Continuous Cropping Changes the Composition and Diversity of Bacterial Communities: A Meta-Analysis in Nine Different Fields with Different Plant Cultivation

Chinese goldthread (Coptis chinensis Franch.) represents one of the most important medicinal plants with diverse medicinal applications, but it easily suffers from continuous cropping obstacles in the plantation. In this study, we have selected eight different continuously cropped fields with C. chinensis and fallow field, providing detailed information regarding the diversity and composition of the rhizospheric bacterial communities. We have found a significant difference between fallow field (LH) and other continuously cropped fields in soil pH; the total content of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium; and soil enzyme activities. The results indicate that continuous cropping had a significant effect on soil physicochemical properties and enzyme activities under different plant cultivations. The relative abundance of bacterial phyla was significantly altered among the fields; for example, proteobacteria and Actinobacteria were observed to be higher in continuous cropping of maize (HY6) and lower in sweet potato continuous cropping (HH). Alpha diversity analysis showed that different plants with different years of continuous cropping could change the diversity of bacterial communities, among which the effect of maize and Polygonum multiflorum continuous cropping were most significant. Principle coordinate analysis (PCoA) showed that continuously cropped C. chinensis (LZ) and cabbage continuously cropped for 2 years (HS) were slightly clustered together and separated from LH and others. The results showed that the similarity of the bacterial community in the same crop rotation was higher, which further indicated that the bacterial community structure was significantly altered by the continuous cropping system and plant species. Our study provides a foundation for future agricultural research to improve microbial activity and increase crops/cash-crops productivity under a continuous cropping system and mitigate continuous cropping obstacles.

Spring-summer sowing of winter rye on dry lands

Relevance. The article is devoted to the actual problem of the spring-summer seeding of winter rye on drained lands.Methods and results. The studies were carried out in 2017–2020 at the experimental site of VNIIMZ (Tver region), drained by a closed drain. The soil of the experimental site is sod-podzolic light loamy gleyic slightly acidic, the content of humus is 1.8–2.4%, exchangeable potassium and available phosphorus content is increased and high. In field experiments, the effectiveness of spring-summer sowing dates for winter rye in a fallow field of crop rotation was studied with a ridge belt-spread cultivation method. It has been established that under the conditions of the north-west of the Non-Chernozem zone winter rye with its spring-summer sowing can form practically the same yields as with the standard cultivation technology. On average over 4 years the biological yield of rye grain when grown after spring rape was 3.69 t/ha, and with spring-summer sowing in a fallow field and harvesting the next year — 3.70 t/ha. The leveling of the variants in terms of yield with a significant difference between them in the plant density occurred due to productive tillering. The coefficient of productive bushiness in the control was 1.4, and with spring-summer sowing — 2.3. Differences between the variants in the number of productive stems, the number of grains per ear, and the weight of 1000 grains on average over 4 years were insignificant. High efficiency of harrowing of spring-summer crops of rye was noted both in the sowing year (late August — early September) and in spring after overwintering. The preservation of plants improved, the number of productive stems increased by 14.3%, and the biological productivity of rye increased by 18.4%. The technology of cultivation of winter rye with spring-summer sowing can significantly reduce the amount of field work in the fallow field, eliminate the costs of plowing, cultivation, sowing, rapeseed, and reduce the total production costs for maintaining 1 hectare of a fallow field by 7–10 thousand rubles.

Soil Health Response of Histosols to Flooded versus Dry-Fallow Conditions during Summer

Evaluating changes in soil properties associated with flooded fields during the summer months in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) provides us an opportunity to assess the effect of soil management associated with flooded versus dry-fallow field conditions on Histosols. This information will be beneficial to current and potential growers farming flooded rice in south Florida, as well as Extension agents who work on rice and soil conservation agencies such as the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). This new 6-page publication was written by Jehangir H. Bhadha, Jay Capasso, Abul Rabbany, Nan Xu, and Matthew VanWeelden, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Soil and Water Sciences.https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ss697

Effect of cultivation technology on productivity and grain quality of “Nemchinovskiy 56” winter triticale in the Non-Chernozem region of Russia

