Plant Arrangement Research Articles

Effect of spatial arrangement of push-pull companion plants on fall armyworm control and agronomic performance of two maize varieties in Ghana

Maize (Zea mays L.) production is constrained in Ghana by declining soil fertility, erratic rainfall and the recent fall armyworm invasion. We hypothesised that adopting push-pull farming practices would reduce infestation and damage of maize by fall armyworm, while increasing maize yield. We conducted field experiments at two sites over two cropping seasons to evaluate the effects of spatial arrangements of push-pull companion crops on fall armyworm infestations and grain yield of maize. The experiment was arranged in a split-plot design with variety (Abotem and Opeaburo) as the main plot and fall armyworm treatment options (1 row maize and 1 row Desmodium [conventional push-pull]; three maize rows before one row of Desmodium [modified push-pull]; synthetic chemical and no treatment [control]) as a subplot. Results showed that, regardless of location or maize variety, both conventional and spatially modified push-pull companion cropping significantly reduced fall armyworm infestations under all seasons, as compared with the control. The push-pull companion cropping systems reduced the mean maize damage score of fall armyworm by 168%, compared with the control. Additionally, both conventional and spatially modified push-pull companion cropping significantly increased maize grain and biomass yield by 46.80% and 51.11%, respectively, irrespective of the maize variety compared with the control. The mean damage score, biomass and grain yield of conventional push-pull and modified push-pull were not significantly different. The fall armyworm infestation was decreased by 14.61% in the major season compared with the minor cropping season. This study provides novel evidence of the effectiveness of push-pull farming practice in reducing fall armyworm infestation and damage, and in increasing maize yield in Ghana, which has a different ecosystem to East Africa, where push-pull was developed. Further, it provides critical evidence of the effectiveness of a spatial modification of the push crop in relation with the main crop against the fall armyworm.

Physiological characteristics of corn intercropped with different arrangements of palisade grass plants

Background The study of corn and palisade grass physiology may assist in determining the best arrangement of the plants and more efficient management of this intercropped system. Objective To evaluate the effects of different palisade grass plant arrangements and their control on physiological characteristics and corn yield. Methods Two trials in randomized complete block design with four replications were conducted in field conditions. In the first, corn was sown with 0.50 m row spacing, whereas the second had 1.00 [...]

Yield Performance of Shade Tolerant Soybean Cultivars under Shaded Environment at Various Planting Densities

Expanding soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] production under sub-optimum environment faces the problem of production under a shaded environment. The study aimed to evaluate the yield performance of shade-tolerant soybean cultivars under shaded environment conditions at various planting densities and to determine its related traits. A nested design field experiment was conducted at Banjar Sub-district, Pandeglang District, Banten Province Indonesia (lat. 6.37° S, long. 106.11° S) during the dry season from April to July 2019. Two field conditions, under coconut and banana plantation, which were identified as light-shaded (10-20 % shaded) and deep-shaded (40-50 % shaded) were used as main plots. Three soybean cultivars, Dena-1, as identified as shade-tolerant soybean cultivar, Detap-1 and Devon-1 were arranged at each environment with a single row (40 x 20 cm; normal density; 12.5 plants m−2) or double row (30 x 20 x 50 cm; high density; 14.5 plants m−2). Research results showed that seed yield decreased from 248 g m−2 to 205 g m−2 by the difference of shading. The yield decrease was due to the decrease of total biomass (TDW), branch number, node number, pod number, and seed number, and stomatal density (Nstoma) without any change in harvest index (HI) and guard cell length (Lguard). In plant arrangement, a better seed yield and TDW were resulted from normal density as compared to high density. Under the deep-shaded condition, Dena-1 under normal density (230 g m−2) was superior in seed yield but declined significantly when it was grown under high density (161 g m−2). Based on the above results, combining shade-tolerant soybean cultivar (Dena-1) and planting density (single row; 12.5 plants m−2) is recommended to maintain soybean seed yield under a shaded environment.

