A Review of Soil-Improving Cropping Systems for Soil Salinization

A major challenge of the Sustainable Development Goals linked to Agriculture, Food Security, and Nutrition, under the current global crop production paradigm, is that increasing crop yields often have negative environmental impacts. It is therefore urgent to develop and adopt optimal soil-improving cropping systems (SICS) that can allow us to decouple these system parameters. Soil salinization is a major environmental hazard that limits agricultural potential and is closely linked to agricultural mismanagement and water resources overexploitation, especially in arid climates. Here we review literature seeking to ameliorate the negative effect of soil salinization on crop productivity and conduct a global meta-analysis of 128 paired soil quality and yield observations from 30 studies. In this regard, we compared the effectivity of different SICS that aim to cope with soil salinization across 11 countries, in order to reveal those that are the most promising. The analysis shows that besides case-specific optimization of irrigation and drainage management, combinations of soil amendments, conditioners, and residue management can contribute to significant reductions of soil salinity while significantly increasing crop yields. These results highlight that conservation agriculture can also achieve the higher yields required for upscaling and sustaining crop production

Capabilities for a cosmopolitan citizenship in higher education The experience of the Technical University of Valencia

AbstractThe capability approach (CA) has focused on how universities can enhance cosmopolitan students’ capabilities in order to contribute to a fairer and more inclusive human development model (Nussbaum, 1997). The aim of this paper is to analyze two different initiatives developed at the Universidad Politécnica de Valencia (UPV) in Spain, which have contributed to the creation and expansion of those capabilities amongst the student community. The first one is a formal space in which, since 1997, a cosmopolitan citizenship curriculum has been implemented (Boni, 2007). The second experience refers to an informal space called Mueve created by UPV students. Based on the analysis of 12 in-depth interviews we will provide some insights into the differences, similarities and synergies amongst those two spaces

IVVI: Intelligent vehicle based on visual information

Human errors are the cause of most traffic accidents, with drivers’ inattention and wrong driving decisions being the two main sources. These errors can be reduced, but not completely eliminated. That is why Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) can reduce the number, danger and severity of traffic accidents. Several ADAS, which nowadays are being researched for Intelligent vehicles, are based on Artificial Intelligence and Robotics technologies. In this article a research platform for the implementation of systems based on computer vision is presented, and different visual perception modules useful for some ADAS such as Line Keeping System, Adaptive Cruise Control, Pedestrian Protector, or Speed Supervisor, are described.This work was supported in part by the Spanish government under CICYT grant TRA2004-07441-C03-01

Postveraison Deficit Irrigation Effects on Fruit Quality and Yield of “Flame Seedless” Table Grape Cultivated under Greenhouse and Net

Lack of color in the skin of red table grape varieties is a serious problem in areas of warm climate. This problem is often addressed by the application of ethylene release products such as ethephon. Strict regulation in the use of this product in EU forces European grape producers to look for suitable alternatives. With the aim to increase red skin color, we applied regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) strategies from veraison until harvest on “Flame Seedless” table grape vines cultivated under nets and under a plastic greenhouse in South East Spain, and compared yield and fruit quality with vines fully irrigated under the same net and plastic greenhouses. Our results show a modest improvement in the percentage of commercial clusters with better skin color, probably because the short duration of the deficit irrigation period only caused a slight decrease in soil water content and a mild water stress in RDI vines. Larger differences were observed under the more limiting conditions of the plastic greenhouse for light environment, especially when berry skin color was measured by CIRG (color index of red grape). More noticeable effect of RDI was noted on fruit earliness. Water savings were also remarkable. Negative effects of RDI on berry size or total soluble solid content were not perceived. Our results suggest that RDI is a suitable strategy to save irrigation water without substantial negative effects on yield and berry size. However, the effects on skin color were insufficient in the trial conditions

Heat Unit Requirements of “Flame Seedless” Table Grape: A Tool to Predict Its Harvest Period in Protected Cultivation

