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The purpose of this study was to identify changes in soil fertility and yields of main crops in a grain–beat crop rotation system as a result of long-term (ten rotation cycles) application of fertilizers in the Central Black Earth Region. Field works were conducted in Voronezh oblast on a low-humic leached chernozem soil. Changes that have occurred over the period from the first rotation cycle (1936–1945) to the tenth rotation cycle (2018–2022) were analyzed. The experiment involved the following variants: (1) control (no fertilizers), (2) N10P10K10 + manure (2.8 t/ha), (3) N20P20K20 + manure (2.8 t/ha), (4) N30P30K30 + manure (2.8 t/ha), and (5) N10P10K10 + manure (5.6 t/ha). The following changes in soil fertility occurred in the 0–20-cm layer over the period from the first to the tenth rotation cycle due to the effect of fertilizers: (1) in variants with the application of N20P20K20 + manure (2.8 t/ha) and N30P30K30 + manure (2.8 t/ha), hydrolytic soil acidity (Hh) increased by 5.26–83.3%, mobile K2O content by 18.9–74.4%, cation exchange capacity by 27.8–35.7%, and mobile P2O5 content by 7.81–9.00%; (2) in the control variant and variants with the application of N10P10K10 + manure (2.8 t/ha and 5.6 t/ha), humus content decreased by 0.41–0.73%, N-NO3 content by 25.3–47.7% and P2O5 by 13.3–31.6%. Long-term application of fertilizers increased grain yields of barley by 11.3–50.1%, grain yields of oats by 4.0–51.2%, grain yields of winter wheat by 13.4–30.6%, and tuber yields of sugar beet by 15.0–36.7%. In addition, it reduced clover fresh yields by 4.9–27.7% and increased by-product yields in all crops by 6.1–23.0%. Over the period from the first to the tenth rotation cycle, fertilized arable land productivity per 1 ha increased by 3.30–18.3% (less yield increase by 960 grain units/ha due to the introduction of more productive modern varieties). Long-term application of N30P30K30 + manure (2.8 t/ha) ensured the highest level of soil fertility and productivity in the crop rotation system. The fertilization scheme was as follows: N135P135K135 applied to sugar beet fields twice per nine-field crop rotation cycle and manure applied to the fallow field once per crop rotation cycle at a rate of 25 t/ha. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the results of studying the influence of modern agrometeorological conditions on the yield of different groups of grain crops in the municipal districts of the Saratov oblast. The climatic trends of the recent two decades are analyzed for five weather stations (Khvalynsk, Balashov, Saratov, Ershov, and Aleksandrov Gai). For the Saratov weather station, a longer period (1941–2022) is analyzed. There is an increase in the heat availability and aridity of the territory. The analysis of the dynamics of the crop yield distribution and variability has shown that the most favorable conditions of crop cultivation are formed in the Balashov municipal district. Operational forecast models of the maximum and minimum productivity of winter wheat are developed, which makes it possible to predict a yield with a monthly lead time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clarifying the spatiotemporal variation of crop irrigation water requirement (IWR) under the background of climate change is an essential basis for water resource management, determining the irrigation quota and adjusting the planting structure. Using 61 years of climate data from 205 stations in Northwest China, this study investigated the spatiotemporal variations of climatic factors and IWR during the growth period of five main grain crops (spring wheat, winter wheat, spring maize, summer maize, and rice) and explored the dominant climatic driving factors of IWR variation. Results showed that (1) the IWR of grain crops showed distinct differences. Rice was the highest water consumption crop (mean of 753.78 mm), and summer maize was the lowest (mean of 452.90 mm). (2) The variation trends and average values of IWR of different grain crops have spatial heterogeneity across Northwest China. For most crops, high values and increasing trends of IWR were mainly located in eastern Xinjiang, western Gansu, and western Inner Mongolia. (3) Tmax (maximum temperature), Tmin (minimum temperature), and Peff (effective precipitation) showed an increasing trend during the growth period of each grain crop, while U10 (wind speed at 10 m height), SD (solar radiation), and RH (relative humidity) presented decreasing trends. (4) SD, Tmax, and U10 promoted the increase of grain crops' IWR, while Peff and RH inhibited it. The impacts of climatic factors on the grain crop IWR differed among different regions. Peff was the most influential factor to the IWR of all grain crops in most areas. Therefore, under the premise of a significant increase in T and uncertain precipitation mode in the future, it is urgent to take effective water-saving measures according to the irrigation needs of the region. To cope with the adverse impact of climate change on the sustainable development of agriculture in the northwest