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Smart Strategies and Technologies for Sustainability and Biodiversity in Herbaceous and Horticultural Crops

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A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Farming Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2023) | Viewed by 21851

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Christian Frasconi

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Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, Via del Borghetto 80, 56124 Pisa, Italy
Interests: farm mechanization and farm machinery; precision agriculture; conservation agriculture; nonchemical weed control
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Marco Fontanelli

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Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, Via del Borghetto, 80, 56124 Pisa, Italy
Interests: farm mechanization and farm machinery; precision agriculture; conservation agriculture; nonchemical weed control; machine for turfgrass and landscape management
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Dr. Daniele Antichi

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Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, Via del Borghetto 80, 56124 Pisa, Italy
Interests: sustainable agricultural systems; agroecology; cover crops; intercropping; agroforestry; conservation agriculture; organic farming
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The current trend of modern farming systems is toward technical solutions to improve the sustainability and biodiversity of agroecosystems. Innovative agronomical strategies and new technologies can help farmers to reduce or eliminate chemical inputs, preserve soil and water quality, decrease exhaust and greenhouse gas emissions, prevent pollution, and lower the energy demand. A sustainable management is also aimed at enhancing biodiversity in order to lengthen the “life” of agroecosystems. Herbaceous and horticultural crops are the major crops and can contribute to achieving this goal.

In this Special Issue, all contributions regarding innovative technologies, machines, and strategies for sustainable management of herbaceous and horticultural crops are welcome, including applications in organic farming systems, conservation agriculture, integrated or non-chemical weed and pest control, cover crops and intercropping use, precision and digital farming technologies, and robotic technologies for sustainability.

Thus, we invite experts and researchers to contribute original research, reviews, and opinion pieces covering the topics of this Special Issue.

Dr. Christian Frasconi
Dr. Marco Fontanelli
Dr. Daniele Antichi
Guest Editors

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Keywords

conservation agriculture
organic agriculture
cover crops
intercropping
integrated/non-chemical weed and pest control
precision and digital agriculture for sustainability

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Published Papers (13 papers)

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Editorial

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3 pages, 150 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Smart Strategies and Technologies for Sustainability and Biodiversity in Herbaceous and Horticultural Crops

by Christian Frasconi, Marco Fontanelli and Daniele Antichi

Agronomy 2024, 14(3), 528; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14030528 - 4 Mar 2024

Viewed by 737

Abstract

Current trends in modern farming systems are moving in the direction of technical solutions for improving the sustainability and biodiversity of agroecosystems [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Strategies and Technologies for Sustainability and Biodiversity in Herbaceous and Horticultural Crops)

Research

Jump to: Editorial

16 pages, 1917 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Research on Jujube-Fruit-Yield-Increasing Technology Based on Local Thermal Damage of Jujube Bark

by Junhui Ran, Jiajia Zhang, Xufeng Wang, Yuanjie Liu, Can Hu, Jianfei Xing and Beibei Sun

Agronomy 2023, 13(10), 2551; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13102551 - 3 Oct 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 941

Abstract

Girdling is an important means of improving the yield and quality of jujube trees, but this measure can easily cause injury, or even death, to jujube trees. A technology for increasing yield and improving quality, based on local thermal damage of jujube bark, is proposed to address a series of issues in current jujube-tree-girdling technology. First, we measured the thermophysical parameters of jujube bark and established a heat-transfer model for jujube bark. Then, in order to investigate the impact of local thermal damage on jujube-tree yield and fruit quality, local heating experiments were conducted on jujube-tree bark, using the heat-transfer model. The experimental results indicated that heating the jujube bark at a certain temperature for an appropriate time can effectively improve the yield and quality of jujube fruit. Compared with traditional girdling techniques, this method has less impact on the health of jujube trees and does not form permanent wounds on them. The research results provide new ideas for exploring sustainable yield-increase methods for fruit trees. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Strategies and Technologies for Sustainability and Biodiversity in Herbaceous and Horticultural Crops)

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15 pages, 6743 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Complete Mitochondrial Genome Sequence, Characteristics, and Phylogenetic Analysis of Oenanthe javanica

by Xiaoyan Li, Qiuju Han, Mengyao Li, Qing Luo, Shunhua Zhu, Yangxia Zheng and Guofei Tan

Agronomy 2023, 13(8), 2103; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13082103 - 10 Aug 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1340

