Conventional Cropping Systems Research Articles

Nitrogen soil surface balance of organic vs conventional cash crop farming in the Seine watershed

In major cash crop farming areas like those of the Paris basin, nitrogen surpluses related to the synthetic fertilization of arable soils are the main cause of severe nitrate contamination of the groundwater and river network. Based on farmer interviews and the Nitrogen Soil Surface Balance integrated at the scale of the entire crop rotation cycle, we assessed the current agronomical and environmental performance of 68 organic rotations (with or without livestock) and compared them with those of the dominant conventional crop rotation in the same pedoclimatic areas. We demonstrated that, compared to conventional systems, organic cropping systems receive 12% less of total N inputs (including legume symbiotic fixation) without significant reduction in N yield. Consequently, the N surplus is 26% lower in organic than in conventional cropping systems. Forage legumes are the key component of the organic cropping systems studied, accounting for around 70% of total N inputs and for 52% of N yield. Therefore, the extension of organic farming to a broader scale to reconcile water quality and food production will substantially depend upon local opportunities of valorizing legume fodder cereal by-products. We also evidenced that the provisional N balance approach that has been promoted in the Nitrate Directive does not guarantee the infiltration of sub-root water fluxes meeting the drinking water standard of 11mgN.l−1 without a downward revision of yield objectives.

Simulating dry matter yield of two cropping systems with the simulation model HERMES to evaluate impact of future climate change

Regionalized model calculations showed increased rainfall and temperatures in winter and less precipitation and higher temperatures in summer due to climate change effects in the future for numerous countries in the northern hemisphere. Furthermore, model simulations predicted enhanced weather variability with an increased risk of yield losses and reduced yield stability. Recently, double cropping systems (DCS) were suggested as an environmental friendly and productive adaptation strategy with increased yield stability. This paper reviews the potential benefit of four DCS (rye (Secale cereale L.) as first crop and maize (Zea mays L.), sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.), sorghum (Sorghum sudanense L.×Sorghum bicolor L.) and sudan grass (S. sudanense L.) as second crops) in comparison with four conventional sole cropping systems (SCS) (maize, sunflower, sorghum and sudan grass) with regard to dry matter (DM) yield and soil water under conditions of climate change. We used the agro-ecosystem model HERMES for simulating these variables until the year 2100. The investigated crops sunflower, sorghum and sudan grass were parameterised first for HERMES achieving a satisfying performance. Results showed always higher DM yields per year of DCS compared with SCS. This was mainly caused by yield increases of the first crop winter rye harvested at the stage of milk ripeness. As a winter hardy crop, rye will benefit from increased precipitation and higher temperatures during winter months as well as from extended growth periods with an earlier onset in spring and an increase of growing days. Furthermore, rye is able to use the increased winter humidity for its spring growth in an efficient way. By contrast, model simulations showed that summer crops will be affected by reduced precipitation and higher temperatures during summer month for periods from 2050 onwards with the consequence of reduced yields. This yield reduction was found for all summer crops both in conventional sole crop and in DCS. Preponed harvesting of first crop winter rye as a consequence of earlier onset of growth period in spring under prospective climatic conditions lead to yield decrease, which could not be equalised by preponed sowing of second crops and extension of their growth period. Hence, total annual yield of both crops together decreased. The modification of sowing and harvesting dates as an adaptation strategy requires further research with the use of more holistic simulation models. To summarize, DCS may provide a promising adaptation strategy to effects of climate change with a substantial stabilisation of crop yields.

Ecological Intensification Through Pesticide Reduction: Weed Control, Weed Biodiversity and Sustainability in Arable Farming.

