Search Results (194)

Since the outbreak of the Russia–Ukraine conflict in 2022, Ukraine’s agricultural production has faced significant disruption, leading to widespread cropland abandonment. These croplands were abandoned at different stages, primarily due to war-related destruction and displacement of people. Existing methods for detecting abandoned cropland fail to account for crop type differences and distinguish abandonment stages, leading to inaccuracies. Therefore, this study proposes a novel framework combining crop-type classification with the Bias-weighted Time-Weighted Dynamic Time Warping (BTWDTW) method, distinguishing between sowing and harvest abandonment. Additionally, the proposed framework improves accuracy by integrating a more nuanced analysis of crop-specific patterns, thus offering more precise insights into abandonment dynamics. The overall accuracy of the proposed method reached 88.9%. The results reveal a V-shaped trajectory of cropland abandonment, with abandoned areas increasing from 28,184 km² in 2022 to 33,278 km² in 2024, with 2023 showing an abandoned area of 24,007.65 km². Spatially, about 70% of sowing abandonment occurred in high-conflict areas, with hotspots of unplanted abandonment shifting from southern Ukraine to the northeast, while unharvested abandonment was observed across the entire country. Significant variations were found across crop types, with maize experiencing the highest rate of unharvested abandonment, while wheat exhibited a more balanced pattern of sowing and harvest losses. The proposed method and results provide valuable insights for post-conflict agricultural recovery and decision-making in recovery planning. Full article

Soil organic carbon (OC) storage in crop rotation systems benefits soil productivity and global climate change. However, the regulatory mechanisms and pathways by which soil OC storage is affected under medium-term crop rotation at the aggregate level are not fully understood. Herein, fifteen soil samples from five cropping systems (abandoned farmland, continuous cropping of tobacco, tobacco–pea rotation, continuous cropping of dasheen, and dasheen–ryegrass rotation for over 10 years) were collected from soil at 0 to 20 cm depths in Miyi County, Sichuan Province, China. The soil aggregates and aggregate-associated OC, enzyme activities, and microbial biomass were evaluated. The effects of medium-term crop rotation on soil aggregate-associated OC content and biochemical properties varied between crop types. Specifically, tobacco–pea rotation significantly decreased the proportion of macro-aggregates (0.25–2 mm); the contents of OC, Ca-OC, aliphatic C, alcohols, and phenols; enzyme activities; and fungal biomass in the aggregate fractions, compared with those associated with the continuous cropping of tobacco. In contrast, dasheen–ryegrass rotation significantly increased the recalcitrant OC content, β-glucosidase and polyphenol oxidase activities, microbial biomass in mega-aggregates (>2 mm) and macro-aggregates, and the recalcitrant OC content and enzyme activity in microaggregates (0.053–0.25 mm) and slit clay (<0.053 mm), relative to those in the continuous cropping of dasheen. Moreover, for the continuous-cropping soils, the OC contents were positively correlated with POD activity but negatively correlated with other enzymes. For the rotational soils, the OC content was positively related to the Fe/Al-OC, aromatic-C, aliphatic-C, and microbial biomass contents but negatively related to the carbohydrate content. The increased OC content was driven by the microbial biomass in the aggregate fractions, and medium-term crop rotation changed the negative effect of microorganisms on the OC content into a positive effect at the aggregate level. Overall, medium-term crop rotation enhances OC storage by improving soil structural stability and microbial community dynamics. Full article

The change in the socio-political formation of Russia from a socialist planned system to a capitalist market system significantly influenced agriculture and one of its components—arable land. The loss of the sustainability of land management for arable land led to a reduction in sown areas by 38% (from 119.7 to 74.7 million ha) and a synchronous drop in gross harvests of grain and leguminous crops by 48% (from 117 to 61 million tons). The situation stabilized in 2020, with a sowing area of 80.2 million ha and gross harvests of grain and leguminous crops of 120–150 million tons. This process was not formalized legally, and the official (legal) area of arable land decreased by only 8% from 132.8 to 122.3 million ha. Legal conflict arose for 35 million ha for unused arable land, for which there was no classification of its condition categories and no monitoring of the withdrawal time of the arable land from actual agricultural use. The aim of this study was to resolve the challenges in the method of retrospective monitoring of soil–land cover, which allowed for the achievement of the aims of the investigation—to elucidate the history of land use on arable lands from 1985 to 2025 with a time step of 5 years and to obtain a detailed classification of the arable lands’ abandonment degrees. It was also established that on most of the abandoned arable land, carbon sequestration occurs in the form of secondary forests. In the course of this work, it was shown that the reasons for the formation of an array of abandoned arable land and the stabilization of agricultural production turned out to be interrelated. The abandonment of arable land occurred proportionally to changes in the soil’s natural fertility and the degree of land degradation. Economically unprofitable lands spontaneously (without centralized planning) left the sowing zone. The efficiency of land use on the remaining lands has increased and has allowed for the mass application of modern farming systems (smart, precise, landscape-adaptive, differentiated, no-till, strip-till, etc.), which has further increased the profitability of crop production. The prospect of using abandoned lands as a carbon sequestration zone in areas of forest overgrowth has arisen. Full article

