The stalk borer (SB), Papaipema nebris Gn. exhibited from 7 to 9 instars when reared on a meridic diet in a control-led environment. Both sexes went through variable numbers of instars before pupation. Head capsule width measurements did not form discrete sets, and overlap occurred between adjacent instars. In feeding preference tests with first instar larvae using either leaf disks or stem sections, higher numbers of larvae fed on grasses, such as orchardgrass, Dactylis glomerata L. or fescue, Festuca arundinacea Schreb., compared to numbers feeding on other plants. In no-choice laboratory and field tests, larvae tunnelled into plant stalks at the same frequency by which they would feed on foliage, showing a tendency to tunnel into plants they accept as hosts. Third or fourth instar larvae preferred to tunnel into orchardgrass and rye, Secale cereale Lover the other plants present in field cage tests. The SB prefers to oviposit on narrow leaved, perennial grasses, such as fescue and orchardgrass, over wide leaved annual grasses or broadleaf plants. Significantly higher numbers of eggs were laid on upright over prostrate plants in cage studies. The SB also preferred ovipositing on desiccating or dry plant material. Higher numbers of SB infested corn seedlings were found next to field margins compared to numbers found within fields. Contour and transect maps of SB infested fields showed considerable aggregation over three years, and this distribution was confirmed by high variance to mean ratios, and small k values. SB distribution in no-till corn can be adequately described by the negative binomial model. Field collections of SB in corn stalks showed 2, 3, or 4 instar larvae infesting the youngest seedlings. Variation existed in larval development from year to year. Linear regression covariance analysis showed that larval development was different between field collected larvae from year to year. / Ph. D. / incomplete_metadata

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The managedment of the pig manure, in the slurry or solid form (deep bedding), and how it is applied to the soil, in the surface or incorporated, must affect the dynamics of the C and the N in the soil. The objectives of this work were: 1) to evaluate the dynamics of the C and the N in soil and to evaluate the N supply to maize which were applied pig manure in the slurry and solid form, in no-tillage and minimum tillage system; and 2) to use the STICS model (BRISSON et al., 1998) to simulate the dynamics of N and water in the soil-plant system with the use of pig slurry in maize under no-tillage system. To reach the first objective, three experiments were realized. Two of them in the field conditions, during the period of 2002/03 in the Experimental Area of the UFSM/RS Soil Department in a typic Hapludult and one of them in laboratory conditions. The treatments consisted in the application or no application of pig manure in the slurry and solid form (deep bedding) on the crop oats residues with and without incorporation to the soil in the maize. Aiming to reach the second objective, a data set generated in the Experimental Area of the UFSM Soil Department during the period of 1998 to 2002, involving the N dynamics in the soil-plant system, with the use of pig slurry in notillage system was used. The gotten results had indicated that the N losses by NH3 volatilization were higher with the application of pig slurry than with the application of solid manure and that these losses decrease with the incorporation of the manure to the soil. The amounts of mineral N in the soil layer of 0-90 cm did not differ between the treatments with and without incorporation of the manure in spite of the lost N amount by volatilization has been higher in the treatment without incorporation. The incorporation of the manure to the soil did not increase the straw C decomposition and nor the N immobilization. The presence of the oats straw stimulated the immobilization of the ammoniacal N applied with the pig slurry. The solid manure presented low nitrogenous fertilizing otential to the maize when compared to the pig slurry in terms of the low mineralization rate of the organic N, present in the deep bedding. The N-N2O emission increased with the application of the pig slurry on the oats straw in relation to the system with straw and without pig slurry. The pig slurry ammoniacal 15N recovery by the maize in physiological maturation stage was only 14.9%. In the same period, only 49.2% of the ammoniacal 15N applied with the slurry pig slurry were recuperated in the soil and the plant (aerial part + roots), indicating that more than a half of the ammoniacal N applied with the pig slurry was lost through the volatilization, lixiviation and denitrification processes. The STICS model underestimates the amount of N lost by ammonia volatilization after the pig slurry application. The use of a factor in STICS to express the N losses by ammonia volatilization provided an improvement in the simulations of the N dynamics in the soil. The water dynamics in the soil layer of 0 - 60 cm was simulated by STICS with an error lower than 13.5%. These work results showed that the STICS reparametred model presents potential to be used in subtropical weather conditions in the simulation of the N and water dynamics in no-tillage system with the use of pig manure. / A forma como os dejetos de suínos são manejados, se na forma líquida ou sólida (cama sobreposta), e o modo de aplicação dos mesmos no solo, se na superfície ou incorporados, devem afetar a dinâmica do C e do N no solo. Os objetivos deste trabalho foram: 1) avaliar a dinâmica do C e do N no solo e o fornecimento de N ao milho com uso de dejetos de suínos na forma líquida