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Due to inadequate efforts to reinforce nitrogen fixation capability of bean via symbiosis with rhizobia, improvement of bean productivity is still highly dependent on chemical fertilization. An advanced understanding of agro-ecosystem-bean-Rhizobium interaction is required to improve symbiosis efficiency. Thus, seasonal development of rhizobial nodulation was characterized according to 20 agro-ecological properties for 122 commercial bean fields. Principal component analysis identified soil texture as a major descriptor of agrosystem-bean-disease-Rhizobium interaction. Nonparametric correlation analysis indicated significant associations of root nodulation with bean class, fungicidal treatment of seed and soil, Fusarium root rot index, planting date and depth, soil texture, clay and sand content. Ordinal regression analysis demonstrated that rhizobial nodulation was improved by applying initial drought, heavier soil textures with greater organic matter and neutral pH, using herbicides and manure, growing white beans, irrigating every 7–9 days, later sowing in June, reducing disease and weed, shallower seeding, sowing beans after alfalfa, avoiding fungicidal treatment of seed and soil, and omitting urea application. This largescale study provided novel information on a comprehensive number of agronomic practices as potential tools for improving bean-Rhizobium symbiosis for sustainable legume production systems.

Deep placement of nitrogen fertilizer is a key strategy for improving nitrogen use efficiency. A two-year field experiment was conducted during the early rice growing seasons (March–July) of 2016 and 2017. The experimental treatments comprised two rice cultivars: Wufengyou 615 (WFY 615) and Yuxiangyouzhan (YXYZ), and three N treatments: mechanical deep placement of all fertilizers as basal dose at 10 cm soil depth (one-time deep-placement fertilization, namely OTDP fertilization); manual surface broadcast (the common farmer practice) of 40% N fertilizer at one day before sowing (basal fertilizer) followed by broadcast application of 30% each at tillering and panicle initiation stages; and no fertilizer application at any growth stage as a control. One-time deep-placement fertilization increased grain yield of both rice cultivars by 11.8%–19.6%, total nitrogen accumulation by 10.3%–13.1%, nitrogen grain production efficiency by 29.7%–31.5%, nitrogen harvest index by 27.8%–30.0%, nitrogen agronomic efficiency by 71.3%–77.2%, and nitrogen recovery efficiency by 42.4%–56.7% for both rice cultivars, compared with the multiple-broadcast treatment. One-time deep-placement fertilization reduced CH4-induced global warming potential (GWP) by 20.7%–25.3%, N2O-induced GWP by 7.2%–12.3%, and total GWP by 14.7%–22.9% for both rice cultivars relative to the multiple-broadcast treatment. The activities of glutamine synthetase and nitrate reductase were increased at both panicle-initiation and heading stages in both rice cultivars following one-time deep-placement fertilization treatment. Larger leaf area index at heading stage and more favorable root morphological traits expressed as larger total root length, mean root diameter, and total root volume per hill were also observed. One-time deep-placement fertilization could be an effective strategy for increasing grain yield and nitrogen use efficiency and lowering greenhouse-gas emissions under mechanical direct-seeded cropping systems.

Honey bees play an important role in crop pollination of bitter gourd flowers. An experiment was conducted at Coimbatore District to observe the foraging activity and pollination efficiency of Indian bee (A. cerana indica) in Bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.). The foraging activity and number of foragers/ flower/ min was recorded in male and female bitter gourd flower. Bitter gourd fruit set and yield was assessed under three conditions pollinator exclusion, bee pollination and open pollination. No. of foragers/ flower/ minute (abundance of pollinators) and floral handling time in seconds (foraging rate) of Indian bees recorded on male flower (0.88 bees) and (6.52 sec) was higher than in female flower (0.57 bees) and (3.61 sec) respectively. The peak foraging activity of A. cerana indica noticed between 08:00-10:00 hours with 1.2 foragers/ 5 mins. Pollination efficiency index of Indian bee was 747035.5. Foraging activity at the hive entrance was maximum at 08:00 to 10:00 hours. Colony growth parameter of A. cerana indica was increased 67.85% in respect of the sealed honey area and 15.07% in respect of the adult population. The results of pollination studies show, the number of fruits/plant (17.4 fruits) and fruit yield per hectare (41.13 t/ha) was higher in managed bee pollinated plot than to open pollination condition (16.2 fruits) and (37.25 t/ha) and no fruit set was recorded in pollination exclusion condition., Bal arıları, acı kabak çiçeklerinin mahsul tozlaşmasında önemli bir rol oynamaktadır. Acı kabakta (Momordica charantia L.) Hint arısının (A. cerana indica) yiyecek arama aktivitesini ve tozlaşma etkinliğini gözlemlemek için Coimbatore Bölgesinde bir deney yapılmıştır. Erkek ve dişi acı kabak çiçeğinde yiyecek arama aktivitesi ve toplayıcı/çiçek/dk sayısı kaydedilmiştir. Acı kabak meyve tutumu ve verimi, tozlayıcı dışlama, arı tozlaşması ve açık tozlaşma olmak üzere üç koşul altında değerlendirilmiştir. Hint arılarının erkek çiçek (0.88 arı) ve (6.52 sn) dişi çiçekten (0.57 arı) daha yüksek olduğu kaydedilmiştir. (3.61 sn) sırasıyla. A. cerana indica'nın pik arama aktivitesi, 1.2 toplayıcı / 5 dakika ile 08:00-10:00 saatleri arasında fark edildi. Hint arısının tozlaşma verimlilik indeksi 747035,5 olmuştur. Kovan girişinde yiyecek arama faaliyeti en fazla 08:00-10:00 saatleri arasında olmuştur. A. cerana indica'nın koloni büyüme parametresi kapalı bal alanına göre %67.85, ergin popülasyona göre ise %15.07 artmıştır. Tozlaşma çalışmalarının sonuçları, idareli arı ile tozlanan parsellerde meyve/bitki sayısı (17,4 meyve) ve hektar başına meyve veriminin (41,13 t/ha), açık tozlaşma koşuluna (16,2 meyve) ve (37,25 t/ha) göre daha yüksek olduğunu göstermektedir ve tozlaşma dahil edilmedğinde hiçbir meyve tutumu kaydedilmemiştir.

Flooding and straw returning are effective agricultural practices in promoting phosphorus (P) availability in paddy soils. However, little is known about the effects of these practices and their interaction on the soil P pools and functional microbes responsible for soil P mobilization. Our 4-year paddy field experiment aimed to analyze the responses of soil P fractions and phoD-harboring bacterial communities in a double-rice cropping system to intermittent flooding (IF) and continuous flooding (CF), in plots with (+ S) and without (-S) straw return. Compared to IF, CF significantly increased soil citrate-P and marginally decreased the HCl-P fractions, suggesting that the stable inorganic P pools are transferred to labile inorganic P at lower redox potentials. Compared to the -S treatments, + S treatments significantly increased the labile organic fractions (enzyme-P). Correspondingly, a decreased soil total organic P concentration was observed in + S treatment. Additionally, + S treatment significantly increased the activity of acid phosphomonoesterase and alkaline phosphomonoesterase and the abundance of phoD-harboring bacteria. These results indicated that straw promoted organic P minimization to release orthophosphate. The diversity of the phoD-harboring bacteria and complexity of the co-occurrence network decreased under the CF + S treatment; however, all keystone species of the phoD-harboring bacteria were retained in this oxygen-deficient environment. This study highlights that irrigation regimes mediate the processes of inorganic P mobilization, while straw returns regulate the processes of organic P mineralization. Additionally, flooding could be a more effective agricultural practice than straw returning to promote soil P availability in paddy soils. •Soil P pools and phoD-harboring bacteria communities were assessed. •Straw return mainly affects the mineralization of organic P. •Continuous flooding mainly affects the mobilization of inorganic P.

