Agricultural Systems最新文献

{"title":"Integrated seed sector development in Africa: Adaptation of the approach in national seed programs","authors":"Walter Simon de Boef ,&nbsp;Marja Helen Thijssen ,&nbsp;Gareth Denis Borman ,&nbsp;Cecile Kusters ,&nbsp;Mirjam Schaap ,&nbsp;Abishkar Subedi ,&nbsp;Mohammed Hassena ,&nbsp;Dandena Gelmesa ,&nbsp;Nugus Kassa ,&nbsp;Tadesse Teshome ,&nbsp;Dawit Tsegaye Sisay ,&nbsp;Abdo Woyema ,&nbsp;Astrid Mastenbroek ,&nbsp;Geoffrey Otim ,&nbsp;Patrick Oyee ,&nbsp;Christine Menya ,&nbsp;Chinedu Agbara ,&nbsp;Ibidun Adetiloye ,&nbsp;Stephen Adigun ,&nbsp;Bankole Osho-Lagunju ,&nbsp;Folarin Okelola","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104368","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104368","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>CONTEXT</h3><div>Following the 2007/2008 food crisis, agriculture and food security re-emerged on the global development agenda. The seed sector became a priority for its potential in raising crop productivity and adapting crops to climate change. Since then, Wageningen University &amp; Research, in collaboration with partners, has been implementing national seed programs in Ethiopia, Uganda and Nigeria, guided by ‘integrated seed sector development’ (ISSD) that recognizes and supports multiple seed systems through which farmers obtain their seed.</div></div><div><h3>OBJECTIVE</h3><div>The study characterizes and analyzes features of national seed programs in Ethiopia, Uganda and Nigeria that have been managed and implemented by WUR together with national partners, and that draw upon insights for future design.</div></div><div><h3>METHOD</h3><div>This study has been structured around interviews with resource persons involved in these national seed programs. They characterized the programs in outcomes and ranked the relevance of ISSD principles and sector functions to those outcomes, using the ISSD principles and a sector framework. The ranking, supported by the justification for the ranking, provided inputs to the characterization and analysis of the programs.</div></div><div><h3>RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS</h3><div>While the application of ISSD principles has been similar in the three countries, the seed sector realities, opportunities and ambitions differ. In Ethiopia and Uganda, the programs engaged in the development of local seed businesses, with groups of farmers producing and marketing quality seed of a range of crops, and strengthened seed quality assurance and early generation seed supply. The programs in all three countries worked with multiple types of seed entrepreneurs, from local seed businesses to international seed companies. The programs used an evidence-based approach to innovation for strengthening an enabling environment in the seed sector, and engaged multiple stakeholders in assessing challenges, piloting innovations, and consolidating and scaling solutions.</div></div><div><h3>SIGNIFICANCE</h3><div>Learning from the programs, an update of ISSD principles, including key attributes of the sector framework, emerged as opportune. The revised principles reflect the move from a binary position delineating formal and informal systems to one that is more pluralistic in recognizing multiple seed systems; the interdependency between sector functions within the domains of seed markets and seed sector governance; and the adaptation from sector development to sector transformation, which is more intentional in terms of the direction pursued. The aim is that the updated principles inspire and guide future seed programs, practices and policies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"228 ","pages":"Article 104368"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144090244","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":"Comprehensive insights into modeling yield gap in agroecosystems: Definitions, theoretical framework, and multidimensional perspectives (a review)","authors":"Behnam Kamkar ,&nbsp;Gerrit Hoogenboom ,&nbsp;Parisa Alizadeh-Dehkordi ,&nbsp;Pooya Aalaee Bazkiaee ,&nbsp;Alireza Nehbandani","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104392","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104392","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>CONTEXT</h3><div>The yield gap—the difference between potential and actual yield—represents a fundamental challenge in agriculture. Closing this gap is crucial for increasing the productivity of arable land, thereby ensuring sustainable food security without expanding the agricultural footprint. This study explores the concept of the yield gap and its critical role in boosting crop production per unit area, a strategy essential for meeting the global food demand in the face of a growing population.</div></div><div><h3>OBJECTIVE</h3><div>This study aims to review and analyze methodologies for assessing the yield gap, highlighting their significance in improving agricultural productivity. The focus is on evaluating the strengths, limitations, and applications of various yield gap assessment methods, with a particular emphasis on the Global Yield Gap Atlas (GYGA) protocol to enhance the relevance and applicability of findings across different agricultural systems.