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This study investigated the effect of mixing volatile organic compounds (VOC) emitted by host and non‐host plants on the orientation of key pests of Brassicaceae. The study aimed to understand how these mixed VOCs influence pest behaviour, which could help in tailoring pest management strategies. The orientations of flea beetles, Phyllotreta spp., and the diamondback moth (DBM), Plutella xylostella, towards cabbage VOCs mixed with faba bean VOCs were assessed using Y‐tube olfactometry. The pests' preferences were measured to determine if the presence of faba bean alongside cabbage altered their olfactory orientation compared to cabbage alone. Flea beetles showed a preference for cabbage VOCs alone over the cabbage–faba bean VOC mix. For DBM, no significant preference was observed between cabbage alone and the cabbage–faba bean mix. Previous findings indicated that faba bean attracts DBM, and in this study the mixture of cabbage and faba bean appeared to be more attractive than cabbage alone. The results indicate that faba bean VOCs can deter flea beetles from cabbage, potentially offering a pest management strategy. However, the effect on DBM was inconclusive, with no clear preference observed. This suggests that while faba bean VOCs may influence pest orientation, their effectiveness varies among different pest species. Additionally, herbivore damage to cabbage leaves did not appear to influence the odour‐guided orientation of either pest, irrespective of the presence or absence of faba bean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soybean and corn strip cropping takes full advantage of the root characteristics and plant height differences between soybean and corn, which can improve crop photosynthesis and nutrient uptake as well as capitalize on themarginal effect of corn. However, there is not enough in-depth research on the effects of soybean and corn strip cropping modes on inter-root microbial communities and crop yield traits and their correlations, and the functional genes of inter-rootmicrobes. In this study, the structural composition and functional genes of soil inter-root microbial communities under different strip cropping patterns of soybean and maize, Mode 1, Mode 2, and Mode 3, were studied using macro-genome high-throughput sequencing, and the yield traits of soybean and maize were determined and the correlation was understood, taking Zhonglian Soybean 1505 and Tiyu 108 maize as test materials at the experimental base of the Research Institute of Agricultural and Livestock Sciences, Xing'anmeng, Inner Mongolia. correlation between the two. The following results were found. Redundancy analysis found that rhizospheremicroorganisms aremainly bacteria, followed by viruses, followed by archaea, and fungi are the least. Relatively speaking, viruses and bacteria are more susceptible to the influence of planting patterns than fungi. Alpha diversity analysis shows that the diversity index changes significantly during the peak flowering period. There is no difference between the other two stages. The diversity of maize rhizosphere microorganisms under Mode 1 or Mode 2 modes is higher than that under Mode 3 modes, while the diversity of soybean rhizosphere microorganisms under Mode 3 modes is higher than the other two modes. Profiling analysis found that different growth periods and planting patterns lead to varying degrees of changes in community structure. The dominant bacterial phyla include Pseudomonas, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Streptococcus. The dominant genera of bacteria are rhizobia, pseudomonas, erythrobacteria, and pseudomonas. The relative abundance of slow root rhizobia in the three growth stages of maize rhizosphere is relatively low. The results of yield traits showed that corn yield under Mode 1 and Mode 2 planting was significantly higher than that under pattern III; soybean yield under pattern III planting was significantly higher than that under the other two patterns, indicating that pattern I or II planting is suitable for corn production, while Mode 3 planting mode is more suitable for soybean production. Correlation analysis showed that S_Massilis_putida was significantly and positively correlated with maize yield, and S_lysobacter_capsici was highly significantly and significantly positively correlated with the number of soybean plants per square meter, and the number of plants in 2 square meters. This study contributes to our further understanding of the classification of inter-rootmicroorganisms and their functional relationships in maize and soybean under different conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Polish Technical Review is the property of Wydawnictwo SIGMA-NOT and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Most people who live in rural areas are highly dependent on shared access to natural resources including land, water, and forests for their food requirements and livelihoods. However, land degradation remains one of the biggest environmental problems worldwide. Therefore, this study proposed to develop integrated watershed management strategies for sustainable resource utilization in the Kalte River watershed. To achieve this, the SWAT model was simulated for 31 years (1992–2022), calibrated and validated at Wajifo and Humbo hydrological stations to determine the sediment and runoff from the watershed, highly sediment erosion-vulnerable part of the watershed was identified from the result of the model and the best watershed management practice was suggested for the study watershed. In total, 87,920 tons/year of sediment are yielded to Lake Abaya from the Kalte River watershed. The sediment yield was reduced by terracing at 64%, strip cropping at 59.32%, grassed waterway at 54.06%, and contour planting at 47.93%. Therefore, the highest efficiency management method in the Kalte River watershed is terracing. The watershed managers and scientific community are beneficiaries of the output of this study. Watershed managers and decision-makers can make use of the information to help them choose appropriate watershed management strategies and ensure sustainable watershed management. HIGHLIGHTS The Kalte River watershed was simulated for 31 years including a 3-year warm-up period.; The simulated model was calibrated and validated.; Erosion hotspot area was selected based on sediment yield.; Four watershed management practices are evaluated.;

