ABSTRACT
Low crop yields due to constant monocropping systems and deteriorating soil health in a smallholder farmers’ field of Indo-Gangetic plains of India have led to a quest for sustainable production practices with greater resource use efficiencies. The aim of the study was to elucidate the short term effects of conservation agricultural systems on productivity, soil health and carbon sequestration rate of soils in three different diversified cropping systems. The treatments consisted of two different tillage systems (conventional and reduced tillage), two mulch levels (no and straw mulch) and two levels of fertility (100 and 75% RDF) were compared in three rice-based cropping systems (rice-wheat; rice-vegetable pea-greengram; and rice-potato-maize sequences) for two years on an experimental field (clay loam) located at Norman E Borlaug Crop Research Center, Pantnagar, India. The resource conservation technologies (RCT) i.e. reduced tillage, mulch, and 100% RDF had recorded 2.5 and 3.0% higher system productivity and relative production efficiency in rice-vegetablepea-greengram and rice-potato-maize sequences, respectively in two consecutive years. Conservation tillage had sequestered three times higher carbon than conventional tillage while mulching acted four times higher than non-mulched condition in agricultural soils. Even though cropping system not significant significantly influenced on carbon sequestration, rice-vegetablepea-greengram sequence had recorded higher carbon sequestration rate and higher soil organic carbon stock noted in surface plough sole layer than any other cropping systems. Therefore, our results suggested that Indo-Gangetic farmers should consider adopting resource conservation practices together in indogangetic area because of benefits to soil health, carbon sequestration and system productivity.
ABSTRACT
This study was conducted to reveal the effects of silicon (Si) application on nutrient utilization efficiency by rice and on soil nutrient availability and soil microorganisms in a hybrid rice double-cropping planting system. A series of field experiments were conducted during 2017 and 2018. The results showed that Si nutrient supply improved grain yield and the utilization rates of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) to an appropriate level for both early and late plantings, reaching a maximum at 23.4 kg/ha Si. The same trends were found for the ratios of available N (AN) to total N (TN) and available P (AP) to total P (TP), the soil microbial biomass carbon (MBC), microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN), microbial biomass phosphorus (MBP), and the ratios of MBN to TN and MBP to TP, at different levels of Si. Statistical analysis further revealed that Si application enhanced rice growth and increased the utilization rate of fertilizer due to an ecological mechanism, i.e., Si supply significantly increased the total amount of soil microorganisms in paddy soil compared to the control. This promoted the mineralization of soil nutrients and improved the availability and reserves of easily mineralized organic nutrients.
ABSTRACT
This study was conducted to reveal the effects of silicon (Si) application on nutrient utilization efficiency by rice and on soil nutrient availability and soil microorganisms in a hybrid rice double-cropping planting system. A series of field experiments were conducted during 2017 and 2018. The results showed that Si nutrient supply improved grain yield and the utilization rates of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) to an appropriate level for both early and late plantings, reaching a maximum at 23.4 kg/ha Si. The same trends were found for the ratios of available N (AN) to total N (TN) and available P (AP) to total P (TP), the soil microbial biomass carbon (MBC), microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN), microbial biomass phosphorus (MBP), and the ratios of MBN to TN and MBP to TP, at different levels of Si. Statistical analysis further revealed that Si application enhanced rice growth and increased the utilization rate of fertilizer due to an ecological mechanism, i.e., Si supply significantly increased the total amount of soil microorganisms in paddy soil compared to the control. This promoted the mineralization of soil nutrients and improved the availability and reserves of easily mineralized organic nutrients.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To establish the HPLC fingerprint of Gentiana rigescens Franch. from different cultivation systems for the quality evaluation of the medicinal materials in combination with chemometrics analysis. METHODS: Four bioactive compounds, ie loganic acid, swertiamarin, gentiopicroside, and sweroside, were qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed. The chromatographic analysis was performed on a Shim-pack VP-ODS C18 column(4.6 mm×150 mm, 5 μm) at a temperature of 30℃. Linear gradient elution was used with mobile phase consisting of water with 0.1% formic acid(A) and acetonitrile(B). The flow rate was 1.00 mL·min-1. The injection volum was 10 μL. The detection wavelength was set at 241 nm. Chemometrics methods including hierarchical cluster, partial least squares discriminant analysis, and variable importance were used for this study. RESULTS: The calibration curves of the four compounds were linear in the range of 10-4000 μg·mL-1. The coefficients ranged from 0.9992 to 0.9999. The precision RSDs of the four compounds were 0.87%, 2.06%, 0.90% and 2.2%, respectively. The repeatability RSDs were 0.97%, 1.9%, 2.0% and 2.2%, respectively. The stability RSDs were lower than 2.2%. The recoveries of the four compounds varied from 97.12% to 103.81% with RSDs from 0.71% to 2.0%. The similarity analysis showed similarity values over 0.970 for most samples. The constituents of 70 samples collected from different cultivation systems were similar. However, the contents of those compounds varied significantly in the following order; gentiopicroside>swertiamarin>loganic acid>sweroside. The chemometrics characteristics of gentiopicroside was significantly different from the other compounds. The total content of the four compounds was the highest in the samples cultivated under Alnus nepalensis D. Don. The samples cultivated under Juglans regia Linn, had the highest content of loganic acid. The samples cultivated under Eucalyptus robusta Smith, had the highest content of swertiamarin. The samples cultivated under Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook, had the highest content of sweroside. The results of partial least squares discriminant analysis and variable importance for the study showed that gentiopicroside (VIP=1.513) and swertiamarin (VIP=1.208) were important variables for discrimination of cultivation system. The compounds with retension time of more than 10 min were important for discrimination of cultivation condition too. CONCLUSION: HPLC fingerprint combined with contents of main bioactive compounds could provide method and theoretical basis for the quality evaluation of G. rigescens Franch. from different multiple cropping systems.