The subterranean microbiota of plants is of great importance for plant growth and health, as root-associated microbes can perform crucial ecological functions. As the microbial environment of roots is extremely diverse, identifying keystone microorganisms in plant roots, rhizosphere, and bulk soil is a necessary step towards understanding the network of influence within the microbial community associated with roots and enhancing its beneficial elements. To target these hot spots of microbial interaction, we used inter-kingdom network analysis on the canola growth phase of a long-term cropping system diversification experiment conducted at four locations in the Canadian Prairies. Our aims were to verify whether bacterial and fungal communities of canola roots, rhizosphere, and bulk soil are related and influenced by diversification of the crop rotation system; to determine whether there are common or specific core fungi and bacteria in the roots, rhizosphere, and bulk soil under canola grown in different environments and with different levels of cropping system diversification; and to identify hub taxa at the inter-kingdom level that could play an important ecological role in the microbiota of canola. Our results showed that fungi were influenced by crop diversification, which was not the case on bacteria. We found no core microbiota in canola roots but identified three core fungi in the rhizosphere, one core mycobiota in the bulk soil, and one core bacterium shared by the rhizosphere and bulk soil. We identified two bacterial and one fungal hub taxa in the inter-kingdom networks of the canola rhizosphere, and one bacterial and two fungal hub taxa in the bulk soil. Among these inter-kingdom hub taxa, Bradyrhizobium sp. and Mortierella sp. are particularly influential on the microbial community and the plant. To our knowledge, this is the first inter-kingdom network analysis utilized to identify hot spots of interaction in canola microbial communities.

Context Conservation agriculture (CA) can potentially arrest deteorating soil fertility and improve crop production in the middle Indo-Gangetic Plains of India. Methods A field experiment (ICAR RCER, Patna, India; 2009–2016) tested four common farming practices: S1, a wheat–rice fallow rotation with complete removal of crop residues; S2, best management practices (BMPs) with puddled transplanted rice, drill-seeded wheat in no-tillage (NT), and drill-seeded mungbean in conventional tillage (CT) in a wheat–mungbean–rice rotation where residues were retained on surface in rice and wheat, and residue incorporated in mungbean; S3, CA system in a wheat–cowpea–rice rotation; and S4, BMP intensified and diversified cropping system in a potato + maize–cowpea–rice rotation (unpuddled transplanted rice with dribbled maize + potato, intercropped) in CT and relayed dibbling of cowpea in NT. Full residues of potato and cowpea were incorporated and one-third portion of rice and maize residue were retained on soil. Key results After 7 years, S2, S3 and S4 systems lowered soil bulk density and penetration resistance compared to S1. S3 resulted in higher soil macro-aggregates (>0.125 mm) and lower soil micro-aggregates (

A study was conducted in the Meerut district of western Uttar Pradesh to evaluate the Soil characterization of sugarcane- ratoon- wheat cropping system. The soil samples were analyzed for various parameters in the laboratory. The status of available NPK in soils and other soil properties like pH, electrical conductivity (EC) and organic carbon (OC) content were assessed. Results reveal that the soils of the study area were sandy loam in texture, slightly alkaline in reaction and non-saline in nature. Nutrient status regarding available nitrogen is low in surface (0-15 cm) and subsurface (15-30 cm) soil while phosphorous and potassium low to medium in ranged at surface and subsurface also show that the availability of nutrient is decline gradually with increasing soil depth. A positively significant correlation of N, P, and K with organic carbon content was found.

To contribute to the development of a novel cropping system for potato grown from greenhouse-derived seedlings from hybrid true potato seeds, planting density trials were carried out under normal Dutch agronomic conditions. For two consecutive years, 5-week-old seedlings of two experimental genotypes were transplanted into farmers’ potato production fields at two contrasting locations: a flat-bed system on sandy soil and a traditional ridge system on clay soil. Planting densities were 6.25, 12.5, 25, 50, 100 and 200 plants/m2 in the flat-bed system, and 3.125, 4.688, 6.25, 12.5, 25 and 50 plants/m2 in the ridge system. In general, increasing planting density of hybrid seedlings per area decreased tuber fresh weight per plant and reduced the number of tubers per plant. On a per hectare basis, an increased planting density resulted in increased total tuber yield and number of tubers up to very high densities, but finally both parameters levelled off. Highest total tuber yields harvested were 107 and 45 Mg/ha for the flat-bed and ridge system, respectively. On flat-beds, the optimal planting density for total yield was 50 plants/m2. On ridges, planting density interacted with year and genotype, resulting in an optimum planting density of 25 plants/m2 to reach the maximum total yield. Obtained yields in the commercial size classes Baby Baker (20 2. The current study showed that transplanted hybrid seedlings are feasible alternatives for seed-tuber-grown systems for certain potato outlets.

The nitrous oxide (N2O) reductase gene (nosZ) control the last step of denitrification, thus affect N2O emissions. However, our understanding of seasonal dynamics of nosZ-denitrifying bacteria community under different fertilization regimes in rice paddy field remains limited. Here, the nosZ community abundance, diversity, and structure were investigated across two rice seasons of double-rice cropping system under four fertilization regimes: no nitrogen fertilization (NF), inorganic fertilization (CF, urea), organic fertilization (CM, Chinese milk vetch), and organic–inorganic mixed fertilizer (CMCF). Fertilization addition but not seasonal change significantly influenced nosZ abundance. Compared with NF, CM reduced nosZ abundance by 47% while CF increased nosZ abundance by 74% in early rice, and CMCF increased nosZ abundance by 44% in late rice. Moreover, Shannon index of nosZ changed with both fertilization and seasonal change. Specifically, Shannon index in early rice was higher than that in late rice, while Shannon index of nosZ with CM treatment was significantly lower than that of the CF and CMCF treatments in early rice. In addition, PCoA showed that both fertilization and seasonal change drive changes in the nosZ community, but fertilization resulted in less variation in relative abundance of dominant OTUs in early rice, while most changes occurred in late rice. RDA and Pearson correlation analysis indicated that soil NO3−-N was the main factor in shaping nosZ communities. Our study demonstrated that both the seasonal change and fertilization played a decisive role in shaping nosZ community in double-rice cropping systems.

The imbalance between the crop production and population growth is currently the major issue in Ethiopia. To feed the growing population, increasing the production of food through growing more crop types in the same field as an intercropping is the right strategy. The study was aimed at evaluating the profitability of sorghum-legume intercropping on yield of sorghum. Intercropping sorghum with legumes crops increases the land productivity as its Land Equivalent Ratio is greater than one. In these cases, the land equivalent ratio is greater than one indicating the benefits of intercropping. In general, legume crops contributed to the yield of sorghum either intercropped with legume or grown up using residual contribution of legumes after a year. Therefore, for maximum sorghum production, farmers should plant either as intercrop or after residual effect of legumes crops. In addition to agronomic parameters used to compare the advantages of any cropping system in small scale farming conditions, total gross monetary value is also used to evaluate economic advantages of intercropping system.

Excessive phosphorus (P) applications to croplands can contribute to eutrophication of surface waters through surface runoff and subsurface (leaching) losses. We analyzed leaching losses of total dissolved P (TDP) from no-till corn, hybrid poplar (Populus nigra X P. maximowiczii), switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), miscanthus (Miscanthus giganteus), native grasses, and restored prairie, all planted in 2008 on former cropland in Michigan, USA. All crops except corn (13 kg P ha−1 year−1) were grown without P fertilization. Biomass was harvested at the end of each growing season except for poplar. Soil water at 1.2 m depth was sampled weekly to biweekly for TDP determination during March–November 2009–2016 using tension lysimeters. Soil test P (0–25 cm depth) was measured every autumn. Soil water TDP concentrations were usually below levels where eutrophication of surface waters is frequently observed (> 0.02 mg L−1) but often higher than in deep groundwater or nearby streams and lakes. Rates of P leaching, estimated from measured concentrations and modeled drainage, did not differ statistically among cropping systems across years; 7-year cropping system means ranged from 0.035 to 0.072 kg P ha−1 year−1 with large interannual variation. Leached P was positively related to STP, which decreased over the 7 years in all systems. These results indicate that both P-fertilized and unfertilized cropping systems may leach legacy P from past cropland management.

