Crop Production Systems Research Articles

Potential Management Options for the Invasive Moth Spodoptera frugiperda in Europe

We here review and discuss management options that growers in Europe could take in response to the expected invasion of the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). The focus is put on maize but the information provided is also relevant for other crops potentially affected. A sound forecasting system for fall armyworm both on a regional as well as at local scale should be established to alert growers as early as possible. Whilst a number of cultural control methods are adopted by maize growers in different regions globally to fight fall armyworm, many of them may either not be highly effective, too laborious, or otherwise unfeasible within the mechanized crop production systems used in Europe. Potential is seen in the stimulation of natural enemies through conservation biocontrol approaches, e.g., the planting of flower strips or intermediate cover crops, reducing tillage intensity, and avoiding broad-spectrum insecticides. To manage fall armyworm infestations, several effective biologically-based products are available globally, and some in Europe, e.g., based on specific baculoviruses, certain Bacillus thuringiensis strains, few entomopathogenic nematodes, and a number of botanicals. These should be given priority to avoid a major influx of insecticides into the maize agro-ecosystem once the fall armyworm arrives and in case growers are not prepared. Plant protection companies, particularly biocontrol companies should act proactively in starting registration of ingredients and products against fall armyworm in Europe. European maize growers should be made aware, in time, of key features of this new invasive pest and appropriate control options.

Improving Productivity and Profitability of Rice-Based Cropping Systems in Eastern India

Improving Productivity and Profitability of Rice-Based Cropping Systems in Eastern India

Performance of Fall Armyworm Preimaginal Development on Cultivars of Tropical Grass Forages.

Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a polyphagous pest species capable of feeding on almost all forage and grain crops, although the food quality for the larvae likely varies among plant species and cultivars. The cultivation of grass forage species with grains has increasingly been adopted in Brazil, within both no-tillage and crop-livestock integration systems. In this study, we evaluated the performance of S. frugiperda larvae on 14 forage cultivars of Brachiaria, Panicum, and Cynodon, which are widely used in integrated cropping systems in Brazil. The biological performance of S. frugiperda varied among the cultivars. The larval survival rates were lower on Panicum maximum 'Massai' and P. maximum 'Tamani' cultivars. The insects had the highest performance indexes on Brachiaria brizantha 'Paiaguás', B. brizantha 'Marandu', and B. brizantha 'Xaraés' cultivars, followed by Brachiaria ruziziensis, previously proposed as a standard grass forage for comparisons with other species. On P. maximum, the insect had the lowest performance indexes, with values equal to zero when feeding on the P. maximum 'Massai' and 'Tamani' cultivars. These results will help make management decisions when cultivating grass forage plants in crop production systems in which S. frugiperda infestation is of concern.

Lodging prevention in cereals: Morphological, biochemical, anatomical traits and their molecular mechanisms, management and breeding strategies

Lodging is a predominant phenomenon in crop production systems. It can cause significant economic and yield losses and hamper the process of agricultural mechanization. Agronomic management and the use of plant growth regulators have been successful in reducing lodging risk by reducing plant height and improving crop canopy, i.e. the aboveground portion of a crop. However, breeding remains the most effective way to improve resistance to lodging in crops. The use of semi-dwarf genes led to the Green Revolution in cereal crops, which greatly improved yield stability through increased lodging resistance. The potential negative impact of reducing plant height on biomass production leads to a greater emphasis on improving straw strength while maintaining relatively taller plants to ensure higher biomass production. In this review, we discuss various morphological, biochemical and anatomical traits that contribute to the increased lodging resistance of major cereal crops. We also summarize strategies to improve crop performances under lodging stress, including agronomic management and genetic improvement. We provide our views on major limitations and future directions for genetic improvement of crop lodging resistance. Apart from selecting a combination of genes for semi-dwarfism and root development, improving straw strength and plant canopy architecture while maintaining relatively taller plant can be very effective. This review provides valuable information to effectively explore the potential of increasing stem strength and root anchorage, thereby enhancing lodging resistance without sacrificing biomass production and grain yield.

