Agronomy, Volume 9, Issue 6 (June 2019) – 73 articles

The abandonment of the economic activities of agriculture, livestock, and forestry since the second half of the 20th century, in conjunction with the exodus of inhabitants from rural areas, has resulted in an increase in the forest mass as well as an expansion of forest areas. This, in turn, has led to a greater risk of forest fires and an increase in the intensity and severity of these fires. Moreover, these forest masses represent a fire hazard to adjacent urban areas, which is a problem illustrated here by the village of Capafonts, whose former agricultural terraces have been invaded by shrubs, and which in the event of fire runs the risk of aiding the propagation of the flames from the forest to the village’s homes. One of the tools available to reduce the amount of fuel in zones adjoining inhabited areas is prescribed burns. The local authorities have also promoted measures to convert these terraces into pasture; in this way, the grazing of livestock (in this particular instance, goats) aims to keep fuel levels low and thus reduce the risk of fire. The use of prescribed fires is controversial, as they are believed to be highly aggressive for the soil, and little is known about their long-term effects. The alternation of the two strategies is more acceptable—that is, the use of prescribed burning followed by the grazing of livestock. Yet, similarly little is known about the effects of this management sequence on the soil. As such, this study seeks to examine the impact of the management of the abandoned terraces of Capafonts by means of two prescribed fires (2000 and 2002), which were designed specifically to prevent forest fires from reaching the village. Following these two prescribed burns, a herd of goats began to graze these terraces in 2005. Here, we report the results of soil analyses conducted during this period of years up to and including 2017. A plot comprising 30 sampling points was established on one of the terraces and used to monitor its main soil quality properties. The data were subject to statistical tests to determine whether the recorded changes were significant. The results show modifications to the concentration of soil elements, and since the first prescribed burn, these changes have all been statistically significant. We compare our results with those reported in other studies that evaluate optimum soil concentrations for the adequate growth of grazing to feed goats, and conclude that the soil conditions on the terrace after 17 years are optimum for livestock use. Full article

Lower quality and longer production periods of grafted seedlings, especially grafted plug seedlings of fruit vegetables, may result from insufficient amounts of light, particularly in rainy seasons and winter. Supplemental artificial lighting may be a feasible solution to such problems. This study was conducted to evaluate light intensity’s influence on the quality of grafted tomato seedlings, ‘Super Sunload’ and ‘Super Dotaerang’ were grafted onto the ‘B-Blocking’ rootstock. To improve their quality, grafted seedlings were moved to a glasshouse and grown for 10 days. The glasshouse had a combination of natural lighting from the sun and supplemental lighting from LEDs (W₁R₂B₂) for 16 h/day. Light intensity of natural lighting was 490 μmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹ photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) and that of supplemental lighting was 50, 100, or 150 μmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹ PPFD. The culture environment had 30/25 °C day/night temperatures, 70% ± 5% relative humidity (RH), and a natural photoperiod of 14 h as well. Compared with quality of seedlings in supplemental lighting of 50 μmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹ PPFD, that of seedlings in supplement lighting of 100 or 150 μmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹ PPFD improved significantly. With increasing light intensity, diameter, fresh weight, and dry weight, which were used to measure shoot growth, greatly improved. Leaf area, leaf thickness, and root biomass were also greater. However, for quality of seedlings, no significant differences were discovered between supplement lighting of 100 μmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹ PPFD and supplement lighting of 150 μmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹ PPFD. Expressions of PsaA and PsbA (two photosynthetic genes) as well as the corresponding proteins increased significantly in supplement lightning of 100 and 150 μmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹ PPFD, especially in 100 μmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹ PPFD. Overall, considering quality and expressions of two photosynthetic genes and proteins, supplemental light of 100 μmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹ PPFD (W₁R₂B₁) would be the best choice to cultivate grafted tomato seedlings. Full article

Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) is a common edible fruit. Its juice can be used as a source of antioxidative compounds, primarily polyphenols and vitamin C, in addition to other vitamins and minerals. Nevertheless, little is still known about how the enzymatic machinery, mainly that related to oxidative metabolism, is influenced by the genotype and the environmental and climate conditions where pomegranate plants grow. In this work, seeds and juices from two pomegranate varieties (Valenciana and Mollar) grown in two different Spanish locations were assayed. Both varieties showed clear differences in their respective polypeptide profiles. The analysis of the isoenzymatic superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity pattern displayed one Mn-SOD and five CuZn-SODs (I–V) whose abundances depended on the variety. Furthermore, by immunoblot assays, at least one additional Fe-SOD with a subunit size of about 23 kDa was also detected in both varieties. Besides this, the presence of the H₂O₂-scavenging peroxisomal catalase in seeds and juice indicates that an active metabolism of reactive oxygen species (ROS) takes place in this fruit, but the two pomegranate varieties showed opposite activity profiles. The activities of the main NADPH-regenerating enzymes, including glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH), 6-phosphlogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGDH), NADP-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase (NADP-ICDH), and NADP-dependent malic enzyme (NADP-ME), were studied in the same plant materials, and they behaved differently depending on the genotype. Finally, our data demonstrate the presence of two specific enzymes of the peroxisomal glyoxylate cycle, malate synthase (MS) and isocitrate lyase (ICL). These enzymes participate in oilseeds by channeling the lipid catabolism to the carbohydrate synthesis for further use in seed germination and early seedling growth. The results obtained in this work indicate that a similar mechanism to that reported in oilseeds may also operate in pomegranate. Full article

