An Agroecological Basis for Designing Diversified Cropping Systems in the Tropics

Summary

Small scale diversified systems which rely mostly on local resources and complex crop arrangements, are reasonably productive and stable, exhibiting a high return per unit of labor and energy. In many ways complex polycultures and agroforestry systems used by small tropical farmers mimic the structure and function of natural communities therefore acquiring many features typical of such communities, such as tight nutrient cycling, resistance to pest invasion, vertical structure, and high levels of biodiversity.

An agroecological approach to improve tropical small farming systems must ensure that promoted systems and technologies are suited to the specific environmental and socio-economic conditions of small farmers, without increasing risk or dependence on external inputs. Rather, agroecological development projects should incorporate elements of traditional agricultural knowledge and modern agricultural science, featuring resource-conserving yet highly productive systems such as polycultures, agroforestry, and the integration of crops and livestock.

It is ecologically futile to promote mechanized monocultures in areas of overwhelming biotic intricacy where pests flourish year-round and nutrient leaching is a major constraint. Here, it pays to imitate natural cycles rather than struggle to impose simplistic ecosystems that are not inherently complex. For this reason, many researchers think that successional ecosystems can be particularly appropriate templates for the design of sustainable tropical agroecosystems.     

Faba bean in cropping systems

The grain legume (pulse) faba bean (Vicia faba L.) is grown world-wide as a protein source for food and feed. At the same time faba bean offers ecosystem services such as renewable inputs of nitrogen (N) into crops and soil via biological N₂ fixation, and a diversification of cropping systems. Even though the global average grain yield has almost doubled during the past 50 years the total area sown to faba beans has declined by 56% over the same period. The season-to-season fluctuations in grain yield of faba bean and the progressive replacement of traditional farming systems, which utilized legumes to provide N to maintain soil N fertility, with industrialized, largely cereal-based systems that are heavily reliant upon fossil fuels (=N fertilizers, heavy mechanization) are some of the explanations for this decline in importance. Past studies of faba bean in cropping systems have tended to focus on the effect of faba bean as a pre-crop in mainly cereal intensive rotations, whereas similar information on the effect of preceding crops on faba bean is lacking. Faba bean has the highest average reliance on N₂ fixation for growth of the major cool season grain legumes. As a consequence the N benefit for following crops is often high, and several studies have demonstrated substantial savings (up to 100–200 kg N ha⁻¹) in the amount of N fertilizer required to maximize the yield of crops grown after faba bean. There is, however, a requirement to evaluate the potential risks of losses of N from the plant–soil system associated with faba bean cropping via nitrate leaching or emissions of N₂O to the atmosphere as a consequence of the rapid mineralization of N from its N-rich residues. It is important to develop improved preventive measures, such as catch crops, intercropping, or no-till technologies, in order to provide farmers with strategies to minimize any possible undesirable effects on the environment that might result from their inclusion of faba bean in cropping system. This needs to be combined with research that can lead to a reduction in the current extent of yield variability, so that faba bean may prove to be a key component of future arable cropping systems where declining supplies and high prices of fossil energy are likely to constrain the affordability and use of fertilizers. This will help address the increasing demand by consumers and governments for agriculture to reduce its impact on the environment and climate through new, more sustainable approaches to food production. The aims of this paper are to review the role of faba bean in global plant production systems, the requirements for optimal faba bean production and to highlight the beneficial effects of faba bean in cropping systems.     

Conceptual Model for Sustainable Cropping Systems in the Southeast: Cotton System

