scholarly journals Barriers to Agro-Ecological Intensification of Smallholder Upland Farming Systems in Lao PDR

Agronomy ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 375 ◽  
Author(s):  
Von Yi Yap ◽  
Phaeng Xaphokhame ◽  
Andreas de Neergaard ◽  
Thilde Bech Bruun
Keyword(s):  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Lao Pdr ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Crop Damage ◽  
Extension Agents ◽  
Selling Price ◽  
Ecological Intensification ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Grazing Livestock

Intercropping of legumes can be a strategy to improve soil fertility and enhance overall productivity while reducing dependency on external inputs in intensified cropping systems. Integration of legumes in maize-based cropping systems is promoted as an agro-ecological intensification option for input-constrained smallholders in uplands of Southeast Asia, but adoption rates in the region remain low. The overall aim of this study was to assess the suitability and trade-offs of integrating ricebean in maize-based smallholder cropping systems in upland areas of Northern Laos. We conducted a researcher-managed field trial to investigate the agronomic performance of ricebean/maize intercropping, and farmer-managed trials combined with surveys (N = 97), and focus group discussions in 10 villages to understand factors influencing farmers’ decision making concerning ricebean adoption. Drought, rat infestation and crop damage by grazing livestock were identified as important constraints to the production of ricebeans. Factors facilitating adoption included improvement of soil fertility, the potentially high selling price of ricebeans and the presence of extension agents, while barriers included labour shortage, concerns about competition with maize and lack of a market outlet for the ricebean produce. We conclude that the investigated maize/ricebean intercropping system is poorly suited to the current conditions in the study area, and call for farm-based studies focusing on developing locally adapted legume intercropping systems able to perform under variable rainfall conditions. Initiatives addressing challenges related to free grazing livestock and efforts to link legume producers in remote areas to emerging markets are also needed.

Feasibility and sustainability of agroforestry in temperate industrialized agriculture: preliminary insights from California

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (5) ◽  
pp. 513-521
Author(s):  
Sonja B. Brodt ◽  
Nina M. Fontana ◽  
Leigh F. Archer
Keyword(s):  
Cover Crops ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Systems Design ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Agroforestry Systems ◽  
Economic Feasibility ◽  
Production Costs ◽  
Ecological Intensification ◽  
Trade Offs

AbstractIntensive use of external inputs in specialized industrial farming systems has created significant socio-ecological externalities, including water and air pollution from nutrients and pesticides, soil erosion and depletion of carbon stocks, biodiversity loss and rising production costs. Ecological intensification is a strategy for reducing reliance on inputs by intentionally designing agroecosystems to harness biological processes and ecological relationships for the sustainable functioning of the system. Incorporating perennials and diversifying systems are two avenues for achieving ecological intensification, and both are characteristics of agroforestry. This preliminary report uses examples of agroforestry in the US state of California as a proof of concept to explore the agronomic and economic feasibility and sustainability benefits of agroforestry in intensive irrigated and temperate farming systems. An exploratory study of farmers experimenting with agroforestry systems and other agricultural professionals identified eight different variants of agroforestry systems being practiced on prime agricultural land in California, ranging from simple use of winter cover crops in orchards to multi-storied cropping systems with integrated grazing. Respondents noted benefits of reduced inputs and production costs, and better nutrient cycling, soil health and pest control. Trade-offs and challenges included increases in labor requirements and management complexity. Knowledge gaps included lack of guidance in biophysical systems design, lack of clarity about economic tradeoffs, and lack of information about ecosystem services benefits. In light of interviewees’ responses, we discuss the constraints and factors needed to foster the successful expansion of agroforestry systems in California and other regions characterized by industrialized farming.

