Spring Cereals Research Articles

Seasonal dynamics of cereal aphid population

Goal. To compare the seasonal dynamics of cereal aphid abundance in the Steppe and Forest-Steppe zones during 2023 and to determine the factors that influenced it. Methods. To assess the state of the cereal aphid population on cereal crops, we used the results of personally conducted entomological phytosanitary monitoring of crops (according to generally accepted methods) in the farms of the Steppe and Forest-Steppe zones; information from current reports from the places where field experiments were conducted directly by the forecasting laboratory, as well as other laboratories of the IPP of NAAS, which is also confirmed by the materials of decadal reports of regional plant protection stations and signalization and forecasting points of the State Inspection of Plant Protection, confirmed by information on the phytosanitary status of regional state research stations. Cereal aphid adults and larvae were counted in populations of populations (in the crop phase, the end of the tube emergence is earing). Results. The state of cereal aphid populations on crops of cereal spiked crops in 2023 was studied, both in general in Ukraine and separately in the Steppe and Forest-Steppe zones. The dynamics of their number in farms of different natural and climatic zones was investigated, and an analysis of its peculiarities in the conditions of the year was carried out. Conclusions. In 2023, the harmfulness of cereal aphids on cereal crops remained at the level of long-term averages. The expansion of their harmful zone and an increase in their number was noted during the earing period (milk ripeness). On winter cereal crops, phytophages prevailed in the Steppe zone. In the Forest-Steppe zone, the phytophage was more damaging to winter cereals than to spring cereals. The results of entomological monitoring in Mykolaiv region (State Enterprise «Experimental Farming «Zori nad Bugom») showed that during the accounting period the bulk of aphids were concentrated on winter wheat crops, and winter barley was damaged in small numbers. On the contrary, the surveys conducted in Kyiv region (State Enterprise «Experimental Farming «Salyvonkivske») showed that in the second half of June — the first decade of July, the number of aphids on spring barley crops was approximately twice as high as on spring wheat. As a result of the study, it was practically confirmed that the optimal temperature regime for the development of cereal aphids is 16—20°C, and the relative humidity is 60—80%.

Greenhouse gas and ammonia emissions in modelled cereal crop production under Polish agricultural conditions: An example spring barley

Based on the analysis of statistical data, the average area under cultivation and average yields of barley in Poland in 2010–2020 were calculated. Barley is one of the most important cereals grown in Poland. Its cultivation area occupied an average of 920,595 ha in these years, with average yields of 3.66 Mg∙ha−1. Barley is a cereal grown mainly as a spring cereal. The average area under spring species in these years accounted for 95% (875,771 ha) of the total area under this cereal, and the average yield of spring varieties was 3.60 Mg∙ha−1. In order to estimate emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) and ammonia (NH3), the sources of emissions – inorganic fertilisers, fuel consumption – were analysed for selected barley cultivation technologies, differentiated by yield level, and variant model production technologies were developed to obtain projected yields. Emissions were calculated for individual greenhouse gases (N2O, CH4 and CO2) and they were recalculated according to the greenhouse potential of each gas (GWP – global warming potential) to be able to compare the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions for the analysed variants. Greenhouse gas emissions for cultivation technology ranged from 134.53 to 136.48 kg CO2eq for 1 Mg yield. A more accurate Tier 2 method was used to estimate NH3 emissions, taking into account soil conditions and climate zone. The estimated ammonia emissions from the application of mineral fertilisers were from 0.99 kg to 2.35 kg for 1 Mg yield.

Trade-offs constrain the success of glyphosate-free farming

Glyphosate, the most widely used herbicide, is linked with environmental harm and there is a drive to replace it in agricultural systems. We model the impacts of discontinuing glyphosate use and replacing it with cultural control methods. We simulate winter wheat arable systems reliant on glyphosate and typical in northwest Europe. Removing glyphosate was projected to increase weed abundance, herbicide risk to the environment, and arable plant diversity and decrease food production. Weed communities with evolved resistance to non-glyphosate herbicides were not projected to be disproportionately affected by removing glyphosate, despite the lack of alternative herbicidal control options. Crop rotations with more spring cereals or grass leys for weed control increased arable plant diversity. Stale seedbed techniques such as delayed drilling and choosing ploughing instead of minimum tillage had varying effects on weed abundance, food production, and profitability. Ploughing was the most effective alternative to glyphosate for long-term weed control while maintaining production and profit. Our findings emphasize the need for careful consideration of trade-offs arising in scenarios where glyphosate is removed. Integrated Weed Management (IWM) with more use of cultural control methods offers the potential to reduce chemical use but is sensitive to seasonal variability and can incur negative environmental and economic impacts.