Plant arrangement and its effects on yield and bromatological quality of wheat submitted to different cutting systems

This was aimed to evaluate the effects of plant arrangements and cutting systems on the yield and quality of dual purpose wheat. The present study was conducted in the years 2015, 2016 and 2017 in Frederico Westphalen, belonging to the state of Rio Grande do Sul. The dual purpose wheat genotype used was BRS Tarumã. For this, five sowing densities were used, namely: 75, 150, 225, 300 and 375 seeds per square meter. The analysis of variance revealed significance for the interaction sowing density x cutting systems x chemical quality for the variables dry matter per hectare, lipids, digestible fiber in acid detergent, lignin, cellulose, mineral matter, total carbohydrates and non-fibrous carbohydrates. The positive effects on yield and bromatological quality of the forage are obtained by arranging plants and cutting systems through the sowing density of 300 to 375 seeds per meter with the practice of up to two cuts in dual purpose wheat. Superior dry matter per unit area was observed in the second cut, which was defined by the stimulation of tillering, regrowth and split nitrogen fertilization. Since, the superior bromatological quality is determined by the magnitude of non-fibrous carbohydrates in the forage.

Macadamia intercropping into an inefficient adult coffee plantation is economically advantageous

AbstractThe paper's hypothesis was that intercropping macadamia (Macadamia integrifolia Maiden & Betche) in an Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica L.) plantation would increase land‐use efficiency and economic results. An experiment was conducted in southeastern Brazil to evaluate the planting of macadamia intercropped into a declining adult coffee plantation where trees were pruned, removed, or neither on the payback period compared with a macadamia monoculture. The experiment was arranged in a randomized complete block design with six treatments and four replications. Treatments consisted of four systems of planting macadamia intercropped within a coffee plantation (T1–unpruned coffee trees; T2–side pruning of two coffee trees; T3–stumping of two coffee trees; T4–removal of one coffee tree), and a coffee monocropping and a macadamia monoculture planted where coffee crops were eradicated (macadamia monocropping) as control. We evaluated macadamia plant growth and economic results across four growing seasons and considered three macadamia plant arrangements. At 46 mo after planting, macadamia plants intercropped with unpruned coffee trees had lower plant height (28%) and trunk diameter (63%) than those planted in macadamia monoculture. Treatments T3 and T4 provided greater growth of macadamia plants. Coffee yield losses caused by pruning or removal of coffee trees were not significant, regardless of the macadamia plant arrangement used. The implantation of the macadamia intercropped with an inefficient adult coffee crop proved to be economically more advantageous than the implantation of a macadamia orchard in monoculture.

Optimal time for sowing mixed summer crops for green fodder

In most of the territory of the Russian Federation in grain-growing areas, the second half of the growing season (July-August) is more favorable in terms of precipitation and positive temperatures, and by October, summer mixed crops of legumes and cereals can form a fairly large number of green mass. The inclusion of mixed legumes and cereals with different linear growth rates makes it possible to create multi-tiered crops: the lower tier was occupied by lupine and paiza, the upper tier-beans, vetch and peas. This arrangement of plants allows crops to use the energy of sunlight more efficiently and prevent the evaporation of moisture from the soil, especially during the summer sowing period. Quality assessment of the yield of green mass of summer intercropping legume-cereal crop output chromoproteins units per 1 ha showed that late summer time summer mixed sowing has the advantages of not only protein, but also carbohydrates. The maximum collection of protein and forage protein units was obtained in the summer mixed sowing of narrow-leaved lupine, forage beans, spring vetch, forage peas and payza. Therefore, research on obtaining high-protein green feed for herbivorous farm animals in the late autumn period in the Kaliningrad region is promising and requires careful study.

