scholarly journals Sites Availability for Minimalizing and Soil-Conservation Tillage of Soils in Slovakia

2011 ◽  
Vol 57 (2) ◽  
pp. 68-75 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jozef Vilček ◽  
Karol Kováč
Keyword(s):  
Soil Conservation ◽  
Agricultural Soils ◽  
Conservation Tillage ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Soil Science ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
Land Area ◽  
Arable Soils ◽  
Maize Production ◽  
Production Area

Sites Availability for Minimalizing and Soil-Conservation Tillage of Soils in SlovakiaThere is an alternative technology of traditional agricultural soil processing, so called minimalizing cultivation, which is based on reduction of some operating processes used in common. It is possible to perform this technology only in particular soil conditions. Total land area of sites, which are avail-able for the application of minimalizing cultivation is about 693 thousand hectares, which presents approximately 28% of agricultural and 48% of arable soils. 60% of this land area occurs in the maize production area and 39% in the sugar beet production area, thus in the most favourable agricultural local-ities regarding climate and soil. According to the administrative structuring of Slovakia 43% of agricultural soils suitable for minimalizing technologies occurs in Nitra district and about 27% in Trnava district. Identification of areas, suitable for such technologies application, is possible by the information databases of Soil Science and Conservation Research Institute, which have been elaborated for this purpose in geographic and informative systems. Regarding input parameters, they were chosen as follows: climatic conditions of given locality, steepness, depth, stoniness and soil texture.

scholarly journals The Effect of Soil-Climate Conditions, Farmyard Manure and Mineral Fertilizers on Potato Yield and Soil Chemical Parameters

Plants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 2473
Author(s):  
Lukáš Hlisnikovský ◽  
Ladislav Menšík ◽  
Eva Kunzová
Keyword(s):  
Negative Impact ◽  
Farmyard Manure ◽  
Chemical Properties ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Mineral Fertilizers ◽  
Mineral N ◽  
Maize Production ◽  
Climate Conditions ◽  
Production Area ◽  
Soil Climate

If available to farmers, potatoes represent a crop classically fertilized with farmyard manure in the Czech Republic. At the same time, potatoes are a crop sensitive to soil–climate conditions. We evaluated the effect of cattle manure (FYM), manure and mineral nitrogen (FYM + N1, FYM + N2), manure and mineral fertilizers (FYM + N1PK, FYM + N2PK, FYM + N3PK) application and the effect of three soil-climatic conditions (Caslav—maize production area with degraded Chernozem, Ivanovice—maize production area with Chernozem, Lukavec—potatoes production area with Cambisol) over four years (2016–2019) on potatoes yield and soil chemical properties. Of all the factors, yields were most affected by location. Lukavec provided the highest average yields (37.2 t ha−1), followed by Ivanovice (23.5 t ha−1) and Caslav (15.5 t ha−1). The second most important factor was the climatic conditions of the year. Fertilization was the third most important parameter. FYM significantly increased yields compared to Control, but applied alone cannot cover the needs of potatoes. Similarly, the application of FYM and N increases yields, but for the highest yields, it is best to apply FYM + NPK (80 kg ha−1 N). Co-application of FYM and mineral N fertilizers mitigates the negative impact of mineral N on soil pH.

scholarly journals Relating farmers’ perceptions to long term dynamics in maize (Zea mays L.) production: The production of improved maize is coming to a standstill in central Malawi

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harrington Nyirenda ◽  
Wantwa Mwangomba ◽  
Ellen M. Nyirenda
Keyword(s):  
Maize Yield ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Early Maturity ◽  
Maize Production ◽  
Maize Productivity ◽  
Good Taste ◽  
Production Trend ◽  
Production Area ◽  
Hybrid Maize