The support and development of the primary agri-food sector is receiving increasing attention. The complexity of modern farming issues has lead to the widespread penetration of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Decision Support Systems (DSS). IPM DSSs are heavily dependent on numerous conditions of the agro-ecological environment used for cultivation. To test and validate IPM DSSs, permanent crops, such as olive cultivation, are very important, thus this work focuses on the pest that is most potentially harmful to the olive tree and fruit: the olive fruit fly. Existing research has indicated a strong dependency on both temperature and relative humidity of the olive fruit fly’s population dynamics but has not focused on the localised environmental/climate conditions (microclimates) related to the pest’s life-cycle. Accordingly, herein we utilise a collection of a wide-range of integrated sensory and manually tagged datasets of environmental, climate and pest information. We then propose an effective and efficient two-stage assignment of sensory records into clusters representing microclimates related to the pest’s life-cycle, based on statistical data analysis and neural networks. Extensive experimentation using the two methods was applied and the results were very promising for both parts of the proposed methodology. The identified microclimates in the experimentation were shown to be consistent with intuitive and real data collected in the field, while their qualitative evaluation also indicates the applicability of the proposed method to real-life uses. Full article

Elucidating the mechanisms underlying the relationships between root growth and water use efficiency is important for achieving full yield potential. We conducted a field experiment with maize under high planting density (105,000 plants ha⁻¹) in 2013 and 2014. Four treatments were implemented: traditional cultivation, root optimization cultivation, canopy optimization cultivation, and shoot–root optimization cultivation. Compared to the treatments involving rotary tillage, subsoil tillage significantly improved the soil structure and promoted soil water storage. Moreover, the distribution of roots was significantly deeper under shoot–root optimization cultivation than traditional cultivation treatment. Shoot dry matter and leaf area were slightly higher under the plant growth-regulator treatments than that under the other treatments. Thus, relative to the shoot–root optimization cultivation treatment, the root optimization cultivation and canopy optimization cultivation treatments reduced the shoot–root area ratio by 8% and 4%, respectively, and these reductions were significantly lower than the reduction under the traditional cultivation treatment (16%). Rainfall storage can be enhanced by improving tillage practices, promoting root growth (particularly at depths >20 cm), promoting access to water, and regulating plant growth by the foliar spraying of ECK (ethylene-chlormequat-potassium). This approach has the potential to achieve highly efficient resource utilization without additional inputs, thereby increasing yield. Full article

Biostimulants are among the natural preparations that improve the general health, vitality, and growth of plants and protect them against infections. They can be successfully used in both agri- and horticultural crops. The main active substances used in such preparations are humic and fulvic acids, protein hydrolysates, compounds containing nitrogen, seaweed extracts, beneficial fungi, and bacteria. Biostimulant formulations may be single- or multi-component, but the synergic action of several different components has been observed. Many groups of biostimulants have been distinguished through their method of application (soil, foliar), the material from which they were produced (plant, animal), or the process by which they were created (hydrolysis, fermentation, extraction). Natural soil stimulants can induce the development of beneficial soil organisms that provide substrates for plant growth. The use of natural preparations that are not harmful to the environment is particularly important in connection with the progressive processes of soil degradation and atmospheric pollution. This review gives an overview of the importance and influence of different natural plant biostimulants on both the yield and quality of crops. Full article

California has some of the key agricultural regions in the United States. One of these key regions, San Joaquin Valley, frequently experiences severe droughts leading to shortage of irrigation water. This has a significant impact on the agricultural based economy of the region. It is imperative to develop new strategies to reduce overall water consumption in agriculture without affecting crop yield. A large fraction of irrigation water is lost due to the evapotranspiration (ET) process in the crops and the soil. The classical Penman-Monteith model has been used in the present work to analyze the effect of different environmental variables and water saving strategies on the ET. Some of the scenarios considered show potential for significant water savings without much reduction in the amount of sunlight available to facilitate crop growth. The central idea considered in this study is the use of canopy shading to cover the crop field resulting in reduction in the ET. Among the strategies considered, the most promising strategy is to partially cover the crop field for a certain part of the day by employing a partially covering retractable canopy. Based on numerical calculations, total reduction in ET is calculated to be 37% from June to August for the partially covering retractable canopy. Full article

