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The “Green Revolution” (GR) technology-induced agricultural intensification has transformed India from food scarcity to a food surplus country. However, this has also resulted into several adverse repercussions. Increased application of chemical fertilizers and pesticides with stagnating/declining crop productivity has dovetailed with uncertain market conditions and climate change effects which has resulted in un-remunerative agriculture. Consequently, farmers have fallen into the debt trap due to the rising cost of crop production apart from health hazards due to serious exposure to harmful chemical pesticides. Natural Farming (NF), an agro-ecological approach to farming is believed to be an effective way to counter some of these challenges. The present paper presents field-level farmers’ experiences of NF adoption in three states of India—Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Maharashtra. The study was conducted during February–March 2019 by surveying 295 NF adopted and 170 non-NF adopted farmers. It was found that NF practice has been followed by some farmers for more than 10 years but others have adopted during the recent past. There is variation in the practice followed by the NF farmers. There are farmers who are using Farm Yard Manure (FYM). A solid form of jeevamritha (liquid concoction of microbial inoculants) called as ghanajeevamritha was also found to be used by farmers in Andhra Pradesh. It was observed that non-NF yields are superior to NF yield without FYM. In most crops, however, NF with FYM had a greater yield than NF without FYM and non-NF farms. There has been a decrease in the variable cost and a marginal increase in the market price of NF produce. The study suggests that natural farming may be seen as one of the alternative practices which has potential to rejuvenate the agro-ecosystem, besides cost saving for the individual farmers.

The stability of performance may be proved to be the last frontier for adopting certain genotypes in various cultivation systems and environments. The main objective of the present study was to analyze the forage yield stability performance of seven pea (Pisum sativum L.) genotypes based on various stability indices. The genotype behavior was studied based on the yield of peas under both conventional and low-input cultivation systems. Five cultivars of peas (broadly distributed) and two lines were used in a strip-plot design. Significant positive correlations were detected between forage yield and some other traits. This way, forage yield stability may be indirectly improved by improving certain traits showing qualitative inheritance. Comparisons revealed that genotypes exhibited stable performance, even in low-input farming systems. AMMI analysis, GGE biplot, and analysis of variance (ANOVA) combination showed statistically significant differences between genotypes and environments and the farming system. Our analysis depicted specific cultivars of peas for different areas and farming systems to attain highly stable performance. Vermio was confirmed to be a stable genotype for forage yield performance in low-input farming in Trikala and Kalambaka areas, while Pisso was indicated as the best in Florina and Giannitsa areas in low-input farming. The two pea lines exhibited stable performance in Giannitsa and Florina areas, especially in low-input conditions. The stable behavior of some genotypes in these conditions may be useful for farmers that raise livestock in mountainous areas. The genetic parameters show that the selection for fresh forage yield and dry matter yield in breeding programs is expected to be effective.

Common vetch (Vicia sativa L.) is a widespread legume crop in the Mediterranean mega-environment, due to its versatile uses and its compatibility with organic and low-input farming systems. However, its adaptation to various such environments should be studied and varieties suitable for forage yield must be selected. This study aimed to explore forage yield stability of common vetch varieties based on the stability index, with a specific target to explore common vetch variety behavior in various environments. Six Greek varieties of common vetch were used over four environments for two years. The cultivation was conducted using a strip plot with the varieties randomized within each plot in both conventional and low-input cultivation systems. (Alexandros) and (Tempi) varieties showed stability for days to 50% of flowering (index >4000), while (Pigasos) and (Zefyros) for fresh forage yield (>200) across environments. Combined estimations, also showed stability of (Pigasos) and (Zefyros) for fresh forage yield. Comparisons between the conventional and low-input farming systems generally showed minor differences but revealed varieties that exhibit stable performance even in the low-input farming systems, where stability is generally a little higher. The AMMI and GGE biplot analysis depicted the stability performance of the varieties regarding the traits under experimentation. As far as the fresh forage and dry matter yield, (Zefyros) was the most stable and productive variety over all others. Correlations between traits displayed the positive relation of fresh forage yield with days for 50% flowering and dry forage yield. Positive correlations may be proved useful for indirect breeding through traits with high stability leading to the selection of traits that show low stability.

