Search Results (18)

In spite of the detrimental effects of climate change and decreasing resource efficiency, maize farming is essential to the world’s food and nutritional security. With regard to sustainable maize farming in this environment, conservation agriculture (CA) offers a framework that holds promise in terms of low soil disturbance, perennial soil cover, and sustainable crop rotation. In order to acquire more profound information on the research advancements and publication patterns related to maize under CA scenarios, a bibliometric analysis was conducted. This involved utilizing René Descartes’s Discourse Framework to extract and screen 2587 documents spanning the years 2001 to 2023 from the Dimensions.ai database. The mapping showed that different stakeholders were becoming more interested in maize research under various CA pathways, with a greater emphasis on reaching the second sustainable development target, or “zero hunger”. The most influential journals were “Soil and Tillage Research” and “Field Crops Research”, with 131 and 85 papers with 6861 and 6186 citations, respectively. The performance analysis found “Christian L. Thierfelder” and “Mangi Lal Jat” as the eminent researchers in the areas of maize research under CA. Thus, the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) and the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) were identified as the important institutions in conducting research pertaining to maize under CA systems, while the United States, India, and Mexico emerged as prominent countries with notable collaboration efforts for imparting research under the given scenarios. Three thematic clusters delineating keywords from three distinct sections—key drivers, objectives, and methodology—were identified through co-word analysis using word clouds, tree maps, and thematic networking of the keywords from the abstract and titles of screened publications. These thematic clusters highlighted the growing emphasis on region-specific studies under CA, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and the Indo-Gangetic plain, to enhance the resilience of the agri-food system. Therefore, mapping maize’s potentialities within the CA framework has revealed the field’s dynamic nature and offers insightful information to researchers and policymakers that could help them plan future studies and cooperative initiatives aimed at boosting the productivity and sustainability of maize-based systems under the CA framework. Full article

Attitude determination based on a micro-electro-mechanical system inertial measurement unit (MEMS-IMU) has attracted extensive attention. The non-gravitational components of the MEMS-IMU have a significant effect on the accuracy of attitude estimation. To improve the attitude estimation of low-dynamic vehicles under uneven soil conditions or vibrations, a robust Kalman filter (RKF) was developed and tested in this paper, where the noise covariance was adaptively changed to compensate for the external acceleration of the vehicle. The state model for MEMS-IMU attitude estimation was initially constructed using a simplified direction cosine matrix. Subsequently, the variance of unmodeled external acceleration was estimated online based on filtering innovations of different window lengths, where the acceleration disturbance was addressed by tradeoffs in time-delay and prescribed computation cost. The effectiveness of the RKF was validated through experiments using a three-axis turntable, an automatic vehicle, and a tractor tillage test. The turntable experiment demonstrated that the angle result of the RKF was 0.051° in terms of root mean square error (RMSE), showing improvements of 65.5% and 29.2% over a conventional KF and MTi-300, respectively. The dynamic attitude estimation of the automatic vehicle showed that the RKF achieves smoother pitch angles than the KF when the vehicle passes over speed bumps at different speeds; the RMSE of pitch was reduced from 0.875° to 0.460° and presented a similar attitude trend to the MTi-300. The tractor tillage test indicated that the RMSE of plough pitch was improved from 0.493° with the KF to 0.259° with the RKF, an enhancement of approximately 47.5%, illustrating the superiority of the RKF in suppressing the external acceleration disturbances of IMU-based attitude estimation. Full article