Farm household pluriactivity has become increasingly prevalent in China; however, its influence on crop structure remains insufficiently explored. This study examines the impact of farm household pluriactivity on crop structure in China, focusing on factor input mechanisms. Based on survey data from 473 farm households in Sichuan Province, this study employs ordinary least squares (OLS), two-stage least squares (2SLS), and mediation analyses to systematically assess the impact of pluriactivity on crop structure through factor input mechanisms. The analysis reveals three key findings. First, rather than reducing the grain planting area, an increase in part-time farming is associated with a significant rise in the proportion of grain cultivation. Second, factor inputs partially mediate this relationship: while pluriactivity tends to reduce staple crop cultivation through mechanisms such as cultivated land transfer-out, land abandonment, and increased non-agricultural labor input, it simultaneously promotes staple crop expansion via enhanced agricultural technical services. Third, heterogeneity tests indicate that the positive effect of pluriactivity on staple crop cultivation is especially pronounced among households in hilly areas and those that have adopted agricultural insurance. These findings provide valuable policy insights for fostering sustainable agricultural transitions and enhancing food security in developing regions. Full article

The Portuguese forest plays a crucial role in maintaining ecological balance and fostering socio-economic sustainability within rural areas. Nonetheless, it is currently facing significant challenges due to the increasing intensity and frequency of forest fires observed in recent decades. The deterioration of traditional agricultural practices, the proliferation of monocultures, and alterations in land use patterns have significantly exacerbated these challenges. Consequently, the landscape has undergone considerable transformations, resulting in a decline in biodiversity and a weakening of local economies. This study examines land use in mainland Portugal from 1995 to 2018, utilising data on land occupation, land cover, and burnt areas from the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests. The cartographic analysis of three periods—1995, 2007, and 2018—along with the fire data recorded between 1996 and 2018, enabled the observation of changes in the predominant land use and land cover (LULC) classes, particularly among forests, scrubland, and agricultural areas. The results highlight a significant increase in forested areas, especially eucalyptus, as well as urbanisation, while scrubland and agricultural areas have decreased. Using specific LULC level 4, and burnt (BA) and unburnt (NB) areas, temporary crops decreased substantially (−14% NB/−4% BA 1995–2007; −23% NB by 2018). Eucalyptus showed strong continuous growth (16% NB/35% BA 1995–2007; 23% NB/47% BA 2007–2018). Maritime pine suffered severe losses, especially in burnt areas (−42%/−28%). Cork oak remained stable (1–4% growth). Other oaks showed minimal changes. Bushes (scrubland) declined sharply post-2007 (−31% BA/−6% NB). The most significant transformation occurred between 1995 and 2007, particularly in the south of Portugal, where wildfires promoted the replacement of maritime pine with eucalyptus, a species that offers greater profitability, leading to agricultural abandonment in burned areas. Full article

The ongoing climate crisis and growing water scarcity are exerting increasing pressure on agriculture in Southern and Western Europe, leading to reduced crop yields, greater risk of land abandonment, and deterioration of soil quality. Despite the extensive literature on irrigation and water use in agriculture, the specific relationship between irrigation availability and changes in the type of farming (ToF) remains insufficiently investigated. This study aims to address this gap by analyzing data from the 2010 and 2020 Italian General Agricultural Censuses conducted by ISTAT, in combination with microdata from the Italian Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN), focusing on irrigated farms in Southern Italy. Descriptive analysis reveals that over 60% of irrigated farms specialize in permanent crops and predominantly adopt efficient irrigation systems such as drip irrigation. Between 2010 and 2020, approximately 23.8% of farms changed their ToF; however, these transitions were not generally associated with improvements in productivity or profitability. Results from logistic regression models suggest that structural variables—including Utilized Agricultural Area (UAA), economic size, and demographic characteristics such as the farmer’s gender—play a more significant role in determining changes in the ToF than the presence of irrigation itself. Moreover, the adoption of organic practices and larger farm sizes are positively associated with ToF changes. These findings suggest that while there has been some shift toward less water-demanding and potentially more sustainable crops, the impact of irrigation on such transitions remains limited. The results underscore the need for more targeted agricultural policies and improved data collection to support effective climate adaptation strategies in the sector. Full article

