Don’t Remove Too Much Residue

Leave enough crop residue to protect soil and to ensure nutrient cycling

When figuring the dollar value of harvesting corn stover for either livestock use or ethanol production, build a long-term hedge into the equation by first determining how much crop residue the soil can afford to lose.

“Think about residue removal in terms of the long-term impact on productivity and soil sustainability,” says Iowa State University (ISU) agronomist Mahdi Al-Kaisi.

“We’re trying to think ahead to educate farmers and agronomists about potential implications of residue removal.”

In an eight-year study, ISU researchers examined how crop yield and soil quality were affected by varying levels of corn-residue removal and differing tillage systems.

The results indicate that corn yields held steady after one to three years of total removal of residue for both conventional-till and no-till systems.

However, as little as 25% to 35% removal of residue immediately affected soil quality.

“Corn production in Iowa generally produces 4½ tons of residue per acre at harvest,” says Al-Kaisi. “To protect the soil, we found that 3 tons of residue should be left on the soil surface to maintain soil organic matter at no change. Anything below that causes the bulk density of the soil to increase and water infiltration to decrease.”

As bulk density increases, soil becomes compacted, causing soil erosion and water runoff.
With little residue on the surface, soil is particularly vulnerable to rainfall.

“In a normal rainfall, raindrops 6 millimeters in diameter hit the ground at 20 mph,” says Al-Kaisi. “The cumulative impact of raindrops can be incredible, dislodging soil particles and splashing them up to 5 feet away. The splashed particles clog soil pores, effectively sealing off the soil surface and leading to soil crusting and poor water infiltration.”

Besides sheltering soils from wind and water erosion, crop residues provide a critical source of soil carbon. Soil microorganisms consume the carbon, and their feeding activity leads to final-stage breakdown of plant material. This results in the formation of organic matter and the sequestering of some carbon from the atmosphere.

“The loss of residues due to removal for any use can accelerate the loss of soil organic matter and nutrients for plant growth and soil microorganisms,” says Al-Kaisi. “In another long-term study, it was found that corn stover removed vs. stover returned had reduced the total source of soil organic matter by 20% and corn-derived soil organic carbon by 35% in a 13-year period.”

Destructive changes in physical properties of the soil can take 10 years or more to reverse by implementing conservation practices.

While corn yields may not decrease in the short term as a result of annual removal of residue, the diminished level of nutrient cycling by soil microorganisms may soon result in the need for increasing fertilization rates.

“Possible short-term impacts of corn stover removal may include an increase in application of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium nutrients. These are needed to replace the nutrients lost due to residue removal and potential deficiencies in the soil nutrients’ pool in the long term,” says Al-Kaisi.

“Seven years ago, one study estimated that these macronutrients’ replacement cost due to residue removal was approximately $10 per ton of harvested residue,” he says.

WHEAT

About Wheat
 

Indian wheat is largely a soft/medium hard, medium protein, white bread wheat, somewhat similar to U.S. hard white wheat. Wheat grown in central and western India is typically hard, with high protein and high gluten content. India also produces around 1.0-1.2 million tons of durum wheat, mostly in the state of Madhya Pradesh. 

Most Indian durum is not marketed separately due to segregation problems in the market yards. However, some quantities are purchased by the private trade at a price premium, mainly for processing of higher value/branded products.

The production and productivity of Wheat crop were quite low, when India became independent in 1947. The production of Wheat was only 6.46 million tonnes and productivity was merely 663 kg per hectare during 1950-51, which was not sufficient to feed the Indian population. The Country used to import Wheat in large quantities for fulfilling the needs of our people from many countries like USA under PL-480. 

The reasons of low production and productivity of Wheat at that time was (a) the tall growing plant habit resulting in lodging, when grown under fertile soils, (b) the poor tillering and low sink capacity of the varieties used, (c) higher susceptibility to diseases, (d) the higher sensitivity to thermo & photo variations, etc., resulting in poor adaptability, and (e) longer crop duration resulting in a long exposure of plants to the climatic variations and insect pest / disease attacks.