Amongst the biodiversity components of agriculture, weeds are an interesting model for exploring management options relying on the principle of ecological intensification in arable farming. Weeds can cause severe crop yield losses, contribute to farmland functional biodiversity and are strongly associated with the generic issue of pesticide use. In this paper, we address the impacts of herbicide reduction following a causal framework starting with herbicide reduction and triggering changes in (i) the management options required to control weeds, (ii) the weed communities and functions they provide and (iii) the overall performance and sustainability of the implemented land management options. The three components of this framework were analysed in a multidisciplinary project that was conducted on 55 experimental and farmer's fields that included conventional, integrated and organic cropping systems. Our results indicate that the reduction of herbicide use is not antagonistic with crop production, provided that alternative practices are put into place. Herbicide reduction and associated land management modified the composition of in-field weed communities and thus the functions of weeds related to biodiversity and production. Through a long-term simulation of weed communities based on alternative (?) cropping systems, some specific management pathways were identified that delivered high biodiversity gains and limited the negative impacts of weeds on crop production. Finally, the multi-criteria assessment of the environmental, economic and societal sustainability of the 55 systems suggests that integrated weed management systems fared better than their conventional and organic counterparts. These outcomes suggest that sustainable management could possibly be achieved through changes in weed management, along a pathway starting with herbicide reduction.

Six-year transition from conventional to organic farming: effects on crop production and soil quality

Organic farming has become increasingly important in recent decades as the consumer has grown its focus on the food and environmental benefits of the technique. However, when compared to conventional farming systems, organic farm system are known to yield less.Presented in this paper are the results from two organic cropping systems following six years of organic management. Fertilisation management differentiated the two systems; one was fertilised with green manure and commercial organic fertilisers, while the other was fertilised with dairy manure. A conventional cropping system, managed with mineral fertiliser as typical in the southern Piemonte region (Italy), served as the bussiness as usual crop management. The first hypothesis tested related to crop yield variation during the initial phase of organic management; we expected a sharp reduction in the early phase, then minor reductions later on. The second hypothesis tested related to soil fertility variation; we expected enhanced soil fertility under organic management.Overall, the organic system produced less, relative to the conventional system in interaction with year effect. Yield reduction seemed related to the lower soil nutrient availability of organic fertilisers that provided nutrients consequent to mineralisation. Therefore, summer crops are well-suited to manure-fertilised organic farms as mineralisation happens at higher temperatures, as opposed to winter wheat, which is largely reduced in such systems. Commercial organic fertilisers can, however, limit this effect through their high nutrient availability in the winter and early springAlso shown was that soil quality, defined as a general decrease in soil organic carbon (SOC) over time in the three analysed arable systems, can be mitigated by manure additions. Green manuring can maintain SOC and increase total N in soil, only if introduced for a sufficient number of years during crop rotation. Finally, soil fertility and Potential Mineralisable N in the different systems demonstrated that organic systems managed with commercial organic nitrogen fertilisers and green manure do not improve soil quality, compared to systems managed with mineral fertilisers.

Sensitivity of Echinochloa crus‐galli populations to maize herbicides: a comparison between cropping systems

SummaryEchinochloa crus‐galli is an important maize weed with significant variation in herbicide sensitivity. This differential response may reflect differences in selection pressure caused by years of cropping system‐related herbicide usage. The herbicide sensitivity of E. crus‐galli populations from three divergent cropping systems was evaluated in dose–response pot experiments. Populations were collected from sandy fields with (i) a long‐term organic cropping system, (ii) a conventional cropping system with maize in the crop rotation or (iii) a conventional cropping system with long‐term monocropping of maize. Each cropping system was represented by six E. crus‐galli populations. The effectiveness of three foliar‐applied maize herbicides (nicosulfuron, cycloxydim and topramezone) and two soil‐applied maize herbicides (S‐metolachlor and dimethenamid‐P) was tested at three doses and two runs. Foliar‐applied herbicides were applied at the three true leaves stage. Soil‐applied herbicides were applied immediately after sowing. The foliage dry weight per pot was determined 4 weeks after treatment. Plant responses were expressed as biomass reduction. Herbicide sensitivity was consistently lowest for populations from maize monocropping systems. Compared with populations from organic cropping systems, populations from monocropping systems showed 6.9%, 9.8% and 29.3% lower sensitivity to cycloxydim, topramezone and nicosulfuron respectively. Populations from the conventional crop rotation system showed intermediate sensitivity levels, which did not significantly differ from sensitivity levels of populations from the other cropping systems. Sensitivity to dimethenamid‐P and S‐metolachlor was not affected by cropping system. Environmental conditions influenced herbicidal response. This study indicated that integrated weed management may be necessary to preserve herbicide efficacy over the long term.

