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John P Reganold - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • Diversifying conservation agriculture and Conventional Tillage cropping systems to improve the wellbeing of smallholder farmers in Malawi
    Agricultural Systems, 2019
    Co-Authors: Dan Teravest, Christian Thierfelder, Philip R. Wandschneider, John P Reganold
    Abstract:

    Food production and the wellbeing of smallholder farmers are constrained by their limited financial resources, poor market access, and inadequate institutional support in southern and eastern Africa. Conservation agriculture (CA)–minimal soil disturbance, year-round ground cover, and diverse crop rotations–is being promoted to sustainably boost crop production, increase household income, and diversify diets for better nutrition. In this study, three cropping systems–continuous no-till maize, CA rotation, and Conventional Tillage rotation–were established on smallholder farms in the Nkhotakota and Dowa districts, two distinct agroecological zones in Malawi. Diverse three-year crop rotations in CA and Conventional Tillage systems included the alternative food crops sweet potato and cassava and the grain legumes common bean, soybean, cowpea, and pigeonpea. The effects of cropping system on labor use and financial returns, which served as a rough indicator of feasibility and farmer wellbeing, were analyzed for three years from 2011 to 2014. Over the three years of the study, continuous no-till maize produced the greatest gross and net revenues, despite also having greater production costs than CA and Conventional systems. Although substantially less profitable than continuous no-till maize, the diversified CA and Conventional Tillage rotations were profitable for smallholder farmers, partially due to lower production costs. Sensitivity analysis was used to test the robustness of each cropping system under varying labor, input, and output price scenarios. Altering farmgate prices had the greatest impact on profitability, regardless of the crop grown. The input and output prices for maize were stable over the course of the study so that continuous no-till maize was the most robust cropping system. In contrast, high input cost and output price variability for alternative crops increased risk compared to maize, which may reduce their appeal to smallholder farmers. Reducing the risk of conservation agriculture rotations could provide smallholder farmers with more diversified diets and greater ecosystem services, such as greater rainwater infiltration and storage to withstand dry spells. Based on the results of this study, policies that reduce input price variability and increase farmgate prices of alternative food crops would have the greatest impact on the adoption of diverse crop rotations in Malawi.

  • crop production and soil water management in conservation agriculture no till and Conventional Tillage systems in malawi
    Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment, 2015
    Co-Authors: Dan Teravest, Lynne Carpenterboggs, Christian Thierfelder, John P Reganold
    Abstract:

    Abstract Smallholder farming in southern and eastern Africa is constrained by low water-use efficiency, frequent dry spells, and drought. Conservation agriculture (CA), defined as minimal soil disturbance, year-round ground cover, and crop rotations, is being promoted as a way to sustainably improve water-use efficiency, reduce soil erosion, and boost crop production. In this study, three cropping systems – continuous no-till maize, CA rotation, and Conventional Tillage rotation – were established on smallholder farms in the Nkhotakota and Dowa districts, two distinct agroecological zones in Malawi. Three-year crop rotations of cassava, cowpea, and maize and cassava, soybean, and maize were implemented in CA and Conventional Tillage, respectively, in Nkhotakota. In Dowa, a 3-year rotation of sweet potato, bean, and maize was implemented in both CA and Conventional Tillage. Cropping systems were analyzed for their impact on infiltration, soil moisture content, sediment runoff, earthworm and termite abundance, and crop production from 2011 to 2014. In Nkhotakota, which had high potential evapotranspiration and low soil water-holding capacity, residue retention was positively correlated with infiltration and no-till and CA increased soil water content (0–60 cm) compared to Conventional Tillage by an average of 20 mm. In Dowa, which had lower potential evapotranspiration, eliminating Tillage and retaining residue did not improve infiltration or soil water content. In 2013/2014, no-till and CA reduced sediment runoff by 1537 kg ha−1 and 1309 kg ha−1 in Nkhotakota and 346 kg ha−1 and 209 kg ha−1 in Dowa, respectively, compared to Conventional Tillage. Tillage and residue management did not have a significant impact on sweet potato, cassava, bean, soybean, or cowpea production. Crop rotations had the greatest impact on maize yields in 2013/14, with CA and Conventional Tillage rotations increasing maize yields compared to no-till maize by 2525 kg ha−1 and 2145 kg ha−1 in Dowa and 1364 kg ha−1 and 469 kg ha−1 in Nkhotakota, respectively. However, cumulative protein production was greater in no-till than CA and Conventional Tillage rotations in Dowa and greater than Conventional rotations in Nkhotakota. Rotation crop productivity needs to be improved with better yielding grain legumes and other higher protein crops before widespread adoption of diverse rotations can occur on smallholder farms in eastern and southern Africa.

