The priority of management factors for reducing the yield gap of summer maize in the north of Huang-Huai-Hai region,China

Understanding yield potential, yield gap and the priority of management factors for reducing the yield gap in current intensive maize production is essential for meeting future food demand with the limited resources. In this study, we conducted field experiments using different planting modes, which were basic productivity(CK), farmer practice(FP), high yield and high efficiency(HH), and super high yield(SH), to estimate the yield gap. Different factorial experiments(fertilizer, planting density, hybrids, and irrigation) were also conducted to evaluate the priority of individual management factors for reducing the yield gap between the different planting modes. We found significant differences between the maize yields of different planting modes. The treatments of CK, FP, HH, and SH achieved 54.26, 58.76, 65.77, and 71.99% of the yield potential, respectively. The yield gaps between three pairs: CK and FP, FP and HH, and HH and SH, were 0.76, 1.23 and 0.85 t ha~(–1), respectively. By further analyzing the priority of management factors for reducing the yield gap between FP and HH, as well as HH and SH, we found that the priorities of the management factors(contribution rates) were plant density(13.29%)fertilizer(11.95%)hybrids(8.19%)irrigation(4%) for FP to HH, and hybrids(8.94%)plant density(4.84%)fertilizer(1.91%) for HH to SH. Therefore, increasing the planting density of FP was the key factor for decreasing the yield gap between FP and HH, while choosing hybrids with density and lodging tolerance was the key factor for decreasing the yield gap between HH and SH.     

Associations between postpartum diseases and milk yield and changes in body condition between drying off and parturition of dairy cows in Argentina

ABSTRACT

Aims: To assess the change in body condition score (BCS) during the early and late dry periods and its association with postpartum diseases and milk yield in grazing dairy cows from central Argentina.

Methods: BCS assessments during the dry period, and cow health and milk production records up to 90 days in milk (DIM), were collated for cows from 28 farms at monthly visits between 2007 and 2008. Cows were categorised into four groups; those in Group 1 (n=7,067) maintained or gained BCS during the early and late dry periods; Group 2 (n=2,615) maintained or gained BCS during the early dry period and lost BCS during the late dry period; Group 3 (n=1,989) lost BCS during the early dry period and maintained or gained BCS during the late dry period; and Group 4 (n=5,144) lost BCS during the early and late dry periods.

Results: Cows in Group 1 had reduced odds of having retained fetal membranes (RFM), metritis, and clinical mastitis up to 90 DIM than cows in Group 2 (p<0.001), but the odds of disease were similar to cows in Group 3. The odds of having RFM or clinical mastitis tended to be lower in cows in Group 1 than cows in Group 4 (p=0.08). The odds of cows being culled or dying during the first 90 DIM were lower for cows in Group 1 than for those in Groups 2, 3, and 4 (p≤0.05). Mean accumulated milk yield up to 90 DIM was higher in cows in Group 1 than Group 2 and Group 4 (p<0.001), but was similar to that of cows in Group 3 (p=0.28).

Conclusions and clinical relevance: Cows that lost BCS during the late dry period had increased odds of being diagnosed with several postpartum diseases and had decreased milk yield compared to cows that maintained or gained BCS during the entire dry period. Loss of BCS during any stage of the dry period was also associated with increased incidence of culling or death during the first 90 DIM. These results should raise awareness among dairy cattle producers of the importance of properly managing cow body condition during the dry period, especially during the late dry period.     

不同播期对黄秋葵长势、抗病性和产量的影响

为在河北省推广种植黄秋葵,在安国、保定、邯郸、衡水和石家庄5个试验点进行黄秋葵分期播种试验,研究了不同播期对石秋葵1号、红玉和五福3个品种生长势、抗病性和产量的影响。结果表明:播期对石秋葵1号、红玉和五福生长势、抗病性和产量具有较大的影响,随着播期的推迟,3个品种的茎粗大致呈逐渐增高的趋势,株高呈先降后升的趋势(除2018年的红玉外),单株结果数则先增加后减少,单果质量(除五福外)逐渐增大;以4月20日、25日和30日为播期,得到的黄秋葵单株产量和折合667 m~2产量较高。综合得出,河北省黄秋葵种植以4月20日、25日、30日为播期最为适宜。     

Soil physical changes and maize growth in a structurally fragile tropical soil due to mulching and duration between irrigation intervals

