Search Results (56)

This study analyzes the potential of optical and radar satellite data to monitor faba bean (Vicia faba L.) phenology over six years (2016–2021) in southwestern France. Using Sentinel-1, Sentinel-2, and Landsat-8 data, temporal variations in NDVI and radar backscatter coefficients (γ⁰_VV, γ⁰_VH, and γ⁰_VH/VV) are examined to assess crop growth, detect anomalies, and evaluate the impact of climatic conditions and sowing strategies. The results show that NDVI and the radar ratio (γ⁰_VH/VV) were suited to monitor faba bean phenology, with distinct growth phases observed annually. NDVI provides a clear seasonal pattern but is affected by cloud cover, while radar backscatter offers continuous monitoring, making their combination highly beneficial. The signal γ⁰_VH/VV exhibits well-marked correlations with NDVI (r = 0.81) and LAI (r = 0.83), particularly in orbit 30, which provides greater sensitivity to vegetation changes. The analysis of individual fields (inter-field approach) reveals variations in sowing strategies, with both autumn and spring plantings detected. Fields sown in autumn show early NDVI (and γ⁰_VH/VV) increases, while spring-sown fields display delayed growth patterns. This study also highlights the impact of climatic factors, such as precipitation and temperature, on inter-annual variability. Moreover, faba beans used as an intercropping species exhibit a shorter and more intense growth cycle, with a rapid NDVI (and γ⁰_VH/VV) increase and an earlier end of the vegetative cycle compared to standard rotations. Double logistic modeling successfully reconstructs temporal trends, achieving high accuracy (r > 0.95 and rRMSE < 9% for γ⁰_VH/VV signals and r > 0.89 and rRMSE < 15% for NDVI). These double logistic functions are capable of reproducing the differences in phenological development observed between fields and years, providing a reference set of functions that can be used to monitor the phenological development of faba beans in real time. Future applications could extend this methodology to other crops and explore alternative radar systems for improved monitoring (such as TerraSAR-X, Cosmos-SkyMed, ALOS-2/PALSAR, NISAR, ROSE-L…). Full article

Soybeans are the most widely produced oilseed and the fifth most cultivated crop in the world. However, their growth and yield are significantly influenced by weather conditions. In Southern Brazil’s subtropical climate, farmers employ a double-cropping system, planting corn from late winter to early summer, followed by soybeans, which are sown after the corn harvest—typically in January—and harvested in autumn. This study argues that climate change has benefited late-sown soybeans in Rio Grande do Sul and will continue improving their growing conditions. The aim is to identify climate change’s past and future impacts on late-sowing soybean crop yields in this region. We evaluated the effects of climate on soybean yields using the HadGEM2-CC model (CMIP-5) for two scenarios (RCPs 4.5 and 8.5) and for two time periods (mid-and late-century). Additionally, the CSM-CERES-Maize model within DSSAT was also used to simulate corn yields under these climatic conditions. Our climatic analysis indicates an increase in rainfall and temperature, particularly in minimum temperatures, alongside significant rises in both minimum and maximum temperature extremes, and a reduction in frost days. Furthermore, higher atmospheric CO₂ levels are projected to enhance net photosynthesis, likely leading to increases in potential yield (Py) with rising CO₂ concentrations. Notably, the largest increases in achievable yield (Ay) are anticipated for early sowing dates under the mid- and late-century scenarios of RCP 4.5. Past climate changes have already improved the growth and yield potential of late-sown soybeans in Southern Brazil, a trend expected to continue as climate change further optimizes temperature and rainfall conditions. In conclusion, the late growing season for soybeans is predicted to be extended. Full article