Physiological responses of processing tomato in organic and conventional Mediterranean cropping systems

Processing tomato is a globally important horticultural crop. It is generally grown in high-input conventional systems, and there is little knowledge regarding its physiological responses in organic cultivation. Therefore, the aim of this work was to determine the influence of organic management on the physiological behavior of cultivars of processing tomato usually cultivated in conventional management in a Mediterranean area. The study was performed by means of: (1) field testing of a set of commercial cultivars for 2 years, in two systems, in one location in Southern Italy, and (2) crop physiological investigations during the growth cycle of processing tomato. Results of the two-year trials indicate that, under the organic cropping system, processing tomato showed, as 2 years average, higher intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci) (+10.3%), transpiration (E) (+15.5%) and stomatal conductance (gs) (+16.5%). Average net assimilation (A) was similar in the two systems and differences were only observed depending on years. In contrast, average leaf area index (LAI) and water use efficiency (WUE) were lower in the organic cropping system (−42% and −17.8%), as were average fruit (FDW) and total (TDW) dry weight (−37.5% and −29%). In our conditions, LAI at the end of the cultivation was highly correlated with total and fruit dry weight. As differences in fruit and total dry weight of processing tomato cannot be explained by differences in net assimilation per leaf area unit, other reasons may be linked to the effects of the organic management on the crop as weeds and pathogens.

Legumes can reduce economic optimum nitrogen rates and increase yields in a wheat–canola cropping sequence in western Canada

Inclusion of legumes in crop rotations is a sustainable approach to reducing nitrogen (N) fertilizer requirements and increasing subsequent crop yields. However, the magnitude of the benefit will depend on the specific legume, the subsequent crop and site-specific conditions. This study compared the effects of preceding legumes and non-legumes on yields and economic optimum N rates (EONR) in a Hard Red Spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)–hybrid canola (Brassica napus L.) cropping sequence. Field pea (Pisum sativum L.), lentil (Lens culinaris Medik), faba bean (Vicia faba L.; faba bean-seed), canola and wheat grown for grain, and faba bean grown as green manure (faba bean-GRM) were the preceding crops and were direct-seeded at six locations in western Canada in 2010. Wheat was seeded in 2011 and canola in 2012, with N fertilizer applied at 0, 30, 60, 90 and 120kgNha−1 in each year. Averaged across preceding crops, N application increased crop yields at all sites. Wheat grain yield was greater, with a corresponding lower EONR, following legumes than non-legumes due in part to increased N availability. Greater non-N benefits to wheat following legumes than non-legumes were also evident at all but one site, with non-N benefits being lowest for preceding wheat. While preceding legumes had no effect on canola seed yield across sites, EONR for canola were >50% lower for legume-wheat than non-legume-wheat rotations. Among the legumes, growing faba bean-GRM, field pea and lentil were most likely to increase crop yields and reduce EONR as compared to faba bean-seed. Overall, growing legumes for seed before a wheat–canola cropping sequence in conventional cereal cropping systems can increase crop yields, reduce EONR and improve the long-term sustainability of cereal cropping systems.

