Search Results (938)

Food insecurity, financial loss, and a decline in agricultural output are among the significant challenges to the global food chain caused by extreme climatic events, high variability and change, rapid urbanization, and land degradation. Therefore, it is essential to explore alternative, sustainable agricultural practices to meet the growing population’s food needs. Sustainable agriculture is foundational to farm management, rural development, and water conservation. This includes sustainable practices such as crop rotation, intercropping, and planting crops with varying rooting depths to maximize soil moisture absorption, as well as mulching to improve nutrient recycling and enhance productivity in smallholder cropping systems. The adoption of sustainable agricultural practices has become a priority for smallholder farmers, policymakers, extension agents, and agricultural experts to improve agricultural productivity, contribute to food security, and generate income. However, adoption rates have been slow, especially in Southern Africa, due to a lack of access to technology, financial constraints, limited information, and limited knowledge. This review was conducted using a comprehensive literature search on the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices by legume smallholders, examining various factors that contribute to the failure of legume smallholder farmers to adopt new agricultural practices. The timeframe of the reviewed literature was from 2010 to 2024. The results showed that smallholder farmers face numerous challenges, including limited access to technology, inadequate knowledge, and insufficient financial resources. Research conducted by the Water Research Commission (WRC) indicates that commercial farmers have access to technology, and this group of farmers possesses more substantial financial resources compared to smallholder farmers. In the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices. It is essential to strengthen the linkage between researchers, agricultural extension, and legume smallholder farmers to promote sustainable agricultural practices (SAPs). Smallholder farmers must be informed about such interventions and sustainable agricultural practices to improve rural livelihoods and enhance resilience, adaptation, and responsiveness. Full article

Crop–livestock integration is widely adopted as a strategy for recovering degraded pastures. In this system, intercropping crops such as sorghum with tropical grasses enables the harvest of sorghum for silage while simultaneously establishing a new pasture. However, interspecific competition for resources can limit sorghum development and yield, potentially compromise the fermentation process and reduce the nutritional quality of the silage. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the agronomic performance, fermentative characteristics, and chemical–bromatological composition of silages produced from different biomass sorghum-grass intercropping systems. The experiment was conducted in a randomized block design with a 3 × 2 factorial arrangement: three cropping systems [sorghum monoculture, sorghum intercropped with Marandu grass (S + M), and sorghum intercropped with Zuri grass (S + Z)] and two sorghum row spacings (45 and 90 cm). The S + Z intercropping system with 90 cm row spacing showed the highest total dry matter yield (16.42 t/ha). It also presented better fermentative parameters, such as pH (4.02) and lactic acid (5.31%DM) and superior nutritional quality, with lower fiber content and higher concentrations of NFC (24.79%DM), TDN (59.75%DM), and digestibility. It is concluded that intercropping biomass sorghum with Zuri grass at 90 cm spacing is the most promising strategy for producing high-quality silage. Full article

The fruiting stage of soybean (Glycine max L.) is critical for determining both its yield and quality, thereby influencing global production. While some studies have provided partial explanations for the occurrence of Fusarium species on soybean seeds and pods, the fungal diversity affecting soybean pods in Sichuan Province, a major soybean cultivation region in Southwestern China, remains inadequately understood. In this study, 182 infected pods were collected from a maize–soybean relay strip intercropping system. A total of 10 distinct pod-infecting fungal genera (132 isolates) were identified, and their pathogenic potential on soybean seeds and pods was evaluated. Using morphological characteristics and DNA barcode markers, we identified 43 Fusarium isolates belonging to 8 species, including F. verticillioides, F. incarnatum, F. equiseti, F. proliferatum, F. fujikuroi, F. oxysporum, F. chlamydosporum, and F. acutatum through the analysis of the translation elongation factor gene (EF1-α) and RNA polymerases II second largest subunit (RPB2) gene. Multi-locus phylogenetic analysis, incorporating the Internal Transcribed Spacer (rDNA ITS), β-tubulin (β-tubulin), Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GADPH), Chitin Synthase 1 (CHS-1), Actin (ACT), Beta-tubulin II (TUB2), and Calmodulin (CAL) genes distinguished 37 isolates as 6 Colletotrichum species, including C. truncatum, C. karstii, C. cliviicola, C. plurivorum, C. boninense, and C. fructicola. Among these, F. proliferatum and C. fructicola were the most dominant species, representing 20.93% and 21.62% of the isolation frequency, respectively. Pathogenicity assays revealed significant damage from both Fusarium and Colletotrichum isolates on soybean pods and seeds, with varying isolation frequencies. Of these, F. proliferatum, F. acutatum, and F. verticillioides caused the most severe symptoms. Similarly, within Colletotrichum genus, C. fructicola was the most pathogenic, followed by C. truncatum, C. karstii, C. cliviicola, C. plurivorum, and C. boninense. Notably, F. acutatum, C. cliviicola, C. boninense, and C. fructicola were identified for the first time as pathogens of soybean pods under the maize–soybean strip intercropping system in Southwestern China. These findings highlight emerging virulent pathogens responsible for soybean pod decay and provide a valuable foundation for understanding the pathogen population during the later growth stages of soybean. Full article

