The perennial cup plant (Silphium perfoliatum L.) is considered as an alternative feedstock to maize for biogas plants. Due to its ecological advantages of an extensive management and function as food resource for pollinators, it can be grown in Ecological Focus Areas (EFAs) since 2018. However, studies at the Julius Kühn‐Institute in Braunschweig (Germany) showed that the assumed advantage of the

In agroforestry systems, the canopy of maturing trees progressively reduces the radiation available for the crop. Tree management practices such as pollarding can be used to restore the crop light availability. We monitored durum wheat, barley and pea yields during three consecutive years in an alley‐cropping agroforestry system with hybrid walnut trees in Southern France. Trees have been pruned regularly

Nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) critical dilution curves and the N:S stoichiometry are useful tools for evaluating nutrient status in maize (Zea mays L.). Nutrient supply for both N and S impact plant nutrient uptake, consequently influencing the overall performance of fertilization diagnostic tools. Interaction between these nutrients has not been studied relative to their nutrient use efficiencies (NUE

Global warming has increased the frequency and duration of high temperature (HT) stress. Photosynthesis determines yield in maize and is extremely HT sensitive. The effects of HT on photosynthesis in maize leaves have been strongly examined under controlled conditions. Here, to explore the mechanism and primary inhibitory sites of HT to photosynthesis, the HT sensitivity of photosynthesis in XY335

It is well reported in the scientific literature that pastures can have similar net forage accumulation when managed with contrasting structures. However, we hypothesized that the dynamics of forage accumulation in grazed swards is linked to seasonal‐environmental conditions. Marandu palisadegrass (Brachiaria brizantha [Hochst. ex A. Rich.] was used as the forage species model. The experimental treatments

Members of the bacterial genus Azospirillum are root‐associated bacteria that increase yield in cereals by promoting growth and alleviating drought stress. How plants integrate the many bacterium‐derived growth‐promoting stimuli with other environmental factors to generate a coordinated response remains unresolved. Using a commercial Azospirillum strain, A. lipoferum CRT1 and two host maize cultivars

Cultivation of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) as one of the most important oil crops is of great importance, especially with focus on drought tolerance under the current climate change. Less precipitation and increasing temperatures lead to more regions with drought problems. In a container experiment, with two different sunflower cultivars, drought stress of 40% water‐holding capacity was applied

The gap between scientifically sound nitrogen (N) fertilizer application rates and the actual rates used by farmers in maize is still significant. The improvement of nitrogen use efficiency in such a highly N-demanding crop is necessary to decrease the negative effects of N fertilization. The objective was to compare the performance of different N management treatments in maize grown under semiarid

Nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) is crucial to establish efficient fertilizer application guidelines that balance crop yield, economic return and environmental sustainability. Although there are quite a few researches about the spatial and temporal variation of NUE, little work has been done on modelling NUE through deriving empirical relationships with explanatory environmental variables and exploring

Climate change is known to impact crop yields, mainly through increased temperatures, changing rainfall patterns and increasing CO2 concentration in the atmosphere. Although the potential effects of each of these factors have been discussed in a number of separate studies, no recent synthesis has been published to provide quantitative estimates of climate change impacts on crop yields, with or without

Frost damage significantly restrains global wheat production. Frost development is well documented at the landscape scale but inadequately studied at the sub-paddock scale. Particularly at sites with flat topography, which are where frost field trials are conducted. In these trials, wheat varieties are compared for frost resistance with researchers assuming minimum air temperature (frost severity)

Autumn-sown, non-bolting winter beets may show a faster canopy formation in spring. In order to estimate their yield potential, a dynamic model for winter beet was used to compare growth and yield of conventional, spring sown sugar beet (CB) with two non-bolting winter beet types at five representative sites across Germany. Non-bolting winter beets (WB) were parameterized according to available experimental

Proso millet (Panicum miliaceum L.)/mung bean (Vigna radiata L.) intercropping could serve as a new cereal/legume planting pattern to increase crop production. However, how these two crop species compete for resources by stimulating root development and water uptake is unknown. An experiment was conducted at the Northwest A&F University experimental site in northwestern China from 2017 to 2019 to investigate

Chilean hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) industry has been recently experiencing a solid development and nut production is consistently increasing. Corylus avellana is subjected to strong inter-annual yield fluctuations, which raise the issue of price predictability. In alternate bearing, a high fruit load hinders flower initiation thus leading to a smaller fruits production in the following year. This

Maize is the third most cultivated food crop in the world. Therefore, the impact of climate change and the development of adaptation strategies for maize are crucial to agricultural production and food security. The current study was undertaken to evaluate the impact of climate change and the development of adaptations strategies for maize in semi-arid environments using the Cropping System Model (CSM)-CERES-Maize