Resource conserving and eco-friendly interventions through improved crop establishment are the need of time to produce more with less resources, and mitigating climatic vulnerabilities and protecting environmental quality in the rice–wheat cropping system (RWCS) of India. In this context, seven years (2010–2017) field experimentation at Karnal, Haryana, India revealed that the weed infestation was more intensified and diversified in direct seeded rice (DSR) than puddled transplanted rice (PTR), and even eliminating puddling in rice-induced more infestation of Phalaris minor in succeeding wheat crop. Residue retention in zero-till (ZT) DSR and rotating conventional till (CT) DSR with PTR reduced weed pressure compared to continuous DSR. Root knot and plant parasitic nematodes were less in DSR than PTR but reverse was true for saprozoic nematodes in DSR and ZT situations. CTDSR, ZTDSR (with or without residues), and ZT/CT machine-transplanted rice (MTR) produced grain yields at par (P = 0.05) with PTR. The grain yield of ZT wheat (5.03–6.90 t ha−1) in sequence with CT/ZT rice establishment (DSR/MTR) was 0.3–0.6 t ha−1 higher than what it was attained after puddled rice systems. Net returns from DSR/MTR-based cropping systems were higher than PTR, with 22–31% saving of labor. Irrigation water productivity was also higher under DSR (27.5–29.9 kg ha-cm−1) than PTR (23.7 kg ha-cm−1), with 17.5–22.8% reduction in irrigation input. There was also improvement in soil health under ZTDSR/MTR (higher OC, N, P and K, and lower bulk density) compared to PTR. Overall, the resource conservation and soil health improvement through these planting methods signaled toward system stability over trade-offs in RWCS.

Sustainability of biogas production is strongly dependent on soil-borne greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions during feedstock cultivation. Maize (Zea mays) is the most common feedstock for biogas production in Europe. Since it is an annual crop requiring high fertilizer input, maize cropping can cause high GHG emissions on sites that, due to their hydrology, have high N2O emission potential. On such sites, cultivation of cup plant (Silphium perfoliatum) as a perennial crop could be a more environmentally friendly alternative offering versatile ecosystem services. To evaluate the possible benefits of perennial cup plant cropping on GHG emissions and nitrogen losses, an incubation study was conducted with intact soil cores from a maize field and a cup plant field. The 15N gas flux method was used to quantify N source-specific N2 and N2O fluxes. Cumulated N2O emissions and N2+N2O emissions did not differ significantly between maize and cup plant soils, but tended to be higher in maize soil. Soils from both systems exhibited relatively high and similar N2O/(N2+N2O) ratios (N2Oi). N2O emissions originating from sources other than the 15N-labelled NO3 pool were low, but were the only fluxes exhibiting a significant difference between the maize and cup plant soils. Missing differences in fluxes derived from the 15N pool indicate that under the experimental conditions with high moisture and urn:x-wiley:17571693:media:gcbb12879:gcbb12879-math-0001 level, and without plants, the cropping system had little effect on N fluxes related to denitrification. Lower soil pH and higher bulk density in the cup plant soil are likely to have reduced the mitigation potential of perennial biomass cropping.

In the main wheat production area of China (the Huang Huai Plain [HHP]), both Fusarium graminearum and Fusarium asiaticum, the causal agents of Fusarium head blight (FHB), are present. We investigated whether the relative prevalence of F. graminearum and F. asiaticum is related to cropping systems and/or climate factors. A total of 1,844 Fusarium isolates were obtained from 103 fields of two cropping systems: maize–wheat and rice–wheat rotations. To maximize the differences in climatic conditions, isolates were sampled from the north and south HHP regions. Based on the phylogenetic analysis of EF-1α and Tri101 sequences, 1,207 of the 1,844 isolates belonged to F. graminearum, and the remaining 637 isolates belonged to F. asiaticum. The former was predominant in the northern region: 1,022 of the 1,078 Fusarium isolates in the north were F. graminearum. The latter was predominant in the southern region: 581 of the 766 Fusarium isolates belonged to F. asiaticum. Using an analysis based on generalized linear modeling, the relative prevalence of the two species was associated more with climatic conditions than with the cropping system. F. graminearum was associated with drier conditions and cooler conditions during the winter but also with warmer conditions in the infection and grain-colonization period as well as with maize–wheat rotation. The opposite was true for F. asiaticum. Except for the 15-acetyldeoxynvalenol genotype, the trichothecene chemotype composition of F. asiaticum differed between the two cropping systems. The 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol genotype was more prevalent in the maize–wheat rotation, whereas the nivalenol genotype was more prevalent in the rice–wheat rotation. The results also suggested that environmental conditions in the overwintering period appeared to be more important than those in the infection, grain-colonization, and preanthesis sporulation periods in affecting the relative prevalence of F. graminearum and F. asiaticum. More research is needed to study the effect of overwintering conditions on subsequent epidemic in the following spring.

We aimed to evaluate the effects of tropical crop systems and phosphorus (P) availability on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) spores’ community composition, and soil chemical properties in a Planosol at Tropical ecosystem from Brazilian Northeast. We collected rhizospheric samples containing soil and root fragments in a 5-year field experiment considering two groups of crop systems, i.e., no-till monocropping and agroforestry system, and testing two factors: the cropping system and the soil P availability. We identified the AMF community composition based on AMF spore’s morphology. We also characterized the soil chemical properties (e.g., soil pH, soil organic carbon, and available P) at samples level. Crop systems and soil P availability influenced the AMF community composition, and soil chemical properties. We found that: i) the abundance of Claroideoglomus claroideum, C. etunicatum, Rhizophagus intraradices, richness, Shannon’s index and Simpson’s index were positively correlated with no-till monocropping systems (Arachis hypogaea, Gossypium hirsutum, and Vigna unguiculata) and with all the studied agroforestry systems at low-P availability; and ii) soil pH, and soil organic carbon were positively correlated with no-till monocropping systems (Arachis hypogaea, Glicine hirsutum, Glicine max, and Sesamum indicum) at high-P availability, and Glicine max, Sesamum indicum, Zea mays, and agroforestry system at low-P availability. Our results highlight the positive effect of high P on AMF spores’ diversity, and the importance to consider both the crop system and soil P availability as key-factors promoting shifts into the AMF community composition and soil chemical properties in Tropical conditions.

