Interaction of different irrigation strategies and soil textures on the nitrogen uptake of field grown potatoes.

Abstract Nitrogen (N) uptake (kg ha -1 ) of field-grown potatoes was measured in 4.32 m 2 lysimeters that were filled with coarse sand, loamy sand, and sandy loam and subjected to full (FI), deficit (DI), and partial root-zone drying (PRD) irrigation strategies. PRD and DI as water-saving irrigation treatments received 65% of FI after tuber bulking and lasted for six weeks until final harvest. Results showed that the irrigation treatments were not significantly different in terms of N uptake in the tubers, shoot, and whole crop. However, there was a statistical difference between the soil textures where plants in the loamy sand had the highest amount of N uptake. The interaction between irrigation treatments and soil textures was significant, and implied that under non-limiting water conditions, loamy sand is the suitable soil for potato production because plants can take up sufficient amounts of N and it could potentially lead to higher yield. However, under limited water conditions and applying water-saving irrigation strategies, sandy loam and coarse sand are better growth media because N is more available for the potatoes. The simple yield prediction model was developed that could explains ca. 96% of the variations of fresh tuber yield based on the plant evapotranspiration (ET) and N uptake in the tuber or whole crop

Assessment of the Socio-Economic Impact of Late Blight and State of the Art of Management in European Organic Potato Production Systems

In Europe, late blight, caused by Phytophthora infestans, is the most devastating disease affecting organic (and conventional) potato production. Under suitable environmental conditions the disease can spread rapidly and it can cause complete crop loss. The extent of damage due to late blight depends on several factors: in organic production systems these factors include climate, choice of variety, soil management and use of crop protection agents such as copper. Therefore, the extent of economic damage varies between European regions. Council Regulation (EEC) No 2092/91, amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 473/2002 of 15 March 2002 regulates the use of copper in organic agriculture. Copper has been the single most important control agent in organic late blight control. Therefore, the reduction or an eventual phasing out of copper use will have varying impacts in different regions. This report presents the results of a detailed survey that has been conducted in 7 European countries in the year 2001. It is a subproject of the EU-funded project Blight-MOP (QLRT 31065). The survey investigates legislative, socio-economic and production parameters. The aim of this study was: (i) to obtain an inventory of the current organic potato production techniques, (ii) to assess the impact of a potential ban of copper on yields and viability of organic potato production and (iii) to identify alternative plant protection strategies that are used by organic farmers. This report includes: (i) statistics on yields, farm gate prices, and production techniques, (ii) an analysis offarmer observations and experiences on the extent and impact of late blight epidemics, (iii) an analysis of the farmer’s motivations, expectations and their assessment of the potential impact of a copper ban. Using multiple linear regression we identified production factors which appear to consistently contribute to production success

Nitrous oxide emission budgets and land-use-driven hotspots for organic soils in Europe

Peer reviewe

Chemical composition and methane yield of reed canary grass as influenced by harvesting time and harvest frequency

This study examined the influence of harvest time on biomass yield, dry matter partitioning, biochemical composition and biological methane potential of reed canary grass harvested twice a month in one-cut (OC) management. The regrowth of biomass harvested in summer was also harvested in autumn as a two-cut management with (TC-F) or without (TC-U) fertilization after summer harvest. The specific methane yields decreased significantly with crop maturity that ranged from 384 to 315 and from 412 to 283 NL (normal litre) (kg VS) 1 for leaf and stem, respectively. Approximately 45% more methane was produced by the TC-F management (5430 Nm 3 ha 1 ) as by the OC management (3735 Nm ). Specific methane yield was moderately correlated with the concentrations of fibre components in the biomass. Larger quantity of biogas produced at the beginning of the biogas assay from early harvested biomass was to some extent off-set by lower concentration of methane

Modeling long-term yield trends of Miscanthus x giganteus using experimental data from across Europe

