Introduction Of Legumes Research Articles

Restoration of soil fertility and improvement of phytosanitary condition of soil in short rotation of crops in Polissia of Ukraine

With the intensification of agricultural land use and changes in natural conditions, soil quality in Ukraine is deteriorating, with a decrease in humus content, the average annual loss of which is about 0.6 t/ha. Therefore, its reproduction is now becoming increasingly important through the use of organic raw materials and the introduction of legumes into the crop rotation, which leads to a partial replacement of nitrogen from mineral fertilisers with biological nitrogen. The purpose of this study was to find ways to provide the topsoil with organic residues, develop soil microflora, and improve the activity of nitrogen-fixing bacteria in a short grain legume crop rotation. The study was conducted in 2019-2023 using the following methods: visual – to determine the stages of organogenesis; field – to determine the interaction of abiotic factors; physiological – to determine the symbiotic fixation of atmospheric nitrogen. It was found that due to mineralisation of organic residues of legume crop rotation, the amount of macro- and microelements in the soil layers 0-10 cm, 10-20 cm, and 20-30 cm increased by 45.1-46.9-43.1 mg/kg, respectively. It was found that saturation of short crop rotation by 50% with legumes, straw residues, and green manure contributed to the reduction of pathogenic microorganisms and the growth of suppressive ones. It was found that in a short rotation of crops, 10.3 t/ha of organic matter in the form of stubble and root residues, straw and green manure enters the soil, which contributed to the cultivation of environmentally friendly agricultural products with the restoration of soil fertility. The biological activity of the soil during the growing season in the layer of 10-20 cm reached 47.4%, and the content of alkaline hydrolysed nitrogen in the rhizosphere of the root system increased by 43.9 mg/kg. The value of the study lies in the fact that the introduction of short organic crop rotations in farms of various forms of ownership is an innovative approach to providing light grey soils with organic raw materials, restoring and maintaining their fertility, improving their phytosanitary condition, promoting biodiversity, achieving environmental sustainability and high yields

Mixtures of Forage Species as Pasture for Dairy Ewes in a Mediterranean Environment

In Sicilian forage systems, the introduction of native self-seeding annual legumes can be beneficial in low-input farming. Intercropping would be a valuable strategy for implementing pasture resources in Sicilian forage systems during late spring. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects on ewes’ milk production of continuous grazing with two different mixtures (i) sulla (Sulla coronarium L.), burr medic (Medicago polymorpha L.), and chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) (SuBuCh); and (ii) barrel medic (Medicago truncatula Gaertn.), snail medic (Medicago scutellata L.), and burr medic (BuSnBa). Twenty lactating ewes were homogeneously divided into four groups of five ewes. Each group was assigned to one of four 1500 m2 grazing sectors consisting of two replicates of SuBuCh and BuSnBa. Ewes fed with the SuBuCh mixture showed higher milk yield, higher protein (5.17 vs. 4.85%, p < 0.001) and casein content (4.02 vs. 3.73%, p < 0.001), lower urea content (37.70 vs. 45.38 mg dL−1, p < 0.001), and better clotting parameters compared to ewes grazing on the BuSnBa mixture. Finally, ewes in the SuBuCh group showed a smaller decrease in live weight at the end of the grazing period compared to BuSnBa ewes (−2.05 vs. −3.55 kg, respectively), although the difference did not reach a significant level. These preliminary one-year results seem to highlight the promising role of SuBuCh intercrop leading to a potential quantitative/qualitative improvement in grazing resources and the productive performance of grazing ewes in a semi-arid Mediterranean environment. However, it is of note that these outcomes might undergo variations when subjected to a prolonged trial extending beyond three years.

Introduction of soybean into maize field reduces N2O emission intensity via optimizing nitrogen source utilization