Mini plant factory development using IoT and cloud system for urban greens cultivation

A significant urban population increases with the rising demand for higher food quality and security. Adapting the current food chain system and our eating patterns are needed to make them more sustainable. Plant factories are one approach for making the food chain system more sustainable. However, plant factory systems typically require significant initial capital expenditure. As a result, a mini plant factory, which is more affordable and flexible, will be appropriate in urban areas. The objective of this study was to design, build, and evaluate a mini plant factory system for horticultural crop production. The mini plant factory system comprises a mini cultivation room with three growing shelves equipped with a microclimate sensor, nutrient dosing system, artificial growth light, and ventilation system. Sensors and actuators are integrated with the Agrieye Cloud system for monitoring and control and can autonomously execute data retrieval and actuation. Mini Plant Factory operates by automatically capturing monitoring data every five minutes; if a value exceeds the limit, the actuator control system activates to stabilize that value. The linear regression test yielded the most excellent R2 value of 0.999 for sensor calibration. The validation test was conducted using RMSE (Root Mean Square Error) and MAPE (Mean Absolute Percentage Error). The results show that the lowest RMSE values are 0.133, and the lowest MAPE values are 0.082%. The data logging system’s performance is perfect. The control and scheduling system works well but does not function optimally since there are no interruptions throughout the data gathering process.

CLIMATVEG: transition and sustainability of crop production systems in the context of climate change

CLIMATVEG: transition and sustainability of crop production systems in the context of climate change

Productivity of Sugarcane-based Sequential Intercropping System Suitable for Central Telangana Zone

A field study was conducted at Agricultural Research Station, Basanthpur, Telangana, India during 2015 and 2017 to determine the suitability and productivity of year-long intercropping with short duration summer crops followed by ginger in sugarcane. The summer vegetable crops viz., green gram, tomato, watermelon, bitter gourd, bottle gourd, ridge gourd and keera were intercropped along with sugarcane. Following the harvest of summer crops, ginger seedlings were transplanted during May on the raised beds. The results of the study revealed that intercropping sugarcane with early summer vegetable crops of 75 to 90 days duration viz., watermelon and gourds followed by ginger in sequence reported yield advantage of 25 to 85 t ha-1 over sole sugarcane and proved to be a highly productive cropping system of sugarcane and best suitable for Central Telangana Agro-climatic Zone. The most profitable sequential intercropping for sugarcane followed the order-Sugarcane+bitter gourd-ginger (223.07 t ha-1)>watermelon-ginger (220.05 t ha-1)>ridge gourd-ginger (204.59 t ha-1)>bottle gourd-ginger (183.78 t ha-1)>keera-ginger (174.56 t ha-1)>tomato-ginger (169.22 t ha-1)>green gram-ginger (162.09 t ha-1). Under adequate irrigation facility, a yearlong sequence intercropping in sugarcane with short duration crops during the initial four months followed by a long duration intercrop that comes up well under partial shade conditions can sustain sugarcane cropping system with intermittent income and no adverse effect on the main crop yield.

Interactive soil moisture interface of multi-depth change over time

Estimation of soil moisture throughout a crop root zone (nowcasting) is prone to spatial error, even when the time variable (forecasting) is removed. Measurement at discrete points in the field is now common using multi-depth sensors reporting at high temporal resolution, e.g.; every 15 or 60 min. The agricultural industry standard for data representation is suitable for prescriptive applications such as irrigation scheduling but is inadequate for descriptive applications such as reviewing change through a rainfed growing season. We developed an interactive interface for animating past data and tested it on 61 EnviroPro® capacitance probes for up to 24 months starting mid 2019. Probes were installed in grey vertisol cropping soils of northern NSW, Australia, which contract when dry to produce deep cracks. When static, the interface highlights change in moisture at each level to the present date, with a default value of seven days. The interface shows these values against historical extremes for the installation duration. When animated, the interface enables exploration of soil moisture change over one or more seasons by depth and crop phenology. We believe this descriptive use of data improves understanding of crop-water relations, particularly for dryland crop production systems where management decisions are reliant on longer-term projections.

