Off-season Crop Research Articles

IoT based Automated Greenhouse

The advent of the greenhouse as a sustainable form of smart agricultural farming present a best solution to address the challenges like food scarcity resulting from population growth, climate change and environment change. This method help in off-season crop cultivation even in severe climatic conditions within enclosed spaces. However, effective control and management of crop parameters within the greenhouse are essential. Leveraging advancements in the Internet of Things (IoT) introduces smart solutions for automating greenhouse farming parameters including plant monitoring, atmosphere control, and irrigation. The greenhouse is one of the growing technologies used for cultivation. This work proposes study of technologies used in the greenhouse for monitoring and control. This work analyses the different communication techniques used for monitoring the parameter of greenhouse using relays, sensors. With the help of Wi-Fi connectivity helps to analyse the real data over the cloud, real time working of the equipment. The advantage over the simple greenhouse so that the farmer can easily understand which technology suit the best. This also help farmer to adopt the best suited technique in greenhouse that are cost-friendly, easy to use, and have longer life. Keywords – IoT, Greenhouse, NodeMCU, Firebase.

Modeling of a photovoltaic drip irrigation system for an offseason crop: case of onion cultivation in PITOA (North Cameroon)

Modeling of a photovoltaic drip irrigation system for an offseason crop: case of onion cultivation in PITOA (North Cameroon)

Spatial Dependency in Stubble-Borne Pyrenophora teres f. teres and Influence of Sample Support Size on DNA Concentration and Fungicide Resistance Frequency.

Fungicide resistance in foliar fungal pathogens is an increasing challenge to crop production. Yield impacts due to loss of fungicide efficacy may be reduced through effective surveillance and appropriate management intervention. For stubble-borne pathogens, off-season crop residues may be used to monitor fungicide resistance to inform pre-planting decisions; however, appropriate sampling strategies and support sizes for crop residues have not previously been considered. Here, we used Pyrenophora teres f. teres (Ptt) with resistance to demethylase inhibitor fungicides as a model system to assess spatial dependency and to compare the effects of different sampling strategies and support sizes on pathogen density (Ptt DNA concentration) and the frequency of fungicide resistance mutation. The results showed that sampling strategies (hand-picked versus raked) did not affect estimates of pathogen density or fungicide resistance frequency; however, sample variances were lower from raked samples. The effects of differing sample support size, as the size of the collection area (1.2, 8.6, or 60 m2), on fungicide resistance frequency were not evident (P > 0.05). However, measures of pathogen density increased with area size (P < 0.05); the 60 m2 area yielded the highest Ptt DNA concentration and produced the lowest number of pathogen-absent samples. Sample variances for pathogen density and fungicide resistance frequency were generally homogeneous between area sizes. The pattern of pathogen density was spatially independent; however, spatial dependency was identified for fungicide resistance frequency, with a range of 110 m, in one of the two fields surveyed. Collectively, the results inform designs for monitoring of fungicide resistance in stubble-borne pathogens.

Effects of N-fertilization and Off-season Crops on Soybean Yield and Grain Protein and Oil Concentrations in a Tropical Climate

Effects of N-fertilization and Off-season Crops on Soybean Yield and Grain Protein and Oil Concentrations in a Tropical Climate

Soybean yield, seed protein and oil concentration, and soil fertility affected by off-season crops

