Conventional Crops Research Articles

Nutritivna vrednost srpskih genotipova lanika kao alternativnih sastojaka hrane za životinje

Camelina has been used from ancient times, but recently has re-emerged as a valuable plant with the potential for successful replacement of conventional oilseed crops. The utilisation of camelina and its by-products in animal feed is a matter of scientific study due to their excellent nutritional potential. The present study aimed to investigate the nutritive value of two Serbian camelina seed genotypes (NS Zlatka and NS Slatka) as a potential alternative to commonly used oilseed crops in animal feeding. For that purpose proximate composition, fatty acid profile, amino acid profile and tocopherols were analysed. The study also included the investigation of the content of anti-nutritive compounds that can adversely affect the nutritional value of feed. The results showed that camelina seeds had a high amount of proteins (around 28%), amino acids and gtocopherols. Camelina genotypes were characterized by unique fatty acids composition, with its oil consisting of approximately 57% polyunsaturated fatty acids, of which the highest proportions were a-linolenic acid (~37%) and linoleic acid (~17%). An optimal ratio of n-6 and n-3 fatty acids (0.5) was also reported in this study. The concentration of anti-nutritional factors and heavy metals in camelina seeds was below the maximum set limit for feedstuff. To conclude, the investigated Serbian camelina genotypes can be used as a valuable source of proteins, essential fatty acids and tocopherols in animal nutrition and has a great potential to replace conventional oilseeds.

Runoff and nutrient losses in extended and conventional crop rotations

AbstractManagement systems prioritizing surface ground cover throughout the year, such as extended crop rotations with perennial phases or reduced tillage, may be more resilient to changing weather regimes associated with climate change. The purpose of this study was to determine if the benefits observed in perennial phases, including increased infiltration and reduced runoff and erosion, persisted in the annual crop phases. We conducted rainfall simulations at four landscape positions in a 7‐yr rotation with ridge tillage and in a conventional corn–soybean system. From data paired by landscape position across 4 yr, the 7‐yr rotation had significantly higher infiltration and lower runoff than the conventional field, although sediment and nutrient losses were similar. Runoff was correlated with ground cover, highlighting the importance of tillage practices and residue removal on the infiltration capacity of these systems. Overall, these results indicate that the lasting benefits of extended crop rotations, such as increased porosity and aggregate stability, coupled with a direct effect of increased ground cover, led to improved infiltration and less runoff during the annual crop phases.

Growth and yield of cucumber and tilapia fish in aquaponics under UAE climatic condition

The healthiest and most effective method of producing food is aquaponics, particularly in arid regions. In comparison to conventional crop production, aquaponics uses less than 90% of the water, produces crops that grow more quickly, and does not employ pesticides. With an average weight of 17g, fish Oreochromis niloticus tanks were stocked with 120 fish per m2. Three times per day, Nile tilapia were fed a floating commercial tilapia diet until they were full. Three cucumber plants were planted per square meter in plant culture raceways. Water, feed, and electricity usage are all tracked in aquaponics systems. The growth characteristics and monthly production of the fish and cucumber were noted. Environmental aspects of the system, including light intensity, temperature, and water quality parameters, were assessed. Six months were spent conducting the experiment in a two-time cultivation. Three months were needed from one seedling to harvest; the first month was spent growing and flowering the plant, and the second and third months were used to harvest the cucumbers. With an input of 992.67 tons of feed, 12110.13 K.Wh of electricity, and 59.20 m3 of water consumption, each aquaponics system produced on average 3.2 tons of cucumber in a 120 m2 area and 0.5 tons of fish in a 15 m3 area.

International Year of Millets 2023: Opportunity for Enhancing the Use of Indian Millets Germplasm

The global as well as Indian agriculture has witnessed tremendous growth in food production in the recent decades to meet the growing population, however it is also facing challenges such as climate change and malnutrition. Millets provide a great opportunity due to their climate resilient hardy nature and can be chosen to replace the conventional crops in the dry and marginal areas. In addition, millets are also rich in several vital micronutrients and vitamins necessary for reducing malnutrition and provide multiple health benefits. The National Genebank at ICAR-NBPGR, New Delhi and Millets Genebank at ICAR-IIMR, Hyderabad conserves approximately one lakh accessions of millets germplasm which can be of great use in identification and development of improved millets cultivars. This article enlists the different aspects of importance of millets in reducing the risk of climate change and malnutrition, SWOT analysis for utilization of millets germplasm resources, future prospects and action points for greater and efficient use of millet germplasm in India.

