scholarly journals Performance of Winter-Sown Cereal Catch Crops after Simulated Forage Crop Grazing in Southland, New Zealand

Plants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 108
Author(s):  
Brendon Malcolm ◽  
Shane Maley ◽  
Edmar Teixeira ◽  
Paul Johnstone ◽  
John de Ruiter ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
Soluble Sugars ◽  
Metabolizable Energy ◽  
Sediment Runoff ◽  
N Leaching ◽  
Catch Crop ◽  
Catch Crops ◽  
Crop Species ◽  
Trade Offs

(1) Background: Winter grazing of livestock poses significant environmental risks of nitrogen (N) leaching and sediment runoff. (2) Methods: A field study tested the effects of sowing catch crops of oats (Avena sativa L.), ryecorn (Secale cereale L.) or triticale (Triticosecale) in June and August (winter) in Southland, New Zealand (NZ), on the risk of N leaching losses from simulated N loads left after winter forage grazing. (3) Results: Catch crops took up 141–191 kg N ha−1 by green-chop silage maturity (approximately Zadoks growth stage 52; November/December). Importantly, early-sown catch crops were able to capture more N during the key leaching period from winter to mid-spring (77–106 kg N ha−1 cf. 27–31 kg N ha−1 for June and August treatments, respectively). At this time, ryecorn and triticale crops sown in June captured 20–29 kg ha−1 more N than June-sown oats (77 kg N ha−1). In October, early-sown catch crops reduced mineral N in the soil profile (0–45 cm depth) by 69–141 kg N ha−1 through the process of plant uptake. At green-chop silage maturity, catch crop yields ranged from 6.6 to 14.6 t DM ha−1. Highest yields and crop quality profiles (e.g., metabolizable energy, crude protein, soluble sugars and starch) were achieved by the oats, irrespective of the sowing date, indicating that trade-offs likely exist between environmental and productive performances of the catch crop species tested. (4) Conclusion: The catch crop of choice by farmers will depend on the desired end use for the crop, its place in the crop rotation and its potential for an environmental benefit.

scholarly journals Potential of catch crops to reduce nitrogen leaching in New Zealand winter grazing systems

2018 ◽  
pp. 207-214 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brendon J Malcolm ◽  
Peter L Carey ◽  
Edmar I Teixeira ◽  
Paul R Johnstone ◽  
Shane C Maley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Bare Soil ◽  
Future Research ◽  
N Leaching ◽  
Catch Crop ◽  
Catch Crops ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Winter Grazing

Winter grazing of fodder beet and kale is common practice in many regions of New Zealand. However, large quantities of urine-nitrogen (N) is returned by livestock onto bare soil during grazing at a period when the risk of drainage is high. Results from recent field trials in the Canterbury region show that sowing a catch crop directly after winter forage grazing can reduce N leaching losses by up to 49% compared with fallow soil, as well as offer significant gains in feed production, via additional annual production from the catch crop. However, the magnitude of effectiveness varies in response to crop management, catch crop genotype, soil type and seasonal weather conditions. For example, early-sown cereal genotypes adapted to lower temperatures provide the greatest potential to reduce leaching. This summary also highlights three important areas for future research: (i) overcoming the practical challenges of establishing catch crops in unfavourable conditions, (ii) development of biophysical models that can predict outcomes over a wide range of production systems and conditions, and (iii) quantification of other processes in the N cycle causing changes in N leaching, e.g. microbial immobilisation of N.

scholarly journals The Role of Agriculture in Climate Change Mitigation—A Polish Example

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (12) ◽  
pp. 3657
Author(s):  
Lucjan Pawłowski ◽  
Małgorzata Pawłowska ◽  
Cezary A. Kwiatkowski ◽  
Elżbieta Harasim
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Climate Change Mitigation ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
C:N Ratio ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Catch Crop ◽  
Catch Crops ◽  
Basic Product ◽  
Crop Cultivation ◽  
Change Mitigation

