Differences In Crop Yield Research Articles

Test of Endogenous Structural Break for Different Crops: Case Study of West Bengal

The existing literature on West Bengal's agricultural growth based on traditional growth analysis is limited in explaining the nature of any series. The object of the present study is to test any structural break in the growth path of area, production and yield of different crops, using the endogenous structural break approach over the period 1980-1981 to 2002-2003. All the series, except pulses yield, have different stationary process implying that only changes associated with pulse yield are sustained in nature and no certain conclusion can be made for other cases. The inter-crop disparities with respect to the break point are conspicuous.

Identification of the MBF1 heat-response regulon of Arabidopsis thaliana.

Brief periods of heat stress of even a few days can have a detrimental effect on yield production worldwide, causing devastating economic and societal impacts. Here we report on the identification of a new heat-response regulon in plants controlled by the multiprotein bridging factor 1c (MBF1c) protein of Arabidopsis thaliana. Members of the highly conserved MBF1 protein family function as non-DNA-binding transcriptional co-activators involved in regulating metabolic and development pathways in different organisms from yeast to humans. Nonetheless, our studies suggest that MBF1c from Arabidopsis functions as a transcriptional regulator which binds DNA and controls the expression of 36 different transcripts during heat stress, including the important transcriptional regulator DRE-binding protein 2A (DREB2A), two heat shock transcription factors (HSFs), and several zinc finger proteins. We further identify CTAGA as a putative response element for MBF1c, demonstrate that the DNA-binding domain of MBF1c has a dominant-negative effect on heat tolerance when constitutively expressed in plants, and show that constitutive expression of MBF1c in soybean enhances yield production in plants grown under controlled growth conditions without causing adverse effects on growth. Our findings could have a significant impact on improving heat tolerance and yield of different crops subjected to heat stress.

Soil organic carbon dynamics and crop yield for different crop rotations in a degraded ferruginous tropical soil in a semi-arid region: a simulation approach

SUMMARYIn recent years, simulation models have been used as a complementary tool for research and for quantifying soil carbon sequestration under widely varying conditions. This has improved the understanding and prediction of soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics and crop yield responses to soil and climate conditions and crop management scenarios. The goal of the present study was to estimate the changes in SOC for different cropping systems in West Africa using a simulation model. A crop rotation experiment conducted in Farakô-Ba, Burkina Faso was used to evaluate the performance of the cropping system model (CSM) of the Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT) for simulating yield of different crops. Eight crop rotations that included cotton, sorghum, peanut, maize and fallow, and three different management scenarios, one without N (control), one with chemical fertilizer (N) and one with manure applications, were studied. The CSM was able to simulate the yield trends of various crops, with inconsistencies for a few years. The simulated SOC increased slightly across the years for the sorghum–fallow rotation with manure application. However, SOC decreased for all other rotations except for the continuous fallow (native grassland), in which the SOC remained stable. The model simulated SOC for the continuous fallow system with a high degree of accuracy normalized root mean square error (RMSE)=0·001, while for the other crop rotations the simulated SOC values were generally within the standard deviation (s.d.) range of the observed data. The crop rotations that included a supplemental N-fertilizer or manure application showed an increase in the average simulated aboveground biomass for all crops. The incorporation of this biomass into the soil after harvest reduced the loss of SOC. In the present study, the observed SOC data were used for characterization of production systems with different SOC dynamics. Following careful evaluation of the CSM with observed soil organic matter (SOM) data similar to the study presented here, there are many opportunities for the application of the CSM for carbon sequestration and resource management in Sub-Saharan Africa.

