Search

Agricultural lands hold significant potential for CO2 sequestration, particularly when utilizing biomass crops and agricultural residues. Among these, Miscanthus × giganteus (mxg) stands out due to its high productivity and carbon sequestration capabilities. Recognizing the importance of such biomass crops, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has identified Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) as a crucial strategy for achieving net‐zero CO2 emissions by 2050. This study examines the carbon uptake potential of mxg during its establishment year at the Sustainable Advanced Bioeconomy Research (SABR) farm in Iowa, USA, where mxg was planted at a density exceeding previous studies. Using eddy covariance (EC) measurements, we quantified the net ecosystem carbon exchange (NEE), and derived gross primary productivity (GPP), and ecosystem respiration (Reco). Our findings reveal that SABR's mxg exhibited a significant carbon uptake of −621 g C m−2, a threefold increase compared to a similar EC site in the "corn‐belt" (University of Illinois Energy Research Farm; UIEF), which was established with lower planting density and pre‐commercial planting equipment. Favorable growing conditions and advanced planting technologies at SABR likely contributed to this high carbon uptake. Comparisons with other global EC studies indicated a strong correlation between higher planting densities and greater carbon uptake. These results suggest that increasing mxg planting density can enhance carbon uptake, but further studies are necessary to evaluate the impacts under varying environmental conditions and management practices. Additionally, economic analyses are essential to determine the viability of higher planting densities. Our study underscores the potential of optimized mxg management practices to contribute significantly to CO2 uptake and supports the development of BECCS as a viable climate change mitigation strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mulch from cover crops can suppress weeds and facilitate organic no‐till corn and soybean production. However, research is lacking on the no‐till planting small grain crops into rolled‐crimped cover crops. An experiment was conducted to test the effects of no‐till planting winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) into five cover crops planted in early summer, mid‐summer, and late summer. Cover crops were terminated with a roller‐crimper, and winter wheat was simultaneously no‐till planted in early fall. A "no cover crop" control treatment was also included, where wheat was planted into tilled soil. Cover crop and weed biomass at wheat planting varied by cover crop planting date and species. Early‐summer‐planted sorghum sudangrass [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench × S. sudanense (Piper) Stapf.] produced the most cover crop biomass and had among the lowest weed biomass at wheat planting and wheat harvest. However, wheat seedling density and grain yield were relatively low in the early‐planted sorghum sudangrass treatment compared with the other cover crop treatments, indicating a tradeoff between weed suppression and wheat yield. Early‐planted buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) and early‐planted soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] had among the highest wheat grain yields, but no treatments yielded more than the "no cover crop" control. Wheat grain nitrogen was variable and may have been impacted by multiple factors, including wheat density. Results from this experiment indicate that rolled‐crimped cover crops can facilitate organic no‐till winter wheat production, but more research is needed to overcome tradeoffs and optimize production. Core Ideas: Examined organic winter wheat that was no‐till planted into different cover crops planted at different times.Increasing cover crop biomass suppressed weeds, but treatments with high biomass reduced wheat density and yield.Wheat yields in the early‐planted buckwheat and soybean treatments were comparable to the "no cover crop" control.No‐till planting wheat into rolled‐crimped cover crops can reduce tillage without impacting yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This long-term field study conducted in Yancheng, China, evaluated the effects of diverse crop rotation sequences on rice growth, yield, and soil properties. Six rotation treatments were implemented from 2016 to 2023 as follows: rice–wheat (control), rice–rape, rice–hairy vetch, rice–barley, rice–faba bean, and rice–winter fallow. Rice growth parameters, yield components, biomass accumulation, and soil properties were measured. Results showed that legume-based rotations, particularly rice–faba bean and rice–hairy vetch, significantly improved rice growth and yield compared to the rice–wheat control. The rice–faba bean rotation increased yield by 19.1% to 8.73 t/ha compared to 7.33 t/ha for the control, while rice–hairy vetch increased yield by 11.9% to 8.20 t/ha. These rotations also demonstrated higher biomass production efficiency, with increases of 33.33% and 25.00%, respectively, in spring crop biomass. Soil nutrients improvements were observed, particularly in available nitrogen, potassium, and electrical conductivity. Legume-based rotations increased the available nitrogen by up to 35.9% compared to the control. The study highlights the potential of diversified crop rotations, especially those incorporating legumes, to enhance rice productivity and soil health in subtropical regions. These findings have important implications for developing sustainable and resilient rice-based cropping systems to address challenges of food security and environmental sustainability in the face of climate change and resource constraints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the changes in yield, nutrient content, and amino acid levels in legume–cereal grass mixtures were qualitatively evaluated depending on the legume–cereal combination and inoculation with preparations based on Rhizobium. This study, taking into account the biological characteristics of legume forage crops, used inoculations with strains of nodule bacteria and associative nitrogen fixers to enhance the process of the nitrogen fixation of mixed crops of legumes and cereal. The aim of this study was to compare the yields and nutritional values of monocultures and mixed crops, as well as to determine the effects of preparations based on strains of nodule bacteria and the associated nitrogen fixer on the photosynthetic activity and yield of combined annual legume–grain crops. A comparative study of forage crop biomass was conducted to analyze crude protein, fiber, carotene, and amino acid content in monocultures and legume–cereal mixtures, with and without the use of nodule-bacteria-based preparations (Rhizotorphin, Mizorine, Flavobactrin, and Azolene). The combined effect of crop mixtures and biological products led to increased green mass yield, protein content, and feed productivity. Notably, two-component mixtures with Rhizotorphin inoculation increased green mass yield by 8.79%, while three-component mixtures saw a 16.49% increase. The oat–pea mixture showed the most significant amino acid improvements, with lysine increasing by 6.26% and tyrosine by 3.24%. The general conclusion reached by the two-year experiment of 2022–2023 in the hill–plain zone of northern Kazakhstan is that double grass mixtures treated with nodule bacteria are more productive than monoculture crops in this area. These results suggest that inoculation with bacterial strains can effectively enhance the productivity of forage crops in northern Kazakhstan, providing a basis for future recommendations on optimizing herbaceous crop combinations. It is recommended to grow annual forage crops in mixtures with legumes to produce highly nutritious feeds with high metabolic energy in terms of biochemical composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Changes in the rhizosphere microbiome and metabolites resulting from crop intercropping can significantly enhance crop growth. While there has been an increasing number of studies on various crop combinations, research on the intercropping of tobacco and maize at seedling stage remains limited. Methods: This study is the first to explore rhizosphere effects of intercropping between tobacco and maize seedling stages, we analyzed the nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium nutrients in the soil, and revealed the important effects on soil microbial community composition and metabolite profiles, thereby regulating crop growth and improving soil balance. Results and discussion: Compared with mono-cropping, intercropping increased the biomass of the two crops and promoted the nutrient absorption of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Under intercropping conditions, the activities of sucrase, catalase and nitrate reductase in tobacco rhizosphere soil and the content of available potassium, the activities of nitrate reductase and acid phosphatase in maize rhizosphere soil were significantly increasing. Rhizosphere soil bacterial and fungal communities such as Sphingomonas, Massilia, Humicola and Penicillium respond differently to crop planting patterns, and soil dominant microbial communities are regulated by environmental factors such as pH, Organic Matter, Available Potassium, Nitrate Reductase, and Urease Enzyme. Network analysis showed that soil microbial communities were more complex after intercropping, and the reciprocal relationship between bacteria and fungi was enhanced. The difference of metabolites in soil between intercropping and monocropping system was mainly concentrated in galactose metabolism, starch and sucrose metabolism pathway, and the content of carbohydrate metabolites was significantly higher than that of monocropping soil. Key metabolites such as D-Sucrose, D-Fructose-6-Phosphate, D-Glucose-1-Phosphatel significantly influence the composition of dominant microbial communities such as Sphingomonas and Penicillium. This study explained the effects of intercropping between flue-cured tobacco and maize on the content of soil metabolites and soil microbial composition in rhizosphere soil, and deepened the understanding that intercropping system can improve the growth of flue-cured crops seedlings through rhizosphere effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil stands as one of the principal resources for agricultural development, with this activity encompassing approximately 38% of the Earth's surface. The resulting product is directed towards human consumption and animal feed, as well as energy crops, among other purposes. Given the pivotal role of this activity and the escalating demand for its products within the economic sphere, coupled with population growth, the need arises not only for increased crop yield but also for addressing the per capita reduction in available land. Consequently, an imperative arises to explore emerging alternatives for soil conservation and restoration in pursuit of this goal. Thus, a dynamic system model is introduced to assess the patterns of land use for agricultural cultivation in Colombia. Modelling is a useful tool for system conceptualisation, understanding, projection of future scenarios and hypothesis testing about the impact of disruptions in a system's overall behaviour about changes in its components. The main purpose of this article is to evaluate, through simulation with system dynamics, soil recovery scenarios from the use of residues from the same crops, specifically in the case of monocultures, such as sugarcane. Similar studies have not been found in the literature review and, therefore, this work is novel and establishes a starting point to continue exploring these soil recovery alternatives. The formulation of this model was accomplished through the utilization of