</div></div><div><h3>METHODS</h3><div>Five widely utilized yield gap assessment methods were thoroughly reviewed, including crop simulation models (CSMs) and satellite imagery techniques. The study examines the methodologies, strengths, limitations, and notable applications of these methods globally. It also discusses the integration of advanced data collection and analysis techniques to overcome challenges such as data scarcity and inconsistencies in results.</div></div><div><h3>RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS</h3><div>The study identifies key challenges in yield gap research, including the scarcity of reliable data and the inconsistencies from different methodologies producing divergent results under similar conditions. These issues pose significant challenges for agricultural decision-makers and farmers, potentially reducing the practical utility of yield gap analyses. The study emphasizes the need for improved standardization and methodological integration to provide robust and actionable insights. It also highlights the evolution of yield gap methodologies to address climate change challenges and the need for effective adaptation and mitigation strategies. A cross-method comparison also revealed consistent key yield gap determinants.</div></div><div><h3>SIGNIFICANCE</h3><div>This comprehensive review provides valuable insights into the history, methodology, strengths, and weaknesses of various yield gap assessment methods. It discusses their evolution and the challenges ahead, offering guidance on integrating these methodologies to drive sustainable agricultural practices. The findings contribute to global food security by informing better decision-making in agriculture amidst ongoing environmental and socio-economic pressures.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"228 ","pages":"Article 104392"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144090243","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":"Spatio-temporal stability of intelligent modeling for weed detection in tomato fields","authors":"Adrià Gómez ,&nbsp;Hugo Moreno ,&nbsp;Constantino Valero ,&nbsp;Dionisio Andújar","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104394","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104394","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;CONTEXT&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Site-specific Weed Management (SSWM) represents a shift towards precision and sustainability in agricultural weed control by applying treatments selectively. Leveraging machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL), particularly convolutional neural networks (CNNs), enhances weed detection capabilities through automated image analysis. Challenges such as requiring extensive labeled datasets and spatio-temporal variability of weeds remain. Utilizing multi-year datasets provides an effective solution by reducing labor-intensive annotation efforts and improving model generalization across varying conditions.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;OBJECTIVE&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;This study aimed to develop and assess DL models (YOLOv8, YOLOv9, YOLOv10, RT-DETR) for accurate detection of five weed species (&lt;em&gt;Cyperus rotundus&lt;/em&gt; L&lt;em&gt;.&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;Echinochloa crus-galli&lt;/em&gt; L&lt;em&gt;.&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;Setaria verticillata L.&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;Portulaca oleracea L.&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;Solanum nigrum L.&lt;/em&gt;) in tomato fields by integrating multi-year datasets through temporal, spatial, and spatio-temporal analyses.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;METHODS&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;The study was conducted in commercial tomato fields in Santa Amalia, Badajoz, Spain, across the 2021 and 2022 growing seasons. Images were systematically captured using a high-resolution Canon camera following an “M”-shaped trajectory. Experts annotated weed species manually, and images underwent augmentation and segmentation to enhance dataset robustness. The models were trained on distinct temporal (year-based), spatial (field-based), and spatio-temporal (combined) datasets, utilizing pre-trained weights and consistent hyperparameters. Performance was evaluated using Average Precision (AP) and Mean Average Precision (mAP).&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Applying DL models effectively detected weed species, highlighting the importance of comprehensive datasets for model performance. The temporal analysis, relying solely on previous-year data, achieved a mean average precision (mAP) of 0.7, demonstrating limited efficacy. Using same-year but different-field data, spatial analysis showed improved accuracy (mAP: 0.81–0.89). The spatio-temporal analysis combining datasets from multiple years provided the highest accuracy (mAP up to 0.91), validating the advantages of integrating diverse data across different periods.