Environmental assessment of maize production alternatives: Traditional, intensive and GMO-based cropping patterns

The evolution of maize production patterns in Argentina is evaluated over the last 25 years to compare costs, benefits, environmental performance and sustainability as well as to identify the main driving sources and improvement potential. Results from Argentina cropping systems are compared to other systems worldwide in order to put the Argentina results in a broader context. The study focuses on three farming categories: (1) traditional, low-intensity systems, (2) conventional, high-intensity systems, and (3) GMO-based cropping systems. Low input intensity systems include traditional cropping patterns with seed selection by farmers and conventional hybrid seed coupled to plowing and crop-animal rotation techniques; high input intensity systems use conventional hybrid seeds and recommended chemicals, irrigation and machinery with important soil erosion consequences; and GMO-based cropping systems use herbicide resistant transgenic hybrids, pesticides, higher fertilizer rates, and no-till practices. In each of the three cases, input flows are compared to the achieved yield (in mass and income terms) to better understand relative efficiencies and options for improvement. The study of GMO systems required a preliminary investigation of GMO seed production by seed companies, where a large investment in terms of prior knowledge and high-tech laboratory research is required. The assessments used the Emergy Accounting (EMA) approach. EMA includes material, energy, labor, money, and knowledge flows into the assessment and expands its focus over larger time and spatial scales than conventional economic and cumulative energy demand methods. Emergy-based environmental indicators of grain production for high-intensity hybrid and GMO systems both show a lower performance than low-intensity, traditional patterns in terms of resource return, renewability and sustainability. The fraction of renewability in low-intensity systems is between 28% and 63%, while it is between 8% and 26% for high-intensity hybrid and GMO systems. Calculated indicators also show that GMO-based maize production patterns do not guarantee the expected improvement over conventional high-intensity cropping systems or low-intensity systems in terms of performance and sustainability. Strong reliance on nonrenewable resources and technology, as well as role of direct and indirect labor costs are important factors in determining long-term sustainability and environmental stability of maize production systems.

Functional and Nutritional Characteristics of Wheat Grown in Organic and Conventional Cropping Systems

The effects of organic versus conventional farming practices on wheat functional and nutritional characteristics were compared. Soft white winter wheat and hard red spring wheat were obtained from multiyear replicated field plots near Pullman, Washington, and Bozeman, Montana. Test weight, kernel weight, and kernel diameter tended to be greater in both soft and hard organic wheat than in conventional wheat in the Pullman studies. Phenolic content and total antioxidant capacity tended to be lower in organic than in conventional wheat. Flour ash, P, and Mg contents in whole wheat flour varied in parallel among cropping systems, but levels were not consistently associated with either organic or conventional cropping systems. Protein contents of whole wheat and refined flours were similar in organic and conventional wheat from Pullman when fertility levels were similar. Higher fertility was associated with higher protein content in both organic and conventional cropping systems. Soft wheat flour from a low-fertility organic cropping system had lower sodium carbonate, lactic acid, and sucrose solvent retention capacities, lower protein content, and greater cookie diameter and cake volume than soft wheat flour from the higher fertility organic and conventional cropping systems; the change in end-product quality was significant in one out of two crop years. In the Bozeman hard wheat studies, higher fertility in both organic and conventional cropping systems tended to increase protein content and bread loaf volume. Results indicated that neither organic nor conventional cropping systems were associated with substantially improved mineral and antioxidant nutritional properties, and end-use quality of wheat was more strongly associated with fertility level than with organic versus conventional cropping systems.

Effect of Some Preceded Peanut Cultivars on Wheat Yield and Agro – Economic Feasibility Under Two Cropping Systems in Sandy Soil

<p>The cropping system is an approach to help farmer in decision making to remain sustainable in an ever-changing agricultural environment. A two-year study was carried out at Ismailia Agricultural Experiments and Research Station, ARC, Ismailia governorate, Egypt during 2011/2012 and 2012/2013 seasons to study the effect of preceded peanut cultivars on yield and profitability of wheat under two cropping systems in sandy soil. This experiment included six treatments which were the combinations of three peanut cultivars (Giza 4, Giza 5 and Ismailia 1) as preceding cultivars in the summer season and two cropping systems (conventional and intensive). A split plot design replicated thrice was used. The results indicated that peanut cv. Ismailia 1 increased available soil nitrogen (N) content which affected positively number of grains per spike and grain weight per spike and finally the economic yield. Growing fahlberseem in transition period between peanut and wheat enhanced available soil N content that increased grain yield per ha by about 1.00 percent as compared with those of conventional cropping system. Accordingly, intensive cropping system increased wheat grain yield and its attributes as compared with conventional cropping system. Peanut cultivars × cropping systems interaction had a significant effect on available soil N content and all the studied wheat traits except number of spikes/m<sup>2</sup>. Intensive cropping system increased total and net returns as compared with conventional cropping system. The Egyptian farmers could achieve an increase in their income by $ 2603.2 per ha when using intensive cropping system which included peanut cv. Ismailia 1</p>