the Vensim DSS software (Version 5.10a), followed by simulations of various land use scenarios across two distinct types of crops. The outcomes of these simulations unveiled a gradual degradation of the soil. To counter this trend, scenarios were evaluated, with composting emerging as a viable and significant alternative. There are some scenarios in which land degradation is lower by more than 50% compared with those in which the alternative is not considered. The composting process reduces costs in terms of fertilization, labour and support for environmental enhancement by restoring physical, chemical and biological soil properties. This study proposes for this model to be extended to other agricultural chains, thereby demonstrating its potential for guiding decisions regarding land use and crop activity scheduling that share similarities with the system under investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The agricultural production of maize (Zea mays L.) increases the risk of water erosion. Perennial crops like cup plant (Silphium perfoliatum L.) offer a sustainable alternative to produce biomass for biogas plants. The assessment of soil conservation measures requires calibrated soil erosion models that spatially identify soil erosion processes. These support decision-making by farmers and policymakers. Input parameters for the physically based soil erosion model EROSION 3D for cup plant cultivation were established in a field study. Rainfall simulation experiments were conducted to determine the model input parameter's skinfactor and surface roughness. The results showed a reduction of soil erosion and higher infiltration rates for cup plant resulting in higher skinfactors of 11.5 in June and 0.75 post-harvest (cup plant) compared to 1.2 in June and 0.21 post-harvest (maize). With the extended parameter catalogue of EROSION 3D for cup plant cultivation model simulations were conducted for a rainfall event in June (64 mm). The sediment budget would have been reduced by 92.6% through the growth of cup plant in comparison to conventionally grown maize. Perennial cup plant can, therefore, contribute to achieving the targets outlined in the European Green Deal by reducing soil erosion and enhancing soil health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil salinity represents a significant factor affecting agricultural productivity and crop quality. The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of soil conditioner (SC) comprising halotolerant microorganisms on the soil fertility, yield, rice quality, and the physicochemical and structural properties of starch in hybrid rice under saline conditions. The experimental treatments were composed of two high-quality hybrid rice varieties, i.e., 'Y Liangyou 957' (YLY957) and Jing Liangyou 534 (JLY534), and two soil amendment treatments, i.e., the application of SC at control levels and 2250 kg hm−2, or 'CK and SC', respectively. The crop was subjected to a mixture of fresh and sea water (EC 11 dS/m). The results demonstrated that the application of SC significantly enhanced the rice yield under salt stress conditions owing to an increase in the number of grains per panicle. Furthermore, SC was found to be effective in improving the organic matter and soil nutrient content. Furthermore, the application of SC resulted in an improvement in antioxidant defense, higher leaf SPAD values, and greater crop biomass, as well as the translocation of photo-assimilates at the heading stage. The application of SC not only improved the milling and appearance quality but also enhanced the taste value of rice by increasing the amylose and reducing the protein content. Furthermore, the application of SC also decreased the indentations on the surfaces of starch granules and cracks on the edges of the granules. The rice varieties subjected to SC exhibited excellent pasting properties, characterized by reduced proportions of amylopectin short chains and a lower gelatinization temperature and enthalpy of gelatinization. Overall, these findings serve to reinforce the efficacy of soil conditioner as a valuable tool to improve rice productivity and sustainability with improved rice grain quality under saline conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores the impact of renewable fuel policies, specifically the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), on the agricultural industry. It focuses on the increased demand for corn and oilseeds, particularly soybeans, due to the production and consumption of biofuels like biodiesel and renewable diesel. This has the potential to affect soybean exports and domestic consumption. However, there are concerns about supply limitations and the volatility of crop prices. The article suggests further research is needed to understand the effects of renewable fuel policies on agricultural credit conditions and the stability of the crop sector. [Extracted from the article]

Miscanthus × giganteus (miscanthus) is considered a beneficial biomass energy crop because of its carbon (C) sequestration potential and low fertilizer requirements, but few studies in the United States have measured long‐term C sequestration of miscanthus on suboptimal agricultural lands over a decadal scale, and none have been conducted in southeast Ohio. The objective of this study was to measure the soil C sequestration on abandoned agricultural land with a miscanthus crop that is harvested annually, the long‐term changes in plant and soil nitrogen (N), and the photosynthetic capacity in the tenth year of growth. This study was conducted over a 10‐year period from 2013 through 2023. A significant amount of C was accumulated in the soil (p < 0.05) and the mean C sequestration rates were 0.83 and 1.37 Mg C ha−1 year−1 at two different sites. The amount of C accumulated in the miscanthus plots by the tenth year was also greater than soil C in unmanaged grassland soils, but the difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). There was no statistically significant change in the amount of N found in soil and plants over 10 years (p > 0.05), but the variability in plant N was greater in some years relative to others. Even though miscanthus was grown without N fertilizers in this study, soil N at 0–30 cm depth was not depleted over 10 years of crop management. The photosynthetic capacity of miscanthus measured in this study indicated that the plants were thriving after 10 years, and C assimilation for growth was consistent with the findings of prior work that evaluated the maximum photosynthetic rates of this species. The combination of significant soil C sequestration, sustained soil N, and high photosynthetic rates has important implications for the sustainability of miscanthus as a biomass crop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe 'Boldrewood', a new accession of watercress (Nasturtium officinale R. Br.) that was initially found to be of short stature with high antioxidant capacity (Payne et al. 2015). This was of particular commercial interest because it offered the potential to develop a novel watercress product with fork-friendly size and improved health-benefits. In two commercial trials comparing Boldrewood to a control, we confirmed that Boldrewood exhibits a dwarf phenotype with a significantly shorter stem and consistently produced more leaves per stem area alongside comparable crop biomass. The antioxidant and chemopreventive capacity of Boldrewood were comparable to the commercial crop. For the first time, we observed a novel increase in glucosinolate concentrations and cytotoxicity to cancer cells, characterised as decreased IC50 (half-maximal concentration of an inhibitor), associated with increased crop age at harvest. This suggests that a slower-growing and longer to harvest crop provides a significant improvement in health benefits gained in this leafy crop which is already known to be highly nutrient dense and with considerable chemopreventive ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the environmental consequences of annual‐dominated cropping systems, there is an increasing need to identify agronomic strategies that incorporate perennial crops. One strategy for increasing perennial cover is through the targeted use of annually harvested perennial food and bioproduct crops in buffer strips, which has the potential to create new revenue streams for farmers and substantially mitigate agricultural nutrient pollution from conventional cropping systems. As buffers are typically installed on marginal land, it is critical to understand how landscape position influences the success of perennial crops. The objectives of this study were to determine the relatively early influence of landscape position on the productivity of a variety of perennial crops and their subsequent soil nutrients and soil water storing capabilities. In this experiment, nine perennial (alfalfa, alsike clover, indiangrass, switchgrass, big bluestem, prairie cordgrass, intermediate wheatgrass, high‐diversity polyculture, low‐diversity polyculture) and two annual (corn, soybean) crops were planted across two landscape positions (hillslope and deposition). Plant biomass, plant tissue nitrogen, soil moisture, and soil NO3‐N and NH4‐N were measured and compared at two different locations in Minnesota. Overall, the polyculture mixes, and to some extent intermediate wheatgrass, performed the best with respect to biomass production while also providing ecosystem services across most soil by landscape position combinations tested in this study. However, there were some important findings specific to each soil and landscape position combination, mainly oriented toward biomass production. We also observed temporal patterns in soil moisture and depth‐related patterns in soil N reductions. This study presents an opportunity to optimize the use of perennial crops on marginal agricultural lands for improved environmental and economic benefit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Planting cover crops can improve soil health and help to sustain agricultural crop yields. In northern climates where corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean (Glycine max L.) are grown, cover crop biomass production can be low. This has led to people investigating the potential of interseeding cover crops into the growing main crop. This paper sought to determine biomass production and the benefit to grain yields, weed control and soil properties from interseeding cover crops into corn and soybean. This review included 70 studies published prior to 15 March 2024. Interseeded cover crops that were winter-hardy such as cereal rye (Secale cereale L.) produced more biomass in the spring (1.04 Mg ha−1 average biomass production) than any of the interseeded cover crops did in fall (0.35 Mg ha−1 average biomass production), primarily at crop row spacings of 76 cm. Factors that affected cover crop biomass production were crop stage, planting method, tillage practice, irrigation and row spacing. There was not a consistent widely planted cover crop species that produced the most biomass. Interseeded cover crops reduced weed biomass by 46% compared to weed control and generally did not affect crop grain yields when planted after V4 crop stage. Interseeded cover crops reduced soil nitrate concentration but generally did not affect other soil properties including soil water content. However, most of these studies planted cover crops at the same site for less than three years. Early interseeded cover crops generally did not perform better than interseeded winter-hardy cover crops planted around crop physiological maturity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wind erosion and variable weather challenge crop production in the northern Great Plains. Management that increases residue cover might mitigate wind erosion during the cash crop growing season. We evaluated horizontal sediment flux (modified Wilson and Cooke samplers) and cash crop yield across a single rotation of corn (Zea mays L.)–soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.)–spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in paired fields with contrasting management. One field included cover crops and retained spring wheat straw (aspirational), while the other excluded both conservation practices over the 3‐year rotation (business‐as‐usual). Horizontal sediment flux rapidly decreased with days after cash crop planting (increasing crop canopy), regardless of management treatment. In 2 years (2020 corn and 2022 spring wheat), there was greater horizontal sediment flux, lower cash crop grain yield, and lower cash crop aboveground biomass in the aspirational versus business‐as‐usual field. In 2021 soybean, there was lower horizontal sediment flux, greater cash crop yield, and greater cash crop aboveground biomass in the aspirational versus business‐as‐usual field. Higher yield and lower horizontal sediment flux responses corresponded with the management treatment that produced the higher cash crop aboveground biomass. Additionally, our short‐term study indicated that in drought years, cover crops worsened the adverse effects of abnormally low precipitation on yield and biomass of 2020 corn but not 2021 soybean. Core Ideas: Sediment mass flux and grain yield were measured in response to cover cropping and wheat straw management.Horizontal sediment flux rapidly decreased with canopy development, regardless of management treatment.During drought, cover crops decreased yield and biomass of corn but not soybean.Conservation practices treatment had lower horizontal sediment flux in 2021 soybean, but not in 2020 or 2022. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With changes to climate and crop insurance, earlier soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] planting dates need to be investigated. Additionally, the use of a cover crop prior to soybean is promoted as a sustainable practice though little is known about cover crop and ultra‐early soybean planting (prior to April 15). The objective was to evaluate soybean planting date and cereal rye (Secale cereale L.) cover crop termination timing on cover crop biomass, soybean plant population, and yield. The study was conducted in Northeast and West Central Ohio in 2021 and 2022. Treatments included three soybean planting dates (early April, late April, and late May) and three cover crop treatments (termination 1–2 weeks prior to planting or "early," termination at or after planting or "late," and no cover crop). Cover crop biomass increased as termination was delayed. Soybean planted in early April resulted in a yield reduction of 1.8 Mg ha−1 when planted into a cover crop compared to the no cover crop control. However, when soybean was planted in late April, grain yield was not different among cover crop treatments. Yield reduction associated with early April planting with a cover crop was likely due to low soybean plant population, especially in Northeast Ohio, where plant population was <55,000 plants ha−1 with a cover crop and >120,000 plants ha−1 without a cover crop. To maximize yield, soybean should be planted by the end of April in Northeast Ohio. In West Central Ohio, soybean can be planted in early April without a cover crop. Core Ideas: Soybean planting date and cover crop termination timing on cover crop biomass and grain yield were assessed.Cover crop biomass increased with later termination dates.In West Central Ohio, soybean planted in April yielded greater than soybean planted in May.Planting soybean in early April after a cover crop reduced soybean plant population and grain yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intermittent ozone (O3) exposure of crops to alternating high and low concentrations is common in fields, but its impact on crop production has not been thoroughly investigated. In this study, two widely planted and O3-sensitive crops, winter wheat and soybean, were intermittently exposed to elevated O3 concentrations in open-top chambers. The results showed that the winter wheat and soybean yields significantly decreased with O3 exposure (AOT40, cumulative hourly O3 concentration above 40 ppb) (p < 0.001). The relative yield losses were 0.99% per AOT40 for winter wheat and 1.2% per AOT40 for soybean, respectively. The responses of the crop biomasses to elevated O3 concentrations were lower than that of crop yield. Although the O3-induced crop yield and biomass losses under continuous O3 exposure were greater than those under intermittent O3 exposure, the differences were not statistically significant. Therefore, we can conclude that the effects of elevated O3 concentrations on crops are closely related to the exposure dose but not significantly related to the temporal distribution of elevated O3 concentrations. This study improves our understanding of how crop production responds to intermittent O3 exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Cover cropping during the summer fallow is a feasible practice for soil residual nitrogen (N) absorption and subsequent N supply in greenhouse vegetables. However, the change in these effects with a progression in the cultivation years of greenhouse vegetables remains unknown. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of different cover crops on the uptake of residual N in soil and N mineralization as affected by the planting years of greenhouse vegetables. Methods: Five soil samples were collected from fields that had been cultivated with greenhouse vegetables for different number of years (0, 5, 10, 15, and 20 years); upper layers (0–30 cm) of the soil were sampled from a major vegetable production area in Xinxiang City, Henan Province, China. Three cover crop treatments were included for each soil sample: no cover crop planted during summer fallow with no straw return (CK), summer maize (Zea mays L.) planted and straw return (SM), and alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) planted and straw return (A). Pot and incubation experiments were conducted to determine the amounts of N absorbed by cover crops during the fallow and soil N mineralization after cover crop straw return. Results: The effects of cover crops on soil residual N absorption and subsequent N mineralization changed with cover crop types and greenhouse vegetable planting years. SM performed better as a cover crop than A in crop biomass development (on average 6.67 times larger), soil residual N absorption (4.46 times larger), and loss (3.61 times smaller) control, regardless of the greenhouse vegetable planting years. In terms of soil net N mineralization and straw-induced N mineralization, SM was inferior to A (1.15 and 2.12 times smaller). With the increase of planting years, total biomass yield and N uptake by the SM increased, whereas these parameters decreased for treatment A due to the plants' different tolerance to soil available N and pH (pondus hydrogenii). For all cover crop treatments, with the increase of greenhouse vegetable planting years, net N mineralization of the soil increased due to the positive contribution of soil organic matter, whereas straw-induced N mineralization decreased due to the negative regulation of accumulated soil nitrate nitrogen. Conclusions: Non-legumes, as represented by SM, were a good choice for cover cropping regardless of the greenhouse vegetable cultivation years. However, attention should be paid to N supplementation at an early stage of subsequent crop cultivation, especially in newly built greenhouse vegetables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the importance of finding sustainable strategies for utilizing low-quality crops in the food industry. With the increasing global population and advancements in agriculture and food technology, there is a need for high-quality and diverse food. The article discusses various strategies for extracting and utilizing active compounds from these crops to create functional foods and improve the value of products in the food industry. The authors analyze recent studies in this field to provide theoretical guidance for future research. The document emphasizes the potential of utilizing low-quality crop extracts to develop functional foods with high nutritional quality and the importance of exploring sustainable strategies for extracting high-quality active substances from these extracts. [Extracted from the article]

One of the promising approaches for hydrogen production is agricultural biomass crops conversion, which is a renewable-based clean and abundant resource. The main objective of the current study is to assess the contribution of soil beneficial microbes in improving salt tolerance along with the evaluation of possible hydrogen production from sorghum plant biomass. High salinity concentrations in soil stimulate plant roots to enhance the plant desire for symbiosis and association with vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (VAM). Among the VAM species, G.mosseae is one of the significant and effective VAM species, which contribute to plant salinity resistance by expanding leaf salt potential and accumulating nutrients leaves in comparison to other soil microorganisms in plants. Morphological characters of these plants show a higher biomass production during saline conditions up to 2000 kg/ha. Biomass production in the specific alternative thermochemical and biological processes are suggested and finally, gasification processes were chosen as the optimal method which can be practically applied to produce hydrogen from sorghum plants. By producing 10,000 kg biomass in three harvesting periods of Sorghum, almost 3000 kg biomass for bio-hydrogen production can be obtained. This could be an appropriate resource for obtaining biofuels, particularly bio-hydrogen from 3 million hectares of unbearable or poor quality lands in a country such as Turkey by producing 9 million tons of Hydrogen. Obtained data gives an overview of these technologies for hydrogen production from biomass yielding to 28.2 gH 2 /100 g biomass or 33.17 to 44.26 (gH 2). Producing green hydrogen from plants biomass is relatively cheaper, compared to chemo-industrial methods. Achieving the immobilization factors in bioprocesses for microorganisms is obtained in this study. Consequently, hydrogen productivity of the bioprocess can be enhanced by using porous support materials which provide high biomass holding capacity and help better gas retrieve in the process. • To use the contaminated soils and marginal lands for biohydrogen production. • To show a higher biomass production from plants during saline conditions. • To apply the gasification process as the optimum approach for hydrogen production from sorghum plants. • To provide types of support materials used for immobilization of microorganisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy crops are a new player in the traditional agricultural landscape. The present paper analyses the land uses surrounding and the spatial characteristics of the main energy crops in Sweden (willow, poplar, hybrid aspen and reed canary grass) compared to traditional agricultural crops during the period 2006–2018. Spatial metrics (number of shape characterising points, shape index and rectangularity ratio) are calculated for each field, as well as the nearby land uses at varying distances, at radius: 500 m, 1000 m, 2000 m and 5000 m. A total of 1560 energy crop fields are studied in the 2006 dataset and 3416 fields in the 2018 dataset, which are compared to 58,246 fields with cereal crops in 2006 and 131,354 fields in the 2018 dataset. Results show that, despite being established on previous agricultural land, energy crops present a different spatial profile compared to traditional agricultural crops. Field shapes present less complexity than before, and the