Effects Of Farming Systems Research Articles

Species identification and cow risks of non-aureus staphylococci from South African dairy herds.

Detailed information on specific species of non-aureus staphylococci (NAS) has become a necessity for effective udder health control programs in South Africa. The main objective of this preliminary study was to identify the different NAS species and strains present in dairy herds in South Africa using a cost-effective method. A further objective was to investigate the effects of cow risk factors and farming systems on the NAS isolates identified. A total of 214 NAS, isolated from milk collected from 17 South African dairy herds, were identified using three diagnostic tests (API Staph test, MALDI-TOF and 16s rRNA). There was a good observed agreement between the MALDI-TOF and 16S rRNA sequencing (92.2%) and a poor observed agreement between the MALDI-TOF and API Staph (25.7%). The genetic relatedness within species was investigated in 128 of these isolates using random polymorphic amplified deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) (RAPD), verified by multilocus sequence typing (MLST), and phylogenetic analysis and cow risk factors were investigated on species level. The main NAS species isolated were Staphylococcus chromogenes (75.2%), Staphylococcus epidermidis (9.4%) and Staphylococcus haemolyticus (8.9%). The RAPD test identified 34 Staphylococcus chromogenes, 13 Staphylococcus epidermidis and nine Staphylococcus haemolyticus strains, indicating genetic diversity amongst strains and herds. The presence of NAS intramammary infections was found to be significantly related to the farming systems, composite cow milk somatic cell count (SCC), parity and days in milk (DIM). Significantly more NAS were isolated from primiparous and from older cows. This knowledge could assist with the management of NAS on dairy farms.

Agroecosystem complexity of Surjan and Lembaran as local farming systems effects on biodiversity of pest insects

Abstract. Trisnawati DW, Nurkomar I, Ananda LK, Buchori D. 2022. Agroecosystem complexity of Surjan and Lembaran as local farming systems effects on biodiversity of pest insects. Biodiversitas 23: 3619-3629. Farming systems can influence the diversity and abundance of insect pests. This study was conducted to determine the effect of Surjan and Lembaran farming systems on the diversity and abundance of insect pests in Kulon Progo, Yogyakarta. The field survey was conducted in three Surjan paddy fields and three Lembaran paddy fields in Panjatan Subdistrict, Kulon Progo Regency. The sampling of pests was collected using four kinds of traps, such as sweeping net, yellow sticky trap, pitfall trap, and yellow pan trap. The traps were set twice in the vegetative phase and twice in the generative phase. The results showed that the abundance of pests in Surjan paddy fields was not different from that in Lembaran paddy fields. However, the number of pest species in Surjan paddy fields was higher than in Lembaran paddy fields. In addition, the structure and composition of pests in both farming systems were significantly different. Hemiptera was the most common insect in both farming systems, with dominant pest species of Nephotettix virescens and Nilaparvata lugens.

Composition, coagulation properties, and predicted cheesemaking traits of bulk goat milk from different farming systems, breeds, and stages of production

At the global level, the quantity of goat milk produced and its gross production value have increased considerably over the last 2 decades. Although many scientific papers on this topic have been published, few studies have been carried out on bulk goat milk samples. The aim of the present study was to investigate in the field the effects of farming system, breed type, individual flock, and stage of production on the composition, coagulation properties (MCP), curd firming over time parameters (CFt), predicted cheese yield (CY%), and nutrient recovery traits (REC) of 432 bulk milk samples from 161 commercial goat farms in Sardinia, Italy. We found that the variance due to individual flock was of the same order as the residual variance for almost all composition and cheesemaking traits. With regard to the fixed effects, the effect of farming system on bulk milk variability was not highly significant for the majority of traits (it was lower than individual flock), whereas the effects of breed type and stage of production were much higher. More specifically, the intensive farms produced milk with the best concentrations of almost all constituents, whereas extensive farms exhibited faster rennet coagulation times, a slower rate of curd firming, lower potential curd firmness, and lower percentages of fat and energy recoveries in the fresh curd. Farms rearing the local breed, Sarda, alone or together with the Maltese breed, produced milk with the best concentrations of fat and protein, superior curd firmness, and better predicted percentage of fresh curd (CYCURD) and recovery traits. The results show the potential of both types of breed, either for their quantitative (specialized breeds) or their qualitative (local breeds) attributes. As expected, the concentrations of fat, protein fractions, and lactose were influenced by the stage of production, with samples collected in the early stage of production (in February and March) having a greater quantity of the main constituents. Somatic cells reached the highest levels in the late stage of production, which corresponds to the goats' advanced stage of lactation (June-July), although no differences were present in the logarithmic bacterial counts between the early and late stages. Regarding cheesemaking potential, bulk milk samples of the late stage were characterized by delayed rennet coagulation and curd firming times, the lowest values of curd firmness, and a general reduction in CY%, and REC traits. In conclusion, we highlight several issues regarding the effects of the most important sources of variation on bulk goat milk, and point to some critical factors relevant for improving dairy goat farming and milk production.