Under tropical meteorological conditions, the volume of soil explored by plant roots is crucial for crop growth as it allows increased water and nutrient use efficiency. We hypothesized that, under different irrigation intervals, leguminous mulch can extend the duration between irrigation events but maintain crop performance, because decreased evaporative fluxes also reduce constraints to root exploration imposed by mechanical stress. We evaluated the combined effects of leguminous mulch and irrigation intervals on soil physical properties to determine whether the growth and productivity of maize were modified in a structurally fragile tropical soil. The experiment involved the following treatments: 4‐day irrigation intervals with soil mulched (4C) or bare (4S), 6‐day irrigation intervals with soil mulched (6C) or bare (6S), 8‐day irrigation intervals with soil mulched (8C) or bare (8S) and 10‐day irrigation intervals with soil mulched (10C) or bare (10S). Mulch decreased soil penetration resistance and increased to 4 days the favourable time for root development in drying soil. Relative to bare soil, mulch with a 6‐day irrigation interval almost doubled nitrogen uptake post‐tasselling, which decreased nitrogen remobilization and increased the crop growth rate during this stage. These conditions had a positive effect on the transpiration rate and stomatal conductance as well as on the growth and yield of maize. A 6‐day irrigation interval with mulch compared to 4 days with bare soil resulted in similar conditions for root development, but greater uptake of nitrogen (102.73–78.70 kg/ha) and better yield (6.2–5.3 t/ha), which means greater efficiency in nitrogen and water use.     

Bird,weed and interaction effects on yield of irrigated lowland rice

Weeds and grain feeding birds are the two main biological causes of yield losses in irrigated rice in Africa. To quantify the single and combined effect of these biological constraints on rice yields, and to investigate whether weeds attract birds and thereby contribute to increased bird damage, a three-year factorial experiment was set-up in the Senegal River Valley. We tested two management factors (bird and weed management), each with two levels (‘complete’ and ‘absent’), and one crop cycle factor also with two levels (Sahel 202, a medium-cycle and Sahel 108, a short-cycle rice cultivar). Season-long competition from weeds resulted in high but predictable yield losses ranging from 50% to 75%, with lower yield losses for the medium-cycle cultivar Sahel 202 in two of the three seasons. Due to the nature of the pest, season-long exposure to birds resulted in less predictable yield losses ranging from 13% to as high as 94%, with high seasonal variation. In two seasons, much lower bird-inflicted yield losses were observed in the short-cycle cultivar Sahel 108, whereas in one season the medium-cycle cultivar Sahel 202 was much less damaged. When rice was exposed to both weeds and birds, the relative yield losses ranged from 80 to 99%. The yield reducing effect of weeds and birds was never additive. Bird visits to a weedy crop were more frequent compared to a weed-free crop at least in the early rice grain filling stages. This attraction of birds by weeds resulted in an additional yield loss in five of the six cases, ranging from 2 to 62%. Bird-inflicted yield losses in irrigated rice may be reduced by keeping the crop, as much as possible, free from weeds.     

大中小型拖拉机压实对土壤坚实度和大豆产量的影响

探讨农业机械压实对土壤坚实度和产量的影响规律，对改善作物生产环境、促进农业机械化向质量型转变具有重要意义。以东北典型黑土区耕地土壤为研究对象，依照随机区组试验原理，选择大、中、小3种型号拖拉机进行6种压实处理，同型拖拉机相同压实次数试验重复3次，采用PV6.08型贯穿阻力仪测量压实轮辙截面土壤坚实度。试验结果表明：土壤坚实度随压实次数增加而逐渐递增，3种拖拉机压实测试截面浅层均出现明显压实核，且压实核内土壤坚实度随压实次数增加而逐渐增大，CASE-210型拖拉机压实对表层土壤坚实度影响程度和范围最大，压实12次时压实核处土壤坚实度达4.0 MPa，JD-280型拖拉机对深层土壤压实影响程度和范围最大，在65~80 cm的土壤深层坚实度的峰值达3.2 MPa；拖拉机压实均导致大豆产量降低，CASE-210、JD-904和JD-280拖拉机压实12次时大豆产量分别降低了21.24%、18.15%和12.38%。     

Biochar has little effect on soil dissolved organic carbon pool 5 years after biochar application under field condition