Effect of Various Crop Management Practices on Growth, Yield and Net Return of Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.

A field experiment was conducted at Agricultural Research Station, Ummedganj, Kota (Rajasthan) during kharif 2018 and 2019 to evaluate the effect of conservation, organic and conventional crop management practices on growth and yield of soybean. Pooled data reveals that plant height (83.26 cm), number of branches (3.53), dry matter accumulation (17.51 g), leaf area index (3.73) and chlorophyll content in leaves (2.99 mg g-1) of soybean was recorded significantly higher under conservation chemical over the conservation organic and organic management + conventional tillage, which was statistically remained at par with package of practices and conventional chemical. However, number of root nodules (81.75) and dry weight of root nodules per plant of soybean at 60 DAS was recorded significantly higher values with conservation organic as compared to package of practices and conventional chemical, but its effect was found at par with organic management + conventional tillage. Significantly higher number of pods per plant (58.13), seed weight per plant (7.43g), seed yield (1850 kg ha-1), haulm yield (2824 kg ha-1) and net return (¹ 48549 ha-1) was recorded under conservation chemical as compared to conservation organic and organic management + conventional tillage, which was remained statistically at par with package of practices and conventional chemical.

MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS AFFECTING RURAL WOMEN TO START-UP NEW VENTURE IN LIVESTOCK SECTOR

Entrepreneurship is an engine for the economic growth of any country. Now rural people are focusing more on livestock and value-added products as compared to conventional crops. In Pakistan, livestock is a source of security and opportunity for employment and net cash for rural women. This study investigates the motivational factors affecting rural women to start up new ventures in the livestock sector. In this study, the triangulation approach was used for data collection. A multi-stage sampling technique was used for the collection of quantitative data from three districts of Punjab Pakistan through a structured interview schedule. A total of 396 women respondents were selected by using a simple random sampling technique. Study results revealed that women entrepreneurs faced many hurdles such as lack of training, credit, access to resources, freedom of mobility, and lack of decision-making power. Bivariate analysis showed that age, education, income, family support, livestock management training, micro-credit, participation in decision-making played a key role in women’s entrepreneurship. Adequate training must be given to women entrepreneurs at the farm level, and guidance at all stages can be effective ways to cope with the problems of women entrepreneurs that hinder success in entrepreneurship. Keywords: Women, livestock, Entrepreneurship, startup venture, Punjab, Pakistan

A perennial living mulch substantially increases infiltration in row crop systems

Poor infiltration in annual row crop systems can cause a range of problems, including sediment and nutrient loss in runoff, diminished trafficability, anaerobic soil conditions, and reduced precipitation use efficiency. Soils covered by perennial vegetation generally sustain much higher infiltration rates, and consequently are less prone to these problems. Kura clover (<i>Trifolium ambiguum</i> Bieb.) living mulch (KCLM) is a management system that seeks these environmental benefits of perenniality, while allowing continued production of annual row crops like maize (<i>Zea mays</i> L.) and soybean (<i>Glycine max</i> [L.] Merr.). This is done by planting them into tilled or killed strips within a perennial stand of kura clover. Our objective was to compare the hydrologic performance of long-term KCLM systems (in place for at least five years) against adjacent fields or plots in conventional row crop production on the same soil types. Measured variables included field-saturated hydraulic conductivity (K_fs), moisture release curves, and bulk density. K_fs was measured with a constant head single ring infiltrometer, and moisture release curves were determined with the evaporation method. Bulk density was measured on 5 cm diameter cores extracted from the surface horizon of each treatment. None of the long-term sites contained appreciable sloped land, so supporting runoff measurements were made on a third field in Minnesota where the KCLM had only been in place for two years, using lined plots with flumes and tipping buckets. Results revealed substantial and significant differences in K_fs at the long-term sites. At one site the mean value was 11 times greater in the living mulch than in the conventional fields, while at the other site it was 19 times greater. The runoff plots showed a 93% reduction in sediment loss for the KCLM relative to conventional production over the course of a year that included 10 runoff-inducing storms. These results suggest that KCLM may confer similar hydrologic benefits to prairie strips if strategically placed in fields or watersheds.

