Phosphorus nutrition.

Evaluation of soil test for phosphate on sandy soils. Results presented for this project, commenced in 1988, which started as a joint project between the Department of Agriculture and Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, School of Agriculture, University of Western Australia. In the field experiments, 10 levels of superphosphate (three replicates) were applied in May 1988, and 10 levels of superphosphate (also three replicates) were applied in May 1989 onto an adjacent area to the 1988 treatments. Colwell P I(soil test values) and yield data are presented for 1988 and 1989 for the 1988 treatments layed out in 1988, and for 1989 for the treatments layed out in 1989. Data presented are the mean of three replicates. In 1988 the soil samples (0-10 cm, using 2.5 cm diameter samplers) were collected 102 months after the superphosphate treatments were applied. In 1989, the soil samples were collected February-May from the 1988 treatments only, and these were related in 1989 to yields measured from the 1988 and 1989 treatments. The crops were sown in May, cereals at 50-60 kg seed/ha, and lupins at 100 to 129 seed/ha at about 4-5 cm depth. Trial 88BA41, 88BA42, 88BA43, 88EB11, 88N33, 88N34, 88N35, 88SG24, 88SG25, 88SG26, 88WH45, 88SC18, 88SC19, 66M30, 48MI49. Location Badginarra Research Station, East Beverley Research Block, Newdegate Research Station, Salmon Gums Research Station, Wongan Hills Research Station, South Carrabin, Merredin Research Station

Cover cropping in rainfed fruticulture

A significant part of the world’s fruticulture is rainfed managed. Olive, almond and vine are some of the perennial crops whose social and economic importance is huge throughout the Mediterranean basin and which mostly continue to be grown in rainfed conditions. Cover cropping is the most recommended soil management system in fruit growing. However, in rainfed managed orchards, soil tillage continues to dominate, and the use of herbicides is also widely used. In rainfed conditions there is a high risk of competition for water between herbaceous vegetation and trees, which makes difficult the widespread use of cover crops. However, there seem to be new clues to overcoming the problem, consisting of the use of less competitive plants, such as early-maturing self-reseeding annual legumes. These plants are able to protect the soil from erosion, sequester carbon and increase soil organic matter, fix nitrogen and promote the nutritional status of the trees and fruit yield. Their growing cycles finish early in spring which greatly reduces the competition for water.The authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) and FEDER under Programme PT2020 for financial support to CIMO (UID/AGR/00690/2013).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

On the Economics of Precision Agriculture: Technical, Informational and Environmental Aspects

The paper presents an integrated framework of biophysical and economic modelling as a novel approach towards precision agriculture research. A theoretical economic model determining the optimal number of precision agriculture management units within a given field of land is presented. The model is expanded to account for the value of the research information provided be the precision agriculture researchers. Since the inherent environmental values associated with precision agriculture are often omitted from the economic analysis, an attempt is made to incorporate these values into the model. The versions of the model are empirically tested using the data available.economics, precision agriculture, environment, information, Agribusiness, Environmental Economics and Policy,

The importance of meta-analysis and systematic review: How research legacy can be maximized through adequate reporting

Systematic reviews are widely accepted as a ‘gold standard’ in evidence synthesis and the meta-analysis within provides a powerful means of looking across datasets. Neal Haddaway argues that while certain fields have embraced these reviews, there is a great opportunity for their growth in other fields. One way to encourage secondary synthesis is for researchers to ensure their data is reported in sufficient detail. Thinking carefully about legacy and future use of data is not only sensible, but should be an obligation

Measuring Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Flux of Agricultural Practices in Sub-Saharan Africa