The application of synthetic nitrogen (N) fertilizer has increased anthropogenic N2O emission in global croplands. Due to the advantage of biological nitrogen fixation (BNF), the introduction of legume may lessen N2O emission intensity (emission/yield) in cereal field. Yet, this speculation lacks strong evidences and the relevant mechanistic explanations. A two-year field study was conducted using static chamber method (15N isotope labeling in fertilizer) in the mono- and inter-cropping fields with soybean introduced in maize field in semiarid rainfed Loess Plateau. The results indicated that maize-soybean intercropping showed 13 % lower N2O emission intensity than monocropping, attributed to 14 % and 20 % lower annually N2O emissions in intercropped zone than that of sole maize and soybean zones respectively. Also, a 15 % higher grain yield was observed in intercropped maize relative to that in sole maize. Particularly, during the peak time of emission following N fertilization and BNF within growing season, soybean introduction reduced 25 % and 24 % of N2O emissions in intercropped zone than sole maize and soybean zone respectively. It also favored maize plant with an additional 17 % more fertilizer-derived N, 21 % less soil-derived N and 30 kg N ha−1 soybean transferred-N from BNF. The contributions of N fertilization, BNF and soil initial organic N to N2O production were lessened in intercropping. In this case, the capacity of substrates N transformation into N2O emissions was lowered. Critically, soybean introduction reduced soil ammonia oxidation (as evidenced from amoA AOA and AOB gene abundance) in intercrops’ rhizosphere, and increased soil nitrite reduction (nirS and nirK gene abundance) in maize rhizosphere, and improved soil N2O reduction to N2 (nosZ gene abundance) in soybean rhizosphere. Therefore, soybean introduction optimized N source use for lower N2O emission intensity, via reducing the transformation of substrate N into N2O, and modifying the expression of nitrification and denitrification functional genes.

EFFECTS OF COWPEA (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) VARIETIES AND SOWING DATES ON PERFORMANCE OF COWPEA IN SESAME AND COWPEA INTERCROPPED IN SUDAN SAVANNA, NIGERIA

Farmers in different parts of the world intercropped different crops according to their preferences on social and biological needs. The introduction of legumes intercropped with non-legumes has drawn considerable attention because of its ability to improve cash returns by increasing land use efficiency, among others. However, yields are very low due to lack of improved varieties and poor management practices such as time of introducing the companion crop into the system. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of cowpea variety and cowpea sowing date for growth and yield of cowpea intercropped with Sesame in Sudan Savanna Nigeria. Field studies were conducted during the 2018 and 2019 cropping seasons using split plot design with three replications and two treatments. Treatments consisted of three cowpea varieties (UAM-09-1046-6-1, IT99K-573-1-1 and Borno Brown) and three sowing dates; simultaneous sowing of cowpea with sesame, two weeks after sowing sesame and three weeks after sowing sesame). Data were collected on number of leaves per plant, plant height (cm), number of pods per plant, 100 grain weight and grain yield/ha. Data collected were subjected to Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) to determine significant differences among treatment means. The means were compared using Least Significant Differences (LSD) and Duncan Multiple Range Test (DMRT) at 5% level of probability. Cowpea variety has significant influence on grain yield, pod yield and number of leaves per plant, where UAM-09-1046-6-1recorded superior grain yield, and number of pods per plant, respectively, although Borno Brown had better number of leaves per plant and plant height. Cowpea variety interacted positively with sowing date. Cowpea grain yield/ha across years increases when IT99K-573-1-1 was sown simultaneously with sesame while Borno Brown sown three weeks after sesame produced the least grain yield. For the sowing date, simultaneous sowing of cowpea with sesame(0 WASS) had better plant height, number of leaves per plant and plant height, whereas the 2 and 3 WASS plants had the lowest growth. Grain yields of cowpea intercrop are best realized by simultaneous sowing of sesame in association with IT99K-573-1-1variety in the Sudan savannah.

Fungal community composition changes and reduced bacterial diversity drive improvements in the soil quality index during arable land restoration