The main cropping system in Brazil is soybean-maize off-season, particularly in tropical climate regions. However, there is a lack of information about the effects of alternative off-season crops on soybean performance and soil chemical fertility. The objective of this study was to evaluate, in a long-term experiment, the effects of off-season crops on soybean yield, seed protein and oil concentration, and soil chemical fertility under a no-tillage system. A seven-year experiment was conducted in Londrina, Paraná, Brazil. Treatments comprised six crop systems in the soybean off-season: (i) maize with nitrogen (N) fertilizer topdressing (80 kg N ha−1, (ii) maize without N fertilizer topdressing, (iii) wheat without N fertilizer topdressing, (iv) ruzigrass (Urochloa ruziziensis) without fertilizers, (v) showy rattlebox (Crotalaria spectabilis) without fertilizers, and (vi) unplanted fallow. Maize and wheat were used as cash crops and ruzigrass and showy rattlebox as cover crops. Ruzigrass had the highest straw production (average of 6.8 Mg ha−1 year−1) and improved soil fertility, especially organic carbon and potassium concentrations in the superficial soil layer. Ruzigrass and wheat off-season provided the highest soybean yields in succession (4311 and 4228 kg ha−1, respectively), whereas maize without N and fallow resulted in the lowest soybean yields (3841 and 3825 kg ha−1, respectively). Ruzigrass off-season provided the greatest yield stability of soybean and the fallow the lowest yield stability (coefficients of variation of 14.70 % and 23.78 %, respectively). The highest soybean seed protein concentration was observed with ruzigrass (368 g kg−1) and the lowest with fallow (353 g kg−1). The highest seed oil concentration was observed in maize with N and showy rattlebox (224 g kg−1 for both off-season crops) and the lowest with wheat (216 g kg−1). The ruzigrass provided the highest soybean seed protein and oil yields (1586 and 945 kg ha−1) and fallow the lowest (1352 and 845 kg ha−1). The ruzigrass used as soybean off-season cover crop improved the soil chemical fertility and soybean grain yield.

Produtividade da cultura do amendoim sob irrigação plena e deficitária na fase reprodutiva

ABSTRACT Peanut cultivation has national and global significance in agriculture and industry. Under water-limited conditions, its yield decreases to the extent that it compromises the success of the exploitation. This study focused on evaluating peanut crop yield and production components under full and deficit irrigation applied in the reproductive phase, to determine the impact of water supply on the yield of peanuts grown in the off-season in the State of São Paulo, Brazil. The experiment was conducted for two years and followed a randomized blocks design with five irrigation levels distributed in strips, with four repetitions. The treatments consisted of crop evapotranspiration replenishments from 100 to 10%. In the first year, under suitable temperatures, the maximum yield reached 3,922 kg ha-1 with the application of 277 mm of irrigation depth and decreased up to 35% with the lowest irrigation depth (48 mm). In the second year, suboptimal temperatures caused a delay in the growing cycle and caused a 33% reduction in crop yields. Despite the potential benefits of deficit irrigation in increasing water productivity, low temperatures pose a risk to peanut yield, especially during the off-season crop in the region.

Multistep ahead prediction of temperature and humidity in solar greenhouse based on FAM-LSTM model

Solar greenhouses offer favorable climatic environments for the production of off-season crops in northern China. Greenhouse temperature and humidity are critical environmental factors influencing crop growth; therefore, it is crucial to predict the temperature and humidity. In this research, we constructed a feed-forward attention mechanism- long-short term memory (FAM-LSTM) model for the multistep prediction of temperature and humidity in a solar greenhouse. The FAM-LSTM model considered both internal and external environmental factors influencing crop growth, where the factors include temperature, humidity, light, soil temperature, and soil moisture. Then, we performed corresponding experiments employing this model in predicting both temperature and humidity at prediction horizons of 12, 24, 36, and 48 h. The FAM-LSTM model stands out due to its high accuracy compared with different models. The temperature prediction error of the model at four prediction horizons is primarily within [−0.5, 0.9], [−2.1, 1.7], [−0.9, 2.7], and [−1.8, 2.9] ℃, respectively. The humidity prediction errors of the model at four prediction horizons are mainly within [−1.9, 1.8], [−4.4, 3.6], [−6.9, 2.4], and [−5.8, 4.4] %, respectively. This study offers an effective temperature and humidity prediction approach for precise environmental regulation and damage warnings in solar greenhouses.

Biochemical changes due to Pathogenesis in French beans (Phaseolus vulgaris l.) Infected by rhizoctonia solani Kuhn

French Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris l.) belongs to the family Fabaceae and is native to south america. French bean has evolved from wild growing vine distributed in the high lands of Middle america and andes. this important legume crop is grown for its dry grain and tender pods in north-Western India. this offseason crop can be successfully raised under Punjab conditions during winter season which fetches higher price in the market and economical to the farmers when there is no availability of green pods from high altitude. It is widely cultivated in tropics, sub-tropics and temperate regions. When bean plant infected by fungal, bacterial or any other pathogen, different alternations are observed. the present study was carried out in the department of Botany, darrang college to compare the biochemical changes occurring in bean plants growing in normal soil, and sterilized soil mixed with fungus rhizoctonia solani .