Abstract

The plant mitochondria play a crucial role in various cellular energy synthesis and conversion processes and are essential for plant growth. Watercress (Oenanthe javanica) is a fast-growing vegetable with strong adaptability and wide cultivation range, and it possesses high nutritional value. In our study, we assembled the O. javanica mitochondrial genome using the Illumina and Nanopore sequencing platforms. The results revealed that the mitochondrial genome map of watercress has a circular structure of 384,074 bp, containing 28 tRNA genes, 3 rRNA genes, and 34 protein-coding genes. A total of 87 SSR (simple sequence repeat) loci were detected, with 99% composed of palindrome repeats and forward repeats, while no complementary repeats were identified. Codon preference analysis indicated that watercress prefers to use codons encoding leucine, isoleucine, and serine with a preference for A/U-ending codons. Phylogenetic analysis showed that watercress is closely related to species of Bupleurum, Apium, Angelica, and Daucus, with the closest evolutionary relationship observed with Saposhnikovia divaricata and Apium graveolens. This study provides a valuable resource for the study of the evolution and molecular breeding of watercress. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Strategies and Technologies for Sustainability and Biodiversity in Herbaceous and Horticultural Crops)

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18 pages, 4659 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Legume Cover Crop Alleviates the Negative Impact of No-Till on Tomato Productivity in a Mediterranean Organic Cropping System

by Lara Abou Chehade, Daniele Antichi, Christian Frasconi, Massimo Sbrana, Lorenzo Gabriele Tramacere, Marco Mazzoncini and Andrea Peruzzi

Agronomy 2023, 13(8), 2027; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13082027 - 30 Jul 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1292

Abstract

The ecosystem services a cover crop (CC) provides depend enormously on species choice and tillage system. Here, we evaluated the impact of (a) three winter CCs—rye (Secale cereale L.) and squarrose clover (Trifolium squarrosum L.) monocultures and their mixture, and (b) two tillage systems—roller-crimping of CC residue as dead mulch for no-till (NT) systems and incorporating CC residue into the soil as green manure for conventional tillage (CT) systems—on the performance of organic processing tomato, i.e., plant growth, nutrient accumulation, fruit yield, and weed biomass. The assessments took place over two years in field experiments conducted under Mediterranean conditions. At the termination time, rye and mixture were the most productive and the best weed-suppressive CCs. During tomato growing season, squarrose clover regardless of tillage system stimulated tomato growth, Nitrogen content and uptake, and the yield relative to the other cover crops. Nevertheless, NT generally impaired the tomato nutritional status and increased weed biomass compared to CT despite some potential weed control by cover crops. These two aspects caused a significant drop in tomato yield in all NT systems. The results suggested that, despite the multiple benefits the compared CCs can offer in Mediterranean agroecosystems, legume CCs could be the key to developing feasible organic vegetable no-till systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Strategies and Technologies for Sustainability and Biodiversity in Herbaceous and Horticultural Crops)

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17 pages, 1523 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Conservation Agriculture Practices on Tomato Yield and Economic Performance

by Lorenzo Gagliardi, Mino Sportelli, Marco Fontanelli, Massimo Sbrana, Sofia Matilde Luglio, Michele Raffaelli and Andrea Peruzzi

Agronomy 2023, 13(7), 1704; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13071704 - 26 Jun 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2029

Abstract

Conservation agriculture practices, such as reduced tillage and the incorporation of cover crops, play a crucial role in improving the sustainability of organic farming systems. The aim of this two-year field trial was to evaluate five different organic technical itineraries (ST, IN1, IN2, M1, and M2) which differed on soil management practices adopted before processing tomato transplantation and regarding weed control strategies performed. Soil management practices in comparison consisted of conventional deep tillage (ST and M1) or reduced tillage together with the use of a cover crop mixture composed of common vetch and barley (IN1, IN2, and M2). Weed control strategies involved the use of biodegradable mulch together with mechanical weeding (ST and M2), or false seedbed technique and mechanical weeding (IN1, IN2, and M1). Weed biomass at harvest, tomato yield, and the operational and economic performance of each of the technical itineraries was evaluated. No significant differences emerged in terms of weed biomass at harvest between itineraries. Best yield results were obtained tendentially by ST and M2 when biodegradable mulch was used, with values equal to 42.14 and 41.47 Mg ha⁻¹ in 2020 and 30.68 and 31.19 Mg ha⁻¹ in 2021, respectively. Even though the itineraries where mulch film was used (ST and M2) resulted in significantly onerous processes, they also obtained the highest gross income compared to the other itineraries, with values of 30,998 and 29,900 € ha⁻¹ in 2020, and of 16,060 and 15,186 € ha⁻¹ in 2021, respectively. These results revealed the importance of using mulching to help cope with critical climatic conditions, such as drought seasons. Further studies are needed to evaluate the yield and economic advantages of both the effect of shallower soil tillage over a longer period in this specific context and the creation of ground cover with cover crops managed as dead mulch. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Strategies and Technologies for Sustainability and Biodiversity in Herbaceous and Horticultural Crops)