Livestock site use intensity can vary widely across a grazing area due to several factors such as topography and distance from sheds and water sources. However, an accurate approximation of animal site use should be assessed for each part of the grazing area to apply effective management strategies. In the Alps, shepherds manage sheep through lenient supervision during the day and confining the animals in temporary night penning areas (TNPA) at night. In our case study, we assessed sheep site use over the grazing area with global positioning system (GPS) collars and calculated the sums of inverse distances from all TNPA (unweighted and weighted on the number of penning nights) and from all water sources, as well as the slope, on 118 sample points. We assessed the relative importance of these variables in affecting site use intensity by animals using different sets of models. Both the unweighted and weighted distances from TNPA were found to be the most important factors. The best fitting model accounted for the weighted distance from TNPA and the distance from water, but the latter showed a lower relative importance. Our study suggests that using the distance from TNPA, preferably weighted on the number of penning nights, is an effective proxy to estimate the spatial variability of sheep stocking rate during grazing in the Alps. Full article

Heracleum mantegazzianum is an invasive plant species with enormous effect on ecosystems and human health. Mechanical weed management often results in large amounts of biomass. Fermentation in biogas plants can be used for disposal of this biomass contaminated with seeds and for energetic utilization, if spreading of viable seeds with fermentation residues is prevented. Our aim is to quantify the risk of seed survival in mesophilic biogas plants. Seeds were harvested at three ripening stages in central Germany. They were incubated for 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, and 8 days at 35 and 42 °C in water baths. Thereafter, seed viability was assessed by a tetrazolium test. Furthermore, germinative capacity of seeds which had passed an incubation of 48 h at 35 °C were tested. After eight days in water bath none of the 1199 tested seeds were viable anymore. The time until half of the seeds died (ED₅₀) ranged from 9 to 65 h, whereby high temperature accelerated the mortality. Germinative capacity was similar to the seed survival rate. The results suggest that fermentation of H. mantegazzianum biomass poses only a low risk of viable seed spread, if the operating temperature of the biogas plant achieves 42 °C and a high retention time is ensured. Full article

Globally, mineral nitrogen (N) losses as nitrate leaching (NL) are a substantial portion of applied fertilizer and cause surface and sub-surface water contamination. To precisely measure NL and its interlink parameters, biochar soil amendment was tested in this study. Three treatments—biochar (BC), without biochar (WB) with ¹⁵N urea (300 kg/ha), and control (no fertilization)—were tested in soil-filled lysimeters (circular PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) tank of 30 cm diameter and 35 cm height) equipped with moisture content sensors and weighing assembly for the consecutive two cropping of Brassica Camprestis Var. Chinensis. The ¹⁵N-urea in the first season and the poultry manure in the second season were applied, but the fate of the ¹⁵N was examined in leachate, dry matter, and soil. As compared to WB, BC significantly decreased mineral N leaching, including nitrate levels (35%), increased electrical conductivity (68.5%), and water availability (20% inches per foot), while there was a non-significant increase in biomass per plant (2.84%), evapotranspiration (8.33%), dry matter (6.89%), and a decrease in mean leachate volume (7.63%). Moreover, BC accumulated values were higher than WB, as N uptake (38%), water use efficiency (12.24%), maximum fresh weight (11.4%), and soil N retained (185%) after cropping. The soil pH, the bulk density, and the total nitrogen were changed but presented non-significant differences. Therefore, biochar can increase soil N retention and available water to improve water use efficiency and decrease potential N leaching. Full article

In agroforestry systems (AFS), trees shade the understory crop to a certain extent. Potato is considered a shade-tolerant crop and was thus tested under the given total solar irradiance and climatic conditions of Southwestern Germany for its potential suitability in an AFS. To gain a better understanding of the effects of shade on growth, yield and quality; a three-year field experiment with different artificial shading levels (12%, 26% and 50%) was established. Significant changes in growth occurred at 50% shading. While plant emergence was not affected by shade, flowering was slightly delayed by about three days. Days until senescence also showed a delay under 50% shade. The number of tubers per plant and tuber mass per plant were reduced by about 53% and 69% under 50% shade. Depending on the year, tuber dry matter yield showed a decrease of 19–44% at 50% shade, while starch content showed no significant differences under shade compared to unshaded treatment. The number of stems per plant, plant height and foliage mass per plant as well as tuber fraction, black spot bruise and macronutrient content were unaffected. Overall, potato seems to tolerate shading and can therefore be integrated in an AFS, and can cope with a reduced total irradiance up to 26%. Full article

Macronutrient (N, P, S, K, Ca, and Mg) availability and distribution in soils of grassland ecosystems are affected by diverse factors, including landscape position, climate, and forms of management. This study examined flux in plant-available macronutrients in production-scale (60 to 80 ha) paddocks of southern tallgrass prairie of central Oklahoma, United States, managed (2009–15) under two contrasting stocking methods (continuous yearlong; rotational stocking among 10 sub-paddocks). Macronutrient availability within the 0–7.5 cm and 7.5–15 cm soil depths were determined with sets of anion-cation exchange membrane probes at 16 locations within paddocks, oriented along transects from water sources to far corners. No clear overall effect related to stocking method was recorded for all macronutrient distributions. The only significant stocking method × location interaction occurred for K (p = 0.01). All other macronutrients displayed significant (p < 0.08) location effects that were common across stocking methods. Effects relatable to stocking method occurred in interactions with soil depth or time of year (p < 0.10), but responses of macronutrient flux to stocking method in these interactions varied. Higher flux occurred in available S, Ca, and Mg in proximity (<24 m) to water sources, which may be related to grazing, but local features of the landscape may also have been involved. More attention to landscape features included within paddocks, and standardized organization of water and other features within paddocks, would improve the potential to define grazing effects on macronutrient distribution. Full article

