Cropping History Research Articles

Genomes of autotetraploid wild and cultivated Ziziphus mauritiana reveal polyploid evolution and crop domestication.

Indian jujube (Ziziphus mauritiana) holds a prominent position in the global fruit and pharmaceutical markets. Here, we report the assemblies of haplotype-resolved, telomere-to-telomere genomes of autotetraploid wild and cultivated Indian jujube plants using a two-stage assembly strategy. The generation of these genomes permitted in-depth investigations into the divergence and evolutionary history of this important fruit crop. Using a graph-based pan-genome constructed from eight monoploid genomes, we identified structural variation (SV)-FST hotspots and SV hotspots. Gap-free genomes provide a means to obtain a global view of centromere structures. We identified presence-absence variation-related genes in four monoploid genomes (cI, cIII, wI, and wIII) and resequencing populations. We also present the population structure and domestication trajectory of the Indian jujube based on the resequencing of 73 wild and cultivated accessions. Metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses of mature fruits of wild and cultivated accessions unveiled the genetic basis underlying loss of fruit astringency during domestication of Indian jujube. This study reveals mechanisms underlying the divergence, evolution, and domestication of the autotetraploid Indian jujube and provides rich and reliable genetic resources for future research.

Inoculant and fertilizer effects on lentil in the US northern Great Plains

AbstractLentil (Lens culinaris Medikus) is an important crop, averaging over 250,000 ha in Montana and North Dakota during 2016–2021. However, relatively little is known about rhizobial inoculant and fertility response in lentil in the US northern Great Plains. The objective was to evaluate the effect of rhizobial inoculant formulations (seed coat and in‐furrow) and nutrient additions (potassium [K], sulfur [S], and micronutrients) on lentil yield and seed protein concentration. This study was conducted at seven university research centers in Montana and North Dakota from 2019 to 2021, resulting in 20 location‐years of data. In six of 20 experiments, inoculant application increased seed yield by an average of 36% (323 kg ha−1, p ≤ 0.05) but had no consistent effect on seed protein concentration. Lentil or pea crop history among locations did not explain inoculant response. Inoculant formulations (seed coat vs. in‐furrow) and K fertilizer had inconsistent and small effects on seed yield and protein concentration. However, S fertilizer (5.6 kg S ha−1) increased seed yield in four of 20 experiments (p ≤ 0.02) by an average of 14.5% (255 kg ha−1) in those experiments and decreased seed yield for one experiment (p = 0.05) by 5.8% (153 kg ha−1). Pre‐plant SO4‐S soil test levels did not predict lentil response to S fertilizer. Micronutrient application was assessed in 12 location‐years but had no effect on lentil yield or protein concentration. This research suggests a need to better understand what factors control lentil yield and protein response to rhizobial inoculant and S fertilization.

Orphan crops of archaeology‐based crop history research

Societal Impact StatementAgrobiodiversity is central to sustainable farming worldwide. Cultivation, conservation and reintroduction of diverse plant species, including ‘forgotten’ and ‘underutilized’ crops, contribute to global agrobiodiversity, living ecosystems and sustainable food production. Such efforts benefit from traditional and historical knowledge of crop plants' evolutionary and cultural trajectories. This review is a first attempt at systematically gauging species representativeness in studies of archaeological plant remains. Results indicate that, in addition to discipline‐specific methodological sources of bias, modern agricultural biases may replicate themselves in crop history research and influence understandings of ‘forgotten crops’. Recognizing these biases is an initial stride towards rectifying them and promoting agrobiodiversity in both research and practical applications.SummarySo‐called ‘forgotten’ or ‘orphan’ crops are an important component of strategies aimed at preserving and promoting biodiversity. Knowledge of historical cultivation, usage, and geographic and evolutionary trajectories of plants, that is, crop history research, is important for the long‐term success of such efforts. However, research biases in the crops chosen for study may present hurdles. This review attempts to systematically identify patterns in crop species representativeness within archaeology‐based crop history research. A meta‐analysis and synthesis of archaeobotanical evidence (and lack thereof) is presented for 268 species known to have been cultivated for food prior to 1492 CE from the Mediterranean region to South Asia. We identified 39 genera with known crop plants in this geographical and historical context that are currently absent from its archaeobotanical record, constituting ‘orphan’ crops of archaeobotany. In addition, a worldwide synthesis of crop species studied using geometric morphometric, archaeogenetic and stable isotope analyses of archaeological plant remains is presented, and biases in the species represented in these disciplines are discussed. Both disciplinary methodological biases and economic agenda‐based biases affecting species representativeness in crop history research are apparent. This study also highlights the limited geographic diffusion of most crops and the potential for deeper historical perspectives on how crops become marginalized and ‘forgotten’.

