scholarly journals Sensitivity of Nematode Community Analysis to Agricultural Management Practices and Inoculation with Local Effective Microorganisms in the Southeastern United States

Soil Systems ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Ney ◽  
Dorcas Franklin ◽  
Kishan Mahmud ◽  
Miguel Cabrera ◽  
Dennis Hancock ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Management Practices ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
Community Analysis ◽  
Nematode Community ◽  
Effective Microorganisms ◽  
Cereal Rye ◽  
Enrichment Index ◽  
Structure Index ◽  
Components Analysis

In order to ensure a soil system’s sustained ability to carry out ecosystem services, indicators that assess soil health are needed. We examined the capacity of nematode maturity index (MI), structure index (SI), enrichment index (EI), and trophic groups as measures of soil health, by determining soil nematodes’ sensitivity to cropping systems: rotation, perturbation, fertilization, and inoculation with local effective microorganisms (LEM). Plots were managed for two years under different rotations, annual ryegrass/fallow (ARF) and cereal rye/edamame soybean (CRS). In the third year of the study, all of the plots were managed exactly the same as a wheat/edamame rotation. Data were collected in both winter and summer of this year. In all three years, three inoculant treatments (LEM, False-LEM and No inoculate) were applied. In CRS plots, which received the most tillage and fertilization, there were greater SI values in soils that received LEM application. Nematode community structure described by each MI, SI, and EI were sensitive enough to reflect changes due to differences in soil management practices from previous years. Principal components analysis confirmed that nitrogen mineralization is an important measure to include when using nematode community analysis in the development of a soil health index.

scholarly journals Tillage Intensity Effects on Soil Structure Indicators—A US Meta-Analysis

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 2071 ◽  
Author(s):  
Márcio R. Nunes ◽  
Douglas L. Karlen ◽  
Thomas B. Moorman
Keyword(s):  
Crop Production ◽  
Soil Structure ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
Health Assessment ◽  
Aggregate Stability ◽  
Soil Penetration Resistance ◽  
Wet Aggregate Stability

Tillage intensity affects soil structure in many ways but the magnitude and type (+/−) of change depends on site-specific (e.g., soil type) and experimental details (crop rotation, study length, sampling depth, etc.). This meta-analysis examines published effects of chisel plowing (CP), no-tillage (NT) and perennial cropping systems (PER) relative to moldboard plowing (MP) on three soil structure indicators: wet aggregate stability (AS), bulk density (BD) and soil penetration resistance (PR). The data represents four depth increments (from 0 to >40-cm) in 295 studies from throughout the continental U.S. Overall, converting from MP to CP did not affect those soil structure indicators but reducing tillage intensity from MP to NT increased AS in the surface (<15-cm) and slightly decreased BD and PR below 25-cm. The largest positive effect of NT on AS was observed within Inceptisols and Entisols after a minimum of three years. Compared to MP, NT had a minimal effect on soil compaction indicators (BD and PR) but as expected, converting from MP to PER systems improved soil structure at all soil depths (0 to >40-cm). Among those three soil structure indicators, AS was the most sensitive to management practices; thus, it should be used as a physical indicator for overall soil health assessment. In addition, based on this national meta-analysis, we conclude that reducing tillage intensity improves soil structure, thus offering producers assurance those practices are feasible for crop production and that they will also help sustain soil resources.

How are nematode communities affected during a conversion from conventional to organic farming in southern French vineyards?

Nematology ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 14 (6) ◽  
pp. 665-676 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrice Coll ◽  
Patrice Coll ◽  
Edith Le Cadre ◽  
Patrice Coll ◽  
Edith Le Cadre ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Community Structure ◽  
Organic Farming ◽  
Nematode Community ◽  
Soil Nematode ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Nematode Density ◽  
Plant Feeding ◽  
Enrichment Index ◽  
Structure Index

