scholarly journals Cover Crops and Manure Combined with Commercial Fertilizers Differently Affect Yield and Quality of Processing Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) Organically Grown in Puglia

Agriculture ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 757
Author(s):  
Mariano Fracchiolla ◽  
Massimiliano Renna ◽  
Miriana Durante ◽  
Giovanni Mita ◽  
Francesco Serio ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cover Crops ◽  
Cultural Practices ◽  
Tocopherol Content ◽  
External Input ◽  
Cattle Manure ◽  
Nitrogen Fertilizers ◽  
Organic System ◽  
Processing Tomato ◽  
Solanum Lycopersicum L ◽  
Organically Grown

Nitrogen is crucial for the productivity of agricultural systems, although there is a growing demand for alternative cultural practices that reduce the off-farm inputs of this fertilizer. Cover crops provide a suite of services; among these, they can affect soil nitrogen content. In addition, the use of manure can contribute to a decrease in nitrogen loads from external inputs. The aim of this study was to evaluate, in processing tomato grown under an organic system, the combined use of cover crops (i.e., Vicia faba var. minor, Triticum aestivum, and Raphanus sativus) or cattle manure, with reduced rates of commercial nitrogen fertilizers. The yield and some important qualitative characteristics of the tomato fruits were considered. V. faba was able to enhance the effects of the external input of nitrogen with respect to the yield. External inputs increased tocopherol content with respect to the control but only when it was integrated with manure. The content of carotenoids was not affected by commercial fertilizer alone; however, when it was supplied in addition to cattle manure or incorporation of R. sativus, a decrease in β-carotene was observed. Moreover, lycopene also decreased when T. aestivum or R. sativus were used as cover crops. We conclude that the sowing of nitrogen-fixing cover crops or the use of manure are good strategies for combining internal and external inputs for the sustainable production of processing tomato.

scholarly journals Crop rotation, green manure and nitrogen fertilizers in upland rice under no-tillage

2018 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 153-162 ◽  
Author(s):  
Orivaldo Arf ◽  
José Roberto Portugal ◽  
Salatiér Buzetti ◽  
Ricardo Antônio Ferreira Rodrigues ◽  
Marco Eustáquio de Sá
Keyword(s):  
Cover Crops ◽  
Upland Rice ◽  
Irrigation System ◽  
Block Design ◽  
Sprinkler Irrigation ◽  
Pigeon Pea ◽  
Nitrogen Fertilizers ◽  
No Tillage ◽  
Brazilian Savannah ◽  
Corn Crop

ABSTRACT The Brazilian Savannah region presents a great potential for the expansion of upland rice crops. However, studies are necessary to identify practices that can improve the crop performance, especially in no-tillage systems. This study aimed to assess the effect of cover crops in association with corn on the development and yield of rice cultivated in rotation and cover fertilized with nitrogen doses. The sprinkler irrigation system was used and the experiment was developed in the 2014/2015 and 2016/2017 harvest years, using a randomized block design, in a 5 × 4 factorial scheme. The treatments consisted of the crop remains combinations of single corn crop, corn + Crotalaria spectabilis, corn + pigeon pea, corn + jack bean and corn + Urochloa ruziziensis, as well as cover nitrogen doses (0 kg ha-1, 40 kg ha-1, 80 kg ha-1 and 120 kg ha-1) in the rice. The cultivation of upland rice in rotation with corn + pigeon pea was favored by the greater soil cover and nitrogen supply via cycling, if compared to the rotation with single corn crop. The intercropped corn + pigeon pea cultivation in the previous summer resulted in a 15 % increase in the yield of rice grains seeded in the rotation, when compared to the single corn crop. The cover nitrogen application positively influenced the grain yield with the maximum estimated doses of 46 kg ha-1 and 105 kg ha-1 of nitrogen, respectively in the 2014/2015 and 2016/2017 harvest years.

scholarly journals Influence of Different Training Levels on Fruit Quality and Yield of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) under the Mid-hill Conditions of Himachal Pradesh

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shilpa . ◽  
Priyanka Bijalwan ◽  
Y.R. Shukla
Keyword(s):  
Fruit Quality ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Cultural Practices ◽  
Block Design ◽  
Ascorbic Acid Content ◽  
Training System ◽  
Cost Ratio ◽  
Tomato Crop ◽  
Benefit Cost Ratio ◽  
Solanum Lycopersicum L

