scholarly journals Interspecific root interactions increase maize yields in intercropping with different companion crops

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ulrike Schwerdtner ◽  
Marie Spohn
Keyword(s):  
Root Interactions ◽  
Maize Yields

Interspecific root interactions enhance photosynthesis and biomass of intercropped millet and peanut plants

2019 ◽  
Vol 70 (3) ◽  
pp. 234
Author(s):  
Xiaojin Zou ◽  
Zhanxiang Sun ◽  
Ning Yang ◽  
Lizhen Zhang ◽  
Wentao Sun ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Crop Yields ◽  
Positive Root ◽  
Foxtail Millet ◽  
Phosphoglycerate Kinase ◽  
Plant Productivity ◽  
Photosynthetic Rates ◽  
Interspecific Facilitation ◽  
Growing Seasons ◽  
Root Interactions ◽  
Root Barrier

Intercropping is commonly practiced worldwide because of its benefits to plant productivity and resource-use efficiency. Belowground interactions in these species-diverse agro-ecosystems can greatly contribute to enhancing crop yields; however, our understanding remains quite limited of how plant roots might interact to influence crop biomass, photosynthetic rates, and the regulation of different proteins involved in CO2 fixation and photosynthesis. We address this research gap by using a pot experiment that included three root-barrier treatments with full, partial and no root interactions between foxtail millet (Setaria italica (L.) P.Beauv.) and peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) across two growing seasons. Biomass of millet and peanut plants in the treatment with full root interaction was 3.4 and 3.0 times higher, respectively, than in the treatment with no root interaction. Net photosynthetic rates also significantly increased by 112–127% and 275–306% in millet and peanut, respectively, with full root interaction compared with no root interaction. Root interactions (without barriers) contributed to the upregulation of key proteins in millet plants (i.e. ribulose 1,5-biphosphate carboxylase; chloroplast β-carbonic anhydrase; phosphoglucomutase, cytoplasmic 2; and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase) and in peanut plants (i.e. ribulose 1,5-biphosphate carboxylase; glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase; and phosphoglycerate kinase). Our results provide experimental evidence of a molecular basis that interspecific facilitation driven by positive root interactions can contribute to enhancing plant productivity and photosynthesis.

Changes in the drought sensitivity of US maize yields

Nature Food ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (11) ◽  
pp. 729-735 ◽  
Author(s):  
David B. Lobell ◽  
Jillian M. Deines ◽  
Stefania Di Tommaso
Keyword(s):  
Drought Sensitivity ◽  
Maize Yields

Leucaena + maize alley cropping in Malawi. Part 1: Effects of N, P, and leaf application on maize yields and soil properties

1996 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 281-294 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. B. Jones ◽  
J. W. Wendt ◽  
W. T. Bunderson ◽  
O. A. Itimu
Keyword(s):  
Soil Properties ◽  
Alley Cropping ◽  
Maize Yields

scholarly journals The influence of organic and inorganic nutrient inputs on soil organic carbon functional groups content and maize yields

Heliyon ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (8) ◽  
pp. e07881
Author(s):  
M. Ndung'u ◽  
L.W. Ngatia ◽  
R.N. Onwonga ◽  
M.W. Mucheru-Muna ◽  
R. Fu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Organic Carbon ◽  
Functional Groups ◽  
Inorganic Nutrient ◽  
Nutrient Inputs ◽  
Maize Yields

scholarly journals Identifying maize yield and precipitation gaps in Uganda

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Terence Epule Epule ◽  
Driss Dhiba ◽  
Daniel Etongo ◽  
Changhui Peng ◽  
Laurent Lepage
Keyword(s):  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Maize Yield ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
World Bank Group ◽  
Precipitation Data ◽  
Yield Data ◽  
Yield Gaps ◽  
Maize Yields ◽  
Growing Season Precipitation

AbstractIn sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), precipitation is an important driver of agricultural production. In Uganda, maize production is essentially rain-fed. However, due to changes in climate, projected maize yield targets have not often been met as actual observed maize yields are often below simulated/projected yields. This outcome has often been attributed to parallel gaps in precipitation. This study aims at identifying maize yield and precipitation gaps in Uganda for the period 1998–2017. Time series historical actual observed maize yield data (hg/ha/year) for the period 1998–2017 were collected from FAOSTAT. Actual observed maize growing season precipitation data were also collected from the climate portal of World Bank Group for the period 1998–2017. The simulated or projected maize yield data and the simulated or projected growing season precipitation data were simulated using a simple linear regression approach. The actual maize yield and actual growing season precipitation data were now compared with the simulated maize yield data and simulated growing season precipitation to establish the yield gaps. The results show that three key periods of maize yield gaps were observed (period one: 1998, period two: 2004–2007 and period three: 2015–2017) with parallel precipitation gaps. However, in the entire series (1998–2017), the years 2008–2009 had no yield gaps yet, precipitation gaps were observed. This implies that precipitation is not the only driver of maize yields in Uganda. In fact, this is supported by a low correlation between precipitation gaps and maize yield gaps of about 6.3%. For a better understanding of cropping systems in SSA, other potential drivers of maize yield gaps in Uganda such as soils, farm inputs, crop pests and diseases, high yielding varieties, literacy, and poverty levels should be considered.

Effect of Irrigation Regime on Maize Yields

1978 ◽  
Vol 104 (2) ◽  
pp. 179-194
Author(s):  
J.W. Hugh Barrett ◽  
Gaylord V. Skogerboe
Keyword(s):  
Irrigation Regime ◽  
Maize Yields
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