overall spatial features become more regular with time in both cases of energy crops and cereals, suggesting an increasing trend in cost-efficient agricultural practices and planning. Important differences concerning land use diversity at different scales are found between plantations versus grasses. In general, willow plantations are located in agriculture-dominated areas (> 70% at 500 m, > 50% at 2000 m), whereas reed canary grass is in forest-dominated landscapes (> 30% at 500 m, > 60% at 2000 m); both contribute to diversifying existing land uses although with varying effects. The results of this study are a basis to assess the impacts of energy crops at landscape level and can translate into applications in energy policy and planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Valorisation of marginal agricultural land in the bioeconomy" is a document that emphasizes the significance of utilizing marginal, abandoned, and degraded land for biomass production in the bioeconomy. It specifically focuses on the potential of these lands to provide low indirect land use change (iLUC) risk biomass, aligning with the Renewable Energy Directive RED II. The document is divided into four sections, which cover topics such as assessing potential crop cultivation on marginal land, industrial crop cultivation using miscanthus, biomass utilization, and environmental, social, and techno-economic life cycle assessments. The document offers valuable insights and recommendations for policymakers to support perennial cropping systems in the European Union. It also explores the use of multispectral imaging to study plant responses to drought conditions and the importance of end-of-season ripening behavior for maintaining high yields when using miscanthus biomass for bioeconomy purposes. The potential of miscanthus biomass for producing high-value chemicals and materials is discussed, as well as the impact of biomass quality on material properties. The document emphasizes the need for monitoring the environmental and social impacts of transitioning to a green bioeconomy and provides policy recommendations for the development of perennial biomass crops. The authors acknowledge funding from the European Union for their research projects. [Extracted from the article]

Ionic liquids (ILs) are effective solvents for biomass. Refined cellulose is commonly used; however, recent interest has grown to consider woody and herbaceous biomass and industrial crop residues like fruit peels. Here, the authors report results on the dissolution and shaping of cotton and coffee fruit (cascara) in 1,8‐diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec‐7‐inium acetate ([DBUH][OAc]). Cascara is a high‐volume, low‐value crop residue that poses an environmental and economic burden in producer countries leading to a high‐value proposition if recoverable. Fruit/ionic liquid solutions (0–15% w/w dissolved at 60 °C) were characterized with respect to biomass concentration and shaped into fibers and films coagulated in DI water and methanol. Rheology was assessed using parallel plate rheometry. Cotton/IL mixtures formed better fibers compared to cascara‐based solutions, which required 2.6× more biomass in solution for viable fiber formation. At 10% loading, fibers could be produced from untreated coffee fruit with diameters ranging from 18–100 microns. Coffee fruit residues and their precipitated films show that both cellulose and lignin dissolve in pure [DBUH][OAc]. Chemical characterization of cascara and cascara films demonstrates the conveyance of high concentrations of lignin and extracts that result in weaker mechanical properties. Further purification of cascara is required for effective use in structural applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of residual herbicides as a part of preemergence (PRE) and in‐season layered treatments has proven to be an effective strategy for controlling late‐emerging broadleaf weed species in annual crops. However, the use of residual PRE herbicides has the potential to negatively affect other crops within an annual two‐crop rotation, such as fall‐planted cover crops. The intent of this study was to determine if PRE herbicides commonly used in the upper Midwest United States would affect stand density, height, and biomass production of fall‐planted cover crops. Field studies were conducted at three locations that differed in soil type and climate. Four PRE herbicides were applied in silage corn (Zea mays L.) in the spring: dimethenamid‐P (single application), dimethenamid‐P + saflufenacil, acetochlor + clopyralid + mesotrione, and a layered treatment of dimethenamid‐P at planting and 30 days after first application. Three cover crops were planted in the fall following silage corn harvest with a no‐till drill: winter cereal rye (Secale cereale L.), winter camelina (Camelina sativa L.), and red clover (Trifolium pratense L.). Although some of the PRE HBs tested affected cover crop spring plant density and height in sandy soils, there was no difference in cover crop biomass production at termination between herbicide treatments, regardless of soil type. These results indicate that the application of these residual PRE herbicides for control of late‐emerging weed species did not interfere with cover crop biomass production as long as soil moisture was not limiting. Core Ideas: Cover crop plant density and height was reduced by some herbicides in sandy soils.Cover crop biomass at termination was not affected by herbicides regardless of location.Preemegence herbicides and fall‐planted covers are compatible provided adequate soil moisture occurs during the growing season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agrivoltaics, a system combining the production of agricultural crops and solar energy on the same land area, offers a potential solution to land use competition between different sectors. However, concerns have been raised regarding the impact of shade on plant growth under Agrivoltaic Systems (AVSs). Numerous studies have explored the effects of AVSs shading on agricultural crops. However, most of these studies focused on shade-tolerant crops, leaving a gap in the understanding of how these systems affect shade-intolerant crops. To this end, this study was conducted in Bari, southern Italy, using two types of AVSs: conventional (Con) and semi-transparent (ST) panels. The objective was to assess the impacts of the different levels of shading on the tomato yield and fruit quality. Tomato cultivation occurred between May and August under various conditions: Con panels, ST panels, and Open Field. The results revealed that soil temperature decreased under both AVSs compared to in the open field conditions. However, the significant reduction in photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), up to 43% in ST and 67% in Con, led to yield reductions ranging between 28% and 58% in ST and Con, respectively. Nonetheless, AVSs demonstrated their potential to reduce irrigation water demand by over 15% in ST and more than 20% in Con. Interestingly, the AVSs reduced fruit size but improved certain fruit quality attributes, such as titratable acidity, which is closely correlated with fruit flavour. These findings highlight the challenges of cultivating shade-intolerant crops under AVSs in a Mediterranean climate, while temperate, dry conditions may offer more favourable prospects for agricultural production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changes in land surface albedo can alter ecosystem energy balance and potentially influence climate. We examined the albedo of six bioenergy cropping systems in southwest Michigan USA: monocultures of energy sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), and giant miscanthus (Miscanthus × giganteus), and polycultures of native grasses, early successional vegetation, and restored prairie. Direct field measurements of surface albedo (αs) from May 2018 through December 2020 at half‐hourly intervals in each system quantified the magnitudes and seasonal differences in albedo (∆α) and albedo‐induced radiative forcing (RF∆α). We used a nearby forest as a historical native cover type to estimate reference albedo and RF∆α change upon original land use conversion, and a continuous no‐till maize (Zea mays L.) system as a contemporary reference to estimate change upon conversion from annual row crops. Annually, αs differed significantly (p < 0.05) among crops in the order: early successional (0.288 ± 0.012SE) >> miscanthus (0.271 ± 0.009) ≈ energy sorghum (0.270 ± 0.010) ≥ switchgrass (0.265 ± 0.009) ≈ restored prairie (0.264 ± 0.012) > native grasses (0.259 ± 0.010) > maize (0.247 ± 0.010). Reference forest had the lowest annual αs (0.134 ± 0.003). Albedo differences among crops during the growing season were also statistically significant, with growing season αs in perennial crops and energy sorghum on average ~20% higher (0.206 ± 0.003) than in no‐till maize (0.184 ± 0.002). Average non‐growing season (NGS) αs (0.370 ± 0.020) was much higher than growing season αs (0.203 ± 0.003) but these NGS differences were not significant. Overall, the original conversion of reference forest and maize landscapes to perennials provided a cooling effect on the local climate (RFαMAIZE: −3.83 ± 1.00 W m−2; RFαFOREST: −16.75 ± 3.01 W m−2). Significant differences among cropping systems suggest an additional management intervention for maximizing the positive climate benefit of bioenergy crops, with cellulosic crops on average ~9.1% more reflective than no‐till maize, which itself was about twice as reflective as the reference forest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A device was developed for on‐field cutting energy measurement of cereal crops. Physical, engineering, and anatomical properties of prominent rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars of India were studied at different stem positions using a factorial CRD design. The effects of changes in different operational parameters, including blade bevel angle (15°, 20°, and 25°), cutting angle (25°, 30°, and 35°) and cutting velocity (2.9, 3.44, and 4.1 m s−1) on cutting force and cutting energy of rice stalk were also studied. Cutting angle indicated the angle of inclination of cutting edge to the horizontal at blade‐crop interface. The assessment of these properties and parameters in relation to crop cutting energy, led to the development of a smart device for energy measurement up to a size of three skills. This device consisted of a compression system, crop holding unit, cutting unit, and sensors to measure the force, speed, and cutting height. The device's measurement abilities were evaluated with wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) stalks at different cutting speeds (0.83, 1.16, and 1.5 m s−1 and stem heights (10, 20, and 30 cm from ground). Values for cutting force and energy ranged from 1.85 to 1.45 N and 10.81 to 8.48 N mm–1, respectively. At all stem heights, the cutting force and cutting energy ranged from 1.79 to 1.44 N and 11.92 to 6.74 N mm–1, respectively. The ultrasonic sensor provided real time cutting height data with an accuracy of 97.5%, while the gyroscope sensor had an accuracy of 94.29% for on‐field cutting angle measurement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Millions of hectares of cover crops are planted in the U.S. and European Union to manage soil erosion, soil fertility, water quality, weeds, and climate change. Although only a small percentage of cover crops are harvested, the growing cover crop planting area provides a new biomass source to the biofuel industry to produce bioenergy. Oilseed crops such as rapeseed, sunflower, and soybean are commodities and have been used to produce biodiesel and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Other cover crops such as cereal rye, clover, and alfalfa, have been tested on small or