Biomass, a basic product of agriculture, is one of the main sinks of carbon in global cycle. Additionally, it can be used as a renewable source of energy, leading to depletion in CO2 emissions. The paper presents the results of estimations on the current and potential share of catch crop cultivation in climate change mitigation, in Poland, where the agricultural sector plays a significant economic role. The estimation of CO2 assimilation in biomass was performed on the basis of our own data on yields of commonly used catch crops, obtained in randomly selected 80 farms in Poland, and the content of carbon in the biomass. Calculation of energy potential of the biomass was conducted, assuming its conversion into biogas, on the basis of our own data on catch crop yields and the literature data on their biomethane potentials. The results have shown that catch crops in Poland, which are cultivated to an area of 1.177 mln ha sequestrate 6.85 mln t CO2 yr−1. However, considering the total area of fields used for spring crop cultivation, it is possible to increase the sequestration to 18.25 mln t CO2 yr−1, which constitutes about 6% of the annual emission of CO2 in Poland. Biomethane yields per hectare of particular crops ranged from 965 to 1762 m3 CH4 ha−1, and were significantly lower compared to maize, which is commonly in use in biogas plants. However, due to high biomethane potential and favorable chemical composition, catch crops can be a valuable co-substrate for the feedstocks with a high C:N ratio. The potential recovery of energy produced from aboveground biomass of catch crops harvested in Poland during the year is 6327 GWh of electricity and 7230 GWh of thermal energy. Thus, it is advisable to promote catch crops on a wide scale due to substantial environmental benefits of their cultivation.

White clover sensitivity to UV-B radiation - biochemical relationships and interaction with drought

2003 ◽  
pp. 273-277
Author(s):  
R.W. Hofmann ◽  
B.D. Campbell ◽  
E.E. Swinny ◽  
S.J. Bloor ◽  
K.R. Markham ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
White Clover ◽  
Ultraviolet B ◽  
Summer Drought ◽  
Stress Protection ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Population Comparisons ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
Quercetin Glycosides ◽  
Balance Trade

During summertime in New Zealand, white clover experiences high levels of ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation. This frequently coincides with periods of summer drought. We investigated responses to UV-B and to the combination of UV-B and drought in various white clover populations, including New Zealand cultivars and ecotypes as well as overseas germplasm. The results were obtained under controlled environmental conditions in three independent trials. Overall, white clover growth was reduced by UV-B. The population comparisons indicated that low growth rate and adaptation to other forms of stress may be related to UV-B tolerance under well-watered conditions, but not during extended periods of drought. Flavonoid pigments that are involved in stress protection were strongly increased under UV-B and were further enhanced in the combination of UV-B and drought. The responses among these flavonoids were highly specific, with more pronounced UV-B-induced increases in quercetin glycosides, compared to their closely related kaempferol counterparts. UV-B toler ance of the less productive white clover populations was linked to the accumulation of quercetin compounds. In conclusion, these studies suggest (i) that slow-growing white clover ecotypes adapted to other stresses have higher capacity for biochemical acclimation to UV-B under well-watered conditions and (ii) that these biochemical attributes may also contribute to decreased UV-B sensitivity across white clover populations under drought. The findings alert plant breeders to potential benefits of selecting productive germplasm for high levels of specific flavonoids to balance trade-offs between plant productivity and stress tolerance. Keywords: Drought, flavonoids, genetic variation, HPLC, kaempferol, quercetin, str ess, Trifolium repens L., ultraviolet-B, white clover

Improved Plant Diversity as a Strategy to Increase Available Soil Phosphorus

2019 ◽  
Vol 103 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos Crusciol ◽  
João Rigon ◽  
Juliano Calonego ◽  
Rogério Soratto
Keyword(s):  
Crop Yields ◽  
Soil Phosphorus ◽  
Cropping System ◽  
P Availability ◽  
P Fractions ◽  
Crop Species ◽  
Soil P ◽  
Residue Decomposition ◽  
Available Soil Phosphorus ◽  
Crop Residue Decomposition

Some crop species could be used inside a cropping system as part of a strategy to increase soil P availability due to their capacity to recycle P and shift the equilibrium between soil P fractions to benefit the main crop. The release of P by crop residue decomposition, and mobilization and uptake of otherwise recalcitrant P are important mechanisms capable of increasing P availability and crop yields.

scholarly journals High probability of yield gain through conservation agriculture in dry regions for major staple crops

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yang Su ◽  
Benoit Gabrielle ◽  
Damien Beillouin ◽  
David Makowski
Keyword(s):  
Management Practices ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Relative Yield ◽  
Conservation Agriculture ◽  
Conventional Tillage ◽  
Machine Learning Algorithms ◽  
Agricultural Practice ◽  
Crop Species ◽  
Yield Gain

