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Sonoko Dorothea Bellingrath-Kimura
Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Müncheberg, Germany

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Article
Published: 01 April 2021 in Environmental Monitoring and Assessment
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Sonoko D. Bellingrath-Kimura; Benjamin Burkhard; Brendan Fisher; Bettina Matzdorf. Ecosystem services and biodiversity of agricultural systems at the landscape scale. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 2021, 193, 1 -3.

AMA Style

Sonoko D. Bellingrath-Kimura, Benjamin Burkhard, Brendan Fisher, Bettina Matzdorf. Ecosystem services and biodiversity of agricultural systems at the landscape scale. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment. 2021; 193 (S1):1-3.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Sonoko D. Bellingrath-Kimura; Benjamin Burkhard; Brendan Fisher; Bettina Matzdorf. 2021. "Ecosystem services and biodiversity of agricultural systems at the landscape scale." Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 193, no. S1: 1-3.

Journal article
Published: 13 November 2020 in Agronomy
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To compare how different analytical methods explain crop yields from a long-term field experiment (LTFE), we analyzed the grain yield of winter wheat (WW) under different fertilizer applications in Müncheberg, Germany. An analysis of variance (ANOVA), linear mixed-effects model (LMM), and MP5 regression tree model were used to evaluate the grain yield response. All the methods identified fertilizer application and environmental factors as the main variables that explained 80% of the variance in grain yields. Mineral nitrogen fertilizer (NF) application was the major factor that influenced the grain yield in all methods. Farmyard manure slightly influenced the grain yield with no NF application in the ANOVA and M5P regression tree. While sources of environmental factors were unmeasured in the ANOVA test, they were quantified in detail in the LMM and M5P model. The LMM and M5P model identified the cumulative number of freezing days in December as the main climate-based determinant of the grain yield variation. Additionally, the temperature in October, the cumulative number of freezing days in February, the yield of the preceding crop, and the total nitrogen in the soil were determinants of the grain yield in both models. Apart from the common determinants that appeared in both models, the LMM additionally showed precipitation in June and the cumulative number of days in July with temperatures above 30 °C, while the M5P model showed soil organic carbon as an influencing factor of the grain yield. The ANOVA results provide only the main factors affecting the WW yield. The LMM had a better predictive performance compared to the M5P, with smaller root mean square and mean absolute errors. However, they were richer regressors than the ANOVA. The M5P model presented an intuitive visualization of important variables and their critical thresholds, and revealed other variables that were not captured by the LMM model. Hence, the use of different methods can strengthen the statement of the analysis, and thus, the co-use of the LMM and M5P model should be considered, especially in large databases involving multiple variables.

ACS Style

Thi Huyen Thai; Richard Ansong Omari; Dietmar Barkusky; Sonoko Dorothea Bellingrath-Kimura. Statistical Analysis versus the M5P Machine Learning Algorithm to Analyze the Yield of Winter Wheat in a Long-Term Fertilizer Experiment. Agronomy 2020, 10, 1779 .

AMA Style

Thi Huyen Thai, Richard Ansong Omari, Dietmar Barkusky, Sonoko Dorothea Bellingrath-Kimura. Statistical Analysis versus the M5P Machine Learning Algorithm to Analyze the Yield of Winter Wheat in a Long-Term Fertilizer Experiment. Agronomy. 2020; 10 (11):1779.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Thi Huyen Thai; Richard Ansong Omari; Dietmar Barkusky; Sonoko Dorothea Bellingrath-Kimura. 2020. "Statistical Analysis versus the M5P Machine Learning Algorithm to Analyze the Yield of Winter Wheat in a Long-Term Fertilizer Experiment." Agronomy 10, no. 11: 1779.

Journal article
Published: 28 October 2020 in Microorganisms
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Hydrochar is rich in nutrients and may provide a favorable habitat or shelter for bacterial proliferation and survival. Therefore, in this study, we investigate the efficiency of a hydrochar-based rhizobial inoculant (Bradyrhizobium japonicum) on the symbiotic performance of soybean under both greenhouse and field conditions. There were positive and significant effects of hydrochar-based inoculation on the root and shoot growth of soybean as compared to uninoculated plants grown under irrigated and drought conditions. The drought stress significantly inhibited the symbiotic performance of rhizobia with soybean. Soybean inoculated with hydrochar-based B. japonicum produced twofold more nodules under drought stress conditions as compared to plants inoculated with a commercial preparation/inoculant carrier B. japonicum (HISTICK). The N concentration of inoculated plants with hydrochar-based B. japonicum was by 31% higher than that of un-inoculated plants grown in pots and by 22% for HISTICK. Furthermore, the soybean treated with hydrochar-based B. japonicum showed higher grain yield of 29% under irrigated conditions and 40% higher under rainfed condition compared to un-inoculated plants. In conclusion, the obtained results proved the potential of hydrochar-based B. japonicum inoculant for soybean in terms of increased symbiotic performance and agronomic traits, especially under rainfed conditions.

ACS Style

Dilfuza Egamberdieva; Hua Ma; Jakhongir Alimov; Moritz Reckling; Stephan Wirth; Sonoko Bellingrath-Kimura. Response of Soybean to Hydrochar-Based Rhizobium Inoculation in Loamy Sandy Soil. Microorganisms 2020, 8, 1674 .

AMA Style

Dilfuza Egamberdieva, Hua Ma, Jakhongir Alimov, Moritz Reckling, Stephan Wirth, Sonoko Bellingrath-Kimura. Response of Soybean to Hydrochar-Based Rhizobium Inoculation in Loamy Sandy Soil. Microorganisms. 2020; 8 (11):1674.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Dilfuza Egamberdieva; Hua Ma; Jakhongir Alimov; Moritz Reckling; Stephan Wirth; Sonoko Bellingrath-Kimura. 2020. "Response of Soybean to Hydrochar-Based Rhizobium Inoculation in Loamy Sandy Soil." Microorganisms 8, no. 11: 1674.

