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Several indices can be used to assess the impact of short-term conservation agriculture strategies on improving soil organic carbon (SOC). To find out how the SOC pools and the carbon lability influence the carbon management index (CMI) in response to different agricultural practices in a warm semiarid region, the carbon lability index (LI) and the carbon pool index (CPI) were measured under the interactive effect of different fertilizer applications and crop residue management (hereafter referred to as "farming strategies") in combination with four crop rotation systems in Ahvaz, Khuzestan, Iran, over four growing seasons from 2018 to 2020. The farming strategies were as follows: (1) using the standard rate of inorganic fertilizer used in the region and removing crop residues from the soil (SIF_no-CR); (2) applying the standard rate of organic fertilizers used in the region and returning 30% of crop residues to the soil (SOF_30% CR); and (3) integrating the use of inorganic and organic fertilizers and returning 15% of crop residues to the soil (IOF_15% CR). The crop rotation systems were fallow-wheat (F-W), corn-wheat (C-W), sesame-wheat (S-W), and mung bean-wheat (B-W). No statistically significant difference was observed between the different farming strategies and rotation systems with respect to LI after two years of the experiment. The highest (1.26) and lowest (1.06) CPIs were observed for SOF_30% CR and SIF_no-CR, respectively. The magnitude of the CMI values followed the order SOF_30% CR (121) > IOF_15% CR (107) ≥ SIF_no-CR (106). B-W and F-W had the highest and lowest CPI with values of 1.29 and 1.01, respectively. No statistically significant difference was found for the different crop rotation systems. Given the low impact of the common farming practices in the region, e.g., SIF_no-CR and F-W, on CPI and CMI at 24 months, our results showed that farming strategies with manure application and crop residue management and summer wheat-based rotation systems appear to be more appropriate farming strategies to improve CMI in arable land. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cultivated soils are constantly under stress, in particular, from anthropogenic pressure due to their tillage. At the same time, climate change, moisture deficit, trends in crop rotation and improved crop tillage technologies encourage farmers to pay more attention to tillage systems. In addition, this element of technology plays a significant role in ensuring the sustainability of the entire agrophytocenosis. The aim of the study was to determine the effectiveness of different tillage practices on certain soil fertility indicators and corn yield. The research was carried out in 2021-2023 at the Dokuchaevske Experimental Field of the State Biotechnological University, which is located in the Left-Bank Forest-Steppe zone of Ukraine. The experimental design includes the study of different tillage methods: ploughing with PLN-4-35 at 25-27 cm (control); chisel local tillage with PC-2.5 at 33-35 cm; moldboardless tillage with PRN-31000 at 33-35 cm and discing with BDM-2.5 at 10-12 cm. The reaction of the soil to the main tillage in corn crops was determined through its main water and agrophysical parameters: moisture content, density and hardness. The results of the research showed that the condition of typical chernozem is almost the same after ploughing and moldboardless tillage with the PRN-31000 ("paraplough"). A slight increase in the density of the arable soil layer was found after the application of chisel and discing tillage. All tillage options created favourable conditions in the soil, as its hardness in the 0-20 cm soil layer was in the range of 13.3-15.1 kg/cm2. In corn crops, moisture reserves in the one-metre layer did not differ by tillage options. However, there was a tendency for its decrease in the variants with chisel and discing tillage compared to ploughing. For all variants of soil tillage, compared to ploughing, there was a significant decrease in corn grain yield. The practical significance of the results obtained is to optimise the regulation of water and physical properties of typical chernozem with the achievement of soil protection technologies and stabilisation of corn grain yields in the context of climate change and variability of modern production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A significant impediment to the advancement of animal husbandry in India is the insufficient availability of green fodder throughout the year. The nutritive quality of forages is heavily influenced by farm-level management practices. Consequently, there is a pressing need to enhance productivity through the implementation of proper agronomic practices. The nutrient management in fodder-based cropping sequence is a key to maximize the fodder production and its quality. Methods: A field experiment was conducted using a randomized block design, consisting of twelve treatments incorporating various organic sources of nutrients. The experiment was replicated thrice during Kharif and Rabi season 2020-22 at Department of Forage Crops, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore. The treatments included different proportions (100, 75, 50 and 25%) of the recommended dose of nitrogen applied through FYM, vermicompost and bio compost. Result: The experiment results of the three years study revealed that application of 50% RDN through FYM+ 50% RDN through vermicompost recorded the higher green fodder yield of 691 q/ha, dry matter yield of 130.7 q/ha and crude protein yield of 19.3 q/ha. Correlation and regression analysis also indicated that the growth and yield attributes had a positive impact on the fodder yield. Hence it can be recommended that application of FYM and vermicompost (50 and 50% RDN) found better source of organic nutrients for achieving sustainable and economical fodder yield with quality in fodder cowpea-maize cropping system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crop sequence and tillage can affect the yield of peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) and other crops. Research was conducted from 2006 through 2022 to determine the response of peanut to previous crop sequences including corn (Zea mays L.) and cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) planted in continuous conventional tillage (e.g., disking, field cultivating, and bedding with in-row sub-soiling) or strip tillage (e.g., tilling a 45 cm section on rows spaced 91 cm apart using fluted coulters, rolling baskets, and in-row sub-soiling). In 2013, 2019, and 2022, the entire test area was planted with peanut. In 2019 and 2022, peanut was planted without or with fluopyram applied in the seed furrow at planting. Decreasing the number of years between peanut planting resulted in lower peanut yields compared with fewer years of peanut planting in the rotation sequence. Continuous conventional tillage and strip tillage resulted in similar peanut yields at one location, while the yield was lower at a second location when peanut was planted in continuous strip tillage. Fluopyram did not affect peanut yield regardless of previous crop rotation sequence, the number of years separating peanut plantings, or the tillage system. However, minor differences in the populations of plant-parasitic nematodes in soil were noted when comparing fluopyram treatment. The results from these experiments indicate that while fluopyram can reduce the populations of some plant-parasitic nematodes in soil, the magnitude of reduction does not translate into increases in peanut yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the weed species Echinochloa crus-galli, commonly known as barnyardgrass, which is a persistent threat to crop yield and quality, especially in maize (Zea mays) cultivation. It is one of the most problematic weeds in agricultural fields due to its aggressive growth, adaptability to different environmental conditions and prolific seed production. The incidence of Echinochloa crus-galli in maize fields has increased in recent years. This study aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the characteristics and behavior of Echinochloa crus-galli, and to suggest effective measures to control it. This research on sweetcorn was conducted from 1992 to 2019 at the Research and Education Center Gorzyń, Złotniki branch, which belongs to the Poznań University of Life Sciences. The evaluation of weed infestation was carried out in experiments focusing on chemical weed control in maize. The experiments were designed as a one-factor randomised block design with four field replications. The condition and the degree of weed infestation (number of weeds and fresh weight of weeds) in the control plots was assessed on an annual basis at the end of June and in July. The aim of the study was to evaluate the dynamic changes in the status and extent of barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crus-galli) infestation in maize grown after various other crops in the Wielkopolska region, with a focus on the weather conditions. The study found that barnyardgrass was most likely to occur when maize was sown after winter wheat in a dry and warm year, and least likely when maize was grown in rotation after winter wheat in a cold year with average rainfall. The proportion of barnyardgrass weed mass in the total weed mass was significantly lower after winter rye than after winter wheat, winter oilseed rape and winter triticale. Further research into the biology and ecology of barnyardgrass is key to effectively controlling this weed and safeguarding sweetcorn yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crop rotation aims to improve the sustainability and production efficiency of agricultural ecosystems, especially as demands for food and energy continue to increase. However, the regulation of soil microbial communities using crop rotation with oilseed flax and its relationship with key soil physicochemical driving factors are still not clear. In order to investigate this matter, we carried out a field study lasting four years involving various crop rotation sequences including FWPF, FPFW, PFWF, FWFP, ContF, and ContF1. In addition to evaluating soil physicochemical parameters, we employed Illumina high-throughput sequencing technology to explore the structure and variety of soil microbial communities. The findings indicated a notable rise in pH value with the FPFW treatment in contrast to other treatments, along with significant increases in AP, MBC, MBN, and qSMBC compared to ContF. The number of OTUs in the FPFW, WFPF, FPFW, and PFWF treatments was significantly increased by 4.10–11.11% compared to ContF (p < 0.05). The presence of Actinobacteria and Acidobacteria was greatly impacted by the FPFW treatment, whereas the presence of Actinobacteria and Chloroflexi was notably influenced by the ContF treatment. The soil bacterial community was primarily influenced by TC, pH, and NO3−-N according