Dans la zone soudano-sahélienne du Burkina Faso, la performance des associations mixtes sorgho-niébé reste faible bien que les nombreux services écosystémiques rendus par les associations céréales-légumineuses soient connus. L’objectif de la présente étude a été de comprendre la performance des associations mixtes sorgho-niébé sur la productivité du sorgho et du sol. L’étude a consisté à conduire des tests multi-locaux avec de petits agriculteurs familiaux de la région Nord du Burkina Faso. Des traitements à base de zaï simple (ZS), zaï + 9 t ha-1 de substrats organiques (ZF) et zaï + 9 t ha-1 de substrats organiques + 50 kg ha-1 d’urée (ZFN) ont été testés en 2013, chaque traitement étant répété 9 fois. En 2014, le traitement ZFN a été remplacé par le traitement zaï + 9 t ha-1 de substrat organique + 600 kg ha-1 de Burkina Phosphate (ZFP). Chaque parcelle élémentaire a abrité l’association mixte sorgho-niébé et la monoculture du sorgho. Les résultats ont montré que l’association mixte sorgho-niébé a généralement entrainé une dépréciation des rendements du sorgho par rapport à la monoculture du sorgho. Par contre, une performance significative de +58% en 2014 et un accroissement de +10% en 2013 des rendements totaux grains de sorgho et de niébé ont été enregistrés par rapport à la monoculture du sorgho. Une grande efficacité d’acquisition des nutriments par le sorgho associé au niébé a été enregistrée en comparaison à la monoculture du sorgho. Pour une meilleure performance des cultures mixtes sorgho-niébé, les traitements ZS et ZF sont à recommander pour augmenter les rendements totaux grains de niébé et de sorgho ainsi que l’acquisition de N dans les grains du sorgho ; les traitements ZFN et ZFP sont, quant à eux, sont à recommander pour améliorer la fertilité résiduelle en N et P des sols dans la région Nord du Burkina Faso. English title: Performance of sorghum-cowpea mixed cropping system on sorghum and soils productivities in the Sudano-Sahelian zone of Burkina Faso In Sudano-Sahelian zone of Burkina Faso, the performance of sorghum and cowpea mixed cropping system remains low although the many ecosystems provided associated by cereal and legume mixed or intercropping system are known. The objective of this study was to understand the performance of these sorghum and cowpea mixed cropping system on the productivities of sorghum and soils. The study consisted to multi-local tests with small family farmers in the northern region of Burkina Faso. Treatments based on simple zaï (ZS), zaï + 9 t ha-1 of organic substrates (ZF) and zaï + 9 t ha-1 of organic substrates + 50 kg ha-1 of urea (ZFN) were tested in 2013, each treatment being replicated at 9 times. In 2014, the ZFN treatment was replaced by the zaï + 9 t ha-1 of organic substrate + 600 kg ha-1 of Burkina Phosphate (ZFP). Each elementary plot was occupied by sorghum and cowpea mixed cropping system and monocropping sorghum. The results showed that the yields of sorghum mixed by cowpea generally lowered than the yields of monocropping sorghum. In contrast, a significant performance of +58% in 2014 and an increase of +10% in 2013 on total sorghum and cowpea grains yields were recorded compared to monocropping sorghum. The high efficiency of nutrient acquisition by sorghum in mixed cropping system with cowpea was recorded compared to monocropping sorghum. For better performance of sorghum and cowpea mixed cropping system, ZS and ZF treatments are recommended to increase total sorghum and cowpea grains yields, the N acquisition in sorghum grains, and ZFN and ZFP treatments were suggested to improve residual N and P fertility of soils in the northern region Burkina Faso.

Sustainable agriculture bases on certain ecological principles in both of crop production and livestocks. Legume-cereal intercropping in sustainable agricultural cropping system is the most applied in the intercropping systems in the World. Legume-cereal intercropping have many benefits such soil conservation, weed control, animal feed and effective land use, greater yield and quality in low-input agricultural system. Land use efficiently is available to evaluate the advantages of intercrop in sustainable agriculture to meet food demand due to increase in population. Amount of N2 fixed by intercropped legume is less compared to mono crop legume due to competition with cereal. However, proportion of total N derived from fixation (Ndfa %) in legume intercropped with cereal was greater than mono crop legume. N-transfer from the legume to neighbouring plant may be possible, but it can be affected by a lot of factors. The principal aim of present study is to define advantages of cereal-grain legume intercrops in sustainable agriculture.

Simplified cultivation methods for rice production offer considerable social, economic, and environmental benefits. However, limited information is available on yield components of rice grown using simplified cultivation methods in a rice-ratoon rice cropping system. A field experiment using two hybrid and two inbred rice cultivars was conducted to compare four cultivation methods (conventional tillage and transplanting, CTTP; conventional tillage and direct seeding, CTDS; no-tillage and transplanting, NTTP; no-tillage and direct seeding, NTDS) in a rice-ratoon rice system from 2017 to 2020. Main season yields for CTDS and NTDS were higher than for CTTP by 6.1% and 2.8%, respectively; whereas ratoon season yields for CTDS and NTDS were equal to or higher than for CTTP. Annual grain yields for CTDS and NTDS were higher than for CTTP by 4.4% and 3.2%, respectively. The higher CTDS and NTDS yields were associated with higher panicle numbers per m2 and biomass production. Rice hybrids had higher yields than inbred cultivars by 15.8–19.3% for main season and by 15.6–19.4% for ratoon season, which was attributed to long growth duration, high grain weight and biomass production. Our results suggest that CTTP can be replaced by CTDS and NTDS to maintain high grain yields and save labor costs. Developing cultivars with high grain weight could be a feasible approach to achieve high rice yields in the rice-ratoon rice cropping system in southwest China.

Sugarcane is one of the most suitable alternative crops to predominant rice–wheat cropping system in indo-Gangetic plains of India. However, grand growth period of this crop coincides with hot and dry summer months having higher evaporative demands which raise the crop water requirement during this period, thus narrowing its scope of being an alternative to rice–wheat cropping system. To enhance water productivity of sugarcane field, experiments were conducted at Punjab Agricultural University, Regional Research Stations, Faridkot and Kapurthala during spring 2016, 2017 and 2018 on planting methods and irrigation scheduling. Four planting methods comprised of P1: conventional flat (75 cm apart) with mulching @ 6 ha−1, P2: conventional flat without mulch, P3: paired row trench planting (30:120 cm) with mulch and P4: paired row trench planting without mulch as main plots and three irrigation schedules, i.e., irrigation at 0.60, 0.80 and 1.00 IW/CPE as subplots factors in split plot design. The results revealed that paired row trench planting (30:120 cm) with mulch @ 6 t ha−1 resulted into 162% and 123% higher apparent water productivity than conventional flat planted crop without mulch at Faridkot and Kapurthala, respectively. In paired row trench planting, irrigation water application was 58.4% and 52.0% lesser than conventional flat planted crop at Faridkot and Kapurthala, respectively, as water was applied only in trenches which actually curtailed the wettable area to 40%. Mulching in conventional flat planted crop improved the cane yield by 10.3% over non-mulch flat planted crop at Kapurthala, but this difference was only 6.1% in paired row trench planted crop at Faridkot. At Kapurthala, mulching in paired row trench planted crop enhanced the cane yield by 8.8%, but in conventional flat planted crop, this increase was up to 6.9%. On the basis of these results, it can be concluded that the planting sugarcane in paired row trench planting system with mulch @ 6 t ha−1 is the most viable planting system in sugarcane to attain higher crop and water productivity. Based on the availability of irrigation water, crop can either be irrigated at 0.6 or 0.8 IW/CPE for higher total and apparent water productivity and higher water-use efficiency. Higher benefit/cost ratio (mean over locations) is obtained under paired row trench planting with mulch and irrigation scheduling at 0.8 IW/CPE.

An experiment was conducted in the tropical coastal climate of Bhubaneswar by taking five crop combinations. Coconut was grown as main crop along with four component crops; banana, guava, pineapple and colocasia in a system. Different nutrient sources were used and crop specific growth regulators were applied at specific growth stages. The study was conducted to assess the effects of cropping system, nutrient and growth management practices on the generation of recyclable biomass from coconut as well as from the system as a whole. The biomass was calculated on the basis of dry weight of the plant products. The production of total recyclable biomass was found highest (18.5 t/ha) in the cropping system where the plants were managed with 50 % RDF+ 50 % N (organic recycling with vermicompost + in situ green manuring + vermicompost wash) with biofertilizers and plant growth regulators (PGRs). The sole cropping of coconut was found to have lowest production of the same. The cropping system which is managed with fully organic sources of nutrient without any growth regulator was found least among all other systems except the sole cropping. The incorporation of intercrop has increseaed the amount of plant recyclable biomass to the extent of double than the coconut.

