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PubMed2005

Surface N balances and reactive N loss to the environment from global intensive agricultural production systems for the period 1970-2030.

Abstract Data for the historical years 1970 and 1995 and the FAO-Agriculture Towards 2030 projection are used to calculate N inputs (N fertilizer, animal manure, biological N fixation and atmospheric deposition) and the N export from the field in harvested crops and grass and grass consumption by grazing animals. In most industrialized countries we see a gradual increase of the overall N recovery of the intensive agricultural production systems over the whole 1970-2030 period. In contrast, low N input systems in many developing countries sustained low crop yields for many years but at the cost of soil fertility by depleting soil nutrient pools. In most developing countries the N recovery will increase in the coming decades by increasing efficiencies of N use in both crop and livestock production systems. The surface balance surplus of N is lost from the agricultural system via different pathways, including NH3 volatilization, denitrification, N20 and NO emissions, and nitrate leaching from the root zone. Global NH3-N emissions from fertilizer and animal manure application and stored manure increased from 18 to 34 Tg x yr(-1) between 1970 and 1995, and will further increase to 44 Tg x yr(-1) in 2030. Similar developments are seen for N2O-N (2.0 Tg x yr(-1) in 1970, 2.7 Tg x yr(-1) in 1995 and 3.5 Tg x yr(-1) in 2030) and NO-N emissions (1.1 Tg x yr(-1) in 1970, 1.5 Tg x yr(-1) in 1995 and 2.0 Tg x yr(-1) in 2030).

Agriculture↗
PubMed1995

Site-specific integrated pest management for high value crops: sample units for map generation using the Colorado potato beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) as a model system.

Site-specific agriculture uses maps to optimize within-field placement of agricultural practices. This technology introduces the potential to optimize pest management by varying pesticide or other inputs to better match within-field variation in pest density. Current sampling plans are designed to estimate mean density and may not be suitable for mapping, although useful sampling plans could be developed for map generation for integrated pest management. Using Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say), adults, larvae, and egg masses as model systems, the influence of the sample unit on map validity was explored. Adapting currently used sampling plans for potato integrated pest management by spatially referencing each sampled stem failed to resolve spatial dependence and resulted in maps with poor reliability. Increasing the sample unit improved resolution of spatial dependence and map reliability for each life stage. A distance-walk sample unit for adult and late instar Colorado potato beetles which has high potential for map generation is introduced. Using this sample unit, generalizations about Colorado potato beetle spatial dependence are made to discuss issues of developing sampling programs for map generation. An iterative process of sampling, spatial analysis, and error analysis is suggested for evaluating sample units for mapping pest density in high value crops.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Coexistence of related pathogen species on arable crops in space and time.

This review considers factors affecting the coexistence of closely related pathogen species on arable crops, with particular reference to data available at Rothamsted for Septoria tritici/Stagonospora nodorum (Mycosphaerella graminicola/Phaeosphaeria nodorum) (septoria leaf blotch diseases on winter wheat), Oculimacula yallundae/O. acuformis (eyespot disease of winter cereals), and Leptosphaeria maculans/L. biglobosa (phoma stem canker on winter oilseed rape). Factors affecting the short-term, medium-term, and long-term coexistence of such related pathogen species are reviewed, and their evolution from common ancestors considered. Small niche differences between the related pathogen species enable them to coexist on the same host. The niche differences result from small differences in their biology/epidemiology, leading to separation in space, time, or resource use. Changes in both natural (e.g., fluctuating temperature) and man-made (e.g., agronomic practices, pollution) factors influence the coexistence. Such factors may result in coexistence between the related species in some parts of the world, whereas in other parts only one species occurs. These principles illustrated with pathogens of arable crops are generic to other host-pathogen systems.

Biological Evolution↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Genetic engineering in agriculture and corporate engineering in public debate: risk, public relations, and public debate over genetically modified crops.

Corporations have long influenced environmental and occupational health in agriculture, doing a great deal of damage, making substantial profits, and shaping public debate to make it appear that environmental misfortunes are accidents of an otherwise well-functioning system, rather than systemic. The debate over the genetically modified (GM) crops is an example. The largest producer of commercial GM seeds, Monsanto, exemplifies the industry's strategies: the invocation of poor people as beneficiaries, characterization of opposition as technophobic or anti-progress, and portrayal of their products as environmentally beneficial in the absence of or despite the evidence. This strategy is endemic to contemporary market capitalism, with its incentives to companies to externalize health and environmental costs to increase profits.

