Assessment of some major yield-limiting factors on maize production in a humid temperate environment

Despite the availability of modern hybrids and better agronomic practices, there existed large gaps between attainable yield of maize (Zea mays L.) grown with recommended practices and producers’ harvest yields in the humid temperate regions of eastern Canada. A field experiment was conducted for 3 years in Ottawa, Canada, to determine the most important management yield-limiting factor(s) on rainfed maize grain production. A package of recommended practices (RP) was composed with the recommended levels of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), micronutrients, chemical weed control, and plant population density (PPD). Each factor was modified from the RP, making a total of 11 treatments. Under the low occurrence of diseases or insects, weed infestation was the most important yield-limiting factor, which reduced grain yield by 27–38%. While lack of preplant N application (100 kg ha⁻¹) reduced yield by 10–22%, there was no yield increment with additional sidedressing N (50 kg N ha⁻¹). Grain yield was reduced by 8–13% with low PPD (60,000 plants ha⁻¹) in all years, whereas increasing PPD to 90,000 plants ha⁻¹ did not improve yield, compared with the RP. Withhold P application did not affect yield in all years, but yield was reduced by up to 13% in the absence of K, and by 10% and 12% without Zn or Mn, respectively, in 1 year. Our results indicated that lack of weed control (i.e. herbicide use) was the major yield-limiting factor followed by fertilizer N and PPD. The responses of grain yield to K, Zn, and Mn were site and/or year specific. Our study provided experimental data and an insight understanding of yield gap between genotype's yield potential achievable with recommended practices and yields with producers’ practices.     

Intercropping potatoes in early spring in a temperate climate. 2. Radiation utilization

Summary Three experiments on intercopping potatoes with cabbage are reported in which the cabbage crop was transplanted between rows of potatoes prior to planting. The cabbages were removed before the canopies of the component crops overlapped, but comparison with sole crops showed that the ground cover of both crops had been retarded. This early competition affected both the amount of radiation intercepted by the potato crop and its efficiency of conversion into dry matter. As a result the sum of the radiation intercepted by the intercrops in no instance exceeded that of the sole potato crops. The evidence suggests that largely before any significant competition for light due to mutual shading, competition for water, nitrogen and possibly other essential elements, took place, with repercussions for canopy growth for the remainder of the growing season.     

Intercropping potatoes in early spring in a temperate climate. 1. Yield and intercropping advantages

Summary Three experiments carried out in south-east England tested the proposition that solar radiation falling on the soii (‘wasted’) until the attainment of a complete crop canopy by potato crops, could be utilized by intercropping with cabbages without detriment to the potato yields. The cabbages were established by transplanting and harvested by the time the potato crop had achieved a ground cover between 40–80%. However, almost without exception, intercropping reduced the economic yields of both component crops. The land equivalent ratio (LER) varied between 1.01 and 1.78 and the partial LER of potatoes between 0.56 and 1.11, suggesting only in the latter case was there complete absence of competition between the component crops.     

Scaling up of a mechanistic dynamic model in a GIS environment to model temperate grassland production at the regional scale

Regional‐scale ecological processes are mediated by processes occurring at local scales. Spatially explicit models are needed to understand the broad‐scale consequences of a large number of local processes, driven by factors which are heterogeneous at a broad scale. A Geographic Information System (GIS)‐based mechanistic model, which can be used as a flexible tool to investigate the regional‐scale effects of changes in environmental factors on herbage production from a Lolium perenne sward, was developed and used to investigate the consequences of aggregating driving variables at different resolutions. The model allows rigorous scaling up of previously existing field‐based modelling approaches within a GIS context. The model's mechanistic approach allows flexibility in the simulation of the separate effects of environmental driving variables and of cutting regimes. The driving variables (temperature, solar radiation, available soil moisture and soil nitrogen status) are scaled up using geostatistical techniques. The model is used to evaluate weekly changes in herbage production under environmental conditions, variable both in space and time, under different cutting regimes. It is shown that, in this model, aggregation at 1 km² is a good compromise between accuracy and practical feasibility, and that, while ignoring heterogeneity over many square kilometres can induce large errors, their magnitude and direction also depend on the model response curve to an input variable. The results obtained were consistent with the known trends in influential environmental factors. The programming within a GIS makes the model flexible in its application and, therefore, makes it easy to apply at a variety of scales.     