to correlation analysis. Specifically, the FPFW therapy notably raised the soil pH level while lowering the TC level. Furthermore, the FPFW therapy led to a notable rise in the proportion of Acidobacteria and a significant decline in the proportion of Actinobacteria. These findings provide important theoretical support for using FPFW rotation to regulate soil microbial communities and solve the problems of continuous cropping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alternative fertilizers are essential to minimizing the deteriorating effects of chemical fertilizers on soil and water quality/health. Accordingly, the present work investigated the effects of combined organic–inorganic fertilization (COIF) on wheat and rice yields, soil nutrients, and soil Cd accumulation. Hence, seven different treatments were set up: control (CK); conventional fertilization (CF); adequate fertilization (OF); organic fertilizer replacing 25% (T1) and 50% (T2) of OF; and organic nitrogen (N) replacing 25% (M1) and 50% (M2) of OF-N. Overall, significant increases occurred in the yields of COIF crops. Compared with the CF, the highest wheat and rice yields happened in the M1 treatment (with a difference of approximately 18.5%) (p < 0.05). COIF slightly alleviated soil acidification, and improved the cation exchange capacity (CEC) of the study soils. Furthermore, COIF treatments significantly increased the contents of total phosphorus, total potassium, available phosphorus, and available potassium by 6.35 to 16.9%, 3.17 to 10.9%, 5.53 to 28.7%, and 2.6 to 12%, respectively (p < 0.05). Nevertheless, negligible increases took place in the Cd content of COIF soils compared with that of the CK. Altogether, our results concluded that 25% replacement of OF-N by organic N (M1) effectively improved the fertility/ecological sustainability of the study soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intensified agriculture, a driver of biodiversity loss, can diminish ecosystem functions and their stability. Biodiversity can increase functional redundancy and is expected to stabilize ecosystem functions. Few studies, however, have explored how agricultural intensity affects functional redundancy and its link with ecosystem function stability. Here, within a continental‐wide study, we assess how functional redundancy of seed predation is affected by agricultural intensity and landscape simplification. By combining carabid abundances with molecular gut content data, functional redundancy of seed predation was quantified for 65 weed genera across 60 fields in four European countries. Across weed genera, functional redundancy was reduced with high field management intensity and simplified crop rotations. Moreover, functional redundancy increased the spatial stability of weed seed predation at the field scale. We found that ecosystem functions are vulnerable to disturbances in intensively managed agroecosystems, providing empirical evidence of the importance of biodiversity for stable ecosystem functions across space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Today's society demands a better balance between the needs of agricultural production and environmental protection, particularly in reducing the application of pesticides. Compared to the past, fewer pesticide active ingredients are allowed and available in the European Union. One pest that is controlled by pesticides is our model pest, the pea moth (Cydia nigricana), which can cause damage to pea seeds (Pisum sativum). The aim of this study was to develop alternative and preventive strategies that can be used as crop protection in the shape of a GIS-based planning tool for crop rotation with a minimum distance to avoid specific pests. In our tool, the distance between current and previous pea sites was important, because insect pests follow their host plants. The hypothesis is that the greater the distance, the less infestation. We developed a web tool to create buffers with different distances around the previous pea sites to calculate the infestation risk for future pea sites. The web tool can be adapted in terms of distance and risk classes for other pests. Consequently, our tool helps to avoid pest infestation, and therefore, farmers can reduce pesticide applications, which protects the environment and strengthens biodiversity. Crop rotation is an important strategy for pest reduction. For mono-, or oligophagous pests that overwinter at a previously infested site, crop rotation means that the pests must find new host crop sites in the following year, and it is more efficient if a pest-specific distance is applied. Here, we report the development of a GIS-based tool for efficient cultivation planning using the example of the pest complex pea moth (Cydia nigricana) and grain and green peas (Pisum sativum). Monitoring data for four consecutive years (2016–2019) from 513 sites were used. Infestation of pea seeds and the distance to the previous year's pea sites were recorded. An adjustable Python script was developed by means of infestation–distance–correlation as a pest and crop-specific minimum migration distance (MD). The output of the tool is a risk map as decision support for cultivation planning. It shows different risk buffers with distances from 1261 m to 1825 m, depending on the cultivation type. The web tool is easily adjustable to other pests and crops anywhere in the world. The tool helps to prevent damages caused by agricultural, mono-, or oligophagous insect pests and consequently reduces pesticide applications for the benefit of the environment and biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Canola (Brassica napus L.) production is threatened by blackleg disease caused by Leptosphaeria maculans. Disease outcome is determined by interactions among pathogens, plants, farming practices, and environmental factors. Although the gene-for-gene interactions between the pathogen and its plant host are relatively clear, how precisely the pathogen interacts with the environment and farming practices is still poorly understood, making disease forecasting challenging for commercial farmlands. In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) has been successful in forecasting disease risks based on environmental factors. In this study, we evaluated two AI methods and a data augmentation method to forecast disease risk using a dataset collected from 116 farmlands in Alberta in 2021 and 2022. We first assessed a machine learning model (support vector machine or SVM) and a deep-learning model (convolutional neural network or CNN) to predict blackleg severity based on five weather variables, flea beetle damage, root maggot damage, and crop-rotation variables. Both SVM and CNN predicted the disease risk with an accuracy of over 66%. The data augmentation method did not improve model performance. Flea beetle feeding and maggot damage contribute little to the model's performance, and omitting these data did not appear to affect the results. In contrast, crop rotation contributes substantially to model performance. The five weather variables contribute roughly equally to the model's performance, and removing any of the individual weather variables did not impact prediction ability for both models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In a long‐term rotation experiment (2016–2022) with different nitrogen (N) fertilizer levels in subtropical South‐India, crop yields of low N plots were unexpectedly high. We therefore hypothesized that in the absence of mineral N application, these yields are largely due to N inputs by N2 fixation in the component crops. To assess the diazotrophic N2‐fixation of lablab (Lablab purpureus L. Sweet) and possible associative N2‐fixation of finger millet (Eleusine coracana L. Gaertn), a controlled experiment was conducted during the 2021 monsoon season within the above‐mentioned long‐term field study. Two approaches were used to estimate the quantity of N derived from the atmosphere (Ndfa): the dilution method using a 15N‐labeled fertilizer and the natural abundance method. Method: For the 15N dilution method irrigated maize (Zea maize L.), finger millet and lablab were labeled with two split applications of 10% 15N fertilizer (50:50 15N‐urea and 15N‐ammonium sulfate) amounting to a total of 15 kg N ha−1. Maize was selected as the non‐fixing reference plant to estimate diazotrophic N2‐fixation. The entire aboveground biomass of the labeled plants was harvested at maturity and analyzed for total DM, N concentration, and the 15N isotope ratio. Results: N2 fixation efficiency for lablab was 52%–69% depending on the calculation method, corresponding to 40–53 kg N ha−1. For finger millet, the natural abundance method resulted in an estimated N2‐fixation of 5 kg N ha−1, which was suggested by the results of the dilution method whereby the reference plant maize was only poorly labeled. Conclusion: Labeling of maize might have been diluted due to unexpected associative N2‐fixation or N‐uptake from unlabeled deep soil N pools. The data underline the importance of symbiotic N2‐fixation in crop rotation systems of South‐India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gridded landcover datasets like the NASS Cropland Data Layer (CDL) provide a useful resource for analyses of cropland management. However, many farm operation decisions are made at the field level, not the pixel level. To capture relationships between land cover and field characteristics – size, contiguity, etc. – some method is needed to aggregate gridded data into crop fields. To provide a uniform and consistent approach for aggregation of gridded data at the field level over a series of years, this research project developed a set of Crop Sequence Boundaries (CSBs), which are polygons that delineate areas of homogeneous cropping sequences for the contiguous US. The CSBs are open-sourced algorithm-based, geospatial polygons derived using historic CDLs together with road and rail networks to capture areas with common cropping sequences. The CSB approach used geospatial functions in Google Earth Engine (GEE) and in the ArcGIS Pro application. These geospatial functions are run in parallel by sub-dividing the contiguous US into smaller regions based on road and rail boundaries to prevent overlaps or gaps in the data. As a new set of algorithmically delineated field polygons, the CSBs enhance applications requiring large-scale crop mapping with vector-based data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"European Green Architecture" refers to the implementation of sustainable agriculture that provides sufficient food and ecosystem services for both present and future generations. The conditions contained in eco-scheme PD-04 "Environmentally friendly practices for arable land" refer to the introduction of agricultural practices that have a positive impact on the environment and are aimed at farms with an area of more than 10.01 ha. The data was provided by the Agency for Payments and Interventions in Agriculture in Romania. The method of analysis was the comparative method, as well as the analysis of the structure of the cultivated and non-cultivated areas, the average for each county of Romania, the situation of the structure of the crops and the presence of nitrogen-fixing crops and protein crops, relevant indicators for the farms that applied for the PD-0 eco-scheme. The results of the analysis show that in 2023, the number of farms in Romania that have applied for the PD-04 eco-scheme is 46,608, with a total area of 5,789,746.35 ha, of which 2,934 were declared as uncultivated land, corresponding to 26,829.82 ha. According to the general agronomic rules, the crop rotation for field crops aims at an optimal crop structure as follows: 25% cereal straw, 25% maize, 25% legumes (soybeans, peas, beans, etc.) and sunflowers, 25% forage crops (alfalfa, clover, peas, etc.) necessary to increase soil fertilization. The paper presents the culture preferences of Romanian farmers in the year 2023, regarding the implementation of the eco-scheme PD-04 "Environmentally beneficial practices applicable to arable land". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The behavior of oat varieties against harmful insects is an essential agronomic property. In the protection of plants in general and in oat culture, in the present case, insecticides will be applied only at the times when they are needed and in the optimal doses. In addition to respecting the technological links (quality ploughing, crop rotation, sowing in the optimal season), combating oat pests is a priority to minimize quantitative and qualitative production losses. In this work, the identified harmful species are presented: Sitobion avenae, Helicoverpa armigera, Haplodiplosis marginata, Haplothrips tritici, Agrotis segetum, Phorbia fumigata and mites, as well as the effectiveness of insecticide treatments based on cypermethrin 100 g/liter (Faster 10 CE), lambda-cyhalothrin 50 g/liter (Karate Zeon® 50 CS) and deltamethrin 100 g/liter (Decis® Expert 100 EC) against them. The research was carried out under conditions of natural infestation of the Ovidiu variety, during the vegetation period of 2021 in Mircea Vodă commune, Brăila county. Among these species, the greatest abundance was represented by the species Sitobion avenae. The effectiveness of the insecticide treatments applied to the oat crop was reflected in a very significant increase in production of 325 kg/ha in the case of the Karate Zeon® 50 CS product, a distinctly significant increase of 279 kg/ha in the case of the Decis® Expert 100 EC product and a insignificant increase, of 130 kg/ha, in the case of the product Fastac 10 CE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adoption of sustainable practices in agriculture is crucial for ensuring the long-term viability of farming systems, protecting the environment, and promoting food security and economic prosperity for future generations. If the sustainable practices are not aligned with farmers' needs, adoption status may likely to be low. To investigate the adoption behavior of farmers in the different dimensions of sustainable practices, a study was conducted in Manipur during November 2021 to July 2023. The data was gathered from randomly selected 320 respondents. The findings highlighted that the highest adopted sustainable agricultural practices was MW (manual weeding) and CR (crop rotation). Most of the respondents belonged to the medium level of adoption with a 51.53 adoption index. Using binary logistic regression, the effect of independent variables on the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices was tested. The model exhibits below moderate relationships, predicting 25.00 per cent of decisions to adopt sustainable agricultural practices, which can be explained by the independent variables. Furthermore, out of the eleven variables, seven variables were importantly influenced on the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices. Boosting farmers' confidence through technology demonstration, awareness campaigns about the benefits of sustainable technology, and implementing a well-designed, user-friendly interface with feedback mechanisms can significantly enhance adoption rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study examined the determinants of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) practices in Uttar Pradesh. The systematically collected data of 480 sampled farmers from two regions of Uttar Pradesh, namely Central and Bundelkhand, was analysed using the binary logistic regression model. A field survey was conducted in August and September 2022. Farmers belonging to the Lucknow district were having relatively higher adoption rates of CSA practices. Entrepreneurial orientation (EO), consisting of risk-taking, innovativeness, and pro-activeness, was a significant factor influencing farmers' adoption of CSA techniques. The findings show that male farmers are more inclined to use irrigation, certified seed, crop rotation, and soil testing. Education is linked to the acceptance of certified seed and soil testing, which necessitates financial commitment from farmers. Farmers, who have improved their irrigation facilities their income increased by 11.50 per cent, while those who had tested soil before plantation, the income increased by 54.76 per cent. Therefore, research indicates that entrepreneurship training and education courses for farmers should be customised to aspects of entrepreneurial orientation, such as risk-taking, innovativeness, and proactiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil health is seriously threatened by the overuse of chemical fertilizers in agricultural management. Biogas slurry is often seen as an organic fertilizer resource that is rich in nutrients, and its use has the goal of lowering the amount of chemical fertilizers used while preserving crop yields and soil health. However, the application of continuous biogas slurry has not yet been studied for its long-term impact on soil nutrients and microbial communities in a rotation system of annual ryegrass-silage maize (Zea mays). This study aimed to investigate the impacts on the chemical properties and microbial community of farmland soils to which chemical fertilizer (NPK) (225 kg ha−1), biogas slurry (150 t ha−1), and a combination (49.5 t ha−1 biogas slurry + 150 kg ha−1 chemical fertilizer) were applied for five years. The results indicated that compared to the control group, the long-term application of biogas slurry significantly increased the SOC, TN, AP, and AK values by 45.93%, 39.52%, 174.73%, and 161.54%, respectively; it neutralized acidic soil and increased the soil pH. TN, SOC, pH, and AP are all important environmental factors that influence the structural composition of the soil's bacterial and fungal communities. Chemical fertilizer application significantly increased the diversity of the bacterial community. Variation was observed in the composition of soil bacterial and fungal communities among the different treatments. The structure and diversity of soil microbes are affected by different methods of fertilization; the application of biogas slurry not only increases the contents of soil nutrients but also regulates the soil's bacterial and fungal community structures. Therefore, biogas slurry can serve as a sustainable management measure and offers an alternative to the application of chemical fertilizers for sustainable intensification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to identify changes in soil fertility and yields of main crops in a grain–beat crop rotation system as a result of long-term (ten rotation cycles) application of fertilizers in the Central Black Earth Region. Field works were conducted in Voronezh oblast on a low-humic leached chernozem soil. Changes that have occurred over the period from the first rotation cycle (1936–1945) to the tenth rotation cycle (2018–2022) were analyzed. The experiment involved the following variants: (1) control (no fertilizers), (2) N10P10K10 + manure (2.8 t/ha), (3) N20P20K20 + manure (2.8 t/ha), (4) N30P30K30 + manure (2.8 t/ha), and (5) N10P10K10 + manure (5.6 t/ha). The following changes in soil fertility occurred in the 0–20-cm layer over the period from the first to the tenth rotation cycle due to the effect of fertilizers: (1) in variants with the application of N20P20K20 + manure (2.8 t/ha) and N30P30K30 + manure (2.8 t/ha), hydrolytic soil acidity (Hh) increased by 5.26–83.3%, mobile K2O content by 18.9–74.4%, cation exchange capacity by 27.8–35.7%, and mobile P2O5 content by 7.81–9.00%; (2) in the control variant and variants with the application of N10P10K10 + manure (2.8 t/ha and 5.6 t/ha), humus content decreased by 0.41–0.73%, N-NO3 content by 25.3–47.7% and P2O5 by 13.3–31.6%. Long-term application of fertilizers increased grain yields of barley by 11.3–50.1%, grain yields of oats by 4.0–51.2%, grain yields of winter wheat by 13.4–30.6%, and tuber yields of sugar beet by 15.0–36.7%. In addition, it reduced clover fresh yields by 4.9–27.7% and increased by-product yields in all crops by 6.1–23.0%. Over the period from the first to the tenth rotation cycle, fertilized arable land productivity per 1 ha increased by 3.30–18.3% (less yield increase by 960 grain units/ha due to the introduction of more productive modern varieties). Long-term application of N30P30K30 + manure (2.8 t/ha) ensured the highest level of soil fertility and productivity in the crop rotation system. The fertilization scheme was as follows: N135P135K135 applied to sugar beet fields twice per nine-field crop rotation cycle and manure applied to the fallow field once per crop rotation cycle at a rate of 25 t/ha. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil compaction causes adverse effects on soil structure and the performance of crops. There is significant literature supporting the hypothesis that reducing tire inflation pressure can help to minimize compaction, but there is no data on the potential benefits of high flexion tires operating at reduced tire pressures in Midwestern United States agriculture. Hence, a field‐scale study was established in Illinois to determine the potential benefits of high flexion tires at low tire pressure (LTP) in comparison with those operated at standard tire inflation pressure (STP) on soil condition, crop growth and yield of maize and soybean for three tillage systems; deep tillage (450 mm), shallow tillage (100 mm) and no‐till. Two adjacent experiments were established in typical maize/soybean and soybean/maize rotations, respectively. The experiment used a 2 × 3 factorial design with five completely randomized blocks. The results showed that the use of LTP tires resulted in lower soil penetrometer resistance for three tillage systems in 2017 and 2018 in the maize field and 2018 in the soybean field. This improved plant establishment and the number of plants per hectare of maize in both 2016 (*p ≤.05) and 2018 (**p ≤.01) and plant establishment (***p ≤.001) and the number of plants per hectare (***p ≤.001) of soybean in 2018. The penetrometer resistance was higher in the no‐till plots compared to deep and shallow tillage plots in maize and was higher in the deep tillage plots compared to the shallow tillage in the soybean field. The use of LTP tires resulted in an increased grain yield of maize by 4.31% (15.02 Mg ha−1) and 2.70% (14.76 Mg ha−1) in 2017 (**p ≤.01) and 2018 (*p ≤.05), respectively, and soybean by 3.70% (4.25 Mg ha−1) in 2018 (*p ≤.05). The depth of tillage had a significant effect on soybean and maize yields in 2017 (***p ≤.001) and 2018 (***p ≤.001), respectively, with higher yields of both soybean and maize in the deep and shallow tillage compared to no‐till plots. The study concludes that the use of the LTP systems can be a potential means of addressing soil compaction and maintaining soil porosity while increasing crop productivity in silty clay loam soils in Central Illinois. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Straw return utilizes waste resources to reduce the use of chemical fertilizers worldwide. However, information is still lacking on the relative impact of straw return on soil fertility, the nutrient composition of different soil aggregates, and soil microbial communities. Therefore, this study aimed to understand the effects of different management practices on the crop yield, soil fertility, and soil community composition in a 14-year wheat–rice rotation system. The treatments included a control (without fertilizer and straw addition), chemical fertilization (NPK), straw return without fertilizer (S), and straw addition with chemical fertilizer (NPKS). The results showed that NPKS improved the wheat and rice yield by 185.12% and 88.02%, respectively, compared to the CK treatment. Additionally, compared to the CK treatment, the N, P, and K contents of the wheat stem were increased by 39.02%, 125%, and 20.23% under the NPKS treatment. Compared to the CK treatment, SOM, TN, TP, AN, AP, AK, CEC, AFe, AMn, ACu, and AZn were increased by 49.12%, 32.62%, 35.06%, 22.89%, 129.36%, 48.34%, 13.40%, 133.95%, 58.98%, 18.26% and 33.33% under the NPKS treatment, respectively. Moreover, straw addition promoted the creation and stabilization of macro-aggregates in crop soils. The relative abundance of macro-aggregates (0.25–2 mm) increased from 37.49% to 52.97%. Straw addition was associated with a higher proportion of aromatic and carbonyl carbon groups in the soil, which, in turn, promoted the formation of macro-aggregates. Redundancy analysis showed that straw return significantly increased the microbial community diversity. These findings demonstrate that straw addition together with chemical fertilizer could increase the crop yield by improving soil fertility, soil aggregate stability, and the diversity of fungi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vesuvio is likely the most if not one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world. It is an active volcano, quiescent since 1944. The activity of the Monte Somma and Vesuvio volcanic complex is commonly referred to as two central volcanic edifices, namely Monte Somma and Vesuvio. Nevertheless, the opening of numerous eruptive fissures and related vents have characterized Monte Somma and Vesuvio throughout their lives. Spatter cones, spatter ramparts, and related eruptive fissures are disseminated downslope of Vesuvio's main cone and on the southern slopes of the volcano. Similarly, cinder cones, spatter cones, and welded spatters are distributed in the sequence cropping out on the Monte Somma cliff and on the northern slopes of Monte Somma. In this work, a total of 168 eruptive vents have been identified and characterized in a GIS environment in which field data have been merged with relevant information from historical maps and documents. These vents have been arranged into units bounded by unconformities (Unconformity Bounded Stratigraphic Units) defining the eruptive history of the volcano. Alignments of vents and eruptive fissures within each unit have been compared with regional tectonic elements and the volcano-tectonic features affecting Monte Somma and Vesuvio during the last 5600 years, thus inferring that different structural trends were active in the different stratigraphic units. In particular, we show that the N300°–320° regional, Apennine, left-lateral, strike-slip fault system, the N040°–055° Torre del Greco direct fault system, the N70° and the EW fault system, and the generally NS oriented group of local brittle elements, all analyzed here, were differently active during the investigated time span. These tectonic trends might control the position of the eruptive fissures and vents in case of future unrest of the volcano. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gridded landcover datasets like the NASS Cropland Data Layer (CDL) provide a useful resource for analyses of cropland management. However, many farm operation decisions are made at the field level, not the pixel level. To capture relationships between land cover and field characteristics – size, contiguity, etc. – some method is needed to aggregate gridded data into crop fields. To provide a uniform and consistent approach for aggregation of gridded data at the field level over a series of years, this research project developed a set of Crop Sequence Boundaries (CSBs), which are polygons that delineate areas of homogeneous cropping sequences for the contiguous US. The CSBs are open-sourced algorithm-based, geospatial polygons derived using historic CDLs together with road and rail networks to capture areas with common cropping sequences. The CSB approach used geospatial functions in Google Earth Engine (GEE) and in the ArcGIS Pro application. These geospatial functions are run in parallel by sub-dividing the contiguous US into smaller regions based on road and rail boundaries to prevent overlaps or gaps in the data. As a new set of algorithmically delineated field polygons, the CSBs enhance applications requiring large-scale crop mapping with vector-based data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aphanomyces cochlioides and Rhizoctonia solani are two of the main soil phytopathogens of sugar beet, which lead to substantial losses in yield and quality. Since disease control capabilities are complex and pathogen monitoring is important for predicting risks, it is of great importance in rural production to create available methods for preliminary field assessment. The purpose of the study was to introduce a predictive methodology for assessing the potential of soils for their suitability for growing sugar beet in the system of short-rotation crop rotations. As an indicator plant, sugar beet seeds were used, which are not characterised by genetic resistance against these diseases. The possibility of using the pre-growing disease index (PPDI), which has a gradation from 0 to 100 and covariance with the actual yield, sugar content and gross sugar yield per hectare, is tested. The presowing PPDI value is compared with the actual yield from each specific field to really assess the possibility of using the PPDI index to characterise yield losses on production crops. It is determined that with an increase in the PPDI value, the gross yield of sugar beet, sugar content, and gross sugar yield decreased. The results of studies show that one unit of PPDI causes a loss of gross yield at the level of 0.24 t/ha and a decrease in the sugar harvest by 0.018 t/ha. That is why, to manage the risks of growing sugar beet, it is necessary to assess the phytopathogenic load of the soil. It is established that the most harmful and permanently identified phytopathogens are Rhizoctonia solani and Fusarium ssp, which indicates the need to select hybrids that are characterised by resistance or high tolerance to these pathogens. The information obtained can be used for timely identification of infection risks, development of effective management strategies, and improvement of agricultural techniques for growing sugar beet to reduce crop losses and increase the efficiency of agricultural products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reveals the role of soybean varieties and the value of their crops, capable of fixing atmospheric nitrogen and being a favorable predecessor in modern crop rotations, the importance of optimizing organo-mineral nutrition, seed treatment with nitrogen-fixing and phosphate-mobilizing bacteria for improving the nitrogen-fixing capacity of soybean varieties. Development of the technology of growing soybeans with environmentally friendly elements requires scientific substantiation and adaptation to the soil and climatic conditions of a particular growing zone, as well as the research of their impact on the varietal characteristics of a crop. The research outcomes confirmed the maximum formation of the symbiotic apparatus indicators: the number and weight of soybean nodules and their intensive functioning with the formation of the highest indicators of the total and active symbiotic potential as well as the amount of biologically fixed nitrogen, it is necessary to jointly inoculate seeds with Rizoline and double application of chelated microfertilizers at microstage BBCH 12-13: Organic Balance + Azotophyte + Helprost Soybean + Liposam and at microstage BBCH 61-69: Organic Balance + Azotophyte + Helprost Boron + Liposam. At the same time, the total number of soybean nodules was formed in the Samorodok variety - 50.3, of which 36.0 pcs./plant were active, in the Amadeus variety - 55.6 and 40.0 pcs./plant. The total and active weight of soybean nodules in the Samorodok variety made up 515 and 399 mg/plant, and in the Amadeus variety - 586 and 454 mg/plant. Indicators of total and active symbiotic potential were 31.2 and 21.6 thousand kg/day per ha in the Samorodok variety, as for the Amadeus variety - 36.5 and 25.5 thousand kg/day per ha and biologically fixed nitrogen in the Samorodok variety - 119.0 kg/ha, in the Amadeus variety - 140.1 kg. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The no-tillage system (NTS) maximizes the use of plant species diversification during cultivation while minimizing disturbance to the seeding row and using the crop residues from previous species. Our objective was to compare management practices, including crop rotation (CR) and crop succession (CS), as well as a native fragment serving as a reference area (FC), and explore the relationship between litter decomposition and soil biological quality. To evaluate the decomposition of litter from soybean cultivation, we utilized fine (0.5 mm) and coarse (10 mm) mesh litter bags, which were placed in the soil and contained the winter crop residues. Additionally, sampling for edaphic fauna, microbiological, chemical, enzymatic, and environmental variables was conducted. A higher remaining mass was observed in the fine mesh litter bags (CR 75.5%, FC 68.3%, CS 63.9%) compared to the coarse mesh (FC 54.9%, CR 35.3%, CS 27.9%). Our results showed that diverse plant species composition led to a slower decomposition rate, similar to that found in native forests, stabilizing the agricultural system. Also, the decomposition rate was influenced by management practices, species selection, climate, and microbial activity. Epigeic invertebrates, particularly Detritivores/decomposers groups, played a significant role in litter decomposition, with higher decomposition rates observed in the coarse mesh. Microbial activity, influenced by soil attributes such as arylsulfatase enzyme activity, organic matter content, and soil moisture, significantly affected litter decomposition. The diversity of plant species in NTS increases the soil fauna and reduces litter decomposition rate. Therefore, we suggest NTS with CR using multiple plant species as a management that favors soil organisms in long-term systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Innovative management practices are needed to mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the agricultural sector by enhancing soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) stocks, which serve as major reservoirs of C and N in the terrestrial ecosystem. The effect of cropping systems and N fertilization rates were examined on soil organic C (SOC) and soil total N (STN) stocks at the 0–120 cm depth from 2011 to 2018 in a dryland farm in the US northern Great Plains. Cropping systems were no-till continuous spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) (NTCW), no-till spring wheat–pea (Pisum sativum L.) (NTWP), no-till spring wheat–fallow (NTWF), and conventional till spring wheat–fallow (CTWF) and N fertilization rates were 0, 50, 100, and 150 kg N ha−1 applied to spring wheat. The SOC and STN were greater for NTWP than other cropping systems at most N fertilization rates and depth layers. Increasing N fertilization rate increased SOC at 0–30 cm for NTWP and NTCW, but had a variable effect on STN for various cropping systems and soil depths. The NTWP with 50–100 kg N ha−1 can enhance SOC and STN at 0–30 cm compared to other cropping systems and N fertilization rates in the US northern Great Plains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continuous cropping has a negative effect on soybean yield. In this study, a positioning experiment was conducted starting in 2015, with three treatments: maize–soybean rotation (SMR), 2-year maize, 2-year soybean rotation cropping (SC2), and 8-year soybean continuous cropping (SC8). We determined soybean yields (2015–2022) and analyzed soil microbial communities, functions, and metabolites composition in the 0–20 cm tillage layer using metagenomics technology and GC–MS technology during soybean flowering in 2022. Results indicated that continuous cropping (SC8) significantly reduced soybean yield compared to crop rotation (SMR) during the experimental period, while SC8 showed higher yield than SC2 in 2022. Compared to SMR, SC8 significantly increased soil N content and significantly decreased pH and TP, AP, and AK content. However, the pH and AK contents of SC8 were significantly higher than those of SC2. LeFSe analysis showed that Friedmanniella, Microlunatus, Nitrososphaera, Rubrobacter, Geodermatophilus, Nitriliruptor were enriched in SC8. Gaiella, Sphaerobacter, Methyloceanibacter were enriched in SC2. Sphingomonas, Cryobacterium, Marmoricola, Haliangium, Arthrobacter, Ramlibacter, Rhizobacter, Pseudolabrys, Methylibium, Variovorax were enriched in SMR. And the relative abundance of Cryobacterium, Marmoricola, Haliangium, Arthrobacter, Ramlibacter, Rhizobacter, Methylibium, Variovorax was significantly positively correlated with yield, while the relative abundance of Gaiella and Sphaerobacter was significantly negatively correlated with yield. SC8 significantly increased the abundance of genes in nitrogen metabolism and significantly decreased the abundance of genes related to phosphorus and potassium metabolism compared with SMR. However, the abundance of genes in potassium metabolism was significantly higher in SC8 than in SC2. Metabolomic analysis showed that compared to SMR, SC8 decreased the abundance of carbohydrates, ketones, and lipid. However, the abundance of carbohydrates, ketones, and lipid was significantly higher in SC8 than in SC2. Mantel test showed that soil pH and AK significantly affected soil microbial community, function, and metabolite composition. Correlation analysis showed significant correlation between soil metabolites and microorganisms, metabolic functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intensive agriculture has created several problems in cropping systems that threaten the sustainability of agricultural production. In order to design new cropping systems, a new approach is emerging to support the transition toward sustainable agriculture: a co-design and co-evaluation process that involves stakeholders in the agrifood chain. The present work therefore describes the co-design and co-evaluation process that was followed to design a highly diversified cropping system in a Mediterranean environment. The different systems that were co-designed include the reference system, with wheat and barley in rotation, as well as three diversified systems that were also proposed and co-evaluated: the rotation of wheat, oil seed rape, and barley (DIV1); the rotation of wheat, pea, and barley (DIV2); and the rotation of wheat, intercrops of barley-common vetch, and barley (DIV3). The best system that was selected from the different stakeholders was the DIV3, as it had the highest evaluation of the stakeholders using agronomic, environmental, and socio-economic criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intensive agriculture that is used in many countries has led to a reduction in biodiversity and the deterioration of the environment. Therefore, it is important to increase the adoption of cropping systems with high biodiversity. The objectives of the present study were the following: 1. assess the performance and sustainability of novel highly diversified production systems compared to the current traditional system and 2. provide quantitative economic and ecosystem service information for farmers, extension workers, and policy makers in order to support the development of sustainable and resilient high species cultivar/landrace diversification (HSD) production systems. The rotation of wheat–pea–barley was a system with low energy inputs and high outputs, significantly increasing the energy efficiency. Also, the same system demonstrated better economic and environmental indices, making it a suitable cropping system for Mediterranean areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil nitrogen (N) availability is one of the limiting factors of crop productivity, and it is strongly influenced by global change and agricultural management practices. However, very few studies have assessed how the winter drought affected soil N availability during the subsequent growing season under chemical fertilization. We conducted a field investigation involving snow removal to simulate winter drought conditions in a Mollisol cropland in Northeast China as part of a 6-year fertilization experiment, and we examined soil physicochemical properties, microbial characteristics, and N availability. Our results demonstrated that chemical fertilization significantly increased soil ammonium and total N availability by 42.9 and 90.3%, respectively; a combined winter drought and fertilization treatment exhibited the highest soil N availability at the end of the growing season. As the growing season continued, the variation in soil N availability was explained more by fertilization than by winter drought. The Mantel test further indicated that soil Olsen-P content and microbial carbon use efficiency (CUE) were significantly related to soil ammonium availability. A microbial community structure explained the largest fraction of the variation in soil nitrate availability. Microbial CUE showed the strongest correlation with soil N availability, followed by soil available C:P and bacteria:fungi ratios under winter drought and chemical fertilization conditions. Overall, we clarified that, despite the weak effect of the winter drought on soil N availability, it cannot be ignored. Our study also identified the important role of soil microorganisms in soil N transformations, even in seasonally snow-covered northern croplands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the influence of lag fertilization techniques on Pakistani wheat production, highlighting the need to understand and mitigate the environmental impacts of farming methods. The basic purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of CO2 emission from fertilization and other factors on wheat production in Pakistan, using a time series of data from 1990 to 2020. CO2 emission from fertilization (CO2EF) is estimated using the default values provided by the IPCC guidelines. The ARDL approach analyses the short-run and long-run effects of CO2EF, technology level, energy use, agricultural land, and agricultural labor on wheat production. The results show that all factors have significantly impacted wheat production in Pakistan at levels of 1% and 5% significance, both in the short and long run. These findings suggest that reducing CO2EF, technology level, energy use, agricultural land, and agricultural labor on wheat production can help to increase wheat production in Pakistan. The study also highlights the importance of adopting sustainable and efficient fertilization practices, exploring alternative fertilizers, and using crop rotation systems to mitigate the adverse effects of carbon emissions from nitrogen fertilization, energy use, and the use of technology. These measures can contribute to a more sustainable and climate-resilient agriculture sector in Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Plants can suppress the growth of other plants by modifying soil properties. These negative plant–soil feedbacks are often species‐specific, suggesting that some plants possess resistance strategies. However, the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown.Here, we investigated whether benzoxazinoids, a class of dominant secondary metabolites that are exuded into the soil by maize and other cereals, allow maize plants to cope with plant–soil feedbacks.We find that three out of five tested crop species reduce maize (Zea mays L.) performance via negative plant–soil feedbacks relative to the mean across species. This effect is partially alleviated by the capacity of maize plants to produce benzoxazinoids. Soil complementation with purified benzoxazinoids restores the protective effect for benzoxazinoid‐deficient mutants. Sterilization and reinoculation experiments suggest that benzoxazinoid‐mediated protection acts via changes in soil biota. Substantial variation of the protective effect between experiments and soil types illustrates context dependency.In conclusion, exuded plant secondary metabolites allow plants to cope with plant–soil feedbacks. These findings expand the functional repertoire of plant secondary metabolites and reveal a mechanism by which plants can resist negative effects of soil feedbacks. The uncovered phenomenon may represent a promising avenue to stabilize plant performance in crop rotations. See also the Commentary on this article by Bass, 241: 2316–2319. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a sequence (1979–2022) of a long-term trial established in Lukavec in 1956 (Czech Republic) focusing on the effect of weather, various nitrogen (N) fertilization methods (control, PK, N1PK, N2PK, and N3PK) and preceding crops (cereals, legumes, and oil plants) on winter wheat grain yield is presented. The weather significantly changed at the site of the long-term trial. While the trend in the mean temperature significantly increased, precipitation did not change significantly over the long term. Four relationships between weather and grain yield were evaluated to be significant: (a) the mean temperature in February (r = −0.4) and the precipitation in (b) February (r = −0.4), (c) March (r = −0.4), and (d) May (r = 0.5). The yield trends for all the fertilizer treatments increased, including the unfertilized control. The N3PK treatment provided the highest mean grain yields, while the unfertilized control had the lowest yields. Comparing the preceding crops, the highest yields were harvested when the wheat followed the legumes. On the other hand, the cereals were evaluated as the least suitable preceding crop in terms of grain yield. According to the linear-plateau model, the optimal nitrogen (N) dose for modern wheat varieties, following legumes and under the trial's soil climate conditions, was 131 kg ha−1 N, corresponding to a mean grain yield of 8.2 t ha−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The assessment of cropland carbon and nitrogen (C and N) balances plays a key role in identifying cost-effective mitigation measures to combat climate change and reduce environmental pollution. In this paper, a biogeochemical modelling approach is adopted to assess all C and N fluxes in a regional cropland ecosystem of Thessaly, Greece. Additionally, the estimation and quantification of the modelling uncertainty in the regional inventory are realized through the propagation of parameter distributions through the model, leading to result distributions for modelling estimations. The model was applied to a regional dataset of approximately 1000 polygons, deploying model initializations and crop rotations for the five major crop cultivations and for a time span of 8 years. The full statistical analysis on modelling results (including the uncertainty ranges given as ± values) yields for the C balance carbon input fluxes into the soil of 12.4 ± 1.4 t C ha -1 yr -1 and output fluxes of 11.9 ± 1.3 t C ha -1 yr -1 , with a resulting average carbon sequestration of 0.5 ± 0.3 t C ha -1 yr -1. The averaged N influx was 212.3 ± 9.1 kg N ha -1 yr -1 , while outfluxes of 198.3 ± 11.2 kg N ha -1 yr -1 were estimated on average. The net N accumulation into the soil nitrogen pools was estimated to be 14.0 ± 2.1 kg N ha -1 yr -1. The N outflux consists of gaseous N fluxes composed of N 2 O emissions of 2.6 ± 0.8 kg N 2 O–N ha -1 yr -1 , NO emissions of 3.2 ± 1.5 kg NO–N ha -1 yr -1 , N 2 emissions of 15.5 ± 7.0 kg N 2 –N ha -1 yr -1 and NH 3 emissions of 34.0 ± 6.7 kg NH 3 –N ha -1 yr -1 , as well as aquatic N fluxes (only nitrate leaching into surface waters) of 14.1 ± 4.5 kg NO 3 –N ha -1 yr -1 and N fluxes of N removed from the fields in yields, straw and feed of 128.8 ± 8.5 kg N ha -1 yr -1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Input data collection, quality assurance and preparation are central but time_consuming steps in environmental modeling. Errors due to manual processing of model input data can result in an incorrect representation of an environmental system and may consequently lead to implausible model simulations. Correct input data preparation and thorough quality check at an early stage of the model setup procedure are essential to build confidence in model simulation results. Typically, in environmental model applications, many steps in the input data preparation phase have to be repeated with the inflow of new, additional or corrected data. In this study, we selected the widely used SWAT + ecohydrological model as an illustrative example to investigate challenges related to input data preparation. To assist in these tasks, we developed an R package named SWATprepR, which provides functions for typical and repeating SWAT + model input data preparation tasks. The package supports the preparation of weather input files, atmospheric deposition, soil parameters, crop rotations, and observed (control or calibration) data, to name a few, presently with focus on European applications. The SWATprepR functions are integrated in R script workflows and can help SWAT + modelers to avoid repetitive tasks, secure reproducibility and transparently document the data processing steps. Application of the package is illustrated with a test case of a SWAT + model for a small catchment in central Poland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

No-till (NT) cropping systems have been proposed as a potential strategy to combat soil degradation and global warming by storing soil organic carbon (SOC) and nitrogen (N). Yet, there are ongoing debates about the real benefits of NT systems and factors influencing SOC and N accumulation. Assessing the dynamics of SOC and N on the long-term is needed to fill knowledge gaps and provide robust scientific evidence for potential additional SOC storage. We quantified the changes in SOC and N stocks and fractions down to 100 cm depth from three 13-year-old experiments in a tropical red Oxisol in Cambodia, comparing conventional tillage (CT) to NT monocropping and NT crop rotation systems using a diachronic and equivalent soil mass (ESM) approach. The three experiments comprised maize-, soybean-, and cassava-based cropping system trials, hereafter called MaiEx, SoyEx, and CasEx, respectively. Soil samples were collected in 2021, 10 years after the first sampling in 2011, at 7 depths: 0–5, 5–10, 10–20, 20–40, 40–60, 60–80, and 80–100 cm. Over the 10-year period (2011–2021), significant impacts on SOC stock and its vertical distribution differed among the NT systems and in the three experiments. In MaiEx and CasEx, the soils under all the NT systems significantly (P > 0.05) accumulated SOC stock across the soil depths, with the accumulation ranging from 6.97 to 14.71 Mg C ha-1 in the whole profile (0–100 cm). In SoyEx, significant increase in SOC stock was limited to the top 0–20 cm under NT monocropping, whereas NT crop rotation systems had significantly accumulating SOC stock from 0 to 80 cm depths. When considering 0–100 cm as a single stratum, the annual SOC cumulative rate in NT systems ranged from 0.86–1.47, 0.65–1.00, and 0.70–1.07 Mg C ha-1 yr-1 in MaiEx, SoyEx, and CasEx, respectively. In the top 0–10 cm, NT systems significantly increased C concentration in particulate organic matter (POM) by 115 %, 118 %, in MaiEx and SoyEx, respectively, and by 37 % in CasEx although not significantly. Similarly, at 0–10 cm depth, NT systems significantly enhanced C concentration in the mineral-associated organic matter (MAOM) by 33 %, 21 %, in MaiEx and SoyEx, respectively. Significant increase of C in MAOM was also observed from 0 to 40 cm in CasEx. In contrast, total N stock in NT systems increased in the surface 0–5 cm depth but decreased below 10 cm and in the whole profile (0–100 cm), particularly under NT monocropping with an annual loss rate of -0.10 and -0.17 Mg N ha-1 yr-1 in SoyEx and CasEx, respectively. Although NT systems increased N concentration in POM in the top 0–10 cm of MaiEx and SoyEx, a decreasing trend was observed below 10 cm depth. The N concentration in POM under NT systems in CasEx also decreased with soil depth. From 2011 to 2021, N concentration in MAOM under NT systems remained stable in MaiEx and SoyEx in the top 0–5 cm, but significant decreases in MaiEx and CasEx below 5 cm. Our findings suggest that adopting NT cropping systems with diverse crop and cover crop species and high biomass C inputs in the long-term leads to SOC accumulation not only in the surface but also in deeper layers, by increasing both the C pools in the POM and MAOM size fractions, even on the cassava-based system, which is believed to be an annual crop that could cause serious soil fertility depletion. This study highlights the potential of NT cropping systems to store SOC over time, but raises questions about soil N dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The composition of a soil microbial community that is associated with novel rotation crops could contribute to an increased yield of subsequent crops and is an important factor influencing the composition of the rhizosphere microbiome. However, the effect of alternative dryland crops on soil microbial community composition is not clear in the northern Great Plains (NGP). The objective of this study, therefore, was to evaluate the effects of the oilseed crops Ethiopian mustard (Brassica carinata A.) or camelina (Camelina sativa L.) or a 10-species forage/cover crop (CC) mix and fallow on soil biological health. Phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis was used to characterize the microbial community structure. The results showed that the total bacterial PLFA proportion was significantly higher in camelina and fallow compared to CCs and carinata, whereas the total fungal proportion was significantly higher under a CC mix compared to camelina and fallow. The fungal-to-bacterial ratio was significantly higher in CCs (0.130) and carinata (0.113) compared to fallow (0.088). Fungi are often considered a good indicator of soil health, while bacteria are crucial in soil functions. The changes in specific microbial communities due to crop-related alterations might play a key role in the yield of subsequent crops. This study provides valuable insights into the effect of oilseeds, CCs, and fallow on microbial communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Argentina stands as one of the leading consumers of herbicides. In a laboratory incubation experiment, the persistence and production of degradation metabolites of Atrazine, 2,4-D, and Glyphosate were investigated in a loamy clay soil under two contrasting agricultural practices: continuous soybean cultivation (T1) and intensified rotations with grasses and legumes (T2). The soils were collected from a long-term no-till trial replicating the influence of the meteorological conditions in the productive region. The soil was enriched with diluted concentrations of 6.71, 9.95, and 24 mg a.i./kg-1 of soil for the respective herbicides, equivalent to annual doses commonly used in the productive region. Samples were taken at intervals of 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 