Co-incorporating green manure and crop straw increases crop productivity and improves soil quality with low greenhouse-gas emissions in a crop rotation

In a nine-year field experiment in a wheat-maize-sunflower cropping system in Hetao Irrigation Area,Inner Mongolia,China,organic amendments applied as straw,manure,green manure,and the combination of green manure and straw increased wheat and maize yield,soil aggregate stability,and soil microbial activity in comparison with chemical fertilizer,without changing greenhouse gas emission intensity.

Growth characteristics of multipurpose tree species, crop productivity and soil properties in agroforestry systems under subtropical humid climate in India

Multipurpose tree species （MPTs） were studied in an agroforestry arboretum under subtropical humid climate in Northeast India. Out of 12 MPTs planted under agroforestry systems, Acacia auriculiformis in spacing of 2 m × 2 m （2500 stems·hm^-2） could have the potentiality to meet the timber/fuelwood requirement due to its high wood production of 635 m^3·hm^-2 with mean annual increment （MAI） of 2.54×10^-2 m^3.treel.a^-1 in a short rotation period of 10 years. Thus, A. auriculiformis is a short rotation forest tree species suitable to grow in subtropical humid climate. On the other hand, at 16 years of age, Eucalyptus hybrid and Michelia champaca in spacing of 3 m × 3 m （1111 stems.hm^2） produced appreciably high timber volume of 315 m^3.hm^-2 and 165 m^3.hm^-2 with MAI of 1.77×10^-2 m^3.tree^-1·a^-1 and 0.92×10.2 m^3.tree^-1.a^-1, respectively. At 16 years of age, Gmelina arborea produced a timber volume of 147 m^3.hm^-2 with MAI of 1.47×10^-2 m^3.tree^-1.a^-1 followed by Samania saman （140 m^3.hm^-2）, Albizziaprocera （113 m^3·hm^-2） and Tectona grandis （79 m3.hm^-2） with MAI of 1.40, 1.13 and 0.78 × 10^-2 m^3 .tree^-1a^-1, respectively in 4 m × 4 m spacing （625 stems.hm^-2）. Gliricidia maculata and Leucaena leucocephala could be used as live fences around the farm boundary to supply their N-rich leaves for mulch as well as manure to crops. In agroforestry arboretum, direct seeded upland rice （Oryza sativa - variety, AR-11）, groundnut （Arachis hypogaea - variety, JL-24） and sesamum （Sesamum indicum - variety, B-67） were grown during the initial period upto 8 years of tree establishment. Under other MPTs, there was a reduction in crop productivity as compared to open space. After 8 years of tree establishment, horti-silvi and silvi-pastoral systems were developed and pineapple （Ananas comosus - variety Queen）, turmeric （Curcuma longa -variety RCT -1） and cowpea （Vigna sinensis - variety Pusa Barsati） as forage crop were raised. The productivity of pineapple, turmeric and cowpea was comparatively high under Azadirachta indica. The productivity of horticultural and forage crops in association with trees such as G. arborea, A. procera, S. saman, T. grandis and M. champaca of high timber value could be harnessed as viable agroforestry systems. Changes in soil properties were also monitored. Amelioration of soil acidity, increase in soil organic carbon, and enhanced humification of soil humus, high nutrient availability, low soil erodibility and high surface soil （0-15 cm） moisture availability were noted in soils under MPTs.

Elevation, Slope Aspect and Integrated Nutrient Management Effects on Crop Productivity and Soil Quality in North-west Himalayas, India