Options to improve family income, labor input and soil organic matter balances by soil management and maize–livestock interactions. Exploration of farm-specific options for a region in Southwest Mexico

2014 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 373-391 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diego Flores-Sánchez ◽  
Jeroen C.J. Groot ◽  
Egbert A. Lantinga ◽  
Martin J. Kropff ◽  
Walter A.H. Rossing
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Family Income ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Organic Fertilizers ◽  
Mineral Fertilizers ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Crop Nutrition ◽  
Trade Offs

AbstractFarming systems in the Costa Chica region in Mexico face limitations linked to low yields and soil fertility degradation. Several alternative maize-based cropping systems have been proposed to improve current limitations. These field-level options need to be evaluated at farm level in order to assess their feasibility, taking into account input requirements, contributions to self-sufficiency in food and long-term soil fertility, and the availability of labor. In this study, we defined four scenarios to explore consequences of changes in current farming systems for eight typical farms in the region; the first two scenarios comprised redressing current imbalances in crop nutrition and organic matter (OM) supply, respectively, and the last two scenarios explored high fertilizer input and animal husbandry. Farms responded in different ways to the various options depending on available land, current soil quality, current cropping systems and presence of livestock. Improvements in crop nutrition based on mineral fertilizers increased family income but only had substantial effects on soil OM (SOM) balances when fertilizer rates were double the amount currently subsidized. Addition of organic fertilizers resulted in positive effects on SOM balance, but with often strong trade-offs with family income due to costs of acquisition, transport and application. Animals played an important role in increasing SOM balances, but had relatively little effect on improving family income. The results demonstrated that improvements in family income and SOM balance at farm scale were feasible but that without more fundamental system changes trade-offs between short-term yield increases and longer-term soil fertility increases should be expected. The results highlight the need for policies that take into account farm-specific differences in crop and livestock intensification opportunities.

scholarly journals Agricultural diversification promotes multiple ecosystem services without compromising yield

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (45) ◽  
pp. eaba1715 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giovanni Tamburini ◽  
Riccardo Bommarco ◽  
Thomas Cherico Wanger ◽  
Claire Kremen ◽  
Marcel G. A. van der Heijden ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Nutrient Cycling ◽  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Pest Control ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Context Dependency ◽  
Water Regulation ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
The Impact

Enhancing biodiversity in cropping systems is suggested to promote ecosystem services, thereby reducing dependency on agronomic inputs while maintaining high crop yields. We assess the impact of several diversification practices in cropping systems on above- and belowground biodiversity and ecosystem services by reviewing 98 meta-analyses and performing a second-order meta-analysis based on 5160 original studies comprising 41,946 comparisons between diversified and simplified practices. Overall, diversification enhances biodiversity, pollination, pest control, nutrient cycling, soil fertility, and water regulation without compromising crop yields. Practices targeting aboveground biodiversity boosted pest control and water regulation, while those targeting belowground biodiversity enhanced nutrient cycling, soil fertility, and water regulation. Most often, diversification practices resulted in win-win support of services and crop yields. Variability in responses and occurrence of trade-offs highlight the context dependency of outcomes. Widespread adoption of diversification practices shows promise to contribute to biodiversity conservation and food security from local to global scales.

Weed management in wide-row cropping systems: a review of current practices and risks for Australian farming systems

2009 ◽  
Vol 60 (5) ◽  
pp. 395 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. C. Peltzer ◽  
A. Hashem ◽  
V. A. Osten ◽  
M. L. Gupta ◽  
A. J. Diggle ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Weed Control ◽  
Herbicide Resistance ◽  
Precision Agriculture ◽  
Weed Management ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Crop Damage ◽  
Species Dominance ◽  
Pests And Diseases ◽  
Management Technology

Growing agricultural crops in wide row spacings has been widely adopted to conserve water, to control pests and diseases, and to minimise problems associated with sowing into stubble. The development of herbicide resistance combined with the advent of precision agriculture has resulted in a further reason for wide row spacings to be adopted: weed control. Increased row spacing enables two different methods of weed control to be implemented with non-selective chemical and physical control methods utilised in the wide inter-row zone, with or without selective chemicals used on the on-row only. However, continual application of herbicides and tillage on the inter-row zone brings risks of herbicide resistance, species shifts and/or changes in species dominance, crop damage, increased costs, yield losses, and more expensive weed management technology.