Arable land is facing the growing challenge of land degradation due to intensive use and this is beginning to affect global food security. However, active and passive restoration can improve soil characteristics and reshape microbial communities. Despite the increasing focus on changes in microbial communities during restoration, the mechanisms underlying how microbes drive the soil quality index (SQI) in arable land restoration remain unclear. In this study, we selected conventional farmland (CF, heavily intensified) and two restoration strategies (AR, artificial restoration; NR, natural restoration), with the same context (including soil texture, climate, etc.), and measured the microbial indicators over 2 years to investigate the mechanisms driving SQI improvement on restored arable land. The AR and NR treatments resulted in a 50% and 58% increase in SQI, respectively, compared to CF as soil nutrient levels increased, resulting in higher microbial biomasses and enzyme activities. Microbial abundance on the AR land was approximately two times greater than on the NR land due to the introduction of legumes. Bacterial diversity declined, while fungi developed in a more diverse direction under the restoration strategies. The AR and NR areas were mainly enriched with rhizobium (Microvirga, Bradyrhizobium), which contribute to healthy plant growth. The pathogenic fungi (Gibberella, Fusarium, Volutella) were more abundant in the CF area and the plant pathogen guild was about five times higher in the restored areas. Following arable land restoration, microbial life history strategies shifted from r-to K-strategists due to the higher proportion of recalcitrant SOC (DOC/SOC decreased by 18%–30%). The altered microbial community in the restored areas created new levels of functionality, with a 2.6%–4.3% decrease in bacterial energy metabolism (oxidative phosphorylation, C fixation, and N metabolism decreased by 7%, 4%, and 6%, respectively). Structural equation modelling suggested that restoration strategy affected SQI either directly by increasing total soil nutrient levels or indirectly by altering the microbial community and that fungal community composition and bacterial diversity made the largest contributions to SQI. These results provided new insights into soil quality improvement from a microbial perspective and can help guide future arable land restoration.

Temporal changes of topsoil nematode communities in rubber plantations in Ivory Coast in response to logging residue management and legumes introduction

Temporal changes of topsoil nematode communities in rubber plantations in Ivory Coast in response to logging residue management and legumes introduction

Perennial forage legumes as an element of sustainable systems

In the current intensive systems of agricultural production, many important features, i.e., functions of the agroecosystem have been degraded and disrupted. The intensification of agricultural production inevitably leads to land degradation in terms of its physical, chemical, and biological properties. The increasing presence of monocultures, reduced crop rotation, and excessive use of mineral nutrients, lead to several negative phenomena in such agroecosystems. Along with efforts to reduce energy consumption, and environmental pollution, intensify sustainable agriculture systems, and maintain biodiversity, the possibility of increasing the area under perennial forage legumes should be considered. As nitrogen fixers, these plants are minimally fertilized with nitrogen fertilizers whose residues in the soil are lost by leaching, causing pollution of groundwater as well as surface watercourses. The introduction of perennial legumes in the crop rotation can provide numerous benefits, such as increased and more stable yields of protein-rich biomass, conservation, and repair of land resources, increased yield stability, better utilization of nutrients, water, and light, as well as weed, disease, and pest control. The introduction of legumes in production systems would limit the increasingly pronounced land degradation. In order to develop sustainable agriculture, market policy should recognize the value of products obtained from leguminous plants through certain agricultural policy measures.

Peanut-based Rotation Stabilized Diazotrophic Communities and Increased Subsequent Wheat Yield.

The introduction of legumes into rotations can improve nitrogen use efficiency and crop yield; however, its microbial mechanism involved remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the temporal impact of peanut introduction on microorganisms related to nitrogen metabolism in rotation systems. In this study, the dynamics of diazotrophic communities in two crop seasons and wheat yields of two rotation systems: winter wheat - summer maize (WM) and spring peanut → winter wheat - summer maize (PWM) in the North China Plain were investigated. Our results showed that peanut introduction increased wheat yield and biomass by 11.6% (p < 0.05) and 8.9%, respectively. Lower Chao1 and Shannon indexes of the diazotrophic communities were detected in soils that sampling in June compared with those sampling in September, although no difference was found between WM and PWM. Principal co-ordinates analysis (PCoA) showed that rotation system significantly changed the diazotrophic community structures (PERMANOVA; p < 0.05). Compared with WM, the genera of Azotobacter, Skermanella, Azohydromonas, Rhodomicrobium, Azospirillum, Unclassified_f_Opitutaceae, and Unclassified_f_Rhodospirillaceae were significantly enriched (p < 0.05) in PWM. Furthermore, rotation system and sampling time significantly influenced soil properties, which significantly correlated with the top 15 genera in relative abundance. Partial least squares path modeling (PLS-PM) analysis further showed that the diazotrophic community diversity (alpha- and beta-diversity) and soil properties (pH, SOC and TN) significantly affected wheat yield. In conclusion, legume inclusion has the potential to stabilize diazotrophic community structure at the temporal scales and increase subsequent crop yield.

