Agricultural Systems最新文献

{"title":"Cropland displacement results in changes in cropland site conditions and quality in China during 1990–2020","authors":"Haoyang Wang ,&nbsp;Chaoqing Chai ,&nbsp;Wenhao Niu ,&nbsp;Yuan Qi ,&nbsp;Weiwei Zheng ,&nbsp;Xiangbin Kong ,&nbsp;Bangbang Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104362","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104362","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>Knowledge of cropland displacement patterns and their impacts contributes to cropland conservation, thus ensuring national food security. Despite the growing number of studies focusing on cropland displacement, how cropland displacement affects cropland quality is still not thoroughly explored.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study aims to analyze the displacement characteristics of newly added and lost cropland in China from 1990 to 2020 and the impacts of cropland displacement on cropland site conditions and quality, to provide a scientific basis for cropland protection.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>An analysis framework was developed for the impact of cropland displacement on cropland site conditions and quality. The center of gravity model was used to inscribe the spatial displacement trajectory of cropland, while the geographic information system (GIS) was employed for spatial analyses. Based on the land evaluation and site assessment (LESA) system, we quantitatively assessed changes in climate, topography, locational conditions, and landscape patterns of cropland as well as changes in cropland quality.</div></div><div><h3>Results and conclusions</h3><div>The gravity center of added and lost cropland in China generally shifted toward the southwest during 1990–2020. During this period, the most significant cropland displacement was observed in the Northern arid and semiarid region, the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, and the Middle-lower Yangtze River Plain in China. Further analysis revealed that cropland displacement led to changes in topography, climate, and landscape patterns, which were characterized by “occupying low-elevation cropland and compensating high-elevation one”, “occupying gentle-sloped cropland and compensating steep-sloped one”, “occupying superior cropland and compensating inferior one”, and “occupying integrated cropland and compensating fragmented one”. The cropland locational conditions exhibited a trend of “occupying cropland farther from rural roads and compensating one nearer”, and “occupying cropland nearer to rural settlements and compensating one farther”. Additionally, China's LESA (land evaluation and site assessment) scores gradually decreased from 68.91 in 1990 to 66.17 in 2020, indicating an overall decline in cropland quality.</div></div><div><h3>Significance</h3><div>The findings of this study provide useful insights to reveal the impacts of cropland displacement, and are of great significance for optimizing cropland spatial layout and improving cropland conservation policies in China.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"227 ","pages":"Article 104362"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143886510","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Improving crop modeling by simultaneously incorporating dynamic specific leaf area and leaf area index: A two-year experiment","authors":"Yufan Zhang ,&nbsp;Koki Homma ,&nbsp;Liangsheng Shi ,&nbsp;Yu Wang ,&nbsp;Han Qiao ,&nbsp;Yuanyuan Zha","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104357","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104357","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>CONTEXT</h3><div>Specific leaf area (SLA) is an important trait for quantifying crop growth status and leaf physiological structure. It also serves as a vital crop-specific parameter in the derivation of leaf area index (LAI) and aboveground biomass within crop models.</div></div><div><h3>OBJECTIVE</h3><div>The simplified and empirical consideration of SLA in current models ignores its dynamics. To accurately characterize the leaf structural traits, the SLA in the model need to be modified as an updatable continuous variable.</div></div><div><h3>METHODS</h3><div>This study used a dual-branch neural network for processing two-view digital images to extract leaf-specific traits. A novel approach was then proposed to modify the SLA from a fixed sequence to an updatable variable by introducing the SLA dynamic function (SDF) into WOFOST model. Meanwhile, a data assimilation framework was developed based on the Ensemble Kalman Filter, enabling SLA and LAI observations to be uptaken simultaneously. A two-year drought-controlled experiment was conducted on rice to evaluate the method under varying water stress conditions.</div></div><div><h3>RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS</h3><div>Results demonstrated that the incorporation of SDF and the assimilation of SLA and LAI significantly improved the accuracy of LAI, aboveground biomass, and grain yield estimations compared to the original model (R² = 0.85, RMSE = 1310.05 kg⋅ha⁻¹). The incorporation of SLAs further improves model performance and highlights the complementary roles of SLA and LAI in data assimilation.