Improvements In Crop Management Research Articles

Advances in Roles of Salicylic Acid in Plant Tolerance Responses to Biotic and Abiotic Stresses.

A multitude of biotic and abiotic stress factors do harm to plants by bringing about diseases and inhibiting normal growth and development. As a pivotal signaling molecule, salicylic acid (SA) plays crucial roles in plant tolerance responses to both biotic and abiotic stresses, thereby maintaining plant normal growth and improving yields under stress. In view of this, this paper mainly discusses the role of SA in both biotic and abiotic stresses of plants. SA regulates the expression of genes involved in defense signaling pathways, thus enhancing plant immunity. In addition, SA mitigates the negative effects of abiotic stresses, and acts as a signaling molecule to induce the expression of stress-responsive genes and the synthesis of stress-related proteins. In addition, SA also improves certain yield-related photosynthetic indexes, thereby enhancing crop yield under stress. On the other hand, SA acts with other signaling molecules, such as jasmonic acid (JA), auxin, ethylene (ETH), and so on, in regulating plant growth and improving tolerance under stress. This paper reviews recent advances in SA's roles in plant stress tolerance, so as to provide theoretical references for further studies concerning the decryption of molecular mechanisms for SA's roles and the improvement of crop management under stress.

Opportunity and shift of nitrogen use in China

It is never an easy task for China to feed 1.4 billion people with only 7% of the world’s arable land. With nearly 30% of the world’s nitrogen (N) fertilizer applied, China achieves high crop yields while facing N pollution resulting from excessive N input. Here, we calculate the farmland N budget on the national and regional scales. The N use efficiency (NUE) in China increased by 28.0% during 2005–2018. This improvement is due to the reduction in fertilization and the improvement of crop management. The fragmented farmland is changing to large-scale farmland with the increase in cultivated land area per rural population and the development of agricultural mechanization. This opportunity brings more possibilities for precision farmland management, thus further improving NUE. The goal of an NUE of 0.6 may be achieved in the 2040s based on the current development trend. This striking N use shift in China has important implications for other developing countries.

Gold-FISH enables targeted NanoSIMS analysis of plant-associated bacteria.

Bacteria colonize plant roots and engage in reciprocal interactions with their hosts. However, the contribution of individual taxa or groups of bacteria to plant nutrition and fitness is not well characterized due to a lack of insitu evidence of bacterial activity. To address this knowledge gap, we developed an analytical approach that combines the identification and localization of individual bacteria on root surfaces via gold-based insitu hybridization with correlative NanoSIMS imaging of incorporated stable isotopes, indicative of metabolic activity. We incubated Kosakonia strain DS-1-associated, gnotobiotically grown rice plants with 15 N-N2 gas to detect insitu N2 fixation activity. Bacterial cells along the rhizoplane showedheterogeneous patterns of 15 N enrichment, ranging from the natural isotope abundance levels up to 12.07 at% 15 N (average and median of 3.36 and 2.85 at% 15 N, respectively, n = 697 cells). The presented correlative optical and chemical imaging analysis is applicable to a broad range of studies investigating plant-microbe interactions. For example, it enables verification of the insitu metabolic activity of host-associated commercialized strains or plant growth-promoting bacteria, thereby disentangling their role in plant nutrition. Such data facilitate the design of plant-microbe combinations for improvement of crop management.

Physiological and yield response to fertilization of short-cycle Solanum tuberosum cultivars in three high-Andean environments

The variability of potato cultivars and environments in the production area of Nariño-Colombia, demands the adjustment of agronomic recommendations for the improvement of crop management. Physiological behavior and yield of four short-cycle potato cultivars were evaluated: Solanum tuberosum Phureja groups (Mambera, Ratona Morada and Criolla Colombia) and Andigena (Morasurco), under three environments, characterized edaphoclimatically (AH1, AH2, and AH4) and three fertilization levels. The yield components did not present differences between these levels, except for AH2, where level 3 surpassed the others in yield, and AH3 for harvest index with differences between levels. Regarding the cultivars, there were statistical differences in all environments; the highest yield was obtained by Ratona Morada and Mambera in AH4, Criolla Colombia in AH1, and a homogeneous behavior for Morasurco in all environments. In AH1 and AH2 the physiological indexes were similar in proportion and occurrence, while in AH4 the behavior was variable, with higher values in Morasurco and Mambera. ANOVA and discriminant analysis of principal components (DAPC) differentiated Morasurco from Phureja cultivars and Criolla Colombia from Ratona and Mambera. The grouping of environments in the DAPC ratifies the classification of the environments. The nutritional requirements of the genotypes can be limited by elements different from those evaluated; the productivity was mainly influenced by the environments; Mambera and Ratona Morada are established as alternatives in the AH4 environment, and Criolla Colombia and Morasurco in the other environments.