Farmers’ Toolkit: Deep Learning in Weed Detection and Precision Crop & Fertilizer Recommendations

Agriculture is widely recognized as a significant and indispensable occupation on a global scale. The current imperative is to optimize agricultural practices and progressively transition towards smart agriculture. The Internet of Things (IoT) technology has dramatically enhanced people’s daily lives via diverse applications across several domains. Previous studies have yet to effectively incorporate Artificial Intelligence (AI) with sensor technology to provide comprehensive guidance to agricultural practitioners, hindering their ability to achieve good outcomes. This research offers Farmers’ Toolkit with four layers: sensor, network, service, and application. This toolkit aims to facilitate the implementation of a smart farming system while effectively managing energy resources. With a specific emphasis on the application layer, the toolkit uses a deep learning methodology to construct a fertilizer recommendation system that aligns with the expert’s perspective. This study utilizes IoT devices and Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) methods to enhance the efficiency and speed of recommending appropriate crops to farmers. The recommendation process considers several criteria: temperature, yearly precipitation, land area, prior crop history, and available resources. The identification of undesirable vegetation on agricultural fields, namely the detection of weeds, is carried out using drone technology equipped with frame-capturing capabilities and advanced deep-learning algorithms. The findings demonstrate an accuracy rate of 94%, precision rate of 92%, recall rate of 96%, and F1 score of 94%. The toolkit for farmers alleviates physical labor and time expended on various agricultural tasks while enhancing overall land productivity, mitigating potential crop failures in specific soil conditions, and minimizing crop damage inflicted by weeds.

Efficacy of grape seed procyanidins for inhibiting denitrification varies by source, soil texture, and cropping history

Plant-derived denitrification inhibitors, such as procyanidins derived from grape seed extract (GSE), hold potential in mitigating nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions, a potent greenhouse gas and stratospheric ozone depleter. A deeper understanding of the effects of GSE – considering aspects like rate, source, application timing, storage, and interactions with soil properties and cropping histories – on denitrification inhibition remains elusive. We conducted a series of laboratory microcosm experiments to assess these effects using denitrification enzyme activity (DEA) and measurements of N2O and carbon dioxide (CO2) production rates under both anaerobic and aerobic conditions, soil inorganic nitrogen (N), and other major soil properties. Our results revealed that one commercial GSE brand (USP GSE) inhibited DEA, while another source was ineffective. Two non-procyanidin compounds in commercial GSE mixtures, tartaric acid and gallic acid, actually enhanced DEA. Inhibition efficiency of the USP GSE varied significantly across soils with differing crop histories and physical properties, exhibiting a positive dose-response in three out of the five soils examined. Greater efficiency was observed in sandy soils compared to silt loam soils and in soils with a history of continuous corn production as opposed to soybean. The GSE application timing relative to urea addition and a one-week room temperature storage had minor effects on denitrification inhibition. In corn-cultivated soil, co-application of GSE and urea reduced cumulative N2O production by 27 % compared to soils treated with urea alone. The CO2 production and nitrate levels remained largely unaffected by GSE application. These findings supported the potential of GSE as a soil amendment to reduce N2O emissions in corn-cultivated soils. However, challenges including purity of procyanidins, cost-effectiveness, and inconsistent performance under various systems warrant consideration for broader field applications.