SUMMARY

Many small to mid-size family farms face an economic and ecological crisis due to the changing face of agricultural production. Increasing production costs and lower revenues are causing many producers to leave the farm. Rural communities face economic hardships due to declining farm numbers and continued loss of the brightest youths who often seek employment in urban areas. Small to mid-size family farms and rural communities can be sustainable if economic and environmental risks are recognized and solutions developed that reach all members of the farm and rural communities. Our project focuses on the involvement of farmers, scientists, and other stakeholders to enhance understanding of sustainable principles at the farm level and extend awareness of the central components to sustainability of rural communities. Conservation tillage with cover crops is being used to modify pest pressures, reduce chemical inputs, improve soil productivity and reduce environmental risks to producers, the community and the environment in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) production systems. Preliminary results indicate that reductions in use of pesticides can be achieved due to enhanced presence of beneficial insects. Cotton offers the best opportunity to enhance the understanding and use of sustainable practices in ecologically-based farming systems because of its predominance in southern farm enterprises. Farmer participation and understanding is being facilitated through the participation of the farmer based Georgia Conservation Tillage Alliance. To achieve greater outreach and broaden community participation within the region we are involving at-risk rural youth through the Communities in Schools of Georgia program. Outreach includes the use of traditional and newer internet based technologies through the development of databases and expert systems that allow, farmers, ranchers, and community members an opportunity to evaluate economic and environmental effects of alternative production practices at local and regional scales. Through interactions with existing federal, state, and private organizations we are encouraging expansion of these sustainable approaches regionally.     

The Role of Cover Crops in North American Cropping Systems

SUMMARY

The benefits of cover crops in cropping systems have long been recognized. Legumes have historically been used lo provide biologically fixed nitrogen to cash crops, and it has been shown that soil erosion can be slowed significantly with even minimal amounts of soil cover during vulnerable times of year. The role of cover crops in North American farming systems is expanding to include management of weeds, disease and pests, and overall enhancement of soil quality through organic matter enrichment, improved nutrient cycling and reduction of soil compaction. While the predominant temporal niche for cover crops in North America remains the winter, other opportunities in diverse cropping systems exist for cover crop inclusion, such as summer fallow, living mulches or full-year fallow crops. To date, the use of cover crops is constrained by economic, biological, and farm operational factors, but farmer education, continued research, and government policy changes can aid in overcoming existing barriers to adoption.     

Forage Legumes for Sustainable Cropping Systems

SUMMARY

Perennial and annual forage legumes are important components of sustainable cropping systems. Forage legumes are a primary source of forage to supply protein and fiber for livestock rations. They can be grazed, or stored as hay or silage. They contribute biologically fixed N and sustain the soil by reducing erosion and increasing soil organic matter levels. Diversifying cropping systems by including legumes can also reduce weed, insect, and disease incidence. Potential new uses of legumes include phytoremediation of N contaminated sites and capturing N lost from cropping systems. Legumes also have potential use as a feedstock for renewable energy production. Legumes have traditionally been used in rotation with grain crops but more recently have been shown promise as winter cover crops, intercrops with grain crops, and as living mulches. In this review, we discuss traditional and new roles of forage legumes in sustainable cropping systems with examples primarily chosen from northern USA and Canada.     

Survey of Rice Cropping Systems in Kampong Chhnang Province,Cambodia

Although Cambodia might have achieved self-sufficiency and an exported surplus in rice production,its rice-based farming systems are widely associated with low productivity,low farmer income and rural poverty.The study is based on a questionnaire village survey in 14 communes containing 97 villages of Kampong Chhnang Province from March to June,2011.It analyzes the prevailing rice-based cropping systems and evaluates options for their improvement.Differences in cropping systems depend on the distance from the Tonle Sap water bodies.At distances greater than 10 km,transplanted wet-season rice cropping system with low productivity of about 1.6 t/hm 2 prevails.This deficiency can be primarily attributed to soils with high coarse sand fractions and low pH (< 4.0),use of ’late’ cultivars,and exclusive use of self-propagated seeds.To improve this cropping system,commercial ’medium’ cultivars help prevent crop failure by shortening the cultivation period by one month and complementation of wet-season rice with non-rice crops should be expanded.Areas adjacent (≤ 1 km) to the water bodies become inundated for up to seven months between July until January of each year.In this area,soils contain more fine sand,silt and clay,and their pH is higher (> 4.0).Farmers predominantly cultivate dry-season recession rice between January and April.Seventy-nine percent of the area is sown directly and harvested by combines.Adoption ratio of commercial rice seeds is 59% and yields average 3.2 t/hm 2.Introduction of the second dry-season rice between April and July may double annual yields in this rice cropping system.Besides upgrading other cultivation technologies,using seeds from commercial sources will improve yield and rice quality.Along with rice,farmers grow non-rice crops at different intensities ranging from single annual crops to intensive sequences at low yields.     