Bioactive peptides identified in pea and faba bean after in vitro digestion with human gastrointestinal enzymes

We investigated the digestive peptide profiles of pea and faba bean proteins to evaluate possible bioactive peptides (BAPs), and to test immune-modulating properties of selected peptides using in vitro cell model. More than 400 unique peptides were released upon gastrointestinal digestion of pea and faba bean proteins and identified by high-resolution mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS/MS). Among these, 24 peptides were potentially bioactive as predicted by in silico analysis. Also, up to 275 recognized BAPs and eight known allergens were identified within the peptide sequences of the digests. Four selected peptides significantly decreased the IL-8 response in Caco-2 cells, with a specific pea peptide, DKPWWPK, reducing the IL-8 response up to 40 % during IL-1β induction. Combined with other nutritional benefits, the immune-modulatory properties of legume proteins point to a regular introduction of legumes in the diet, as they represent a still scarcely exploited food category, especially in the Nordic countries.

Comparative analysis of fodder legumes in Murmansk Province

Background. Dairy farming is one of the main segments in the agricultural sector of Murmansk Province. Expanding the range of cultivated legume fodder crops and their cultivars is one of the ways to comprehensively solve the problem of feed in the Kola Peninsula. Introduction of perennial legumes into the feed production practice will reduce the production cost of feeds and improve their quality.Materials and methods. Fodder galega, variable and yellow alfalfa (2005–2009), bird’s-foot trefoil (2006–2007), and sweet clover (2007–2008) were studied at the Polar Experiment Station of VIR. Weather conditions during the years of study differed in temperature and water regimes. Observations and records were made according to VIR’s guidelines. Statistical data processing included the calculation of the main variation parameters and the construction of a generalized linear model of the variance structure.Results. The data are presented on the study of the collection of four perennial fodder legumes in Murmansk Province, Russia, in 2005–2009. Alfalfa surpassed fodder galega, sweet clover and bird’s-foot trefoil in winter hardiness, height and bushiness, showed medium leafiness, and (for the entire study cycle) had low air-dry mass yield. Biennial bicarpic sweet clover stood out for its air-dry mass yield on average per year, had medium height and foliage, but low winter hardiness and bushiness. Bird’sfoot trefoil was significantly inferior to the rest of the studied crops in all agronomic characteristics. Galega had the highest leafiness; in winter hardiness, bushiness and plant height it was slightly inferior to alfalfa, and in yield to white clover. Seeds under the conditions of Murmansk Province can be obtained only from galega accessions.Conclusion. According to a set of agronomic characters, the most promising crop is fodder galega, especially its adapted naturalized accessions selected in 1991–1993.

PRODUKSI HIJAUAN DAN KOMPOSISI KIMIA RUMPUT KUME DAN SUKET PUTIHAN YANG DIINTRODUKSI JENIS LEGUMINOSA BERBEDA (Herbage production and chemical composition of kume grass and suket putihan introduced with different types of legumes)

Low quality and quantity of pasture in East Nusa Tengara is the main problem in development of ruminants. The solution offered to this problem is by using mixed pasture of grass and legume, by consider legume’s advantage in nitrogen fixation, and also it’s capability to provide canopy or shades to grass. The aim of this experiment was to investigate the effect of the introduction of various species of herbaceous legumes on herbage production and the chemical composition of Sorghum plumosum and Bothriochloa pertusa. The research was conducted following a Completely Randomized Design (RCD) with 4 treatments and 3 replications. The treatments tested consisted of Co (Sorghum plumosum and Bothriochloa pertusa), Av (Sorghum plumosum, Bothriochloa pertusa and Alysicarpus vaginalis), Ct (Sorghum plumosum, Bothriochloa pertusa and Clitoria ternatea) and Pp (Sorghum plumosum, Bothriochloa pertusa and Pueraria phaseoloides). The parameters observed were the production of forage, the leaf stem ratio, crude protein, crude fiber, and NDF (Neutral Detergent Fiber). The results showed that the introduction of herbaceous legumes did not affect the production, leaf stem ratio and also the crude protein but does affect the chemical composition of Kume and Suket Putihan such as changes of crude fibre and NDF at the age of 60 days.

