Intercropping Optimizes Soil Temperature and Increases Crop Water Productivity and Radiation Use Efficiency of Rainfed Potato

Nyawade, Shadrack O.; Karanja, NK; Gachene, Ckk; Gitari, Harun I.; Schulte-Geldermann, Elmar; Parker, Monica

doi:10.1007/s12230-019-09737-4

Cited by 51 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…However, despite some recent studies that have indicated the importance of intercropping in maintaining high crop yields, effectively decreasing water consumption in semi-arid and arid climates, providing better coverage on the soil surface, reducing the direct impact of raindrops, and protecting soil from erosion [77][78][79], the results show that cultivated crops had a negative and significant effect on the adoption of SWM practices. This means that farmers who specialized in cultivating palm trees scored higher in adoption compared to farmers who cultivated palm and other crops.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 61%

Adoption of Sustainable Water Management Practices among Farmers in Saudi Arabia

Alotaibi

Kassem

2021

Sustainability

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Promoting sustainable water management (SWM) practices among farmers is essential in order to ensure water sustainability. This study aimed to analyze patterns in the adoption of SWM practices by farmers at the farm level, and how their awareness regarding the causes of agricultural water pollution influence SWM adoption. Face-to-face interviews were conducted to collect field data using structured questionnaires from 129 farmers in the Riyadh region, Saudi Arabia. The results indicate that 38.8% of farmers had a high awareness of the causes of water pollution from agriculture. Approximately half of the farmers exhibited a high rate of adoption of SWM practices, most of whom adopted water quality and soil management practices. The findings reveal a positive association (0.37, p < 0.01) between SWM adoption and awareness regarding water pollution caused by agriculture, whereby the farmers with more awareness regarding the causes of water pollution from agriculture showed a higher level of adoption for 55% of the SWM practices. Multiple regression analysis revealed that the awareness levels regarding the causes of agricultural water pollution and cultivated crops significantly influenced the adoption of SWM by farmers. The findings and implications provide an understanding of the SWM practices of farmers, and offers insights for policymakers aiming to reformulate strategies and policies combatting water scarcity in Saudi Arabia.

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 61%

Adoption of Sustainable Water Management Practices among Farmers in Saudi Arabia

Alotaibi

Kassem

2021

Sustainability

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“…On the other side, more coverage of ground area restricts evaporation loss and, generally, it is observed that the water needs of intercropping do not exceed that of pure stands. Nyawade et al [25] in upper midland of Kenya observed that in rainfed potato + legume intercropping system more LAI was noted which was indicative of more coverage of the ground area that lowered soil temperature by 7.3 °C at 0-30 cm depth and ultimately increased soil water content and crop water productivity than sole cropping of potato. In an oasis of arid north-west China, in wheat + maize intercropping system, alternate irrigation exhibited higher water use efficiency (WUE) than conventional irrigation of either of the crops [64].…”

Section: Water Managementmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…On the other hand, intercropping systems need comparatively fewer energy inputs like fertilizer, plant protection chemical requirements are less, and diversification of crops is greater creating functional diversity resulting in less pest-disease incidence. Moreover, there is the creation of soothing microclimate with less evaporation [24,25]. Combination of deep-rooted and shallow-rooted crops create the options of bio-irrigation and after all, legume crops in association with non-legumes favour adjustments of nutrients by benefitting non-legumes in the form of nitrogen fixation.…”

Section: Intercropping As Low-input Agriculturementioning

confidence: 99%

Intercropping—A Low Input Agricultural Strategy for Food and Environmental Security

