Annual Agriculture Research Articles

Effect of Seed and Fertilizer Subsidies on the Technical Efficiency of Rice Farmers in Senegal

The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of seed and fertilizer subsidies (NPK and urea) on the technical efficiency of rice farmers in Senegal. Using data from the Annual Agricultural Survey (EAA) of the Directorate of Analysis, Forecasting and Agricultural Statistics of Senegal (DAPSA), the results of Stochastic Frontier Analysis (SFA) revealed that rice farmers in Senegal have on average a technical efficiency level of 0.545. This suggests that they could increase their current production by 45.5% while using the same level of inputs. Estimation of an SFA model for technical inefficiency revealed that seed and urea subsidies have a significant effect on reducing technical inefficiency. A farmer using subsidized seed saw a reduction in technical inefficiency level by 10.5% and using urea was associated with a 5.1% decrease in inefficiency. In contrast, the model showed no association between the use of subsidized NPK or the use of herbicides and technical inefficiency. And use of organic fertilizer was estimated to worsen technical inefficiency by 4.4% (perhaps reflecting greater reliance on lower-cost inputs among less productive farm households in Senegal). With regard to socio-demographic factors, the results further revealed older respondents experienced more severe technical inefficiency, and that women on average were 9.6% more inefficient than men. These barriers to improved efficiency among older farmers and women suggest targeted supports may be necessary alongside general subsidy programming.

Antibiotic use in Uganda’s livestock-keeping households: prevalence, patterns, and determinants

Livestock farming is vital to global food systems, but the misuse of antibiotics in this sector has raised concerns about its role in the emergence of antimicrobial resistance - now a public health issue. Addressing the misuse of antibiotics requires an understanding of usage patterns and determinants among livestock farmers. This study investigated antibiotic use among livestock farmers in Uganda, examining the frequency of use and factors influencing usage with data from the 2018 Uganda Annual Agricultural Survey. Descriptive results showed that on average one in every three livestock keepers had used antibiotics in the previous year, with 15% of them using antibiotics at least every month in the previous year. Regression analysis results revealed that, among other factors, production systems (keeping cattle, keeping exotic livestock, and herd size) and keepers’ perceptions of the continued efficacy of antibiotics in controlling target diseases even with continuous use significantly influenced the decision to use antibiotics and the frequency with which they were used. The results of this study confirmed the growing concern that antibiotic use in Uganda is no longer limited to humans but has significantly expanded to the livestock sector too. The results further affirmed that antibiotic use in livestock production has reached significant levels that require streamlining from a public health perspective. The study recommends strengthening veterinary education and increasing public awareness of appropriate antibiotic use to combat wrong perceptions towards antibiotic use and encourage safe use.

Cost of farm operations for major cereals in Nigeria

This study assessed the cost of farm operations for major cereals in Nigeria. Secondary data obtained from the Annual Agricultural Performance Survey Report of the National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services (NAERLS) was used to compute the cost of 12 farm operations as well as the percentage change in the cost from 2021 to 2022. Results showed that the cost of farm operations for producing major cereals recorded a very high increase across the states in Nigeria. The percentage increase in the cost of farm operations for producing a hectare was higher for maize (25.4%) than rice (18.3%). Furthermore, the percentage increase in the cost of farm operations for producing a hectare of maize was higher in the Northern region (34.9%) than in the South (17.2%). For rice, the percentage increase was higher in the Southern region (21.8%) than in the North (13.7%). The cost of farm operations has generally increased thereby threatening food prices. Efficient tractor-hiring services should be made available at subsidized rates at all LGAs through public-private partnership arrangements in Nigeria.

Beyond Food Preparation: Potential of the Field of Food Science and Technology in Tanzania and Beyond

What comes to mind when you hear the phrase "food science and technology" (FST)? One of the authors asked some students who were visiting the Mbeya University of Science and Technology during the Annual Agricultural Exhibition, Nanenane, in August 2022. Their responses were unsurprising because they were very similar to how many people perceive the FST field. Most people mistakenly associate FST with other programmes like Hotel Management and Food and Beverage Production and believe it is all about cooking. Of course, someone with experience in food and beverage production is highly likely to pursue further education in the field of food science and technology. The FST is an interdisciplinary field as opposed to a specific discipline. This review aimed to raise awareness of the FST field among the general public. As a result, we have discussed in great detail in this paper how the field of FST relates to other branches of science, technology, economics, and social sciences. A thorough understanding of the FST field is anticipated to raise awareness of how FST knowledge and abilities can be crucial for leveraging the national economy at both the micro and macro levels through food processing, preservation, quality assurance and safety, and business. To support the nation's vision and Sustainable Development Goals, policy amendments are also advised to integrate the FST into various frameworks