pilot scales to produce cellulosic ethanol, biogas, syngas, bio-oil, and SAF. Given the various biofuel products and pathways, this review aimed to provide a comprehensive comparison of biofuel yield from different cover crops and an overview of the technologies that have been employed to improve biofuel yield. It was envisioned that gene-editing tools might be revolutionary to the biofuel industry, the work on cover crop supply chain will be critical for system scaleup, and high-tolerant technologies likely will be needed to handle the high compositional heterogeneity and variability of cover crop biomass for biofuel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the aim of extending the production of renewable energy from lignocellulosic materials by improving their energy characteristics, the authors have started a series of experimental activities that involve a densification process of the wood material and a subsequent quantitative and qualitative characterization of the different pellets produced. The research activity was focused on different types of pellets obtained using biomass deriving from dedicated energy crops (medium rotation forestry), pruning residues of agricultural crops, thinning interventions in planted forests, and, lastly, residues from the maintenance of urban greenery. Among the 15 parameters that were investigated, 9 (length, diameter, fusibility, As, Cr, Cu, Pb, Ni, and Zn) were within the limits set by current legislation for all the analyzed pellets. The same was not detected for the remaining 6 parameters (bulk density, heating value, ash, N, durability, and cadmium), the value of which did not reach the quality requirements established by the standards. The biomass obtained from medium rotation forestry plants (MRF) and forest residues turned out to be the best source of material to be used to produce pellets. Within these two groups, the best results were found for eucalypt, except for the heating value. Pellets from MRF also showed interesting values of durability and nitrogen content (classes A1 vs. A2). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rectangular quadrats (1 m2 or less) are commonly used in cover crop research to sample shoot biomass in fields where the cover crops are planted in narrow rows. However, in drilled cover crops, quadrats do not accurately estimate cover crop biomass unless the width dimension of the quadrat, that runs perpendicular to the rows, is a multiple of the cover crop row spacing. Illustrations are provided with correctly sized and placed quadrats for sampling drilled cover crops along with calculations to convert sampled biomass to field‐scale units. Examples with various quadrat sizes, row spacings, and quadrat placements are used to illustrate how researchers can inadvertently underestimate or overestimate biomass by up to 49% and 27%, respectively. A survey of 92 articles with cover crop biomass data published in the Agronomy Journal and Weed Technology from 2017 to 2021 found that many studies used an incorrect quadrat size, which suggests that they may have inaccurately estimated cover crop biomass. However, assumptions were made to reach this conclusion because only a few papers provided the dimensions, orientation, and shape of the quadrat used. These results (1) raise important questions about possible errors made in papers reporting cover crop biomass data and associated metrics (nitrogen uptake, weed biomass, etc.), and (2) highlight the need for describing sampling methods in greater detail to ensure that accurate data and analysis are published in the literature. Approaches to correct possible errors in published research are described along with biomass sampling suggestions for future cover crop research. Core Ideas: Misuse of quadrats to sample drilled cover crops can inadvertently lead to inaccurate biomass estimates.A survey of recent literature suggests that quadrat misuse may have occurred in many drilled cover crop studies.Quadrat width should be a multiple of row spacing and quadrats should not be oriented diagonally to the rows.In broadcast cover crops, quadrat width and placement are irrelevant because plants are randomly scattered.Suggestions are made to avoid quadrat problems in future, drilled cover crop research and to correct past errors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industrial wastewater obtained from hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL-WW) of food wastes for biofuels production could represent a source of crop nutrients since it is characterized by a high amount of organic and inorganic compounds. In the present work, the potential use of HTL-WW as irrigation water for industrial crops was investigated. The composition of the HTL-WW was rich in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium with high level of organic carbon. A pot experiment with Nicotiana tabacum L. plants was conducted using diluted wastewater to reduce the concentration of some chemical elements below the official accepted threshold values. Plants were grown in the greenhouse under controlled conditions for 21 days and irrigated with diluted HTL-WW every 24 hours. Soils and plants were sampled every seven days to evaluate, over time, the effect of wastewater irrigation both on soil microbial populations, through highthroughput sequencing, and plant growth parameters, through the measurement of different biometric indices. Metagenomic results highlighted that, in the HTL-WW treated rhizosphere, the microbial populations shifted via their mechanisms of adaptation to the new environmental conditions, establishing a new balance among bacterial and fungal communities. Identification of microbial taxa occurring in the rhizosphere of tobacco plants during the experiment highlighted that the HTL-WW application improved the growth of Micrococcaceae, Nocardiaceae and Nectriaceae, which included key species for denitrification, organic compounds degradation and plant growth promotion. As a result, irrigation with HTL-WW improved the overall performance of tobacco plants which showed higher leaf greenness and increased number of flowers compared to irrigated control plants. Overall, these results demonstrate the potential feasibility of using of HTL-WW in irrigated agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Greater cover crop biomass is expected to result in a favorable microhabitat for beneficial arthropods. Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) cover crop termination guidelines are based on the cash crop planting date. Therefore, a delay in cash crop planting could result in greater cover crop biomass. However, studies on delays in cash crop planting and greater cover crop biomass have led to a decrease in cash crop yield. Thus, a field study was conducted in eastern Nebraska over two years to evaluate the impact of early and late corn planting dates with at-plant cover crop terminations on pest potential, beneficial arthropod activity, and agronomic parameters. To measure arthropod activity and pests in the system, pitfall traps, and corn injury assessments were performed during the early stages of corn development. A total of 11,054 and 43,078 arthropods were collected in 2020 and 2021, respectively. The results have shown no impact of the corn planting dates with at-plant cover crop termination on arthropods but identified that cereal rye cover crop supports greater Araneae activity while its alternative prey varied when compared to the no-cover treatment. Significant yield penalties were observed when cover crop was used regardless of the corn planting dates. Pest pressure was not significant in any year, however, future research using cereal rye and different cover crop species should be used in this system with an artificial infestation of a pest to be able to evaluate the trade-offs between possible cash crop yield reductions and potential biological control of pests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture is the second-highest, after energy use, source of greenhouse gas emissions, which are released from soils and animal digestion processes and as a result of energy consumption at various stages of agricultural production. However, changes in the management of agricultural systems may mitigate the negative impact of this sector on the atmosphere and climate. This paper presents a literature review on energy consumption in agriculture and the potential of agricultural crop production to assist in mitigation of global warming by increasing absorption of CO2 from the atmosphere. The issue was considered in the context of managing the cultivation of main, catch and cover crops. The potential of carbon sequestration in the above- and below-ground biomass of selected crops was analyzed. It was stated that, depending on the species, main crops can sequester up to 113 CO2 ha−1 yr−1 in whole biomass, while catch or cover crops can sequester up to 14.80 CO2 ha−1 yr−1 and 0.17 CO2 ha−1 yr−1 in the above- and below-ground biomass, respectively. The benefits of the spread of catch or cover crops, such as improvement of soil quality (leading to an increase in primary crop yield by even as much as 65%) and a phytosanitary effect, as well as the barriers that limit the use of catch crops, including the problems with matching crop species to climate and soil conditions and the risk of reducing farmers' income, were considered. The results of the review show that catch crops can assimilate an additional amount of 4 to 6 tonnes CO2 ha−1 yr−1, and thus, spreading of catch crops is an effective way to reduce the climate impact of agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Legumes can fix atmospheric nitrogen (N) and facilitate N availability to their companion plants in crop mixtures. However, biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) of legumes in intercrops varies largely with the identity of the legume species. The aim of our study was to understand whether BNF and concentration of plant nutrients by common bean is influenced by the identity of the companion plant species in crop mixtures. In this greenhouse pot study, common beans were cultivated with another legume (chickpea) and a cereal (Sorghum). We compared BNF, crop biomass and nutrient assimilation of all plant species grown in monocultures with plants grown in crop mixtures. Results: We found beans to exhibit low levels of BNF, and to potentially compete with other species for available soil N in crop mixtures. The BNF of chickpeas however, was enhanced when grown in mixtures. Furthermore, biomass, phosphorous and potassium values of chickpea and Sorghum plants were higher in monocultures, compared to in mixtures with beans; suggesting competitive effects of beans on these plants. Concentration of calcium, magnesium and zinc in beans was higher when grown with chickpeas than with Sorghum. Conclusions: It is generally assumed that legumes benefit their companion plant species. Our study highlights the contrary and shows that the specific benefits of cereal-legume mixtures are dependent on the growth rate of the species concerned. We further highlight that the potential of legume-legume mixtures is currently undervalued and may play a strong role in increasing N use efficiency of intercrop-based systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biogas production plays an important role in the clean energy economy and is reducing the problems of the energy crisis. The main objective of the current study is to analyze environmental performance by using perennial energy crops in the agricultural sector. Perennial energy crops are neutral for carbon and can be used for electricity and heating, which may mitigate climate change as well. The purpose of this work was to investigate and compare the energy–economy effectiveness and environmental performance of the suitability of four perennial crops for biogas