scholarly journals ВПЛИВ СИСТЕМ ЗЕМЛЕРОБСТВА НА ДИНАМІКУ ПОКАЗНИКІВ РОДЮЧОСТІ ҐРУНТУ АГРОФІТОЦЕНОЗУ БУРЯКІВ ЦУКРОВИХ

2014 ◽  
pp. 46-49
Author(s):  
С. П. Танчик ◽  
С. М. Сальніков
Keyword(s):  
Sugar Beet ◽  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Total Content ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Organic Fertilizers ◽  
Soil Reaction ◽  
Biological Farming ◽  
Positive Effect ◽  
By Products

Досліджено вплив систем землеробства на основніпоказники родючості ґрунту та урожайність буряківцукрових. Проведено статистично-математичнийаналіз отриманих даних і доведено високу кореляцій-ну залежність між ґрунтовою реакцією та вмістомзагального ґумусу протягом веґетації в агрофітоце-нозі буряків цукрових. Встановлено, що застосуванняекологічної й біологічної систем землеробства, заяких передбачено використання органічних добрив тапобічної продукції, позитивно впливає на реакціюґрунтового розчину, що сприяє підвищенню показни-ків родючості ґрунту. The effect of cropping systems on the main indicators of soil fertility and yield of sugar beet has been examined. The statistical and mathematical analysis of the obtained data, and showed a high correlation between soil reaction and the total content of humus, during the growing season in agrophitocenosises sugar beet. It is established that the application of environmental and biological farming systems in which envisaged the use of organic fertilizers and by-products, a positive effect on the reaction of the soil solution, thereby increasing soil fertility indicators.

scholarly journals Nutrient Uptake and Soil Fertility Status under Different Cropping Systems for Integrated Farming Systems of Telangana State, India

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Ch. Pragathi Kumari ◽  
M. Goverdhan ◽  
G. Kiran Reddy ◽  
S. Sridevi
Keyword(s):  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Cropping System ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Pigeon Pea ◽  
Bt Cotton ◽  
Rice Grain ◽  
Fertility Status ◽  
Soil Fertility Status ◽  
Equivalent Yield

An Randamised Block Design (RBD) field investigation with ten crop sequences under irrigation with recommended package of practices in sandy loam soils of Southern Telangana Zone (STZ), Telangana was carried out during Kharif, Rabi and summer of 2018-2019 with an objective of the nutrient uptake and soil fertility status under different cropping systems and to assess agro economic benefit. These ten cropping systems were grouped in to five categories viz., pre dominant cropping systems of the zone, ecological cropping systems, household nutritional security giving cropping systems, fodder security giving cropping systems and cropping systems involving high value crops. So that from each category, best cropping system can be identified and can be suggested to different integrated farming systems models. In the context of farming systems, under high value crops such as Okra–Marigold–Beetroot system recorded significantly higher rice grain equivalent yield (36,434 kg ha-1) over other systems. Among the ecological cropping systems for improving soil health, Bt cotton + green gram (1:3) - groundnut cropping system was recorded significantly higher rice grain equivalent yield (14,080 kg ha-1) as  compared to pigeon pea + green gram (1:7) – sesame cropping system. Among the household nutritional security giving crops, pigeon pea + maize (1:3) – groundnut system was recorded higher rice grain equivalent yield (13,693 kg ha-1). Within the two fodder crops, fodder maize – lucerne system was resulted in higher rice grain equivalent yield (7,709 kg ha-1). Rice - maize and Bt cotton which were the pre-dominant cropping systems of the region wherein rice – maize system recorded comparatively higher rice grain equivalent yield (11,771 kg ha-1) than Bt cotton. Fodder systems were found to be more exhaustive than all other cropping systems. However, within two years of experimentation the changes in physic-chemical properties and soil fertility status were not significantly affected except organic carbon. Organic carbon was high (0.45 %) in case of pigeon pea + green gram (1:6) - sesame cropping system.

scholarly journals Integrated soil fertility and yield trend in response to long-term fertilisation under the Chinese double rice-cropping systems

2020 ◽  
Vol 66 (No. 1) ◽  
pp. 22-32
Author(s):  
Qingyin Shang ◽  
Xiuxia Yang ◽  
Hui Yan ◽  
Xiaohui Wang
Keyword(s):  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Grain Yield ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Farmyard Manure ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Crop Productivity ◽  
Available Phosphorus ◽  
Double Rice ◽  
Rice Cropping Systems