AbstractMaize production, area and yield dynamics were assessed based on farmer perceptions and production data from 2004/05-2018/19 using 36 000 households in Salima, central Malawi. The results showed that farmers used 16, six and two varieties for hybrid, Open-pollinated varieties (OPV) and local maize respectively. Farmers sourced Hybrid and OPV maize seed from Private Agro dealers while local maize was own-sourced. Farmers preferred local maize for being cheap, good taste, low storage costs, and pest resistance although low yielding. They preferred hybrid and OPV maize for high yielding and early maturity despite demanding high storage costs, pest susceptibility, and low flour. From 2004/05-2018/19, the area under local and OPV maize reduced by 61% and 12% respectively, while that of hybrid maize increased by 49%. However, the consistent decrease in area for hybrid and OPV and significant increase of that of local maize from 2014/15-2018/19 may signal a catastrophic maize production in the region. From 2019/20-2025/26 production of all maize was projected at 44 172 tons by 2025/26, representing a 1.6% increase from the base year 2019/20. This increase will be due to favorable climatic conditions and not increase in area or yield. If maize yield was improved by 30% production would increase to 110 430 tons representing 67% of the food requirement in the study area. The current maize production trend in Salima does not guarantee food security prospects. Therefore, policymakers should consider reviewing the past interventions (input pricing, promotion strategies, sustainable practices, policies) in the maize subsector to enhance maize productivity.

scholarly journals A Sensitivity Analysis of the SPACSYS Model

Agriculture ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 624
Author(s):  
Yan Shan ◽  
Mingbin Huang ◽  
Paul Harris ◽  
Lianhai Wu
Keyword(s):  
Sensitivity Analysis ◽  
Wheat Yield ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Water Dynamics ◽  
Ecological Modelling ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
Model Parameters ◽  
Nutrient Inputs ◽  
Nutrient Pool ◽  
Wheat Field

A sensitivity analysis is critical for determining the relative importance of model parameters to their influence on the simulated outputs from a process-based model. In this study, a sensitivity analysis for the SPACSYS model, first published in Ecological Modelling (Wu, et al., 2007), was conducted with respect to changes in 61 input parameters and their influence on 27 output variables. Parameter sensitivity was conducted in a ‘one at a time’ manner and objectively assessed through a single statistical diagnostic (normalized root mean square deviation) which ranked parameters according to their influence of each output variable in turn. A winter wheat field experiment provided the case study data. Two sets of weather elements to represent different climatic conditions and four different soil types were specified, where results indicated little influence on these specifications for the identification of the most sensitive parameters. Soil conditions and management were found to affect the ranking of parameter sensitivities more strongly than weather conditions for the selected outputs. Parameters related to drainage were strongly influential for simulations of soil water dynamics, yield and biomass of wheat, runoff, and leaching from soil during individual and consecutive growing years. Wheat yield and biomass simulations were sensitive to the ‘ammonium immobilised fraction’ parameter that related to soil mineralization and immobilisation. Simulations of CO2 release from the soil and soil nutrient pool changes were most sensitive to external nutrient inputs and the process of denitrification, mineralization, and decomposition. This study provides important evidence of which SPACSYS parameters require the most care in their specification. Moving forward, this evidence can help direct efficient sampling and lab analyses for increased accuracy of such parameters. Results provide a useful reference for model users on which parameters are most influential for different simulation goals, which in turn provides better informed decision making for farmers and government policy alike.

scholarly journals Effects of Rootstocks on Blade Nutritional Content of Two Minority Grapevine Varieties Cultivated under Hyper-Arid Conditions in Northern Chile

Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 327
Author(s):  
Nicolás Verdugo-Vásquez ◽  
Gastón Gutiérrez-Gamboa ◽  
Emilio Villalobos-Soublett ◽  
Andrés Zurita-Silva
Keyword(s):  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
Northern Chile ◽  
High Tolerance ◽  
Nutritional Content ◽  
Pests And Diseases ◽  
Arid Conditions ◽  
High K ◽  
Warm Weather ◽  
Nutritional Imbalance