Effect of red clover undersowing on foliage, leaf gas exchange, and yield of spring wheat

The use of undersown plants, thanks to their favourable effect on multiple environmental characteristics, is an environmentally-friendly crop cultivation method. A valuable undersown crop is red clover, which is often grown with spring cereals. The aim of the study was to investigate the following issues: how will the cultivation of the spring wheat with undersown red clover (called intercropping) or growing spring wheat in a mixture with red clover affect the leaf gas exchange in this cereal? Will the process be modified by plant densities? Will the cultivation of the spring wheat mixture change the foliage characteristics and the wheat yield? The following parameters were studied: stomatal conductance, intercellular CO<sub>2</sub> concentration, assimilation rate, transpiration rate, limitation value, photosynthetic water use efficiency, leaf area, leaf area index, leaf mass per area, chlorophyll content, N<sub>area</sub>, P<sub>area</sub>, leaf temperature, and grain yield. It was demonstrated that the mixed sowing variant reduced the photosynthesis parameters in the leaves of wheat. In this species, a significant reduction in the stomatal conductance, intercellular CO<sub>2</sub> concentration, net assimilation rate, and transpiration rate and an increase in the limitation value and water use efficiency were noted. The wheat leaves were characterised by a higher temperature in the object with the mixed sowing variant. The wheat grain yield in the mixture was 12.6-17.5% lower than in the sole crop.

Seed production of spring cereals at the Federal Agrarian Scientific Center of the North-East named after N.V. Rudnitsky

Seed production of spring grain crops is the foundation of food security of a modern state. Together with breeding, seed production provides high quality products in the required volume. In the Kirov region, the main producers of original seeds are the Federal Agrarian Scientific Center of the NorthEast named after N.V. Rudnitsky (FASC of the North-East) and Vyatka State Agrotechnological University. FASC of the North-East was reorganized in 2017 to include the North-East Regional Agrarian Research Center, Falyonskaya Breeding Station, Nizhny Novgorod, Mari, Mordovian and Chuvash Agricultural Research Institutes. The FASC of the North-East in Kirov has been producing original seeds of spring grain crops since 1974 by the method of individual-family selection. Original seeds are sold annually to the farms of the Kirov region and other regions of the Russian Federation for use in the nurseries of propagation and super elite. The article analyzes the work of the seed production department for 2019–2021, displays the methodology of obtaining original seeds of spring cereals (oats, wheat, barley), describes the varieties most in demand in the Kirov region. The area of sowing original seeds of spring cereals in the experimental fields of the FASC of the North-East increased by 23.4% during the period under review, reaching 49 ha in 2021. Due to dry weather in 2021, the gross harvest of conditioned spring cereal seed remained at the same level as in 2019 at 60.9 tons. The revenue of the seed division of the FASC of the North-East from the sale of original seeds increased by 47.53% in 2021 compared to 2019 to reach 2.5 million rubles. Original seeds are usually sold to the enterprises that have their own seed production units: AO Agrofirma "Doronichi", APC "Plemzavod "Krasny Oktyabr", APC "Agricultural Artel "Krasnaya Talitsa", OOO "Zurinsky Agrocomplex", OOO "Preduralye". Thus, the Seed Production Department of the FASC of the North-East is an important link in ensuring food security in the region.

Combining disturbance and competition to control creeping perennial weeds in a field study on three northern European sites