The long-term effects of conventional and organic cropping systems, tillage managements and weather conditions on yield and grain quality of durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) in the Mediterranean environment of Central Italy

Cropping system, tillage management and weather conditions can greatly affect durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) determining its grain yield and quality. The aims of this study were to evaluate the effects of cropping system (conventional vs. organic), tillage management (plowed at a depth of 30cm vs. subsoiled at a depth of 20cm), and the interaction between cropping system and weather conditions on yield and grain quality of durum wheat. The study was part of a long-term experiment carried out in a rainfed Mediterranean environment of Central Italy where a 3-year crop rotation (durum wheat–tomato–chickpea) was compared in organic and conventional cropping systems. The study period lasted from 2005 to 2011. The combined effect of cropping system and weather conditions determined strong differences in durum grain yield and quality parameters. The durum grain yield was on average 15% lower in organic compared to conventional, although the yield gap between the cropping systems varied from −5 to −32% across the years. The air temperature influenced the grain yield more in organic than in conventional, while high rainfall during the grain filling stage produced a higher grain yield in conventional than organic due to a different weed infestation. A severe water stress period starting from stem elongation determined a poor grain yield and low protein concentration, while high temperatures and water stress throughout the grain filling period resulted in a poor yield, yet high protein content in both cropping systems. Conventional wheat generally showed a higher level of vitreousness and gluten quality, while protein and gluten content were higher in conventional compared to organic when a regular rainfall distribution occurred throughout the wheat reproductive period. These results are probably due to a lower nitrogen supply in organic compared to conventional wheat. Yield and grain quality of durum wheat under different tillage managements such as plowed and subsoiled soil were comparable. Considering subsoiling as an important mode of conservation tillage, the results highlight that it is advisable to use a subsoiler for durum wheat production. Weed control and nitrogen supply appear to be the main factors, which hinder yield production and grain quality especially when an excess of rainfall and low temperatures occur throughout the crop reproductive period in organic durum wheat production.

Assessment of the sustainability of conservation agriculture cropping systems in Madagascar (Alaotra Lake) using MASC-Mada

Evaluating cropping systems depends on the perspective and scale considered. An agronomic point of view is often considered with the assessment of the impacts of the cropping system at the field scale, or an economic point of view with the consequences of implementing a cropping system on the farm. Tools have been developed to enable a more integrative assessment of cropping systems. This is the case of the MASC® model which, using multicriteria evaluation, estimates the sustainability of cropping systems from environmental, economic and social perspectives. MASC-Mada was developed specifically for upland cropping systems in Madagascar. It has been used to compare conservation agriculture cropping systems with conventional cropping systems. The results, confronted to the opinion of farmers, show that conservation agriculture systems are generally more sustainable than conventional systems but a mixed system combining the use of cover crops and less frequent tillage would better take social and economic aspects into account.