Greenhouse cultivation of table grapes is a challenge due to difficulties imposed by their perennial habit and chilling requirements. Despite difficulties, greenhouse cultivation allows ripening long before that in the open field. Nonetheless, for harvesting “Flame Seedless” in the most profitable periods, a cultural practices timetable has to be established. In this context, an estimation of development rate as a function of temperature becomes essential. This work puts forward a procedure to determine “Flame Seedless” threshold temperatures and heat requirements from bud break to ripening. “Flame Seedless” required an average of 1633 growing degree days (GDD) in the open field with a base temperature of 5 °C and an upper threshold temperature of 30 °C. Strikingly, only 1542 GDD were required within the greenhouse. This procedure forecast “Flame Seedless” ripening with an accuracy of three and six days in the open field and greenhouse, improving predictions based on the average number of days between bud break and ripening. The procedure to predict oncoming harvest date was found satisfactory, just four days earlier than the real date. If we used the typical meteorological year instead of the average year, then the prediction was greatly improved since harvest was forecast just one day before its occurrence

Propagation length enhancement of surface plasmon polaritons in gold nano-/microwaveguides by the interference with photonic modes in the surrounding active dielectrics

In this work, the unique optical properties of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs), i.e. subwavelength confinement or strong electric field concentration, are exploited to demonstrate the propagation of light signal at 600 nm along distances in the range from 17 to 150 μm for Au nanostripes 500 nm down to 100 nm wide (30 nm of height), respectively, both theoretically and experimentally. A low power laser is coupled into an optical fiber tip that is used to locally excite the photoluminescence of colloidal quantum dots (QDs) dispersed in their surroundings. Emitted light from these QDs is generating the SPPs that propagate along the metal waveguides. Then, the above-referred propagation lengths were directly extracted from this novel experimental technique by studying the intensity of light decoupled at the output edge of the waveguide. Furthermore, an enhancement of the propagation length up to 0.4 mm is measured for the 500-nm-wide metal nanostripe, for which this effect is maximum. For this purpose, a simultaneous excitation of the same QDs dispersed in poly(methyl methacrylate) waveguides integrated with the metal nanostructures is performed by end-fire coupling an excitation laser energy as low as 1 KW/cm2. The proposed mechanism to explain such enhancement is a non-linear interference effect between dielectric and plasmonic (super)modes propagating in the metal-dielectric structure, which can be apparently seen as an effective amplification or compensation effect of the gain material (QDs) over the SPPs, as previously reported in literature. The proposed system and the method to create propagating SPPs in metal waveguides can be of interest for the application field of sensors and optical communications at visible wavelengths, among other applications, using plasmonic interconnects to reduce the dimensions of photonic chips

The Effects of Combined Pre and Postharvest Deficit Irrigation on Loquat Yield, Fruit Quality and Handling Aptitude

Loquat prices depend on fruit size and earliness. Earliness is improved by postharvest deficit irrigation (DI), without negative effects on fruit size. An optimization of postharvest DI strategies carried out by limiting the dry period led to greater harvest date advancement, but water savings were reduced. To further improve fruit earliness and quality and increase water savings, we combined pre and postharvest DI strategies. Treatments were T1: trees not irrigated during six weeks after harvest (no preharvest DI applied); T2: trees that, in addition to postharvest DI, were not watered from the rapid fruit growth phase to harvest (nine extra weeks of DI); T3: trees that, in addition to postharvest DI, were not watered from color break to harvest (six weeks of DI plus postharvest DI); and T4: trees that in addition to postharvest DI were not watered during rapid fruit growth, but were re-irrigated at color break (2–3 weeks of DI, depending on the season). Full-irrigated trees were grown for comparison. T1 saved 18% water with respect to full-irrigation, and advanced harvesting by 16 days. T2 saved more water, had an earlier harvest and produced a higher early yield. Shorter dry periods were beneficial to a lower extent. Fruit size was significantly diminished by T2, but not by T4. A major advantage of T3 and T4 was the better performance of fruit during handling and shelf life. T2 fruits were favored by panelists for their sweetness but criticized for their smaller size

Soil fungal abundance and plant functional traits drive fertile island formation in global drylands

