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Agronomy
Special Issues
Sustainable Management of Herbaceous Field Crops
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Sustainable Management of Herbaceous Field Crops

A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Innovative Cropping Systems".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 May 2023) | Viewed by 16987

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Giovanni Mauromicale

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Agriculture, Food, and Environment (Di3A), University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
Interests: agronomy; crop production; allelopathy; weed science; weed management; cover crops; fertilization; Cynara cardunculus; potato
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Sara Lombardo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment (Di3A), University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy
Interests: agronomy; sustainable crop production; biodiversity; fertilization; crop quality; nutraceuticals
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The current rapid increase in the world population and the parallel decrease of arable lands, together with the changing climatic scenario, imply the transition to sustainable agricultural systems for the cultivation of herbaceous field crops. The intensive agriculture is considered one of the major contributors to global warming and to the contamination and impoverishing of environmental resources (such as soil, air, sediments, food, and drinking water). However, the challenge for sustainable agriculture requires further efforts of the scientific community to identify new environmentally based and more efficient agronomic approaches calibrated site-by-site. For these reasons, this Special Issue focuses on all topics related to the sustainable management of herbaceous field crops, with a major emphasis on the choice of plant species and genotypes (traditional and improved), as well as on agricultural practices (soil tillage, fertilization, irrigation, weed control, and organic farming) able to both ameliorate crop productivity and safeguard agroecosystems. The impact of such agronomic aspects on the product quality of herbaceous field crops will also be considered. All types of articles, such as original research papers, communications and short notes, and reviews on the abovementioned topics are welcome.

Prof. Dr. Giovanni Mauromicale
Dr. Sara Lombardo
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Agronomy is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • sustainability
  • herbaceous field crops
  • productivity
  • product quality
  • organic farming
  • cover cropping
  • fertilization
  • irrigation
  • weed management