et al. 2021

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Intensive agriculture is based on the use of high-energy inputs and quality planting materials with assured irrigation, but it has failed to assure agricultural sustainability because of creation of ecological imbalance and degradation of natural resources. On the other hand, intercropping systems, also known as mixed cropping or polyculture, a traditional farming practice with diversified crop cultivation, uses comparatively low inputs and improves the quality of the agro-ecosystem. Intensification of crops can be done spatially and temporally by the adoption of the intercropping system targeting future need. Intercropping ensures multiple benefits like enhancement of yield, environmental security, production sustainability and greater ecosystem services. In intercropping, two or more crop species are grown concurrently as they coexist for a significant part of the crop cycle and interact among themselves and agro-ecosystems. Legumes as component crops in the intercropping system play versatile roles like biological N fixation and soil quality improvement, additional yield output including protein yield, and creation of functional diversity. But growing two or more crops together requires additional care and management for the creation of less competition among the crop species and efficient utilization of natural resources. Research evidence showed beneficial impacts of a properly managed intercropping system in terms of resource utilization and combined yield of crops grown with low-input use. The review highlights the principles and management of an intercropping system and its benefits and usefulness as a low-input agriculture for food and environmental security.

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“…That is, under intercropping, there was an increase in per-plant coffee production by 8% (on overall average). Intercropping with taller trees is reported to reduce excessive solar radiation and wind damage (Pezzopane et al, 2010;Rigal, Xu, Hu, et al, 2020), decreasing the temperature and creating a favorable microclimate for coffee during the warmest periods of the year (Araújo et al, 2016;Carr, 2001;DaMatta, 2004;Rigal, Xu, Hu, et al, 2020;Steiman et al, 2011), which mitigate water losses by transpiration and reduce stomatal closure (van Kanten & Vaast, 2006;Mariño, 2014;Nyawade et al, 2019Nyawade et al, , 2020Rigal, Xu, Hu, et al, 2020). However, the benefits of intercropping on per-plant coffee production were not realized under irrigation, with an evenly distributed reduction of 8% over the years.…”

Section: Competition Indices Under the Intercropping System And Diffe...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Turning biennial into biannual harvest: Long‐term assessment of Arabica coffee–macadamia intercropping and irrigation synergism by biological and economic indices

Soratto

Perdoná

Parecido

et al. 2022

Food and Energy Security

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Intercropping that involves coffee (Coffee arabica L.) and macadamia (Macadamia integrifolia Maiden & Betche) can achieve the complementarity between component crops aiming at better use of natural resources, hence resulting in optimum crop production. However, there is no detailed information in the scientific literature about the biological and economic efficiency of coffee–macadamia intercropping. In this work, we evaluated the productivity and economic performance of Arabica coffee–macadamia intercropping under rainfed and irrigated conditions for 13 years (2006–2018) in São Paulo state, southeastern Brazil. In addition, some biological, economic, and competition indices were used to understand the complementarity of companion crops under the intercropping system. Irrigation significantly increased coffee (21%–40%) and macadamia (33%–44%) yields. Despite the greater values of aggressivity and dominance indices of macadamia over coffee crop have been calculated in the rainfed regime, intercropping with macadamia reduced more strongly coffee yield under irrigation. The higher values of land equivalent ratio (LER), land equivalent coefficient (LEC), percentage yield difference (PYD), income equivalent ratio (IER), and relative net return index (RNRI) indicated relatively higher benefits of intercropping under rainfed regime than under irrigation. The intercropping systems were more productive than monocrops, reaching 215% more yield, 3.2‐fold more gross income under rainfed conditions. The synergy of the combined use of irrigation and intercropping technologies decreased the payback period and the highest values of coffee equivalent yield (CEY) and monetary advantage index (MAI) under irrigation indicated a cumulative effect on the profitability. Here, for the first time, we demonstrated the complementarity between Arabica coffee and macadamia under the intercropping system, at least up to 13 years after planting of the crops, and suggest that it may be a viable option to optimize the use of resources, food production, and ecosystem services, making agricultural profitability more sustainable and stable.

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Intercropping Optimizes Soil Temperature and Increases Crop Water Productivity and Radiation Use Efficiency of Rainfed Potato

Cited by 51 publications

References 36 publications

Adoption of Sustainable Water Management Practices among Farmers in Saudi Arabia

Adoption of Sustainable Water Management Practices among Farmers in Saudi Arabia

Intercropping—A Low Input Agricultural Strategy for Food and Environmental Security

Turning biennial into biannual harvest: Long‐term assessment of Arabica coffee–macadamia intercropping and irrigation synergism by biological and economic indices

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