Sustainable Agriculture: Impact of LEISA and HEIA

This paper observed the effect of low external input agricultural farming system on the efficiency of resource poor farmer. In India majority of farmers are small scale entrepreneurs whose farm actions are performed with low input agricultural technologies. Majority of the technologies contained the refined indigenous information system. Farm size, labour inputs, capital inputs, planting materials and organic manure are the most determinants of the gross income of LEISA farmers. High external input Agriculture (HEIA) are technologies that apply high external inputs such as inorganic or chemical fertilizers to extend nutrient reduction from the soil, pesticides to manage pests and diseases, herbicides to regulate weeds and irrigation facilities for water management within the farms. Farmers inclinations for low input system vary significantly provisional upon the phase of crop production which include technologies for land groundwork use of draught animals, natural/organic substitute for inorganic pesticides and fertilizers, seed growth technologies, simple irrigation and drainage method, low input processing. There is also a substantial interest among farmers for low input methods for most phases of production. There is therefore the need for farmers to adopt these cost active agricultural technologies since they are not only readily available, but also they do not require too much skills and also poses the capacity of making the process of rural development more sustainable.

Effects of different farming systems and crop protection strategies on the health status and yield of carrots Daucus carota L. ssp. sativus

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of farming systems on the health status of carrots cv. Koral and root yield components. The organic farming system promoted the spread of damping-off of seedlings in the first two wet growing seasons and Alternaria leaf blight in the last growing season with normal precipitation levels. At harvest, the severity of root diseases was low. During storage, carrot roots were susceptible to soft rot, Sclerotinia rot and dry rot. In the integrated farming system, the symptoms of mixed rot were more observed at harvest and after storage, and of dry rot after storage. In the organic farming system, the symptoms of dry rot were more noted at harvest, and the symptoms of crater rot were more observed after storage. During storage, the applied crop protection methods significantly suppressed mixed rot in the integrated farming system, and dry rot in the organic system. The isolation of potential pathogens from carrot petioles and roots confirmed their participation in the disease process. Negative correlations were found between the severity of Alternaria leaf blight vs. the marketable yield of carrots and single root weight in both production systems in selected years of the study.

Landscape complexity and functional groups moderate the effect of diversified farming on biodiversity: A global meta-analysis

Homogenisation and intensification of agricultural ecosystems are among the most important threats to biodiversity, linked to declines in pollinators, soil biota and ecosystem functioning. Diversification has been proposed as a way to restore ecosystem functioning in agricultural landscapes. To manage agricultural land for multiple ecosystem functions, evidence is needed of the effect of diversification on functionally distinct taxa. We contribute to closing this knowledge gap through a global meta-analysis of 161 peer-reviewed articles addressing the abundance and richness of six distinct functional groups: autotrophs, decomposers, natural enemies, pests, pollinators, and other. We found diversified farming systems increased overall species richness by 26% on average, relative to simplified farming systems. However, the effect of diversified farming on the overall mean abundance was weak. Our study shows diversified farming systems enhanced the abundance and richness of beneficial species while reducing the abundance of pests (e.g., weeds, herbivores), thus providing benefits for both agricultural production and biodiversity. The positive effect of diversified farming systems on the overall mean species richness was stronger in farms in more simplified landscapes, i.e., those that are further from natural and semi-natural habitats or have a lower proportion of seminatural vegetation in a 1 km radius. Pollinator’s abundance and richness were highest in diversified farming plots located far away from natural and semi-natural habitats. In contrast, proximity to these natural and semi-natural habitats (<250 m) increased the positive effect of diversified farming systems on natural enemies’ abundance, while reducing the number of pests. Our results add to the body of evidence calling for the repurposing of policies, regulations, and international agendas to promote, support and incentivize the adoption of diversified farming practices for supporting biodiversity. Spatial planning of diversification schemes should consider the landscape context of farms to ensure the greatest benefit of intervention.

