Production Of Various Crops Research Articles

The impact of mineral nutrition on winter barley yields while using mustard as a precursor crop

The impact of mineral nutrition on winter barley yields while using mustard as a precursor crop

ORGANIC SILICON IN THE PRODUCTION OF ITALIAN ZUCCHINI


 The use of silicon in several crops has been shown to be beneficial because of its protection in the leaves, reducing the attack of pests and diseases, because of which there is a significant increase in the production of various crops. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of the application of silicon drench with different application rates on the production of Italian zucchini plants of the Caserta grow crops conducted in an open environment. Different drenches of silicon were evaluated to prevent and reduce the incidence of pathogens, increasing productivity. The experiment was carried out in the garden of the Hospital São Roque in the city of Getúlio Vargas - RS, using the seeds of Italian zucchini of the Caserta grow crops, with different drenches of silicon. Weight, circumference and size of the fruits of zucchini were evaluated. Seed treatment with silicon, T3: Seed treatment with silicon + 1 silicon application via leaf (0.5L ha-1), T4: Seed treatment with silicon, T3: Seed treatment with silicon + 2 applications of foliar silicon (each application 0.25L ha-1), T5: 1 application of foliar silicon (0.5L ha-1) and T6: 2 applications of foliar silicon The response variables were submitted to the variation analysis and to the Duncan test at 5% of probability for the comparison of averages. the use of silicon in the treatment of seeds and a single foliar application, presented a reduction in fruit circumference, in relation to the plants that did not receive silicon application, being that these plants also presented a reduction in fruit length in relation to plants that received Si in the treatment of seeds and two foliar applications, with half a dose each.

Waste to energy: An experimental study of utilizing the agricultural residue, MSW, and e-waste available in Bangladesh for pyrolysis conversion

The paper aims to study different aspects of liquid fuel production through pyrolysis from agricultural residues, MSW, and e-waste available in Bangladesh. The abundant production of various crops generates massive amounts of residue such as rice straw, wheat straw, rice husk, jute stick, and sugarcane bagasse in Bangladesh have great potential for liquid fuel production for pyrolysis conversion. Bangladesh produces almost 25,000 tons of solid waste per day from urban areas, and Dhaka city alone contributes to one-quarter of all urban waste in the country. The biomass and waste-derived pyrolysis fuel can be successfully used in turbines, boilers, engines and upgraded to high-quality hydrocarbon transportation fuels through distillation. The concise data obtained from the study is anticipated to provide valuable information regarding the effective utilization of municipal solid waste and agricultural residues by using pyrolysis process so that further detailed work on these resources can pave a pathway towards scientific research and significant energy contribution in Bangladesh. The feasibility study has been conducted through physical properties, proximate analysis, elemental analysis, and thermogravimetric analysis of the selected agricultural residues, municipal solid wastes, and plastic e-wastes for pyrolysis conversion in Bangladesh. It has been found that polythene has a better thermochemical potential than rice straw (13.71 MJ/kg) owing to its high calorific value (46.41 MJ/kg). The foremost volatile matter obtained from plastic waste is 98.1 wt.%, and the minimum from rice husk is 57.19 wt.%. The maximum carbon amount is possessed by plastic waste (84.03 wt.%). The ultimate analysis showed that the MSW sample contains more sulfur content than agricultural residue and e-waste, whereas the case is the opposite in terms of oxygen. Rice husk and tire waste have the highest ash content, i.e., 19.70 and 4.38 (wt.%), respectively, indicating a significant amount of unwanted material. TGA examination of feedstock revealed that the majority of mass loss occurred between 250-450 °C for agricultural residue attributed to the release of volatile materials during the formation of char and the evolution of pyrolysis gases. For MSW samples, the range varies between 350-500 °C, which is the appropriate temperature for optimizing liquid oil production in plastic pyrolysis.

