Understanding the Response of Wheat-Chickpea Intercropping to Nitrogen Fertilization Using Agro-Ecological Competitive Indices under Contrasting Pedoclimatic Conditions

Wheat–chickpea intercrops are not well studied, despite the importance of these two species in increasing agricultural profitability and ensuring nutritional and food security. The present study aims to assess the intercropping arable system’s services under contrasting field management and climate conditions. Simultaneously, this assessment focuses on the most agronomic and ecological indices widely used in the literature. Durum wheat (Triticum turgidum durum L.cv. VITRON) and chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.cv. FLIP 90/13 C) were cultivated, both in sole crop and intercrop during the 2018/2019 growing season. A field experiment was carried out under controlled conditions at three contrasting pedoclimatic sites and under three levels of N fertilization. Both grain and N yield of mixture crop were significantly higher (+11%) when chickpea and durum wheat were grown together under either low or moderate N application. Soil N availability as compared to the critical level increased by more than 19% from flowering to harvest stage for intercropped wheat under low N application (N-30 and N-60), while it decreased significantly for intercropped chickpea. In rich N soils and under low rainfall conditions (site 1 and 3), intercropping was generally more advantageous for yield (+14%), N yield (+23%), and land use (103 and 119.5% for grain and N yield, respectively) only with reduced N fertilization as assessed using both land equivalent ratio (LER) and land-use efficiency (LUE). Competition dominance was directly affected by changes in climatic conditions over sites; intercropped wheat was more competitive than their respective chickpea under low rainfall conditions. These findings illustrate the crucial role of competitive index assessment in intercropping to promise a robust method for crop N and yield diagnosis during fertilization decision-making.

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FONIO MILLET (DIGITARIA EXILIS) RESPONSE TO N, P AND K FERTILIZERS UNDER VARYING CLIMATIC CONDITIONS IN WEST AFRICA

Experimental Agriculture ◽

10.1017/s0014479709990421 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 45 (4) ◽

pp. 401-415 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

J. GIGOU ◽

D. STILMANT ◽

T. A. DIALLO ◽

N. CISSÉ ◽

M. D. SANOGO ◽

...

Keyword(s):

West Africa ◽

N Fertilization ◽

Major Elements ◽

Climatic Conditions ◽

N Application ◽

Poor Soil ◽

K Response ◽

K Fertilization ◽

Fonio Millet ◽

Digitaria Exilis

SUMMARYFonio millet (Digitaria exilis), a small-grained cereal, plays an important role in food security in West Africa. As part of efforts to increase its productivity, we studied the effects of moderate levels of nitrogen (0, 15.0 and 30.0 kg N ha−1), phosphorus (0, 6.6 and 13.2 kg P ha−1) and potash (0, 12.5 and 25.0 kg K ha−1) fertilizers under varying climatic conditions. The three experimental sites at Bareng and Bordo in Guinea, and Cinzana in Mali, are representative of the distribution of fonio millet in West Africa. The average recorded grain yields were 1.51 ± 0.229, 1.08 ± 0.141 and 0.47 ± 0.182 t ha−1 in Bareng, Bordo and Cinzana, respectively. We observed a marginal to significant impact of N fertilization coupled, in Bordo, with a significant interaction with the P and K response. This interaction was highlighted by the limited effect of N without P or K fertilization or with the application of only one of these two major elements. Overall, N application as low as 15 kg ha−1 led to a 12–22% increase in production if the P and K applications were not limited. For better control over the risks associated with poor soil fertility and limited rainfall, it appeared to be more effective to apply moderate levels of N, P and K fertilizers to the fonio millet crop than a large amount of one of these nutrients.