Integrated Soil and Crop Management in Organic Agriculture: A Logical Framework to Ensure Food Quality and Human Health?

The environmental and biodiversity benefits of organic farming are widely recognized, but there is still controversy about the effects of organic production methods on the nutritional composition of food and human health. In the first part of this article therefore, we critically review the evidence that organic farming methods improve the nutritional quality of food crops. Moreover, we summarize our current understanding of how quality gains are linked to the implementation of the “innovations” introduced into conventional crop production during the intensification or “green revolution” of agriculture over the last 100 years. In the second part of the article, we critically review the evidence for the range of health benefits related to organic food consumption. Specifically, we describe and discuss the results from: (i) dietary intervention studies which have found that organic food consumption substantially reduces pesticide exposure in humans and affects feed intake, growth, hormone balances and immune system responsiveness in animal models; (ii) human cohort/epidemiological studies which have reported significant positive associations between organic food consumption and the lower incidence of a range of diseases including obesity, metabolic syndrome, cancer, hypospadias, pre-eclampsia, eczema and middle ear infections in infants; (iii) interactions and trade-offs between diet (e.g., whole-grain, fruit and vegetables and reduced red-meat consumption) and food types (organic versus conventional) concerning public health and future food security. The article also identifies knowledge gaps and highlights the need for (i) long-term, factorial field experiments to understand the relative effects of agronomic and pedoclimatic drivers on crop quality and safety, and (ii) clinical trials and additional human cohort studies to confirm the positive health outcomes linked to organic food consumption. The main conclusions from our review are that there is growing evidence that (i) agricultural intensification has resulted in a reduction in the nutritional quality of food and the sustainability of food production, and (ii) organic farming practices not only improve food quality and human health, but also food security. This is particularly true where current nutritional guidelines (increasing whole-grain, fruit and vegetable products, while reducing red-meat consumption) are implemented.

Carabid activity-density and community composition, and their impact on seed predation in pulse crops

Reduced use of chemicals in weed management has been identified as a key strategy to increase overall agricultural sustainability. Carabid (Coleoptera: Carabidae) and cricket (Orthoptera:Gryllidae) weed seed predation has shown promise, but also variability, as an additional weed management tool. Therefore, it is important that carabid activity-density and weed seed predation is further explored in a wide variety of crops and cropping systems, including large conventional systems where sustainability gains may be the largest. Here we explored carabid and cricket activity-density, community, and weed seed consumption in commercial conventional pulse crop fields. Pulse crops are increasingly being incorporated in cropping rotations but weed seed predation is hardly explored in this group of crops. We sampled twenty-four large commercial lentil, pea, faba bean, and soybean fields, and found that crop type did not affect levels of seed predation or carabid activity-density but was a factor in shaping the carabid + cricket community. Crop history had an unexpectedly large impact on the community, fields previously planted to canola had relatively high Amara activity-densities. The carabid genera Amara and Pterostichus, as well as crickets were associated with volunteer canola seed predation. None of the studied carabid taxa, nor crickets, were a significant factor explaining kochia seed predation. We also explored the effects of crop canopy-driven microclimate factors on carabid and cricket activity-density and weed seed predation. The Amara, the most abundant granivorous taxon in this study, were positively related to soil temperatures but not to soil light intensity. Our study highlights the importance of cropping history on the community of beneficial insects in crop fields and indicates a taxon specific relationship with soil temperature and weed seed predation.

