Response of Conservation Agriculture on System Productivity and Carbon Sequestration in Rice-Based Cropping Systems

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.

Short-term effects of two kinds of plastic mulch on Oncomelania hupensis snail control in irrigation and drainage ditches in Yunnan Province / 中国血吸虫病防治杂志

Objective To evaluate and compare the short-term effects of two kinds of plastic mulch on Oncomelania hupensis snail control in irrigation and drainage ditches with snails in Yunnan Province. Methods The irrigation and drainage ditches with high density of Oncomelania hupensis snails were chosen as the investigation sites,and then 4 groups were set,namely a colorless plastic mulch group,black plastic mulch group,colorless plastic mulch with molluscicide group and black plastic mulch with molluscicide group. The snail situation of the 4 groups was surveyed before the experiment and 7,14,21,30 days after covering plastic mulch,and the snail death rates were compared among the 4 groups. Meanwhile,the hourly temperatures of soil surface,soil surface under plastic mulch and soil layer 5,15 cm under the surface as well as the weather situation during the study period were measured and recorded. Results The average snail mortality rate of the colorless plastic mulch group was only 15.29% that was higher than that of the black plastic mulch group(6.56%)(P 0.05). Both kinds of plastic mulches could raise the temperature of the soil surface under plas-tic mulch and the soil layer below it,and the temperature of soil under the mulches increased over the cover time,and the aver-age temperature of the soil surface under the black mulch in 30 days was higher than that under the colorless mulch. Conclu-sion It is not suitable to use plastic mulch only in irrigation and drainage ditches with snails widely in Yunnan Province be-cause of its low effect,and if necessary,the molluscicide should be added.

Water Conservation For Sustainable Future.

It is always easier to waste than to accumulate. The same principle works too when it comes to the issue of conservation of water resources. We all know how precious water is for everyone; still we do not take any initiative for the conservation of water resources and waste it in futility. Almost every country in the world is facing a growing challenge to meet the increasing demand for water that is driven by expanding population and economic growth. We depend upon fresh water that we require for our domestic, agriculture and industrial uses. Water supplies are affected by more industrialization, urbanization, mechanization and their polluting by products. As this water is quite limited, we must be very careful while using it and actively participate towards the conservation of water resources. This paper will help creating awareness among the readers about their contribution towards its scarcity and develop a consciousness about water conservation.

Manejo da podridão-de-Sclerotium em pimentão em um argisolo no Amazonas / Southern blight management of bell pepper in an argissol in the Amazonas State

Southern blight is a common disease in plants belonging to the Solanaceae family in the Amazon. To compare southern blight management strategies for bell pepper (Capsicum annuum, L. Solanaceae) a field experiment was conducted in a split plot design with main plots arranged in randomized blocks, with six replicates for each treatment, in a red-yellow Argisol (Ultisol) artificially infested with Sclerotium rolfsii. The main factor was soil cover (sawdust mulch or bare soil) The secondary factors were the incorporation to the soil: 1) compost (3 L by planting hole), 2) rice colonized by Trichoderma harzianum (90 g by planting hole, with ≈ 1.4 x 10(9) conidia g-1) and 3) compost and T. harzianum in the same proportion described previously; 4) control. All plants were fertilized with 1.5 L of compost by planting hole except those in the treatments with 3 L of compost by hole. The main plot had three rows with ten bell pepper plants (0.50 x 1.0 m) and the subplot, three rows with five plants. Southern blight incidence was accessed twice a week. The sawdust mulch increased the disease incidence significantly. In the mulched plots the disease intensity, expressed as the area under disease progress curve (AUDPC), increase 35.5% compared with bare soil. Trichoderma harzianum or the increase in the amount of compost (1.5 L to 3 L by planting hole) reduced the AUDPC by 38.1% and of 37.5%, respectively. Furthermore T. harzianum or the increase in the amount of compost, even with sawdust mulch added, reduced the AUDPC by 52.8% and in 55.1%, respectively, in comparison with mulch alone. These results suggested that the utilization of T. harzianum or the increase in the amount of compost by planting hole are viable strategies to southern blight management in bell pepper. The sawdust surface mulch is not recommended in an S. rolfsii infested area.