Controlling creeping perennial weeds is challenging throughout all farming systems. The present study distinguished and explored three different methods to control them non-chemically: disturbance with inversion, disturbance without inversion, and competition. Focusing on Cirsium arvense, Elymus repens, and Sonchus arvensis, we conducted a field study (2019–2021) at three northern European sites in Germany, Finland, and Norway. We investigated the effects of the control methods ploughing (inversion disturbance), root cutting (non-inversion disturbance), and cover crops (competition) alone. Root cutting was conducted using a prototype machine developed by “Kverneland”. Eight treatments were tested in factorial designs adapted for each site. Control methods were applied solely and combined. Response variables after treatments were aboveground weed biomass and grain yield of spring cereals. The control method of ploughing was most effective in reducing weed biomass compared to root cutting or cover crops. However, compared to the untreated control, a pronounced additive effect of root cutting and cover crops occurred, reducing weed biomass (−57.5%) similar to ploughing (−66%). Pooled over sites, the response was species-specific, with each species showing a distinct reaction to both control methods. C. arvense was most susceptible to root cutting, followed by E. repens, while S. arvensis showed no susceptibility. Crop yield losses were prevented compared to untreated plots by ploughing (+60.57%) and root cutting (+30%), but not by cover crops. We conclude that the combination of non-inversion disturbance and competition is a promising strategy to reduce the reliance on herbicides or inversion tillage in the management of perennial weeds.

Climate change expected to increase yield of spring cereals and reduce yield of winter cereals in the Western Siberian grain belt

ContextHigher latitude regions are likely to benefit from an extended vegetation period driven by climate change. In this regard, Western Siberia is considered a promising area for cereal crop farming in the near and medium-term future up to 2050. In the southern regions of Western Siberia, spring and winter cereals with different physiology and phenology are cultivated. The spatial resolution of existing estimates of climate change show an impact on cereal crops, however, the resolution remains low, impairing coverage of the diversity of cereals cultivated in Western Siberia. ObjectiveThis study aims to estimate the impact of climate change on the yield of main cereal crops in the Tyumen oblast (Western Siberia, Russia) in the short (2025 – 2030) and medium (2045 – 2050) terms. MethodsThe dataset covered the period from 1990 to 2020 and contained time series data on the yield of cereal crops as well as relevant meteorological parameters (mean air temperature, precipitation, snow cover), all grouped by the 22 municipal districts of the Tyumen oblast. Daily meteorological data were obtained from the CMIP6 model-simulation output and were used to develop random effects linear regression models and to make predictions with optimal models. To assess the impact of climatic parameters on the four key stages of cereal growth (germination, tillering, heading, flowering), a series of random effects linear regression models was developed for each type of cereal crop using six different methods of model building. ResultsThe obtained models predict that the yield of spring grown cereals (barley, oats, spring wheat) would increase by 11.6% ± 1.7% and 10.1% ± 1.7% (mean ± SE), in the short (2025 – 2030) and medium (2045 – 2050) runs as compared to the control period (1990 – 2020). These models predict a decrease in winter grown cereals (rye and winter wheat) yield by 17.1% ± 3.2% in 2025 – 2030 and by 17.7% ± 3.2% in 2045 – 2050. Among the four studied agroecological zones, the largest increase in the yield is predicted in the taiga agroecological zone (up to 84.3% ± 5.5% for barley). ConclusionsCultivation of spring grown cereals adapted to the taiga environment is important for improving grain production rates in Western Siberian regions. SignificanceThis study offers an example of a new bioinformatics-inspired type of analysis that prepares raw biological data for mechanistic modeling. This type of analysis serves to identify the key explanatory variables, paving the way towards spatially resolved multiscale predictive modelling of agroecosystems.

Effect of cropping systems on quantitative changes in prevailing weed species

A field experiment was established to evaluate quantitative changes in weed species prevailing in a crop rotation and a 30-year cereal monoculture. The subject of the study included cropping systems: a) crop rotation, and b) cereal monoculture. First (1989–1992) and second (1993–1996) rotation focused on weed infestation of winter triticale in crop rotation and monoculture; third (1997–2000) and fourth (2001–2004) focused on weed infestation of winter wheat; fifth (2005–2008), sixth (2009–2012), seventh (2013–2015) and eighth (2016–2018) focused on weed infestation of spring wheat. The prevailing weed species included: Apera spica-venti, Avena fatua, Galium aparine, Fallopia convolvulus, Stellaria media, Viola arvensis, Anthemis arvensis, Veronica persica, Consolida regalis, and Papaver rhoeas. Among these, A. spica-venti predominated in the winter cereals whereas A. fatua in the spring ones. Numbers of A. spica-venti and A. fatua plants were several times higher in the monoculture than in the crop rotation. The substitution of winter cereals with spring ones in cultivation decreased A. spica-venti population in the spring cereals, but increased the population of A. fatua, particularly in the monoculture.