Journal article
Published: 13 August 2020 in Agriculture
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Two-year field experiments were conducted at Tamil Nadu Rice Research Institute, Aduthurai, Tamil Nadu, India, to evaluate the effect of continuous flooding (CF) and alternate wetting and drying (AWD) irrigation strategies on rice grain yield and greenhouse gas emissions from double-cropping paddy rice. Field observation results showed that AWD irrigation was found to reduce the total seasonal methane (CH4) emission by 22.3% to 56.2% compared with CF while maintaining rice yield. By using the observed two-year field data, validation of the DNDC-Rice model was conducted for CF and AWD practices. The model overestimated rice grain yield by 24% and 29% in CF and AWD, respectively, averaged over the rice-growing seasons compared to observed values. The simulated seasonal CH4 emissions for CF were 6.4% lower and 4.2% higher than observed values and for AWD were 9.3% and 12.7% lower in the summer and monsoon season, respectively. The relative deviation of simulated seasonal nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from observed emissions in CF were 27% and −35% and in AWD were 267% and 234% in the summer and monsoon season, respectively. Although the DNDC-Rice model reasonably estimated the total CH4 emission in CF and reproduced the mitigation effect of AWD treatment on CH4 emissions well, the model did not adequately predict the total N2O emission under water-saving irrigation. In terms of global warming potential (GWP), nevertheless there was a good agreement between the simulated and observed values for both CF and AWD irrigations due to smaller contributions of N2O to the GWP compared with that of CH4. This study showed that the DNDC-Rice model could be used for the estimation of CH4 emissions, the primary source of GWP from double-cropping paddy rice under different water management conditions in the tropical regions.

ACS Style

Aung Oo; Shigeto Sudo; Tamon Fumoto; Kazuyuki Inubushi; Keisuke Ono; Akinori Yamamoto; Sonoko Bellingrath-Kimura; Khin Win; Chellappan Umamageswari; Kaliappan Bama; Marimuthj Raju; Koothan Vanitha; Palanisamy Elayakumar; Venkatachalam Ravi; Vellaisamy Ambethgar. Field Validation of the DNDC-Rice Model for Methane and Nitrous Oxide Emissions from Double-Cropping Paddy Rice under Different Irrigation Practices in Tamil Nadu, India. Agriculture 2020, 10, 355 .

AMA Style

Aung Oo, Shigeto Sudo, Tamon Fumoto, Kazuyuki Inubushi, Keisuke Ono, Akinori Yamamoto, Sonoko Bellingrath-Kimura, Khin Win, Chellappan Umamageswari, Kaliappan Bama, Marimuthj Raju, Koothan Vanitha, Palanisamy Elayakumar, Venkatachalam Ravi, Vellaisamy Ambethgar. Field Validation of the DNDC-Rice Model for Methane and Nitrous Oxide Emissions from Double-Cropping Paddy Rice under Different Irrigation Practices in Tamil Nadu, India. Agriculture. 2020; 10 (8):355.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Aung Oo; Shigeto Sudo; Tamon Fumoto; Kazuyuki Inubushi; Keisuke Ono; Akinori Yamamoto; Sonoko Bellingrath-Kimura; Khin Win; Chellappan Umamageswari; Kaliappan Bama; Marimuthj Raju; Koothan Vanitha; Palanisamy Elayakumar; Venkatachalam Ravi; Vellaisamy Ambethgar. 2020. "Field Validation of the DNDC-Rice Model for Methane and Nitrous Oxide Emissions from Double-Cropping Paddy Rice under Different Irrigation Practices in Tamil Nadu, India." Agriculture 10, no. 8: 355.

In the field
Published: 20 June 2020 in Greenhouse Gases: Science and Technology
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Climate change is a vital environmental issue that significantly affects rice productivity. Rice paddy fields are one of the greatest anthropogenic sources of methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions. To evaluate the combined effects of manure amendment and water management on GHG emissions, grain yield and water productivity per rice yield in a lowland rice field with a sandy clay loam soil in Myanmar, this study was conducted with a split‐plot design. Two water management practices (continuous flooding [CF] and alternate wetting and drying [AWD]) and four levels of cow dung manure (0, 2.5, 5.0 and 7.5 t ha−1) were applied with three replications in the dry (February–May) and wet (July–October) seasons in 2017. In the dry season, significantly higher cumulative methane (CH4) emissions (50.5%) were recorded in CF than in AWD, while cumulative nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions were 70% higher in AWD than in CF, although the difference was not significant. Manure application showed no effect on CH4 and N2O emissions compared with the no‐manure control, irrespective of application level. In the wet season, significantly higher cumulative CH4 emissions (65.2%) were again recorded in CF than in AWD; however, the cumulative N2O emissions were similar between CF and AWD. Methane and N2O emissions in the wet season were 65.8 and 35.8% higher, respectively, than those in the dry season. In both seasons, higher grain yields (1.8% in dry and 7.6% in wet) and higher water productivity (130% in dry and 31% in wet) were recorded in AWD than in CF. Increased grain yields (18.9% in dry and 7.7% in wet) and water productivity (25.5% in dry and 15.8% in wet) were recorded in the manure treatments compared to those in the no‐manure treatment. This study presents quantitative data on how manure amendment and water management affected GHG emissions in a paddy field in Myanmar. © 2020 The Authors. Greenhouse Gases: Science and Technology published by Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

ACS Style

Ei Phyu Win; Kyaw Kyaw Win; Sonoko D. Bellingrath‐Kimura; Aung Zaw Oo. Greenhouse gas emissions, grain yield and water productivity: a paddy rice field case study based in Myanmar. Greenhouse Gases: Science and Technology 2020, 10, 884 -897.

AMA Style

Ei Phyu Win, Kyaw Kyaw Win, Sonoko D. Bellingrath‐Kimura, Aung Zaw Oo. Greenhouse gas emissions, grain yield and water productivity: a paddy rice field case study based in Myanmar. Greenhouse Gases: Science and Technology. 2020; 10 (5):884-897.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Ei Phyu Win; Kyaw Kyaw Win; Sonoko D. Bellingrath‐Kimura; Aung Zaw Oo. 2020. "Greenhouse gas emissions, grain yield and water productivity: a paddy rice field case study based in Myanmar." Greenhouse Gases: Science and Technology 10, no. 5: 884-897.

Original research article
Published: 03 June 2020 in Frontiers in Plant Science
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In the face of increasingly frequent droughts threatening crop performance, ecological theory suggests that higher species diversity may help buffering productivity by making systems more resistant through resource complementarity and more resilient through higher response diversity. However, empirical evidence for these diversity effects under drought stress has remained patchy. In two pot experiments, we explored whether mixing two legume species with a contrasting response to water availability, alsike clover (AC) and black medic (BM), promotes resistance to cumulative drought stress, and resilience of aboveground crop biomass to a transient drought event. The mixture was more productive than the average of the sole crops, and this mixture effect was higher in the non-stressed than in the drought-stressed plants. However, with six levels of constant drought intensities, the mixture effect was not consistently affected by drought level. Response diversity was evident as asynchrony of growth in the two species after the drought event, with BM re-growing faster than AC. Significant resilience to drought was observed in sole AC, i.e., without response diversity. Resilience was larger in AC than in BM and increased from 44 to 72 days after sowing (DAS). The mixture was more resilient than the average resilience of the sole crops at 72 DAS, but it was never more resilient than AC, indicating that resilience is promoted by, but not dependent on response diversity. We conclude that crop diversity may contribute to drought resilience through growth asynchrony, but that species identity plays a crucial role in making systems more drought-resilient.