Vegetal protein hydrolysates reduce the yield losses in off-season crops under combined heat and drought stress.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12298-023-01334-4.

Protected cultivation of horticultural crops in Nepal: Current practices and future needs

Protected cultivation infers the cultivation under guarded conditions or we can say simply, cultivation under a modified atmosphere or man-made micro-climatic conditions such as alteration in the CO2 concentration also use of different temperature levels on specific protected structures such as hoop houses, cold houses, shade houses, hot frames or hotbeds, hot-bed manures as well as high tunnels which are less costly as well and can be easily afforded by Nepalese farmers. Horticultural crops rely heavily on specific environmental conditions i.e., temperature, soil moisture, sunlight, and soil fertility. However, with climate change, weather patterns worldwide are shifting, significantly impacting horticultural crops directly and indirectly in the mid-hills as well as high-hills of Nepal. The people of the mountainous region are getting malnutrition due to the scarcity of food. By adapting the different climate-smart practices we can increase the productivity of the seasonal crop as well as the availability of off-season crops throughout the year which not only improves the malnutrition status of Nepalese people but also helps the country to lower the vulnerability towards climate change. This review highlights the common protected practices used in Nepal and their need in the future.

NUTRIENT REMOVAL BY OFF-SEASON GRAIN SORGHUM AS AFFECTED BY INTERCROPPING WITH RUZIGRASS AND FERTILIZATION LEVELS IN THE BRAZILIAN CERRADO

Sorghum is an off-season crop option in succession to soybean in the Cerrado region, but many producers underestimate the fertilization requirement, which can harm the productive performance of the system as a whole. Aiming to quantify the uptake and export of nutrients by grain sorghum, experiments were carried out in monocropping and intercropping with ruzigrass (Uroclhoa ruziziensis), with three levels of NPK fertilization (control without fertilization; maintenance fertilization; and maintenance + 30%). The experimental design was randomized blocks, with four replications. Sorghum plants were sampled at 33, 67 and 130 days after sowing, corresponding to the eight-leaf, flowering and physiological maturation development stages. The nutrient accumulation throughout the sorghum cycle and the respective extraction and export rates were calculated. Intercropping with ruzigrass reduces grain yield, but does not influence sorghum nutrient accumulation. Fertilization in soil with current high fertility increases biomass and nutrient accumulation, however, without any impact on grain yield. In off-season sorghum crop, nutrient uptake occurs mostly during the vegetative phase. Each ton of grain produced removes the equivalent of 14.5; 5.0; 3.5; 1.1 and 0.5 kg of N, P2O5, K2O, Mg and S, in addition to 2, 2, 25, 9 and 11 g of B, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn, respectively. The potential for nutrient removal by grain sorghum cultivation is comparable to the patterns of the off-season maize crop, evidencing the importance of fertilization to replenish the amounts of nutrient exported.

Development, Current Status and Challenges of Multiple Use Water Systems in Nepal: A Review

Drinking water supply systems in Nepal, originally designed to meet domestic water needs, are currently being used to fulfill the multiple water needs beyond domestic use which created inefficiency, risking water shortage and even causing premature system failure and breakdown. International Development Enterprises (IDE) first implemented the scheme, which is referred, to as Multiple-Use Water Systems (MUWS) that addresses the productive as well as domestic water needs. The MUWS systems are implemented in middle hill districts of the western, mid-western and far-western development regions of Nepal. The onset point for MUWS is classified as domestic-plus in which users have access to water for productive uses but maintain the priority for domestic uses around homesteads; irrigation-plus in which, users can accommodate water for both productive and domestic uses but maintain the priority for irrigation uses; and community-driven in which communities and their existing water practices and priorities as a starting point for improvement, and offers technology choices designed for multiple uses. MUWS shows multiple benefits by ensuring water availability, enhanced economy and community involvement. However, the system faced challenges of water shortage during the lean period and unaffordable system connection fees and tariffs for the poor and marginalised. Properly planned, managed and regulated MUWS can be seen as one of the several potential adaptation options utilising scarce water for high-value and off-season crop production, more effectively and efficiently in the context of changing climate.