Future increases in temperatures are expected to advance grapevine phenology and shift ripening to warmer months, leaving a longer post-harvest period with warmer temperatures. Accumulation of carbohydrates occurs during post-harvest, and has an influence on vegetative growth and yield in the following growing season. This study addressed the possibility of adopting regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) during post-harvest in Chardonnay. Four irrigation treatments during post-harvest were applied over three consecutive seasons: (i) control (C), with full irrigation; (ii) low regulated deficit irrigation for sparkling base wine production (RDI_L SP), from harvest date of sparkling base wine, irrigation when stem water potential (Ψ_stem) was less than −0.9 MPa; (iii) mild regulated deficit irrigation for sparkling base wine production (RDI_M SP), from harvest date of sparkling base wine, irrigation when Ψ_stem was less than −1.25 MPa; (iv) mild regulated deficit irrigation for wine production (RDI_M W), from harvest data of wine, irrigation when Ψ_stem was less than −1.25 MPa. Root starch concentration in full irrigation was higher than under RDI. Yield parameters did not differ between treatments, but differences in berry composition were detected. Considering that the desirable berry composition attributes of white varieties are high in titratable acidity, it would seem inappropriate to adopt RDI strategy during post-harvest. However, in a scenario of water restriction, it may be considered because there was less impact on yield and berry composition than if RDI had been adopted during pre-harvest. Full article

Agricultural and environmental applications of biochar (BC) to soils have received increasing attention as a possible means of improving productivity and sustainability. Most previous studies have focused on tropical soils and more recently temperate soils. However, benefits of BC addition to desert soils where many productivity constraints exist, especially water limitations, have not been widely explored. Thus, three experiments were designed using a desert soil from Saudi Arabia to address three objectives: (1) to evaluate the effect of BCs produced from date palm residues added at 8 t ha⁻¹ on wheat growth, (2) to determine the effect of BC addition and BC aging in soil on water retention, and (3) to reveal the effect of BC on selected soil physical (bulk density, BD; total porosity; TP) and chemical (pH; electrical conductivity, EC; organic matter, OM; cation exchange capacity, CEC) properties. The feedstock (FS) of date palm residues were pyrolyzed at 300, 400, 500, and 600 °C, referred to here as BC300, BC400, BC500, and BC600, respectively. The BC products produced at low temperatures were the most effective in promoting wheat growth when applied with the NPK fertilizer and in enhancing soil water retention, particularly with aging in soil, whereas high -temperature BCs better improved the selected soil physical properties. The low-temperature BCs increased the yield approximately by 19% and improved water retention by 46% when averaged across the incubation period. Higher water retention observed with low-temperature BCs can be related to an increased amount of oxygen-containing functional groups in the low-temperature BCs, rendering BC surfaces less hydrophobic. Only the BC300 treatment showed a consistent positive impact on pH, OM, and CEC. Pyrolysis temperature of date palm residue along with aging are key factors in determining the potential benefit of BC derived from date palm residues added to sandy desert soil. Full article

Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is one of the primary factors driving climate change impacts on plants, pests, and natural enemies. The present study reports the effects of different atmospheric CO₂ concentrations on the vine mealybug Planococcus ficus (Signoret) and its parasitoid wasp Leptomastix dactylopii (Howard). We investigated the life-history parameters of both species on grapevine Vitis vinifera (L.) plants grown under elevated (eCO₂) and ambient (aCO₂) CO₂ levels in a greenhouse and in a vineyard free-air carbon dioxide enrichment (FACE) facility. The greenhouse experiments with an eCO₂ level of around 800 ppm showed a significant increase in survival rates, a strong trend towards declining body size, and an increasing fecundity of female mealybugs, while fertility and development time did not change. However, none of these parameters were altered by different CO₂ concentrations in the VineyardFACE facility (eCO₂ level around 450 ppm). On the other hand, the parasitism success, development time and sex ratio of L. dactylopii, reared on P. ficus under eCO₂ or aCO₂, varied neither in the greenhouse nor in the FACE facility. These results suggest that future CO₂ levels might cause small-scale changes in vine mealybug fitness; however, this is not necessarily reflected by parasitoid performance. Full article