Deforestation and Its Effect on Surface Albedo and Weather Patterns

Deforestation is an important environmental problem and a key promoter of regional climate change through modifying the surface albedo. The objective of this research was to characterize the impact of deforestation and land use changes on surface albedo (α) and climate patterns in a tropical highland region of Mexico, between the years 2014 and 2021. The main land cover types are coniferous forests (CF), oak and gallery woodlands (OGW), and annual agriculture (AA), which represent more than 88% of the regional territory. We used 2014 and 2021 Landsat 8 OLI images with topographic and atmospheric correction in order to develop an inventory of albedo values for each land cover type in both time scenarios. Albedo images were generated by using the equation proposed by Liang in 2001, which is based on the reflectance of the bands 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7. Differences in albedo values were calculated between the years 2014 and 2021, and those differences were correlated with variations in climate parameters, for which we used climate data derived from the WRF model. In addition, the different land use changes found were classified in terms of triggers for increasing or decreasing surface albedo. We used the Mann–Whitney U Test to compare the 2021 − 2014 climatic deviations in two samples: Sample A, which included sites without albedo change in 2021; and Sample B, including sites with albedo change in 2021. Results showed that between 2014 and 2021, at least 38 events of land use change or deforestation occurred, with albedo increments between 1 and 11%, which triggered an average increment of 2.16% (p < 0.01; Mann–Whitney U Test) of the regional surface albedo in comparison to the 2014 scenario. In this period, the albedo for CF, OGW, and AA also increased significantly (p < 0.001; Mann–Whitney U Test) by +79, +12, and +9%, respectively. In addition, the regional albedo increment was found to be significant and negatively correlated (p < 0.01 Spearman’s coefficient) with relative humidity (RH), maximum temperature (Tmax), and minimum temperature (Tmin), and correlated (p < 0.01) positively with diurnal temperature range (DTR). The Mann–Whitney U Test revealed that 2021 climatic variations in Sample B sites are statistically different (p < 0.05) to 2021 climatic variations in Sample A sites, which demonstrates that albedo changes are linked to a decrease in minimum temperature and relative humidity and an increase in DTR. Conversion of CF and OGW into AA, perennial agriculture (PA), or grassland (GR) always yielded an albedo increment, whilst the conversion of AA to irrigation agriculture (IA) or PA triggered a decrease in albedo, and finally, the pass from GR or AA to protected agriculture (PA) caused albedo to increase or decrease, depending on the greenhouse covers materials. Reducing deforestation of CF and OGW, conversion of AA or GR into PA, and selecting adequate greenhouse covers could help to mitigate regional climate change.

Biofortification in Ethiopia: Opportunities and Challenges.

Children younger than 5 years and women of reproductive age often suffer from micronutrient deficiencies. Biofortification, which involves enriching staple crops with micronutrients, is a nutritional intervention focused on addressing micronutrient deficiencies. It is equitable, sustainable, and costs less than other nutritional interventions. This study investigates biofortification in Ethiopia, considering 6 globally biofortified crops, 5 of which are currently being biofortified in Ethiopia. However, only 2 of these crops are important in the consumption baskets of most Ethiopians. Therefore, efforts to mainstream biofortification should begin with studies to identify crops that have larger impacts in reducing local micronutrient deficiencies and their cost-effectiveness. Literature was searched between July and December 2021 using Google Scholar to provide insights into the state of biofortification in Ethiopia. Key-informant interviews were conducted to gain insights into the state of biofortification in Ethiopia and to identify bottlenecks for scaling up the production and consumption of biofortified foods. Furthermore, Annual Agriculture Sample Survey and 2015/16 Ethiopian Household Consumption and Expenditure Survey data were used to describe the area under production of biofortifiable crops and their importance in total consumption, respectively. Mainstreaming biofortification in Ethiopia faces several challenges. Policy documents appear to be inconsistent, regressive, and vague regarding biofortification. Critically, there is no specific institution to oversee and/or coordinate biofortification-related activities. Overall, the success of biofortification depends upon a strong coordination body with clear mandates from detailed policies; adequate funding for research and development; and robust monitoring and evaluation of the identified production, adoption, and consumption issues.