ACS Style

Heba H. Elsalahy; Dorothea Sonoko Bellingrath-Kimura; Christina-Luise Roß; Timo Kautz; Thomas F. Döring. Crop Resilience to Drought With and Without Response Diversity. Frontiers in Plant Science 2020, 11, 1 .

AMA Style

Heba H. Elsalahy, Dorothea Sonoko Bellingrath-Kimura, Christina-Luise Roß, Timo Kautz, Thomas F. Döring. Crop Resilience to Drought With and Without Response Diversity. Frontiers in Plant Science. 2020; 11 ():1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Heba H. Elsalahy; Dorothea Sonoko Bellingrath-Kimura; Christina-Luise Roß; Timo Kautz; Thomas F. Döring. 2020. "Crop Resilience to Drought With and Without Response Diversity." Frontiers in Plant Science 11, no. : 1.

Journal article
Published: 14 April 2020 in Global Food Security
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Many global health risks are related to what and how much we eat. At the same time, the production of food, especially from animal origin, contributes to environmental change at a scale that threatens boundaries of a safe operating space for humanity. Here we outline viable solutions how to reconcile healthy protein consumption and sustainable protein production which requires a solid, interdisciplinary evidence base. We review the role of proteins for human and ecosystem health, including physiological effects of dietary proteins, production potentials from agricultural and aquaculture systems, environmental impacts of protein production, and mitigation potentials of transforming current production systems. Various protein sources from plant and animal origin, including insects and fish, are discussed in the light of their health and environmental implications. Integration of available knowledge is essential to move from a dual problem description (“healthy diets versus environment”) towards approaches that frame the food challenge of reconciling human and ecosystem health in the context of planetary health. This endeavor requires a shifting focus from metrics at the level of macronutrients to whole diets and a better understanding of the full cascade of health effects caused by dietary proteins, including health risks from food-related environmental degradation.

ACS Style

Isabelle Weindl; Mario Ost; Petra Wiedmer; Monika Schreiner; Susanne Neugart; Rebecca Klopsch; Holger Kühnhold; Werner Kloas; Ina M. Henkel; Oliver Schlüter; Sara Bußler; Dorothea Sonoko Bellingrath-Kimura; Hua Ma; Tilman Grune; Susanne Rolinski; Susanne Klaus. Sustainable food protein supply reconciling human and ecosystem health: A Leibniz Position. Global Food Security 2020, 25, 100367 .

AMA Style

Isabelle Weindl, Mario Ost, Petra Wiedmer, Monika Schreiner, Susanne Neugart, Rebecca Klopsch, Holger Kühnhold, Werner Kloas, Ina M. Henkel, Oliver Schlüter, Sara Bußler, Dorothea Sonoko Bellingrath-Kimura, Hua Ma, Tilman Grune, Susanne Rolinski, Susanne Klaus. Sustainable food protein supply reconciling human and ecosystem health: A Leibniz Position. Global Food Security. 2020; 25 ():100367.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Isabelle Weindl; Mario Ost; Petra Wiedmer; Monika Schreiner; Susanne Neugart; Rebecca Klopsch; Holger Kühnhold; Werner Kloas; Ina M. Henkel; Oliver Schlüter; Sara Bußler; Dorothea Sonoko Bellingrath-Kimura; Hua Ma; Tilman Grune; Susanne Rolinski; Susanne Klaus. 2020. "Sustainable food protein supply reconciling human and ecosystem health: A Leibniz Position." Global Food Security 25, no. : 100367.

Journal article
Published: 31 March 2020 in Microorganisms
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The effects of biochar on plant growth vary depending on the applied biochar type, study site environmental conditions, microbial species, and plant–microbial interactions. The objectives of the present study were therefore to assess 1) the response of growth parameters of lupin and root disease incidence to the application of three biochar types in a loamy sandy soil, and 2) the role of endophytic bacteria in biological control of root rot disease incidence in lupin after the amendment of soil with different biochar types. As biochar types we tested (i) hydrochar (HTC) from maize silage, (ii) pyrolysis char from maize (MBC), and (iii) pyrolysis char from wood (WBC) at three different concentrations (1%, 2%, and 3% of char as soil amendments). There were no significant effects in lupin shoot and root growth in soils amended with WBC at any of the concentrations. MBC did not affect plant growth except for root dry weight at 2% MBC. HTC char at 2% concentration, significantly increased the root dry weight of lupin by 54–75%, and shoot dry weight by 21–25%. Lupin plants grown in soil amended with 2% and 3% WBC and MBC chars showed 40–50% and 10–20% disease symptoms, respectively. Plants grown in soil without biochar and with HTC char were healthy, and no disease incidence occurred. Pseudomonas putida L2 and Stenotrophomonas pavanii L8 isolates demonstrated a disease reduction compared to un-inoculated plants under MBC and WBC amended soil that was infested with Fusarium solani.

ACS Style

Dilfuza Egamberdieva; Vyacheslav Shurigin; Burak Alaylar; Hua Ma; Marina E. H. Müller; Stephan Wirth; Moritz Reckling; Sonoko Dorothea Bellingrath-Kimura. The Effect of Biochars and Endophytic Bacteria on Growth and Root Rot Disease Incidence of Fusarium Infested Narrow-Leafed Lupin (Lupinus angustifolius L.). Microorganisms 2020, 8, 496 .

AMA Style

Dilfuza Egamberdieva, Vyacheslav Shurigin, Burak Alaylar, Hua Ma, Marina E. H. Müller, Stephan Wirth, Moritz Reckling, Sonoko Dorothea Bellingrath-Kimura. The Effect of Biochars and Endophytic Bacteria on Growth and Root Rot Disease Incidence of Fusarium Infested Narrow-Leafed Lupin (Lupinus angustifolius L.). Microorganisms. 2020; 8 (4):496.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Dilfuza Egamberdieva; Vyacheslav Shurigin; Burak Alaylar; Hua Ma; Marina E. H. Müller; Stephan Wirth; Moritz Reckling; Sonoko Dorothea Bellingrath-Kimura. 2020. "The Effect of Biochars and Endophytic Bacteria on Growth and Root Rot Disease Incidence of Fusarium Infested Narrow-Leafed Lupin (Lupinus angustifolius L.)." Microorganisms 8, no. 4: 496.

