The region and its resources

This chapter describes the landscapes of production found around London. Salterns and stone quarries in the Thames estuary, managed woodlands upriver of the city, and the ironworking sites of the High Weald are considered, along with the evidence for livestock and arable farming. These extraction industries responded to the creation of the Roman city, and saw considerable intensification from the Flavian period into the second century. This drew on the development of a supporting infrastructure that benefitted from military engineering and management, and is argued to have responded to elevated procuratorial demand. Some surplus may have been raised by taxes and rents in kind, and parallels are drawn with sharecropping arrangements for tenant farming documented in North Africa. The potential importance of imperial and other estates is also reviewed. Whilst direct evidence is lacking it is argued that imperial land-holdings would have been extensive in conquered territories, and this may account for some of the particularities of the economic relationship between London and its hinterland.

Forage productivity of smooth brome grass mixtures under the application of growth regulators

Исследования проведены в 2019–2020 годах в экспериментальном севообороте научно-исследовательской лаборатории «Корма» кафедры «Растениеводство и земледелие» Самарского ГАУ. В статье представлены данные по кормовой продуктивности травосмесей костреца безостого с кострецом прямым, бобовыми травами и черноголовником многобрачным при применении стимуляторов «Матрица роста» и «Гуми-20М». В состав исследуемых травосмесей входили эспарцет песчаный, люцерна посевная и лядвенец рогатый. Посев проведён в мае 2015 года. Исследование охватывало фазу вымётывания костреца безостого и прямого и цветения бобовых, во время которой оценивалась урожайность, определялся химический состав травостоев (особое внимание уделялось содержанию протеина и динамике его изменения), а также проводился учёт кормовых достоинств (накопления сухого вещества, переваримого протеина и выхода обменной энергии). Высокую продуктивность формировали трёх- и четырёхкомпонентные травостои с эспарцетом песчаным и люцерной посевной. Травостои с лядвенцем рогатым обеспечивали максимальные показатели. Наблюдалось отчётливое увеличение всех изучаемых показателей при добавлении бобового компонента. Продуктивность обработанных стимуляторами травосмесей была, как правило, больше, чем в контрольном варианте. Минимальную продуктивность формировали смеси, в которых присутствовали только злаковые компоненты и которые не обрабатывались стимуляторами роста. Также выявлено, что содержание протеина в травостоях с бобовым компонентом было выше, чем в травостоях с мятликовыми культурами, обработка посевов стимуляторами способствовала повышению протеина. Анализ доли компонентов в травостоях показал, что злаковый компонент преобладал над бобовым, однако в некоторых вариантах наблюдалось преобладание эспарцета и люцерны над злаками. Наименьшую долю в травостое составляли лядвенец рогатый и черноголовник многобрачный. Зависимости процентного соотношения компонентов от варианта обработки выявлено не было. The investigation took place at the laboratory “Korma“ of the Samara State Agrarian University (the department of Crop Production and Arable farming) in 2019–2020. The article reports on the productivity of grass mixtures of smooth brome with erect brome, legumes and fodder burnet under the application of growth regulators “Matritsa rosta“ and “Gumi-20M“. The mixtures also contained hungarian sainfoin, alfalfa and birdʼs-foot trefoil. Crops were planted in May 2015. Crops were tested at the heading or flowering stages. The following traits were analyzed: productivity, chemical composition, dry matter content, crude protein and exchange energy yield. The dynamics of protein accumulation was studied. Three- and four-component grass mixtures with hungarian sainfoin and alfalfa showed the highest productivity. Mixtures with birdʼs-foot trefoil performed the best. Introduction of legumes into swards positively affected all the traits studied. Generally, the application of growth regulators resulted in higher productivity. Gramineous mixtures had the lowest productivity under no treatment. Swards with legumes provided more protein. The treatment with growth regulators increased protein concentration. Gramineous dominated legumes, however, in some variants hungarian sainfoin and alfalfa were predominant. Birdʼs-foot trefoil and fodder burnet had the smallest share in swords. There was no significant correlation between mixture composition and treatments.

Sustainability Estimation of Oat:Pea Intercrops from the Agricultural Life Cycle Assessment Perspective

Winter cereal:legume intercropping is considered a sustainable arable farming system not only in temperate regions but also in Mediterranean environments. Previous studies have shown that with suitable crop stand composition, high grain yield can be achieved. In this study, a life cycle assessment (LCA) of the influence of sowing ratio and nitrogen (N) fertilization on grain nitrogen yield of oat (Avena sativa L.) and pea (Pisum sativum L.) in intercrops was performed to find the optimal design to achieve low environmental impact. This study compared the environmental impact of oat:pea intercrops using agricultural LCA. Monocrops of oat and pea and substitutive intercrops, which were fertilized with different levels of N, were compared. The system boundaries included all the processes from cradle to farm gate. Mass-based (grain N yield) and area-based (land demand for generating the same grain N yield) functional units were used. The results covered the impact categories related to the agricultural LCAs. The ReCiPe 2016 Midpoint and Endpoint characterization model was used for the data expression. According to the results, an unfertilized combination of oat and pea (50%:50%) had the lowest environmental impact in comparison with the other 14 assessed variants and selected impact categories. In the assessed framework, pea monocrops or intensively fertilized oat monocrops can also be considered as alternatives with relatively low impact on the environment. However, an appropriate grain N yield must be reached to balance the environmental impact resulting from the fertilizer inputs. The production and use of fertilizers had the greatest impact on the environment within the impact categories climate change, eutrophication, and ecotoxicity. The results indicated that high fertilizer inputs did not necessarily cause the highest environmental impact. In this respect, the achieved grain N yield level, the choice of allocation approach, the functional unit, and the data expression approach played dominant roles.

