Browsing by Subject "Farming"

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Perspectives for donkey-drawn mechanization of field work in Southern Niger
(2004) Emhardt, Frank; Kutzbach, Heinz Dieter
Subsistence oriented rainfed farming in the South and extensive cattle pasturage on grassland savannas in the Sahel is the mode for life for 95 % of the people in Niger. The majority of the farmers would adopt animal drawn technology if it is reliable, inexpensive, simple to use, sound and sturdy technology without permanent risk of failure. Within the present thesis it is focused exclusively on donkey traction as a source of farm power for the location specific optimization of common farming practices for most oriented to the Djerma farmers? annual working calendar in South-West Niger. Efforts have concentrated on ridging, sowing, weeding and mulching.
Reintroduction strategies for rare arable weeds in agricultural practice and their influence on yield
(2024) Schumacher, Matthias; Witty, Rosa; Gerhards, Roland; Schumacher, Matthias; Department of Weed Science, Institute of Phytomedicine (360), University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany; Witty, Rosa; Department of Weed Science, Institute of Phytomedicine (360), University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany; Gerhards, Roland; Department of Weed Science, Institute of Phytomedicine (360), University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
Agricultural intensification and changing landscape structure led to decreasing numbers of arable flora and fauna during the last decades. To counteract these declines, arable plant diversity needs to be restored. It is important to promote regional plant communities including endangered species to ensure adaption to agricultural landscapes. Therefore, this study examines the development of arable plant diversity, crop yield and the reintroduction success of rare arable plants (RAPs) under different practical farming strategies in cereals from 2019 to 2021 in southwestern Germany. Farming strategies varied regarding weed control intensity (none, mechanical, herbicide with and without efficiency gap), fertilisation (mineral and none) and row spacing (12.5 cm and 20 cm). Additionally, two different seed mixtures containing RAP and common species were used for reintroduction: one commercially available and another self‐composed. Reintroduction success was quite high with more than 80% establishment rate. Species numbers doubled in all treatments over time, except the one with herbicide application, with on average 8–10 species emerging from the soil seed bank. Reintroduction of RAP increased arable plant species richness further up to 37 species. The site‐adapted mixture showed in the end a site‐typical weed community. Yield was significantly lower in treatments with reintroduction via sown mixtures and no weed control, losing on average 65% yield. The reintroduction of RAP was successful and accompanied by an increasing floral diversity, however, with a simultaneous yield loss. Financial incentives or subsidies are therefore still necessary to compensate yield loss for reintroduction and conservation efforts.