English

This manuscript shows a characterisation of critical agricultural household features that are fundamental for performance of agricultural activities in Uganda. Data from the 2018 Annual Agricultural Survey show that these households are exposed to a series of circumstances that make agriculture a challenging enterprise to undertake, but at the same time essential for subsistence. These challenges are mainly associated with large segments of agricultural population dedicated to farming in reduced land-cropping areas, generalized practice of subsistence farming, limited land tenure rights, critical low levels of education affecting agricultural productivity, limited use of improved agricultural inputs (fertilizers, pesticides, and seeds), and marginal use of irrigation practices. These challenges are of intra and extra-farm nature, and as such a holistic vision to address them is needed. Key words: Agricultural households, land, education, agricultural inputs. Uganda.

Coffee supply chain planning under climate change

ABSTRACT The growing demand but uncertain supply makes the sustainability of the coffee industry a shared concern for all participants along the coffee supply chain. This study proposed a decision-making model that comprises the cultivation management, including shade management and annual agriculture management, and the supply chain logistics. A two-stage stochastic program is presented and used within a rolling horizon scheme that periodically updates input data information to deal with uncertainty associated with future climate scenarios. The program minimizes the total expected cost of the entire supply chain of arabica coffee. The study applied the model to the real case study of arabica coffee bean supply to the U.S. market, trying to answer whether arabica coffee supply can meet the U.S. demand from 2022 to 2050 and how to best mitigate any shortage through corporate-farmer partnerships. The results show that the coffee supply will have a 3% shortage in the future; medium-level shade management and more irrigation and fertilization are possible mitigation strategies. These results demonstrate the need for all participants to adopt suitable technologies for the sustainability of global coffee supply chains together.

Genetic architecture and QTL selection response for Kernza perennial grain domestication traits

Key messageAnalysis of multi-year breeding program data revealed that the genetic architecture of an intermediate wheatgrass population was highly polygenic for both domestication and agronomic traits, supporting the use of genomic selection for new crop domestication.Perennial grains have the potential to provide food for humans and decrease the negative impacts of annual agriculture. Intermediate wheatgrass (IWG, Thinopyrum intermedium, Kernza®) is a promising perennial grain candidate that The Land Institute has been breeding since 2003. We evaluated four consecutive breeding cycles of IWG from 2016 to 2020 with each cycle containing approximately 1100 unique genets. Using genotyping-by-sequencing markers, quantitative trait loci (QTL) were mapped for 34 different traits using genome-wide association analysis. Combining data across cycles and years, we found 93 marker-trait associations for 16 different traits, with each association explaining 0.8–5.2% of the observed phenotypic variance. Across the four cycles, only three QTL showed an FST differentiation > 0.15 with two corresponding to a decrease in floret shattering. Additionally, one marker associated with brittle rachis was 216 bp from an ortholog of the btr2 gene. Power analysis and quantitative genetic theory were used to estimate the effective number of QTL, which ranged from a minimum of 33 up to 558 QTL for individual traits. This study suggests that key agronomic and domestication traits are under polygenic control and that molecular methods like genomic selection are needed to accelerate domestication and improvement of this new crop.

Differences in Agricultural Productivity Among Women and Men on Small-Scale Farms in Senegal: Contributions of Agricultural Innovations

This study aims to measure the contribution of technological innovations in gender gaps in agricultural productivity in Senegal. This study uses data from the 2018 Annual Agricultural Survey (AAS) conducted under the FAO Integrated Agricultural Survey Program (AGRISurvey). Using the Kitagawa-Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition method, results indicated a 69.6% productivity gap between plots managed by men and those managed by women, with plots managed by women on average more productive than those managed by men. There are two main reasons for this unexpected result. First, women on average cultivate much smaller plots of land, with higher production per hectare cultivated. Second, rainfed rice, which is considered a women’s crop, is a highly productive crop that is often grown on very small plots, especially in southern Senegal and has much higher productivity among women than men. 85.5% of the overall productivity gap observed is explained by endowment effects: characteristics of the plot managers and the plots themselves, and unequal access to resources across women and men. The adoption of certified seeds and the use of chemical fertilizers (NPK, urea, and phosphate) were agricultural innovations associated with the gender productivity gap. The use of certified seeds, fertilizers, and motorized equipment during soil preparation and harvesting are all positively associated with increased agricultural productivity among women and men. Findings suggest increasing women’s access to land and technological innovations could further unleash the productivity potential of Senegalese agriculture.

