Crop Yields Articles

The Sahelian zone of West Africa is 400 to 800 km high and more than 4000 km wide. It is one of the very large semi-arid zones of the world, and rainfall is both scarce add highly irregular. To mitigate the effects of drought in the Sahel, flexible response polities and mechanisms are required for different production systems, protection measures, and decision making. Unfortunately, quantitative, ...

Jul. 3, 2018

By EARS Earth Environment Monitoring B.V.

Our study area in the People's Victory Canal Irrigation District of Henan Province in China has been transferring agricultural water to the city for municipal use. This study starts with an examination of the impacts of irrigation frequency, irrigation water sources, and irrigation water supply performance on crop yield and net crop revenue, using data from a survey of 182 households in the ...

Dec. 18, 2016

By IWA Publishing

The goal of this paper is to analyze the impacts of climatic variation around current normals on crop yields and explore corresponding adaptation effects in Arizona, using a unique panel data. The empirical results suggest that both fertilizer use and irrigation are important adaptations to climate change in crop production. Fertilizer use has a positive impact on crop yields as expected. When ...

Sep. 10, 2015

By IWA Publishing

This study investigates incentives and disincentives regarding adoption of controlled tile drainage (CTD) in a region of eastern Ontario, Canada, where CTD could be used prolifically from a biophysical standpoint, but is not. Irrespective of documented environmental and agronomic benefits of CTD, adoption remains low. Surveys and semi-structured interviews with producers and drainage ...

Jul. 21, 2015

By IWA Publishing

Is it possible to reduce pesticide use without compromising crop yields? Yes — and then some, according to a new study published in the journal Insects. Researchers at the University of Essex in the United Kingdom measured pesticide use and crop yield at 85 project sites in 24 Asian and African countries practicing integrated pest management ...

May 7, 2015

By Ensia

In areas where markets for natural water are lacking, information on its marginal value can be an important tool for proper pricing to achieve efficient allocation of the resource. This article investigates the marginal value of natural water (rainwater used as a proxy) in agricultural crop production in the suburbs of Mekelle City, Ethiopia, by econometrically estimating individual value ...

Apr. 7, 2015

By IWA Publishing

The recent spells of recurrent and consecutive droughts in the Bundelkhand region in Central India have led to uncertain rain-fed agriculture and its sustainability. Adequate knowledge of starting dates and lengths of dry spells has a considerable importance in rain-fed agriculture, irrigation planning, and various decision-making processes. The long dry spells incur heavy costs to the affected ...

Sep. 29, 2014

By IWA Publishing

Food is a fundamental human right, as set down by international human rights treaties and, often, national constitutions. But the right to food cannot be ensured without a corresponding right to phosphorus, as ...

Sep. 17, 2014

By SciDev.Net

The salient results of in-situ soil water conservation technologies that have been found suitable for increasing soil moisture in the arid and semiarid lands of eastern Kenya are reviewed. The results showed that Zai pits, tumbukiza and deep tillage when used together with soil fertility improvement can increase crop yields by 4–10 times in comparison to conventionally ...

Jul. 29, 2014

By Inderscience Publishers

The role of risks in the adoption of low–input wheat production in Switzerland is investigated using farm–level panel data. Due to governmental support with environmental payments, low–input wheat production is found to be on average more profitable. However, low–input production is also more risky, in particular due to higher yield variability. The here presented analysis reveals that these ...

May 26, 2014

By Inderscience Publishers

Genetic diversity has supplied effective ways to improve crop yields and disease resistance. Therefore, we may be able to reduce crop uptake of heavy metals by collecting germplasm resources. In this study, cadmium accumulation and nutrients in radish was investigated by intercropping three genotypes (red, green, and white radish) in different combinations. Both pot and field experiments ...

May 16, 2014

By John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

It may be a win-win situation: treating seeds with commercially available growth promoters before planting could have the added benefit of attracting parasitic wasps that feed on caterpillar pests, suggests a study. The protective effect of these cheap, commercially available chemicals, known as ‘plant strengtheners’, can help protect young ...

Mar. 17, 2014

By SciDev.Net

A locally owned, alternative model of supplying affordable seed is working for Africa’s framers, says Joe DeVries. Smallholder farmers in Africa — mostly women — wage silent battles against the elements and other forces beyond their control to feed ...

Nov. 19, 2013

By SciDev.Net

The year was marked by one of the most anticipated global environmental meetings in 20 years: the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20), held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The summit was a ...

Jan. 2, 2013

By SciDev.Net

In this paper, we aim to assess households' vulnerability to food–price increases in four countries in sub–Saharan Africa. We use two established indicators of sensitivity to food price changes - one measuring the share of income spent on food, the other measuring net sales of food compared to total expenditures. In contrast to earlier studies, we look at all food items and not just one or a few ...

Nov. 15, 2012

By Inderscience Publishers

An analysis of spatial and temporal variation of drought impact may offer an unbiased glimpse into factors that may dictate drought severity at an apt local scale. In this study drought indices, for example, drought severity and coverage index, ISC, and, a derived crop–based drought severity and coverage index, ISC,AG, were scaled down ...

Sep. 23, 2012

By Inderscience Publishers

In African countries where farmers have access and can afford to buy fertiliser, there is a profound difference in agricultural yields, a feature in Nature notes. The red soil found across much of the continent is low in organic matter and key nutrients, and intensive farming in ...

Apr. 9, 2012

By SciDev.Net

A major vegetable grower in Lantokia, Fiji, using soilless culture systems began to trial Amnite A-100. His crops consisted principally of lettuce, tomatoes, capsicums, cucumbers, zucchinis and melons. Before the trials they had been plagued with root diseases, mosaic virus and insect attack, control of which required constant use of pesticides and ultraviolet lighting. The first trials commenced ...

May 24, 2011

By Cleveland Biotech Ltd.

Vermicompost was produced with Perionyx excavatus and Eudrilus eugeniae using animal manures, leguminous leaves, grass and agro-forestry wastes. Yields of corn fertilised with vermicompost at 5t/ha and rice at 2t/ha of vermicompost were comparable with those for corn fertilised with 100% chemical fertilisers and 40% increase over the control for rice. Chinese cabbage and eggplant fertilised with ...

Dec. 1, 2010

By Inderscience Publishers

Field experiments were conducted to assess the optimum dilution of Post Methanation distillery Effluent (PME) to utilise as an organic nutrient source for growing rice and wheat crops. Dilution levels of distillery effluent significantly affected the biomass production as well as grain yield of rice and wheat crops. Levels of organic carbon and NPK were significantly higher in effluent treated ...

Sep. 30, 2010

By Inderscience Publishers