Contributions made by rain-fed potato with mulching to food security in China

Food security is an important issue globally and securing food supplies is the core mission of agricultural development in the world. Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) has been proposed as the fourth major staple food crop, following rice, wheat and maize by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs to further improve China's food security. Plastic film mulching (PM) can significantly increase potato yield and has been widely used in potato production. Although many researchers have studied the effects of PM on potato yield and water use efficiency (WUE) in China, there have been few studies on the effects of the PM on potato food energy supply improved from CK (without mulching), as well as the spatial distribution feasible for PM. In this study, we addressed these issues by process-based DNDC model and cost-benefit analysis. The results showed that PM could increase total potato food energy and WUE by 41.7% and 53.4% respectively across China, compared to CK. The results also suggested that the PM technology would be most beneficial to potato food energy in regions where the aridity index was between 0.15 and 0.45. The suitable areas of rain-fed potato with PM are mainly distributed in the northeast, northwest and southwest of China, where potato with PM could obtain high net economic benefits. However, PM is not suggested to be applied to rain-fed potato crops in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River and southern China because the tradeoff between the economic rewards and the environmental risks associated with plastic film was low. In the major producing areas for traditional staple food crops, potato reduce food energy per capita compared to conventional staple crops, however the results also showed that 64% and 40% of the regions that are suitable for potato cropping with PM significantly increased food energy per capita compared to wheat and maize. Therefore, the potato as a staple food supplement is feasible in PM suitable regions.

بررسی تأثیر نسبت های مختلف کلسیم به منیزیم آب آبیاری بر خصوصیات رشدی و عملکرد کینوا (.Chenopodium quinoa Willd)

Introduction Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is a facultative halophyte with very high adaptability to varied climatic conditions and high nutritional value. Different quinoa cultivars can have economical and stable yield in saline soil and water conditions. In addition to salinity, the chemical composition of irrigation water and thus soil solution affect the uptake and transfer of water and nutrients, and so plant yield. The intensity of this effect depends on various factors such as plant species. Calcium to magnesium ratio (Ca/Mg) is one of the quality indicators of irrigation water that can affect soil physical conditions and nutrient uptake independent of salinity level. A Ca/Mg < 1 and exchangeable magnesium percentage more than 25% in irrigation water are considered high enough to reduce soil quality and crop yields. Currently, frequent droughts and high water extraction have caused a sharp drop in water levels, increase in salinity, and in some cases a decrease in the Ca/Mg in the groundwater of most arid regions of the country. Since the effect of Ca/Mg in irrigation water on growth and yield of quinoa has not been studied so far, so the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of different Ca/Mg in irrigation water on growth parameters and quinoa grain yield in saline conditions. Materials and methods To study the effect of different Ca/Mg of irrigation water on quinoa growth and yield, three separate experiments in a randomized complete block design with four replications were conducted at the Research Greenhouse of Soil and Water Research Institute in 2018. Experimental treatments included three different Ca/Mg in irrigation water consisting of 0.25, 0.5 and 1, which were made by sodium chloride, magnesium and calcium as nutrient solutions fit to the salinity tolerance threshold of quinoa at different growth stages. In the previous research, yield reduction thresholds for Titicaca cultivar at different growth stages in a soilless culture (perlite) were a: 8 dS m-1 for emergence, b: 15 dS m-1 for flowering and c: 20 dS m-1 for grain filling. To conduct this research, 100 quinoa seeds were planted in pots, and the pots were irrigated with 8 dS m-1 water along with the desired Ca/Mg treatments. After establishing the quinoa seedlings and thinning to six plants per pot, pot irrigation was done with 15 dS m-1 salinity along with the desired treatments. After ensuring the end of the flowering stage, the remaining pots were irrigated with 20 dS m-1 salinity with the desired treatments until physiological ripening. Finally, the analysis of variance of the data was performed using SAS software and the means were compared with the protected LSD at 5% probability level. Results and discussion The results showed that the emergence percentage and non-uniformity of quinoa were not affected by Ca/Mg of irrigation water, however, increasing the magnesium amount significantly improved the emergence rate of quinoa seeds. Although the results showed that the fresh and dry weight at the flowering stage was significantly affected by Ca/Mg of irrigation water, the yield and yield components were not significantly affected. Therefore, the quinoa growth and yield are not affected by the ionic composition of irrigation water in terms of low Ca/Mg, however, the composition of absorbed and accumulated ions in plant tissues are significantly changed. So, compared to other conventional crops, quinoa has the potential to produce economic yield in saline conditions and is not affected by the Ca/Mg of water sources. Conclusion The results of this study showed that different Ca/Mg in irrigation water do not reduce the growth and yield of quinoa. Therefore, if the salinity tolerance threshold of the plant is considered, low water quality in terms of high magnesium concentration does not damage the plant and so can be cultivated with saline water sources such as diluted seawater.

