scholarly journals Empower Innovations in Routine Soil Testing

Agronomy ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 191
Author(s):  
Jan Adriaan Reijneveld ◽  
Martijn Jasper van Oostrum ◽  
Karst Michiel Brolsma ◽  
Dale Fletcher ◽  
Oene Oenema
Keyword(s):  
Broad Spectrum ◽  
Near Infrared ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Field Trials ◽  
Soil Characteristics ◽  
Biological Characteristics ◽  
Soil Testing ◽  
Extraction Technique ◽  
Soil Tests ◽  
Physical Chemical

Conventional soil tests are commonly used to assess single soil characteristics. Thus, many different tests are needed for a full soil fertility/soil quality assessment, which is laborious and expensive. New broad-spectrum soil tests offer the potential to assess many soil characteristics quickly, but often face challenges with calibration, validation, and acceptance in practice. Here, we describe the results of a 20 year research program aimed at overcoming the aforementioned challenges. A three-step approach was applied: (1) selecting and establishing two contrasting rapid broad-spectrum soil tests, (2) relating the results of these new tests to the results of conventional soil tests for a wide variety of soils, and (3) validating the results of the new soil tests through field trials and communicating the results. We selected Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) and multi-nutrient 0.01 M CaCl2 extraction (1:10 soil to solution ratio; w/v) as broad-spectrum techniques. NIRS was extensively calibrated and validated for the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of soil. The CaCl2 extraction technique was extensively calibrated and validated for ‘plant available’ nutrients, often in combination with the results of NIRS. The results indicate that the accuracy of NIRS determinations is high for SOM, clay, SOC, ECEC, Ca-CEC, N-total, sand, and inorganic-C (R2 ≥ 0.95) and good for pH, Mg-CEC, and S-total (R2 ≥ 0.90). The combination of the CaCl2 extraction technique and NIRS gave results that related well (R2 > 0.80) to the results of conventional soil tests for P, K, Mg, Na, Mn, Cu, Co, and pH. In conclusion, the three-step approach has revolutionized soil testing in The Netherlands. These two broad-spectrum soil tests have improved soil testing; have contributed to increased insights into the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of soil; and have thereby led to more sustainable soil management and cropping systems.

Comparative Effect of Groundnut (Arachis hypogea l.) Genotypes on Yield and N Fixation in Sudan and Northern Guinea Savannahs of Nigeria

2019 ◽  
pp. 61-67
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Research ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Block Design ◽  
Dry Weight ◽  
Field Trials ◽  
Yield Potential ◽  
N Fixation ◽  
Maize Crop ◽  
Significant Interaction Effect ◽  
Pod Yield

Recognition of high yielding and nitrogen (N) fixing groundnut genotypes and desegregating them in the cereal-based cropping systems common in savannah regions will enhance food security and reduce the need for high N fertilizers hence, minimize the high cost and associated environmental consequences. Field trials were conducted during the 2015 growing season at the Research Farms of Bayero University Kano (BUK) and Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR), Ahmadu Bello University, Samaru-Zaria to assess the yield potential and Biolog- ical N fixation in 15 groundnut genotypes (ICG 4729, ICGV-IS 07823, ICGV-IS 07893, ICGV-IS 07908, ICGV- SM 07539, ICGV- SM 07599, ICGV-IS 09926, ICGV-IS 09932, ICGV-IS 09992, ICGV-IS 09994, SAMNUT-21, SAMNUT-22, SAMNUT-25, KAMPALA and KWANKWAS). The groundnut genotypes and reference Maize crop (SAMMAZ 29) were planted in a randomized complete block design in three replications. N difference method was used to estimate the amount of N fixed. The parameters determined were the number of nodules, nod- ule dry weight, shoot and root dry weights, pod, and haulm yield as well as N fixation. The nodule dry weight, BNF, haulm, and pod yield were statistically significant (P<0.01) concerning genotype and location. Similarly, their interac- tion effect was also highly significant. ICGV-IS 09926 recorded the highest nod- ule dry weight of 2.07mg /plant across the locations while ICGV-IS 09932 had the highest BNF value of 140.27Kg/ha. Additionally, KAMPALA had the high- est haulm yield, while ICGV-IS 07893 had the highest pod yield across the loca- tions with a significant interaction effect. The result shows that ICGV-IS 07893 and ICGV-IS 09932, as well as ICGV-IS 09994 and SAMNUT – 22, were the best genotypes concerning BNF, haulm and pod yield in the Northern Guinea and Sudan Savannahs of Nigeria respectively with the potential for a corresponding beneficial effect.

scholarly journals Comparative Effects of Organic and Conventional Cropping Systems on Trace Elements Contents in Vegetable Brassicaceae: Risk Assessment