On farm bio-resource recycling has been given greater emphasis with the introduction of conservation agriculture specifically withclimate change scenarios in the mid-hills of the north-west Himalaya region（NWHR）. Under this changing scenario, elevation, slope aspect and integrated nutrient management（INM） may affect significantly soil quality and crop productivity. A study was conducted during 2009-2010 to 2010-2011 at the Ashti watershed of NWHR in a rainfed condition to examine the influence of elevation, slope aspect and integrated nutrient management（INM） on soil resource and crop productivity. Two years of farm demonstration trials indicated that crop productivity and soil quality is significantly affected by elevation, slope aspect and INM. Results showed that wheat equivalent yield（WEY） of improved technology increased crop productivity by -20%-37% compared to the conventional system. Intercropping of maize with cowpea and soybean enhanced yield by another 8%-17%. North aspect and higher elevation increased crop productivity by 15%-25% compared to south aspect and low elevation（except paddy）. Intercropping of maize with cowpea and soybean enhanced yield by another 8%-15%. Irrespective of slope, elevation and cropping system, the WEY increased by -30% in this region due to INMtechnology. The influence of elevation, slope aspect and INM significantly affected soil resources（SQI） and soil carbon change（SCC）. SCC is significantly correlated with SQI for conventional（R2 = 0.65＊）, INM technology（R2 = 0.81＊） and for both technologies（R2 = 0.73＊）. It is recommended that at higher elevation.（except for paddy soils） with a north facing slope, INM is recommended for higher crop productivity; conservation of soil resources is recommended for the mid hills of NWHR; and single values of SCC are appropriate as a SQI for this region.

The Compatibility Effects of Biochar-Vermicompost Mixes on Crop Productivity

This study sought to establish the compatibility effects of biochar/vermin-compost application on growth and yield of maize and cabbages. Biochar application rate was at 3 to 4% of soil weight. Biochar was mixed in various proportions to come up with treatments which were 100% vermicompost, 50/50% biochar： vermicompost, 75/25% biochar： vermicompost and 100% biochar. The experiment was repeated twice and arranged as a completely randomized design and replicated five times. The study established that maize yield increased with application of biochar from 25% to 50%. In the cabbage trial, comparable results in plant height, leaf numbers and final yield was obtained with 100% vermicompost application, 50% and 75% biochar inclusion. When biochar was applied at 100%, noticeable reduction in plant performance was noted. It is recommended to use biochar as a bio-fertiliser at 50/50% biochar： vermicompost in maize and cabbage production.

Research Progress on the Growth-Promoting Effect of Plant Biostimulants on Crops

A Plant Biostimulant is any substance or microorganism applied to plants to enhance nutrition efficiency,abioticstress tolerance,and/or crop quality traits,regardless of its nutrient content.The application of Plant biostimulants(PBs)in production can reduce the application of traditional pesticides and chemical fertilizers and improvethe quality and yield of crops,which is conducive to the sustainable development of agriculture.An in-depthunderstanding of the mechanism and effect of various PBs is very important for how to apply PBs reasonablyand effectively in the practice of crop production.This paper summarizes the main classification of PBs;Thegrowth promotion mechanism of PBs was analyzed from four aspects:improving soil physical and chemical properties,enhancing crop nutrient absorption capacity,photosynthesis capacity,and abiotic stress tolerance;At thesame time,the effects of PBs application on seed germination,seedling vigor,crop yield,and quality were summarized;Finally,how to continue to explore and study the use and mechanism of PBs in the future is analyzedand prospected,to better guide the application of PBs in crop production in the future.

Characterization of Small-Scale Farmers and Assessment of Their Access to Crop Production Information in Selected Counties of Kenya

Small-scale farming accounts for 78% of total agricultural production in Kenya and contributes to 23.5% of the country’s GDP. Their crop production activities are mostly rainfed subsistence with any surplus being sold to bring in some income. Timely decisions on farm practices such as farm preparation and planting are critical determinants of the seasonal outcomes. In Kenya, most small-scale farmers have no reliable source of information that would help them make timely and accurate decisions. County governments have extension officers who are mandated with giving farmers advisory services to farmers but they are not able to reach most farmers due to facilitation constraints. The mode and format of sharing information is also critical since it’s important to ensure that it’s timely, well-understood and usable. This study sought to assess access to geospatial derived and other crop production information by farmers in four selected counties of Kenya. Specific objectives were to determine the profile of small-scale farmers in terms of age, education and farm size;to determine the type of information that is made available to them by County and Sub-County extension officers including the format and mode of provision;and to determine if the information provided was useful in terms of accuracy, timeliness and adequacy. The results indicated that over 80% of the farmers were over 35 years of age and over 56% were male. Majority had attained primary education (34%) or secondary education (29%) and most farmers in all the counties grew maize (71%). Notably, fellow farmers were a source of information (71%) with the frequency of sharing information being mostly seasonal (37%) and when information was available (43%). Over 66% of interviewed farmers indicating that they faced challenges while using provided information. The results from the study are insightful and helpful in determining effective ways of providing farmers with useful information to ensure maximum benefits.

