3 years of the study. In 2 of the 3 years, wheat yields and grain test weight were reduced following green manure. Green manure reduced grain yields compared with summer fallow by 220 and 1190 kg ha−1in 2009 and 2010, respectively. This may partially be explained by 40 and 47 mm less soil water at wheat planting following peas compared with tilled summer fallow in 2008 and 2009, respectively. Also, in 2008 and 2009, soil nitrate level averaged 45 kg ha−1higher for black fallow compared with green manure fallow when no compost was added. Organic growers in the semiarid Central Great Plains will be challenged to supply N fertility to their winter wheat crop in a rapid and consistent manner as a result of the inherently variable precipitation. Growers may need to allow several years to pass before seeing the benefits of fertility practices in their winter wheat cropping systems.


Author(s):  
Firdoz Shahana ◽  
M. Goverdhan ◽  
S. Sridevi ◽  
B. Joseph

A field experiment was conducted during 2016-17 at AICRP on Integrated Farming Systems, Regional Sugarcane and Rice Research Station, Rudrur to diversify existing rice-rice cropping system with less water requiring crops under irrigated dry conditions for vertisols of Northern Telangana Zone. The experiment was laid out with twelve cropping systems as treatments in Randomized Block Design (RBD) with three replications. The twelve combinations of cropping systems tested during kharif and rabi seasons were rice – rice (check), maize + soybean (2:4) – tomato, maize + soybean (2:4) - rice, maize - sunflower + chickpea (2:4), maize - chickpea, Bt cotton + soybean (1:2) on broadbed – sesame + groundnut (2:4), Bt cotton - sesame + blackgram (2:4), soybean – wheat, soybean – sunflower + chickpea (2:4), turmeric – sesame, turmeric + soybean (1:2) on flat bed – bajra and turmeric + soybean (1:2) on broadbed – sesame + blackgram (2:4). On system basis, significantly higher productivity in terms of rice equivalent yield (REY) of 23830 kg ha-1 was recorded with turmeric+soybean (1:2) BBF– sesame+blackgram (2:4) turmeric – sesame cropping sequence. However it was on par with turmeric – sesame and turmeric + soybean (1:2) on flat bed – bajra crop sequence with productivity of 23332 kg ha-1 and 21389 kg ha-1 respectively. Lower productivity was recorded with rice-rice cropping system (10725 kg ha-1). Significantly higher system net returns were recorded with Bt. cotton – sesame + black gram (2:4) on BBF (Rs222838 ha-1) closely followed by Bt Cotton + Soybean (1:2) (BBF) - Sesamum + Groundnut (2:4) (Rs221160 ha-1) and Maize+soybean (2:4)–tomato (Rs212909 ha-1). Lower system net returns were recorded in conventional rice-rice system (Rs88179 ha-1). Bt. cotton – sesame + black gram (2:4) and Bt Cotton + Soybean (1:2) (BBF)- Sesamum + Groundnut ((2:4) and Maize+soybean (2:4)–tomato were economically superior with REE of 152.71%, 150.81% and 141.45%. Rice- Rice cropping adopted by majority of farmers is less productive and economically inferior indicating wider scope of diversifying existing rice- rice cropping system with high productive, economically viable cropping systems in vertisols of Northern Telangana Zone.


Author(s):  
Aurel MAXIM ◽  
Mignon ŞANDOR ◽  
Lucia MIHALESCU ◽  
Ovidiu MAXIM ◽  
Oana MARE ROŞCA

During the second part of the twentieth century the cultivated plants have been faced with genetic erosion, because of the expandinding industrial farming systems. The sustainable agriculture can not exist without a rich genetic diversity. After the United Nations Conference from Rio de Janeiro (1992), when the Convention on Biological Diversity was adopted, a series of acts and european references that protect agrobiodiversity had emerged. Between 2007 and 2010, at the University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine a program which aims to identify and conserve local vegetable varieties was conducted. Out of 290 cultivars, 171 (58.9%) were genuine local varieties. There were collected 12 cucumber cultivars from the following counties: Salaj (7), Cluj (3), Bistrita-Nasaud (1) and Satu-Mare (1). The morphologic caractheristics proved that all this 12 cultivars were authentic and valuable local varieties. The local varieties were agronomical, biological and biochemical characterized, both in field and laboratory. The seeds achieved from those 12 local varieties were preserved in the Suceava Gene Bank, from where stakeholders (farmers, agronomists, researchers) can obtain seeds.


2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 286-299 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ibrahim Kerario Isack ◽  
Muleya Walter ◽  
Chenyambuga Sebastian ◽  
Koski Marja ◽  
Hwang Seong-Gu ◽  
...  

2019 ◽  
Vol 49 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yolanda del Rocio Moreno-Ramírez ◽  
Aurelio Hernández-Bautista ◽  
Porfirio Ramírez-Vallejo ◽  
Fernando Castillo-Gónzalez ◽  
Mario Rocandio-Rodríguez ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT: In the present study, we investigated the influence of social and environmental factors in the genetic diversity of tomato landraces in the South-Central region of Mexico. A total of 30 tomato landraces, collected in 18 villages with different ethnolinguistic affiliations, were analyzed. We reported that the genetic diversity of tomato landraces is associated with the ethnolinguistic group, weather, and soil-type present in the region studied. Our results showed that there are morphological differences between landraces grown by different ethnolinguistic groups; however, there was also evidence of morphological similarities between landraces from groups with different ethnolinguistic affiliations. Finally, different selection criteria, mainly fruit color, size and shape, plays an important role in the phenotypic divergence among landraces grown in different traditional farming systems.


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