Forage sorghum grown in a conventional wheat–grain sorghum–fallow rotation increased cropping system productivity and profitability

Intensifying winter wheat ( Triticum aestivum)–grain sorghum [ Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench]–fallow (W–GS–FL) crop rotation with annual forages can increase productivity and resource use efficiency. The objective of this research was to quantify the impact of increasing crop intensity by growing forages in a traditional W–GS–FL rotation on cropping system productivity, water use, precipitation use efficiency, and net income. The study was conducted at the Southwest Research-Extension Center near Garden City, Kansas, from 2013 through 2020. Winter wheat (W), grain sorghum (GS), forage sorghum (FS), and forage oats (FO, Avena sativa L.) were used to generate six crop rotation treatments. These rotation treatments interspersed with fallow periods (FL) were W–GS–FL, W–FS–FL, W/FS–GS–FO, W/FS–FS–FO, W/FS–GS–FL, and W/FS–FS–FL. A W/FS indicates winter wheat double crop FS planted in the same year. The yield of FS was 45%–56% more with W/FS–FS–FO and W/FS–FS–FL compared with W–FS–FL. Available soil water at GS planting was 23%–30% less, and GS yield was 52%–60% smaller with W/FS–GS–FL compared to W–GS–FL. Water productivity and pre-season soil water storage were greatest with W/FS–FS–FL and W/FS–FS–FO. Inclusion of W/FS increased cost of production compared with W–GS(FS)–FL rotations. Gross return was greatest with W/FS–FS–FO and W/FS–FS–FL. The W/FS–FS–FO increased cropping intensity, productivity, resource use, and gross margin relative to other rotations in the semi-arid Great Plains. Producers should consider double-cropping of FS after wheat harvest, followed by a second year of FS in dryland cropping systems if there is sufficient forage demand.

Global crop yields can be lifted by timely adaptation of growing periods to climate change

Adaptive management of crop growing periods by adjusting sowing dates and cultivars is one of the central aspects of crop production systems, tightly connected to local climate. However, it is so far underrepresented in crop-model based assessments of yields under climate change. In this study, we integrate models of farmers’ decision making with biophysical crop modeling at the global scale to simulate crop calendars adaptation and its effect on crop yields of maize, rice, sorghum, soybean and wheat. We simulate crop growing periods and yields (1986-2099) under counterfactual management scenarios assuming no adaptation, timely adaptation or delayed adaptation of sowing dates and cultivars. We then compare the counterfactual growing periods and corresponding yields at the end of the century (2080-2099). We find that (i) with adaptation, temperature-driven sowing dates (typical at latitudes >30°N-S) will have larger shifts than precipitation-driven sowing dates (at latitudes <30°N-S); (ii) later-maturing cultivars will be needed, particularly at higher latitudes; (iii) timely adaptation of growing periods would increase actual crop yields by ~12%, reducing climate change negative impacts and enhancing the positive CO2 fertilization effect. Despite remaining uncertainties, crop growing periods adaptation require consideration in climate change impact assessments.

Evaluation of the Environmental Performance of Cropping Systems under Different Nitrogen Management Scenarios Considering Regional Nitrogen Resilience