Dryland vegetation is characterized by discrete plant patches that accumulate and capture soil resources under their canopies. These “fertile islands” are major drivers of dryland ecosystem structure and functioning, yet we lack an integrated understanding of the factors controlling their magnitude and variability at the global scale.EEA BarilocheFil: Ochoa-Hueso, Raúl. Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. Department of Ecology; EspañaFil: Eldridge, David J. University of New South Wales. School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences; AustraliaFil: Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel. University of Colorado. Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences; Estados Unidos. Universidad Rey Juan Carlos. Escuela Superior de Ciencias Experimentales y Tecnología. Departamento de Biología y Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica; EspañaFil: Soliveres, Santiago. University of Bern. Institute of Plant Sciences; SuizaFil: Bowker, Matthew A. Northern Arizona University. School of Forestry; Estados UnidosFil: Gross, Nicolás. Universidad Rey Juan Carlos. Escuela Superior de Ciencias Experimentales y Tecnología. Departamento de Biología y Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica; España. Institut Nationale de la Recherche Agronomique; Francia. Université La Rochelle. Centre d’étude biologique de Chizé; FranciaFil: Le Bagousse-Pinguet, Yoann. Universidad Rey Juan Carlos. Escuela Superior de Ciencias Experimentales y Tecnología. Departamento de Biología y Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica; EspañaFil: Quero, José L. Universidad de Córdoba. Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica y de Montes. Departamento de Ingeniería Forestal: EspañaFil: García-Gómez, Miguel. Universidad Rey Juan Carlos. Escuela Superior de Ciencias Experimentales y Tecnología. Departamento de Biología y Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica; EspañaFil: Valencia, Enrique. Universidad Rey Juan Carlos. Escuela Superior de Ciencias Experimentales y Tecnología. Departamento de Biología y Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica; EspañaFil: Arredondo, Tulio. Instituto Potosino de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica. División de Ciencias Ambientales; MéxicoFil: Beinticinco, Laura. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Agronomía; ArgentinaFil: Bran, Donaldo Eduardo. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Bariloche; ArgentinaFil: Cea, Alex. Universidad de La Serena. Departamento de Biología; ChileFil: Coaguila, Daniel. Instituto de Ensino Superior de Rio Verde; BrasilFil: Dougill, Andrew J. University of Leeds. School of Earth and Environment; Gran BretañaFil: Espinosa, Carlos I. Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja. Departamento de Ciencias Naturales; EcuadorFil: Gaitan, Juan Jose. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Suelos; ArgentinaFil: Guuroh, Reginald T. University of Cologne. Botanical Institute. Range Ecology and Range Management Group; Alemania. CSIR-Forestry Research Institute of Ghana; GhanaFil: Guzmán, Elizabeth. Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja. Departamento de Ciencias Naturales; EcuadorFil: Gutiérrez, Julio R.. Universidad de La Serena. Departamento de Biología; Chile. Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Zonas Áridas (CEAZA); Chile. Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad; ChileFil: Hernández, Rosa M. Universidad Experimental Simón Rodríguez. Centro de Agroecología Tropical. Laboratorio de Biogeoquímica; VenezuelaFil: Huber-Sannwald, Elisabeth. Instituto Potosino de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica. División de Ciencias Ambientales; MéxicoFil: Jeffries, Thomas. Western Sydney University. Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment; AustraliaFil: Linstädter, Anja. University of Cologne. Botanical Institute. Range Ecology and Range Management Group; AlemaniaFil: Mau, Rebecca L. Northern Arizona University. Center for Ecosystem Science and Society: Estados UnidosFil: Monerris, Jorge. Université du Québec à Montréal. Pavillon des Sciences Biologiques. Département des Sciences Biologiques; CanadáFil: Prina, Anibal. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Agronomía; ArgentinaFil: Pucheta, Eduardo. Universidad Nacional de San Juan. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales. Departamento de Biología; ArgentinaFil: Stavi, Ilan. Dead Sea and Arava Science Center, IsraelFil: Thomas, Andrew. Aberystwyth University. Department of Geography and Earth Sciences; Gran BretañaFil: Zaady, Eli. Agricultural Research Organization. Gilat Research Center. Natural Resources; IsraelFil: Singh, Brajesh K. Western Sydney University. Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment; Australia. Western Sydney University. Global Centre for Land-Based Innovation; AustraliaFil: Maestre, Fernando T. Universidad Rey Juan Carlos. Escuela Superior de Ciencias Experimentales y Tecnología. Departamento de Biología y Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica; Españ

Soil fungal abundance and plant functional traits drive fertile island formation in global drylands