Reduced plant water use can explain higher soil moisture in organic compared to conventional farming systems

Conventional high-input farming systems in Europe are often regarded as unsustainable with severe environmental impacts on biodiversity, soils, water and climate. Low-input farming approaches, such as organic farming, have been proposed to reduce environmental impacts while further improving soil properties such as soil organic matter content and aggregate stability. Whether these changes also influence ecohydrological properties and improve the water relations of organically grown crops remains unclear. In this study we assessed the long-term effects of conventional and organic farming systems on the water relations of soils and crops in the “DOK” (bio-Dynamic, bio-Organic & ‘Konventionell’ = conventional) trial. In particular, we tested if organic and conventional farming lead to marked differences in soil moisture, soil water evaporation, as well as root water uptake depth and stomatal conductance of winter wheat and soybean during the growing seasons 2017 and 2018. Stable isotope analyses and ecophysiological measurements revealed that organic compared to conventional farming did not affect soil water evaporation or root water uptake depths. Instead, we found higher soil moisture in the rooting zone and reduced stomatal conductance (gs) in organically grown wheat. Treatment effects on soil moisture and gs of soybean were smaller but showed similar tendencies as observed in wheat. Also, leaf area, and grain and straw yield of wheat decreased under organic farming while yields of soybean were not affected by the treatments. Based on our data we suggest that reduced plant water use observed under organically managed farming lead to the observed higher soil moisture in organically compared to conventionally managed farming systems in the DOK trial. These results suggest advantages of organic farming regarding agronomic water use as well as for the resistance of farming systems to current or future drought scenarios.

Effects of Organic and Inorganic Farming Systems in Different Environment on the Availability and Uptake Of Zn and Cd in Rice Plants

The effectiveness of the cultivation process is dependent on the planting medium. Zinc (Zn) and Cadmium (Cd) are metal elements whose presence in the soil is influenced by the same factors. However, their effects on plants might be different. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the effects of sites with different environmental conditions and farming systems on the uptake of Zn and Cd in rice plants. The research was arranged in a two-stage nested randomized block design, consisting of two sites (Fluvaquentic Epiaquepts and Typic Epiaquepst) and two treatments (organic and inorganic farming systems). The effect of soil type and the farming system resulted in the highest yield of Zn availability in inorganic Fluvaquentic Epiaquepts treatment with a value of 5,42mg.kg-1 at two days after planting (DAP), and the highest uptake was in the organic Fluvaquentic Epiaquepts treatment with a value of 1,04 mg.plant-1. The inorganic Typic Epiaquepst treatment had the maximum Cd availability and uptake, with 0.45 mg.kg-1 and 1.15 mg.plant-1, respectively, at 63 DAP. Zn uptake was significantly affected by different sites with different soil types, while Cd was significantly affected by both sites with different soil types and farming systems. Zn and Cd levels in soil and plants were within the normal threshold.