Background: Yield of summer tomato do not always reach the full production potential. Improved management such as, training and pruning could improve the yield and fruit quality of tomatoes. The production of the healthy and improved quality tomato crop depends on various cultural practices like training systems as it prevents overcrowding for sunlight thus improves air circulation under humid and moist conditions where tomato plants are more prone to fungal diseases, avoids poor fruit set and assimilates competition. Methods: The study was carried out during kharif seasons of 2017 and 2018 with Solan Lalima variety, in the Research Farm of Dr. YSP UHF Nauni, Solan, HP to find out the response of plants to management practices on yield, quality and cost of production. The experiment consisting of two planting methods, three mulching treatments, two level of training system, laid out in randomized complete block design with three repetitions. Result: Plants trained to two stem gave the maximum fruit TSS (4.75 oB), ascorbic acid content (30.79 mg/100 g), lycopene content (5.84 mg/100 g) and shelf life (11.35 days). From the economics, it was apparent that tomato produced by the two stem training system exhibited better performance in terms of benefit cost ratio.

scholarly journals Carbon Footprint and Life-Cycle Costs of Maize Production in Conventional and Non-Inversion Tillage Systems

Agronomy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 1877
Author(s):  
Małgorzata Holka ◽  
Jerzy Bieńkowski
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Carbon Footprint ◽  
Cover Crops ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Nitrogen Fertilizers ◽  
Life Cycle Costs ◽  
Agricultural Practice ◽  
No Tillage ◽  
Tillage Systems ◽  
Maize Production

Given the problem of climate change and the requirements laid down by the European Union in the field of gradual decarbonization of production, it is necessary to implement solutions of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions into agricultural practice. This research paper aimed to evaluate the carbon footprint and life-cycle costs of grain maize production in various tillage systems. The material for the analyses was data from 2015–2017 collected on 15 farms located in the Wielkopolska region (Poland) and growing maize for grain in three tillage systems: conventional, reduced, and no-tillage. The life-cycle assessment and life-cycle costing methodologies were applied to assess the GHG emissions and costs associated with the grain maize production in the stages from “cradle-to-farm gate”, i.e., from obtaining raw materials and producing means for agricultural production, through the processes of maize cultivation to grain harvesting. The calculated values of the carbon footprint indicator for maize production in conventional, reduced, and no-tillage systems were 2347.4, 2353.4, and 1868.7 CO2 eq. ha−1, respectively. The largest source of GHG emissions was the use of nitrogen fertilizers. Non-inversion tillage with cover crops and leaving a large amount of crop residues in the field increased the sequestration of organic carbon and contributed to a significant reduction of the carbon footprint in maize production. The conventional tillage system demonstrated the highest overall life-cycle costs per hectare.

scholarly journals Effect of Cultural Practices on Neopamera bilobata in Relation to Fruit Injury and Marketable Yields in Organic Strawberries

Insects ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 843
Author(s):  
Hannah R. Talton ◽  
Elena M. Rhodes ◽  
Carlene A. Chase ◽  
Marilyn E. Swisher ◽  
Justin M. Renkema ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cover Crops ◽  
Cover Crop ◽  
Cultural Practices ◽  
Life Stage ◽  
Management Program ◽  
Limited Information ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Management Recommendations ◽  
Type Of Injury

The strawberry seed bug, Neopamera bilobata (Say), is an emerging pest of organic and conventional strawberries in Florida. There is limited information on this Rhyparochromidae species. Thus, the type of injury caused is not clearly documented and management recommendations are lacking. In this study, we evaluated the effect of strawberry cultivars, cover crops, and the presence of runners on N. bilobata populations and yield. We also investigated the effect of select cultivars and the presence of runners on N. bilobata injury levels. In addition, we used fruit bagging experiments to investigate the effects of N. bilobata population and life stage (nymph vs. adult) on strawberry fruits. There was no effect of cover crop or cultivar on N. bilobata populations. In the 2017–2018 season, strawberry plots with runners contained higher N. bilobata populations compared with plots without runners, and adult infestation was significantly higher than nymphal infestation. In the 2018–2019 season, the trend was reversed with higher numbers of N. bilobata collected in plots with runners removed. In the 2019–2020 season, there was no significant difference in N. bilobata populations in plots with and without runners. In both 2018–2019 and 2019–2020, nymphal infestation was higher than adult infestation. Less injury was recorded in “Florida Brilliance” compared with the other cultivars tested. In the 2019–2020 season, less injury was recorded from plots without runners while the difference was not significant in 2017–2018 or 2018–2019. Releasing five and ten adult N. bilobata on ripe (red) fruit produced a similar level of injury while no injury to unripe (green) fruit was observed. Both adults and nymphs cause injury to ripe fruit. These findings can help contribute to the development of an integrated pest management program for strawberry N. bilobata.