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Species Interactions Improve Above-Ground Biomass and Land Use Efficiency in Intercropped Wheat and Chickpea under Low Soil Inputs

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy9110765 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (11) ◽

pp. 765 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Latati ◽

Dokukin ◽

Aouiche ◽

Rebouh ◽

Takouachet ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Land Use ◽

Durum Wheat ◽

N Uptake ◽

P Uptake ◽

Above Ground Biomass ◽

N Nutrition ◽

Ground Biomass ◽

Land Use Efficiency ◽

Sole Cropping ◽

Use Efficiency

Little is known about how the performance of legumes symbiosis affects biomass and nutrient accumulation by intercropped cereals under the field condition. To assess the agricultural services of an intercropping system; durum wheat (Triticum turgidum durum L.cv. VITRON) and chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.cv. FLIP 90/13 C) were cultivated as both intercrops and sole cropping during two growing seasons under the field trial, to compare plant biomass, nodulation, N and phosphorus (P) uptake, and N nutrition index. Both the above-ground biomass and grain yield and consequently, the amount of N taken up by intercropped durum wheat increased significantly (44%, 48%, and 30%, respectively) compared with sole cropping during the two seasons. However, intercropping decreased P uptake by both durum wheat and chickpea. The efficiency in use of rhizobial symbiosis (EURS) for intercropped chickpea was significantly higher than for chickpea grown as sole cropping. The intercropped chickpea considerably increased N (49%) and P (75%) availability in durum wheat rhizosphere. In the case of chickpea shoot, the N nutrition (defined by the ratio between actual and critical N uptake by crop) and acquisition were higher in intercropping during only the first year of cropping. Moreover, biomass, grin yield, and resource (N and P) use efficiency were significantly improved, as indicated by higher land equivalent ratio (LER > 1) in intercropping over sole cropping treatments. Our findings suggest that change in the intercropped chickpea rhizosphere-induced parameters facilitated P and N uptake, above-ground biomass, grain yield, and land use efficiency for wheat crop.

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Effect of nitrogen application on concentration of cadmium and nutrient ions in soil solution and in durum wheat

Canadian Journal of Soil Science ◽

10.4141/s98-085 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 80 (1) ◽

pp. 107-115 ◽

Cited By ~ 53

Author(s):

L. G. Mitchell ◽

C. A. Grant ◽

G. J. Racz

Keyword(s):

Ionic Strength ◽

Durum Wheat ◽

Soil Solution ◽

Nitrogen Fertilizer ◽

Sandy Loam ◽

Application Rate ◽

N Fertilization ◽

Cd Uptake ◽

N Application ◽

N Application Rate

A growth chamber experiment was conducted to study the effect of nitrogen fertilizer on the chemical composition of the soil solution over time, and to determine Cd uptake as a function of rates of nitrogen fertilizer application and transpiration. Sceptre durum wheat was grown in a fine sandy loam soil, in pots with treatments of 0, 50, 100, 200, 400, and 800 µg N g−1 as urea. The soil solution was removed by water displacement and analyzed for Cd and other nutrient ions at time of seeding, 10, 20, 30, and 40 d after seeding, and at the time of crop maturity. Soil samples were analyzed at each sampling time, and aboveground plant material was also harvested at these times and analyzed for Cd and other nutrient ions. Behaviour of Cd was compared to that of the nutrient ions to gain a better understanding of patterns of ion behaviour. Conductivity measurements were taken as estimators of ionic strength. Both solution Cd concentration and DTPA-extractable soil Cd increased significantly with increasing nitrogen rate. The increases in Cd concentration with N fertilization were greatest immediately after fertilization and appeared to be related to an increase in soil and solution conductivity, with pH also having an influence on DTPA-extractable Cd. The soil solution concentration of all nutrients, with the exception of phosphate, increased with N rate. The effects of N fertilization on the amounts of extractable nutrients in the soil were more variable. Plant Cd concentrations increased with increasing N application rate to 800 µg g−1, but dry matter yield and transpiration only increased with N rate to 200 µg g−1. Cadmium was the element most affected by increasing the N rate, and there were minor changes in uptake of other elements such as N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Zn, and Cu with N application rate and time. This study clearly illustrated the effect of nitrogen fertilization on the concentration of Cd in the soil solution and its uptake by durum wheat. Key words: Cadmium, nitrogen, urea, soil solution, ionic strength, durum, uptake

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Shovelomics root traits assessed on the EURoot maize panel are highly heritable across environments but show low genotype-by-nitrogen interaction

Euphytica ◽

10.1007/s10681-019-2472-8 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 215 (10) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Chantal A. Le Marié ◽