Nitrogen source evaluation for potato production on irrigated sandy soils

Ammonium sulfate (AS), ammonium nitrate (AN), urea (U), and calcium nitrate (CN) were evaluated as supplemental N sources for sprinkler irrigated potatoes on a loamy sand soil by determining N source effects on potato yield, quality, recovery of applied N in tubers, and petiole NO ₃ ^- concentration. At the N rate required to maximize yield (224 kg N/ha), 5-year average yields obtained with AS were significantly higher than those obtained using AN, U, or CN. Average total tuber yields with AS, AN, U, and CN were 59.3, 56.2, 56.5, and 54.8 Mg/ha, respectively. Yield differences between AS and AN or CN are likely due to greater N loss through leaching from the NO ₃ ^- -containing sources. This conclusion is supported by lower petiole NO ₃ ^- concentrations and lower recovery of applied N in tubers when AN or CN were used. Yield differences between AS and U suggest that N applied as U is more susceptible to loss than N applied as AS on the soil used in this work. The percentage of total tuber yield in the US1A quality category was not affected by N source, but the percentage of cull tubers was higher with AS than with AN or CN. Our results indicate that potato yield and N recovery can be improved by use of AS instead of U, AN, or CN for irrigated potato production on sandy soils. Potato yield, quality, and N recovery were similar when U or AN were used as supplemental N sources.     

Milk-production potential of different sward types in a temperate southern Australian environment

The milk-production potential of different sward types was measured in each of the four seasons of the year in a replicated experiment in south-west Victoria, Australia. Dairy cows were offered ad libitum allowances of a 'short-term winter' sward, based on Italian ryegrass (treatment STW), a 'long-term winter' sward, based on a winter-active tall fescue (treatment LTW), a 'long-term summer' sward, based on a summer-active tall fescue (treatment LTS) and a Control sward (perennial ryegrass) in four seasons (days in milk in parentheses): spring (November dairy cows, 124), summer (February, 227), autumn (May, 234) and winter (August, sixty-four). A 'short-term summer' sward, based on chicory and white clover (treatment STS), was also included in summer. There was a significant season × treatment interaction caused by a more gradual decline in milk yield from peak for cows grazing treatment LTS compared to the Control treatment in the transition period from spring to summer. In summer, cows grazing treatment STS produced more milk (1·41 kg fat plus protein per cow d⁻¹) than cows grazing all other treatments (0·92 kg per cow d⁻¹) because of the superior nutritive value of herbage of pre-grazing pasture and higher apparent dry-matter intakes. Swards based on alternative species to perennial ryegrass are capable of supporting milk production that is at least comparable over an annual cycle.     

Break crop benefits in temperate wheat production

Changes in the sequence of crops grown on agricultural land are well known to enhance the yield of grain crops such as wheat. A survey of the literature gathered from around the world show mean yield benefits of up to 20% or more. Much is known about the principal mechanisms responsible for these benefits, including effects on disease control, improved nitrogen nutrition and water supply, although researchers continue to be challenged by inexplicable “rotation effects” that have yet to be documented or fully understood. This review summarizes our current understanding of the ‘better-known’ mechanisms of crop rotation, and discusses other mechanisms (e.g. changes in rhizosphere biology, allelopathy or soil structure) that may help to account fully for the rotation benefits that have been observed by agricultural producers for more than 2000 years. Where possible we emphasise new techniques employed to investigate these less well-understood aspects of the “rotation effect”. At the farm level, the inability to capitalize on the benefits of break crops may owe more to economics, the availability of suitable break crops and the complexity of the crop response. Computer-based decision support tools have been developed to assist growers to apply the information gathered from scientific studies, although efforts to integrate this information at whole-farm scales are embryonic.     

