Cropping Systems in Some Drought-Prone Communities of the Northern Region of Ghana: Factors Affecting the Introduction of Rice

2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 475-483 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vincent Kodjo Avornyo ◽  
◽  
Osamu Ito ◽  
Gordana Kranjac-Berisavljevic ◽  
Osamu Saito ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Crop Production ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Average Distance ◽  
Cropping System ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Northern Region ◽  
Northern Ghana ◽  
Cattle Production ◽  
Factors Affecting

Despite the growing demand for rice in Ghana, domestic rice production remains low, resulting in the importation of about 70% of the rice consumed in Ghana. In spite of the fact that 39-47% of the 20-28% of Ghana’s total geographic area classified as inland valley wetlands is considered suitable for rice cultivation, less than 15% is presently being used. A household survey was therefore conducted in six communities, Fihini (F), Cheshegu (C), Dabogushei (D), Kpalgum (K), Zergua (Z), and Yoggu (Y), of the Tolon district in northern Ghana in order to identify factors affecting the introduction of rice into the cropping system. Maize, groundnut, rice, and yam were found to be the four major crops grown in the communities. Overall, 64% of respondents cultivate rice, but this figure is particularly low (30%) in F and Y communities. Rice is usually combined with two other major crops, most frequently maize and yam. In C, D, and K communities, about 90% of households cultivate at least, three out of the four major crops. The interview with farmers revealed that rice yield is 0.73 t/ha on average and significantly higher in K and C (1.06 t/ha and 0.93 t/ha, respectively) than in D (0.37 t/ha). The average distance from compound houses to rice and maize fields is significantly shorter in C, D, and K. Similarly, the rate of rice introduction in C, D, and K is higher than in F, Z, and Y, suggesting that distance to inland valleys may be one of the factors that influence the incorporation of rice into the cropping systems of these communities. Principal component analysis of crop yields and cattle number for the Y community revealed that rice growers tend to have higher crop productivity while cattle production is higher among non-rice growers. Within the community, the productivity of upland crops and balance between crop production and cattle production may be important factors that influence the incorporation of rice into the cropping system.

scholarly journals Effect of Cropping System and Rice Residue Retention on Crop Productivity and Soil Physical Properties in Rice Based Cropping System of Bangladesh

2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 14-30
Author(s):  
M Jahangir Alam ◽  
S Ahmed ◽  
MK Islam ◽  
R Islam ◽  
M Islam
Keyword(s):  
Crop Production ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Wheat Yield ◽  
Cropping System ◽  
Physical Property ◽  
Crop Productivity ◽  
System Productivity ◽  
Transplanted Rice ◽  
Residue Retention

Cropping systems of Bangladesh are highly diverse and cultivation costs of puddled transplanted rice (PTR) are high. Therefore, an improved system is needed to address the issues, a field experiment was conducted during 2011-2013 to evaluate system intensification with varying degrees of cropping systems and residue retention. Four cropping systems (CSE) namely CSE1: T. boro rice-T. aman rice (control), CSE2: wheat-mungbean-T. aman rice (wheat and mungbean sown using a power tiller-operated seeder (PTOS) with full tillage in a single pass; puddled transplanted aman), CSE3: wheat-mungbean-dry seeded DS aman rice (DSR), and CSE4: wheat-mungbean-DS aman rice (all sown by PTOS with strip tillage) were compared. Two levels of aman rice residue retention (removed; partial retention i.e. 40 cm of standing stubble) were compared in sub plots. Grain yield was significantly higher (by 11%) when wheat was grown after DSR than PTR. Similarly, PTR and DSR (aman rice) produced statistically similar crop yields. Rice residue retention resulted a significantly higher (by 10%) wheat yield and a slightly increased (by 6%) mungbean yield than that of residues removed. The system productivity of CSE4 was significantly higher (by 10%) than CSE1 when averaged of the two years data. Partial aman residue retention gave significantly higher system yield than residue removal (by 0.6 t ha-1). After two years, no effect of CSE or partial aman residue retention was found on soil physical property (bulk density) of the top soil. Therefore, CSE4 along with residue retention would be more effective for sustainable crop production. The Agriculturists 2019; 17(1-2) 14-30