In the Mediterranean basin, olive cultivation occupies the largest share of agricultural land, due to the region’s favorable soil and climatic conditions. However, the intensification of farming systems has had negative environmental impacts, for which diversified approaches such as agroforestry offer a potential solution. The objective of the present study was to determine the growth of barley, triticale, and pea as cover crops, as well as the respective intercrops in olive orchards and their productivity. The results showed that the intercropping of pea with barley and triticale had the highest yields in dry biomass compared to the other treatments, while barley monoculture recorded the highest yield in terms of grain. The findings demonstrated that intercropping enhances resource-use efficiency, particularly in terms of land productivity, Radiation-Use Efficiency, and Water-Use Efficiency. However, competitive dynamics varied significantly between species and across years, with pea often exhibiting dominance in biomass production, while cereals showed trade-offs in seed yield components due to shading and interspecific competition. These findings can be used for sustainable intensification strategies, ensuring higher productivity while minimizing external inputs in climate-vulnerable regions. Full article

Adverse climatic dynamics in recent years have intensified the need for resilient and multifunctional agricultural systems that integrate productivity, ecological sustainability, and socio-economic viability. This study evaluates the harvesting performance of three cropping systems: intercropping of cardoon and safflower (IT) and monocultures of cardoon (DC) and safflower (DS). Field trials were conducted during three following growing seasons to assess key harvesting parameters, including working speed, effective field capacity, harvesting costs, biomass yield, seed yield, seed losses, and seed moisture content. DC demonstrated the better performance, with a working speed of 6.35 ha h⁻¹ and a field capacity of 2.56 ha h⁻¹, also resulting in the lowest harvesting cost (EUR 70.24 ha⁻¹). In contrast, IT exhibited the lowest performance and the highest cost (EUR 98.61 ha⁻¹). DS achieved the highest effective seed yield (1.394 Mg ha⁻¹), while IT produced the greatest biomass (22.96 Mg ha⁻¹). Seed losses were lowest in DS (0.020 Mg ha⁻¹) and highest in IT (0.425 Mg ha⁻¹). Moisture content ranged from 5.82% in DC to 9.40% in DS. These findings highlighted the trade-offs between productivity, efficiency, and system complexity, offering valuable insights into the comparative performance and sustainability of innovative cropping systems under changing climatic conditions. Full article

Suboptimal land conditions, characterized by limited nutrient availability and poor soil physical properties, restrict the growth and productivity of maize–soybean intercropping systems. Bioameliorants containing beneficial microorganisms, such as mycorrhizae, offer a sustainable strategy to enhance soil fertility and nutrient uptake efficiency. This study evaluated the effects of different bioameliorant compositions on nitrogen availability, plant growth, and yield in maize–soybean intercropping on suboptimal land. A randomized complete block design with four replicates tested five treatments: F0 (control, no bioameliorant), F1 (10% compost + 10% rice husk charcoal + 10% manure + 70% mycorrhizal biofertilizer), F2 (15% each of compost, manure, charcoal + 55% biofertilizer), F3 (20% each + 40% biofertilizer), and F4 (25% each component). Results showed that the balanced F4 bioameliorant markedly improved nitrogen availability, soil health, and yields in maize–soybean intercropping on sandy soils. These findings highlight its potential as a sustainable strategy to enhance productivity, reduce reliance on chemical fertilizers, and strengthen agroecosystem resilience on suboptimal land. The optimized F4 formulation therefore represents a practical approach to improving nutrient availability and plant performance in maize–soybean intercropping systems under marginal soil conditions. Full article