This research investigated the impact of various mixed sowing combinations on soil nutrients and grass yield within the rhizosphere across different seasons. Three varieties of leguminous forages—Medicago sativa ‘Gannong No. 3’ (GN3), M. sativa ‘Gannong No. 9’ (GN9), and M. sativa ‘Juneng No. 7’ (JN7)—as well as three varieties of grasses—Leymus chinensis ‘Longmu No. 1’ (LC), Agropyron mongolicum ‘Mengnong No. 1’ (AC), and Bromus inermis ‘Yuanye’ (BI)—were used as experimental materials for mixed sowing combinations; the monocultures of each material served as controls. We explored the seasonal effects of different legumes and grasses intercropping combinations on rhizosphere soil nutrients and grass yield in the Hexi Corridor region of China. The results indicated that the levels of soil enzyme activity, microbial biomass, and soil nutrients in the rhizosphere across the various treatments followed the following sequence: summer > spring > autumn. The soil enzyme activities and microbial biomass of various mixed sowing combinations were significantly higher than those of the monocultures within the same growing season (p < 0.05). Specifically, the activities of alkaline phosphatase (APA), catalase (CAT), soil microbial biomass carbon (SMBC), soil microbial biomass nitrogen (SMBN), soil microbial biomass phosphorus (SMBP), soil organic matter (SOM), available nitrogen (AN), available phosphorus (AP), and available potassium (AK) within the GN9+BI group were the highest among all treatments. The hay yields of GN3, GN9, and JN7 were markedly greater than those of their respective mixed sowing combinations (p < 0.05). Correlation analysis revealed a positive relationship between enzyme activities, microbial biomass, and soil nutrient levels. This comprehensive evaluation indicated that the mixed sowing combinations of GN9 + BI and GN9 + LC are particularly well suited for widespread adoption in the Hexi Oasis irrigation area. Full article

Intercropping of arable crops might provide yield benefits over monocrops. To assess the effect of sowing date and sowing ratio on biomass formation and competition over time, a two-year field experiment with wheat and pea plants was performed in Eastern Austria with two sowing times (autumn vs. spring) and with the following substitutive wheat–pea sowing ratios (%:%): 100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75, 12.5:87.5 and 0:100. For both crops, facultative cultivars were used. Compared to spring-sowing, autumn-sowing resulted in earlier development of plants, taller plants, faster soil coverage, a higher crop growth rate up to mid-May in the first year and early June in the second year, more above-ground dry matter production and in the second year also in a higher land equivalent ratio (LER) of intercrops. Sowing ratios affected absolute and relative growth rates of wheat and pea plants. Wheat, which was generally the stronger partner in the intercrops, out-competed pea plants in all intercrops in the first year due to a higher early crop growth rate and in the second year, when the monocrop biomass of wheat was lower than that of pea plants, even in the intercrops with lower wheat and higher pea share. All intercrops resulted in a yield advantage compared to the monocrops as indicated by the LER. At final harvest, this yield advantage was over both sowing times and all four intercropping ratios 14% in the first and 10% in the second year. The competitive abilities of individual crops in mixtures, as indicated by the partial LER, were not affected by the sowing time. Full article

Microdochium species are harmful pathogens of winter cereals, causing snow mould and stem base diseases such as root rot. With changing climatic conditions, including prolonged wet autumns and mild winters, addressing pathogens that thrive at low positive temperatures has become increasingly important. Integrated strategies, including optimized sowing times, resistant cultivars, and the use of seed treatment fungicides have been suggested as effective approaches to mitigate Microdochium-induced damage. Field trials were conducted between 2021 and 2024 using five winter wheat cultivars treated with different seed treatment fungicides and sown at either optimal or delayed sowing times. Laboratory analyses identified Microdochium spp. as the dominant pathogens on the stem base across all trial years. Disease severity assessments indicated that seed treatment fungicides were generally effective against root rot, with products containing fludioxonil and SDHI group fungicides delivering the best performance. While disease pressure varied between optimal and late sowing experiments, late-sown winter wheat exhibited slightly reduced damage in most years. Additionally, some of the tested winter wheat cultivars demonstrated better performance against Microdochium spp. damage compared to others, highlighting the importance of selecting resistant cultivars. This study provides valuable insights into the control of Microdochium spp. under changing climatic conditions, particularly during the early growth stages of winter wheat. Full article

The realization of the expected benefits of stubble cover crops (CCs) depends on sufficient plant growth, which is influenced by the sum of effective temperatures (SET) before the onset of winter and the occurrence of the first early autumn frost (FRST). The objective of this study was to calculate the SET for three dates of CC sowing, August 20 (A), September 6 (B), and September 20 (C), from 1961 to 2020, based on daily data from 268 meteorological stations in the Czech Republic (CR). The dates of FRST, when the daily average and minimum temperatures at 2 m and the minimum temperature at the ground level fell below 0 °C, −3, and −5 °C during CC growth, were recorded. The analysis showed a significant trend in the average SET, which increased by 1.60, 0.87, and 0.97 °C per year for scenarios A, B, and C, respectively. As a result, the area where SET conditions allowed for CC flowering from autumn sowing expanded, as visualized in the agroclimatic maps of the country. The average dates of the FRST shifted by 0.05–0.11 days per year over the sixty years, but this was not significant due to high inter-annual variability. The SET was closely related to the average annual temperature and station elevation (r = ǀ0.95ǀ–ǀ0.99ǀ), while the corresponding trend relationships were weaker (r = ǀ0.40ǀ–ǀ0.43ǀ). This study provides data on the zonation of the conditions required to achieve specific CC management objectives. Full article