Protecting avian wildlife for wind farm siting: The Screening Tool Proof of Concept

Bird collisions with wind turbines continue to be a major problem within the wind industry. Developing scarecrow technologies and other, more advanced, multi-sensory bird monitoring systems on the market are paving the way to resolving this perplex dilemma. Environmental Impact Assessments are required by regulatory bodies to prove that a wind farm will not cause adverse impacts to vulnerable avian populations. The Screening Tool Proof of Concept is intended to help with permitting, and to reduce seasonal curtailment events resulting from annual migration. It revealed a positive correlation between bird activity hotspots for Pink-footed geese species and distance to crops. The most favorable crops were winter and spring cereals located at Klim Fjordholme Wind Farm in Northern Denmark. The 2 km test radius around the turbine revealed direct impacts of surrounding land use, however, for future developments, increasing the radius will provide further geospatially relevant information across a broader area. Avoidance through initial risk screening is arguably the most effective way to reduce impacts to biodiversity and ensure successful operation via coexistence with avian wildlife.

Quality of fish sludge as fertiliser to spring cereals: Nitrogen effects and environmental pollutants

The aim of this study was to contribute to development of organic fertiliser products based on fish sludge (i.e. feed residues and faeces) from farmed smolt. Four dried fish sludge products, one liquid digestate after anaerobic digestion and one dried digestate were collected at Norwegian smolt hatcheries in 2019 and 2020. Their quality as fertilisers was studied by chemical analyses, two 2-year field experiments with spring cereals and soil incubation combined with a first-order kinetics N release model. Cadmium (Cd) and zinc (Zn) concentrations were below European Union maximum limits for organic fertilisers in all products except one (liquid digestate). Relevant organic pollutants (PCB7, PBDE7, PCDD/F + DL-PCB) were analysed for the first time and detected in all fish sludge products. Nutrient composition was unbalanced, with low nitrogen/phosphorus (N/P) ratio and low potassium (K) content relative to crop requirements. Nitrogen concentration in the dried fish sludge products varied (27–70 g N kg-1 dry matter), even when treated by the same technology but sampled at different locations and/or times. In the dried fish sludge products, N was mainly present as recalcitrant organic N, resulting in lower grain yield than with mineral N fertiliser. Digestate showed equally good N fertilisation effect as mineral N fertiliser, but drying reduced N quality. Soil incubation in combination with modelling is a relatively cheap tool that can give a good indication of N quality in fish sludge products with unknown fertilisation effects. Carbon/N ratio in dried fish sludge can also be used as an indicator of N quality.

Modelling 2050 Water Retention Scenarios for Irrigated and Non-Irrigated Crops for Adaptation to Climate Change Using the SWAT Model: The Case of the Bystra Catchment, Poland