Crop diversification through inter‐ and mixed cropping practices has been shown to enhance conservation biological control of herbivorous pest insects. However, distinct cropping practices are usually tested independently, which makes assessing the relative impact of specific measures difficult.We assessed parasitism rates of released large cabbage white (Pieris brassicae) caterpillars by parasitoids on white cabbage (Brassica oleracea) plants in six different cropping systems: four different strip‐cropping designs, a pixel cropping design and a monoculture. These cropping designs differed in the number of crops included, the use of parasitoid‐attractive cultivars in concurrence with a cash cultivar, the use of nectar‐providing crops for adult parasitoids and the spatial arrangement of the crops.Parasitism rate by the main P. brassicae parasitoid Cotesia glomerata was enhanced by strip cropping of white cabbage with wheat, and even further enhanced by the inclusion of four more main crops. Contrastingly, C. glomerata parasitism rate was lower in the most intensive crop mixture, that is pixel cropping, than in any of the strip‐cropping designs. The use of attractive cultivars or rewarding floral resources within a strip‐cropping set‐up did not significantly further enhance C. glomerata parasitism rate.Synthesis and applications: Our results show that increasing the number of crops in the agroecosystem enhances parasitism rates, whereas the additional inclusion of more subtle measures to attract or reward parasitoids shows mostly marginal effects. We argue that strip cropping can readily be employed as (part of a) pest control strategy, but trait‐based measures still need further development. How to implement attract and/or reward strategies in large‐scale agricultural systems should be further evaluated in the context of crop diversification schemes. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Root herbivores pose a major threat to agricultural crops. They are difficult to control and their damage often goes unnoticed until the larvae reach their most devastating late instar stages. Crop diversification can reduce pest pressure, generally without compromising yield. We studied how different diversified cropping systems affected the oviposition and abundance of the specialist cabbage root fly Delia radicum, the most important root herbivore in Brassica crops. The cropping systems included a monoculture, pixel cropping, and four variations of strip cropping with varying intra- and interspecific crop diversity, fertilization and spatial configuration. Furthermore, we assessed whether there was a link between D. radicum and other macroinvertebrates associated with the same plants. Cabbage root fly oviposition was higher in strip cropping designs compared to the monoculture and was highest in the most diversified strip cropping design. Despite the large number of eggs, there were no consistent differences in the number of larvae and pupae between the cropping systems, indicative of high mortality of D. radicum eggs and early instars especially in the strip cropping designs. D. radicum larval and pupal abundance positively correlated with soil-dwelling predators and detritivores and negatively correlated with other belowground herbivores. We found no correlations between the presence of aboveground insect herbivores and the number of D. radicum on the roots. Our findings indicate that root herbivore presence is determined by a complex interplay of many factors, spatial configuration of host plants, and other organisms residing near the roots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to investigate the effect of insecticides on the control of Spodoptera exigua in corn-soybean banded composite planting soybean fields, nine kinds of insecticides were selected to carry out the screening test, and the results showed that the test agents of the treatments were safe for soybean plants; the spraying of 6% ethyl polymyxin SC 450 mL/hm², 20% polymyxin SC 4mL/hm², 5% broflanilide SC 450 mL/hm² had a better control effect on the Spodoptera exigua in corn-soybean banded composite planting soybean fields, the prevention effect reached 65% 1 d after the drug.3 d after the drug reached more than 85%, 7 d after the drug reached more than 90%. The control effects of the above three treatments were significantly higher than those of other treatments, and the three treatments had rapid efficacy, which could significantly reduce the population size of the Spodoptera exigua in a short period of time. This study monitored the occurrence of Spodoptera exigua in Binhuai farm area in August 2022, which provides a basis for scientific prevention and control of Spodoptera exigua in large-scale production of corn-soybean banded compound planting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is an assessment of the susceptibility of soil to soil erosion, proposed measures against soil erosion, and an assessment of their effect on the reduction of peak flows. The area of interest is the Halúzníkov Creek basin. The calculations of the soil loss from water erosion were done using the universal soil loss equation and universal soil loss equation 2D methods; for estimating design floods, the curve number method was applied. For reducing the soil loss to tolerance values, strip cropping measures on agricultural fields were proposed. After applying the strip cropping measures, the design flood peaks were also reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of robotic systems in organic farming has taken on a leading role in recent years; the Sureveg CORE Organic Cofund ERA-Net project seeks to evaluate the benefits of strip-cropping to produce organic vegetables. This includes, among other objectives, the development of a robotic tool that facilitates the automation of the fertilisation process, allowing the individual treatment (at the plant level). In organic production, the slower nutrient release of the used fertilisers poses additional difficulties, as a tardy detection of deficiencies can no longer be corrected. To improve the detection, as well as counter the additional labour stemming from the strip-cropping configuration, an integrated robotic tool is proposed to detect individual crop deficiencies and react on a single-crop basis. For the development of this proof-of-concept, one of the main objectives of this work is implementing a robust localisation method within the vegetative environment based on point clouds, through the generation of general point cloud maps (G-PC) and local point cloud maps (L-PC) of a crop row. The plants’ geometric characteristics were extracted from the G-PC as a framework in which the robot’s positioning is defined. Through the processing of real-time lidar data, the L-PC is then defined and compared to the predefined reference system previously deduced. Both subsystems are integrated with ROS (Robot Operating System), alongside motion planning, and an inverse kinematics CCD (Cyclic Coordinate Descent) solver, among others. Tests were performed using a simulated environment of the crop row developed in Gazebo, followed by actual measurements in a strip-cropping field. During real-time data-acquisition, the localisation error is reduced from 13 mm to 11 mm within the first 120 cm of measurement. The encountered real-time geometric characteristics were found to coincide with those in the G-PC to an extend of 98.6%.