Piquin pepper (Capsicum annuum var. glabriusculum) is an important species that supports the economy of rural households; it is part of Mexican gastronomy and it is a highly valuable phytogenetic resource. There has been recent interest in domesticating and exploiting piquin pepper commercially, which has been limited until now due to the low germination rate, and this work had the purpose of promoting germination and determining the physiological capacity of genotypes. Ten piquin pepper genotypes from different geographical origins in Mexico were submitted to 11 pre-germination treatments. A completely randomized experimental design was carried out with arrangement in split-plot. The large plot had the treatments and the small plot had the genotypes. The results showed differences (p < 0.01) among treatments, genotypes, and treatment–genotype interaction. On one hand, treatments gibberellic acid (GA) and mechanical scarification + gibberellic acid (MSGA) increased the physiological potential of genotypes, reaching the highest values of germination speed (GS), germination index (IG) and germination percentage (GP); as well as the lowest values of dead seeds (DS) and hard Seeds (HS). In turn, the genotypes that presented the same condition were G8, G7, and G10. Regarding the interaction, each variable had a different condition. In conclusion, we can increase the physiological potential and solve the dormancy of piquin pepper seed by applying gibberellic acid. Likewise, the best genotypes were G8 and G10. Full article

This paper presents a methodology for defining spatial priorities for irrigation development in Vojvodina Province (Serbia). The purpose of the methodology is to take into account several UN Sustainable Development Goals and to try to minimize land degradation, while maximizing water use efficiency. In the first step, areas that can be irrigated over long-term periods with minimal risk of soil degradation were selected in the geographic information system (GIS) environment. Then, three experts used the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) to define the weights of four criteria related to water use efficiency. After that, the consensus model was used to obtain group weights of the criteria. These criteria were standardized and presented as GIS layers. Finally, cell values in all the layers were multiplied by corresponding consensus weights of the criteria. The weighted layers are summarized in the final map representing spatial priorities for irrigation development. Full article

Black carrot (Daucus carota L. ssp. sativus var. atroburens) is a root vegetable with anthocyanins as major phenolic compounds. The accumulation of phenolic compounds is a common response to UV-B exposure, acting as protective compounds and as antioxidants. In the present study, black carrot plants grown under a 12-h photoperiod were supplemented with UV-B radiation (21.6 kj m⁻² day⁻¹) during the last two weeks of growth. Carrot taproots and tops were harvested separately, and the effect of the UV-B irradiance was evaluated in terms of size (biomass and length), total monomeric anthocyanin content (TMC), total phenolic content (TPC), and phytohormones levels. The results showed that UV-B irradiance promoted plant growth, as shown by the elevated root (30%) and top (24%) biomass, the increased TMC and TPC in the root (over 10%), and the increased TPC of the top (9%). A hormone analysis revealed that, in response to UV-B irradiance, the levels of abscisic acid (ABA), jasmonic acid (JA), and salicylic acid (SA) decreased in tops while the level of the cytokinins cis-zeatin (cZ) and trans-zeatinriboside (tZR) increased in roots, which correlated with an amplified growth and the accumulation of anthocyanins and phenolic compounds. Beyond the practical implications that this work may have, it contributes to the understanding of UV-B responses in black carrot. Full article

Combined application of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) is a valuable practice to improve the growth and physiological activities of cotton, especially during a boll setting. The main purpose of this research was to investigate the effects of the different combined ratios of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and K (potassium) on morpho-physiological activities of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) cotton genotypes Siza 1 and Sikang 1 during the cotton boll development stage. A two-year (2016–2017) field experiment was performed in which the total amount of combined N, P, and K were applied at different levels, B1 = 150 N, 0 P₂O₅, and 0 K₂O kg ha⁻¹ (control), B2 = 150 N, 45 P₂O₅, and 90 K₂O kg ha⁻¹, B3 = 150 N, 90 P₂O₅, and 135 K₂O kg ha⁻¹, and B4 = 150 N, 135 P₂O₅, and 180 K₂O kg ha⁻¹. Results revealed that combined application of N, P, and K significantly increased boll length by 5.8% and 2.3%, fresh boll weight by 12.2% and 16.4%, dry lint weight by 15.2% and 1.7%, number of seeds boll⁻¹ by 15.2% and 2.5% as well as dry boll shell weight by 11.0% and 4.9% as compared with the treatment without P and K (1:0:0) across two growing seasons. Furthermore, superoxide dismutase activity was improved by 2.3% and 15.6% and soluble protein by 5.1% and 14.1% as compared with the control, respectively. Our study indicated that combined application of N, P, and K at appropriate ratios enhanced morpho-physiological activities (boll length, boll width, boll weight, protein content, sugar content, and superoxide dismutase) of cotton during boll development and generally the ratio of 150:135:180 considerably performed best amongst all treatments during two growing seasons in this study. Full article