Origins and evolution of oasis agriculture in the Sahara: Evidence from morphometric analyses of archaeological date palm seeds

Oasis agriculture has been a critical means of sustenance for humans in arid regions in North Africa and West Asia. The date palm ( Phoenix dactylifera L.) holds immense significance as one of the most vital species in these agroecosystems. It was domesticated in the Gulf region over 6000 years ago and later spread to other regions. In the Sahara, the origins of the germplasm and the diffusion history in terms of dating and routes remain largely unknown. To explore these questions, we employed traditional and geometric morphometric methods to analyse 312 well-preserved Phoenix seeds from three Libyan sites, dating from the 1st millennium BCE to the modern period. We compared them with a large modern reference collection and Egyptian archaeological seeds from a previous study. The identification of domesticated morphotypes in the oldest site, Zinkekra, confirms that the date palm was already cultivated in the Central Sahara during the 1st millennium BCE, probably through an introduction from Egypt. The large proportion of wild morphotypes however indicates that they represent early domesticates. By comparing seeds at sites in Libya and Egypt dating from different periods, evidence was found of a decrease in unclassified seeds and wild morphotypes over time, along with a simultaneous increase in seed elongation. These results likely reflect the intensification of date palm cultivation, coinciding with the growing prevalence of human selection and vegetative propagation. Our study highlights the potential of seed morphometric analyses in uncovering the domestication and diffusion history of crops, shedding light on how humans have adapted to challenging environments.

Nebulous Cinema

Abstract As billowing masses averse to stillness and defined by perpetual variability, clouds, fog and mist share common ontological properties. This article will group them together under the rubric of the “nebulous,” and probe its conceptual and aesthetic relationship with film. Fog, smoke and mist are pervasive through the entire history of cinema and crop up in an array of genres and modes. What would film history look like if traced from the perspective of these cloud forms? The article hopes to sketch out the first contours of such a history by honing in on a durational cinematic tradition, from the “landscape film” of the 1970s through to contemporary slow cinema. It will conceive of such a history as intermedial both in the sense that it extrapolates the boundaries of the film medium and in that it treats fog, mist and clouds as elemental “media” in their own right.

Rhizosphere Microbiome and Phenolic Acid Exudation of the Healthy and Diseased American Ginseng Were Modulated by the Cropping History.

The infection of soil-borne diseases has the potential to modify root exudation and the rhizosphere microbiome. However, the extent to which these modifications occur in various monocropping histories remains inadequately explored. This study sampled healthy and diseased American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius L.) plants under 1-4 years of monocropping and analyzed the phenolic acids composition by HPLC, microbiome structure by high-throughput sequencing technique, and the abundance of pathogens by quantitative PCR. First, the fungal pathogens of Fusarium solani and Ilyonectria destructans in the rhizosphere soil were more abundant in the diseased plants than the healthy plants. The healthy American ginseng plants exudated more phenolic acid, especially p-coumaric acid, compared to the diseased plants after 1-2 years of monocropping, while this difference gradually diminished with the increase in monocropping years. The pathogen abundance was influenced by the exudation of phenolic acids, e.g., total phenolic acids (r = -0.455), p-coumaric acid (r = -0.465), and salicylic acid (r = -0.417), and the further in vitro test confirmed that increased concentration of p-coumaric acid inhibited the mycelial growth of the isolated pathogens for root rot. The healthy plants had a higher diversity of rhizosphere bacterial and fungal microbiome than the diseased plants only after a long period of monocropping. Our study has revealed that the cropping history of American ginseng has altered the effect of pathogens infection on rhizosphere microbiota and root exudation.

Lentil nitrogen fixation response to fertilizer and inoculant in the northern Great Plains