Modeling nitrous oxide emissions from organic and conventional cereal-based cropping systems under different management, soil and climate factors

Mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture should be assessed across cropping systems and agroclimatic regions. In this study, we investigate the ability of the FASSET model to analyze differences in the magnitude of N2O emissions due to soil, climate and management factors in cereal-based cropping systems. Forage maize was grown in a conventional dairy system at Mabegondo (NW Spain) and wheat and barley in organic and conventional crop rotations at Foulum (NW Denmark). These two European sites represent agricultural areas with high and low to moderate emission levels, respectively. Field trials included plots with and without catch crops that were fertilized with either mineral N fertilizer, cattle slurry, pig slurry or digested manure. Non-fertilized treatments were also included. Measurements of N2O fluxes during the growing cycle of all the crops at both sites were performed with the static chamber method with more frequent measurements post-fertilization and biweekly measurements when high fluxes were not expected. All cropping systems were simulated with the FASSET version 2.5 simulation model. Cumulative soil seasonal N2O emissions were about ten-fold higher at Mabegondo than at Foulum when averaged across systems and treatments (8.99 and 0.71kgN2O-Nha−1, respectively). The average simulated cumulative soil N2O emissions were 9.03 and 1.71kgN2O-Nha−1 at Mabegondo and at Foulum, respectively. Fertilization, catch crops and cropping systems had lower influence on the seasonal soil N2O fluxes than the environmental factors. Overall, in its current version FASSET reproduced the effects of the different factors investigated on the cumulative seasonal soil N2O emissions but temporally it overestimated emissions from nitrification and denitrification on particular days when soil operations, ploughing or fertilization, took place. The errors associated with simulated daily soil N2O fluxes increased with the magnitude of the emissions. For resolving causes of differences in simulated and measured fluxes more intensive and temporally detailed measurements of N2O fluxes and soil C and N dynamics would be needed.

Agronomic Practices at Low Environmental Impact for Durum Wheat in Mediterranean Conditions

The application of conservative agricultural practices such as crop rotation, shallow tillage, and organic fertilizer could usefully sustain crop yield and increase soil fertility, thus playing an important role in the sustainable agriculture. This study was conducted to determine the effects of conservative agronomic practices on yield and quality of wheat. The effects of these practices on soil fertility were further investigated in this four-year study (2005–2008). Two cropping systems, durum wheat in continuous cropping, and in two-year rotation with leguminous crops, were investigated at Foggia (Southern Italy) in rain-fed conditions. Within each cropping system, two levels of crop management were compared: i) conventional, characterized by a higher soil tillage management and mineral fertilizers application; ii) conservative, with a lower soil tillage management and organic-mineral fertilizers. The seasonal weather greatly affected the wheat yield and quality, inducing lower production in years that were characterized by unfavorable climatic conditions. This trend was found when the conventional treatment was applied, both in continuous cropping and rotations. The effects of cropping systems and crop management pointed out the positive role played by the leguminous crops (common vetch and chickpea) in crop rotation. This introduction improved wheat yield in rotation (6.47% compared to the continuous cropping), improved grain protein content (5.88%), and reduced the productive gap between conventional and conservative treatments (9.24 and 14.14% of the wheat in rotation and continuous cropping, respectively). Conversely, the effects of cropping systems and crop management on soil fertility were not very high, since the differences found at the end of the study in total nitrogen values were poor. However, total organic carbon (16.04 and 17.58% for cropping system and crop management, respectively) and available phosphorus values (11.30 and 7.43%) depend on root organic matter contribution, plant biomass residues, and fertilizations. The suitable crop rotation and the sustainable crop management appear important agronomical practices to improve yield and quality of wheat, and may reduce the environmental risks resulting from conventional intensive cropping systems.

“Productivity, quality and sustainability of winter wheat under long-term conventional and organic management in Switzerland”