e sólida, em sistema plantio direto e preparo reduzido do solo; e 2) utilizar o modelo STICS (BRISSON et al., 1998) para simular a dinâmica do N e da água no sistema solo-planta com o uso de dejetos líquidos de suínos em sistema plantio direto de milho. Para atingir o primeiro objetivo, foram realizados três experimentos, sendo dois em condições de campo, no período de 2002/03 na área Experimental do Departamento de Solos da UFSM/RS, em solo Argissolo Vermelho distrófico arênico, e um em condições de laboratório. Os tratamentos consistiram da aplicação ou não de dejetos de suínos na forma líquida e sólida (cama sobreposta), sobre os resíduos culturais de aveia com e sem incorporação ao solo, na cultura do milho. Com vistas ao alcance do segundo objetivo, foi utilizado um conjunto de dados gerados na área Experimental do Departamento de Solos da UFSM no período de 1998 a 2002 envolvendo a dinâmica do N no sistema solo-planta com o uso de dejetos líquidos de suínos em sistema plantio direto. Os resultados obtidos indicaram que as perdas de N por volatilização de NH3 foram maiores com a aplicação de dejetos líquidos de suínos do que com a aplicação de dejetos sólidos e que essas perdas diminuíram com a incorporação dos dejetos ao solo. As quantidades de N mineral na camada de 0-90 cm do solo não diferiram entre os tratamentos com e sem incorporação dos dejetos apesar da quantidade de N perdida por volatilização ter sido maior no tratamento sem incorporação. A incorporação dos dejetos ao solo não aumentou a decomposição do C da palha e nem a imobilização de N. A presença da palha de aveia estimulou a imobilização do N amoniacal aplicado com os dejetos de suínos. Os dejetos sólidos apresentaram baixo potencial fertilizante nitrogenado ao milho, comparado aos dejetos líquidos, em função da baixa taxa de mineralização do N orgânico presente na cama sobreposta. A emissão de N-N2O aumentou com a aplicação dos dejetos líquidos sobre a palha de aveia em relação ao sistema com palha e sem dejetos. A recuperação do 15N amonical dos dejetos líquidos pelo milho no estádio de maturação fisiológica foi de apenas 14,9%. Nesse mesmo período, apenas 49,2% do 15N amoniacal aplicado com os dejetos líquidos de suínos foram recuperados no solo e na planta (parte aérea + raízes), indicando que mais da metade do N amoniacal aplicado com os dejetos foi perdido através dos processos de volatilização, lixiviação e desnitrificação. O modelo STICS subestimou a quantidade de N perdida por volatilização de amônia, após a aplicação dos dejetos de suínos. O uso de um fator em STICS para expressar a perdas de N por volatilização de amônia proporcionou uma melhora nas simulações da dinâmica do N no solo. A dinâmica da água na camada 0 60 cm do solo foi simulada por STICS com um erro inferior a 13,5%. Os resultados desse estudo evidenciaram que o modelo STICS reparametrado apresenta potencial para ser utilizado em condições de clima subtropical na simulação da dinâmica do N e da água em sistema plantio direto com o uso de dejetos de suínos.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-26T13:40:03Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 texto completo.pdf: 692678 bytes, checksum: 939de1debaff9a91563d20289e2b58f8 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-02-27 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The physical and microbiological soil properties have been widely used in monitoring its quality. This is of great importance in determining the impactful as soil management can be., which are very important for determining how impactful a soil management may be, have been widely used for monitoring soil quality. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the physical and microbiological soil characteristics under cultivation and crop successions systems for ten years, in an Ultisol. The no-tillage (PD) and conventional tillage (PC), and succession crops of corn-beans (M-F) and soybean- wheat (S-T) were evaluated. For this, a field experiment in a split plot design was used, where the plots were the no-tillage (PD) and tillage (PC) systems and the subplots were the crop successions, corn-bean (M-F) and soybeans -wheat (S-T), in a completely randomized design with four replications, to physical characteristics of the soil, and three replicates for soil microbiological characteristics. Bulk density (Ds), macroporosity (Mac), microporosity (Mic), total porosity (Pt), organic matter content (MO) in the depths of 0-5; 10-15 and 20-25 cm; soil penetration resistance (RP) to a depth of 60 cm, microbial biomass carbon (MBC), soil respiration rate (C-CO2), metabolic quotient (qCO2) , microbial quotient (qMIC) and the content of total organic carbon (COT) in the depths of 0-5; 5-10 and 10-15 cm were all evaluated. Higher microporosity and total porosity of the soil was found at 0-5 cm depth in no-tillage system when C-B succession was cultivated. Bulk density was lower in both 10-15 cm and 20-25 cm depths when using the conventional tillage. Higher values of organic matter in the surface were found in the corn-bean succession in the no-tillage system. There was greater variation in the soil penetration resistance in the 5-25 cm depth, with higher RP at S-T succession in no-tillage system and reduced RP in the M-F succession in conventional tillage. Soil respiration rate differ between crop succession only in the 0-5 cm depth, which was greater for C-B succession. Conventional tillage presented higher amount of total organic carbon than no-tillage system at depths of 5-10 and 10- 15 cm. The qCO2 differed between crop successions at the depth of 10-15 cm, where the soil with the M-F succession presented the highest value. The physical and microbiological soil