Evaluation of early mature naked oat varieties as a summer-seeded crop in dryland northern climate regions

Increased land degradation and shortage of forage resources for animal production over-winter have accentuated the need for alternative cropping systems in northeast China. While short frost-free period and cool temperatures are major limitations to cereal grain production in the northern regions of China (45°N, 122°E), crop varieties that are able to produce food and feed in short growing season and tolerant to low temperature may extend the total cropping period. Three hulless oat (Avena sativa L.) lines, Baiyan 9015, Baiyan 9017 and Baiyan 9044, were bred and tested for 3 years (2004–2006) to determine their suitability for summer seeding in a double cropping system. The new lines were sown both in the spring and summer to provide growers with opportunities to harvest two grain-crops in a year. Averaged across 3 years, Baiyan 9044 produced 2.5 and 1.6 Mg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ grain yield when sown in spring and summer, respectively. The new lines seeded in 20th or 21st July and harvested in early October allowed utilization of an average of over 1500 growing degree days (GDDs). For grain yield alone, the net income for two oat crops a year was up to 1390 Chinese yuan (RMB) ha⁻¹, more than that of growing a single oat crop in 3 years, or in most cases, equivalent to monocultured corn (Zea mays L.) production, the dominant crop in the region. In addition, an average of 5 Mg ha⁻¹ of oat straw was produced as valuable forage fodder for the livestock industry, which was in great demand for over-wintering animals. Furthermore, in the traditional single small grain cereal cropping system, bare ground after harvest leads to severe water and wind erosions. Our results indicate that the new oat lines could be a potential crop for summer seeding, particularly when spring-seeded crops fail due to abiotic (hail, drought, etc.) or biotic (e.g. insects) stresses. The double cropping system provides growers with a potential opportunity to facilitate the farming strategy of food, cash crops and control soil erosion in the region.     

Weed Biology,Cropping Systems,and Weed Management

SUMMARY

Weeds pose a recurrent threat to agricultural productivity in both industrialized and developing countries. Weeds respond dynamically to all cropping practices, and therefore, the design and function of cropping systems plays a central role in the composition of weed communities. The unique and challenging nature of weed communities requires more integrated approaches to weed management than are currently being employed by most growers. Integrating weed management with cropping system design and application may be an effective approach to diversifying weed management systems. Each crop-weed system is a unique mix of genetics and biology and will respond dynamically to changes in management practices. Practices such as crop rotation, tillage, cover crops, and fertility management modify weed populations. The challenge is to integrate these and other practices with the best available control tactics to generate integrated management systems. Cropping system design provides an excellent framework for developing and applying integrated approaches to weed management because it allows for new and creative ways of meeting the challenge of managing weeds. Weed science must integrate the theories and application of weed management into cropping system design based on the unique characteristics of weed communities and the available weed management options.     

Nitrogen Efficiency in Mixed Farming Systems

SUMMARY

The problem of nitrogen surpluses in Northwestern Europe is related in part to recent segregation of animal and crop production. A long-term solution can be found by re-integration of the main agricultural production components into mixed farming systems. In a new classification scheme of farming systems, high-input systems are placed in a sequence of modes in agriculture that each address sus-tainability problems in different ways. In this classification scheme, New-Conservation Agriculture (NCA) is considered to be a new mode of farming that aims to replace losses from the system, whilst not overloading it through critical use of non-renewable resources. Mixed farming systems that integrate crops and livestock are a typical example of NCA. The advantageous environmental features of mixed farming systems are illustrated by the favorable nitrogen balance of two experimental prototypes (a conventional and an organic one) where arable, dairy and sheep farming are integrated to a high degree. However, particularly the plowing of grass/clover swards caused serious problems on both farms regarding seedling survival and product quality in sugarbeet, maize, onion, and potato crops. This was due to the occurrence of large pest populations of leatherjackets (Tipula paludosa) and wireworms (Coleoptera: Elateridae).     