Honey bee hive covers reduce food consumption and colony mortality during overwintering.

Beekeepers regularly employ management practices to mitigate losses during the winter, often considered the most difficult time during a colony life cycle. Management recommendations involving covering or wrapping hives in insulation during winter have a long history; over 100 years ago, most recommendations for overwintering in cold climates involved heavy insulation wraps or moving hives indoors. These recommendations began to change in the mid-20th century, but hive covers are still considered useful and are described in contemporary beekeeping manuals and cooperative extension materials. However, most of the data supporting their use is published primarily in non-peer reviewed trade journals and was collected >40 years ago. In this time, the beekeeping environment has changed substantially, with new pressures from pathogens, agrochemicals, and land use changes. Here, we provide an update to the historical literature, reporting a randomized experiment testing the effectiveness of a common honey bee hive cover system across eight apiaries in central Illinois, USA, a temperate region dominated by conventional annual agriculture. We found that, when other recommended overwintering preparations are performed, covered colonies consumed less food stores and survived better than uncovered controls (22.5% higher survival). This study highlights the value of hive covers, even in an area not subject to extremely cold winter conditions, and these data can aid the production of evidence-based extension recommendations for beekeepers.

The integration of socio-economic and agricultural surveys by national statistical offices: The case of the Uganda Harmonized Integrated Survey1

Since 2009, the Socio-Economic Directorate of the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) has been implementing the Uganda National Panel Survey (UNPS). In 2017, the Agriculture and Environment Statistics Directorate (DAES), started implementing the Annual Agricultural Survey (AAS). Similarities and disparities in the design of the two surveys have led, on the one hand, to the duplication of part of the collected information, and, on the other, to the different methodologies inevitably returning different estimates. This has resulted in issues around reconciling and communicating the differences in some agriculture indicators and statistics retrieved through the two different surveys. In integrating the two survey programs under the 50 × 2030 Initiative, UBOS has found a way to improve efficiency by avoiding duplication, reducing costs, and aligning methodologies and results. This paper documents the process of integrating the two surveys. On the whole, the extent of methodological, logistical, and institutional integration exemplified by the Uganda Harmonized Integrated Survey (UHIS) may be aspirational in the short term for many NSOs in low- and middle-income countries and can help when establishing long-term strategies and implementation plans to move towards similar goals.

Challenges and Opportunities for the Global Cultivation and Adaptation of Legumes B. Opportunities for Increasing Legumes Production and Availability

Legumes cultivation is subjected to different constraints, which reduce productivity, particularly effects of global warming, and other constraints. While the large diversity of legumes play an important contributing role to food and nutrition security by the sustainable agriculture (crop and livestock systems) and food systems worldwide. Improving legumes production needs numerous strategies achievement proper production for humanity. Through different ways that include policy creativities to encourage legume cultivation, produce legume varieties adapted to changing climatic conditions. In addition to using proper agricultural strategies to increase the availability of legumes like increasing annual cultivation by both horizontal extensions by increasing planted area and reclamation the poor soil and using intensive planting system as a Vertical development tool. Besides, planting legumes with other crops in the intercropping system, as well as involving legumes into the annual agriculture system, improving postharvest processing to minimize crop losses. Furthermore, using modern technology in agriculture like smart agriculture to increase legumes productivity. There are many health benefits to legume crops due to their component, particularly protein, which reaches two or three-fold as in other crops such as cereals, which contain less than half of the protein in legumes. In addition to carbohydrates, folic acid, fibers, also, legumes are considered low-fat seeds. In addition, to using leguminous crops as fodder resources for animals both directly and as a part of different feeds for livestock and poultry.