Quality Traits and Nutritional Value of Pork and Poultry Meat from Animals Fed with Seaweeds.

Seaweeds have caught the attention of the scientific community in recent years. Their production can mitigate the negative impact of anthropogenic activity and their use in animal nutrition reduces the dependency on conventional crops such as maize and soybean meal. In the context of monogastric animals, novel approaches have made it possible to optimise their use in feed, namely polysaccharide extraction, biomass fermentation, enzymatic processing, and feed supplementation with carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes). Their bioactive properties make them putative candidates as feed ingredients that enhance meat quality traits, such as lipid oxidation, shelf-life, and meat colour. Indeed, they are excellent sources of essential amino acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, minerals, and pigments that can be transferred to the meat of monogastric animals. However, their nutritional composition is highly variable, depending on species, harvesting region, local pollution, and harvesting season, among other factors. In this review, we assess the current use and challenges of using seaweeds in pig and poultry diets, envisaging to improve meat quality and its nutritional value.

The Influence of Conventional and Ratoon Planting System on the Presence of Main Pests Growth and Rice Production (Oryza sativa L.)

Rice is an important commodity in Indonesia because it is the main food source consumed daily by people in Indonesia. Farmers often fail in cultivation of rice plant thereby affecting availability of foodstuffs. One factor of the rice production failure and the decreasing cultivation is the pests attack on the land plantation. Affecting factors of the pests existence is cropping system. This research was conducted to find out the presence of pest in ratoon and conventional cropping systems. Observations on this research used random sampling technique on the diagonal line with conventional and ratoon cropping systems. The variety used was Sertani 13 with planting distance 25 x 25 on 50 m x 20 m acres. The observation parameters are plant height, pest population, pest attack intensity, number of shoots and results of production. The data obtained will be analysed descriptively by comparing Conventional and Ratoon cropping systems. The results showed that conventional cropping systems and ratoon has good effect on pest growth and populations however both system have bad effect on rice production.

Effect of Moringa oleífera pod addition on the digestibility, cooking quality, and structural attributes of functional pasta

The current study aimed to formulate pasta by replacing durum wheat semolina (DWS) with Moringa oleífera pod powder (MOPP) in various proportions (0, 5, 10, 15, and 20 g/100 g; w/w, dry basis). The effect of supplementation of MOPP on nutritional, cooking, textural, and consumer acceptability was investigated. The nutrient composition, polyphenol content, and antioxidant potential of semolina pasta improved (p ≤ .05) with increasing MOPP levels (0%–20%). All MOPP-enriched pastas exhibited a shorter cooking time and an acceptable limit of cooking loss (≤8%), as specified by the FSSAI. The addition of MOPP reduced protein digestibility, hardness, gumminess, and chewiness, while the scores for cohesiveness and springiness did not differ significantly (p > .05). Infrared spectroscopy revealed a higher intensity of functional groups for fortified pastas than the control sample. MOPP pastas showed good sensory acceptability up to 15% substitution level (except at 20% MOPP) and are above the ‘slightly like’ scale on the hedonic rating. The current findings suggest that the inclusion of 15% MOPP in DWS may be a suitable option for making pasta with improved nutritive and functional value without compromising sensory acceptability. Practical applications The current study investigates the effect of incorporating Moringa oleífera pod powder on the quality characteristics of traditional pasta. Enriched pasta demonstrated acceptable cooking, textural, and sensory properties up to a 15% incorporation level. The increased antioxidant content of enriched pasta suggested that moringa pod could be used to develop functional products with a variety of health benefits. Furthermore, the findings of this study will inspire agricultural produce, ensuring nutritional security by reducing reliance on conventional crops and lowering finished product prices.