Rafiq K Islam - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • effect of long term no till and Conventional Tillage practices on soil quality
    Soil & Tillage Research, 2013
    Co-Authors: I. Aziz, T. Mahmood, Rafiq K Islam
    Abstract:

    Abstract Management systems influence soil quality over time. A randomized block design in 2 (Tillage system) × 3 (crop rotation) factorial arrangement was laid-out to evaluate the impact of Tillage and crop rotation (2002–2007) on soil quality. Conventional Tillage and No-till were factored into continuous corn, corn–soybean, and corn–soybean–wheat–Cowpea systems. Ten soil cores were collected at 0–7.5, 7.5–15, 15–22.5 and 22.5–30 cm depths and analyzed for biological, chemical and physical parameters. The inductive additive approach was used to calculate biological, chemical, physical and composite soil quality indices. A significant impact of no Tillage on different physical chemical and biological parameters was observed. The estimated soil quality index was significantly higher in soil under No-till than Conventional Tillage. Soil biological quality is a sensitive and consistent indicator of soil quality in response to management practices.

Lynne Carpenterboggs - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • crop production and soil water management in conservation agriculture no till and Conventional Tillage systems in malawi
    Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment, 2015
    Co-Authors: Dan Teravest, Lynne Carpenterboggs, Christian Thierfelder, John P Reganold
    Abstract:

    Abstract Smallholder farming in southern and eastern Africa is constrained by low water-use efficiency, frequent dry spells, and drought. Conservation agriculture (CA), defined as minimal soil disturbance, year-round ground cover, and crop rotations, is being promoted as a way to sustainably improve water-use efficiency, reduce soil erosion, and boost crop production. In this study, three cropping systems – continuous no-till maize, CA rotation, and Conventional Tillage rotation – were established on smallholder farms in the Nkhotakota and Dowa districts, two distinct agroecological zones in Malawi. Three-year crop rotations of cassava, cowpea, and maize and cassava, soybean, and maize were implemented in CA and Conventional Tillage, respectively, in Nkhotakota. In Dowa, a 3-year rotation of sweet potato, bean, and maize was implemented in both CA and Conventional Tillage. Cropping systems were analyzed for their impact on infiltration, soil moisture content, sediment runoff, earthworm and termite abundance, and crop production from 2011 to 2014. In Nkhotakota, which had high potential evapotranspiration and low soil water-holding capacity, residue retention was positively correlated with infiltration and no-till and CA increased soil water content (0–60 cm) compared to Conventional Tillage by an average of 20 mm. In Dowa, which had lower potential evapotranspiration, eliminating Tillage and retaining residue did not improve infiltration or soil water content. In 2013/2014, no-till and CA reduced sediment runoff by 1537 kg ha−1 and 1309 kg ha−1 in Nkhotakota and 346 kg ha−1 and 209 kg ha−1 in Dowa, respectively, compared to Conventional Tillage. Tillage and residue management did not have a significant impact on sweet potato, cassava, bean, soybean, or cowpea production. Crop rotations had the greatest impact on maize yields in 2013/14, with CA and Conventional Tillage rotations increasing maize yields compared to no-till maize by 2525 kg ha−1 and 2145 kg ha−1 in Dowa and 1364 kg ha−1 and 469 kg ha−1 in Nkhotakota, respectively. However, cumulative protein production was greater in no-till than CA and Conventional Tillage rotations in Dowa and greater than Conventional rotations in Nkhotakota. Rotation crop productivity needs to be improved with better yielding grain legumes and other higher protein crops before widespread adoption of diverse rotations can occur on smallholder farms in eastern and southern Africa.