Larry M. York ◽

Alexandre Strigens ◽

Marcos Malosetti ◽

Karl-Heinz Camp ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Root System ◽

Root Traits ◽

N Fertilization ◽

N Availability ◽

Stay Green ◽

N Application ◽

Growth Environment ◽

Root Stock ◽

Horizontal Expansion ◽

The Impact

Abstract The need for sustainable intensification of agriculture in the coming decades requires a reduction in nitrogen (N) fertilization. One opportunity to reduce N application rates without major losses in yield is breeding for nutrient efficient crops. A key parameter that influences nutrient uptake efficiency is the root system architecture (RSA). To explore the impact of N availability on RSA and to investigate the impact of the growth environment, a diverse set of 36 inbred dent maize lines crossed to the inbred flint line UH007 as a tester was evaluated for N-response over 2 years on three different sites. RSA was investigated by excavating and imaging of the root crowns followed by image analysis with REST software. Despite strong site and year effects, trait heritability was generally high. Root traits showing the greatest heritability (> 0.7) were the width of the root stock, indicative of the horizontal expansion, and the fill factor, a measure of the density of the root system. Heritabilities were in a similar range under high or low N application. Under N deficiency the root stock size decreased, the horizontal expansion decreased and the root stock became less dense. However, there was little differential response of the genotypes to low N availability. Thus, the assessed root traits were more constitutively expressed rather than showing genotype-specific plasticity to low N. In contrast, strong differences were observed for ‘stay green’ and silage yield, indicating that these highly heritable traits are good indicators for responsiveness to low N.

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Soil Respiration under 90 Year-Old Rye Monoculture and Crop Rotation in the Climate Conditions of Central Poland

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy11010021 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 21

Author(s):

Tomasz Sosulski ◽

Magdalena Szymańska ◽

Ewa Szara ◽

Piotr Sulewski

Keyword(s):

Soil Respiration ◽

Crop Rotation ◽

Farmyard Manure ◽

N Fertilization ◽

Climatic Conditions ◽

Co2 Fluxes ◽

Mineral Fertilization ◽

Crop Species ◽

Climate Conditions ◽

Central Poland

This study, aimed at assessing the rate of soil respiration under different crop rotation and fertilization conditions, was carried out on long-term (since 1923) experimental plots with rye monoculture and 5-crop rotation in Skierniewice (Central Poland). The treatments included mineral-organic (CaNPK+M) and organic (Ca+M) fertilization (where M is farmyard manure). Soil respiration was measured in situ by means of infrared spectroscopy using a portable FTIR spectrometer Alpha. CO2 fluxes from CaNPK+M-treated soils under cereals cultivated in monoculture and crop rotations were not statically different. Respiration of soil under lupine cultivated in crop rotation was higher than under cereals. N-fertilization and its succeeding effect increased soil respiration, and significantly altered its distribution over the growing season. Our results indicate that in the climatic conditions of Central Europe, respiration of sandy soils is more dependent on the crop species and fertilization than on the crop rotation system. Omission of mineral fertilization significantly decreases soil respiration. The CO2 fluxes were positively correlated with soil temperature, air temperature, and soil content of NO3− and NH4+.

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Nitrogen and light partitioning in a maize/soybean intercropping system under a humid subtropical climate

Canadian Journal of Plant Science ◽

10.4141/cjps92-008 ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 72 (1) ◽

pp. 69-82 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Alain Clément ◽

François-P. Chalifour ◽

Ghislain Gendron ◽

Maheshwar P. Bharati

Keyword(s):

