Established and Emerging Practices for Soil and Crop Productivity

Established and Emerging Practices for Soil and Crop Productivity
Author: Avtar Singh Bimbraw
Publisher: CRC Press
Total Pages: 524
Release: 2021-06-23
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 1000429644

The book explains the various existing, emerging and environmentally viable technologies for the sustainable and profitable crop productivity. The book also focusses on climate change, hurricanes and tropical storms, natural resources management, crop diversification, crop resource management, cropping systems, farming system, management of land use resources, conservation agriculture, crop residue management, renewable energy, precision agriculture, integrated nutrient management, integrated pest management. Note: T&F does not sell or distribute the Hardback in India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

Evaluating the Effects of Long-term No-till and Crop Rotations in Soil Health and Corn Productivity

Evaluating the Effects of Long-term No-till and Crop Rotations in Soil Health and Corn Productivity
Author: Noelymar González-Maldonado
Publisher:
Total Pages: 114
Release: 2019
Genre: Corn
ISBN:

Conservation practices, such as no-till and diversifying crop rotations are known for their capacity to reduce soil erosion and improve soil properties. However, the impact of these management practices on emerging soil health tests and the ability of these tests to reflect active organic matter dynamics and nutrient cycling, and corn productivity has not been explored. This project focused on determining the effects of half a century of continuous tillage treatments (moldboard plow, chisel till, and no-till) and crop rotations (continuous corn, corn-soybean, and corn-forage-forage) on soil health indicators and its relationship with crop productivity. The forages were alfalfa in Wooster and red clover and oats in Northwest. Soil labile carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) temporal dynamics were quantified with permanganate oxidizable C (POXC), mineralizable carbon (Min C), and soil protein at six key stages in corn (Zea mays) development: before planting (around three weeks before planting), V5, V10, R1, R4, R6 in the 2017 and 2018 growing seasons. Corn leaf chlorophyll, aboveground plant biomass, nutrient uptake, and grain yield were also quantified. The soil health indicators (POXC, Min C, soil protein) and crop parameters (leaf chlorophyll, total nitrogen uptake, and total aboveground biomass) were higher in reduced tillage (chisel and no-till) compared to moldboard plow and higher in the most diverse crop rotation (corn-forage-forage) compared to corn-soybean. Corn yields were not significantly different between tillage treatments but were higher in the more diverse rotations (corn-soybean and corn-forage-forage) compared to corn monoculture. Although the treatment effects varied by site and year, rotation had a consistently larger effect on soil health indicators and corn productivity than tillage, highlighting the importance of including crop rotations in corn production. We conclude that Ohio soils under half a century of continuous tillage and rotation treatments have higher soil health and corn productivity in no-till and reduced tillage soils compared to moldboard plow. We also conclude that soil health indicators and maize productivity were higher in rotations including two years of forages compared to monoculture and corn-soybean rotations, especially in no-till soils.

Conservation Agriculture And Climate Change Impacts And Adaptations

Conservation Agriculture And Climate Change Impacts And Adaptations
Author: Ritesh Saha
Publisher: New India Publishing Agency
Total Pages: 4
Release: 2021-08-27
Genre: Law
ISBN: 9390591082

Conventional tillage and burning crop residues has degraded the soil resource base and intensified soil degradation with concomitant decrease in crop production capacity. The emerging issue of global warming coupled with greenhouse gases emissions has further aggravated the scenario. Conservation agriculture (CA) helps in reducing many negative effects of conventional agriculture such as soil erosion, soil organic matter (SOM) decline, water loss, soil physical degradation, and fuel use. CA helps to improve biodiversity in the natural and agro-ecosystems. Complemented by other good agricultural practices (GAPs) including the use of quality seeds, integrated pest, nutrient and water management etc., CA provides a base for sustainable intensification of the agricultural production system. Moreover, the yield levels in CA systems are comparable and even higher than traditional intensive tillage systems with substantially less production costs. The conservation agriculture (CA) practiced over an estimated 100 M ha area worldwide and across a variety of climatic, soil and geographic zones, has proved to be energy and input efficient, besides addressing the emerging environment and soil health problems. The CA technologies involving no- or minimum tillage with direct seeding and bed planting, residue management (mainly residue retention) and crop diversification have potential for improving productivity and soil quality, mainly by soil organic matter (SOM) build-up. This bring many possible benefits including reduced water and energy use(fossil fuels and electricity), reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, soilerosion and degradation of the natural resource base, increased yields and farm incomes, and reduced labour shortages. This book entitled "Conservation Agriculture and Climate Change: Impacts and Adaptations" will provide comprehensive understanding of the subject with topics related to climate change mitigation strategies, approaches and impact of conservation agriculture on natural resource management