Original article
Published: 21 February 2020 in Environmental Sustainability
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Introduction The practice of co-applying chemical fertilizers (CF) with organic inputs (OIs) as a soil amendment is still low in Ghana, although it has the potential to improve crop yield and soil productivity. Objectives In a two-year study, we evaluated the effects of co-applying contrasting OIs with and without CF on maize yield and soil chemical and microbial composition. Methods Aboveground biomasses of Centrosema pubescens (CEN), Pueraria phaseoloides (PUE), and Zea mays (MZE) were amended to an acrisol at 4 t ha−1 season−1. The combined treatments (CEN+, PUE+, and MZE+) were fertilized with basal NPK 15:15:15 at 40 kg N ha−1, followed by topdressing with [(NH4)2SO4] at 50 kg N ha−1. Sole OI inputs (CEN, PUE, and MZE) did not receive any CF inputs. The controls (CON− and CON+) received 0 and 90 kg N ha−1 season−1. Results The results showed that either sole OIs except for MZE or its combination with CF improved grain yield compared to the CON. Grain yield ranged from 2.1 t ha−1 to 2.6 t ha−1 in the first season versus 0.8 t ha−1 to 1.7 t ha−1 in the second. The MZE+ and CEN+ treatments showed the highest mean grain yields and were similar to CON+. Although CF addition to OIs improved grain yield in all treatments, negative interaction was observed for CEN and PUE as opposed to a positive interaction in the MZE treatment. Co-application of CF with OIs on dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen (DOC) and (EON) dynamics depended on seasonal soil moisture and sampling time. Moreover, co-application of CF with OIs enhanced microbial biomass in CEN but showed minimal and suppressive effects on MZE and PUE amendments, respectively. Conclusion Overall, the increased grain yield in MZE+, CEN+ and CON+ was attributable primarily to the CF addition. Thus, long term evaluations are recommended for sustainable utilization of MZE and CEN given their minimal responses in the short term in the presence of CFs.

ACS Style

Richard Ansong Omari; Elsie Sarkodee Addo; David Martei Matey; Yoshiharu Fujii; Shin Okazaki; Yosei Oikawa; Sonoko Dorothea Bellingrath-Kimura. Influence of organic inputs with mineral fertilizer on maize yield and soil microbial biomass dynamics in different seasons in a tropical acrisol. Environmental Sustainability 2020, 3, 45 -57.

AMA Style

Richard Ansong Omari, Elsie Sarkodee Addo, David Martei Matey, Yoshiharu Fujii, Shin Okazaki, Yosei Oikawa, Sonoko Dorothea Bellingrath-Kimura. Influence of organic inputs with mineral fertilizer on maize yield and soil microbial biomass dynamics in different seasons in a tropical acrisol. Environmental Sustainability. 2020; 3 (1):45-57.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Richard Ansong Omari; Elsie Sarkodee Addo; David Martei Matey; Yoshiharu Fujii; Shin Okazaki; Yosei Oikawa; Sonoko Dorothea Bellingrath-Kimura. 2020. "Influence of organic inputs with mineral fertilizer on maize yield and soil microbial biomass dynamics in different seasons in a tropical acrisol." Environmental Sustainability 3, no. 1: 45-57.

Journal article
Published: 21 February 2020 in Environments
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Radioactive cesium (137Cs) in distinct soil fractions provides key information to its bioavailability, and therefore determining the effect of soil characteristics and land use types on existing fractions of 137Cs in soils is important for predicting future 137Cs mobility in Fukushima. Thus, the objective of this study was to investigate the influence of soil characteristics and land use types on sequentially extracted fractions of 137Cs in Fukushima. In this study, five coniferous forest soils, eight arable soils, and eight paddy rice soils were sampled in 2012 and 2013. The 137Cs in the soils were separated into four fractions; water-soluble, exchangeable, organic matter-bound and residual fractions. More than 90% of the soil 137Cs fraction for arable and paddy rice soils was found in the residual fraction, implying significantly reduced bioavailable 137Cs with higher fixation. In contrast, forest soils measured higher exchangeable and organic matter-bound fractions of 5%–33% and 9%–44%, respectively, implying future 137Cs mobility in the forest ecosystem. Correlation analysis showed a significant negative correlation (p < 0.05) between the organic matter fraction and residual fraction in both arable and paddy rice soils. There was a significant positive correlation (p < 0.05) for both exchangeable and residual fractions with cation exchange capacity (CEC), total carbon (TC) and total nitrogen (TN) values in arable soils. Organic matter content influenced both exchangeable and residual fractions. It was not clear whether organic matter played a direct role in 137Cs fixation or mobility in the agricultural soils. In paddy rice soils, the organic matter fraction showed a significant negative correlation with TC and TN values. Soil pH was significantly negatively correlated (p < 0.05) with both water-soluble and residual fractions in forest soils but positively (p < 0.1) with the organically bound 137Cs fraction.

ACS Style

Akwasi Dwira Mensah; Akimi Terasaki; Han Phyo Aung; Hiroto Toda; Sohzoh Suzuki; Haruo Tanaka; Siaw Onwona-Agyeman; Richard Ansong Omari; Sonoko Dorothea Bellingrath-Kimura. Influence of Soil Characteristics and Land Use Type on Existing Fractions of Radioactive 137Cs in Fukushima Soils. Environments 2020, 7, 16 .

AMA Style

Akwasi Dwira Mensah, Akimi Terasaki, Han Phyo Aung, Hiroto Toda, Sohzoh Suzuki, Haruo Tanaka, Siaw Onwona-Agyeman, Richard Ansong Omari, Sonoko Dorothea Bellingrath-Kimura. Influence of Soil Characteristics and Land Use Type on Existing Fractions of Radioactive 137Cs in Fukushima Soils. Environments. 2020; 7 (2):16.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Akwasi Dwira Mensah; Akimi Terasaki; Han Phyo Aung; Hiroto Toda; Sohzoh Suzuki; Haruo Tanaka; Siaw Onwona-Agyeman; Richard Ansong Omari; Sonoko Dorothea Bellingrath-Kimura. 2020. "Influence of Soil Characteristics and Land Use Type on Existing Fractions of Radioactive 137Cs in Fukushima Soils." Environments 7, no. 2: 16.

