Search results for "crop residue"

Six années de suivi du flux d'érosion éolienne sur un sol sableux cultivé au Sahel : Impacts des résidus de culture et de l'encroûtement

2013

In the Sahel, wind erosion occurs particularly in cultivated fields. This work was leaded at Banizoumbou in Niger where wind erosion fluxes have been measured for six years. The aims of this study was i) to monitor crop residues cover on traditional field and to quantify its influence on wind erosion ii) to characterize the impacts of soils crusting on erosion flux, iii) to characterize the impact of herbaceous strips on wind flux. Results showed that crop residues efficiently prevent cultivated fields from wind erosion during the dry season (January to April) and considerably reduce erosion fluxes at the beginning of the rainy season (May to July). Under a minimal crop residues cover rate …

Agricultural feedstocks of two Brassica oilseed crops and energy cogeneration with pure vegetable oil for a sustainable short agro-energy chain in Si…

2018

Abstract Potential energy feedstocks from conventional agriculture usually include pure vegetable oil (PVO) and agricultural/forest residues. Their uses can represent a starting point for the development of short agro-energy chains in the south areas of the Mediterranean region. This paper focused on testing and awareness raising of biofuel production for the cogeneration of electricity and heat from PVO of two Brassica oilseed crops in Sicily (Italy). The main aims of this study were: i) to evaluate the agronomic performance of rapeseed (Brassica napus L. var. oleifera D.C.) and Ethiopian mustard (Brassica carinata A. Braun) in semi-arid climate condition; ii) to analyze the quality of PVO…

Ecological role of mycotoxin and consequences of the presence of mycotoxins in crop residues on the survival and pathogenic activity of Fusarium gram…

2010

Agricultural Residue Management for Sustainable Power Generation: The Poland Case Study

2021

The European Union has set targets for renewable energy utilization. Poland is a member of the EU, and its authorities support an increase in renewable energy use. The background of this study is based on the role of renewable energy sources in improving energy security and mitigation of climate change. Agricultural waste is of a significant role in bioenergy. However, there is a lack of integrated methodology for the measurement of its potential. The possibility of developing an integrated evaluation methodology for renewable energy potential and its spatial distribution was assumed as the hypothesis. The novelty of this study is the integration of two renewable energy sources: crop residu…

Effects of Genotype and Climate on Productive Performance of High Oleic Carthamus tinctorius L. under Rainfed Conditions in a Semi-Arid Environment o…

2023

Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) is a promising oilseed crop for cultivation in central Southern Italy due to its high tolerance to drought and salinity stress and appreciable seed and oil yields. The genetic diversity of cultivars and climate factors can affect fatty acid composition and yield traits. This study aimed to assess the effects of genotype and climate conditions on the productive performance of eight high oleic safflower genotypes under rainfed conditions in Sicily (Italy). These genotypes were compared to the Montola 2000 cultivar, which was used as a reference. Tests were carried out during the growing seasons of 2014–2015 and 2015–2016. The experimental design…

Performance of a Pilot-Scale Constructed Wetland and Medium-Term Effects of Treated Wastewater Irrigation of Arundo donax L. on Soil and Plant Parame…

2021

On marginal lands in the Mediterranean basin, giant reed (Arundo donax L.) represents one of the most interesting perennial crops due to high levels of biomass production. Considering periodic water shortage during the summer months in this area, the reuse of treated wastewater (TWW) would seem to be a good opportunity for the growth of the species. The aim of this study was to assess the medium-term effects of irrigation using freshwater (FW) and TWW on soil characteristics and growth in giant reed plants. TWW was obtained from a pilot-scale horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetland system (HSSF CWs) with a total surface area of 100 m2. A split-plot design for a two-factor experiment …

Effects of stubble height and cutting frequency on regrowth of berseem clover in a Mediterranean semiarid environment

2011

Defoliation management of forage crops affects endogenous reserves (in the root and in the stubble), the residual leaf area, and, consequently, the regrowth and biomass yield. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of cutting frequency (28-d vs. 35-d intervals) and stubble height (3 vs. 6 cm) on forage yield, regrowth, and persistence of berseem clover (Trifolium alexandrinum L.). Neither cutting interval nor cutting height affected plant survival during the crop cycle. Frequent clipping reduced crop yield. Residual biomass and leaf area were less when plants were cut at a height of 3 cm compared with 6 cm, but stubble height did not affect the total amount of dry matter (DM) remo…

An assessment of factors controlling N

2016

Management of plant residues plays an important role in maintaining soil quality and nutrient availability for plants and microbes. However, there is considerable uncertainty regarding the factors controlling residue decomposition and their effects on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the soil. This uncertainty is created both by the complexity of the processes involved and limitations in the methodologies commonly used to quantify GHG emissions. We therefore investigated the addition of two soil residues (durum wheat and faba bean) with similar C/N ratios but contrasting fibres, lignin and cellulose contents on nutrient dynamics and GHG emission from two contrasting soils: a low-soil org…

Direct seeding mulch-based cropping increases both the activity and the abundance of denitrifier communities in a tropical soil

2009

International audience; This study evaluated the impact of direct seeding mulch-based cropping (DMC), as an alternative to conventional tilling (CT), on a functional community involved in N cycling and emission of greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N2O). The study was carried out for annual soybean/rice crop rotation in the Highlands of Madagascar. The differences between the two soil management strategies (direct seeding with mulched crop residues versus tillage without incorporation of crop residues) were studied along a fertilization gradient (no fertilizer, organic fertilizer, organic plus mineral fertilizers). The activity and size of the denitrifier community were determined by denitrifica…

Effects of cropping systems and irrigation on the bio-agronomic and quality response of industrial tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum mill.).

2012

This paper shows the results obtained in 2009 of a study carried out by the Dipartimento di Agronomia Ambientale e Territoriale (D.A.A.T.) aimed at identifying and evaluating various low input cropping systems for industrial tomato varieties, a traditional farming crop in Sicily. The tests were carried out on the Sparacia experimental farm (Cammarata AG, 37°37’N, 13°42’E). The farm is located in a sub-arid area with average rainfall levels of approx. 500 mm and average min/max temperatures of 9 and 21°C. The soils, typical of soil types in the area, are Eutric Vertisols. A split-split plot design with three repetitions was adopted and the following variables were studied: 1) management of c…