scholarly journals Application of the nutrient budgeting model OVERSEER™ to assess management options and Regional Council consent requirements on a Hawke's Bay dairy farm

1999 ◽  
pp. 227-231
Author(s):  
S.F. Ledgard ◽  
G.A. Edgecombe ◽  
A.H.C. Roberts
Keyword(s):  
Nitrate Leaching ◽  
N2 Fixation ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Dairy Farm ◽  
Main Role ◽  
Fruit And Vegetable ◽  
Management Options ◽  
Total N ◽  
Regional Council ◽  
N Removal

OVERSEER™ is a nutrient budgeting model which estimates the inputs, outputs and balances of N, P, K and S for different farming systems. Its main role is as an index of the sustainability of farm systems and to provide information on the potential environmental impacts through estimates of nutrient leaching. OVERSEER was used to assess the N flows and balances associated with different management practices on the farm of Hawke's Bay Dairies Ltd. The 210 ha farm includes a feed-pad for feeding cows with fruit and vegetable processing wastes and pasture which is cut and carried from a 41 ha effluent area (the latter is a requirement of the Regional Council consent). Outputs from OVERSEER for the effluent area revealed that N removal in cut pasture was 1.4 × total N inputs in effluent and clover N2 fixation and the total N balance was -117 kg N/ha/year. This could lead to significant pasture deterioration and would be unsustainable in its current state. Current N inputs for the whole farm system were estimated at 80, 147 and 87 kg N/ha/year in fertiliser, brought-in feed and clover N2 fixation. Outputs of N in milk and nitrate leaching were estimated at 154 and 66 kg N/ha/year, respectively. Hawke's Bay Dairies propose changes in management to exclude the cut-and-carry operation. The effects of these changes on N flows and balances are presented and compared with those from the long-term farmlet trial at the Dairying Research Corporation Number 2 Dairy farm. In the Hawke's Bay Dairies farm, high milk production (2200 kg milksolids/ ha) is being achieved through utilisation of locallyavailable fruit and vegetable wastes which are high in energy and low in protein. This results in very efficient conversion of total N inputs into milk (49%) and lower leaching losses than those measured in farmlet systems based on high (400 kg N/ ha/year) inputs of N fertiliser. Keywords: dairy farm, feed-pad, nitrate leaching, nitrogen model, OVERSEER™

Impact of Nitrogen Management Practices on Total Nitrogen in the Fruits of High Productive Hamlin Orange Trees

HortScience ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 498e-498
Author(s):  
S. Paramasivam ◽  
A.K. Alva
Keyword(s):  
Crop Production ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Fine Sand ◽  
Fruit Production ◽  
Perennial Crop ◽  
Total N ◽  
N Removal ◽  
Leaf N Concentration ◽  
N Rates ◽  
Orange Trees

For perennial crop production conditions, major portion of nutrient removal from the soil-tree system is that in harvested fruits. Nitrogen in the fruits was calculated for 22-year-old `Hamlin' orange (Citrus sinensis) trees on Cleopatra mandarin (Citrus reticulata) rootstock, grown in a Tavares fine sand (hyperthermic, uncoated, Typic Quartzipsamments) that received various N rates (112, 168, 224, and 280 kg N/ha per year) as either i) broadcast of dry granular form (DGF; four applications/year), or ii) fertigation (FRT; 15 applications/year). Total N in the fruits (mean across 4 years) varied from 82 to 110 and 89 to 111 kg N/ha per year for the DGF and FRT sources, respectively. Proportion of N in the fruits in relation to N applied decreased from 74% to 39% for the DGF and from 80% to 40% for the FRT treatments. High percentage of N removal in the fruits in relation to total N applied at low N rates indicate that trees may be depleting the tree reserve for maintaining fruit production. This was evident, to some extent, by the low leaf N concentration at the low N treatments. Furthermore, canopy density was also lower in the low N trees compared to those that received higher N rates.

scholarly journals Nitrogen and Phosphorus Balances Vary at the Whole-Farm, Field, and Within-Field Scales

