Wild asparagus domestication for food/energy cropping system setup

The solar greenhouse sector is currently unbalanced towards energy production. Thus, the introduction of new crop options, such as wild asparagus, could contribute to the promotion of economic and environmental sustainability in these food/energy systems (mixed-systems). We hypothesized that wild asparagus is able to adapt both to sunny and partially shaded environments provided that both nutrient and water supply are guaranteed. Over a three-year experiment, we carried out an intensive examination of within-season phenological, physiological and productive dynamics under a greenhouse with 50% of the roof area covered with photovoltaic panels. Under the photovoltaic roof the net assimilation rate was on average 5 time lower, averaged over the growing seasons (0.6 μmol CO2 m-2 s-1), resulting in negative results for some monitoring dates. However, lower net assimilation rate did not negatively impact spears production in terms of number, length and diameter. The year of establishment affected the length of the spear, which was 4 cm shorter in 2013 than in 2014 and 2015, when no significant difference was observed. The novelty proposed in this study could be a successful option for farmers to promote production diversification and a promising strategy to guarantee the environmental and economic sustainability of the whole mixed system

Increasing the agricultural sustainability of closed agrivoltaic systems with the integration of vertical farming: A case study on baby-leaf lettuce

The photovoltaic (PV) greenhouses are closed agrivoltaic (CA) systems that allow the production of energy and food on the same land, but may result in a yield reduction when the shading of the PV panels is excessive. Adopting innovative cropping systems can increase the yield of the CA area, generating a more productive and sustainable agrosystem. In this case study we quantified the increase of land productivity derived from the integration of an experimental vertical farm (VF) for baby leaf lettuce inside a pre-existing commercial CA. The mixed system increased the yield by 13 times compared to the CA and the average LER was 1.31, but only 12 % of the energy consumption was covered by the CA energy. To achieve the energy self-sufficiency and avoid the related CO2 emissions, the VF area should not exceed 7–18 % of the CA area, depending on the PV energy yield and the daily light integral (DLI) of the LED lighting, meaning a land consumption from 5 to 14 times higher than the VF area. The support of the PV energy was essential for the profitability of the VFCA. Design features and solutions were proposed to increase the agronomic and economic sustainability of the VFCA. The VFs can be considered a possible answer for the reconversion of the actual underutilized CAs with high PV cover ratios into productive and efficient cropping systems, but a trade-off between energy production and land consumption should be identified to ensure an acceptable environmental sustainability of the mixed system

Examining wheat yield sensitivity to temperature and precipitation changes for a large ensemble of crop models using impact response surfaces

Impact response surfaces (IRSs) depict the response of an impact variable to changes in two explanatory variables as a plotted surface. Here, IRSs of spring and winter wheat yields were constructed from a 25-member ensemble of process-based crop simulation models. Twenty-one models were calibrated by different groups using a common set of calibration data, with calibrations applied independently to the same models in three cases. The sensitivity of modelled yield to changes in temperature and precipitation was tested by systematically modifying values of 1981-2010 baseline weather data to span the range of 19 changes projected for the late 21st century at three locations in Europe

Wheat yield sensitivity to climate change across a European transect for a large ensemble of crop models

The sensitivity of a 26 member ensemble of process based wheat simulation models to perturbations in baseline temperature and precipitation was examined to construct impact response surfaces (IRS) of simulated yields

Effects of alternative cropping systems on globe artichoke qualitative traits

BACKGROUND: Traditionally, globe artichoke cultivation in the Mediterranean basin is based on monoculture and on use of high amounts of nitrogen fertiliser. This raises issues regarding its compatibility with sustainable agriculture. We studied the effect of one typical conventional (CONV) and two alternative cropping systems [globe artichoke in sequence with French bean (NCV1), or in biannual rotation (NCV2) with cauliflower and with a leguminous cover crop in inter-row spaces] on yield, polyphenol and mineral content of globe artichoke heads over two consecutive growing seasons. RESULTS: NCV2 showed statistical differences in terms of fresh product yield with respect to the monoculture systems. In addition, the dihydroxycinnamic acids and dicaffeoylquinic acids of non-conventional samples were one-fold significantly higher than the conventional one. All the samples reported good mineral content, although NCV2 achieved a higher Fe content than conventional throughout the two seasons. After two and three dates of sampling, the CONV samples showed the highest levels of K content. CONCLUSION: In our study, an acceptable commercial yield and quality of âSpinoso sardoâ were achieved by shifting the common conventional agronomic management to more sustainable ones, by means of an accurate choice of cover crop species and rotations introduced in the systems. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry

The Influence of Herbicide Underdosage on the Composition and Diversity of Weeds in Oilseed Rape (Brassica napus L. var. oleifera D.C.) Mediterranean Fields

