scholarly journals 687 Implementation of Long-term Farming Systems Studies: Challenges and Opportunities

HortScience ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 517C-517
Author(s):  
N.G. Creamer ◽  
J.P. Mueller
Keyword(s):  
North Carolina ◽  
Production System ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Growth Yield ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Organic Production ◽  
Technical State ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities

The Center for Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS) is dedicated to developing farming systems that are environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable. Established in 1994 at the North Carolina Dept. of Agriculture Cherry Farm near Goldsboro, CEFS has >2000 acres (1000 cleared). This unique center is a partnership among North Carolina State Univ., North Carolina Agriculture and Technical State Univ., North Carolina Dep. of Agriculture and Consumer Services, nongovernmental organizations, and other state and federal agencies, farmers, and citizens. Long-term cropping systems that integrate the broad range of factors involved in agricultural systems is the focus of the Cropping Systems Unit at CEFS. The USDA SARE program has provided funding to help establish a comprehensive long-term, large-scale experiment. Data collection and analyses include comprehensive soil and water quality, pests and predators (weeds, insects, and disease), crop factors (growth, yield, and quality), economic factors (viability, on/off farm impact, and community), and energy issues. Systems being compared are a successional ecosystem, plantation forestry/wood lot, integrated crop/animal production system, organic production system, and a cash-grain cropping system (BMP). An interdisciplinary team of scientists from almost every department from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, along with faculty from North Carolina Agriculture and Technical State Univ., NGO representatives, and farmers are collaborating in this endeavor. Challenges and opportunities in building collaborative teams and setting up such long-term trials will be discussed.

scholarly journals Development and Implementation of a Long-term Agricultural Systems Study: Challenges and Opportunities

2002 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 362-368 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.P. Mueller ◽  
M. E. Barbercheck ◽  
M. Bell ◽  
C. Brownie ◽  
N.G. Creamer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
North Carolina ◽  
Production System ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Organic Production ◽  
Soil Parameters ◽  
State University ◽  
Agricultural Systems ◽  
Systems Research ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities

The Center for Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS) is dedicated to farming systems that are environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable. Established in 1994 at the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDACS) Cherry Farm near Goldsboro, N.C.; CEFS operations extend over a land area of about 800 ha (2000 acres) [400 ha (1000 acres) cleared]. This unique center is a partnership among North Carolina State University (NCSU), North Carolina Agriculture and Technical State University (NCATSU), NCDACS, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), other state and federal agencies, farmers and citizens. Long-term approaches that integrate the broad range of factors involved in agricultural systems are the focus of the Farming Systems Research Unit. The goal is to provide the empirical framework to address landscape-scale issues that impact long-run sustainability of North Carolina's agriculture. To this end, data collection and analyses include soil parameters (biological, chemical, physical), pests and predators (weeds, insects and disease), crop factors (growth, yield, and quality), economic factors, and energy issues. Five systems are being compared: a successional ecosystem, a plantation forestry-woodlot, an integrated crop-animal production system, an organic production system, and a cash-grain [best management practice (BMP)] cropping system. An interdisciplinary team of scientistsfrom the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at NCSU and NCATSU, along with individuals from the NCDACS, NGO representatives, and farmers are collaborating in this endeavor. Experimental design and protocol are discussed, in addition to challenges and opportunities in designing and implementing long-term farming systems trials.

scholarly journals Soil-Biodegradable Plastic Mulches Undergo Minimal in-Soil Degradation in a Perennial Raspberry System after 18 Months

Horticulturae ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 47
Author(s):  
Huan Zhang ◽  
Markus Flury ◽  
Carol Miles ◽  
Hang Liu ◽  
Lisa DeVetter
Keyword(s):  
Production System ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Biodegradable Plastic ◽  
Perennial Crop ◽  
Soil Burial Test ◽  
Soil Burial ◽  
Soil Exposure

Soil-biodegradable plastic mulches (BDMs) are made from biodegradable materials that can be bio-based, synthetic, or a blend of these two types of polymers, which are designed to degrade in soil through microbial activities. The purpose of BDMs is to reduce agricultural plastic waste by replacing polyethylene (PE) mulch, which is not biodegradable. Most studies have evaluated the breakdown of BDMs within annual production systems, but knowledge of BDM breakdown in perennial systems is limited. The objective of this study was to evaluate the deterioration and degradation of BDMs in a commercial red raspberry (Rubus ideaus L.) production system. Deterioration was low (≤11% percent soil exposure; PSE) for all mulches until October 2017 (five months after transplanting, MAT). By March 2018 (10 MAT), deterioration reached 91% for BDMs but remained low for PE mulch (4%). Mechanical strength also was lower for BDMs than PE mulch. In a soil burial test in the raspberry field, 91% of the BDM area remained after 18 months. In-soil BDM degradation was minimal, although the PSE was high. Since mulch is only applied once in a perennial crop production system, and the lifespan of the planting may be three or more years, it is worth exploring the long-term degradation of BDMs in perennial cropping systems across diverse environments.