Journal article
Published: 01 January 2020 in Microbes and Environments
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In central Europe, soybean cultivation is gaining increasing importance to reduce protein imports from overseas and make cropping systems more sustainable. In the field, despite the inoculation of soybean with commercial rhizobia, its nodulation is low. In many parts of Europe, limited information is currently available on the genetic diversity of rhizobia and, thus, biological resources for selecting high nitrogen-fixing rhizobia are inadequate. These resources are urgently needed to improve soybean production in central Europe. The objective of the present study was to identify strains that have the potential to increase nitrogen fixation by and the yield of soybean in German soils. We isolated and characterized 77 soybean rhizobia from 18 different sampling sites. Based on a multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA), 71% of isolates were identified as Bradyrhizobium and 29% as Rhizobium. A comparative analysis of the nodD and nifH genes showed no significant differences, which indicated that the soybean rhizobia symbiotic genes in the present study belong to only one type. One isolate, GMF14 which was tolerant of a low temperature (4°C), exhibited higher nitrogen fixation in root nodules and a greater plant biomass than USDA 110 under cold conditions. These results strongly suggest that some indigenous rhizobia enhance biological nitrogen fixation and soybean yield due to their adaption to local conditions.

ACS Style

Kun Yuan; Moritz Reckling; Maria Daniela Artigas Ramirez; Salem Djedidi; Izumi Fukuhara; Takuji Ohyama; Tadashi Yokoyama; Dorothea Sonoko Bellingrath-Kimura; Mosab Halwani; Dilfuza Egamberdieva; Naoko Ohkama-Ohtsu. Characterization of Rhizobia for the Improvement of Soybean Cultivation at Cold Conditions in Central Europe. Microbes and Environments 2020, 35, 1 -13.

AMA Style

Kun Yuan, Moritz Reckling, Maria Daniela Artigas Ramirez, Salem Djedidi, Izumi Fukuhara, Takuji Ohyama, Tadashi Yokoyama, Dorothea Sonoko Bellingrath-Kimura, Mosab Halwani, Dilfuza Egamberdieva, Naoko Ohkama-Ohtsu. Characterization of Rhizobia for the Improvement of Soybean Cultivation at Cold Conditions in Central Europe. Microbes and Environments. 2020; 35 (1):1-13.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Kun Yuan; Moritz Reckling; Maria Daniela Artigas Ramirez; Salem Djedidi; Izumi Fukuhara; Takuji Ohyama; Tadashi Yokoyama; Dorothea Sonoko Bellingrath-Kimura; Mosab Halwani; Dilfuza Egamberdieva; Naoko Ohkama-Ohtsu. 2020. "Characterization of Rhizobia for the Improvement of Soybean Cultivation at Cold Conditions in Central Europe." Microbes and Environments 35, no. 1: 1-13.

Review article
Published: 18 December 2019 in Frontiers in Microbiology
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Soil salinity has emerged as a serious issue for global food security. It is estimated that currently about 62 million hectares or 20 percent of the world’s irrigated land is affected by salinity. The deposition of an excess amount of soluble salt in cultivable land directly affects crop yields. The uptake of high amount of salt inhibits diverse physiological and metabolic processes of plants even impacting their survival. The conventional methods of reclamation of saline soil which involve scraping, flushing, leaching or adding an amendment (e.g., gypsum, CaCl2, etc.) are of limited success and also adversely affect the agro-ecosystems. In this context, developing sustainable methods which increase the productivity of saline soil without harming the environment are necessary. Since long, breeding of salt-tolerant plants and development of salt-resistant crop varieties have also been tried, but these and aforesaid conventional approaches are not able to solve the problem. Salt tolerance and dependence are the characteristics of some microbes. Salt-tolerant microbes can survive in osmotic and ionic stress. Various genera of salt-tolerant plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (ST-PGPR) have been isolated from extreme alkaline, saline, and sodic soils. Many of them are also known to mitigate various biotic and abiotic stresses in plants. In the last few years, potential PGPR enhancing the productivity of plants facing salt-stress have been researched upon suggesting that ST-PGPR can be exploited for the reclamation of saline agro-ecosystems. In this review, ST-PGPR and their potential in enhancing the productivity of saline agro-ecosystems will be discussed. Apart from this, PGPR mediated mechanisms of salt tolerance in different crop plants and future research trends of using ST-PGPR for reclamation of saline soils will also be highlighted.

ACS Style

Dilfuza Egamberdieva; Stephan Wirth; Dorothea Sonoko Bellingrath-Kimura; Jitendra Mishra; Naveen K. Arora. Salt-Tolerant Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria for Enhancing Crop Productivity of Saline Soils. Frontiers in Microbiology 2019, 10, 2791 .

AMA Style

Dilfuza Egamberdieva, Stephan Wirth, Dorothea Sonoko Bellingrath-Kimura, Jitendra Mishra, Naveen K. Arora. Salt-Tolerant Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria for Enhancing Crop Productivity of Saline Soils. Frontiers in Microbiology. 2019; 10 ():2791.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Dilfuza Egamberdieva; Stephan Wirth; Dorothea Sonoko Bellingrath-Kimura; Jitendra Mishra; Naveen K. Arora. 2019. "Salt-Tolerant Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria for Enhancing Crop Productivity of Saline Soils." Frontiers in Microbiology 10, no. : 2791.

Articles
Published: 11 December 2019 in Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science
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The interaction effects of different fertilisation regimes and weather variability on crop yield is a challenge that requires long-term investigation. Therefore, yield data for spring barley (SB) in an agricultural long-term field experiment, established in 1963 in Müncheberg, northeast Germany, were analysed to reveal the effects of 21 fertiliser regimes and different weather conditions on SB yields. SB yields were significantly affected by fertilisation regimes (11%), annual weather conditions (55%) and their interaction effect (8%). Mineral N fertilization decreased overall yield variability across seasons as compared to no fertilization and organic fertilization regimes showed higher yield variability. A suitable combined application of mineral nitrogen and organic fertiliser was found to be an effective way to produce higher SB yields than the application of either mineral nitrogen or organic fertiliser alone. A Bayesian linear regression model showed total precipitation during the growing season (April–July) positively affected on SB yields when high mineral N was supplied. At the early growth stage, a precipitation rate (March) and temperature (April or sowing day) negatively affected on SB yield.