</div></div><div><h3>SIGNIFICANCE</h3><div>The technical route developed in this study aims to provide a concise and efficient solution for the integration of crop growth simulation and observation while highlighting the importance of considering dynamic leaf traits in crop modeling to better capture the responses to environmental stresses such as drought.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"227 ","pages":"Article 104357"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143883229","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Harmonizing soil carbon simulation models, emission factors and direct measurements used in LCA of agricultural systems","authors":"Simone Pelaracci ,&nbsp;Pietro Goglio ,&nbsp;Simon Moakes ,&nbsp;Marie Trydeman Knudsen ,&nbsp;Klara Van Mierlo ,&nbsp;Nina Adams ,&nbsp;Fossey Maxime ,&nbsp;Alberto Maresca ,&nbsp;Manuel Romero-Huelva ,&nbsp;Muhammad Ahmed Waqas ,&nbsp;Laurence G. Smith ,&nbsp;Frank Willem Oudshoorn ,&nbsp;Thomas Nemecek ,&nbsp;Camillo de Camillis ,&nbsp;Giampiero Grossi ,&nbsp;Ward Smith","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104361","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104361","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>CONTEXT</h3><div>The increasing demand for animal products, coupled with the need to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from livestock production, highlights the urgency for effective mitigation strategies for livestock systems, including the cropping systems. Soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration, a crucial approach for reducing atmospheric GHG concentrations, is often underrepresented in Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) of agricultural systems, largely due to methodological challenges in accurately accounting for soil carbon dynamics.</div></div><div><h3>OBJECTIVE</h3><div>The objective of this study was to evaluate soil carbon simulation models, emission factors and direct measurements used in LCA, with the aim of developing a harmonized approach for including soil carbon change in agricultural LCAs. The goals were to: i) assess soil carbon simulation models, emissions factors and direct measurements used in LCAs of agricultural systems; ii) evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of these models; iii) provide recommendations for LCA practitioners; and iv) identify areas for future methodological improvements.</div></div><div><h3>METHODS</h3><div>A systematic review of soil carbon simulation models, emission factors and direct measurements used in LCAs of agricultural systems was conducted, obtaining 263 relevant articles from an initial pool of 29,151. In addition to direct measurements, fifteen soil carbon simulation models and three methods based on emission factors were identified and categorized into three tiers based on complexity and data requirements. A modified Delphi participatory process was used to evaluate each method against established criteria through expert workshops.</div></div><div><h3>RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS</h3><div>The results showed an inverse relationship between applicability and accuracy of methods, making the choice of methodology critical to achieving high-quality LCA results. Recommendations emphasize selecting methods based on objectives and data availability, while being aware of the effect of the initial soil carbon level and the assessment time period when using soil carbon simulation models. In addition, this study identified current methodological challenges in assessing soil C dynamics in LCA of agricultural systems.</div></div><div><h3>SIGNIFICANCE</h3><div>This research provides a foundation for improving LCA practices and supports better decision-making in mitigating climate impacts of agricultural systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"227 ","pages":"Article 104361"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143883230","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"“The end point is a… more appropriate innovation ecosystem” Mission-oriented and responsible innovation in Australian agricultural systems","authors":"Simon Fielke,&nbsp;Aysha Fleming,&nbsp;Emma Jakku,&nbsp;Cara Stitzlein,&nbsp;Katie Ricketts,&nbsp;Gillian Cornish,&nbsp;Stephen Snow,&nbsp;Graham Bonnett","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104359","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104359","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>CONTEXT</h3><div>Responding to global sustainability challenges requires restructuring of systems of production and consumption. Such processes require careful consideration of the mechanisms which coordinate change at scale. We examine an exemplar Mission program, Drought Resilience Mission, and key enabling technology in Australia.