Integrating forage crops into traditional wheat and maize cropping systems is a potential alternative for increasing fodder supply while maintaining sustainable grain production on the Loess Plateau of China. This study was conducted to evaluate the biomass and crude protein production as well as the soil water balance and water use efficiency of oat (Avena sativa L.) and common vetch (Vicia sativa

Great understanding of the genotypic difference in diurnal stomatal conductance (gs) pattern and the key determinants of the pattern is important for saving water by adopting cultivars appropriately. Fifteen wheat genotypes were studied under different soil conditions and various meteorological conditions with pot cultivation in rain shelter for two years. Genotype and air humidity were found to be

In two identical pot trials, we investigated the effect of different biochars on the growth and water use efficiency (WUE) of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum‐graecum L.) grown with and without water stress. Plants were grown in pots with and without biochar. Rice husk (RH), standard rice husk (SRH), standard wheat straw (SWS) or standard oilseed rape straw (SOS) biochars were added at a rate of 2% by

Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) is an important grain legume crop, mostly grown in semi‐arid environments and often faces intermittent drought spells during different growth stages, which severely hamper its yield. This study, comprising of three separate experiments, was conducted to evaluate the potential of seed priming with CaCl2 in improving drought tolerance in lentil. In the first experiment

It was postulated that Si‐mediated plant resistance to herbivory changes with soil water status, increasing when plants are under drought stress. We subjected collard (Brassica oleracea) to such soil variables and assessed plant responses and effects on the leaf‐chewing larvae of Plutella xylostella and the sap‐sucking aphid Brevicoryne brassicae. Silicon accumulated in collard leaves independently

Salt stress is an ever‐present threat to rice production worldwide. Rice salinity tolerance is complex, both genetically and physiologically. The success and effectiveness in selecting salt‐tolerant rice variety require the identification of QTL for the tolerance and closely linked molecular markers. In the present study, a RIL population consisting of 148 lines, derived from a cross between IR29 (salt‐sensitive)

Northern, Southern and Equatorial Africa have been identified as among the regions most at risk from very high ozone concentrations. Whereas we know that many crop cultivars from Europe, north America and Asia are sensitive to ozone, almost nothing is known about the sensitivity of staple food crops in Africa to the pollutant. In this study cultivars of the African staple food crops, Triticum aestivum

Heat stress significantly limits yield in many wheat‐growing areas globally including north‐western NSW. While various traits linked to high‐temperature tolerance have been identified, the combination of traits that optimize the heat tolerance of wheat has not been established in most environments. A total of 554 genotypes were evaluated in the field at different times of sowing in north‐western NSW

Precipitation has generally increased in Norway during the last century, and climate projections indicate a further increase. The growing season has also become longer with higher temperatures, particularly in autumn. Previous studies have shown negative effects of high temperatures and, depending upon temperature conditions, contrasting effects of waterlogging on hardening capacity of timothy. We

The climate change will contribute drought and temperature extremes to rice growing systems, especially when cultivated in equatorial regions. To evaluate opportunities to cultivate and breed drought‐tolerant rice, seven rice cultivars were evaluated in Rwanda for recurring morphological drought scores, grain yield and components, and quality characteristics. The cultivation conditions, that is site

Environmental conditions influence phenology and physiological processes of plants. It is common for maize and sorghum to be sown at two different periods: the first cropping (spring/summer) and the second cropping (autumn/winter). The phenological cycle of these crops varies greatly according to the planting season, and it is necessary to characterize the growth and development to facilitate the selection

At low intensity, certain stress conditions may have a positive effect on growth and development of plants (eustress). Growth stimulation of barley plants after gamma irradiation of seeds in low doses was observed as an increase in root and shoot lengths. Hydrogen peroxide concentrations in shoots of irradiated plants were significantly higher than in control, while the opposite effect was observed

In order to determine whether the current low productivity associated with rainfed cultivation on degraded soils in Ghana can be improved by biochar amendment and irrigation, field experiments with maize were conducted over two seasons in 2017 and 2018. Rice straw biochar at rates of 0 t/ha (B0), 15 t/ha (B15) and 30 t/ha (B30) was combined with irrigation regimes of full irrigation (I100), deficit

We identified the most sensitive genotype-specific parameters (GSPs) and their contribution to the uncertainty of the MANIHOT simulation model. We applied a global sensitivity and uncertainty analysis (GSUA) of the GSPs to the simulation outputs for the cassava development, growth, and yield in contrasting environments. We compared enhanced Sampling for Uniformity, a qualitative screening method new