Molecular Insights into Freezing Stress in Peach Based on Multi-Omics and Biotechnology: An Overview.

In nature or field conditions, plants are frequently exposed to diverse environmental stressors. Among abiotic stresses, the low temperature of freezing conditions is a critical factor that influences plants, including horticultural crops, decreasing their growth, development, and eventually quality and productivity. Fortunately, plants have developed a mechanism to improve the tolerance to freezing during exposure to a range of low temperatures. In this present review, current findings on freezing stress physiology and genetics in peach (Prunus persica) were refined with an emphasis on adaptive mechanisms for cold acclimation, deacclimation, and reacclimation. In addition, advancements using multi-omics and genetic engineering approaches unravel the molecular physiological mechanisms, including hormonal regulations and their general perceptions of freezing tolerance in peach were comprehensively described. This review might pave the way for future research to the horticulturalists and research scientists to overcome the challenges of freezing temperature and improvement of crop management in these conditions.

Farmers’ Perception and Evaluation of Brachiaria Grass (Brachiaria spp.) Genotypes for Smallholder Cereal-Livestock Production in East Africa

Brachiaria (Urochloa) is a genus, common name brachiaria, of forage grasses that is increasingly transforming integrated crop-livestock production systems in East Africa. A study was undertaken to (i) assess smallholder farmers’ perception on benefits of brachiaria in cereal-livestock production, (ii) identify brachiaria production constraints, and (iii) identify farmer preferred brachiaria genotypes. A multi-stage sampling technique was adopted for sample selection. Data were collected through semi-structured individual questionnaire and focus group discussions (FGDs). The study areas included Bondo, Siaya, Homabay and Mbita sub-counties in Western Kenya and the Lake zone of Tanzania. A total of 223 farmers participated in individual response questionnaires while 80 farmers participated in the FGDs. The respondents considered brachiaria mainly important in management of cereal pests (70.4% of respondents) and as an important fodder (60.8%). The major production constraint perceived by both male and female respondents is attacks by arthropods pests (49.2% and 63%, respectively). Spider smites had been observed on own farms by 50.8% of men and 63.1% of women, while sorghum shoot flies had been observed by 58.1% of men and 67.9% of women. These pests were rated as a moderate to severe problem. Xaraes was the most preferred genotype, followed by Mulato II and Piata. These genotypes are important in developing new crop pest management strategies, such as push-pull, and for relatively rapid improvements in crop management and yield increases, particularly in developing countries.

REVIEW OF INTERNET OF THINGS TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN AGRICULTURE

Agriculture is back bone of world’s economy and human life to survive. Agricultural Industry has more or less remained dependent on conventional methods of farming. The farming conditions have changed significantly over last few decades. Soil Fertility, Amount of Water for Irrigation and other resources have become scarcer but the global population has increased immensely. This calls in need for implementation of better farming methods like precision farming which increase the overall yield. In recent years there had a gradual increase in the usage of such systems. WSNs tell us about some problems like interoperability, communications, scalability and connectivity. The main aim for precision farming (PA) is to increase the farming production by concerning climate, water quality, terrain, weather and crop status. In recent years farmers are using information systems for the improvement of crop management and to increase productivity. This leads to create a platform for managing farm activities and to improve biodiversity and to reduce the usage of water. Such new invention should be made to enhance and develop the farming. This paper analyses and reveals how IoT can lay a strong foundation towards sustainable development in agriculture.

Architectural Response of Wheat Cultivars to Row Spacing Reveals Altered Perception of Plant Density.