characteristics were affected by the tillage systems and crop ix successions after ten years. The no-tillage system yielded improvements in some physical soil properties in comparison to conventional tillage in the first 5 cm of soil after ten years of use. The cultivation M-F succession resulted in higher porosity in the soil surface and in the subsurface. The crop successions affected soil respiration rate only in the lower depth. An increased activity of microorganisms in soil is found when using the bean-corn succession crop. / As características físicas e biológicas do solo vêm sendo muito utilizadas no monitoramento da sua qualidade, sendo de grande importância na determinação do quão impactante determinado manejo de solo pode ser. Assim, objetivou avaliar as características físicas e microbiológicas do solo sob sistemas de plantio e sucessões de culturas por dez anos, em um Argissolo Vermelho-Amarelo. Foram avaliados os sistemas plantio direto (PD) e plantio convencional (PC) e as sucessões de culturas milho-feijão (M-F) e soja-trigo (S-T). Para isso, utilizou-se um experimento de campo em esquema de parcelas subdivididas, tendo nas parcelas os sistemas de plantio direto (PD) e convencional (PC) e, nas subparcelas, as sucessões de culturas, milho-feijão (M- F) e soja-trigo (S-T), no delineamento inteiramente casualizado com quatro repetições, para caracteristicas física do solo, e três repetições, para caracteristicas microbiologicas do solo. Avaliaram-se a densidade do solo (Ds), macroporosidade (Mac), microporosidade (Mic), porosidade total (Pt), teor de matéria orgânica nas profundidades de 0-5, 10-15 e 20-25 cm, resistência mecânica do solo à penetração (RP) até a profundidade de 60 cm, carbono da biomassa microbiana (CBM), taxa respiratória dos microrganismos no solo (C-CO2), quociente metabólico (qCO2), quociente microbiano (qMIC) e teor de carbono orgânico total (COT) nas profundidades de 0-5, 5- 10 e 10-15 cm. O solo sob plantio direto, na profundidade de 0-5 cm, apresentou maior microporosidade e porosidade total do solo quando cultivada a sucessão M-F. A densidade do solo foi menor quando utilizado o plantio convencional, tanto na profundidade de 10-15 cm, quanto na de 20-25 cm. Maiores teores de matéria orgânica em superfície foram observados no plantio direto da sucessão M-F. Houve maior variação na RP entre 5 e 25 cm de profundidade, com maiores valores no plantio direto sucessão S-T e menor RP no plantio convencional sucessão M-F. A taxa respiratória dos microrganismos do solo diferiu entre as sucessões de culturas apenas na profundidade de 0-5 cm, sendo ela maior para a sucessão M-F. O solo sob plantio convencional apresentou, nas profundidades de 5-10 e 10-15 cm, maior teor de carbono vii orgânico total que o do plantio direto. O qCO2 foi maior para o solo com a sucessão M- F diferiu entre as sucessões de culturas na profundidade de 10-15 cm, tendo o solo com a sucessão M-F maior valor. As características físicas e microbiológicas do solo foram afetadas pelos sistemas de plantio e sucessões de culturas, após dez anos. O plantio direto proporcionou melhorias em algumas características físicas do solo, em relação ao plantio convencional, nos primeiros 5 cm de solo, depois de dez anos de uso. O cultivo da sucessão M-F resultou em maior porosidade no solo em superfície e em subsuperfície. As sucessões de culturas influenciaram a taxa respiratória dos microrganismos no solo apenas na menor profundidade. Maior atividade dos microrganismos no solo é observada quando empregada a sucessão milho-feijão.

MSCAGR (Soil Science) / Department of Soil Science / The effects of tillage on soil structure and associated soil properties such as soil respiration may differ in different soils. The study determined the effects of tillage, soil texture and mineralogy in selected soil properties on different soil types. Soil samples were collected from four different sites in the Limpopo province, South Africa. The soils were classified as Glenrosa with sandy loam texture, Dundee with loamy sand, Hutton with clay, and Shortlands with clay. Glenrosa and Dundee were dominated by quartz, while Hutton and Shortlands with kaolinite. Soil samples were taken from the surface 0 – 20 cm under conventional tillage and no-till land. Soil organic matter, texture, and mineralogy were determined. The soils were wetted to activate the microorganisms and incubated for 70 days at 30℃ and soil respiration was determined using alkali trap method on a weekly basis. The study was conducted in triplicates and arranged in a completely randomized design. Data was subjected to analysis of variance using general linear model procedure of Minitab version 19. Means were compared using paired t-test at (p ≤ 0.05). The Pearson correlation coefficient (r) was used to measure the strength of linear dependence between variables. There was a significant difference in soil organic matter (p≤0.000) among all studied soils. The mean values of soil organic matter were 2.19% in Hutton, 2.0% in Shortlands, 0.54% in Glenrosa, and 0.43% in Dundee. Quartz had a strong negative linear relationship (r = -0.66) with soil organic matter while kaolinite had a strong positive linear relationship (r = 0.96). Soil respiration increased in soils dominated with quartz and decreased in soils dominated with kaolinite. The soil respiration increased by 18.95 g CO2 m-2 d-1 in conventional tillage and decreased by 13.88 g CO2 m-2 d-1 in no-tillage due to increased exposure of soil organic matter under conventional. It was concluded that less intensive tillage such as no-tillage reduces soil respiration. / NRF

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1985 J638 / Master of Science