Cropping System ◽

Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density ◽

Climatic Conditions ◽

Photon Flux ◽

Photon Flux Density ◽

Subtropical Climate ◽

Land Use Efficiency ◽

N Yield ◽

Total Seed ◽

Light Partitioning

Land-use efficiency in a cereal/legume intercropping system is related to the complementarity of resource use in time or space. Nitrogen and light partitioning in a maize (Zea mays L.)/soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) intercropping system under subtropical climatic conditions in Nepal was studied during the summers of 1988 and 1989. Factors studied included the cropping system (sole cropping vs. intercropping), three levels of nitrogen fertilization (0, 35 and 70 kg N ha−1) and two spatial arrangements of the intercrops. During the second season, a non-nodulating soybean isoline of the same cultivar was used as a control. The cropping system had a limited impact on soybean nodulation, since intercropped soybean nodules dry weights were only 11% and 6% inferior, as compared with sole cropped soybean, in 1988 and 1989, respectively. However, the seed N yield of sole cropped nodulating soybean was significantly higher than the total seed N yield of intercropped maize/nodulating soybean. The reverse effect was measured in the case of the maize/non-nodulating soybean intercropping system. Intercropping maize with soybean did not result in the interception of a higher proportion of the incident photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) than sole soybean, except early during the season. Intercropped nodulating soybean developed a dense underlying canopy, and was able to intercept 95% of incident PPFD after maize harvest.Key words: LER, resource capture efficiency, Bradyrhizobium japonicum, PPFD interception

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Improvements of Durum Wheat Main Crop in Weed Control, Productivity and Grain Quality through the Inclusion of FenuGreek and Clover as Companion Plants: Effect of N FertilizaTion Regime

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy11010078 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 78

Author(s):

Wael Toukabri ◽

Nouha Ferchichi ◽

Dorsaf Hlel ◽

Mohamed Jadlaoui ◽

Oussema Kheriji ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Durum Wheat ◽

Weed Control ◽

Grain Quality ◽

N Fertilization ◽

Land Equivalent Ratio ◽

Land Use Efficiency ◽

Main Crop ◽

Use Efficiency ◽

Companion Plants

Assessing the performance of legume species as companion plants is a prerequisite for promoting a low chemical-input durum wheat production system. This study aims to evaluate fenugreek (IC-Fen), clover (IC-Clo) and their mixture (IC-Mix) performances on weed control, productivity, and grain quality of durum wheat main crop under different N fertilization regimes, as compared to durum wheat alone with (SC-H) and without (SC-NH) herbicide. On-field experimentations were carried out in humid and semi-arid conditions. Results showed that legumes offer significant advantages in terms of weed control, soil moisture conservation, productivity, and grain quality for durum wheat cash crops. Results explain that these benefits depend on the legume part and the adopted N fertilization regime. Most significant improvements occurred with the IC-Mix under unfertilized conditions (N0) and relatively low and late N regimes (N1 and N2) where, for example, the partial land equivalent ratio of durum wheat grain yield (PLER) reached 1.25 compared to the SC-NH, with no need to sort the raw grain product (legumes seeds not exceeding 4.3%). Our study illustrates that under low and late N-fertilization condition using promising legumes species combinations result in the improvement of N fertilizer land-use efficiency and hence help to reduce N-fertilization inputs.

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EFFECTS OF SPRING N APPLICATION ON YIELD AND N CONTENT OF FOUR WINTER WHEAT CULTIVARS

Canadian Journal of Plant Science ◽

10.4141/cjps75-057 ◽

1975 ◽

Vol 55 (2) ◽

pp. 359-362

Author(s):

J. A. MACLEOD ◽

L. B. MACLEOD

Keyword(s):

Winter Wheat ◽

Grain Yield ◽

Triticum Aestivum L ◽

N Fertilization ◽

N Application ◽

N Content ◽

Grain Yields ◽

N Yield ◽

N Concentration ◽

Winter Wheat Cultivars

The effects of spring N fertilization on yield and N content of grain were studied over a 3-yr period on four cultivars of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) with three rates of fall-applied fertilizer. No increases in grain yield, grain N concentration or grain N yield were observed when fall-applied N was increased from 22 to 44 kg/ha, or when fall-applied K was increased from 37 to 74 kg/ha. Increasing the rate of spring-applied N from 0 to 33 kg/ha increased grain yields by 0.84 metric ton/ha with no increase in grain N concentration. Increasing the rate of N application from 33 to 67 kg/ha increased grain yield by 0.59 metric ton/ha. This was accompanied by a 0.14% increase in grain N concentration. Increasing the rate of N application from 67 to 100 kg/ha increased grain yields by only 0.14 metric ton/ha. This was accompanied by an increase of 0.21% in grain N concentration. The increase in grain N yield was similar with each increment of N application and averaged 0.40 kg N in grain per kg fertilizer N applied in the spring. Larger increases in yield and smaller increases in grain N concentration were generally obtained with the high yielding, low N cv. Yorkstar than with the low yielding, high N cv. Richmond. The effects of N on Genesee and Talbot were intermediate.

