Search

The fractionation of Zn and its adsorption at soil matrix are crucial for careful management to attain the sustainability in Western Indo-Gangetic Plain region. To fulfil the objectives, the soil at the three depths (15, 30 and 45 cm) was collected from the farmers field in 2021–2022 from five different cropping systems (sugarcane–ratoon–wheat, sugarcane–ratoon–wheat–rice, sugarcane–mustard–ratoon–rice, sugarcane–cucumber–ratoon, and sugarcane–ratoon–potato) which are practicing the same cropping sequence since from 12 years and a reference soil which remains uncultivated from last 50 years. The soil was sandy loam to sandy clay loam in texture with BD 1.33 gm/cc and 22% water holding capacity. The pH and EC revealed neutral-to-moderate alkaline, low-to-medium organic carbon (0.59 mg/kg), medium-to-high Olsen's phosphorous (30.14 mg/kg) and low to sufficient DTPA-Zn (1.82 mg/kg). Sugarcane–ratoon–wheat among cropping system revealed highest total (86.94 mg/kg), residual (67.95 mg/kg) and sequentially extractable Zn (19 mg/kg) fractions which implies that Zn is retained and released for longer duration. The retention of Zn at the soil matrix was further clarified by sorption mechanism which invoked maximum %Zn sorption occurred at S1 (49.17%). The sorption phenomena of Zn on soils are spontaneous (ΔG is negative) and are physically adsorbed (E < 8 kJ/mol). Monolayered-Zn sorption depicted from Langmuir Isotherm constants (Qo = 8.67 µg/gm, KL = 0.25 ml/µg) occurs at silt (r2 = 0.813*) and calcium carbonate surface (r2 = 0.943*) of top soil, while at subsurface multilayered sorption from Freundlich isotherm constant (KF = 3.07 µg/gm, n = 6.27 gm/ml) is pH-dependent (r2 = 0.910*) and occurs at clay surface (r2 = 0.812*). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to soil organic carbon, agricultural soil has the ability to absorb carbon from the atmosphere. Adopted management techniques and cropping systems have an impact on sequestering carbon. Here, we looked into the fundamental physiochemical characteristics of the soil, the components of SOC, and the microbiological characteristics in five cropping systems namely Maize- black gram, Maize- rice, Maize-soybean, Maize-mustard, Maize- buckwheat and Maize- Vegetable pea. The SOC pool was significantly (P < 0.001) enlarged by the cropping system. Changes in the SOC pool and stability were seen in soil microbial communities, and the main causes were the persistence of saprotrophic fungal dominance and the change in bacterial life-history strategy from K- to R-strategy. SOC fractions were increased via modifications to the agricultural system and microbial community dynamics. Active carbon pools (Mg ha− 1) in soils in 0–15 cm layers of different cropping system was significantly higher in Maize-soybean (10.27) followed by Maize- Vegetable pea (10.12), Maize- black gram (9.53), Maize- buckwheat (9.30), Maize- rice (8.99) and lowest in Maize –mustard (8.57). The carbon pool index was also higher in Maize-soybean (1.18) followed by Maize- Vegetable pea (1.14), Maize- black gram (1.13), Maize- buckwheat (1.11), Maize- rice (1.08) and lowest in Maize –mustard (1.04). Finally, the carbon management index was higher in Maize-soybean (193.54) followed by Maize- Vegetable pea (184.92), Maize- black gram (178.02), Maize- buckwheat (172.77), Maize- rice (165.99), Maize –mustard (136.48). Among the different cropping system, Maize-soybean had greater amount of total soil organic carbon, carbon pool index, lability index and higher carbon management index and hence, considered the best cropping system to sequester carbon in the Sikkim Himalaya. The second and third position was achieved by Maize- Vegetable pea and Maize- black gram with respect to carbon management index. Thus, the study recommended that in the Indian Himalayan study region, maize-soybean farming be encouraged for effective land resource management planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The positive soil biodiversity and multifunctionality relationship has been widely recognized, however in agricultural ecosystems, this relationship is context dependent and could be altered by land use intensity (LUI). Understanding how LUI affects soil microbial community and multifunctionality (SMF) is instructive for optimizing external inputs and managements. Methods: We sampled soils from three cropping systems (cotton, wheat-maize and vegetable) with different LUI, sequenced both bacterial and fungal communities, and quantified the multifunctionality by averaging carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus cycling functions. The relationship between soil microbial diversity and SMF was further explored. Results: The results showed that the positive effects of soil microbial diversity on SMF was significantly affected by LUI. In general, LUI decreased SMF and both bacterial and fungal diversity. Cotton and wheat-maize rotation systems with relatively lower LUI showed higher microbial diversity and SMF compared with the vegetable system, which had the highest LUI and the lowest SMF. Moreover, bacterial but not fungal diversity drove this positive relationship between microbial diversity and SMF in both cotton and wheat-maize systems but not in the vegetable system, indicating a larger bacterial effect in lower LUI system. Random forest and structural equation modeling further confirmed bacterial diversity and composition contributed to SMF mainly via promoting carbon and phosphorus cycling. Conclusions: Our findings highlight the importance of LUI in influencing the relationships of biodiversity-SMF and further demonstrate that soil microbial diversity conservation with less anthropogenic disturbances is important for supporting soil functioning in agroecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conventional paddy-wheat-green gram cropping system in the North-Bihar, area experienced issues such as diminishing yield, water constraint, and uneven fertilizer usage. Researchers wanted to boost sustainability and productivity by testing alternative tillage and crop establishment (TCE) practices within this cropping pattern. The research was conducted out at the Climate Resilient Agriculture (CRA) the village in the Muzaffarpur region of Bihar. The purpose was to compare five distinct (TCE) utilization in the present rice–wheat-green gram cropping system. The study indicated that the TCE technique designated SN 5 (ZTDSR-HSZTW-HSG) resulted in the greatest yields across all crops, with 15–18% greater rice yield, 20–25% higher wheat yield, and 20–22% higher green gram yield compared to other TCE methods. Additionally, SN 5 produced 20.2% larger net returns employing a conservation agriculture (CA)-based system compared to the conventional technique. These results suggest that CA-based TCE outperformed conventional approaches in terms of net returns and overall efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Site-specific modeling with consideration of land-use types is required to evaluate the effectiveness of different farming practices on organic carbon (OC) sequestration by soil. In this study, a comprehensive model for different cropland types fitting to the relationship between bulk density (Bd) and OC was used to evaluate carbon sequestration by soil. Materials and methods: Six cropland sites for crop cultivation (i.e., lettuce, lisianthus, pineapple, multigrain, tea, and coffee) in southwest Taiwan were utilized for illustration. The linear (L) and exponential decay (ED) models fL(x) and fED(x) were fitted to the relationship between Bd and OC. The integrations of fL(x) and fED(x) associated with site-specific boundaries DL* and DED* were in expression as FL*(x) and FED*(x), respectively to predict OC stock (OCS) for each cropland site. Results and discussion: The results showed a significantly negative correlation between Bd and OC. According to the validation results, the site-specific predictions of OCS by both FL*(x) and FED*(x) were reliable for the cropland sites. Also, further OC sequestration to increase OCS by 0.4% in a 20-cm depth of soil would more efficiently occur in deeper soil than in upper soil. Current practices for cultivating lisianthus, tea, and coffee, increasing OC would be more conservational and result in a significantly decreasing Bd trend. Conclusions: In contrast, croplands for the cultivation of lettuce, multigrain, and pineapple, which have much less OC saturation, could efficiently increase OCS by 0.4% in a 20-cm soil depth for further OC sequestration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although forage cactus is a CAM plant capable of adjusting to adverse conditions, little is known about the regulation of the antioxidant defense system under typical growth conditions and even less under competitive environment such as intercropping system. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the regulation of the antioxidant defense system in three forage cactus genotypes grown in intercropping. The experimental design was in randomized blocks set up in a 3 × 2 factorial with three replications, consisting of three forage cactus genotypes ('Orelha de Elefante Mexicana'—Opuntia stricta (Haw.), 'Miúda'—Nopalea cochenillifera (L.) Salm. Dyck, and 'Baiana' – N. cochenillifera (L.) Salm. Dyck) and two cropping systems (monocropping and intercropping with Gliricidia sepium). Intercropping significantly affected the antioxidant metabolism of forage cactus genotypes. 'Orelha de Elefante Mexicana' in intercropping showed higher contents of photosynthetic pigments and H2O2, and activities of SOD (EC 1.15.1.1) and CAT (EC 1.11.1.6), and lower contents fresh mass, dry mass, and MDA, and activity of APX (EC 1.11.1.11), than under monocropping. 'Miúda' showed similar results except for dry mass, which was the same in both cropping systems. In turn, 'Baiana' in intercropping showed higher contents of fresh and dry mass, water, photosynthetic pigments, and H2O2, activities of SOD, CAT, and APX, and lower lipid peroxidation than under monocropping. Thus, intercropping favored the 'Baiana' as a function of the effective role of the antioxidant enzyme system, reducing lipid peroxidation, maintaining the stability of the photosynthetic process, and increasing growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study focused on the composition of soil mesofauna within changing cropping systems influenced by urbanization in Bengaluru, Karnataka, India during the rabi season of 2020 (October)–2021 (February). Four major cropping systems, namely pulses (red gram), vegetables (tomato and ridge gourd), horticulture (grapes and chickoo), and agriculture + horticulture crops, (coconut + fodder plantation), were examined across urban, peri-urban, and rural zones in Bengaluru. The research uncovered a total of 714 individuals belonging to 16 different soil mesofauna taxa among the crops studied. Collembolans were found to be the most abundant members of the mesofauna community, with mites following closely. In terms of population dynamics, the highest mesofauna population was observed in December 2020, totaling 248 individuals, while the lowest count was recorded in February 2021, with 104 individuals. Among the crops studied, the highest number of individuals was found in Horticulture systems, with 277 individuals, closely followed by the Agri + horticulture cropping system, which had 158 individuals. When considering the geographical zones, the highest number of individuals was recorded in the urban zones, with 270 individuals, followed by peri-urban areas with 229 individuals, and the rural zone had the lowest count, totaling 225 individuals. From the results, less disturbed soil environment in horticulture cropping system, post-monsoon conditions in December (2020), and the urban heat in urban zone appeared to favor the proliferation of soil mesofauna. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agroforestry is gaining interest due to its potential in enhancing climate resilience and sustainability of farming systems. In this meta-analysis, the crop yield in agroforestry system compared to the control (sole crop) from thirty-six experimental field trials in Mediterranean countries was assessed. The response variable Wlog(RR) (i.e., the weighted natural logarithm of the response ratio) was analyzed by the 95% confidence intervals of mean and by fitting eight linear mixed models. Fixed effects, namely the tree cover (low, medium, high), the tree species (ash tree, chestnut, cork oak, holm oak, olive, poplar, walnut), and the crop species (alfalfa, barley, durum wheat, faba bean, forage, oat, pasture, pea, winter wheat) were significant (P = 0.030, P = 0.017, and P = 0.014, respectively), while the system type (alley cropping, silvo-arable, silvo-pastoral) was not. Among management practices (variety, pruning, fertilization, irrigation, crop age classes, imposed warming and drought, harvest time), only the fertilization significantly improved the response variable (P = 0.006), while the interaction of pruning × crop species was marginally significant (P = 0.065). Relatively large study heterogeneity was observed (Q = 72.6, I2 = 72%), which is quite common for agronomic meta-analysis. On the contrary, publication bias based on funnel plots and the Trim and Fill method suggested symmetrical distribution of studies. The sensitivity analysis for significant models identified room for improvements. Overall, we observed a negative effect of trees on crop yield that could be ascribed to the competition for light. Nonetheless, facilitation could be expected under extreme climate events, provided that agricultural practices will maximize synergies among tree cover, tree species, crop species, and management. Future works are encouraged to focus on the overall benefit agroforestry can provide at the field and landscape level, along with long-term monitoring to assess the whole lifespan of these systems and other companion planting options and designs in the Mediterranean region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Balanced nutrition is key to achieving sustainable output with efficient utilization of natural resources. A two-year field experiment was conducted to determine the combined effect of silicon (Si) and phosphorus (P) on system crop productivity (SP), system water productivity (SWP), system irrigation water use efficiency (SIWUE), and system profitability of aerobic-rice-wheat cropping system (ARWCS) in the Indo-Gangetic Plains of India. The four doses of Si viz. 0, 40, 80, and 120 kg Si ha– 1(S0, S1, S2 and S3) and four doses of P viz. 0, 30, 60, and 90 kg P2O5 ha−1(P0, P1, P2, and P3) were applied during both years. The results revealed that the application of P3 and S3 enhanced the rice equivalent yield (REY) and SP by 26–38.4% and 27.6–39.6%, respectively over control treatment. Similarly, SWP and SIWUE were also increased by 31.2–38.3% and 26.6–39.5% under the same treatment. Further, the application of P3 and S3 reduced the lodging by 69.4% and 85.9% in rice and wheat, respectively, over control. Further, the same treatment reduced the incidence of yellow stem borer and pink stem borer by 40.3–63.3% and 39.8–51.7%in rice and wheat, respectively. The soil available P and Si were also improved significantly with the application of S3. Therefore, the application of Si and P in aerobic rice-wheat cropping systems could be recommended for improving system crop productivity, SWP, SIWUE, besides improving soil health and crop resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Legume inclusion into cropping systems has been proposed to maintain high crop yields while offering multiple environmental benefits. However, the effect of legumes as pre-crop on subsequent wheat yield and soil has not been well explored. Thus, a 7-year field experiment was used to determine the interactive effects of mineral fertilization and legumes (peanut, mung bean, soybean, adzuki bean) inclusion on wheat productivity and soil quality. Our results showed that legume inclusion led to a higher wheat yield advantage (52% on average) than maize–wheat rotation under no fertilization but the advantage decreased to 26% with fertilization. All legume–wheat rotation systems supported stable wheat production, where a stronger effect was observed after peanut than after maize. Meanwhile, the wheat yield under legume–wheat systems was more resistant (i.e., less variability in the yield after ceasing fertilization) and more resilient (i.e., recovering more quickly after fertilizer re-application) relative to maize-wheat. Furthermore, soil ecosystem multifunctionality increased by 0.8 times in the topsoil while maintaining soil organic carbon stocks, even with low C and N inputs under legume–wheat. Interestingly, we also observed a positive correlation between wheat yield and soil ecosystem multifunctionality. In conclusion, legume inclusion as a sustainable practice can optimize crop yields by enhancing soil multifunctionality while maintaining soil organic carbon stocks, particularly for integration into low-yielding agroecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excessive use of chemical herbicides has led to human health and environmental problems. However, environmentally friendly strategies for weed management are changing them competition in favor of crops. In this regard, the effects of different aqueous extract concentrations of root and shoot of black cumin on germination and initial growth of charlock mustard (Sinapis arvensis L.) and common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) were compared in 2020 in the Agriculture Laboratory of the Faculty of Agriculture, Shahrekord University. The results showed that increasing the concentration of black cumin extracts increased hydrogen peroxide, lipid peroxide, and proline and decreased the germination parameters, mitotic index, cell viability, and vigor index of charlock mustard. Black cumin extract, even with the lowest concentration, restricted the vigor index of charlock mustard with a steeper slope than the wheat (18 and 4.5%, respectively). The presence of critical inhibitory compounds in black cumin extract, including polyphenols (such as tricarboxylic acids), flavonoids, and alkaloids (such as magnoflorine, myristicin, norargemonine, and nigellamine), restricts the germination indices of charlock mustard. Additionally, terpenoids such as cycloartenol, bisabolol, limonene, P-cymene, O-cymene, 1,8-cineole, myrcene, carvacrol, and thymol, which were higher in the shoot than the root, strengthen the inhibitory effects of black cumin extract. In general, due to the strong impact of black cumin extract on stopping the growth of charlock mustard weed and little impact on wheat seedlings, black cumin can be introduced as a viable candidate for natural herbicide production. In addition, its cultivation in rotation with a wheat crop, helps control charlock mustard and reduce the use of synthetic herbicides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The present study aimed to reveal the spatial distribution of soil nutrients in southwest China and to quantitatively evaluate the effect of environmental factors on spatial variability of soil nutrients under different cropping systems. Methods: Semivariogram, random forest (RF), and partial dependence plots (PDP) were applied to investigate the relationships between environmental factors and soil nutrients variability. A total of 142 samples were collected from topsoil under rice and maize cropping systems in southwest China. Results: Soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) in the topsoil of the study area were higher than their corresponding background and geochemical baseline values of China. Semivariogram analysis indicated that SOC and TN have weak spatial dependence, and TP has strong spatial dependence. The soil nutrient contents were predicted well by the RF models. The mean absolute error, root mean square error, and coefficient of determination were 0.14–0.47 g/kg, 0.19–3.67 g/kg, and 0.30–0.46, respectively. For different soil nutrients, the relative importance of environmental variables varied greatly. Cropping system, topographic wetness index (TWI), and slope were critical factors that controlled SOC variability. Cropping system, TWI, and mean annual temperature explained most variation of TN. Soil pH, aspect, and cropping system were dominant factors affecting TP variability. Conclusion: In this study, SOC and TN had weak spatial autocorrelation, while TP had strong spatial autocorrelation. Meanwhile, cropping system and topography had greatly impact on the variability of soil nutrients, which should be considered in formulating agricultural measures in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen is an important and limiting nutrient for crop production, but its role as a soil health indicator relating to most soil properties and crop production needs further exploration. Our objectives were to examine the sensitivity of soil N fractions to management practices and their relationships to 60 soil physical, chemical, biological, and biochemical properties and mean crop yields in two long-term (14- and 36-year-old) experiments under dryland cropping systems in the northern Great Plains, USA. Nitrogen fractions were soil total N (STN), potential N mineralization (PNM), water-extractable N (WEN), autoclaved citrate-extractable protein (ACEP), NH4-N, and NO3-N. Management practices were no-till and tilled crop rotations of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), pea (Pisum sativum L.), and fallow with and without N fertilization. Soil properties were analyzed from samples collected before farm operations in April 2019 and crop yields determined. Nitrogen fractions, except NH4-N and NO3-N, were greater with continuous cropping than crop-fallow. A principal component analysis (PCA) showed that PNM and ACEP were associated with most soil properties, followed by STN, WEN, NO3-N, and NH4-N. PNM, ACEP, and STN were more strongly related to mean crop yields across years in coarse- than medium-textured soil and other N fractions were weakly related. Because of its sensitivity to management practices, stronger relationships to most soil properties and crop yields, and rapid measurement, ACEP may be used as a promising N indicator of soil health in coarse- than medium-textured soil in dryland cropping systems in semiarid regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agronomic measures to conserve the residual soil moisture are very suitable for the dry area because of their very low cost and ability to reduce soil erosion. The region where after the harvest of rainy season crops, lack of sufficient soil moisture accessibility limits the