Different strategies are used in organic and conventional cultivation, which can significantly influence crop yield, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and soil quality. However, the relative efficiency of these fertilization practices has not been systematically compared. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impacts of organic, conventional, and semi-organic fertilization systems on soil properties, crop productivity, and GHG emissions through a comprehensive meta-analysis. The analysis showed that conventional systems had the highest increase in nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions (+62%), followed by semi-organic (+55%) and organic (+21%). Soil texture strongly influenced methane (CH₄) and carbon dioxide (CO₂) fluxes, with clay soils showing the highest CH₄ response (+50%). Cropping practices such as intercropping and crop rotation enhanced soil nitrate availability (+18%), while vegetable and cereal systems improved crop yield by +29% and +19%, respectively. Importantly, semi-organic systems increased yield (+25%) while reducing greenhouse gas intensity (+13%), especially in cereals under intercropping. Integrating organic inputs into semi-organic systems, especially in cereal cultivation under intercropping practices, appears to reduce the carbon intensity per unit yield while maintaining productivity. These findings underscore the importance of context-specific management strategies to optimize agronomic performance and mitigate environmental impacts. Full article

Sustainable agriculture supports environmental protection, climate change mitigation, and forage security to meet the growing demands of livestock production. Given the critical role of macro- and microelements in animal health, diversified and balanced feed production is essential and can be achieved through the sustainable integration of legumes and cereals. This research evaluated the impact of soybean–common millet intercropping and biofertilizer application on the elemental composition and yield performance of forage biomass. Three intercropping patterns were tested: S1M1—alternating rows, S2M2—alternating two-row strips, and S2M4—alternating two-row soybean with four-row millet strips, alongside monoculture controls. The biofertilizer Coveron (BF) was also assessed. The S2M2 combination provided the highest land equivalent ratios for both fresh and dry biomass (1.10 and 1.12, respectively), despite a reduction in millet yield. Considering the elements, the S2M2 combination notably enhanced the accumulation of Ca and B (by 13.2% and 13.0%, respectively, compared to S1) in the soybean vegetative part and Cr and Mn in the reproductive part (by 53.5% and 17.1%, respectively). In contrast, sole soybean showed the highest P levels in both vegetative (3.45 g kg⁻¹) and reproductive parts (4.56 g kg⁻¹). Regarding Al, its accumulation was reduced in intercropped millet. The S1M1 combination increased Mg and S concentrations in both parts of millet biomass (up to 17.3% and 18.4% in the vegetative part, compared to M1). While BF generally had a limited impact on forage biomass yield and elemental accumulation, it increased Mg, P, and S concentrations in soybean pods, as well as concentrations of B, Mn, and Mo in the panicle, simultaneously decreasing P, Cr, and Zn concentrations in the vegetative part of millet. Accordingly, soybean–common millet intercropping in the S2M2 configuration offers a sustainable solution for efficient land utilization and element-enriched forage production. Full article