Strategies and tactics for herbicide use reduction in field crops in Canada: A review

2005 ◽  
Vol 85 (2) ◽  
pp. 457-479 ◽  
Author(s):  
Orla M. Nazarko ◽  
Rene C. Van Acker ◽  
Martin H. Entz
Keyword(s):  
Weed Management ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Cropping System ◽  
Integrated Weed Management ◽  
Pesticide Use ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Field Crops ◽  
Low Input Agriculture ◽  
Herbicide Use

There are many economic and health reasons for reducing pesticide use in Canada. Herbicide use on field crops is by far the most common pesticide use in Canada. This paper is a review of four topics related to herbicide use reduction on field crops in Canada: (1) broad strategies and (2) specific tactics for herbicide use reduction; (3) factors affecting adoption; and 4) research approaches for improving the implementation of herbicide use reduction. Numerous tactics exist to use herbicides more efficiently and herbicides can sometimes be replaced by non-chemical weed control methods. Many of these tactics and methods have been investigated and demonstrated for use on field crops in Canada. However, herbicide use reduction is fundamentally dependent upon preventative strategies designed to create robust cropping systems that maintain low weed densities. Diverse crop rotation forms the basis of preventative strategies as it inherently varies cropping system conditions to avoid weed adaptation. There is evidence that residual weed densities resulting from herbicide use reduction are manageable within competitive cropping systems. A great deal of research has been done on herbicide use reduction on field crops in Canada, and most projects report definite possibilities for herbicide use reduction in field crop production in Canada. Synthesizing and extending this information and customizing it for use on individual farms remain challenges. Collaboration between researchers and farmers can help to build successful strategies for herbicide use reduction which reflect the context of modern farming, the will of farmers and the culture of technology adoption among farmers. Key words: Pesticide use reduction, low-input agriculture, integrated pest management, integrated weed management

Slowing weed evolution with integrated weed management

2013 ◽  
Vol 93 (5) ◽  
pp. 759-764 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. N. Harker
Keyword(s):  
Weed Management ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Cropping System ◽  
Integrated Weed Management ◽  
Research Knowledge ◽  
Weed Evolution ◽  
System Sustainability ◽  
Weed Resistance

Harker, K. N. 2013. Slowing weed evolution with integrated weed management. Can. J. Plant Sci. 93: 759–764. For millennia, weeds have slowly evolved in response to ever-changing environments and crop production practices. Weeds are now evolving much more quickly due to consistently repeated cropping systems and intense herbicide selection pressures. Weed resistance to herbicides now threatens cropping system sustainability in several industrialized nations. Integrated weed management (IWM) provides opportunities to reduce selection pressure for weed resistance while maintaining current crop yields. Combining optimal IWM tactics that discourage weeds by minimizing disturbance (no till, direct-seeding), adopting diverse crop rotations, and attempting to preclude resource acquisition by weeds are encouraged. New research knowledge on practical IWM systems is available, but despite current and looming threats of major weed resistance, most crop producers will require greater incentives than those currently available to more-fully adopt IWM systems in the near future.

scholarly journals Potassium nutrient response in the rice-wheat cropping system in different agro-ecozones of Nepal

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. e0248837
Author(s):  
Roshan Babu Ojha ◽  
Shova Shrestha ◽  
Yajna Gajadhar Khadka ◽  
Dinesh Panday
Keyword(s):  
Crop Production ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Block Design ◽  
Cropping System ◽  
Field Trials ◽  
Fertilizer Rate ◽  
Crop Varieties ◽  
K Fertilizer ◽  
The Government