dry area, to ensure regional and national food security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to evaluate the potential toxic heavy metal (PTHM) concentrations and associated ecological and health risk of nearby inhabitants (child and adult populations) of the Bokaro thermal power station (BTPS), Jharkhand, India. The fly ash containing PTHMs is released from the thermal power plant and contaminates the soil of the nearby agricultural area, roadside area and residential area. Furthermore, PTHMs cause ecological risk as well as carcinogenic health effects in adults. Inhabitants are exposed to PTHMs through exposure pathways (for instance, direct ingestion, dermal contact and air inhalation), and PTHMs were examined in this study by calculating the estimated daily intake (EDI). The contamination factor (Cf) of Cd exceeded the threshold value throughout the study area, whereas the Cf of Hg was observed higher only in roadside soil (RSS). The geoaccumulation index (Igeo) of Cd was higher in the top soil of agricultural soil (AS) (7.39) and RSS (9.38). The level of PTHMs was monitored slightly higher in the topsoil of RSS. The ecological risk index (Eri) was detected to be the highest in RSS (1628.9). The permissible limit of Cd (0.05 mg kg−1) and Pb (0.1 mg kg−1) for all sampled vegetables and grain crops was surpassed. The transfer factor (TF) of the studied vegetables and grain crops was in the order of Cd > Cr > Pb > Hg > As. The results of the present study concluded that the hazard quotient (HQ) values for all PTHMs analysed in soil throughout the study area were < 1, which indicates that the child population was within the safe limit. However, the adult population was at a high risk of non-carcinogenic health effects due to increased permissible limits of Cd, Pb and Cr in vegetables and grain crops whereas the target carcinogenic risk (TCR) of Pb and Cr was higher and indicated that there may be a health risk of cancer in adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of the morphological and cultural properties together with the structure of intraspecific differentiation of Septoria blight populations of grain crops makes it possible to substantiate the qualitative composition of the biomaterial, which provides an objective assessment of the resistance of host plants. The aim of this research is to characterize the structure of fungal populations that cause Septoria blight of grain crops in different agroclimatic zones of the Russian Federation in terms of morphological and cultural properties. Within the period of 2021, a study of the morphological and cultural properties of pathogens of grain Septoria blight has been conducted in five grain-producing federal districts of the Russian Federation (South and North Caucasus, Lower Volga, Central, Northwestern). At least 100 monoconidial isolates obtained from each infectious sample were studied. The sizes of colonies, their structure, coloring, and intensity of sporulation are described. Among Zymoseptoria tritici isolates, rapid-growing highly sporulating yeast-like colonies prevailed. In populations from the Rostov and Voronezh oblast, mixed colonies were noted more often. Using the Kruskal–Wallis test, the influence of the conditions that develop during the period of vegetation of the host plant on the morphological and cultural properties of the pathogen is shown. Colonies of the Parastagonospora genus had well-developed powdery, woolly or velvety mycelium. The size of the colonies reached 80–90 mm in diameter. Both the medium and high sporulating activity of colonies were noted. Rare species are described: P. avenae f. sp. avenaria from spring oat of Tambov oblast and Septoria triticicola Lobik from spring triticale and soft spring wheat of Krasnodar krai. The resulting monoconidial colonies of P. avenae f. sp. avenaria were uniform gray in color, formed many pycnidia, and were high-sporulating. Monoconidial isolates of the S. triticicola fungus in pure culture were of the zonal type: in the center of the colony, they were white, gray, and granular, while they were gray with dense felt-like mycelium along the edges with multiple pycnidia and high sporulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The possibility is considered of using data of the Sentinel-1B radar satellite in agriculture, in particular, for the crop monitoring and grain crop yield forecasting. For this purpose, based on satellite data, the Radar Vegetation Index RVI was calculated. The values of RVI obviously indicate the dynamics of the development of such crops as spring wheat, oat, and barley. The correlation and regression analysis of the relationship between the normalized difference vegetation index NDVI and RVI revealed the presence of a significant dependence between the indices. The normalized radar vegetation index NRVI was calculated to use radar data in predicting the expected yield. As a part of the experiment, yield forecasts at the farm in the Kochenevo district (the Novosibirsk region) for the 2018 and 2019 growing seasons were calculated. The calculation results showed the