Optimizing seeding ratios in mixed cover crop species can maximize their ecological benefits, such as soil properties and weed suppression. A two-year field study assessed seven oat (O) and daikon radish (D) ratios (100:0 to 0:100) for their effects on soil quality, weed pressure, and subsequent spinach yield. Measured parameters included cover crop biomass, C:N ratio, land equivalence ratio (LER), soil organic carbon (SOC), microbial population, soil enzyme activities, bulk density, porosity, moisture, and water infiltration time. The impact of intercrop residues and two weeding strategies (hand weeding and no weeding) on weed pressure and spinach yield was also assessed. Oat monoculture produced the highest biomass (338.7 g m⁻²), while radish monoculture biomass was the lowest (256.1 g m⁻²). Yet the 30:70 (O:D) ratio contributed to the highest SOC (0.96). The C:N ratio of all intercropped combinations was below the critical threshold (25:1) that causes N immobilization, with oat monoculture having the highest value (23:1). The microbial population was highest with the 10:90 (O:D) ratio, with 12.8 × 10⁻⁴ most probable number per g⁻¹ soil. While urease and dehydrogenase enzyme activities were not affected by intercrop ratios, β-glucosidase and alkaline phosphatase activities were up to 30% higher in daikon radish-dominated intercrops. Bulk density decreased by 31.7% in oat monoculture, whereas infiltration time was shortened in daikon radish monoculture by 41.7% (4.6 s). Weed suppression was strongest in oat monoculture and the 90:10 (O:D) intercropping, reducing weed populations by over 30%. Spinach yield was highest in oat monoculture with hand weeding (842.9 g m⁻²), with a 40.2% increase over weeding alone. Overall, daikon radish-dominated intercropping ratios were more effective in enhancing soil properties, whereas oat-dominated intercropping improved spinach yield, mainly due to slower decomposition, thus better suppressing weeds. Full article

Intercropping, especially legume-cereal systems, is a mixed farming approach that can improve agricultural resilience by addressing challenges such as soil degradation, biodiversity loss, and global change, all while promoting the sustainable production of protein-rich and nutritious food. However, its adoption in industrialized countries remains limited due to economic and technical challenges, as well as a fragmented understanding of soil–plant-microbe interactions, which hinders its complete optimization. This article provides an overview of the current situation and future perspectives on the importance of legume–cereal intercropping, with examples such as common bean–maize, soybean–maize, alfalfa–corn–rye, and legumes–pulses–little millet systems. These combinations highlight how intercropping can improve nutrient cycling, increase root growth, forage and grain yield, suppress soil-borne diseases, and promote soil microbial population and enzymatic activity. While it offers environmental benefits, practical challenges such as system design, management complexity, and cost-effectiveness must be addressed to encourage wider adoption. In preparing this review, we synthesized studies published between 2000 and 2025, with a particular emphasis on recent research from China and Southeast Asia. We also considered broader intercropping contexts, including energy crops, agroforestry systems, rice paddy co-cultures, and phytoremediation approaches. The review also highlights legume–cereal as a solution to sustainable soil management, ecosystem health, and the potential for increased nutritional food production in developed countries. Full article

Long-term maize (Zea mays L.) intercropping with peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) (M||P) improves soil aggregate stability and phosphorus (P) availability, sustaining farmland productivity. In contrast, co-ridge planting (R-M||P) further enhances yield. However, the relationship between yield increase and improvements in soil aggregate stability and ecological stoichiometric characteristics under R-M||P remains unclear. Therefore, this study examined the effects of R-M||P on aggregate fractions and stability, bulk density (BD), porosity (Pt), soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), available phosphorus (AP), total phosphorus (TP), and inorganic phosphorus, along with the ecological stoichiometric characteristics of C, N, and P. R-M||P substantially increased the proportion of topsoil macroaggregates, both mechanically stable (>0.5 mm) and water-stable (>1 mm), compared with flat planting. Additionally, it enhanced WR_0.25 and mean weight diameter, substantially reduced BD, and increased Pt. Furthermore, R-M||P significantly increased the concentrations of SOC, TN, TP, AP, Ca₂-P, Ca₈-P, Al-P, and Fe-P. It also enhanced the contribution rates of SOC, TN, TP, and AP in macroaggregates, leading to increased storage of carbon (SCS), nitrogen (SNS), and phosphorus (SPS). R-M||P significantly elevated C:N and C:P ratios. Phosphorus application increased SOC and nutrient concentrations, positively regulated C:N, and enhanced C, N, and P storage. However, it negatively influenced C:P and N:P ratios. SOC and AP were the main driving factors affecting the intercropping advantage, with explanatory rates of 33.2% and 22.7%, respectively, under R-M||P. These findings suggest that R-M||P combined with P application enhances yield by promoting aggregate stability, increasing the concentrations and storage of C, N, and P, and establishing a new ecological stoichiometric balance. Full article

