Soil management technologies for climate change adaptation and mitigation are needed to increase and sustain food production in smallholder agriculture while sequestering inert carbon in the soil. In a field studies a...Soil management technologies for climate change adaptation and mitigation are needed to increase and sustain food production in smallholder agriculture while sequestering inert carbon in the soil. In a field studies at Crops Research Institute, Kwadaso-Kumasi Ghana, a control treatment, five inorganic fertilizer combinations (P30K60, N60P30K60, N120P30K60, NlsoP30K60 and N24oP3oK6o) and four biochar rates + inorganic fertilizer (2 t/ha Biochar + N60P30K60, 4 t/ha Biochar + N60P30K60, 6 t/ha Biochar + N6oP3oK6o and 8 t/ha Biochar +N6oP3oK6o) were assessed for their effect on soil moisture storage, soil available nitrogen and crop yield. The test crop was okra. Biochar amendments increased soil moisture storage by 14% relative to sole inorganic fertilizer applications. Biochar + inorganic fertilizer relative to sole inorganic fertilizer increased soil available nitrate concentration by 85% at 0-15 cm soil depth but decreased soil ammonium-N by 71%. Compared to control, inorganic fertilizer (P3oK6o) resulted in more than 100% increase in okra fresh fruit yield. Addition of 60 kg N/ha to P3oK6o caused 23% decline in okra fresh fruit yield but showed 60% more okra fresh fruit yield than the control. Inorganic N rates of 120,180 kg N/ha and 240 kg N/ha combined with P3oK6o however caused a decline of 74% in okra fresh fruit yield. Biochar + inorganic fertilizer increased okra fresh fruit yield by 100% compared to sole inorganic fertilizer. Biochar, an inert carbon, combined with inorganic fertilizer has tremendous potential to address food insecurity through soil moisture storage and soil N availability.展开更多
The benefits of integrating locally adaptable water and nutrient management technologies were explored in semi-arid Zimbabwe. On-farm maize based experiments were set up on six farmers' fields in Ward 5, Shurugwi. Th...The benefits of integrating locally adaptable water and nutrient management technologies were explored in semi-arid Zimbabwe. On-farm maize based experiments were set up on six farmers' fields in Ward 5, Shurugwi. Three tillage systems namely Post-Emergence Tied Ridging (PETR), Rip & Pot-Holing (RPH) and Conventional Mouldboard Ploughing (CMP) were integrated to three nutrient management regimes, i.e. a control with no fertility amelioration, pit-stored cattle manure band applied at 10 t/ha and the latter with an additional top dressing of ammonium nitrate (34.5% N) at 100 kg/ha. On each site the treatments were set up as a completely randomized split-plot block design replicated 3 times with tillage (water management) as the main treatment and fertility as the sub-treatment. CMP mimicked the farmers' common land preparation practice while PETR and RPH systems represented the improved water harvesting tillage techniques. Results revealed significant nutrient management effects right from the first season giving 3-year means of 1,298, 1,977 and 2,490 kg/ha for the control, manure and manure plus fertilizer treatments respectively. On the other hand, water harvesting tillage effects were insignificant initially (2003/4) but had beneficial effects in subsequent seasons (2004/5 and 2005/6) with 3-year grain yield means of 1,624, 2,032 and 2,108 kg/ha for CMP, PETR and RPH, respectively. Maximum yield benefits from integrating PETR and RPH with manure + AN fertility ameliorants amounted to 218 and 261% respectively, compared to CMP with no fertility amendment. The results therefore showed increased benefits when in-situ water harvesting tillage techniques are integrated with appropriate nutrient ameliorants giving realizable food security benefits to the farmer.展开更多
Standardization is the fundamental guarantee of the enterprise to ensure product quality, and improve market competitiveness; an important means of increasing economic efficiency and improving enterprise management le...Standardization is the fundamental guarantee of the enterprise to ensure product quality, and improve market competitiveness; an important means of increasing economic efficiency and improving enterprise management level. Since the reform and opening, the adoption of international standards and foreign advanced standards as a major technical and economic policy and active promotion of it, has played a significant role in promoting economic development and improve our products competitive in the international market. Some of the industry increased awareness of the standardization in the fierce competition in the market, making the standardization as a competitive means to promote industrial upgrading and technological progress.展开更多