Quickly determining accurate crop genetic parameters for crop model applications can be difficult. In this study, we coupled the independent automatic parameter optimization tool PEST (Parameter ESTimation) with the crop growth model of DSSAT (Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer) using the R programming language. A new DSSAT-PEST package was developed to perform automatic optimization

Stylosanthes capitata Vogel is a C3 forage legume widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical pastures. However, the nutrient dynamics of this species under future climate change is unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the nutrient content, nutrient accumulation, nutrient use efficiency and growth of S. capitata exposed to increased [CO2] and temperature under field conditions using two

Removing solids from dairy slurry improves grass N response and reduces soil loading of P and organic N which makes this practice useful for sustainable farming. Therefore, it is important to understand the effects of long-term applications on grass of separated dairy slurry on the growth and N response of a subsequent corn crop. This two-year field study investigated the residual effects after 11

Forage grass canopies may be affected by the shaded microclimate in silvopastoral (SP) systems throughout the year. This in turn may affect forage plant characteristics. Our objective was to assess microclimate effects on the responses of Marandu palisadegrass {Urochloa brizantha (Hochst. ex A. Rich.) R. D. Webster [syn. Brachiaria brizantha (Hochst. ex A. Rich.) Stapf.]} under continuous stocking

Summer dormancy confers superior drought survival in cool‐season perennial grasses and is likely to be of increasing importance as climate change proceeds although relatively little is known about this trait. This paper explores the relationship between the level of abscisic acid (ABA), the expression of summer dormancy and the onset and relief of water deficit in cool‐season perennial grasses. Three

Waterlogging on croplands is increasing in various areas of the world. This study evaluated the yield penalty by early and late waterlogging on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) and field pea (Pisum sativum L.). Plants cultivated outdoors were exposed to a 14‐day waterlogging during vegetative (at 65 days after sowing (DAS)) or reproductive (at

Lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) has a large taproot to store and release starch, carbohydrates and nutrients during the plant's growth. Recommended management of the lucerne crop aims to keep the taproot stable subject to the demands for feed provision and stand longevity. Field experiments were conducted in Victoria, Australia, to examine the effects of recovery period on taproot mass and nutritive status

The area under oil palm in Ghana has expanded but average fruit bunch yields remained low, resulting in large yield gaps. This study assessed the potential for increasing yield with 'Best Management Practices (BMP)' on plantations and smallholder farms in southern Ghana, compared with current standard practices, i.e. reference (REF) yield. We evaluated short-term (≤1 year) yield increases with 'yield

The objective of this research was to analyse the potential effect of climate change on phenology and berry composition of the variety Tempranillo cultivated in areas of the Rioja DOCa (Spain) with different climatic characteristics. Three zones were selected within the DOCa, which were located at elevations between 325 and 650 m a.s.l. Phenology and the evolution of berry composition during ripening

A significant drop of 2.4–2.9 percentage-points (%-p) in crude protein content (on dry matter basis) in Danish grain crops was observed from around 1990 to 2015. The aim of the analysis was to quantify the effect of the change in N-response of varieties of winter wheat (WW) and spring barley (SB) under farmers’ conditions based on approx. 1000 fertilizer trials with WW and 500 with SB carried out in

This study determined how fall dormancy rating (FD2, FD5 or FD10) of lucerne genotypes affected crop yield and quality. One field experiment was measured for three growing seasons as a seedling crop and then three defoliation frequency regimes (DF) of 28 (DF28), 42 (DF42) or 84 (DF84) days were imposed (October 2014 to April 2017). Annual shoot dry matter (DM) yields ranged from 5.2 t DM/ha in DF28

Including legumes in winter, both as cover crop or for grain harvest, is recommended for avoiding long periods of bare fallow and supplying N for succeeding crops in the rotation. The aims of this study were to i) quantify the contribution of N derived from biological nitrogen fixation (N_BNF) in vetch (Vicia sativa L. or Vicia villosa L.) and field pea (Pisum sativum) in the Central Pampas region

Farmers facing the same production situation may have different farming objectives and thus farming practices. However, the latter are rarely precisely described since studies often use a unique indicator of soil use intensity, showing a weak explanatory value of biotic pressures. Our aim was to develop a framework to identify crop management strategies based on (i) 14 indicators of farming practices

Cultural systems based on mixtures of varieties may be more successful in resource use and resource use efficiency than those based on single varieties. Two triticale cultivars of different phenology (Bienvenu, intermediate; and Oceania, spring) grown in pure stands were compared with mixtures of the two (25:75; 50:50 and 75:25). Field experiments were carried out in Sardinia (Italy) in five experiments

The use of crop mixtures can help to reduce environmental impacts of agriculture, while maintaining, or even increasing yield. However, farmers seldom use crop mixtures, due to a combination of obstacles characterizing a sociotechnical lock-in. The dominant system remains the cultivation of pure crops, with acknowledged environmental impacts, but some innovative farmers are experimenting crop mixtures