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;SIGNIFICANCE&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Integrating multi-year datasets substantially enhances the precision and efficiency of DL-based weed detection models. This methodology minimizes the dependency on labor-intensive annotation processes, accelerates model deployment, and boosts dataset variability, thus fostering more robust and accurate predictive capabilities. This analysis ensures a comprehensive representation of environmental conditions, soil types, and weed emergence patterns, extending the method's applicability beyond the original sampled areas in tomato commercial fields. Moreover, the enviro","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"228 ","pages":"Article 104394"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144090314","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":"Traditional rice-fish system benefits sustainable production of small farms and conservation of local resources","authors":"Qiyue Luo ,&nbsp;Ranxin Dai ,&nbsp;Lufeng Zhao,&nbsp;Taojie Zhang,&nbsp;Junlong Ye,&nbsp;Jianjun Tang,&nbsp;Liangliang Hu,&nbsp;Xin Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104398","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104398","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>CONTEXT</h3><div>Small farms account for most of the world's farms (approximately 84 % of the world's farms are &lt;2 ha in size). Helping smallholder farms achieve sustainable production is one the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Worldwide, traditional agriculture has contributed to food and livelihood security of smallholder farms for centuries. The values of traditional agriculture in supporting sustainable production and in conserving local resources, however, has often been overlooked in science and policy making.</div></div><div><h3>OBJECTIVE</h3><div>Our objective is to examine whether and how traditional agriculture benefits sustainable production of smallholder farms and concomitantly conserving local resources.</div></div><div><h3>METHODS</h3><div>We performed the study in sites of the Globally/China-Nationally Important Agricultural Heritage System (i.e., rice-fish system, RF), which has been practiced by smallholders in southwestern China. Six counties that have a long history of rice-fish farming were included. We used a stratified sampling protocol with three strata (county, town, and village) in the field and farmer surveys, and in the sample collections. Sixteen towns and twenty-eight villages were sampled. ArcGIS (10.3.1) was used to estimate the sizes of the paddy field and farms. Data of yields were collected from farmer harvest. Field surveys were conducted to measure the depth of water layer in paddy fields and to collect samples of rice and fish. Shannon<em>-</em> Wiener's diversity index (H) was used to indicate rice variety diversity. Microsatellite DNA was used to evaluate genetic diversity of rice and fish (common carp, <em>Cypinus carpio</em>).</div></div><div><h3>RESULTS AND CONCLUSION</h3><div>Compared to rice monoculture (RM) smallholders, RF smallholders produced more stable rice yield but used fewer synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. RF smallholders obtained a certain quantity of fish yield from paddy fields, and had higher net income than RM smallholders. RF system in our study sites stored a large amount of rainwater during rainy season, and harbored diverse local rice varieties and indigenous common carp populations. Six morphotypes of indigenous common carp based on body coloration patterns and nomenclature assigned by local farmers were found in RF system. Shannon<em>-</em> Wiener's diversity index (H) of rice variety in RF system was higher than in RM system. Microsatellite DNA test further indicated that both local rice varieties and indigenous common carp exhibited high level of genetic diversity.</div></div><div><h3>SIGNIFICANCE</h3><div>Our results highlight the importance of traditional agricultural systems (e.g., rice-fish system) in enhancing sustainable production of smallholder farms and conservation of local resources. Recognizing the value of these traditional agricultural systems would help to boost support policies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"228 ","pages":"Article 104398"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144090285","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":"Comprehensive assessment of the agronomic, environmental and economic benefits of localized fertilizer placement in China's intensive cereal production systems","authors":"Solomon Yokamo ,&nbsp;Bin Wang ,&nbsp;Muhammad Ishfaq ,&nbsp;Weiwei Huan ,&nbsp;Muhammad Irfan ,&nbsp;Yiliu Wang ,&nbsp;Jackson Nkoh Nkoh ,&nbsp;Dianjun Lu ,&nbsp;Xiaoqin Chen ,&nbsp;Huoyan Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104372","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104372","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>The current ‘high input-high output’ nutrient management model based on homogeneous spread across the soil surface remains a key challenge in China's farming systems, resulting in diminished fertilizer use efficiency and increased environmental pollution. Localized placement of fertilizers (LPF) in the root zones of the crop has been proposed as a viable and practical approach to improve crop yield and ecological quality.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>In this study, the impact of LPF on cereal productivity (wheat, rice, and maize), cumulative emissions of ammonia (NH₃) and nitrous oxide (N₂O), and economic benefits was evaluated, and the influence of management, climate and soil factors on response ratio was elucidated.