Leaf development of spring wheat cultivars in an irrigated heat-stressed environment

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is expanding into lower latitudes of the Nile Valley Region, where maximum air temperature can reach 38–40°C during the short growing season. Genotype and environment, particularly temperature, affect the rate of leaf appearance. Field experiments were conducted at the Gezira Research Station, Wad Medani, Sudan in 1992–94. The study aimed to determine the effect of high temperature (by manipulating sowing dates) on leaf and tiller appearance and growth of nine spring wheat cultivars. Linear response was found between rate of leaf appearance and thermal time and it was faster before double-ridge stage than after double ridge. Phyllochron ranged between 99°C d and 122°C d. Differences in phyllochron interval (PI) were pronounced among cultivars and early-maturing cultivars had faster leaf appearance compared with late-maturing ones. Mean final leaf number on the main stem ranged from 8.1 to 12.2 and it was highly correlated with thermal time from sowing to double ridge stage (r=0.71**). Genetic constitution of cultivars had larger effect on number of leaves per main-stem than temperature. Tillers were initiated at leaf stage 2.9 and cultivars differed in their tillering capacity and only 1.5–2.0 reproductive tillers per plant were produced. About 810°C d were needed to produce tillers 1 and 2 and about 1140°C d for tillers 3 and 4. Leaf senescence started at leaf stage 6.1 for cv. Wadi El Neil and 4.2 for Debeira. Cultivars sown late exhibited delayed senescence of their leaves. High temperature accelerated maturity and the cultivars suited for the irrigated tropical environment were found to be early-sown late-maturing types.     

Responses of field-grown irrigated rice cultivars to varying levels of floodwater salinity in a semi-arid environment

Shallow saline water tables, naturally saline soils and variations in climatic conditions over the two growing seasons, create a harsh environment for irrigated rice production in the Senegal River Delta. At the onset of the growing season, salts accumulated by capillary rise in the topsoil are released into the soil solution and floodwater. Rice fields often lack drainage facilities, or drain from one field to the other, thus building up salt levels during the season. Salt stress may, therefore, occur throughout the growing season and may coincide with susceptible growth stages of the rice crop. The objectives of the present study were to (i) determine varietal responses to seasonal salinity in both the hot dry season (HDS) and the wet season (WS) and (ii) derive guidelines for surface water drainage at critical growth stages. We evaluated responses of three rice cultivars grown in the region to floodwater salinity (0–2, 4, 6, 8 mS cm⁻¹), applied either at germination, during 2 weeks at crop establishment, during 2 weeks around panicle initiation (PI), or during 2 weeks around flowering. Floodwater electrical conductivity (EC) reduced germination rate for the most susceptible cultivar by as much as 50% and yield by 80% for the highest salinity level imposed. Salinity strongly reduced spikelet number per panicle, 1000 grain weight and increased sterility, regardless of season and development stage. The strongest salinity effects on yield were observed around PI, whereas plants recovered best from stress at seedling stage. Floodwater EC <2 mS cm⁻¹ hardly affected rice yield. For floodwater EC levels >2 mS cm⁻¹, a yield loss of up to 1 t ha⁻¹ per unit EC (mS cm⁻¹) was observed for salinity stress around PI (at fresh water yields of about 8 t ha⁻¹). Use of a salinity tolerant cultivar reduced maximum yield losses to about 0.6 t ha⁻¹ per unit EC. It is concluded that use of salinity tolerant cultivars, drainage if floodwater EC >2 mS cm⁻¹ at critical growth stages, and early sowing in the WS to avoid periods of low air humidity during the crop cycle, are ways to increase rice productivity in the Senegal River Delta.     

