Importance of Underutilized Field Crops for Increasing Functional Biodiversity

Despite the suggestions to include two or three crops into crop rotation that is widely considered to support the richer biodiversity on fields, industrial field crop production systems are still based mainly on monoculture, where the farmers produce permanently mainly one crop. Review and analyses of different possibilities showed that more diverse functional (also important for diverse nutritional and health products of food) biodiversity of underutilized field crops needs to be established, especially if beneficial social and economic effects of introducing underutilized crops into small-scale farms are taken into account. We can conclude that functional biodiversity based on rich crop rotations associated with underutilized crops increases biodiversity in the soil and has an effect on richer and sustainable behavior of cultural plants with good balance of pests and plant diseases

Nutritional value of taro (Colocasia esculenta) cultivars from Papua New Guinea

Taro (Colocasia esculenta (L.) Scott) je tropska gomoljevka/korenovka, ki uspeva na večini tropskih in subtropskih območij. Namen raziskave je bil analizirati vsebnosti pomembnejših hranilnih snovi (mineralov, škroba, surovih proteinov) v 10 reprezentativnih kultivarjih tara iz Papue Nove Gvineje. Po razklopu vzorcev smo v raztopinah določili koncentracije K z AES, Ca, Zn in Mg s FAAS, Mn, Cu in Fe z ETAAS in P z MAS. Za določitev skupnega dušika smo uporabili Kjeldahovo metodo. Škrob smo določili po Megazxme postopku. Med makroelementi je bilo v kormih največ K (\u27KPOK 35A\u27, 2,28 %) in med mikroelementi Fe (\u27NT 01\u27, 29,4 µg/kg). Vsebnosti škroba so znašale med 66% (\u27Lae Yellow\u27) in 79 % (\u27C5 353\u27 in \u27BC 737\u27), medtem ko so bile vsebnosti surovih proteinov dokaj nizke. Glede na izmerjene vrednosti lahko zaključimo, da so kultivarji v prehrani ljudi pomemben vir škroba in mineralov, še posebno kalija, kalcija, fosforja in magnezija. Prav tako so relativno dober vir Fe, Zn in Cu.Taro (Colocasia esculenta (L) Scott) is an important root crop, grown throughout the tropical and subtropical regions. The aim of the presented research was to determine the content of the most important food nutrients (minerals, starch, crude proteins) in 10 representative cultivars from Papua New Guinea. In the solutions after microwave digestion, the concentrations of K were determined by using ASE. Ca, Zn and Mg concentrations, however, were determined by FAAS. ETAAS was applied for the determinations of Mn, Cu and Fe, and MAS for measurements of P. The Kjeldahl method was applied for the determination of total nitrogen, whereas the total starch was determined by using Magazyme procedure. Potassium was the most abundant mineral (‘KPOK 35A’, 2.28 %). Iron dominated among microelements. The cultivar with the highest Fe content was ‘NT01’ (29.4 µg/kg). The starch contents were high and ranged between 66 % (‘Lae Yellow’) and 79 % (‘C5 353’ and ‘Bc 737’), whereas the levels of crude proteins were rather low. We can conclude that the corms of the sampled taro cultivars can be considered as a good source of starch and minerals, especially potassium, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium in human nutrition. They are also relatively good sources of Fe, Zn, Zn and Cu

Effect of the growth termination method of agro-ecological service crops on the soil arthropod abundance in the two-year soiveg projekt