cultivation of dry season crops. A technique like retaining crop residues and weed biomass on the soil surface along with zero tillage initiates the process that leads to improve soil quality and overall enhancement of resource use efficiency. The study was carried out to find out the productivity and nutrient dynamic of rabi legume in maize-legume cropping system under residual moisture conditions with bio-mulches and no-tillage. It will be helpful to develop sustainable and resource-efficient cropping system pattern for the region. A field trial was conducted for consecutive two years (2017–18 and 2018–19) at the dry region of West Bengal, India to assess the bio-mulches under the no-tillage condition on soil properties, productivity and nutrient uptake of legumes under Maize-legume cropping systems. From the experiment, it was revealed that the maize-lathyrus cropping system in combination with bio-mulching i.e. in-situ maize stalk mulch (MSM) + Paddy straw (5 t ha– 1) is the best efficient maize-based cropping systems and soil moisture conservation measures for improving soil fertility, crop yield and nutrient uptake in the rainfed dry region. Therefore, it could be concluded that the growing of legume pulses under different cropping systems along with no-tillage not only will improve the soil fertility status but also will increase the production and cropping intensity. This type of study could also be done under crops like winter oilseeds, cereals, tuber crops under different agro-climatic situations with locally available bio-mulches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Annual rotations of paddy rice with upland crops has become more popular in recent years under the increasing pressure to ensure food security. Five representative paddy-upland rotations (PURs), i.e., garlic-rice (GR), wheat-rice (WR), broad bean-rice (BR), rapeseed-rice (RR), and potato-rice (PR) under two nitrogen (N) treatments were assessed from 2014 to 2017 to investigate the effects of PURs on paddy productivity and the regulatory effects of N fertilizer. Results showed that different PURs influenced the growth of tillers and leaves in the vegetative growth stage, leading to differences in effective tiller number, heading-stage canopy structure, and dry matter accumulation, resulting in significant differences in rice yield. With N application (NA), rice yields of GR and PR with straw mulching were higher than those of RR and WR rotations. Without N application (CK), rice yield in PR was only lower than that in the BR rotation. Compared with the other four PURs, rice yields under WR were the lowest, with decreases of 3.7% and 12.5% under NA and CK conditions, respectively. In conclusion, preceding crop and N application significantly affect paddy productivity by influencing rice vegetative growth. The WR rotation does not seem conducive to sustainable paddy productivity under traditional cultivation methods, whereas, the PR cropping system shows potential for sustainable crop production. Particular attention should be paid to upland crop selection and crop management practice, especially regarding C and N inputs, to ensure ssustainable production of paddy rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changes in land use is an important driver of insect pest population dynamics, but the long-term effects of land use may be contingent on changes in some factors. To identify potential effects of change in cropping pattern on agricultural pest population trends, data from large temporal and spatial scales are needed but are rarely available. Here, we used long-term (15 years) pest monitoring data across a regional scale and across independent gradients of land-use intensity at the landscape level (61 agro-landscapes with a radius of 2.0 km), to investigate the effects of the expansion of area devoted to major cereal crops on population trends of polyphagous Helicoverpa armigera in northern China. We found that an increased proportion of the land planted to maize and wheat in the landscape had an indirectly positive effect on the activity density of the summer population of H. armigera by increasing the population density of the preceding spring generations. Stable carbon isotope analysis suggested that maize acted as the source habitat for H. armigera population in the growing season. At the regional level, long-term expansion of maize and wheat production, as well as the contraction of cotton area, was associated with an increased density of H. armigera in spring generations across years, although temperature and precipitation factors also had significant effects on pest population sizes. These results across both temporal and spatial scales indicated that, in addition to Bt cotton contraction, increased cereal crops cultivation was an important driver of the H. armigera population increases in recent decades in northern China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the coastal region of the Ganges Delta, rice is the predominant crop during the wet/kharif season and most of the land remains fallow during dry/rabi season due to soil salinity and irrigation water scarcity. Sustainable intensification of coastal saline land needs an improved package of practices which conserves soil moisture, facilitates early crop establishment, ensures profitability and has a positive effect on soil health. To achieve these objectives, we evaluated seven treatments for the potato crop in a randomized complete block design with five replications (farms) during the rabi season of 2017–2018 and again in 2018–2019, viz. T1, ridge planting (control); T2, zero tillage planting with 15 cm (9 t ha−1) paddy straw mulching; T3, T2 + foliar spray of nutrients; T4, zero tillage planting with 20 cm (12 t ha−1) paddy straw mulching; T5, T4 + foliar spray of nutrients; T6, zero tillage planting with 25 cm (15 t ha−1) paddy straw mulching; and T7, T6 + foliar spray of nutrients. Tuber yield was higher in T5, T6 and T7 (37.9–41.5 t ha−1) during the second year over other treatments (21.5–32.3 t ha−1). About 200 mm of irrigation water can be saved by zero tillage planting with paddy straw mulching compared with ridge planting. The tuber quality in terms of crude protein, fat, crude fibre and carbohydrate was better under zero tillage planting with paddy straw mulching. The cost of cultivation of potato was reduced by about 27% due to zero tillage planting (US$ 1211.6 ha−1) compared with conventional tillage, intensive ridge planting practice (US$ 1660.4 ha−1). Zero tillage planting with paddy straw mulching resulted in a net return of US$ 1779.2 ha−1, whereas under conventional cultivation, it was US$ 589.6 ha−1. Zero tillage planting of potato with paddy straw mulching reduced soil salinity (ECe) from 5 to 3 dS m−1, conserved soil moisture (4–8%), improved soil bulk density from 1.49 to 1.44 Mg m−3 and increased soil organic carbon from 0.39 to 0.44%. The results of this study suggest that zero tillage potato cultivation in the dry/rabi season can increase cropping intensity in the salt-affected Ganges Delta and increase income of the farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The responses of δ15N–N2O isotopic signatures to nitrogen (N) fertilization in in situ soils are not yet clear in agricultural field settings. We therefore conducted a 1-year field experiment to assess how N fertilization (0 and 400 kg N ha−1 year−1, N0 and N400) affects the δ15N–N2O isotopic signatures both at soil surface and in soil profile (0–3 m) in a wheat–maize rotation in North China. N fertilization increased N2O concentrations by 18–79% in the soil profile. It increased N2O fluxes by 9 times and 1–7 times at the soil surface and 0–0.9 m soil depth, respectively. In comparison, N fertilization reduced δ15N–N2O values by 10–74% in the soil profile. It reduced δ15N–N2O isotopic signatures at the soil surface and in the soil profile by 18% and 33%, respectively. The δ15N–N2O isotopic signature was dominated by substrate δ15N signature and N isotope fractionation during cold and warm seasons, respectively. Our results indicate that denitrification steps of NO3− → N2O dominated N2O production (over 99%) in the N0 treatment and the N400 treatment during N-fertilizer-free period. Following N fertilization, the NO3− → N2O dominated N2O production (over 99%) in the soil profile, N2O flux from the soil surface was mostly derived from NO3− → N2O and less from NH4+ → N2O. Overall, denitrification was found to dominate soil N2O transformation metabolism in the wheat–maize rotation cropland in North China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last decades, land management options have been investigated that aim at enhancing services to agriculture delivered by biodiversity and its associated biotic interactions. Such services can be promoted through land management strategies ranging from in-field single agricultural practices, long-term strategies compiling these agricultural practices at the crop rotation scale, to management strategies at the landscape scale. In this paper, we provide an overview of the land management options that can be implemented at multiple scales, with a specific focus on the provision of one service that is key in agriculture, i.e. pest control. We present existing knowledge and highlight current gaps and limitations in our understanding of pest control response to land management. Based on this analysis, we propose two promising and complementary research approaches that could help filling existing knowledge gaps and provide guidelines for designing landscapes for agroecological services: (1) landscape monitoring networks (LMN), based on long-term monitoring of ecological and managerial processes within sets of landscapes located in contrasted production contexts; (2) agroecological system experiments (ASE), which design and assess combinations of land management options at multiple embedded spatial scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil fertility is key to sustainable intensification of agriculture and food security in sub-Saharan Africa. However, when soil nutrients are not adequately managed, smallholder farming practices slowly erode soils to almost inert systems. This case study contributes to the understanding of such failures in marginal areas. We integrate agronomic and social sciences approaches to explore links between smallholder households' farming knowledge and soil fertility in an ethnopedological perspective. We interview 280 smallholder households in two areas of the Ethiopian highlands, while collecting measures of 11 soil parameters at their main field. By analyzing soil compositions at tested households, we identify a novel measure of soil management ability, which provides an effective empirical characterization of the soil managing capacity of a household. Regression analysis is used to evaluate the effects of household knowledge on the soil management ability derived from laboratory analysis. Results highlight the complexity of knowledge transmission in low-input remote areas. We are able to disentangle a home learning and a social learning dimension of the household knowledge and appraise how they can result in virtuous and vicious cycles of soil management ability. We show that higher soil management ability is associated with farmers relying to a great extent on farming knowledge acquired within the household, as