International audience1.Dryland vegetation is characterised by discrete plant patches that accumulate and capture soil resources under their canopies. These “fertile islands” are major drivers of dryland ecosystem structure and functioning, yet we lack an integrated understanding of the factors controlling their magnitude and variability at the global scale.2.We conducted a standardized field survey across two hundred and thirty-six drylands from five continents. At each site, we measured the composition, diversity and cover of perennial plants. Fertile island effects were estimated at each site by comparing composite soil samples obtained under the canopy of the dominant plants and in open areas devoid of perennial vegetation. For each sample, we measured fifteen soil variables (functions) associated with carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus cycling and used the Relative Interaction Index to quantify the magnitude of the fertile island effect for each function. In eighty sites, we also measured fungal and bacterial abundance (quantitative PCR) and diversity (Illumina MiSeq).3.The most fertile islands, i.e. those where a higher number of functions were simultaneously enhanced, were found at lower-elevation sites with greater soil pH values and sand content under semiarid climates, particularly at locations where the presence of tall woody species with a low specific leaf area increased fungal abundance beneath plant canopies, the main direct biotic controller of the fertile island effect in the drylands studied. Positive effects of fungal abundance were particularly associated with greater nutrient contents and microbial activity (soil extracellular enzymes) under plant canopies.4.Synthesis. Our results show that the formation of fertile islands in global drylands largely depends on: (i) local climatic, topographic and edaphic characteristics, (ii) the structure and traits of local plant communities and (iii) soil microbial communities. Our study also has broad implications for the management and restoration of dryland ecosystems worldwide, where woody plants are commonly used as nurse plants to enhance the establishment and survival of beneficiary species. Finally, our results suggest that forecasted increases in aridity may enhance the formation of fertile islands in drylands worldwide

The global contribution of soil mosses to ecosystem services

Soil mosses are among the most widely distributed organisms on land. Experiments and observations suggest that they contribute to terrestrial soil biodiversity and function, yet their ecological contribution to soil has never been assessed globally under natural conditions. Here we conducted the most comprehensive global standardized field study to quantify how soil mosses influence 8 ecosystem services associated with 24 soil biodiversity and functional attributes across wide environmental gradients from all continents. We found that soil mosses are associated with greater carbon sequestration, pool sizes for key nutrients and organic matter decomposition rates but a lower proportion of soil-borne plant pathogens than unvegetated soils. Mosses are especially important for supporting multiple ecosystem services where vascular-plant cover is low. Globally, soil mosses potentially support 6.43 Gt more carbon in the soil layer than do bare soils. The amount of soil carbon associated with mosses is up to six times the annual global carbon emissions from any altered land use globally. The largest positive contribution of mosses to soils occurs under a high cover of mat and turf mosses, in less-productive ecosystems and on sandy and salty soils. Our results highlight the contribution of mosses to soil life and functions and the need to conserve these important organisms to support healthy soils.The study work associated with this paper was funded by a Large Research Grant from the British Ecological Society (no. LRB17\1019; MUSGONET). D.J.E. is supported by the Hermon Slade Foundation. M.D.-B. was supported by a Ramón y Cajal grant from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (RYC2018-025483-I), a project from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation for the I + D + i (PID2020-115813RA-I00 funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033a) and a project PAIDI 2020 from the Junta de Andalucía (P20_00879). E.G. is supported by the European Research Council grant agreement 647038 (BIODESERT). M.B. is supported by a Ramón y Cajal grant from Spanish Ministry of Science (RYC2021-031797-I). A.d.l.R is supported by the AEI project PID2019-105469RB-C22. L.W. and Jianyong Wang are supported by the Program for Introducing Talents to Universities (B16011) and the Ministry of Education Innovation Team Development Plan (2013-373). The contributions of T.G. and T.U.N. were supported by the Research Program in Forest Biology, Ecology and Technology (P4-0107) and the research projects J4-3098 and J4-4547 of the Slovenian Research Agency. The contribution of P.B.R. was supported by the NSF Biological Integration Institutes grant DBI-2021898. J. Durán and A. Rodríguez acknowledge support from the FCT (2020.03670.CEECIND and SFRH/BDP/108913/2015, respectively), as well as from the MCTES, FSE, UE and the CFE (UIDB/04004/2021) research unit financed by FCT/MCTES through national funds (PIDDAC)