Intercropping potatoes in early spring in a temperate climate. 3. The influence of planting date, row width and temperature change on the potential for intercropping

Summary The effects of planting date and row width on canopy development, intercepted radiation and yield were studied in two experiments, with the variety Wilja in 1988 and Cara in 1989. Planting dates were between mid March and early May and were combined with row widths of 0.75 and 1.25 m. Increasing the row width decreased intercepted radiation and yields in both years. Delayed planting reduced the yield of Cara, but not of Wilja. Early planting increased radiation use efficiency of Cara. It is argued that intercropping in spring without potentially reducing tuber yield might be favoured by delaying the planting of a determinate variety such as Wilja but by increasing the row width for an indeterminate variety such as Cara. Trends in mean monthly and soil 10 cm temperatures however suggest that opportunities for intercropping potatoes in the spring in a temperate climate may become more restricted.     

Pasture legumes differ in herbage production and quality throughout spring,impacting their potential role in fodder conservation and animal production

This study reports on the herbage production and quality of a range of pasture legume species during spring, at three sites with moderate to strongly acidic soils in southern NSW, Australia. These data have enabled prediction of livestock production when legumes are conserved as silage or hay. Total herbage production, its timing and quality differed significantly between species, which generally was not predicted by the traditional metric of time to flowering. Trifolium incarnatum L., T. michelianum L., Biserrula pelecinus L., Ornithopus sativus Brot. and Hedysarum coronarium L. all maintained growth rates exceeding 200 kg DM/ha/d for 4 weeks over spring, while T. vesiculosum Savi. maintained this for 6 weeks, with a peak growth rate of 561 kg DM/ha/d. Herbage quality of all species declined over time and was greatest in species with a rapid increase in stem‐to‐leaf ratio or with weak stems, resulting in lodging. The modelling inferred that maximizing potential livestock production via fodder conservation required earlier cutting. Only the indeterminate species B. pelecinus and Ornithopus spp. increased potential liveweight gain per hectare through delayed harvesting from (probable) silage to hay‐making time.     

Uniformity trial with lucerne grown for fodder

Data on the yield of lucerne for individual cuts and the total for three cuts from a uniformity trial were analysed. It was observed that CV% values decreased with the increase in plot size, both for each cut and for total yield. The decrease was considerable up to a plot size of 8 to 16 m². The plot shape did not show any consistent effect. Increasing the size of block resulted in increased CV values, but block shape had no consistent effect. The CV values were highest for the first cut and lowest for the second cut. A relationship between the average CV% and plot size was found. However, this relationship, or its modified form Y= a.X₁^−b1. X₂^−b2 taking into account the plot shape and considering the individual CV values, provide a good fit to the data for the cases where blocking was adopted. The coefficient of heterogeneity was less than 0·29, being lowest for first-cut yields, followed by the total, the third cut and the second cut yields. This showed a high degree of positive correlation between yields of neighbouring plots. Blocking proved useful in increasing the efficiency of the experiment and it is suggested that block size may be kept at 8 or less plots per block. The relationship between average CV% and block size was of the from Y = a X^b. The present study suggests that, for field experiments with luceme, the plot size may be kept to a minimum that does not exceed 8 to 12 m², in blocks of eight to nine plots with the shapes of plots and blocks being nearly square. Calculating the efficiencies of confounded factorial design and incomplete block design revealed that block size may be kept to a minimum. The recovery of interblock information was found useful and balancing may be attempted, but only, if necessary.     