The paper presents the estimated changes in the soil water content, the total runoff, the sediment yield and the actual evapotranspiration for the small Bystra catchment in the east of Poland. The findings are based on the results of three simulations covering the years of 2041–2050. The simulations were based on a calibrated and validated SWAT model (2010–2017). The first variant covers just the climate change and the existing structure of soil cultivation for the three regional climate models supported by the EC-EARTH global climate model in the emission scenarios RCP4.5 and RCP8.5. Variants two and three are based on the first variant in terms of the changing climate. The second variant, however, involves placing a pond in each farm in the catchment, while the third variant involves designing huge reservoirs as a result of land consolidation. Variants two and three occur in five adaptation scenarios each. The first adaptation scenario (V2.1 and V3.1) involves only increasing the number of ponds on the farm or increasing the number of reservoirs for non-irrigated arable land crops, i.e., WWHT (winter cereals), BARL (spring cereals), CANP (rapeseed) and CRDY (other crops). The second adaptation scenario (V2.2 and V3.2) involves growing vegetables without irrigation (instead of cereals). The third adaptation scenario (V2.3 and V3.3) involves growing vegetables with irrigation (instead of cereals). The fourth adaptation scenario (V2.4 and V3.4) involves partial cultivation of vegetables and cereals. The fifth adaptation scenario (V2.5 and V3.5) involves partial cultivation of orchards and cereals. The adaptation scenarios of the irrigation of vegetables from deep water-bearing layers (second variant) or reservoirs (third variant) contribute to the increase in water content in the soil, especially in summer, in comparison with the adaptation scenarios for vegetable cultivation without irrigation. What is more, the actual evapotranspiration was higher in the adaptation scenarios involving irrigation than in scenarios without irrigation. It is known that the changes in water content in soil and the intensification of water erosion are gravely affected by modifications in crops and soil cultivation. A change from cereal cultivation to irrigated vegetable cultivation or orchards increased the water content in the soil in most climatic projections. However, the increase in the number of ponds in the second variant had little impact on the soil water content, actual evapotranspiration and overall runoff, while the erosion loss decreased. With the lower precipitation levels in the years 2041–2050 relative to 2010–2017, as presented in the emissive scenario RCP 4.5, the soil water content decreases by up to 14% for most variants. Total runoff for most variants will also be lower by 4–35%. The percentage change in sediment yield will fluctuate between −86% and 116%. On the other hand, the actual evapotranspiration for most variants will be higher. With higher precipitation levels in the years 2041–2050 relative to 2010–2017, as presented in the emissive scenario RCP 8.5, the soil water content changes slightly from −7% to +3%. Total runoff for most variants will also be higher by as much as 43%. Sediment yield for most scenarios may increase by 226%. The actual evapotranspiration for most variants will also be higher. Irrigation variants tend to increase soil available water while increasing evapotranspiration and total outflow in the catchment as compared to non-irrigated LULC. The largest increase in the soil water content is observed in most irrigation variants for RCP 4.5 (annual average 316–319 mm) (V2.3-V2.5, V3.2, and V3.3) and RCP 8.5 (annual average 326–327 mm) (V2.3-V2.5 and V3.3) as compared to V1 (BaU) (315 mm–RCP 4.5 and 324 mm–RCP 8.5) for the years 2041–2050. On the other hand, the lowest increase in soil water content is observed in the V3.5 variant, with an annual average of 292 mm for RCP 4.5 and an annual average of 311 mm for RCP 8.5. Thus, for future climate change scenarios, irrigation with water reservoirs (ponds and storage reservoirs) should be considered. The study proves the rationale behind building ponds in small catchments in order to increase water resources in a landscape and also to counteract adverse effects of climate changes, i.e., sediment outflow and surface water erosion.

BIOLOGICAL POTENTIAL OF WINTER CEREALS IN THE NORTHERN TRANS-URALS, RUSSIA

Winter cereals (wheat, triticale, and rye) are the most cultivated crops in Russia, and their yield and quality results from the combination of environment and farm management. Generally, winter cereals have a much higher yield than spring cereals due to the ability to use winter moisture for growth. The latest study aimed to conduct a comparative assessment of the winter wheat, triticale, and rye according to the variability of quantitative traits under the environmental conditions of Northern Trans-Urals, Russia, during 2019–2020 and 2020–2021. Results revealed that the genotypes of winter triticale (× Triticosecale Wittmack) and winter rye (Secale cereale L.) showed improved harvests compared with winter wheat even under unfavorable environmental conditions of the Northern Trans-Urals, Russia. The chlorophyll content in the plant leaves was used as a tool for screening the genotypes of different winter cereals. Plant screening with the SPAD 502 Plus optical chlorophyll counter made it possible to determine the responses of genotypes to the heat and water stress conditions. For chlorophyll content in the flag leaf cells, intra- and inter-specific differences were observed. The fields of winter crops harvested in summer (late July to early August) can serve for growing multifunctional crops like ground cover, fodder, and green manure crops.

TREATMENT OF CEREALS AND THEIR SEEDS WITH ACETAMIPRID BASED PREPARATIONS – AN EFFECTIVE METHOD OF PROTECTION FROM PESTS

The paper presents the results of evaluating the efficiency of insecticides for 2016–2021 containing acetamiprid as an active ingredient (a.i.) and its combination with compounds from other chemical groups in protecting cereals from dominant pests. It’s established that pre-sowing treatment of seeds with an insecticidal preparation contributed to a decrease in the damage caused by wireworm and cereal flies to winter wheat up to 87,0 % and up to 69,9 %, to spring barley – up to 91,5 % and up to 80,9 %, respectively; insecticidal and fungicidal preparation used in winter cereals – up to 93,1 % and in spring cereals – up to 91,4 %. The results of production experiments on winter wheat and triticale demonstrated a high efficiency of King Combi, SC in reducing the damage caused by larvae of ground beetle (by 85,9–90,2 %) and cutworm (by 80,9–84,1 %) and the number of phytophages – by 73,3 % and 90,0 % respectively.
 When vegetating plants are treated with two-component insecticides containing acetamiprid, the damage caused by corn flies to spring cereals stems decreased up to 93,3 %, the number of fleas – up to 93,8 %. The biological effect in reducing the number of cereal leaf beetle larvae in winter crops with the use of the studied toxicants was 80,3–100 %, in spring crops – 81,0–100 %, the number of plant lice amounted to 98,8 % in spring barley and up to 99, 4 % – in spring wheat.

