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The research was done with the aim of evaluating the effect of the basin tillage system as a method of conservation agriculture, on improving smallholder farmers’ food security in Mutasa, Manicaland Province in Zimbabwe. This research focussed on the 2010/2011 agricultural season. The main objectives of this study were to determine the contribution of CA basin tillage system on increasing yields per hectare, to evaluate which CA principles are being practiced by smallholder farmers, and to determine how many months the harvested maize will last. The study compares smallholder farmers who practiced CA with farmers who practiced other tillage methods. The other tillage methods are ploughing and conventional hand hoe tillage systems. On average the farmers who practiced CA used 0.47 hectares of land whilst farmers who practiced other tillage methods used an average of 0.43 hectares of land. The average amount of maize produced by smallholder farmers who practiced CA was 824 kg while who practiced other tillage methods produced an average of 498 kg. Farmers practicing CA produced yield with an average of 1175 kg/ha of maize grain while farmers who practiced other tillage methods produced an average of 946 kg/ha. Food security in this reaseach was measured by the amount of months the maize grain produced was lasting in relation with the household size. 57 percent of the farmers who practiced CA are food secure because they have maize grain to last them a full consumption year and moreover surplus. Only 27 percent of the farmers who practiced other tillage methods produced enough to last a full consumption year.

Orientador: Claudio Bianor Sverzut / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Agricola / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-04T01:35:06Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 WeirichNeto_PedroHenrique_D.pdf: 810392 bytes, checksum: 192714e40250366271122cb286585056 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2004 / Resumo: Na atual conjuntura, em tempos de globalização e auto sustentabilidade, a agricultura brasileira é obrigada a rever conceitos. Nesta revisão novas técnicas são agregadas ao processo produtivo agrícola. Exemplos clássicos são as ¿técnicas¿ de semeadura sob a palha (Plantio Direto) e o manejo localizado de insumos (Agricultura de Precisão). A região dos Campos Gerais, Paraná, não foge a regra, região altamente tecnificada onde a semeadura sob a palha é uma realidade, começa a transformar conhecimento relativo ao manejo localizado de insumos. Mesmo, temporalmente, em estágios diferentes estas técnicas trazem ainda muitas dúvidas. Com vistas a contribuir nesta discussão realizou-se trabalho cujo objetivo foi qualificar o processo de semeadura junto ao sistema produtivo do milho no sistema de semeadura sob a palha. Escolheu-se o milho por este ocupar aproximadamente 1/3 da área agrícola de verão da região, e ser cultura de suma importância da rotação de culturas, um dos pilares do sistema de semeadura sob a palha. Utilizou-se análise de regressão linear múltipla, pelos métodos passo a passo (¿stepwise¿) e melhor regressão possível (¿bestsubset¿). Como variáveis representativas do processo de semeadura, independentes, analisou-se em duas linhas de semeadura, a distribuição de plantas através das variáveis; população de plantas e pressão de população de plantas (variável que considera o espaçamento individualmente) e a profundidade de deposição da semente. Em uma área agrícola, com doze anos de semeadura sob a palha, demarcaram-se 60 pontos eqüidistantes de 40 m. Em cada ponto mensurou-se como variáveis independentes; pH, Al, H+Al, Ca, Ca+Mg, P, K, CTC, V%, relaçãoCa/Mg, relaçãoCa/K, argila, areia, silte, profundidade do Horizonte A, profundidade do Horizonte A+transição, cota, resíduo, foram atribuídas notas para problemas na planta, problemas na espiga e quantificação de plantas espontâneas. Como variáveis representativas de rendimento do milho, dependentes, mensurou-se a massa de grãos por planta, a altura e o diâmetro de colmo da planta. Das duas linhas de semeadura acompanhadas, a linha dois sempre mostrou os melhores indicadores de ajuste. Este fato talvez pode ser explicado pelo estresse inicial sofrido pelas plantas da linha três, devido ao tempo de emergência de plântulas, ocasionando pela profundidade de deposição da semente. Os coeficientes de determinação (R2) variaram de 33,4% para o diâmetro da linha três, a 74,7% para a altura de planta da linha dois. As variáveis; população de plantas e pressão de população sempre se mostraram presentes nos conjuntos