Thesis (MScAgric)--University of Stellenbosch, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of a grass herbicide, a broadleaf herbicide with some grass control capabilities, method of tillage (tine and no-tillage) at planting of wheat as well as different medic cultivars on the regeneration, dry matter (OM) production and quality of a medic pasture. The trial was conducted at Langgewens experimental farm in the Swartland wheat producing area. Nine medic cultivars of three different species were evaluated after being sprayed with either haloxyfop-R-methyl (HAL) ester or imazamox (IMI) and subjected to either a tine tillage or a no tillage treatment at planting of wheat. Soil samples were taken during January 2000 to determine the size of the medic and weed seedbank as well as the degree of dormancy in the medic seeds, while OM samples were taken throughout the growing season to determine the OM production of the different medic cultivars and weed species. OM samples taken during October 1998 on the same pasture, were used to determine the crude protein (CP) and neutral detergent fibre (NOF) content of the pasture. The samples were subjected to in vitro digestion and the digestibility of pasture CP (OCP), NOF(ONOF) and DM (DOM)were determined. Results showed that seedling establishment differed between cultivars used, herbicide treatments applied as well as the crop stage in the rotation. The cultivars produced more seedlings where IMI was applied compared to HAL as well as where the area consisted of two year pasture compared to one year pasture (1998) and one year wheat (1999). After a year of pasture and a year of wheat, cultivars Sephi and Paraggio produced the most seedlings, while Caliph and Orion produced the least. Caliph however, showed a very high degree of seed dormancy while Orion's low seedling establishment was due to its sensitivity to the IMI herbicide used. Little difference was found between the nine cultivars early in the season (July - August) with regard to cumulative OM production, except for Orion, whose growth was severely damaged by the IMI treatment. At the end of the growing season (October), the cultivar Caliph's cumulative OM production (2010.1 kg/ha) was significantly higher than all the other cultivars, except for Parabinga (1053. 4 kg/ha). Oifferent pasture samples, of which the botanical composition was known, was analysed for CP, NOF, OOM, OCP and ONOF. There was no significant difference in pasture composition during 1998 but variation in the pasture composition did however cause the IMI treatment, compared to the HAL treatment, to have a lower ONOFand OOMcontent. A modelling procedure was used to predict the pasture quality parameters (CP, NOF, OOM,OCP and ONOF) from the pasture composition (medic hay, medic pods, grassy and broadleaf weeds). This prediction of CP, NOF, OOM, ONOF and OCP from the pasture components had a relative low accuracy (49 -74.1 %) and a further refinement of this model for possible use on farms in order to improve grazing management and animal production is advised. In conclusion it could be said that broadleaf weed control caused a definite increase in medic seed and OMproduction, but Orion should not be used with an IMI herbicide. All the cultivars, except for Orion, produced enough seedlings up to the second year to ensure sustainability of the medic pasture. All the cultivars, except for Orion, produced a sufficient amount of OM early in the growing season. Caliph however, produced by far the most OM later in the growing season. A reduction of broadleaf weeds and medic pods will increase the digestibility of NOFand OMand therefore increase the quality of the pasture. Pods however are an important part of summer forage and the aim should therefore rather be to reduce the number of broadleaf weeds in the pasture. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie studie was om die effek van 'n gras en breëblaar onkruiddoder (wat sekere grasse beheer), metode van bewerking tydens die saai van koring asook nege verskillende medic kultivars op die regenerasie, droë materiaal produksie en kwaliteit van medic weidings te bepaal. Die proef is gedoen op Langgewens proefplaas wat geleë is in die Swartland koring produserende gebied. Nege medic kultivars is geëvalueer nadat die weiding met of haloxyfop-R-metiel ester (HAL) of imazamox (IMI) onkruiddoders gespuit is en onderwerp is aan of 'n vlak tand of geen bewerking tydens die saai van koring. Grondmonsters is geneem in Januarie 2000 om die grootte van die medic en onkruid saadbank asook om die graad van dormansie in die verskillende medic kultivars se sade te bepaal. Droë materiaal monsters is gedurende die 2000 groeiseisoen geneem om die droë materiaal produksie van die verskillende medic kultivars asook onkruid spesies te bepaal. Droë materiaal monsters is gedurende Oktober 1998 geneem en gebruik om die ruproteïn (CP) en neutraaloplosbare vesel (NDF) inhoud van die weiding te bepaal. Die monsters is in vitro verteer en die verteerbaarheid van CP (OCP), NDF (ONOF) en droë materiaal (DOM) is bepaal. Resultate wys dat saailing vestiging verskil tussen die verskillende kultivars wat gebruik is, verskillende onkruiddoder behandelings asook die stadium van die weidings/koring. Die kultivars het meer geproduseer waar die weiding met IMI behandel is in vergelyking met waar HAL toegedien is, asook waar koring nog nie gesaai is nie. Na 'n jaar van weiding en 'n jaar van koring, het die kultivars Sephi en Paraggio die meeste saailinge, en Caliph en Orion die minste saailinge gehad. Caliph het egter 'n hoë graad van dormansie in sy saad getoon, terwyl die swak vestiging van Orion die gevolg is van die kultivar se hoë sensitiwiteit teenoor IMI. Min verskil is gevind tussen die nege kultivars, vroeg in die groei seisoen (Julie - Augustus), wat kumulatiewe droë materiaal produksie betref, behalwe vir Orion wat erg beskadig is deur die IMI behandeling. Aan die einde van die groeiseisoen (Oktober 2000) was die kumulatiewe droë materiaal produksie van die kultivar Caliph (2010.1 kg/ha) betekenisvol hoër as al die ander kultivars behalwe vir Parabinga (1053.4 kg/ha). Weidingsmonsters, waarvan die botaniese samestelling bekend was, is ontleed vir CP, NDF, DDM, DCP en DNDF. Daar is geen betekenisvolle verskille gevind in die botaniese samestelling van die weidingmonsters geneem in 1998 nie,maar die variasie in botaniese samestelling het veroorsaak dat IMI in vergelyking met HAL 'n laer DNDF and DDM inhoud het. 