The agricultural sector is a primary driver of nitrogen (N) pollution. Several European and German policy measures exist regulating N inputs and fostering mitigation measures in crop management. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is an established tool for assessing environmental impacts which are also broadly applied for crop production systems and evaluation of N management strategies. However, due to the multiple spatial and temporal pathways of N losses from crop production, assessing N-related impacts in LCA is not straightforward. Consequently, this study further developed and applied a novel distance-to-target approach including regional carrying capacity based normalization references for N assessment in LCA. The overall aim was to prove its applicability as regional decision support for the assessment of N management strategies in cropping systems considering environmental interventions with regional N resiliencies. Therefore, environmental interventions were evaluated within a case study for four different N management scenarios for rapeseed cropping systems in five German NUTS-3 regions. Regional carrying capacity based normalization references were derived for two N-related impact categories: terrestrial eutrophication and terrestrial acidification. The regional normalization references also included background interventions of non-crop producing sectors and were provided for all German NUTS-3 regions applicable as distance-to-target values in LCA. Overall results showed that environmental interventions and exceedance of N resilience were lowest in the N-management scenario applying catch crops for both impact categories. The case study demonstrated that considering absolute sustainability references as regional N resilience in LCA is a valuable tool for agricultural decision-makers to evaluate N management strategies for crop production systems.

Cost-benefit analysis of Purdue Improved Crop Storage bags for maize storage among smallholder farmers in northwest Ethiopia

In Ethiopia, post-harvest losses caused by insects are a major challenge in crop production systems. Dried maize is particularly susceptible to insects during storage. Storage loss affects the livelihoods of small-scale farmers leading to food insecurity and loss of income. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the cost-benefit analysis of Purdue Improved Crop Storage (PICS) bags on maize storage in Northwest Ethiopia. Cross-sectional data was collected from 392 randomly selected households from both users and non-users of PICS bags, using stratified sampling technique. A structured questionnaire, key informant interviews, focus group discussions, individual in-depth interviews, and field observations were used to gather the data. A cost-benefit analysis was computed to evaluate the viability of PICS bags for maize storage. The binary logistic regression model was used to identify factors that affect the use of PICS bags. Descriptive statistics (percentage, mean, and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (t-test and chi-square test) were employed to analyze the data. The benefit-to-cost ratios (BCRs) of insecticide with both ordinary and PICS bags were greater than one, but PICS bags resulted in more than two-fold higher values as compared to insecticide with ordinary bags. The net present value (NPV) at 15% discount rate in 2018 was 20.73 USD and 25.35 USD per 100 kilograms of stored maize when insecticide was applied to ordinary and PICS bags, respectively. Sensitivity analysis with a 10% cost increment and up to 50% price discount showed that both technologies would still be viable for maize storage. However, PICS bags had higher NPV and BCR; making the technology more viable than insecticide with ordinary bags. The results of binary logit model indicated that educational level, gender, awareness, training, accessibility of the technology, perception of the technology, involvement in leadership activities in the community, and total income of the household positively influenced farmers’ decisions to use PICS bags, whereas price negatively affected the use of the PICS bags. PICS bags had clear economic advantage over insecticide with ordinary bags for maize storage in Northwest Ethiopia. Efforts should be made to disseminate and improve access to PICS bags for strengthening food security and increasing incomes of maize farmers in Northwest Ethiopia. Key words: Hermetic bag, smallholder farmers, profitability, post-harvest management, food security

First Report of Field Efficacy and Economic Viability of Metarhizium anisopliae-ICIPE 20 for Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) Management on Tomato

Eco-friendly pest control options are highly needed in food crop production systems to mitigate the hazards of synthetic chemical pesticides. Entomopathogenic fungal biopesticides—Metarhizium anisopliae strains ICIPE 20 (oil-formulation containing 1.0 × 109 conidia/mL) and ICIPE 69 (commercialized biopesticide known as Mazao Campaign®)—were evaluated against Tuta absoluta on tomato through inundative foliar spray and compared with the commonly used pesticide Dudu Acelamectin 5% EC (Abamectin 20 g/L + Acetamiprid 3%) and untreated plot. All the treatments were arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replicates. The field experiments were conducted for two consecutive cropping seasons in Mukono district, Uganda. Tuta absoluta infestation, injury severity on leaves and fruits, fruit yield loss, marketable fruit yield gain and cost–benefit ratio of the treatments were assessed. The results during both seasons showed a significant lower fruit yield loss in M. anisopliae ICIPE 20-treated plots compared to untreated plots, with a marketable fruit yield gain exceeding 22% and a cost–benefit ratio greater than 2.8 (BCR~3). Dudu Acelamectin 5% EC outperformed all the other treatments, but needs to be considered with caution due to its non-target effect and resistance development, whereas M. anisopliae ICIPE 69 performed the least well. In addition, the findings showed the high degree of efficacy and economic viability of these biopesticides as a potential T. absoluta control option in the field. However, it is important to further explore different formulations of these eco-friendly biopesticides, inoculum delivery approach, application frequency, their effectiveness in different agro-ecological zones and compatibility with commonly used pesticides in tomato production systems for sustainable management of T. absoluta.

