Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) Live Mulch Climatic Adaptation Capabilities in Humid Tropics Cropping System

2016 ◽  
pp. 133-138
2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alolote I. Amadi

PurposeThis study investigates the level of variance in the real time demand for bagged cement, induced in response to the climatic sequence of the humid tropics, to support best practice calls for a weather-responsive supply chain strategy.Design/methodology/approachData on the consumption of cement and site works for 100 ongoing building construction sites were gathered for a period of 12 months. The variance partitioning capabilities of the Ordinary Least Squares and Hierarchical Linear Modelling forms of regression analysis are comparatively used to evaluate the sensitivity of cement demand to the meteorological profile of wet-humid climateFindingsThe study outcome provides statistical evidence demonstrating that the meteorological profile of wet-humid climate induces a significantly high percentage of the variance in the real-time demand for bagged cement on construction sites. However, nested within this variance, are the fixed effects of the cement footprint of the building architecture inherent in the locality. Particularly, positive changes to reduce the wet trade composition of buildings or compensating changes in technological bias, are necessary to combat weather interference in the humid tropics.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings are exploratory, and not for the purposes of holistically forecasting cement demand, and can therefore only form part of a more comprehensive decision support system, bespoke to the study area.Practical implicationsThe study outcome provides a back-end view to climatic adaptation in wet humid settings, making a compelling case for localized climate-risk adaptive supply chain strategies and policies geared towards sustainability in cement usage.Originality/valueThe study delineates the confounding impact of weather, distinct from local building architecture and technological bias, thus creating a methodological platform for replication and comparative productivity studies in diverse geographical areas.


HortScience ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 981B-981 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Avila ◽  
Johannes Scholberg ◽  
Lincoln Zotarelli ◽  
Robert McSorely

Poor water- and nutrient-holding capacity of sandy soils, combined with intense leaching rainfall events, may result in excessive N-fertilizers losses from vegetable production systems. Three cover cropping (CC) systems were used to assess supplemental N-fertilizer requirements for optimal yields of selected vegetable crops. Fertilizer N-rates were 0, 67, 133, 200, and 267; 0, 131, and 196; and 0, 84, 126,168, and 210 kg N/h for sweet corn (Zea mays var. rugosa), broccoli (Brassica oleracea), and watermelon (Citrullus lanatus), respectively. Crop rotations consisted of sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea) in Fall 2003 followed by hairy vetch (Vicia villosa), and rye (Secale cereale) intercrop or a fallow. During Spring 2004, all plots were planted with sweet corn, followed by either cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) or pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum), which preceded a winter broccoli crop. Hairy vetch and rye mix benefited from residual N from a previous SH crop. This cropping system provided a 5.4 Mg/ha yield increment for sweet corn receiving 67 kg N/ha compared to the conventional system. For the 133 N-rate, CC-based systems produced similar yields compared to conventional systems amended with 200 kg N/ha. Pearl millet accumulated 8.8 Mg/ha—but only 69 kg N/ha—and potential yields with this system were 16% lower compared to cowpea system. For a subsequent watermelon crop, trends were reversed, possibly due to a delay in mineralization for pearl millet. Because of its persistent growth after mowing, hairy vetch hampered initial growth and shading also delayed fruit development. Although CC may accumulate up to 131 kg N/ha actual N benefits, N-fertilizer benefits were only 67 kg N/ha, which may be related to a lack of synchronization between N release and actual crop demand.


2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanifa Marisa

An investigation had been done to Tetragonula (Tetragona) sp nest at Indralaya, South Sumatra to describe the Tetragonula sp nest that use streetlight pole as nest medium during April - May 2019. Purpossive sampling is used to select the target nest. Two streetlight pole found be used by Tetragonula sp as their home. The coordinate of location, heght from ground surface, diameter of streetlight pole, air temperature and humidity, and floral species around nest, were noted. Spot coordinate are S 30 14’ 19.2498’’ and E 1040 39’ 15,3288’’ ; 1,5 m above the ground surface, 12 cm diameter pole, highest air temperature was 35 o C at daylight (April and May 2019), 80 – 90 % humidity at April-May 2019; which Switenia macrophyla, Hevea brasiliensis, Zea mays, and Citrullus lanatus floral species are planted around. Air temperature in the pole is very high, around 40 0 C during daylight.


2019 ◽  
Vol 103 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos Crusciol ◽  
João Rigon ◽  
Juliano Calonego ◽  
Rogério Soratto

Some crop species could be used inside a cropping system as part of a strategy to increase soil P availability due to their capacity to recycle P and shift the equilibrium between soil P fractions to benefit the main crop. The release of P by crop residue decomposition, and mobilization and uptake of otherwise recalcitrant P are important mechanisms capable of increasing P availability and crop yields.


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