A Crop Simulation Model for Predicting Yield and Fate of Nitrogen in Irrigated Potato Rotation Cropping System

Simulation models are valuable tools to evaluate soil processes, crop growth, and production responses under varied agroclimatic and input-management production conditions. In this study, an upgraded potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) crop growth simulation model (CSPotato) was integrated with a multi-year, multi-crop simulation model (CropSystVB). The integrated CropSystVB-CSPotato model facilitated prediction of soil processes, and growth and yields of different crops in a potato rotation system under center pivot irrigation. The integrated model was validated using two years (2001-2002) of field data on ‘Ranger Russet’ cultivar grown in a Quincy fine sand in the Pacific Northwest Columbia Basin production region under different nitrogen-management practices. This study showed good agreement between the measured and predicted yields as well as N uptake across different N management practices in both years. The predicted water as well as nitrogen drainage below the potato rooting depth (0.6 m) was greater in 2002 than that in 2001. This study demonstrated that the upgraded potato model integrated with CropSystVB can be used as a valuable decision tool to predict the crop yields, fate, and transport of N in irrigated potato rotation cropping systems.

Advances in precision agriculture in south-eastern Australia. III. Interactions between soil properties and water use help explain spatial variability of crop production in the Victorian Mallee

A major barrier to the adoption of precision agriculture in dryland cropping systems is our current inability to reliably predict spatial patterns of grain yield for future crops for a specific paddock. An experiment was undertaken to develop a better understanding of how edaphic and climatic factors interact to influence the spatial variation in the growth, water use, and grain yield of different crops in a single paddock so as to improve predictions of the likely spatial pattern of grain yields in future crops. Changes in a range of crop and soil properties were monitored over 3 consecutive seasons (barley in 2005 and 2007 and lentils in 2006) in the southern section of a 167-ha paddock in the Mallee region of Victoria, which had been classified into 3 different yield (low, moderate, and high) and seasonal variability (stable and variable) zones using normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI) and historic yield maps. The different management zones reflected marked differences in a range of soil properties including both texture in the topsoil and potential chemical-physical constraints in the subsoil (SSCs) to root growth and water use. Dry matter production, grain yield, and quality differed significantly between the yield zones but the relative difference between zones was reduced when supplementary irrigation was applied to barley in 2005, suggesting that some other factor, e.g. nitrogen (N), may have become limiting in that year. There was a strong relationship between crop growth and the use of soil water and nitrate across the management zones, with most water use by the crop occurring in the pre-anthesis/flowering period, but the nature of this relationship appeared to vary with year and/or crop type. In 2006, lentil yield was strongly related to crop establishment, which varied with soil texture and differences in plant-available water. In 2007 the presence of soil water following a good break to the season permitted root growth into the subsoil where there was evidence that SSCs may have adversely affected crop growth. Because of potential residual effects of one crop on another, e.g. through differential N supply and use, we conclude that the utility of the NDVI methodology for developing zone management maps could be improved by using historical records and data for a range of crop types rather than pooling data from a range of seasons.

Bioavailability of selenium to forage crops in a sandy loam soil amended with Se-rich plant materials

Greenhouse experiments were conducted to study the bioavailability of selenium (Se) to sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor L.), maize ( Zea mays L.) and berseem ( Trifolium alexandrinum L.) fodders in a sandy loam soil amended with different levels of Se-rich wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) and raya ( Brassica juncea L. Czern) straw containing 53.3 and 136.7 μg Se g −1, respectively. Each of the fodder crops was grown after incorporation of Se-rich materials either individually or in a sequence – sorghum–maize–berseem by incorporating Se-rich straws only to the first crop. Application of Se-rich straws to each crop, even at the greatest rate of 1%, did not have any detrimental effect on dry matter yield of different crops. With increase in the level of wheat straw from 0% to 1%, Se content in sorghum and maize plants increased to greatest level of 1.3 and 1.5 μg g −1, respectively, at 0.3% of applied straw and thereafter it decreased consistently. In case of raya straw, the greatest Se content in sorghum (2.3 μg g −1) and maize (3.0 μg g −1) was recorded at 0.3% and 0.4% of the applied straw, respectively. Unlike sorghum and maize fodders, Se content in all the four cuts of berseem continued to increase with increase in the level of applied straws and for different cuts of berseem it varied from 1.6 to 2.3 and 3.4 to 4.3 μg g −1 in case of wheat and raya straw, respectively. Similar variations in Se content of different fodder crops were recorded when these were grown in the sequence – sorghum–maize–berseem; but Se content was 2–4 times lower than when each crop was grown with fresh application of Se-rich straw. None of the fodders absorbed Se in levels toxic for animal consumption (>5 μg g −1) even at the greatest level of applied straw. Of the total Se added through Se-rich straws, utilization of Se was not more than 2% in case of sorghum and maize crops and up to 5% in case of berseem. At the time of sowing of sorghum, hot water soluble Se (HWS-Se) in soils treated with different levels of Se-rich wheat and raya straw, respectively, varied from 18 to 36 and 18 to 79 μg kg −1. Whereas in case of berseem, it varied from 33 to 101 and 33 to 154 μg kg −1, respectively. HWS-Se present at the sowing time of berseem was significantly correlated with Se content of all the four cuts in the soil treated with Se-rich straws; the coefficients of correlation ‘ r’ varied between 0.79 ( p ⩽ 0.05) and 0.99 ( p ⩽ 0.001). Selenium-rich materials supplied significant amounts of S, P and micronutrients to the growing fodder crops. These investigations suggest that Se-rich raya and wheat straw may be disposed off safely in soils used for growing fodders.