AbstractLentil (Lens culinarisMedikus) production in the semiarid northern Great Plains of the United States has increased dramatically over the past two decades. Lentil in rotation provides agroecosystem benefits of more efficient water use, pest cycle disruption, and biological nitrogen (N) fixation. Increasing N fixation could alleviate soil acidification and groundwater impairment, decrease N fertilizer costs, and increase lentil seed yield. Despite widespread farmer adoption of lentil in the region, little is known about the benefits of fertilizer or inoculant type on N fixation. The aim of this study was to determine how nutrients (potassium (K), sulfur (S), and foliar‐applied micronutrients) and rhizobial inoculant types (seed‐coat powder and granular) influence N fixation of lentil. The study was conducted at two field sites in Montana from 2019 to 2021. Fixed N amounts were calculated using both an N difference approach and15N natural abundance method. N fixation was highly responsive to climatic conditions and soil characteristics. The amount of N fixed did not respond to K fertilization, likely because soil test K levels were sufficient. In a moderately dry year at a site with low soil sulfate‐S, fertilizer application of 5.6 kg S ha−1increased N fixed by 40%. Inoculated lentil fixed more N than uninoculated lentil in two site‐years, but there were no differences in N fixed between inoculant types. Inoculation response was not related to field cropping histories with legumes. The study shows that S fertilization and rhizobial inoculation have potential to increase lentil N fixation amounts in the northern Great Plains.

A Meta-Analysis in Nine Different Continuous Cropping Fields to Find the Relationship between Plant Species and Rhizosphere Fungal Community

Plant species and cropping systems influence rhizospheric fungal communities’ composition, diversity, and structure. The fungus community is one of the main factors behind soil health and quality. Yet, there is insufficient evidence and research on the effect of plant species with continuous cropping histories on the rhizospheric fungal community. In order to investigate how the fungal community responds to the various plant species and cropping systems, we have chosen one field that is left fallow along with eight continuously farmed areas to research. Among the eight phyla, the relative abundance of Ascomycota was significantly higher in Polygonum multiflorum, which was continuously cropped in fields for two years (P2). Basidiomycota was considerably higher in the fallow field (CK). Among the 1063 genera, the relative abundance of Fusarium was significantly higher in maize continuous-cropped fields for six years (M6), followed by Fritillaria thunbergii continuous-cropped fields for two years (F2), and found lower Fusarium abundance in CK. The alpha diversity observed in taxa, Chao1, and phylogenetic diversity indices were significantly higher in M2. β-diversity found that the fungal communities in the samples clustered from the fields in the same year were quite similar. In all the soil samples, the saprotrophic trophic type was the most common among the OTUs that had been given a function. Our studies have proved that continuous cropping and plant species changed the fungal community’s composition, diversity, and structure. This research may serve as a guide for overcoming significant agricultural challenges and advancing the industry’s sustainable growth.

Composition of soil organic matter and the structure and diversity of soil bacteria and archaea, in crop systems under no-till in a subtropical ecosystem

Crop richness in crop rotation systems may modulate soil microbial activity and the diversity of community structure, driving soil organic matter (SOM) content and quality. We aimed to assess the long-term effect of crop systems on SOM composition and the structure and diversity of the bacteria and archaea in no-till subtropical soil. The study was based on samples from a subtropical Ferralsol subjected to 27 years of crop succession (wheat/soybean) or crop rotation (vetch/maize/wheat/soybean). Soil samples were analyzed in relation to C and N contents, and submitted to DNA extraction for 16 S rDNA sequencing and 13C Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy – solid-state (CP/MAS 13C NMR). The effect of the current crop species at the time of sampling on the structure and diversity of the microbial community was predominant in relation to the long-term crop history over time (crop rotation). A greater diversity and abundance of soil bacteria and archaea was observed in the area with wheat growing in winter than with soybean growing in summer, a combined effect of crop species and season. The soil under crop rotation had a greater proportion of carbohydrate-derived C in SOM, whereas a greater proportion of alkyl-C and N/O alkyl-C was observed under crop succession. The crop species richness in crop rotation allows the maintenance of soil functions related to the formation of more biochemically labile SOM and contributes positively to soil ecosystem functioning.