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 707
Author(s):  
Fernando Cámara-Martos ◽  
Jesús Sevillano-Morales ◽  
Luis Rubio-Pedraza ◽  
Jesús Bonilla-Herrera ◽  
Antonio de Haro-Bailón
Keyword(s):  
Trace Elements ◽  
Organic Agriculture ◽  
Metal Content ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Sinapis Alba ◽  
Soil Characteristics ◽  
Inorganic Elements ◽  
Inorganic Element ◽  
Dietary Reference Intakes ◽  
Brassicaceae Family

Genotypes selected from 3 plant species (Brassica rapa, Eruca vesicaria and Sinapis alba) belonging to the Brassicaceae family were chosen to compare the concentrations of 9 inorganic elements (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Mn, Pb and Zn) in these varieties, that were grown under both conventional and organic conditions during two agricultural seasons (2018/2019 and 2019/2020) on two different experimental farms (Farm I and Farm II). We found that, together with agriculture practices, the inorganic element concentrations in Brassicas depended on many other factors, including soil characteristics. However, there were no conclusive results indicating a lower heavy metal content or a higher nutritionally beneficial trace elements content in vegetables grown under organic agriculture. Finally, a probabilistic assessment (@Risk) derived from the consumption of 150–200 g of these vegetables showed that organic Brassicas fulfill in comparison with the conventional ones, similar Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI) percentages for Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn. Regarding heavy metals (Cd, Ni and Pb), we only found slight differences (mainly in the case of Pb) in the Tolerable Intakes (TI) between both cropping systems.

Overwinter changes in Olsen phosphorus in a 24-year crop rotation study in southwestern Saskatchewan

1993 ◽  
Vol 73 (1) ◽  
pp. 123-128 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. A. Campbell ◽  
R. P. Zentner
Keyword(s):  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Soil Testing ◽  
Available Phosphorus ◽  
Canadian Prairie ◽  
Olsen P ◽  
Extractable P ◽  
P Fertilizer ◽  
Soil Test P ◽  
Nutrient Analyses ◽  
Rotation Study

In the Canadian prairie, producers generally sample soils in the autumn for nutrient analyses, whereas calibration of crop responses has been made based on soils sampled in the spring prior to seeding. A recent report suggests that available phosphorus (P) in soil increases between autumn and spring. At Swift Current, Saskatchewan, we have monitored bicarbonate-extractable P (Olsen P) every autumn and spring for the past 24 years, in four cropping systems: continuous wheat (Cont W), fallow-wheat (F-W), and two fallow-wheat-wheat (F-W-W) rotations. The first three systems received nitrogen (N) and P each crop year, with one F-W-W rotation receiving only N. These data were analyzed to test the authenticity of the aforementioned observations. We found that although there were some apparent overwinter increases in Olsen P there were also some decreases. Further, because of the considerable variability in Olsen P, relatively few of the overwinter changes were significant (P = 0.10). Efforts to correlate the changes in Olsen P to overwinter temperature or precipitation were unsuccessful. We concluded that Saskatchewan soil testing laboratories need not make adjustments to P fertilizer recommendations to account for changes in overwinter soil test P levels. Key words: Soil testing, bicarbonate-extractable P, crop rotations, available P

NIRS Calibration of Aflatoxin in Maize

2018 ◽  
Vol 71 (11) ◽  
pp. 868 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ross E. Darnell ◽  
Jagger J. Harvey ◽  
Glen P. Fox ◽  
Mary T. Fletcher ◽  
James Wainaina ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Near Infrared ◽  
False Negative ◽  
Field Trials ◽  
Aflatoxin Contamination ◽  
Machine Learning Techniques ◽  
Support Vector ◽  
Machine Method ◽  
Breeding Programs ◽  
Wet Chemistry ◽  
Learning Techniques

The aim of this study is to determine the value of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) as a diagnostic tool for aflatoxin contamination, specifically to rapidly predict levels of aflatoxin, either quantitatively or qualitatively, in ground maize. Maize was collected from inoculated field trials conducted across four sites in Kenya. Inoculated and uninoculated maize ears were harvested, milled, and prepared for NIRS scanning and wet chemistry-based aflatoxin quantification. Several statistical and machine learning techniques were compared. Absorbance at a single bandwidth explained 34 % of the variation in levels of aflatoxin using a regression model while a partial least-squares (PLS) method showed that NIR measurements could explain 42 % of the variation in aflatoxin levels. To compare various methods for their ability to classify samples with high (>100 ppb) levels of aflatoxin, various additional procedures were applied. The k-nearest neighbour classification method yielded sensitivity and specificity values of 0.75 and 0.52 respectively, compared with the support vector machine method with estimates of 0.81 and 0.68, whereas PLS could achieve values of 0.82 and 0.72 respectively. The corresponding false positive and false negative values are still unacceptable for NIRS to be used with confidence, as ~18 % of contaminated ground maize samples would be accepted and 28 % of good maize would be discarded or declared contaminated or downgraded. However, such calibrations could be useful in breeding programs without access to wet chemistry analysis, seeking to rank entries semiquantitatively.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document