Impact of Climate Change on Indian Agriculture: A Review

During the recent decade, with the growing recognition of the possibility of climate change and clear evidence of observed changes in climate during 20th century, an increasing emphasis on food security and its regional impacts has come to forefront of the scientific community. In recent times, the crop simulation models have been used extensively to study the impact of climate change on agricultural production and food security. The output provided by the simulation models can be used to make appropriate crop management decisions and to provide farmers and others with alternative options for their farming system. It is expected that in the coming decades with the increased use of computers, the use of simulation models by farmers and professionals as well as policy and decision makers will increase. In India, substantial work has been done in last decade aimed at understanding the nature and magnitude of change in yield of different crops due to projected climate change. This paper presents an overview of the state of the knowledge of possible effect of the climate variability and change on food grain production in India.

Subsurface drainage for reversing degradation of waterlogged saline lands

AbstractIn irrigated agriculture of arid and semiarid regions waterlogging coupled with salinity is a serious problem. Experimental evidence at several locations has led to the realization that subsurface drainage is an essential intervention to reverse the processes of land degradation responsible for the formation of waterlogged saline lands. This paper presents the results of a study conducted from 1995 to 2000 to evaluate the impacts of subsurface drainage on soil properties, groundwater‐table behaviour and crop productivity in a waterlogged saline area of 2200 ha. A subsurface drainage system was installed at 1·6 m depth with 60 m drain spacing covering an area of 1200 ha (23 blocks) during 1997–99 and compared with an undrained block of 1000 ha. Subsurface drainage facilitated the reclamation of waterlogged saline lands and a decrease in the soil salinity (ECe, dS m−1) that ranged from 16·0 to 66·3 per cent in different blocks. On average, 35·7 per cent decrease in salt content was observed when compared with the initial value. Provision of subsurface drainage controlled the water‐table below the root zone during the monsoon season and helped in bringing the soil to optimum moisture content for the sowing of winter crops. In the drained area, the increase in yields of different crops ranged from 18·8 to 27·6 per cent. However, in the undrained area the yield of different crops decreased due to the increased waterlogging and soil salinity problems. Overall the results indicated that investment in subsurface drainage is a viable option for reversing the land degradation of waterlogged saline lands in a monsoon climate. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Crop yield estimation by satellite remote sensing

Two methods for estimating the yield of different crops in Hungary from satellite remote sensing data are presented. The steps of preprocessing the remote sensing data (for geometric, radiometric, atmospheric and cloud scattering correction) are described. In the first method developed for field level estimation, reference crop fields were selected by using Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) data for classification. A new vegetation index (General Yield Unified Reference Index (GYURI)) was deduced using a fitted double-Gaussian curve to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) data during the vegetation period. The correlation between GYURI and the field level yield data for corn for three years was R 2=0.75. The county-average yield data showed higher correlation (R 2=0.93). A significant distortion from the model gave information of the possible stress of the field. The second method presented uses only NOAA AVHRR and officially reported county-level yield data. The county-level yield data and the deduced vegetation index, GYURRI, were investigated for eight different crops for eight years. The obtained correlation was high (R 2=84.6–87.2). The developed robust method proved to be stable and accurate for operational use for county-, region- and country-level yield estimation. The method is simple and inexpensive for application in developing countries, too.