Summer crop rotational effects on carinata nitrogen management in the southeastern USA

AbstractGrowers in the United States (US) southeast are often recommended to reduce nitrogen (N) fertilization after peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) by cooperative Extension services. However, these guidelines are not supported by the scientific literature. An experiment was conducted to quantify N contributions from peanut residues to a subsequent carinata (Brassica carinata) crop. A 3 (history: cotton [Gossypium hirsutum L.], peanut, fallow) × 5 (N rates: 0, 34, 67, 101,134 kg N ha−1) factorial randomized complete block split‐plot design was conducted over four site‐years during the 2018–2019 and 2019–2020 seasons at Jay, FL, USA. Peanut and cotton were planted under strip tillage, whereas carinata was drilled into peanut and cotton residues and weed‐free fallow plots. Although peanut residues accumulated 54–78 kg N ha−1, inorganic N content behind former peanut plots at the 0–15 cm depths, ranged from 6 to 8 and 8 to 11 kg N ha−1 in 2018–2019 and 2019–2020 season, respectively. Cropping history differences for carinata normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) were pronounced at lower N rates in one out of four site‐years during which NDVI behind former cotton plots was lower than former peanut and fallow plots. Carinata seed yield behind former peanut plots was similar to unfertilized fallow based on four site‐years of data. Nonlinear regression models predicted that N rates required to optimize carinata seed yield following peanut would exceed 134 kg N ha−1 thereby indicating negligible peanut N credits. These results support a growing body of literature that suggests minimal N credits after peanut under humid southeastern US conditions.

Implementation of Prediction of Crop Using SVM Algorithm

Abstract: Crop forecasting is the process of predicting the yield or production of crops for a given period based on historical data, weather and other relevant factors. The prediction can be used to inform crop planting, harvesting and marketing decisions. Machine learning and artificial intelligence techniques are increasingly being used to improve the accuracy of crop forecasting. These techniques use algorithms to analyze large amounts of data, such as weather patterns, soil conditions, and crop history, to predict future crop yields. Crop prediction models can be used by farmers, agribusinesses, and governments to optimize crop management, reduce waste and maximize profit. Accurate crop forecasting can also help mitigate the impact of climate change on agricultural production by enabling farmers to adapt to changing weather conditions and other environmental factors.

Farmers’ perception on the effects and management of saline water on soil and crops within Kilifi and Kwale Counties

Coastal Kenya is arid and semi-arid. Farmers in coastal Kenya use saline borehole irrigation water for crop production. There is limited information regarding the perception of farmers on effect and management of salinity on crop production. This study assessed farmers’ perception on effects and management of saline water on soil and crops in coastal Kenya. The study was carried out in Kilifi County (Kaloleni, Magarini and Kilifi sub-Counties) and Kwale County (Msambweni and Matuga sub-Counties). A purposive sampling procedure was used to select farmers from the two study sites. Farmers owning boreholes and practicing irrigated agriculture for at least three calendar years were selected per site resulting in a sample size of 30 farmers from each county. Data were obtained from sampled farmers through interviews and structured questionnaires. The farmers’ survey was undertaken using a single - visit survey approach. Data collected were divided into four subsections, which include, socio-demographic profiles, farmers’ sources of information on crop production, history of borehole water, crops grown and soil and water management. Survey data were coded and analyzed using SPSS software, version 14. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results revealed that all (100 %) household size in Kilifi County and 92.2 % of Kwale County consisted of four or less members, showing that the smaller household sizes depended on irrigated crop production either for food or income generation. Radio was the most common means of communication (Kilifi 90 % and Kwale 87.5 %) through national and vernacular languages. Farmers in Kilifi County (93.3 %) and Kwale County (86.7 %) did not belong to any agricultural society. This meant that some farmers lacked information on the advantages and how agricultural societies are formed. Farmers growing crops under irrigation in Kwale County obtained water from boreholes. Farmers in both counties never tested the quality of borehole water used to irrigate their crops. All farmers (100 %) in Kwale County and 86.7 % in Kilifi County reported gradual decline in yield, 13.3 % of famers in Kilifi County reported stunted growth, 84.6 % of farmers from Kilifi County and 78.6 % from Kwale County reported that salts in irrigation water (indicated by white residues on soil after irrigation) accumulate in soil over time that degraded the soil and harmed plants. Farmers in both counties (Kilifi 84.6 % and Kwale 64.3 %) use manure during planting to manage their soils. Key words: Salinity, Farmers’ perception, Soil and water management, Irrigation water quality

A Microbiological Approach to Alleviate Soil Replant Syndrome in Peaches.