Agriculture has an important role in addressing two of the world’s most pressing problems: meeting global food demand and mitigating climate change. If agriculture is not practiced sustainably it will fail to meet future food demand and likely intensify the pace of global climate change. There are some agricultural practices, such as Conservation Agriculture, that can produce food sustainably and have the potential to mitigate climate change. However it is not clear which agricultural practices contribute to climate mitigation and by how much. By measuring the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions of specific agricultural practices, the ability of practices to sequester or emit carbon can be quantified and used in climate mitigation policies. Since there is a lack of data showing the flux of CO2 for agricultural practices in developing countries, there is a great need to apply experimental methodologies to address this deficiency. Research was conducted using Bowen Ratio Energy Balance (BREB) instrumentation to quantify the energy balance and CO2 flux of agricultural practices in Lesotho and Zimbabwe. BREB micrometeorological systems were set up to compare and contrast tillage versus no-till practices and the effects of cover crops. The results demonstrated that with a vigilant approach, BREB micrometeorology provides real time measurements of CO2 flux that can measure and distinguish the differences between agricultural practices in southern Africa. The results generally confirmed that two of the major tenants of Conservation Agriculture i.e., reduced tillage (specifically no-till) and cover crops, sequester carbon more than tillage and fallow practices. Because the role of agriculture’s mitigation potential for climate change is not understood by the wider society, it is critical not only to communicate the results of this research but to raise awareness of the role of Agriculture in addressing two of the biggest problems that humankind will face in the future: feeding a burgeoning human population and preventing catastrophic climate change from record concentrations of atmospheric greenhouse gases. To that end, this thesis also touches on research investigating how to increase awareness and interest in agriculture by college students

The Effects of Application of Erythrina bruci Biomass and Inorganic Fertilizers On Wheat Productivity in Southwestern Ethiopia.

Soil fertility depletion is emerging as a serious challenge causing low crop yields and food insecurity in Ethiopia. An experiment was conducted in two cropping seasons 2016 to 2018 to investigate the effects of the application of Erythrina biomass and nitrogen fertilizer on soil properties and wheat yields in southwestern Ethiopia. Treatments were the recommended N and P fertilizers, 50% of the standard rate of Erythrina + 50% of the recommended N, 25% Erythrina + 75% N, 75% of the standard rate of Erythrina + 25% of the standard rate of N, 100% of the standard rate of Erythrina, and 50% of the standard rate of Erythrina, and without fertilizer as the control. The experiment was arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Application of Erythrina and nitrogen fertilizer increased soil organic carbon (OC), total nitrogen (TN), and cation exchange capacity (CEC) compared to before fertilizer application or the control. Plots amended with 25% Erythrina + 75% of the recommended N provided the highest above ground biomass (8.98 t.ha-1) and grain yield (3.453 t.ha-1) and it was higher than the 100% chemical fertilizer treatment. Conversely, the lowest above ground biomass (5.44 t.ha-1) and grain yields (1.958 t.ha-1) were obtained from the control. Our study demonstrated that an integrated nutrient management which combines organic and chemical fertilizer can improve soil properties and increase wheat yield in the highlands of southwestern Ethiopia

Enhancing Production of Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.): Evidence from Demonstration and Participatory Evaluation of Improved Potatoes in Kellam and West Wollega Zones

Selection of appropriate varieties and quality seed to be planted is the most important steps in boosting agricultural production; failures to do so would result in loss of yield or market acceptability of crops. To ensure this demonstration of improved potato varieties were conducted in West and Kellam Wollega Zones of Oromia national regional state. Different participatory technology evaluations were employed to enable farmers to select the variety/varieties which fit their local conditions based on their own preference. The result obtained indicated that, the production of Belete variety can increase potato production by 56.26% and Gudane can increase potato production by 49.95% in Zones compared to the local practice. More importantly, farmers were enabled to select varieties based on their own criterion, Accordingly, the direct matrix ranking indicated Belete variety as their first choice with the total percentage of 42.32%, Gudane and Local second and third with total percentage of 38.62% and 19.05% respectively. Besides, the profitability analysis indicated higher profit was obtained from Belete variety followed by Gudane. Therefore, based on the agronomic yield under farmers’ management conditions and farmers’ preference to the varieties, extension service providers and other concerned bodies should give attention to increasing the adoption of improved Belete and Gudane varieties in the target areas to boost potato production. Keyworlds: Belete; Demonstration; Gudane; Pair wise ranking; Potato. DOI: 10.7176/FSQM/110-01 Publication date:September 30th 202