'n Model is opgestel wat die weidingskomponente (medic hooi, medic peule, gras en breëblaar onkruide) gebruik om die kwaliteits parameters (CP, NDF, DDM, DCP en DNDF) van die weiding te skat. Hierdie skatting van CP, NDF, DDM, DCP en DNDF deur van die weidingskomponente gebruik te maak het 'n relatiewe lae akuraatheid gehad (49 -74.1 %) en verdere verfyning van hierdie model vir moontlike gebruik op plase, ten einde weidings bestuur en diere produksie te verbeter, word voorgestel. Die gevolgtrekking kan gemaak word dat breëblaar onkruidbeheer 'n definitiewe verbetering in die medic saailing en droë materiaal produksie van die medies te weeg gebring het, maar die kultivar Orion behoort nie saam met 'n IMI gebruik te word nie. AI die getoetste kultivars, behalwe Orion, het voldoende saad oorlewing vertoon tot en met die tweede jaar van die rotasie om lewensvatbaarheid van die sisteem te verseker en alle kultivars, behalwe Orion, het voldoende droë materiaal produseer vroeg in die groeiseisoen. Caliph het egter laat in die groeiseisoen by verre die meeste droë materiaal geproduseer. 'n Vermindering in die hoeveelheid breëblaar onkruide en peule in die weiding sal tot 'n verhoging in die verteerbaarheid van NDF en DM lei en dus 'n verhoging in die kwaliteit van die weiding tot gevolg hê. Peule is egter 'n belangrike bron van voedsel aan weidende diere gedurende droë somermaande en die verbetering van weidings moet eerder gedoen word deur te poog om breëblaar onkruide te beheer.

Thesis (MScAgric)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The pressure on the world’s natural resources is increased by an expanding global population. The majority of the growth is expected to take place in Africa and Asia. This creates the need for sustainable agricultural practices. To sustain food security, the limited natural resources must be utilised efficiently to optimise agricultural productivity. Conservation agriculture (CA) is one of the most holistic sustainable agricultural practices yet. It reduces environmental degradation, and concurrently it could enhance farm profitability. The practice of CA is able to improve food security while sustaining the environment for the benefit of future generations of both consumers and producers. A large proportion of the commercial grain producers in the Western Cape have adopted CA to varying degrees. A purer form of CA practice is continually pursued to realise its full benefits. Adoption has taken place in the absence of any policy support framework directed to CA, and thus, has been market driven. The reasons for and rates of CA adoption in other regions of the world differed, but was mostly successful, which highlights the driving forces behind adoption of CA in the Middle Swartland. The physical/biological benefits of CA are well known. The financial implications of the various systems within CA, at farm-level are still unknown. This study implements trial data from Langgewens experimental farm to evaluate the financial implications of various farming systems over an extended period. Farm systems are complex, consisting of numerous interrelated components. A whole-farm budget model is developed within a systems approach to compare various farming systems designed within CA principles. A trustworthy whole-farm model providing an accurate representation of a real life farm requires insight across many scientific disciplines. Multidisciplinary group discussions are used to bridge the gap between scientific knowledge. To serve as a basis for comparison, the whole-farm model was based on a typical farm within the Middle Swartland relative homogeneous farming area. Trial data on crop rotations and tillage systems from Langgewens experimental farm served as starting point for the research. The data was fitted for use in financial analysis and as input to the typical farm model. A key role of the inter-disciplinary expert group was to ensure that data and the model design accurately reflect the underlying physical/biological processes of CA. The financial evaluation of the various farming systems showed that conventional agricultural practices of monoculture and deep tillage are financially unsustainable. Farming systems under conventional tillage returned negative net present values (NPV) and an internal rate of return on capital investment (IRR) lower than the real interest rate. This implies that investment in conventional tillage will ultimately lead to financial losses. The financial benefits of CA are directly related to improved soil health, lower weed and pest stress and improved yields. The CA farming systems were less susceptible to variations in external factors, highlighting the resilience of the system that incorporates crop rotation and no-till. The farming systems operated under conventional practices are expected to be unsustainable over a long-term period of 20 years. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Opsomming Die druk op die aarde se natuurlike hulpbronne word verhoog deur ʼn groeiende wêreld populasie. Die meeste van die groei word verwag in Afrika en Asië. Dit skep die nodigheid vir volhoubare landboupraktyke. Om voedselsekerheid te volhou moet die beperkte natuurlike hulpbronne doeltreffend benut word om landbouproduksie te optimeer. Bewaringslandbou is die mees holistiese volhoubare landboupraktyk tot op hede. Dit verminder omgewingsdegradasie terwyl boerderywinsgewendheid kan verbeter. Die praktyk van bewaringslandbou is in staat om voedselsekuriteit te verbeter terwyl die omgewing onderhou word tot voordeel van toekomstige generasies van beide produsente en verbruikers. ʼn Groot gedeelte van kommersiële graanprodusente in die Wes-Kaap het bewaringslandbou teen verskillende intensiteit aangeneem. ʼn Suiwer vorm van bewaringslandbou word deurlopend nagejaag om die volle voordeel daarvan te benut. Die aanneming van bewaringsboerdery het sonder regeringsbeleid plaasgevind en was dus markgedrewe. Bewaringsboerdery is in ander wêrelddele vir verskillende redes aangeneem, maar was meestal suksesvol. Dit beklemtoon die beweegrede vir die aanneming van bewaringslandbou in die Middel Swartland. Die fisies/biologiese voordele van bewaringslandbou is wel bekend. Die finansiële implikasies van verskillende stelsels binne bewaringslandbou op plaasvlak is nog nie bekend nie. Hierdie studie gebruik proefdata van Langgewensproefplaas om die finansiële implikasies van verskillende boerderystelsels oor die langtermyn te evalueer. Boerderystelsels is kompleks en bestaan uit interafhanklike komponente. ʼn Geheelplaas begrotingsmodel is binne ʼn stelselsraamwerk ontwikkel om verskillende stelsels wat binne bewaringslandboubeginsels ontwerp is, te evalueer. ʼn Geloofwaardige geheelplaasmodel wat ʼn akkurate weerspieëling van realiteit verskaf benodig insig van verskeie wetenskaplike dissiplines. Multidissiplinêre groepbesprekings is gebruik om die gaping tussen die verskillende dissiplines te oorbrug. Die basis vir vergelyking wat gebruik is, is ʼn tipiese plaas in die relatief homogene boerderygebied van die Middel Swartland. Proefdata van verskillende gewasrotasie- en bewerkingstelsels is as die vertrekpunt vir die studie gebruik. Die data is pasgemaak vir finansiële ontledings en om te dien as inset vir die geheelplaasmodelle. ʼn Kern rol van die interdissiplinêre ekspert groep was om te verseker dat die data en die model-ontwerp die onderliggende beginsels van bewaringslandbou reflekteer. Die finansiële evaluasie van die verskillende boerderystelsels wys dat konvensionele landboupraktyke met monokultuur en diepbewerking nie finansieel volhoubaar is nie. Boerdery stelsels onder konvensionele bewerking genereer ʼn negatiewe netto huidige waarde en ʼn opbrengs op kapitaal investering wat laer as die inflasie vlak is. Dit beteken dat investering in konvensionele uiteindelik tot finansiële verlies kan lei. Die finansiële voordele van bewaringslandbou is direk geassosieer met verbeterde grondgesondheid, laer onkruid en plaag-druk en beter opbrengste. Die bewaringslandbou boerderystelsels is ook minder blootgestel aan veranderinge in eksterne faktore wat die gehardheid van die stelsels wat gewas-wisselbou en geenbewerking inkorporeer, beklemtoon. Die boerderystelsel onder konvensionele praktyke sal na verwagting nie volhoubaar wees oor ʼn langer periode van 20 jaar nie.

Soil tillage is one of the most important agrotechnological processes having huge influence on the sowing, germination, growing, yield and quality of cultivated plants. At the same time soil tillage is one of the most expensive and energy consuming agrotechnological processes of plant cultivation. The conventional tillage technologies using mouldboard and intensive cultivation machinery have both a positive impact on the preparation of the seedbed for plants and a negative impact as they are rather detrimental to the environment, soil, its properties, biodiversity, pollution of water bodies, etc. During the conventional soil tillage the crop residues of the last yield are incorporated into the deeper layers of the soil and the soil surface is not covered. Such soils are much susceptible to the environmental forces and are easier disturbed by wind and water erosion. Every year around 6 mio ha of fertile soil areas are lost due to inappropriate agricultural activities and changing environmental conditions. Another very important factor is that deep ploughing is an unproductive soil tillage method pertaining to huge time and energy consumption. At the same time multiplex driving of heavy weight agricultural machinery over the soil results in negative influence on its peoperties as well as consuming of huge amounts of diesel fuel results in high pollution of the environment with the greenhouse gas. Therefore, in order to reduce the negative influence of agricultural activities... [to full text] / Žemės dirbimas yra vienas svarbiausių agrotechnologinių procesų, turinčių labai didelę įtaką kultūrinių augalų sėjai, sudygimui, augimui, derliui ir jo kokybei. Tuo pačiu žemės dirbimas yra ir vienas iš brangiausių ir energijai imliausių kultūrinių augalų auginimo agrotechnologinių procesų. Įprastinio žemės dirbimo technologijos, kuriose naudojamos verstuvinės ir intensyviai dirvą purenantys žemės dirbimo agregatai, greta teigiamo poveikio augalų sėklų guoliavietės paruošimui, yra pakankamai žalingos aplinkai, dirvai, jos savybėms, biologinei įvairovei, vandens telkinių taršai ir t.t. Įprastinio žemės dirbimo metu augalinės praėjusio derliaus liekanos yra įterpiamos į gilesnius dirvos sluoksnius ir dirvos paviršius lieka neuždengtas. Tokios dirvos yra žymiai jautresnės aplinkos veiksniams ir lengviau pažeidžiamos vėjo ir vandens erozijos. Kiekvienais metais, pasaulyje, dėl netinkamos žemės ūkio veiklos ir kintančių aplinkos sąlygų prarandama apie 6 mln. ha derlingų dirvos plotų. Kitas labai svarbus aspektas yra tas, kad žemės dirbimas gilaus arimo plūgais yra mažai našus, daug darbo laiko ir energijos sąnaudų reikalaujantis žemės dirbimas. Tuo pačiu daugkartinis didelės masės žemės ūkio agregatų važinėjimas po dirvą ne tik daro neigiamą įtaką jos savybėms, bet ir, sudeginant didelius kiekius dyzelinių degalų, stipriai teršia aplinką šiltnamio efektą sukeliančiomis dujomis. Todėl pastaruoju metu, siekiant mažinti žemės ūkio veiklos daroma neigiamą įtaką dirvos degradacijai... [toliau žr. visą tekstą]