Replant syndrome (RS) is a global problem characterized by reduced growth, production life, and yields of tree fruit/nut orchards. RS etiology is unclear, but repeated monoculture plantings are thought to develop a pathogenic soil microbiome. This study aimed to evaluate a biological approach that could reduce RS in peach (Prunus persica) orchards by developing a healthy soil bacteriome. Soil disinfection via autoclave followed by cover cropping and cover crop incorporation was found to distinctly alter the peach soil bacteriome but did not affect the RS etiology of RS-susceptible 'Lovell' peach seedlings. In contrast, non-autoclaved soil followed by cover cropping and incorporation altered the soil bacteriome to a lesser degree than autoclaving but induced significant peach growth. Non-autoclaved and autoclaved soil bacteriomes were compared to highlight bacterial taxa promoted by soil disinfection prior to growing peaches. Differential abundance shows a loss of potentially beneficial bacteria due to soil disinfection. The treatment with the highest peach biomass was non-autoclaved soil with a cover crop history of alfalfa, corn, and tomato. Beneficial bacterial species that were cultivated exclusively in the peach rhizosphere of non-autoclaved soils with a cover crop history were Paenibacillus castaneae and Bellilinea caldifistulae. In summary, the non-autoclaved soils show continuous enhancement of beneficial bacteria at each cropping phase, culminating in an enriched rhizosphere which may help alleviate RS in peaches.

Genetic and morphological characterization of United States tea (Camellia sinensis): insights into crop history, breeding strategies, and regional adaptability.

Multiple introductions of tea (Camellia sinensis) to the United States since the 1850s have resulted in US tea germplasm that are currently poorly characterized. To resolve questions concerning the relatedness and regional adaptability of US tea germplasm, 32 domestic individuals were evaluated using 10 InDel markers, and compared with a background population of 30 named and registered Chinese varieties of tea. The marker data were analyzed via a neighbor-joining cladistic tree derived from Nei's genetic distance, STRUCTURE, and Discriminant Analysis of Principal Components, which revealed four genetic groups. Nineteen individuals selected from the four groups were assessed for seven leaf traits, two floral descriptors, and leaf yield, to identify plants best adapted to Florida field conditions. Our analyses compared with available historical records led us to estimate the most likely provenance of some of the US individuals, to precisely identify tea plant material and to choose most diverse accessions for breeding tea improved for adaptability, yield and quality.

Genome-wide admixture mapping identifies wild ancestry-of-origin segments in cultivated Robusta coffee.

Humans have had a major influence on the dissemination of crops beyond their native range, thereby offering new hybridization opportunities. Characterizing admixed genomes with mosaic origins generates valuable insight into the adaptive history of crops and the impact on current varietial diversity. We applied the ELAI tool-an efficient local ancestry inference method based on a two-layer hidden Markov model to track segments of wild origin in cultivated accessions in the case of multiway admixtures. Source populations-which may actually be limited and partially admixed-must be generally specified when using such inference models. We thus developed a framework to identify local ancestry with admixed source populations. Using sequencing data for wild and cultivated Coffea canephora (commonly called Robusta), our approach was found to be highly efficient and accurate on simulated hybrids. Application of the method to assess elite Robusta varieties from Vietnam led to the identification of an accession derived from a likely backcross between two genetic groups from the Congo Basin and the western coastal region of Central Africa. Admixtures resulting from crop hybridization and diffusion could thus lead to the generation of elite high-yielding varieties. Our methods should be widely applicable to gain insight into the role of hybridization during plant and animal evolutionary history.