Achieving novel improvements in crop management may require changing interrow distance in cultivated fields. Such changes would benefit from a better understanding of plant responses to the spatial heterogeneity in their environment. Our work investigates the architectural plasticity of wheat plants in response to increasing row spacing and evaluates the hypothesis of a foraging behavior in response to neighboring plants. A field experiment was conducted with five commercial winter wheat cultivars possessing unique architectures, grown under narrow (NI, 17.5 cm) or wide interrows (WI, 35 cm) at the same population density (170 seeds/m2). We characterized the development (leaf emergence, tillering), the morphology (dimension of organs, leaf area index), and the geometry (ground cover, leaf angle, organ spreading, and orientation). All cultivars showed a lower number of emerged tillers in WI compared to NI, which was later partly compensated by lower tiller mortality. Besides, the upper leaf blades were larger in WI. Finally the leaf area index at flowering showed little difference between WI and NI treatments. The rate of leaf emergence and the final leaf number were higher in WI compared to NI, except for one cultivar. Around the start of stem elongation, pseudo-stems were more erect in WI, while around the time of flowering, stems were more inclined and leaves were more planophile. Cultivars differed in their degrees of responses, with one appearing to prospect more specifically within the interrow space in WI treatment. Altogether, our results suggest that altering interrow distance leads to changes in the perceived extent of competition by plants, with responses first mimicking the effect of a higher plant density and later the effect of a lower plant density. Only one cultivar showed responses that suggested a perception of the heterogeneity of the environment. These findings improve our understanding of plant responses to spatial heterogeneity and provide novel information to simulate light capture in plant 3D models, depending on cultivar behavior.

Environmental indicators of banana production in Brazil: Cavendish and Prata varieties

There are relatively few studies in the area of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) concerning tropical perennial agricultural products, although agricultural activities in 2005 accounted for 10–12% of the total global anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and most N2O emissions. Furthermore, the wide diversity of these products contrasts with reduced available environmental data in Brazil. In 2012, bananas were ranked in the twelfth position on the list of commodities in Brazil and accounted for an income of US$ 1,943,869 thousand dollars. Most of the bananas produced are consumed domestically, but exports are growing. The Prata banana variety, for example, began to be exported to Europe recently. Therefore, the aim of this study is to determine environmental indicators for two varieties of banana produced in Brazil – Cavendish and Prata – in order to promote these products to consumers. This study was developed in accordance with the recommendations of the international standards ISO 14,040 and 14,044. The scope of the study was to evaluate banana production systems located at Ribeira Valley, São Paulo State and North of Minas Gerais, which is the main producer of the Prata variety. The temporal coverage was from 2011 to 2014. The functional units adopted were 1 ha of banana orchard and 1 kg banana available at retail. The global warming potential (GWP100), primary energy demand (PED), abiotic depletion (AD), eutrophication potential (EP), acidification potential (AP), land use (LU), total freshwater use (TFW), blue water use (BW), terrestrial ecotoxicity potential (TETP) and human toxicity potential (HTP) of these bananas were estimated. The Prata variety showed lower GWP than Cavendish (4484.92 vs 5762.00 kg CO2-eq ha−1) due to using less nitrogen fertilizers and shorter distances, although this crop is irrigated and consequently consumes electricity. On the other hand, the Prata variety showed higher BW than Cavendish (14,800.36 vs 5300.44 m3 ha−1) due to the irrigation of this crop. Therefore, having the environmental indicators, producers can make improvements in crop management to reduce the environmental impact of the products. Moreover, indicators can be used for promoting the products to local and overseas consumers.

Soil CH4 and N2O Emissions from Rice Paddy Fields in Southern Brazil as Affected by Crop Management Levels: a Three-Year Field Study

ABSTRACT Rice yield increases in response to improvements in crop management, but the impact on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the subtropical region of Southern Brazil remains unknown. A three-year field study was developed aiming to evaluate the impact that an increase in crop management levels (high and very high) has on soil methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions, as compared to the level (medium) currently adopted by farmers in Southern Brazil. Differences in crop management included seed and [...]