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A meta-analysis approach was adopted (encompassing 85 field studies published between 2002 and 2023), and a random effects model was employed to assess the impact of LPF under various site-specific covariates. Furthermore, the findings of the meta-analysis were corroborated by field experiments across different provinces of China.</div></div><div><h3>Results and conclusions</h3><div>The meta-analysis revealed that LPF significantly improved the yields of the selected crops (13.62 %) and nitrogen recovery efficiency (REN) (33.09 %), while simultaneously reducing N₂O (17.37 %) and NH₃ emissions (60.14 %) compared to conventional surface application of fertilizers (CSA). Higher grain yield and REN were achieved at an optimal fertilization depth (FD) of 5–15 cm, while greater reductions in gaseous emissions were observed at depths exceeding 15 cm. Field validation experiments showed that the localized application of N without topdressing increased the yields of maize (6.21 %), rice (34.63 %) and wheat (2.92 %) and the net economic benefits (26.01 %) compared to CSA. Thus, LPF could be an important fertilizer management strategy to address the trifecta of food security, environmental quality, and economic gains.</div></div><div><h3>Significance</h3><div>Our results provide novel insights and technical support in determining optimal FD and identifying several site-specific covariates affecting the efficacy of LPF. It suggests avenues for further action research and collaborations among agricultural scientists and product designers on the development of farmer-friendly fertilizer applicators and appropriate fertilizer products.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"228 ","pages":"Article 104372"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144071209","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":"Contrasting narratives of change? Recent approaches in seed system development","authors":"Fleur Kilwinger ,&nbsp;Conny Almekinders ,&nbsp;Ynte van Dam","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104395","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104395","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>CONTEXT</h3><div>This study critically examines the narratives driving seed system development within two large-scale research programs: Integrated Seed Sector Development (ISSD) Africa and the NL-CGIAR Research Program. Seeds hold the potential to make significant contributions to strengthen the resilience of farming systems, mitigate and adapt to climate change, provide nutritious diets, and reduce poverty, making the seed system development a central aspect of agricultural development. However, the pursuit of this multitude of goals often involves trade-offs, leading to different approaches to seed system development.</div></div><div><h3>OBJECTIVE</h3><div>We question the extent to which the environmental and participation agendas have actually changed framings and priorities, or to what extent the neoliberal discourse still dominates this field.</div></div><div><h3>METHOD</h3><div>We start our analysis by identifying ‘memes’—the basic units of meaning in stories, narratives, and discourses—based on their recurrence in discussions during the concluding conferences of both research programs. We identified seven key pairs of, seemingly contrasting, memes central to seed system development. Through further analysis of written synthesis documents we describe how these memes are given meaning within stories and how they are woven together in a narrative. We integrate these narratives with insights from relevant literature, drawing connections between the identified memes and the larger discourse on seed system development.</div></div><div><h3>RESULTS AND CONCLUSION</h3><div>At each pair of memes, our findings show that there is agreement on overarching objectives, while differences arise regarding the problems and solutions. However, when closely examining the meaning of key memes, we find that these narratives are locked in the neoliberal discourse. These finding suggest that, despite the apparent diversity of narratives, the participation and environmental agendas are often leveraged to optimize and reinforce the neoliberal discourse rather than to foster narratives embedded in alternative discourses.</div></div><div><h3>SIGNIFICANCE</h3><div>Our findings provide a critical reflection on seed system transformation and contribute to the wider debate of sustainable and inclusive agricultural development.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"228 ","pages":"Article 104395"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144071210","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":"Adaptability of environmental costs in agricultural systems: Evaluation of costs associated with nutrient management and comprehensive performance of different agricultural practices","authors":"Yunjie Shi ,&nbsp;Hengpeng Li ,&nbsp;Askar Akida ,&nbsp;Jianwei Geng ,&nbsp;Yuyang Shao","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104388","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104388","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>CONTEXT</h3><div>Environmental damage due to agricultural production has raised global concern. In practice, environmental costs (EC) serve as a bridge between economic and environmental measures of agricultural production. However, existing research on quantifying EC is inadequate resulting in trouble for stakeholders to evaluate the economic value of environmental damages accurately and reliably.