A podridão-de-Sclerotium é uma doença comum em plantas da família Solanaceae na Amazônia. Visando avaliar estratégias de manejo para esta doença em pimentão (Capsicum annuum, L. Solanaceae), foi conduzido experimento em campo em blocos casualizados com parcelas subdivididas e seis repetições, em Argissolo Vermelho-Amarelo artificialmente infestado com Sclerotium rolfsii. O tratamento principal foi a cobertura do solo (cobertura do solo com serragem ou solo nu). Os tratamentos secundários consistiram na adição ao solo de: 1) composto vegetal (3 L por cova), 2) arroz colonizado com Trichoderma harzianum (90 g por cova contendo ≈ 1,4 x 10(9) conídios g-1), 3) composto vegetal e T. harzianum nas mesmas proporções descritas anteriormente e 4) testemunha. Todas as plantas receberam apenas adubação orgânica com composto vegetal na proporção de 1,5 L por cova, exceto as dos tratamentos com 3 L de composto por cova. A parcela principal foi constituída de três fileiras com dez plantas de pimentão (0,50 x 1,0 m) e cada subparcela continha três fileiras com cinco plantas. A incidência da podridão-de-Sclerotium foi avaliada duas vezes por semana. A cobertura morta favoreceu significativamente a ocorrência da doença. Nas parcelas com esse tratamento o aumento da intensidade da doença, expressa em área abaixo da curva de progresso da doença (AACPD), foi 35,5% maior, em comparação com as parcelas sem cobertura morta. A aplicação de T. harzianum ou o incremento na quantidade de composto (de 1,5 para 3 L por cova) reduziu a AACPD em 38,1% e 37,5%, respectivamente. A aplicação de T. harzianum ou o incremento na quantidade de composto, mesmo nos tratamentos com cobertura morta, reduziu significativamente a AACPD em 52,8% e em 55,1%, respectivamente, em comparação com o tratamento apenas com cobertura morta. Esses resultados sugerem que a utilização de T. harzianum e o aumento na quantidade de composto por cova são estratégias eficientes de manejo da podridão-de-Sclerotium em...

Uso de malhas pigmentadas e mulching em túneis para cultivo de rúcula: efeito no ambiente e nas plantas modelo / Use of pigmented mesh covers tunnels and mulchings for growing roquette: environmental effects on model plants

O uso de malhas pigmentadas em cultivos de hortaliças folhosas permite a melhor adequação do ambiente às plantas, com destaque para a rúcula. Essa hortaliça vem conquistando maior espaço no mercado consumidor brasileiro desde o final da década de 90. Essa pesquisa teve por objetivo avaliar as condições ambientais proporcionadas pelo uso de telas pigmentadas na cobertura de túneis de cultivo, relacionando com as respostas agronômicas da rúcula, cultivada dentro desses túneis sobre diferentes coberturas de solo. As coberturas de túneis foram: a Chromatinet® azul, Chromatinet® vermelha, tela aluminizada prata, Sombrite® 50% e filme plástico transparente de polietileno de baixa densidade de 100µ. As coberturas de solo, também denominadas mulchings, dentro dos túneis foram: o filme plástico de polietileno de cor preta; de polietileno de dupla-face nas cores preta e branca, com a face branca voltada para cima; casca de arroz e a ausência de mulching. O delineamento utilizado foi o de blocos ao acaso com 24 tratamentos e três repetições. Nas condições do experimento, o emprego de algumas coberturas de túnel e de solo modificou o ambiente e melhorou as respostas agronômicas das plantas de rúcula.

The use of pigmented screens for growing vegetable crops provides an opportunity for adjusting environmental conditions, especially for roquette. This vegetable crop is consumed mainly as raw, and has a large proportion in Brazilian vegetable market since 1990s. The present research was aimed to evaluate the effect the altered environmental conditions (by using pigmented screens tunnels) on agronomic performance of roquette, grown inside tunnels having different color covers. Coverage screens colors were blue, red, silver, screen of shading 50% and transparent plastic. Beside this the effect of different mulching practices was also evaluated inside the tunnels. The experiment was laid out under randomized complete blocks design with 24 treatments and three replications. The results of the experiment under such conditions changed environmental and soil conditions and resulted in improved agronomic response by roquette plants.

Effect of plastic mulch on growth and yield of chilli (Capsicum annuum L.)

In this work a field study was conducted to evaluate the effect of coloured plastic mulch on growth and yield of chilli from October 2005 to April 2006. The plastic mulches were transparent, blue, and black and bare soil was the control. Different mulches generated higher soil temperature and soil moisture under mulch over the control. Transparent and blue plastic mulches encouraged weed population which were suppressed under black plastic. Plant height, number of primary branches, stem base diameter, number of leaves and yield were better for the plants on plastic. At the mature green stage, fruits had the highest vitamin-C content on the black plastic. Mulching produced the fruits with the highest chlorophyll-a, chlorophyll-b and total chlorophyll contents and also increased the number of fruits per plant and yield. However, mulching did not affect the length and diameter of the fruits and number of seeds per fruit. Plants on black plastic mulch had the maximum number of fruits and highest yield. Thus, mulching appears to be a viable tool to increase the chilli production under tropical conditions.