ACS Style

Thi Huyen Thai; Sonoko Dorothea Bellingrath-Kimura; Carsten Hoffmann; Dietmar Barkusky. Effect of long-term fertiliser regimes and weather on spring barley yields in sandy soil in North-East Germany. Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science 2019, 66, 1812 -1826.

AMA Style

Thi Huyen Thai, Sonoko Dorothea Bellingrath-Kimura, Carsten Hoffmann, Dietmar Barkusky. Effect of long-term fertiliser regimes and weather on spring barley yields in sandy soil in North-East Germany. Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science. 2019; 66 (13):1812-1826.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Thi Huyen Thai; Sonoko Dorothea Bellingrath-Kimura; Carsten Hoffmann; Dietmar Barkusky. 2019. "Effect of long-term fertiliser regimes and weather on spring barley yields in sandy soil in North-East Germany." Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science 66, no. 13: 1812-1826.

Journal article
Published: 20 November 2019 in Sustainability
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To investigate the interrelationships among biochar, soil nutrients, and soybean plant growth in more detail, the root nodulation response of soybean (Glycine max L.) to biochar application was analyzed in a field study. We further examined the biochar effect on soil phosphatase activity to elucidate the relationships among biochar, phosphatase activity, and plant phosphorus uptake. Soybean was planted in a sandy field wherein the biochar and irrigation conditions were considered the two treatment factors. In our result, irrigation increased the pod number and plant height by 20.7% and 11.1%, respectively. Irrigation reduced the shoot and root dry matter content by 67.9% and 75.1%, respectively. The nodule number increased by 37% due to biochar addition under irrigated conditions. The soil carbon concentration was elevated by 13.4% with biochar application under rainfed conditions. Acid phosphomonoesterase (APM) was increased by 21.8% in the biochar-incorporated plots under the irrigated condition. Principal component analysis and redundancy analysis suggested that biochar application enhanced the relationships between the nodule number and soil potassium and magnesium concentrations. The correlation between soil sulfur content and nodule number was eliminated by biochar application. APM activity was associated with higher shoot and root phosphorus content and shoot dry weight after biochar application.

ACS Style

Hua Ma; Dilfuza Egamberdieva; Stephan Wirth; Qirui Li; Richard Ansong Omari; MuDan Hou; Sonoko D. Bellingrath-Kimura. Effect of Biochar and Irrigation on the Interrelationships among Soybean Growth, Root Nodulation, Plant P Uptake, and Soil Nutrients in a Sandy Field. Sustainability 2019, 11, 6542 .

AMA Style

Hua Ma, Dilfuza Egamberdieva, Stephan Wirth, Qirui Li, Richard Ansong Omari, MuDan Hou, Sonoko D. Bellingrath-Kimura. Effect of Biochar and Irrigation on the Interrelationships among Soybean Growth, Root Nodulation, Plant P Uptake, and Soil Nutrients in a Sandy Field. Sustainability. 2019; 11 (23):6542.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Hua Ma; Dilfuza Egamberdieva; Stephan Wirth; Qirui Li; Richard Ansong Omari; MuDan Hou; Sonoko D. Bellingrath-Kimura. 2019. "Effect of Biochar and Irrigation on the Interrelationships among Soybean Growth, Root Nodulation, Plant P Uptake, and Soil Nutrients in a Sandy Field." Sustainability 11, no. 23: 6542.

Journal article
Published: 11 November 2019 in Agricultural Systems
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Intensive manure application is a significant source for environmental nitrogen fluxes. In this study, we evaluated the effect of intensive manure management on nitrogen(N) loading and recommended the critical livestock density for the typical paddy rice and corn cropping systems in a dairy farming watershed using a calibrated DNDC model. The results indicated that a significant amount of N was lost as N2O emission and NO3−-N leaching under current intensive manure application. As the number of dairy cattle increased, soil N2O emissions and NO3−-N leaching increased with a rate of 2.11 kg N LU−1 yr-1 and 39.7 kg N LU−1 yr-1, respectively. Changing manure to chemical fertilizer, NO3−-N leaching was trend to increased. If decreasing fertilizer rate too low, crop N decreased and the soil N was significantly deficit. Integrated all the analysis, we recommended that critical N application rate was approximately 150–300 kg N ha−1 yr−1 for corn system and 100–250 kg N ha−1 yr−1 for paddy rice system, respectively. The critical livestock density in these cropping systems is 0.7–3.0 LU ha−1 yr−1 for dairy cattle manure using. Based on these recommendations, the crop N use efficiency(NUE) could increase from 17 % to 65 % for corn cropping and from 59 % to 75 % for paddy rice cropping. To mitigation the significant environmental nitrogen, the current livestock densities need to decrease by 40–60 % in the studied region or the major crop system needs to be changed from one season rice to double rotation cropping system.

ACS Style

Meihua Deng; MuDan Hou; Qi Zhang; Sonoko D. Bellingrath-Kimura. Critical livestock densities and manure management for the typical paddy rice and corn cropping systems in an intensive livestock watershed, Japan. Agricultural Systems 2019, 177, 102722 .

AMA Style

Meihua Deng, MuDan Hou, Qi Zhang, Sonoko D. Bellingrath-Kimura. Critical livestock densities and manure management for the typical paddy rice and corn cropping systems in an intensive livestock watershed, Japan. Agricultural Systems. 2019; 177 ():102722.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Meihua Deng; MuDan Hou; Qi Zhang; Sonoko D. Bellingrath-Kimura. 2019. "Critical livestock densities and manure management for the typical paddy rice and corn cropping systems in an intensive livestock watershed, Japan." Agricultural Systems 177, no. : 102722.

Original research article
Published: 31 October 2019 in Frontiers in Microbiology
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Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is an important legume originating in the Mediterranean and the Middle East and is now cultivated in several varieties throughout the world due to its high protein and fiber content as well as its potential health benefits. However, production is drastically affected by prevalent water stress in most soybean-growing regions. This study investigates the potential of biochar to affect chickpea-Rhizobium symbiotic performance and soil biological activity in a pot experiment. Two different biochar types were produced from maize using different pyrolysis techniques, i.e., by heating at 600°C (MBC) and by batch-wise hydrothermal carbonization at 210°C (HTC), and used as soil amendments. The plant biomass, plant nutrient concentration, nodule numbers, leghemoglobin (Lb) content, soil enzyme activities, and nutrient contents of the grown chickpeas were examined. Our results indicated that plant root and shoot biomass, the acquisition of N, P, K, and Mg, soil nutrient contents, soil alkaline and acid phosphomonoesterases, and proteases were significantly increased by HTC char application in comparison to MBC char under both well-watered and drought conditions. Furthermore, the application of both biochar types caused an increase in nodule number by 52% in well-watered and drought conditions by improving the symbiotic performance of chickpea with Mesorhizobium ciceri. Rhizobial inoculation combined with HTC char showed a positive effect on soil FDA activity, proteases and alkaline phosphomonoesterases under well-watered and drought conditions compared to the control or MBC char-amended soils. This concept, whereby the type of producing biochar plays a central role in the effect of the biochar, conforms to the fact that there is a link between biochar chemical and physical properties and enhanced plant nutrient acquisition, symbiotic performance and stress tolerance.