Microplastic Can Decrease Enzyme Activities and Microbes in Soil

An in vitro study was conducted to investigate the impacts of microplastics on enzyme activities and soil bacteria. The study included four different treatments of microplastics including a control. Different levels of microplastics were applied to the soil ranging from 0% to 5%, to assess the impacts of microplastics on soil enzymes and subsequent soil bacteria. After 30 days of incubation, the soil samples were collected and growth parameters of bacteria were assessed. Activities of β-glucosidase, urease and dehydrogenase enzymes were also determined. Our results showed that the presence of microplastics in the soil significantly reduced bacterial population together with bacterial strains. The activities of β-glucosidase, urease and dehydrogenase enzymes were reduced significantly to approximately 32%, 40% and 50% in microplastics treated soils respectively. Concentration of microplastic has a role to play towards this direction;the higher the concentration of microplastic the greater is the impact on enzymes and soil bacteria. The present study on the microbial soil health vis-à-vis microplastic application indicates that the material can have negative effect on the soil bacterial population of and thus ultimately may jeopardize soil health and crop production.

Biochar applications influence soil physical and chemical properties,microbial diversity,and crop productivity:a meta-analysis

Biochar is a widely known soil amendment.Here we synthesize the available information on influence of biochar application on different soil properties and crop productivity using meta-analysis.Global data on influence of biochar applications on different soil physical,chemical,microbial properties,and crop productivity were extracted from literature and statistically analyzed.Based on selection criteria,59 studies from the literature published between 2012 and 2021 were selected for the meta-analysis.Correlations were developed between effect size of biochar application on different soil properties and crop productivity.Application of biochar increased soil pH,cation exchange capacity,and organic carbon by 46%,20%,and 27%,respectively,with greater effects in coarse and fine-textured soils.Effects on chemical properties were variable among biochar prepared from different feedstocks.Among physical properties,biochar application reduced bulk densities by 29%and increased porosity by 59%.Biochar prepared at higher pyrolytic temperatures(>500℃)improved bulk density and porosity to greater extents(31%and 66%,respectively).Biochar prepared at lower pyrolytic temperatures(<500℃)had a greater effect on microbial diversity(both bacterial and fungal),with more diverse bacterial populations in medium and coarse textured soils,while fungal diversity increased in fine textured soils.Biochar applications increased crop productivity only in fine and coarse textured soil.The effect size of biochar application on crop productivity was correlated with responses to physical properties of soils.The meta-analysis highlighted the need to conduct long-term field experiments to provide better explanations for changes in biochar properties as it undergoes aging,its longer-term effects on soil properties,and timing of re-application of different biochars.

Optimizing photorespiration for improved crop productivity

In C3 plants, photorespiration is an energyexpensive process, including the oxygenation of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate(RuBP) by ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase(Rubisco) and the ensuing multiorganellar photorespiratory pathway required to recycle the toxic byproducts and recapture a portion of the fixed carbon. Photorespiration significantly impacts crop productivity through reducing yields in C3 crops by as much as 50%under severe conditions. Thus, reducing the flux through, or weive R improving the efficiency of photorespiration has the potential of large improvements in C3 crop productivity.Here, we review an array of approaches intended to engineer photorespiration in a range of plant systems with the goal of increasing crop productivity. Approaches include optimizing flux through the native photorespiratory pathway, installing non-native alternative photorespiratory pathways, and lowering or even eliminating Rubiscocatalyzed oxygenation of RuBP to reduce substrate entrance into the photorespiratory cycle. Some proposed designs have been successful at the proof of concept level.A plant systems-engineering approach, based on new opportunities available from synthetic biology to implement in silico designs, holds promise for further progress toward delivering more productive crops to farmer’s fields.