Performance of cauliflower cultivars under different phytosanitary management in summer/autumn crops, under no-till in Santa Catarina

The performance of five cauliflower cultivars in conventional and alternative phytosanitary management—without the use of synthetic pesticides—was evaluated. Two experiments were conducted at Epagri, Ituporanga Experimental Station in February 2018 and 2019. A randomized block design with four repetitions was adopted, with twenty plants of each cultivar as plots. The seedlings were transplanted on millet and mucuna straw at a spacing of 0.5 m × 0.8 m. We evaluated agronomic yield, inflorescence quality, pest damage and plant diseases, especially bacterial and fungal rots. The cauliflower hybrids Vera, Verona and Serena stood out in productivity and quality, being the most indicated for sowing in off-season crops, in the Alto Vale do Itajaí region. The most productive cultivars were less damaged by bacterial diseases and defoliating caterpillars and without interference of whitefly infestation on yield. The results also reveal that it is possible to control pests and diseases with phytosanitary products of lower toxicity, i.e., with lower residues of synthetic pesticides.

Role of Communication in the Process of a Better Awareness of Environmental and Health Risks Related to the Use of Pesticides in Off-Season Vegetable Crops in Burkina Faso: Case of the Boulmiougou Dam in Arrondissement N°6, Urban Commune from Ouagadougou

The cultivation of off-season crops is encouraged in Burkina Faso as part of its development policy and also to address the food shortage experienced by the country due to its Sahelian location with capricious rainy seasons. Thus, this activity has been intensified around water reservoirs and marshy areas to overcome this food shortage. However, market gardeners are faced with damage caused by pests, which forces them to make extensive use of pesticides. The present study consisted of a process of communication for behavioral change, to offer modern tools (coaching, awareness) for the benefit of market gardeners in the commune of Boulmiougou. This approach is part of a dynamic to familiarize them with good knowledge of pesticides in their diversity, and especially their use in the required scientific standards and in the preservation of our living environment.

Application of abscisic acid (S-ABA) at different stages of ripening on color development of ‘Rubi’ table grape

The color of the berries is an important aspect of the quality of table grapes and crucial for marketing. The ‘Rubi’ table grapes grown in the subtropical climate generally lack color intensity due to the inhibition of anthocyanins by high temperatures during ripening. The exogenous application of abscisic acid (S-ABA) can be used to overcome this problem as the accumulation of anthocyanins in the berry skin is regulated by this plant growth regulator. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of the exogenous application of S-ABA at different stages of ripening on color development in ‘Rubi’ table grapes using the soluble solids (SS) content as a marker of ripening. The study was conducted during two seasons in commercial vineyards. The first trial was conducted in Marialva, Parana, Brazil, during the 2019 summer season crop (harvest in December). S-ABA (400 mg L-1) was exogenously applied at different stages of ripening of ‘Rubi’ table grapes (determined by the SS content of the berries): control (without application); SS = 8-9 ºBrix; SS = 10-11 ºBrix; SS = 8-9 ºBrix (two applications; the second one applied 10 days after the first); and SS = 10-11 ºBrix (two applications; the second one applied 10 days after the first). The second trial was conducted in Cambira, Parana, Brazil, during the 2020 off-season crop (harvest in May). S-ABA (400 mg L-1) was exogenously applied at different stages of ripening of ‘Rubi’ grapes: control (without application); SS = 6-7 ºBrix; SS = 7-8 ºBrix; SS = 9-10 ºBrix; SS = 6-7 ºBrix (two applications; the second one applied 14 days after the first); SS = 7-8 ºBrix (two applications; the second one applied 14 days after the first); and SS = 9-10 ºBrix (two applications; the second one applied 14 days after the first). A randomized block design was used as the statistical model with four replications, and each plot consisted of one vine. The variables analyzed were total anthocyanin contents, color index (CIRG), and color attributes (L*, C*, h°, and ΔE) of berry skin. The total anthocyanin accumulation and color attributes of the berries were evaluated every 10 and 7 days after the first application of S-ABA until harvest in the first and second trials, respectively, and the other variables were evaluated at harvest. In the summer-season crop, when the SS content was 8-11 ºBrix, the application of S-ABA increased the concentration of the total anthocyanins 4 times compared to that in the control, improving berry color development. Furthermore, in the off-season crop, when the SS content was 6-10 ºBrix, the application of S-ABA increased the concentration of total anthocyanins 2-3 times compared to that in the control, improving the color attributes of berries. In both crops, a single application of the plant growth regulator was sufficient to intensify the color of the berries.