ACS Style

Dilfuza Egamberdieva; Li Li; Hua Ma; Stephan Wirth; Dorothea Sonoko Bellingrath-Kimura. Soil Amendment With Different Maize Biochars Improves Chickpea Growth Under Different Moisture Levels by Improving Symbiotic Performance With Mesorhizobium ciceri and Soil Biochemical Properties to Varying Degrees. Frontiers in Microbiology 2019, 10, 2423 .

AMA Style

Dilfuza Egamberdieva, Li Li, Hua Ma, Stephan Wirth, Dorothea Sonoko Bellingrath-Kimura. Soil Amendment With Different Maize Biochars Improves Chickpea Growth Under Different Moisture Levels by Improving Symbiotic Performance With Mesorhizobium ciceri and Soil Biochemical Properties to Varying Degrees. Frontiers in Microbiology. 2019; 10 ():2423.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Dilfuza Egamberdieva; Li Li; Hua Ma; Stephan Wirth; Dorothea Sonoko Bellingrath-Kimura. 2019. "Soil Amendment With Different Maize Biochars Improves Chickpea Growth Under Different Moisture Levels by Improving Symbiotic Performance With Mesorhizobium ciceri and Soil Biochemical Properties to Varying Degrees." Frontiers in Microbiology 10, no. : 2423.

Journal article
Published: 17 October 2019 in Agronomy
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Weed suppression is a potential benefit of cover crop mixtures, as species diversity may allow for combining early and late-season competition with weeds. Here, we studied if this is possible for only-legume mixtures containing species with different growth rates, by testing two legumes, alsike clover (AC; Trifolium hybridum L.) and black medic (BM; Medicago lupulina L.) in two field trials sown in 2016 and 2017. Five AC:BM ratios (100:0, 67:33, 50:50, 33:67, and 0:100) were grown at three densities (50%, 100%, and 150% of recommended seed density). Cover crop and weed aboveground biomass (CCB and WB, respectively) were harvested three times, after establishment in spring (H1), in summer (H2), and in autumn after mulching (H3). Compared to fallow plots, all monocultures and mixtures showed early-season weed suppression in terms of biomass production and more efficiency over time with an average reduction of 42%, 52%, and 96% in 2016, and 39%, 55%, and 89% in 2017 at H1, H2, and H3, respectively. Out of 54 mixture treatments, only eight mixtures showed stronger weed suppression than monocultures. Mixtures reduced WB by 28%, as an average value, in 2017 compared to the respective monocultures, but not significantly in 2016, indicating that the crop diversity effect on weeds was dependent on the growing environment. Weed suppression was significantly higher at 100% and 150% seed density than 50%, but no significant differences were determined between 100% and 150% seed density. After mulching, no density effect was observed on CCB and WB. In conclusion, AC and BM can be used as a keystone species on weed suppression for sustainable agriculture as they possess plasticity to suppress weeds when higher biomass productivity is limited by environmental conditions. However, their diversity effects are time and condition dependent. Appropriate seed density and mulching can successfully be employed in weed management, but seed density may not have an effect after mulching.

ACS Style

Heba Elsalahy; Thomas Döring; Sonoko Bellingrath-Kimura; Danny Arends; Bellingrath- Kimura. Weed Suppression in Only-Legume Cover Crop Mixtures. Agronomy 2019, 9, 648 .

AMA Style

Heba Elsalahy, Thomas Döring, Sonoko Bellingrath-Kimura, Danny Arends, Bellingrath- Kimura. Weed Suppression in Only-Legume Cover Crop Mixtures. Agronomy. 2019; 9 (10):648.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Heba Elsalahy; Thomas Döring; Sonoko Bellingrath-Kimura; Danny Arends; Bellingrath- Kimura. 2019. "Weed Suppression in Only-Legume Cover Crop Mixtures." Agronomy 9, no. 10: 648.

Journal article
Published: 10 October 2019 in Agronomy
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Nitrogen (N) in soybean (Glycine max L.) plants derived from biological nitrogen fixation was shown to be a sustainable N resource to substitute for N fertilizer. However, the limited water supply in sandy soil is a critical factor for soybean nodulation and crop growth. This study investigated the potential mechanism of the effect of biochar and irrigation on the soybean-Rhizobium symbiotic performance and soil biological activity in a field trial. In the absence of N fertilizer, 10 t ha−1 of black cherry wood-derived biochar were applied under irrigated and rainfed conditions on an experimental, sandy field site. The plant biomass, plant nutrient concentrations, nodule number, nodule leghemoglobin content, soil enzyme activities, and soil-available nutrients were examined. Our results show that biochar application caused a significant increase in the nodule number by 35% in the irrigated condition. Shoot biomass and soil fluorescein diacetate hydrolytic activity were significantly increased by irrigation in comparison to the rainfed condition. The activity of soil protease reduced significantly, by 8%, with the biochar application in the irrigated condition. Further, a linear correlation analysis and redundancy analysis performed on the plant, nodule, and soil variables suggested that the biochar application may affect soybean N uptake in the sandy field. Nodulation was enhanced with biochar addition, however, the plant N concentration and nodule Lb content remained unaffected.

ACS Style

Hua Ma; Dilfuza Egamberdieva; Stephan Wirth; Sonoko Dorothea Bellingrath-Kimura; Ma; Bellingrath- Kimura. Effect of Biochar and Irrigation on Soybean-Rhizobium Symbiotic Performance and Soil Enzymatic Activity in Field Rhizosphere. Agronomy 2019, 9, 626 .