Changes in Rainfall and Temperature and Its Impact on Crop Production in Moyamba District, Southern Sierra Leone

Rainfall and temperature are the important variables that are often used to trace climate variability and change. A Perception study and analysis of climatic data were conducted to assess the changes in rainfall and temperature and their impact on crop production in Moyamba district, Sierra Leone. For the perception study, 400 farmers were randomly selected from Farmer-Based Organizations (FBOs) in 4 chiefdoms and 30 Agricultural Extension Workers (AWEs) in the Moyamba district were purposely selected as respondents. Descriptive statistics and Kendall’s test of concordance was used to analyze the data collected from the farmers and AEWs. Data for the analysis of variability and trends of rainfall and temperature from 1991 to 2020 were obtained from the Sierra Leone Meteorological Agency and Njala University and grouped into monthly, seasonal and annual time series. Regression analyses were used to determine the statistical values and trend lines for the seasonal and annual time series data. The Mann-Kendall test and Sen’s Slope Estimator were used to analyze the significance and magnitude of the trends respectively. The results of both studies show evidence of climate change in the Moyamba district. A substantial number of farmers and AEWs perceived a decrease in the annual rainfall amount, length of the rainy season, a late start and end of the rainy season, an increase in the temperature during the day and night, and a shortened harmattan period over the last 30 years. Analysis of the meteorological data shows evidence of variability in the seasonal and annual distribution of rainfall and temperature, a decreasing and non-significant trend in the rainy season and annual rainfall and an increasing and significant trend in seasonal and annual temperature from 1991 to 2020. However, the observed changes in rainfall and temperature by the farmers and AEWs partially agree with the results of the analyzed meteorological data. The majority of the farmers perceived that;adverse weather conditions have negatively affected crop production in the district. Droughts, high temperatures, and irregular rainfall are the three major adverse weather events that farmers perceived to have contributed to a substantial loss in the yields of the major crops cultivated in the district. In response to the negative effects of adverse weather events, a substantial number of farmers take no action due to their lack of knowledge, technical or financial capacity to implement climate-sensitive agricultural (CSA) practices. Even though few farmers are practicing some CSA practices on their farms, there is an urgent need to build the capacity of farmers and AEWs to adapt to and mitigate the negative impacts of climate change. The most priority support needed by farmers is the provision of climate-resilient crop varieties whilst the AEWs need training on CSA practices.

Optimized Deep Learning Methods for Crop Yield Prediction

Crop yield has been predicted using environmental,land,water,and crop characteristics in a prospective research design.When it comes to predicting crop production,there are a number of factors to consider,including weather con-ditions,soil qualities,water levels and the location of the farm.A broad variety of algorithms based on deep learning are used to extract useful crops for forecasting.The combination of data mining and deep learning creates a whole crop yield pre-diction system that is able to connect raw data to predicted crop yields.The sug-gested study uses a Discrete Deep belief network with Visual Geometry Group(VGG)Net classification method over the tweak chick swarm optimization approach to estimate agricultural production.The Network’s successively stacked layers were fed the data parameters.Based on the input parameters,a crop produc-tion prediction environment is constructed using the network architecture.Using the tweak chick swarm optimization technique,the best characteristics of input data are preprocessed,and the optimal output is used as input for the classification process.Discrete Deep belief network with the Visual Geometry Group Net clas-sifier is used to classify the data and forecast agricultural production.The sug-gested model correctly predicts crop output with 97 percent accuracy,exceeding existing models by maintaining the baseline data distribution.

Kenyan Counties Geospatial Data Knowledge to Monitor Crop Production

Climate change effects have had negative effects on most farmers, both small and large-scale, with weather patterns increasingly becoming unpredictable, such that farmers are unable to plan well for their farming, resulting in reduced harvests and sometimes losses for farmers. Better availability of information such as weather patterns, suitable crops, nutrient requirements based on soil types and conditions would greatly alleviate these challenges. While geospatial information is being developed and improved continuously by researchers, its accessibility and use by the counties has not been established and cannot be identified as contributing to better crop production outcomes. The aim of this study, therefore, was to assess the awareness and status of geospatial data availability and use for crop production, and the level of the relevant capacities, both human and infrastructural, in selected Counties of Kenya. A survey was conducted in the four counties of Vihiga, Kilifi, Wajir and Nyeri and key informant interviews were conducted with both management and technical County Agricultural Officers, as well as sub-county agricultural extension officers. From the results of the survey, out of the four counties, only one has adequate infrastructure in terms of hard-ware, software and connectivity to conduct useful geospatial data acquisition and processing. While most indicated awareness of the existence of geospatial data, limited resources, low skills and knowledge have restricted any meaningful sourcing of and access to data, with only 38% moderately or highly skilled in acquisition, 48% in processing and 57% in interpretation and use of geospatial data. The study concludes that moderate skills and capacities available within the counties have considerable potential to make use the available geospatial data to inform farmers accordingly and improve their farming outcomes.