Plant development and yield components under a tropical environment in soybean cultivars with temperate and tropical origins

Cultivar tests under tropical environments could be an approach to explore soybean productivity under high temperature. Twenty-nine soybean cultivars divided into five groups with temperate origin (Japanese and US) and tropical origin (Indonesian-old, Indonesian-modern and other tropical) were grown for two years in a tropical environment at Banten, Indonesia, with minimal season-to-season variation in air temperature and day-length. Temperate cultivars were earlier in flowering and shorter in duration from R1 to R5. Temperate cultivars had a seed yield of 157 g m^?2 (mean temperate cultivars) compared to 249 g m^?2 (tropical cultivars), which was due to having lower values of pods, seed number and TDW. In addition, the occurrence of shriveling and smaller seed size compared to plants grown in their region of origin was considerably evident in Japanese cultivars. To account for the difference of growth duration, a maturity-corrected index for yield and relevant variables was calculated to consider the amount of incident solar radiation. The yield index for all tested cultivars ranged from .49 to 1.48, and Japanese cultivars showed the lowest yield index (.67), followed by US cultivars (.87), whereas tropical cultivars had index means from 1.05 to 1.20. Although they were both of temperate origin, Japanese cultivars tended to show a lower index than US cultivars. The tendency was similar for TDW and node number. The poor performance of temperate cultivars even after correction suggests that there is a genetic variation of adaptation to a tropical environment independent of growth duration. Additionally, there was considerable performance variation within temperate cultivars.     

A von Liebig response function to nitrogen and phosphorus for hay production from irrigated pastures

Permanent pasture in the Po Valley of Italy was the site of a pluriannual experiment (1975–81) to observe the effects on hay production of N and P fertilizer applications well above those normally recommended. A split-plot design with a randomized complete block arrangement of the whole-plot factor with 5 levels of N and the subplot factor with 3 levels of P was chosen for the experiment. The maximum rate of N application was 800 kg ha^?1 while the corresponding rate for P was 87.3 kg ha^?1. Principal species in the sward were orchard grass (Dactylis glomerata L.), perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), common velvetgrass (Holcus lanatus L.) and white clover (Trifolium repens L.). This field was irrigated according to customary techniques during summer months and cut five limes each year. Yields were analysed by means of a response function of the linear and plateau type which incorporates von Liebig's Law of the Minimum, it was found that this function represents the hay response very well with respect to N. In fact, beyond 390 kg ha ^?1 applied N the response is negligible up to 800 kg ha^?1, the maximum rate tested in this experiment. The optimal rate of applied N decreased consistently over the years from 390 to 260 kg ha^?1. At these unusually high levels of fertilization hay production increased about 60–80% compared with normal practices. The estimation of the von Liebig response function requires mathematical programming knowledge. The estimates obtained are maximum likelihood estimates. The practical importance of estimating and using this response function lies in its ability to achieve the maximum response with the minimum amount of fertilizers among all other admissible response functions. Hence, its adoption for making fertilizer recommendations would save farmers money and limit chemical pollution to the environment.     

大豆间套作种植技术研究进展

间套作技术是一种充分利用自然资源,提高土壤产出率,增加农民受益,生态环保的农业种植技术。大豆间套作历经数十年的发展,已经形成了一定的规模,在全国范围内广泛应用。文章对现有的大豆间套作技术的研究进展进行了综述,包括玉米-大豆、甘蔗-大豆、马铃薯-大豆、木薯-大豆、幼树-大豆及大豆的其它间套作类型,对各间套作体系中的品种选择、播期、行比配置、养分调节及光合特性等内容进行了总结和概括,指出耐荫性大豆品种缺乏、机械化程度不高等问题,并对大豆间套作技术的发展进行了展望,以期为大豆间套作种植技术的深入研究提供参考。     

菠萝老茎留苗地间种甘蔗技术研究

以摘果后的常规菠萝老茎留苗地为试验地,以菠萝老茎留苗与甘蔗种进行间种,探讨和研究不同间种规格和方法对菠萝老茎所留种苗数量、质量(种苗合格率)以及甘蔗产量的影响,并与常规技术的经济指标做了对比分析。结果表明：采用菠萝老茎留苗地间种甘蔗技术,以菠萝大行距间为种植沟,实施隔行间种甘蔗,该技术能使老茎留苗地菠萝留苗平均可达12.81万株/hm2,种苗合格率占94.8%,平均可产甘蔗种 31.95 t/hm2;以菠萝大行距间为种植沟,实施连行间种甘蔗技术,菠萝种苗留苗的数量相对减少,种苗合格率占93.6%,平均每公顷可摘种苗8.30万株,平均可产甘蔗种42.00 t/ hm2。菠萝种苗数减少,但甘蔗产量增加。两种不同的间种规格和方法对留苗和砍种都有各自的效果,与常规菠萝老茎留苗技术相比,菠萝老茎留苗与甘蔗种间种技术总体经济效益显著。     