Rastline za agroekološke storitve (ASC) so pomemben sestavni del mnogih kmetijskih pridelovalnih sistemov. ASC rastline lahko zagotovijo bolj trajnostni ekosistem, saj zmanjšajo erozijo tal, povečajo količino organske snovi, izboljšajo rodovitnost tal ter preprečijo izgubo hranil iz tal. ASC prispevajo uravnavanju pojava plevela in boljšim pogojem za koristne organizme. V okviru projekta SoilVeg je bila v letih 2015–2018 preverjena učinkovitost uporabe valjarja rastlinske odeje Roller Crimper (RC) kot alternativne metode prekinitve rasti prekrivnih rastlin brez obdelave v primerjavi s plitvo zadelavo in običajno kmetijsko prakso v ekološki pridelavi zelja. Poljski poskus s »split-split-plot« zasnovo je bil izveden v Mariboru. Preizkušeni sta bili dve ASC rastlini (inkarnatka in ječmen), katerih rast je bila prekinjena (i) z uporabo tehnike zmanjšanja obdelave tal oziroma valjanje z RC in (ii) inkorporacijo ASC v tla kot zeleno gnojenje v primerjavi z običajno kmetijsko prakso brez ASC z oranjem in (iii) okopavanjem ter (iv) zastiranje tal s črno folijo. V obeh letih poskusa je bila populacija členonožcev izražena kot vrednost activity density (AD) višja na obravnavanjih, kjer je bila posejana inkarnatka. . Najpogosteje ujeti v vabah so bili hrošči (Coleoptera), muhe (Diptera), pajkovci (Araneae) in stenice (Heteroptera). V vabah so bili najpogosteje ujeti hrošči (Coleoptera), muhe (Diptera), pajkovci (Araneae) in stenice (Heteroptera). Povprečna vrednost AD krešičev je bila višja na obravnavanjih z zelenim gnojenjem v primerjavi z RC. Tudi sicer je RC pozitivno vplival na pojavnost več različnih redov žuželk. V prihodnosti bo potrebno preveriti več vrst ASC rastlin in izbrati najoptimalnejši način tehnike prekinitve rasti.Agro-ecological Service Crops (ASC) have been recognized as a beneficial component of many farming systems and especially in organic agriculture. ASC can provide a more sustainable ecosystemthey reduce soil erosion, increase the amount of organic matter, improve soil fertility and nutrient cycling. ASC contribute to weed control management and better environment for beneficial insects. This research was conducted as part of the SoilVeg project under CORE Organic Plus programme, to determine the effectiveness of using Roller Crimper technology (RC) as an alternative method for termination of cover crops in organic cabbage production. It was conducted in Maribor, using a split-split plot experimental design from 2015 to 2018. A system based on the use of two different ASCs (crimson clover and barley) that were carried out via two different techniques i) no/reduced tillage, as flattering of ASC with RC and ii) the traditional technique used to incorporate the ASC as green manure (GM) into the soil. These research treatments were compared to usual farming practice without ASC with ploughing and (iii) mechanical weed control with hoeing and (iv) use of synthetic mulch. The activity density of total trapped insects was higher in treatments where crimson clover was sown in both years. The most trapped insects were beetles (Coleoptera), flies (Diptera), spiders (Araneae) and stenas (Heteroptera). AD ground beetle numbers were on average higher in treatments with green manure. RC also had a positive effect on several different insects. In the future it would be advisable to check several types of ASC plants and choose the most optimal way of termination

Analysis of the impacts on the quality of UAV photogrammetric products

Daljinsko vodeni letalniki (angl. unmanned aerial vehicles), opremljeni z različnimi senzorji in napravami, se v geodeziji, geoinformatiki in okoljskih strokah vse pogosteje uporabljajo za zajem prostorskih podatkov. Razvilo se je novo področje, to je UAV fotogrametrija, ki obravnava fotogrametrični zajem in obdelavo fotografij, pridobljenih z daljinsko vodenimi letalniki. V študiji analiziramo različne dejavnike, ki vplivajo na kakovost izdelkov UAV fotogrametrije, s poudarkom na položajni točnosti. Predstavljamo jih v treh skupinah, in sicer obravnavamo dejavnike vpliva, ki so povezani z: (a) lastnostmi fotoaparata in kakovostjo fotografij, (b) načrtovanjem in izvedbo snemalne misije ter (c) oslonilnimi točkami za posreden način georeferenciranja fotografij. Izbrane dejavnike smo analizirali na podlagi pregleda relevantnih znanstvenih objav, vpliv števila in razporeditve oslonilnih točk na položajno točnost oblaka točk pa smo dodatno preverili na lastnem primeru. Na koncu podajamo ključne ugotovitve in priporočila za izvajanje UAV fotogrametričnih projektov, kjer poudarjamo pomen snemanja v dobrih svetlobnih in vremenskih razmerah, uporabe čim boljše opreme, ustrezne izbire parametrov snemalne misije, zadostnega števila oslonilnih točk, ki so izmerjene z ustrezno položajno točnostjo, in njihove enakomerne razporeditve po območju obravnave.Unmanned aerial vehicles, equipped with various sensors and devices, are increasingly used to acquire geospatial data in geodesy, geoinformatics, and environmental studies. In this context, a new research and professional field has been developed % UAV photogrammetry % dealing with photogrammetry data acquisition and data processing, acquired by unmanned aerial vehicles. In this study, we analyse the selected factors that impact the quality of data provided using UAV photogrammetry, with the focus on positional accuracythey are discussed in three groups: (a) factors related to the camera properties and the quality of images(b) factors related to the mission planning and executionand (c) factors related to the indirect georeferencing of images using ground control points. These selected factors are analysed based on the detailed review of relevant scientific publications. Additionally, the influence of the number of ground control points and their spatial distribution on point clouds\u27 positional accuracy has been investigated for the case study. As the conclusion, key findings and recommendations for UAV photogrammetric projects are givenwe have highlighted the importance of suitable lighting and weather conditions when performing UAV missions for spatial data acquisition, quality equipment, appropriate parameters of UAV data acquisition, and a sufficient number of ground control points, which should be determined with the appropriate positional accuracy and their correct distribution in the field

Spatial ETL for 3D building modelling based on unmanned aerial vehicle data in semi-urban areas