Agriculture↗
PubMed2002

Modelling plant virus epidemics in a plantation-nursery system.

The material used for propagation and planting of many perennial crop plants is derived from vegetative cuttings which are first multiplied in a nursery. This situation was modelled to analyse the dynamics of a plant virus epidemic in a combined nursery-plantation system and the comparative effects of disease management activities in the plantation and in the nursery. The plant populations were partitioned into healthy and diseased categories and were linked according to basic SI models of disease transmission. Removal of diseased plants and replanting operations in both the plantation and nursery were included in the model and two variants were analysed in which mother plants (from which cuttings were taken) remained in the plantation or were harvested. The former is shown to be the limiting case for a large number of cuttings per plant. A criterion was derived for the invasion of disease into a healthy combined system. This consisted of four additive terms: the basic reproductive numbers of disease in the plantation alone and in the nursery alone, and two terms describing the cycling of diseased material between the plantation and nursery. Disease can still invade the system with basic reproductive numbers in the plantation or in the nursery less than 1 depending on the magnitude of cycling. Under some conditions only diseased plants remain in the plantation and nursery. For such a case a criterion was derived for the invasion of healthy plants into a fully diseased system. This depended on replanting rates in the plantation and nursery, and infection, mortality and removal rates of healthy plants.

Disease Outbreaks↗
PubMed2005

[Dynamics of soil nitrogen, phosphorus and organic matter in alfalfa-crop rotated farmland in semiarid area of Northwest China].

Pasture-crop rotation is regarded as a key planting system in the semiarid area of China's Loess Plateau. This paper studied the dynamics of soil nitrogen, phosphorus and organic matter within the two years of alfalfa-crop rotation. The results showed that in comparing with continuous alfalfa planting, alfalfa-crop rotation induced a decline of soil total nitrogen and organic matter contents by 5.4% and 19.5%, and 46.8% and 28.2%, respectively, in the first and second year, but no significant difference was found in soil total phosphorus. Soil nutrient availability was improved due to the rotation. In the first and second year of rotation, soil nitrate nitrogen and available phosphorus contents increased by 15.5% and 159.1%, and 44.5% and 48.0%, respectively. Planting spring wheat could maintain soil fertility, the second was fallow and planting potato, while planting corn accelerated the depletion of soil total nitrogen, organic matter and available phosphorus. As a result, in the alfalfa-crop rotation, planting spring wheat could be more available to the maintenance of soil fertility.

Biomass↗
PubMed2002

Applied plant genomics: the secret is integration.

Although concerted efforts to understand selected botanical models have been made, the resulting basic knowledge varies in its applicability to other diverse species including the major crops. Recent advances in high-throughput genomics are offering new avenues through which to exploit model systems for the study of botanical diversity, providing prospects for crop improvement. In particular, whole-genome sequencing has provided opportunities for the broader application of reverse genetics, expression profiling, and molecular mapping in diverse species.

Arabidopsis↗
PubMed2005

Agricultural capacity and conservation in high biodiversity forest ecosystems.

Agricultural development is a leading cause of habitat destruction that increasingly threatens global biodiversity. To help understand the likelihood and implications of agricultural expansion in areas of high conservation importance, this article examines agricultural suitability in forested portions of biodiversity hotspots and tropical wilderness areas, regions with especially rich concentrations of species found nowhere else. The study employs geographic information system technology to examine suitability for six crop categories in selected conservation localities worldwide: those portions of regions containing high biodiversity, protected areas (e.g. national parks) within these regions, and 10-km bands around the protected areas that are dominated by forest. Analyses reveal low suitability for most crop categories under both commercial and subsistence scenarios, with a few exceptions. In most cases, adequate planning can enable the coexistence of agriculture and biodiversity without compromising either.

Agriculture↗
PubMed2002

[Regulation of fertilizer application on yield and root growth of spring wheat-faba bean intercropping system].