Crop Microclimate Modification to Address Climate Change

Climate-related agricultural vulnerabilities, as well as their implications for food security and farm livelihoods, have been extensively documented. Extreme weather events such as floods, droughts, heat and cold waves, hailstorms, strong winds, cyclones, and other weather events have increased the exposures of agriculture to climate risk. These processes are hampered by a lack of appropriate climatic elements, resulting in an unfavourable drop in crop productivity. Increased frequency and intensity of droughts and floods, as well as erratic precipitation patterns are predicted to increase year-to-year yield variability in crop production. Microclimate, which refers to the climatic elements in the immediate vicinity of the plants, is critical because it regulates and affects the physiological reactions of the plants as well as the energy exchange activities between the plant and its surroundings. Implementation of such microclimatic modifications in crop production are required to manage extreme weather risks and boost crop output in order to increase food security and agricultural sustainability in this changing climate. The goal of this paper is to improve crop production and land productivity by modifying microclimate as a manifestation of the efficiency and effectiveness of growth factor utilisation. Keywords: Agriculture's vulnerability, Crop productivity, Climate change, Microclimatic modifications.

Factors of Sustainable Intensification in Agriculture of Ukraine: Evidence from the Enterprises of the Kharkivska Oblast

Reducing the negative impact of agricultural enterprises' activities on the environment with an increase in food demand can be achieved by implementing sustainable intensification measures, where the key measure is an increase in crop yields while reducing the use of resources. The purpose of this study is to identify the factors of sustainable intensification of agricultural enterprises in Ukraine by building a model of the interdependence of yield on the level of diversity of agricultural crops, application of organic fertilisers, availability of animal husbandry on the farm, labour costs, mineral fertilisers and depreciation, the use of fuel materials per 1 ha and the level of payback of costs. During the scientific study, a sample of 516 enterprises of the Kharkivska Oblast that grow agricultural products was processed; some of them are engaged in animal husbandry. Using the correlation and regression analysis method, data was analysed and processed using specialised Microsoft Excel and SPSS 21 software. The paper presents a model of the dependence of the yield of agricultural enterprises of the Kharkivska Oblast on numerous factors that were selected based on the theoretical provisions of the sustainable intensification of agriculture. It was found out that the diversity of agricultural crops, the application of organic fertilisers, the availability of animal husbandry on the farm, and labour costs are considerable factors and have both a positive and negative impact on yield. The model applied the effect of interaction between two factors, which showed the greatest impact on the dependent variable. The study provides reasoning for the availability of the highest yield among enterprises that additionally engage in economic activities for raising animals, as well as specialise in the production of various crops. The practical significance of the results obtained lies in the provision of proposals on the areas of sustainable intensification of agricultural enterprises in Ukraine

Climate Change and Agriculture: An Indian Perspective: A Review

Industrial revolution and fast deforestation in 20th century pushes the earth to face climate change. Climate change became one of the most important global environmental challenges of the 21st century. Besides other weather abnormalities it is potential threat to world food security as agriculture production is directly dependent on various weather parameters. Even a small alteration in climate, adversely affects agriculture by decreasing the production. Global temperatures have already increased by 0.70°C over the past century and prediction of more rise of temperature is there. Possible changes in temperature, precipitation and CO2 concentration are expected to significantly impact crop growth. India could experience a 40% decline in agricultural productivity by the 2080s. Various food grain crops are going to affect badly under the temperature rise situation. It has been projected that under the scenario of a 2.50°C to 4.90°C temperature rise, rice yields will drop by 32% to 40% and wheat yields by 41% to 52%. This paper summarized study related to climate change projections and its impact on production of various crops.

Crop harvested area, not yield, drives variability in crop production in Iran

Increasing population and a severe water crisis are imposing growing pressure on Iranian cropping systems to increase crop production to meet the rising demand for food. Little is known about the separate contribution of trends and variability of the harvested area and yield to crop production in severely drought-prone areas such as Iran. In this study we (a) quantify the importance of harvested area and yield on trends and variability of crop production for the 12 most important annual crops under rainfed and irrigated conditions and (b) test how well the variability in annual crop areas can be explained by drought dynamics. We use remote sensing based land cover and evapotranspiration products derived from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer to quantify the extent of cropland and drought severity as well as survey-based, crop-specific reports for the period 2001–2016 in Iran. The intensity of drought stress was estimated using the annual ratio between actual and potential evapotranspiration. We found that trends in the production of specific crops are predominantly explained by trends in harvested crop area. Besides, the variability in the harvested area contributed significantly more to the variability in crop production than the variability in crop yields, particularly under rainfed conditions (seven out of nine crops). In contrast, variability in the production of heavily subsidized crops such as wheat was predominantly explained by yield variability. Variability in the annual cropland area was largely explained by drought, in particular for the more arid regions in the south of the country. This highlights the importance of better and proactive drought management to stabilize crop areas and yields for sufficient food production in Iran.