FACTORES QUE INFLUYEN SOBRE LA GERMINACIÓN DE Ipomoea nil (L.) Roth.

Ipomoea nil is a weed that causes losses in the yield in different crops specially, especially soybean and cotton plant. Knowledge of the conditioning factors for it germination will permit an opportune and better control of the species. The effects of the scarification, temperature, pH, and osmotic potential on seed germination of I. nil were studied, with the objective of generating the information necessary to establish management strategies. The effects of different procedures of scarification were studied: sanding, incision and immersion in sulfuric acid. The germination of seeds submitted to different temperatures and photoperiods was evaluated. Ranges of pH between 4 and 9 with different osmotic potentials between –0.00 to –1.0 MPa were tested. The highest germination percentages were obtained with scarification via incision and exposure to acid for 60 minutes, with 99.00% and 92.70% germination, respectively. The optimum germination temperatures were 32 °C and 32/18 °C with germination values of 71% and 84%, respectively. In acids and neutral pH, the germination was positive. The maximum germination percentage was registered in the osmotic potential of –0.2 (92.67%) with the germination progressively decreasing until –0.8 MPa (51.33%). I. nil has a high germination capacity in environments with high thermo amplitudes, which is increased by mechanical and chemical scarification. The extreme conditions of alkalinity have a negative effect on its germination as do high osmotic potentials.

Productivity Enhancement in the Salt-Affected Lands of Joint Satiana Pilot Project Area of Pakistan

SUMMARY Salt-affected lands are common in Pakistan and cover an area of 6.8 million ha; i.e., about one-third of the total cultivated area. Reduction in yield of different crops due to salinity and waterlogging is sometimes more than 60%, and annual losses under rice-wheat rotation have been calculated at Rs. 10 billion (US$ 166 million). Other adverse effects of salinity on the community are very large and about 16 million people are affected directly by the hazards of salinity and waterlogging. Average farmers in Satiana project area (38 villages) have 4–5 ha of land, of which approximately 55% are salt-affected. This area is equipped with a modern tile drainage system but it has not shown the expected impact on the rehabilitation of salt-affected soils. Farmers of Satiana area are poor and depend on off-farm activities for their livelihood. Nevertheless, they are keen to improve their soils. A productivity enhancement program was launched in the affected area, where saline agriculture was successfully ...

Genetically modified bacteria in agriculture

Certain bacteria isolated from soils possess properties that allow them to exert beneficial effects on plants either by enhancing crop nutrition or by reducing damages caused by pathogens or pests. Some of them, such as rhizobia, azospirilla, and agrobacteria, have been traditionally released in fields as seed inoculants and they often lead to increases in the yield of different crops while the application of others, such as pseudomonads, often fails to give the expected results. Bacteria genetically modified to be easily traceable and/or to be improved in their expression of beneficial traits have been constructed and released with plants in a number of experimental field plots. With these releases, it has been possible to monitor the modified inoculant bacteria after their introduction in field ecosystems and to assess their impact on the resident microflora. Local environmental factors appeared as playing a crucial role in the survival and persistence of bacteria once released in fields and in the expression of the beneficial traits whether improved or not. The spread of inoculant bacteria from their point of dissemination was limited. Transient shifts in favour of the released bacteria and in disfavour of some members of the bacterial and fungal populations present in the plant rhizosphere might occur with certain released bacteria. The changes observed were, however, less important than those observed under usual agricultural practices. Gene transfer from resident population to introduced bacteria was detected in one case. The transconjugants were found only transiently in the phytosphere of plants but not in soils. No differences between the survival, spread, persistence in field and ecological impacts of genetically modified bacteria and of the corresponding unmodified parent strain could be detected.