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 6002 KiB  
Article
Phenological Growth Stages of Abelmoschus manihot: Codification and Description According to the BBCH Scale
by Wenzhang Qian, Yunyi Hu, Xi Lin, Deshui Yu, Shibing Jia, Yulin Ye, Yidong Mao, Lu Yi and Shun Gao
Agronomy 2023, 13(5), 1328; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13051328 - 10 May 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3331
Abstract
Abelmoschus manihot L. (A. manihot) has received more and more attention due to its potential edible and medicinal value. It shows higher yield and related fine agronomic traits suitable for disadvantaged areas and low-input planting. However, a systemic description of the [...] Read more.
Abelmoschus manihot L. (A. manihot) has received more and more attention due to its potential edible and medicinal value. It shows higher yield and related fine agronomic traits suitable for disadvantaged areas and low-input planting. However, a systemic description of the phenological growth stages of A. manihot, an alternative, multipurpose crop of worldwide interest, does not exist. This study aims to detail the phenological growth stages of A. manihot based on the BBCH scale. Nine principal growth stages were described from seed germination to senescence, along with 69 secondary growth stages, including germination, leaf development, formation of side shoots, primary stem elongation, inflorescence emergence, flowering, fruit development, maturation of fruit and seed, and senescence. However, the morphology and structure of A. manihot become complex with growth, and some growth stages, like inflorescence development, flowering, fruit development, and fruit maturation, overlap totally or partially with each other. Thus, the three-digit scale is considered necessary for a complementary description of these growth stages and illustrations for clarification. Moreover, the unique morphology and structure features of the pistil, stamen, and ovary and the development process of fruits and seeds were described in detail at different stages. The basic and extended BBCH scales will add new information on defining and identifying A. manihot phenological growth stages. They will help farmers efficiently schedule and manage A. manihot cultivation and improve knowledge dissemination among growers and researchers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Management of Herbaceous Field Crops)
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13 pages, 1295 KiB  
Article
Plant Composition and Feed Value of First Cut Permanent Meadows
by Aldo Dal Prà, Roberto Davolio, Alessandra Immovilli, Andrea Burato and Domenico Ronga
Agronomy 2023, 13(3), 681; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13030681 - 26 Feb 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2565
Abstract
Permanent grasslands represent the main terrestrial ecosystem and serve as an important global reservoir of biodiversity, providing a wide range of benefits to humans and ecosystems. The effects of environment on permanent meadows (in our survey, they were centuries-old meadows that had not [...] Read more.
Permanent grasslands represent the main terrestrial ecosystem and serve as an important global reservoir of biodiversity, providing a wide range of benefits to humans and ecosystems. The effects of environment on permanent meadows (in our survey, they were centuries-old meadows that had not been plowed, mowed, or fertilized with manure) production have been adequately investigated in literature. However, plant species composition impact on potential feed value of first cut has still to be understood, in particular regarding different agronomic management. Our field trial was carried out in five farms, in a territory involved in the value chain of the Parmigiano Reggiano PDO (Val d’Enza, Northern Italy), over a two-year period (2017–2018). Differences in botanical composition, biomass, and Pastoral Value index (PV), which synthesizes grassland yield and nutritional parameters, were investigated in depth. The herbage dry matter (DM) yield was affected by year, farm, and their interaction factors. Its highest value across the two years was recorded in farm 5 (11.7 tons of DM ha−1), which applied the highest rate of nitrogen fertilization. The botanical composition of the first cut has favored the presence of both Poaceae and ‘other species’ (each one around 40 plants per transect) compared to Fabaceae (seven plants per transect). However, higher numbers of Fabaceae plants (13 and 10) plausibly determined increases in PV in farms 3 and 5 (56.4 and 58.7, respectively). Although differences were observed among the most important nutritional parameters of grassland (crude protein, digestible and undigested neutral detergent fiber contents), suitable net energy for lactation (NEL) values for feeding lactating cows were always recorded during the two years of survey. The present study provides a contribution of knowledge on how the botanical composition of permanent meadows may affect their potential nutritive value as fresh herbage for feeding dairy cows. Considering these results, the agronomic management should seek a level of plant biodiversity that at the same time might guarantee satisfactory yield and feed value, also in a context of climate change. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Management of Herbaceous Field Crops)
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18 pages, 4118 KiB  
Article
Dissecting the Genotype × Environment Interaction for Potato Tuber Yield and Components
by Aurelio Scavo, Giovanni Mauromicale and Anita Ierna
Agronomy 2023, 13(1), 101; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13010101 - 28 Dec 2022
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2064
Abstract
In the Mediterranean Basin, potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is a major staple crop, the yield performance of which can vary dramatically based on pedo-climatic conditions and genotype. Hence, dissecting the genotype × environment interaction (GEI) in this region is mandatory for the [...] Read more.
In the Mediterranean Basin, potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is a major staple crop, the yield performance of which can vary dramatically based on pedo-climatic conditions and genotype. Hence, dissecting the genotype × environment interaction (GEI) in this region is mandatory for the setup of high-yielding and stable potato genotypes, also considering its importance for local potato breeding and the development of protected geographical identifications. Therefore, this research evaluated the marketable tuber yield (MY) and several yield components of five potato genotypes (Arizona, Generosa, Levante, Paradiso, and Vogue) over 4 years (2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022) and three locations in Sicily (Southern Italy) by additive main effects and multiplicative interactions (AMMI) and genotype main effects + genotype × environment interaction (GGE) biplot analyses. From combined ANOVA emerged a high significance of GEI, with the environment that provided the most considerable extent of variation for the most of the productive traits. The AMMI and GGE analyses identified Arizona as the best leading genotype in the studied area by virtue of its high productivity (44.5 t ha−1 of mean MY) coupled with stability, followed by Generosa (46.5 t ha−1). Ideal environments (location × year) were highly dependent on the productive trait, but most of them belonged to Acireale, characterized by fertile soils. According to our results, this approach could be recommended for breeding programs and commercial cultivation in the studied regions, along with the setup of potato protected geographical identifications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Management of Herbaceous Field Crops)