Effects of NaCl on Hydroponic Cultivation of Reichardia picroides (L.) Roth

Wild edible plant species are often more tolerant to salinity than many crop plants. Considering the salinization of irrigation water that is progressively affecting the Mediterranean region and the market demand for new plant foods, the cultivation of wild edible species could represent a valid alternative to conventional vegetable crops. In this study, Reichardia picroides (L.) Roth, a widespread spontaneous herb of ethnobotanical tradition, was grown for four or six weeks under a greenhouse in a floating system for the production of baby leaves. In order to improve the nutraceutical quality of the tissues, the plants were exposed to the following NaCl concentrations in the nutrient solution: 1.7 (control), 25, 50, and 100 mM. The results showed that a 4-week growing period in a floating system with 50 mM NaCl in the nutrient solution increased the content of bioactive molecules without affecting the fresh yield. After six weeks of cultivation, despite a decrease in biomass production as compared with the control, the leaves of salt-treated plants contained higher levels of bioactive molecules along with lower amounts of nitrate ion.

Energy efficiency and carbon footprints of rice-wheat system under long-term tillage and residue management practices in western Indo-Gangetic Plains in India

Conventional rice-wheat cropping system (RWCS) in western Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP) is carbon and energy intensive. A field experiment was conducted to evaluate energy budgeting, carbon footprints (CF) and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from RWCS under long-term tillage and residue management practices. Experiment consisted six treatment combination of tillage [conventional tillage (CT), reduced tillage (RT) and zero tillage (ZT)] and residue [with residue (+R) and without residue (–R)] namely (i) CT-R (conventional farmers’ practice), (ii) CT + R, (iii) RT-R, (iv) RT + R, (v) ZT-R and (vi) ZT + R. Energy consumption ranged from 51.87 GJ ha−1 (ZT-R) to 64.91 GJ ha−1 (CT + R) and irrigation water was major energy intensive input (41–44%) followed by chemical fertilizer (32–40%). Compared to CT-R, energy use efficiency (EUE) increased by 8.7–22.4%, CF lowered by 77.9–34.3%, and GHG emission lowered by 12.8–16.3% in different treatments. Residue addition enhanced the soil carbon accumulation in ZT + R (1213 kg C ha−1 yr−1) and RT + R (987 kg C ha−1 yr−1). Overall, switching from CT–R to ZT + R lowered energy consumption (19%), GHG emission (16%) and CF (78%), making it best-bet option for climate change mitigation and global warming related environmental protection in western IGP and similar agro–ecologies.

Modelling the Effect and Variability of Integrated Weed Management of Phalaris minor in Rice-Wheat Cropping Systems in Northern India

Phalaris minor Retz. (littleseed canarygrass) is the most problematic and herbicide-resistant weed in the rice-wheat cropping system in India. As such, it poses a severe threat to wheat yield and food security. A number of herbicidal and agronomic practices have been identified for the effective control of P. minor. These include crop rotation, crop establishment methods, herbicide spray technology, sowing time, weed seed harvest and effective herbicide mixtures. A population model of P. minor was built based on the life cycle of the species, herbicide resistance mechanisms and the effects of weed control practices. The model simulated the interactions of these factors and provided the best management recommendations for sustainably controlling this noxious weed species. Model results indicate that integration of chemical and non-chemical control methods was the most effective and sustainable strategy. For example, the integration of a happy seeder (a tractor-mounted mulching and sowing machine) with an effective post-emergence herbicide reduced the probability of weed control failure by 32% compared to the scenario with a rotavator and the same herbicide. Similarly, more conventional crop establishment methods such as a rotavator and conventional tillage could be accompanied by pre- or post-emergence applications of herbicide mixtures. Adoption of good herbicide spray technology and weed seed harvest delayed the onset of resistance evolution by up to four years. Furthermore, effective crop rotation such as the inclusion of sugarcane in place of rice in the summer season reduced the risk of resistance evolution by 31% within the 10 year simulation period. In addition to the scenarios using representative parameter values, the variability of model predictions was investigated based on some field experiments. The model provided a powerful tool for promoting Integrated Weed Management and the sustainable use of herbicides. Pragmatic ways of dealing with uncertainty in model prediction are discussed.