regressores que melhor explicaram os fenômenos de rendimento do milho / Abstract: In the actual time of globalization and self sustainability, Brazilian agriculture needs to review its paradigms. In this review new techniques are incorporated in the agriculture production process; classical examples are the no tillage system and the localized management of fertilizers (Precision Farming). The region of Campos Gerais, in the state of Paraná, is not an exception of this rule; a very high level of technology is employed, the no till system is a reality and knowledge about precision farming is being employed. As a brand new technology at the regional context, precision farming is subject to several uncertainties. Hence, this research was developed in order to make a contribution on this subject; the main goal was to qualify the seeding process of the corn production system in the no tillage system. This culture was chosen because about one third of the region cultivated area in the summer season is planted with it, and its importance in crop rotation, one of the pillars of the no till system. Linear multiple regression was used in order to analyze data using both, stepwise and best subset techniques. To represent the seeding process (independent variable), plant distribution in two seeding rows was analyzed through the variation in plant population, plant population pressure (a variable that considers spacing individually), and depth of seeding. In a cultivated field with 12 years of no tillage, 60 equidistant points (40 m.) were defined. At each point the following variables (independent) were measured: pH, Al, H+Al, Ca, Ca+Mg, P, K, CTC, V%, Ca/Mg index, CA/K index, clay content, sand content, silt content, depth of A horizon, depth of A horizon + transition A/B, relative altitude and amount of harvest residue. A scoring system was defined to include in the analysis problems in the plants, problems in the cobs and amount of weed infestation. The weight of grain by plant, plant height and the stem diameter were chosen as representative of corn production (dependent variable). The comparison of the two observed seeding lines showed that the line two always had a better correlation. This fact can be explained by the initial stress in the other line (line three) induced by the time of emergence of plants related to the depth of seeding. Coefficient of determination (R2) varied from 33,4% related to the stem diameter to the line three, to 74,4% to plant height in the line two. The variables plant population and plant population pressure were always present in the regressions equations with a better explanation of corn yield / Doutorado / Agua e Solo / Doutor em Engenharia Agrícola

Orientador: Bastiaan Philip Reydon / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Economia / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-27T05:27:00Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Telles_TiagoSantos_D.pdf: 2532419 bytes, checksum: 074d49e9f68a6dcd4d343ff801020e43 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015 / Resumo: Os preços de terras agrícolas podem ser determinados tanto pelos fatores produtivos quanto pelos fatores especulativos. Entre os fatores produtivos, é reconhecido que investimentos na conservação dos solos em áreas destinadas às atividades agropecuárias podem valorizar as terras agrícolas. O plantio direto na palha é uma tecnologia que integra diretrizes da agricultura conservacionista e que garante uma série de vantagens à produção agropecuária, com possíveis impactos no preço das terras, o que contribui para que a adoção desse tipo de preparo do solo esteja crescendo no Brasil. Essa expansão foi de tal grandeza que no Censo Agropecuário 2006, realizado pelo Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE), foi dedicada uma seção específica para o levantamento de informações sobre os tipos de preparo do solo. Esse levantamento possibilitou o cruzamento de informações sobre os tipos de preparo do solo com o preço das terras agrícolas, oferecendo a possibilidade de verificar se as terras utilizadas com o plantio direto na palha são mais valorizadas do que aquelas utilizadas com outros tipos de preparo, ou seja, cultivo convencional ou cultivo mínimo. Os resultados indicaram que no Estado do Paraná as terras agrícolas em áreas de lavouras temporárias com plantio direto na palha, quando comparadas aos demais tipos de preparo, são mais valorizadas. Essa valorização das terras associada ao plantio direto na palha também pode ser observada em outras Unidades da Federação, tais como Bahia, São Paulo, Rio Grande do Sul, Mato Grosso do Sul, Mato Grosso e Goiás. Mas