Major aspects of interregional transfer of breeding/seed innovations with export potential

Purpose. To study and rationalize the main aspects of interregional transfer of breeding/plant innovations with export potential, of synergistic interaction between science, education and commodity production for more rapid innovative development of the country's regions.
 Material and methods. The study methods were dialectical, abstract-logical, monographic, computational/constructional, economic-statistical, graphic modeling and others. The study was based on the Laws of Ukraine, regulations and guidelines on market relations in the agrarian sector and seed production; statistical data and reports of basic farms of the institute.
 Results and discussion. For timely transfer of more adapted varieties, hybrids and parental components to production, we analyzed the numbers of accessions bred at the PPI nd.a. V.Ya. Yuriev NAAS in the State Register of Plant Varieties Suitable for Dissemination in Ukraine in 2021. As a result, we found that in 2021 the number of the major crop accessions bred at the Institute decreased by 15 compared to 2017, while during these years most breeding innovations were in demand from grain producers.
 That is, there is no urgent need to create as many new varieties as possible, and the implementation of breeding innovations into production is gradual, with due account for producers’ wishes and the market changes. In particular, the most competitive winter wheat varieties were Rozkishna, Shulyndinka, Harmonika, Zapashna, Doskonala, and Zdobna; variety Stoir and hybrids Saturn and Yupiter were the most competitive rye accessions; Ad 256, Amos, Nikanor and Buket were the most competitive winter triticale varieties.
 Analysis of the average sales of winter crop seeds of first generations in 2017–2021 indicated their gradual overproduction, as only 60–85% of these seeds were sold.
 Regarding the production and sales of spring cereals, legumes and groats crops, we learnt that pea, millet and spring barley varieties were in the greatest demand from users of grain products (the sale percentage was 74%, 69%, and 60%, respectively). The most competitive pea varieties were Oplot and Haiduk; Modern, Avhur, and Ahrarii were the most competitive spring barley varieties; Spadshchyna and Uliublena were the most competitive spring wheat varieties; Konstantynivske, Vitrylo, and Kozatske were the most competitive millet varieties.
 Conclusions. Thus, the results of the study for the period of 2017–2021 proved the feasibility of timely transfer of breeding/plant innovations with export potential (varieties, hybrids and parental components), which is important for scientific justification of seed production volumes for each generation and is a reference point for creating more profitable varieties and hybrids.

EVALUATION OF FORAGE TURNIP + CEREAL MIXTURES FOR FORAGE YIELD AND QUALITY TRAITS

The most researches in temperate areas has focused mixtures of spring cereals with forage turnip. In this study, forage turnip “FT” with barley “B”, wheat “W” and oat “O” intercropping at different seed rates (100:0%, 75+25%, 50+50%, and 25+75%) were examined for hay yield, protein yield, relative feed value (RFV), condensed tannin, total phenolic, total flavonoid, and mineral contents (K, P, Ca, and Mg) 2019 and 2020 years. The experiment was arranged as a Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications in Bilecik-Turkey. In combined years, the hay yield was ranged between 5.45-10.27 t ha-1. The protein yield was the highest in alone forage turnip (1.43 t ha-1), 75FT+25B% (1.72 t ha-1), 75FT+25O% (1.72 t ha-1), 50FT+50B% (1.49 t ha-1) and 50FT+50O% (1.80 t ha-1). The condensed tannin content was ranged between 1.82-2.83%. The highest RFV was observed in 25FT+75O% (136.29) and 50FT+50O% (125.42) mixtures. As a result, showed that intercropping forage turnip with barley and oat improved the yield and quality of the hay compared to their monocrops in the present study. Accordingly, forage turnip with barley and oat at 75+25% and 50+50% seed rates exhibited the best results regarding forage yield and quality in the Bilecik ecological conditions.