Chemical input reduction in agricultural systems is strongly demanded with the aim to improve the quality and the safety of food/feed products in an environmental sustainable perspective. Durum wheat is the most important food crop widely grown across the Mediterranean basin. However, the choice of tailored-genotypes can represent a key strategy in resource limiting conditions. The present study investigated the performance of fourteen commercial durum wheat varieties, in terms of morphologic, productive and quality traits under two cropping systems, conventional (CH) and no-chemical input (NC), for two growing seasons. The NC cropping system affected plant phenology, grain yield, and its components (i.e., ears m−2 and test weight). However, the negative influence exerted by the NC depended by the growing season (significant interaction between growing season and cropping system), which in turn affected the production behavior of genotypes (significant interaction between growing season and genotype). The additive main effect and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) analysis showed that genotype (G) effect explained the 4.3% of the total variability, the environment (E) the 71.7% and the G × E interaction the 9.4%. The AMMI stability value (ASV) indicated that Meridiano, Claudio, Saragolla, and Normanno were the most stable genotypes among environments (combination of years and management systems). An integrated environmental assessment, including a soil nitrogen balance, can help to provide a more holistic approach to the sustainability of the no-chemical Mediterranean cropping systems based on cereal-legume rotation.

According to the knowledge that the composition in fatty acids of milk is related to the production system, we determined the fatty acid composition of goat milk yielded in three different Italian farms. Two low-input system farms; one organic (LI-O) and one conventional (LI-C), and one high-input system conventional farm (HI-C) were involved in the study. Significant differences were detected among the different groups considering the fatty acid pattern of milk. Fatty acids (FA) strictly related to the rearing system, such as odd and branched chain fatty acids (OBCFA), linoleic acid (LA, 18:2 n6), alpha-linolenic acid (ALA, 18:3 n3), elaidic acid (EA, 18:1 n9), total n6 and total n3 FA, were identified as the most significant factors in the characterization of samples coming from low- or high-input systems. OBCFA amounts were found to be higher (p < 0.05) in the LI-O milk (4.7%), followed by the LI-C milk (4.5%) and then by the HI-C milk (3.4%). The same trend was observed for Σn3 FAs, mainly represented by ALA (0.72%−0.81% in LI-O systems and 0.41% in HI-system), and the opposite for Σn6 FAs, principally represented by LA (2.0%−2.6% in LI-systems and 3.1% in HI-system). A significant (p < 0.01) discrimination among samples clusters coming from the different systems was allowed by the principal component analysis (PCA).

The low-input viticultural training system ‘Semi-minimal pruned hedge’ (SMPH) is progressively being more widely applied in the Central European grapegrowing regions. The present study examined the influence of (i) the training system (SMPH versus the vertical shoot position (VSP) system), (ii) the timing of shoot topping in SMPH, and (iii) the effects of mechanical thinning in SMPH on the bunch rot epidemic, grape maturity, and yield. Six-year field trials on Pinot blanc in Luxembourg demonstrated that yield levels in non-thinned SMPH treatments were 74% higher, and total soluble solids (TSS) at harvest 2.2 brix lower than in VSP. Non-thinned SMPH delayed the bunch rot epidemic and the maturity progress by 18 and 11 days compared to VSP, respectively. Different shoot-topping timings in SMPH did not affect the tested parameters. Mechanical thinning regimes reduced the yield by 28% (moderate thinning) and 53% (severe thinning) compared to non-thinned SMPH and increased TSS by 0.8 and 1.3 brix, respectively. Delayed bunch rot epidemic and maturity progress give rise to the opportunity for a longer maturity period in cooler conditions, making this system of particular interest in future, warmer climatic conditions. Providing that yield levels are managed properly, SMPH might represent an interesting climate change adaptation strategy.

The stability of performance may be proved to be the last frontier for adopting certain genotypes in various cultivation systems and environments. The main objective of the present study was to analyze the forage yield stability performance of seven pea ( Pisum sativum L.) genotypes based on various stability indices. The genotype behavior was studied based on the yield of peas under both conventional and low-input cultivation systems. Five cultivars of peas (broadly distributed) and two lines were used in a strip-plot design. Significant positive correlations were detected between forage yield and some other traits. This way, forage yield stability may be indirectly improved by improving certain traits showing qualitative inheritance. Comparisons revealed that genotypes exhibited stable performance, even in low-input farming systems. AMMI analysis, GGE biplot, and analysis of variance (ANOVA) combination showed statistically significant differences between genotypes and environments and the farming system. Our analysis depicted specific cultivars of peas for different areas and farming systems to attain highly stable performance. Vermio was confirmed to be a stable genotype for forage yield performance in low-input farming in Trikala and Kalambaka areas, while Pisso was indicated as the best in Florina and Giannitsa areas in low-input farming. The two pea lines exhibited stable performance in Giannitsa and Florina areas, especially in low-input conditions. The stable behavior of some genotypes in these conditions may be useful for farmers that raise livestock in mountainous areas. The genetic parameters show that the selection for fresh forage yield and dry matter yield in breeding programs is expected to be effective.