Formation of plants density and seed yield of soybean varieties in Altai Krai

Relevance. Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill is one of the most important protein- oilseed crops in world arable farming. An acute shortage of both food and feed protein is felt in many world’s countries. In this regard, the expansion of soybean seed production is relevant and is dictated by the need for import substitution of both food and feed soybean products.Materials and methods. In the research we studied the influence of two ecologically different cultivation zones: Priobskaya and Prialtaiskaya on the formation of plants density and seed yield of soybean. Three varieties Altom, Gratsia and Pripyat were taken as the objects of the research.Results. On average, over the years of research in full seedlings stage from 60 germinating seeds per square meter (600 thousand pieces/ha), in our experiment, about 56 plants were obtained per 1 m2 or 560 thousand plants per 1 hectare. This means that, on average, 93% of sown seeds give seedlings in field conditions. For harvesting after exposure of soybean crops to numerous biotic and abiotic factors, on average, there are about 52 plants per 1 m² or 520 thousand plants per 1 hectare, that is, 88% of the sown germinating seeds are saved for harvesting and give a yield. The maximum influence on the variability of plant density is exerted by vegetation conditions (years) – 37%. On average, over the years of the study, the maximum yield under Topchikha conditions was obtained in 2019 – 1.9 t/ha – in a year that was distinguished by not hot weather with sufficient rainfall during the growing season. Varieties Gratsia and Pripyat in Smolenskoye conditions significantly exceeded the standard in terms of yield in 2018 and 2020. On average, over the years of research, the Gratsia variety showed itself as more stable with Cv=11.3% in Topchikha conditions and Cv=9.8% in Smolenskoye conditions.

Cutivation of grasses as the basis for arable farming biologization and forage production optimization under various conditions of the south of Central Siberia

На примере трёх агроэкологических районов Хакасии показано влияние почвенно-климатических и ландшафтных особенностей территории на структуру растениеводства и развитие животноводства. Основные посевные площади в республике занимают зерновые и кормовые культуры. За период 2000–2019 годов относительно 1990 года произошло уменьшение посевных площадей по республике в 2,6 раза, по агроэкологическим районам — соответственно в 2,3; 2,3 и 1,6 раза. Доля кормовых культур в структуре посевов по Хакасии за 2000–2019 годы составляет 51,9%, в сухостепном — 79,5%, степном и лесостепном районах — 48,3 и 48,5%. Показатели плодородия почвы по содержанию гумуса показывают, что в республике в целом почвы пашни содержат 4,7% гумуса, наименьшее содержание — в сухостепном районе (3,5%). В настоящее время 84,6% пахотных земель характеризуются низкой и средней обеспеченностью подвижным фосфором. Поэтому переход земледелия на биологическую основу предусматривает восстановление деградированных агроландшафтов и сохранение плодородных свойств почв за счёт широкого внедрения травосеяния. Среди кормовых культур за период 2000–2019 годов на однолетние травы приходится по республике 27,6% и по районам — 18,0, 29,8, 36,3%; на многолетние травы — соответственно 63,1, 82,0, 52,5, 56,3%. В республике в 2019 году естественные сенокосы составили 160,4 тыс. га (8,3%), пастбища — 1019,8 тыс. га (53,3%). Их состояние требует проведения комплекса мероприятий, включающих использование технологий поверхностного и коренного улучшения. Для увеличения посевов трав необходимо существенное улучшение состояния семеноводства. Для повышения эффективности семеноводства однолетних и многолетних трав в республике необходим комплекс мер по совершенствованию форм его организации и специализации для создания единой системы размножения, начиная с питомника первичного семеноводства суперэлитных, элитных и репродукционных семян. The effect of the environment of three districts in Khakassia was tested on crop production and animal husbandry. Most farm lands are occupied by grain and forage crops in the Republic of Khakassia. In comparison to 1990 farm land area decreased by 2.6 times there for 2000–2019 as well as by 2.3, 2.3 and 1.6 times — in the districts studied, respectively. Forage crop proportion amounted to 51.9% for 2000–2019, in the dry steppe — 79.5%, steppe and forest steppe — 48.3 and 48.5%. Farm lands contained 4.7% of humus, the lowest concentration being in the dry steppe (3.5%). Currently 84.6% of farm lands show average to low content of soluble phosphorus. Biologization of arable farming will be focused on land restoration and maintaining soil fertility via the introduction of wide range of grasses. The proportion of annual forage grasses totally amounted to 27,6% for 2000–2019, in the districts — 18.0, 29.8, and 36.3%; perennial grasses — 63.1, 82.0, 52.5, 56.3%, respectively. In 2019 the acreage of natural haylands amounted to 160.4 thousand ha (8.3%), pastures — 1019.8 thousand ha (53.3%). The poor condition of farm lands requires the complex of effective tillage techniques. To increase the area of grass cultivation improved seed production is needed. Optimization of seed production includes the development of a unified reproduction technology starting from a nursery of primary seed growing.