Brassica carinata as an off-season crop in the southeastern USA: Determining optimum sowing dates based on climate risks and potential effects on summer crop yield

CONTEXTBrassica carinata is usually grown in a double-cropping system with cotton and peanut in southeastern USA. One challenge related to this system is to define the best sowing dates to minimize the climatic risk and improve the chances for increased farmers' profitability. OBJECTIVEThe objective was to determine the best sowing dates for carinata-cotton and carinata-peanut double-cropping systems in different locations of the southeastern USA. METHODSA calibrated crop simulation DSSAT model was used to simulate carinata life cycle and cotton and peanut yields for 9 locations in 4 states, with carinata sowing dates ranging from early September to March using 38 years of weather data (1981–2018), assuming that cotton and peanut sowing occurred immediately after the carinata harvest. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONSResults indicated that the optimal sowing date varied according to location. For Shorter, AL, Midville, GA, and Florence, SC, the occurrence of extreme weather events during carinata cycle were minimized, and the summer crop yields were the highest when carinata was sown at the end of October. For Fairhope, AL, Jay, and Quincy, FL, results showed that carinata sowing must occur in early November to minimize the climatic risks of a double-cropping system. For Live Oak and Citra, FL, carinata sowing is recommended for mid- to late-November. Advancing carinata sowing to September resulted in an increased number of low temperature (LT) events during the carinata reproductive phase. The delay in carinata sowing to January or later exposed carinata crop to a larger number of High Temperature (HT), and considerably reduced the yield potential of the peanut and cotton summer crops. SIGNIFICANCEOur results quantified the climatic risks to the off-season carinata crop itself and to the subsequent summer crop, contributing to the sustainable expansion and commercial production of carinata in the southeastern USA.

Study on the off-season shallot seed storage using biological pesticides in Kretek district, Bantul regency, Yogyakarta special region

Farmers in the Samiran village use chemical pesticides to store their shallots. The purpose of this study was to examine the storage of shallot seeds from the off-season crops using biological pesticides. The research was conducted in March 2018 in the Ngudi Makmur farmer group. The research materials used were red onion varieties and biological pesticide of neem. The experimental design used was a completely randomized design with 3 factors with 2 replications. The factors were the type of biological pesticide (liquid and powder), storage treatment (hanging and in the basket), and the shallot varieties (Bimo, Crok Kuning, and Tajuk). The parameters observed were weight loss, damage level, growth capacity, and chemical composition. The results showed that the lowest weight loss was the storage of shallot off-season in the bucket with liquid pesticides on the Crok Kuning variety, while the high growth power test results were hanging. The treatment of biological pesticides can reduce the percentage of onion weight loss, while the use of powdered neem leaves can affect the weight loss, but it is not too high compared to the control. Hanging storage is better than basket storage because yield loss due to weight loss in basket is higher.