yield forecast accuracy above 90%, which allowed the use of NRVI in the 2020 operational activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the aftereffect of fertilizers applied for a long time to sugar beet cultivated in a nine-field grain–black-fallow–row crop rotation system in the forest–steppe unstable moistening zone of the Central Black Earth Region on the fertility of leached chernozem soils under grain crops and their yield and quality. The experiment launched in 1936 includes the following fertilizer systems (per rotation): N90P90K90 + manure (25 t/ha), N180P180K180 + manure (25 t/ha), N270P270K270 + manure (25 t/ha), N300P300K300 + manure (50 t/ha), N380P380K380, and a variant without fertilizers (control). Mineral fertilizers are applied to sugar beet twice per rotation; manure is applied to the black fallow field once per rotation. The most significant changes in agrochemical characteristics of the leached chernozem soil (0–40-cm layer) caused by the effects of mineral fertilizers and manure were noted under winter wheat (the P2O5 content increased by 21.3–77.2%, the total mineral nitrogen content (N-NO3 + N-NH4) by 8.1–133.2%, and pHKCl by 0.07–0.37), while the least significant changes were under oats (the P2O5 content increased by 16.3–44.4%). Soil saturation with fertilizers increases the oat productivity to the greatest extent (by 12.2–65.5% in comparison with the control); the effect on barley and winter wheat in the black fallow link is somewhat less (13.0–59.1% and 7.37–57.6%, respectively); and the effect on winter wheat in the clover link is the least significant (29.9–47.8%). The aftereffect of fertilizers increases the protein content by 0.5–1.0% in oat grains and by 0.6–1.8% in barley grains in comparison with the control. A significant positive correlation between the amount of applied fertilizer elements and the yield capacity of barley, oats, and winter wheat was registered in both crop rotation links (r = 0.67–0.95). The following fertilization systems ensure the highest productivity of the grain–black-fallow–row crop rotation system in combination with a satisfactory quality of wheat, barley, and oat grains: (1) N135P135K135 applied to sugar beet twice per rotation + manure applied to the black fallow field (25 t/ha) and (2) N190P190K190 applied to sugar beet twice per rotation (without manure). The additional yield reaches 14.4–16.8 kg of grain per 1 kg of NPK. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The long-term dynamics of the average air temperatures and amounts of annual precipitation confirms the reality of climate change since the 1970s on the territory of Akmola oblast, one of the leading agricultural regions in Kazakhstan. The structure of agricultural production in the oblast is dominated by the rainfed cultivation of grain crops, in particular, spring wheat, which is known to be extremely sensitive to climatic and weather conditions. Analysis of the climatic indicators for 1931–2019 based on available data from meteorological stations identified intraregional features of climate change that led to an increase in the yield of grain crops. Correlation analysis established a high dependence of productivity on the climatic conditions of the warm period. If the current level of farming culture and the continued growth of average temperatures persist, the productivity in the dry-steppe and southern steppe regions of the oblast is expected to decrease. In the northern steppe regions, more intense trends in the climatic indicators of the cold months favor an increase in yields and an expansion of agricultural production. Intraregional differences in the intensity of climatic trends must be taken into account for the further development of agriculture in Akmola oblast. The following measures are proposed in order to avoid the negative consequences of climate change: the introduction of adaptation technologies, the diversification of agricultural production, the development of organic agriculture, and active support for agricultural producers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using climate monitoring data from 96 Russian weather stations, the years of severe droughts are identified. For this purpose, the following criterion was used: a value of the Selyaninov hydrothermal coefficient for May–August is less than 0.6. Climate of a time period, i.e., a set of consecutive years, is considered unfavorable for the cultivation of grain crops if the frequency of severe droughts p (the Bernoulli distribution parameter) exceeds 0.5. This parameter is estimated from data of the considered weather stations separately for the time periods of 1976–1997 and 1998–2019 based on the number of the identified severe droughts. The probability that p > 0.5 is estimated, and the corresponding schematic maps are constructed for both time periods. The highest probability is obtained for the stations located in the Astrakhan, Volgograd, Saratov, and Orenburg oblasts, the Republic of Kalmykia, and the Republic of Crimea. At the same time, a noticeable increase in this probability in the second period