Research on planting arrangement of coconuts in Zhanjiang city under the climate adaptive design

The essential factor that enables people to stay in the active space depends on whether the area can provide comfort to the human body. According to this theory, the climate-adaptive design will effectively improve space vitality. First of all, this paper analysis and summary the climate in Zhanjiang City based on the “golden section method,” obtaining that the comfort of Zhanjiang is dominated by thermal discomfort, and trees can improve the city’s thermal comfort level through shading. Then we established the sun’s orbit map and the trajectory model of coconut shadow changes and used the penetration threshold theory, the following coconut planting arrangement is derived: (1) when the planting quantity is less than or equal to seven or more than 608, there is a reserved space, and the planting arrangement of coconuts is compact; (2) when the number of coconuts is more than seven and less than 608, there will be no reserved space. Currently, the planting arrangement of coconuts is random, and the area of planting space units is less than or equal to 71. 6+x m2 (x is the number of coconuts). These findings will help the designer offer better guidelines for planting and improving the vitality of the space.

Evaluation of the efficiency of row-crop seeders using vacuum and extrabaric seed metering methods

Developed agricultural production is the basis for the economy of any country. Therefore, it is important to develop agricultural technologies, mechanize the cultivation process, provide organizational and information support, etc. Crop production is an important part of agricultural production. Agricultural crops are grown using various cultivation technologies. In each technology, sowing is the most important process, that allows you to predict the volume of future crops and determine profitability of the agricultural production. The article sub-stantiates the fundamental influence of high-quality sowing on the yield of sunflower seeds. The processes of dosing sunflower seeds with pneumatic seeders are described. The advantages of the extrabaric seed dosing system in comparison with the vacuum seed dosing system are identified. The conditions and methods of conducting a field study in the south of Russia are described to assess the quality of sowing sunflower seeds by vacuum and extrabaric dosing systems. The results of a field study of the quality of distribution of seeds and sunflower plants in the soil are analyzed for arid conditions of southern Russia. The quality of arrangement of sunflower plants was analyzed for vacuum and extrabaric dosing systems. The possibility of improving the vacuum and extrabaric dosing systems is described.

Procedure of reducing solanine in potato tubers

Potato is a significant plant source for replenishing the lack of vitamins, macro and micro elements, antioxidants, amino acids, carbohydrates, bioflavonoids and phytoncides. For ware potatoes, one of the important factors in the quality of tubers is the low content of solanine, which can be visually determined by the presence of greening of the tubers. The purpose of the present study was to substantiate the effectiveness of using the technological method “increasing the row spacing” to reduce the number of green tubers with an increased content of solanine. The study was carried out in the Moscow region (Russia) on sod-podzolic medium loamy and sandy loam soil. The laying of field experiments, counts and observations were carried out in accordance with the requirements of the field experiment methodology and the methodology for research on potato culture. It has been established that the main technological method for reducing the greening of tubers (increasing the content of solanine in tubers) is growing potatoes in wide ridges or ridges in a checkerboard pattern 110 + 30 and 120 + 30 cm. This arrangement of plants ensures not only a more uniform maintenance of the optimum moisture and temperature of the soil, but also under the active influence of winds and heavy rains, allows to maintain the soil layer around the tuber nest. The latter provides a decrease in the number of green tubers by 4.4 to 6.5%. As a result, when growing potatoes in rows, the commercial yield was higher than that in ridges by 1.2 to 5.5 t/ha (9 to 19%).

Conceptual arrangement and basic design of drinking water reverse osmosis desalination plants

To propose a conceptual arrangement of reverse osmosis desalination plants, four comprehensive decision algorithms and a software are developed. Typically, commercial software predict the performance of the reverse osmosis membranes based on their pre-determined configuration; however, the developed decision algorithms and the developed software in this study have the capability of introducing the conceptual arrangement of pretreatment units, reverse osmosis membranes, and energy recovery devices for both seawater and brackish water reverse osmosis plants. To perform a comprehensive study, alongside the developed software and the decision algorithms, both design considerations of the required equipment in pretreatment units and mathematical modeling of reverse osmosis membranes are included. Finally, to validate the accuracy of the developed decision algorithms and the software, four installed reverse osmosis desalination plants for producing drinking water from seawater and brackish water feeds are investigated. The algorithmic proposed plants for all four cases were in close agreement with the implemented industrial cases and World Health Organization standards.