Science Breakthroughs to Advance Food and Agricultural Research by 2030

Science Breakthroughs to Advance Food and Agricultural Research by 2030
Author: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 243
Release: 2019-04-21
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0309473926

For nearly a century, scientific advances have fueled progress in U.S. agriculture to enable American producers to deliver safe and abundant food domestically and provide a trade surplus in bulk and high-value agricultural commodities and foods. Today, the U.S. food and agricultural enterprise faces formidable challenges that will test its long-term sustainability, competitiveness, and resilience. On its current path, future productivity in the U.S. agricultural system is likely to come with trade-offs. The success of agriculture is tied to natural systems, and these systems are showing signs of stress, even more so with the change in climate. More than a third of the food produced is unconsumed, an unacceptable loss of food and nutrients at a time of heightened global food demand. Increased food animal production to meet greater demand will generate more greenhouse gas emissions and excess animal waste. The U.S. food supply is generally secure, but is not immune to the costly and deadly shocks of continuing outbreaks of food-borne illness or to the constant threat of pests and pathogens to crops, livestock, and poultry. U.S. farmers and producers are at the front lines and will need more tools to manage the pressures they face. Science Breakthroughs to Advance Food and Agricultural Research by 2030 identifies innovative, emerging scientific advances for making the U.S. food and agricultural system more efficient, resilient, and sustainable. This report explores the availability of relatively new scientific developments across all disciplines that could accelerate progress toward these goals. It identifies the most promising scientific breakthroughs that could have the greatest positive impact on food and agriculture, and that are possible to achieve in the next decade (by 2030).

Climate Change and Soil Interactions

Climate Change and Soil Interactions
Author: Majeti Narasimha Var Prasad
Publisher: Elsevier
Total Pages: 840
Release: 2020-03-06
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0128180331

Climate Change and Soil Interactions examines soil system interactions and conservation strategies regarding the effects of climate change. It presents cutting-edge research in soil carbonization, soil biodiversity, and vegetation. As a resource for strategies in maintaining various interactions for eco-sustainability, topical chapters address microbial response and soil health in relation to climate change, as well as soil improvement practices. Understanding soil systems, including their various physical, chemical, and biological interactions, is imperative for regaining the vitality of soil system under changing climatic conditions. This book will address the impact of changing climatic conditions on various beneficial interactions operational in soil systems and recommend suitable strategies for maintaining such interactions. Climate Change and Soil Interactions enables agricultural, ecological, and environmental researchers to obtain up-to-date, state-of-the-art, and authoritative information regarding the impact of changing climatic conditions on various soil interactions and presents information vital to understanding the growing fields of biodiversity, sustainability, and climate change. Addresses several sustainable development goals proposed by the UN as part of the 2030 agenda for sustainable development Presents a wide variety of relevant information in a unique style corroborated with factual cases, colour images, and case studies from across the globe Recommends suitable strategies for maintaining soil system interactions under changing climatic conditions

Cropping Systems

Cropping Systems
Author: Anil Shrestha
Publisher: CRC Press
Total Pages: 740
Release: 2004-02-13
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 9781560221074