Understanding the Integrated Pathways and Mechanisms of Transporters, Protein Kinases, and Transcription Factors in Plants under Salt Stress.

Abiotic stress is the major threat confronted by modern-day agriculture. Salinity is one of the major abiotic stresses that influence geographical distribution, survival, and productivity of various crops across the globe. Plants perceive salt stress cues and communicate specific signals, which lead to the initiation of defence response against it. Stress signalling involves the transporters, which are critical for water transport and ion homeostasis. Various cytoplasmic components like calcium and kinases are critical for any type of signalling within the cell which elicits molecular responses. Stress signalling instils regulatory proteins and transcription factors (TFs), which induce stress-responsive genes. In this review, we discuss the role of ion transporters, protein kinases, and TFs in plants to overcome the salt stress. Understanding stress responses by components collectively will enhance our ability in understanding the underlying mechanism, which could be utilized for crop improvement strategies for achieving food security.

Effect of soluble silica fertiliser on total sugar, protein, starch content along with amylase and cellulase activity in banana

Fertilisers have become an important factor used by farmers to increase yield and improve product quality. Earth’s crust carries a large amount of elemental silicon. However, silicon is not considered an essential element for plant growth therefore is not included in fertilisers. Silicon has shown to enhance the growth and productivity of various crops. The present study aimed to explore the potential of soluble silica in improving the biochemical parameters of banana (Grand naine variety). The field experiment was conducted at Ropni Vasaad village, Burhanpur District of Madhya Pradesh from August 2017 to September 2018. Silica was supplied as potassium silicate in the liquid form under the trade name AgriboosterTM. Doses were administered at the interval of one month starting from planting the tissue culture explants till harvesting the final crop. Eight treatments were designed which included three different concentration of soluble silica applied alone and with combination with compound fertilisers. Control was without any treatment. A significant increase in fresh and dry weight was observed with all the treatments. All the combinations of soluble silica resulted in significant increase in starch and total sugar content. The protein content showed significant increase with treatments consisting of soluble silica and compound fertiliser. Cellulase and amylase activity declined on treatment with soluble silica. The present study reveals that if soluble silica is either applied alone or with compound fertiliser, it can enhance the biochemical parameters and can indirectly delay ripening of banana by altering activity of cellulase and amylase.

Water Management for Improving Pearl Millet Production under Irrigated Environment: A Review

Pearl millet also called “poor man food” is known for its drought resistance, well adaptation to harsh conditions like soils with poor water holding capacity, low nutrient status, problematic soils, etc. Irrigation has been recognized as a basic necessity for sustaining high productivity of various crops. Moreover, it affects the crop yield directly as well as indirectly by increasing their response to other inputs including fertilizers and various management practices. It is well known that water deficit is one of the major abiotic factors limiting crop productivity in the semi-arid tropics. Out of the various production constraints; low productivity of pearl millet is mainly attributed to its cultivation under dry land conditions and improper water management under irrigated conditions. So application of irrigation water offers the scope for improving the quality as well as productivity of pearl millet. Therefore, to augment the productivity of the poor’s man crop, review of the research work related to irrigation scheduling and moisture conservation practices of pearl millet has been presented here for directing the future research.