Research Article Performance of agro-ecological based carrot cultivars affected by plant arrangement

Research Article Performance of agro-ecological based carrot cultivars affected by plant arrangement

Agronomic performance of soybean with indeterminate growth habit in different plant arrangements

Agronomic performance of soybean with indeterminate growth habit in different plant arrangements

Emergent spatial structure and pathogen epidemics: the influence of management and stochasticity in agroecosystems

Organisms susceptible to disease, from humans to crops, inevitably have spatial geometry that influence disease dynamics. Understanding how spatial structure emerges through time in ecological systems and how that structure influences disease dynamics is of practical importance for natural and human management systems. Here we use the perennial crop, coffee, Coffea arabica, along with its pathogen, the coffee leaf rust, Hemileia vastatrix, as a model system to understand how spatial structure is created in agroecosystems and its subsequent influence on the dynamics of the system. Here, we create a simple null model of the socio-ecological process of death and stochastic replanting of coffee plants on a plot. We then use spatial networks to quantify the spatial structures and make comparisons of our stochastic null model to empirically observed spatial distributions of coffee. We then present a simple model of pathogen spread on spatial networks across a range of spatial geometries emerging from our null model and show how both local and regional management of agroecosystems interact with space and time to alter disease dynamics. Our results suggest that our null model of evolving spatial structure can capture many critical features of how the spatial arrangement of plants changes through time in coffee agroecosystems. Additionally, we find small changes in management factors that can influence the scale of pathogen transmission, such as shade tree removal, and result in a rapid transition to epidemics with lattice-like spatial arrangements but not with irregular planting geometries. The results presented here may have practical implications for farmers in Latin America who are in the process of replanting and overhauling management of their coffee farms in response to a coffee leaf rust epidemic in 2013. We suggest that shade reduction in conjunction with more lattice-like planting schemes may result in coffee being more prone to epidemic-like dynamics of the coffee leaf rust in the future.

Increasing the efficiency of spring wheat selection for resistance to soil infection

The aim of the research was to substantiate the need to take into account the factors that have a significant impact on the root rot infestation of spring wheat in the process of practical selection for resistance. The studies were carried out in 2019–2020 with the application of generally accepted and author’s methods. A systemic restructuring of work is needed to increase the efficiency of practical breeding for resistance to root rot. The damaging factor is cereal flies which “open the gates” to all soil phytopathogens after the tillering phase. It should be eliminated, and the ability of varieties to induce the suppression of rhizosphere soil to main phytopathogens should be taken into account. According to the results of two years of research, the smallest, within two biological thresholds of harmfulness (PV), the infestation by root rot at the germination phase was shown by the spring wheat varieties Novosibirskaia 15 and Manu. The development of root rot in comparison with the germination phase in 2019 increased by an average of 2.5, and in 2020 - by 5.6 times. There was an equalization of differences in damage between varieties during the growing season. In the germination phase, the coefficient of variation in the development of root rot by varieties was 24.1 ± 4.0, in the phase of maturity, it decreased 2.5 times to 9.4 ± 1.5. The main reason for smoothing out the differences between varieties in terms of root rot infestation was strong (up to 100%) damage by intra-stem pests. The economic threshold of harmfulness for damage to spring wheat stems by cereal flies was exceeded in 2019 up to 4.8 times, and in 2020 up to 7.8 times. The correlation coefficient between the development of root rot and damage by intra-stem pests in 2019 was R = 0.744 ± 0.185 (P <0.01), in 2020 R = 0.713 ± 0.092 (P <0.01). Analysis of variance showed that the power of the influence of the spatial arrangement of plants on their damage by cereal flies was 30.9% and was reliable at the 1% level, while the influence of the variety itself on this indicator was almost 2 times lower (16.8%) and was significant at the 5% level. The induction of soil suppression to phytopathogens by the rhizosphere of spring wheat varieties influenced their representation in the pathogenic complex of root rot. The correlation coefficient of induction by cultivars of suppressiveness to F. poae and its representation in pathogenic complexes was R = - 0.638 ± 0.318 and was significant at the 5% level. The correlation coefficient of induction of suppressiveness to F. oxysporum and its presence in pathogenic complexes of root rot of varieties was R = - 0.844 ± 0.203 (P <0.01).