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19 pages, 1465 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Spectral Response of Camelina (Camelina sativa (L.) Crantz) to Different Nitrogen Fertilization Regimes under Mediterranean Conditions

by Clarissa Clemente, Leonardo Ercolini, Alessandro Rossi, Lara Foschi, Nicola Grossi, Luciana G. Angelini, Silvia Tavarini and Nicola Silvestri

Agronomy 2023, 13(6), 1539; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13061539 - 31 May 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1602

Abstract

Knowledge about the spectral response of camelina under different regimes of nitrogen (N) fertilization is very scarce. Therefore, 2-year open-field trials were carried out in the 2021 and 2022 growing seasons with the aim of evaluating the spectral response of spring camelina to four different N fertilization regimes by using remote (UAV) and proximal (leaf-clip Dualex) sensing techniques. The tested treatments were: (i) control: no N application (T0); (ii) top dressing: 60 kg N ha⁻¹ before stem elongation (T1); basal dressing: 60 kg N ha⁻¹ at sowing (T2); basal + top dressing combination: 60 kg N ha⁻¹ at sowing + 60 kg N ha⁻¹ before stem elongation (T3). Camelina seed yield and N use efficiency were strongly affected by fertilization regimes, with the best results obtained at T2. A reduction in plant development and seed yield was detected in 2022, probably due to the rise in air temperatures. A significant effect of both growing season and N fertilization was observed on the photosynthetic pigments content with the T1 highest values in 2022. The highest seed oil content was achieved at T1, while the protein content increased with increasing N, with the best values at T3. Positive and significant correlations were observed among several vegetation indices obtained through UAV flights (NDVI, MRS705, FGCC) and seed yield, as well as between FGCC and leaf N concentration. Overall, these findings demonstrate the feasibility of utilizing remote sensing techniques from UAVs for predicting seed yield in camelina. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Strategies and Technologies for Sustainability and Biodiversity in Herbaceous and Horticultural Crops)

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14 pages, 630 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Diversity of Summer Weed Communities in Response to Different Plum Orchard Floor Management in-Row

by Jerzy Lisek

Agronomy 2023, 13(5), 1421; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13051421 - 21 May 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1138

Abstract

The effect of five methods of in-row weed management on the species composition and diversity of summer weed communities in a plum orchard was evaluated. Different methods of orchard floor management (OFM) were implemented for seven consecutive years from 2009 to 2015. Festuca rubra L. ssp. rubra–rhizomatous perennial grass was sown as a cover crop in the alleys of the orchard, in the tree planting year. In the seventh year of OFM implementation, the treatments were ranked according to the decreasing value of the Shannon–Wiener floristic diversity index as follows: tillage, post-emergence herbicides spraying, mowing, mulch, and weedy control. The highest value of Simpson dominance index was found in the control treatment. In plots with such treatments as control, mowing, tillage, and mulch, the dominant species was F. rubra. This meant that the rhizomatous cover crop from the alleys penetrated and affected the in-row flora. Vegetation of mulched plots was characterized by low value of density and soil cover. The obtained results indicated that the flora developing in the control, sprayed with post-emergence herbicides, tilled and mowed plots had greater potential to provide ecosystem services, than the flora of mulched plots. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Strategies and Technologies for Sustainability and Biodiversity in Herbaceous and Horticultural Crops)

14 pages, 3103 KiB

Open AccessArticle

How Much Impact Has the Cover Crop Mulch in Mitigating Soil Compaction?—A Field Study in North Italy

by Marco Benetti, Kaihua Liu, Lorenzo Guerrini, Franco Gasparini, Andrea Peruzzi and Luigi Sartori

Agronomy 2023, 13(3), 686; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13030686 - 26 Feb 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2009