Siekiant įvertinti supaprastinto žemės dirbimo ir tiesioginės sėjos įtaką žieminių kviečių agrofitocenozei ir dirvos fizikinėms savybėms atlikti tyrimai 2009-2010 m. ilgalaikiame eksperimente, kuris įrengtas 1988 m. Lietuvos žemės ūkio universiteto Bandymų stotyje giliau karbonatingame giliau glėjiškame išplautžemyje – IDg4-k2 (Endocalc(ar)ic Endohipogleyic Luvicol – LWg-n-ww-cc) FAO, vidutinio sunkumo priemolyje ant smėlingo lengvo priemolio. Lauko eksperimento variantai: 1. Įprastinis arimas 23-25 cm gyliu (IA); 2. Seklusis arimas 12-15 cm gyliu (SA); 3. Gilusis purenimas (kultivavimas strėliniais noragėliais 23-25 cm gyliu) (GP); 4. Seklusis purenimas 12-15 cm gyliu (SP); 5. Tiesioginė sėja į neįdirbtą dirvą (glifosatu purškiama pagal reikalą) (ND). Nustatyta, kad žemės dirbimo supaprastinimas bei tiesioginė sėja ženkliai padidino trumpaamžių ir daugiamečių piktžolių daigų tankumą žieminių kviečių krūmijimosi tarpsnyje, lyginant su įprastiniu arimu. Taikant ilgalaikę tiesioginę sėją žieminių kviečių agrofitocenozėje krūmijimosi tarpsnyje daugiau išplito bekvapis šunramunis, mažoji strugena, dirvinis garstukas ir trikertė žvaginė, lyginant su kitais žemės dirbimo būdais. Bekvapių šunramunių gausumas žieminių kviečių pieninės brandos tarpsnyje buvo taip pat ženkliai didesnis tiesiogiai javus sėjant į ražienas, negu taikant įprastinį ir supaprastintą žemės dirbimą. Didesnis trumpaamžių piktžolių skaičius rastas kviečių pieninės brandos tarpsnyje giliai ir sekliai... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / In order to evaluate the effect of reduced tillage and direct seeding on agrophytocenosis of winter wheat and physical properties of soil, tests were carried out. In a long-term experiment conducted in the period between 2009 and 2010, which was installed in 1988 in Experimental Station at Lithuanian University of Agriculture in calcarous and endohypogleyic luvisol – IDg4-k2 (Endocalc(ar)ic Endohipogleyic Luvicol – LWg-n-ww-cc) FAO, in medium loam on sandy light loam. Field experiment options: 1. Routine Plowing depth of 23-25 cm (RP) 2. Shallow Plowing depth of 12-15 cm (SP); 3. Deep Hoeing (cultivation with arrow-type ploughshare, depth of 23-25 cm) (DH); 4. Shallow Hoeing depth of 12-15 cm (SH); 5. Direct Seeding in uncultivated soil (sprayed with glyphosate if necessary) (US). The results show that when compared with conventional tillage, the reduced tillage and direct seeding have significantly increased the density of seedlings of short-lived perennial weeds at the stage of tillering of winter wheat. When compared with other methods of tillage, during long-term direct seeding, at the stage of agrophytocenosis and tillering of winter wheat, the scentless false mayweed, mouse-tail, wild mustard and shepherd's purse were more widespread. Abundance of scentless false mayweed at the stage of lactic ripeness of winter wheat was significantly greater when grains were directly sown in the stubble than using conventional and reduced tillage. A larger number of short-lived... [to full text]

Cette thèse visait à caractériser et à modéliser la dynamique des trois ressources principales que sont l'eau, l'azote et le rayonnement dans une association en relais maïs-plante de couverture en semis direct en région tropicale subhumide et ses conséquences sur la productivité de la culture principale et de l'ensemble du système et sur les flux d'eau et d'azote dans le sol. Le travail repose sur un dispositif expérimental mis en place dans les Cerrados, à Unaí (Minas Géras, Brésil) en 2007 pour deux années agricoles, d'une part en station expérimentale permettant un effort de mesure intense et d'autre part dans un réseau de parcelles d'agriculteurs offrant une large gamme de situations pédoclimatiques et de modalités de mise en œuvre des systèmes de culture étudiés. Dans ces derniers, la culture principale était un maïs, et la plante de couverture associée en relais était une culture fourragère tropicale, soit la légumineuse, Cajanus cajan soit la poacée, Brachiaria ruziziensis. Deux dates de semis, précoce et tardive étaient considérées pour le semis de la plante de couverture au sein du maïs, dans le cas de l'essai en station. Ce travail montre que rendement du maïs n'a pas été significativement affecté par la présence de la plante de couverture semée précocement au sein du maïs, en comparaison avec le rendement du maïs en culture pure. En revanche, la production en biomasse de la plante de couverture a été significativement réduite dans l'association. Le semis précoce de la plante de couverture au sein du maïs permet une production en biomasse significativement plus importante qu'un semis tardif (20 jours après floraison du maïs), et une production totale en biomasse de l'ensemble de l'association significativement plus importante par rapport aux cultures pures. Cette production totale a été plus du double comparée à celle de la culture pure de maïs dans le cas de l'association maïs-Cajanus. Les valeurs du Land Equivalent Ratio (LER) du rendement en grain de maïs et de la production de biomasse ont été supérieures à 1, atteignant jusqu'à 2.03 