Program, 1990;Mitchell et al., 1999). Mitchell et al. (1999) also reported a perceived decline in soil qualityThe high-value, large-scale crop production systems in the San among producers. As a result of these concerns, many Joaquin Valley (SJV) of California typically entail intensive tillage and large fertilizer and water inputs but few C additions to the soil.SJV producers have begun to question the long-term Such practices often contribute to a decline in soil quality. Our objec-sustainability of their intensively managed agricultural tive for this participatory study was to examine the effects of supplesystems. mental C management practices (SCMPs) on various soil quality To help farmers in the SJV evaluate the soil quality indicators. To increase farmer participation, we conducted the study effects of alternative soil management practices, the West on farms using a variety of SCMPs, including cover crops, compost and Side On-Farm Demonstration Project (WSD) was conmanure amendments, and several different crop rotations common ducted from 1995 to 1998. This participatory research to the region. The SCMPs significantly changed a number of soil and extension program originally included 11 large-scale properties, including soil organic matter (SOM); total Kjeldahl N; SJV row-crop producers, University of California Coopmicrobial biomass C and N; exchangeable K; Olsen P; and extractable erative Extension researchers, USDA Natural Resources Fe, Mn, and Zn. A comparison including previously established, adjacent organic, conventional, and transitional fields in addition to the Conservation Service (NRCS) conservationists, USDAtreatment fields at one farm revealed significant differences in 16 of ARS scientists, and private-sector consultants. soil quality indicators. A soil quality index computed for this farmDeveloping science-based guidelines to quantify imscored the established organic system significantly higher than the pacts of routinely used organic inputs in this region was conventional system. Our results suggest that significant changes in identified as an important priority among the project's several soil quality indicators occur with a variety of SCMPs. This is farmer participants (Mitchell and Goodell, 1996). A especially noteworthy considering the intensive tillage, irrigation, and brief, written survey of 15 participants, conducted durhot, semiarid environment of the SJV, California, where increases in ing a routine project meeting, invited input about their SOM and related soil properties are generally not expected in a 3-yr

The indiscriminate use of synthetic chemical compounds for weed control has been often responsible of damage to both the environment and the human health. To challenge these problems, in the last years research has increased its effort to find out alternative farming strategies. A feasible alternative could be the identification of natural substances with allelopathic effects for the realization of natural herbicides. Some research has already highlighted the possibility of using essential oils, extracted from aromatic plants, for weed control. The advantage in the utilization of such natural compounds is the quickly breaking down process into the environment and so the possible application in sustainable agriculture like organic farming. Objective of this research was the evaluation of the inhibition effect exerted by the essential oils of cinnamon, peppermint and lavender on seeds germination of some of the most common weeds species of the Mediterranean environment (pigweed, wild mustard and ryegrass). The results have highlighted a control in the weeds germination. Among the essential oils tested, cinnamon oil has exerted the highest inhibition effect compared with lavender and peppermint ones. The dicotyledonous species have been more susceptible compared with the monocotyledonous, even if it has been recorded only for redroot pigweed a dose able to inhibit totally the seed germination

The high‐value, large‐scale crop production systems in the San Joaquin Valley (SJV) of California typically entail intensive tillage and large fertilizer and water inputs but few C additions to the soil. Such practices often contribute to a decline in soil quality. Our objective for this participatory study was to examine the effects of supplemental C management practices (SCMPs) on various soil quality indicators. To increase farmer participation, we conducted the study on farms using a variety of SCMPs, including cover crops, compost and manure amendments, and several different crop rotations common to the region. The SCMPs significantly changed a number of soil properties, including soil organic matter (SOM); total Kjeldahl N; microbial biomass C and N; exchangeable K; Olsen P; and extractable Fe, Mn, and Zn. A comparison including previously established, adjacent organic, conventional, and transitional fields in addition to the treatment fields at one farm revealed significant differences in 16 of 18 soil quality indicators. A soil quality index computed for this farm scored the established organic system significantly higher than the conventional system. Our results suggest that significant changes in several soil quality indicators occur with a variety of SCMPs. This is especially noteworthy considering the intensive tillage, irrigation, and hot, semiarid environment of the SJV, California, where increases in SOM and related soil properties are generally not expected in a 3‐yr study.

Grain legumes, also known as pulses, are edible seeds belonging to plants of Leguminosae family known as important sources for human nutrition because they provide proteins rich in essential amino acids (Mann et al., 2020). Pulses are the basis on Mediterranean diet and frequently used as a necessary supplement of the protein sources, such as those from animal origin

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