Rational nitrogen (N) application can greatly increase rice (Oryza sativa L.) yield. However, excessive N input can lead not only to low N use efficiency (NUE) but also to severe environmental pollution. Reducing N application rate with a higher planting density (RNHD) is recommended to maintain rice yield and improve NUE. The effects of RNHD on fertilizer N fate and rice root growth traits remain unclear. We accordingly conducted a two-year field experiment to investigate the influence of RNHD on rice yield, fertilizer 15N fate, and root growth in a double-rice cropping system in China. In comparison with the conventional practice of high N application with sparse planting, RNHD resulted in similar yield and biomass production as well as plant N uptake. RNHD increased agronomic NUEs by 23.3%–31.9% (P

Sustainability of cereal-based cropping system is important for the livelihood and food security in semi-arid regions. The present study explores the impact of long-term organic and inorganic nutri...

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and rice (Oryza sativa L.) are the two most important food grain crops cultivated worldwide. In present scenario of climate change as well as changing cropping system, the spot blotch of wheat caused by Bipolaris sorokiniana and brown spot of rice caused by Bipolaris oryzae have resulted in great losses to food grain yield in all parts of the country especially in regions where rice–wheat cropping system is pre-dominant. The objectives were to determine the cross infection pattern of Bipolaris spp. prevalent in rice–wheat cropping system regions and their relatedness to alternative host as well as host preference. When twenty isolates each of B. oryzae and B. sorokiniana were subjected for their pathogenicity on susceptible variety of rice (PB-1121) and wheat (Sonalika) respectively, BO-1 and BS-112 were found to be most virulent isolates with 83% and 89% disease index on their own hosts respectively. Cross infection study under artificial conditions with most virulent isolate revealed that when inoculation of BS-112 on wheat and rice was done, infection index of 89% and 80% was obtained, while BO-1 inoculation showed infection index of 85% and 78% on rice and wheat respectively. Cross infectivity was confirmed by PCR using species specific markers developed in the laboratory. Synergism between two pathogens revealed infection index of 94% on wheat and 92% on rice, which was more than individual inoculations. Cross infectivity was also identified under natural condition for both B. sorokiniana and B. oryzae on rice and wheat at certain places.

It is essential for the sustainable development of agriculture to enhance nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) of crop plants by increasing yield and reducing nitrogen (N) losses. Biochar-based fertilizer (BF) has received increasing attention because of its full play to the advantages of chemical compounds with sufficient N and less N loss risk with good adsorption characteristics, but this potential was seldom reported for open-field vegetable crops, NUE of which were significantly lower than cereal crops. A field trial was conducted to investigate the efficacy of BF on NUE in vegetable cropping system by comparison with chemical fertilizer (CF) and partial substitution of organic fertilizers to chemical fertilizers (COF). The yield, plant N uptake, residual soil mineral N, and N losses via leaching and ammonia volatilization from an open vegetable (water spinach, Ipomoea aquatica L.) field were analyzed. The results indicated that BF treatment had significantly higher yield, plant N uptake, and NUE (agronomic efficiency and recovery efficiency as the NUE indicators), compared with those of CF and COF treatments. N losses via leaching were respectively accounted for 53.30%, 37.74%, and 33.39%; and N losses via ammonia volatilization were respectively accounting to 1.13%, 0.78%, and 1.54% of N fertilizer applied (at a rate of 200 kg N/ha) in CF, COF, and BF treatments. Despite the increasing ammonia volatilization due to the alkalinity of biochar, BF treatment significantly enhance NUE by increasing N uptake by water spinach and minimizing N losses via leaching. This study suggested that BF could serve as a promising slow-release N fertilizer for sustainable N management in field vegetable production and provided critical information for the development and dissemination of BF management guidelines.

This study was carried out to evaluate the forage yield and feed value of winter crops such as Italian ryegrass (IRG), oat, rye, barley, and hairy vetch. Forage crops were sown on 15 th October 2018 in a paddy field after harvesting rice and forage crops were harvested at two times of 25 th April 2019 and 18 th May 2 01 9. T he h ighest d ry m atter (DM) y ield w as h arvested f rom r ye among t he five species of forage crop on 18 th May. DM yield of all forages was increased 14.4% on 18 th May compared to 25 th April. The highest yield of crude protein (CP) was obtained from hairy vetch on 25 th April, whereas it was decreased (38.1%) on 18 th May. Moreover, the highest total digestible nutrient (TDN) yield and relative feed value (RFV) was harvested respectively from rye and hairy vetch on 25 th April. Delay of harvest time considerably increased DM yield but significantly decreased CP and RFV. In conclusion, rye was the best source of DM and TDN and hairy vetch was the high-quality feed. Rye harvested on 25 th April is the proper forage for resolving Korea’s problem of insufficient forage yield.

This study is about estimation of crop water requirement for rice-wheat and rice-rabi maize cropping system for Pusa Region of Samastipur district of Bihar using CROPWAT model for year 2017-18.The effective rainfall was calculated using USDA S.C. Method. Reference crop evaporation was calculated using meteorological data viz temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and Sunshine using Penman Monteith equation. The meteorological data were collected from university observatory of R.P.C.A.U Pusa. Crop coefficient (Kc) value was taken according to crop growth stages. Effective rainfall and crop water requirement was used for determining net irrigation requirement. The annual crop water requirement of Rice- Wheat cropping system was found to be 904.1 mm whereas the crop-water requirement of Rice- Rabi Maize cropping system was 991.7 mm.

Soil microbiomes and their interactions with crop plants are important drivers of agricultural health and productivity. Our objective was to examine short-term responses of soil microbiota to agricultural management (i.e. cover cropping and nitrogen fertilization). Following three years of cropping, soil samples were collected from replicated field plots at two southern Minnesota field sites (Lamberton and Waseca). We used amplicon-based gene sequencing (ITS2 and 16S rRNA V4) to investigate short-term soil fungal and bacterial community responses to cover crops and urea-nitrogen (N) fertilization (0, 80, 100, and 120% of recommended rates) in a corn (Zea mays)-soybean (Glycine max) cropping system planted with and without cover crops. We found that rates of N-fertilizer applied, more than cover crops, significantly impacted soil chemical properties at both sites. Different cropping or N fertilization treatments did not lead to strong differences in fungal or bacterial alpha (local) diversity. At both sites, cover crop was a significant predictor of fungal community compositions and specific fungal and bacterial taxa were significantly impacted by cover crops. While, N fertilization was not a strong predictor of community compositions, urea-N additions, at any rate, resulted in changes in the relative abundances of the fungal phyla Glomeromycota in addition to a number of bacterial phyla. Our findings suggest that after three years of cropping, fungal communities respond to cover crops, while bacterial community responses may depend on soil chemical conditions.

A field experiment was conducted at Agronomy farm, Kerala Agricultural University during 2019-2021 to develop an eco friendly conservation method for upland rice based cropping system. Rice-okra cropping system with conservation practices were compared with conventional practice. Treatments consisted of planting methods like flat bed and raised bed with eitherinsitugreen manuring or brown manuring and with minimum soil disturbance. Various conservation practice significantly influenced the physiological parameters of rice under rice based cropping system. Highest leaf area index crop was recorded in direct seeding rice in flat bed + in situ green manuring at all stages of crop growth and it was statistically superior over other treatments. The crop growth rate, relative growth rate and net assimilation rate up to 60DAS recorded highest in direct seeding rice in flat bed +insitugreen manuring but at 90-120DAS the highest was found in direct seeding rice in raised bed + green manuring. Growing green manure crops along with ricecrop raised in flat bed or raised bed had significant influence on the growth indices of rice.