Review: Redesigning Canadian prairie cropping systems for profitability, sustainability, and resilience

2015 ◽  
Vol 95 (6) ◽  
pp. 1049-1072 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanne R. Thiessen Martens ◽  
Martin H. Entz ◽  
Mark D. Wonneck
Keyword(s):  
Cover Crops ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Agroforestry Systems ◽  
Organic Production ◽  
Agricultural Systems ◽  
Canadian Prairie ◽  
Research Education

Thiessen Martens, J. R., Entz, M. H. and Wonneck, M. D. 2015. Review: Redesigning Canadian prairie cropping systems for profitability, sustainability, and resilience. Can. J. Plant Sci. 95: 1049–1072. Redesign of agricultural systems according to ecological principles has been proposed for the development of sustainable systems. We review a wide variety of ecologically based crop production practices, including crop varieties and genetic diversity, crop selection and rotation, cover crops, annual polyculture, perennial forages, perennial grains, agroforestry systems, reducing tillage, use of animal manures and green manures, soil biological fertility, organic production systems, integrated crop–livestock systems, and purposeful design of farm landscapes (farmscaping), and discuss their potential role in enhancing the profitability, environmental sustainability, and resilience of Canadian prairie cropping systems. Farming systems that most closely mimic natural systems through appropriate integration of diverse components, within a context of supportive social and economic structures, appear to offer the greatest potential benefits, while creating a framework in which to place all other farming practices. Our understanding of ecological relationships within agricultural systems is currently lacking, and a major shift in research, education, and policy will be required to purposefully and proactively redesign Canadian prairie agricultural systems for long-term sustainability.

scholarly journals Organic and conservation agriculture promote ecosystem multifunctionality

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (34) ◽  
pp. eabg6995
Author(s):  
Raphaël A. Wittwer ◽  
S. Franz Bender ◽  
Kyle Hartman ◽  
Sofia Hydbom ◽  
Ruy A. A. Lima ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Economic Performance ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Conservation Agriculture ◽  
Farming System ◽  
Organic Production ◽  
Climate Mitigation ◽  
Conventional Agriculture ◽  
Additional Support ◽  
Ecosystem Multifunctionality

Ecosystems provide multiple services to humans. However, agricultural systems are usually evaluated on their productivity and economic performance, and a systematic and quantitative assessment of the multifunctionality of agroecosystems including environmental services is missing. Using a long-term farming system experiment, we evaluated and compared the agronomic, economic, and ecological performance of the most widespread arable cropping systems in Europe: organic, conservation, and conventional agriculture. We analyzed 43 agroecosystem properties and determined overall agroecosystem multifunctionality. We show that organic and conservation agriculture promoted ecosystem multifunctionality, especially by enhancing regulating and supporting services, including biodiversity preservation, soil and water quality, and climate mitigation. In contrast, conventional cropping showed reduced multifunctionality but delivered highest yield. Organic production resulted in higher economic performance, thanks to higher product prices and additional support payments. Our results demonstrate that different cropping systems provide opposing services, enforcing the productivity–environmental protection dilemma for agroecosystem functioning.

scholarly journals Using an Agroecological Approach to Farming Systems Research

2002 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 345-354 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Delate
Keyword(s):  
Focus Groups ◽  
Systems Theory ◽  
Plant Protection ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Organic Production ◽  
Theory Approach ◽  
Organic Systems ◽  
Systems Research

Sales of organic products reached $8 billion in the U.S. in 2000, continuing the nearly decade-long trend of 20% annual growth. In Iowa alone, organic production for all crops was 5265 ha (13,000 acres) in 1995 but 60,750 ha (150,000 acres) in 1999. Despite the growth in organic agriculture, our knowledge of organic farming systems remains limited. We have adopted a systems theory approach in our current research program at Iowa State University (ISU) to help address this gap in understanding. Systems theory holds that biological systems, such as agroecosystems, consist of integrated units of people, plants, animals, soil, insects and microorganisms, and each subsystem provides feedback to the other. In order to obtain input on research questions and experimental design, the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture and ISU held six focus groups across Iowa in 1998 before long-term site establishment. Producers and agricultural professionals at the focus groups supported the need for long-term agroecological research (LTAR) sites in four distinct agroecological zones in Iowa. The goal of each LTAR is to examine the short- and long-term physical, biological, and socioeconomic effects of organic and conventional farming systems. By establishing long-term experiments, we are testing the hypothesis that longer crop rotations, typical of organic farms, provide yield stability, improve plant protection, and enhance soil health and economic benefits compared to conventional systems with shorter rotations and greater off-farm inputs. Examples of research results from two LTAR experiments in Iowa include similar pepper (Capsicum annuum) and soybean (Glycine max) yields in the conventional and organic systems. Organic systems used mechanical weed control and locally produced compost in place of synthetic fertilizers. Feedback from the local farm associations that are responsible for farm stewardship and farm finances is inherent in the LTAR process.