Adaptability of irrigated spring canola oil production to the US High Plains

Canola oil is high in oleic acid which is commonly used for food and industrial purposes. To determine adaptability of spring canola (Brassica napus L.) to the High Plains for industrial oil production, 26 irrigated trials were conducted from 2005 to 2008. Trials were divided into five regions—1: 36-37°N 108°W; 2: 39-40°N 101-103°W; 3: 41-42°N 102-103°W; 4: 41-42°N 104°W; 5: 43-44°N 106-108°W. Cultural practices were based on site-specific protocols. Four cultivars, Hyola 401, Hyola 357 Magnum, SW Marksman, and SW Patriot, were planted in replicated plots in April or May under standard irrigation and harvested in July to October depending on region. Seed yield Hyola 401 and Hyola 357 Magnum were higher than SW Marksman and SW Patriot across the five regions and within Regions 1, 2, 3, and 5. Regions 1, 2 and 3 yielded significantly greater than did Regions 4 and 5. Samples from 18 trials were examined for their oil content and fatty acid distribution. The four cultivars had greater than 38% oil content; SW Marksman and SW Patriot had higher oil content than Hyola 401 and Hyola 357 Mag. Higher oil content was achieved in Regions 1, 4 and 5. Across and within regions, the percent of oleic acid did not differ for the four cultivars. The mean content of oleic acid decreased going north from Region 2 to Region 5, as did seed yield in the High Plains. Linoleic acid increased going north from Region 1. Linolenic acids showed little variation across regions. Considering yield and total oil content together, growing spring canola would be excellent in the High Plains.     

冀东滦下灌区种植结构调整策略的研究

分析了冀东滦下灌区四县稻田土壤耕层的全盐含量和地下水矿化度,并依据我国盐渍土壤划分标准和不同作物的耐盐能力,将该稻区划分为宜稻区、盐生植物种植区、耐盐作物种植区和大田旱作物种植区,并提出了各个区域的种植技术方案及配套的工程技术措施。     

Identifying suitable temperate grass species and cultural practices for herbage production in the mountain regions of North Vietnam

In North Vietnam, during winter, shortage of herbage constrains the profitability of dairy farming. The first objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of alternative temperate (C₃) forage species, namely common oat ( Avena sativa L.), lop-sided oat ( Avena strigosa Schreb.), Italian ryegrass ( Lolium multiflorum L.) and a commercial forage mixture (Avex), to address the shortage of herbage during winter in the mountain regions of North Vietnam. The second objective was to measure the effects of cultural practices (sowing rate, harvest interval and irrigation level) on yield of dry matter (DM), chemical composition, digestibility of DM and metabolizable energy (ME) concentration of herbage from the best adapted C₃ species previously tested (lop-sided oat). Four experiments were conducted. Oat species proved to be the best adapted species and produced the highest annual yield of herbage (7600 kg DM ha⁻¹) with a high nutritive value. Yields of DM of lop-sided oat were not affected by sowing rate of seed but increased as the length of harvest intervals increased from 30 to 45 and 60 d ( P  <   0·001). Crude protein concentration, digestibility of DM and ME concentration decreased as the harvest interval increased ( P  <   0·01). Irrigation increased the yields of DM of lop-sided oats by 1·3 ( P  <   0·05) but had no effect on the nutritive value of herbage. It is concluded that both common oat and lop-sided oat are suitable species to provide herbage in the winter for the mountain regions of North Vietnam.