Diminishing availability of non-saline water in arid and semiarid regions is of concern to all irrigated agricultural producers, including wine and grape producers. Grapes are not a salt tolerant crop and producers often face the choice of either limiting fresh water application, using alternative saline waters or a combination of both. We examined the salt tolerance and effect of restricted water application on three purported salt tolerant rootstocks grafted to Cabernet Sauvignon scion in a 4-year replicated field experiment. ANOVA indicated significant effects of salinity water stress and rootstock on fruit yields. The 140 Ruggeri scion was the top producer across all treatments including control, followed by Salt Creek, with St. George significantly less productive than 140 Ruggeri across all treatments. In terms of salt tolerance, Salt Creek and 140 Ruggeri were not statistically different but St. George was significantly less tolerant than Salt Creek. In terms of drought tolerance (relative yield), there were no statistical differences among rootstocks. Soil salinity profiles and soil moisture sensors indicated reduced water consumption under high salinity, thus no matric stress under 60% of optimal water application when high salt stress was present. The multiplicative stress model where salt and water stress are individually evaluated did not satisfactorily predict yield under combined salinity and reduced water application, likely due to decreased water consumption under saline conditions. Short term (one year) experiments underestimate salt damage to grape vines as salt tolerance decreased over the 4-year experiment. Full article

Faba bean (Vicia faba L.) is an important pulse crop known for its nitrogen-fixing characteristics and as a disease-break crop in crop rotations. Sowing time, scheduling of supplemental irrigation, and sowing rate are some of the agronomic managements which affect faba bean growth and yield. The effect of these on faba bean yield can be evaluated using calibrated models. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) AquaCrop model was calibrated and tested using two-year experimental data of different watering regimes, sowing dates, and sowing rates in a semiarid environment of South-Eastern Australia. AquaCrop adequately simulated the green canopy cover (CC), biomass development, grain yield, and soil water dynamics under different agronomic management conditions. AquaCrop simulated faba bean yield with 3% deviation, root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.49 t ha⁻¹, normalised root mean square error (NRMSE) of 12.4%, index of agreement (d) of 0.95, and R² of 0.86. The CC was simulated with RMSE of 14.1%, R² of 0.85, and d of 0.90. The above-ground dry matter was predicted with RMSE of 2.6 t ha⁻¹, R² of 0.95, and d of 0.93. Except for end-of-season values, the total soil water was also adequately simulated at RMSE of 21 mm, R² of 0.89, and d of 0.87. The response of faba bean to supplemental irrigation, sowing time, and sowing rate was adequately simulated by the calibrated model. AquaCrop is a valuable decision support tool for predicting faba bean growth, yield, and soil water dynamics under different agronomic managements. Full article

Organic farming relies heavily on tillage for weed management, however, intensive soil disturbance can have detrimental impacts on soil quality. Cover crop-based rotational tillage (CCBRT), a practice that reduces the need for tillage and cultivation through the creation of cover crop mulches, has emerged as an alternative weed management practice in organic cropping systems. In this study, CCBRT systems using cereal rye and triticale grain species are evaluated with organic soybean directly seeded into a rolled cover crop. Cover crop biomass, weed biomass, and soybean yields were evaluated to assess the effects of cereal rye and winter triticale cover crops on weed suppression and yields. From 2016 to 2018, trials were conducted at six locations in Wisconsin, USA, and Southern France. While cover crop biomass did not differ among the cereal grain species tested, the use of cereal rye as the cover crop resulted in higher soybean yields (2.7 t ha⁻¹ vs. 2.2 t ha⁻¹) and greater weed suppression, both at soybean emergence (231 vs. 577 kg ha⁻¹ of weed biomass) and just prior to soybean harvest (1178 vs. 1545 kg ha⁻¹). On four out of six sites, cover crop biomass was lower than the reported optimal (<8000 kg ha⁻¹) needed to suppress weeds throughout soybean season. Environmental conditions, in tandem with agronomic decisions (e.g., seeding dates, cultivar, planters, etc.), influenced the ability of the cover crop to suppress weeds regardless of the species used. In a changing climate, future research should focus on establishing flexible decision support tools based on multi-tactic cover crop management to ensure more consistent results with respect to cover crop growth, weed suppression, and crop yields. Full article

Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.) is a logical candidate crop to suppress invasive plants, but additional information is needed to support its potential application as a suppressive ground cover. The current study utilized a de Wit replacement series incorporating five ratios of sweet potato grown in the field in combination with one of three invasive plants (Ageratum conyzoides L., Bidens pilosa L., and Galinsoga parviflora Cav.) in replicated 9 m² plots. Stem length, total biomass, and leaf area were higher for monoculture-grown sweet potato than these parameters for any of the invasive plants grown in monoculture. In mixed culture, the plant height, branch, leaf, inflorescence, seed, and biomass of all invasive plants were suppressed by sweet potato. The relative yield parameter indicated that intraspecific competition was greater than interspecific competition for sweet potato, while the reverse was true for invasive species. The net photosynthetic rate was higher for sweet potato than for B. pilosa and G. parviflora but not A. conyzoides. Superoxide dismutase and peroxidase activities of each of the three invasive plants were reduced in mixture with sweet potato. Our results demonstrated that these three invasive plants were significantly suppressed by sweet potato competition due to the rapid growth and phenotypic plasticity of sweet potato. Full article