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16 pages, 8473 KiB  
Article
Evaluating Growth, Biomass and Cannabinoid Profiles of Floral Hemp Varieties under Different Planting Dates in Organic Soils of Florida
by Saroop S. Sandhu, Anuj Chiluwal, Zachary T. Brym, Mike Irey, James Mabry McCray, Dennis Calvin Odero, Samira H. Daroub and Hardev S. Sandhu
Agronomy 2022, 12(11), 2845; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12112845 - 14 Nov 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1834
Abstract
Hemp production has been permitted as a new agricultural commodity in Florida and may serve as a potential rotational crop. Field trials were conducted in the Everglades Agricultural Region with multiple varieties planted at different dates. Data were collected on plant growth parameters, [...] Read more.
Hemp production has been permitted as a new agricultural commodity in Florida and may serve as a potential rotational crop. Field trials were conducted in the Everglades Agricultural Region with multiple varieties planted at different dates. Data were collected on plant growth parameters, final biomass at harvest, and temporal cannabidiol (CBD) and Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content in developing flowers. Results showed that at the United States Sugar Corporation (USSC) location, the BaOX variety had higher biomass compared to other varieties and at Everglades Research and Education Center (EREC), varieties ACDC and Cherry wine recorded the highest biomass compared to other varieties. Moreover, plant growth parameters such as plant height, canopy cover and SPAD were significantly affected by variety and planting date. Total CBD and THC content in plants increased over time for most varieties except for Early bird and Cherry abacus under second planting. There was a significantly high correlation between total CBD and THC content (R2 = 0.75 to 0.98, slope = 16.8 to 22.8). The THC content in most varieties exceeded the legal limit of 0.3% at some stage of the growing season. The results of this study indicate that the variety performance was largely affected by genetics compared to the planting date. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Management of Herbaceous Field Crops)
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17 pages, 816 KiB  
Article
Water Stress Effects on the Morphological, Physiological Characteristics of Maize (Zea mays L.), and on Environmental Cost
by Maria Laskari, George Menexes, Ilias Kalfas, Ioannis Gatzolis and Christos Dordas
Agronomy 2022, 12(10), 2386; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12102386 - 1 Oct 2022
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 3656
Abstract
Water stress is one of the most important yield constraints on crop productivity for many crops, and especially for maize, worldwide. In addition, climate change creates new challenges for crop adaptation as water stress appears even in areas where, until recently, there was [...] Read more.
Water stress is one of the most important yield constraints on crop productivity for many crops, and especially for maize, worldwide. In addition, climate change creates new challenges for crop adaptation as water stress appears even in areas where, until recently, there was an adequate water supply. The objective of the present study was to determine the effect of water availability on the morphological and physiological characteristics of maize, and also on the environmental cost under field conditions. The lowest water treatment (ET50) reduced leaf area index, plant height, chlorophyll content, assimilation rate and gas exchange parameters, photosynthetic efficiency, and silage yield. Furthermore, mild water stress (ΕΤ70) affected the characteristics that were studied but maintained a high crop yield. Moreover, the outputs/inputs ratio and energy efficiency showed similar trends, with the highest values under ΕΤ100 treatment and the lowest under ΕΤ50 treatment in two consecutive years. Therefore, the results of this study can be used by farmers in the Mediterranean area, who can maintain or improve their crop yield using a lower amount of water when the water supply is limited, thereby contributing to reducing the impact of global climate change and maintaining crop productivity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Management of Herbaceous Field Crops)
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17 pages, 1989 KiB  
Article
Plant Biostimulants Increase the Agronomic Performance of Lavandin (Lavandula x intermedia) in Northern Apennine Range
by Giovanni Caccialupi, Federica Caradonia, Domenico Ronga, Mortadha Ben Hassine, Eleonora Truzzi, Stefania Benvenuti and Enrico Francia
Agronomy 2022, 12(9), 2189; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12092189 - 15 Sep 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2650
Abstract
Lavandin (Lavandula x intermedia) belongs to the Lamiaceae family and is a shrub cultivated in the Mediterranean region for essential oils used to produce cosmetic, aromatherapy, and pharmaceutical ingredients. Nowadays, interest in plant biostimulants is rising due to their ability to [...] Read more.
Lavandin (Lavandula x intermedia) belongs to the Lamiaceae family and is a shrub cultivated in the Mediterranean region for essential oils used to produce cosmetic, aromatherapy, and pharmaceutical ingredients. Nowadays, interest in plant biostimulants is rising due to their ability to increase biomass production in a sustainable way. The scope of the present study was to assess the effects of two plant biostimulants, one based on hydrolyzed proteins (FITOSIM®) and one based on seaweed extracts (FITOSTIM ALGA®), on the cultivar Grosso for two consecutive years in three different farms, located in the Italian Tuscan-Emilian Apennine Mountains. A difference in the efficiency of treatments among farms was shown, probably due to the plant age. In 2020, FITOSTIM ALGA® increased inflorescence fresh weights (+35%), while FITOSTIM® and FITOSTIM ALGA® enhanced stem and total fresh weights (+23% and +22%, respectively) compared to the untreated control. In 2021, both treatments enhanced the fresh and dry weights of inflorescence (+47% and +38%, respectively), while FITOSTIM ALGA® also improved the total plant dry weights (+34%). The plant biostimulants did not affect the chemical composition of essential oils. Our results indicate plant biostimulants as a supplement for sustainable management practices, enhancing Lavandin’s performance in mountainous agricultural areas. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Management of Herbaceous Field Crops)
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