Pasture management and greenhouse gases emissions

Pastures are important environments worldwide because they offer many ecosystem services and sustain meat and milk production. However, pastures ecosystems are responsible for greenhouse gas (GHG) emission. The major GHGs include CO2, CH4, and N2O. The present review summarizes GHG emission from pasture ecosystems and discusses strategies to mitigate this problem. In pastures, emissions originate from animal excretion, fertilization, and organic matter decomposition. Emissions of specific gases can be measured based on certain factors that were recently updated by the United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in 2019. Urine is the main source of N2O emission. Forage structure is an important factor driving GHG transport. Forage fiber content and animal intake are the key drivers of enteric CH4 emission, and the introduction of forage legumes in pasture systems is one of the most promising strategy to mitigate GHG emission.

Diversification improves the performance of cereals in European cropping systems

In the face of climate change, cropping systems need to achieve a high performance, providing food and feed and adapting to variable environmental conditions. Diversification of cropping systems can support ecosystem services and associated biodiversity, but there is little evidence on which temporal field arrangement affects the performance of crop yields (productivity and stability), partly due to a lack of long-term data and appropriate indicators. The objectives of this study were to quantify the effect of cropping system diversification on yield stability, environmental adaptability, and the probability of diversified systems to outperform less diverse cereal-based systems in Europe. Spring and winter cereal yields were analyzed from long-term field experiments from Sweden, Scotland, and France. We investigated diversification through (i) introduction of perennial leys, (ii) increasing the proportion of ley in the rotation, (iii) varying the order in which crops are positioned in the rotation, (iv) introduction of grain legumes, and (v) introduction of cover crops. The results showed that cereal crops within cropping systems incorporating perennial leys outperformed systems without leys in 60–94% of the comparisons with higher probabilities at low fertilizer intensities. The yield stability of oat did not differ, but mean yields were 33% higher, when grown directly after the ley compared to oat grown two years later in the crop sequence under similar management. Durum wheat grown in a cropping system with grain legumes had higher yields in lower-yielding environmental conditions compared to rotations without legumes. Diversification with cover crops did not significantly affect yield stability. We conclude that diverse cropping systems can increase cereal productivity and environmental adaptability and are more likely to outperform less diverse systems especially when introducing perennial forage legumes into arable systems. Effects of diversification on cereal yield stability were inconsistent indicating that higher productivity is achievable without reducing yield variability. These novel findings can support the design of more diverse and high-performing cropping systems.

Bradyrhizobium occurrence in nodules of perennial horsegram.

The introduction of a forage legume into a tropical pasture should decrease the need for N fertilizer, provided biological N2 fixation (BNF) contributes enough to compensate for exported N. Macrotyloma axillare (perennial horsegram) is a suitable legume for composing mixed pastures, and our hypothesis is that the isolation of indigenous rhizobia from roots and rhizosphere is the way of achieving an efficient inoculant to maximize BNF to the legume. Nodules and rhizosphere soil taken from M. axillare grown in a mixed pasture with palisade grass were sampled and used in a trap host assay using Leonard jars containing a mixture of vermiculite and sand. A total of ten bacteria were initially isolated using this technique. The isolates were then used in two experiments to evaluate the inoculation responses on the perennial horsegram in greenhouse conditions to which nodulation, plant growth, and shoot N accumulation were measured. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA and recA placed all strains within genus Bradyrhizobium, some of them not previously described. The best strain provided more than 120 nodules and more than 65mg of nodules per plant. Strain BR14182 was considered the most promising given the high dry matter and N accumulation in plant shoots. This study provides the first analysis of Bradyrhizobium diversity nodulating M. axillare in Brazil and provided evidence of the role of inoculation in incrementing the plant-rhizobium symbiosis in a forage legume.

Evaluation of crop productivity, water and nitrogen use, and carbon footprint of summer peanut ‐ winter wheat cropping systems in the North China Plain

AbstractThe introduction of legumes into the cropping system has been considered as an effective and alternative way to reduce nitrogen (N) input and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission, and boost system productivity. However, the productivity, water and N use, and carbon emission of legume‐based cropping systems in the North China Plain were not well‐documented. Here, a 2‐year field experiment was conducted to compare the yield, water and N use, and carbon footprint (CF) of summer peanut–winter wheat (PW) and summer maize–winter wheat (MW) cropping systems. Results showed that the experimental year significantly affected system productivity and water use efficiency of PW and MW. PW increased annual equivalent yield and water consumption by 10.1% and 12.9% in the first year (p &lt; 0.05), compared with MW. Yet, PW decreased annual net income by 8.6% on average during the two experimental years. PW lowered annual N input by 12.1% compared with MW; however, no significant difference in apparent N use efficiency was found between PW and MW. Moreover, PW decreased its annual CF by 13.0%, which was attributed to the lower indirect GHGs emission from N input of summer peanut. In summary, PW showed considerable potential in reducing N fertilizer input and CF, with acceptable economic loss and water consumption in the North China Plain.