Stable and unstable carbon fraction under different vegetable farming system on Mt. Merbabu’s andisols, Central Java

This study aims to find out the effect of vegetable cultivation systems that are managed organically, semi-organic, and conventionally on the unstable and stable carbon fraction of Andisol soil on the north slope of Merbabu. Field research was carried out using a sampling method in 3 different farming systems, namely organic (O), semi-organic (SO), and conventional (K) and 3 soil depths, namely 0-20 cm, 20-40 cm, and 40-60 cm. The parameters measured include the physical, chemical, and biological properties of the soil. The physicochemical properties of the soil analyzed included texture, volume weight of soil, pH-H2O, pH-NaF, organic matter, cation exchange capacity, total-N, Al/Fe extracted oxalate and pyrophosphate. The carbon fractions analyzed included particulate organic matter carbon, water-soluble carbon, soil organic carbon mineralization, microbial biomass carbon, humic acid, and fulvic acid. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was conducted to determine the effect of farming system and soil depth on soil physicochemical properties, while the difference between the two-treatment means was analyzed by DMRT. Regression-correlation analysis was carried out to determine the close relationship between the independent and dependent variables. The results showed that the farming system and soil depth had a significant effect on soil physical and chemical properties. Parameters of soil chemical properties that significantly affect the farming system and soil depth are pH-H2O, pH NaF, organic matter, cation exchange capacity, total-N, and Al/Fe pyrophosphate extracted. Organic farming systems have an unstable and stable organic carbon fraction that is more dominant than semi-organic and conventional farming systems. Parameters of soil chemical properties such as organic matter, total organic carbon, and total-N are closely related to particulate organic matter carbon, water-soluble carbon, microbial biomass carbon, soil organic carbon mineralization, soil humic and fulvic acid. The organic farming system has been proven to improve the physical and chemical properties of the soil and increasing the availability of organic carbon fraction in Andisol soil.

Diversity and Composition of Arthropods Natural Enemies in Integrated Rice Fish Farming System (Minna padi) and Its Functions in Agroecosystems

Minna Padi is an integrated rice fish farming system that implements environmentally friendly cultivation and creates a sustainable ecosystem. However, the effects of minna padi farming systems on the diversity of natural enemies have not been reported previously. This research was conducted to compare the diversity and abundance of natural enemies [parasitoids and predators] in minna padi and conventional rice fields. Three pairs of minna padi and conventional paddy fields were selected for fields research. Natural enemies were collected in the field research using sweeping nets, yellow sticky traps and pitfall trap every two weeks during the cultivation. The results showed that the abundance of parasitoids was higher in minna padi than that in conventional farming systems. However, the abundance of predators was higher in conventional farming systems. Parasitoid and predator species richness also showed no difference between the two rice farming systems. However, the composition between the two farming systems was different, minna padi was dominated by parasitoids such as Aphonagmus sp. and Eurythoma dentata, while conventional dominated by a predator such as Pardosa pseudoannulata and Plexippus sp.

Effect of Different farming systems on management of insect pests and population of Natural Enemies in Groundnut and Blackgram

Effect of Different farming systems on management of insect pests and population of Natural Enemies in Groundnut and Blackgram

Soil microbiomes in three farming systems more affected by depth than farming system

Agriculture, by its intentional design, manipulates the ecological functions of soils. It does so by altering carbon and nutrient inputs; by controlling the plant community; and in the case of tillage, by physically disrupting and redistributing the soil within the soil profile. While there are many studies that contrast soil microbiomes across farming systems, few studies have examined the effect of farming system on the vertical organization of taxa in the soil profile. We hypothesized that large effects of farming systems on edaphic factors would lead to large impacts on the microbial community that would reflect the underlying life history strategy of the microbes. For example, that tillage would increase the proportion of unicellular fungi. Our study compared farming systems that had been in place for 13 years in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Each system is a 3-year rotation of corn (Zea mays), soybean (Glycine max), and wheat (Triticum aestivum), managed with either conventional no-till, conventional chisel-till, or using organic methods. We determined the relative effect of long-term farming system management on edaphic factors and the soil microbial community with depth structured sampling (0–5, 5–10, 10-Ap, Ap-30 cm). We found relatively small effects of farming system but substantial effects of depth on edaphic factors and microbial communities. For example, differences in management resulted in subtle differences in %C above the Ap horizon. Fungal gene abundance increased in the organic system relative to the no-till system, although neither fungal nor bacterial richness differed across farming systems. Farming system effects on microbial community composition were greatest in the top 10 cm but did not affect the abundance of unicellular fungi. Several groups including Pseudomonas and Mortierellomycota appear to be sensitive to redistribution by tillage in the organic system, but it is not clear to what extent this effect is due to legacy DNA from tillage.