Weed flora is considered harmful for crop growth and yield, but it is fundamental for preserving biodiversity in agroecosystems. Two three-year trials were conducted in Italy (two different sites) to assess the effect of six herbicide treatments on the weed flora structure of an oilseed rape crop. We applied metazachlor during the pre-emergence stage at 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% of the labelled dose (M25, M50, M75, M100); trifluralin (during the first growing season); post-emergence treatment (PE); and a weedy control (W). Species richness, and diversity indices were used to characterize weed flora composition and to evaluate the effect of herbicide treatments on the considered variables. Results highlighted that the weed community is characterized by a higher diversity in underdosed than in M100 treated plots. Raphanus raphanistrum and Sinapis arvensis were the most common species in M75 and M100 treatments in both sites, while more weed species were detected in underdosed treatments and in weedy plots. The highest Shannon index values were observed in the underdosed treatments. In general, only a slightly similar trend was observed between sites, weed abundance and diversity being positively affected both by low-input herbicide management and by environmental factors (e.g., pedoclimatic situation and previous crop)

Low-Input Herbicide Management: Effects on Rapeseed Production and Profitability

The oilseed rape conventional system can be moved to a more sustainable one by reducing herbicide application whilst ensuring at the same time effective weed control, maintaining oilseed rape yield, and quality and increasing profitability. Over three growing season periods, two field experiments at two different Southern Italy locations were carried out. In both sites, a conventional weed-control management system (recommended label dose), four alternative low-herbicide treatments, and an untreated control were compared. We monitored weeds and crop response to herbicide treatments, and calculated the net economic return, within site and year, for each treatment. In experiment 1, a half dose of herbicide did not show any significant difference in seed yield with respect to conventional treatment in two of three growing seasons. In experiment 2, compared with the conventional system, weedy control and the lowest applied herbicide dose treatment (25% of the recommended label dose) did not underline significant differences with regard to yield level. Net returns from the half dose of metazachlor herbicide were not significantly lower than net returns from conventional treatment in experiment 1 (on a three-year average 748 vs. 812 € ha−1, respectively). Our findings suggest that the herbicide dose might be cut by at least 50% in order not to jeopardize negative effects on production and economic performances

Automatic Zone Management Definition in Mediterranean Environment for Triticum durum

<p>Precision agriculture (PA) is an agronomic management that allows the parsimonious use of agronomic inputs according to the crop's actual spatiotemporal needs. The most important agronomic practice of PA is the site-specific management (SSM) of agronomic inputs. To apply SSM, the number and location of homogeneous zones must be defined. Nowadays, many approaches are used to define the number of zones in an arbitrary and constant way, such as high-, medium-, and low-input zones, without a priori statistical analysis. Two combined field experiments were carried out on durum wheat (<i>Triticum turgidum</i> subsp. <i>durum</i> Desf.) in central Italy to agronomically validate an automatic approach aimed at defining the number and position of the homogeneous zones using multispectral images. For both sites, at stem elongation and anthesis, the dry biomass per square meter and Soil Plant Analysis Development (SPAD) readings were measured, while at crop maturity the yield was measured. This approach uses multispectral images as source data and uses the gap statistic index to determine the correct number of zones. The management zones created were well-fitted with the experimental design of both sites, and the validation was made by the statistical analysis performed on yield data, SPAD, dry biomass, and normalized difference red edge index with an average difference of 40.2%, 28.5%, 57.5%, and 37.4%, respectively, between the management zones. The approach could be scaled by using the multitemporal multispectral images provided by satellite constellation, which enables farms and societies to take advantage of all the economic and environmental benefits of PA.</p&gt

Cropping systems sustainability: Inoculation and fertilisation effect on sulla performances in a new cultivation area

To assess the feasibility of the sulla [Sulla coronaria (L.) Medik] forage legume in a new agroecosystem, its host-specific symbiotic interaction needs to be taken into account. This study aimed to investigate the effects of inoculation and nitrogen (N) fertiliser on productive performances and N-fixation ability of sulla established in a new habitat within a Mediterranean agropastoral area. Sulla plants, previously inoculated (with peat-based, liquid inoculants, and using soil from an existing sulla field) and unfertilised or N fertilised were evaluated in Sardinia (Italy). During 2013-2014, sulla plants were sampled at four growing stages, from vegetative stage to seed set, and shoot length, shoot dry matter (DM) yield and N content were monitored. Moreover, atom% 15N isotopic excess, proportion of N derived from the atmosphere and fixed N of sulla shoots were quantified. Inoculation and N fertilisation both affected growth, DM and N yields, and N-fixation of sulla. Compared to the best inoculated treatment, the DM yield and fixed N of the control only represented 10 to 22% and 2 to 11%, respectively. Nitrogen fertilisation caused temporary decreases in the N fixing ability of sulla. Results pointed out that rhizobial inoculation is essential for the exploitation of sulla outside its traditional cropping area