Soil treatments have a significant influence on the agricultural and environmental productivity of agricultural practices. Arable lands are one of the sources of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) that are influenced by the chemical and physical properties of the soil and are an essential contributor to climate change. We aim to evaluate the long-term management of agricultural practices, such as different tillage systems, cover crops, and glyphosate, on GHG emissions and soil physical properties. The field trial involved three tillage systems (conventional tillage (CT), reduced tillage (RT), and no-tillage (NT)), along with variations in cover cropping (with and without cover crops) and glyphosate application (with and without glyphosate). These treatments were implemented during the cultivation of oilseed rape in 2022 as part of a cropping sequence consisting of five crops: winter wheat; winter oilseed rape; spring wheat; spring barley; and field pea. Greenhouse gas emissions (carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), and nitrous oxide (N₂O)) were directly measured using a closed static chamber system. Through the examination of these management techniques, the soil’s physical properties over the studied period were assessed for their impact on GHG fluxes. The findings of the study reveal that N₂O emissions were relatively low during the first month of measurement, with significant differences (p < 0.05) observed in the interaction between cover crop and glyphosate treatments. Additionally, N₂O emissions were notably elevated in the reduced (0.079 µg m⁻² h⁻¹) and conventional tillage (0.097 µg m⁻² h⁻¹) treatments at the second month of measurement. Regarding CH₄, increased emissions were observed in the reduced tillage and cover crop treatments. CO₂ emissions exhibited variability across all of the investigated treatments. Notably, GHG fluxes spiked at the second measurement, signifying the maximum uptake of nutrients by the main plants during the growth phase. Greenhouse gas emissions leveled off across all of the treatments following the harvest, marking the end of the cultivation period. The influence of the deployed techniques varied across the determined physical parameters of the soil. The incorporation of cover crops contributed to improved water content and, further, to electrical conductivity. Glyphosate use showed no direct impact on physical properties of the soil while the different tillage treatments had varying effects on the distribution of the physical properties of the soil with respect to the degree of disturbance or tillage-induced changes. Additionally, GHG emissions were strongly correlated with precipitation at one week and two weeks before sampling, except for CO₂, which showed a weaker correlation at two weeks before GHG sampling. The findings indicate that reduced and conventional tillage methods might adversely affect greenhouse gas emissions and plant functionality, particularly concerning nutrient release and uptake, especially in temperate climate conditions. Full article

Maintaining soil health and sustainable crop production has been challenged by climate variability and wind erosion in semi-arid regions. To understand the initial effects of the transition of tilled cotton systems to no-tillage with winter wheat as a cover crop, we sampled 18 commercial grower sites from 2019 to 2022 in the Southern High Plains (SHP). We evaluated the soil biological component, which often responds rapidly to changes in residue additions or minimized soil disturbance providing an early indication of changes in soil health, especially in the low organic matter soils in this region. After two years, compared to tilled systems, no-till systems had significant increases in ester-linked fatty acid methyl ester (EL-FAME) bacterial and saprophytic and AMF fungal markers, enzyme activities of nutrient cycling, and various SOM pools, under both center-pivot irrigation and dryland. Similar increases were also observed in two dryland sites sampled before and up to two years after transition to no-till. Our study demonstrates the potential of no-tillage and cover crops to improve soil health in cotton production in semiarid regions, and a framework for a soil health assessment that links different soil health indicators with functions related to soil organic matter, soil water, and biogeochemical cycling. Full article

Agricultural intensification has caused once diverse arable fields to become species-poor. Their seed banks, which are fundamental for re-establishment and maintenance of plant communities in such repeatedly disturbed environments, are now largely depleted. In order to advise farmers on the successful implementation of agri-environmental measures, as well as reduce potential subsequent costs of continued weed control, understanding seed bank dynamics in relation to aboveground vegetation is essential. We (1) investigated the change in seed bank composition in the field edge and the interior, and (2) analyzed the seed bank in flower strips and adjacent fields in relation to the aboveground vegetation on intensively managed arable farms across Germany. Low-tillage systems contained more plant species and higher seed densities in the seed bank than regularly ploughed fields. Species diversity at the field edge was higher than in the field interior, with a continuous decrease in the number of species and seed density within the first 2 m from the edge. Flower strips can lead to an enrichment of the seed bank, but it is driven by the strong rise in a few common species such as Chenopodium album. To cultivate successful flower strips, we recommend close onsite monitoring, as well as rapid intervention in the case of weed infestation. Full article