Girassol: emergência e crescimento inicial de plantas sob resíduos de cana-de-açúcar / Sunflower: emergence and initial plant growth under sugarcane residues

O objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar o efeito da palha residual da colheita da cana-de-açúcar e da adição de vinhaça sobre o solo na emergência e no crescimento inicial de cultivares de girassol. Os tratamentos foram dispostos em esquema fatorial (5 x 2 x 3), em blocos ao acaso, com quatro repetições, combinando-se cinco quantidades de palha de cana-de-açúcar (0, 5, 10, 15 e 20t ha-1) com aplicação ou não de 150m³ ha-1 de vinhaça residual da indústria sulcroalcooleira, utilizando-se três cultivares de girassol ("IAC-iarama", "Catissol" e "Helio 358"). Foram determinadas a velocidade e a porcentagem final de emergência de plântulas, além do comprimento e da biomassa seca da parte aérea de plantas aos 30 dias após a semeadura. Verificou-se que a presença da palha de cana-de-açúcar e da vinhaça, em quantidade equivalente a 150m³ ha-1, em ação conjunta ou isolada, reduz a emergência de plântulas e o crescimento inicial de cultivares de girassol. Entretanto, essa redução não compromete drasticamente o desempenho das cultivares ("IAC-iarama", "Catissol" e "Helio-358"), que não diferiram entre si.

The aim of this research was to evaluate the effect of the interaction of soil cover with sugarcane mulch residue combined with vinasse application on seedling emergence and initial growth of sunflower cultivars. A greenhouse experiment was carried out in pots with soil, in randomized complete blocks, with four replications. The treatments, arranged in a 5 x 2 x 3 factorial, consisted of the combination of five quantities of sugarcane mulch residue cover (0, 5, 10, 15 and 20t ha-1) followed by application or not of 150m³ ha-1 of vinasse, on soil planted to the sunflower cultivars 'IAC-iarama', 'Catissol' e 'Helio 358'. The variables studied were seedling emergence speed, final emergence, as well as plant height and dry weight of above ground plant biomass. It is concluded that, under greenhouse conditions, the presence of sugarcane mulch residue in any of the quantities studied, and of vinasse in the quantity of 150m³ ha-1, either isolated or in combination, reduce seedling emergence and hamper the initial growth of sunflower, but this effect is not so drastic to endanger the cultivars development ('IAC-iarama', 'Catissol' e 'Helio-358'), that do not differ between them.

Estrutura de florestas secundárias após dois diferentes sistemas agrícolas no nordeste do estado do Pará, Amazônia Oriental / Structure of secondary forests after two different systems of land use in the northeastern Pará state, Brazil

O objetivo deste trabalho foi caracterizar e comparar a estrutura de florestas secundárias com quatro anos de idade, que foram formadas após a utilização de dois diferentes sistemas de eliminação da cobertura vegetal - o sistema alternativo (SA) que tritura a biomassa e o sistema tradicional (ST) que utiliza o fogo. O estudo foi conduzido na região Bragantina que está localizada no nordeste do Pará. Para tal, foram selecionadas três áreas amostrais para cada sistema de uso da terra. Dentro de cada área amostral foram alocadas aleatoriamente quatro parcelas de 15 m² (3 x 5 m), totalizando 60 m² por área de estudo e 180 m² por sistema de uso. Foi encontrada uma diversidade média (H') de 2,94 para o SA e 3,32 para o ST, a densidade média foi 459.556 ind. ha-1 no SA e 466.833 ind. ha-1 no ST, a área basal do estrato superior do SA foi de 8,48 m² ha-1 e a do ST 3,07 m² ha-1, a biomassa seca estimada para o SA foi de 6,68 ton ha-1 e 2,80 ton ha-1 para o ST. Ocorreram diferenças estatísticas (ANOVA; P < 0,05) em parâmetros da estrutura vertical e biomassa indicando que o SA facilita o desenvolvimento do componente arbóreo das florestas.

The objective of this study was to characterize and compare the structure of 4-year old secondary forests that were established after the use of two different systems of elimination of forest coverage: i) the alternative system (SA) on which plant biomass is only triturated, and ii) the traditional system (ST) which uses fire. The study was conducted out in the Bragantina area, northeastern Pará state, Brazil. For each land use system we selected three areas in which four 15-m² (3 X 5 m) plots were randomly established to. Mean diversity (H') was of 2.94 for SA and 3.32 for ST, mean density was 459,556 ind. ha-1 in SA and 466,833 ind. ha-1 in ST, mean basal area of the superior stratum in SA was 8.48 m² ha-1 and the one of ST was 3.07 m² ha-1. There were statistical differences (ANOVA; P < 0.05) in vertical structure parameters and biomass. We conclude that SA management technique facilitates the development of the structure arboreal component.