The Government of India appointed a commission in 1961 to assess the feasibility of increasing the crop productivity under prevailing Indian ecological conditions. As result of various steps taken by Govt. of India, the Wheat scenario in our country has completely changed. In the post Independence era, country used to import Wheat for our needs but due to bumper increase in the production and productivity of 

Wheat in the 'Green Revolution' period in late sixties, our country became self dependent in Wheat production. At present, country is producing much more excess Wheat than the requirement and Godowns are over-flooded with Wheat.

Climate requirement 

 

Wheat crop has wide adaptability. It can be grown not only in the tropical and sub-tropical zones, but also in the temperate zone and the cold tracts of the far north ,beyond even the 60 degree north altitude . 

Wheat can tolerate severe cold and snow and resume growth with the setting in of warm weather in spring .It can be cultivated from sea level to as high as 3300 meters.

The best wheat are produced in areas favoured with cool, moist weather during the major portion of the growing period followed by dry, warm weather to enable the grain to ripen properly. 

The optimum temperature range for ideal germination of wheat seed is 20-25 C though the seeds can germinate in the temperature range 3.5 to 35 c. Rains just after sowing hamper germination and encourage seedling blight. Areas with a warm and damp climate are not suited for wheat growing.

During the heading and flowering stages, excessively high or low temperatures and drought are harmful to wheat. Cloudy weather, with high humidity and low temperatures is conducive for rust attack. Wheat plant requires about 14-15 c optimum average temperature at the time of ripening. 

The temperature conditions at the time of grain filling and development are very crucial for yield. Temperatures above 250c during this period tend to depress grain weight. When temperatures are high, too much energy I lost through the process of transpiration by the plants and the reduced residual energy results in poorer grain formation and lower yields. Wheat is mainly a rabi (winter) season crop in India.

 

Soil 
 

Wheat is grown in a variety of soils of India. Soils with a clay loam or loam texture, good structure and moderate water holding capacity are ideal for wheat cultivation. Care should be taken to avoid very porous and excessively drained oils.

Soil should be neutral in its reaction. Heavy soil with good drainage are suitable for wheat cultivation under dry conditions. These soils absorb and retain rain water well. Heavy soils with poor structure and poor drainage are not suitable as wheat is sensitive to water logging. 

Wheat can be successfully grown on lighter soils provided their water and nutrient holding capacity are improved.

Fertilizer management 
 

The time and placement of fertilizer is another area where significant progress was made. It was demonstrated that 120 kg nitrogen, 60 kg phosphorus and 30 kg potash per hectare were required for optimum productivity. 

The N was to be applied in two split doses of 60 kg as basal and the remaining 60 kg at first irrigation and full phosphorus and potash to be applied as basal. Recently, the new wheat varieties have responded up to 180 kg N/ha with optima dose around 150 kg/ha. In the Indo-Gangetic plains, application of zinc @ 25kg/ha in rice-wheat system was found to increase the yield substantially. Recently, the use of sulphur has been found beneficial for enhancing the productivity as well as the grain protein content of wheat. 

Response to Mn (pockets in the Indo-Gangetic plains) and boron (eastern and far eastern region) has also been realized.

Nutrient management 
 

With intensive agriculture, deficiency of essential nutrients has also become wide spread. The work conducted under the All India Coordinated Research Project on Micronutrient in Crops and Soils, has shown wide spread deficiency of zinc in soils in India. 

At the national level, the deficiency level in micro nutrients is Zn: 46 %, B: 17 %, Mo: 12 %, Fe: 11 % and Cu: 5%. The deficiency of sulphur has also been reported across a wide range of soils (38%).The yield response to sulphur has been obtained in more than 40 crops including cereal, millets, oilseeds and pulses etc. To realize the potential yield, strategies may include

• Site specific nutrient management for targeted yields
• Integration of crop residues, bio fertilizers etc with inorganic fertilization
• Tillage techniques like FIRBS for increasing nutrient use efficiencies
• Remote sensing for efficient Nutrient management
• Nutrient management, straw quality vis-à-vis human and animal health

for information on the different seed varieties of wheat, click here

SURGACANE

About Sugarcane
 

Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) family Gramineae (Poaceae) is widely grown crop in India. It provides employment to over a million people directly or indirectly besides contributing significantly to the national exchequer. 