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan M. Berlingeri ◽  
Joseph R. Lawrence ◽  
S. Sunoj ◽  
Karl J. Czymmek ◽  
Quirine M. Ketterings
Keyword(s):  
N Uptake ◽  
Nutrient Balance ◽  
Corn Silage ◽  
Nitrogen And Phosphorus ◽  
Management Options ◽  
Total N ◽  
Available N ◽  
N Removal ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Total P

A field nutrient balance (supplied minus harvested) can be an effective, end-of-season management evaluation tool. However, development of guidance for balance-based management requires knowledge of variability in balance inputs. To contribute to development of such guidelines, we evaluated the impact of corn silage hybrid selection, nutrient management, and growing conditions on field nitrogen (N) balances and documented variability in N and phosphorus (P) balances at the whole-farm, field, within-field levels. Variability in N removal among hybrids was evaluated using hybrid trials (5 locations, 4 years each). Variability in farm and field balances (4 farms, 2 years each) and within-field balances (2 farms, 2 years each) was assessed as well. Nitrogen supply comprised soil N (soil type-specific book values), rotation N, past manure N, and current year N (fertilizer and/or manure). Total N balances included all current year manure N while available N balances considered only plant-available N from manure. Phosphorus balances were derived as total P applied minus P harvested. Yield explained 81% of the variability in N uptake across hybrids. Nitrogen uptake intensity (NUI; N uptake per unit of yield) varied across locations and years, averaging 4.3 ± 0.1 kg N/Mg for short-season hybrids [≤95 days-to-maturity (DTM)] vs. 4.1 ± 0.1 kg N Mg−1 for longer-season hybrids. Whole-farm N balances ranged from 139 to 251 kg N ha−1 for total N and 43 to 106 kg N ha−1 for available N. Phosphorus balances ranged from 28 to 154 kg P ha−1. Balances per field ranged from −8 to 453, −66 to 250 kg N ha−1, and −30 to 315 kg P ha−1 for total N, available N, and total P, respectively, while within-field balances showed even larger ranges. We conclude that (1) variability in corn silage N and P balances at field and within-field scales and across year is large, emphasizing the need for field and within-field (where feasible) evaluation tools and management options, and (2) feasible limits for N balances should include both total and available N.

scholarly journals Nitrogen balances and losses on intensive dairy farms

1997 ◽  
pp. 49-53 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.F. Ledgard ◽  
J.W. Penno ◽  
M.S. Sprosen
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Nitrate Leaching ◽  
N2 Fixation ◽  
Meat Products ◽  
Dairy Farm ◽  
Dairy Farms ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
N Losses ◽  
Farm System ◽  
South West England

Nitrogen (N) balances were constructed for "average" dairy farms in New Zealand, south west England and The Netherlands, and for Dairying Research Corporation (DRC) farmlets varying in stocking rate and use of N fertiliser and maize grain. N surpluses were calculated to indicate the potential impact on the environment and these were compared with measured N losses from the DRC farmlets. On the average New Zealand farm, annual N inputs of 186 kg N/ha/year (mainly from N2 fixation) resulted in N outputs in milk+meat of 55 kg N/ha/year (30% efficiency) and a N surplus of 131 kg N/ha/year. Dutch farms produced 70% more milk/ha but had N inputs of 568 kg/ha, N outputs in produce of 81 kg/ha (14% efficiency) and a N surplus of 487 kg/ha. English farms were intermediate. In the DRC farmlets, applying fertiliser N at 400 kg N/ha/year increased N surpluses and nitrate leaching by 3-4 fold, resulting in nitrate-N concentrations in drainage of 2.5× the recommended maximum for drinking water. The most efficient farm system received no N fertiliser and was highly stocked (3.3 Friesian cows/ha) for very high pasture utilisation. This resulted in similar milk production/ha to Dutch farms (with 1/3 the N inputs) and a 45% efficiency of conversion of N inputs from N2 fixation into milk and meat products. Keywords: dairy farm, nitrate leaching, nitrogen balance, nitrogen fertiliser, stocking rate

scholarly journals Targeting Hotspots to Achieve Sustainable Nitrogen Management in China’s Smallholder-Dominated Cereal Production

Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 557
Author(s):  
Qingsong Zhang ◽  
Tingyu Li ◽  
Yulong Yin ◽  
Hao Ying ◽  
Zhenling Cui ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Variation ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
County Level ◽  
Total N ◽  
N Removal ◽  
Use Efficiency ◽  
Using Data ◽  
N Management ◽  
N Use

Agriculture in China, which is dominated by millions of smallholders, consumes 30% of global nitrogen (N) fertilizers and results in a high surplus and vast spatial variability of N. Identifying the N-management practices of smallholder farmers is critical to pursuing sustainable agricultural productivity. However, at the national scale, N budgets and spatial distribution based on first-hand data from smallholder farmers are not well characterized. Here, using data collected from a national survey involving 7.3 million farmers from 2005 to 2014, we quantified N budgets, evaluated their spatial variation, and revealed “hotspots” of low N removal and high N surplus for wheat, maize, and rice systems at the county level. The N surplus for cereal crops was 122–140 kg N ha−1, which is equivalent to an annual N surplus of 11.3 megaton (Mt). Chemical N was the most important contributor to the N surplus, while farmers used manure N less than 10% of the total N input. N budgets exhibited vast spatial variation at the county level, and the hotspots contributed to 56% of the total N surplus in China. Targeted efforts for eliminating hotspots could increase N removal by 13–21%, increase N use efficiency to 0.55–0.70, and significantly reduce the N surplus for all counties and crops, by 42%. Based on farmer survey data, our results provide updated estimates of N budgets and highlight hotspots of N surplus for cereal crop systems in China. They provide a benchmark for the development of new agricultural N management policies and technologies in the country.

Agricultural practices and diffuse nitrogen pollution in Denmark: empirical leaching and catchment models

1999 ◽  
Vol 39 (12) ◽  
pp. 257-264 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hans E. Andersen ◽  
Brian Kronvang ◽  
Søren E. Larsen
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Root Zone ◽  
Agricultural Practices ◽  
Animal Manure ◽  
Annual Runoff ◽  
N Leaching ◽  
N Loss ◽  
Total N ◽  
Model Calculations ◽  
N Removal

An empirical leaching model was applied to data on agricultural practices at the field level within 6 small Danish agricultural catchments in order to document any changes in nitrogen (N) leaching from the root zone during the period 1989-96. The model calculations performed at normal climate revealed an average reduction in N-leaching that amounted to 30% in the loamy catchments and 9% in the sandy catchments. The reductions in N leaching could be ascribed to several improvements in agricultural practices during the study period: (i) regulations on livestock density; (ii) regulations on the utilisation of animal manure; (iii) regulations concerning application practices for manure. The average annual total N-loss from agricultural areas to surface water constituted only 54% of the annual average N leached from the root zone in the three loamy catchments and 17% in the three sandy catchments. Thus, subsurface N-removal processes are capable of removing large amounts of N leached from agricultural land. An empirical model for the annual diffuse N-loss to streams from small catchments is presented. The model predicts annual N-loss as a function of the average annual use of mineral fertiliser and manure in the catchment and the total annual runoff from the unsaturated zone.

scholarly journals Constraints to Pearl Millet (Pennisetum glaucum) Production and Farmers’ Approaches to Striga hermonthica Management in Burkina Faso

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (15) ◽  
pp. 8460
Author(s):  
Armel Rouamba ◽  
Hussein Shimelis ◽  
Inoussa Drabo ◽  
Mark Laing ◽  
Prakash Gangashetty ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Burkina Faso ◽  
Pearl Millet ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Pennisetum Glaucum ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Striga Hermonthica ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
Management Options ◽  
Central Plateau ◽  
South Central

Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) is a staple food crop in Burkina Faso that is widely grown in the Sahelian and Sudano-Sahelian zones, characterised by poor soil conditions and erratic rainfall, and high temperatures. The objective of this study was to document farmers’ perceptions of the prevailing constraints affecting pearl millet production and related approaches to manage the parasitic weeds S. hermonthica. The study was conducted in the Sahel, Sudano-Sahelian zones in the North, North Central, West Central, Central Plateau, and South Central of Burkina Faso. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire and focus group discussions involving 492 participant farmers. Recurrent drought, S. hermonthica infestation, shortage of labour, lack of fertilisers, lack of cash, and the use of low-yielding varieties were the main challenges hindering pearl millet production in the study areas. The majority of the respondents (40%) ranked S. hermonthica infestation as the primary constraint affecting pearl millet production. Respondent farmers reported yield losses of up to 80% due to S. hermonthica infestation. 61.4% of the respondents in the study areas had achieved a mean pearl millet yields of <1 t/ha. Poor access and the high cost of introduced seed, and a lack of farmers preferred traits in the existing introduced pearl millet varieties were the main reasons for their low adoption, as reported by 32% of respondents. S. hermonthica management options in pearl millet production fields included moisture conservation using terraces, manual hoeing, hand weeding, use of microplots locally referred to as ‘zaï’, crop rotation and mulching. These management techniques were ineffective because they do not suppress the below ground S. hermonthica seed, and they are difficult to implement. Integrated management practices employing breeding for S. hermonthica resistant varieties with the aforementioned control measures could offer a sustainable solution for S. hermonthica management and improved pearl millet productivity in Burkina Faso.

scholarly journals Organic Farming and Cover-Crop Management Reduce Pest Predation in Austrian Vineyards

Insects ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 220
Author(s):  
Jo Marie Reiff ◽  
Sebastian Kolb ◽  
Martin H. Entling ◽  
Thomas Herndl ◽  
Stefan Möth ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Farming ◽  
Pest Control ◽  
Cover Crops ◽  
Cover Crop ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Integrated Management ◽  
Lobesia Botrana ◽  
Management Options ◽  
Natural Pest Control ◽  
Predation Rates

Habitat simplification and intensive use of pesticides are main drivers of global arthropod declines and are, thus, decreasing natural pest control. Organic farming, complex landscapes, and local vineyard management practices such as implementation of flower-rich cover-crop mixtures may be a promising approach to enhance predator abundance and, therefore, natural pest control. We examined the effect of organic versus integrated management, cover-crop diversity in the vineyard inter-rows, and landscape composition on the natural pest control of Lobesia botrana eggs and pupae. Predation of L. botrana pupae was reduced by organic farming and species-poor cover-crops by about 10%. Predation rates of L. botrana eggs did not differ significantly in any of the studied management options. Dominant predators were earwigs (Forficulidae), bush crickets (Tettigoniidae), and ants (Formicidae). Negative effects of organic viticulture are most likely related to the negative nontarget effects on arthropods related to the frequent sulfur and copper applications in combination with the avoidance of strongly damaging insecticides by integrated winegrowers. While a 10% difference in predation rates on a single pest stage is unlikely to have strong practical implications, our results show that the assumed effectiveness of environmentally friendly agriculture needs to be evaluated for specific crops and regions.

scholarly journals Effect of Soil Management on Erosion in Mountain Vineyards (N-W Italy)

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 1991
Author(s):  
Silvia Stanchi ◽  
Odoardo Zecca ◽  
Csilla Hudek ◽  
Emanuele Pintaldi ◽  
Davide Viglietti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Soil Management ◽  
Buffer Strips ◽  
Total N ◽  
Organic C ◽  
Erosion Rates ◽  
Soil Ecosystem Services ◽  
Erosion Mitigation ◽  
Management Approaches

We studied the effects of three soil management approaches (permanent grassing, chemical weeding, and buffer strips), and the additional impact of tractor passage on soil erosion in a sloping vineyard located in the inner part of Aosta Valley (N-W Italian Alps). The vineyard rows were equipped with a sediment collection system with channels and barrel tanks. A total of 12 events with sediment production were observed across 6 years, and the collected sediments were weighted and analyzed. Average erosion rates ranged from negligible (mainly in grassed rows) to 1.1 t ha−1 per event (after weeding). The most erosive event occurred in July 2015, with a total rainfall of 32.2 mm, of which 20.1 were recorded in 1 h. Despite the limited number of erosive events observed, and the low measured erosion rates, permanent grassing reduced soil erosion considerably with respect to weeding; buffering had a comparable effect to grassing. The tractor passage, independent of the soil management approaches adopted, visibly accelerated the erosion process. The collected sediments were highly enriched in organic C, total N, and fine size fractions, indicating a potential loss of fertility over time. Despite the measured erosion rates being low over the experiment’s duration, more severe events are well documented in the recent past, and the number of intense storms is likely to increase due to climate change. Thus, the potential effects of erosion in the medium and long term need to be limited to a minimum rate of soil loss. Our experiment helped to compare soil losses by erosion under different soil management practices, including permanent grassing, i.e., a nature-based erosion mitigation measure. The results of the research can provide useful indications for planners and practitioners in similar regions, for sustainable, cross-sectoral soil management, and the enhancement of soil ecosystem services.