Lectins, phytic acid and condensed tannins exert major antinutritional effects in common bean when grains are consumed as a staple food. In addition, phaseolin, i.e., the major storage protein of the bean seed, is marginally digested when introduced in the raw form. Our breeding target was to adjust the nutrient/antinutrient balance of the bean seed for obtaining a plant food with improved nutritional value for human consumption. In this study, the seeds of twelve phytohaemagglutinin-E-free bean lines carrying the mutations low phytic acid, phytohaemagglutinin-L-free, α-Amylase inhibitors-free, phaseolin-free, and reduced amount of condensed tannins, introgressed and differently combined in seven genetic groups, were analyzed for their nutrient composition. Inedited characteristics, such as a strong positive correlation (+0.839 **) between the genetic combination “Absence of phaseolin + Presence of the α-Amylase Inhibitors” and the amount of “accumulated iron and zinc”, were detected. Three lines carrying this genetic combination showed a much higher iron content than the baseline (+22.4%) and one of them in particular, achieved high level (+29.1%; 91.37 µg g⁻¹) without any specific breeding intervention. If confirmed by scientific verification, the association of these genetic traits might be usefully exploited for raising iron and zinc seed content in a bean biofortification breeding program. Full article

Process-based land surface models are important tools to study the historical and future effects of climate change and land use change. The planting date has a considerable effect on crop growth and consequently on dynamic parameters used in land surface models, for example albedo and actual evapotranspiration. If planting dates can be related to climate, scenarios can use this relation to estimate planting dates. Such a relation is expected to differ according to agro-ecological zone. In this study, spring and summer maize planting date observations at 188 agricultural meteorological experiment stations of China, as well as monthly weather records, over the years 1992–2010 were used as the data source. In order to quantify the relation between planting dates and climate parameters, growing season monthly average minimum temperature (T_min), mean temperature (T), and precipitation (P) were used. The time trend analysis of planting dates and weather data, principal component analysis (PCA) of weather data, and multivariate regression of planting dates as affected by weather data were used. Both T_min and T increased during this period in most zones, whereas precipitation showed no trend. In southwest and northwest China, maize planting dates advanced significantly for both spring and summer maize. However, in the north China plain (summer maize) and northeast China (spring maize), the planting date was significantly delayed. Ordinary least squares multivariate regression models were able to explain 33% and 59% of the variance of planting dates in the southwest China (i.e., the humid subtropics zone) for spring and summer maize, respectively. However, only 3% could be explained in the Loess Plateau. Thus, adjusting planting dates in scenario analysis using land surface models is indicated for some zones, but not others, where socioeconomic factors are dominant. Full article

Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum L.) is one of the most problematic weeds in western United States rangelands and sagebrush steppe. It responds positively to different forms of disturbance, and its management has proven difficult. Herbicide or targeted grazing alone often fail to provide adequate long-term control. Integrating both may afford better control by providing multiple stressors to the weed. We assessed herbicide application, targeted sheep grazing and integrated herbicide and grazing on B. tectorum and the plant community in rangeland in southwestern Montana from 2015 until 2017. Herbicide treatments included spring-applied (May 2015 and 2016) glyphosate, fall-applied (October 2015) glyphosate, imazapic and rimsulfuron, and spring-applied glyphosate plus fall-applied imazapic. Targeted grazing, consisting of four sheep/0.01 ha for a day in 5 m × 20 m plots (all vegetation removed to the ground surface), occurred twice (May 2015 and 2016). While no treatments reduced B. tectorum biomass or seed production, grazing integrated with fall-applied imazapic or rimsulfuron reduced B. tectorum cover from approximately 26% to 14% in 2016 and from 33% to 16% in 2017, compared to ungrazed control plots, and by an even greater amount compared to these herbicides applied without grazing. By 2017, all treatments except spring-applied glyphosate increased total plant cover (excluding B. tectorum) by 8%–12% compared to the control plots, and forbs were generally responsible for this increase. Bromus tectorum management is difficult and our results point to a potential management paradox: Integrating grazing and fall-applied herbicide decreased B. tectorum cover but did not increase native grass cover, while some herbicides without grazing increased native grass cover, but failed to control B. tectorum. Additional research is necessary to determine grazing strategies that will complement herbicide control of B. tectorum while also stimulating native grass recovery, but this initial study demonstrates the potential of integrated management of B. tectorum compared to grazing or herbicide alone. Full article

Rational regulation of phosphorus (P) use in the soil–rhizosphere–plant system is challenging in the development of sustainable, intensive, and healthy agriculture. Rational maize (Zea mays L.) based intercropping with legumes/oilseed rape across six experimental sites from 2008 to 2017 proved advantageous over monoculture in terms of both maize biomass production and P uptake. The partial land equivalent ratio (PLER) for P uptake by intercropped maize averaged from 0.58 to 0.92, which was significantly higher than that for biomass production (0.51–0.78), indicating that the advantage of P acquisition by intercropped maize was superior to that of biomass accumulation. It was the excessive accumulation of P in intercropped maize compared to monoculture, especially higher P concentrations in grains that led to the superior P acquisition advantage and luxury absorption of P. P concentrations in maize grains were significantly increased from 1.89–2.91 mg kg⁻¹ in monoculture to 2.09–3.65 mg kg⁻¹, in intercropping, by 8.3%–25.5%. The plant internal P use efficiency of maize was significantly decreased from the initial 411.7–775.7 kg kg⁻¹ in monoculture to 345.7–710.4 kg kg⁻¹ in intercropping by 4.9%–16.0%, and 100 kg maize grain P quantities were significantly increased from 0.25–0.46 kg to 0.27–0.54 kg by 7.0%–17.4%. Rational fertilizer P input maximized maize yields and P use without decreasing the interspecific ecological advantages and harvest indexes of grain yields and P. These findings promoted better understanding of P allocation status within maize plants, and yield and P acquisition advantages through the exploitation of the biological potential of plants for the efficient utilization of P resources in diverse species combinations. Full article