AVALIAÇÃO DOS PARÂMETROS FÍSICO-QUÍMICOS E BIOLÓGICOS DAS ÁGUAS DO CÓRREGO DA CASCATA

The hydrographic basins have been going through several transformations of their natural landscapes through anthropic interventions, which causes environmental disturbances in the water bodies. The Córrego da Cascata basin has the largest Atlantic Forest forest fragment in the municipality of Presidente Prudente – SP, it is in a scenario of landscape transformation through land use and land cover due to the increase in human activities such as urbanization, pasture for pastoral, perennial and annual agriculture. The aim of this study was to evaluate the physical-chemical and biological parameters of the waters of the stream, which crosses the Chico Mendes Municipal Ecological Park (Mata do Furquim). According to the IQA, the three study points were classified as regular along the stream. The BMWP index rated one point as bad and two points as regular waters.

Selected Macroeconomic Variables and Agricultural Sector in Nigeria

The study investigated effect of selected macroeconomic variables on agricultural sector output in Nigeria from 1987 - 2019. Annual Agricultural Output (AAO) represented the dependent variable for the study while gross domestic product, interest rate, money supply, and exchange rate represented the explanatory variables. Ex-post factor research design was employed for the study. Augmented Dickey Fuller Unit Roots test and Ordinary Least Square (OLS) Regression techniques were used to analyze data collected. The empirical investigation showed that gross domestic product as well as money supply has a positive and significant effect on agricultural output, while interest rate and exchange rate exerted a negative and insignificant effect on agricultural output. From the study, selected macroeconomic variables have positive effect on agricultural output in Nigeria and this has tremendously contributed to the country's growth and development. The study recommends amongst other; that government should accelerate the rate of economic growth by investing heavily on the agricultural sector so as to boost domestic production and enhance exportation in order to stabilize exchange rate while curbing inflation; give incentives to banks extending agricultural loans by lowering the lending rate on agricultural loans to ease access to funds for agricultural investment.

Data on antimicrobial use in livestock: Lessons from Uganda

In 2016, the General Assembly of the United Nations recognised inappropriate Antimicrobial Use (AMU) in livestock as one of the leading causes of increasing Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR). This is happening at a time when livestock production is expected to increase dramatically particularly in Africa, in response to the large rise in aggregate demand due to population growth, urbanisation and increasing income levels. Therefore, understanding the characteristics and appropriateness of AMU in livestock in this region is of utmost importance, yet data is seldom available. We propose to collect information on AMU in livestock by including related questions in nationally representative agricultural surveys that are carried out regularly (annually or every 2–3 years) by National Statistical Offices. This approach, with its limitation though, is a viable and cost-effective way to gather essential information on AMU in livestock farming. The Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) piloted the introduction of key AMU questions in the Annual Agricultural Survey (AAS), gathering data from 6 thousand agricultural households nation-wide. Results show that AMU is considerable among livestock keeping households (35%), who use antibiotics not only for curative treatment (~58%) but also for disease prevention (~44%) and growth promotion (~5%). Data from the AAS also allows users to explore linkages between antibiotics use, livestock production practices (e.g. herd composition and size, feeding, breeding techniques, etc.) and other household / farm characteristics (e.g. location, education, household size, etc.), thereby effectively informing policy decisions.

Soil quality indicators in areas with different vegetation cover in the Atlantic Forest biome, Southeastern Brazil

The southeast region of Brazil, in the Atlantic Forest biome, has been impacted for a long time, observing today small agricultural areas inserted in a matrix of pastures and forest fragments, the soils being highly modified due to the different forms of use they were submitted. The objective of this study was to evaluate the organic carbon content in the humic fractions on soil organic matter (SOM), the distribution of aggregates in size classes and the porosity and aggregates density variables by means of computed tomography in secondary forest, pasture and agriculture areas in Pinheiral (RJ). Three areas composed of secondary forests with different succession stages and three managed areas were evaluated: Secondary Forest (SF) Initial Stage (SFIS), Medium Stage (SFMS), Advanced Stage (SFAS), mixed managed pasture (MMP), and perennial and annual agriculture (PA and AA, respectively). Three types of samples were collected in different layers: i) deformed samples to quantify carbon in the SOM humic fractions; ii) clods for quantifying the mass of aggregates and later assessing the distribution by diameter classes; and iii) undisturbed samples collected with the aid of an acrylic cylinder to perform computed tomography (CT). Humic substances and aggregate classes below 2.0 mm were the attributes most influenced by the forms of use and/or vegetation cover. The CT technique proved to be efficient in the measurement of the edaphic attribute’s porosity and density of the aggregates, helping in the characterization and separation of the different environments.