ABSTRACT
A field experiment was conducted at Agricultural College Farm, Naira on sandy clay loam soil during pre kharif and kharif 2012-2013. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design, with four replications and seven cropping systems. Sunnhemp, greengram, blackgram, sesame, clusterbean and bhendi during pre kharif and rice during kharif were tried. Incorporation of different pre kharif crop residues significantly altered the growth and development of kharif rice. The results indicated that crop residue incorporation of sunnhemp recorded significantly higher growth parameters, yield attributes, yield (6501 kg ha-1) and nutrient uptake of kharif rice while lowest was recorded with that of fallow (4125 kg ha-1). Economics of rice was also observed with sunnhemp crop residue incorporation.
ABSTRACT
A presente análise tem a finalidade de comparar o desempenho entre unidades e atividades produtivas, interligando os parâmetros energéticos aos econômicos. O objetivo deste trabalho foi analisar a relação entre a energia produzida e consumida durante o processo de produção das principais culturas de cereais do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul, a saber, trigo, arroz e soja, em contraposição aos resultados econômicos das respectivas atividades. A pesquisa foi do tipo exploratória, a partir de estudos de multicaso, com uso de pesquisa bibliográfica, análises de laboratório e entrevistas. Para determinar os resultados de análises energéticas, foram realizados os balanços energéticos e as eficiências culturais e energéticas das culturas. Para determinar os resultados econômicos das atividades estudadas, foi utilizada a Teoria do Valor Agregado. Os resultados demonstram que a atividade da soja, em sistema de plantio direto com rotação de culturas, alcançou a maior eficiência energética, entre 25,58MJ ha-1 a 38,39MJ ha-1, sendo que a relação de menor eficiência foi a cultura do trigo, com 3,13MJ ha-1. Em relação ao desempenho econômico das culturas, a soja igualmente mostrou a melhor eficiência econômica igual a 2,47 e a do trigo foi de 1,14 a menor. Cabe destacar os significativos resultados econômicos obtidos pela cultura do arroz, expressos pelo alto valor agregado, obtido por unidade de área (VAL/ha de R$ 3.802,00) em função de sua alta produtividade física. Apesar dos indicadores energéticos serem positivos, houve significativos gastos com fertilizantes, combustíveis e agrotóxicos em todas as propriedades estudadas. Dessa forma, reforça-se a importância do debate sobre a sustentabilidade socioambiental dos sistemas estudados, principalmente quando analisados sob a ótica dos gastos energéticos de bens não-renováveis e da problemática social atribuída à mão-de-obra.
The energy analysis aims to compare the performance between productive units and activities, searching an approach to link the energy with the economic. Objectives is the analysis of the energy produced and consumed during the production process of major crops in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, namely, rice, soybeans and wheat, opposed to the economic results of such activities. The research was exploratory and based on multi-case studies with the use of literature review, laboratory analysis and interviews. To determine the results of energy analyzes were performed energy audits and energy efficiencies and cultural crops, while for the economic results we used the theory of Earned Value. The results demonstrate that the activity of soybean in no-tillage system with crop rotation achieved the highest energy efficiency between 25.58MJ ha-1 and 38.39MJ ha-1, whereas wheat culture showed the lowest efficiency with 3.13MJ ha-1. Regarding the economic performance of crops, soybeans showed the highest economic efficiency 2.47 and wheat the lowest 1.14. It is worth mentioning the significant economic results achieved by the rice crop, expressed by the high added-value obtained per unit area (VAL/ha R$ 3,802.00) due to its high physical productivity. In spite of having positive energy indicators, significant expenses on fertilizer, fuel and pesticides were observed in all properties studied. Thus, we reinforce the importance of the debate on social and environmental sustainability of the systems studied, especially when analyzed from the perspective of energy expenses of non-renewable resources and social problems attributed to workforce.