The world acreage of organic crop production systems is increasing, but the soil microbial dynamics in these systems are not fully understood. We studied the composition and functioning of soil microbial communities in 4-year organic or conventional rotations. The organic systems were tilled to control weeds, and N2-fixing legumes or compost supplied nutrients. The conventional systems were managed under no-till; herbicides controlled weeds, and compost or fertilizers supplied nutrients. Soil microbial biomass C (MBC), the diversity and composition of bacterial communities, and activities of enzymes that mediate C, N, P, and S cycling were determined. The bacterial classes Gemmatimonadetes, C0119 (phylum Chloroflexi), and Thermomicrobia (phylum Chloroflexi) were more abundant in organic than conventional cropping systems, so were some genera from the class Actinobacteria. The bacterial β-diversity showed similar cropping system differences. However, acid phosphomonoesterase activity was greater in conventional than organic cropping systems, presumably because the soil P from the large amounts of compost applied in the organic system suppressed this enzyme. MBC, bacterial α-diversity, the relative abundances of the bacterial classes δ-Proteobacteria, γ-Proteobacteria, and Bacilli (phylum Firmicutes) were all greater in compost than no-compost treatments. The relative abundances of three genera from Actinobacteria class were negatively correlated with acid phosphomonoesterase activity due to the high relative abundances of these genera, but low acid phosphomonoesterase activities, where compost was applied in the organic system. Therefore, there were soil bacterial compositional differences between organic and conventional cropping systems, but only differences in the activities of a P cycling enzyme were detected.

Poor soil properties especially low soil organic carbon (SOC) and nutrient and water retention capacities are major concern for sustainable agriculture in Himalayas. Field experiments were conducted to assess the effects of six combinations of tillage [conventional tillage (CT) and no-till (NT)] and land configurations [flat bed planting (FB), ridge and furrow planting (RF), and raised bed planting (RB)] on productivity and carbon (C)-sequestration potential of maize [(Zea mays L.) for green-cob in summer]-maize (for grains in rainy season)-field pea [(Pisum sativum L. in winter] cropping system under humid mild-tropical climate of Tripura, India. The maize under NT-FB in 2012 and NT-RF in 2013 produced significantly higher green cob yield than that under CT-RF. However, in rainy season, CT produced higher maize grain yield than NT systems. Field pea seed yield was significantly the highest under NT-RB. After two cropping cycles, NT systems had higher available N, P, K and 18.6–31.4% higher soil moisture content after rainy season maize than CT system. The highest SOC-stock (0–30 cm) was observed under NT-FB, whereas, SOC-sequestration rate was maximum under NT-RB (0.85 Mg ha−1 year−1). Therefore, NT based systems can enhance the productivity and improve SOC-sequestration in cultivated soils of eastern Himalayas. Hence, study recommended adoption of NT-RB/NT-FB to raise maize-maize-field pea system for improving productivity, improving C- sequestration and soil properties in the eastern Himalayas and similar eco-regions elsewhere.

The objective of this study was to characterize the banana production systems and to identify the constraints it faces. A questionnaire survey and field observations were carried out with banana producers. At the end of the surveys, three main banana production systems were found: Monoculture (10%), banana-food crops intercropping (7%) and agroforestry (83%). In addition, four types of banana (cooking banana, plantain, beer banana and dessert banana) are integrated into banana cultivation systems, with a varying planting density depending on the type of cultural association envisaged. On average, a banana farmer owns 140 banana plants or stools on an average area of 0.68 ha, ranging from 0.0625 to 2 ha. On average, banana grower’s harvest 6 bunches per week with an estimated average weight of 12, 8.5 and 5.2 kg for plantain, cooking bananas and dessert banana, respectively. The weight estimate and marketing data for beer banana were not provided as it has not been sold in the market like other cultivars since the advent of BXW. The cultivation of bananas in Beni territory is constrained by diseases, mainly bacterial wilt of bananas (80%) and Banana Bunchy Top Disease (7%); climatic hazards (winds, drought and hail), insecurity, soil infertility, use of low-quality planting materials, inadequate agricultural practices, non-use of agricultural inputs, lack of technical and financial assistance as well as the weak involvement of state authorities in production. These constraints not only exacerbate the misery of banana producers but also contribute to the erosion of certain varieties and to the loss of the region's hegemony in banana production. In order to eradicate these threats, it is therefore essential to practice intensive cultivation with more inputs and especially improved cultivars. Key words: Constraints, cropping system, banana, Beni.

The non-crop habitats within agro-ecosystems are important resources for ecological and biological insect pest management. Diversified cropping systems are known to influence pest populations, howe...

Cereal crops especially maize production in Ethiopian Central Rift Valley is affected by biotic and abiotic production. This study was conducted for two seasons (2015-2016) and the best cropping system was identified using Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. The experiment had six treatments (1) Continuous mono-cropping under conventional practice (CN), (2) continuous mono cropping under conservation agriculture (CA) (3) relay cropping (CA) with double bean planting within a season (maize bean inter-cropping: second round bean planting was conducted after immediate harvesting of the first bean), (4) Double cropping (CA) (maize bean inter cropping after sole lablab), (5) Double cropping (CA) (maize after bean) and (6) Double cropping (CA) (bean after maize). In 2016, the highest maize biomass yield and maximum water use efficiency were obtained from double cropping bean after maize with value of 16050 kg/ha and 31 kg mm-1, respectively. Maize-bean relay cropping outperformed the sole maize under CA and CN by 182 and 138% for maize grain yield. Water use efficiency of double cropping (maize after bean) and relay cropping was higher than double cropping (bean after maize) by 366 and 197% in 2015 for maize grain yield. For biomass, relay cropping under CA and sole maize under CN had similar water use efficiency of 18 kg mm-1. The CA practice with diverse crops planted together: double inter-cropping at different time (relay cropping) and double cropping under CA are good options for using the residual soil moisture and to sustainably improve crop productivity. Key words: Conservation; cropping system; lablab; water use efficiency.

Tillage practices play a major role in nutrient dynamics under different cropping systems. The objective of this study was to examine the influence of different tillage practices and weed management on micronutrient availability in soil. The treatments included three tillage in main plot and four weed management practices in sub plot were arranged in a spilt plot design with three replications.Measurements made at the end of 4 years, showed that in the 0-15 cm soil depth, effect of different tillage and weed management practices on soil properties was significant. The values of soil pH and EC declined under ZT. The mean value of SOC (8.9 g kg-1) was reported higher under ZT. Higher value of Zn and Fe was reported under ZT (3.63 mg kg-1, 15.49 mg kg-1) followed by CT (2.87 mg kg-1, 13.65 mg kg-1) and FIRBS (2.47 mg kg-1,13.47 mg kg-1) respectively. In case of Cu, the higher value (1.32 mg kg-1) was reported under ZT followed by FIRBS (1.30 mg kg-1) and CT (1.22 mg kg-1). Trend was reverse in case of Mn and content was significantly higher (9.4 mg kg-1) under CT followed by ZT (9.02 mg kg-1) and FIRBS (8.70 mg kg-1). The results suggested that ZT can play a vital role in sustaining micronutrient availability due to decreased soil pH and the greater amount of organic matter compared to other tillage methods.