Adoption of Best Management Practices for Herbicide-Resistant Weeds in Midsouthern United States Cotton, Rice, and Soybean

2013 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 788-797 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dilpreet S. Riar ◽  
Jason K. Norsworthy ◽  
Lawrence E. Steckel ◽  
Daniel O. Stephenson ◽  
Thomas W. Eubank ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cover Crops ◽  
Best Management Practices ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Cultural Practices ◽  
Direct Mail ◽  
Rice Seed ◽  
Planting Dates ◽  
Row Crops ◽  
Herbicide Resistant ◽  
Best Management

In fall 2011, cotton and soybean consultants from Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee were surveyed through direct mail and on-farm visits, and rice consultants from Arkansas and Mississippi were surveyed through direct mail to assess the importance and level of implementation of herbicide resistance best management practices (HR-BMPs) for herbicide-resistant weeds. Proper herbicide timing, clean start with no weeds at planting, application of multiple effective herbicide modes of action, use of full labeled herbicide rates, and prevention of crop weed seed production with importance rating of ≥ 4.6 out of 5.0 were perceived as the most important HR-BMPs in all crops. Purchase of certified rice seed was on 90% of scouted hectares. In contrast, least important HR-BMPs as perceived by consultants with importance ratings of ≤ 4.0 in cotton, ≤ 3.7 in rice, and ≤ 3.8 in soybean were cultural practices such as manual removal of weeds; tillage including disking, cultivation, or deep tillage; narrow (≤ 50 cm)-row crops, cover crops, and altered planting dates. Narrow crop rows and cover crops in cotton; altered planting dates in cotton and soybean; and cleaning of farm equipment and manual weeding in rice and soybean is currently employed on ≤ 20% of scouted hectares. Extra costs, time constraints, adverse weather conditions, lack of labor and equipment, profitability, herbicide-related concerns, and complacency were perceived as key obstacles for adoption of most HR-BMPs. With limited adoption of most cultural practices that reduce risks of herbicide-resistant weeds, there are opportunities to educate growers concerning the proactive need and long-term benefits of adopting HR-BMPs to ensure sustainable weed management and profitable crop production.

scholarly journals Legume Cover Crop Effects on Temperate Sugarcane Yields and Their Decomposition in Soil

Agronomy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 703
Author(s):  
Paul M. White ◽  
Gregory Williams ◽  
Howard P. Viator ◽  
Ryan P. Viator ◽  
Charles L. Webber
Keyword(s):  
Cover Crops ◽  
Cultural Practices ◽  
Laboratory Data ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Mineral N ◽  
The Us ◽  
Legume Cover Crops ◽  
Different Temperatures ◽  
Sunn Hemp ◽  
Legume Cover Crop

Sugarcane is commercially produced on 340,000 ha in the US and is valued at over $1 billion US annually. Cultural practices that improve sugarcane sustainability are needed to maintain yields in fields with degraded soils. Historically, leguminous rotation crops provided organic matter and biologically fixed nitrogen (N) for subsequent sugarcane crops. Currently, sugarcane is usually grown as a monoculture with only a short, 6-month fallow period. The objective of these field studies was to determine how growing cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) and sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea L.) as cover crops during fallow affected the yield of subsequent sugarcane crops. A companion laboratory study investigated the decomposition rate of cover crops in soil at different temperatures. Cowpea and sunn hemp production produced 12.8 t/ha dry matter and 250 kg N/ha. Cowpea generally improved plant cane yields, but the effects of sunn hemp varied. However, neither cowpea nor sunn hemp reduced cane or sucrose yields consistently, and mineral N additions may have a role in mitigating yield gains or losses. Based on laboratory data, the average half-life for cowpea and sunn hemp would be 3 months. Overall, using legume cover crops should be viewed as an important component of sustainable sugarcane practices.

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