Analysis of the status of major vegetables in Bajura, Nepal

The favourable climatic condition of Nepal has endowed it for cultivation of greater than 50 vegetable crops and making vegetable sector a dominating sector in terms of area and production after cereals. The time series secondary data of major vegetables grown in Bajura district for area (ha), production (MT) and yield (kg/ha) of total 18 years period from 1999/2000 to 2016/17 was extracted from statistical information on Nepalese Agriculture published by MoALD, publications of VDD (Vegetable Development Directorate), Annual Agriculture Development Program and Statistics Book (AADPSB) published by AKC (Agriculture Knowledge Center) Bajura and beyonds. Other reliable sources of information were also scrutinized for extracting secondary data for the completion of research. MK-Test was used for detecting monotonic trend in the time series and simple linear regression was performed to test a linear trend. MS-Excel software was used for statistical analysis and Linear trend analysis model was used for data interpretation using slope and intercept parameters. The result illustrated that the increment in the rate of vegetable production was higher (258.44 MT/year) than cultivated area (24.599 ha/year) throughout the analyzed period (1999/2000 to 2016/17). Concurrently, the yield of major vegetables was also in increasing trend. Similarly, the recent trends (2012/13 to 2016/17) showed that the yield of Cruciferous crops, Solanaceous crops, Malvaceous crops, Umbelliferae crops and Cucurbitaceous crops was in increasing trend with markable fluctuations in cultivated area and production. This research can be a useful tool for horticulturists and other concerned authorities for further research and amelioration of the status of major vegetables in Bajura district.

INTRODUCING AUTOMATIC SATELLITE IMAGE PROCESSING INTO LAND COVER MAPPING BY PHOTO-INTERPRETATION OF AIRBORNE DATA

Abstract. A series of five land cover maps, widely known as COS (Carta de Uso e Ocupação do Solo), have been produced since 1990 for mainland Portugal. Previous to 2015, all maps were produced through photo-interpretation of orthophotos. Land cover and land use changes were detected through comparison of previous and recent orthophotos, which were used for map updating, thereby producing a new map. The remaining areas of no change were preserved across the maps for consistency. Despite the value of the maps produced, the method is very time-consuming and limited to the single-date reference of the orthophotos. From 2015 onwards, a new approach was adopted for map production. Photo-interpretation of orthophoto maps is still the basis of mapping, but assisted by products derived from satellite data. The goals are three-fold: (i) cut time production, (ii) increase map accuracy, and (iii) further detail the nomenclature. The last map published (COS 2015) benefited from change detection and classification analyses of Landsat data, namely for guiding the photo-interpretation in forest, shrublands, and mapping annual agriculture. Time production and map error have been reduced comparing to previous maps. The new 2018 map, currently in production, further explores this approach. Landsat 8 time series of 2015–2018 are used for change detection in vegetation based on NDVI differencing, thresholding and clustering. Sentinel-2 time series of 2017–2018 are used to classify Autumn/Winter crops and Spring/Summer crops based on NDVI temporal profiles and classification rules. Benefits and pitfalls of the new mapping approach are presented and discussed.

Community structure of soil fungi in a novel perennial crop monoculture, annual agriculture, and native prairie reconstruction

The use of perennial crop species in agricultural systems may increase ecosystem services and sustainability. Because soil microbial communities play a major role in many processes on which ecosystem services and sustainability depend, characterization of soil community structure in novel perennial crop systems is necessary to understand potential shifts in function and crop responses. Here, we characterized soil fungal community composition at two depths (0–10 and 10–30 cm) in replicated, long-term plots containing one of three different cropping systems: a tilled three-crop rotation of annual crops, a novel perennial crop monoculture (Intermediate wheatgrass, which produces the grain Kernza®), and a native prairie reconstruction. The overall fungal community was similar under the perennial monoculture and native vegetation, but both were distinct from those in annual agriculture. The mutualist and saprotrophic community subsets mirrored differences of the overall community, but pathogens were similar among cropping systems. Depth structured overall communities as well as each functional group subset. These results reinforce studies showing strong effects of tillage and sampling depth on soil community structure and suggest plant species diversity may play a weaker role. Similarities in the overall and functional fungal communities between the perennial monoculture and native vegetation suggest Kernza® cropping systems have the potential to mimic reconstructed natural systems.