The positive relationship between soil quality and crop production: A case study on the effect of farm compost application

In order to ensure sustainable agriculture, and for evaluating the effects of management practices on soil processes, tools for assessing soil quality are required. The development and use of a multiparameter index, which includes a wide range of soil properties, have been tested and found useful by several studies. However, soil quality measurements are ‘stand-alone’ tools unless they are either linked to important soil functions, used to characterize (agro)ecosystems or used to predict sustainability or productivity. In our study, the relationship between crop production and soil quality was assessed in a six year old field experiment studying the effect of farm compost (FC) amendment in a crop rotation of potato, fodder beet, forage maize and Brussels sprouts. To justify the hypothesis that repeated FC amendment results in both improved soil quality and consequently higher crop yields, a wide range of chemical, biological and physical soil properties were measured and integrated into a soil quality index (SQI). Next, crop yields were used as a functional goal to verify the causal relationship between SQI and crop production. Our results showed that there were significant changes in chemical, physical and biological soil quality as a result of repeated FC amendment. This was evidenced for example by a remarkable increase in both soil organic carbon (SOC) and total N content. Microbial biomass, the relative amount of bacterivorous nematodes and earthworm number were significantly increased as well and, together with SOC and total N, indicated as the dominant factors in assessing soil quality. The integration of these key indicators into the SQI revealed higher SQI values when FC was applied. In addition, crop yields were increased in all FC treated plots by which SOC was pointed out as the most important indicator influencing crop production. Finally, a causal relationship was observed between soil quality and the yield of potato and fodder beet. We conclude that our SQI may be a promising and useful tool to compare different (soil) management practices in relation to a strategic, regional goal, e.g., sustainable high yields. Before generalizing, we recommend a thorough validation of our SQI in other long-term field experiments.     

Intercropping soybean and palisade grass for enhanced land use efficiency and revenue in a no till system

Integrated no-till crop and livestock production systems may help rejuvenate degraded pastures, increase land use efficiency (LUE), and increase enterprise revenue. Our objectives were to evaluate: (1) planting date effects on seed yield and nutrient concentration of an early-maturing, no-till system (NTS) soybean (Glycine max) when intercropped with palisade grass (Brachiaria brizantha); (2) dry matter production and protein concentration of the grass pasture after soybean harvest; and (3) overall revenue and LUE for the intercrop system. Experiments were performed during two growing seasons in Botucatu, Brazil using a randomized complete block experimental design. When palisade grass and soybean were sown simultaneously, soybean yield averaged 3.28 Mg ha⁻¹. Similar seed yields were observed when palisade grass was planted either 30 d after soybean emergence (DAE) (3.29 Mg ha⁻¹) or at the soybean reproductive stage R6 (full seed) (3.50 Mg ha⁻¹). Monocrop soybean yield averaged 3.50 Mg ha⁻¹. First cut dry matter forage production was greater when palisade grass was sown at the same time as soybean or 30 DAE of soybean. This indicates that interseeding palisade grass with soybean does not significantly affect soybean nutrition or yield. Intercropping did increase LUE and resulted in 1.6 times more revenue than soybean alone. However, sowing palisade grass at the soybean reproductive stage R6 (full seed) significantly reduced the forage yield compared to early planting.     

Assessment of insurance coverage and claims in rainfall related risks in processing tomato in Western Spain

An extension of guarantees related to rainfall-related risks in the insurance of processing tomato crops has been accompanied with a large increase in claims in Western Spain, suggesting that damages may have been underestimated in previous years. A database was built by linking agricultural insurance records, meteorological data from local weather stations, and topographic data. The risk of rainfall-related damages in processing tomato in the Extremenian Guadiana river basin (W Spain) was studied using a logistic model. Risks during the growth of the crop and at harvesting were modelled separately. First, the risk related to rainfall was modelled as a function of meteorological, terrain and management variables. The resulting models were used to identify the variables responsible for rainfall-related damages, with a view to assess the potential impact of extending insurance coverage, and to develop an index to express the suitability of the cropping system for insurance. The analyses reveal that damages at different stages of crop development correspond to different hazards. The geographic dependence of the risk influences the scale at which the model might have validity, which together with the year dependency, the possibility of implementing index based insurances is questioned.     