Plant‐to‐plant biomass and yield variability in corn–soybean rotations under three tillage regimes

AbstractAgronomic management practices have the potential to affect plant‐to‐plant variability of biomass accumulation and grain production. However, the relationship between the variability of crop production per plant (i.e., grain weight) and crop production per unit area (i.e., grain yield) is inconsistent because high variability in grain weight has been linked with lower yields in some instances but not others. The objective of this experiment was to investigate plant‐to‐plant variability of biomass accumulation and grain production at three developmental stages in corn (Zea mays L.)–soybean (Glycine max [Merr.] L.) rotations under conventional tillage, strip tillage, and no tillage. Plant‐to‐plant biomass variability, as measured by the coefficient of variation (CV) of crop biomass at three phenological stages, decreased throughout the growing season in corn but increased in soybean; these trends did not differ among tillage systems but did change among the 4 yr of the experiment. The CV of grain weight per corn plant was higher in no‐till for two of the study years, suggesting an interaction between tillage and weather patterns that affects variability. Overall, mean grain weight per plant increased as CV of grain weight decreased in corn but not in soybean. This finding suggests that corn yields were maximized when all individual plants were producing relatively similar amounts of grain, whereas this relationship was not present in soybean. The findings of this study indicate that tillage practices do not consistently affect plant‐to‐plant variability of biomass or grain production and must be understood in context of weather conditions and other agronomic management practices.

Estimation of Metal Ions in Various Soil Samples in Relation to Crop Production (Wheat, Mustard, Barley) at Different Region of Dehradun India

Metals in the form of salts or as such have a profound effect on development and growth of crops. Various soil samples at different regions of Dehradun (India) have been analysed analytically for the concentration of various metal ions in relation to the growth and development of wheat, mustard and barley. The various metal ions have been found in a good concentration range at which the concerned crops could show maximum growth and development. The concentration of various salts like phosphate ion as determined spectrophotometrically was found to be in between 0.732 to 1.610, for NO3- the concentration was found in between 0.210 to 0.998 mg/kg, and the concentration of NO22- was found to be 0.138 to 0.475 mg/kg. The metal ions were determined analytically and the concentration of various metals like Pb2+ was found in the range of 0.101 - 0.265 mg/kg, Zn in the range of 0.047 – 0.175 mg/kg, Cu in the range of 0.015 – 0.101 mg/kg and the concentration of Fe was found in the range of 0.120 – 0.462 mg/kg. Na, K, Li and Ba were analysed by flame-photometry and the concentration of Na was found in the range 0.10- 0.47 ppm, K in the range of 0.70 – 2.4 ppm, Li 0.00 – 0.01 ppm and the Ba in the range of 0.00 – 0.03 ppm. Also the data reveals the distributions of heavy metals in the agricultural land of the concerned region and can be used to estimate the risks associated with the consumption of crops grown on such soils. So the soil samples which have been examined can be opted for the production of various crops as the soil samples show a good quality and quantity of various mineral ions. The Dehradun in total bears a good range of forests and soil is rich of various types of mineral salts so could be used for the growth of multiple crops.

Crop Productivity and Climatic Conditions: Evidence from Hungary

Hungarian agriculture is expected to experience greater risks due to more variability in crop productivity due to increasing yearly average temperatures and extreme precipitation patterns. This study investigates the effect of changing climatic conditions on productivity, using a Hungarian sample of crop producers for a 12-year time period. Our empirical analysis employs True Fixed Effects frontier models of Farm Accountancy Data Network data that are merged with specific meteorological data representatively maintained for seeding, vegetative, and generative periods for cereals, oil seed and protein crops, along with soil quality and usage-related data. Estimations indicate that climate variables have significant impacts on technical efficiency. In addition, calculation suggest that an increase in temperature during seeding and vegetative periods, combined with higher precipitation levels in May and June, will reduce crop farmers’ production frontier. Estimations explain the variance, while the technical efficiency (TE) scores emphasize the impact of the difference in soil quality and its water absorption capacity.