Fertilizer type influences tomato yield and soil N<sub>2</sub>O emissions

Improvements in crop management for a more sustainable agriculture are fundamental to reduce environmental impacts of cropland and to mitigate effects on global climate change. In this study three fertilization types – ammonium nitrate (control); mineral fertilizer added with a nitrification inhibitor (3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP)), and an organo-mineral fertilizer (OM) – were tested on a tomato crop in order to evaluate effects both on crop production and soil N<sub>2</sub>O emissions. Plants grown under OM fertilization had a greater relative growth rate compared to mineral fertilization, due to a higher net assimilation rate, which was related to a greater light interception rather than to a higher photosynthetic efficiency. OM fertilization determined the highest fruit production and lower soil N<sub>2</sub>O fluxes compared to NH<sub>4</sub>NO<sub>3</sub>, although the lowest soil N<sub>2</sub>O fluxes were found in response to mineral fertilizer added with a nitrification inhibitor. It can be concluded that organo-mineral fertilizer is a better nutrient source compared to mineral fertilizers able to improve crop yield and to mitigate soil N<sub>2</sub>O emission.

COMPARISON OF UNCALIBRATED RGBVI WITH SPECTROMETER-BASED NDVI DERIVED FROM UAV SENSING SYSTEMS ON FIELD SCALE

Abstract. The development of UAV-based sensing systems for agronomic applications serves the improvement of crop management. The latter is in the focus of precision agriculture which intends to optimize yield, fertilizer input, and crop protection. Besides, in some cropping systems vehicle-based sensing devices are less suitable because fields cannot be entered from certain growing stages onwards. This is true for rice, maize, sorghum, and many more crops. Consequently, UAV-based sensing approaches fill a niche of very high resolution data acquisition on the field scale in space and time. While mounting RGB digital compact cameras to low-weight UAVs (< 5 kg) is well established, the miniaturization of sensors in the last years also enables hyperspectral data acquisition from those platforms. From both, RGB and hyperspectral data, vegetation indices (VIs) are computed to estimate crop growth parameters. In this contribution, we compare two different sensing approaches from a low-weight UAV platform (< 5 kg) for monitoring a nitrogen field experiment of winter wheat and a corresponding farmers’ field in Western Germany. (i) A standard digital compact camera was flown to acquire RGB images which are used to compute the RGBVI and (ii) NDVI is computed from a newly modified version of the Yara N-Sensor. The latter is a well-established tractor-based hyperspectral sensor for crop management and is available on the market since a decade. It was modified for this study to fit the requirements of UAV-based data acquisition. Consequently, we focus on three objectives in this contribution: (1) to evaluate the potential of the uncalibrated RGBVI for monitoring nitrogen status in winter wheat, (2) investigate the UAV-based performance of the modified Yara N-Sensor, and (3) compare the results of the two different UAV-based sensing approaches for winter wheat.

COMPARISON OF UNCALIBRATED RGBVI WITH SPECTROMETER-BASED NDVI DERIVED FROM UAV SENSING SYSTEMS ON FIELD SCALE

The development of UAV-based sensing systems for agronomic applications serves the improvement of crop management. The latter is in the focus of precision agriculture which intends to optimize yield, fertilizer input, and crop protection. Besides, in some cropping systems vehicle-based sensing devices are less suitable because fields cannot be entered from certain growing stages onwards. This is true for rice, maize, sorghum, and many more crops. Consequently, UAV-based sensing approaches fill a niche of very high resolution data acquisition on the field scale in space and time. While mounting RGB digital compact cameras to low-weight UAVs (< 5 kg) is well established, the miniaturization of sensors in the last years also enables hyperspectral data acquisition from those platforms. From both, RGB and hyperspectral data, vegetation indices (VIs) are computed to estimate crop growth parameters. In this contribution, we compare two different sensing approaches from a low-weight UAV platform (< 5 kg) for monitoring a nitrogen field experiment of winter wheat and a corresponding farmers’ field in Western Germany. (i) A standard digital compact camera was flown to acquire RGB images which are used to compute the RGBVI and (ii) NDVI is computed from a newly modified version of the Yara N-Sensor. The latter is a well-established tractor-based hyperspectral sensor for crop management and is available on the market since a decade. It was modified for this study to fit the requirements of UAV-based data acquisition. Consequently, we focus on three objectives in this contribution: (1) to evaluate the potential of the uncalibrated RGBVI for monitoring nitrogen status in winter wheat, (2) investigate the UAV-based performance of the modified Yara N-Sensor, and (3) compare the results of the two different UAV-based sensing approaches for winter wheat.