scholarly journals Challenges and Opportunities in Coastal Shoreline Prediction

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristen D. Splinter ◽  
Giovanni Coco
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Southern Oscillation ◽  
Shoreline Change ◽  
Sandy Beaches ◽  
Water Levels ◽  
Current State ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Future Challenges ◽  
Shoreline Prediction

Sandy beaches comprise approximately 31% of the world's ice-free coasts. Sandy coastlines around the world are continuously adjusting in response to changing waves and water levels at both short (storm) and long (climate-driven, from El-Nino Southern Oscillation to sea level rise) timescales. Managing this critical zone requires robust, advanced tools that represent our best understanding of how to abstract and integrate coastal processes. However, this has been hindered by (1) a lack of long-term, large-scale coastal monitoring of sandy beaches and (2) a robust understanding of the key physical processes that drive shoreline change over multiple timescales. This perspectives article aims to summarize the current state of shoreline modeling at the sub-century timescale and provides an outlook on future challenges and opportunities ahead.

Practical lessons for successful long-term cropping systems experiments

2010 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-3 ◽  
Author(s):  
William F. Schillinger
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Practical Experience ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Scientific Journals ◽  
Short Commentary ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Systems Studies

AbstractMany lessons in long-term cropping systems experiments are learned from practical experience. I have conducted large-scale, long-term, multidisciplinary dryland and irrigated cropping systems experiments with numerous colleagues at university and government research stations and in farmers' fields in the USA and in developing countries for 25 years. Several practical lessons learned through the years are outlined in this short commentary. While some of these lessons learned may be intrinsically obvious, results of many cropping systems experiments have not been published in scientific journals due to fatal flaws in experimental design, improper transitioning between phases of the experiment and many other reasons. Ongoing active support by stakeholders is critical to maintain funding for long-term cropping systems studies. Problems and unexpected challenges will occur, but scientists can often parlay these into opportunities for discovery and testing of new hypotheses. Better understanding and advancement of stable, profitable and sustainable cropping systems will be critical for feeding the world's projected 10 billion people by the mid-21st century.

scholarly journals The profitability of organic soybean production

2009 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 276-284 ◽  
Author(s):  
W.D. McBride ◽  
Catherine Greene
Keyword(s):  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Nationwide Survey ◽  
Organic Production ◽  
Production Costs ◽  
Crop Acreage ◽  
Soybean Production ◽  
Fuel Prices ◽  
Price Premiums ◽  
The Impact

AbstractResults from long-term experimental trials suggest that similar yields and lower costs are possible with organic compared to conventional soybeans, but there is little information about the relative costs and returns of these systems on commercial farms. This study examines the profitability of commercial soybean production using a nationwide survey of soybean producers for 2006 that includes a targeted sample of organic growers. Treatment-effect models are specified to characterize adopters of the organic approach and to isolate the impact of organic choice on operating, operating and capital, and total economic costs of soybean production. Organic soybean producers tend to be younger, have less crop acreage, and are less likely to work off-farm than conventional producers. Organic soybean production costs range from about $1 to $6 per bushel higher than those for conventional soybeans due to both lower yields and higher per-acre costs, while the average organic price premium in 2006 was more than $9 per bushel. Long-term cropping systems data suggest significant returns to organic systems result from similar yields and lower costs than conventional systems, but the high returns to commercial organic production found in this study can only be attributed to the significant price premiums paid for organic soybeans. Average organic soybean price premiums have remained high since 2006 despite much higher conventional soybean prices as users of organic soybeans attempt to retain and attract more acreage. However, increases in conventional soybean prices and fuel prices reduce the incentive for planting organic soybeans by improving returns to conventional production and increasing the relative costs of organic production.

A METHOD OF ESTIMATING YIELD FOR LARGE-SCALE FIELD RESEARCH PROJECTS

1990 ◽  
Vol 70 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-50
Author(s):  
JERELEEN BRYDON ◽  
D. A. RENNIE
Keyword(s):  
Grain Yield ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Field Research ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Farming System ◽  
Sampling Procedure ◽  
Sampling Scheme ◽  
Field Scale ◽  
Intensive Sampling

The Innovative Acres field-scale project was designed to compare water-efficient farming systems with the more commonly used crop-fallow farming system in Saskatchewan. This project spanned the period between 1982 and 1987, and tested 40 locations each year. The present study was undertaken at two of these locations, to compare the sampling methodology used by the Innovative Acres (IA) project with a more intensive sampling scheme, and thereby assess the relative validity of productivity estimates developed from the IA sampling method. At both locations, grain yield estimates for the field based upon twelve IA benchmark sites were statistically similar (P > 0.05) to yield estimates from the more intensive sampling scheme (59 samples). Yield estimates from the IA transect more closely approximated the farmers' estimates of grain yield at both locations. Weighted grain yields, based on the distribution of topography along the transects, gave no better estimate of yield than did grouped mean data at both locations. The IA sampling procedure estimated to within 10% of the true mean grain yield, at the 90% probability level. It is concluded that this level of precision allows accurate comparisons to be made between two cropping systems. Key words: Field-scale research, transects, topography

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