</div></div><div><h3>OBJECTIVE</h3><div>This work aimed to design an evaluation framework with agricultural system adaptability for evaluating the EC of different agricultural practices (APs) while conferring their adaptability in agricultural systems and analyzing their impact on the performance of APs.</div></div><div><h3>METHODS</h3><div>We designed an EC evaluation framework and calculated the EC of different APs using the pollution restoration cost method. Economic cost and benefit data were gathered through questionnaires and participatory rural appraisals. A cost-benefit analysis was then conducted to evaluate the economic performance of different APs and to examine the impact of EC on the economy.</div></div><div><h3>RESULTS AND CONCLUSION</h3><div>The results showed that among the 10 APs in Liyang, the EC of specialized APs (tea, shrimp, etc., 10,000 to 17,000 CNY ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹) were significantly larger than those of the traditional APs (rice/wheat, etc., 900 to 8000 CNY ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹). When EC was not considered, the cash income of different APs were shown as tea &gt; shrimp &gt; rice/shrimp &gt; rice/rapeseed &gt; rice/wheat &gt; rice/green manure &gt; rice &gt; rapeseed &gt; chestnut &gt; wheat. After incorporating the EC, the EC of the tea and shrimp weakened their advantages in terms of returns. Therefore, the role of EC in agronomic decision-making cannot be ignored.</div></div><div><h3>SIGNIFICANCE</h3><div>This work provided a reference method for quantifying EC in agricultural systems. The evaluation of EC provided a scientific basis for policymakers to formulate environmental policies and for agricultural operators to formulate agricultural development strategies. It will contribute to striking a balance between economic interests and environmental protection, and will advance the rational quantification of ecological compensation in agricultural systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"228 ","pages":"Article 104388"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144069000","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":"Effect of abiotic stresses on Brassica rapa production in Korea: Learning from history to better prepare for the future impacts of climate change","authors":"Noh-Hyun Lee ,&nbsp;Wonjae Jeong ,&nbsp;Jin-Yong Jung ,&nbsp;Juhyeong Han ,&nbsp;Minju Baek ,&nbsp;Min Son ,&nbsp;Jeong-Hyeon Byeon ,&nbsp;Eun-Taek Hwang ,&nbsp;Kwang-Hyung Kim","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104374","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104374","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>CONTEXT</h3><div><em>Brassica rapa</em>, known as Kimchi cabbage, is an important cash crop in South Korea. However, climate change has inflicted major abiotic stresses on cabbage production, resulting in physiological effects that often decrease yield and quality. To overcome these challenges, the effects of individual stresses on cabbage production must be investigated through simulation modeling and other approaches.</div></div><div><h3>OBJECTIVE</h3><div>In this study, we aim to clarify the historical and future patterns of abiotic stress to assess its effects on cabbage production in Korea.</div></div><div><h3>METHODS</h3><div>To this end, different stress index models were adopted and compared to estimate the occurrence patterns of each abiotic stress and assess their impacts on cabbage production.</div></div><div><h3>RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS</h3><div>Our machine-learning modeling analyses revealed that approximately 62 % of the variation in historical cabbage productivity can be attributed to individual abiotic stresses. The relative impact of each stress on productivity has not changed significantly over the past 40 years (1981–2020), with slight increasing or decreasing trends in major stresses. Among the abiotic stresses, the low-temperature injury and wetness stress have largely affected the cabbage productivity by 2020, followed by drought, high-temperature injury (HTI), and frost stresses. Projections based on future climate change scenarios suggest a substantial increase in HTI stress, surpassing the levels observed over the past 40 years, while other stressors are expected to either persist at similar levels, or decrease or increase slightly.</div></div><div><h3>SIGNIFICANCE</h3><div>This study underscores the increasing need to effectively manage these stressors, particularly those that have a greater impact on productivity and are projected to exceed their historical ranges, in order to ensure the successful future production of cabbage in Korea.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"228 ","pages":"Article 104374"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143948044","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":"Situated analysis of food supply, land-use dynamics, and feed-food competition at organic farms with dairy cattle","authors":"K.B. Eriksson,&nbsp;N. Brichet,&nbsp;L.R. Nielsen","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104389","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104389","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>CONTEXT</h3><div>The increasing competition for land calls for new perspectives on land-use efficiency. Prioritisation must be discussed, as scientists and policymakers focus on food security with reduced environmental harm. Some farms with dairy cattle may not be resource-inefficient when compared to plant-based production, as generally believed, if the farm purpose and type(s) of land used are considered.