Finding a balance between the agroecological benefits of in-field crop diversification and the associated management demands, while maintaining expected production levels, is essential for making crop diversity work for farmers. The aim of this study was to find a workable resolution of diversity within the context of an on-station organic arable cropping systems experiment in the Netherlands. The experiment tested a gradient of crop diversity treatments from sole-crop references to strip cropping (3 m x 54 m strips sown in adjacent crop pairs of varying complexity) and pixel cropping (0.25 m2 plots each sown with one out of six total crops and arranged in 7.5 m x 12 m grids). In these treatments we assessed the performance of multiple agroecosystem service (AES) indicators (soil fertility, crop yield and quality, weed cover and diversity, and natural enemy activity density) for three focal crops (cabbage, wheat, and potato) using three years of field data and a three-part analysis. First, we used linear mixed models to assess the effects of each diversification treatment on the AES indicators. We found no clear indication that one treatment performed better than the rest across AES indicators. Second, we developed a novel method for quantifying the temporal, spatial, and genetic structural diversity of the tested treatments into compound diversity scores, and used these scores to analyze response relationships between increasing in-field diversity and AES delivery. Here we found that increasing compound diversity had a positive effect on the indicators weed species diversity and natural enemy activity density. For production indicators, we observed an inflection point between the most diverse strip cropping treatment and the pixel cropping treatment, with pixel cropping performing notably poorly. Third, we used a multivariate analysis approach to assess the contribution of temporal, spatial, and genetic diversity to AES delivery, but found no clear effects of individual diversity dimensions on AES delivery. These findings suggest that prospects for strip cropping are better than for pixel cropping when it comes to balancing production aims with increases in other AES while also maintaining management feasibility. Reconciling management shortcomings in highly diverse cropping systems (e.g. through the development of appropriate technologies) may be one way to mitigate trade-offs between ecological and production aims at resolutions of diversity higher than strip cropping. • We propose a method for quantifying structural diversity in cropping systems. • We apply the method to analyze agroecosystem service delivery in strip and pixel configurations. • No clear treatment effects were visible for the measured agroecosystem services. • Compound structural diversity was positively correlated with associated biodiversity. • Production levels in strip but not in pixel configurations were comparable to sole-crop references. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to assess the impact of strip cropping on the content of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, and calcium in maize. A field experiment was conducted during 2008–2010 in South Poland. The two cropping methods of maize were studied: sole cropping and strip cropping with common bean and spring barley. Maize was harvested in two different cycle stages: for silage in milky-wax phase and for grain in full maturity phase. Strip cropping significantly increased the accumulation of Mg and Ca by maize biomass and grain. However, the phosphorus content was higher only in maize grain. The row position in the strip influenced the macronutrients content in maize biomass and in grain. The placement adjacent to the bean resulted in higher Ca and Mg content in maize biomass and in grain. The phosphorus content in maize grain was also significantly higher in neighbouring rows with common bean strip. The least amounts of P and N were found in maize from the row adjacent to the barley strip. The results obtained indicated that strip cropping of maize with appropriate plant species, especially pulses, that is, common bean, seems to be an effective way to biofortify maize grain with Ca, especially in regions where it is the staple food. Furthermore, this may mitigate the deficiency of Mg and Ca in maize forage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding and simulating the fate and transport of pesticides from a field to adjacent receiving water bodies is critical for estimating long-term environmental exposure concentrations (EECs) in regulatory higher-tier environmental exposure assessments (EEA). The potential of field mitigation practices like vegetative filter strips (VFS) to reduce pesticide pollution is receiving increasing attention. Previous research has proposed a modeling framework that links the US Environmental Protection Agency's (US-EPA) PRZM/EXAMS higher-tier EEA with a process-based VFS model (VFSMOD). This framework was updated to consider degradation and carryover of pesticide residue trapped in the VFS. However, there is disagreement on pesticide degradation assumptions among different regional EEA regulations (i.e. US or European Union), and in particular on how temperature and soil moisture dynamics may affect EECs. This research updated the VFS modeling framework to consider four degradation assumptions and determine if VFS residues and/or EECs differed with each assumption. Two model pesticides (mobile-labile and immobile-persistent) were evaluated for three distinct agroecological scenarios (continental row-crop agriculture, wet maritime agriculture, and dry Mediterranean intensive horticulture) with receiving water bodies and VFS lengths from 0 to 9 m. The degradation assumption was important in long-term assessments to predict VFS pesticide residues (statistically different at p < 0.01). However, due to the relatively small contribution of residues on the total pesticide mass moving through the VFS, degradation assumptions had a negligible impact on EECs. This indicates that, while important differences exist between EU or US EEAs, the choice of pesticide degradation assumption is not a main source of these differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research was carried out on the sloping land from the Agricultural Research Station of Podu-Iloaiei, Iasi (47°12' N latitude, 27°16' E longitude) and the Experimental Farm of the University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Ezareni (47°07' N latitude, 27°30' E longitude) on a cambic chernozem (SRTS-2003). The parameters analyzed were soil texture, bulk density, aggregate