Maximizing Irrigation Water Productivity by Optimizing Leaching Fraction

The importance of maximizing irrigation water productivity is increasing as the water resources still decreasing and deteriorating due to environmental interactions. An optimal irrigation water depth （including leaching water depth） was estimated in order to maximize water unit volume productivity by using the optimal leaching fraction （LF）, which is calculated by the new proposed model--unit yield ratio （UYR%） and irrigation depth ratio （IDP）. A computer program was constructed to apply this model for several crops irrigated by two water resources--river and well. The water salinity of river was 1.1 dS/m and the well salinity was 3.85 dS/m. The results showed that there is an optimal leaching requirement （LR） value for each crop irrigated by any water resource. The maximum UYR% of the alfalfa irrigated by saline well water was 58.45% with the optimal LF = 0.4, while the maximum UYR% of the bean irrigated by river water was 78.58% with the optimal LR = 0.2. The optimal LF is saving water by increasing the productivity of irrigation water unit volume, especially when using saline irrigation water, for example, an increase of IDP for alfalfa by only 20%, followed by an increase of UYR% about 47.5% （from 12% to 57%） by increasing LF from 0.1 to 0.3.

Optimized Strategy for Layout of Crop Production Areas in Hunan Province

The optimized strategy made a comprehensive consideration of resources, technology, market orientation, production scale, industry basis and layout based on the principle of crop security and farmers’ income increasing, and determined the general planning on layout and structure optimization of future crop production ar-eas, with present crop production, market outlook, future industry development, con-cluding crop production characteristics of the 4 crop regions, and proposing function orientation and highlights.

Warming effect of desert and its impact on oasis heat resources and agricultural productivity in arid land,China

This paper provides a positive view of the desert, in terms of the warming effect of deserts on oases and the impact of heat re- sources and agricultural production. We use data from experimental sites in the Manas River Basin in China to characterize these relationships. We note that the warming effect of the desert was found to be significant but gradually reduced with in- creased distance of the oasis from the desert. The range of wanning effect is about 100 km, and the improvement in tempera- ture is about 1.8 ℃. Due to this warming effect, the desert serves as the second heat source for the oasis, which represents one important aspect of the ecologic value of the desert. Our results also show the warming effect has a strong spatial impact on agricultural productivity. Crop productivity fell by about 49 kg/ha with every 10 km increase in distance away from the desert. Our results imply that crop suitability must correspond to the warming effect of the desert. More efficient use of heat resources can contribute towards achieving potential productivity.

Studies on GIS Based Tracing and Traceability of Safe Crop Product in China

The safety of safe crop products （SCP） is critical to maintain people＇s health and living standard. With the global efforts on the improvement of the traceability of food products, it is inevitable to establish corresponding traceability systems to monitor the safety of crop products in China. In this article, the supply chain pattern of SCP in China has been analyzed and its spatial characters have been described in detail. The study deals with on how to relate traceability technology with GIS, and on how to trace and retrace the safety of SCP using the function of excellent spatial representation, spatial locating, and spatial analysis provided in GIS, which has been discussed from several aspects, such as coding technique of traceability information, transferring technique of traceability information, spatialization of traceability information, and application integration of traceability system. A pilot study was carried out to present the basic functions of the system, which provided an efficient and credible way to trace and retrace the safety of SCP in a real supply chain. An innovative idea has been brought forward for how to establish an efficient, credible, applied traceability system of SCP.