Brazilian Agriculture: The Transition to Sustainability

SUMMARY

Brazil has a total area of 850 million ha, of which 90% is within the tropics. Historically, the system of exploitation of the land for agriculture and forestry was based on land clearing, cultivation for some years and then moving on to new areas. This process often left degraded areas behind, especially in the mountainous areas of the country. With modern agricultural technology, crops can be successfully grown in virtually any region of the country. The current challenge for Brazil is to feed its population and provide agricultural surpluses for the growing export markets, while preserving its rich and biologically-diverse native vegetation which still covers almost half of the country. The objective of this review is to trace the history of agricultural activity in this country, and to assess the sustainability of the cropping and pasture systems which today occupy the largest areas. At present approximately 50 million ha are under annual and perennial crops, while almost twice this area is under pastures. These pastures, predominately Brachiaria spp., are mostly in a degraded state due to lack of fertilization and over grazing. The various options available to recover these pastures or convert these areas for sustainable cropping are explained. In recent years, increasing proportions of soybean, wheat, and corn are produced under zero tillage which favors the conservation of soil organic matter. This not only radically reduces the risk of erosion but also increases the capacity of the soils to retain nutrients and water. Small holders who represent a considerable fraction of Brazil's food crop production, generally do not have access to fertilizers or other agricultural chemicals. They obtain very low yields and their farming practices exhaust the soil of nutrients. The Brazilian sugarcane industry is the largest in the world and recent changes in the management of this crop and its impact upon sustainability issues are also discussed. Brazil also has vast areas of degraded pastures and abandoned hillsides that can be used for agricultural expansion. This would prevent further destruction of native vegetation and its accompanying biological diversity for agriculture.     

Problems and Perspectives of Yam-Based Cropping Systems in Africa

SUMMARY

Yams (Dioscorea spp.) constitute an important starchy staple in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) where food security for a growing population is a critical issue. Mixed cropping in yam based systems is the norm in the region and productivity of yams in these systems is below potential. It is concluded that there is much scope for improvement of yam based cropping systems in SSA in order to meet the needs of the region. The strategy of crop breeding to select yam varieties suitable for various cropping systems must consider a truly multidisciplinary systems approach. Further manipulation must be made to tuber dormancy to expand flexibility in field propagation in different cropping systems and improve storage and marketing. The sustainability of yam based cropping systems in SSA could improve if agronomic research was focused on strategies for improving soil fertility, weed and pest management including design of cropping systems and suitable rotations.     

Current status,opportunities, and challenges of cover cropping for sustainable dryland farming in the Southern Great Plains

Cropping systems that integrate cover crops into crop rotations, reduce tillage intensity and frequency, and maintain residue cover have the potential to improve agricultural sustainability in drylands. However, there is much yet to learn about the benefits of cover crops in sustainable dryland farming in the southern Great Plains (SGP). We reviewed the literature on the effects of cover crops on soil organic carbon (SOC), nitrogen, soil water conservation, and crop yields in dryland cropping systems of the US Great Plains (GP), and analyzed the opportunities and challenges for integrating cover crops into dryland crop-fallow systems of the SGP. Majority of the studies in the central Great Plains (CGP) and the northern Great Plains (NGP) of the United States suggest that cover cropping improves sustainability of cropping systems through their positive effects on SOC accumulation, nutrient cycling, soil erosion control, weed suppression, and soil health improvement. However, integrating cover crops into dryland cropping systems of the SGP faces challenges because of low quantity of soil-water availability. More research on the tradeoff between water use and other agroecosystem benefits of cover cropping is required to successfully integrate cover crops into dryland cropping systems in the SGP.     

