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Fonteyne S, Flores García Á, Verhulst N. Reduced Water Use in Barley and Maize Production Through Conservation Agriculture and Drip Irrigation. Front Sustain Food Syst 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fsufs.2021.734681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The Mexican Bajío region is the country's main barley (Hordeum vulgare) producing area. Barley is commonly produced during the dry autumn–winter season using furrow irrigation with ground water, following which rainfed maize (Zea mays) is grown in the spring–summer season using supplementary irrigation. Ground water levels in the region are steadily dropping, and the introduction of water-saving technologies in agriculture is urgently required. Drip irrigation can reduce water use but is costly. Conservation agriculture—the combination of minimal tillage, permanent soil cover and crop diversification—might reduce water use, but studies in irrigated systems are scarce. We compared water use and grain yield in tillage-based conventional agriculture and conservation agriculture, both with furrow irrigation and drip irrigation, in a 3-year (six growing seasons) barley-maize field experiment. Additionally, side-by-side demonstrations of conventional and conservation agriculture were installed simultaneously in farmers' fields and yields, water use and fuel use were recorded. In the field experiment, yields did not differ significantly between production systems, but irrigation water use was on average 17% lower in conservation agriculture than in conventional agriculture, ~36% lower with drip irrigation compared with furrow irrigation in conventional tillage, and 40% lower with drip irrigation and conservation agriculture combined compared with conventional agriculture with furrow irrigation. Water use reductions differed strongly between years, depending on weather. The water saving through conservation agriculture in farmers' fields was similar to the water saving in the controlled experiment with about 17%. Additionally, in farmer's fields conservation agriculture reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 192 kg CO2 ha−1 and improved soil health. The implementation of conservation agriculture would be a cost-effective method to reduce water use in the barley-maize production system in the Mexican Bajío, while simultaneously reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
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Govaerts B, Negra C, Camacho Villa TC, Chavez Suarez X, Espinosa AD, Fonteyne S, Gardeazabal A, Gonzalez G, Gopal Singh R, Kommerell V, Kropff W, Lopez Saavedra V, Mena Lopez G, Odjo S, Palacios Rojas N, Ramirez-Villegas J, Van Loon J, Vega D, Verhulst N, Woltering L, Jahn M, Kropff M. One CGIAR and the Integrated Agri-food Systems Initiative: From short-termism to transformation of the world's food systems. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0252832. [PMID: 34086831 PMCID: PMC8177634 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0252832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Agri-food systems are besieged by malnutrition, yield gaps, and climate vulnerability, but integrated, research-based responses in public policy, agricultural, value chains, and finance are constrained by short-termism and zero sum thinking. As they respond to current and emerging agri-food system challenges, decision makers need new tools that steer toward multi-sector, evidence-based collaboration. To support national agri-food system policy processes, the Integrated Agri-food System Initiative (IASI) methodology was developed and validated through case studies in Mexico and Colombia. This holistic, multi-sector methodology builds on diverse existing data resources and leverages situation analysis, modeled predictions, and scenarios to synchronize public and private action at the national level toward sustainable, equitable, and inclusive agri-food systems. Culminating in collectively agreed strategies and multi-partner tactical plans, the IASI methodology enabled a multi-level systems approach by mobilizing design thinking to foster mindset shifts and stakeholder consensus on sustainable and scalable innovations that respond to real-time dynamics in complex agri-food systems. To build capacity for these types of integrated, context-specific approaches, greater investment is needed in supportive international institutions that function as trusted in-region ‘innovation brokers.’ This paper calls for a structured global network to advance adaptation and evolution of essential tools like the IASI methodology in support of the One CGIAR mandate and in service of positive agri-food systems transformation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bram Govaerts
- International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Texcoco, Mexico
- Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
- * E-mail: (BG); (CN); (MJ)
| | - Christine Negra
- Versant Vision LLC, New York, NY, United States of America
- * E-mail: (BG); (CN); (MJ)
| | | | | | | | - Simon Fonteyne
- International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Texcoco, Mexico
| | - Andrea Gardeazabal
- International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Texcoco, Mexico
| | - Gabriela Gonzalez
- International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Texcoco, Mexico
| | - Ravi Gopal Singh
- International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Texcoco, Mexico