There are often negative side-effects associated with the traditional (silage) maize cropping system related to the unprotected soil surface. Reducing soil disturbance could enhance system sustainability. Yet, increased weed pressure and decreased nitrogen availability, particularly in organic agriculture, may limit the implementation of alternative management methods. Therefore, a field experiment was conducted at two distinct locations to evaluate the weed control efficiency of 18 organically managed silage maize cropping systems. Examined parameters were relative weed groundcover (GC_weed) and its correlation with maize dry matter yield (DMY), relative proportion of dominant weed species (DWS) and their groups by life form (DWS_group). Treatment factors comprised first crop (FC—winter pea, hairy vetch, and their mixtures with rye, control (sole silage maize cropping system—SCS)), management—incorporating FC use and tillage (double cropping system no-till (DCS NT), double cropping system reduced till (DCS RT), double cropped, mulched system (DCMS Roll) and SCS control), fertilization, mechanical weed control and row width (75 cm and 50 cm). The variation among environments was high, but similar patterns occurred across locations: Generally low GC_weed occurred (below 28%) and, therefore, typically no correlation to maize DMY was observed. The number of crops (system), system:management and occasionally management:FC (group) influenced GC_weed and DWS_(group). Row width had inconsistent and/or marginal effects. Results suggest differences related to the successful inclusion of DCS and DCMS into the rotation, and to the altered soil conditions, additional physical destruction by shallow tillage operations, especially in the early season, which possibly acts through soil thermal and chemical properties, as well as light conditions. DCS RT could successfully reduce GC_weed below 5%, whereas DCS NT and particularly DCMS (Mix) suffered from inadequate FC management. Improvements in DCMS may comprise the use of earlier maturing legumes, especially hairy vetch varieties, further reduction/omission of the cereal companion in the mixture and/or more destructive termination of the FC. Full article

Considering the problems of low soil fragmentation rates, high working resistance, and high energy consumption in the harvesting process of Cyperus esculentus in China, a method of Cyperus esculentus harvesting based on counter-rotation digging is proposed. The mechanism of interaction between the rotary tillage blade and Cyperus esculentus–soil is systematically investigated, and the vertical and horizontal disturbance performance of the positive and counter-rotating harvesting methods on soil and Cyperus esculentus is compared and analyzed. The results of the experiment showed that the intensity of soil and Cyperus esculentus disturbance by counter-rotation increased by 166.67% and 297.78%, respectively, and the effective disturbance time of soil and Cyperus esculentus increased by 133.33% compared to that of positive rotation. The working depth and rotation speed of the rotary tillage blade were the most significant for soil and Cyperus esculentus disturbance intensity. The working depth increased from 150 mm to 170 mm, and the soil disturbance intensity increased by 17.91% and 21.37% for positive and counter-rotating operation, respectively, and the rotation speed of the rotary tillage blade increased from 270 rpm to 330 rpm, and the soil disturbance intensity increased by 28.85% and 35.29%, respectively. Compared with the positive rotation operation, the Cyperus esculentus counter-rotation soil fragmentation rate increased by 4.09%, the Cyperus esculentus damage rate decreased by 10.69%, and the buried fruit rate decreased by 7.38%. This paper helps to understand the interaction mechanism between the rototiller and Cyperus esculentus–soil and lays a theoretical foundation for the subsequent design and optimization of the Cyperus esculentus digging device. Full article

The O’Higgins Region, located in Central Chile, concentrates 40% of the country’s maize production, mainly under conventional tillage. This has generated soil physical degradation, modifying water movement on it, which varies even in short distances. In this study, we wanted to evaluate the spatial variability of different physical and hydraulic properties in relation to the agricultural use of Inceptisol. The study was conducted on a farm in Central Chile, in a fallow–maize rotation under conventional tillage. Penetration resistance (PR) was measured by using systematic sampling, defining areas of high and low PR, where soil samples were collected in places with frequent crossing of machinery (+M) and places without crossing (−M) and on topsoil and subsoil, establishing four treatments: +M—topsoil, +M—subsoil, −M—topsoil, and −M—subsoil. Organic matter (OM), texture, bulk density (BD), hydraulic conductivity (K), and hydrophobicity (R) were measured. The soil order was Inceptisol with a sandy-loam texture. The PR ranged from 200,000 to 2,000,000 Pa on topsoil and 600,000 to 2,400,000 Pa in subsoil, and the OM content was higher with a low PR. The K varied from 0.6 to 18 cm h⁻¹, being greater in depth, as tillage disturbs the topsoil stabilized during the season. A linear relationship was found between the K and R, explaining differences between high- and low-PR sites. There was an association between K_sat with position (subsoil/topsoil) and PR (high/low) that may allow us to use the PR as a proxy for K. Full article