Long-term sustainability and high resource use efficiency are major goals for high quality baking wheat production throughout the world. Present strategies are low input systems such as organic agriculture or improved conventional systems (integrated). The fertilisation level and strategy, crop protection as well as preceding crop effects may modulate system performance with respect to wheat grain yield, quality and environmental performance of the systems.Our aim was to evaluate data of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) performance from the DOK long-term systems experiment in Switzerland comparing two mixed organic (biodynamic and bioorganic: BIODYN and BIOORG) and a mixed conventional cropping system (CONFYM) using mineral fertilisers and farmyard manure at two fertilisation intensities (level 1: 50% of standard fertilisation, level 2: standard fertilisation) since 1978. A conventional system was fertilised exclusively minerally at level 2 (CONMIN) and a control remained unfertilised (NOFERT). We compared crop yields, baking quality parameters, the nitrogen use efficiency and the effect of maize and potatoes as preceding crops obtained between 2003 and 2010 along with long-term soil sustainability parameters.The mean grain yields across both fertiliser levels of the organic cropping systems (BIODYN and BIOORG) were 64% of CONFYM, whereas crude protein contents were 79% of CONFYM at fertilisation level 2 and achieved 90% at level 1. The main driving factor of lower yields was a reduction of the numbers of ears per m2 and the thousand kernel weight. The apparent nitrogen use efficiency decreased with increasing N fertilisation. Doubling the organic fertilisation in the organic systems only slightly improved wheat grain yields but was not able to improve grain baking quality, due to low mineral N additions via slurry and farmyard manure. In contrast the effects of the preceding crop potatoes in comparison with preceding silage maize outperformed the organic fertilisation effects, resulting in 33% higher yields and 11% higher crude protein contents. The yield components recorded in the case of preceding potatoes demonstrated a more synchronised nutrient supply throughout the wheat development. Over all low input systems and both fertilisation levels in the conventional mixed farm system at half standard fertilisation (level 1) performed best with distinctly higher grain yields and crude protein contents than in the organic systems with standard fertilisation. However, all systems, organic and conventional, with the low or zero organic fertiliser inputs performed poorly considering the long-term soil quality parameters, indicating a degradation of soil quality. The DOK long-term experiment allows an integrated view on the performance of baking wheat production and long-term sustainability. The results emphasise the importance of a sufficient supply of soils with organic fertilisers as well as the need to improve the availability of organic nitrogen and synchrony between nutrient supply and demand in organic baking wheat production, beside the selection of a suitable preceding crop.

Functional and Nutritional Characteristics of Soft Wheat Grown in No‐Till and Conventional Cropping Systems

The effects of no‐till versus conventional farming practices were evaluated on soft wheat functional and nutritional characteristics, including kernel physical properties, whole wheat composition, antioxidant activity, and end‐product quality. Soft white winter wheat cultivar ORCF 102 was evaluated over a two‐year period from three long‐term replicated no‐till versus conventional tillage studies in Oregon. Wheat from the no‐till cropping systems generally had greater test weight, kernel diameter, and kernel weight and had softer kernels compared with wheat from the conventional tillage systems. Compared with the conventional systems, no‐till whole wheat flour had lower protein and SDS sedimentation volume. Ash content as well as most minerals measured (calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, and zinc), except for manganese and phosphorus, were generally slightly lower in no‐till than in conventional wheat. Whole wheat flour from the no‐till cropping systems generally had slightly lower total phenolic content and total antioxidant capacity. Milling properties, including flour yield, break flour yield, and mill score, were not affected by tillage systems. Refined flour from no‐till systems had lower protein, SDS sedimentation volume, and lactic acid and sucrose solvent retention capacities compared with flour from conventional tillage. No‐till wheat generally had greater sugar‐snap cookie diameter than conventionally tilled wheat. In conclusion, no‐till soft white winter wheat generally had slightly reduced nutritional properties (protein, ash, most minerals, and total antioxidant content) compared with wheat from conventionally tilled systems, and it had equivalent or sometimes superior functional properties for baking cookie‐type products.

Dry land integrated farming system-A Review

In India, nearly 100 million ha of land is under rainfed cultivation and therefore, rainfed agriculture will continue to play an important role in the Indian economy. The disappointing results of conventional cropping systems in advancing the productivity of small farms were the driving force in the development of farming systems research. It views the whole farm as a system with the integration of crops, animals, soils, workers, other inputs and environmental influences wherein the farm family attempts to produce outputs within the limitations of its capability and resources and the socio-cultural setting. Development and adoption of integrated farming system will help in productivity enhancement, employment, income generation and nutritional security both for human and livestock. The different components of the system have complementarities with waste products of one component becoming source of food and energy for other components. Considerable research efforts are being made in evolving situation specific integrated farming system. Literature on dry land integrated farming system is reviewed and presented below.