AbstractConservation agriculture (CA) has been promoted to mitigate climate change, reduce soil erosion, and provide a variety of ecosystem services. Yet, its impacts on crop yields remains controversial. To gain further insight, we mapped the probability of yield gain when switching from conventional tillage systems (CT) to CA worldwide. Relative yield changes were estimated with machine learning algorithms trained by 4403 paired yield observations on 8 crop species extracted from 413 publications. CA has better productive performance than no-till system (NT), and it stands a more than 50% chance to outperform CT in dryer regions of the world, especially with proper agricultural management practices. Residue retention has the largest positive impact on CA productivity comparing to other management practices. The variations in the productivity of CA and NT across geographical and climatical regions were illustrated on global maps. CA appears as a sustainable agricultural practice if targeted at specific climatic regions and crop species.

scholarly journals Insights Into the Proteomic Profile of Newly Harvested Corn and Metagenomic Analysis of the Broiler Intestinal Microbiota

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dafei Yin ◽  
Youli Wang ◽  
Liqun Wang ◽  
Yuqin Wu ◽  
Xiaoyi Bian ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Intestinal Microbiota ◽  
Broiler Chickens ◽  
Soluble Sugars ◽  
Pasting Properties ◽  
Metabolizable Energy ◽  
Intestinal Morphology ◽  
Energy Utilization ◽  
Proteomic Profile ◽  
Gut Health ◽  
Digesta Viscosity

Abstract BackgroundThe use of newly harvested corn in feed causes wet droppings in broilers and increased feed cost which was termed as “new season grain problem”. The present study was conducted to evaluate the proteomic profile of newly harvested corn and the subsequent influence on intestinal microbiol community for broiler chickens. MethodsNewly harvested corn stored for either half a month (HM) or two months (TM) was used, and the pasting properties, total soluble sugars, and proteomic analysis technology was used to explore the influence of storage on natural aging corn properties. Additionally, seventy-two 7d Ross 308 male broiler chicken were fed with different stored corn. Apparent metabolizable energy (AME), digesta viscosity, intestinal morphology and microbiota were examined to explore the influence of feed corn storage on broiler chickens. ResultsPasting properties in the TM corn exhibited decreased viscoelastic properties. Proteomic studies found a total of 26 proteins that were differentially expressed between the two treatment groups. Proteins involved in starch and polysaccharides biosynthesis were upregulated in TM compared with HM. Chickens fed on TM diet had higher relative energy utilization compared to the HM birds. With increased corn storage, the relative digesta viscosity decreased significantly (P≤0.05). The total number of goblet cells and lymphocytes was lower in chickens fed the TM diet. The microbiota data showed that the TM chickens had decreased abundance of diarrheal bacteria such as Hungatella hathewayi and Bacteroides fragilis, and increased butyrate-producing bacteria such as Alistipes compared to the HM chickens. ConclusionsStorage of newly harvested corn induced the synthetic reaction of large molecules and changed the solubility of starch and protein with increasing soluble sugars and decreasing pasting properties that may improve the fermentation of intestinal microbiota, improve the energy utilization and protect gut health without the risk of diarrhea.

scholarly journals Identifying Sustainable Nitrogen Management Practices for Tea Plantations

Nitrogen ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-57
Author(s):  
Rhys Rebello ◽  
Paul J. Burgess ◽  
Nicholas T. Girkin
Keyword(s):  
Management Practices ◽  
Synergistic Effects ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
N Leaching ◽  
N2o Emissions ◽  
Nitrification Inhibitors ◽  
Financial Barriers ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
High Yields ◽  
N Management

Tea (Camellia sinensis L.) is the most widely consumed beverage in the world. It is mostly grown in the tropics with a heavy dependence on mineral nitrogen (N) fertilisers to maintain high yields while minimising the areas under cultivation. However, N is often applied in excess of crop requirements, resulting in substantial adverse environmental impacts. We conducted a systematic literature review, synthesising the findings from 48 studies to assess the impacts of excessive N application on soil health, and identify sustainable, alternative forms of N management. High N applications lead to soil acidification, N leaching to surface and groundwater, and the emission of greenhouse gases including nitrous oxide (N2O). We identified a range of alternative N management practices, the use of organic fertilisers, a mixture of organic and inorganic fertilisers, controlled release fertilisers, nitrification inhibitors and soil amendments including biochar. While many practices result in reduced N loading or mitigate some adverse impacts, major trade-offs include lower yields, and in some instances increased N2O emissions. Practices are also frequently trialled in isolation, meaning there may be a missed opportunity from assessing synergistic effects. Moreover, adoption rates of alternatives are low due to a lack of knowledge amongst farmers, and/or financial barriers. The use of site-specific management practices which incorporate local factors (for example climate, tea variety, irrigation requirements, site slope, and fertiliser type) are therefore recommended to improve sustainable N management practices in the long term.