No-till (NT) has been said to conserve soil moisture, maintain or increase organic matter (OM), and improve crop production compared to conventional tillage (CT). However, very few studies have explored the effect of these under dry-land agriculture with occasional tillage where ploughing is performed only after several years of NT, especially in KwaZulu–Natal. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of tillage and fertilizer application on selected physicochemical soil properties under rain-fed maize production. Soil samples from NT, conventional tillage in the 5th season (CT-Y5), and annual conventional tillage (CT-A) with 0, 60, 120, 240 kg N ha⁻¹ were taken at 0–10, 10–20, and 20–30 cm and analysed for pH, EC, exchangeable acidity, exchangeable bases, C:N, gravimetric water content, bulk density, and soil texture. Results showed that NT at 0 and 60 kg N ha⁻¹ in 0–10 cm had higher bases, gravimetric water content, pH, and EC compared CT-Y5 and CT-A (p < 0.05). At 10–20 cm depth, CT-Y5 had higher gravimetric water content (0.17 gg⁻¹), followed by CT-A, (0.13 g g⁻¹), while NT had the least (0.11 g g⁻¹) (p < 0.05) in the control treatment. Again at 20–30 cm depth, NT had higher (p < 0.05) bases than CT-Y5 and CT-A tillage practices at 120 and 240 kg N ha⁻¹ application rate. Regression analysis of fertilizer application rate with both bases and gravimetric water content showed a strong relationship under NT. Better soil properties under both NT and CT-Y5 was attributed to residue cover and minimum disturbance of the soil, which encouraged infiltration, thus reducing runoff and evaporation from the soil surface. Accumulation of residue under conservation tillage enhances OM, which subsequently improves soil quality, whereas ploughing aerates the soil causing oxidation of OM, thus releasing H⁺ ions. Again, fertilizer application induces mineralization of OM, thus, higher fertilizer application rates result in low levels of carbon. NT is well-recommended in conserving soil quality while sustaining crop productivity. Full article

Due to the widespread use of heavy machinery, improper soil tillage practices, and insufficient soil organic materials input, soil compaction has become a major issue affecting soil function in modern agriculture and the sustainability of the environment. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the responses of soil mechanical parameters to soil water content and soil organic matter content (SOM), and to investigate the physical properties of nine disturbed soils in a black soil region in Northeast China. The soil samples were capillary saturated and subjected to 6, 10, 100, 600, and 800 kPa soil water suction (SWS), and pre-compression stress (σ_p), compression index (C_c), and decompression index (D_c) were measured. SWS and SOM, and their interaction, significantly influenced the mechanical parameters. σ_p increased with an increase in SWS until 600 kPa, while D_c exhibited an opposite trend with an increase in SWS. C_c had a peak value at SWS of 100 kPa. All mechanical parameter values were higher under high SOM than under low SOM. σ_p, C_c, and D_c were influenced variably by different soil physicochemical factors. Structural equation modeling results revealed that soil mechanical parameters were directly and indirectly influenced by soil texture and mean weight diameter of aggregates, in addition to SOM and SWS. According to the results of the present study, based on soil mechanical and physical properties, increasing SOM and ensuring suitable soil water content during tillage could be applied as management strategies to minimize further soil compaction and improve soil resilience, and thus promote the sustainable development of agriculture in Northeast China. Full article