Effects of crop type and production method on arable biodiversity in boreal farmland

Crop choice affects biodiversity within fields due to crop-specific characteristics and management practices. However, there is a lack of studies systematically comparing the biodiversity value of different crops across multiple taxa. This study empirically compared the diversity of plants, pollinators, predatory arthropods, and multi-taxa diversity between seven crop types and long-term environmental fallows in boreal farmland. The effects of crop production method (organic vs. conventional) on biodiversity were also examined. Biodiversity data were collected in 78 fields in Southern Finland. The studied species groups differed in their preferences for crop types and fallows, but none of them was particularly associated to spring cereal (oat), the dominant arable crop in the boreal farmland. Environmental fallows had the highest plant species richness and butterfly abundance, whereas faba bean and oilseed crop fields attracted high numbers of bumblebees. Carabid beetles were most abundant in winter cereal (rye) fields, and spiders in perennial crop types. Multi-taxa diversity was highest in fallows and lowest in spring cereal (oat), ley and cabbage fields. Organic production increased plant species richness across crop types. Hoverflies responded to the interaction of production method and crop type, being most abundant in organically managed faba bean fields. The other species groups and multi-taxa diversity were not affected by the production method. High arable land cover in the surrounding landscape had negative effect on butterflies, solitary bees and carabid beetles within fields. Our results suggest that diversifying cropping systems to include more insect-pollinated crops, winter cereals and pastures, and increasing the area of environmental fallows while maintaining landscape heterogeneity would enhance resource provision for a variety of organism groups in boreal agricultural landscapes.

Effect of annually repeated weed harrowing against Chenopodium album (L.) in organically grown spring cereals

Spring-tine harrowing is a common physical weed control practice employed in organic cereal cropping. The effectsof harrowing treatments on weeds and crop yield were studied in a field experiment of organically grown springcereals during 2018–2020. The objective was to demonstrate the feasibility of weed harrowing to enhance overallweed management in organic cropping in Finland. Single post-emergence weed harrowing, with or without covercrop drilling, at the 2–4 crop leaf stage was compared with a combined pre- and post-emergence weed harrowing.Treatments were repeated in the same plots for three years and weed occurrence was assessed prior to harrowing,two weeks later and at harvest time. Chenopodium album was the predominant weed species in all years.Although harrowing effectively reduced the weed abundance, which was best with the double treatment, the yieldresponse in terms of quantity and quality was negligible. Even so, weed harrowing in cereal years is recommendedto suppress weed proliferation in crop rotation.

Albedo on cropland: Field-scale effects of current agricultural practices in Northern Europe

Agricultural land use and management affect land surface albedo and thus the climate. Increasing the albedo of cropland could enhance reflection of solar radiation, counteracting the radiative forcing (RF) of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and local warming. However, knowledge is lacking on how agricultural practices affect albedo under local conditions, and on the benefits of individual practices. In this study, field measurements were made in 15 paired plots at a site in Northern Europe to determine albedo, net shortwave irradiance and RF impacts under various common crops, cultivation intensities and tillage practices. Field data for 2019-2020 were compared with satellite-based albedo for the surrounding region in 2010-2020. At regional level, different combinations of soil type, yearly weather and agricultural practices led to great variability in the albedo of individual crops, despite similar pedo-climatic conditions. At field level within years, albedo differences were determined mainly by crop type, species-specific phenology and post-harvest management. Annual albedo was higher with perennial ley (0.20-0.22) and winter-sown crops (0.18-0.22) than with spring-sown crops (0.16-0.18) and bare soil (0.13). Barley had the highest albedo among winter and spring cereals. In summer, when increased albedo could alleviate local heat stress, oats reduced net shortwave irradiance at the surface by 0.8-5.8 Wm−2 compared with other cereals, ley, peas or rapeseed. Delayed or reduced tillage gave high local cooling potential (up to -13.6 Wm−2) in late summer. Potential benefits for global mean climate as GWP100 per hectare and year reached -980 kg CO2e for avoiding black fallow, -578 kg CO2e for growing a winter-sown variety and -288 kg CO2e for delayed tillage. Thus realistic albedo increases on cropland could have important effects on local temperatures and offset a substantial proportion of the RF deriving from field-scale GHG emissions on short time-scales.