Efficiency of application of multipurpose composition application in grain and grain circulation

Relevance . In recent years, much attention has been paid development of the use of new types of highly effective environmentally friendly organic fertilizers. Methods and results . The results of monitoring the productivity of grain-grass crop rotation in various natural conditions are shown. The research was carried out in 2013-2019 at the agroecological polygon of All-Russian Research Institute of Reclaimed Lands, within the transect that intersects all the main micro-landscape positions of the course-moraine ridge. In a field where 12 tons of multipurpose compost were once added to the soil for spring wheat, the yield of seven crops of grain-grass crop rotation was determined in various natural conditions of the drained agricultural landscape. Changes in the agro-climatic environment during the research were also taken into account. It was found that the introduction of multipurpose compost and its aftereffect contributes to an increase in the productivity of crop rotation by an average of 0.65 t/ha. Under its influence, crop rotation productivity increased in the central and upper parts of the southern slope, as well as on the top of the moraine hill. The maximum increase from the introduction of multipurpose compost was observed on spring rape and perennial grasses 1 and 3 g. p. In General, the increase in crop productivity was observed only within the southern slope. There is a close correlation between economic indicators and productivity of crop turnover - with the cost of production r = 0.89, with conditional net income r = 0.83, with the availability and level of profitability r = 0.82, and with direct costs slightly weaker than r = 0.71. Using new knowledge about the impact of non-traditional fertilizers in various landscape conditions on the productivity of various crops, it is possible to develop measures for adaptive placement of crops within farms when using

Assessing the impact of climate change on sugarcane and adaptation actions in Pakistan

Climate change is a challenging global issue for the sustainable production of various crops around the world as change in climatic patterns can create a stressful environment for plant growth. This study assesses the impact of climate change on future water demand and sugarcane yield in Pakistan for the baseline (1981–2005) and future timescales (2020s, 2050s and 2080s). For evaluating the crop water requirement and yield under future climate, CROPWAT 8.0 and AquaCrop models were used, respectively. For the estimation of future climate, three different Regional Climatic Models were applied under two projection scenarios i.e. RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5. Maximum temperature, precipitation and minimum temperature displayed an increasing trend under the projected future climatic conditions. The results revealed a growth in the crop water requirement with a subsequent escalating irrigation demand caused due to rise in projected temperature; this is because the projected increase in precipitation under forecasted weather conditions cannot compensate for the increased evaporative demand. Moreover, the results showed a general increasing trend of sugarcane yield under projected climate. By delaying the crop calendar, an overall decrease in crop water requirement in the range of 10.7–12.6% and increase in the yield in the range of 0.37–6.48 tha−1 can be observed under both climate change scenarios. Moreover, 90% of control irrigation level proved beneficial in terms of saving around 10% irrigation water with acceptable yield reduction. The outcomes of the study are supportive for growers to gain more yield using less amount of water and to adapt to changing climate. The results are also helpful for policy makers to develop adaptation strategies to improve sugarcane productivity and to address water stress in Pakistan.

Estimation of harvest index in wheat crops using a remote sensing-based approach

Abstract This paper presents an operational methodology for the estimation of the harvest index (HI) in commercial fields planted with wheat crops (Triticum aestivum L.) using a Remote Sensing based approach. The approach proposed variants from the methodologies reported by Kemanian et al., (2007) and Sadras and Connor (1991) for the estimation of the HI using the ratio between variables related with biomass production, i.e. absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (APAR), crop transpiration (T) and crop transpiration coefficient (Kt) as defined in the FAO-66 manual. The estimation of these variables along the growing season integrates time series of Remote Sensing satellite images and meteorological data into the crop growth models. The proposed models for estimation of HI were calibrated using an extensive HI dataset obtained from 19 commercial fields (empirical data) planted with wheat. The fields were subject to different water and nutrient management, resulting in empirical HI values from 0.23 to 0.55. Future applications of the proposed approach are the operational estimation of wheat production at both regional and local scales and the estimation of the within-field variability of crop production considering the variability of HI values within the field.

A Physio-Morphological Trait-Based Approach for Breeding Drought Tolerant Wheat.