stability (physical characteristics) as well as soil pH, SOM, basic cations (Ca, Mg, K), N and P (chemical characteristics). The climatic conditions in the Moldavian Plain were characterized by annual mean temperature of 9.6oC and a mean rainfall amount, on 50 years, of 553.5 mm, of which 141.5 mm during September-December and 412.0 mm during January-August. At the beginning of the sampling, the study of the researched area was carried out and the GPS was used to identify the geographic location and the coordinate system in the researched areas. Data on soil properties were recorded on thematic maps, scale 1: 2000 and processed using the AutoCAD software. The results obtained on soil erosion indicate that from the total amount of precipitation recorded - 549.8 mm, 338.5 mm (61.6%) generated leaks that varied between 8.2 mm at perennial grasses in the second year of vegetation and 33.4-35.9 mm at maize and sun flower crops. The annual soil losses due to erosion raged between 0.193 t/ha at perennial grasses in the second year of vegetation and 7.657-8.328 t/ha at maize and sunflower. The percent of hydrostable aggregates ranged between 65.5% at non-eroded soil from the base of the slope and 35.7 at highly eroded soil. Soil erosion caused a reduction in the percentage of aggregate by 14.5% to slightly eroded soil and 37.7% in the strongly eroded soil. The percentage of water stable aggregates was comprised between 73.5% in non-eroded soil, at the bottom of slope land and 45.7% at the highly eroded soil. Erosion influences soil fertility by removing along with the eroded soil, high amounts of mineral elements: 15.02 - 16.36 kg/ha nitrogen, 1.05 - 1.2 kg/ha phosphorus and 1.84 - 2.08 kg/ha potassium, in maize and sunflower crops. The crop structure, which determined the diminution in mean soil losses by erosion until 2.2 t/ha included 20% straw cereals, 20% annual legumes, 20% row crops and 40% perennial grasses and legumes. On land with a slope of 16%, lowering the percentage of weeding plants from 60% to 20% has reduced the amount of eroded soil by 47.1% (1.966 t/ha/y). At Ezareni, on the land with a 12% overall slope, given the agro-terraced process that appeared in time due to soil erosion and tillage, the slope of cultivated stripes decreased, depending on the slope of the land, to 7.40-10.78% and the slope of the taluses increased from 12.78 to 26.18%. At Podu-Iloaiei, on the land with a general slope of 13%, through the agro-terracing process, the slope of cultivated stripes decreased at 7.25 la 11.08 and the slope of the taluses increased from 17.66 to 88.28%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus Disease (CSSVD) is one of the major factors limiting cocoa ( Theobroma cacao L.) productivity in West Africa. The only cure for CSSVD is to cut out visibly infected trees and the official eradication campaign in Ghana has cut out more than 200 million trees since 1946. 80 years of research on preventive control measures have mainly focused on resistance breeding, mild strain cross-protection (inoculation of cocoa seedlings with a mild strain of the virus to protect against the severe strain) and control of mealybug vectors. Meanwhile, diversification measures such as agroforestry (for shading) or barrier (strip) cropping have received less attention. Despite promising results, CSSVD is more prevalent in the field than ever before. The large body of knowledge on preventive control measures for CSSVD is fragmented and many publications are not easily accessible. Furthermore, the literature has never been systematically evaluated and quantitatively assessed. Hence, we consolidated this knowledge with an extensive literature review followed by meta-analysis to identify the pertinent research gaps. Out of 423 publications on CSSVD-related issues, we selected 34 studies, which contained 52 datasets on seven different preventive control measures. Results showed that resistance breeding and mild strain cross-protection may reduce CSSVD infection by 30 percent, while the potential of diversification measures (shading/agroforestry and barrier (strip) cropping) seems to be considerably higher (40 and 85 percent, respectively). However, there is a lack of evidence because of a low number of studies about diversification measures, indicating that our results have to be interpreted with care and calling for more research in this area. Future testing is needed to evaluate the efficacy of barrier (strip) cropping to reduce CSSVD, and address the effect of shade on CSSVD symptom severity. Furthermore, the practical relevance of different preventive control measures for farmers needs to be assessed, and shade should be considered in current breeding programs for CSSVD resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Root herbivores pose a major threat to agricultural crops. They are difficult to control and their damage often goes unnoticed until the larvae reach their most devastating late instar stages. Crop diversification can reduce pest pressure, generally without compromising yield. We studied how different diversified cropping systems affected the oviposition and abundance of the specialist cabbage root fly Delia radicum , the most important root herbivore in Brassica crops. The cropping systems included a monoculture, pixel cropping, and four variations of strip cropping with varying intra- and interspecific crop diversity, fertilization and spatial configuration. Furthermore, we assessed whether there was a link between D. radicum and other macroinvertebrates associated with the same plants. Cabbage root fly oviposition was higher in strip cropping designs compared to the monoculture and was highest in the most diversified strip cropping design. Despite the large number of eggs, there were no consistent differences in the number of larvae and pupae between the cropping systems, indicative of high mortality of D. radicum eggs and early instars especially in the strip cropping designs. D. radicum larval and pupal abundance positively correlated with soil-dwelling predators and detritivores and negatively correlated with other belowground herbivores. We found no correlations between the presence of aboveground insect herbivores and the number of D. radicum on the roots. Our findings indicate that root herbivore presence is determined by a complex interplay of many factors, spatial configuration of host plants, and other organisms residing near the roots., Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10340-023-01629-1., Competing Interests: Competing interestsThe authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© The Author(s) 2023.)