The effects of N and P fertilizer application on the multiple population yield and root growth of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum)--spring faba bean(Vicia sativa)intercropping system were studied by two field experiments with 0, 150 and 225 kgN.hm-2, three pot and pool experiments with 2 N applications (0, 100 mg N.kg-1 soil) and 3 P applications (0, 100 and 200 mg P.kg-1 soil). The results showed that this intercropping system had a significant advantage of yield and beneficial effects. Compared to Po supply, P fertilization increased the seed yield by 48.39% for intercropped spring wheat and 16.69% for intercropped faba bean in field experiment. Furthermore, the total seed yield of both crops was increased by 20.07% to 43.14% in pool culture, and the grain yield of intercropped faba bean was increased by 58.46% to 78.78%. In the intercropping system, the growth peak of root density of both crops was appeared alternately, the peak of wheat root growth being earlier than that of faba bean. The maximum root weight of intercropped wheat was in its early heading periods, whereas that of faba bean appeared at its maturity periods, which reduced the competition for water and nutrients between the crops, and resulted in yield increase. The weight, length and surface area of wheat roots in P supply were increased by 54.33%, 48.88% and 47.00%, and in N supply, they were increased by 15.25%, 11.61% and 11.46%, respectively. About 57.61% of wheat root weight and 69.20% of faba bean root weight were distributed at 0-30 cm soil depths in the treatments of receiving P fertilizer at various rates, which indicated that P supply increased root weight and length of both crops in the intercropping system.

Crops, Agricultural↗
PubMed1991

Biogenerative life-support system: farming on the moon.

Plants can be used to recycle food, oxygen, and water in a closed habitat (e.g., on the moon, Mars, or in a space craft. A variety of crops might be grown, probably in underground growth units to avoid harmful radiation and micrometeorites. Artificial light will be necessary although some sunlight might be brought in via fiber optics. Transpired water will be condensed in coils exposed to space and shaded from sunlight. Oxygen and CO2 levels will be maintained by controlling photosynthesis and waste oxidation. Plants will be grown hydroponically. Wheat has been produced at the rate of 60 g m-2 d-1, which could feed a human continuously from a farm only 13 m2, but nearly continuous light equivalent to sunlight is required along with ideal temperatures, enriched CO2, suitable cultivars, etc. Lower light results in more efficient photosynthesis but requires a larger farm, as do safety considerations and many crops.

Agriculture↗
PubMed2006

Ecologically based management of rodents in the real world: applied to a mixed agroecosystem in Vietnam.

Rodents cause significant damage to lowland irrigated rice crops in the Red River Delta of Vietnam. A four-year study was conducted in 1999-2002 to examine the effectiveness of applying rodent control practices using the principles of ecologically based pest management. Four 100-150 ha study sites adjacent to villages were selected and farmers on two treated sites were asked to follow a set of rodent management practices, while farmers on the untreated sites were asked not to change their typical practices. Farmers on the treated sites were encouraged to use trap-barrier systems (TBS's; 0.065-ha early planted crop surrounded by a plastic fence with multiple capture traps; one TBS for every 10-15 ha), to work together over large areas by destroying burrows in refuge habitats soon after planting (before the rats reestablish in the fields and before the onset of breeding), synchronizing planting and harvesting of the their rice crops, cleaning up weeds and piles of straw, and keeping bund (embankment) size small (<30 cm) to prevent burrowing. A 75% reduction in the use of rodenticides and plastic barrier fences (without traps or an early crop) was achieved on treated sites. The abundance of rodents was low after implementation of the management practices across all sites. There was no evidence for an effect of treatment on the abundance of rodents captured each month using live-capture traps, and no difference in damage between treatments or in yields obtained from the rice crops. Therefore, ecologically based rodent management was equally effective as typical practices for rodent management. Farmers on the treated sites spent considerably less money applying rodent control practices, which was reflected in the comparative increase in the partial benefit:cost of applying ecologically based rodent management from 3:1 on treated sites and untreated sites prior to the implementation of treatments to 17:1 on treated sites in the final year of the project.

Agriculture↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Aqueous extraction of recombinant human proinsulin from transgenic maize endosperm.