scholarly journals Uncovering Trait Associations Resulting in Maximal Seed Yield in Winter and Spring Oilseed Rape

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Siles ◽  
Kirsty L. Hassall ◽  
Cristina Sanchis Gritsch ◽  
Peter J. Eastmond ◽  
Smita Kurup
Keyword(s):  
Oilseed Rape ◽  
Seed Yield ◽  
Complex Trait ◽  
Growth Conditions ◽  
Phenotypic Traits ◽  
Oilseed Crop ◽  
Crop Species ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Whole Plant ◽  
Plant Level

Seed yield is a complex trait for many crop species including oilseed rape (OSR) (Brassica napus), the second most important oilseed crop worldwide. Studies have focused on the contribution of distinct factors in seed yield such as environmental cues, agronomical practices, growth conditions, or specific phenotypic traits at the whole plant level, such as number of pods in a plant. However, how female reproductive traits contribute to whole plant level traits, and hence to seed yield, has been largely ignored. Here, we describe the combined contribution of 33 phenotypic traits within a B. napus diversity set population and their trade-offs at the whole plant and organ level, along with their interaction with plant level traits. Our results revealed that both Winter OSR (WOSR) and Spring OSR (SOSR); the two more economically important OSR groups in terms of oil production; share a common dominant reproductive strategy for seed yield. In this strategy, the main inflorescence is the principal source of seed yield, producing a good number of ovules, a large number of long pods with a concomitantly high number of seeds per pod. Moreover, we observed that WOSR opted for additional reproductive strategies than SOSR, presenting more plasticity to maximise seed yield. Overall, we conclude that OSR adopts a key strategy to ensure maximal seed yield and propose an ideal ideotype highlighting crucial phenotypic traits that could be potential targets for breeding.

Use of fungal endophytes to increase cucurbit plant performance by conferring abiotic and biotic stress tolerance

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stanley Freeman ◽  
Russell Rodriguez ◽  
Adel Al-Abed ◽  
Roni Cohen ◽  
David Ezra ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stress Tolerance ◽  
Fungal Pathogens ◽  
Systems Approach ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
Fungal Endophytes ◽  
Limited Resource ◽  
Pathogenic Fungi ◽  
Plant Performance ◽  
Crop Species ◽  
Desert Areas

Major threats to agricultural sustainability in the 21st century are drought, increasing temperatures, soil salinity and soilborne pathogens, all of which are being exacerbated by climate change and pesticide abolition and are burning issues related to agriculture in the Middle East. We have found that Class 2 fungal endophytes adapt native plants to environmental stresses (drought, heat and salt) in a habitat-specific manner, and that these endophytes can confer stress tolerance to genetically distant monocot and eudicot hosts. In the past, we generated a uv non-pathogenic endophytic mutant of Colletotrichum magna (path-1) that colonized cucurbits, induced drought tolerance and enhanced growth, and protected 85% - 100% against disease caused by certain pathogenic fungi. We propose: 1) utilizing path-1 and additional endophtyic microorganisms to be isolated from stress-tolerant local, wild cucurbit watermelon, Citrulluscolocynthis, growing in the Dead Sea and Arava desert areas, 2) generate abiotic and biotic tolerant melon crop plants, colonized by the isolated endophytes, to increase crop yields under extreme environmental conditions such as salinity, heat and drought stress, 3) manage soilborne fungal pathogens affecting curubit crop species growing in the desert areas. This is a unique and novel "systems" approach that has the potential to utilize natural plant adaptation for agricultural development. We envisage that endophyte-colonized melons will eventually be used to overcome damages caused by soilborne diseases and also for cultivation of this crop, under stress conditions, utilizing treated waste water, thus dealing with the limited resource of fresh water.

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