In the 90s, as in other countries, transformation of Chilean viticulture brought about the introduction and spread of European grapevine varieties which has resulted in a massive loss of minor local and autochthonous grapevine varieties traditionally grown in several wine growing regions. Fortunately, in recent years, autochthonous and minority varieties have been revalued due to their high tolerance to pests and diseases and because of their adaptation to thermal and water stress triggered by global warming. In this study, we assessed the nutritional status of two autochthonous grapevines grafted onto four different rootstocks under the hyper-arid climatic conditions of Northern Chile over three consecutive seasons. The results showed that R32 rootstock induced high N, P, Ca, Mg and Mn levels in blades compared to Harmony rootstock. R32 rootstock and to a lesser extent, 1103 Paulsen and 140 Ruggeri rootstocks kept balanced levels of nutrients in blades collected from Moscatel Amarilla and Moscatel Negra grapevine varieties. Additionally, Harmony presented slight nutritional imbalance compared to the rest of studied rootstocks due to its low absorption of Mg, Mn, Ca and P, and its high K absorption, which was exacerbated under warm weather and salinity soil conditions. These results may provide a basis for specific cultivar/rootstock/site combinations, a nutritional guide for the viticulturists of Northern Chile, and options to diversify their production favoring the use of minority and autochthonous varieties that adapt well to hyper-arid conditions of Northern Chile.

The effect of rainfall intensity on soil erosion and particulate phosphorus transfer from arable soils

1999 ◽  
Vol 39 (12) ◽  
pp. 41-45 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. I. Fraser ◽  
T. R. Harrod ◽  
P. M. Haygarth
Keyword(s):  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Suspended Sediment ◽  
Rainfall Intensity ◽  
Overland Flow ◽  
Agricultural Soils ◽  
Arable Land ◽  
Significant Proportion ◽  
Particulate Phosphorus ◽  
Arable Soils ◽  
Flow Monitoring

Soil erosion, in the form of transported suspended sediment in overland flow, is often associated with high rates of particulate phosphorus (PP) (total P>0.45 μm) transfer from land to watercourses. Particulate P may provide a long-term source of P for aquatic biota. Twenty-two sites for winter overland flow monitoring were selected in south-west England within fields ranging from 0.2–3.8 ha on conventionally-managed arable land. Fields were situated on highly porous, light textured soils, lacking impermeable horizons and often overlying major aquifers. Long arable use and modern cultivation methods result in these soils capping under rain impact. Overland flow was observed when rainfall intensity approached the modest rate of 0.8 mm hr−1 on land at or near to field capacity. Low intensity rainfall (<2 mm hr−1) produced mean suspended sediment losses of 14 kg ha−1 hr−1, with associated PP transfer rates of 16 g ha−1 hr−1. In high intensity rainfall (>9 mm hr−1) mean PP losses of 319 g ha−1 hr−1 leaving the field were observed. As might be expected, there was a good relationship between PP and suspended sediment transfer in overland flow leaving the sites. The capacity of light soils to cap when in arable use, combined with heavy or prolonged rainfall, resulted in substantial discharges, soil erosion and associated PP transfer. Storms with heavy rain, typically of only a few hours duration, were characterised by considerable losses of PP. Such events, with return periods of once or twice a winter, may account for a significant proportion of total annual P transfer from agricultural soils under arable crops. However, contributions from less intense rain with much longer duration (around 100 hours per winter in many arable districts of the UK) are also demonstrated here.

scholarly journals Unpacking Brazil’s Leadership in the Global Biofuels Arena: Brazilian Ethanol Diplomacy in Africa

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 127-150 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stavros Afionis ◽  
Lindsay C. Stringer ◽  
Nicola Favretto ◽  
Julia Tomei ◽  
Marcos S. Buckeridge
Keyword(s):  
Political Leadership ◽  
Economic Recession ◽  
Scaling Up ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Global Leadership ◽  
Bioethanol Production ◽  
Land Area ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Alliance Network ◽  
The Eu