Cropping Systems and Integrated Pest Management: Examples from Selected Crops

SUMMARY

Cropping systems have been central to managing associated pests for centuries. This treatment focuses on the history, concepts, and the integration of available Integrated Pest Management (IPM) tools/strategies into cropping systems. Pest assessments/diagnoses, IPM-decision-making aids, and examples of pest management in selected crops/cropping systems (wheat, soybean, corn, cotton, potato, and strawberry) as well as emerging opportunities and challenges are discussed. The evolving philosophy of IPM and the recently renewed emphasis on ecologically based pest management address the fact that significant levels of predation and/or parasitism are desirable insofar as they promote diversity and sustainability of agroecosystems. Thus, cropping systems are beginning to focus on soil and crop health as well as specific IPM and production goals. Although extensive efforts have been directed toward modeling the many interactions between crops, associated pests and the environment, the general implementation of a systems approach to integrated crop and pest management remains to be accomplished.     

The Role of Nutrient-Efficient Crops in Modern Agriculture

Summary

Nutrient-efficient crops have an important role in modern agriculture. In the low-input systems that characterize most of world agriculture, nutrient-efficient crops improve crop productivity. In high-input systems of the developed world, nutrient-efficient crops are valuable in reducing pollution of surface and ground water resources from intense fertilization. Recent developments in molecular biology, root biology, rhizosphere interactions, and modeling present new opportunities for the understanding and improvement of crop nutrient efficiency. The degree and extent of nutritional limitations to crop productivity, and the economic and ecological liabilities of intensive fertilization, are such that eventually nutrient-efficient crops will be an important part of integrated nutrient management of cropping systems.     

Developing fertilizer recommendations for rice in Sub-Saharan Africa,achievements and opportunities

Improving agricultural productivity to keep pace with the fast-growing food demand is a huge challenge for sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Fertilizer is a powerful productivity-enhancing input; nevertheless, farmers of SSA use only 5–9 kg ha^?1 of fertilizer, which is ten times lesser than Latin America and Asia (50 and 80 kg ha^?1, respectively). Rice (Oryza sativa) is one of the most important food crops of SSA, and its consumption is growing faster than any other commodity in Africa. Rice-based systems have high potential for improving food production through an efficient management of fertilizers. The biophysical environment, cropping systems and socio-economic status of farmers including market opportunities are the main factors for developing appropriate fertilizer recommendations. Many research efforts have been invested in different countries to develop fertilizer recommendation for rice. However, the diversity of rice ecologies, the type and the cost of fertilizers available on local market are the main constraints for development of blanket recommendations of fertilizer usually applied in many countries. Here, we make a reviews of the progress made on the development of fertilizer recommendations for rice-based systems in SSA. The utilization of the new concepts and decisions support tools for development of fertilizer recommendation and the main achievements and weakness are discussed. The opportunities offered by the new concepts, modeling and decision support tools are discussed in a regional strategic approach for better management of fertilizers in the diversified ecologies of rice-based systems.     

Plant Parasitic Nematodes in Rice-Wheat Based Cropping Systems in South Asia

Summary

Rice-wheat based cropping systems in South Asia are among the most highly evolved production systems in the world. The productivity growth of these systems in South Asia is declining due to several factors including the biotic stresses of plant parasitic nema-todes. This article reviews the research on rice and wheat nematodes in a cropping systems perspective and identifies nematodes that have wide host ranges and are greatly influenced by the crop rotations and sequences. These polyphagous nematodes can cause significant damage to rice and (or) wheat crops, either alone or in combination with other microorganisms. The research projects on pest management in the region lack inter-disciplinarity and it is important for nematologists to become integral members of interdisciplinary teams on improving the productivity and sustainability of the rice-wheat cropping systems.     

Cassava-Based Intercropping Systems on Sumatra Island in Indonesia: Productivity,Soil Erosion,and Rooting Zone