This paper provides the innovative approach of using a spatial extract, transform, load (ETL) solution for 3D building modelling, based on an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) photogrammetric point cloud. The main objective of the paper is to present the holistic workflow for 3D building modelling, emphasising the benefits of using spatial ETL solutions for this purpose. Namely, despite the increasing demands for 3D city models and their geospatial applications, the generation of 3D city models is still challenging in the geospatial domain. Advanced geospatial technologies provide various possibilities for the mass acquisition of geospatial data that is further used for 3D city modelling, but there is a huge difference in the cost and quality of input data. While aerial photogrammetry and airborne laser scanning involve high costs, UAV photogrammetry has brought new opportunities, including for small and medium-sized companies, by providing a more flexible and low-cost source of spatial data for 3D modelling. In our data-driven approach, we use a spatial ETL solution to reconstruct a 3D building model from a dense image matching point cloud which was obtained beforehand from UAV imagery. The results are 3D building models in a semantic vector format consistent with the OGC CityGML standard, Level of Detail 2 (LOD2). The approach has been tested on selected buildings in a simple semi-urban area. We conclude that spatial ETL solutions can be efficiently used for 3D building modelling from UAV data, where the data process model developed allows the developer to easily control and manipulate each processing step

Vpliv pridelovalnih sistemov in sort oljnih buč (Cucurbita pepo L. group Pepo) na pridelek ter agronomsko učinkovitost hranil

In 2013 and 2014, a long-term trial (which was established in 2007) was conducted at the University Agricultural Centre in Pivola near Hoče. It included different production systems (conventional, integrated, organic, biodynamic), carried out in a field trial with oil pumpkins. The aim of the research was to analyse the effects of different production systems, varieties (hybrid and population variety) and years of production, on formation of oil pumpkin yields. The agricultural practice has been carried out in accordance with the applicable legislations and standards for the individual production system. When sowing, before fertilizing with nitrogen in early June and after the harvest, the amount of soil mineral nitrogen was monitored. We evaluated the number and weight of harvestable, unripe and decayed fruits, and yield of oil seed pumpkins and calculated the agronomic efficiency of the applied nutrients. The results showed that the year of production, the production system and the variety have a significant effect on some fruit characteristics and the yield of oil pumpkin seeds. The content of soil mineral nitrogen in May and September was significantly influenced by the production system and the year. In June, only the production system had a significant effect. The hybrid significantly increased the yields of oil pumpkin seeds in all production systems, even in the year that was less suitable for production. The agronomic efficiency of the applied nutrients in the biodynamic and organic production system is higher or equal than in the conventional production system, similarly, agronomic efficiency is higher in the hybrid compared to the oldest population variety efficiently. A comparable oil pumpkin yield can be expected in biodynamic and organic production, when proper nutrition and well carried out cultivation practices are combined with a new variety, when compared to less sustainable production systems, which often cause damage to the environment.V letih 2013 in 2014 smo na trajnostnem poskusu, ki poteka na lokaciji Univerzitetnega kmetijskega centra Pohorski dvor že od leta 2007, z različnimi pridelovalnimi sistemi (konvencionalni, integrirani, ekološki, biodinamični) izvedli poljski poskus. Namen raziskave je bil preučiti vplive različnih pridelovalnih sistemov, sort (hibridna in populacijska sorta) ter leta na pridelavo oljnih buč. Tehnike pridelave so bile izvedene v skladu z veljavno zakonodajo in standardi za posamezni pridelovalni sistem. V času setve, pred dognojevanjem v začetku junija in ob spravilu pridelka smo analizirali količino mineralnega dušika v tleh. Vrednotili smo število in maso dozorelih, nedozorelih in propadlih plodov buč, pridelek bučnic ter izračunali agronomsko učinkovitost dodanih hranil. Sklepamo, da imajo leto, pridelovalni sistem in sorta statistično značilen vpliv na oblikovanje pridelka in pridelek bučnic. Na količino mineralnega dušika v tleh v maju in septembru vplivata pridelovalni sistem in leto, v juniju le pridelovalni sistem. Hibridna sorta oblikuje večji pridelek bučnic v vseh pridelovalnih sistemih, tudi v neugodnih rastnih razmerah posameznega leta. Agronomska učinkovitost dodanih hranil v biodinamičnem in ekološkem pridelovalnem sistemu je, v primerjavi s konvencionalnim, večja ali enaka, podobno velja za hibrid v primerjavi s starejšo sorto. Ob primerljivi oskrbi oljnih buč s hranili in kakovostno izvedbo pridelovalnih ukrepov v povezavi z novejšo sorto, lahko tudi v biodinamičnem in ekološkem načinu kmetovanja pričakujemo primerljive pridelke buč in bučnic v primerjavi z manj trajnostno naravnanimi sistemi pridelave, ki v naravi mnogokrat povzročajo škodo