relative to the first one is found for the Volgograd and Saratov oblasts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The results of studying the changes in the range of insecticides for grain crop protection are presented for the period of more than 20 years. The aspects of extension are assessed for the range of insecticides used for these purposes, the peculiarities of certain chemical classes are shown along with the terms of pesticide application against various types of pests, and the dynamics of the ecological and toxicological properties of the pesticides are reviewed from 1995 up to the present day. The range of plant protection products is analyzed for the period of 1995-2017. It is shown that these changes are a continuous process that is expressed both as an increase in the total number of pesticides and as a qualitative improvement by introducing the new ones or combining the active substances of different content and formulations as well as by improving technologies and methods of pesticide application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Structural and regional changes in Russian agriculture over the past 25 years are analyzed, and the main antagonistic trends in its development are identified. Regional differences in decreasing planted areas are considered, which nevertheless did not hinder increased crop production or its exports. Annual changes in the balances of production and consumption; grain, meat, and milk exports and imports; and regional shifts in the production of key products are analyzed. Herd dynamics of various cattle and poultry species and changes in the ratio of meat-to-milk production at agricultural enterprises, farms, and homesteads are considered. Analysis of production concentration in agroholdings has shown that it facilitates urban food supply, but intensifies the spatial polarization of agriculture. Changes in the production pattern in the aftermath of the crisis and modernization of agriculture are considered in comparison to decreasing employment, the low prestige of agricultural labor, and its underpayment. These have resulted in increased rural unemployment and expanded temporal labor migration ( otkhodnichestvo) from country to cities. Temporal labor migration in several regions surrounding the Moscow agglomeration has led to the blockage of agricultural development. Graphs and maps are widely used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrated pest management in Australian winter grain crops is challenging, partly because the timing and severity of pest outbreaks cannot currently be predicted, and this often results in prophylactic applications of broad spectrum pesticides. We developed a simple model to predict the median emergence in autumn of pest populations of the redlegged earth mite, Halotydeus destructor, a major field crop and pasture pest in southern Australia. Previous data and observations suggest that rainfall and temperature are critical for post-diapause egg hatch. We evaluated seven models that combined rainfall and temperature thresholds derived using three approaches against previously recorded hatch dates and 2013 field records. The performance of the models varied between Western Australia and south-eastern Australian States. In Western Australia, the key attributes of the best fitting model were more than 5 mm rain followed by mean day temperatures of below 20.5 °C for 10 days. In south-eastern Australia, the most effective model involved a temperature threshold reduced to 16 °C. These regional differences may reflect adaptation of H. destructor in south-eastern Australia to varied and uncertain temperature and rainfall regimes of late summer and autumn, relative to the hot and dry Mediterranean-type climate in Western Australia. Field sampling in 2013 revealed a spread of early hatch dates in isolated patches of habitat, ahead of predicted paddock scale hatchings. These regional models should assist in monitoring and subsequent management of H. destructor at the paddock scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proper management of synthetic nitrogen (N) fertilizer can reduce direct NO emission from soil and indirect CO emission from production and transportation of synthetic N. In the late 1990s, the average application rates of synthetic N were 212, 207 and 207 kg ha, respectively, for rice, wheat, and maize in China's croplands. But research suggests that the optimal synthetic N application rates for the main grain crops in China should be in the range of 110-150 kg ha. Excessive application of synthetic N has undoubtedly resulted in massive emission of greenhouse gases. Therefore, optimizing N application rates for grain crops in China has a great potential for mitigating the emission of greenhouse gases. Nevertheless, this mitigation potential (MP) has not yet been well quantified. This study aimed at estimating the MP of NO and CO emissions associated with synthetic N production and transportation in China based on the provincial level statistical data. Our research indicates that the total consumption of synthetic N on grain