  • soil microbial properties under permanent grass Conventional Tillage and no till management in south dakota
    Soil & Tillage Research, 2003
    Co-Authors: Lynne Carpenterboggs, Peter D Stahl, Mike J Lindstrom, T E Schumacher
    Abstract:

    The objective of this study was to determine how no-till and Conventional Tillage affected microbial properties of soil quality, using permanent grass fields as a standard of local high-quality soils. Agricultural fields in South Dakota were matched within soil type and location so that each set contained one field managed in permanent grass cover, one managed for annual crops using Conventional Tillage, and one managed for annual crops using no-till. Microbial biomass and activities, particularly those related to nitrogen and phosphorus availability were examined in 0–15 cm soil samples. Most measures of microbial activity were similar in the two annually cropped management systems but less than under permanent grass. Soils managed under permanent grass contained approximately 160% greater labile carbon and 50% greater microbial biomass, and supported approximately 150% greater dehydrogenase enzyme activity, 50% greater respiration, and 180% greater acid phosphatase activity, than no-till and Conventionally tilled soils, which were similar in these measures. Grassed soils also mineralized 460% greater N under anaerobic conditions and 80% greater N under aerobic conditions, while potential nitrification was 25% greater on average than cropped soils. Mycorrhizal fungi colonized 76% of observed root segments under grass, 63% under no-till, and 55% under Conventional Tillage. Among the suite of tests in this study, only alkaline phosphatase activity and C mineralized in 12 days were significantly different under no-till and Conventional Tillage, both greater under no-till. Crops grown in a no-till system may be expected to resist low available P as well as other stresses better than crops in Conventionally tilled soils due to greater activity of alkaline phosphatase and marginally increased mycorrhizal colonization of roots. No-till management in central South Dakota has allowed enhancement of readily mineralizable C and alkaline phosphatase activity. © 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Dan Teravest - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • Diversifying conservation agriculture and Conventional Tillage cropping systems to improve the wellbeing of smallholder farmers in Malawi
    Agricultural Systems, 2019
    Co-Authors: Dan Teravest, Christian Thierfelder, Philip R. Wandschneider, John P Reganold
    Abstract:

    Food production and the wellbeing of smallholder farmers are constrained by their limited financial resources, poor market access, and inadequate institutional support in southern and eastern Africa. Conservation agriculture (CA)–minimal soil disturbance, year-round ground cover, and diverse crop rotations–is being promoted to sustainably boost crop production, increase household income, and diversify diets for better nutrition. In this study, three cropping systems–continuous no-till maize, CA rotation, and Conventional Tillage rotation–were established on smallholder farms in the Nkhotakota and Dowa districts, two distinct agroecological zones in Malawi. Diverse three-year crop rotations in CA and Conventional Tillage systems included the alternative food crops sweet potato and cassava and the grain legumes common bean, soybean, cowpea, and pigeonpea. The effects of cropping system on labor use and financial returns, which served as a rough indicator of feasibility and farmer wellbeing, were analyzed for three years from 2011 to 2014. Over the three years of the study, continuous no-till maize produced the greatest gross and net revenues, despite also having greater production costs than CA and Conventional systems. Although substantially less profitable than continuous no-till maize, the diversified CA and Conventional Tillage rotations were profitable for smallholder farmers, partially due to lower production costs. Sensitivity analysis was used to test the robustness of each cropping system under varying labor, input, and output price scenarios. Altering farmgate prices had the greatest impact on profitability, regardless of the crop grown. The input and output prices for maize were stable over the course of the study so that continuous no-till maize was the most robust cropping system. In contrast, high input cost and output price variability for alternative crops increased risk compared to maize, which may reduce their appeal to smallholder farmers. Reducing the risk of conservation agriculture rotations could provide smallholder farmers with more diversified diets and greater ecosystem services, such as greater rainwater infiltration and storage to withstand dry spells. Based on the results of this study, policies that reduce input price variability and increase farmgate prices of alternative food crops would have the greatest impact on the adoption of diverse crop rotations in Malawi.