| | - Victor Kommerell
- International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Texcoco, Mexico
| | | | | | | | - Sylvanus Odjo
- International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Texcoco, Mexico
| | | | | | - Jelle Van Loon
- International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Texcoco, Mexico
| | - Daniela Vega
- International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Texcoco, Mexico
| | - Nele Verhulst
- International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Texcoco, Mexico
| | - Lennart Woltering
- International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Texcoco, Mexico
| | - Molly Jahn
- Jahn Research Group, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
- * E-mail: (BG); (CN); (MJ)
| | - Martin Kropff
- International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Texcoco, Mexico
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Fonteyne S, Muylle H, Lootens P, Kerchev P, Van den Ende W, Staelens A, Reheul D, Roldán-Ruiz I. Physiological basis of chilling tolerance and early-season growth in miscanthus. Ann Bot 2018; 121:281-295. [PMID: 29300823 PMCID: PMC5808799 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcx159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2017] [Accepted: 10/26/2017] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS The high productivity of Miscanthus × giganteus has been at least partly ascribed to its high chilling tolerance compared with related C4 crops, allowing for a longer productive growing season in temperate climates. However, the chilling tolerance of M. × giganteus has been predominantly studied under controlled environmental conditions. The understanding of the underlying mechanisms contributing to chilling tolerance in the field and their variation in different miscanthus genotypes is largely unexplored. METHODS Five miscanthus genotypes with different sensitivities to chilling were grown in the field and scored for a comprehensive set of physiological traits throughout the spring season. Chlorophyll fluorescence was measured as an indication of photosynthesis, and leaf samples were analysed for biochemical traits related to photosynthetic activity (chlorophyll content and pyruvate, Pi dikinase activity), redox homeostasis (malondialdehyde, glutathione and ascorbate contents, and catalase activity) and water-soluble carbohydrate content. KEY RESULTS Chilling-tolerant genotypes were characterized by higher levels of malondialdehyde, raffinose and sucrose, and higher catalase activity, while the chilling-sensitive genotypes were characterized by higher concentrations of glucose and fructose, and higher pyruvate, Pi dikinase activity later in the growing season. On the early sampling dates, the biochemical responses of M. × giganteus were similar to those of the chilling-tolerant genotypes, but later in the season they became more similar to those of the chilling-sensitive genotypes. CONCLUSIONS The overall physiological response of chilling-tolerant genotypes was distinguishable from that of chilling-sensitive genotypes, while M. × giganteus was intermediate between the two. There appears to be a trade-off between high and efficient photosynthesis and chilling stress tolerance. Miscanthus × giganteus is able to overcome this trade-off and, while it is more similar to the chilling-sensitive genotypes in early spring, its photosynthetic capacity is similar to that of the chilling-tolerant genotypes later on.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Fonteyne
- Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO), Plant Sciences Unit, Melle, Belgium
- Ghent University, Department of Plant Production, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Hilde Muylle
- Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO), Plant Sciences Unit, Melle, Belgium
| | - Peter Lootens
- Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO), Plant Sciences Unit, Melle, Belgium
| | - Pavel Kerchev
- Ghent University, VIB Department of Plant Systems Biology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Wim Van den Ende
- KU Leuven, Laboratory of Molecular Plant Biology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ariane Staelens
- Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO), Plant Sciences Unit, Melle, Belgium
| | - Dirk Reheul
- Ghent University, Department of Plant Production, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Isabel Roldán-Ruiz
- Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO), Plant Sciences Unit, Melle, Belgium
- Ghent University, Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent, Belgium
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Lewandowski I, Clifton-Brown J, Trindade LM, van der Linden GC, Schwarz KU, Müller-Sämann K, Anisimov A, Chen CL, Dolstra O, Donnison IS, Farrar K, Fonteyne S, Harding G, Hastings A, Huxley LM, Iqbal Y, Khokhlov N, Kiesel A, Lootens P, Meyer H, Mos M, Muylle H, Nunn C, Özgüven M, Roldán-Ruiz I, Schüle H, Tarakanov I, van der Weijde T, Wagner M, Xi Q, Kalinina O. Progress on Optimizing Miscanthus Biomass Production for the European Bioeconomy: Results of the EU FP7 Project OPTIMISC. Front Plant Sci 2016; 7:1620. [PMID: 27917177 PMCID: PMC5114296 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2016.01620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2016] [Accepted: 10/13/2016] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