Soil water management plays an important role in the response of kiwi plants (Actinidia deliciosa A. Chev.). In GuimarSes district soil moisture content is monitored in kiwifi'uit orchard as a routine parameter. Dr...Soil water management plays an important role in the response of kiwi plants (Actinidia deliciosa A. Chev.). In GuimarSes district soil moisture content is monitored in kiwifi'uit orchard as a routine parameter. Drip irrigation system is the method used. This crop tends to have high water requirements and extends over a wide area in Portugal, requiring innovative solutions to achieve better benefits. A method that correlates soil and crop conditions with the parameters of remote sensing was established in this study. To assess the level of accuracy of soil moisture measurements from satellites, it is important to compare satellite image with ground real data (namely the frequency domain reflectometry (FDR), Diviner 2000). The combination of multispectral satellite images produces an image representative of vegetation vigour, density and health. In this study, Landsat satellite images (2011 and 2013) are used and vegetation indexes are calculated for different periods of time, using the software Idrisi Taiga. The information of vegetation indexes is crossed with data of soil moisture, in situ, to establish a correlation between both of them. Thus, it allows to improve the soil water content monitoring, in particular for the soil water balance optimization and its effect on kiwi biornass production.展开更多
This study is a rapid appraisal procedure (RAP) of two forms of agriculture water delivery systems comprising two canal irrigation schemes and 26 Zimbabwean bush pumps in the Midlands and Masvingo Provinces. A longi...This study is a rapid appraisal procedure (RAP) of two forms of agriculture water delivery systems comprising two canal irrigation schemes and 26 Zimbabwean bush pumps in the Midlands and Masvingo Provinces. A longitudinal multiple data collection technique employed involved various primary and secondary sources including site visits, literature review, observation, interviews with key personnel and group discussions. General findings of this study indicate: (1) the available coping mechanisms in smallholder farming in a climate change context and (2) the challenges faced in the actual delivery of water in terms of design, management, physical and institutional factors. The study provides pragmatic recommendations for overall improvement and performance in a local, technical and socio-economic context through evaluation of the current situation, practices and processes. An integrated approach to addressing climate change impacts should include water management, rehabilitation, complete overhaul and introduction of other relevant water systems and water saving farming techniques. Yet, ownership of these technologies by communities remains instrumental. Rural development and agricultural policies that ensure maximum and full capacity utilisation of water systems to improve rural livelihoods, mitigation and adaptation to climate change are recommended.展开更多
The productivity of the flee-wheat rotation of the Indo-Gangetie Plains is critical to India's food security. Severe weed competition resulting from the change in morphological characteristics of the modem high yield...The productivity of the flee-wheat rotation of the Indo-Gangetie Plains is critical to India's food security. Severe weed competition resulting from the change in morphological characteristics of the modem high yielding varieties (HYV) led to intensive use of herbicides for weed control. Continuous and indiscriminate use of herbicides led to pollution as well as build up of resistant biotypes. This necessitates the need based use of herbicides. Identification of predominant weeds in rice-wheat cropping system through remote sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS) would help in reducing the load of herbicide on agro-eco system by reducing spray volume, application time and non-target spraying. This will help in developing site-specific weed management technique by geating only those areas with herbicide where weed densities exceed the economic threshold and may reduce application rate of herbicides in patches where weed densities are low. This paper reviews the literature on role of remote sensing for weed management not just to review their empirical findings, but to evaluate the role they have played and have the potential to play-in actual for weed management in flee-wheat cropping system (food bowl of India).展开更多
文摘Soil management technologies for climate change adaptation and mitigation are needed to increase and sustain food production in smallholder agriculture while sequestering inert carbon in the soil. In a field studies at Crops Research Institute, Kwadaso-Kumasi Ghana, a control treatment, five inorganic fertilizer combinations (P30K60, N60P30K60, N120P30K60, NlsoP30K60 and N24oP3oK6o) and four biochar rates + inorganic fertilizer (2 t/ha Biochar + N60P30K60, 4 t/ha Biochar + N60P30K60, 6 t/ha Biochar + N6oP3oK6o and 8 t/ha Biochar +N6oP3oK6o) were assessed for their effect on soil moisture storage, soil available nitrogen and crop yield. The test crop was okra. Biochar amendments increased soil moisture storage by 14% relative to sole inorganic fertilizer applications. Biochar + inorganic fertilizer relative to sole inorganic fertilizer increased soil available nitrate concentration by 85% at 0-15 cm soil depth but decreased soil ammonium-N by 71%. Compared to control, inorganic fertilizer (P3oK6o) resulted in more than 100% increase in okra fresh fruit yield. Addition of 60 kg N/ha to P3oK6o caused 23% decline in okra fresh fruit yield but showed 60% more okra fresh fruit yield than the control. Inorganic N rates of 120,180 kg N/ha and 240 kg N/ha combined with P3oK6o however caused a decline of 74% in okra fresh fruit yield. Biochar + inorganic fertilizer increased okra fresh fruit yield by 100% compared to sole inorganic fertilizer. Biochar, an inert carbon, combined with inorganic fertilizer has tremendous potential to address food insecurity through soil moisture storage and soil N availability.