Abstract

Soil compaction was largely studied in different scenarios with laboratory and field scale experiments, with various soil conditions and traffic intensities. However, a detailed analysis to better understand the protective role of plant residues or cover crop mulch is still required. A field test was conducted in Northeast Italy aiming to fill this gap. Rye was chosen as a winter cover crop, and growth on a controlled traffic random block experimental field. Four different cover crop mulch treatments were compared to study the effects of root systems: roller crimper, flail mower, bare soil control and harvested biomass control. Four different traffic intensities were used to evaluate the multiple passages with 0, 1, 3, 5 traffic events. During traffic events, the mean normal stress was measured. Penetration resistance was then evaluated after trafficking and soil samples were collected. The obtained results showed a 19.3% cone index increase in bare soil compared to flail mower treatment after the first traffic event, while low differences were found in harvested biomass bulk density during the first and third traffic events. Moreover, mean normal stress increased 16.5% on harvested biomass treatment compared to the flail mower. These findings highlight that the cover crop maintains a lower soil penetration resistance during compaction events, helping the subsequent field operations. Furthermore, roller crimper and flail mower cover crop termination impact soil bearing capacity differently due to different soil moisture content. However, the results showed a low contribution of cover crop mulch on mitigating soil compaction effects during the experiment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Strategies and Technologies for Sustainability and Biodiversity in Herbaceous and Horticultural Crops)

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25 pages, 1059 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Development of a “0-Pesticide Residue” Grape and Wine Production System for Standard Disease-Susceptible Varieties

by Mihaela Roškarič, Andrej Paušič, Janez Valdhuber, Mario Lešnik and Borut Pulko

Agronomy 2023, 13(2), 586; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13020586 - 18 Feb 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2054

Abstract

In order to realize the goals of the EU Farm to Fork strategy, grape growers are introducing new grape-growing technologies. Among the new trends, “0-pesticide residue” protection is quite a promising one. Field trials were carried out in vineyards located in the Mediterranean part of Slovenia in 2021 and 2022 to test the “0-pesticide residue” (ZPR) grape protection system with the goal of producing wine without pesticide residues above the limit of 0.001 mg kg⁻¹. The standard integrated grape protection program (IP) was compared to the ZPR program. The level of infection of leaves and grapes by fungal pathogens did not significantly increase due to the implementation of the ZPR spray program. The amount of yield and quality of yield were not decreased significantly, but a small financial loss of EUR 70–400 ha⁻¹ appeared at ZPR grape production when compared to the IP production system. The ZPR system enabled a significant decrease in pesticide residue concentration in wine at a rate of 27 applied pesticide active substances in a rage from 20% to 99%. The goal of producing wine without pesticide residues above the limit concentration of 0.001 mg kg⁻¹ was not completely achieved in these experiments, but we came very close to it with the tested spraying programs. Further finetuning of pesticide positioning and alternative plant protection products in 0-pesticide residue systems is needed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Strategies and Technologies for Sustainability and Biodiversity in Herbaceous and Horticultural Crops)

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8 pages, 1288 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

Continuous Mowing for Erigeron canadensis L. Control in Vineyards

by Andrea Peruzzi, Lorenzo Gagliardi, Marco Fontanelli, Christian Frasconi, Michele Raffaelli and Mino Sportelli

Agronomy 2023, 13(2), 409; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13020409 - 30 Jan 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1544

Abstract

Erigeron canadensis L. directly competes with vines for nutrients, light, and water, and its management represents a challenge, especially under a vineyard trellis. Conventional weed control in the under-trellis area is achieved by cultivation or multiple herbicides applications, thus leading to relevant environmental issues. For this reason, several eco-friendly or nature-based weed control strategies such as the use of cover crops (CC) that become more relevant in last years. A two-year trial was conducted on a vineyard aimed at evaluating the effect of CC (sown both inter-rows and under-trellis) managed with an autonomous mower (AM) on E. canadensis under trellis control. The combination of CC and AM provided an E. canadensis reduction between 61 and 84% compared to conventional management. The AM work when managing a spontaneous cover provided a density reduction of 26%. Moreover, an analysis of the trampling effect of the AM on the vineyard floor and E. canadensis density was conducted. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Strategies and Technologies for Sustainability and Biodiversity in Herbaceous and Horticultural Crops)

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22 pages, 2125 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Variety and Sowing Date Affect Seed Yield and Chemical Composition of Linseed Grown under Organic Production System in a Semiarid Mediterranean Environment

by Alessandro Rossi, Clarissa Clemente, Silvia Tavarini and Luciana G. Angelini

Agronomy 2023, 13(1), 45; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13010045 - 22 Dec 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1798