Sowing date is a particularly important management option to optimize yields as it determines proper wintering and productivity. During a seven-year field experiment, the response of winter wheat to five different sowing times was studied. The beginning of the dormancy period was determined, and the Growing Degree Day (GDD) requirements for the period from sowing to emergence and from emergence to dormancy were assessed. As the sowing date was delayed, the time from sowing to emergence increased. The minimum optimum temperature during the emergence period was about 12 °C, with a heat requirement of about 125–130 GDD for earlier sowings, ensuring that winter wheat germinated successfully and properly prepared for wintering. The heat requirement for later sowings was higher and reached about 180 GDD when the average temperature of this period was about 8 °C. For the late sowing, the period from emergence to dormancy was too short, so winter wheat did not accumulate the required amount of heat, which had a significant impact on yield. The accumulated temperature from emergence to dormancy must be greater than 100 GDD. The obtained values can be applied in other regions or to choose the appropriate wheat sowing time to reduce yield losses under climate change. Full article

The influence of catch crop (field pea) management and the time of its application [plots with autumn (A.I.) or spring (S.I.) biomass incorporation vs. treatments without catch crop (C) use] on the activity of five soil enzymes associated with C- (CMC-cellulase—CEL, β-glucosidase—βG, invertase—INV) and N-cycling (urease—UR, nitrate reductase—NR), the content of mineral N, and the content of microbial biomass C and N (MBC, MBN) were evaluated in a 3-year experiment (2009–2011). Field pea was sown in the first half of August and the biomass was incorporated into the soil in the second half of October in 2008, 2009, and 2010 or left as a mulch during the winter and mixed with the soil in spring. The enzymatic and microbial properties were determined in soil samples collected from spring barley experimental plots four times a year (2009, 2010, and 2011): in March (before sowing of barley), in May (during the tillering phase), in June (during the shooting phase), and in August (after barley harvesting). Neither the catch crop management nor the sampling date had any effect on the content of total organic carbon (C_ORG) or total nitrogen (Nt). The incorporation of filed pea biomass significantly enhanced the soil mineral N content (up to 30%), as well as the microbial and enzymatic variables, compared to the control soil. The spring use of field pea biomass significantly increased the content of microbial biomass C (2009 and 2011) in contrast to autumn incorporation. On the other hand, the biomass-N and the activity of the studied enzymes did not reveal statistically significant changes (or the results were inconsistent) as regards the time of catch crop biomass incorporation. The assessed variables (except for C_ORG, Nt, microbial biomass N) showed significant seasonal variability, but the changes were not clear or associated with a specific property. However, we found one similarity; the majority of the determined variables were the highest in May and/or June. Our data confirmed that catch crops play a key function in the management of agroecosystems. Plant biomass incorporated into soil is a source of organic matter, which increases nutrient concentrations and enhances soil biological activity. Because the time of catch crop application did not reveal consistent changes in the studied properties, both spring and autumn applications can be recommended as a suitable practice in modern agriculture. Full article

The rising demand for safe plant compounds and herbal products that contribute positively to human health is in line with current market trends. Plants belonging to the Satureja genus, particularly the aromatic medicinal S. montana L. from the Lamiaceae family, are well suited to these trends as they serve as pharmaceutical raw materials. This research aimed to assess the influence of sowing date and fertilization doses, as well as their interaction, on the fresh weight, essential oil content, and composition of S. montana. Experimental cultivation involved varying nitrogen and phosphorus levels. The second cut had the highest fresh weight and oil production compared to the first cut. The highest total plant biomass was achieved with autumn sowing and fertilization at 55 kg N/ha and 37 kg P/ha, whereas Spring sowing exhibited higher essential oil production, with the maximum oil % with 74 kg P/ha and oil yield after applying 55 kg N/ha and 74 kg P/ha. The GC-MS analysis revealed that carvacrol was the predominant compound, with it being recommended to grow S. montana in Spring at doses of 55 kg N/ha and 74 kg P/ha for the superior oil yield. Additionally, S. montana essential oil demonstrated notable biological and antimicrobial activity, positioning it as a potential alternative to chemical food preservatives. Full article