o fenômeno da expansão do plantio direto na palha e aumento do valor das terras que utilizam a tecnologia pode estar relacionado a outros aspectos técnicos e econômicos inerentes a esta tecnologia, dentre os quais: a redução de risco de perdas de produção associados às questões climáticas e de custos, redução no número de operações agrícolas em comparação aos outros tipos de preparo e simplificação na gestão da propriedade agrícola. Adicionalmente, outro fator que pode ter influenciado essa relação entre plantio direto e valorização das terras agrícolas foram ações governamentais, por meio de programas e políticas públicas com foco na conservação e recuperação dos solos. Isso suscita a questão de que é válido investigar com mais profundidade a repercussão do programas dessa natureza na valorização do ativo terra enquanto fator para a tomada de decisão dos agricultores na adoção de práticas propostas pela agricultura conservacionista / Abstract: The cost of farm lands is determined by both productive and speculative factors. Soil conservation is one such factor that might result in the appreciation of areas dedicated to agriculture. The no-tillage (NT) is a technology integrating the guidelines of conservation agriculture and ensures several advantages to agricultural productions. It also impacts land prices and, in turn, favors the adoption of this type of soil preparation in Brazil. The expansion of the use of the NT was so significant that the 2006 Agricultural Census, carried out by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), dedicated one specific section for the acquisition of information about the types of soil preparation. The collected data allowed the study of the correlation between the type of soil preparation and the cost of farm lands. In particular, it enabled the comparison between the direct prices of lands using NT or other soil preparation, that are conventional tillage and minimum tillage. The results indicate that, in Parana State, farm lands in large areas of annual crops using NT are negotiated at higher prices comparison with land using other forms of soil preparation. This Brazilian farm land appreciation in association with the NT was also observed in other Federation units, such as Bahia, São Paulo, Rio Grande do Sul, Mato Grosso do Sul, Mato Grosso and Goias. The observed higher prices might also be associated with other technical and economical aspects, inherent to the NT, such as the reduction of risk of yield loss due to climate issues and decreased costs, diminished number of agriculture operations, in comparison with the other types of soil preparation and simplified management of the property. Additionally, another factor that might have influence on this relationship between the NT and the appreciation of the farm lands were governmental actions, represented by public programs and policies focusing on the conservation and restoration of soils. It raises the question that it is important to investigate more deeply the repercussion of such policies in the appreciation of land as an asset in the farmer's decision to adopt practices of the tillage conservation agriculture / Doutorado / Desenvolvimento Economico, Espaço e Meio Ambiente / Doutor em Desenvolvimento Economico

Orientadores: Zigomar Menezes de Souza, João Luís Nunes Carvalho / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Agrícola / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-28T23:42:11Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Barbosa_LeandroCarneiro_M.pdf: 2000639 bytes, checksum: 0eb5805e7b0c6a1993fa2a420d39c9e5 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015 / Resumo: O manejo de solo é essencial para promover condições ideais para o desenvolvimento radicular da cultura de cana-de-açúcar visando o aumento de produtividade de biomassa. Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a influência dos sistemas de preparo do solo convencional e plantio direto sobre o desenvolvimento radicular da cana planta para cultivar RB96-6928, em áreas com e sem rotação de cultura, relacionando-a com os atributos físicos do solo. Os manejos aplicados foram: a) rotação de cultura: i) área sem rotação (pousio); ii) com rotação de cultura utilizando Crotalária sp. b) sistema de preparo: i) preparo convencional (PC) ¿ subsolagem, aração, gradagem e sulcação da área para o plantio; ii) plantio direto (PD) ¿ sulcação e plantio. As amostras para a avaliação da densidade do solo (DS), macroporosidade, microporosidade e porosidade total foram coletadas em anéis volumétricos. A resistência do solo à penetração (RP) foi obtida em laboratório com o medidor automatizado