Role of neonicotinoid preparations for spike grain crop seedlings protection against click beetle and Frit fly larvae in Belarus

Recently, in winter and spring grain crops for pre-sowing seed treatment among the assortment of insecticides the preparations of insecticidal and insectofungicidal action based on neonicotinoids: acetamiprid, imidacloprid, clothianidin and thiamethoxam have been widely used. At the current stage of chemical method development of plant protection against harmful arthropods, neonicotinoids are rapidly developing and promising group of neurotoxic insecticides and having a fundamentally different mechanism of action on insects – they inhibit nicotine-acetylcholine receptors. Pre-sowing seed material treatment with insecticides protects the sown seeds, hypocotyls and aboveground plant organs against soil and intrastem pests. It is revealed that during the growing seasons of 2019–2021 in the experimental field, economically significant phytophages are lined click beetle (Agriotes lineatus L.) and Frit flies of autumn and spring generations (Oscinella spp.), indicating the study of their larvae number and harmfulness and measures allowing to control the vital activity of insects in agrocenoses conditions. Plants damaged by them lag behind in growth and die. Improving the range of effective preparations with different active substances used by the method of pre-sowing treatment of grain crop seeds to protect plants during germination against phytophages is an obligatory link in the technology of crops cultivation and one of the factors of their number effective control, what has determined the relevance of the choice of our research topic. Pre-sowing winter and spring cereals seed treatment with neonicotinoid preparations based on imidacloprid (Coyote, SC, Sidoprid, FSC, Tabu, WSC), acetamiprid (Leatrin, SC, Bagrets Plus, SC, Vershina Plus, SC) and thiamethoxam (Questor Forte, SC) have provided plant seedlings high protection against click beetle and Frit fly larvae damage. The results of studies conducted in 2019–2021 have shown that the effectiveness of preparations have varied by years depending on weather conditions and pests number before sowing and at seedlings stage. The indicators of winter grain crops plant damage reduction by wireworms have made 78,8–91,1 %, Frit flies 60,0–85,0 %, spring cereals – 80,0–91,6 % and 80,7–91,1 %, respectively. Through years of research the insecticides for seed treatment have helped to increase the stored grain yield of cereal crops, on the average, from 0,7 to 6,2 cwt/ha, or 1,0–13,5 %. The data obtained will serve as a basis for justifying protective measures to reduce the number and harmfulness of soil-dwelling and terrestrial pests in order to improve the phytosanitary situation in the agrocenoses of cereals.

Monitoring crop phenology with street-level imagery using computer vision

• Method to automatically collect side looking imagery for agriculture parcels. • Crop types and phenology obtained from computer vision. • Demonstration over monthly surveyed totalling 400,000 pictures for 17 crop types. • Deep learning hyper-parameterization for street view imagery for crop and phenology. • Parcel discrimination has M-F1 of 88.1% for crops and 86.9% for phenological stages. Street-level imagery holds a significant potential to scale-up in-situ data collection. This is enabled by combining the use of cheap high-quality cameras with recent advances in deep learning compute solutions to derive relevant thematic information. We present a framework to collect and extract crop type and phenological information from street level imagery using computer vision. Monitoring crop phenology is critical to assess gross primary productivity and crop yield. During the 2018 growing season, high-definition pictures were captured with side-looking action cameras in the Flevoland province of the Netherlands. Each month from March to October, a fixed 200-km route was surveyed collecting one picture per second resulting in a total of 400,000 geo-tagged pictures. At 220 specific parcel locations, detailed on the spot crop phenology observations were recorded for 17 crop types (including bare soil, green manure, and tulips): bare soil, carrots, green manure, grassland, grass seeds, maize, onion, potato, summer barley, sugar beet, spring cereals, spring wheat, tulips, vegetables, winter barley, winter cereals and winter wheat. Furthermore, the time span included specific pre-emergence parcel stages, such as differently cultivated bare soil for spring and summer crops as well as post-harvest cultivation practices, e.g. green manuring and catch crops. Classification was done using TensorFlow with a well-known image recognition model, based on transfer learning with convolutional neural network (MobileNet). A hypertuning methodology was developed to obtain the best performing model among 160 models. This best model was applied on an independent inference set discriminating crop type with a Macro F1 score of 88.1% and main phenological stage at 86.9% at the parcel level. Potential and caveats of the approach along with practical considerations for implementation and improvement are discussed. The proposed framework speeds up high quality in-situ data collection and suggests avenues for massive data collection via automated classification using computer vision.