Most of the soils of Nepal had a higher potassium (K, expressed as K2O) level inherently. Later in 1976, the Government of Nepal has recommended K fertilizer rate at 30 kg K2O ha-1 in rice-wheat cropping systems. However, those crops began showing K deficiency symptoms in recent decades, which could be due to a large portion of soils with depleted K level or the insufficient input of K fertilizer for crop production. This study explored a limitation of K nutrient in the crops by establishing field trials from 2009–2014 at three agro-ecozones i.e., inner-Terai (2009–2010), high-Hills (2011–2012), and Terai (2012–2014) in Nepal. Seven rates of K fertilizer at 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, and 90 kg K2O ha-1 were replicated four times in a randomized complete block design, where crop yields and yield-attributing parameters of rice-wheat cropping system were recorded. Results revealed that an increase in K rates from 45 to 75 kg K2O ha-1 under inner-Terai and Terai conditions and 45 to 60 kg ha-1 under high-Hills conditions produced significantly higher grain yields compared to the recommended K dose. Economically, the optimum rate of K fertilizer should not exceed 68 kg K2O ha-1 for rice in all agro-ecozones, or 73 kg K2O ha-1 for wheat in inner-Terai and 60 kg K2O ha-1 for wheat in high-Hills and Terai. Our findings suggest to increase potassium application in between 1.5 to 2.5 times of the current K fertilizer rate in rice-wheat cropping system of Nepal that need to be tested further in different locations and crop varieties.

scholarly journals Climate Variability Since 1970 and Farmers’ Observations in Northern Ghana

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emmanuel Nyadzi
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Climate Variability ◽  
Water Conservation ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Meteorological Data ◽  
Northern Region ◽  
Northern Ghana ◽  
Climate Variability And Change ◽  
Urban Centers ◽  
Access To Credit

<p>The study examines how farmers’ observations of climate variability and change correspond with 42 years (1970-2011) meteorological data of temperature and rainfall. It shows how farmers in the Northern Region of Ghana adjust to the changing climate and explore the various obstacles that hinder the implementation of their adaptation strategies. With the help of an extension officer, 200 farmers from 20 communities were randomly selected based on their farming records. Temperatures over the last four decades (1970-2009) increased at a rate of 0.04 (± 0.41) ˚C and 0.3(± 0.13)˚C from 2010-2011 which is consistent to the farmers (82.5%) observations. Rainfall within the districts are characterised by inter-annual and monthly variability. It experienced an increased rate of 0.66 (± 8.30) mm from 1970-2009, which was inconsistent with the farmers (81.5%) observation. It however decreased from 2010-2011 at a huge rate of -22.49 (±15.90) mm which probably was the reason majority of the respondents claim rainfall was decreasing. Only 64.5% of the respondents had adjusted their farming activities because of climate variability and change. They apply fertilizers and pesticides, practice soil and water conservation, and irrigation for communities close to dams. Respondents desire to continue their current adaptation methods but may in the future consider changing crop variety, water-harvesting techniques, change crop production to livestock keeping, and possibly migrate to urban centers. Lack of climate change education, low access to credit and agricultural inputs are some militating factors crippling the farmers’ effort to adapt to climate change.</p>

scholarly journals The Pitfalls of Relating Weeds, Herbicide Use, and Crop Yield: Don't Fall Into the Trap! A Critical Review

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathalie Colbach ◽  
Sandrine Petit ◽  
Bruno Chauvel ◽  
Violaine Deytieux ◽  
Martin Lechenet ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Crop Yield ◽  
Weed Management ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Yield Loss ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Crop Productivity ◽  
Arable Farming ◽  
Herbicide Use ◽  
The Impact

The growing recognition of the environmental and health issues associated to pesticide use requires to investigate how to manage weeds with less or no herbicides in arable farming while maintaining crop productivity. The questions of weed harmfulness, herbicide efficacy, the effects of herbicide use on crop yields, and the effect of reducing herbicides on crop production have been addressed over the years but results and interpretations often appear contradictory. In this paper, we critically analyze studies that have focused on the herbicide use, weeds and crop yield nexus. We identified many inconsistencies in the published results and demonstrate that these often stem from differences in the methodologies used and in the choice of the conceptual model that links the three items. Our main findings are: (1) although our review confirms that herbicide reduction increases weed infestation if not compensated by other cultural techniques, there are many shortcomings in the different methods used to assess the impact of weeds on crop production; (2) Reducing herbicide use rarely results in increased crop yield loss due to weeds if farmers compensate low herbicide use by other efficient cultural practices; (3) There is a need for comprehensive studies describing the effect of cropping systems on crop production that explicitly include weeds and disentangle the impact of herbicides from the effect of other practices on weeds and on crop production. We propose a framework that presents all the links and feed-backs that must be considered when analyzing the herbicide-weed-crop yield nexus. We then provide a number of methodological recommendations for future studies. We conclude that, since weeds are causing yield loss, reduced herbicide use and maintained crop productivity necessarily requires a redesign of cropping systems. These new systems should include both agronomic and biodiversity-based levers acting in concert to deliver sustainable weed management.