Effect of Different Tillage Systems on Soil Organic Carbon and Enzymatic Activity

The aim of the study was to compare the effect of conventional, simplified, and organic farming systems on changes in the content of soil organic carbon, organic matter fractions, total nitrogen, and the enzymatic activity. The research was conducted from 2016–2018 on arable land in the south-eastern part of Poland. The selected soils were cultivated in conventional tillage (C_Ts), simplified tillage (S_Ts), and organic farming (O_Fs) systems. The analyses were performed in soil from the soil surface layers (up to 25 cm depth) of the experimental plots. The highest mean contents of soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, and organic matter fractions were determined in soils subjected to the simplified tillage system throughout the experimental period. During the study period, organic carbon concentration on surface soil layers under simplified tillage systems was 31 and 127% higher than the soil under conventional tillage systems and organic farming systems, respectively. Also, the total nitrogen concentration in those soils was more than 40% and 120% higher than conventional tillage systems and organic farming systems, respectively. Moreover, these soils were characterised by a progressive decline in SOC and Nt resources over the study years. There was no significant effect of the analysed tillage systems on the C:N ratio. The tillage systems induced significant differences in the activity of the analysed soil enzymes, i.e., dehydrogenase (DH) and catalase (CAT). The highest DH activity throughout the experiment was recorded in the O_Fs soils, and the mean value of this parameter was in the range of 6.01–6.11 μmol TPF·kg−1·h−1. There were no significant differences in the CAT values between the variants of the experiment. The results confirm that, regardless of other treatments, such as the use of organic fertilisers, tillage has a negative impact on the content of SOC and organic matter fractions in the O_Fs system. All simplifications in tillage reducing the interference with the soil surface layer and the use of organic fertilisers contribute to improvement of soil properties and enhancement of biological activity, which helps to maintain its productivity and fertility.

Organic maize and bean farming enhances free-living nematode dynamics in sub-Saharan Africa

Despite their important ecological roles for soil health and soil fertility, free-living nematodes (FLN) have received relatively limited research attention. The present study evaluated the community structure and diversity of FLN in a field setting. The experiments were conducted in on-farm and on-station field plots sown to maize (Zea mays) and beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) under four cropping practices. These farming systems included organic (compost and biopesticide use), conventional (synthetic fertilizer and pesticide applications), farmer practice (organic and synthetic amendments) and a control (non-amended plots). Nineteen genera of free living nematodes, belonging to bacterivores, fungivores, omnivores and predators were recorded. Among these, bacterivores (Cephalobidae and Rhabditidae) were the most dominant group in the organic systems when compared to the conventional and control systems. Farming systems influenced the abundance and diversity of free living nematodes, with the organic farming system having higher values of maturity, enrichment and structural indices than other farming systems. This would indicate greater stability in soil health and improved soil fertility. This implies that the organic farming systems play a key role in improving the biodiversity and population buildup of FLN, compared with other systems. Our study helps to improve our understanding of how farming systems influence soil biodynamics, while studies on the longer-term effects of organic and conventional farming systems on the build-up or reduction of free living nematodes for improved ecosystem services are needed.

Grape pomace in equine nutrition: effect on antioxidant status

Grape pomace in equine nutrition: effect on antioxidant status

Predicting soil farming system and attributes based on soil bacterial community

Soil of agro-ecosystems consists of complex biological interactions directly shaped by human activity, accounting for the overall soil quality. Bacterial communities are key players in most biogeochemical cycles. Here we investigated soil bacterial communities in four adjacent maize farming systems, conventional, transition, natural, and organic in order to study the effects of these practices on soil bacterial community, uncover most influential bacterial taxa and explore them as predictors of categorical and continuous soil variables (i.e. attributes). While richness and diversity were only marginally affected, we found pronounced farming system effects on bacterial community composition. The organic farming system exhibited higher bacterial community stability over two crop years. Conventional farming network exhibited the highest density and number of keystone taxa, however all keystone taxa were shared by one module only. Whilst organic farming presented the biggest and less dense network with the smallest number of keystone taxa. Blastocatellales was one of the most influential orders in organic and natural farming system networks. Bacterial taxa associated to the farming systems were visualized by a bipartite graph and used to build random forest models capable of predicting the farming system regardless of the crop year with high accuracy. The models were also able to predict soil chemical and biological attributes to a different extent. Altogether, we have shown that soil bacterial communities are deeply shaped by the underlying farming system, and can be used as a tool in sustainable farming monitoring.