Venturia inaequalis, the cause of apple scab, readily develops resistance to fungicides with specific modes of action. Knowledge of the spatial and temporal pattern of resistance development is therefore relevant to fruit producers and their consultants. In the Lower Elbe region of Northern Germany, a two-year survey based on a conidial germination test was conducted, examining fungicide resistance in 35 orchards under Integrated Pest Management (IPM), 16 orchards of susceptible cultivars as well as a further 12 orchards of scab-resistant (Vf) cultivars under organic management, and 34 abandoned or unmanaged sites. No evidence of resistance to SDHI compounds (fluopyram, fluxapyroxad) was found after >5 yr of their regular use. Resistance to anilinopyrimidines (cyprodinil, pyrimethanil) had disappeared 15 yr after its widespread occurrence. Isolates from a few IPM orchards showed a reduced sensitivity to dodine. Double resistance to the MBC compound thiophanate-methyl and the QoI trifloxystrobin was rare in V. inaequalis strains that had achieved breakage of Vf-resistance, but very common (>50%) on scab-susceptible cultivars in IPM, organic and abandoned orchards in the ‘Altes Land’ core area of the Lower Elbe region, and in IPM orchards in the periphery. We conclude that resistance to QoI and MBC fungicides is persistent even decades after their last use, and that the core area harbours a uniform population adapted to intensive crop protection, whereas isolated orchards in the periphery are colonised by discrete populations of V. inaequalis. Full article

Iraq faces significant challenges in sustainable water resource management, due to intensive agriculture and climate change. Modern irrigation leads to depleted natural springs and abandoned traditional canal systems, creating a nexus between climate, water availability, agriculture, and cultural heritage. This work unveils this nexus holistically, from the regional to the local scale, and by considering all the components of the nexus. This is achieved by combining five decades (1974–2024) of satellite data—including declassified HEXAGON KH-9, Copernicus Sentinel-1/2/3, COSMO-SkyMed radar, and PlanetScope’s Dove optical imagery—and on-the-ground observations (photographic and drone surveying). The observed landscape changes are categorised as “proxies” to infer the presence of the given land processes that they correlate to. The whole of southern Iraq is afflicted by dust storms and intense evapotranspiration; new areas are desertifying and thus becoming local sources of dust in the southwest of the Euphrates floodplain and close to the boundary with the western desert. The most severe transformations happened around springs between Najaf Sea and Hammar Lake, where centre-pivot and herringbone irrigation systems fed by pumped groundwater have densified. While several instances of run-off and discharge highlight the loss of water in the western side of the study area, ~5 km² wide clusters of crops in the eastern side suffer from water scarcity and are abandoned. Here, new industrial activities and modern infrastructure have already damaged tens of archaeological sites. Future monitoring based on the identified proxies could help to assess improvements or deterioration, in light of mitigation measures. Full article