Intercropping has been considered to be an effective approach for producing large quantities of grain per unit of land. Maize ( Zea mays L.)/pea ( Pisum sativum L.) strip intercropping may serve as a model for effectively boosting a system’s productivity. However, how intercropped pea may compete for soil N sources with intercropped maize under various levels of N availability is unknown. Here, we determined the level of interspecific competition during the pea/maize cogrowth period, N 2 fixation of pea, complementary growth effect on maize, and yield responses of the two component crops. The field experiment was conducted at Wuwei Experimental Station in northwestern China from 2012 to 2014. Different N management practices were implemented in the pea/maize systems. Intercropped pea was the dominant plant, as shown by the highly positive competitive ratio (averaging 1.35) and its aggressivity (averaging 0.31) values compared with intercropped maize. Ameliorating N application in the maize/pea strip intercropping intensified the interspecific competition, improved the N 2 fixation of intercropped pea and increased the complementary growth of intercropped maize. On average, the N management system with 45 kg N ha −1 applied as the first topdressing plus 135 kg N ha −1 as the third topdressing increased the competitive ratio and aggressivity by 8% and 32%, respectively; improved N 2 fixation of the pea by 39%; enhanced the complementary growth of maize by 10%; and boosted the grain yield by 13% (maize) and 6% (pea) compared to the N management system with 135 kg N ha −1 as the first and 45 kg N ha −1 as the third topdressing. Significant positive correlations were found among the interspecific competition, N 2 fixation, and grain yield, clearly showing that improved coordination of interspecific competition can boost system productivity in maize/pea strip intercropping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experiment was conducted in the years 2004-2006 in a private farm in the village of Frankamionka in Zamość district. There were two experimental factors: I. Cultivation methods - sole cropping and strip intercropping; and II. Tending methods - mechanical, mechanical-chemical, and chemical weed control. The subject of the study was weed infestation of the Mela variety of common bean. Beans were sown between 30 April and 5 May. Weed infestation was assessed in the last week before harvesting by determining its floristic composition and the frequency of occurrence of particular weed species, as well as the air-dry weight of weeds. The dominant weed species were Galinsoga parviflora, Echinochloa crus-galli, Chenopodium album, and Amaranthus retroflexus, which comprised 84.7% of the total number of weeds. Strip intercropping markedly reduced the number of weeds per unit area (by 50%), as well as the dry weight of their aerial parts. The most effective method of weed control was the mechanical-chemical method, which resulted in the lowest occurrence of weeds. It also significantly reduced the weight of weeds.

Soil consevation management system is an activity for diminishing sediment enrichment ratio and nutrient leachedsby water run off and soil erosion processes. The research was aimed to study sediment enrichment ratio and nutrientleached by run off and soil erosion on cacao plantations. Arachis pintoi with strips parallel contour and multiplestrip cropping of upland rice or soybean (Glycine max) were planted to improve soil physical characterictic oncacao plantation as a main plant. The expriment were conducted with treatments as 10-15% and 40-45% slopes, 5-7months and 25-27 months cacao ages (as main plants). As sub plots are T1 as a monoculture which to be cleaningunder the plant canopy, T2 as a multiple strip cropping of upland rice or soybean, T3 as a combination of T2 and A.Pintoi strip. The results showed that total N, P2O5, and K2O and organic-C contents in water run off and soilsediments indicated that T3 >T2 >T1 treatment, with the contents of each nutrient: T3 (total N 0.18%; 24.87 mg 100g-1 P2O5: K2O 15.16 mg 100 g-1), T1 (total N 0.16%, 22.39 mg 100g-1 P2O5, K2O 11.50 mg 100g-1). The total N, P2O5, K2Oand organic-C soil contents < accumulation nutrient contents of total water run off and soil sediment transport. Allof treathments have sediment enrichment ratios > 1.