de bancada. A avaliação do sistema radicular foi feita utilizando-se duas metodologias: monólito e sonda. Foram coletados 25 monólitos no espaçamento de 1,5 m linear até 1,0 m de profundidade. Os monólitos tinham as seguintes dimensões 0,3 x 0,1x 0,1 m coletados nas seguintes camadas de 0,00-0,10 e 0,10-0,20 m; 0,3 x 0,2 x 0,1m coletadas nas camadas 0,20-0,40 e 0,40-0,60 e 0,4 x 0,3 x 0,1 na camada 0,60-1,00 m. A sondagem foi feita com uma sonda de aço inox de 1,2 m de comprimento e 0,055 m de diâmetro interno. As raízes mais solo foram lavadas em água corrente e passadas em peneiras de 1 mm, e depois secas em estufas a 65°C por 72h. Os sistemas de preparo assim como o uso ou não de rotação de culturas antes do plantio da cana-de-açúcar não proporcionaram diferenças na produtividade tanto da parte aérea de colmos como do sistema radicular da cana planta. Por outro lado, houveram diferenças na produtividade da biomassa aérea e subterrânea da cultura entre os locais estudados, verificando as menores produtividades em solo arenoso com elevado déficit hídrico. Os atributos físicos do solo RP e DS apresentaram correlação com o desenvolvimento radicular, sendo que em solo arenoso a restrição ao crescimento das raízes ocorreu quando a RP foi maior que 1,5 MPa e DS de 1,7 kg m-3, enquanto que nos solos de textura argilosa esses valores foram de 2,5 MPa e 1,25 kg m-3 respectivamente. Em geral, o sistema radicular da planta se concentrou nos primeiros 0,40 m (70%) e ao redor da touceira (região do sulco de plantio) / Abstract: The soil management practice is fundamental to promote optimal conditions for root development of sugarcane culture aiming the increase of biomass productivity. This study aims the evaluation of soil physical properties and the root development of sugarcane plant in different management systems. The soil managements applied were: a) crop rotation: i) surface area without rotation (fallow); ii) with crop rotation using Crotalaria sp. b) conventional tillage (CT) - subsoiling, plowing, harrowing and the plough of the area for planting; ii) tillage (NT) ¿ plough and planting. Samples for bulk density (BD), macro, micro and total porosity were collected from soil core in volumetrical rings. The penetration soil resistance (RP) was obtained in laboratory. For the evaluation of root system two methodologies were applied: monolith and probe. 25 monoliths spaced 1.5 m to 1 m deep were collected. The monoliths presented the following dimensions: 0.3 x 0.1 x 0.1 m for the layers 0-0.10 and 0.10-0.20 m, 0.3 x 0.2 x 0.1 m for the layers 0.20-0.40 and 0.40-0.60 m, and 0.4 x 0.3 x 0.1 m for the layer 0.60-1.00 m. The drilling was performed using a stainless steel tube with 1.2 m of length and 0.055 m of internal diameter. The roots and the soil samples were washed in flowing water with a 1 mm sieve and then dried in oven at 65°C for 72h. The tillage systems as well the use or not of the crop rotation, before the planting of sugarcane, didn¿t affect the productivity of aerial part of stems as the root systems of the sugarcane. On the other hand, some differences were showed in productivity of both aboveground and underground biomass between the sites culture studied, finding the lowest yield in sandy soil with a high water deficit. The soil physical attributes RP and BD showed a correlation with the root development, once in the sandy soil the restriction on roots growth occurred when the RP was higher than 1,5 MPa and 1,7 kg m-3, whereas for clay soils the obtained values were 2,5 MPa and 1,25 kg m-3, respectively. It was find for both studied cases that the plant root system concenters in the first 0,40 m (70%) and around the clump (planting region) / Mestrado / Agua e Solo / Mestre em Engenharia Agrícola

Tillage increases erosion rates and diminishes the quality of soils but has traditionally been a way to manage weeds and prepare a seedbed. No-till vegetable production can ameliorate the ill-effects of tillage in an economically effective way but has not been studied much in California. The objective of this thesis was to determine the viability of no-till vegetable cropping on the Central Coast of California. Tomatoes were grown in no-till and conventionally tilled treatments. Total yield, fruit weight, weed emergence, soil bulk density, soil aggregate stability, and soil organic carbon content were measured and compared. Yields and soil tests in both treatments were similar while weed emergence in the tilled plots was significantly higher than in no-till plots. The results may help vegetable producers determine how to make vegetable production on the Central Coast more sustainable.