Conservation agriculture (CA) is considered a sustainable practice with the potential to maintain or increase crop productivity and improve environmental quality and ecosystem services. It typically improves soil quality and water conservation; however, its effect on crop productivity is highly variable and dependent on local conditions/management. Crop residue retention plays a crucial role in CA and can help to improve overall soil health and ultimately crop productivity and sustainability. However, weed control, herbicide resistance, and weed shift under residue retained fields is a major challenge. Moreover, CA can increase water infiltration and reduce soil loss and runoff. This reduces the surface transport of nitrate and phosphorus from agricultural fields and the eutrophication of water bodies, although leaching of nitrate to groundwater can potentially increase. In addition, CA has been proposed as one of the components in climate-smart agriculture, owing to its reduced period to seed/plant next crop, reduced soil disturbance and low consumption of fossil fuels. Therefore, compared to the conventional intensive tillage, CA has a greater potential for soil C sequestration, favors higher soil biodiversity, lowers greenhouse gas emission, and can assist in mitigating climate change. However, not all experiments report a positive impact. The understanding and decoding the site-specific complexities of CA system is important and requires a multidisciplinary approach. Full article

Minimum soil disturbance and increased crop residue retention practices are promising options to enhance soil organic matter, nutrient concentration and crop yield. However, the potentials of the practices in improving soil properties, increasing crop yield and in ensuring economic return have not been tested in the monsoon rice (Oryza sativa L.)-lentil (Lens culinaris L.)/wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)-jute (Corchorus culinaris L.) cropping systems on seasonally flooded lowlands of the Eastern Gangetic Plain of South Asia. A field trial for consecutive three years was conducted in the Gangetic Plains of Bangladesh to evaluate the effects of zero tillage (ZT), strip-tillage (ST), bed planting (BP) and conventional tillage (CT) with two residue retention levels (RL—a low level similar to current farmers’ practice and RH—increased retention) on soil properties, yield and economic return. Between rice and jute crops, lentil was grown for the 1st and 2nd years and wheat for the 3rd year during the dry winter season. The ST and BP performed better than the CT and ZT in terms of yield of rice and lentil, whereas ST and ZT performed better than other practices in the case of jute. Higher residue retention (RH) increased crop yield for all the years. The highest rice equivalent yield (sum of 3 crop yields, expressed as rice yield) and the greatest benefit-cost ratio (BCR) were recorded with ST and RH. The increased yield in the ST was associated with reduced soil bulk density (BD), while ST with RH increased soil water (SW) and decreased penetration resistance (PR) of soil. Compared to CT, minimum soil disturbance of ZT and ST increased soil organic matter (SOM) stock by 24% and 23%, respectively; total nitrogen (TN) by 23.5% and 18.4%, respectively; extractable sulphur (S) by 21% and 18%, respectively; whereas Zinc (Zn) concentrations increased by 53% and 47%, respectively, in the upper 0–5 cm soil depth. Accumulation of extractable P, S and Zn in the 0–5 cm depth of soil followed the sequence as ZT > ST > BP > CT practice. The higher amount of residue retention significantly increased SOM, TN and extractable P, K, S and Zn concentrations at 0–5 cm and 5–10 cm soil depths. The 3-year study suggests that ST with RH is a potential crop management approach for the seasonally flooded rice-lentil/wheat-jute cropping systems to enhance soil nutrients status, crop yield and farm economy. Full article