</div></div><div><h3>OBJECTIVE</h3><div>With an aim to assist collectives of organisations to deploy programs with ambitions toward systemic change, we introduce a framework to operationalise innovation concepts simultaneously. Namely, experimenting with mission-oriented <em>and</em> responsible innovation ecosystem conceptualisation.</div></div><div><h3>METHODS</h3><div>We utilise an organisational case study of innovation discourse in Australia's national science agency. Secondary data and primary perceptions of expert respondents from a Mission Program, Drought Resilience Mission, and involved with co-development of a digital climate service in the agricultural sector were gathered (<em>n</em> = 52).</div></div><div><h3>RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS</h3><div>We propose that considering integration of mission-oriented and responsible innovation could help to unlock transition pathways. We suggest attention to coordination across level components and contexts via capability development, intermediation and integration of these innovation concepts will reduce duplication. Ultimately, increasing the impacts of agricultural research and innovation activities where systemic change is sought.</div></div><div><h3>SIGNIFICANCE</h3><div>The multi-level perspective on socio-technical transitions, mission-oriented innovation and responsible innovation are all frameworks for change, which differ in their backgrounds and agendas, yet all recognise how the spirit of transitions, missions and innovation logics can overlap. We provide an exploratory framework to assist with integration of these overlaps, to suggest integrated investments in agricultural innovation coalition coordination are more likely to result in systemic change ambitions being met.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"227 ","pages":"Article 104359"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143877407","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Challenges and strategies of resource poor farmers in adoption of innovative farming technologies: A comprehensive review","authors":"S. Vasavi ,&nbsp;N. Anandaraja ,&nbsp;P.P. Murugan ,&nbsp;M.R. Latha ,&nbsp;R. Pangayar Selvi","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104355","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104355","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>India's agricultural sector, with 121 million small and marginal holdings, faces challenges from a growing population, limited land, and restricted resources. Innovative farming technologies like precision agriculture, climate-smart practices, smart irrigation, and digital platforms offer solutions for enhancing productivity, sustainability, and economic viability. However, resource-poor farmers struggle to adopt these technologies due to low awareness, budget limitations, and infrastructure gaps.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This review examines the potential of innovative technologies for resource-poor farmers in India. It aims to identify accessible, effective solutions and explore strategies such as public-private partnerships, cooperative farming, and custom hiring centers to overcome adoption barriers.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A systematic literature review was conducted to gather findings on technologies relevant to smallholders. Studies were selected based on insights into accessibility, barriers, and support systems. The review categorized technologies by suitability for resource-poor settings and analyzed enabling factors like funding, education, and institutional support.</div></div><div><h3>Results and conclusions</h3><div>Technologies that enhance resource efficiency, like precision agriculture, can benefit smallholders. Yet, adoption remains limited due to financial, informational, and infrastructure barriers. Strategies involving partnerships, cooperatives, and custom hiring show promise in reducing these obstacles. A multi-faceted approach with policy, financial, and educational support is essential for adoption.</div></div><div><h3>Significance</h3><div>This review highlights actionable pathways for technology adoption among India's smallholder farmers, emphasizing the need for supportive frameworks and local research. The findings are relevant to policymakers and development practitioners focused on enhancing food security and resilience in smallholder farming.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"227 ","pages":"Article 104355"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143852325","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Patterns of livelihood diversification in farming systems of the Eastern Gangetic Plains","authors":"Tamara M. Jackson ,&nbsp;Ravi Nandi ,&nbsp;Arifa Jannat ,&nbsp;Arunava Ghosh ,&nbsp;Dilip Kumar Hajra ,&nbsp;Biplab Mitra ,&nbsp;Md Mamunur Rashid ,&nbsp;Sagar Bista ,&nbsp;Anjana Chaudhary ,&nbsp;Pragya Timsina ,&nbsp;Emma Karki ,&nbsp;Kali Rattan Chakma ,&nbsp;Gunjan Rana ,&nbsp;Avinash Kishore","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104346","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104346","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>CONTEXT</h3><div>The Eastern Gangetic Plains (EGP) is a region characterized by smallholder-dominated farming systems, facing rapid socio-economic and environmental changes. Livelihood diversification away from traditional agriculture is increasingly seen as a strategy to enhance resilience, income stability, and food security among these smallholders. However, comprehensive understanding of diversification patterns and their drivers within the EGP remains limited.