Sulfur Sources Mediated the Growth, Productivity, and Nutrient Acquisition Ability of Pearlmillet–Mustard Cropping Systems

Globally, excess soil nutrient mining is a serious challenge to sustainable agricultural production. The task is more daunting in the semi-arid region of the globe. In addition to the primary nutrient deficiency over the mining of secondary nutrients, especially sulfur is an emerging challenge in contemporary crop production systems. Hence, there is a dire need to devise an appropriate sulfur management protocol by searching for efficient and sustainable sulfur sources. Therefore, the efficacy of new sulfur molecules was evaluated on the performance and nutrient acquisition potential of the pearl millet–mustard system at the research farm of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute in New Delhi, India, for two years. The flexibility of urea–ES technology allows customized sulfur-enhanced urea formulations that suit unique crop needs, offering an all-in-one nitrogen and sulfur fertilizer solution. Hence, the study hypothesized that new sulfur molecules like sulfonated urea (SEU) will have a positive impact on crop growth, yield, and nutrient acquisition in the pearl millet–mustard system. The results revealed that the application of 50% sulfur (S) (15 kg/ha) as a base and 50% (15 kg/ha) as a topdressing (SEU 10-0-0-75) produced better growth, yield-contributing parameters, and economic productivity of the pearl millet–mustard system. However, both compositions of SEU (40-0-0-13 and 10-0-0-75) were significantly better than the recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) and the RDF along with other S sources like single super phosphate and bentonite in enhancing crop growth and productivity. The agronomic efficiency of nitrogen (AEn) and S (Aes) of SEU (40-0-0-13 and 10-0-0-75) were 9.1 and 10.3 kg seed yield/kg N and 51.2 and 28.9 kg seed/kg, respectively. The agronomic nitrogen use efficiency of SEU (40-0-0-13) and SEU (10-0-0-75) is significantly higher than those of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK) alone. Thus, the findings inferred that splitting S (50% as a base and 50% as topdressing) through SEU is a practically feasible and economically robust S option for profitable and sustainable production of the pearl millet–mustard production model in the semi-arid region.

Methodological basics of the strategic development of hemp production at agricultural enterprises

The situation in the agrarian sector of the economy is generally favorable because the state's development priorities include the development of agriculture, which ensures the country's food security and implementation of the import substitution program. The subjects of agribusiness have a wide choice of development options. In this regard, each organization needs an individual strategy, based on which current planning is based, which allows, on the one hand, to neutralize threats and weaknesses, and on the other hand, to realize its opportunities and advantages. Creation of sustainable and competitive production of plant products is possible only with the use of complex and systematic approaches. Priority is given to organizational and economic factors with appropriate scientific and logistical support, rational use of land, production, and labor resources. When developing rational crop production systems for agricultural organizations, it is necessary to consider their production specialization, level of development, specific natural and economic conditions. The strategy for the development of crop production involves the development of reasonable measures and plans to achieve the intended goals, which must consider the scientific and technical aspects, potential and marketing needs of the manufacturing of plant products. The need to define a strategy for the development of agrarian formations is considered. The justification for choosing an adequate development strategy in accordance with the goals, tasks, resource potential and market position of the enterprise is given. Differentiation of agricultural enterprises according to the size, availability of all types of resources, the degree of use of modern technologies, the scope of introduction of new equipment and production volumes requires different strategies for the development of agrarian formations, which can be substantiated only based on the identification and study of factors that determine the possibility of implementing one or another strategy. Keywords: development strategy, development trends of agricultural enterprises, conditions for choosing a strategy, hemp products, management, planning.