Soil fertility is fundamental in determining crop productivity and sustainability in farming systems. A long-term fertiliser experiment in Chinese double rice-cropping systems initiated in 2011 was used in this study to gain an insight into a complete estimating of soil fertility. The six fertiliser treatments included mineral fertiliser (NP, NK, and NPK), combined NPK with farmyard manure (NPKM) or crop straw (NPKS), and no fertiliser application as a control. Results showed that grain yield averaged 5.5–13.0 t/ha/year, and significant increasing trends were observed in the phosphorus-applied plots (NP, NPK, NPKM, and NPKS), but the treatments without phosphorus applied (control and NK) resulted in declining trends in both early- and late-rice yields. After long-term rice cultivation, the contents of total and available phosphorus significantly declined in phosphorus-deficient plots compared to other treatments. Regression analysis showed that the improvement in grain yields was positively correlated with the increased soil fertility over treatments. Relative to the NPK treatment, the NPKM treatment greatly enhanced soil fertility from 0.50 to 0.78, and particularly dramatically increased the content of available soil phosphorus. Therefore, the high grain yield and soil fertility can be simultaneously achieved by long-term balanced fertiliser applications in Chinese double rice-cropping systems.  

scholarly journals A Framework for the Heterogeneity and Ecosystem Services of Farmland Landscapes: An Integrative Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (22) ◽  
pp. 12463
Author(s):  
Xiaohui Wang ◽  
Yao Wu ◽  
Kiril Manevski ◽  
Manqi Fu ◽  
Xiaogang Yin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Service ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Ecological Impact ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Service Trade ◽  
Main Crop ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Regulation Services ◽  
Provisioning Services

It is essential for the sustainable development of farmland landscapes to balance ecosystem service trade-offs and improve resource use efficiency during crop production. Thus, an integrative and concept-centric qualitative approach was applied by combining the patch–corridor–matrix model of landscape ecology and the crop layout theory of farming systems into a theoretical framework. The thesis concludes that a farmland landscape comprises three compositions: the crop (the main crop and the service crop), the non-crop, and the non-vegetation, leading to heterogeneous composition and configuration. The main crop, typically displayed as large patches with a high distribution ratio, provides most of the provisioning services, while the service crop performs many regulation services. The non-crop and non-vegetation compositions often appear as strips that can connect different patches as corridors and support the provisioning services of crops. Non-crop compositions mainly focus on support and regulation services, while non-vegetation compositions support farming operations. Further research is needed in several respects, including the ecological impact and ecosystem service trade-offs of the composition and configuration heterogeneity, and strategies for the adoption of cropping systems and agronomic measures at the landscape scale, which are essential to the evaluation, improvement, and redesign of farmland landscapes.

scholarly journals Diversifying European agricultural systems by intercropping

2020 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 174-186
Author(s):  
Erik S. Jensen ◽  
Iman R. Chongtham ◽  
Nawa R. Dhamala ◽  
Carolina Rodriguez ◽  
Nicolas Carton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Systems ◽  
Agricultural Research ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Cropping System ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Grain Legume ◽  
Ecological Intensification ◽  
Cereal Grain ◽  
Key Factor

Cropping system diversification is a key factor in developing more sustainable cropping and food systems. The agroecological practice of intercropping, meaning the simultaneous cultivation of two or more species in the same field, has recently gained renewed interest as a means of ecological intensification in European agricultural research. We discuss some recent research developments regarding 1) intercropping for ecological intensification in agroecological and conventional cropping systems, 2) studies on nitrogen resource use by cereal-grain legume intercropping cultivation, 3) the role of intercropping in the management of biotic stressors, especially weeds, and 4) intercropping as a means of creating cropping systems that are more resilient to the abiotic and biotic stress associated with climate change. Finally, we propose methods for the greater adoption of intercropping in European agriculture by unlocking farming systems from upstream and downstream barriers, with the aim of developing more sustainable agricultural and food systems.

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