AMA Style

Hua Ma, Dilfuza Egamberdieva, Stephan Wirth, Sonoko Dorothea Bellingrath-Kimura, Ma, Bellingrath- Kimura. Effect of Biochar and Irrigation on Soybean-Rhizobium Symbiotic Performance and Soil Enzymatic Activity in Field Rhizosphere. Agronomy. 2019; 9 (10):626.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Hua Ma; Dilfuza Egamberdieva; Stephan Wirth; Sonoko Dorothea Bellingrath-Kimura; Ma; Bellingrath- Kimura. 2019. "Effect of Biochar and Irrigation on Soybean-Rhizobium Symbiotic Performance and Soil Enzymatic Activity in Field Rhizosphere." Agronomy 9, no. 10: 626.

Journal article
Published: 10 August 2019 in Sustainability
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Drought and heat-tolerant crops, such as Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum), are priority crops for fighting hunger in semi-arid regions. Assessing its performance under future climate scenarios is critical for determining its resilience and sustainability. Field experiments were conducted over two consecutive seasons (2015/2016 and 2016/2017) to determine the yield responses of the crop (pearl millet variety “Okoa”) to microdose fertilizer application in a semi-arid region of Tanzania. Data from the experiment were used to calibrate and validate the DSSAT model (CERES Millet). Subsequently, the model evaluated synthetic climate change scenarios for temperature increments and precipitation changes based on historic observations (2010–2018). Temperature increases of +0.5 to +3.0 °C (from baseline), under non-fertilized (NF) and fertilizer microdose (MD) conditions were used to evaluate nine planting dates of pearl millet from early (5 December) to late planting (25 February), based on increments of 10 days. The planting date with the highest yields was subjected to 49 synthetic scenarios of climate change for temperature increments and precipitation changes (of −30% up to +30% from baseline) to simulate yield responses. Results show that the model reproduced the phenology and yield, indicating a very good performance. Model simulations indicate that temperature increases negatively affected yields for all planting dates under NF and MD. Early and late planting windows were more negatively affected than the normal planting window, implying that temperature increases reduced the length of effective planting window for achieving high yields in both NF and MD. Farmers must adjust their planting timing, while the timely availability of seeds and fertilizer is critical. Precipitation increases had a positive effect on yields under all tested temperature increments, but Okoa cultivar only has steady yield increases up to a maximum of 1.5 °C, beyond which yields decline. This informs the need for further breeding or testing of other cultivars that are more heat tolerant. However, under MD, the temperature increments and precipitation change scenarios are higher than under NF, indicating a high potential of yield improvement under MD, especially with precipitation increases. Further investigation should focus on other cropping strategies such as the use of in-field rainwater harvesting and heat-tolerant cultivars to mitigate the effects of temperature increase and change in precipitation on pearl millet yield.

ACS Style

Festo Richard Silungwe; Frieder Graef; Sonoko Dorothea Bellingrath-Kimura; Emmanuel A Chilagane; Siza Donald Tumbo; Fredrick Cassian Kahimba; Marcos Alberto Lana. Modelling Rainfed Pearl Millet Yield Sensitivity to Abiotic Stresses in Semi-Arid Central Tanzania, Eastern Africa. Sustainability 2019, 11, 4330 .

AMA Style

Festo Richard Silungwe, Frieder Graef, Sonoko Dorothea Bellingrath-Kimura, Emmanuel A Chilagane, Siza Donald Tumbo, Fredrick Cassian Kahimba, Marcos Alberto Lana. Modelling Rainfed Pearl Millet Yield Sensitivity to Abiotic Stresses in Semi-Arid Central Tanzania, Eastern Africa. Sustainability. 2019; 11 (16):4330.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Festo Richard Silungwe; Frieder Graef; Sonoko Dorothea Bellingrath-Kimura; Emmanuel A Chilagane; Siza Donald Tumbo; Fredrick Cassian Kahimba; Marcos Alberto Lana. 2019. "Modelling Rainfed Pearl Millet Yield Sensitivity to Abiotic Stresses in Semi-Arid Central Tanzania, Eastern Africa." Sustainability 11, no. 16: 4330.

Journal article
Published: 19 July 2019 in Agronomy
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Rainfed agriculture constitutes around 80% of the world’s agricultural land, achieving the lowest on-farm crop yields and greatest on-farm water losses. Much of this land is in developing countries, including sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where hunger is chronic. The primary constraint of rainfed agriculture—frequently experienced in SSA—is water scarcity, heightened by the unpredictability of season onset, erratic rainfall, as well as the inability of farmers to provide adequate soil and crop management. Farmers react differently to constraints, making a variety of choices—including the timing of planting, type of land cultivation, fertilization, and scattered fields, among many others. Limited information is available on the combined effects of these strategies for improving crop yield and water use efficiency (WUE). An experiment was co-conducted with farmers over four consecutive rainy seasons (2014–2018) in Tanzania, to evaluate these strategies for single and joint effects in improving yield and WUE on rainfed pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R.Br.). The treatments used were flat cultivation both without and with microdosing, as well as tied ridging without and with microdose interaction, with different planting dates depending on farmers’ decisions. Results show that farmers react differently to the early, normal, or late onset of the rainy season, and cumulative rainfall during its onset, which affects their decisions regarding planting dates, yield, and WUE. Microdose fertilization increases both the yield and WUE of pearl millet significantly, with greater effects obtained using tied ridging compared to flat cultivation. For low-income smallholder farmers in a semi-arid agroclimate, using tied ridging with microdosing during early planting is an effective response to spatiotemporal rainfall variability and poor soils.

ACS Style

Festo Richard Silungwe; Frieder Graef; Sonoko Dorothea Bellingrath-Kimura; Siza Donald Tumbo; Frederick Cassian Kahimba; Marcos Alberto Lana. The Management Strategies of Pearl Millet Farmers to Cope with Seasonal Rainfall Variability in a Semi-Arid Agroclimate. Agronomy 2019, 9, 400 .

AMA Style

Festo Richard Silungwe, Frieder Graef, Sonoko Dorothea Bellingrath-Kimura, Siza Donald Tumbo, Frederick Cassian Kahimba, Marcos Alberto Lana. The Management Strategies of Pearl Millet Farmers to Cope with Seasonal Rainfall Variability in a Semi-Arid Agroclimate. Agronomy. 2019; 9 (7):400.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Festo Richard Silungwe; Frieder Graef; Sonoko Dorothea Bellingrath-Kimura; Siza Donald Tumbo; Frederick Cassian Kahimba; Marcos Alberto Lana. 2019. "The Management Strategies of Pearl Millet Farmers to Cope with Seasonal Rainfall Variability in a Semi-Arid Agroclimate." Agronomy 9, no. 7: 400.