production. Environmental performance was analyzed using the method of the life cycle assessment. To identify the most environmentally sustainable perennial crops for biogas production, a comparative analysis was conducted on four different crops: Lucerne, Miscanthus, Switchgrass, and Reed canary grass. The results of the analysis showed that Lucerne and Miscanthus, during the first–sixth years period, have lower indirect energy input (from 15.2 to 3.2 GJ/ha and 15.6 to 3.2 GJ/ha) than Switchgrass (from 20.9 to 3.2 GJ/ha) and Reed canary grass (from 16.7 to 3.2 GJ/ha). However, the highest direct energy input was determined by Lucerne (from 15.7 to 1.6 GJ/ha), and Miscanthus (from 11.9 to 0.9 GJ/ha) compared to Switchgrass (from 7.4 to 1.8 GJ/ha) and Reed canary grass (from 8.1 to 1.6 GJ/ha). Additionally, the lowest result of the direct economy and indirect economy costs was determined by Lucerne (from 3.9 to 3.7 kEUR/ha (direct) and 9.9 to 2.1 kEUR/ha (indirect)) and by Miscanthus (from 2.4 to 4.9 kEUR/ha (direct) and 11.8 to 1.9 kEUR/ha (indirect)) compared to Switchgrass (5.9 to 5.7 kEUR/ha (direct) and 17.5 to 2.1 kEUR/ha (indirect)), and reed canary grass (from 5.3 to 4.9 kEUR/ha (direct) and 13.7 to 1.9 kEUR/ha (indirect), respectively. The assessment of environmental performance revealed that Reed canary grass and Miscanthus had a more pronounced impact on Acidification. In contrast, Lucerne and Switchgrass had a more significant impact on Eutrophication indicators. The crop cultivation of four perennial crops impacted the environment in various significant ways. Despite the varying environmental impacts of the four perennial crops, the analysis revealed that all of them have the potential to increase biogas production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wild garlic (Allium ursinum L.) is a typical spring geophyte whose natural habitat is beech forests. The research aimed to assess the possibility of cultivating wild garlic in field conditions significantly different from those required by this plant, using environmentally friendly and unconventional treatments. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of selected agricultural practices (catch crop, shading plant, biopreparations) on the growth of wild garlic leaves grown in the field. The results show that the biomass of catch crops and shade plants and biopreparations from marine algae are justified in cultivating wild garlic in field conditions regarding the leaf yield. Ploughing of phacelia biomass on a catchment soil with an unstable structure positively affected the growth of wild garlic, increasing the length of leaves, their number, and the length and width of the leaf blade. Winter turnip rape used as a shade plant caused an increase in the length of the leaves and the value of the FV/FM index (the quotient of the variable fluorescence to the maximum fluorescence), and also, depending on the year of the study, the length and width of the garlic leaf blade. Soaking the bulbs before planting in the 'Kelpak SL' solution increased the number of garlic leaves growing without turnip rape cover in the second and third years of cultivation. In the first year of vegetation, longer leaves with a larger leaf blade ensured the preparation was sprayed three times without pre-soaking the bulbs. Considering the biopreparations' positive effect on the growth of garlic leaves and the FV/FM ratio values, their use is prospective regarding the increasing occurrence of dry years and is an alternative to plant irrigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Population densities of several cervid species have increased in recent decades in North America and Europe, and cervids frequently eat and damage agricultural crops. Competition and depletion of natural food resources are the main mechanisms for the density‐dependent decline in vital rates of large herbivores. The extent to which access to agricultural crops can buffer density effects in cervid populations, however, is unknown. Agricultural grasslands cover more than a third of the European agricultural area, and red deer (Cervus elaphus) use these grasslands in many European countries. Over the past few decades, such grasslands have been subject to management intensification (with renewal and fertilization) in some areas and abandonment (no longer being harvested) in other areas. We used generalized linear mixed‐effects models to examine the development of body masses of red deer in Norway during a period of population density increase in 16 local management units with different availability of cultivated grasslands (0.87–6.44%) in a region with active management of grasslands (Tingvoll, n = 5,780, 2000–2019) and a region with ongoing abandonment (Hitra, n = 10,598, 2007–2020). There was a consistent decline in the body mass of red deer linked to increased population density in both regions. A higher proportion of agricultural grassland was linked to higher body mass and lower density effects in both sexes and across all age classes. There is a link between body mass, survival, and reproduction. Therefore, the buffering of density effects of access to agricultural crops will fuel cervid population growth and lead to less natural regulation of abundance, making it more difficult to control dense cervid populations by harvesting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vegetation indices are used in precision agriculture to estimate crop aboveground biomass (AGB) and, in turn, to quantify crop needs. However, crop species and development stage affect vegetation indices limiting the setup of generalized models for AGB estimation. Some approaches to overcome this issue have combined vegetation indices and structural crop properties such as crop height. However, only a few studies have considered different herbaceous crops like forages and cover crops. A 2-year field experiment was carried out on five winter cover crops with different habits at a high cover fraction (on average 93%) to study if combining vegetation indices, crop height and the fraction of soil covered by the crop could improve AGB estimation. Seven vegetation indices, crop height and cover fraction were derived from UAV-multispectral images. Species-specific and global (including all species) regression models were built and tested through cross-validation (CV). Green-based indices were the best estimators of AGB (RCV2 = 0.56–0.93, normalized root mean square error in CV nRMSECV = 26–38%) of the five species, separately. A global linear model using crop height alone, provided good results (RCV2 = 0.57, nRMSECV = 42%). Also, stepwise multiple regression was used to get a global model with crop height and five vegetation indices (RCV2 = 0.75, nRMSECV = 31%). Finally, a model was proposed where AGB was estimated by a vegetation index until plants covered 97% of soil or its height was shorter than 125 mm and by crop height for vegetation taller than 125 mm. The promising results (RCV2 = 0.65, nRMSECV = 36%) suggested the possibility of increasing AGB estimation by considering both vegetation indices and structural crop properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of thea digestate which originated fromon a widely cultivated perennial crop (Miscanthus giganteus). Cchanges in the physicochemical properties of the soil, the abundance of soil microorganisms, and soil respiration were all assessed. Three types of digestate: fresh in the liquid form, processed -- dried and pyrolysed, were tested and compared with mineral fertilization and an unfertilized control. Soil samples were taken in spring 2014, summer 2015 and autumn 2016. In total, 14 variables were analysed: total carbon, hot water extractable carbon, total nitrogen, C/N ratio, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, pH, bacteria, fungi, O2 intake, CO2 emission, total carbon mineralized after 7- and 100-day-long respiration. Overall, regardless of the form of the digestate, the chemical parameters of the soil improved, although the extent of the improvement depended on the applied form of the digestate. The highest TC 12.79, N 1.29, K 257.95 and P 149.96 g kg-1 DM were determined in the plots fertilized with biochar. All digestate forms had a positive influence on the bacterial DNA abundance, and biochar also affected the abundance of the fungal DNA and the potential carbon sequestration in the soil. Pyrolysed digestate may have a particular value in the fertilization of perennial industrial crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phenomics technologies have advanced rapidly in the recent past for precision phenotyping of diverse crop plants. High-throughput phenotyping using imaging sensors has been proven to fetch more informative data from a large population of genotypes than the traditional destructive phenotyping methodologies. It provides accurate, high-dimensional phenome-wide big data at an ultra-super spatial and temporal resolution. Biomass is an important plant phenotypic trait that can reflect the agronomic performance of crop plants in terms of growth and yield. Several image-derived features such as area, projected shoot area, projected shoot area with height constant, estimated bio-volume, etc., and machine learning models (single or multivariate analysis) are reported in the literature for use in the non-invasive prediction of biomass in diverse crop plants. However, no studies have reported the best suitable image-derived features for accurate biomass prediction, particularly for fully grown rice plants (70DAS). In this present study, we analyzed a subset of rice recombinant inbred lines (RILs) which were developed from a cross between rice varieties BVD109 × IR20 and grown in sufficient (control) and deficient soil nitrogen (N stress) conditions. Images of plants were acquired using three different sensors (RGB, IR, and NIR) just before destructive plant sampling for the quantitative estimation of fresh (FW) and dry weight (DW). A total of 67 image-derived traits were extracted and classified into four groups, viz., geometric-, color-, IR- and NIR-related traits. We identified a multimodal trait feature, the ratio of PSA and NIR grey intensity as estimated from RGB and NIR sensors, as a novel trait for predicting biomass in rice. Among the 16 machine learning models tested for predicting biomass, the Bayesian regularized neural network (BRNN) model showed the maximum predictive power (R2 = 0.96 and 0.95 for FW and DW of biomass, respectively) with the lowest prediction error (RMSE and bias value) in both control and N stress environments. Thus, biomass can be accurately predicted by measuring novel image-based parameters and neural network-based machine learning models in rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perennial energy crops (PECs) can reduce the negative impacts of intensive silage maize cultivation on agroecosystems in Central Europe. Furthermore, the remaining vegetation of PECs after harvest may provide suitable habitat and more beneficial overwintering conditions for arthropods than maize. It was hypothesized that after harvest and in winter, arthropod abundance and biomass are higher in PECs than in silage maize. In a field experiment arranged in a factorial split‐plot design of eight main plots (plot size: 240 m2), the two PECs cup plant (Silphium perfoliatum L.) and field grass were compared with silage maize (Zea mays L.) regarding their suitability as autumn (post‐harvest) and overwintering habitats for arthropods. Soil temperature, moisture as well as biomass and abundance of autumn‐active and overwintering arthropods were analyzed for these three crops. Suction sampling was used during autumn and emerging arthropods were sampled with emergence trap sets in spring. In PEC plots, soils were moister and less exposed to cold temperatures than in silage maize. Compared with silage maize, total