One of the challenges of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) production is to minimize phosphorus (P) fertilization without negatively affecting the yield progress. Therefore, critical P dilution curves [Pc = acW−b; where Pc is the critical P concentration (%); ac is the critical plant P concentration (%) for a total dry matter (DM) biomass of 1 Mg ha-1; W is the total DM biomass expressed in Mg ha-1; and

The impact of different forms of nitrogen input, biochar amendments and their combination on the yield-scaled N2O emissions were investigated during the cultivation of a representative commercial crop. A field randomized block design with inorganic/organic fertilization and biochar amendment was established during a crop cycle of drip-irrigated broccoli. N2O emissions were measured with a static chamber

Drought cycling and soil re‐watering trends due to intermittent rainfall patterns are key stress factors that influence rice growth and yield under upland cultivation conditions. However, upland rice adaptation responses to fluctuating soil moisture conditions remain poorly understood. This study investigated root and shoot responses of upland New Rice for Africa (NERICA) varieties to episodic drought

To compare the phenolic responses under oxidative stressors, plants of two Italian cultivars of durum wheat (Claudio and Mongibello) were (a) exposed to ozone (O3) (80 ppb, 5 hr/day for 70 consecutive days), with the aim to investigate the changes of phenolic compound contents in their leaves, or (b) flooded (seven consecutive days). Plants showed O3‐induced visible injury, but their photosynthetic

Little is known about net photosynthetic rates (Pn) of potato during and after the end of a high‐temperature episode. We investigated Pn of potato leaves exposed to a high‐temperature episode. Plants were grown in the greenhouse at 22°C. Shortly after tuber initiation, plants were transferred to 30°C for 9 days and then returned to 22°C. High temperatures reduced Pn of older leaves but not of the youngest

Iran has been faced to drought during last decades, and one way to overcome this phenomenon is to improve the water productivity by introducing new crops tolerant to water stresses such as quinoa. Two‐year field experiment was performed to find out the response of quinoa (cv. Titicaca) to deficit irrigation imposed at different growing stages. Hence, the effect of full irrigation (100% irrigation water

Chickpea crops are often exposed to a combination of drought, heat and salinity stresses during the reproductive stage. Previous efforts have largely focused on these stresses in isolation, such that we do not understand whether genotypes tolerant to one stress can withstand other stresses. Around 22–44 chickpea genotypes contrasting for tolerance to drought, salinity or heat in previous studies were

Understanding factors underpinning the variability in nitrogen (N) utilization efficiency (NUtE) [i.e. grain yield per unit of N uptake at maturity (NupMAT)] is critical to direct future improvements in breeding and agronomic management. To our knowledge, no study has summarized changes in wheat NUtE across a wide range of experimental conditions. We performed a synthesis-analysis using published data

Queensland’s rangelands are an important source for Australia’s pastoral food production. However, they are subject to significant climate variability and will be under increasing pressure as the climate changes, potentially leading to loss of productivity. Pasture growth fluctuates greatly due to rainfall variability, which unfortunately is the climate variable with the largest uncertainties in future

Increasing plant density has been an effective way for cotton yield improvements. The density of plants in a community also determines competition intensity and the efficiency to exploit available resources. However, the competition response as well as optimal density for yields and the mechanisms of which in terms of fruit growth rate are poorly known. A field experiment was conducted on cotton (Gossypium

The cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) crop is an indeterminate species that is most sensitive to drought stress during the flowering and boll‐formation stage of development. To evaluate the effect of water deficit on fibre quality and carbon metabolism at different fruiting branches (FB), multiple controlled experiments were conducted. The cotton cultivar Siza 3 was used under three soil relative water

With climate change posing a serious threat to food security, there has been an increased interest in simulating its impact on cropping systems. Crop models are useful tools to evaluate strategies for adaptation to future climate; however, the simulation process may be infeasible when dealing with a large number of G × E × M combinations. We proposed that the number of simulations could significantly

Yield increases by fertilizer application impose higher crop water use, as biomass production is positively correlated with transpiration. To quantify effects of N fertilizer supply on evapotranspiration (ET) of winter wheat, a field experiment with three nitrogen rates (N0, N120 and N230) under non‐water‐limited conditions was performed during 2014 and 2015. Normalized difference vegetation index

Drought can be more frequent and severe along with elevated temperatures (eT). To deal with the climate change impact on plants, we need to understand the plant biochemical performance. Nowadays, there is a lack of information about the antioxidant response of plants, mainly growing in field conditions and under the future climatic scenario. In this context, we carried out this experiment to analyse