The rate of conversion from conventional vineyards to organic farming practices is increasing. Organic farming improves some soil properties, although some organic practices have negative effects on soils. The objective of this work was to study the long-term effects of organic farming through the use of soil nematodes as bio-indicators of soil processes. Our experimentation was conducted in a commercial vineyard where plots belonged to two types of viticulture: conventional viticulture and organic viticulture (for 7, 11 and 17 years). The nematode community structure and nematode indices were determined. The main result was that organic practices increased soil nematode density. An increase in the available resources, as measured by a higher enrichment index (EI), led to an increase in the microbial feeder density and mainly opportunistic fungal-feeding nematodes. A greater density of plant-feeding nematodes was attributed to the presence of a grass cover. The functioning of the soil was shifted with the decomposition channel of the soil organic matter becoming more fungal than bacterial. Even though changes were observed in the nematode community structure following the conversion, the maturity index (MI), the plant-parasitic index (PPI) and the structure index (SI) remained constant. Consequently, the organic practices did not improve the soil food web length or complexity even though the biological activity, as measured by microbial biomass and total nematode density, increased.

scholarly journals Stacking Agricultural Management Tactics to Promote Improvements in Soil Structure and Microbial Activities

Agronomy ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 539 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Michael Lehman ◽  
Shannon L. Osborne ◽  
Kimberly McGraw
Keyword(s):  
Soil Properties ◽  
Soil Structure ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Agricultural Management ◽  
Residue Management ◽  
No Till ◽  
Management Tactics

Linking agricultural management tactics to quantifiable changes in soil health-related properties is a key objective for increasing adoption of the most favorable management practices. We used two long-term, no-till cropping studies to illustrate the variable patterns of response of soil structure indices and microbial activity to additional management tactics, including crop rotational diversity, residue management and cover cropping. We found that observable effects of management tactics on soil properties were often dependent on the current crop phase sampled, even though the treatments were well-established. In some cases, a single additional management tactic produced a response, two tactics each produced a response and sometimes there were interactions between tactics. However, importantly, we never observed a negative effect for any of the response variables when stacking soil health building practices in no-till cropping systems. The collective results from the two field studies illustrate that soil health improvements with stacking management tactics are not always simply additive and are affected by temporal relationships inherent to the treatments. We conclude that the implementation of multiple positive management tactics increases the likelihood that improvements in soil properties can be documented with one or more of the proxy measures for soil health.

Influence of cropping system and soil type on soil health

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolyn B. Marshall ◽  
David L. Burton ◽  
Brandon Heung ◽  
Derek H. Lynch
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Nitrogen Availability ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Protein A ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
Cropping System ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Total Carbon ◽  
Soil Nitrogen Availability

There has been a continued adaption and application of soil health tests across all regions of the globe. However, there are challenges related to the interpretation of the results of soil health tests developed in one region but applied elsewhere. To determine the factors that are the most important for interpreting soil health tests in Nova Scotia, a soil health database was constructed using soil samples from diverse cropping systems and soil orders in the region. The Comprehensive Assessment of Soil Health, developed at Cornell University in New York, was adapted and combined with other soil health measures. Principal component analysis (PCA), ANOVA, and a correlation analysis was applied to the dataset to determine if management (i.e., cropping system) or pedogenesis (i.e., soil order) was more important as a driver of soil health test results. It was determined that cropping systems explained more variance in the dataset than soil order. While total carbon explained the most variation in the PCA, it was highly correlated to other measures of carbon such as permanganate oxidizable carbon and respiration that may be more responsive to management changes. Additionally, it was identified that autoclaved-citrate extractable (ACE) protein, a test for nitrogen mineralization, was more related to measures of soil carbon than other measures of soil nitrogen availability. The findings of this study provide a foundation for interpreting soil health testing results for this region and will help indicate which cropping systems and soil management practices have the greatest potential for improving soil health.

scholarly journals Groundcover Mulching in Mediterranean Vineyards Improves Soil Chemical, Physical and Biological Health Already in the Short Term

Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 787
Author(s):  
Dylan Warren Raffa ◽  
Daniele Antichi ◽  
Stefano Carlesi ◽  
Christian Frasconi ◽  
Simone Marini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Management Practices ◽  
Gamma Ray ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
Conventional Tillage ◽  
N Availability ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Wine Production ◽  
Spontaneous Vegetation ◽  
Structure Index ◽  
Biological Health