This paper describes the complete findings of the EU-funded research project OPTIMISC, which investigated methods to optimize the production and use of miscanthus biomass. Miscanthus bioenergy and bioproduct chains were investigated by trialing 15 diverse germplasm types in a range of climatic and soil environments across central Europe, Ukraine, Russia, and China. The abiotic stress tolerances of a wider panel of 100 germplasm types to drought, salinity, and low temperatures were measured in the laboratory and a field trial in Belgium. A small selection of germplasm types was evaluated for performance in grasslands on marginal sites in Germany and the UK. The growth traits underlying biomass yield and quality were measured to improve regional estimates of feedstock availability. Several potential high-value bioproducts were identified. The combined results provide recommendations to policymakers, growers and industry. The major technical advances in miscanthus production achieved by OPTIMISC include: (1) demonstration that novel hybrids can out-yield the standard commercially grown genotype Miscanthus x giganteus; (2) characterization of the interactions of physiological growth responses with environmental variation within and between sites; (3) quantification of biomass-quality-relevant traits; (4) abiotic stress tolerances of miscanthus genotypes; (5) selections suitable for production on marginal land; (6) field establishment methods for seeds using plugs; (7) evaluation of harvesting methods; and (8) quantification of energy used in densification (pellet) technologies with a range of hybrids with differences in stem wall properties. End-user needs were addressed by demonstrating the potential of optimizing miscanthus biomass composition for the production of ethanol and biogas as well as for combustion. The costs and life-cycle assessment of seven miscanthus-based value chains, including small- and large-scale heat and power, ethanol, biogas, and insulation material production, revealed GHG-emission- and fossil-energy-saving potentials of up to 30.6 t CO2eq C ha-1y-1 and 429 GJ ha-1y-1, respectively. Transport distance was identified as an important cost factor. Negative carbon mitigation costs of -78€ t-1 CO2eq C were recorded for local biomass use. The OPTIMISC results demonstrate the potential of miscanthus as a crop for marginal sites and provide information and technologies for the commercial implementation of miscanthus-based value chains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iris Lewandowski
- Department of Biobased Products and Energy Crops, Institute of Crop Science, University of HohenheimStuttgart, Germany
| | - John Clifton-Brown
- Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth UniversityAberystwyth, UK
| | - Luisa M. Trindade
- Department of Plant Breeding, Wageningen UniversityWageningen, Netherlands
| | | | | | - Karl Müller-Sämann
- ANNA - The Agency for Sustainable Management of Agricultural LandscapeFreiburg, Germany
| | - Alexander Anisimov
- Department of Plant Physiology, Russian State Agrarian University–Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural AcademyMoscow, Russia
| | - C.-L. Chen
- Department of Plant Breeding, Wageningen UniversityWageningen, Netherlands
| | - Oene Dolstra
- Department of Plant Breeding, Wageningen UniversityWageningen, Netherlands
| | - Iain S. Donnison
- Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth UniversityAberystwyth, UK
| | - Kerrie Farrar
- Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth UniversityAberystwyth, UK
| | - Simon Fonteyne
- Plant Sciences Unit, Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries ResearchMelle, Belgium
| | | | - Astley Hastings
- The Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of AberdeenAberdeen, UK
| | - Laurie M. Huxley
- Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth UniversityAberystwyth, UK
| | - Yasir Iqbal
- Department of Biobased Products and Energy Crops, Institute of Crop Science, University of HohenheimStuttgart, Germany
| | - Nikolay Khokhlov
- Department of Plant Physiology, Russian State Agrarian University–Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural AcademyMoscow, Russia
| | - Andreas Kiesel
- Department of Biobased Products and Energy Crops, Institute of Crop Science, University of HohenheimStuttgart, Germany
| | - Peter Lootens
- Plant Sciences Unit, Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries ResearchMelle, Belgium
| | | | | | - Hilde Muylle
- Plant Sciences Unit, Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries ResearchMelle, Belgium
| | - Chris Nunn
- Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth UniversityAberystwyth, UK
| | - Mensure Özgüven
- Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, Konya Food and Agriculture UniversityKonya, Turkey
| | - Isabel Roldán-Ruiz
- Plant Sciences Unit, Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries ResearchMelle, Belgium
| | | | - Ivan Tarakanov
- Department of Plant Physiology, Russian State Agrarian University–Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural AcademyMoscow, Russia
| | - Tim van der Weijde
- Department of Plant Breeding, Wageningen UniversityWageningen, Netherlands
| | - Moritz Wagner
- Department of Biobased Products and Energy Crops, Institute of Crop Science, University of HohenheimStuttgart, Germany
| | - Qingguo Xi
- Dongying Agricultural InstituteDongying, China
| | - Olena Kalinina
- Department of Biobased Products and Energy Crops, Institute of Crop Science, University of HohenheimStuttgart, Germany
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