TOP-DRESSING NITROGEN DOSES IN MAIZE SOWN IN SINGLE AND DOUBLE ROWS AND CULTIVATED IN WINTER

Due to the intensification of production in irrigated areas, maize hasbeen sown in winter, enabling three seasons in one agricultural year. The objective of this study was to evaluate the agronomic performance of maize under irrigation and cultivated in winter under different plant arrangements (single and doublerow) under top-dressing nitrogen doses. The experimental design used was in randomized blocks in a split-plot scheme, with four replicates. Plots were formed by sowing systems single and double rows and subplots were formed by four top-dressing N doses: 0 kg ha-1 of N; 80 kg ha-1 of N with single application in phenological stage V3; 160 kg ha-1 of N with application of 80 kg ha-1 in V3 and V6, and 240 kg ha-1 of N with application of 80 kg ha-1 in stages V3, V6 and V8. The single-row sowing system led to higher grain yield compared to maize grown in the double-row system. Maize grain yield showed progressive linear increments with increasing top-dressing N doses, reaching 11,089 kg ha-1 of grains with the maximum studied dose of 240 kg ha-1 of N. Sowing systems in single and double rows do not differ with respect to the use of top-dressing N.

Analysis of papaya plant sample for antispermatogenic properties

To advance new proof about the counter ripeness action of seeds concentrate of papaya (Carica papaya L.) in test creatures, particularly mice. Male mice (n=20) were assembled into four. The principal bunch got just purified water containing 1% CMC as the controller. Gathering 2, 3 and 4 sequentially got papaya seed concentrate of 2, 4 and 8mg/40 g body weight. All conduct regulated verbally utilizing abdominal sonde once every day for 35 days. Revision boundaries surveyed cell checks, the distance across and epithelial chunkiness of seminiferous tubules of the testis. Even though the aftereffects of exploration on the antifertility action of papaya seed separate demonstrated an optimistic pattern, yet in-depth confirmation impacts plant arrangements on investigation animals is obligatory suggested World Health Organization. This examination is proposed to advance novel proof counter fruitfulness movement of papaya seed removes in guinea pigs, particularly mice. There is no substantial diverse in the number of spermatogonia among treatment gatherings: spermatocyte and spermatid cells fundamentally diminished by the excerpt, particularly at the most elevated portion. Moreover, the breadth and epithelial thickness of seminiferous tubules of testis are significantly decreased by the concentrate at the portion of 8 mg/40g body weight. Papaya seeds separate as possible to be utilized as against ripeness operator.

Study on Ecological Environment and Ecological Planning of Small Summer Resort Based on User Experience

With the rapid development of tourism, eco-tourism has become an important development direction of tourism. The tourism resources and environmental conditions of small summer resorts determine that small summer resorts are ideal places to develop ecotourism, but the ecological environment of small summer resorts is extremely fragile. Therefore, in the development of ecotourism, the development of small summer resorts must take the protection of ecological environment and ecotourism resources as the premise and the development of ecotourism products as the basic idea. This paper attempts to study the ecological environment and ecological planning of small summer resorts from the perspective of user experience. This paper analyzes the ecological aesthetic characteristics of small summer resorts from the aspects of natural landscape, landscape architecture and ecological environment, in order to broaden the research horizon of small summer resorts. Especially, the plant arrangement and management of small summer resorts are the key to protect the ecological environment of small summer resorts, and must take into account the landscape aesthetics and the natural laws of the ecosystem.