A long-term soil fertility experiment in maize (Zea mays) – rapeseed (Brassica campestris var. toria) cropping system was initiated in Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC), Directorate of Agricultural Research (DoAR), Lumbini Province, Banke, Khajura (the then Regional Agricultural Research Station) since 1994. The field experiment was designed in the randomized complete block including nutrient as treatment at nine rates (0–0–0 nitrogen – phosphorus – potash (N–P2O5–K2O) kg/ha, 60–0–0 N–P2O5–K2O kg/ha, 60–40–0 N–P2O5–K2O kg/ha, 60–40–20 N–P2O5–K2O kg/ha, 30–20–10 N–P2O5–K2O kg/ha, 30–20–10 N–P2O5–K2O kg/ha + 30 cm stover from previous maize, 60–40–20 N–P2O5–K2O kg/ha + 30 cm stover from previous maize, farmyard manure 10 t/ha and 30–20–10 N–P2O5–K2O kg/ha + farmyard manure 6 t/ha) and was replicated three times. Rapeseed crop yield attributes including days to flowering, plant height, siliqua per plant, 1000 grains weight, seed yield and straw yield and soil fertility parameters including soil pH, soil organic matter content, soil total nitrogen content, soil available phosphorus content and soil available potash content were monitored from 1994 to 2018 growing seasons. There was a significant effect (p < 0.01) of nutrient treatments in the days to flowering, plant height, siliqua per plant, 1000 grains weight, seed yield and straw yield. The highest mean seed yield (445 kg/ha) was obtained from the nutrient application at the rate of 30–20–10 N–P2O5–K2O kg/ha + farmyard manure 6 t/ha during 1994 – 2018. Yield trend analysis revealed nutrient treatment with farmyard manure both FYM 10 t/ha and 30–20–10 N–P2O5–K2O kg/ha + FYM 6 t/ha had significant positive (p < 0.001, R2 > 0.30) trend of rapeseed seed yield with the maximum 1000 kg/ha rapeseed yield in 2018. Soil analysis results after rapeseed harvest in 2018 showed two nutrient treatments including farmyard manure had significant high soil organic matter (SOM > 1%), soil available phosphorus content (P2O5 > 55 kg/ha) and soil available potash content (K2O > 550 kg/ha). In the long-term, integrated nutrient management applying 30–20–10 N–P2O5–K2O kg/ha + FYM 6 t/ha was the optimal nutrient management option for rapeseed production in maize – rapeseed cropping system at Khajura and similar agro-ecological conditions.

Potato virus Y (PVY) is a serious pathogen that causes yield reduction and seed degeneration in potatoes crops. It is transmitted non-persistently by a wide range of aphid vectors. The transmission...

Low soil fertility is one of the major constraints faced by smallholder farmers in the Bamboutos Mountain ecosystem. A survey of 261 randomly selected smallholder farmers was conducted using a standard questionnaire to identify the major cropping systems used by smallholder farmers, the practices that smallholder farmers use to maintain or improve soil fertility, the types of manure or fertilizer used as well as the major crops grown in the area. An interview schedule was used to collect data and the descriptive statistics used for data analysis. Findings indicated the farmers practiced, inter cropping, crop rotation and agroforestry with intercropping being the most practiced cropping system. The farmers use both organic manures and inorganic fertilizers for crop production with the major organic manure being fowl dropping and the major inorganic fertilizer being N-P-K 20-10-10. To increase soil fertility, 73% of the farmers allow for fallow periods and the dominant vegetation during the fallow were: grasses, grasses +Tithonia and Grasses + shrubs. The major crops planted both organically and with inorganic fertilizers were Potato, cabbage, carrot, maize, beans, leeks and celery.

Microbial diversity formed by ages of evolution in soils plays an important role in sustainability of crop production by enriching soil and alleviating biotic and abiotic stresses. This diversity is as an essential part of the agro-ecosystems, which is being pushed to edges by pumping agrochemicals and constant soil disturbances. Consequently, efficiency of cropping system has been decreasing, aggravated further by the increased incidence of abiotic stresses due to changes in climatic patterns. Thus, the sustainability of agriculture is at stake. Understanding the microbiota inhabiting phyllosphere, endosphere, spermosphere, rhizosphere, and non-rhizosphere, and its utilization could be a sustainable crop production strategy. This review explores the available information on diversity of beneficial microbes in agricultural ecosystem and synthesizes their commercial uses in agriculture. Microbiota in agro-ecosystem works by nutrient acquisition, enhancing nutrient availability, water uptake, and amelioration of abiotic and abiotic stresses. External application of such beneficial microbiota or microbial consortia helps in boosting plant growth and provides resistance to drought, salinity, heavy metal, high-temperature and radiation stress in various crop plants. These have been instrumental in enhancing tolerance to diseases, insect pest and nematodes in various cropping system. However, studies on the microbiome in revolutionary production systems like conservation agriculture and protected cultivation, which use lesser agrochemicals, are limited and if exploited can provide valuable input in sustainable agriculture production.

The advent of ‘conservation agriculture’ (CA) farming using zero- or no-tillage practices and an accompanying change in crop rotations in the last 10–15 years has potentially led to less disturbance of mouse burrows and increased cover and food supply. Given the irregular outbreaks of mice in grain cropping regions in Australia and the damage they cause, it is important to understand when and where mouse populations increase so that management strategies can be improved. We utilised a 20-year long-term mouse population data set collected prior to the introduction of CA farming practices and a more recent 8-year data set after CA to compare changes in mouse population abundance in a typical dryland grain cropping system in north-western Victoria, Australia. Mouse trapping data were used to compare abundance in crop and margin habitats during crop growth and non-crop (fallow) periods before (‘conventional’) and after introduction of CA. Mice are now resident year-round within crops and stubble and appear to only spill over into margin habitats. Previously developed recommendations for mouse management that include their control while in margin habitats may no longer be valid.

Sugarcane infested with bermudagrass and harvested as seed cane introduces the potential for weedy propagules to reinfest fields. Research was conducted in 2018 and 2019 following sugarcane harvest for seed cane to evaluate bermudagrass management with photosystem II (PSII)- and 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (HPPD)–inhibiting herbicides applied alone or mixed with triclopyr. Combinations of diuron at 2.8 kg ha–1 with clomazone at 1.5 kg ha–1 or triclopyr at 1.1 kg ha–1 and hexazinone at 0.74 kg ha–1 with triclopyr applied early POST (EPOST) in mid-February injured bermudagrass 85% to 86%, and injury was greater than diuron or hexazinone alone (16% and 10%) in mid-March. Bermudagrass injury decreased to 45% to 56% for these combination treatments by April; however, injury differences were similar to the earlier rating. Late POST (LPOST) mid-March application of these treatments indicated similar bermudagrass injury trends when evaluated in early April. By mid-May, however, no treatment resulted in greater than 18% bermudagrass injury. Clomazone plus diuron applied LPOST resulted in 19% sugarcane injury by early April; however, all other treatments resulted in 7% sugarcane injury or less. In mid-May, a mid-April EPOST application of topramezone at 0.025 kg ha–1 plus triclopyr at 1.1 kg ha–1 resulted in 62% bermudagrass injury, which was equivalent to that observed with other topramezone rates in this combination (0.012 and 0.037 kg ha–1) (54% to 60%). Bermudagrass injury from triclopyr mixed with mesotrione (32%) or triclopyr mixed with atrazine, mesotrione, and S-metolachlor (47% to 55%) resulted in bermudagrass injury similar to that with topramezone plus triclopyr (54% to 62%). Data showed the flexibility of triclopyr when mixed with several HPPD- or PSII-inhibitor herbicides for bermudagrass management in a Louisiana sugarcane cropping system. Greater flexibility in application timing for HPPD-inhibitor herbicides than for PSII-inhibitor herbicides (diuron or hexazinone), and mixed with triclopyr, may suppress bermudagrass POST in April and May with minimal sugarcane injury.