a result of practices slowly elaborated over the years. Conversely, lower soil management ability is linked to households valuing substantially farming knowledge acquired through neighbors and social gatherings. The present study is the first to formulate the concept of soil management ability and to investigate the effects of the presence and the types of farming knowledge on the soil management ability of smallholder farmers in remote areas. We show that farming knowledge has a primary role on soil fertility and we advise its consideration in agricultural development policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) program has always focused on food security needs and applications. IRS-1C was the fourth satellite on the IRS platform after many successful applications from IRS-1A, 1B, and P2 satellites. The LISS-I and LISS-II camera onboard IRS-1A/1B/P2 platform provided useful data for various natural resource management applications of country, including inventories of major crops (Wheat, Mustard, Rice, etc.), at the district level. Looking at specific requirements of assessment of multiple crops and associated small field sizes (< 1 ha) in which they are sown, it was felt that spatial and spectral resolution should be improved for assessing more crops and for improved crop discrimination. It was also decided to cater to the needs of village-level crop inventories as well as national-scale crop assessment. Hence, two new sensors, i.e., PAN (spatial resolution 5.8 m) and WiFS (spatial resolution 188 m) camera were introduced in the IRS-1C mission along with LISS-III (spatial resolution 23.5 m). Additionally, the LISS-III sensor, with the inclusion of the SWIR band, led to a significant improvement in crop classification and paved the way for monitoring both mono-cropped and multi-cropped regions. The availability of WIFS data with high temporal resolution (5 days) and large swath (810 km) gave newer applications like the national-level inventory of wheat crop. Pan-sharpened LISS-III data were found to be useful in cadastral level mapping. This paper reviews how the improvements in spatial, spectral, and temporal resolutions in IRS-1C helped in carrying out various agricultural applications including crop inventory at different scales, yield modeling, crop rotation mapping, cropping system analysis, drought assessment, irrigation management, and infrastructure planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Phosphorus (P) is the main factor limiting crop production in red soils. Examining the bacterial community harboring phoD gene under different long-term cropping systems may supply meaningful insights for improving soil P availability. Here, we analyzed how the cropping systems affect community structure of phoD-harboring bacteria by changing physicochemical properties in red soils. Materials and methods: Twenty-four soil samples from eight cropping systems (abandoned farmland, corn continuous cropping, mango continuous cropping, taro continuous cropping, zucchini–corn rotation, pea–corn rotation, canola–tobacco rotation, and walnut–tobacco intercropping for > 10 years) were collected from 0 to 20 cm depth in Miyi County, Sichuan Province, China. The abundance of phoD gene was determined by quantitative PCR, and phoD-harboring bacterial community structure was analyzed by high-throughput sequencing. Results and discussion: Available P concentration and phoD abundance were the highest in pea-corn rotation soil, while alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity was the lowest in this soil. Available P showed a significant positive relationship with phoD abundance, while a negative relationship with ALP activity. Moreover, the dominant phyla of phoD-harboring bacterial community were Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria, with Cupriavidus and Bradyrhizobium being the dominant genera. The relative abundances of Streptomyces, Pseudomonas, and Amycolatopsis were positively related to soil P concentration (total and available P) and negatively related to ALP activity, indicating that these genera may be essential in the mineralization of soil organic P. Redundancy analysis (RDA) showed that ALP, soil organic carbon (SOC), and N:P ratio were the remarkable factors affecting the structure of phoD-containing bacterial community across all cropping system soils. Meanwhile, structural equation model (SEM) showed that the effects of total N and available P on soil phoD-harboring bacterial community structure were stronger than that of SOC. Further, soil texture was also one of the main factors affecting the phoD-harboring bacterial community structure, which had a notable up-regulation effect on abundance and diversity of phoD gene and indirectly regulate gene composition by affecting available P. Conclusions: The long-term cropping systems can affect the community structure of phoD-containing bacteria and ALP activity by altering physicochemical properties, and thus contribute to regulation of the biogeochemical cycle of P in red soils. The main factors driving the changes in phoD-harboring bacterial community structure were soil texture, SOC, total N, and available P. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, the soil properties of the three agroforestry systems including almond intercropped with barley, wheat, and clover rotated yearly with each other were compared at different distances from almond rows with their treeless control systems in the semiarid Saman area, Iran in 2016. Result showed that after eight years, organic carbon contents of the soil were influenced in the agroforestry systems mainly near the trees. Higher soil carbon stocks (56 t/ha) were observed near the almond trees at the distance of 0.5 m. The highest field capacity (28%) and soil organic carbon (1.82%) were also observed at the same distance, especially for the barley. Although there was no significant difference in the nitrogen amount between the systems, the highest amount of phosphorus was observed in the agroforestry plots with barley and clover at 2.5 m far from the trees. Intercropping with almond also increased the available potassium at both distances from the trees. Finally, it can be said that the agroforestry leads to sequestration of higher amounts of carbon in the soil and offers further moisture and more amounts of phosphorus and potassium for the next crop promising a more sustainable agriculture in the next seasons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper assesses the feasibility of the 4 per 1000 initiative for agricultural soils in the tropics more specifically in Guadeloupe, as a representative case study of the Caribbean and other tropical regions. We used a locally adapted and calibrated model describing soil organic carbon dynamics under the impact of climate change and a broad range of scenarios combining increased use of organic amendments, reduced soil tillage, and increased land area for the local market. We found that, in its current state, only 26% of agricultural area could achieve a 4‰ year−1 increase in soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks in the coming 30 years, due mainly to perennial cropping systems (sugarcane, banana, orchards) occupying soils with the lowest SOC stocks. Implementing reduced tillage with increased use of locally produced composts would increase the agricultural area reaching the 4 per 1000 target to 31%. However, at territory scale, all scenarios tested showed an annual decrease in SOC stocks varying from − 0.1 to − 3.2‰. The limited area on which the 4 per 1000 target is feasible and generalized SOC losses were mainly linked to the current high SOC stocks in volcanic and calcareous soils on the island and lack of practices capable of further increasing C inputs in current cropping systems. We concluded that C sequestration potential in the Caribbean is rather limited and that increasing SOC stocks, even lower than 4 per 1000, should be the primary target in adaptation to climate change, by increasing the resilience of cropping systems based mainly on SOC-poor soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice alternated with upland crops has become increasingly popular in recent years. To investigate the residual effects of nitrogen from the previous upland crop on rice growth, two cropping systems, garlic-rice and wheat-rice, were studied from 2014 to 2017 under field conditions and from 2016 to 2017 under pot conditions. The results showed that the total nitrogen content in the 0–0.2 m soil was higher for the garlic-rice cropping system than for the wheat-rice cropping system and the 15N isotope abundance of the soil after harvesting garlic was 63% higher than that after harvesting wheat. Residual nitrogen from the preceding crops was one of the main nitrogen sources for rice growth. The contribution of residual nitrogen accounted for 17% to 60% of the total nitrogen accumulation by rice plants during the vegetative stage, which gradually decreased after the rice jointing stage. Most of the residual nitrogen absorbed by rice plants was transported to the reproductive organs for grain growth. Therefore, the growth of vegetative organs, viz., tillers and leaves, was more vigorous under the garlic-rice cropping system than under the wheat-rice cropping system. This led to a significant increase in total nitrogen accumulation in rice plants and an increase in rice yield by 8% to 16%, even under identical management of rice under upland crop–paddy rice systems. Thus, under upland crop–paddy rice systems, high-yield and high-efficiency rice production can be achieved by utilizing residual nitrogen from the preceding crops and decreasing the application of base and tiller nitrogen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Being the most widespread soil in the Chengdu Plain in Sichuan Basin, China, paddy soil has a great importance in agriculture and ecology. Anthropogenic activities alter the concentrations and stoichiometric ratios (C:N, C:P, and N:P) of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) in paddy soil. This study aims to investigate whether the cycling of C, N, and P in paddy soil is influenced by cropping system and pedogenic process (the subtype of paddy soil). Materials and methods: In this study, we collected 1080 soil samples at 0–20 cm from five cropping systems (rice monoculture (RM), vegetable monoculture (VM), rice and vegetable rotation (RVR), rice and wheat rotation (RWR), rice and oilseed rape rotation (ROR)) and six subtypes (bleached paddy soil (BPS), gleyed paddy soil (GPS), percogenic paddy soil (PPS), degleyed paddy soil (DPS), submergienc paddy soil (SPS), and hydromorphic paddy soil (HPS)) of paddy soil in Chengdu. Soil organic carbon (SOC), soil total nitrogen (TN), and soil total phosphorus (TP) concentrations were determined to calculate the stoichiometric ratios. Results and discussion: Our results indicated that the concentrations of SOC, TN, and TP of paddy soil were higher than those of cropland on a global scale. There are similar stoichiometric ratios between paddy soil in Chengdu Plain and the cropland in the global scale. The cropping system and subtype significantly altered the soil nutrient concentrations and stoichiometric ratios. The concentrations of soil TN under rotation systems (RV, RW, and RO) were significantly higher than those of VM. The soil with the subtypes of BPS and GPS were related to low TP concentration. Conclusions: The cropping system of VM showed soil N consumption compared with the traditional cropping system (rotation systems, such as RV, RW, and RO). In addition, subtype also significantly influenced the element balance in paddy soil. The balance of soil C, N, and P is mainly affected by fertilizer application of N and P. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scarcity of quantity and quality feed has been a key constraint to productivity of smallholder crop-livestock systems. Tropical forages include a variety of annual and perennial grasses, herbaceous and dual-purpose legumes, and multipurpose trees and shrubs. They have been promoted in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) for increasing livestock productivity and household income through higher quantity and quality of herbage, while contributing to soil improvement and higher food crop yields. For the first time, we quantitatively reviewed 72 experimental studies from across SSA to take stock of geographical distribution and forage technology focus of past research; quantify magnitudes of multidimensional impacts of forage technologies; and present variability in forage agronomy data. Improved forage technologies were classified into four groups: (i) germplasm, (ii) management, (iii) cropping system integration, and (iv) feeding regime. Mean weighted response ratios were calculated from 780 pairs of observations for 13 indicators across the five impact dimensions. Improved forage germplasm had on average 2.6 times higher herbage productivity than local controls, with strongest effect in grasses. Feeding regimes with improved leguminous forages increased milk yield by on average 39%, dry matter intake by 25%, and manure production by 24%. When forage technologies were integrated with food crops, soil loss was almost halved, soil organic carbon increased on average by 10%, and grain and stover yields by 60% and 33%, respectively. This study demonstrates the central role improved forages could play in sustainable intensification of crop-livestock systems in SSA. It highlights the need for multidisciplinary and systems-level approaches and studies to quantify synergies and tradeoffs between impact dimensions. Further research is needed to explain forage agronomic yield variability, unraveling interactions between genotype, on-farm environmental conditions, and management factors. Results from this review can inform development programs, prioritizing technologies proven successful for dissemination and indicating magnitudes of expected impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Limited arable land area and deteriorating soil health in smallholder farmers' fields of subtropical regions in China have led to an urgent demand for sustainable production practices with greater land productivity and nutrients use efficiency. A group of field experiments at three locations (Yaan, Lezhi and Renshou) in two consecutive years of 2012–2013 were conducted to study crop production and nutrients recovery of maize (Zea mays L.) and soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) in monocropping and additive relay intercropping systems. The results showed that the total crop yields of the 2:2 maize-to-soybean wide-narrow row spacing planting pattern (RIwn) were significantly higher than that of the 1:1 maize-to-soybean equal row spacing planting pattern (RIe), and the average land equivalent ratios (LER) of the grain yield were 1.79 and 1.49 for the RIwn and RIe, respectively. The nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) recovery efficiency calculated by the ratios of crop nutrients removed and fertilizer input indicated that the RIwn had a higher nutrients recovery than the RIe due to proper spacing between maize and soybean rows and higher soybean yield in RIwn. In terms of the amount of fertilizer applied, based on this experiment, P should be reduced in maize plantings and increased in soybean plantings to maintain the balance of soil P. Considering the higher temperatures during the soybean vegetative growth phase, N fertilizer inputs should be controlled to prevent excessive soybean growth. In addition, excess K was taken up in the crop biomass, maybe the straw should be returned to the field to maintain soil K fertility sustainable for the long term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most of the lands of the southern coastal zone of Bangladesh are protected from tidal flooding and storm surges by embankments constructed during the 1960s and 1970s, creating polders. Sluice gates in the embankments connect the canals (former river distributaries) inside the polders to the surrounding rivers, providing the opportunity for water intake from, or drainage to the rivers by judicious management of the gates. Yet, unlike northern and central Bangladesh, the polders have not benefited from the genetic breakthroughs which underpinned the Green Revolution during the 1960s. Flooding during the wet season followed by severe drought and high levels of salinity during the dry season plague the coastal zone, limiting the application of improved technologies that increase agricultural productivity (amount of harvestable produce per unit of land). While the potential of these technologies has been clearly demonstrated, the lack of an integrated landscape approach to water and crop management precludes agricultural intensification in the polders. Therefore, the ability of community-led water management and land-use planning at the watershed level was tested to improve agricultural productivity in a polder in southwest Bangladesh during 2015–2017. Engaging with communities to employ more pragmatic land-use planning (based on topography/hydrology) and scheduling of sluice gate operations has shown the potential to intensify and diversify cropping systems in the polders, and increasing production by twofold to threefold. This was achieved using improved rice varieties and non-rice crops in wet and dry seasons, respectively, enabled by strategic management of the sluice gates to drain the lands as needed during the wet season and to facilitate timely establishment of non-rice crops after rice harvest. The community-based water management approach has been the key entry point for making inroads toward transforming the agricultural production systems in the polders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Phosphorus (P) fertilizer has been applied in regions with red soils to ensure high crop yield. However, the supply of bioavailable P for crop plants is insufficient due to the strong adsorption and fixing behaviors in red soils. In this study, we explored P adsorption and desorption characteristics in red soils under different long-term cropping systems. We also analyzed how the cropping systems affect P adsorption and desorption through changing soil physicochemical properties under the experimental conditions. Materials and methods: Eighteen red soil samples were collected at depths of 0–20 cm from six cropping systems (abandoned farmland, corn continuous cropping, taro continuous cropping, pea–corn rotation, canola–tobacco rotation, and walnut–tobacco intercropping for at least 10 years) in Miyi County, Sichuan Province, China. Soil physicochemical properties, zeta potentials, and P adsorption and desorption characteristics were evaluated. Results and discussion: The P adsorption capacity of soils increased at a decreasing rate with increasing exogenous P concentration, while the P desorption capacity increased constantly; however, the change in the percentage of desorbed P had no clear trend. The soils under pea–corn rotation and taro continuous cropping had lower P adsorption capacities and higher P desorption capacities compared to those under the other cropping systems. The maximum P adsorption capacities (Qm) of pea–corn rotation and taro continuous cropping soils were 16.1% and 32.4% of abandoned farmland soil, while the corresponding desorption coefficients were 6.93 and 1.62 times higher than that of abandoned farmland soil, respectively. Soil available P (AP), cation exchange capacity (CEC), and clay content were positively correlated with a and readily desorbable P (RDP), while they were negatively correlated with Qm (P < 0.05); opposite trends were found in the sand content. In addition, the zeta potential of soil colloids decreased with increasing soil pH. Among the cropping systems, the absolute value of zeta potential was lowest for tobacco–walnut intercropping, while its isoelectric point was the highest, resulting in the highest P adsorption capacity. Conclusions: The long-term cropping systems affect P adsorption and desorption characteristics and P availability in red soils by influencing soil physicochemical properties. The main factors driving the changes in P adsorption behavior were AP, CEC, free Fe oxides, and sand content, while AP, sand, and clay contents were the major factors for the P desorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Growing energy plants in Cd-contaminated soil to produce bioenergy feedstock and remove excess Cd in the soil is a promising approach to the production of sustainable bioenergy feedstock and safe food. Rice, an important staple food for human beings, is a major source of Cd intake in human beings. Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam) is a potential bioenergy plant with high biomass productivity and high biofuel conversion efficiency. Materials and methods: An Italian ryegrass and rice crop rotation system would be beneficial for the harvest of bioenergy and phytoremediation. An Italian ryegrass–rice rotation system was established in a moderately Cd-contaminated paddy field. The yield of biomass, amount of Cd removal, and transfer factors for three cropping systems (winter fallow, non-cutting, and cutting) were evaluated over 3 consecutive years of field experiments. Results and discussion: The total biomass production of the Italian ryegrass–rice rotation system was significantly higher than that of the traditional cropping system. Biomass growth was further promoted by cutting during March. No significant differences were found in yield or Cd concentration of brown rice among the different cropping systems. Total Cd accumulation in rice and Italian ryegrass straw in the rotation cropping system was significantly higher than that in the winter fallow cropping system. Cd was mainly accumulated in the roots, and the ability of Italian ryegrass to transport Cd to the leaves was higher than that of rice. Conclusions: The Italian ryegrass–rice rotation system is a potential cropping system for Cd-contaminated paddy fields. The average annual yield of biomass was 1656.6 kg km−2, and the average annual amount of Cd removal was more than 9.8 g Cd km−2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Cropping systems using forage grasses as cover crops have been effective in soil conservation and nutrient cycling, but root persistence of ruzigrass (Urochloa ruziziensis) is significant, and may impair root growth of the next crop. However, it is unknown how this would interfere with soybean root growth and yield under field conditions. Methods: Ruzigrass root persistence during soybean development, and its effects on soybean yield were studied under field conditions. Ruzigrass and soybean were grown alone or in rotation, and roots were sampled every 30 days and evaluated using carbon isotope discrimination. Results: Despite temporary impairment of soybean root growth in the uppermost soil layer, there was no effect of ruzigrass on soybean yield. The ruzigrass root decay rate was high in the first 30 days after desiccation, and then it slowed down. Soybean roots grew slowly up to 30 days after planting (DAP, V7) and then peaked at 90 DAP (R5). Conclusions: Soybean root growth and yield are not affected by decaying ruzigrass roots. Around 50% of the ruzigrass roots are mineralized before soybean flowering. However, by soybean harvest there are still from 25 to 28% of non-decomposed ruzigrass roots up to the soil depth of 0.20 m. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) has enormous potential for integrating remote sensing and Geographical Information System (GIS) technologies for producing accurate and inexpensive assessments of soil erosion. In this study, the RUSLE method was applied to the Esil (Ishim) River basin (ERB), which is situated in Northern and Central Kazakhstan. The northern part of the ERB extends through the Tyumen and Omsk regions of the Russian Federation to the confluence of the Irtysh River. This article may be of interest to experts and specialists in the field of agriculture, as the findings can assist agricultural producers and government entities in making decisions that prevent soil degradation and promote optimal cropping systems for land and crop cultivation. The objective of this research is to detect, estimate and map areas of land plots most vulnerable to potential soil erosion within the ERB, using the RUSLE model under Arc GIS 10.2. The results reveal that average annual soil loss during the study period ranges from 0 to 32 (t y−1) and that 108,007.5 km2 (48%) of the ERB has no erosion. The remainder of the basin is prone to soil erosion ranging from 1 to 32 t ha−1 y−1, which comprises 117,216.9 km2 (52%), and total soil erosion is 565,368.7 (t y−1). Soil erosion in the ERB is relatively moderate due to low hill steepness and low annual precipitation (198–397 mm). Exceptions occur in plots which feature high slope length steepness, which are scattered throughout the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Sustainable land management is considered an effective measure to ensure national food security by matching improved soil quality with enhanced crop productivity. The objectives of the present study were to evaluate soil quality status among paddy fields, vegetable fields, and pomelo orchards managed by continuous cropping systems, to establish a minimum data set (MDS) and recommend fertilization strategies to enhance productivity in acidic red soil hilly regions. Materials and methods: The soil quality index (SQI) was calculated using the total data set (TDS) and MDS as indicator selection methods. A total of 51, 32, 44 soil samples (0–20 cm) were collected from different cropping systems in paddy fields, vegetable fields, and pomelo orchards, respectively. Eleven soil properties (geographical indicator (altitude) and 10 chemical parameters) were measured to evaluate soil quality of acidic red soil hilly regions in Pinghe County, Fujian province, southern China. Results and discussion: The results showed significant differences in soil quality indicators between paddy fields, vegetable fields, and pomelo orchards, and altitude, total N, hydrolysable nitrogen (Avail-N), exchangeable calcium (Avail-Ca), and available zinc (Avail-Zn) were adopted as indicators in the MDS using principal component analysis (PCA). After scoring and weighting the selected indicators, the mean SQI scores of paddy field, vegetable field, and pomelo orchard soils were 0.267, 0.282, and 0.236 for TDS, respectively, and the SQI scores were 0.233, 0.256, and 0.166 for MDS. A significant positive correlation was observed between SQI and crop yield using both the TDS and MDS methods, indicating that the MDS method adequately represents the TDS method (R2 = 0.6839) for evaluation of the effects of farming production practices on soil quality. Overall, the unbalanced soil quality indicators, including rich in total N, organic matter and Avail-P, and deficient in Avail-N, Avail-K, Avail-Ca, Avail-Mg, Avail-Zn, and Avail-B, were implicated as the main limiting factors for crop production in the studied regions. Conclusions: Compared with paddy and vegetable fields, the lower total N and Avail-N status at higher altitudes were considered as the major factors limiting pomelo productivity. Therefore, there is a great potential for increasing pomelo productivity by improving soil quality with integrated nutrient management in acidic red soil hilly regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under wheat- and sugarcane- based cropping system in North India, wheat is taken either as intercrop in autumn sugarcane or as a sole crop followed by sugarcane planting in summer months (April–May). The shading of wheat plants as intercrop adversely affects the emerging shoots of autumn sugarcane in March–April. Moreover, wheat yield is also less as an intercrop than its sole crop as only two rows of wheat are there in 90 cm spaced autumn sugarcane. When sugarcane is planted after wheat harvesting, sugar and sugarcane yield is low due to less time available to late-planted cane. So, there is a need to develop production technologies for getting better cane and wheat yield under sugarcane–wheat cropping system. Furrow irrigated raised bed (FIRB) system may be a better option for higher productivity and net returns, as both the crops can be sown timely and gave better yields. To evaluate FIRB system, field experiments were conducted at Punjab Agricultural University, Regional Research Station, Faridkot, during 2011–2013, 2012–2014 and 2013–2015 in a randomized block design with nine treatments {T1: autumn sugarcane, T2: T1 + wheat (1:2), T3: T1 + wheat (1:3), T4: wheat sown in November—late sugarcane, T5: wheat sown in December—late sugarcane, T6: FIRB wheat November (75 cm with three rows of wheat) + sugarcane in furrows in February, T7: FIRB wheat November (75 cm with three rows of wheat) + sugarcane in furrows in March, T8: FIRB wheat December (75 cm with three rows of wheat) + sugarcane in furrows in February, T9: FIRB wheat December (75 cm with three rows of wheat) + sugarcane in furrows in March}. Wheat was taken as an intercrop and also as sole crop sown in November and December month, while sugarcane was also planted as sole autumn crop and as spring crop in furrows of standing wheat on beds (45 cm) as wet planting method. The results showed that the average yield of wheat sown under FIRB system was 44.2 q/ha that was significantly higher than the average yield (41.7 q/ha) of bed sown wheat. Under FIRB system, both timely and late sown wheat with spring sugarcane (T7 and T8) produced higher number of millable canes, i.e., 107.2 and 105.8 thousands/ha, respectively, than remaining treatments, while cane yield (82 t/ha) of timely sown wheat with sugarcane planted in furrow during the third week of February (T6) produced 2–40% more production than other treatments. This combination (T6) also recorded high wheat yield (49.6 q/ha). Maximum cane equivalent yield was also obtained from T6 and T7 treatments. Thus, for getting high production from both crops, the FIRB system with three rows of wheat and furrow planted sugarcane during spring season can be advisable to the farmers for additional benefits with high monitory values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urochloa spp. grow vigorously in the dry-season of the tropics, and have been used successfully to provide abundant surface residue as cover crop for no-till soybean (Glycine max). Nitrogen (N) fertilizer application could enhance cover crop biomass production and its ground cover and accelerate residue decomposition, but how these cascading factors affect nutrient availability to the subsequent soybean crop is not known. We evaluated nutrient cycling and soybean nutrition and yield components following different timings of N application to living and desiccated Urochloa cover crops. The experiment was conducted in two growing seasons at Botucatu, São Paulo State, Brazil. Treatments consisted of two cover crop grasses (Urochloa brizantha and Urochloa ruziziensis) and six N management systems [control (no N application); N application at soybean sowing (40 kg N ha−1) plus topdressing (60 kg N ha−1 at V5 stage); N application 20 days before desiccation (DBD) of cover crops, N application 10 DBD; N application 5 DBD; and N application 1 day before sowing of soybean, using the rate of 100 kg N ha−1 in the latter four treatments]. Both cover crops produced high amount of shoot biomass (> 9.7 Mg ha−1), but U. brizantha was 48% more productive than U. ruziziensis. Nutrient accumulation in cover crop straw was enhanced due to greater biomass production in treatments with N applied 20 and 10 DBD. Soybean grain yield was 17% greater following U. brizantha than following U. ruziziensis. Nitrogen application at different times did not affect soybean grain yield. These results suggest that Urochloa biomass, macronutrient accumulation, and subsequent release rates can be enhanced with N application, but it had little short-term impact on soybean yield components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Low carbon footprint agriculture has received increasing attention in the effect of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating climate change. However, little is known about how crop diversification may affect the system productivity and the carbon footprint.Methods: In this study, we analyzed the carbon footprints of four cropping systems: winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)-summer maize (Zea mays L.) (WM, grain crop pattern, 1-year cycle); ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.)-sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) (RS, forage crop pattern, 1-year cycle); ryegrass-sweet sorghum → winter wheat-summer maize (RSWM, grain plus forage crop pattern, 2-year cycle); and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) perennial cropping (SG, energy crop pattern) that have been evaluated in a long-term (2009-2015) field experiment in the North China Plain (NCP). Carbon footprints were expressed using three metrics: CFa (per unit area), CFb (per kg of biomass), and CFe (per unit of economic output).Results and discussion: The results showed that switchgrass as a perennial herbaceous crop with one cut per year had the lowest annual carbon footprint at three metrics. The WM cropping system had the highest annual CFa, CFb, and CFe values which were 1.73, 2.23, and 1.78 times higher, respectively, than those of the RSWM cropping system. The RS cropping system had the lower annual CFa, CFb, and CFe values, which accounted for 20.9, 3.4, and 2.9%, respectively, of the WM cropping system. The four cropping systems had annual carbon footprints at per unit area, per kilogram of biomass and per unit of economic output ranked from lowest to highest of SG < RS < RSWM < WM.Conclusions: We conclude that appropriately designed, diversified cropping systems that include grain, forage, and bioenergy crops can effectively reduce the carbon footprint while maintaining or even increasing the systems productivity in the North China Plain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The EU directive has addressed ambitious targets concerning the quality of water bodies. Predicting water quality as affected by land use and management requires using dynamic agro-hydrogeological models. In this study, an agronomic model (STICS) and a hydrogeological model (MODCOU) have been associated in order to simulate nitrogen fluxes in the Seine-Normandie Basin, which is affected by nitrate pollution of groundwater due to intensive farming systems. This modeling platform was used to predict and understand the spatial and temporal evolution of water quality over the 1971-2013 period. A quality assurance protocol (Refsgaard et al. Environ Model Softw 20: 1201-1215, 2005) was used to qualify the reliability of STICS outputs. Four iterative runs of the model were carried out with improved parameterization of soils and crop management without any change in the model. Improving model inputs changed much more the spatial distribution of simulated N losses than their mean values. STICS slightly underestimated the crop yields compared to the observed values at the administrative district scale. The platform also slightly underestimated the nitrate concentration at the outlet level with a mean difference ranging from −1.4 to −9.2 mg NO3 L−1 according to the aquifer during the last decade. This outcome should help the stakeholders in decision-making to prevent nitrate pollution and provide new specifications for STICS development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accounting of N inputs and outputs and N retention in the soil provides N balance that measures agroecosystem performance and environmental sustainability. Because of the complexity of measurements of some N inputs and outputs, studies on N balance in long-term experiments are scanty. We examined the effect of 8 years of tillage, crop rotation, and cultural practice on N balance based on N inputs and outputs and soil N sequestration rate under dryland cropping systems in the northern Great Plains, USA. Tillage systems were no-tillage (NT) and conventional tillage (CT) and crop rotations were continuous spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) (CW), spring wheat-pea (Pisum sativum L.) (W-P), spring wheat-barley (Hordeum vulgaris L.) hay-pea (W-B-P), and spring wheat-barley hay-corn (Zea mays L.)-pea (W-B-C-P). Cultural practices were traditional (conventional seed rates and plant spacing, conventional planting date, broadcast N fertilization, and reduced stubble height) and improved (variable seed rates and plant spacing, delayed planting, banded N fertilization, and increased stubble height). Total N input due to N fertilization, pea N fixation, atmospheric N deposition, crop seed N, and nonsymbiotic N fixation was greater with W-B-C-P than CW, regardless of tillage and cultural practices. Total N output due to aboveground biomass N removal and N losses due to denitrification, volatilization, plant senescence, N leaching, gaseous N (NOx) emissions, and surface runoff were not different among treatments. Nitrogen sequestration rate at 0-20 cm from 2004 to 2011 varied from 29 kg N ha−1 year−1 in CT with W-P to 89 kg N ha−1 year−1 in NT with W-P. Nitrogen balance varied from − 39 kg N ha−1 year−1 in NT with CW and the improved practice to 41 kg N ha−1 year−1 in CT with W-P and the traditional practice. Because of legume N fixation and increased soil N sequestration rate, diversified crop rotations reduced external N inputs and increased aboveground biomass N removal, N flow, and N balance compared with monocropping, especially in the CT system. As a result, diversified legume-nonlegume crop rotation not only reduced the cost of N fertilization by reducing N fertilization rate, but also can be productive by increasing N uptake and N surplus and environmentally sustainable by reducing N losses compared with nonlegume monocropping, regardless of cultural practices in dryland agroecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intercrops and organic fertilizers can improve the productivity of cropping systems due to increased soil nutrient availability and plant nutrient use efficiency. A 2-year field experiment was conducted to determine the effects of different intercropping ratios and fertilizer types on nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentrations and yields of fenugreek and buckwheat at the research farm of Shahrekord University, Iran. The treatments consisted of sole cropping of fenugreek (F), buckwheat (B) and three intercropping ratios (F:B = 1:2, 1:1 and 2:1) under three fertilizer types: chemical fertilizer (CF), integrated fertilizer (IF) and broiler litter (BL). At flowering and at harvest, intercropping increased total above-ground dry matter (TAGDM), total seed yield, N and P concentrations (plant) and uptake. The applied N use efficiency and applied N recovery efficiency (ANUE, ANRE) in the intercropped plots were also higher as compared to the sole cropping. The intercropping ratio of F:B (2:1) was the most suitable for improving the tested nutrient variables. The IF and BL showed significant benefits as compared to CF, for TAGDM, total seed yield, NC and PC in the plant, as well as N and P uptake in sole and intercrops. For ANUE and ANRE, CF proved to be more effective. This study showed that a 2:1 fenugreek-buckwheat intercropped system with the application of IF and BL can successfully be implemented for improving productivity, N and P contents of fenugreek and buckwheat as well as the nutrient land equivalent ratio (compared with sole cropping with CF) under semi-arid growing conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To reduce reliance on scientific fertilizer due to rapid increase of fertilizer prices and environmental constraint, it necessary to improve crop productivity and soil fertility on sustainable basses. Utilization of “summer gap” through biochar and legumes have pleasant effects on improving crop productivity and soil fertility on long term basses. Two years’ field experiments were conducted on wheat and maize crops with “summer gap” utilization with legumes and biochar at research farm of agronomy, the University of Agriculture Peshawar during 2011–2013. Wheat-maize-wheat cropping system was followed with the adjustment of legumes in “summer gap” (land available after wheat harvest till maize sowing). Legumes i. e. mung bean, cowpea and Sesbania with a fallow were adjusted in the “summer gap” with and without biochar application. Biochar was included at the rate of 0 and 50 t ha-1 with four N levels of 0, 90, 120, 150 and 0, 60, 90, 120 kg ha-1 to subsequent maize and wheat crops, respectively. In legumes’ experiment, biochar increased fresh and dry fodder yield in cowpea and Sesbania, grain and biological yields in mung bean. In maize experiments, biochar improved grain yield. Nitrogen application increased grain and biological yields. In wheat experiments with increasing nitrogen level enhanced biological and grain yields. It is concluded that use of biochar and legumes in “summer gap” improve overall farm productivity and soil fertility on sustainable basses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This special issue of Ambio compiles a series of contributions made at the 8th International Phosphorus Workshop (IPW8), held in September 2016 in Rostock, Germany. The introducing overview article summarizes major published scientific findings in the time period from IPW7 (2015) until recently, including presentations from IPW8. The P issue was subdivided into four themes along the logical sequence of P utilization in production, environmental, and societal systems: (1) Sufficiency and efficiency of P utilization, especially in animal husbandry and crop production; (2) P recycling: technologies and product applications; (3) P fluxes and cycling in the environment; and (4) P governance. The latter two themes had separate sessions for the first time in the International Phosphorus Workshops series; thus, this overview presents a scene-setting rather than an overview of the latest research for these themes. In summary, this paper details new findings in agricultural and environmental P research, which indicate reduced P inputs, improved management options, and provide translations into governance options for a more sustainable P use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study was undertaken at Jodhpur during the years 2001-2011 to assess the production potential of Cenchrus ciliaris L., Lasiurus sindicus Henr. and Vigna unguiculata L. (cowpea) sown in strips with Colophospermum mopane Kirk ex Benth. and Hardwickia binata Roxb. tree stands without and with fertilizer application. Results indicated that the plant growth and survival percentage of C. mopane was higher than that of H. binata. Growth of C. mopane plants was affected by different cropping systems and fertilizer treatments during the initial phase but later on the effect was not significant. Green and dry forage yields were influenced by the cropping systems, i.e., 2.09 t ha with L. sindicus followed by 1.9 t ha dry forage yield in a sole strip of C. ciliaris, which was significantly higher than the strip cropping of cowpea with respective grasses. However, the sustainable yield index was higher with C. ciliaris (0.52) followed by L. sindicus (0.38). The average data revealed that the protein yield was higher in L. sindicus + cowpea and C. ciliaris + cowpea inter-cropping as compared to the respective sole strip of Cenchrus ciliaris and L. sindicus. Application of 40 kg N ha increased dry fodder yields by 15 % over the control, and crude protein also increased by 22.37 %. Water use efficiency of grasses increased with nitrogen application. Maximum water use efficiency (9.8 kg dry matter ha mm) was recorded in L. sindicus with 40 kg N ha mm application followed by C. ciliaris (8.8 kg dry matter ha mm). The system productivity varied with different tree species and inter-cropping. Among tree species, the system productivity was higher with H. binata than with C. mopane. Leaves of H. binata were more palatable and preferred by goats than C. mopane. For obtaining higher productivity of quality fodder, inter-cropping of grasses with legumes in association with H. binata appears to be a highly suitable proposition for a silvi-pastoral system in an arid environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Aggregate formation and stability of soil organic carbon (SOC) differ in different farming systems, probably due to differences in effects of tillage and residue management. This study used a 24-year field experiment to compare the effects of continuous maize cropping and natural fallow on aggregate formation and SOC storage in various aggregate-size classes and density fractions of a Chinese Mollisol. Methods: Soils collected from the upper 0.2-m layer were wet-sieved into four aggregate-size classes (>2, 0.25-2, 0.053-0.25 and <0.053 mm) which were then fractionated into light, occluded and mineral C fractions. The concentrations of SOC and natural C abundance of each fraction in bulk soil and the aggregate classes were determined. Results: Continuous maize cropping decreased the proportion of macro-aggregates (>0.25 mm) and increased that of micro-aggregates (<0.25 mm) compared to the initial value while the