Towards a genotypic adaptation strategy for Indian groundnut cultivation using an ensemble of crop simulations

Climate change has been projected to significantly affect agricultural productivity and hence food availability in the coming decades. The uncertainty associated with projecting climate change impacts is a barrier to agricultural adaptation. Despite uncertainty quantification becoming more prominent in impact studies, the thorough quantification of more than one uncertainty source is not commonly exercised. This work focuses on Indian groundnut and uses the General Large Area Model for annual crops (GLAM) to investigate the response of groundnut under future climate scenarios, develop a genotypic adaptation strategy, and quantify the main uncertainty sources. Results suggest that despite large uncertainty in yield projections (to which crop- and climate-related sources contribute 46 and 54 %, respectively) no-regret strategies are possible for Indian groundnut. Benefits from genotypic adaptation were robust towards the choice of climate model, crop model parameters and bias-correction methods. Groundnut breeding for 2030 climates should be oriented toward increasing maximum photosynthetic rates, total assimilate partitioned to seeds, and, where enough soil moisture is available, also maximum transpiration rates. No benefit from enhanced heat stress tolerance was observed, though this trait may become important as warming intensifies. Managing yield variability remains a challenge for groundnut, suggesting that an integral approach to crop adaptation that includes year-to-year coping strategies as well as improvements in crop management is needed across all India.

Experiences and Research Perspectives on Sustainable Development of Rice-Wheat Cropping Systems in the Chengdu Plain, China

The rice and wheat cropping pattern is one of the main cropping systems in the world. A large number of research results showed that successive cropping of rice and wheat resulted in a series of problems such as hindering nutrition absorption, gradual degeneration of soil fertility, decline of soil organic matter, and increased incidence of diseases and pests. In China, especially in the Chengdu plain where rice-wheat cropping system is practiced, productivity and soil fertility was enhanced and sustained. This paper reviews the relevant data and experiences on rice-wheat cropping in the Chengdu Plain from 1977 to 2006. The principal sustainable strategies used for rice-wheat cropping systems in Chengdu Plain included: 1) creating a favorable environment and viable rotations; 2) balanced fertilization for maintenance of sustainable soil productivity; 3) improvement of crop management for higher efficiency; and 4) use the newest cultivars and cultivation techniques to upgrade the production level. Future research is also discussed in the paper as: 1) the constant topic: a highly productive and efficient rice-wheat cropping system for sustainable growth; 2) the future trend: simplified cultivation techniques for the rice-wheat cropping system; 3) the foundation: basic research for continuous innovation needed for intensive cropping. It is concluded that in the rice-wheat cropping system, a scientific and reasonable tillage/cultivation method can not only avoid the degradation of soil productivity, but also maintain sustainable growth in the long run.

Multivariate analysis of water-related agroclimatic factors limiting spring wheat yields on the Canadian prairies

Water use by spring wheat and soil water contents at meteorological stations on the Canadian prairies were simulated with the Versatile Soil Moisture Budget model for different crop growth stages. Six water-related agroclimatic indices at five growth stages (seeding–emergence, emergence–jointing, jointing–heading, heading–soft dough and soft dough–harvest) and previous non-growing season were correlated to spring wheat yields in the three prairies provinces and in the entire prairie region for the years 1976–2006. Principal component analysis was applied to explore major modes of joint variability in the regional water-related agroclimatic indices. Canonical correlation analysis was employed to further identify joint variability patterns of the water-related indices associated with regional spring wheat yields. Results showed some common features of the effects of the water-related factors at different growth stages: lower-than-normal moisture stress at the jointing–heading stage favoured spring wheat yields in all three provinces. Regional differences were also seen, for example, a slight moisture stress at the heading–soft dough stage could be beneficial to spring wheat yields in Manitoba because of its relatively wetter climate compared to the other two provinces. The results can be used for a better understanding of the effects of water-related agroclimatic conditions at different growth stages on final spring wheat yields on the Canadian prairies, leading to the improvement of crop management. The results can also be used in regional yield forecasting and in the projection of climate change impacts on crop production. This study provided an example of how to quantify crop–climate relationships by the use of statistical multivariate analysis tools.

