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Now showing items 21-27 of 27
Dissertation
Water use efficiency and management of agro-pastoral landuse systems in the Mongolian-Chinese Altay
(2017-02-08)
The use of organic fertilizers is an important approach to maintain soil fertility of irrigated agricultural land under the semi-arid climate conditions of Oman. However, gaseous emissions of carbon and nutrients from soil and organic fertilizers are a major challenge. Activated charcoal and tannins have the potential to reduce gaseous losses of carbon and nitrogen. Therefore, gaseous emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), ammonia (NH3) and nitrous oxide (N2O) were measured by a photo-acoustic infrared multi-gas monitor. ...
Dissertation
Evaluation of Pathological Risks Associated with Use of Leguminous Cover crop and Living mulch species
(2017-11-15)
In the past 10 to 15 years, there has been a tendency in Europe to switch from cereal based cropping systems, with winter and summer fallow, to cropping systems which combine greater crop diversity with maximum soil cover. Increasing the opportunities of including legumes into crop rotations to be grown as cover crops, intercropped or under-sown with cereals can provide multiple beneficial services to agro-ecosystems. A major concern is however, that many of the leguminous species of interest share important soil-borne ...
Dissertation
Integrated soil fertility management in eastern and western Africa: The role of knowledge and innovation systems, its adoption and impact
(2017-01-31)
The rise in population growth, as well as nutrient mining, has contributed to low agricultural productivity in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). A plethora of technologies to boost agricultural production have been developed but the dissemination of these agricultural innovations and subsequent uptake by smallholder farmers has remained a challenge. Scientists and philanthropists have adopted the Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) paradigm as a means to promote sustainable intensification of African farming systems. ...
Dissertation
Nitrogen use efficiency and optimization of nitrogen fertilizer application for stable yields and high quality of cereals grown in conservation agriculture
(2017-01-23)
In most agroecosystems, nitrogen (N) is the most important nutrient limiting plant growth. One management strategy that affects N cycling and N use efficiency (NUE) is conservation agriculture (CA), an agricultural system based on a combination of minimum tillage, crop residue retention and crop rotation. Available results on the optimization of NUE in CA are inconsistent and studies that cover all three components of CA are scarce. Presently, CA is promoted in the Yaqui Valley in Northern Mexico, the country´s major ...
Dissertation
Nutrient and virtual water fluxes of vegetable production and food distribution in two West African cities
(2017-10-04)
Water and food security will be challenged by uncertainties related to changing climatic and socio-economic conditions triggered by urbanization. The present studies aimed at (a) investigating the effects of mineral fertilization and biochar amendment at two water quality and quantity levels on biomass production, plant nutrition, and soil moisture in vegetables with a focus on Tamale, (b) assessing nutrient losses via leaching and gaseous emissions and calculated nutrient balance and use efficiencies in Tamale and ...
Dissertation
Role of grassland in phosphorus-flows in mixed organic farms
(2017-09-28)
The aim of the study is to analyze the role of grassland in phosphorus (P) flows in mixed organic farms. The research farm of the Thünen Institute of Organic Farming, Trenthorst, located in northern Germany was used for the analyses. The farm converted to organic farming in 2001 and had no P-fertilizer import. Grassland-related P flows (by grazing and harvesting) were estimated with a specific method using a calibrated rising plate meter (DM = 100.41 x h + 1 (r²=0.7549; n=396)). Inner farm nutrient cycles were ...
Dissertation
Conservation agriculture in organic farming: Impacts on weeds and plant-parasitic nematodes during the transition
(2017-10-12)
Der Bodenschutz ist eine der wichtigsten Anforderungen an die Landwirtschaft im 21. Jahrhundert. Daher sind nicht-wendende Bodenbearbeitungssysteme, basierend auf dem Anbau von Untersaaten und Zwischenfrüchten, verstärkt in den Fokus der europäischen Agrarwirtschaft geraten. Allerdings können diese neuartigen Systeme das Spektrum und die Abundanz gewisser Krankheiten, Schädlinge und Unkräuter grundlegend verändern. Ein Beispiel ist die Zunahme von Unkräutern und ihren Samenbanken während der Übergangsphase von ...