Effect of Farming Systems on Diversity and Seasonal Abundance of Insect Pests and their Natural Enemiesin Cauliflower

A study was conducted on effect of two farming systems namely zero budget natural farming (ZBNF) and conventional farming (CF) on diversity and seasonal abundance of insect pests of cauliflower and their natural enemies during 2018-19 and 2019-20. Studies revealed that ZBNF system harboured less pest diversity and attracted more natural enemies as compared to the CF system. Natural enemy activity and % parasitisation were maximum in ZBNF system as compared to CF system. The results indicate that indigenous ZBNF formulations and intercropping have a positive effect on the population of natural enemies and repelled the insect pests much better as compared to CF system.

The effect of farming system and cultivars on the yield, morphometric characteristics and chemical composition of carrot (Daucus carota L.)

The effect of farming system and cultivars on the yield, morphometric characteristics and chemical composition of carrot (<i>Daucus carota</i> L.)

Farming systems influence the compositional, structural, and functional characteristics of the sugarcane-associated microbiome

Sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) has been produced worldwide as a relevant source of food and sustainable energy. However, the constant need to increase crop yield has led to excessive use of synthetic agrochemical inputs such as inorganic fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides in plant cultures. It is known that these conventional practices can lead to deleterious effects on health and the environment. Organic farming emerges as a sustainable alternative to conventional systems; however, farm management influences in plant-associated microbiomes remain unclear. Here, the aim is to identify the effects of farming systems on the sugarcane microbiota. To address this issue, we sampled the microbiota from soils and plants under organic and conventional farming from two crop fields in Brazil. Then, we evaluated their compositional, structural, and functional traits through amplification and sequencing of phylogenetic markers of bacteria (16S rRNA gene, V3-V4 region) and fungi (Internal Transcribed Spacer - ITS2). The data processing and analyses by the DADA2 pipeline revealed 12,839 bacterial and 3,222 fungal sequence variants. Moreover, differences between analogous niches were detected considering the contrasting farming systems, with samples from the conventional system showing a slightly greater richness and diversity of microorganisms. The composition is also different between the farming systems, with 389 and 401 differentially abundant taxa for bacteria and fungi, respectively, including taxa capable of promoting plant growth. The microbial co-occurrence networks showed structural changes in microbial communities, where organic networks were more cohesive since they had closer taxa and less modularity by niches. Finally, the functional prediction revealed enriched metabolic pathways, including the increased presence of antimicrobial resistance in the conventional farming system. Taken together, our findings reveal functional, structural, and compositional adaptations of the microbial communities associated with sugarcane plants in the field, according to farming management. With this, we point out the need to unravel the mechanisms driving these adaptations.

Traceability of tomatoes (Solanun lycopersicum) based on their enzymatic profile

This study aimed at evaluating the effect of organic and conventional farming systems on enzymatic profiles of tomatoes so as to find a biomarker for their safe traceability and certification. Three tomato varieties (Khaki, Italian and Cherry), officially certificated and sold in fruit shops, were collected in different seasons. The fruits of each variety were standardized in analytical samples in relation to their ripeness indicators (color, sugar/acidity rate). Assays used for determining enzymatic activities were previously standardized to invertases (INV), polygalacturonases (PG), peroxidases (PO), polyphenoloxidases (PPO), catalases (CAT) and phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL). Enzymatic activities were correlated with the farming systems by the Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Enzymatic activities of PO, PPO, CAT and PAL proved to be useful for tomato certification and traceability, since their correlation was above 0.9. The statistical analysis confirmed that PO and CAT activities were the most promising to find a model of response to the farming system. Enzymatic profiles of both Italian and Cherry varieties were the most affected by the farming system.