The contents of secondary metabolites such as tea polyphenols, amino acids, caffeine, and volatile metabolites in fresh tea leaves are key factors determining the unique flavor and health attributes of finished tea products. However, differences in varieties, cultivation practices, and environmental conditions often lead to variations in these metabolites among fresh tea leaves, thereby affecting tea quality. In order to clarify the various internal and external factors that influence the formation of the quality of fresh tea leaves and their mechanism of action. This article mainly reviews the research on fresh leaf quality in the past decade. Firstly, it clarifies the molecular basis of metabolic differences among varieties. Then, it summarizes the regulatory mechanisms of underground (soil, microorganisms) and above-ground (light, temperature, humidity) environments on key metabolic pathways, and focuses on evaluating the effects of intercropping, fertilization, and other cultivation measures on improving tea quality. This review found that the specific gene expression of varieties, the transmission of environmental signals, and cultivation interventions jointly drive the synthesis and accumulation of tea polyphenols, amino acids, caffeine, and aroma substances. However, no one has ever systematically reviewed it. Therefore, it provides certain theoretical references for improving the quality of fresh leaves. Full article

Triticale is a cereal that currently has a cultivated global area of approximately 3.8 Mha. It is widely used as a feed and forage crop. Although winter triticale cultivars are planted in Poland, Germany and Belarus (the main producers), a significant portion of their cultivation is carried out in the Mediterranean basin using spring cultivars. Spain and Türkiye are two examples of the success of this crop in terms of promotion, breeding, and expansion. Thus, in 2022/23, 280,000 hectares of triticale were planted in Spain, while 100,000 hectares were planted in Türkiye, ranking 5th and 8th in the world, respectively. Current triticale cultivars have high grain and/or forage yield. Furthermore, dual-purpose cultivars are available and can be intercropped with legumes, which increases their possibilities in the field. Triticale competes well with weeds and is resistant to many diseases. It performs well in acidic soils, and it is tolerant to drought, conditions common in the Mediterranean basin. In the future, funding for spring triticale breeding programs (which are scarce and declining) should be maintained, and projects to improve agronomic techniques and publicize the advantages of this crop could be implemented. Furthermore, the use of triticale for human food could expand in the region, especially in MENA countries. Full article

Coffee demand continues to rise, while producing countries face increasing challenges and yield losses due to climate change. In response, farmers are adopting agricultural practices capable of boosting productivity. However, these practices increase intercrop variability, making coffee mapping more challenging. In this study, a novel approach is proposed to identify coffee cultivation considering four phenological stages: planting (PL), producing (PR), skeleton pruning (SK), and renovation with stumping (ST). A hierarchical classification framework was designed to isolate coffee pixels and identify their respective stages in one of Brazil’s most important coffee-producing regions. A dense time series of multispectral bands, spectral indices, and texture metrics derived from Harmonized Landsat Sentinel-2 (HLS) imagery, with an average revisit time of ~3 days, was employed. This data was combined with an ensemble learning approach based on decision-tree algorithms, specifically Random Forest (RF) and Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost). The results achieved unprecedented sensitivity and specificity for coffee plantation detection with RF, consistently exceeding 95%. The classification of coffee phenological stages showed balanced accuracies of 77% (ST) and from 93% to 95% for the other classes. These findings are promising and provide a scalable framework to monitor climate-resilient coffee management practices. Full article

To analyze the impact of intercropping, maize straw returning, plastic mulching, and different configurations on potato quality in southwest China, a three-factor split-plot field experiment was designed to investigate the effects of crop management practices on the starch physicochemical properties and textural properties for two potato cultivars (Mira and Huayu-5). Results indicated that intercropping, maize straw returning, and plastic mulching reduced tuber dry matter, total starch, and amylose content, thereby decreasing the hardness of steamed tubers. Plastic mulching and maize straw returning increased starch granule size, promoted thermal properties, improved pasting properties, and increased adhesiveness and cohesiveness. The potato/maize relay intercropping increased the thermal properties, pasting viscosities, adhesiveness, and cohesiveness, with stronger effects observed in Mira compared to Huayu-5. The combination of intercropping with plastic film mulching and straw returning reduces tuber hardness while enhancing tuber adhesiveness and cohesiveness. Full article