The Influence of the Application of Mineral Fertilizers with the Biopreparation Supresivit ( Trichoderma Harzianum ) on the Health and the Yield of Different Crops

The biopreparation Supresivit based on spores from the fungus Trichoderma harzianum was applied as a dressing mixed with mineral fertilizers: NPK, LAV (ammonium nitrate with limestone) and DASA (ammonium nitrate and ammonium sulphate). Our experimental plots with spring barley, winter wheat, winter oil rape, maize and potatoes were fertilized with the mixtures of the biopreparation (1 g, 0.5 g and 0.1 g per 1 kg of fertilizer). There were two check variants, the first variant without any fertilization and without biopreparation, the second with fertilizer and without biopreparation. We observed the infestation of plants with pathogenic fungi and yield parameters. In our experiments it was indicated that Trichoderma harzianum suppresses pathogenic fungi at the concentration 0,5 g of Supresivit per 1 kg of the fertilizer and higher ones. The plants from treated plots had lower infestation - decreasing about 5-15% superficial infestation: tan spot of barley - yellow leaf spot on cereals and leaf blotch of barley, winter wheat - leaf spot of wheat, tan spot of wheat, take-all etc., winter oil-seed rape - black leg and collar rot, potatoes - blight fungus etc. Simultaneously the effect on higher yields was observed.

Correlation and path coefficient analyses of the agronomic trait of a native population of guayule plants

Correlation and path coefficient analyses have been successfully used for plant selection for increasing yields of different crops. This approach could be applied to increase guayule latex production. Natural stands of guayule ( Parthenium argentatum) in México may constitute a source for plant selection. This paper reports on the correlation coefficients for phenotypic characteristics and path coefficient analysis of guayule to evaluate the direct and indirect effects of the rubber production components. The variables evaluated were plant height, main stem diameter, dry weight, rubber and resin content, and yields. These were measured from different part plants of shrubs a wild stands of Gómez Farı́as, México. Rubber yields of the first-year stem and the diameter of the main stem are the variables that relate to rubber yield per plant. Based on the correlations and path coefficient analysis results, we found that the dry weight of the first-year stems is a good indicator for selecting high rubber yielding plants in wild stands.

Satellite data application in the study of variability of dates of onset of Indian summer monsoon and its influence on yield of crops

Agriculture in India is strongly dependent on rainfall. Besides the quantum of rainfall, the timely commencement of rainy season (onset of monsoon) has also dominating influence on the yield of crops. Timely sowing especially in case of crops grown under rainfed condition gives better yields. It is therefore necessary that the beginning of cropping season is linked with the first monsoon rainfall which would provide the required moisture for the sowing operations. The most variable nature of onset and subsequent behaviour of summer monsoon season makes the task difficult for the farmers and planners to plan their cropping strategies and to estimate the final yield. The year to year variability of dates of onset of monsoon over different parts of India have been studied based on satellite derived data. The yield of different crops under early, normal and late onset are also studied. Delayed onset, is found to have adverse effect on the yields.

Advances in Agricultural Nutrient Runoff Controls

Progress has been relatively slow for reducing nitrate and phosphate losses from the Susquehanna River Watershed to the Chesapeake Bay. It was initially recognized that farmers on the well drained limestone soils of Southeastern Pennsylvania, especially Lancaster County, were land applying excessive N and P in the form of manures and commercial fertilizers. The objective of the authors has been to define “the greatest agricultural production experiment of the century”. The farmers combined manures and commercial fertilizers on these lands over a period of 20 years and experienced a two fold increase in yields of different crops. While it has been relatively easy to convince the farmers to stop applying commercial fertilizers, reductions in nutrient loadings via a reduction in animal numbers per acre or per farm has not occurred. The authors and others have not proposed a reduction in dairy cows per acre because such reductions would not allow these producers to remain in business, and if we can't explain how these farmers were so successful in increasing production, we have little justification for asking that they be denied the technology they have developed. The data summarized below serve to justify the need for a program to increase cellulose and lignin carbon as bedding or direct application to land to increase the water holding capacities of the soils and immobilize an acceptable excess amount of manure N applied.