In the past, there have been drought events in different parts of the world, which have negatively influenced the productivity and production of various crops including wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), one of the world’s three important cereal crops. Breeding new high yielding drought-tolerant wheat varieties is a research priority specifically in regions where climate change is predicted to result in more drought conditions. Commonly in breeding for drought tolerance, grain yield is the basis for selection, but it is a complex, late-stage trait, affected by many factors aside from drought. A strategy that evaluates genotypes for physiological responses to drought at earlier growth stages may be more targeted to drought and time efficient. Such an approach may be enabled by recent advances in high-throughput phenotyping platforms (HTPPs). In addition, the success of new genomic and molecular approaches rely on the quality of phenotypic data which is utilized to dissect the genetics of complex traits such as drought tolerance. Therefore, the first objective of this review is to describe the growth-stage based physio-morphological traits that could be targeted by breeders to develop drought-tolerant wheat genotypes. The second objective is to describe recent advances in high throughput phenotyping of drought tolerance related physio-morphological traits primarily under field conditions. We discuss how these strategies can be integrated into a comprehensive breeding program to mitigate the impacts of climate change. The review concludes that there is a need for comprehensive high throughput phenotyping of physio-morphological traits that is growth stage-based to improve the efficiency of breeding drought-tolerant wheat.

Herbicide resistance in weeds and its management strategies

Weeds are much older than crop cultivation for food, fuel, fibre and shelter. Weed management is a big task for production of various crops. At present time, herbicides are most popular and effective means for weed management due to their higher efficacy and time saving nature. But their continuous and indiscriminate use has created several problems like weed flora shift, herbicide resistance and environmental hazards. Out of these, herbicide resistance is most serious problem of present time. Currently there are 480 cases of herbicide resistance in 252 plant species. There are various types of herbicide resistance such as cross resistance, multiple resistance, partial resistance, full resistance etc. Herbicide resistance has become a major issue at world level, and number of resistant biotypes is increasing continuously at very rapid rate. Therefore, some alternate management practices such as cultural, mechanical and biological methods should be integrated in weed management program to combat this problem. A proper understanding of development and mechanism of resistance (altered target sites, rapid metabolism and sequestration) would help us for its management. With the help of various physiological and biochemical studies, some resistant screening techniques should be developed for yielding quick results. This paper provides information on status of herbicide resistance, development of resistance, factors affecting development of herbicide resistance in weeds, resistance mechanisms and its management.

Enhancing water productivity in rainfed areas

Odisha is an agrarian state. About 66% people depend on agriculture. Agriculture in the state is primarily rainfed dependent. Only about 35% of the cultivated areas in the state is irrigated. Rainfed agriculture in the region is mostly dependent on south-west monsoon. But the rainfall distribution is very uneven and erratic. Onset of monsoon and withdrawal of monsoon are very erratic. In addition, there is frequent occurrence of in-season critical dry spells which hampers the yield of rice seriously. Almost every alternate year or so, there is either flood or drought that affects the yield seriously. The average y2ield of rice in rainfed condition is around 1.5 t/ha whereas the average rice yield under irrigated condition is about 4 t/ha. In rabi season, there is hardly any rainfall. So farmers generally grow only one crop in kharif season and that is mostly rice. In rabi season, hardly any crop is grown in rainfed areas since there is no facility of irrigation and there is scanty rainfall. It is very crucial to enhance the water productivity of crops in this rainfed dependent agriculture. In this paper various opportunities to enhance water productivity of rainfed agriculture are discussed. Scientific water management, farm pond based irrigation management system and irrigation methods including high tech irrigation are discussed in this paper for enhancing water productivity of various crops under rainfed scenario.

Agricultural and economic characterization of guava production in Brazil

Abstract This study was designed to analyze the relationship between guava crop production variables in the Matão region of central São Paulo, Brazil, and to better understand the economic importance of this crop to its growers. Data were obtained through a questionnaire applied during interviews with guava growers and after the data collection, statistical analyzes were made using Chi-Square hypothesis tests. Analysis results indicate a distinct association between the variables variety and plant age, between variety and number of plants per hectare, andbetween number of plants per hectare and yield, while no association was found between yield and variety. The Paluma guava variety spaced seven meters by five meters apart and pruned throughout the entire year was found to be the most common crop arrangement. The mean yield of the plots studied was 110 Kg plant-1. The use of irrigation added 22.8 Kg of guava production per plant, annually.