</div></div><div><h3>OBJECTIVE</h3><div>This study aims to elucidate the patterns of livelihood diversification in farming systems across the EGP, and identify the key factors driving diversification.</div></div><div><h3>METHODS</h3><div>Utilizing data from the <em>Rupantar</em> project involving a baseline survey of 1400 households across India, Nepal, and Bangladesh, and a subsequent analysis employing the Simpson's Index of Diversity (SID) to quantify diversification levels. Multivariate regression models were used to explore the determinants of diversification, while disaggregating the analysis by country and diversification components (crop plot, crop non-plot, and non-crop non-plot).</div></div><div><h3>RESULTS AND CONCLUSION</h3><div>The study revealed moderate levels of diversification across the EGP, with significant geographical and contextual variability. Key drivers of diversification included access to resources, gender, education, market access, and institutional support, with notable differences across countries and diversification types. Specifically, non-ownership of irrigation pumps, female household headship, and engagement in off-farm and non-farm activities emerged as significant predictors of higher diversification levels.</div></div><div><h3>SIGNIFICANCE</h3><div>This study contributes to a nuanced understanding of livelihood diversification in the EGP, highlighting the complexity of diversification patterns and the multifaceted nature of its determinants and impacts. By identifying specific drivers of diversification, the findings provide valuable insights for policymakers, development practitioners, and researchers aiming to support rural livelihoods in the region. Emphasizing the role of gender, resource access, and institutional support, the study underscores the importance of tailored interventions to enhance the resilience and sustainability of smallholder farming systems in the face of changing environmental and socio-economic conditions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"227 ","pages":"Article 104346"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143854460","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Projecting trends of arabica coffee yield under climate change: A process-based modelling study at continental scale","authors":"Raniero Della Peruta ,&nbsp;Valentina Mereu ,&nbsp;Donatella Spano ,&nbsp;Serena Marras ,&nbsp;Rémi Vezy ,&nbsp;Antonio Trabucco","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104353","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104353","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>CONTEXT</h3><div>Climate change may lead to negative impacts on coffee production, such as reduced yields. Addressing this issue requires identifying climate risks and assessing the adaptation potential of agronomic practices across spatial and environmental gradients.</div></div><div><h3>OBJECTIVE</h3><div>This study aimed to evaluate climate change impacts on arabica coffee yields at continental scale and evaluate a specific adaptation measure, i.e. increasing shade tree density in agroforestry settings, by simulating the physiological links between coffee growth, climatic factors and agronomic management.</div></div><div><h3>METHODS</h3><div>After evaluating the performance of the process-based model DynACof in simulating arabica yields (using data from previous studies), we developed a new tool called G-DynACof, a modelling framework for spatializing DynACof on a regional scale using extensive climate projections and soil geodata. We used G-DynACof to simulate trends of potential coffee yields in Latin America and Africa using an ensemble of downscaled and bias-corrected climate projections for the period 2036–2065 compared to a historical period 1985–2014.</div></div><div><h3>RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS</h3><div>Despite considerable uncertainties due to the scarcity of information on agronomic management at the regional scale, our results indicate that potential yields could decrease between 23 % and 35 % in Latin America and between 16 % and 21 % in Africa, depending on the Shared Socioeconomic Pathway (SSP) considered (SSP1–2.6 and SSP5–8.5, respectively). Yield variations were very heterogeneous in space, with yields increasing at high altitudes and low latitudes, indicating a possible future shift of production areas. In our simulations, the effect of increased shade tree density on productivity was also spatially variable, and its potential for adaptation to climate change remains uncertain, requiring further investigation.