14,500 years of vegetation and land use history in the upper continental montane zone at Lac de Champex (Valais, Switzerland)

Forests in the upper continental montane zone are important ecotones between lowland and subalpine forest ecosystems. A thorough understanding of the past vegetation dynamics at mid elevation is crucial to assess past and future altitudinal range shifts of tree species in response to climate change. Lake sediments from Lac de Champex (1,467 m a.s.l.), a small lake in the Canton Valais in the Central Swiss Alps were analysed to reconstruct the vegetation, land use and fire history for the last 14,500 years, using pollen, macrofossils, non-pollen palynomorphs and charcoal. The record indicates that the tree line had already reached the Champex area during the Allerød (14,000 cal bp) but dropped below the lake’s catchment during the Younger Dryas cooling (12,750–11,550 cal bp). Reforestation started again with Betula and Pinus sylvestris in the Early Holocene at 11,500 cal bp in response to rapid climate warming. Temperate tree species (Ulmus, Tilia, Quercus, Acer) may have reached the altitude of the lake during the Holocene Thermal Maximum (ca. 10,000–5,000 cal bp). Mixed forests with mesophilous Abies alba were dominant between 7,500 and 5,000 cal bp. The mass expansions of Picea abies after 5,000 cal bp and Alnus viridis thickets after 4,500 cal bp were directly linked to increasing human disturbance. High values of coprophilous Sporormiella fungal spores and cereal pollen suggest pastoral and arable farming at the site from the Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age onwards (5,000 cal bp). Our data imply that vegetation at intermediate elevation was less affected by human activities than at higher or lower elevations but that these areas served as important stations between the permanent settlements in the valleys and the seasonally occupied alpine huts at higher elevations. We argue that future climate warming will lead to drastic reorganizations of mountain ecosystems.

Influence of humic preparations on productivity increase of cucurbits in arid farming conditions

The paper presents the results of studying the influence of liquid humic fertilizer produced from milled lowland peat on biological activity, the dynamics of nutrients in brown semi-desert soils in arid climate conditions with leaf fertilization of cucurbits. In arable farming of the Astrakhan region most of the harvest is formed by mobilizing soil fertility without compensation for the elements of nutrition carried out with the harvest, which leads to a negative balance of humus and nutrients, as a consequence, the soil is depleted, its fertility becomes lower. It is shown, that application of humates promotes increase of the content of humus in soil in arable horizons and reception of higher harvests of an early ripe watermelon that is caused by activization of biochemical processes in soil and increase of nutrients availability that has accelerated development and ripening of fruits of studied crop.

Farmers’ action space to adopt sustainable practices: a study of arable farming in Saxony

The urgency to address climate change, biodiversity loss, and natural resource degradation requires major changes in agricultural practices. Agricultural policy in Germany has so far failed to generate such changes; meanwhile, public demands for new regulations are met by widespread farmers’ protests. Against this background, an improved understanding of the factors influencing farmers’ uptake of sustainable agricultural practices is necessary. This study introduces the concept of action space to analyze the role of barriers to change which lie beyond farmers’ perceived immediate control. We apply this conceptual framework to the case of diversified crop rotations in Saxony (Germany) and combine semi-structured interviews and a survey to identify key barriers to change and their relative weights. We find that farmers feel rather strongly restricted in their action space to implement diversified crop rotations for sustainable agriculture. The most important barriers pertain to the market environment, which severely limits the feasibility of many crops. In addition, limited regulatory predictability as well as regulatory incoherence and limited flexibility restrict farmers in their action space. The role of resource availability within the farm businesses as well as availability and accessibility of knowledge is ambiguous between interview and survey results. The analysis of interactions indicates that multiple barriers form a self-reinforcing system in which farmers perceive to have little leeway to implement sustainable practices. These results emphasize the need to create an enabling market and regulatory environment in which sustainable practices pay off.

TIMING THE EMERGENCE AND DEVELOPMENT OF ARABLE FARMING IN SOUTHEASTERN NORWAY BY USING SUMMED PROBABILITY DISTRIBUTION OF RADIOCARBON DATES AND A BAYESIAN AGE MODEL

ABSTRACT The paper explores the emergence and development of arable farming in southeastern Norway by compiling and analyzing directly dated cereals from archaeological contexts. By using summed probability distributions of radiocarbon dates and Bayesian modeling, the paper presents the first comprehensive analysis of the directly dated evidence for farming in the region. The models provide a more precise temporal resolution to the development than hitherto presented. The results demonstrate that the introduction of arable farming to southeastern Norway was a long-term development including several steps. Three different stages are pointed out as important in the process of establishing arable farming: the Early and Middle Neolithic, the Late Neolithic, and the Early Iron Age.