scholarly journals Agro-Economic Evaluation of Alternative Crop Management Options for Teff Production in Midland Agro-Ecology, Ethiopia

Agriculture ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 298
Author(s):  
Fekremariam Asargew Mihretie ◽  
Atsushi Tsunekawa ◽  
Nigussie Haregeweyn ◽  
Enyew Adgo ◽  
Mitsuru Tsubo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Management Practices ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Crop Management ◽  
Production Costs ◽  
Agronomic Performance ◽  
Labor Costs ◽  
Management Options ◽  
Area Index ◽  
Weed Population

Teff is an important crop for smallholder farmers in Ethiopia. Improved crop management practices are needed to increase teff productivity and decrease production costs. Here, we used a split–split plot design to evaluate the impacts of different tillage, sowing, and soil compaction practices, and their combinations, on agronomic performance, weed population, lodging, and cost in teff production at the Aba Gerima watershed in northwestern Ethiopia in 2018–2020. Reduced tillage (RT) improved soil moisture, resulting in increased agronomic performance and decreased production costs compared with conventional tillage (CT); however, the weed population was substantially larger with RT than with CT. Row planting (RP) reduced seed cost and lodging but increased sowing and weeding costs compared with broadcast planting (BP). Plant population and leaf area index were substantially greater with BP than with RP during early-stage growth, but this reversed during late-stage growth. Despite labor costs being significantly greater with (WC) compaction than without (NC), little to no differences were observed in the weed population or in agronomic performance. Partial cost–benefit analysis revealed that RT–RP–WC followed by RT–RP–NC was the most economical treatment combination, suggesting that RT–RP–NC could be a labor-effective means of increasing teff production by smallholder farms in Ethiopia.

scholarly journals N Management of European Grasslands: Can the Exchange of Gaseous N Species Be Influenced at the Operational Level?

2001 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 652-657 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Calanca ◽  
A. Neftel ◽  
J. Fuhrer
Keyword(s):  
Late Summer ◽  
Fertilizer Application ◽  
Effective Control ◽  
Management Options ◽  
Total N ◽  
Model Calculations ◽  
Weather Forecasts ◽  
Grassland Ecosystems ◽  
Order Of Magnitude ◽  
N Management

Grassland ecosystems can be regarded as biochemical reactors in which large amounts of organic nitrogen (N) are converted into inorganic N, and vice versa. If managed in a sustainable manner, grasslands should operate in a quasi steady state, characterized by an almost perfect balance between total N input and output. As a consequence, the exchange of gaseous N species (NH3, NO, NO2, N2O, and N2) between grasslands and the atmosphere is very small compared to the total N turnover. In this study, the effects of two management options (mowing and fertilization) on production and emission of nitrous oxide (N2O) from a grass/clover crop were examined on the basis of observations and model results referring to an experiment carried out on the Swiss Plateau in late summer of 2000. It was found that production and emission of N2O induced by mowing were of the same order of magnitude as those brought about by fertilization, suggesting a possible transfer of N from clover to the soil after defoliation. Emissions were strongly modulated by precipitation on time scales ranging from 1 day to 1 week. This indicates that effective control of N2O emissions through management on a day-to-day basis requires reliable medium-range weather forecasts. Model calculations were not able to reproduce essential characteristics of the emissions. The model slightly overestimated the background emissions, but severely underestimated the emission peaks following fertilizer application, and largely failed to reproduce emission induced by mowing. Shortfalls in the model used for this study were found in relation to the description of soil-water fluxes, soil organic matter, and the physiology of clover.

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