Biofuels represent an opportunity for Brazil to exert global leadership by substantially scaling up the production, consumption, and international trade of bioethanol. Africa represents an ideal venue in which to do this, given its suitable agro-climatic conditions and extensive land area. Brazil has consequently sought to establish bilateral partnerships with African countries, as well as North-South-South trilateral partnerships involving the EU and US. However, empirically grounded assessments of how Brazil’s leadership aspirations have unfolded in practice through these partnerships are limited. In this article, we examine Brazil’s potential to exert global political leadership, by analyzing its policy-based, structural, and instrumental qualities in making bilateral and trilateral inroads regarding bioethanol production in Africa. Interviews in Brazil, Africa, and Europe suggest that both the bilateral and trilateral avenues have produced meager results. Lack of domestic strategy and vision, economic recession, and a fragmented alliance network have reduced Brazil’s capacity to achieve its ethanol diplomacy objectives.

An experiment in the control of the ground water-level in a fen peat soil

1951 ◽  
Vol 41 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 149-162 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. H. Nicholson ◽  
G. Alderman ◽  
D. H. Firth
Keyword(s):  
Ground Water ◽  
Water Level ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Field Experiments ◽  
Peat Soil ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Ground Water Level ◽  
Effective Control ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
Local Soil

1. The methods of investigation of the effect of ground water-level on crop growth, together with tho field installations in use, are discussed.2. Direct field experiments are handicapped by the difficulties of achieving close control on a sufficiently large scale, due to considerable variations of surface level and depth of peat within individual fields and to rapid fluctuations in rainfall and evaporation. Many recorded experiments are associated with climatic conditions of substantial precipitation during the growing season.3. Seasonal fluctuations of ground water-level in Fen peat soils in England, in natural and agricultural conditions, are described.4. The local soil conditions are outlined and the implications of profile variations are discussed.5. The effective control of ground water-level on a field scale requires deep and commodious ditches and frequent large underdrains to ensure the movement of water underground with sufficient freedom to give rapid compensatory adjustment for marked disturbances of ground water-level following the incidence of heavy rain or excessive evaporation.6. A working installation for a field experiment in ordinary farming conditions is described and the measure of control attained is indicated.

scholarly journals Allocative efficiency and adoption of improved maize variety: A case of eastern hills of Nepal

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 148-159
Author(s):  
Tilak Katel ◽  
Bhishma Raj Dahal ◽  
Sandesh Bhatta
Keyword(s):  
Regression Model ◽  
Insect Pest ◽  
Allocative Efficiency ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Probit Regression ◽  
Maize Production ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Maize Variety ◽  
Structured Questionnaire

Production and  profit from maize farming can be substantially increased by allocating resources efficiently and adopting improved maize variety. In this context, a study was undertaken to determine the allocative efficiency and factors affecting adoption of improved maize variety in Eastern hills of Nepal. Random sampling was conducted in eastern part of Khotang district namely, Halesi municipality and Diktel Rupakot Majuwagadi municipality during month of March 2019. Pretested semi-structured questionnaire was administered among 80 randomly selected farmers cultivating maize since last two years. Face to face interview was scheduled to obtain data. Cobb Douglas production function was used to determine allocative efficiency; probit regression model was launched to determine factors affecting adoption of improved maize variety.  Significant positive relation of cost of seed, planting, and weeding with income has suggested to increase expenditure on certified maize seed over own farm seed, line sowing over broadcasting, and weeding. The model revealed that increasing all the factors of production by 100% would result in increase in income by 71.83%. Furthermore, cultivating improved maize variety is more profitable than own farm seed. Probit regression model showed that, farmers who have received training, who were member of cooperatives and who have received high schooling were more likely to adopt open-pollinated improved maize variety. Unavailability of inputs (seed, fertilizer, and labor), insect pest attack and adverse climatic conditions were major constraint of maize farming. Therefore, it would be better to suggest maize producers to increase expenditure on seed; make maize field weed free and adopt line sowing method. In addition, providing training, increasing access over inputs and encouraging farmers towards cooperatives could be virtuous for sustainable maize production.

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