ABSTRACT
In oat production, tillering persistence is the determinant of one important yield component, namely the number of panicles. This process is highly influenced by the inter- and intraspecific interactions of the agroecosystem, which in turn depend on agronomic practices. The hypothesis of this research is that nitrogen does not increase oat tolerance to negative interference from trees, so oat tillering persistence in grain production remains un-modified by nitrogen at distances relative to the eucalyptus tracks, within the alley cropping agroforestry system (ACS). Thus, nitrogen should not be used to increase oat yield potential in these systems. The objective of this study was to determine how the tillering persistence for grain production and oat (Avena sativa L. cv. 'IPR 126') tiller traits were influenced by nitrogen levels (12 and 80kg N ha-1) at five equidistant positions between two adjacent eucalyptus (Eucalyptus dunnii Maiden) double line tracks [20m (4mx3m)] in ACS and traditional no-till agriculture in subtropical Brazil. The experiment was conducted in a split-block randomized block design with four replicates. The goal was to evaluate the oat phytomass, tiller-to-main shoot phytomass ratio, tillers per main shoot, grain yield and tiller-to-main shoot grain yield ratio. The oat tillering persistence for grain production is dependent on different nitrogen levels at distances relative to adjacent eucalyptus tracks and therefore, different nitrogen levels should be used in those areas, to improve oat yield potential inside ACS in subtropical Brazil.
Na produção de aveia, a persistência do perfilhamento é determinante para um importante componente de rendimento, o número de panículas. Esse processo é bastante influenciado pelas interações interespecíficas e intraespecíficas no agroecossistema, que, por sua vez, depende das práticas agronômicas. A hipótese deste trabalho é que o nitrogênio não aumenta a tolerância da aveia à interferência negativa das árvores, logo, a persistência do perfilhamento para produção de grãos não é modificada pelo nitrogênio em distâncias relativas às faixas de eucaliptos, em sistema agroflorestal em aleias (SAF). Assim, o nitrogênio não deve ser utilizado para aumentar o potencial de rendimento da aveia nestes sistemas. O objetivo deste trabalho foi determinar como a persistência do perfilhamento para produção de grãos e as características dos perfilhos da aveia (Avena sativa L. cv. 'IPR 126') são influenciados por níveis de nitrogênio (12 e 80kg N ha-1), em cinco posições equidistantes entre duas faixas adjacentes de linhas duplas [20m (4mx3m)] de eucalipto (Eucalyptus dunnii Maiden) e agricultura tradicional de plantio direto, no subtrópico brasileiro. O experimento foi realizado em faixas, no delineamento de blocos ao acaso, com quatro repetições. Foram avaliados a fitomassa da aveia, a razão de fitomassa entre o colmo principal e os perfilhos, o número de perfilhos por colmo principal, o rendimento de grãos e a relação do rendimento de grãos entre o colmo principal e os perfilhos. A persistência do perfilhamento para produção de grãos de aveia é dependente de diferentes níveis de nitrogênio em distâncias relativas a faixas adjacentes de eucaliptos, portanto, diferentes níveis de nitrogênio devem ser utilizados nessas distâncias, para aumentar o potencial de rendimento da aveia nos SAF no subtrópico brasileiro.
ABSTRACT
Seeing the sustainability of rice-wheat cropping system (RWCS) of the Indo-Gangetic Plain, adequate crop nutrition in general and nitrogen (N) in particular holds the key to sound crop management. The excessive application or insufficient management of N means an economic loss to the farmer and may lead to yield penalties and environmental problems. Improving N management in consonance with other nutrients is much important to break yield plateaus as breeding for high yielding is not happening in recent years. Findings from farm survey are used to evaluate the on-farm N management practices in rice crop of the study area. The crop management practices (especially time of sowing/transplanting and irrigation requirement) and resource base of the farmers decided the N use pattern of the farmers. The N Physical optimum and N economic optimum exceeding the recommended levels revealed the apparent need for the revalidation of the existing recommendations. Paddy yield increased significantly within different rice types. This study generated comprehensive data on N use pattern in rice in the study area.
ABSTRACT
Multiple cropping (i.e. intercropping or mixed cropping) plays an important role in agriculture because of the effective utilization of resources, significantly enhancing crop productivity compared with that of monocultured crops. The study was planed to assess the effect of various concentrations (00, 30, 60, 90 kg ha-1) of phosphorous on the biochemical composition of grains of Hordeum vulgare L. (NDB-1050) in mixed cropping system with Chickpea. Phosphorous is an essential ingredient for plants to convert atmospheric N (N2) into an ammonium (NH4) as a useable form. The available nitrogen content was found more in the year 2006 (131 kg ha-1) than year 2005 (105 kg ha-1). The results of available nitrogen content were showed that the mixed cropping system enhances N fixation process because phosphorous also influences nodule development through its basic functions in plants as an energy source. Reducing, non reducing and total sugar content of H. vulgare L. were influenced by changes in the phosphorous doses. Maximum protein (13.43 %) was obtained at 60 kg P2 O5 ha-1 during the year 2006. Lysine, tryptophan and methionine content were found maximum in year 2006, respectively. Total mineral content of grains of plant (0.99 g 100g-1) was found maximum by the application of 60 kg P2 O5 ha-1. It is possible that there was an increase in the soil N made available by the leguminous chickpea species, and this could be another reason why there was an increase in Hordeum vulgare L. shoot mass per plant with intercropping with chickpea.