Local adaptation, varietal diversity and the skewness of regional crop yields

On grounds of theory, anecdote and intuition, it is argued that crop varieties that are well adapted to local conditions will tend to have negatively skewed yield distributions. Conversely, when varieties are widely adopted that do not feature close local adaptation, and varietal diversity is substantially reduced, yields may tend to be other than negatively skewed. These arguments are supported by data on yields of different crops in different environments around the world. Analogous arguments concerning the degree of optimality of the crop-growng environment and the state of technological achievements of an agriculture are also similarly addressed. As the degree of control in an environment increases, yields again tend to be negatively skewed in contrast to those environments which are regulated but sub-optimal, where positive skewness tends to be encountered.

Effect of crop residue management on the yields of different crops and on soil properties

The effects of chopped (6–9 cm) and unchopped (long) crop residues of wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) and rice ( Oryza sativa L.) in corn ( Zea mays L.)— wheat and rice-wheat rotations on grain yield and soil properties were investigated in 27 field experiments during 9 years. Experiments on chopped wheat residue involved the treatments of two main plots with residue incorporation at 0 and 4 t/ha before sowing of corn and wheat and having subplots with 0, 40, 80 and 120 kg N/ha. The results obtained for 4 years showed that the incorporation of wheat residue not only improved the soil physicochemical properties but also increased the grain and stover yields of corn significantly. The yield obtained with 80 kg N in conjunction with 4 t/ha chopped wheat residue was identical to that with 120 kg N/ha alone. But the wheat yield was depressed significantly upon the incorporation of wheat residue before the sowing of wheat in all the years of investigation. The experiments on the management of unchopped wheat residue in corn-wheat rotation and of unchopped wheat (6 t/ha) and rice (12 t/ha) residues in rice-wheat rotation, involved three main treatments: physical removal, in-situ incorporation and in-situ burning of residues. Main treatments were tested at 60, 120 and 180 kg N/ha level over 5 years. Irrespective of N application, the residue management treatments had non-significant effects on the succeeding crop yield in all the years. Burning of residue improved the yield by about 0·2 t/ha, whereas residue incorporation did not affect the yield either of corn or rice. On the other hand, the wheat yield was depressed by 0·1–0·2 t/ha in both the rotations. The effect of applied N irrespective of residue management was significant in some years up to the level of 120 kg and in others, 180 kg N/ha.

Effect of Bitter Lupin Extract on Growth and Yield of Different Crops

AbstractLupin extract is a mixture of alkaloids, mineral salts and carbohydrates taken out in mechanical debittering of lupines by a process developed by Mittex AG. The possibility of using this extract as growth regulator, sprayed in quantities up to 60 kg/ha, or as fertilizer, dosage up to 500 kg/ha, was studied. Two years (1985, 1986) experiments have shown that if factors like plant physiological stage, N fertilization, and weather were harmonized extract spraying worked as growth regulator yielding increases of 4, 8, 18 and 23% in winter wheat, maize, soybean and potatoes, respectively. Potato yield in organic farming was even increased up to 33%. Yield increases from 6 to 38% were also registered in carrots, onion and Chinese cabbage. Application of extract as fertilizer gave still higher increases reaching as high as 17, 43 and 57 % in winter wheat, maize and cabbage, respectively. 250 kg/ha soil application of extract reduced the N fertilizer input from 180 kg/ha to 90 kg/ha along with 20 % increase in chinese cabbage yield.

Compaction of sandy soils for irrigation management

Several irrigation management experiments were conducted at different locations on sandy soils in Haryana State to overcome excessive permeability, poor soil moisture retention and storage in the root zone. Subsurface compaction to 30–40 cm depth created by 6 passes of a 1,500 kg tractor-driven iron roller, 24 to 48 h after irrigation, was found to be beneficial in reducing irrigation requirement. In general, yield of different crops was not affected significantly by surface rolling, except that of mustard which increased significantly. Slight increase in subsurface compaction, about 0.1 g cm−3, increased the soil moisture retention and reduced the infiltration rate and saturated hydraulic conductivity. Hydraulic conductivity was a better parameter than bulk density for evaluating the effect of rolling. The depth of irrigation water applied in rolling treatment was about 58–74% that of the no-rolling control. Compaction thus reduced water input to these sandy soils without adversely affecting the crop yield.