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Durum Wheat Yield and N Uptake as Affected by N Rate, Timing and Source in Two Mediterranean Environments

10.20944/preprints202105.0651.v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Silvia Pampana ◽

Marco Mariotti

Keyword(s):

Durum Wheat ◽

Field Experiments ◽

Triticum Turgidum ◽

N Uptake ◽

Central Italy ◽

Wheat Yield ◽

Nitrification Inhibitor ◽

N Availability ◽

Slow Release Fertilizers ◽

N Rates

In Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZ) site-specific techniques are needed to match N availability with durum wheat (Triticum turgidum subsp. durum Desf.) requirements. Enhanced-efficiency fertilizers (EEF) can improve efficient N supply and reduce leaching, thus contributing to sustainable agriculture. To study the effects of rates, sources and timings of nitrogen application, two-year field experiments were carried out at two Mediterranean NVZs of Central Italy (Pisa and Arezzo). The trial compared: i) two N rates: one based on the crop N requirements (NO), the other on the Action Programmes’ prescriptions of the two NVZ (NAP); ii) three N sources (urea, methylene urea (MU), and nitrification inhibitor (NI) 3,4-Dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP); and two top-dressing timings (1st tiller visible and 1st node detectable). Grain yield and yield components were determined, together with N uptake. Results showed that: i) grain and biomass production were reduced with NAP at both locations; ii) urea performed better than slow-release fertilizers; iii) the best application time varied depending on N source and location: at Pisa enhanced-efficiency fertilizers achieved higher yields when applied earliest, while for urea the contrary was true; at Arezzo different N fertilizers showed similar performances between the two application timings. Different behaviors of top-dressing fertilizers at the two localities could be related to the diverse patterns of temperatures and rainfall. Therefore, optimal fertilization strategies vary according to environmental conditions.

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Ecological specificities of the interaction between animal breeding and climate changes, caused by greenhouse gas emissions

Agricultural science and practice ◽

10.15407/agrisp4.03.062 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 4 (3) ◽

pp. 62-72

Author(s):

O. Zhukorsky ◽

O. Nykyforuk ◽

N. Boltyk

Keyword(s):

Greenhouse Gases ◽

Greenhouse Gas Emissions ◽

Greenhouse Gas ◽

Climatic Conditions ◽

Animal Breeding ◽

Gas Emissions ◽

Climate Conditions ◽

Emissions Inventory ◽

Theoretical Substantiation ◽

Global Problems

Aim. Proper development of animal breeding in the conditions of current global problems and the decrease of anthropogenic burden on environment due to greenhouse gas emissions, caused by animal breeding activity, require the study of interaction processes between animal breeding and external climatic conditions. Methods. The theoretical substantiation of the problem was performed based on scientifi c literature, statistical informa- tion of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization and the data of the National greenhouse gas emissions inventory in Ukraine. Theoretically possible emissions of greenhouse gases into atmosphere due to animal breeding in Ukraine and specifi c farms are calculated by the international methods using the statistical infor- mation about animal breeding in Ukraine and the economic-technological information of the activity of the investigated farms. Results. The interaction between the animal breeding production and weather-and-climate conditions of environment was analyzed. Possible vectors of activity for the industry, which promote global warming and negative processes, related to it, were determined. The main factors, affecting the formation of greenhouse gases from the activity of enterprises, aimed at animal breeding production, were characterized. Literature data, statistical data and calculations were used to analyze the role of animal breeding in the green- house gas emissions in global and national framework as well as at the level of specifi c farms with the consid- eration of individual specifi cities of these farms. Conclusions. Current global problems require clear balance between constant development of sustainable animal breeding and the decrease of the carbon footprint due to the activity of animal breeding.

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