scholarly journals iHSD Mill Efficacy on the Seeds of Australian Cropping System Weeds

2017 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 103-108 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J. Walsh ◽  
John C. Broster ◽  
Stephen B. Powles
Keyword(s):  
Moisture Content ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Cropping System ◽  
High Efficacy ◽  
Weed Seed ◽  
Rigid Ryegrass ◽  
Mill Speed ◽  
Wheat Chaff

AbstractIn Australia, widespread evolution of multi-resistant weed populations has driven the development and adoption of harvest weed seed control (HWSC). However, due to incompatibility of commonly used HWSC systems with highly productive conservation cropping systems, better HWSC systems are in demand. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the integrated Harrington Seed Destructor (iHSD) mill on the seeds of Australia’s major crop weeds during wheat chaff processing. Also examined were the impacts of chaff type and moisture content on weed seed destruction efficacy. Initially, the iHSD mill speed of 3,000 rpm was identified as the most effective at destroying rigid ryegrass seeds present in wheat chaff. Subsequent testing determined that the iHSD mill was highly effective (>95% seed kill) on all Australian crop weeds examined. Rigid ryegrass seed kill was found to be highest for lupin chaff and lowest in barley, with wheat and canola chaff intermediate. Similarly, wheat chaff moisture reduced rigid ryegrass seed kill when moisture level exceeded 12%. The broad potential of the iHSD mill was evident, in that the reductions in efficacy due to wide-ranging differences in chaff type and moisture content were relatively small (≤10%). The results from these studies confirm the high efficacy and widespread suitability of the iHSD for use in Australian crop production systems. Additionally, as this system allows the conservation of all harvest residues, it is the best HWSC technique for conservation cropping systems.

RELATIVE PRODUCTIVITY, PROFITABILITY AND WATER USE EFFICIENCY OF CROPPING SYSTEMS IN HOT ARID INDIA

2014 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 549-572 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. S. RATHORE ◽  
N. S. NATHAWAT ◽  
B. MEEL ◽  
B. M. YADAV ◽  
J. P. SINGH
Keyword(s):  
Water Use Efficiency ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Mung Bean ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Cropping System ◽  
Arid Environment ◽  
Application Rate ◽  
Cluster Bean ◽  
Use Efficiency

SUMMARYThe choice of an appropriate cropping system is critical to maintaining or enhancing agricultural sustainability. Yield, profitability and water use efficiency are important factors for determining suitability of cropping systems in hot arid region. In a two-year field experiment (2009/10–2010/11) on loam sandy soils of Bikaner, India, the production potential, profitability and water use efficiency (WUE) of five cropping systems (groundnut–wheat, groundnut–isabgol, groundnut–chickpea, cluster bean–wheat and mung bean–wheat) each at six nutrient application rate (NAR) i.e. 0, 25, 50, 75, 100% recommended dose of N and P (NP) and 100% NP + S were evaluated. The cropping systems varied significantly in terms of productivity, profitability and WUEs. Averaged across nutrient application regimes, groundnut–wheat rotation gave 300–1620 kg ha−1 and 957–3365 kg ha−1 higher grain and biomass yields, respectively, than other cropping systems. The mean annual net returns were highest for the mung bean–wheat system, which returned 32–57% higher net return than other cropping systems. The mung bean–wheat and cluster bean–wheat systems had higher WUE in terms of yields than other cropping systems. The mung bean–wheat system recorded 35–63% higher WUE in monetary terms compared with other systems. Nutrients application improved yields, profit and WUEs of cropping systems. Averaged across years and cropping systems, the application of 100% NP improved grain yields, returns and WUE by 1.7, 3.9 and 1.6 times than no application of nutrients. The results suggest that the profitability and WUEs of crop production in this hot arid environment can be improved, compared with groundnut–wheat cropping, by substituting groundnut by mung bean and nutrients application.