刈割强度对大针茅草原植物群落特征和土壤理化性质的影响

探究不同刈割强度对大针茅典型草原植物群落特征以及土壤理化性质的影响,可为大针茅草原制定合理科学的刈割制度提供理论依据。本研究以大针茅典型草原为对象,于2020年在内蒙古锡林浩特市毛登牧场刈割实验平台进行野外植被调查和取样。该实验平台于2014年建立,以不刈割为对照（CK）,设置轻度（LM）、中度（MM）及重度刈割（HM）3个处理。本研究通过计算物种重要值和多样性指数,测定植物群落地上、地下生物量以及土壤理化性质,探究群落特征与土壤理化性质的关系。结果表明：1）与不刈割相比,不同刈割强度均增加了新物种,且中度刈割的物种数最多;与不刈割相比,不同刈割强度均显著增加了群落的丰富度和Shannon-Wiener指数,且轻度刈割显著增加了优势度和均匀度指数,表明轻度刈割最有利于群落多样性的维持;不同刈割强度对大针茅草原的生产力均无显著影响;2）土壤全碳、全氮和pH均在中度刈割时最高,且显著高于不刈割,表明中度刈割对土壤养分有积极影响;3）硝态氮是影响草地生产力的主要土壤因子,土壤含水量是影响草地群落多样性的主要土壤因子。本研究可为大针茅典型草原群落结构、物种多样性以及生产力等方面的研究提供重要参...     

闽东竹阔混交林毛竹生产力研究

对闽东12年生竹阔混交林中毛竹生产力的研究结果表明:竹阔混交林比纯林具有较高的生产力,毛竹的平均胸径、平均竹高、平均竹秆产量、平均蓄积量分别比毛竹纯林增加了17.9%、8.7%、37.53%和25.6%;立竹度、均匀度、整齐度、叶面积指数均比毛竹纯林高。     

当前平原林业经营形式与农林业发展的关系

当前,邯郸平原的林业经营形式主要有集体经营、联产承包经营和单户经营等3种;这些经营形式,是与农村经济体制改革和当前生产力水平相适应的,对林业生产的发展有促进作用.本文还提出了影响林业发展的几个问题,需要加以解决。     

森林生态系统碳循环研究方法概述

介绍了森林生态系统碳循环研究方法,对当前森林生态系统碳循环研究的几种主要方法模型进行了概述,主要有Miami模型和Thornthwaite模型、Chikugo模型和生物量转换因子连续法等。     

Tree growth and stand development of four Populus clones in large monoclonal plots

Four clones of Populus were planted in replicated monoclonal plots near Olympia, WA, to evaluate their suitability for use in short-rotation culture. All clones were easily established and had minimal problems from damaging agents during the first five years. Observed differences among clones in pattern and amount of growth appeared to be associated with differences in number and density of buds, sylleptic branching, and phenology. In addition, differences in drought tolerance and stockability may also have influenced clonal differences in annual growth and stand productivity. Individual tree growth was limited by the dense 1.0-m spacing, but the best-growing clones averaged 13 to 16 m tall, 7 to 9 cm in breast-high diameter (1.3 m), and produced stand basal areas exceeding 38 m²ha^-1at 8 years. Mortality was negligible for 7 years, after which various combined effects of competition, stem borer damage (Cryptorhyncus lapathi), and a severe windstorm caused mortality ranging from 18 to 36% in the three fastest growing clones.     

Dry matter production and nutrient cycling in agroforestry systems of mandarin grown in association with Albizia and mixed tree species

A study on dry matter production and nutrient cycling in agroforestry systems of mandarin grown in association with N₂-fixing Albizia and mixed tree species (non-N₂-fixing) was carried out in the Sikkim Himalaya. A site with Albizia was referred asAlbizia-mandarin stand and the other site with mixed tree species as mandarin stand. The stand total biomass, net primary productivity and mandarin fruit production was higher under the influence of Albizia. Agronomic yield of crops remained nearly the same in both the stands. Nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations of different components of Albizia were higher than those of mixed tree species, whereas their back translocation from leaf to branch before abscission was lower inAlbizia. The mandarin-based agroforestry is a highly nutrient-exhaustive system evaluated in terms of nutrient exit through the removal of agronomic yield. This system, under the influence of Albizia, was more productive with faster rates of nutrient cycling. Nutrient use efficiency increased under the influence of Albizia, in contrary to the hypothesis that efficiency should decrease with increasing rate of uptake. The poor nutrient conservation of Albizia, and malleability of nutrient cycling under its influence make it an excellent association which promotes higher availability and faster cycling of nutrients.Albizia should be utilised more extensively in the management of mandarin-based agroforestry systems.