Different plant species have been used as systems to produce recombinant proteins. Maize is a crop considered to have a large potential to produce high levels of recombinant proteins and is the host for the recombinant proteins from plants currently available on the market. In the development of a plant system to produce a recombinant proteins it is important to consider the costs related to downstream processing. Also, the steps necessary to achieve the protein purity required will be highly influenced by the quality of the extract obtained. In this study, we analyzed aqueous extracts from the endosperm of transgenic maize expressing recombinant human proinsulin (rhProinsulin). A study of the effects of the variables pH and ionic strength on the extraction efficiency was carried out using experimental design and response surface methodology. Besides the concentration of the recombinant protein, the characteristics of the extracts were evaluated in terms of concentration of native components (proteins, carbohydrates, and phenolic compounds) and extract filterability. The highest rhProinsulin concentration (97.33 ng/mL) was found with a 200 mM NaCl pH 10.0 extraction solution. Under this experimental condition the concentrations of total soluble proteins, carbohydrates, and phenolics were 2.01 mg/mL, 2.21 mg/mL, and 0.11 mmol/L, respectively.

Chemical Fractionation↗
PubMed2001

Applying nitrogen site-specifically using soil electrical conductivity maps and precision agriculture technology.

Soil texture varies significantly within many agricultural fields. The physical properties of soil, such as soil texture, have a direct effect on water holding capacity, cation exchange capacity, crop yield, production capability, and nitrogen (N) loss variations within a field. In short, mobile nutrients are used, lost, and stored differently as soil textures vary. A uniform application of N to varying soils results in a wide range of N availability to the crop. N applied in excess of crop usage results in a waste of the grower"s input expense, a potential negative effect on the environment, and in some crops a reduction of crop quality, yield, and harvestability. Inadequate N levels represent a lost opportunity for crop yield and profit. The global positioning system (GPS)-referenced mapping of bulk soil electrical conductivity (EC) has been shown to serve as an effective proxy for soil texture and other soil properties. Soils with a high clay content conduct more electricity than coarser textured soils, which results in higher EC values. This paper will describe the EC mapping process and provide case studies of site-specific N applications based on EC maps. Results of these case studies suggest that N can be managed site-specifically using a variety of management practices, including soil sampling, variable yield goals, and cropping history.

Agriculture↗
PubMed2006

Characterization of LF9, an octoploid strawberry genotype selected for rapid regeneration and transformation.

Cultivated strawberry (Fragaria xananassa) is a valuable crop, yet the absence of a rapid, high-throughput transgenic system has precluded meaningful application of biotechnology and translation of information from plant models to this crop. A new octoploid strawberry genetic line Laboratory Festival #9 has been identified, selected solely for its rapid regeneration and efficient transformation. Direct organogenesis has been achieved from all tissues tested, with rapidly-growing shoot initials visible in as few as 13 days. The conditions for optimal shoot regeneration, transformant selection, root generation, and plant acclimatization are presented. The progression from explant to plant in soil can be achieved in about 60 days. The development of transformation protocols in this rapid-cycling genotype allows high-throughput studies of gene function in the octoploid strawberry genetic background.

Acclimatization↗
PubMed1994

Components of dairy manure management systems.

Dairy manure management systems should account for the fate of excreted nutrients that may be of environmental concern. Currently, regulatory oversight is directed primarily at the assurance of water quality; N is the most monitored element. Land application of manure at acceptable fertilizer levels to crops produced on the farm by hauling or by pumping flushed manure effluent through irrigation systems is the basis of most systems. Nutrient losses to surface and groundwaters can be avoided, and significant economic value can be obtained from manure as fertilizer if adequate crop production is possible. Dairies with insufficient crop production potential need affordable systems to concentrate manure nutrients, thereby reducing hauling costs and possibly producing a salable product. Precipitation of additional nutrients from flushed manures with sedimented solids may be possible. Composting of separated manure solids offers a possible method to stabilize solids for distribution, but, most often, solids separated from dairy manures are fibrous and low in fertility. Manure solids combined with wastes from other sources may have potential if a marketable product can be produced or if sufficient subsidy is received for processing supplementary wastes. Solutions to odor problems are needed. Energy generated from manure organic matter, via anaerobic digestion, reduces atmospheric emissions of methane and odorous compounds. Use of constructed wetlands or harvesting of photosynthetic biomass from wastewater has the potential to improve water quality, making extensive recycling possible.

Agriculture↗
PubMed2005

Formation of nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) during chlorine disinfection of wastewater effluents prior to use in irrigation systems.