Field experiments were conducted in the jhum/shifting cultivated lands of Chandel (Lambong village), Churachandpur (Henkot village), Tamenglong (Noney village) and Ukhrul (Ramva village) districts of Manipur during kharif seasons of 2013 and 2014.The first experiment was done by taking four crops (rice, maize, groundnut and soybean)with two treatment combinations i. e. improved jhum management practices (seed biopriming with Azotobacter+PSB and micro-dosing of NPK and traditional jhum practices (without application of any plant nutrient). The second experiment consisted of diversified cropping systems (sole cropping of rice, maize, soybean and groundnut and strip intercropping of rice+soybean, rice+groundnut, maize+soybean and maize+groundnut) under improved jhum management practices compared with traditional jhum practices. The results showed that improved jhum management practices recorded better growth and produced higher yield of different crops as compared to those of traditional jhum practices. Among the sole and strip cropping systems, maximum rice equivalent yield was recorded in sole groundnut (6.99 t/ha) followed by maize+groundnut (4.82 t/ha), rice+groundnut (4.64 t/ha) and sole soybean (3.64 t/ha) with the improved jhum management. Sole groundnut with improved jhum management also recorded maximum gross returns ($ 1526.67/ha), net returns ($ 1116.67/ha), returns per rupee invested ($ 3.72) and crop profitability ($ 10.90/ha/day). Incorporating legumes in cropping systems also considerably improved the fertility status of the jhum lands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strip cropping could be used to deliver several eco-services, including reducing pest pressure. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of the management of a strip cropping system of soybean, wheat, corn and vetch on soybean aphid Aphis glycines Matsumura, its natural enemies and on the harvest of soybean. Experimental set up of 18 m and 36 m strips were installed in 2006 on an organic farm at Les Cèdres, Québec, Canada and compared with control plots of 180 m of soybean. Each plot was replicated two times on the farm and measured 1 km long. Observations of soybean aphid and natural enemies were carried out on 18 plants per replicate strips and control plots during summer 2007–2010. Abundance of soybean aphid was reduced between 33 and 55% in strips compared with the control plots during both high infestation years (2007 and 2009), while natural control (prey/predator ratio and parasitism rate) was more efficient in strips in 2009 and 2010. Land equivalent ratio (LER), an indicator of yield production was higher in 18 m strips than in control plots. Strip cropping could be envisaged as an effective managing tool against soybean aphid in North America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strip intercropping of corn and soybeans can result in improved corn yields but at the cost of reduced soybean yields. Additionally, machinery and labor costs may be increased with strip cropping due to the use of smaller equipment. We present a systematic comparison of the relative net revenue differences for a large-scale corn-soybean operation under conventional and strip intercropping production practices. Although strip intercropping resulted in greater gross receipts than monoculture within a field, costs of machine ownership and operation and labor were much higher, resulting in lower net returns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relay strip intercropping of spring wheat and maize is practiced on a large scale in arid regions of northwestern China. In this study, a field experiment was carried out during 2012 and 2013 growing seasons to examine water use and crop coefficient of this system in an arid environment. The experiment comprised three treatments: sole-cropped wheat, sole-cropped maize, and wheat–maize intercropping. The grain yields of both intercropped wheat and maize were enhanced by intercropping. The gross economic profit for wheat–maize intercropping was 16.4% lower than that of sole maize and 95.4% higher than that of sole wheat. The overall land use efficiency was improved by intercropping. The time course of leaf area index in intercropping had the similar trends to those in sole crops with relatively low values, which never exceeded 3.0 m 2 m −2 throughout both growing seasons. Compared to weighted means of the sole-cropping systems, wheat–maize intercropping used 26% and 24% more water in 2012 and 2013, respectively. The water-use efficiency of intercropping was nearly the same as the weighted means of the sole crops. Due to the incomplete groundcover in intercropping plots, more water was consumed as soil evaporation. Averaged over two seasons, the ratio of soil evaporation to actual evapotranspiration was 33.4, 20.7 and 24.1% for intercropping system, sole-cropped wheat and sole-cropped maize, respectively. Crop coefficient ( K c) of sole-cropped wheat was 0.19 ± 0.02, 1.05 ± 0.07, and 0.42 ± 0.09 at the initial, mid and late season in two seasons, respectively. K c value of the sole-cropped maize was 0.22 ± 0.03, 1.10 ± 0.06 and 0.60 ± 0.02 at the initial, mid and late season, respectively. The K c values of the wheat–maize intercropping system varied in 0.21 ± 0.03, 0.89 ± 0.05, and 0.78 ± 0.06 at the initial, middle and late wheat growing season, and in 0.85 ± 0.03 and 0.61 ± 0.01 at the middle and late maize growing season, respectively. Therefore, longer growing season and incomplete ground cover are the main factors that resulted in higher water use for wheat–maize intercropping compared to sole crops. Results of this study can help to improve the irrigation efficiency for the wheat–maize strip intercropping system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The experiment was conducted in 2008–2010 at the Experimental Station of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences in Zamość, University of Life Sciences in Lublin. The research design included two factors: I. Method of cultivation – sole cropping and strip cropping (the cultivation of three plants: maize, narrow-leafed lupin and oats, in neighboring strips); II. Weed control method – mechanical and chemical. The subject of this study was weed infestation in maize, narrow-leafed lupin and oats. The greatest diversity of weeds was found in the narrow-leafed lupine crop, while the lowest diversity in maize. The dominant weed species in maize, lupine and oats were Echinochloa crus-galli, Chenopodium album and Galinsoga parviflora which ranged from 34% to 99% of the total number of weeds. Strip cropping clearly reduced the number of weeds per unit area in the narrow-leafed lupin and oat crops as well as the aboveground dry weight of weeds in all plant species. Chemical weed control significantly decreased both the number and weight of weeds in comparison with the mechanical method.