Clanis bilineata tsingtauica Mell (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae, CBT), as a traditional edible insect, is becoming popular in China due to its high nutritional value, but production needs to be improved to meet the expanding market. In the present study, CBT eggs were artificially inoculated on soybean leaves to evaluate the effects of leaf position, growth stage, sowing season, and soybean variety on CBT larval growth, respectively. The results showed that (1) the larval weight and survival rate were poorly correlated, so they could represent two different larval growth and development indicators for CBT. The 21-day-old larval weight was significantly different between the sowing seasons and between soybean growth stages, which was suitable as a key indicator for evaluating CBT larval rearing factors. (2) Compared with autumn-sown soybeans, the weight of 21-day-old larvae feeding on V6 stage (sixth trifoliolate) leaves of summer-sown soybeans was significantly higher, with an average increase of 44.7%. (3) Under autumn sowing conditions, the weight of 21-day-old larvae feeding on soybeans in the V6 stage was significantly higher than those fed on soybeans in the R3 stage (beginning pod), increasing by 33.9%. (4) Under summer sowing conditions, the weight of 21-day-old larvae feeding on the third-top leaf (the third leaf from the top of the soybeans’ main stem) was significantly higher than those feeding on the third-bottom leaf (the third leaf from the bottom of the soybeans’ main stem) at V6 stage by 35.7%. Similar results also appeared in autumn sowing; the average weights of 21-day-old larvae feeding on the third-top leaf increased significantly by 29.9% compared to those feeding on the third-bottom leaf. Moreover, the survival rate of larvae fed with the third-top leaf was significantly higher than that of those fed with the third-bottom leaf at the V6 stage in autumn sowing. Leaf position is the main factor affecting the survival rate of larvae. (5) Under summer sowing conditions, the weights of larvae fed with the third-top leaf of the susceptible-soybean varieties NN89-29 and NN1138-2 were significantly higher than that of those fed with the third-bottom leaf of these varieties. This difference was significantly reduced with autumn sowing. In conclusion, the CBT eggs inoculated on the third-top leaf of NN89-29 and NN1138-2 at the V6 stage in summer sowing could achieve maximum larval yield. Full article

Piglet mortality during lactation is a significant concern in swine production, influenced by complex interactions involving sow, piglet, environmental, and management factors. While crushing by the sow may be the ultimate cause of piglet mortality, there are many factors influencing the outcome, including parity, thermal stress, and animal housing systems. New farrowing systems are continuously being developed; however, it is difficult for producers to make decisions without any scientific basis. This study aimed to assess the impact of different farrowing pen layouts on piglet performance, considering parity and season. A total of 546 sows and 9123 piglets were monitored across 36 lactation cycles. Sows were randomly assigned to three farrowing pen layouts (standard, diagonal, and offset) in three rooms (20 sows by room). All farrowing pens had the same space allocations (2.7 m by 1.8 m and 2.1 m by 0.6 m for the sow area). The three types of farrowing pens were blocked by position within the room. Piglet performance traits (percent of stillborns, percent of mortality, percent of overlays, and average daily weight gain: ADG) and sows traits (health and parity) were monitored following US Meat Animal Research Center (USMARC) procedures. Results indicated that treatment, parity, and season influenced some piglet performance traits. The offset farrowing pen had a lower percent of stillborns compared to the standard. No significant differences were observed between the diagonal crate and the other treatments. When evaluating high mortality sow (>two piglets), the offset and standard treatments had a lower percent of overlays. Piglets from first-parity sows had lower ADG than those from higher-parity sows. A higher percent of overlays were observed in Autumn and Summer compared to Spring and Winter, and Summer had lower average daily weight gain than other seasons. The results suggest that modifying the layout (offset), with sows placed further away from the heating source, can reduce the percent of overlays in sows with high mortality (>2 piglets). In addition, the influence of season on the piglet production traits demonstrated the importance of proper management of the environment, even in systems with a certain level of climatic control. Full article

Genetic diversity and marker–trait association with yield-related components were assessed in 39 chickpea accessions from a germplasm collection with either spring or autumn-sown seeds in South-Eastern Kazakhstan. Chickpea accessions originated from Azerbaijan, Germany, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Russia, Türkiye, Ukraine, Syria, and the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA). Eleven SSR markers were used for molecular genotyping. Yield and yield components were evaluated in nine traits in experiments with spring and autumn seed sowing. The number of alleles of polymorphic markers varied from 2 to 11. The greatest polymorphism was found in the studied chickpea genotypes using SSR marker TA22 (11 alleles), while NCPGR6 and NCPGR12 markers were monomorphic. In the studied chickpea accessions, unique alleles of the SSR loci TA14, TA46, TA76s, and TA142 were found that were not previously described by other authors. An analysis of correlation relationships between yield-related traits in chickpea revealed the dependence of yield on plant height, branching, and the setting of a large number of beans. These traits showed maximal values in experiments with chickpea plants from autumn seed sowing. An analysis of the relationship between the SSR markers applied and morphological yield-related traits revealed several informative markers associated with important traits, such as plant height, height to first pod, number of branches, number of productive nodes, number of pods per plant, hundred seed weight, seed weight per plant, and seed yield. Full article

Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the main agricultural crops grown worldwide under very diverse climate and soil conditions. For maize cultivation in a conventional tillage system, autumn plowing is a mandatory condition. Minimum soil tillage or no tillage has been applied in recent years, both in research and in production, for reasons relating to soil conservation and fuel economy. This paper presents the results of the research executed under pedoclimatic conditions at the Agricultural Research and Development Station Turda (ARDS Turda, Romania; chernozem soil) regarding the behavior of the maize hybrid Turda 332 cultivated in four tillage systems and two levels of fertilization during the period of 2016–2022. The following soil tillage systems were applied: a conventional tillage system (CT) and unconventional tillage systems in three variants—a minimum tillage system with a chisel (MTC), a minimum tillage system with a disk (MTD), and a no-tillage system (NT). They were applied with two levels of fertilization: basic fertilization (350 kg ha⁻¹ NPK 16:16:16, applied at sowing) and optimized fertilization (350 kg ha⁻¹ NPK 16:16:16 applied at sowing + 150 kg ha⁻¹ calcium ammonium nitrate with additional fertilization in the phenophase of the maize with 6–7 leaves). The results highlight the fact that under the conditions of chernozem soils with a high clay content (41% clay content), maize does not lend itself to cultivation in MTD and NT, requiring deeper mobilization, with the yield data confirming this fact. This is because under the agrotechnical conditions for sowing carried out in MTD and NT, the seeder used (Maschio Gaspardo MT 6R) does not allow for the high-quality sowing of maize, especially under dry soil conditions. Instead, the MTC system could be an alternative to the conventional tillage system, with the yield difference being below 100 kg ha⁻¹. Full article

Field peas (Pisum sativum L.) are a valuable source of protein and help to support crop biodiversity in a sustainable agriculture system. To maintain varied crop rotation in sustainable production, it is advisable to include the winter form of pea, which is an excellent alternative to the spring form. However, the prolonged development of winter peas when weather patterns are unfavorable can adversely affect the morphological features and the health of the plants. The literature lacks studies on this issue. The objective of this study was to evaluate the morphological characteristics, yield, and canopy health of selected cultivars of winter peas. The study was conducted at the Prusy Experimental Station of the University of Agriculture in Krakow, located near Krakow, Poland (50°07′28″ N, 20°05′34″ E), during two growing seasons. The study evaluated six cultivars of winter peas and two means of protecting the canopy, with biological products containing Pythium oligandrum (Polyversum WP) or Bacillus subtilis (Serenade ASO). The yield, yield structure, efficiency of N uptake, and health of the plants were assessed. Crop protection treatments using Polyversum WP and Serenade ASO were shown to effectively protect winter peas against Fusarium wilt, which occurred only in the Specter and Arkta cultivars sprayed with Serenade. Polyversum WP increased the productivity of winter peas on average by 0.5 t ha⁻¹ and increased the efficiency of nitrogen uptake on average by 10 kg ha⁻¹ in comparison to the control. The Aviron and Arkta cultivars are recommended for cultivation in the conditions of Central Europe due to their high yield potential, high efficiency of nitrogen uptake, and good canopy health. Full article

Cowpea is an important leguminous crop in arid and semi-arid tropical regions. However, it is sensitive to the temperature and photoperiod. In this study, 41 new lines of cowpea were evaluated in sowing seasons of spring (SpS), summer (SuS), and autumn (AuS) at Wuming, Guangxi province, China. Nine agronomic and yield-related traits were investigated and analyzed. The results showed that the pod width (0.8 cm) was similar among sowing seasons. For all other traits, the values were lowest at SuS, except the number of branches per plant, which was lowest (2.5) at AuS. Strong correlations were detected for the growth period, plant height, pod length, pod width, and 100-seed weight (p < 0.01) across the sowing seasons. A principal component analysis revealed that the first three components could explain 72.47% of the total variations. On the basis of the possible yield, growth period, and growth habit, we identified nine new lines suitable for different sowing seasons in Guangxi. The results of this study suggest these new cowpea lines may be useful for increasing crop production and for breeding new varieties. Full article