</div></div><div><h3>SIGNIFICANCE</h3><div>Impact analyses and adaptation modelling of coffee agrosystems, together with socio-economic indicators, can delineate realistic, comprehensive, integrated risk assessments and support effective adaptation recommendations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"227 ","pages":"Article 104353"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143848024","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Reintegrating livestock onto crop farms: A step towards agroenvironmental sustainability?","authors":"Clémentine Meunier,&nbsp;Julie Ryschawy,&nbsp;Guillaume Martin","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104356","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104356","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;CONTEXT&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;In Europe, the ever-increasing disconnection between crop and livestock production generates major environmental externalities. Opposing this trend, a few pioneering farmers have reintegrated (i.e. intentionally organized the return of) livestock onto crop farms. While often depicted as sustainable, these systems have rarely been researched.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;OBJECTIVE&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;We aimed at assessing the agroenvironmental impacts of reintegrating livestock on crop farms and related farming-practice changes.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;METHODS&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Using an exploratory approach and innovation-tracking principles, we identified 15 crop farmers who had reintegrated livestock in farming systems that differed in production mode, farm size, crop and livestock species, and the type and duration of reintegration. We interviewed these farmers to characterize how their farming practices changed after reintegrating livestock. We then estimated impacts of their farming-practice changes after reintegrating livestock on nitrogen surplus, direct and indirect energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions (including compensation through carbon storage) at the farm level on a yearly basis.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Reintegrating livestock increased mean (± 1 standard deviation) farm-level nitrogen surplus (+25 ± 38 kg N/ha/year), energy consumption (+4913 ± 10,592 MJ/ha/year) and greenhouse gas emissions (+940 ± 1856 kg CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; eq/ha/year), especially when reintegrating poultry (+58 ± 45 kg N/ha/year, +15,186 ± 13,954 MJ/ha/year and + 2707 ± 2474 kg CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; eq/ha/year, respectively), as the overall aim was to increase farm economic performance. Interactions between crop and livestock production remained limited. The systems that reintegrated poultry relied on large amounts of feed input and did not decrease the amount of fertilizers purchased once poultry manure became available. Reintegrating sheep was associated with lower environmental impacts, with nearly no change in farm nitrogen surplus (+9 ± 28 kg N/ha/year), decreased energy consumption (−224 ± 203 MJ/ha/year) due to grazing cover crops or between orchard/vineyard rows and nearly no impact on greenhouse gas emissions (+56 ± 198 kg CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; eq/ha/year) due to decreased mechanized operations and conversion of cropland into pasture, which mitigated livestock-related emissions.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;SIGNIFICANCE&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;This original preliminary provides insights on the potential of reintegrating livestock to promote farm agroenvironmental sustainability when farmers subsequently change practices to increase interactions between crops and livestock (e.g. adjusting fertilization strategies, introducing legume-dense pastures into crop rotations to feed livestock). By providing a range of agroenvironmental impacts reachable through reintegrating livestock and documenting examples of farms having sustainably reintegrated livestock, it supports","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"227 ","pages":"Article 104356"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143850522","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Farmers' pest management strategies in oil palm production in Lake Victoria Islands, Uganda","authors":"Esther Lugwana Nampeera ,&nbsp;Hassan Wasswa Kayondo ,&nbsp;Twaha Musoke Sebikeje ,&nbsp;Gerald Ddumba ,&nbsp;Sarah Mubiru ,&nbsp;Ddamulira Gabriel","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104354","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104354","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>CONTEXT</h3><div>Oil palm is grown widely in Lake Victoria islands of Uganda and contributes to farmers livelihoods. Nevertheless, African oil palm weevil APW,<em>Rhynchophorus phoenicis</em> (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is a key insect pest of oil palm in tropical Africa, causing serious damage to oil palm plantations. Overdependence on synthetic insecticides to control APW is not effective and unsustainable. A better understanding of effective integrated pest management (IPM) strategies for APW in Uganda is required to reduce use of synthetic insecticides and enhance sustainable production of oil palm. Current farmer APW management practices might be affected by farm characteristics and production practices. This can result in ineffective control options of APW.