The article presents a study which analyzes reptile abundance and diversity across agricultural landscapes. The analysis was conducted in eight agricultural and semi-natural land uses, and inside vegetated buffer strips interspersed among fields. Results indicate the increase of species and richness of individuals when strips were connected to semi-natural areas and highlight the role of minor landscape features for the presence of vertebrate.

Intercropping can improve productivity per unit incident radiation by increasing the interception of solar radiation and/or maintaining higher radiation-use efficiency (RUE). This study examined the changes in radiation interception and RUE of spring wheat and spring maize after the initiation of intercropping. The field experiment comprised four treatments: wheat only, maize only, six rows of wheat alternated with two rows of maize (I62), and twelve rows of wheat alternated with four rows of maize (I124). The results demonstrated that per row, wheat in I62 and I124 intercepted 17% and 9% more radiation, respectively, than the wheat sole-cropping system and maize in I62 and I124 intercepted 28% and 26% more radiation, respectively, than the maize sole-cropping system. The RUE values were 3.10 and 3.19 g MJ −1 for maize in I62 and I124, respectively, lower than that for the maize sole-cropping system (3.51 g MJ −1 ). No significant difference was observed between the RUE values of intercropped and monoculture wheat. The harvest index of maize was identical in all systems, while that of the wheat was enhanced by intercropping. The grain yields of wheat in I62 and I124 were 29.2% and 10.8% higher, respectively, than that of sole wheat on per row basis and the grain yields of maize in I62 and I124 were 16.8% and 15.0% higher, respectively, than that of sole maize. Thus, increased radiation capture was the primary factor responsible for the high productivity of the wheat/maize intercropping systems. A simple model was developed to estimate radiation interception and partitioning in strip intercropping systems, considering the heterogeneity of leaf distribution in both the horizontal and vertical directions. The model may also be applicable to other strip intercropping systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decades of farming and fertilization of farm land in the unglaciated/Driftless Area (DA) of southwestern Wisconsin have resulted in the build-up of P and to some extent, N, in soils. This build-up, combined with steep topography and upper and lower elevation farming (tiered farming), exacerbates problems associated with runoff and nutrient transport in these landscapes. Use of an at-grade stabilization structure (AGSS) as an additional conservation practice to contour strip cropping and no-tillage, proved to be successful in reducing organic and sediment bound N and P within an agricultural watershed located in the DA. The research site was designed as a paired watershed study, in which monitoring stations were installed on the perennial streams draining both control and treatment watersheds. Linear mixed effects statistics were used to determine significant changes in nutrient concentrations before and after installation of an AGSS. Results indicate a significant reduction in storm event total P (TP) concentrations ( P = 0.01) within the agricultural watershed after installation of the AGSS, but not total dissolved P ( P = 0.23). This indicates that the reduction in P concentration is that of the particulate form. Storm event organic N concentrations were also significantly reduced ( P = 0.03) after the AGSS was installed. We conclude that AGSS was successful in reducing the organic and sediment bound N and P concentrations in runoff waters thus reducing their delivery to nearby surface waters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to assess the effects of strip cropping and different weed control methods on the yield and yield structure of dent maize, narrow-leafed lupin and spring oat. A split-plot design with four replications was conducted in 2008-2010. The following factors were analysed in the experiment: I. Cultivation method - sole cropping and strip cropping; II. Weed control method - mechanical and chemical. The method of cultivation was considered the main plot and the weed control methods were the sub-plot. Strip cropping significantly increased the maize yield and the percentage share of ears in the total biomass. The seed yield of narrow-leafed lupin was significantly higher in strip cropping, but only where mechanical weed control was used. Strip cropping significantly increased the plant density, seed number and weight per plant and 1,000 seed weight of lupin. Oat yield was slightly higher in the strip cropping than in the sole cropping. Strip cropping increased grain number and weight per panicle in the oat. The chemical weed control method was more favourable to the yield of maize, narrow-leaf lupin and oat than the mechanical weed control. The land equivalent ratio value (1.06) confirms that the maize/narrow-leafed lupin/oat strip cropping was more efficient than the sole cropping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] After 2 months, T. repens is more effective than L. perenne at retaining sediment. [•] Trace element trapping efficiency of VFS can be higher, equal or lower than sediment trapping efficiency. [•] Selective particle sedimentation and metal distribution affected trace element trapping efficiency by VFS. [•] Dimensioning of VFS for polluted sediment retention requires knowledge of trace element distribution in particle size fractions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Strip cropping is a form of intercropping used in both tropical and temperate climate zones. Maize is a species often grown in strip cropping, because it responds to the edge effect with a substantial increase in yield. In the experiment, strip cropping of maize with blue lupin and oat was compared to sole cropping of maize in the conditions of