Abstract

In Gunung Batin, the southern end of Sumatra Island, Indonesia, cassava is widely cultivated on gently sloping areas for starch materials. The monoculture system and/or the intercropping system without legume plants commonly adopted in this region may tend to accelerate soil degradation. The objective of this study is to compare the productivity among several cassava cropping patterns to propose the most beneficial one in this region. A field experiment of five cropping patterns {cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) single-cropping, three cassava-based intercropping patterns, and a crop rotation} was conducted for three years. The cropping pattern that recorded the highest net income varied with the year. In 1997, the driest year of the past several decades, cassava single-cropping was the highest in income. The proposed intercropping system {cassava/(maize ? soybean ? cowpea)} was the highest in 1998, a year with moderate rainfall. In 1999, when severe insect damage occurred to legume crops, the farmers?conventional intercropping was the highest. In an average of the three years, the proposed intercropping pattern was same as cassava single-cropping, although cowpea cultivation as the dry season cropping was not possible in this region. The amount of soil erosion was relatively high in cassava monoculture in comparison with the other intercropping and crop-rotation systems. Cassava roots penetrated to only 0.5 m deep and extended 1 to 2 m in a horizontal direction depending on the planting density. These results lead to the conclusion that the proposed cassava cropping system would be the most beneficial in terms of economy and control of soil erosion.     

Cropping Systems and Soil Quality

SUMMARY

Cropping system refers to temporal and spatial arrangements of crops, and management of soil, water and vegetation in order to optimize the biomass/agronomic production per unit area, per unit time and per unit input. Soil quality refers to its intrinsic attributes that govern biomass productivity and environment moderating capacity. It is the ability of soil to perform specific functions of interest to humans. Three components of soil quality (e.g., physical, chemical and biological) are determined by inherent soil characteristics, some of which can be altered by management. Soil quality and soil resilience are inter-related but dissimilar attributes. Resilient soils, which have the ability to restore their quality following a perturbation, have high soil quality and vice versa. Decline in soil quality sets-in-motion degradative processes, which are also of three types, namely physical (e.g., compaction, erosion), chemical (e.g., acidification, salinization) and biological (e.g., depletion of soil organic matter content). Soil degradation, a biophysical process but driven by socioeconomic and political causes, adversely affects biomass productivity and environment quality. Determinants of soil quality are influenced by cropping systems and related components. Dramatic increases in crop yields during the 20th century are attributed to genetic improvements in crops, fertilizer use, and improved cropping systems. Dependence on fertilizers and other input, however, need to be reduced by adopting cropping systems to enhance biological nitrogen fixation and use efficiency of water and nutrients through conservation tillage, cover crops, and improved methods of soil structure and nutrient management.     

Comparative analysis of farmers engaged in participatory research to cope with climate change versus non-participants in Northeast Thailand

ABSTRACT

To assess the extent of improvement of rainfed rice production by using a participatory approach, we compared research project participants and non-participants (total of 206 rice-growing households) with regard to yield variability and their perspective on climate change at seven sites in Northeast Thailand. The participants were characterized by membership in local groups, an active learning attitude, and confidence in their farming. Compared to non-participants, the participants produced crops with higher yield and had more knowledge about the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) message and advanced farming technologies. Both groups had similar reactions to past climatic damage experiences, but the participants tended to have a more positive attitude about adaptation to climate change and mitigation by refraining from residual straw burning than the non-participants. The farmers’ attitude about adaptation to climate change was positively associated with their active learning and close relationship with researchers. There was a large yield gap between the bottom 10 percentile farmers (0.63 t/ha) and the top 10 percentile farmers (4.05 t/ha), with an average yield of 2.18 t/ha. Yield was associated with the level of market orientation, with the market-oriented farmers attaining higher yield, including yield from broadcast seeding (2.71 t/ha), than the subsistence farmers (1.66 t/ha). Our findings suggest that technical improvement of rice production in the region by using the participatory approach could be enhanced by selecting participants who are linked with local groups, tend to be market orientated, and are willing to learn with researchers.     

Expanding the Context of Weed Management

Abstract

Concerns about current weed control practices have increased the consideration of new weed management strategies. In recent times, weed control practices for major crops have been influenced greatly by the availability of selective herbicides. Herbicides are critical tools, but weed science must integrate more components to create weed management systems. Changes in weed management can be attained within the framework of existing cropping systems. However, for the longer term, new methods and approaches to weed management are needed. Weed scientists need to play a central role in the development of new cropping systems to make weed management an integral component of the system. This volume contains a series of review articles and original research that presents innovative approaches to weeds and weed management. It is our hope that these papers will stimulate discussion on a broader view of weeds and weed management.