Assessing the Peach Fruit Refractometric Index at Harvest with a Simple Model Based on Fruit Growth

Whereas quality is an increasingly important aspect of peach fruit [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch] production at this time, it is still not adequately addressed in crop models. Our objective was to develop a model to assess an essential trait of peach fruit quality (the refractometric index at harvest) to include it in existing crop models and to address the issue of quality in programs dealing with the improvement of crop management. The model predicts the fruit refractometric index, an indicator of sugar content (the most decisive parameter in consumer satisfaction) commonly used by the fruit industry. The model was simple enough so that it could be easily linked to carbon-based crop models. It was calibrated and tested using several independent data sets representing many growing conditions. To account for the effect of uncertainty in input and model parameters, the output of the model was qualified by a prediction interval. Results indicated that the model accurately predicted refractometric indices under 12% (relative root mean squared error values of 0.09 and 0.12 for two data sets), which corresponds to the fruit industry's range of interest. Prediction intervals revealed that the uncertainty in model parameters has moderate effects, whereas the uncertainty of the model input has important effects.

SEASONAL CARBOHYDRATE AND TOTAL NITROGEN DISTRIBUTION IN ROSE PLANTS: DEVELOPMENTAL AND GROWTH IMPLICATIONS

SEASONAL CARBOHYDRATE AND TOTAL NITROGEN DISTRIBUTION IN ROSE PLANTS: DEVELOPMENTAL AND GROWTH IMPLICATIONS

The role of management in yield improvement of the wheat crop—a review with special emphasis on Western Australia

Modern bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) has been well adapted for survival and production in water-limited environments since it was first domesticated in the Mediterranean basin at least 8000 years ago. Adaptation to various environments has been assisted through selection and cross-breeding for traits that contribute to high and stable yield since that time. Improvements in crop management aimed at improving yield and grain quality probably developed more slowly but the rate of change has accelerated in recent decades. Many studies have shown that the contribution to increased yield from improved management has been about double that from breeding. Both processes have proceeded in parallel, although possibly at different rates in some periods, and positive interactions between breeding and management have been responsible for greater improvements than by either process alone. In southern Australia, management of the wheat crop has focused on improvement of yield and grain quality over the last century. Adaptation has come to be equated with profitability and, recently, with long-term economic and biological viability of the production system. Early emphases on water conservation through the use of bare fallow, crop nutrition through the use of fertilisers, crop rotation with legumes, and mechanisation, have been replaced by, or supplemented with, extensive use of herbicides for weed management, reduced tillage, earlier sowing, retention of crop residues, and the use of ‘break’ crops, largely for management of root diseases. Yields from rainfed wheat crops in Western Australia have doubled since the late 1980s and water-use efficiency has also doubled. The percentage of the crop in Western Australia that qualifies for premium payments for quality has increased 3–4 fold since 1990. Both these trends have been underpinned by the gradual elimination or management of the factors that have been identified as limiting grain yield, grain quality, or long-term viability of the cropping system.

Enhancement of area‐specific land‐use objectives for land development

AbstractMaps of land‐use classes and soil series were analysed to identify areas having specific priorities with respect to agricultural land‐use analysis. Remote sensing data supported by field investigations was used to generate land‐use and soil maps. Present relationships between soils and associated land cover/use are analysed and patterns in these relationships are identified using GIS techniques. Relationships observed on the basis of a priori knowledge of the area and the available statistics are compared and these relationships in the field and through interviews with farmers are correlated. This allows three land‐use analysis objectives to be formulated: crop management improvement; crop selection; and conservation. The results can be used to focus the efforts of planning and extension services in the area. The method was tested using a participatory rural appraisal in eighteen villages in which the areas for the three land‐use analysis objectives were identified. The findings are that the areas identified for crop management improvement require knowledge about management practices for a specific crop to optimize yield and water use. Most areas identified for crop selection are occupied by smallholder subsistence farmers with insufficient water for irrigation, and a lack of contact with the extension service. In these areas, identifying suitable crops to minimize risk and allow subsistence for the resource‐poor farmers may be the priority. In areas identified for conservation the question to be addressed is whether to grow a crop at all, or to encourage alternative activities. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.