</div></div><div><h3>OBJECTIVE</h3><div>This study aims to provide nuanced and often ignored perspectives on agricultural land-use efficiency and the ways this is assessed, through situated analysis of organic farms with dairy cattle. It considers landscape characteristics, farm designs, land uses, food outputs, weather conditions, and farmer considerations and motivations, to produce context-dependent land-use insights.</div></div><div><h3>METHODS</h3><div>Using detailed data from four organic case-farms, we quantified the total land use and food output at the farm gate and estimated the land-based feed-food competition through a land-use ratio (LUR). The LUR was used to compare current animal-based or mixed production outputs to potential plant-based food outputs from the same area, while maintaining an organic perspective. The quantitative results were qualified by insights from farmers and observations from multiple farm visits. The characteristics of the analysed farms were A) dairy production on marginal soils, B) regenerative grass-based dairy production, C) feed-no-food mixed livestock-crop system, and D) high-yielding dairy farm with crop production.</div></div><div><h3>RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS</h3><div>The results showed how a feed-no-food mixed livestock-crop production (C) or dairy production primarily supported by land unsuited for food crop cultivation (A) can be as or more land-use efficient and have lower feed-food competition than a high yielding dairy production (D). The conclusions on efficiency were strongly influenced by the measuring unit, underlying assumptions on what constitutes a healthy agro-ecosystem as well as the fluctuations between years. Most important for the conclusion was the characteristics of the used land, the share of land use assessed suitable for cultivation, and the assumed yields for the estimated alternative pure plant-sourced food productions. Through the situated and mixed method perspectives, we furthermore showed how other relations such as flows of nutrients, nature-care, landscape development and farmers' considerations are relevant.</div></div><div><h3>SIGNIFICANCE</h3><div>Combining quantitative estimations with qualitative knowledge about farmers and their landscapes bring relations that are often ignored from similar studies into the analyses and provides a nuanced basis for discussion of the relevance of dairy cattle in future food production systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"228 ","pages":"Article 104389"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143937002","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":"Is one year enough? A commentary on field experiment duration in agricultural research","authors":"Davey L. Jones,&nbsp;Emily C. Cooledge,&nbsp;David R. Chadwick","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104393","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104393","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>While multi-year field experiments remain a cornerstone of agricultural research, their requirement warrants critical examination.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This perspective analyses the scientific rationale behind multi-year experiment expectations and proposes a framework for determining appropriate experimental duration based on research objectives, mechanistic understanding and environmental dependencies.</div></div><div><h3>Results and conclusions</h3><div>Field experiments offer distinct advantages over laboratory studies by capturing environmental complexity, including weather variations, soil biological dynamics, pest pressures, and the effects across spatial scales. Multi-year experiments enhance research robustness through increased reliability, better understanding of treatment effects under varying conditions, and greater statistical power. However, significant limitations include increased costs and resource demands, which can create barriers particularly for researchers in low- and middle-income countries, early career researchers, and those working on time-sensitive agricultural issues. We argue that certain research contexts (some of which are the same for short-term mesocosm and incubation scale experiments), such as mechanistic studies with clear process understanding, innovative technology validation, or time-sensitive investigations (including double and triple cropping systems), should warrant acceptance of single-year experiments when accompanied by robust supporting evidence and comprehensive metadata.</div></div><div><h3>Significance</h3><div>A more flexible and nuanced approach to determining study duration could better serve agricultural science advancement while maintaining research rigour, especially for studies combining detailed mechanistic investigations with field validation, that could, and should, be systematically integrated into future meta-analyses.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"228 ","pages":"Article 104393"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143937004","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}