Tillage and rotational effects on exchangeable and enzyme-labile phosphorus forms in conventional and organic cropping systems

Transformations of crop residues and bio- fertilizers, used as primary sources of nutrients for organic crop production are influenced by soil manage- ment practices. The release and distribution of labile phosphorus (P) forms were studied in three organic and two conventional crop management systems after 18 years. Spatial variability and stratification in inor- ganic P (Pi), organic, and total P in the top 20-cm depth showed that reducing accumulation and potential trans- port of exchangeable inorganic (EEPi) and enzyme- labile organic P (EDTA-PHP), that averaged 17.2 and 40.4 mg kg -1 , remained a high priority in chisel-till and no-till soils. In the organic systems, annualized rates of P addition were within soil test recommendations. How- ever, P surpluses, likely caused by yield-limiting condi- tions and overestimates of plant P requirements, resulted in large pools of EEPi and EDTA-PHP, averaging 30.9 and 68.2 mg kg -1 , respectively. Soil drying and rew- etting enhanced extractability of all labile P forms, which included a 2.4- to 3-fold increase in EEPi. Differences in P loading between conventional and organic treatments suggested that new soil tests may be needed to assess crop needs in organic systems since current procedures do not account for presence and size of the EDTA-PHP pool. The impact of large P loadings is long-lived as these additions continued to contribute to elevated bioactive P concentrations 12 or more years later. Accurate estimates of crop requirements and lability of soil P pools, and real-time plant and soil P sensing systems are critical considerations to optimally manage manure-derived nutrients in organic production systems.

Soil organic carbon and microbial biomass carbon under organic and conventional vegetable cropping systems in an Alfisol and a Vertisol

Despite scant crop residue input, tillage to control weeds in vegetable systems reduces soil organic carbon (SOC) levels. We hypothesized that vegetable production systems could be made more resistant to the negative effects of tillage on SOC by including a high-residue crop in rotation. Effect of sweet corn (Zea mays L. var. rugosa) residue incorporation in a corn–cabbage (Brassica oleracea L.) rotation in two soil management systems (SMS) (organic or conventional) in two soil types [a Chromosol (Alfisol) and a Vertosol (Vertisol)] on SOC and microbial biomass C (MBC) levels was tested for 2 years. Confounded factors (weed management and fertilisers) in the field experiment were separated in a multi-factorial laboratory experiment. In the field, total organic C (TOC) concentration was increased by 6.5 % in the 0–0.1 m depth by incorporating residue; however SMS exhibited inconsistent results. Organic fertilisers increased TOC whilst simulated tillage decreased it in laboratory. Soil MBC data showed that the biological fertility of soil can be improved by incorporating residues or by combining residue with organic fertiliser. In field residue incorporation in soil increased TOC, but organic fertilisers behaved inconsistently. However, in a laboratory microcosm, both residue and organic fertilisers individually mitigated tillage-induced loss of TOC.

Organically vs conventionally grown winter wheat: Effects on grain yield, technological quality, and on phenolic composition and antioxidant properties of bran and refined flour

Since organic food is widely assumed to have a better nutritional quality than conventional food, our aim was to study the effects of organic vs conventional cropping systems on yield and the phenolic composition of winter wheat cv. ‘Bologna’. Although organic wheat yielded less than conventional wheat, mainly due to the nitrogen shortage, and its bread-making quality was lower, the cultivation system did not affect the total amounts of phenolics and phenolic acids. Of the eight phenolic acids identified, only ferulic acid was influenced by the cultivation system. Phenolic composition and quantity were significantly affected by the milling fraction (bran or white flour): phenolics were more concentrated in the bran, which showed the highest antioxidant power. Under the conditions adopted in this study, an organic cropping system can maintain or even increase the health properties of the wheat milled products, provided a reduction in grain yield is accepted.