Economic, energy and environmental consequences of shifting from maize-wheat to forage rotation in the North China Plain

Intensive self-sufficient forage production is one of the dominant challenges for the boosting intensification of livestock production. However, there is limited information on the economic, energy and environmental consequences of converting conventional crop systems with intensive forage production systems. Based on 4-year field experiments, this work proposed a comprehensive assessment of the shift from maize-wheat (M-W) to forage production systems [silage maize-ryegrass (SM-R), sweet sorghum-ryegrass (SS-R), and sorghum-sudangrass hybrids-ryegrass (SH-R)] from economic, energy, and environmental perspectives in the northern part of the North China Plain (NCP). The results revealed that SH-R had the highest yields of dry shoot biomass and crude protein, followed by SS-R, SM-R, and M-W. Similar trends were also found for the net return, ratio of income to costs, net energy output, energy use efficiency, and energy productivity. Furthermore, the environmental assessment through a life cycle assessment suggested that compared with the M-W, the total potential environmental impacts for the product-based indicators were reduced by 50%, 55%, and 72% in SM-R, SS-R, and SH-R, respectively, even if crop protection was based on a prophylactic approach. Thus, shifting from maize-wheat to forage rotation systems, especially the sorghum-sudangrass hybrids-ryegrass system, may be promising for forage production in the northern part of the NCP. This work provides valuable insight into forage production system design and environmental change adaptation for improving food security and achieving green/circular economy.

Soil Health and Nutrient Density: Beyond Organic vs. Conventional Farming

Controversy has long surrounded the question of nutritional differences between crops grown organically or using now-conventional methods, with studies dating back to the 1940s showing that farming methods can affect the nutrient density of crops. More recent studies have shown how reliance on tillage and synthetic nitrogen fertilizers influence soil life, and thereby soil health, in ways that can reduce mineral micronutrient uptake by and phytochemical production in crops. While organic farming tends to enhance soil health and conventional practices degrade it, relying on tillage for weed control on both organic and conventional farms degrades soil organic matter and can disrupt soil life in ways that reduce crop mineral uptake and phytochemical production. Conversely, microbial inoculants and compost and mulch that build soil organic matter can increase crop micronutrient and phytochemical content on both conventional and organic farms. Hence, agronomic effects on nutritional profiles do not fall out simply along the conventional vs. organic distinction, making the effects of farming practices on soil health a better lens for assessing their influence on nutrient density. A review of previous studies and meta-studies finds little evidence for significant differences in crop macronutrient levels between organic and conventional farming practices, as well as substantial evidence for the influence of different cultivars and farming practices on micronutrient concentrations. More consistent differences between organic and conventional crops include that conventional crops contain greater pesticide levels, whereas organically grown crops contain higher levels of phytochemicals shown to exhibit health-protective antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Thus, part of the long-running controversy over nutritional differences between organic and conventional crops appears to arise from different definitions of what constitutes a nutrient—the conventional definition of dietary constituents necessary for growth and survival, or a broader one that also encompasses compounds beneficial for maintenance of health and prevention of chronic disease. For assessing the effects of farming practices on nutrient density soil health adds a much needed dimension—the provisioning of micronutrients and phytochemicals that support human health.

Abundance, diversity, and distribution of plant-parasitic nematodes in horticultural soils under different management systems in a tomato-producing area in Argentina

Summary Monitoring the diversity and structure of plant-parasitic nematode (PPN) communities together with developing appropriate control strategies can reduce the occurrence of these pathogens and other plant pests in horticultural crops. In this context a study of the abundance, frequency, diversity and distribution of PPN in horticultural soils under glasshouse conditions from the Green Belt of La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina, under different management systems was undertaken. Soil samples were collected from three horticultural areas with different tomato crop managements: agroecological crop (AC); organic crop with Brassicaceae soil amendments (OC); intensive conventional crop treated with methyl bromide (MeBr) (IC). The parameters evaluated were: nematode genera richness (G); Shannon-Wiener diversity index () (Hutcheson’s t-test was applied for this index); equitability index (E); abundance; and frequency of genera. ANOSIM and SIMPER statistical analyses were performed to find significant differences between the nematode assemblages from the different sites. A total of 14 genera of PPN were identified among the three crop sites. Members of the feeding habits categories ectoparasites, semi-endoparasites, migratory endoparasites and sedentary endoparasites were observed. Statistical analysis enabled us to characterise each site based on the composition of the nematode assemblages. Helicotylenchus, Tylenchus and Nacobbus were the most frequent and abundant genera. AC and OC showed similar values of richness and diversity; the crop treated with MeBr (IC) showed the lowest diversity of PPN.