scholarly journals Comparative Performance of Integrated Nutrient Management between Composted Agricultural Wastes, Chemical Fertilizers, and Biofertilizers in Improving Soil Quantitative and Qualitative Properties and Crop Yields under Arid Conditions

Agronomy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 1503
Author(s):  
Nasser Al-Suhaibani ◽  
Mostafa Selim ◽  
Ali Alderfasi ◽  
Salah El-Hendawy
Keyword(s):  
Crop Production ◽  
Nutrient Management ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Agricultural Wastes ◽  
Integrated Nutrient Management ◽  
Qualitative Properties ◽  
Chemical Fertilizers ◽  
Comparative Performance ◽  
Arid Conditions

The primary goal of integrated nutrient management (INM) strategies is to substitute a portion of chemical fertilizers with a more sustainable and environmentally safe organic compost in order to mitigate soil degradation, improve crop production, and protect the environment. Therefore, the present study was conducted to assess the impacts of different INM practices, namely full-dose NPK (T1), compost of cow manure at 5 t ha−1 (T2), compost of poultry manure at 5 t ha−1 (T3), compost of mixed sheep and camel manure at 5 t ha−1 (T4), 50% NPK combined with the mixture of the three types of composts at the rate of 5 t ha−1 (T5) or 10 t ha−1 (T6), and mixture of the three types of composts at the rate of 10 t ha−1 (T7), 15 t ha−1 (T8), or 20 t ha−1 (T9) with or without biofertilizers for each treatment on several physiochemical and biological proprieties of soil and final grain yield of field crops after 2 years of field-scale experiments. The results showed that all INM practices generally significantly (p < 0.05) improved the initial values of all tested soil physiochemical and biological proprieties, whereas improvement was more prominent for the plots treated with T5–T9, compared with those treated with T1–T4. Seed inoculation with biofertilizers also significantly (p < 0.05) increased different soil proprieties by 2.8–12.0%, compared to that of the non-inoculation treatment. Principal component analysis revealed that most soil chemical properties were closely associated with T5–T6 treatments, while most soil physical and biological properties appeared to be more related to T7–T9 treatments. Our results indicated that recycling agricultural wastes into new productive composts and integrating it into appropriate INM practices as shown in T5–T9 treatments may induce favorable changes in soil properties and improve crop production under arid conditions even in the short term.

scholarly journals Weeds and Their Effect on the Performance of Maize and Finger Millet in Mid-Hills of Nepal

2014 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 275-278 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tika Bahadur Karki ◽  
Shrawan K. Sah ◽  
Resam B. Thapa ◽  
Andrew J. McDonald ◽  
Adam S. Davis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Weed Management ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Finger Millet ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Cropping System ◽  
Weed Species ◽  
Ageratum Conyzoides ◽  
Alternative Crop ◽  
Weed Infestation

Relay cropping of maize with fingermillet (maize/fingermillet) is the predominant cropping system for sustaining food security situation in the hilly regions of Nepal. In this region weed pressure severely reduces crop yields. Basic information on weed species composition, biomass production and their effect on crop yields and economics are lacking for this region. This information will be necessary to develop effective weed management strategies for the future. In light of this an empirical study was carried out in two representatives mid hill districts of Parbat and Baglung during summer season of 2010/2011 in Nepal. A total of 10 major weed species with densities of 172 in Parbat and 311 per 0.25m2 area in Baglung were observed. The highest percentage of both relative and absolute densities were recorded for Ageratum conyzoides in Parbat and Polygonum chinensis in Baglung. Weed infestation under farmers practice of crop management reduced the grain yield of maize by 1.985 Mt ha-1 (117%) in Baglung and 1.760 Mt ha-1 (108%) in Parbat. Similarly, in finger millet it was 0.489 Mt ha-1 (63%) in Baglung and 0.403 Mt ha-1 in Parbat. Similarly, the combined yield of both the crops was also significantly reduced by 79.3% and 61.7% in Baglung and Parbat respectively. Hence, weeds are directly affecting the crop performance in the region. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop an alternative crop production system in the hills. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ijasbt.v2i3.10790Int J Appl Sci Biotechnol, Vol. 2(3): 275-278  

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