crops in China can be reduced by 5.0-8.4 Tg yr (28-47 % of the total consumption) if the synthetic N application rate is controlled at 110-150 kg ha. The estimated total MP of greenhouse gases, including direct NO emission from croplands and indirect CO emission from production and transportation of synthetic N, ranges from 41.7 to 70.1 Tg CO_eq. yr. It was concluded that reducing synthetic N application rate for grain crops in China to a reasonable level of 110-150 kg ha can greatly reduce the emission of greenhouse gases, especially in the major grain-crop production provinces such as Shandong, Henan, Jiangsu, Hebei, Anhui and Liaoning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's role in the global grain market is expected to expand with increasing demand for food and feed, both within and outside the country. Unforeseen crop failures caused by natural hazards might also be instrumental. This paper uses agricultural production (rice, wheat, maize, tubers, soybeans, and other grains) and natural disaster data (floods and droughts) for 31 provinces in China for the period 1995-2008 to examine the self-sufficiency of China's domestic harvests. It aims to answer three questions: (1) Is the size of China's current grain stock adequate as a buffer against seasonal crop failures of the same magnitude as in the past? (2) On a single province basis, does a diversity of grain crops reduce the risk of production shocks due to natural hazards? (3) Which regions are less likely to be affected by natural hazards and should therefore be set aside as agricultural land in order to meet future food self-sufficiency targets? The results show that if the worst crop failures of all provinces between 1995 and 2008 were to happen in the same year, a 'theoretical worst-case scenario', China's cereal harvest might drop by 140 million tonnes. Therefore, their current grain stock of 120-200 million tonnes is sufficient to buffer China's cereal supplies against 1 year of production problems. Provinces with a high degree of grain crop diversity over the 13-year period were less affected by floods and more affected by droughts. Food self-sufficiency was the highest in moderately diverse provinces. Key agricultural regions relatively less affected by natural hazards included parts of the North China Plain. In addition, China began to increasingly depend on three provinces in the drought-prone north-east region for attaining grain self-sufficiency. Policies need to enable farms of all sizes to adapt to change and to contribute to food self-sufficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eighteen representative sites for the Austrian grain-growing and eight for the potato-growing zones (soils and crops) were investigated. On each site, total element contents (B, Ba, Ca, Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, P, Sr and Zn) were determined in 4–12 varieties of winter wheat ( n = 136), 6 varieties of spring durum wheat ( n = 30), 5 varieties of winter durum wheat ( n = 15), 7 varieties of rye ( n = 49), 5 varieties of spring barley ( n = 30) and 5 varieties of potatoes ( n = 40). Element accumulations in grain species and potato tubers varied significantly with site conditions, with the main exceptions for B in potatoes and wheat as well as for Zn, Cu and Co in durum wheat. On average, across all investigated sites, differences in varieties occurred concerning the elements Ca, Cd, Ba, Sr and Zn (except Zn in potatoes and winter durum). A rough estimation revealed that an average Austrian consumer of wheat, rye and potatoes meets more than 50% of the needs of daily element intake for K, P and Mg, between 36 and 72% for Fe, Zn and Cu, and more than 100% for Co, Mo and Mn. In particular, the elements Ca and Na have to be added from other sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is necessary to increase protein productivity of grain crops to meet present and future world protein requirements. Conventional plant breeding methodology has been to select genotypes with enhanced yield or grain protein concentration. In addition to this determination of end product, we suggest measurements of a number of physiological and biochemical processes of nitrogen (N) metabolism which precede plant maturity as selection criteria for enhanced N metabolism and grain crop productivity. The measurement across the growing season of genotypic variation in components of N metabolism would constitute a physiological/biochemical selection program to be incorporated with the determination of harvestable end product. A properly designed physiological/biochemical selection program would integrate the effects of plant genotype, environment, and their interactions allowing identification of the factors limiting productivity of particular genotypes, and would also estimate end product. Our review of literature pertinent to whole plant N metabolism suggests that such a selection program initially include NOuptake, N fixation, N accumulation, N remobilization, seed protein synthesis, and Nitrogen Harvest Index. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]