Vineyards are among the land uses with the highest soil degradation rate in Mediterranean Europe, mainly due to intensive tillage management. Therefore, practices able to foster soil health are critical to promote sustainable wine production. We studied the following treatments in two organic farms in Chianti Classico (Italy): conventional tillage, spontaneous vegetation, pigeon bean (Vicia faba var. minor) incorporated in spring and a mixture of barley (Hordeum vulgare) and squarrosum clover (Trifolium squarrosum), both incorporated and left as mulch. An innovative approach, based on gamma-ray and apparent electrical conductivity, was used to account for the fine-scale soil variability that was included in the statistical model. Mulched groundcovers were associated with higher soil organic matter compared to tillage, already after two years. An increased N availability was found under all groundcovers compared with tillage. The effect of soil management practices on P2O5 strongly varied across farms and years, while it was not statistically significant on K availability. Spontaneous vegetation positively influenced the soil structure index, soil penetration resistance and soil biological health. The results show that mulched groundcovers can improve soil health already in the short term, thereby potentially increasing the sustainability of the wine sector.

Nitrate Leaching to a Shallow Mid-Atlantic Coastal Plain Aquifer as Influenced by Conventional No-Till and Low-Input Sustainable Grain Production Systems

1993 ◽  
Vol 28 (3-5) ◽  
pp. 691-700 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. P. Craig ◽  
R. R. Weil
Keyword(s):  
Management Practices ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Cropping System ◽  
Atlantic Coastal Plain ◽  
Grain Production ◽  
Nitrogen And Phosphorus ◽  
Mineral N ◽  
Low Input ◽  
No Till

In December, 1987, the states in the Chesapeake Bay region, along with the federal government, signed an agreement which called for a 40% reduction in nitrogen and phosphorus loadings to the Bay by the year 2000. To accomplish this goal, major reductions in nutrient loadings associated with agricultural management practices were deemed necessary. The objective of this study was to determine if reducing fertilizer inputs to the NT system would result in a reduction in nitrogen contamination of groundwater. In this study, groundwater, soil, and percolate samples were collected from two cropping systems. The first system was a conventional no-till (NT) grain production system with a two-year rotation of corn/winter wheat/double crop soybean. The second system, denoted low-input sustainable agriculture (LISA), produced the same crops using a winter legume and relay-cropped soybeans into standing wheat to reduce nitrogen and herbicide inputs. Nitrate-nitrogen concentrations in groundwater were significantly lower under the LISA system. Over 80% of the NT groundwater samples had NO3-N concentrations greater than 10 mgl-1, compared to only 4% for the LISA cropping system. Significantly lower soil mineral N to a depth of 180 cm was also observed. The NT soil had nearly twice as much mineral N present in the 90-180 cm portion than the LISA cropping system.

Corrigendum to: Conservation agriculture effects on soil properties and crop productivity in a semiarid region of India

Soil Research ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 57 (2) ◽  
pp. 200 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Somasundaram ◽  
M. Salikram ◽  
N. K. Sinha ◽  
M. Mohanty ◽  
R. S. Chaudhary ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Properties ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Soil Layer ◽  
Conservation Agriculture ◽  
Semiarid Region ◽  
Reduced Tillage ◽  
Organic C ◽  
Residue Retention

Conservation agriculture (CA) including reduced or no-tillage and crop residue retention, is known to be a self–sustainable system as well as an alternative to residue burning. The present study evaluated the effect of reduced tillage coupled with residue retention under different cropping systems on soil properties and crop yields in a Vertisol of a semiarid region of central India. Two tillage systems – conventional tillage (CT) with residue removed, and reduced tillage (RT) with residue retained – and six major cropping systems of this region were examined after 3 years of experimentation. Results demonstrated that soil moisture content, mean weight diameter, percent water stable aggregates (&gt;0.25mm) for the 0–15cm soil layer were significantly (Pmoderately labile&gt;less labile. At the 0–15cm depth, the contributions of moderately labile, less labile and non-labile C fractions to total organic C were 39.3%, 10.3% and 50.4% respectively in RT and corresponding values for CT were 38.9%, 11.7% and 49.4%. Significant differences in different C fractions were observed between RT and CT. Soil microbial biomass C concentration was significantly higher in RT than CT at 0–15cm depth. The maize–chickpea cropping system had significantly (P–1 followed by soybean+pigeon pea (2:1) intercropping (3.50 t ha–1) and soybean–wheat cropping systems (2.97 t ha–1). Thus, CA practices could be sustainable management practices for improving soil health and crop yields of rainfed Vertisols in these semiarid regions.