Nowadays, agriculture is facing the great challenge of climate change which puts the productivity of the crops in peril due to unpredictable rain patterns and water shortages, especially in the developing world. Besides productivity, nutritional values of the yields of these crops may also be affected, especially under low mechanization and the low water availability conditions of the developing world. Conservation agriculture (CA) is a topic of emerging interest due to the provision of adequate yields and reduced environmental impact, such as greenhouse gas emissions, by being based on three main principles: minimum soil disturbance (reduced or no tillage), cover crop maintenance, and crop rotation. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of CA management on the growth performance and the nutritional profile of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp), a pulse of African origin, commonly known as black eye bean under field conditions. A field experiment was designed to assess the effect of conventional tillage (CT) and no-tillage (NT) combined with the usage of a set of cover crops, coupled to normal and deficient water regimes. Cowpea was revealed to be able to grow and yield comparably at each level of the treatment tested, with a better ability to face water exhaustion under CA management. After a faster initial growth phase in CT plots, the level of adaptability of this legume to NT was such that growth performances improved significantly with respect to CT plots. The flowering rate was higher and earlier in CT conditions, while in NT it was slower but longer-lasting. The leafy photosynthetic rate and the nutritional profile of beans were slightly influenced by tillage management: only total starch content was negatively affected in NT and watered plots while proteins and aminoacids did not show any significant variation. Furthermore, significantly higher carbon and nitrogen concentration occurred in NT soils especially at the topmost (0–5 cm) soil horizon. These findings confirm the capability of CA to enrich soil superficial horizons and highlight that cowpea is a suitable crop to be grown under sustainable CA management. This practice could be pivotal to preserve soils and to save agronomical costs without losing a panel of nutrients that are important to the human diet. Due to its great protein and aminoacidic composition, V. unguiculata is a good candidate for further cultivation in regions of the word facing deficiencies in the intake of such nutrients, such as the Mediterranean basins and Sub-Saharan countries. Full article

Land degradation and soil fertility deterioration are two of the main causes of agricultural production stagnation and decline in many parts of the world. The model of crop production based on mechanical soil tillage and exposed soils is typically accompanied by negative effects on the natural resource base of the farming environment, which can be so serious that they jeopardize agricultural productive potential in the future. This form of agriculture is destructive to soil health and accelerates the loss of soil by increasing its mineralization and erosion rates. Conservation agriculture, a system avoiding or minimizing soil mechanical disturbance (no-tillage) combined with soil cover and crop diversification, is considered a sustainable agro-ecological approach to resource-conserving agricultural production. A major objective of tillage is supposed to be weed control, and it does not require very specific knowledge because soil inversion controls (at least temporarily) most weeds mechanically (i.e., by way of burying them). However, repeated ploughing only changes the weed population, but does not control weeds in the long term. The same applies to the mechanical uprooting of weeds. While in the short term some tillage operations can control weeds on farms, tillage systems can increase and propagate weeds off-farm. The absence of tillage, under conservation agriculture, requires other measures of weed control. One of the ways in which this is realized is through herbicide application. However, environmental concerns, herbicide resistance and access to appropriate agro-chemicals on the part of resource-poor farmers, highlight the need for alternative weed control strategies that are effective and accessible for smallholders adopting conservation agriculture. Farmers in semi-arid regions contend with the additional challenge of low biomass production and, often, competition with livestock enterprises, which limit the potential weed-suppressing benefits of mulch and living cover crops. This paper reviews the applicability and efficacy of various mechanical, biological and integrated weed management strategies for the effective and sustainable management of weeds in smallholder conservation agriculture systems, including the role of appropriate equipment and prerequisites for smallholders within a sustainable intensification scenario. Full article

Only 34% of all German farms apply reduced tillage (RT), while approximately 1% of the arable land is under no-tillage (NT). Statistics for organic farming are not available, but the percentages are probably even lower. The development of German organic RT and NT has been strongly driven by pioneer farmers for 40 years, and supported by field trials since the 1990s. The main motive for conversion to RT is increased soil quality, followed by reduced labor costs. NT combined with high-residue cover crops plays only a very small role. Rather, German organic farmers resort to shallow ploughing, a reduced number of ploughing operations in the rotation and/or substitution of the ploughing with non-inversion tillage. In field trials, winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) yields were reduced up to 67% by using RT methods compared to inversion tillage treatments due to reduced mineralization and increased weed pressure, both of which are major obstacles that impede the wider adoption of RT and NT by German organic farmers. Improvement of NT and RT (rotations, implements, timing) in organic farming is a task of both agricultural practice and science. A number of conventional farmers who have recently converted to organic farming are already familiar with RT. These farmers will act as a thriving factor to implement their experience after conversion and contribute to further innovations of RT in organic farming. Full article