Energy Balance in Crop Production

The most appropriate method of energy balancing in crop production is the process analysis where fossil energy input is considered rather than manpower or solar energy. In our approach, fossil energy input is split to direct and indirect input components. Direct energy input includes the consumption of diesel fuel required for field operations taking into account the influences of location and management conditions. Moreover, energy consumption for construction of agricultural machines is also considered as direct energy input. Indirect energy inputs include seed material, plant protection agents, fertilizers and operation of machines. Production and utilisation of nitrogen （N） fertilizer represents by 50% of energy consumption in agricultural systems. Data from a field experiment conducted during 1995-2000 on a fertile sandy loess in the Hercynian dry region of central Germany were used to determine the energy efficiency of winter oilseed rape （Brassica napus L.） as affected by nitrogen （N） fertilization. Our results show that different N management strategies affect the energy balance of the seed oil. Lowest energy input and energy output occurred in the unfertilized crop. The energy efficiency was determined using the parameters energy gain （net energy output）, energy intensity （energy input per unit grain equivalent GE; term GE is used to express the contribution that crops make to the nutrition of monogastric beings）, and output/input ratio. The most favourable N rate for minimum energy intensity was 80 kg N hal while that needed for maximum energy gain was 160 kg ha1. Output/input ratio was the highest at 80 kg N ha-l.

A study on the bioenergy crop production function of land use in China

Based on the analysis of the bioenergy crop production function of land use,combined with the status quo of Chinese land use,the cultivation of energy plants and the bioenergy crop production function of land use had been analyzes and discusses in this paper.Results show that there were a lot of unused lands and marginal lands which can be planted bioenergy crops to perform the bioenergy crop production function of land use with great potentials;and currently there were no food production problems.Therefore,it was very important for China to emphasize bioenergy crops planting in order to fully use land resources in our country,moderate the energy crisis and increase peasants' income.

Vulnerability assessment of crop production to climate change across Northwest China during 1995–2014

Crop production vulnerability to climate change in Northwest China depends upon multiple socio-ecological factors.Knowledge regarding the specific indicators and methods suitable for assessing crop production vulnerability is limited that address spatiotemporal variations across large and diverse zones.We propose an integrated assessment framework to quantify the vulnerability of crop production derived from crop yield sensitivity,exposure,and adaptive consequences across 338 counties in Northwest China during 1995–2014.Maps on these indices were generated using climatic and socioeconomic data with spatial mapping method.Different clusters of crop production vulnerability were then identified by a k-means cluster method to assess the heterogeneity of vulnerability at a regional scale.Results show that the vulnerability of crop production in 338 counties varies significantly in both geographical and socioeconomic aspects,specifically,vulnerability indicators are generally higher in Minhe,Menyuan,Hualong,and Ledu,and Xayar had the lowest value of vulnerability.This indicates that adaptation strategies for regional crop production need to focus on several levels,from the improvement of adaptive ability to crop yield fluctuation by promoting irrigation agriculture and optimizing limited water resources in typical arid areas,to agriculture-related financial policies incentivizing the capital investment and technology upgrade of crop production on traditional farming regions.This study provides convincing evidence that the factors related to socioeconomic policies are particularly alarming when a crop’s risk is compared to precipitation fluctuations.We recommend these findings be used to facilitate regional agriculture planning to reduce crop production vulnerability and ensure sustainable food security in specific regions.

Technical efficiency and its determinants of the various cropping systems in the purple-soiled,hilly region of southwestern China

This study examines the technical efficiency(TE) differences among typical cropping systems of smallholder farmers in the purple-soiled hilly region of southwestern China.Household-,plot-,and crop-level data and community surveys were conducted to explore TE levels and determinants of typical cropping systems by using a translog stochastic frontier production function.Results indicate significant difference in TE and its determinants among cropping systems.The mean TEs of the rice cropping system(R),the rice-rape cropping system(RR),the rice-rape-potato cropping system(RRP),and the oil cropping system(O) are0.86,0.90,0.84,and 0.85,respectively,which are over 1.17 times higher than those of the maize-sweet potato-other crop cropping system(MSO) and the maize-sweet potato-wheat cropping system(MSW) at0.78 and 0.69,respectively.Moreover,Technical inefficiency(TIE) of different cropping systems is significantly affected by characteristics of the household as well as plot.However,the impact of land quality,mechanical cultivation conditions,crop structure,farming system,farm radius,household type,cultivated land area per capita,and annual household income per capitalon TIE vary by cropping system.Additionally,output elasticity of land,labor,and capital,as a group,is greater than the one of agricultural machinery and irrigation.Finally,when household-owned effective agricultural labor is at full farming capacity,optimal plot sizes for the R,RR,RRP,MSO,MSW,and 0 cropping systems are 1.12hm^2,0.35 hm^2,0.25 hm^2,2.82 hm^2,1.87 hm^2,and 1.17hm^2,respectively.