scholarly journals Application of Nematode Community Analyses-Based Models towards Identifying Sustainable Soil Health Management Outcomes: A Review of the Concepts

Soil Systems ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 32
Author(s):  
Haddish Melakeberhan ◽  
Gregory Bonito ◽  
Alexandra N. Kravchenko
Keyword(s):  
Nutrient Cycling ◽  
Health Management ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
Agricultural Practices ◽  
Nematode Community ◽  
Parasitic Nematodes ◽  
Worst Case ◽  
Pests And Diseases ◽  
Water Holding

Soil health connotes the balance of biological, physicochemical, nutritional, structural, and water-holding components necessary to sustain plant productivity. Despite a substantial knowledge base, achieving sustainable soil health remains a goal because it is difficult to simultaneously: (i) improve soil structure, physicochemistry, water-holding capacity, and nutrient cycling; (ii) suppress pests and diseases while increasing beneficial organisms; and (iii) improve biological functioning leading to improved biomass/crop yield. The objectives of this review are (a) to identify agricultural practices (APs) driving soil health degradations and barriers to developing sustainable soil health, and (b) to describe how the nematode community analyses-based soil food web (SFW) and fertilizer use efficiency (FUE) data visualization models can be used towards developing sustainable soil health. The SFW model considers changes in beneficial nematode population dynamics relative to food and reproduction (enrichment index, EI; y-axis) and resistance to disturbance (structure index, SI; x-axis) in order to identify best-to-worst case scenarios for nutrient cycling and agroecosystem suitability of AP-driven outcomes. The FUE model visualizes associations between beneficial and plant-parasitic nematodes (x-axis) and ecosystem services (e.g., yield or nutrients, y-axis). The x-y relationship identifies best-to-worst case scenarios of the outcomes for sustainability. Both models can serve as platforms towards developing integrated and sustainable soil health management strategies on a location-specific or a one-size-fits-all basis. Future improvements for increased implementation of these models are discussed.

scholarly journals Camelina, an ancient oilseed crop actively contributing to the rural renaissance in Europe. A review

2021 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Federica Zanetti ◽  
Barbara Alberghini ◽  
Ana Marjanović Jeromela ◽  
Nada Grahovac ◽  
Dragana Rajković ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Critical Evaluation ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Crop Productivity ◽  
Oilseed Crop ◽  
Crop Diversification ◽  
Pests And Diseases ◽  
European Farming ◽  
European Agriculture

AbstractPromoting crop diversification in European agriculture is a key pillar of the agroecological transition. Diversifying crops generally enhances crop productivity, quality, soil health and fertility, and resilience to pests and diseases and reduces environmental stresses. Moreover, crop diversification provides an alternative means of enhancing farmers’ income. Camelina (Camelina sativa (L.) Crantz) reemerged in the background of European agriculture approximately three decades ago, when the first studies on this ancient native oilseed species were published. Since then, a considerable number of studies on this species has been carried out in Europe. The main interest in camelina is related to its (1) broad environmental adaptability, (2) low-input requirements, (3) resistance to multiple pests and diseases, and (4) multiple uses in food, feed, and biobased applications. The present article is a comprehensive and critical review of research carried out in Europe (compared with the rest of the world) on camelina in the last three decades, including genetics and breeding, agronomy and cropping systems, and end-uses, with the aim of making camelina an attractive new candidate crop for European farming systems. Furthermore, a critical evaluation of what is still missing to scale camelina up from a promising oilseed to a commonly cultivated crop in Europe is also provided (1) to motivate scientists to promote their studies and (2) to show farmers and end-users the real potential of this interesting species.

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