文摘The benefits of integrating locally adaptable water and nutrient management technologies were explored in semi-arid Zimbabwe. On-farm maize based experiments were set up on six farmers' fields in Ward 5, Shurugwi. Three tillage systems namely Post-Emergence Tied Ridging (PETR), Rip & Pot-Holing (RPH) and Conventional Mouldboard Ploughing (CMP) were integrated to three nutrient management regimes, i.e. a control with no fertility amelioration, pit-stored cattle manure band applied at 10 t/ha and the latter with an additional top dressing of ammonium nitrate (34.5% N) at 100 kg/ha. On each site the treatments were set up as a completely randomized split-plot block design replicated 3 times with tillage (water management) as the main treatment and fertility as the sub-treatment. CMP mimicked the farmers' common land preparation practice while PETR and RPH systems represented the improved water harvesting tillage techniques. Results revealed significant nutrient management effects right from the first season giving 3-year means of 1,298, 1,977 and 2,490 kg/ha for the control, manure and manure plus fertilizer treatments respectively. On the other hand, water harvesting tillage effects were insignificant initially (2003/4) but had beneficial effects in subsequent seasons (2004/5 and 2005/6) with 3-year grain yield means of 1,624, 2,032 and 2,108 kg/ha for CMP, PETR and RPH, respectively. Maximum yield benefits from integrating PETR and RPH with manure + AN fertility ameliorants amounted to 218 and 261% respectively, compared to CMP with no fertility amendment. The results therefore showed increased benefits when in-situ water harvesting tillage techniques are integrated with appropriate nutrient ameliorants giving realizable food security benefits to the farmer.
文摘Standardization is the fundamental guarantee of the enterprise to ensure product quality, and improve market competitiveness; an important means of increasing economic efficiency and improving enterprise management level. Since the reform and opening, the adoption of international standards and foreign advanced standards as a major technical and economic policy and active promotion of it, has played a significant role in promoting economic development and improve our products competitive in the international market. Some of the industry increased awareness of the standardization in the fierce competition in the market, making the standardization as a competitive means to promote industrial upgrading and technological progress.
文摘Soil water management plays an important role in the response of kiwi plants (Actinidia deliciosa A. Chev.). In GuimarSes district soil moisture content is monitored in kiwifi'uit orchard as a routine parameter. Drip irrigation system is the method used. This crop tends to have high water requirements and extends over a wide area in Portugal, requiring innovative solutions to achieve better benefits. A method that correlates soil and crop conditions with the parameters of remote sensing was established in this study. To assess the level of accuracy of soil moisture measurements from satellites, it is important to compare satellite image with ground real data (namely the frequency domain reflectometry (FDR), Diviner 2000). The combination of multispectral satellite images produces an image representative of vegetation vigour, density and health. In this study, Landsat satellite images (2011 and 2013) are used and vegetation indexes are calculated for different periods of time, using the software Idrisi Taiga. The information of vegetation indexes is crossed with data of soil moisture, in situ, to establish a correlation between both of them. Thus, it allows to improve the soil water content monitoring, in particular for the soil water balance optimization and its effect on kiwi biornass production.
文摘This study is a rapid appraisal procedure (RAP) of two forms of agriculture water delivery systems comprising two canal irrigation schemes and 26 Zimbabwean bush pumps in the Midlands and Masvingo Provinces. A longitudinal multiple data collection technique employed involved various primary and secondary sources including site visits, literature review, observation, interviews with key personnel and group discussions. General findings of this study indicate: (1) the available coping mechanisms in smallholder farming in a climate change context and (2) the challenges faced in the actual delivery of water in terms of design, management, physical and institutional factors. The study provides pragmatic recommendations for overall improvement and performance in a local, technical and socio-economic context through evaluation of the current situation, practices and processes. An integrated approach to addressing climate change impacts should include water management, rehabilitation, complete overhaul and introduction of other relevant water systems and water saving farming techniques. Yet, ownership of these technologies by communities remains instrumental. Rural development and agricultural policies that ensure maximum and full capacity utilisation of water systems to improve rural livelihoods, mitigation and adaptation to climate change are recommended.
文摘The productivity of the flee-wheat rotation of the Indo-Gangetie Plains is critical to India's food security. Severe weed competition resulting from the change in morphological characteristics of the modem high yielding varieties (HYV) led to intensive use of herbicides for weed control. Continuous and indiscriminate use of herbicides led to pollution as well as build up of resistant biotypes. This necessitates the need based use of herbicides. Identification of predominant weeds in rice-wheat cropping system through remote sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS) would help in reducing the load of herbicide on agro-eco system by reducing spray volume, application time and non-target spraying. This will help in developing site-specific weed management technique by geating only those areas with herbicide where weed densities exceed the economic threshold and may reduce application rate of herbicides in patches where weed densities are low. This paper reviews the literature on role of remote sensing for weed management not just to review their empirical findings, but to evaluate the role they have played and have the potential to play-in actual for weed management in flee-wheat cropping system (food bowl of India).