The migration of waterhemp (Amaranthus tuberculatus) into northern sugarbeet (Beta vulgaris) growing regions has prompted sugarbeet producers to utilize inter-row cultivation in their weed management program as no currently registered herbicides can control glyphosate-resistant waterhemp postemergence. Field experiments were conducted to evaluate cultivation efficacy on waterhemp and common lambsquarters (Chenopodium album) and to evaluate cultivation safety on sugarbeet. Cultivation efficacy experiments demonstrated cultivation removes 65% of waterhemp and has no effect on further waterhemp emergence, but can be deleterious to common lambsquarters control if cultivation is timed before sugarbeet canopy closure. The ideal time to implement inter-row cultivation in sugarbeet is after sugarbeet canopy is closed and can suppress further weed emergence. Cultivation safety experiments demonstrated three cultivations as late as August 16 had no effect on sugarbeet yield and quality. Cultivation is a valuable tool to control glyphosate-resistant weeds with no deleterious effects if used correctly. / Sugarbeet Research and Education Board of Minnesota and North Dakota

Improved soil water conservation has become an important subject in semi-arid areas due to low and erratic rainfall which is often combined with higher temperatures to provide unsuitable conditions for successful crop productivity. Dryland agriculture remains vulnerable to yield losses in these areas. This calls for implementation of conservation agricultural practices that would improve dryland maize productivity. An on-station field trial was started in 2007 at Zeekoegat experimental farm (24 kilometers north of Pretoria), to establish the effect of different conservation agriculture practices on soil and plant properties. The experimental lay-out was a split-plot randomized complete block design, replicated three times, with each replicate split into two tillage systems (whole plots) and then each whole plot (reduced tillage (RT) and conventional tillage (CT)) was subdivided into 12 treatments (two fertilizer levels x 6 cropping patterns). The present study explored the impacts of different tillage practices, cropping patterns and fertilization levels on soil water content, soil temperature and dryland maize productivity during the 2010/11 and 2011/12 growing seasons. To improve the quality of soil water content (SWC) data, the effect of correction for concretions on soil bulk density and the relationship between volumetric soil water content (SWC) vs neutron water meter (NWM) count ratios was also investigated. Corrections for concretions on soil bulk density did not improve NWM calibrations in this study. In all seasons, significantly higher mean SWC was found under RT treatment than in CT at all depths except at 0-300 mm. For example, during the 2010/11 growing season, SWC under RT was 1.32 % and 1.10 % higher than CT for the 300 – 1350 mm and 0 – 1350 mm soil profiles, respectively. The mean weekly SWC was consistently higher for RT throughout both the growing seasons. Significantly higher SWC was also found under monoculture at all soil depths (except at 0-300 mm during 2011/12) compared to treatments under intercropping. For example, during 2010/11, at 0-300mm, SWC under maize monoculture was 1.72 % higher than under intercropping. The maximum and minimum soil temperatures were significantly higher at 100 and 400 mm soil depths under CT than under RT during 2010/11. During 2011/12, significantly higher minimum soil temperatures at 100 mm depth and lower temperature differences (maximum – minimum soil temperatures) at 400 mm depth were observed under intercropping. Despite the higher SWC and reduced soil temperature under RT, the maize seeds emergence rate was lower and plant stand was reduced. This is attributed to other factors associated with RT systems such as increased soil penetration resistance which often leads to poor root development. The lower soil temperatures under RT were generally within the range that would not be expected to inhibit growth and uptake of nutrients. Slower growth under RT resulted in lower biomass and grain yield. Plants that received high fertilizer rates grew more vigorously than plants under lower fertilizer levels when water was not a limiting factor, but produced lower grain yield due to water shortage in March, especially in 2011/12. The harvest index was therefore lower for treatments that received high fertilizer levels. Maize biomass under