Тритикале обладает стабильной и высокой урожайностью, устойчивостью к стрессовым факторам, повышенным содержанием белка, что делают эту культуру хорошим кормом для сельскохозяйственных животных. Исследовательская работа проводилась в Ярославской государственной сельскохозяйственной академии и Ярославском научно-исследовательском институте животноводства и кормопроизводства – филиале ФНЦ «ВИК им. В. Р. Вильямса» в 2012–2018 годах. В статье изложены результаты полевых и лабораторных исследований по усовершенствованию технологии возделывания озимой тритикале сорта Немчиновский 56 в условиях Нечернозёмной зоны РФ. Проведено изучение продуктивности озимой тритикале в зависимости от предшественников, фонов питания и норм высева. При изучении влияния предшественников было выявлено, что наилучшим является чистый пар — средняя урожайность составила 4,6 т/га; по занятому пару — 4,3 т/га и наименьшая урожайность — после многолетних трав — 4,1 т/га. Снижение урожайности по занятому пару и многолетним травам объясняется поглощением легкодоступного азота пожнивно-корневыми остатками, что повлияло и на качество зерна в сторону снижения содержания сырого протеина, клетчатки и жира. В среднем по уровню питания при внесении N100K100 была достигнута планируемая урожайность 5,0 т/га. При максимальном уровне питания (N150P40K140), рассчитанном на получение 6,0 т/га, урожайность составила 5,9 т/га. При изучении норм высева было выявлено, что средняя урожайность озимой тритикале с нормой высева 5,5 млн всхожих семян/га в среднем была существенно выше, чем при норме 6,5 млн всхожих семян/га (4,2 т/га), и составила 4,4 т/га. Снижение урожайности при посеве с более высокой нормой происходило вследствие затенения нижних ярусов листьев, их пожелтения и более раннего отмирания, что, в свою очередь, привело к снижению качества зерна. В статье также представлены данные по сбору питательных веществ: сухого вещества, обменной энергии, кормовых единиц, переваримого протеина. Being a valuable forage crop triticale has stable and high productivity as well as high protein content and resistance to stress-factors. The research took place at the Yaroslavl State Agricultural Academy and Yaroslavl Research Institute of Animal Husbandry and Forage Production in 2012–2018. This article reports on field and lab experiments aimed at improving cultivation technology of winter triticale (“Nemchinovskiy 56” variety) in the Non-Chernozem region of Russia. Triticale productivity was tested as affected by forecrop, nutrition and seeding rate. Triticale performed the best on the clean fallow field (4.6 t grain ha-1); its productivity dropped down to 4.3 t ha-1 on the seeded fallow field being the lowest after perennial grass cultivation — 4.1 t ha-1. Such a decrease in yield occurred due to the loss of readily available nitrogen to crop and root residues, affecting negatively crude protein, fiber, and fat concentrations in grain. Application of N100K100 provided the planned yield of 5.0 t ha-1. Triticale produced 5.9 t ha-1 of grain on the background of N150P40K140 compared to the planned yield of 6.0 t ha-1. Seeding rate of 5.5 million germinated seeds ha-1 resulted in significantly higher yield of 4.4 t ha-1, while 6.5 million germinated seeds ha-1 provided 4.2 t grain ha-1. Higher seeding rate led to lower grain quality due to leaf overshadowing, subsequent discoloration, and death. The article also reports on dry matter, exchange energy, feed unit and digestible protein contents.

Criteria for effective fallow field eco schemes for farmland birds during non-breeding

Farmland eco schemes implemented under the current Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) of the European Union are often considered ineffective in halting farmland bird declines. Fallow fields, often seeded with dedicated seed mixtures, rate among the more beneficial eco scheme types. Yet, the CAP currently defines no minimum criteria for fallow fields to qualify as eco scheme, likely jeopardizing their potential biodiversity benefits.We investigated the attractiveness of four fallow field types established under CAP eco schemes and dedicated bird conservation programs in Southern Germany. Our 2-year surveys on > 100 fields focused on the non-breeding season, where food limitation can become particularly problematic. We modelled bird incidences also in response to vegetation structure and adjacent landscape features to derive minimum criteria for effective fallow field eco schemes.Fallow field types varied only mildly in overall species richness but showed striking differences in the attracted species. Finches in particular tended to preferentially visit 1-year fallow fields, while buntings tended towards 2-year and older field types. 1-year CAP fallows, however, are typically removed before mid-winter, and thus potentially act as a trap to farmland birds and other wildlife.The investigated species consistently preferred larger fallow fields with a more differentiated vegetation structure. Placement close to woods and hedgerows positively affected birds inhabiting woodland ecotones, while classic farmland species showed higher incidences on fallow fields embedded in open landscapes.‘Policy implications’ Our findings call for the ongoing CAP revisions to specify minimum requirements that qualify fallow fields as eco schemes. These should include an at least biennial cycle, a diversification of seed mixtures, standards for fallow field size, and criteria for their placement in the landscape matrix.