16, 32, and 64 days, and analysis was conducted using high-resolution liquid chromatography UPLC MS/MS. An optimal fit to the first-order kinetic model was observed for each herbicide in both rotations, resulting in relatively short half-lives. Intensified crop sequences favored the production of biotic degradation metabolites. The impact of the high frequency of soybean cultivation revealed a trend of soil acidification and a reduced biological contribution to attenuation processes in soil contamination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Black gram is a leguminous plant species. This pulse crop has been grown on the Indian subcontinent for a long time. Black gram a drought-resistant crop that grown both in the summer and the winter, usually in rotation with rice but occasionally in mixed farming. The objective of this research was to (i) quantify the short-term effects of high minimum temperature and enriched night CO2 (HMT and enCO2) on yield contribution factors and (ii) quantify seed quality parameters employing biochemical analysis. Methods: An investigation was carried out during summer 2021 and 2022 to evaluate the effect of high minimum temperature (ambient+3°C) and enriched night CO2 (600 ppm) (HMT and enCO2) on yield and seed quality parameters of black gram (Vigna mungo) under soil plant atmospheric research (SPAR) and ambient condition at Agro Climate Research Centre, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu with ten treatments which were replicated thrice. Result: Black gram yield and quality parameters were significantly (p=0.05) reduced under HMT and enCO2. Pooled data from two successive summer seasons revealed that stress from (i) 50 to 56 DAS (Days after sowing), the number of flowers dropped per plant significantly increased by 24% and pod setting percent decreased by 19.9% (ii) 43 to 49 DAS, grain yield and biomass/plant decreased by 25.4% and 16.2%, respectively. Seed quality parameters revealed that stress during 50 to 56 DAS, seed protein, total sugar content, polyphenols, calcium and iron decreased by 19.4%, 23.7%, 16.2%, 29.6% and 30.2%, respectively. The proline and phytic acid were statistically reduced by 53.9% and 59.1%, respectively stress during 50 to 56 DAS. Stress from 64 to 70 DAS, seed moisture content was significantly decreased by 32.1%. Overall, black gram yield and seed quality was negatively affected on two treatments: stress imposed from 43 to 49 DAS (T7) and stress imposed from 50 to 56 DAS (T8) (50% flowering to pod filling stage). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intensification of crop sequence (ICS) has been proposed as a key field practice to preserve soil health and achieve more sustainable agricultural systems. However, the effects of ICS are site‐specific and vary according to soil characteristics, climatic conditions, the duration of the crop sequencing and the types of crop involved. Soil aggregate stability (AS) and soil organic carbon (SOC) stock are useful indicators of soil health as they are closely linked to diverse soil services and functions and are sensitive to management practices. We performed a meta‐analysis of 33 studies to analyse the impact of ICS on SOC stock and AS in field experiments in the central‐eastern region of Argentina. Our results showed that ICS increased SOC stock and AS, with an overall mean change of 7% and 22%, respectively. Fine‐textured soils showed the greatest SOC stock increase (12%), comparable to the increase observed in coarse‐textured soils (11%); in medium‐textured soils this increase was less than half (5%). Coarse‐textured soils had the greatest increase in AS (32%), followed by medium‐textured and fine‐textured soils, which also showed notable improvements (25% and 19%, respectively). Greater diversity of crops resulted in larger increases in both AS and SOC. ICS generated a larger increase of SOC stock in the soil surface (0–10 cm) than in the subsurface (10–20 cm), whereas the opposite was found for AS. Long‐term studies (≥9 years) had the greatest effect on AS and SOC stock. Regression analysis revealed that the initial carbon stock influenced SOC stock results following ICS, increases being greater when initial carbon stock contents were smaller. Introducing gramineous species into the crop sequence was associated with a greater improvement of AS and SOC stock. Finally, the mean rate of carbon sequestration from ICS in all the studies amounted to 0.28 Mg ha−1 yr−1. Overall, ICS is a useful strategy for improving SOC storage and AS in this region, though results may vary according to soil characteristics and management practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions are closely linked to agricultural fertilisation. European and national policy incentives have been set to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions; however, only a few evaluations have been conducted. Avoiding such emissions is an important climate change mitigation measure, but it is still uncertain which management measures over a long‐term, best out‐balance crop yield and GHG balances in agricultural systems. We here used the process‐based LandscapeDNDC model to simulate N2O emissions and trade‐offs in yield and soil nitrogen budget for four alternative arable cropping systems in three Austrian agricultural production zones belonging to different climatic regions. We evaluated statistical data on crop rotations and management practices, predominant soil types, and 10‐year daily weather conditions for four cropping systems: (1) conventional farming receiving the maximum allowed nitrogen fertilisation rate (Nmax), (2) conventional farming receiving 15% less fertiliser, (3) conventional farming receiving 25% less fertiliser, and (4) organic farming. Our results showed that soil N2O emissions could be best reduced in wet, high‐yield regions. Reducing nitrogen fertilisation by 15% and 25% mitigated N2O emissions by, on average, 22% and 39%, respectively, while the yield was reduced by 5% and 9%, respectively. In comparison, the same crops grown in the organic cropping system released 60% less N2O, but yield declined on average by 23%. Corn, winter barley, and vegetables showed the highest N2O reduction potential under reduced fertiliser input in conventional farming. In addition to N2O emissions, reduced fertilisation substantially decreased other nitrogen losses into the water and atmosphere. Generally, the soils under all cropping systems maintained a positive mean nitrogen budget. Our results suggest a significant emission reduction potential in certain production zones which, however, were accompanied by yield reductions. Knowledge of the emission patterns from cropping systems under different environmental conditions is essential to set the appropriate measures. In addition, region‐specific measures to reduce soil N2O emissions have to be in line with farmers' interests in order to facilitate the successful implementation of targeted nitrogen management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paw San Hmwe (PSH) is an indigenous rice variety from Myanmar with a good taste, a pleasant fragrance, and excellent elongation ability during cooking. However, its low yield potential and strong photoperiod sensitivity reduce its productivity, and it is vulnerable to climate changes during growth. To improve the photoperiod insensitivity, yield, and plant stature of PSH, the high-yield genes Grain number 1a (Gn1a) and Wealthy Farmer's Panicle (WFP), together with the photoperiod insensitivity trait, were introgressed into PSH via marker-assisted backcross breeding and phenotype selection. For the photoperiod insensitivity trait, phenotypic selection was performed under long-day conditions during the dry season. After foreground selection of Gn1a and WFP via simple sequence repeat genotyping, genotyping-by-sequencing was conducted to validate the introgression of target genes and determine the recurrent parent genome recovery of the selected lines. The improved lines were insensitive to photoperiod, and the Gn1a and WFP introgression lines showed significantly higher numbers of primary panicle branches and spikelets per panicle than the recurrent parent, with comparative similarity in cooking and eating qualities. This study successfully improved PSH by decreasing its photoperiod sensitivity and introducing high-yield genes via marker-assisted selection. The developed lines can be used for crop rotation and double-season cropping of better-quality rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article investigates the effects of different cropping rotations on soil moisture and economic benefit. Cabbage–maize–cabbage (CMC), beans–maize–cabbage (BMC), and cabbage–cabbage–cabbage (CCC) treatments were set up to study the effects of different crop rotation combinations on soil water storage, evapotranspiration (ET), water use efficiency (WUE), and economic benefit. The results showed that the average soil moisture content decreased initially and then increased with crop rotation, whereas it continued to decrease with continuous cabbage cropping as the crop grew. CMC reduced ET, whereas BMC increased ET from the nodulation to maturation stages of cabbage compared with CCC in the third experimental year. WUE of different crops showed that cabbage > maize > beans. The economic benefit of the CMC was higher than the other treatments in the third planting year. Therefore, the best crop rotation combination in this area is cabbage–maize–cabbage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The long-term performance of perennial energy crops and their elimination is important for long-term planning and use of agricultural land. In this study, the elimination of a six-year-old Sida hermaphrodita (hereafter referred to as Sida) stock for agricultural reclamation was investigated over three years. Crop rotation using maize, winter wheat, and sugar beet, a catch crop, as well as mechanical–chemical treatments were employed according to agricultural practices. After soil grubbing at the beginning of the experiment and prior to further treatments, on half of the former Sida planting area, visible Sida roots were manually removed in addition to determining their potential effect on total resprouting. Prior to each crop harvest, resprouted Sida plants were counted. At harvest, by the end of the first year, 476 versus 390 resprouted Sida plants were found in the investigated areas of 315 m2 each, where preceding manual root removal either took place or not, respectively. This accounted for 76% and 62% of the initial Sida planted. In the second year, the overall number of resprouted Sida declined significantly, accounting for 15 and 11 plants (i.e., 2.4% and 1.8% of initially planted), and in the third year, only two and four residual plants (i.e., 0.3% and 0.6%) were found, representing an almost 100% Sida elimination rate. We conclude that additional root removal did not result in a significant difference in Sida regrowth compared to the mechanical–chemical treatments only. No impediments to harvesting and no loss of yield in any crops were observed due to resprouted Sida in the existing field crops. No Sida plants were found outside the initial field, indicating a low dispersion potential and invasiveness. The results show that successful recultivation of an established Sida stock is possible through common agricultural practices and that resprouting Sida plants did not negatively affect the subsequent crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conservation agriculture and associated soil health practices potentially enhance soil resilience by improving the soil's physical, chemical, and biological properties and processes. This study assessed the impact of tillage (conventional tillage [CT] and no‐till [NT]); crop rotation: 2‐year corn (Zea mays L.)