arthropod abundance and biomass were higher in PEC plots for both sampling periods. Results were similar for most examined arthropod taxa. The results of this study demonstrate that, compared with silage maize, PECs provide suitable post‐harvest habitats and constitute more suitable overwintering habitats for arthropods. Differences are likely to be based on lack of disturbance and the provision of vegetation structures after harvest that function as overwintering habitats for arthropods. It can be concluded that the positive effects of PECs on ground arthropods are not limited to their growing time but continue to a certain extend after harvest and during winter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was carried out to determine the effect of three commercial LEDs of different spectra with or without far red (FR) photons on the growth, morphology, and mineral content of two leafy vegetables under two temperatures (30 °C and 21 °C). The two leafy greens were 'Cegolaine' lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and 'Petite Star' pak choy (Brassica rapa subsp. Chinensis). In each temperature, there were three light spectra: red and blue LED, and white LED with or without FR. All spectra of lights were adjusted to a total photon flux density of 250 μmol m−2 s−1 at the top of the plant canopy. Results indicated that temperature treatment had a significant influence on most measured parameters. When temperature increased from 21 to 30 °C, lettuce shoot fresh and dry weights increased by 30% and 53%, respectively, while those of pak choy increased by approximately 22%. For both species, plants at high temperature had a larger leaf area but lower mineral content compared to those at low temperature. The spectrum treatment had a minor or no effect on the measured traits. In conclusion, the 5% FR did not impact the yield or biomass of either crop and the plant responses to spectra varied with temperature and species. The two temperatures resulted in significant differences in growth, morphology, and leaf mineral content in both species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cover crop growing periods in the western U.S. Corn Belt could be extended by planting earlier. We evaluated both pre‐harvest broadcast interseeding and post‐harvest drilling of the following cover crops: (a) cereal rye (Secale cereale L.) [RYE]; (b) a mix of rye + legumes + brassicas [MIX1], (c) a mix of rye + oat [Avena sativa L.] + legumes + brassicas (MIX2), (d) legumes [LEGU]) and (e) a no cover crop control. These were tested in continuous corn (Zea mays L.) [corn–corn] and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.]–corn systems [soybean–corn] at three sites in Nebraska for their effect on cover crop productivity, soil nutrients, and subsequent corn performance. At the sites with wet fall weather, pre‐harvest broadcasting increased cover crop biomass by 90%, to 1.29 Mg ha−1 for RYE and 0.87 Mg ha−1 for MIX1 in soybean–corn, and to 0.56 Mg ha−1 and 0.39 Mg ha−1 in corn–corn, respectively. At the drier site, post‐harvest drilling increased biomass of RYE and MIX1 by 95% to 0.80 Mg ha−1 in soybean–corn. Biomass N uptake was highest in pre‐harvest RYE and MIX1 at two sites in soybean–corn (35 kg ha−1). RYE and sometimes mixes reduced soil N, but effects on P, K, and soil organic C were inconsistent. In soybean–corn, corn yields decreased by 4% after RYE, and in corn–corn, by 4% after pre‐harvest cover crops. Site‐specific selection of cover crops and planting practices can increase their performance while minimizing impacts on corn. Core Ideas: Pre‐harvest broadcast cover crops had greatest productivity in sites with wetter fall weather.Cereal rye was the most productive cover crop, followed by mixes.Cereal rye and sometimes mixes lowered soil N.Cover crop effects on soil P, soil K, and soil C were small.Cover crops reduced corn yields by 4% or less. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Earth System Models (ESMs) are increasingly representing agriculture due to its impact on biogeochemical cycles, local and regional climate, and fundamental importance for human society. Realistic large scale simulations may require spatially varying crop parameters that capture crop growth at various scales and among different cultivars, as well as common crop management practices, but their importance is uncertain, and they are often not represented in ESMs. In this study, we examine the impact of using constant versus spatially varying crop parameters using a novel, realistic crop rotation scenario in the Energy Exascale Earth System Model (E3SM) Land Model version 2 (ELMv2). We implemented crop rotation by using ELMv2's dynamic land unit capability, and then calibrated and validated the model against observations collected at three AmeriFlux sites in the US Midwest with corn soybean rotation. The calibrated model closely captured the magnitude and observed seasonality of carbon and energy fluxes across crops and sites. We performed regional simulations for the US Midwest using the calibrated model and found that spatially varying only a few crop parameters across the region, as opposed to using constant parameters, had a large impact, with the carbon fluxes and energy fluxes both varying by up to 40%. These results imply that large scale ESM simulations using spatially invariant crop parameters may result in biased energy and carbon fluxes estimation from agricultural land, and underline the importance of improving human‐earth systems interactions in ESMs. Plain Language Summary: Crops are increasingly being characterized in global land models because of their impact on local and regional climate. However, there is limited understanding of the impact of crop rotation and of different crop cultivars on carbon and energy fluxes from the land surface. Our study implements crop rotation and spatially varying crop parameters in the Energy Exascale Earth System Model Land Model and finds that doing so improves carbon and energy flux estimation from cropland area. These findings emphasize the importance of capturing agricultural management practices and variability in growth characteristics across different crop cultivars in global land models. Key Points: This study implements corn soybean rotation and spatially varying crop parameters in the Energy Exascale Earth System Land ModelThe model is calibrated and validated against observations collected at three AmeriFlux sites in the US MidwestWe find that spatially varying crop parameters resulted in improved flux estimation from cropland areas [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cultivation of perennial biomass crops (PBCs) on marginal lands is necessary to provide feedstock for the bio-based EU economy and accrue environmental benefits through carbon (C) sequestration in soil. Short rotation coppice (SRC) species, e.g., willow, black locust, and poplar, and perennial rhizomatous grasses, e.g., miscanthus, switchgrass, and giant reed, have been tested in many EU projects in the last 10 years to investigate their productive potential and contribution to the mitigation of climate change. A major knowledge gap regarding PBCs is the fate of accumulated soil organic carbon (SOC), once PBC plantations are reverted to arable crops. In this study, the effects of PBCs reversion on SOC and carbon-dioxide emission (CO2) were monitored over a 2-year period in a long-term (11-year) multispecies trial of six PBCs: Three SRC species including poplar (Populus spp.), willow (Salix spp.), and black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia), and three herbaceous rhizomatous grasses including miscanthus (Miscanthus x giganteus), switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), and giant reed (Arundo donax). The SOC change and GHG emissions were then modeled with the ECOSSE model. Two years after the reversion, SOC increased significantly for all PBCs with no significant difference between them. During the PBC cultivation phase, 5.35 Mg SOC ha−1 was sequestered while 10.95 Mg SOC ha−1 was added by reversion, which indicated that 67% of SOC sequestration occurred after the reversion. The ECOSSE model was successfully used to simulate SOC sequestration trajectories (R2 = 0.77) and CO2 emission from soil (R2 = 0.82) after the reversion of the six PBCs. This indicated that the high SOC sequestration rate after the reversion was due to humification of belowground biomass (roots + rhizomes/stumps), which had been mulched and incorporated into the reversion layer (0–30 cm). This occurred in the first 2 months (on average 5.47 Mg SOC ha−1 y−1) and in the first year after the reversion (1.3–1.8 Mg SOC ha−1 y−1). Considering the entire PBCs cultivation cycle (13 years of PBCs + reversion), PBCs showed annual SOC sequestration rates higher than 1 Mg SOC ha−1 y−1, placing PBCs cultivation and reversion as one of the most promising agricultural practices to combine biomass production, with the recovery of marginal lands to agricultural production through increasing the SOC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The wide occurrence of natural phytotoxins renders many crops unfit for human consumption. To overcome this problem and produce detoxified crop varieties, we propose the use of biotechnological strategies that can enhance the harvest index without the need to increase crop biomass or alter whole plant architecture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus Spenn.), an indigenous medicinal and aromatic plant within the Mediterranean region, yields essential oils renowned for their antimicrobial, antioxidant, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory properties. When subjected to various stress conditions, rosemary intensifies the production of essential oils as a defensive mechanism, as occurs when it is subjected to drought stress, making it a potentially interesting crop for marginal dryland areas of Sicily and other Mediterranean areas. Managing rosemary cultivation through controlled drought stress close to the balsamic period may increase the concentration and quality of essential oils and optimize the use of limited resources like water. We conducted two on-farm field experiments in Sicily, southern Italy, to assess the effect of controlled drought stress on rosemary biomass, essential oil yield, and composition. The hypothesis was that drought could improve the concentration of essential oils and modify their chemical composition by increasing valuable aromatic components without negatively impacting crop biomass production, increasing interest in cultivating this species. The experiments were co-designed with farmers selecting dedicated field experiments, cultivars, and crop management. Drought stress was applied during autumn and spring in correspondence with medium-high temperatures and rainwater scarcity. The irrigation input was reduced for three weeks during the balsamic period for each trail. Under stressed conditions, morphometric traits were measured. At harvest time, essential oils were extracted using microwave-assisted extraction. Under the same farm conditions, the canopy height was significantly higher in 'Barbeque' than 'Tuscan Blue cv. (67.3 cm vs. 43.8 cm) This indicates a genotype influence on stress response. Essential oil yield increased by 30 % in plants of Tuscan blue cv. subjected to stress conditions in one of two farms. Additionally, drought stress altered the aromatic profile of the essential oil, resulting in differing percentages of key compounds between stressed and unstressed plants. Generally, there was a higher α-pinene percentage in unstressed plants and higher bornyl-acetate and β-caryophyllene concentrations in drought-stressed plants. In the Scicli farm, α-pinene decreased in response to water stress, while camphene and myrcene increased. Our results summarized that controlled drought stress had