Opportunities for carbon sequestration in intensive soft fruit production systems

Abstract The historical contribution of agriculture to human-induced climate change is indisputable; the removal of natural vegetation and soil cultivation to feed the growing human population has resulted in a substantial carbon transfer to the atmosphere. While maintaining their food production capacity, soft fruit production systems now have an opportunity to utilise a recent technology change to enhance their carbon sequestration capacity. We use an example of a farm in South-East England to illustrate how the soft fruit crop production system can be optimised for carbon storage. We performed an audit of carbon stocks in the soil and tree biomass and show that it is imperative to plan crop rotation to establish (semi) permanent inter-row strips that will remain in situ even if the main crop is replaced. These strips should be covered with grassland vegetation, preferable with deeper rooting grass species mixed with species supporting nitrogen fixation. Finally, grassland mowing cuttings should be left in situ and hedgerows and tree windbreaks should be expanded across the farm. Modern soft fruit production systems can enhance their carbon storage while maintaining commercially relevant levels of productivity.

Yield and Grain Quality of Divergent Maize Cultivars under Inorganic N Fertilizer Regimes and Zn Application Depend on Climatic Conditions in Calcareous Soil

The variations in temperature and rainfall patterns under climate change are threatening crop production systems, and optimizing fertilization practices is a prerequisite for sustainable cereal production. This two-year field study investigated the effects of eight treatments (T1: P60K60; T2: P60K60 + Nmin spring; T3: P60K60 + N40autumn + Nmin spring; T4: P60K60 + N60spring; T5: P60K60 + N100spring; T6: P60K60 + N40autumn + N60spring + Zn; T7: P60K60 + N60autumn + N80spring + Zn; and T8: P60K60 + N160spring + Zn) on the grain yield and quality of four divergent maize cultivars (NS-4023, NS-640, NS-6010 and NS-6030). The observations on climatic data showed substantial variations in monthly and cumulative rainfall only, which was 174 and 226 mm for 2011 and 2012, respectively, and much less than the historical cumulative rainfall of 339 mm. However, temperature during growth years showed little deviation from the historical data. The data showed that treatment and maize cultivar significantly influenced grain yield; however, grain yield remained lower in 2012 than in 2011 for each treatment and cultivar. Applying N as split doses in combination with Zn, resulted in higher grain yields than adding at once. However, the treatments and cultivars affected grain quality variables differently, including oil, thiol SH, phytate, inorganic P, soluble protein, starch, total phenol, protein, total sugars and tryptophan contents. Despite the pronounced difference in grain yields between 2011 and 2012 for each treatment and cultivar, grain quality did not always vary significantly between cultivars. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that the relationships between grain yield and grain quality varied significantly during 2011 and 2012. The changes in rainfall patterns at critical growth maize stages seemed to be a more important factor than temperature in regulating the response of maize cultivars in terms of grain yield and quality to various fertilization regimes in this study.

Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Carbon Footprint of Main Crop Production in China.