The present investigation was carried out during winter of the consecutive seasons (2018/2019 and 2019/2020) on 9 year old Flame Seedless grapevines grown in a private vineyard at Sharkia Governorate, Egypt. Garlic (Balady cv) was intercropped with grapevines (Flame Seedless cv) on dripper irrigation lines, as a try to reduce numbers of phytonematodes in grapevine soil. For grapevines, the obtained results referred that intercropping insignificantly (P≤0.05) increased number of berries/bunch, weight of 100 berries and berry firmness, separation force, total soluble solids percentage, anthocyanin content and yield/ vine as well as bunch weight and width, berry length, berry diameter and berry shape index compared to sole grapevines. For garlic (Balady cv), the achieved results pointed out that plant height, number of leaves/plant, leaf fresh weight/ plant, nick diameter as well as bulb diameter, height and weight/ plant insignificantly decreased when garlic intercropped with grapevines compared to control. Competition indices; i.e., land equivalent ratio (LER), area time equivalent ratio (ATER) and land utilization efficiency (LUE) showed that, intercropping garlic with grapevines was more efficient than sole cropping system. Aggressively estimation demonstrated that grapevines were dominant advantages while garlic was dominated. Moreover, intercropping garlic (Balady cv) with grapevines was obviously decreased population density of phytonematodes infesting grapevine orchard. Generally, garlic together with other biocontrol agents in grapevine orchards has the potential to be an efficient and environmentally agricultural management method to reduce numbers of plant parasitic nematodes.

Ethiopian mustard (Brassica carinata A. Braun) is a biofuel crop recently introduced in the southeastern United States. For this crop to be successful, integrated weed management strategies that complement its rotation with summer cash crops must be developed. The objectives of this research were to evaluate the effect of previous season summer crops on winter weed emergence patterns during Ethiopian mustard growing season and to assess the impact of planting Ethiopian mustard on the emergence patterns of summer weed species. Gompertz models were fit to winter and summer weed emergence patterns. All models represented more than 80% of the variation, with root mean-square error values less than 0.20. The emergence pattern for winter weed species was best described using growing degree-day accumulation, and this model can be utilized for implementing weed control strategies at the critical Ethiopian mustard growth stages. The results also showed that summer weeds can emerge during the winter in northern Florida but do not survive frost damage, which might create off-season seedbank reductions before the summer crop growing season.

Agronomic biofortification increases the concentration of target mineral in edible portions of crops by the use of mineral fertilizers to increase dietary intake of target minerals. Among these iron and zinc deficiencies in human nutrition are noticed in countries where maize is the staple food. The objective of this study was to evaluate agronomic biofortification performance in association with Integrated Nutrient Management in maize (Zea mays .L). The study was conducted under field conditions in Chinnakandiankuppam village, Vriddhachalam Taluk, in the North-eastern region of Tamil Nadu state, India of Kharif 2020 season. Two hybrids in main plots (M1 – Non biofortified and M2 – Biofortified) were combined with six treatments in sub-plots (100 % RDF through NPK (S1), 100 % RDF through FYM (S2), 50% RDF through NPK + 50% through FYM (S3) as soil application, S1+ Zinc + Iron (S4), S2 +Zinc + Iron (S5) and S3 + Zinc + Iron (S6) as foliar application with evaluations were carried out in wet season period of the year. Application of 50 percent RDF through NPK + 50 percent RDF through FYM with Fe, Zn, foliar applications (S6) was the most efficient agronomic biofortification practice for growth attributes, yield and yield attributes, nutrient uptake, and quality parameters for the maize cropping system under the irrigated condition of the northeastern zone of Tamilnadu State, India.

Cotton leaf curl virus (CLCuV) is a menace to cotton productivity in Africa and Asia, especially in Pakistan. Early cotton planting is one of the options for CLCuV management, but due to late harvesting of wheat crop in cotton-wheat cropping system, early planting is not feasible. To address this problem, a two-year experiment was conducted at Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan. The experiment includes a commercially grown and approved cotton genotype IUB-13 grown at two spacings i.e. normal spacing (30 cm plant-to-plant distance) and high density population (15 cm plant-to-plant distance). In both cases, row-to-row distance was kept constant i.e. 75 cm. From the experiment, data were collected for CLCuV infestation, seed cotton yield (SCY), number of bolls per unit area (NB), boll weight (BW), above ground fresh biomass (AGFB), harvest index (HI), ginning out-turn (GOT) and fibre quality traits e.g. fibre length (FL) and fibre fineness (FF). Significant reduction in above mentioned traits was observed mainly attributed to higher CLCuV infestation in late sown cotton (30th May, 2018 and 2019). It was clearly evident from the results that yield losses due to CLCuV were effectively compensated in late sowing with high plant densities (reducing the plant spacing) due to improvement in the AGFB and HI.

Global demand for food has always been on the increase due to the increase of the population in this world. Intercropping is one of the alternatives of agronomic practices that is widely practiced in ensuring food security and enhancing yield stability. Strip, mixed, and relay intercropping can be practiced to increase crop production. In addition to achieving a successful intercropping system, factors such as suitable crops, time of sowing, maturity of the crop, and plant density need to be considered before and during planting. Besides, practiced intercropping becomes a useful cropping system to increase efficient resource utilization, enhance biodiversity, promote soil health, enhance soil fertility, erosion control, yield advantage, weed, pest, and disease control, insurance against crop failure, ecosystem and modification of microclimate, market instability, and increase farmers income. Crop productivity in any types of cropping system implemented relies primarily on the interception of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) of crop canopy and conversion of intercepted radiation into biomass or known as radiation use efficiency (RUE). Both PAR and RUE are important measurements that have significant roles in crop growth and development in which the accessibility of these radiation dynamics is connected with the leaf area index and crop canopy characteristics in maximizing yield as well as total productivity of the crop component in intercropping systems.

This field experiment was conducted for two consecutive years during 2014-15 and 2015-16 on loamy sand soil of Agronomy Main Research Farm, Department of Agronomy, Central Research Station of the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology, Bhubaneswar. The treatments consisted of three legumes as main plot treatments taken up during the kharif season and two residue management practices as sub-plot treatments and four nitrogen levels as sub-sub plot treatments. It shows that soil microbial population increased linearly over the initial level by taking a legume-cereal sequence. Further the incorporation of legume residues improved the microbial population over no residue incorporation treatments. Decreased trend of the total microbes was seen after the harvest of maize. An increase in available N, P and K was noticed with increase in nitrogen levels during both the years of study. After the harvest, cowpea recorded the highest available soil nitrogen values of 278 and 284 kg ha-1 in the first and second year respectively as well as highest total bacterial count of 228 x 104 g-1 of soil was recorded with cowpea residue incorporation with nitrogen application at 180 kg ha-1.

A field experiment was conducted at Instructional farm of Krishi Vigyan Kendra Kendrapara, Odisha during kharif and rabi seasons of 2013-14 and 2014-15 in rice-groundnut cropping system under irrigated medium land situation. The soil of the experimental site was sandy loam in texture with pH of 5.7, organic carbon of 0.52% having available soil nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium of 390.9 kg/ha, 10.1 kg/ha and 190.1 kg/ha respectively. Rice crop (var. Sahabhagi dhan) was transplanted in kharif season taking nine treatments having three levels of nutrient management practice and three level of weed management with three replications. Further during rabi season each main plot was divided into two sub-plots taking groundnut (var. Devi) with two levels of weed management practices under split plot design. The pooled data revealed that growth of rice and yield attributes were significantly higher in treatment of RDF (75% N) with green manuring of dhaincha (Sesbania aculeata) with pre emergence application of herbicide oxadiargyl followed by post emergence bispyribac-sodium which recorded higher plant height (96.35 cm), number of tillers per plant (212.7), Leaf area index (4.4), dry matter accumulation (1347.5 g/plant), panicle length (25.8 cm) and test weight (22.33 g).