témoignant d'une meilleure valorisation des ressources par les espèces associées et l'avantage de tels systèmes pour produire à la fois du grain et du fourrage. La thèse montre aussi la forte variabilité du potentiel de production de ces systèmes en parcelles de producteurs et suggère que lorsque les ressources en eau et en azote sont moins disponibles que dans l'essai de station, des compétitions entre maïs et plantes de couverture peuvent réduire les performances agronomiques du maïs et/ou de la plante de couverture comparativement par rapport à la culture pure équivalente. La biomasse totale produite reste cependant supérieure à celle de la culture pure de maïs, sauf pour de rares exceptions où de plus faibles disponibilités en ressources, parfois accentué par des difficultés de gestion technique, le maïs semble souffrir de compétition plus forte et/ou la plante de couverture ne produit que très peu de biomasse. La thèse évalue la capacité d'un modèle de simulation de culture associées, STICS-CA, à fournir une analyse plus fine de la dynamique du partage des ressources dans ces systèmes et à en estimer les performances agronomiques et certains impacts environnementaux en fonction de conditions techniques et édapho-climatiques différentes de celles de notre dispositif. Des modifications mineures et le calage du modèle ont conduit à une simulation satisfaisante des cultures pures de maïs et Brachiaria et de l'association maïs-Brachiaria en semis direct sur mulch pailleux. En revanche il n'a pas été possible d'obtenir une simulation satisfaisante du maïs en semis conventionnel sur sol labouré, ni du Cajanus en culture pure et de l'association maïs-Cajanus en semis direct. . La thèse fournit des informations sur les imperfections du modèle et propose des améliorations aussi bien en termes de formalismes pour la prise en compte de la minéralisation du mulch, qu'en termes de dispo exp / This thesis dealt with characterizing and modeling the dynamics of the three principal resources which are water, nitrogen and radiation in a no-tillage relay intercropping maize-cover crop systems, under sub-humid tropical area climate. Moreover, productivity of the main crop and of the whole system and nitrogen and water flows in the soil are assessed.The study was based on an on-field approach/experimental design carried out during two crop growing seasons in Cerrados region, in Unaí (Minas Géras, Brazil) since 2007. Firstly, an experimental station was used allowing an intense effort of measurement and secondly, a whole of several farmer's fields offering a wide range of soil and climate conditions and modalities of implementation of the studied cropping systems. In the latter, main crop was maize, and intercropped cover crop was a tropical fodder crop, either leguminous, Cajanus cajan or gramineous, Brachiaria ruziziensis. Two dates of sowing, early and late were considered for the sowing of the cover crop in established maize, in the case of the experimental station. This study showed that maize yield was not significantly affected by the presence of the relay cover crops in comparison with maize as the sole crop, even when the cover crop was sown soon after maize emergence in comparison with maize sole crop. In contrast, the production of biomass by the cover crop was significantly lower when grown with maize than when it was grown as a sole crop. In the intercropped systems, when sown early, the cover crop produced higher total biomass than when sown late (20 days after maize flowering). Moreover, total aboveground biomass production of maize intercropped with a cover crop was much higher than that of any of the crops sown alone. Total biomass produced by maize and pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) was more than double that maize grown alone. The Land Equivalent Ratio (LER) values of both maize grain yield and biomass production were higher than one, whatever the intercrop system, reaching up to 2.03 providing better available resources use efficiency by the intercropped plants. Thus, such systems permit to produce both maize grains and forage.The thesis shows also the strong variability of the production potential of these systems in farmer's fields and suggests that when water and nitrogen resources are less available than in the experimental station, competitions between maize and cover crops can reduce the agronomic performances of maize and/or the cover crop when compared to the equivalent pure sole crop. Total biomass produced by intercropping remained however higher than that of maize sole crop, except for rare exceptions where lower resources availability, sometimes accentuated by difficulties of technical practice, maize seems to suffer from stronger competition and/or the cover crop produced only very little biomass. The thesis evaluates the capacity of the STICS intercrop model, STICS-CA, to provide a finer analysis of the dynamics of the resource sharing in these systems and to estimate their agronomic performances and certain environmental impacts according to technical practices and soil and climate conditions that were different from those of our experimental station. Minor modifications and model calibration led to obtain satisfying simulations of the sole crops maize and Brachiaria and intercrop maize-Brachiaria in no-tillage under mulch. On the other hand, it was not possible to obtain satisfying simulations of sole crop maize in conventional tillage, nor of sole crop pigeon pea and intercrop maize-pigeon pea in no-tillage under mulch. The thesis provides information on the model imperfections and as well proposes improvements in terms of formalisms to take into account the mineralization of the mulch, as in terms of experimental design.