The probable human carcinogen nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) is produced when wastewater effluent is disinfected with chlorine. In systems where wastewater effluent is used for landscape or crop irrigation, relatively high chlorine doses (i.e., up to 2,000,mg-min/L) are often used to ensure adequate disinfection and to minimize biofouling in the irrigation system. To assess the formation of NDMA in such systems, samples were collected from several locations in full-scale wastewater treatment systems and their associated irrigation systems. Up to 460 ng/L of NDMA was produced in full-scale systems in which chloramines were formed when wastewater effluent was disinfected with chlorine in the presence of ammonia. Less than 20 ng/L of NDMA was produced in systems that used free chlorine (i.e., HOCl/OCl(-)) for disinfection in the absence of ammonia. The production of NDMA in ammonia-containing systems was correlated with the concentration of NDMA precursors in the wastewater effluent and the overall dose of chlorine applied. Much of the NDMA formation occurred in chlorine contact basins or in storage basins where water that contained chloramines was held after disinfection. When landscape or crop irrigation is practiced with ammonia-containing wastewater effluent, NDMA production can be controlled by use of lower chlorine doses or by application of alternative disinfectants.

Agriculture↗
PubMed2026

Exploring Actinobacteria for new insecticides and their delivery in crop protection.

Crop protection is essential for agricultural production systems, safeguarding yields and product quality. Chemical controls are a mainstay of protection; however, regulatory and consumer demands, environmental concerns and a general overreliance resulting in resistance development in pest populations have led to increased interest in biopesticides and environmentally friendly alternatives. Biopesticides targeting insects include micro-organisms and their derivatives, such as peptides and specialized metabolites. Their target specificity, structural complexity, modes of action and environmental safety are key differentiators to chemical controls, and when used in integrated pest management programmes, biopesticides can reduce reliance on chemical pesticides and promote sustainable agriculture. As the demand for bioinsecticides grows, so too has the research and application of micro-organisms, alongside their taxonomic diversity and isolation sources. Of key interest are Actinobacteria as both promising and well-tested alternatives for managing insect pests in various agricultural settings, with several products commercialized for use across a variety of crops and target pests. Recent advances and investigations in metabolomics and genomics highlight the untapped and significant biochemical potential and value of Actinobacteria for natural product discovery. This review covers a broad spectrum of published literature that has reported on insecticidal biological activity data associated with Actinobacteria or their natural products. We also report on Actinobacteria-derived nematicides and acaricides that are significant for crop protection. The origin of these natural products, their structural diversity and notable substructures are discussed, along with new areas for discovery and avenues for enhancing screening methods and metabolo-genomics approaches.

Insecticides↗
PubMed2006

Laboratory Information Management Software for genotyping workflows: applications in high throughput crop genotyping.

BACKGROUND: With the advances in DNA sequencer-based technologies, it has become possible to automate several steps of the genotyping process leading to increased throughput. To efficiently handle the large amounts of genotypic data generated and help with quality control, there is a strong need for a software system that can help with the tracking of samples and capture and management of data at different steps of the process. Such systems, while serving to manage the workflow precisely, also encourage good laboratory practice by standardizing protocols, recording and annotating data from every step of the workflow. RESULTS: A laboratory information management system (LIMS) has been designed and implemented at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) that meets the requirements of a moderately high throughput molecular genotyping facility. The application is designed as modules and is simple to learn and use. The application leads the user through each step of the process from starting an experiment to the storing of output data from the genotype detection step with auto-binning of alleles; thus ensuring that every DNA sample is handled in an identical manner and all the necessary data are captured. The application keeps track of DNA samples and generated data. Data entry into the system is through the use of forms for file uploads. The LIMS provides functions to trace back to the electrophoresis gel files or sample source for any genotypic data and for repeating experiments. The LIMS is being presently used for the capture of high throughput SSR (simple-sequence repeat) genotyping data from the legume (chickpea, groundnut and pigeonpea) and cereal (sorghum and millets) crops of importance in the semi-arid tropics. CONCLUSION: A laboratory information management system is available that has been found useful in the management of microsatellite genotype data in a moderately high throughput genotyping laboratory. The application with source code is freely available for academic users and can be downloaded from http://www.icrisat.org/gt-bt/lims/lims.asp.

Algorithms↗