Breastfeeding, Complementary Feeding, Physical Activity, Screen Use, and Hours of Sleep in Children under 2 Years during Lockdown by the COVID-19 Pandemic in Chile.

Infants and children are a risk group in terms of developing healthy habits, an important aspect if we consider that many of them were born during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our objective was to evaluate compliance with lifestyle recommendations proposed at the national and international levels in children aged 0 to 23 months during confinement due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Chile. A cross-sectional study was conducted, and 211 online questionnaires were completed with sociodemographic and lifestyle information of children. Our results show high compliance with the recommendations on breastfeeding intake (78.3% and 69.5% in 0–5-month-old and 6–23-month-old children, respectively); age of starting complementary feeding (87.4%); non-consumption of salt and sugar (80.1%), non-caloric sweeteners (90.7%), and sweet and salty snacks (68.9%); and hours of physical activity (66.8%) and sleep (65.4%). However, we observed low compliance with the recommendations on the age of introduction of dinner (58.0%), eggs (23.0%), legumes (39.2%), and fish (35.1%); low consumption of legumes (43.4%) and fish (20.5%); and low compliance with the recommendations on screen use during meals (59.2%) and daily screen hours (41.2%). In conclusion, feeding behavior, physical activity, use of screens, and hours of sleep in children were altered by confinement during the pandemic, harming the development of healthy lifestyles.

Introduction Superior Bulls and Feed Bank Enhancing Sustainability of Wanaternak Programs in Indonesia

Over the past 20 years, the Wanaternak program in Indonesia has been rolled out with a forest land use scheme in a synergy and integrated with beef cattle development. There is still not much information and data that reports on the progress of this program, especially in terms of developing and increasing livestock populations in a forest area. The concept of cattle management in forest areas is through nutritional and reproductive aspects, namely the cow calf operation through semi-intensive and / or grazing, which relies on feed from forest vegetation. The target of the beef cattle breeding pattern is to produce calves, so it requires the implementation of technology on how cows can get pregnant and produce healthy calves. In order to produce good offspring, of course, an effective and efficient mating pattern is needed, in this case the natural mating pattern using superior bulls is a strategic matter, especially in areas that are difficult to reach by inseminators. On the other hand, the quantity and quality of feed are the main factors in supporting livestock productivity. Development of a feed bank, which is one of the alternative strategies for meeting the maintenance and livestock production throughout the year. The concept of developing a feed bank in an animal forest area, takes into account: (1) decreasing availability of forage, primarily the animal feed supply from existing forest vegetation, (2) optimal utilization of silvo-pasture, (3) regulating grazing patterns, (4) introduction of legume or grass that is resistant to trampling and inundation, (5) area carrying capacity index, (6) processing manure into organic fertilizer for food, estate and forest plantations. This paper is prepared as a concept of livestock management in the practical management aspects of mating and provision of feed that supports sustainable development of Wanaternak in Indonesia.

Effect of Time of Introduction of Legumes into Cassava on the Productivity of Cassava in Cassava-Legume based Intercropping Systems

Background and Objective: The time of sowing component crops is an important management variable that can improve productivity and increase land equivalent ratio in intercropping systems. The study aimed to evaluate the effect of the time of introduction of legumes into cassava on cassava productivity.&#x0D; Study Design: The experiment was a factorial randomized complete block design with three replications.&#x0D; Place and Duration of Study: Field trials were conducted in 2015/2016 and 2016/2017 cropping seasons in three agro-climatic zones.&#x0D; Methodology: The treatments consisted of seven cropping associations, two cassava architectures, two spatial arrangements of cassava, and two introduction times of the legume. The cassava was grown on flat land and the legumes were inserted in between the rows of the cassava. The introduction of the legumes were done in two stages, namely: simultaneous introduction in which the cassava and the legumes were planted at the same time and late introduction in which, the cassava was introduced four weeks after the cassava was planted.&#x0D; Results: The result shows that values for both yield and growth parameters of cassava were higher when the legumes were introduced four weeks after the establishment of the cassava. Also, the land equivalent ratios for both times of introductions were greater than one and were higher when the legumes were introduced four weeks after the establishment of the cassava.&#x0D; Conclusion: For higher productivity of cassava in a cassava-legume-based intercropping system, the introduction of the legumes into the cassava should be delayed for at least four weeks after the cassava is established.