Learn the fundamentals as well as in-depth details of agricultural cropping systems from around the globe! Cropping Systems: Trends and Advances is a comprehensive review of past and present research efforts in North America and other parts of the world. It brings together biological, economic, sociological, and technical aspects of cropping systems in a single source to provide a reference unlike any other on the subject that is available today. This valuable book also points to future directions that cropping systems research needs to take in order to increase sustainable agriculture and feed the growing world population. Charts, tables, and illustrations make the information easy to access and understand. An ideal textbook for graduate and undergraduate courses in agronomy as well as a comprehensive reference for professionals involved in cropping systems research, Cropping Systems: Trends and Advances is a book you’ll refer to again and again. Topics covered in this well-referenced and thoughtfully indexed book include: emerging trends in cropping systems research designing resource-efficient cropping systems soil quality and fertility tillage root dynamics water quality concerns nitrogen use efficiency precision agriculture agricultural biotechnology weed biology and management integrated pest management the important role that cover crops can play key indicators for assessing nitrogen use efficiency in cereal-based agroecosystems the implications of elevated carbon dioxide-induced changes in agroecosystem productivity and a great deal more!

Precision Farming

Precision Farming
Author: K. R. Krishna
Publisher: CRC Press
Total Pages: 189
Release: 2013-02-19
Genre: Science
ISBN: 1926895444

Precision farming involves soil fertility and crop growth monitoring, electronic equipment, remote sensing, global information and positioning systems, computer models, decision support systems, variable-rate technology, and accurate recordkeeping. This book on precision techniques provides valuable information on instrumentation and methodology. It discusses the impact of precision techniques on soil fertility, nutrient dynamics, and crop productivity and highlights the application of GPS techniques to regulate fertilizer supply based on soil nutrient distribution and yield goals set by farmers. The book considers advances and examples from different agroecosystems from all continents.

Soil Fertility Management in Sub-Saharan Africa

Soil Fertility Management in Sub-Saharan Africa
Author: W. Graeme Donovan
Publisher: World Bank Publications
Total Pages: 76
Release: 1998-01-01
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 9780821342367

World Bank Technical Paper No. 408. This report is a critical review of the technical, economic, and institutional constraints on improving soil fertility in Sub-Saharan Africa, and the actions recommended to address them. Action plans prepared for Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, and Mali examine the demand for and supply of mineral fertilizers, the exploitation of local mineral resources, the prevention of soil erosion and increasing soil-water retention, and soil fertility management using organic technologies and management practices.

Save and Grow

Save and Grow
Author: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Publisher: Food & Agriculture Org.
Total Pages: 116
Release: 2018-06-22
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 9251068712

The book offers a rich toolkit of relevant, adoptable ecosystem-based practices that can help the world's 500 million smallholder farm families achieve higher productivity, profitability and resource-use efficiency while enhancing natural capital.

Intensive Cropping

Intensive Cropping
Author: Sohan S Prihar
Publisher: CRC Press
Total Pages: 298
Release: 2000-01-25
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 9781560228813

Explore new concepts for maximizing crop yields! Intensive Cropping: Efficient Use of Water, Nutrients, and Tillage is a compilation of current information on the interdependence of and synergies among water, nutrients, and energy in regard to increasing crop performance. This book explains the need for intensive cropping and explores the technologies and practices necessary for proper management of water, nutrients, and energy. With Intensive Cropping you will learn how to improve the quantity of the world's most important crops using methods that will minimize harm to the environment. This essential guide is a state-of-the-art account of the concepts and practices concerning the integrated use of water, nutrients, and energy in intensive cropping. Intensive Cropping combines basic and applied aspects of soil-water, nutrients, and energy management to help you optimize your crop yields and maximize the efficiency of intensively farmed regions. In Intensive Cropping, you will explore the need for extreme farming and related concerns and concepts, including: reducing runoff, deep seepage, and evaporation losses supplementing irrigation with surface and ground water understanding the process of water uptake and its effects on root dynamics and water use reducing leaching, erosion, and gasseus losses in your fields using combinations of organic manures, crop residues, chemical fertilizers, and biofertilizers for soil maintenance implementing conventional and emerging tillage systems, such as conservation tillage for improving soil quality examining case studies of contrasting edaphic requirements of rice-wheat systems Intensive Cropping brings you up-to-date on recent advances in the field, supported by relevant experimental observations on environmentally safe and effective ways to increase crop performance. By examining this new research on increasing crop production, you will be able to successfully increase crop yields in various climates and support the growing global demand for such resources.