The abandonment of farmland in Europe is a significant issue due to its environmental, socio-economic, and landscape consequences. This tendency mainly impacts marginal and inner areas, located far from large urban districts, because of biophysical and/or socio-economic factors. Although European and national regulations try to turn the fragility of these territories into an opportunity for sustainable development, many of these areas, especially in southern Europe, continue to suffer socio-economic disparities. For this reason, it is necessary to consider regional and district-wide initiatives that can economically revitalize marginal areas while safeguarding their natural capital. Alternative cropping systems, capable of optimizing the quality of some food crops, can play an essential role in the economic development of populations living in marginal areas. These areas, represented by inland zones often abandoned due to the difficulty of applying mechanized agriculture, can represent an opportunity to rediscover sustainable and profitable practices. Among the high-value crops, saffron (Crocus sativus L.), “red gold” and “king of spices”, stands out for its potential. Indeed, thanks to the use of tuff tubs, a more eco-sustainable choice compared to the plastic pots already mentioned in the literature, it is possible to improve the quality of this spice. Furthermore, Crocus sativus L. not only lends itself to multiple uses but also represents a valid opportunity to supplement agricultural income. This is made possible by its high profitability and beneficial properties for human health, offering a way to diversify agricultural production with positive economic and social impacts. It is known that the saffron market in Italy suffers from competition from developing countries (Iran, Morocco, India) capable of producing saffron at lower costs than European countries, thanks to the lower cost of labor. Therefore, this study seeks to identify marginal areas that can be recovered and valorized through an eco-sustainable cultivation system with the potential to enhance the quality of this spice, making it unique and resilient to competition. Specifically, this paper is organized on a dual scale of investigation: (a) at the local level to demonstrate the economic-ecological feasibility of saffron cultivation through the adoption of an alternative farming technique on an experimental site located in Tricarico (Basilicata—Southern Italy, 40°37′ N, 16°09′ E; 472 m. a.s.l.) that, although fertile, is not suitable for mechanized cropping systems; (b) at the regional level through a spatially explicit land suitability analysis to indicate the possible location where to export saffron cultivation. The final map, obtained by combining geo-environmental variables, can be considered a precious tool to support policymakers and farmers to foster a broad agricultural strategy founded on new crop management systems. The adoption of this alternative agroecological system could optimize the use of land resources in the perspective of increasing crop productivity and profitability in marginal agricultural areas. Full article

Small-scale biogas systems can play a pivotal role in sustainable energy provision, particularly in developing countries. However, their dependence on livestock manure as the only feedstock poses challenges to their adoption and long-term viability. This often leads to insufficient biogas production and plant abandonment. This study proposes co-digestion of livestock manure with other farm residues to enhance the technical sustainability of small-scale biogas systems by ensuring adequate and consistent biogas production throughout the plant’s lifespan, minimizing the risks associated with reliance on a single feedstock. A novel feedstock selection approach is developed using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), a multicriteria decision-making method, to prioritize feedstocks based on adequacy, supply consistency, and logistical ease. AHP is chosen due to its capability to handle both quantitative and qualitative evaluation criteria. This approach is applied to the Fès-Meknès region of Morocco, which offers abundant livestock and crop residues alongside product utilization pathways. The prioritization and ranking of the potential feedstocks identified in the region reveals cattle manure as the top-ranked feedstock due to its consistent supply and ease of collection, followed by straw, valued for its storability and nutrient stability. Sheep, horse, and chicken manure ranked third, fourth, and fifth, respectively, while household food waste and fruit and vegetable residues, limited by seasonality and perishability, were ranked lower. Based on these findings, co-digestion of cattle manure and straw is proposed as a sustainable strategy for small-scale biogas plants in Fès-Meknès, addressing feedstock shortages, enhancing biogas production, and reducing plant abandonment. This approach strengthens technical sustainability and promotes the broader adoption of biogas technologies in developing countries. Full article

The loss of organic matter and the decline of biodiversity pose significant threats to soil health and the sustainability of agriculture. Managing set-aside land through mowing remains a practical strategy to prevent land abandonment while preserving soil biodiversity and essential soil functions that support fertility. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of long-term set-aside (12 years) in preventing soil degradation. In an experimental field in Vicarello (Pisa, Italy), set-aside management was compared to land abandonment and conventional crop rotation. Soil chemical and microbiological analyses were conducted, and various indicators were used to assess soil fertility conservation. Soil biodiversity was evaluated through nematode and microarthropod indices. Total organic carbon increased in abandoned fields and, to a lesser extent, in set-aside areas, following a similar trend to microbial biomass values. Nematode and microarthropod indicators revealed a more stable soil structure in set-aside areas, followed by abandoned fields, highlighting their role in regulating ecosystem services such as carbon mineralization. On the whole, the results indicate that set-aside management serves as an intermediate step in the transition from conventionally managed fields to naturalized grasslands, confirming its potential benefits for soil biological diversity and function. Full article

Soil salinization and land abandonment pose significant socio-economic and environmental challenges, particularly in the Iberian Peninsula, where traditional saltworks and agricultural lands have been increasingly degraded. Innovative approaches, such as the implementation of halotolerant crops and microorganisms, offer a promising strategy to revitalize these underutilized areas. This study applies the Social Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA) methodology to evaluate the socio-economic benefits of halotolerant agriculture in abandoned saltworks and salinized lands. Data were collected through interviews with key stakeholders, literature reviews, and case studies of four enterprises actively engaged in sustainable salina restoration. Key social indicators, including employment creation, community participation, and cultural heritage conservation, were assessed using an expert-based weighting system. The findings indicate that enterprises involved in these initiatives demonstrated strong contributions to local economic resilience and cultural heritage preservation. However, challenges related to scalability and external economic influences remain key considerations. These results highlight the potential of biosaline agriculture as a viable solution to address land abandonment and food security challenges, while also contributing to rural socio-economic development. Full article