opposite was observed in the natural fallow system. The fallow system generally had greater SOC concentration in the occluded fraction, higher proportion of newly-derived C as % total SOC in the light fraction and greater contribution of total residue C to new C in macro-aggregates and light fractions compared to the continuous maize system. Furthermore, the fallow system resulted in shorter turnover time of SOC than the continuous maize system. Conclusions: Natural fallow associated with autumn-plough improved soil structural stability and SOC storage while continuous maize cropping with residue removal decreased SOC sequestration and soil aggregate stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study sweet pepper plants, Capsicum annuum, were planted in greenhouse and open field conditions to test the effect of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF) Rhizophagus irregularis on phytophagous and predatory arthropod populations. Furthermore, we tested the hypothesis that AMF may increase the crop yield (number of fruits and their weight) and activity level of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD), enzymes that seemingly decrease infestation by arthropod pests. The most abundant arthropod species found were the peach-potato aphid, Myzus persicae, western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis, and the seven-spot ladybird, Coccinella septempunctata. Sweet pepper mutualism with AMF significantly reduced colonization by the peach-potato aphid under greenhouse conditions. Aphid density increased, however, on two of four pepper varieties tested under open field conditions. The density of ladybird predators did not appear directly influenced by AMF under greenhouse conditions, whereas a significantly higher predator density was found on three out of four pepper plant varieties with fungal mutualism tested under field conditions. Crop yield was significantly higher on plants with AMF mutualism under greenhouse conditions, but no clear effects were detected under field conditions. Both PPO and POD activity increased significantly and remained higher than controls until day 14 of the experiment under mutualism with AMF, although only in the greenhouse. The results suggest that under greenhouse conditions, pepper plant mutualism with AMF can increase pepper yield by reducing the numbers of the key pest, peach-potato aphid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic viticulture is an effective cultivation method that can reduce the environmental impacts of grape growing while maintaining profitability. For some vineyards, simple adjustments can suffice to make the conversion to organic farming; however, for most, major changes in system structure and management must be implemented. Here, we showed for the first time that converting to organic viticulture impacts vineyard complexity. We used six complexity indicators to assess modifications to cropping system structure and management: number of fields, number of difficult-to-manage fields, vineyard area, number of field interventions, number of technical management sequences, and number of management indicators. These six indicators were assessed through interviews carried out with winegrowers from 16 vineyards between 2008 and 2012. Changes in vineyard performances during conversion were also measured. We demonstrate that conversion to organic viticulture increased the complexity of vineyard structure and management for the 16 vineyards surveyed. While this increase allowed agronomic performances in all vineyards to be maintained, it also came with an increase in labor requirements (of up to 56%) compared to conventional agriculture. We conclude that the six indicators are appropriate for assessing changes in vineyard complexity and could be extended to all agricultural systems to better anticipate the implications of organic farming conversion for a farm's biophysical, technical, and decisional subsystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In organic farming, phosphorus (P) can be imported in mineral form with rock phosphate, feedstuff for livestock or suitable organic fertilizers. Many organic farmers, however, rely on biological activation of soil P reserves and tolerate P deficits, not knowing when soil reserves will be depleted. We hypothesized that under conditions of a long-term negative P budget in organic farming, the decline in readily available soil P pools would be less pronounced in dairy systems (arable land and grassland) than in stockless systems (arable land), due to higher shares of forage legumes in crop rotations, longer plant soil coverage, and manure backflow. From 2001 to 2013, we analyzed those systems on one site in North Germany. We assessed topsoil for plant-available soil P concentration [P(CAL)], mineral soil P fractions (Hedley), organic P, acid and alkaline phosphatase, and microbial activity (dehydrogenase). We measured P(CAL) each year on all fields of the crop rotations and grassland. The other soil characteristics were determined only in selected fields in 2001, 2009, and 2013. We observed that in grassland, all mineral P fractions, organic P contents, and microbial activity were considerably higher than in arable fields. On average, soil P(CAL) content decreased significantly in all systems (stockless arable −1.71, dairy arable −1.41, grassland −3.18 mg P kg year), but the soil threshold value deemed to be sufficient for P supply (>44 mg kg) was preserved. The readily available inorganic P fractions (HO-P, NaHCO-P) were also lower in 2013 than in 2001. Our data does not support a different development in either arable system. We could show that higher shares of forage legumes and manure recycling in an organic mixed arable dairy crop rotation and grassland do not necessarily mitigate decreases of plant-available P contents in soil as compared to a stockless system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Overreliance on the same herbicide mode of action leads to the spread of resistant weeds, which cancels the advantages of herbicide-tolerant (HT) crops. Here, the objective was to quantify, with simulations, the impact of glyphosate-resistant (GR) weeds on crop production and weed-related wild biodiversity in HT maize-based cropping systems differing in terms of management practices. We (1) simulated current conventional and probable HT cropping systems in two European regions, Aquitaine and Catalonia, with the weed dynamics model F lorS ys; (2) quantified how much the presence of GR weeds contributed to weed impacts on crop production and biodiversity; (3) determined the effect of cultural practices on the impact of GR weeds and (4) identified which species traits most influence weed-impact indicators. The simulation study showed that during the analysed 28 years, the advent of glyphosate resistance had little effect on plant biodiversity. Glyphosate-susceptible populations and species were replaced by GR ones. Including GR weeds only affected functional biodiversity (food offer for birds, bees and carabids) and weed harmfulness when weed effect was initially low; when weed effect was initially high, including GR weeds had little effect. The GR effect also depended on cultural practices, e.g. GR weeds were most detrimental for species equitability when maize was sown late. Species traits most harmful for crop production and most beneficial for biodiversity were identified, using RLQ analyses. None of the species presenting these traits belonged to a family for which glyphosate resistance was reported. An advice table was built; the effects of cultural practices on crop production and biodiversity were synthesized, explained, quantified and ranked, and the optimal choices for each management technique were identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Variations in root-associated fungal communities contribute to the so-called 'crop rotation benefit' on soil productivity. We assessed the effects of chickpea, lentil, and pea in wheat-based rotations, as compared to wheat monoculture, on the structure of root-associated fungal communities, and described the legacy of pulses on a following wheat crop. Methods: The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and 18S rRNA gene markers, and 454 amplicon pyrosequencing were used to describe the fungal communities of crop roots and rhizosphere soil in a field experiment and agronomic data were collected. Results: Pulses influenced only the structure of the non-mycorrhizal fungal community of roots. Fusarium tricinctum, Clonostachys rosea, Fusarium redolens, and Cryptococcus sp. were specific to certain crops. Despite the absence of selective effects of pulses on their associated arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal community, pea had a legacy effect on the structure of the AM fungal community associated with the roots of the following wheat crop, in one of the two year/sites examined. Species of Mortierella, Cryptococcus, and Paraglomus in wheat rhizosphere soil may benefit yield, whereas species of Fusarium, Davidiella, Lachnum, Sistotrema and Podospora may reduce yield. Conclusion: The effect of pulse crops on root fungal communities varied with rotation crop species. Pulses had various effects on the physiology of the following wheat crop, including increased productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herbicide-tolerant (HT) crops such as those tolerant to glyphosate simplify weed management and make it more efficient, at least at short-term. Overreliance on the same herbicide though leads to the spread of resistant weeds. Here, the objective was to evaluate, with simulations, the impact on the advent of glyphosate resistance in weeds of modifications in agricultural practises resulting from introducing HT maize into cropping systems. First, we included a single-gene herbicide resistance submodel in the existing multispecific F lorS ys model. Then, we (1) simulated current conventional and probable HT cropping systems in two European regions, Aquitaine and Catalonia, (2) compared these systems in terms of glyphosate resistance, (3) identified pertinent cultural practises influencing glyphosate resistance, and (4) investigated correlations between cultural practises and species traits, using RLQ analyses. The simulation study showed that, during the analysed 28 years, (1) glyphosate spraying only results in glyphosate resistance in weeds when combined with other cultural factors favouring weed infestation, particularly no till; (2) pre-sowing glyphosate applications select more for herbicide resistance than post-sowing applications on HT crops; and (3) glyphosate spraying selects more for species traits avoiding exposure to the herbicide (e.g. delayed early growth, small leaf area) or compensating for fitness costs (e.g. high harvest index) than for actual resistance to glyphosate, (4) actual resistance is most frequent in species that do not avoid glyphosate, either via plant size or timing, and/or in less competitive species, (5) in case of efficient weed control measures, actual resistance proliferates best in outcrossing species. An advice table was built, with the quantitative, synthetic ranking of the crop management effects in terms of glyphosate-resistance management, identifying the optimal choices for each management technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]