monoculture x low fertilizer level was significantly lower compared to other fertilizer x cropping pattern treatments. Maize plant growth under intercropping was improved throughout the seasons, which led to significantly higher grain yield than under maize monoculture. It is therefore recommended that farmers in dryland areas take the advantage of intercropping maize with legumes to obtain higher maize productivity. Further research should focus on investigating the possibility of roots restrictions occurring under RT conditions and under various environmental and soil conditions. / Dissertation (MScAgric)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / lk2014 / Plant Production and Soil Science / MScAgric / Unrestricted

In the recent past, as more farm power is being demanded on farms, due to increased farm sizes and operating speeds, larger and heavier farm machines are deployed in various farming operations. Their cumulative negative effects have become more apparent with increased incidences of soil compaction problems. This has forced many farmers to practice deep tilling, using subsoilers to break up compacted subsoil layers. In some maize growing regions of South Africa, conventional subsoilers are used in a tandem configuration. The farmers believe that the use of subsoilers in this mode reduces the draft force per unit area tilled. This probably happens because the critical depth for the rear subsoiler is increased beyond its working depth of 600 mm. Operating in this mode necessitated this study, with the ultimate goal of testing an appropriate existing force model for a single tine in predicting the force requirements of the front subsoiler in a tandem configuration. Secondly, to develop an alternative model for the rear subsoiler based on the three-dimensional failed soil-profile and to determine the relative position of the front subsoiler at which energy utilization is optimized. To develop the proposed model, an analytical approach based on limit equilibrium analysis was used and a Matlab-based computer program was coded to solve it. Its verification was conducted through field experiments in sandy clay loam soil. The experiments consisted of a continuous measurement of the horizontal and vertical forces acting on each subsoiler by a two-dimensional force transducer system. At the same time, the three-dimensional and thus the cross-sectional areas of the disturbed soil-profiles at different sections were measured, as well as the soil characteristics. A manual method employing a pin-profile meter was used to measure the vertical cross-sectional areas of the failed soil-profiles at 100 mm intervals. Further more, a technique using an automatic penetrometer and a computer program was developed to identify and map the three-dimensional failed soil-profiles. This technique indicated that the subsoiler failed the soil beyond its maximum operating depth and width. The results also indicated that the soil-failure pattern at close spacing is in phase at both subsoilers, leading to reduced total draft force requirements. At a wider spacing, the soil-failure pattern was out of phase, thus resulting in increased total draft force requirements. At the same time, the cross-sectional area tilled per unit draft force increased with increased spacing. This was because the failed maximum cross-sectional area increased in size faster than the total draft force as the spacing was increased. The proposed model verification results show that the predicted and recorded forces at the rear subsoiler correlated reasonably well at a wider spacing. When the front subsoiler was shallow working and close to the rear subsoiler, the model under- predicted the measured forces on the rear subsoiler, whilst the Swick-Perumpral model over predicted the applied forces to the front subsoiler and this was generally the case at wider spacings. Furthermore the efficiency of the subsoilers was maximized when the longitudinal spacing was such that it allowed the soil failed by the front subsoiler to stabilize before the rear subsoiler reached it. The maximum cross-sectional area failed per unit draft force was recorded when the depth of the front subsoiler was equal to about 80% of the rear subsoiler-operating depth. The knowledge contributed by this research will not only facilitate qualitative field operations and optimize energy use, but also promote better management decisions. / Thesis (PhD (Engineering))--University of Pretoria, 2004. / Civil Engineering / unrestricted