–soybean (Glycine max L.), 3‐year corn–soybean–oat (Avena sativa L.), and 4‐year corn–soybean–oat–wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)]; cover crops (cover crop [CC] and no cover crop [NC]); and drainage (tile drainage [TD] and without drainage [ND]) on soil organic matter (SOM), bulk density, wet aggregate stability (WAS), and field‐saturated hydraulic conductivity (Kfs). Soil samples were collected over 2 years apart from five depths (0–10, 10–20, 20–30, 30–60, and 60–90 cm) and analyzed for SOM, bulk density, and WAS. In‐situ infiltration tests were conducted in each plot to determine field‐saturated hydraulic conductivity. This study showed that NT practice significantly increased SOM by 5.4%, WAS by 7.7%, and bulk density by 6.7% within 0–10 cm soil profile but decreased Kfs by 47.6% compared to CT through increased bulk density in the topsoil. NT increased SOM for every soil depth and, similarly, increased WAS for every depth but only statistically significant increases occurred at 0–10 cm and 60–90 cm. Further, higher crop diversity decreased bulk density and increased WAS. Nine years of CC and six years of tile drainage practices had no significant effect on SOM, bulk density, WAS, and Kfs. Core Ideas: Long‐term no‐till (NT) has a significant impact on soil physical and hydraulic properties.NT increased soil bulk density, soil organic matter (SOM), and wet aggregate stability (WAS) by 6.7%, 5.4%, and 7.7%, respectively, for 0‐ to 10‐cm depth but decreased Kfs by 47.6% within profile than conventional tillage (CT).Compaction decreased at 0–10 cm in CT but increased within the 10–60 cm soil profile.NT with more diverse rotation and cover crop (CC) practices showed limited or no positive impact on Kfs for silt clay loam.CC and tile drainage(TD) had minimal impact on SOM, bulk density, WAS, and Kfs under silt clay loam in southeastern South Dakota. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long-term experiments (LTEs) are a vital source of information contributing to understanding and assessing the sustainability of agricultural systems. The Broadbalk Wheat Experiment at Rothamsted Research, UK, started in 1843, is the oldest continuing LTE in the world. In 1968, and later, major modifications were made to the experiment. These included the introduction of short-straw winter wheat varieties, growing wheat in rotation with other crops, for comparison with continuous (monoculture) wheat and testing higher rates of N fertilizer (up to 288 kg N ha-1). Other changes included the use of herbicides and other agrochemicals, except on selected sections. Regular liming continued to maintain soil pH. This paper reports crop yields and soil changes since 1968 and summarizes other studies including the incidence of weeds, pests and crop diseases, effects of treatments on nitrate and phosphate movement to drainage water, greenhouse gas fluxes, measurements of N and S inputs from the atmosphere, and many other factors. The change to short-straw varieties led to a doubling of grain yields. In recent years with cv. Crusoe yields of first wheat after a 2-year break in a rotation were >3 t ha-1 greater than continuous wheat, mainly because of decreased incidence of soil-borne pests and diseases. On average, yields of continuous wheat tended to increase at N rates up to 240 or 288 kg N ha-1 while the 1st wheat after a 2-year break often needed less N to reach maximum yield. Best yields now exceed 12 t ha-1 in some years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing ecological control technologies against the fall armyworms (FAWs) is crucial. The ecological role of green manure crops has gained attention for their indirect contribution to enhancing crop resistance against specific pests and diseases in rotation systems. We hypothesize that green manure application directly affects FAWs host utilization. By using two-sex life tables, we measured the host adaptation of FAWs to hairy vetch and their offspring's adaptation to the original host (maize) as breeding generations increased during larval stages fed on hairy vetch. When FAWs' adaptability to maize was significantly affected by feeding on hairy vetch, we used 16s rDNA sequencing to detect the gut microbiota composition of current generation of FAW populations that fed continuously on either hairy vetch or maize. Our results suggest that continuous feeding of FAWs on hairy vetch does not enhance their adaptation to the host plant across generations, indicating no increased risk of damage to hairy vetch in maize-hairy vetch rotation. As successive generations of FAWs fed on hairy vetch, their host-specific adaptation to maize decreased or even lost, which was shown by a decrease in pupal weight and fecundity, as well as an inability of emergent adults in completing mating. FAWs' gut microbiota exhibited lower diversity when fed on hairy vetch compared to maize. Cyanobacteria were not detected in "Hairy_vetch" group, while Oxyphotobacteria_unclassified, Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas, Serratia, and Klebsiella showed significantly differences in abundance between the "Maize" and "Hairy_vetch" groups. Additionally, gut microbial taxa and FAWs performance were significantly correlated. Overall, the feeding experience of FAWs on hairy vetch resulted in a reduced or was lost maize-specific adaptation, as shown through changes in gut microbiota. Our study provides experimental evidence for the ecological role of maize-green manure rotation systems in pest management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is known to subject the functioning of agroecosystems to high levels of biotic and abiotic stress and has a significant impact on agricultural production worldwide. Crop rotation is believed to be one way of adapting agriculture to climate change compared to monoculture This study aimed to examine the maize-wheat rotation impact on soil nitrogen dynamics and leaching losses. A study has been carried out on the experimental field of Tsalapitsa, Plovdiv region on Fluvisol. In this maize-wheat rotation experiment, we compared three fertilization treatments with increasing nitrogen and phosphorus rates to a control with no fertilization. In 2020, grain maize (Zea mays L.) FAO group 310, was grown with fertilizer rates (T0N0P0; T1N120P80; T2N160P120; T3N200P160). In the period 2020/2021, wheat, (Triticum aestivum L.), was grown with the following fertilizer variants - (T0 N0P0; T1N100P60; T2 N140P100; T3 N180P140). The field plots were equipped with modification of Ebermayer type of lysimeters, which collect water from 100 cm depth of soil profile. The volume of lysimetric waters was calculated, the nitrogen content and its leaching were analyzed. The study found that the lysimetric water volume after maize cultivation was 75.95 liters per square meter, approximately 2.5 to 3 times higher than that observed after wheat cultivation. Nitrogen content varied with fertilization rates, ranging from 10.8 to 37.5 mg/L for maize and 8.73 to 23.58 mg/L for wheat. The losses of the element with drainage runoff with the first crop were -- 5.6-28.5 kg.ha-1, and with wheat -- 1.2-6.3 kg.ha-1, respectively. It was established that when cereal crops were grown the losses of nitrate nitrogen out of the root zone were significantly reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aims to study the isolates of pathogenic fungi under a microscope with their visualization using fluorescent staining. Phytopathogenic fungi Fusarium sp. were assessed using real-time PCR. The highest concentration from the standard F. cerealis series (3,000, 300, 30, and 0 ng DNA/mL) showed a Ct value of 26, while the non-matrix control Ct was almost 40 for both fungus and plant primers. Amplification curves were also obtained for healthy and infected barley stems and leaves. DNA extracts from the infected barley stems and leaves showed a Ct value ranging from 26 to 30. These results corresponded to the concentrations of 300-3,000 ng/mL of F. cerealis and F. proliferatum DNA, respectively. At Ct 36, the DNA content in healthy barley leaves and stems was the same as in non-matrix controls. The dissociation curves for F. cerealis DNA extracted from the infected barley stems and leaves peaked at 87ºC, thus being identical to the peak obtained with pure F. cerealis DNA. To prevent the infection of barley crops with phytopathogenic fungi, it is necessary to apply an integrated approach, which involves ecological principles of protection. Following this strategy, it was possible to successfully apply crop rotation and tillage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen (N) is the most limiting nutrient for the production of vegetable crops, but anthropogenic sources pose risks due to its transformation into several reactive forms and movement throughout the environment. The bulk of the N research to date to improve Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE) has followed a reductionist factorial approach focused on synthetic N application rates and crop growth response, under monocultures. The increased adoption of diversified cropping systems, organic N sources, and alternative management practices makes it more challenging to unravel N form transformation, movement, and crop uptake dynamics, in time and space. Here, based on a selected review of the recent literature, we propose a holistic approach of nutrient management to highlight key management and production variables as well as multilevel cropping system, genetic, environmental, ecological, and socioeconomic interactions to improve the N cycle and NUE. The best management strategies to improve NUE include both organic and inorganic N rate calibration studies, germplasm selection, crop rotations, identification of nutrient x nutrient interactions, and pest and water management. Agroecological practices that may improve NUE include vegetational diversification in time and space, integrated crop–livestock systems, conservation tillage, organic amendment inputs, legume-based cropping systems, as well as a landscape approach to nutrient management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]