Search

On-farm research (OFR) has become popular as a result of precision agriculture technology simplifying the process and farm software capabilities to summarize results collected through the technology. Different OFR designs exists with strip-trials being a simple approach to evaluate different treatments. Common in OFR is the use of yield monitors to collect crop performance data since yield represents a primary response variable in these type studies. The objective was to investigate the ability of grain yield monitoring technologies to accurately inform strip trials when frequent yield variability exists within an experimental unit. A combination of six sub-plot treatment resolutions (TR) that differed in length of imposed yield variation (7.6, 15.2, 30.5, 61.0, 121.9, and 243.8 m) were harvested at combine ground speeds of 3.2, 6.4, 7.2, and 8.1 kph, depending on study site (three study sites total). Intentional yield differences in maize (Zea mays L.) were created for each sub-plot by alternating the amount nitrogen (N) applied: 0 or 202 kg N/ha. Yield was measured by four commercially available yield monitoring (YM) technologies and a weigh wagon. Comparisons were made between the accumulated mass of the YM technology and weigh wagon through percent differences along with testing the significance of the plotted relationship between YM and weigh wagon. Results indicated that yield monitoring technology can be used to evaluate strip trial performance regardless of yield frequency and variability (error < 3%) within an experimental unit when operating within the calibrated range of the mass flow sensor. Operating outside of the calibrated range of the mass flow sensor resulted in > 15% error in estimating accumulated weight and overestimation of yield by 23%. Finally, no significant differences existed in estimating accumulated weight values between grain yield monitor technologies (all p-values ≥ 0.54). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of living mulch (LM) introduction and management strategies on cash crop yield, product quality and energy use were studied in a wide range of European vegetable cropping systems, climatic and soil conditions, as well as species of LM grown as agro-ecological service crops. Nine field experiments were carried out in research stations and commercial farms located in Denmark, Germany, Italy and Slovenia. Farmers’ perception of the feasibility and applicability of the LM technique was also assessed.The results demonstrated that the LM systems with a substitutive design can be effectively implemented in vegetable production if the value of the ecological services (positive externalities) delivered by LM can counterbalance the yield loss due to the cash crop density reduction. The crop density of the system and the length of the period in which the LM and cash crop coexist are oppositely related both for competition and yield. Moreover, if an additive design is used, the LM should be sown several weeks after the cash crop planting. Overall, different cash crop genotypes (i.e., open pollinated/local cultivars in comparison with the hybrids) performed similarly. Use of human labor (HL) and fossil fuel (FF) energy slightly increased in LM systems (7%), and there was a shift in the proportion of FF and human energy consumption. The farmers’ acceptance of the LM techniques was quite high (75% of the interviewed sample), even though their critical considerations about yield quality and quantity need consideration in future research and practical implementation of LM systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural development following the process "Farmer - Research - Vulgarisation". Example of the local research centre of Bututsi". Agricultural innovations are often not very attractive to farmers. The Institute of Agricuttural Science of Burundi is carried out, since 1985 in the Bututsi highland, a new guideline starting out farmer's priorities and constraints. The innovations are better fitted to farmer's conditions and on farm transfert research is worked on a participative approach. The proposed techniques are adapted and adopted by the farmers.