REVISITING ARCHIVED RYE GRAINS DISCOVERED AT THE NEOLITHIC SITE CUNEŞTI (ROMANIA)

ABSTRACTDirect accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) dating is crucial for a correct integration of plant remains in the (pre)history of crops, particularly for those that do not belong to the Neolithic package and are known to arrive in Europe much later. This paper reviews one of the earliest records of rye from Romania. The grains were discovered in the tell settlement of Cunești, which belongs to the Gumelnița communities (ca. 4600–3900 BC). In 1954, due to Danube flooding, a large portion of the south part of the tell collapsed, and between the burnt dwelling visible in the resulting profile, a large number of sherds from three typical Gumelnița pots were identified. According to the excavation’s author, rye grains were found in association with those sherds, and it was assumed that a batch was stored in these Eneolithic vessels. Consequently, the rye was published as belonging to the Gumelnița period. Our reanalysis led to two radiocarbon (14C) dates, from two different laboratories, which indicate that the Cunești rye is not prehistoric but dates to the medieval period. To correct this error concerning this rye batch and the implications for European archaeology, we decided to republish these grains in an updated chronological framework. In addition, we performed stable isotope analyses on the charred grains, confirming they were cultivated on dry land, as well as a 3D morphometric investigation. Our research brings new and original data on rye cultures from the medieval period in southeastern Europe.

Double-cropping effects of Brassica carinata and summer crops: II. Effects of winter cropping history on subsequent summer crop production

There is an opportunity for crop farmers in the Southeast United States (SE US) to increase income by producing carinata during the winter following summer crop production. However, a major limitation to the use of carinata as a winter annual in the SE US is the lack of information on double-cropping with summer commodity crops common to the region. Considering that integrating carinata into cropping systems common to the region could impact productivity of those systems, it is critical to quantify the potential effects of carinata on existing cropping systems. To this end, a study was conducted in Jay, Florida for three years to evaluate the effects of winter cropping history (carinata vs. fallow) on the productivity of subsequent summer crops including cotton, peanut, sorghum, and soybean. Treatments (winter carinata vs. winter fallow) were laid out in a randomized complete block design with eight replications. Data were collected on infiltration; plant population; plant canopy height; aboveground biomass; and yield. Infiltration rates, determined within a week of carinata harvest, were affected by winter cropping history, being greater in former carinata plots than former fallow plots. Carinata harvest coincided with the timely planting of cotton and peanut which resulted in these summer crops being sown three to four weeks later than their typical sowing window for the SE US. Winter cropping history (including the winter fallow control) did not influence commodity crop (cotton, peanut, sorghum, and soybean) yields when all summer crops were planted at the same time, as in a double-crop scenario. Regarding the combined productivity of winter (carinata vs. winter fallow) and summer crops, carinata-cotton, carinata-peanut, carinata-sorghum, and carinata-soybean systems were necessarily more productive than their winter fallow counterparts due to no crop production in the fallow during the winter cropping years. Overall, results from this study showed that carinata can successfully replace winter fallow, and can be double-cropped with summer-planted sorghum and soybean with no adverse effect on yield. Double-cropping carinata caused a delay in timely planting of cotton and peanut, and represents a limitation that may hinder its adoption in the SE US until such time a faster-maturing carinata cultivar can be developed.

Cover cropping history affects cotton boll distribution, lint yields, and fiber quality

AbstractThere has been limited introduction of new cover crop species into cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) production within the last 30 years. Mounting evidence shows that traditional cover cropping species may be detrimental to cotton production, either by depleting soil fertility with crop removal, immobilizing minerals from high carbon residue, or excessive quantity of residue remaining at planting. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of growing a novel cover crop species, carinata (Brassica carinata A. Braun), as a winter annual cover crop for cotton rotation in the southeastern Coastal Plain. Over a 2‐year period, carinata, winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), and fallow covers were maintained over winter months, then rotated into cotton. Each year, seedcotton and lint yields were collected, along with subsamples for ginning and subsequent fiber quality analyses. Additionally, end‐of‐season plant mapping was conducted on plants from 1 m of row per plot to determine cover crop effects on boll formation, retention, and distribution, as well as canopy architecture. Results indicated that seedcotton and lint yield of cotton following carinata was greater than cotton following winter wheat, and lint yields of cotton following wheat were lower than cotton after fallow. Fiber quality was largely unaffected by preceding cover crop. End‐of‐season plant mapping indicated that cotton grown after carinata had more position 2 bolls, which correlated to greater lint yields. These results indicate that carinata can potentially serve as a new, more effective cover crop than winter wheat for cotton rotations in Coastal Plain soils.