Optimized water distribution models for canals are used to ensure that crop water demands are met through the efficient allocation of flow rates and times. A well-designed water distribution model can shorten irrigation durations, reduce canal water delivery losses, and improve irrigation water utilization efficiency. In this study, five optimal water distribution models were selected for comparison: Irrigation Model 1 (upstream-to-downstream irrigation), Irrigation Model 2 (downstream-to-upstream irrigation), Irrigation Model 3 (continuous irrigation between groups, with rotational irrigation within groups), Irrigation Model 4 (rotational irrigation between groups, with continuous irrigation within groups), and Irrigation Model 5 (rotational irrigation-based optimal distribution). These models were applied to the Fengqigou branch canal in the Bojili Irrigation District. The advantages and disadvantages of each model were analyzed from five perspectives: total water distribution duration; utilization of canal infrastructure; leakage losses in canal delivery; volume of abandoned water; and operability for irrigation managers. The results indicated that Irrigation Models 1 and 2 are easy to manage, and result in minimal leakage losses for upper-level canals. Irrigation Models 3 and 4 exhibit shorter total irrigation durations and lower water abandonment rates. However, Irrigation Model 5 requires optimization of idle times to enhance its applicability. Full article

Soil carbon sequestration (SCS) is a nature-based, low-cost climate mitigation strategy that also contributes to the climate adaptation of agricultural systems. Some land-use and land-management practices potentially lead to an enhancement of the soil organic carbon (SOC) sink, such as no-till, the use of cover crops, leaving residues on fields, improving the variety of legume species in grasslands and reducing grazing intensity. However, uncertainties remain both in estimating and measuring the impact of the application of certain practices, as these vary with the soil, climate and historic land use. IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) guidelines are commonly used to estimate SOC and SOC sequestration potentials at different tiers. Here, the IPCC’s tier 1 methodology was applied to estimate (1) the sequestration potential of nine mitigation practices and (2) the emission or sequestration potential of four current land-change trends for n = 7092 unique agricultural sites in mainland Portugal. The conversion of irrigated crops to improved grasslands resulted in the highest average unit sequestration (1.05 tC ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹), while cropland conversion to poor degraded pasture (abandonment) resulted in the highest unit SOC loss (−0.08 tC ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹). The abandonment of cropland results in a national SOC loss of up to 0.09 MtC yr⁻¹, while the improvement of poor degraded pastures has the highest national sequestration potential, equal to 0.6 MtC yr⁻¹ (2.2 MtCO_2eq yr⁻¹), about 4% of Portugal’s emissions in 2021, if applied in all managed areas. The results enable a comparison between different practices and land uses; however, to enhance accuracy, a higher tier methodology tailored to the Portuguese context should be developed. Full article

This study reconstructs the agricultural landscape of the southern coastal plain of late Ottoman and British Mandatory Palestine (today southwestern Israel) utilizing late 19th and early 20th century cartographic materials and aerial photographs. Immense human effort and ingenuity were required to maintain sustainable agricultural on the fringes of the desert. Given today’s increasingly severe climate crisis, the lessons drawn from these historical agricultural practices have particular resonance. The agricultural land use described in this work extended into the coastal dunes of the region where the shallow water table was exploited to create complex agricultural systems that enabled the growth of citrus trees, grapes, and other crops for export and trade. Aerial photos and maps reveal the critical aspects of this region’s neglected agricultural history. The stability and resilience of these systems, some of which are still in existence 76 years or more after they were abandoned, as seen in the survey conducted for this study, point to the importance of understanding and preserving this chapter of the region’s agricultural heritage. The unique varieties of fruit trees adapted to the local climate of the western Negev still have significant economic value and are threatened with extinction from rapid urban encroachment. The remnants of this tradition serve as historical testimony of a bygone agricultural era which was replaced by mechanized monoculture. The discussion centers on the ways n which the study of heritage agriculture in rapidly changing areas can contribute to the broader field of historical geography by reconstructing landscapes that preserve the knowledge and societal patterns of behavior of past communities for future generations. Full article