mechanical and chemical weed control. A field experiment was conducted in 2008-2010 at the Experimental Station in Zamość, University of Life Sciences in Lublin (50°42' N, 23°6' E). The study examined the effects of the cropping method and weed control methods on the content of copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) in maize biomass and their uptake by maize. The impact of the position of the row in the strip and of the adjacent plant species on the content and uptake of these micronutrients was analysed as well. Strip cropping significantly increased Zn and Fe content in maize biomass, reduced Mn content, and did not significantly affect the accumulation of Cu. In the strip cropping, interspecific facilitation between neighbouring plant species was also observed. Placement adjacent to the oat strip contributed to higher Cu content in the maize, while placement next to blue lupin increased the content of Fe and Zn. The highest Mn content was noted in maize grown in the centre row. The results indicate that appropriate selection of plant species for strip cropping can affect the chemical composition of the plants. This makes it possible to eliminate or mitigate mineral deficiencies in the plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study an analytical hierarchy process (AHP) was used for ranking best management practices (BMPs) in the Saginaw River Watershed based on environmental, economic and social factors. Three spatial targeting methods were used for placement of BMPs on critical source areas (CSAs). The environment factors include sediment, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus reductions at the subbasin level and the watershed outlet. Economic factors were based on total BMP cost, including installation, maintenance, and opportunity costs. Social factors were divided into three favorability rankings (most favorable, moderately favorable, and least favorable) based on area allocated to each BMP. Equal weights (1/3) were considered for the three main factors while calculating the BMP rank by AHP. In this study three scenarios were compared. A comprehensive approach in which environmental, economic, and social aspects are simultaneously considered (Scenario 1) versus more traditional approaches in which both environmental and economic aspects were considered (Scenario 2) or only environmental aspects (sediment, TN, and TP) were considered (Scenario 3). In Scenario 1, only stripcropping (moderately favorable) was selected on all CSAs at the subbasin level, whereas stripcropping (49–69% of CSAs) and residue management (most favorable, 31–51% of CSAs) were selected by AHP based on the watershed outlet and three spatial targeting methods. In Scenario 2, native grass was eliminated by moderately preferable BMPs (stripcropping) both at the subbasin and watershed outlet levels due the lower BMP implementations cost compared to native grass. Finally, in Scenario 3, at subbasin level, the least socially preferable BMP (native grass) was selected in 100% of CSAs due to greater pollution reduction capacity compared to other BMPs. At watershed level, nearly 50% the CSAs selected stripcropping, and the remaining 50% of CSAs selected native grass and residue management equally. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Transgenic Bt-cotton now dominates the cotton-growing belt in northwestern China where there are few natural plant refuges to act as sources of moths susceptible to Bt toxin. As an initial step towards developing an insect resistance management (IRM) plan for the pest moth, Helicoverpa armigera, on Bt-cotton in this part of China, we assessed the potential of six crops grown in two configurations to act as refuge hosts for susceptible moth production in both broad-acre and small-holder farms. Egg and larval abundance indicated that H. armigera had a preference for chickpea, pigeon pea, and corn, over cotton, sorghum, and benne (sesame). There were no significant differences in egg or larval abundance between plot and strip configurations of these crop hosts. We found that sorghum was not attractive to H. armigera, contrary to the findings in other cotton production areas. Moreover, chickpea, pigeon pea, and corn were determined to be potential refuge hosts based on egg and larval abundance over the growing season. From the adult moth population dynamics in broad-acre and small-holder farms, the efficiency of alternative refuge crops, and local agricultural practices, we recommend that spring corn be grown as a strip crop as part of an IRM strategy to improve the probability of Bt-susceptible moth production and mating with resistant moths in broad-acre farms. In small-holder farms where current agricultural practices are entrenched, wheat and summer corn should be evaluated as refuge crops in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experiment was conducted in 2008-2010 at the Experimental Station of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences in Zamość, University of Life Sciences in Lublin. The research design included two factors: I. Method of cultivation -- sole cropping and strip cropping (the cultivation of three plants: maize, narrow-leafed lupin and oats, in neighboring strips); II. Weed control method -- mechanical and chemical. The subject of this study was weed infestation in maize, narrow-leafed lupin and oats. The greatest diversity of weeds was found in the narrow- leafed lupine crop, while the lowest diversity in maize. The dominant weed species in maize, lupine and oats were Echinochloa crus-galli, Chenopodium album and Galinsoga parviflora which ranged from 34% to 99% of the total number of weeds. Strip cropping clearly reduced the number of weeds per unit area in the narrow-leafed lupin and oat crops as well as the aboveground dry weight of weeds in all plant species. Chemical weed control significantly decreased both the number and weight of weeds in comparison with the mechanical method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]