Environmental Sustainability Assessment of Molasses-based Bioethanol Fuel in Pakistan

Bioethanol is promoted as a transportation fuel due to its perceived benefits; reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, substituting fossil fuels, enhancing energy security, and promoting the rural economy. This study aims to evaluate the availability potential, energy performance, and environmental sustainability of bioethanol from sugarcane molasses in Pakistan. It was found that the current potential of molasses-based bioethanol is enough to replace around 7% of total gasoline consumption in the country. The results indicated that the use of E10 (10% blend of bioethanol with gasoline) instead of gasoline would result in the reduction of GHG emissions by 8%, human carcinogenic toxicity by 3%, and fossil resource scarcity impacts by 9%. However, E10 has comparatively higher impacts than gasoline on acidification by 20% and on freshwater eutrophication by 43%. Further benefits of molasses-based bioethanol were evident in terms of high energy gains where each MJ of the total energy input provided about 2 MJ of energy output from bioethanol and each MJ of fossil-based energy input resulted in the production of around 6 MJ of energy output from bioethanol. Furthermore, considerable improvements in performance were indicated by contemplating different existing practices and plant arrangements.

Using native grass seeding and targeted spring grazing to reduce low-level Bromus tectorum invasion on the Colorado Plateau

Reducing invasive species abundance near the leading edge of invasions is important for maintaining diverse, high-functioning ecosystems, but it can be hard to remove invasives present at low levels within desirable plant communities. Focusing on an invasive annual grass, Bromus tectorum, near the edge of its range in the southern Colorado Plateau, we used an observational study to ask what plant community components were associated with lower levels of B. tectorum, and a manipulative experiment to ask if targeted spring grazing or seeding native competitors were effective for reversing low-level invasion. The observational study found that higher C3 perennial grass cover and shrub cover were associated with lower B. tectorum abundance, and adult Poa fendleriana and Pascopyrum smithii plants had the fewest B. tectorum individuals within 50 cm. Our manipulative experiment used a randomized, hierarchical design to test the relative effectiveness of seeding native perennial grasses using different spatial planting arrangements, seeding rates, seed enhancements, and targeted spring grazing. Two years after seeding, seeded species establishment was 36% greater in high seed rate than unseeded plots, and high rate plots also had lower B. tectorum cover. One season after targeted spring grazing (a single, 2-week spring-grazing treatment 17 months post-seeding), grazed paddocks displayed trends towards higher seeded species densities and lower B. tectorum biomass in certain seeding treatments, compared to ungrazed paddocks. Results suggest high rate native grass seedings may be effective and short-duration spring grazing should be further evaluated as potential tools for preventing ecosystem conversion along invasion fronts.

Plant arrangement in soybean crops with indeterminate growth in brazilian Cerrado

The suitability of the spatial arrangement of soybean is a tool capable of promoting better use of the agricultural environment, allowing the crop to express its yield potential. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate different implementation systems with and without an increase in the plant population of soybean with indeterminate growth habit variety cultivated in the Brazilian Cerrado. The experiments were performed in the 2013/14 and 2014/15 seasons in Rio Verde, Goias state. The experimental design was randomized blocks with four replication in a 4x2 factorial scheme. The treatments presents four implementation systems (traditional, reduced, double rows and crossed) associated with two populations of BMX Potência RR® (recommended and increased by 33%) with presented indeterminate growth habit. The results indicate that the reduced system has an adoption potential for soybean with indeterminate growth habit. The increase in the plant population in the 2013/2014 season, increased 20% of soybean yield in relation to the recommended population, proving to be a promising technique since it considerate the costs involved.