Effects of enrichmemt planting with native tree species on bacterial community structure and potential impact on Eucalyptus plantations in southern China

Multi-generational planting of Eucalyptus species degrades soil quality but the introduction of legumes can improve soil fertility and microbial diversity. However, the effects of introducing non-legume native tree species on soil nutrients and bacterial community structure remain poorly understood. This study investigated the impacts of the conversion of third generation monoculture Eucalyptus plantations to mixed systems including Eucalyptus urograndis with Cinnamomum camphora (EC) and E. urograndis with Castanopsis hystrix (EH), on soil chemical and biochemical properties and bacterial community structure, diversity and functions. First generation E. urophylla plantations were the control. Results show that planting the third generation Eucalyptus led to a significant decrease in pH, organic matter, nutrient content, enzyme activities (invertin, acid phosphataes, and urease), and bacterial α-diversity compare to the controls. However, the mixed planting showed significant improvement in soil chemical and biochemical attributes and bacterial α-diversity, although the E. urograndis and C. hystrix planting had no improvement. Chloroflexi (oligotrophic bacteria) were significantly enriched in third generation Eucalyptus and Eucalyptus + C. hystrix, while proteobacteria increased significantly in the E. urograndis with C. camphora plantings. The relative abundance of multiple metabolic pathways increased significantly in the third generation Eucalyptus plantations whereas membrane transport-related genes were enriched in soils of the mixed systems. The changes in bacterial community structures in the two mixed systems were driven by diversity, organic matter and acid phosphatase, while bacterial functions were affected by invertase, {mathrm{NO}}_{3}^{-}-N, diversity and urease. These results suggest that the transformation of successive monoculture Eucalyptus plantations into mixed plantations reduces the depletion of soil nutrients and enhances the ecological function of soil microorganisms.

Diversity and ecological niche modelling studies in Trifolium repens L. (White clover) in the region of north-western Himalaya, India

Trifolium repens L., commonly referred as white clover, is one of the important stoloniferous perennial range legume growing in temperate regions. The introduction of forage legumes in agro-ecosystem provides nitrogen enrichment in soil and mobilizes other nutrients. Further, it has a tremendous potential to help rehabilitate temperate grasslands and decrease the severe fodder shortage in the Himalayan region. In recent decades, collecting and exploration of forage species germplasm, including white clover, have been in the focus of researchers. The collected material shall act as a safe repository for different improvement programmes in future as the germplasm has been stored in the Long Term Module of the National Gene Bank. In this study, maximum entropy (MaxEnt) technique of niche modelling was used to explore probable new areas for the collection of white clover germplasm and identify favorable climate for characterization, cultivation, evaluation and on-farm conservation in the Indian Himalayan region, which comprises the of Jammu Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Significant variation was observed in plant height (15.5 to 37.6 cm), floret number per flower head (9.24 to 52.4), 100 seed weight (0.038 to 0.077), dry matter yield per plant (6.2 to 15.1 g), leaf length (15.6 to 48.4 mm), leaf width (11.2 to 39.6 mm). Very highly significant variation was also observed in ?V? marking. Dendrogram grouped the 22 accessions into two clusters based on the average linking method. Cluster I consisted of five accessions (IC-615818, IC- 615817,IC-622352, IC-615815, and IC-622362), cluster- II could be grouped into sub-cluster-IIA and sub-cluster- IIB. Cluster IIA consist of six accessions (IC- 622338, IC-622379, IC-622382, IC-622401, IC-622343 and IC-62237), whereas cluster-IIB comprise of 11 accessions (IC- 615814 IC- 615811, IC-615819, IC-622376, IC-622383, IC-615812, IC-622385, IC-615816, IC- 615817, IC-622415 and IC-622406). In this study, maximum entropy (MaxEnt) technique of niche modelling was used to explore probable new areas for the collection of white clover germplasm, identifying favorable climate for characterization, cultivation &amp; evaluation and on-farm conservation in the Indian Himalayan region comprising the Union Territory of Jammu Kashmir and the states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.