Evolution of Dam Lakes in the Kayanga/Geba Basin: Contribution of Remote Sensing and GIS

The Confluent and Niandouba dams were built in 1984 and 1997 respectively to better control water resources, increase agricultural production and promote local development. This article studies their evolution on the Kayanga/Geba River, a transboundary river between Guinea, Senegal and Guinea-Bissau, from its impoundment to the present day. The topographic characteristics analysed through the DTMs (Digital Terrain Models) show a flat shape for the Confluent Dam Lake and long plateaus for the Niandouba Dam Lake. The cross-sections present a variety of morphologies ranging from wide U-shaped valleys with sinuous bottoms to deep V-shaped valleys. The homogenisation and reconstruction of missing values were carried out using the regional vector method. The application of Pettitt’s statistical test on annual rainfall (1932-2019) indicates breaks of stationarity in 1967 or 1969. The post-breakage deficits range from 11.4% to 19.4%. The segmentation method corroborates the results of the Pettitt test. The variations of the surface area of the Confluent and Niandouba water bodies are linked to rainfall, evaporation and withdrawals for different uses. Their monitoring would allow for better management of available water resources but also for good planning of off-season crops.

Characteristics, Fertility Status and Fertility Capability Classification of Steep Slope Soils of the Dschang Cliff (Cameroon Western Highlands)

Mountainous ecosystem soils are subject to colonization nowadays for agricultural purposes due to an increasing population in towns making the detailed characterization of such soils indispensable. This work aims to characterize the steep slopes soils of the Dschang hills and to evaluate their fertility level for agricultural valorization. Thus, four soil profiles were dug at various topographic positions (summit (SP), shoulder (MP), backslope (BP) and footslope (PP)) following a toposequence. Samples of disturbed and undisturbed soils were taken and analyzed in the laboratory according to standard methods. The Fertility Capability Classification (FCC) and simple limitation methods were used to identify major agricultural constraints. The main results show that profiles thickness is moderate, between 0 and 120 cm, with a high sand content (at least 50%) over the entire toposequence, especially at the surface. The study site has four types of soils, namely Eutric Cambisols (ochric) in SP and Leptic Eutric Cambisols (Humic) in MP, Eutric Cambisols (Humic) in BP and Stagnic Oxygleyic Dystric Gleysols (Humic) in pp. The soils are very acidic at PP, moderately acidic at BP and SP and slightly acidic at MP. Organic matter is higher at the surface than at depth at the topographic segments of MP, BP and PP and low to SP. The C/N ratio is high (>17) in all profiles except P4 ( exchangeable bases, total nitrogen and available phosphorus is low in all profiles. The Ca/ Mg/K balance in all the profiles shows a cation imbalance and a relatively high concentration of exchangeable potassium compared to the ideal situation (76% Ca, 18% Mg and 6% K). The major constraints to crop production are: aluminum toxicity (a) and nutrients leaching (e), textural discontinuity (LS), flooding (g), low nutrient reserve (k), sand (S), clay (C) and slope (t). Hence the fertility capacity classes of these soils are CCaegk (PP), SSek (BP), SSte (MP) and LSaek (SP). To improve the yield, it will require off-season crop cultivation, fertilization and liming, and earthworks.

An Impact of New Technologies on Cropping Pattern in the Eastern Hills of Nepal

This abstract starts with the purpose of the study of the impact of using new technologies on cropping pattern particularly in the case of the Eastern hills. It also examines the role of governmental organizations and non-governmental organizations to improve agricultural systems of this area. Relevant data have been obtained from both primary and secondary sources. It draws on the data collected from interview, focus group discussion, key informant survey, and field observation. For this, 30 percent sample households were selected from three altitude belts such as upper, middle and lower, ranging from 300 to 2,250 masl along the Koshi-highway. It has a wide range of climates, ranging from sub-tropical to alpine with monsoon precipitation in the summer for three and half months, and therefore it has diversity in flora and fauna and people. Similarly, secondary data have been collected from various books, journals and official records.&#x0D; This paper has showed that the crucial impact of acceptance of innovative methods in agriculture in the study area is a joint effort of local people, government, and non-government agencies too. The government with the development agencies and non-government organizations has contributed to impart knowledge of the agriculture innovative methods to the local farmers. At the same time, the farmers were enthusiastic to learn and adopt those methods. Consequently, one can easily see the remarkable changes in cropping pattern due to the impact of such innovations. The cereal crops based on agricultural system is gradually moving towards high value off-season crops farming.