As a major agricultural country, the comprehensive accounting of the dynamics and composition of the carbon footprint of major crops in China will provide a decision-making basis for environmental management and agricultural green development in the whole process of the major crop production system in China. To investigate the spatiotemporal dynamics of the carbon footprint for major crops in China, a life cycle-based carbon footprint approach was used to evaluate the carbon footprint per unit area (CFA) and per unit yield (CFY) of eight crops for the period of 1990 to 2019. Our results showed that the CFA for all major crops showed an increasing trend with time before 2016 but slowly decreased afterward, while the CFY decreased by 16-43% over the past 30 years due to the increase in crop yield. The three main grain crops, rice (4871 ± 418 kg CO2-eq · ha-1), wheat (2766 ± 552 kg CO2-eq · ha-1), and maize (2439 ± 530 kg CO2-eq · ha-1), showed the highest carbon footprint and contribution to the total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, mainly due to their larger cultivated areas and higher fertilizer application rates. CH4 emission was the major component of the carbon footprint for rice production, accounting for 66% and 48% of the CFA and CFY, respectively, while fertilizer production and usage were the largest components of carbon footprint for dryland crops, making up to 26-49% of the CFA and 26-50% of the CFY for different crops. The present study also highlighted the spatial and temporal patterns of the carbon footprint for major crops in China, which could serve as references for the development of best management practices for different crop production in China, to mitigate agricultural GHG emission and to pursue low-carbon agriculture.

Low-cost adaptation options to support green growth in agriculture, water resources, and coastal zones

The regional climate as it is now and in the future will put pressure on investments in sub-Saharan Africa in water resource management, fisheries, and other crop and livestock production systems. Changes in oceanic characteristics across the Atlantic Ocean will result in remarkable vulnerability of coastal ecology, littorals, and mangroves in the middle of the twenty-first century and beyond. In line with the countries' objectives of creating a green economy that allows reduced greenhouse gas emissions, improved resource efficiency, and prevention of biodiversity loss, we identify the most pressing needs for adaptation and the best adaptation choices that are also clean and affordable. According to empirical data from the field and customized model simulation designs, the cost of these adaptation measures will likely decrease and benefit sustainable green growth in agriculture, water resource management, and coastal ecosystems, as hydroclimatic hazards such as pluviometric and thermal extremes become more common in West Africa. Most of these adaptation options are local and need to be scaled up and operationalized for sustainable development. Governmental sovereign wealth funds, investments from the private sector, and funding from global climate funds can be used to operationalize these adaptation measures. Effective legislation, knowledge transfer, and pertinent collaborations are necessary for their success.

The Role of Radiation in the Modelling of Crop Evapotranspiration from Open Field to Indoor Crops

The agricultural sector continues to be the largest consumer of useful water. Despite knowing the volume of water required by plants (evapotranspiration), methodologies must be adapted to current production systems. Based on the energy balance (radiation), it is feasible to establish models to estimate evapotranspiration depending on the production system: extensive crops, closed, and interior systems. The objective of this work was to present related research to measure and model the evapotranspiration of crops under current production techniques, based on the energy balance. The original FAO Penman–Monteith model is considered to be the model that best describes the evapotranspiration process, and with advances in instrumentation, there are sensors capable of measuring each of the variables it contains. From this model, procedures have been approximated for its use in extensive crops through remote sensing to calculate evapotranspiration, which jointly integrates the climatic variables and the type and age of the crop, with which real evapotranspiration is obtained. The same Penman–Monteith model has been adapted for use in greenhouse crops, where given the reduced root space and being in a closed environment, it is possible to know the variables specifically. Keeping the root container saturated, crop transpiration will basically depend on the physiology of the plant (LAI, stomatal resistance, etc.) and the characteristics of the air (radiation, VPD, wind speed, etc.). Models based on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) have been developed, which predict the real evapotranspiration of the crop by activating the discrete ordinate (DO) radiation sub-model. For indoor crops, in the absence of solar radiation, and replaced with artificial lights (LEDs)—although it is true that they are hydroponic crops and water can be estimated through a balance of levels—it would be possible to use CFD to estimate transpiration by transforming flux units (Mmol) into radiation (W m−2). The transpiration of indoor crops works as a cooling system and stabilizes the environment of the plant factory or vertical farm. In each crop production system (from open field to indoor crops) models have been developed to manage water and microclimate. The result is reports that more than 90% of the water is saved.