Soil mineral N dynamics beneath mixtures of leaves from legume and fruit trees in Central Amazonian multi-strata agroforests

Long term applications of leguminous green mulch could increase mineralizable nitrogen (N) beneath cupuaçu trees produced on the infertile acidic Ultisols and Oxisols of the Amazon Basin. However, low quality standing cupuaçu litter could interfere with green mulch N release and soil N mineralization. This study compared mineral N, total N, and microbial biomass N beneath cupuaçu trees grown in two different agroforestry systems, north of Manaus, Brazil, following seven years of different green mulch application rates. To test for net interactions between green mulch and cupuaçu litter, dried gliricidia and inga leaves were mixed with senescent cupuaçu leaves, surface applied to an Oxisol soil, and incubated in a greenhouse for 162 days. Leaf decomposition, N release and soil N mineralization were periodically measured in the mixed species litter treatments and compared to single species applications. The effect of legume biomass and cupuaçu litter on soil mineral N was additive implying that recommendations for green mulch applications to cupuaçu trees can be based on N dynamics of individual green mulch species. Results demonstrated that residue quality, not quantity, was the dominant factor affecting the rate of N release from leaves and soil N mineralization in a controlled environment. In the field, complex N cycling and other factors, including soil fauna, roots, and microclimatic effects, had a stronger influence on available soil N than residue quality.

Aplicações a longo prazo de leguminosas como adubo verde podem aumentar o nitrogênio (N) mineralizável sob árvores de cupuaçu em solos pouco férteis e ácidos (Ultisols e Oxisols) da Bacia Amazônica. Entretanto, a baixa qualidade da liteira de cupuaçu pode influênciara liberação de N do adubo verde e a mineralização deste no solo. Neste estudo foram comparados o N mineral, N total, e o N da biomassa microbiana sob árvores de cupuaçu cultivadas em dois sistemas agroflorestais, ao norte de Manaus, Brasil, as quais receberam diferentes aplicações de adubo verde sob sua liteira natural durante sete anos. Para testar as interações entre o adubo verde e a liteira de cupuaçu, folhas secas de gliricídia e ingá foram misturadas com as folhas senescentes de cupuaçu, distribuídas na superfície de um solo Oxisol, e incubadas em casa de vegetação durante 162 dias. A decomposição das folhas, a liberação de N e mineralização do N no solo foram periodicamente mensurados nos tratamentos de mistura de liteira de diferentes espécies e comparados com as aplicações de liteira de apenas uma espécie. O efeito da biomassa de leguminosas e da liteira de cupuaçu no N mineral do solo foi aditivo, indicando que o uso de adubação verde em plantas de cupuaçu pode ser baseado na dinâmica do N em cada espécie usada como adubo verde. Os resultados demonstraram que a qualidade do resíduo, e não a quantidade, foi o principal fator que influenciou a taxa de liberação de N das folhas e a mineralização deste no solo, em ambiente controlado. No campo, o complexo ciclo do N e outros fatores tais como a fauna do solo, raízes e os efeitos do microclima, tiveram uma influência mais forte na disponibilidade de N no solo do que a qualidade d o resíduo vegetal.

Effects of cultivation methods on dry matter accumulating and growth dynamics of Angelica sinensis / 中草药

Objective To study the effects of cultivation methods on growth dynamics in the aerial part and root of Angelica sinensis and Ditylenchus destructor, rate of early bolting, and yield of A. sinensis as well. Methods Compared with conventional planting, ridge planting, furrow planting, white plastic mulch coverage, and black plastic mulch coverage were used to evaluate the effects of cultivation methods on dry matter accumulating and growth dynamics of A. sinensis. Results The influence of black plastic mulch coverage to growth dynamics of A. sinensis is the biggest, next for white plastic mulch coverage. There is the best inhibition to D. destructor under ridge planting. Black plastic mulch coverage can enhance the rate of early bolting. The treatment of black plastic mulch coverage has the highest yield, which can increase the yield by 33.4% (4 650 kg/hm2) compared to conventional planting; next for the treatment of white plastic mulch coverage, which increased the yield by 24.3% (3 372.2 kg/hm2) compared to conventional planting. But there were no significant effects of ridge planting and furrow planting on increasing yield. Conclusion The cultivation methods of black plastic mulch coverage should be brought into wide use in A. sinensis cultivation.

MULTIPOINT METHOD FOR QUANTIFICATION OF VARIOUS PHYSIOLOGICAL GROUPS OF BACTERIA IN STRAW MULCH NO\|TILLAGE SOILS / 微生物学通报

A modified multipoint method for enumeration of bacteria capable of various biochemical degradation reactions in soil is described.After continuous two\|crop winter wheat and summer corn rotation with no\|tillage for many years,the counts of hydrolysis of starch,xylan,pectin,protein,cellulose,chitin,lecithin and lipids bacteria were all increased significantly in no\|tillage 0\|10 cm soil depth compared to conventional tillage and direct drilling.