  • crop production and soil water management in conservation agriculture no till and Conventional Tillage systems in malawi
    Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment, 2015
    Co-Authors: Dan Teravest, Lynne Carpenterboggs, Christian Thierfelder, John P Reganold
    Abstract:

    Abstract Smallholder farming in southern and eastern Africa is constrained by low water-use efficiency, frequent dry spells, and drought. Conservation agriculture (CA), defined as minimal soil disturbance, year-round ground cover, and crop rotations, is being promoted as a way to sustainably improve water-use efficiency, reduce soil erosion, and boost crop production. In this study, three cropping systems – continuous no-till maize, CA rotation, and Conventional Tillage rotation – were established on smallholder farms in the Nkhotakota and Dowa districts, two distinct agroecological zones in Malawi. Three-year crop rotations of cassava, cowpea, and maize and cassava, soybean, and maize were implemented in CA and Conventional Tillage, respectively, in Nkhotakota. In Dowa, a 3-year rotation of sweet potato, bean, and maize was implemented in both CA and Conventional Tillage. Cropping systems were analyzed for their impact on infiltration, soil moisture content, sediment runoff, earthworm and termite abundance, and crop production from 2011 to 2014. In Nkhotakota, which had high potential evapotranspiration and low soil water-holding capacity, residue retention was positively correlated with infiltration and no-till and CA increased soil water content (0–60 cm) compared to Conventional Tillage by an average of 20 mm. In Dowa, which had lower potential evapotranspiration, eliminating Tillage and retaining residue did not improve infiltration or soil water content. In 2013/2014, no-till and CA reduced sediment runoff by 1537 kg ha−1 and 1309 kg ha−1 in Nkhotakota and 346 kg ha−1 and 209 kg ha−1 in Dowa, respectively, compared to Conventional Tillage. Tillage and residue management did not have a significant impact on sweet potato, cassava, bean, soybean, or cowpea production. Crop rotations had the greatest impact on maize yields in 2013/14, with CA and Conventional Tillage rotations increasing maize yields compared to no-till maize by 2525 kg ha−1 and 2145 kg ha−1 in Dowa and 1364 kg ha−1 and 469 kg ha−1 in Nkhotakota, respectively. However, cumulative protein production was greater in no-till than CA and Conventional Tillage rotations in Dowa and greater than Conventional rotations in Nkhotakota. Rotation crop productivity needs to be improved with better yielding grain legumes and other higher protein crops before widespread adoption of diverse rotations can occur on smallholder farms in eastern and southern Africa.

Xiaoli Wang - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • The effects of rotating conservation Tillage with Conventional Tillage on soil properties and grain yields in winter wheat-spring maize rotations
    Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 2018
    Co-Authors: Yujiao Zhang, Shulan Wang, Hao Wang, Fang Ning, Yuanhong Zhang, Zhaoyang Dong, Pengfei Wen, Rui Wang, Xiaoli Wang
    Abstract:

    Abstract Intensive Tillage in Conventional Tillage systems reinforces water stress effects on crop growth, limiting yields from dryland agriculture. Conservation Tillage can reduce soil evaporation and conserve more soil water in fields, but long-term, mono-conservation Tillage may lead to low crop yields. The rotation of Conventional Tillage with conservation Tillage may offset some of the defects generated by the mono-Tillage practices of either Conventional or conservation Tillage, improve crop yields and provide better soil conditions. A long-term Tillage rotation experiment (2007–2016) was established to assess the effects of rotating conservation Tillage with Conventional Tillage on soil water and crop productivity in a winter wheat-spring maize rotation field in Heyang County, Shaanxi Province, a typical semi-arid region of the Loess Plateau, China. Four Tillage treatments were applied over ten years, as follows: ST/CT (subsoiling was performed during the first year then rotated with Conventional Tillage in the second year), CT/NT (Conventional Tillage during the first year and then rotated with no-Tillage in the second year), NT (no Tillage applied in any year) and CT (Conventional Tillage applied annually). Compared with CT and NT, the CT/NT rotation significantly decreased the soil bulk density and increased the soil porosity in the 0–60 cm soil layer after ten years (P