</div></div><div><h3>OBJECTIVE</h3><div>Evaluated farm characteristics and production practices as well as APW infestation, assessed pest management methods for APW control and examined effectiveness of chemical and non-chemical control practices on APW infestation across four oil palm production blocks.</div></div><div><h3>METHODS</h3><div>We used semi-structured guides with eight focus farmer group discussions, fourteen qualitative in–depth interviews with oil palm experts and interviewed 200 oil palm smallholder farmers across four oil palm production blocks.</div></div><div><h3>RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS</h3><div>Certain farm characteristics and production practices had higher APW infestation compared to others. Chemical and non – chemical practices were used by oil palm smallholder farmers to manage APW, though farmers didn't know period of infestation, active ingredients and some couldn't tell pesticides used. There was significant difference in effectiveness when using non- chemical practices to manage APW. There is need to train farmers on IPM practices in oil palm. Further research should establish successful IPM approaches for APW to reduce pesticide use and enhance oil palm production.</div></div><div><h3>SIGNIFICANCE</h3><div>This study provides crucial insights into sustainable pest management practices, offering a framework for IPM implementation in smallholder oil palm farming systems in tropical Africa.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"227 ","pages":"Article 104354"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143848025","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Reducing national water degradation: Development and application of a manureshed-identification framework","authors":"Md Hamidul Haque ,&nbsp;Abolfazl Hojjat Ansari ,&nbsp;Tamie L. Veith ,&nbsp;Michael J. White ,&nbsp;Christine Costello ,&nbsp;Sheri Spiegal ,&nbsp;Peter J.A. Kleinman ,&nbsp;Jeffrey G. Arnold ,&nbsp;Raj Cibin","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104349","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104349","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>The manureshed concept minimizes nutrient imbalance in livestock-intensive agricultural systems by transporting surplus manure to agricultural fields with nutrient demands. The impacts of manureshed-based manure management across the contiguous United States (CONUS) and its potential to improve soil nutrient dynamics and water quality are not well known.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study developed a framework to evaluate the impacts of manureshed-based manure nutrient management at the CONUS scale.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Across CONUS, county-scale manure imports and exports were balanced by delineating manuresheds according to historic agronomic nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) demands and the transportation potentials of the nearest manure types (wet vs. dry). The water quality impacts of manureshed-based nutrient management were assessed for the Oconee River Watershed, in the southeastern United States using the National Agroecosystems Model (NAM) developed from the Soil Water Assessment Tool (SWAT+).</div></div><div><h3>Results and conclusions</h3><div>The analysis identified that nearly 78 % of the wet manure surplus counties (152 counties) required only two neighboring counties to balance excess wet manure P, and about 77 % of dry manure surplus counties (428 counties) required only three neighboring counties to balance excess dry manure P. The P-balanced manureshed-based manure management reduced organic phosphorus (P) by 29 % and organic nitrogen (N) by 5 % in the manure surplus case study watershed (Upper Oconee). When the excess manure was redistributed based on crop P demand, the total nutrient load at the watershed outlet decreased, with a 0.44 % reduction in total nitrogen (TN) and a 3.41 % reduction in total phosphorus (TP). However, the redistribution of excess manure led to a slight increase in nutrient loads in the Lower Oconee, the manure sink watershed.</div></div><div><h3>Significance</h3><div>The study demonstrates the potential of manureshed-based manure management to reduce nutrient loads. The findings emphasize that with spatially explicit and adaptive management strategies, manureshed-based approaches can successfully balance nutrient flows across regions, leading to better manure nutrient use efficiencies and water quality improvement.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"227 ","pages":"Article 104349"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143838359","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}