Fungicide intensity and sowing time influence the N use efficiency (NUE) of winter wheat but the underlying mechanisms, interactions of plant traits, and the temporal effects are not sufficiently understood. Therefore, organ-specific responses in NUE traits to fungicide intensity and earlier sowing were compared at two nitrogen (N) levels for six winter wheat cultivars in 2017. Plants were sampled at anthesis and at maturity and separated into chaff, grain, culms, and three leaf layers to assess their temporal contribution to aboveground dry matter (DM) and N uptake (Nup). Compared to the control treatment, across cultivars, the treatment without fungicide mostly exerted stronger and inverse effects than early sowing, on grain yield (GY, −12% without fungicide, +8% n.s. for early sowing), grain Nup (GNup, −9% n.s., +5% n.s.) as well as on grain N concentration (+4%, −2% n.s.). Grain yield in the treatment without fungicide was associated with similar total DM, as observed in the control treatment but with lower values in harvest index, thousand kernel weight, N use efficiency for GY (NUE) and N utilization efficiency. Lower GNup was associated with similar vegetative N uptake but lower values in N translocation efficiency and N harvest index. In contrast, early sowing tended to increase total DM at anthesis and maturity as well as post-anthesis assimilation, at similar harvest index and increased the number of grains per spike and total N use efficiency. Total N uptake increased after the winter season but was similar at anthesis. Although the relative N response in many traits was lower without fungicide, few fungicide x interactions were significant, and the sowing date did not interact either with N fertilization for any of the N and DM traits. The results demonstrate the positive effects of fungicides and earlier sowing on various traits related to yield formation and the efficient use of nitrogen and are discussed based on various concepts. Full article

The effects of long-term incorporation of organic manure and biofertilizers have been investigated on winter wheat in the North China Plain (NCP). The five-year field experiment (2013–2018) has illustrated the responses of grain yield and yield components. Seven fertilization approaches, included pig farm-yard-manure and biofertilizers amendments combined with five NPK% drop levels of chemical fertilizer ratio + organic fertilizer + biofertilizer (0, C+O+B) 25%, CL4; 50%, CL3; 75%, CL1; and 100%, CL0), without fertilizer as control (CK), in NCP during the years 2013–2018. Results showed that the grain yields of CL1 and CL2 were equivalent to CL0 in all growing seasons except 2014/2015. The grain yields of CL4 were 29.9% to 46.6% lower than that of CL0 during 2014/2015, 2016/2017, and 2017/2018. The valuable spike-number, grain number per-spike, and 1000-grain weight showed significant variations among different growing periods. Regression analysis of grain yield and yield components indicated that number grains per-spike showed significant increase in seed yield formation. The 1000-grain weight was the major parameter that influenced yield of moderate and low yielding periods, respectively. The results revealed that application of 30 m³ ha⁻¹ pig farm-yard-manure and 20 kg ha⁻¹ biofertilizers has reduced at least 50% of the NPK fertilization without dropping grain yields in the North China Plain. Full article

Urbanization and global climate change have constrained plant development and yield. Utilization of wild gene pool, together with the application of sustainable and eco-friendly agronomic crop improvement strategies, is being focused on to tackle mounting food insecurity issues. In this aspect, the green seaweed, Ulva flexuosa, was assessed for plant biostimulant potential on cherry tomato, in terms of seed priming effects, nutrition and yield. SEM-EDX analysis of U. flexuosa presented the occurrence of cell wall elements (O, Na, Mg, S, Cl, K and Ca). The phytochemical analyses of liquid seaweed extract (EF-LSE) revealed the presence of carbohydrates, protein, phenols, flavonoids, saponins, tannins and coumarins. The EF-LSEs were found to stimulate seed germination in a dose-dependent manner, recording higher seed germination, and biomass and growth parameters. The seedlings of treated seeds altered the biochemical profile of the fruit, in terms of TSS (93%), phenol (92%), lycopene (12%) and ascorbic acid (86.8%). The EF-LSEs positively influenced fruit yield (97%). Henceforth, this investigation brings to light the plant biostimulant potential of the under-utilized seaweed source, U. flexuosa, to be useful as a bio fertilizer in agronomic fields for a cumulative enhancement of crop vigour as well as yields to meet the growing food demands. Full article