[i]Miscanthus[/i] x [i]giganteus[/i] is a perennial grass that is considered to have a high feedstock potential for bioenergy production. Assessment of that potential is however highly related to the crop yields and to their change through the crop lifetime, which is expected to be longer than 20 years. [i]M. giganteus[/i] is known to have an establishment phase during which annual yields increased as a function of crop age, followed by a ceiling phase, the duration of which is unknown. We built a database including 16 European long-term experiments (i) to describe the yield evolution during the establishment and the ceiling phases and (ii) to determine whether [i]M. giganteus[/i] ceiling phase is followed by a decline phase where yields decrease across years. Data were analyzed through comparisons between a set of statistical growth models. The model that best fitted the experimental data included a decline phase. The decline intensity and the value of several other model parameters, such as the maximum yield reached during the ceiling phase or the duration of the establishment phase, were highly variable. The highest maximum yields were obtained in the experiments located in the southern part of the studied area and the duration of the establishment phase was strongly related to the establishment method. Since energetic viability and profitability of [i]M. giganteus[/i] hinge critically on yields, these results could be integrated in further assessment works

Efeitos da chuva na eficiência de formulações e doses de glyphosate no controle de Brachiaria decumbens Rainfall effects on glyphosate formulation and rate the efficiency to control of Brachiaria decumbens

O objetivo deste trabalho foi de avaliar os efeitos de doses das formulações de glyphosate - amônio, isopropilamina e potássico - sobre o controle de plantas de Brachiaria decumbens, em condições controladas, quando submetidas à chuva com intensidade de 20 mm e durante 30 minutos, em intervalos de 1, 2, 4, 6, 12 e 24 horas após aplicação dos tratamentos herbicidas. A ocorrência de chuvas após a aplicação de glyphosate reduziu o controle de B. decumbens, e essa redução foi maior com a diminuição do intervalo sem chuva após a aplicação. As aplicações das formulações de glyphosate potássico e isopropilamina resultaram em maior controle da B. decumbens que a formulação de glyphosate amônico. Esse efeito foi também observado no acúmulo de matéria seca da rebrota da planta daninha, avaliada aos 19 dias após o corte da parte aérea das plantas. Foram necessários intervalos de pelo menos 8, 11 e 12 horas sem chuva após aplicação, respectivamente para glyphosate potássico, isopropilamina e amônio, na dose de 1.440 g ha-1, para obter controle maior que 80%. Na dose de 2.160 g ha-1 necessitou-se de intervalos de pelo menos 5, 7 e 9 horas sem chuva, respectivamente para as formulações de glyphosate potássico, isopropilamina e amônio, para proporcionar o mesmo controle de B. decumbens. Na avaliação da matéria seca acumulada na rebrota, o glyphosate potássico proporcionou controle excelente da espécie (rebrota menor do que 5%) a partir de quatro e cinco horas sem chuva após aplicação, respectivamente nas duas maiores doses (2.160 e 1.440 g ha-1). No caso do glyphosate isopropilamina, nas doses de 2.160 e 1.440 g ha-1, o mesmo controle foi obtido a partir de 7 e 12 horas sem chuva, respectivamente. Concluiu-se que as formulações glyphosate potássico e isopropilamina são menos afetadas pela ocorrência de chuva após a aplicação e demandam menor intervalo livre de chuva do que o glyphosate amônio.<br>The objective of this study was to evaluate the dose effects the glyphosate formulations - ammonium, isopropylamine and potassic - on Brachiaria decumbens plant control, under controlled conditions, when submitted to 20 mm of rainfall intensity for 30 minutes, at intervals of 1, 2, 4, 6, 12 and 24 hours after application of the herbicide treatments. Rainfall events after glyphosate application reduced the control of B. decumbens and this reduction was higher as the rainfall event was closer to the herbicide application. Potassic and isopropylamine glyphosate formulations showed a higher control of B. decumbens than ammonium glyphosate formulation. This effect was also observed on the dry biomass accumulation of B. decumbens regrowth, which was evaluated at 19 days after excising the plantshoot. At least 8, 11 and 12 hours after glyphosate application without rainfall were required, respectively, for potassic, isopropylamine and ammonium glyphosate at the dose of 1,440 g ha-1, to obtain a control over 80%; however, for the rate of 2,160 g ha-1, intervals required were 5, 7, and 9 hours, at least, respectively, to obtain the same control of B. decumbens. Dry biomass accumulation oduring weed regrowth was lower than 5%, providing an excellent control of the weed when four to five hours without rainfall occurred after herbicide application at the highest two doses (2,160 and 1,440 g ha-1). For isopropylamine glyphosate at the doses of 2,160 and 1,440 g ha-1, the same control was obtained from 7 and 12 hours without rainfall, respectively. It was concluded that both the potassic and isopropylamine glyphosate formulations are less affected by rainfall events after herbicide application, tolerating rainfall in a shorter interval after herbicide application than ammonium glyphosate