Abstract

The use of suitable species and varieties in organic cropping systems is essential for improving resource use efficiency, biodiversity, and agroecosystem resilience. Within the SIC-OLEAT project, a 2-year field trial was carried out in two contrasting environments of Central Italy, with the aim to hypothesize a production path for linseed inclusion within organic farming. The effects of location, genotype and sowing date on crop phenology, agronomic performances, and qualitative traits were evaluated. Generally, linseed showed good agronomic traits that make it suitable to be introduced in organic systems. Autumn sowing coupled with milder and wetter conditions seemed to be more favorable for linseed cultivation, allowing a higher seed yield (2.1 vs. 1.3 Mg ha⁻¹) and oil content (47.2 vs. 45.2%). From multivariate analysis, the superior genotypes were Kaolin > Szafir > Galaad, and among these Kaolin had the highest production stability. On the contrary, Libra was the lowest performing one and the most unstable. These findings underline the importance of a site-specific approach for choosing the most suitable variety, since both sowing date and location are meteoclimatic-related factors. Definitively, our results demonstrated that linseed might be a valuable autumn alternative for organic cropping system diversification, contributing to the local production of vegetable oils and proteins. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Strategies and Technologies for Sustainability and Biodiversity in Herbaceous and Horticultural Crops)

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17 pages, 5925 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of Microalgae Planktochlorella nurekis Clones on Seed Germination

by Małgorzata Karbarz, Magdalena Piziak, Janusz Żuczek and Magdalena Duda

Agronomy 2023, 13(1), 9; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13010009 - 20 Dec 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2036

Abstract

Microalgae are a rich source of plant hormones, vitamins, and other substances that can influence plant physiological metabolism, which in turn affects plant development, biotic and abiotic stress resistance, and yield. This study aimed at testing microalgae Planktochlorella nurekis clones obtained by co-treatment with colchicine and cytochalasin on four plant species to check their potential use as biostimulators in agriculture. The results are valuable for breeders, farmers, and microgreen producers. Eleven clone extracts in 1%, 5%, and 10% concentration were tested on four plant species: lettuce, wheat, broccoli, and radish. Germination and seedling characteristics (leaf and root length, fresh weight) were measured for each species. P. nurekis extracts show both a stimulating and inhibitory effect on tested plants, depending on the tested concentration, plant species, and algal clone tested. Co-treatment with colchicine and cytochalasin may be a good source of clones for potential use in agriculture as biostimulators and herbicides. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Strategies and Technologies for Sustainability and Biodiversity in Herbaceous and Horticultural Crops)

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22 pages, 5246 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessment of a Chain Mower Performance for Weed Control under Tree Rows in an Alley Cropping Farming System

by Lorenzo Gagliardi, Marco Fontanelli, Christian Frasconi, Mino Sportelli, Daniele Antichi, Lorenzo Gabriele Tramacere, Giovanni Rallo, Andrea Peruzzi and Michele Raffaelli

Agronomy 2022, 12(11), 2785; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12112785 - 9 Nov 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1934

Abstract

In the area under tree rows of alley cropping systems, coarse plant material as well as pruning material or stones may be present, so the use of a mower equipped with chains as cutting a tool could be advantageous. A mower designed for under-row weed control in orchards, equipped with an automatic tree-skipping mechanism, was modified by replacing blades with chains with the aim of evaluating its performance in an alley cropping system. A first trial was carried out in an open field to preliminarily compare the chain mower with the version equipped with blades in relation to different settings of working speed (1.6 and 2.4 km·h⁻¹) and rotation speed of the cutting tool (1830 and 2500 rpm). Weed biomass reduction, weed cover reduction, weed height reduction, weed biomass regrowth, and clipping size were assessed. In a second trial, the performance of the mowers with different setting configurations was assessed in an alley cropping system under a more critical environmental condition for mowing, i.e., the presence of dew. Weed biomass reduction, weed cover reduction, weed height reduction, and the mowers’ field capacity with different working speed settings were assessed. No major differences emerged between the mowers and the chain mower performance was comparable to that of the standard blade mower. The setting with the high working speed and high rotation speed of the cutting tool turns out to be the best compromise, obtaining a weed biomass reduction of 59.6%, a weed cover reduction of 40.9%, and a higher field capacity compared to the setting with the low working speed, with an increase of 47.9%. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Strategies and Technologies for Sustainability and Biodiversity in Herbaceous and Horticultural Crops)

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