a minimal impact on rosemary growth, increasing the percentages of some terpenes in its essential oils. No severe decrease was observed in the synthesis of essential oils, suggesting that rosemary is suitable for marginal soils in many Mediterranean countries to protect soils and diversify crops in farms. • All experimental trials were conducted on-farm and experimental design agreed with growers. • While no reduction in biomass production was observed under stress conditions, the essential oil yield increased. • Among the genotypes grown on the same farm, the essential oil composition was different. • The valorization of marginal lands with endemic flora that is suitable for the extraction of bioactive compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The biomass ash can play a crucial role in agriculture by acting as a valuable fertilizer that fosters nutrient cycles and contributes to the conservation of nutrient's resources. The paper begins by discussion of the chemical properties of ashes derived from the herbaceous and agricultural crops. It then evaluates the effect of biomass ash on the soil properties and plant growth in the field and greenhouse conditions. Finally, the paper evaluates the impact of ash to phytoremediation practices, when nutrients presented in biomass ash were returned to the natural cycles to secure sustainable biomass utilization. Beside nutrients, some potentially toxic elements were presented in biomass ash which can threaten the environment. Rice husk ash followed by bagasse and wheat straw ashes were the most studied materials which showed positive effects on agricultural soil and crops. Furthermore, a positive impact of rice husk ash on the phytoremediation efficiency of Ricinus communis and Vetiver Grass were reported. The results of the current studies show a great potential of biomass ash when applying for the agricultural and environmental remediation actions thorough the careful assessment which ensures the circularity in the revitalization. • Waste biomass ash is advantageous to plants due to its physico-chemical properties. • Beside nutrients, some potentially toxic elements are presented in biomass ash. • Using of ash requires careful assessment and thorough intensive chemical control. • Herbaceous and agricultural crop ashes got much less attention for experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: This study compared the ability of natural abundance (NA) and 15N-enrichment (EN) methods to quantify contribution of different N sources (fertilizer and legume N derived from fixation) to crop N uptake by maize crop grown in No-Till cropping system under field conditions. The quantitative estimates of different N contributions were then compared between methods.A field experiment was established on a Vertosol by sowing legume (Vicia faba) or non-legume (Triticum aestivum) grain crops. The following maize crop was fertilized using either urea or 15N-enriched (5 atom%) urea, at five N rates in spatially separated subplots in each field plot.The proportional recovery of fertilizer N in grain (%Ndff) showed that EN method provided higher estimates than that determined by NA method, with differences greatest in wheat–maize rotation. The NA method was better able to quantify residual benefits of fixed N from faba beans in a following maize crop. Unfortunately, different biomass and grain sampling times necessitated by the size of fertilised plots used for each isotopic method confounded comparisons of Ndff in crop biomass and grain yields.While larger plot sizes able to be used in cheaper NA method provided better estimates of crop and grain biomass and N content, and enabled quantification of recovery of atmospheric N2-fixed legume N (%Ndfa) in a following maize crop, EN method was better able to estimate fertilizer N recovery by maize in the field. The reasons for differences in %Ndff between methods and crop histories require further investigation.Methods: This study compared the ability of natural abundance (NA) and 15N-enrichment (EN) methods to quantify contribution of different N sources (fertilizer and legume N derived from fixation) to crop N uptake by maize crop grown in No-Till cropping system under field conditions. The quantitative estimates of different N contributions were then compared between methods.A field experiment was established on a Vertosol by sowing legume (Vicia faba) or non-legume (Triticum aestivum) grain crops. The following maize crop was fertilized using either urea or 15N-enriched (5 atom%) urea, at five N rates in spatially separated subplots in each field plot.The proportional recovery of fertilizer N in grain (%Ndff) showed that EN method provided higher estimates than that determined by NA method, with differences greatest in wheat–maize rotation. The NA method was better able to quantify residual benefits of fixed N from faba beans in a following maize crop. Unfortunately, different biomass and grain sampling times necessitated by the size of fertilised plots used for each isotopic method confounded comparisons of Ndff in crop biomass and grain yields.While larger plot sizes able to be used in cheaper NA method provided better estimates of crop and grain biomass and N content, and enabled quantification of recovery of atmospheric N2-fixed legume N (%Ndfa) in a following maize crop, EN method was better able to estimate fertilizer N recovery by maize in the field. The reasons for differences in %Ndff between methods and crop histories require further investigation.Results: This study compared the ability of natural abundance (NA) and 15N-enrichment (EN) methods to quantify contribution of different N sources (fertilizer and legume N derived from fixation) to crop N uptake by maize crop grown in No-Till cropping system under field conditions. The quantitative estimates of different N contributions were then compared between methods.A field experiment was established on a Vertosol by sowing legume (Vicia faba) or non-legume (Triticum aestivum) grain crops. The following maize crop was fertilized using either urea or 15N-enriched (5 atom%) urea, at five N rates in spatially separated subplots in each field plot.The proportional recovery of fertilizer N in grain (%Ndff) showed that EN method provided higher estimates than that determined by NA method, with differences greatest in wheat–maize rotation. The NA method was better able to quantify residual benefits of fixed N from faba beans in a following maize crop. Unfortunately, different biomass and grain sampling times necessitated by the size of fertilised plots used for each isotopic method confounded comparisons of Ndff in crop biomass and grain yields.While larger plot sizes able to be used in cheaper NA method provided better estimates of crop and grain biomass and N content, and enabled quantification of recovery of atmospheric N2-fixed legume N (%Ndfa) in a following maize crop, EN method was better able to estimate fertilizer N recovery by maize in the field. The reasons for differences in %Ndff between methods and crop histories require further investigation.Conclusion: This study compared the ability of natural abundance (NA) and 15N-enrichment (EN) methods to quantify contribution of different N sources (fertilizer and legume N derived from fixation) to crop N uptake by maize crop grown in No-Till cropping system under field conditions. The quantitative estimates of different N contributions were then compared between methods.A field experiment was established on a Vertosol by sowing legume (Vicia faba) or non-legume (Triticum aestivum) grain crops. The following maize crop was fertilized using either urea or 15N-enriched (5 atom%) urea, at five N rates in spatially separated subplots in each field plot.The proportional recovery of fertilizer N in grain (%Ndff) showed that EN method provided higher estimates than that determined by NA method, with differences greatest in wheat–maize rotation. The NA method was better able to quantify residual benefits of fixed N from faba beans in a following maize crop. Unfortunately, different biomass and grain sampling times necessitated by the size of fertilised plots used for each isotopic method confounded comparisons of Ndff in crop biomass and grain yields.While larger plot sizes able to be used in cheaper NA method provided better estimates of crop and grain biomass and N content, and enabled quantification of recovery of atmospheric N2-fixed legume N (%Ndfa) in a following maize crop, EN method was better able to estimate fertilizer N recovery by maize in the field. The reasons for differences in %Ndff between methods and crop histories require further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Melon/cowpea and broccoli/fava bean intercropping patterns compared to monocultures. • Cowpea showed no effects of competition with melon with high BNF under monoculture. • Fava bean was sensitive to intra- and interspecific competition with broccoli. • The higher the BNF in the fava bean, the higher the broccoli relative yield. Legume-based intercropping systems are a beneficial alternative for soil functioning, and rhizobacterial community diversity, while can contribute to reduce external inputs. Hence, the aims of this work were to assess: (i) the biological N fixation (BNF) process of cowpea and fava bean under different intercropping patterns compared to monocultures, (ii) the relationship between biologically fixed N and the crop biomass and yields, and (iii) the possible intra- and interspecific competition processes in each intercropping pattern. We compared, for three years, the monocultures of melon and cowpea with three different melon-cowpea intercropping patterns, and the monocultures of broccoli and fava bean with three different broccoli-fava bean intercropping patterns. The different intercropping patterns were: mixed intercropping, row intercropping 1:1 (vegetable:legume), and row intercropping 2:1 (vegetable:legume). Fertilization was reduced by 30 % in the diversified plots. After three years, BNF was higher in cowpea under monoculture (16.55 kg N ha-1), while fava bean showed higher BNF under intercropping row 1:1 (81.49 kg N ha-1). The relative crop yield (g plant-1) and plant biomass (g plant-1) were sensitive indicators to assess the intra- and interspecific interactions. Cowpea showed higher relative yield under mixed intercropping (41.45 g plant-1), coinciding with lower values of N derived from the air (Ndfa = 16.59 %). Fava bean showed the lowest relative yield in the mixed intercropping (195 g plant-1), coinciding with the highest value of Ndfa (92.71 %). The BNF by fava bean was positively correlated with the relative broccoli yield, not observed for cowpea/melon crop. Cowpea showed no effects of inter- or intraspecific competition with similar relative crop yield and plant biomass in monocultures than intercrops. On the contrary, fava bean was more sensitive to inter- and intraspecific competition, with increased biomass and relative crop yields when plant density was low. As a consequence, for fava bean, intercropping row 1:1 and 2:1 contributed to highest relative yield (551 g plant-1 and 613 g plan-1, respectively) and biomass (181 g plant-1 and 101 g plan-1, respectively), just the patterns with lower inter- and intraspecific competition. This research provides insights about how different legumes behave differently when grown intercropped with vegetables, in terms of NBF, growth and yields: competition and facilitation processes are different when comparing fava bean and cowpea grown as intercrops. Both legume species can be recommended for intercropping systems with a reduction in fertiliser rates and no negative effect on cash crops. However, excessive interspecific competition may reduce fava bean biomass and yields, not observed with cowpea intercropped with melon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]