Biochar application can improve soil properties, such as increasing soil organic carbon content, soil pH and water content. These properties are important to soil dissolved organic carbon (DOC); however, the effects of biochar on DOC concentration and composition have received little research attention, especially several years after biochar application under field conditions. This study was conducted in a long‐term experimental field where the biochar was only applied once in 2009. The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of different biochar application rates (0, 30, 60 and 90 t ha^?1) on the dynamics of soil water content, DOC concentration and DOC compositions (reducing sugar, soluble phenol and aromatics) over nine samplings during a 12‐month period in 2014. Our results showed that soil water content and DOC concentration varied from 7.1% to 14.5% and 59 to 230 mg C kg^?1 soil during the 12 months, respectively. However, the biochar application rates did not significantly (p > 0.05) affect soil water content, DOC concentration and DOC composition at the same sampling period. The DOC concentration across the biochar treatments was positively correlated to soil water content. Moreover, the DOC composition (reducing sugar, soluble phenol or aromatics) and their concentrations were positively correlated to the total DOC concentration. In addition, biochar did not affect soil bulk density, pH, saturated hydraulic conductivity and crop yields. The results indicated that some benefits of biochar to soil may not persist 5 years after the application of biochar under a field condition.     

Maize harvest index and water use efficiency can be improved by inhibition of gibberellin biosynthesis

Possibilities to improve maize harvest index and nutrient utilization efficiency by application of plant growth regulators were investigated. In container experiments, the effects of different growth regulators on the development of the maize (Zea mays L.) cultivars Pioneer 3906 and Fabregas were tested. Paclobutrazol (PAC) and chlorocholine chloride (CCC), two inhibitors of gibberellin biosynthesis, as well as gibberellic acid (GA₃) were applied at growth stage V5. Three weeks after application of PAC, shoot growth of both maize cultivars was strongly affected with a significant decrease in plant height in the PAC treatment by 44% and 36% for Pioneer 3906 and Fabregas, respectively. The growth‐retarded plants had higher leaf areas and reduced transpiration rates. The higher shoot growth after GA₃ application was accompanied by a reduction in leaf area and an increase in transpiration rate during 1 week before anthesis. CCC treatment showed no significant effects on plant height, leaf area and transpiration rate. The PAC‐treated cultivar Pioneer 3906 produced several cobs per plant, which were mainly barren at maturity. However, PAC application to Fabregas resulted in just one cob per plant with good kernel development and a grain yield, which was not significantly reduced in comparison with the control. With this similar grain yield in combination with a straw yield decrease of 32%, the harvest index was significantly improved by 12%. In addition, with PAC‐treated Fabregas plants, a 19% increased water use efficiency of the grain (WUE_grain) during the critical period of kernel setting was achieved. In this maize cultivar, CCC application also improved harvest index by 5%, but no effect on WUE_grain occurred. GA₃ treatment decreased harvest index of both maize cultivars, and it either reduced WUE_grain (Pioneer 3906) or showed no effect (Fabregas). Utilization efficiencies of N, P and K were not increased with growth regulator application, even in the PAC‐treated Fabregas plants with a significantly improved allocation of assimilates to the grain, mirrored by the higher harvest index. The results indicate that fertilizer applications must be adjusted to the reduced demand of growth‐retarded plants, most likely leading to higher nutrient utilization efficiencies.     

Optimisation of fertiliser rates in crop production against energy use indicators

Optimising mineral nitrogen (N) use in crop production is inevitable target as mineral fertilisers reflect one of the highest inputs both in terms of economy and energy. The aim of the study was to compare the relationship between the rate of N fertiliser application and different measures of energy parameters exemplary data for spring-wheat in boreal climate condition in Estonia in 2006–2010. The effect of mineral N with rates 0, 40, 80, 120 and 160 kg N ha⁻¹ was studied on the background of composted cow manure and without organic fertilisers. Univalent parameters, energy gain (EG) (energy output − energy input) and energy ratio (ER) (energy output/energy input) were calculated. To aggregate parameters with different units (ER and EG) we proposed two standardisation approaches for combined indices. ER maximisation gave both organic fertilisation background optimum N norms significantly lower than EG (p < 0.05) optimisation. Both the new combined indices gave optimum N norms in between the rate of ER an EG. Composted cow manure background did not affect mineral N optimisation significantly. We suggest optimisation of mineral N according to bi-dimensional parameters as they capture important features of production efficiency and are more objective using as advisory tool for sustainable production systems.