Sugarcane growing countries of the world lay between the latitude 36.7° north and 31.0° south of the equator extending from tropical to subtropical zones. Sugar cane originated in New Guinea where it has been known for thousands of years. 

Sugar cane plants spread along human migration routes to Asia and the Indian subcontinent. Here it cross-bred with some wild sugar cane relatives to produce the commercial sugar cane we know today.

Cultivation of sugarcane in India dates back to the Vedic period. The earliest mention of sugarcane cultivation is found in Indian writings of the period 1400 to 1000 B.C. 

It is now widely accepted that India is the original home of Saccharum species. Saccharum barberi and Polynesian group of island especially New Guinea is the centre of origin of S. officinarum. It belongs to family Gramineae (Poaceae), class monocotyledons and order glumaceae sub family panicoidae, tribe Andripogoneae and sub tribe saccharininea. 

The cultivated canes belong to two main groups: (a) thin, hardy north Indian types S.barberi and S.Sinense and (b) thick, juicy noble canes Saccharum officinarum. Highly prized cane is S. officinarum.

Climatic requirement
 

Temperature for different critical stages of sugarcane: The different critical stages are germination, tillering, early growth, active growth and elongation. Optimum temperature for sprouting (germination) of stem cuttings is 32° to 38°c. 

It slows down below 25°, reaches plateau between 30°-34°. Temperatures above 38° reduce the rate of photosynthesis and increase respiration. For ripening, however, relatively low temperatures in the range of 12° to 14° are desirable. 

Reduction in yield of sugarcane due to rise in temperature
 

The sugarcane productivity and juice quality are profoundly influenced by weather conditions prevailing during the various crop-growth sub-periods. 

Sugar recovery is highest when the weather is dry with low humidity; bright sunshine hours, cooler nights with wide diurnal variations and very little rainfall during ripening period. These conditions favour high sugar accumulation. 

The climatic conditions like very high temperature or very low temperature deteriorate the juice quality and thus affecting the sugar quality. Favourable climate like warm and humid climate favour the insect pests and diseases, which cause much damage to the quality and yield of its juice and finally sucrose contents.

Government Should Curb Wastages in Agric Produce and Preserve Food - Experts

As the efforts to position the Nigeria’s agricultural sector to become one of the leading players in food production in world continue, experts have called on the federal government to tackle the level of wastage of agricultural produce usually experienced from distribution to the marketplace and develop innovative ways to preserve them.

Speaking during the inauguration of Fruits2go café, the Chief Executive Officer of the café, Tosan Kukoyi, said government should focus on the end product value chain, as a lot of wastages are being experienced from the farm to the market.

According to her, the wastage is huge and government has not provided facilities to preserve these agriculture produce.

She also stated that if government encourages more people and provide the necessary support, most of the agricultural produce will be better preserved thereby reduce the reliance on imported foods which she noted is most preferred by Nigerians despite the preservatives it contains, “most of these imported products contain products that are not healthy for the body.”

Kukoyi, who stated that there is need for more people to go into farming, commended government’s efforts in positioning sector, adding that Nigerians should create innovations regarding ways of preserving and packaging agriculture products.

Speaking on the café, she said the cafe was a healthy alternative to eateries in Lagos and they are focused on wholeness, noting that the products used are locally sourced in order to provide space in the healthy food options segment where every member of the family can have a good meal, snack or drink.

Kukoyi said the brand is targeted at children because there are no smoothies’ stores or café targeted children, while stressing that they have taken their services a step further to schools to package healthy lunch for school pupils.

She added: “The school authorities have also given us the opportunity to talk with the parents of these kids on the importance of eating right and not compromising with the cheaper alternatives that are in the market. 

Parents are excited to bring their children here because of what we are offering such as the popsicles which looks like ice-cream, but it is made from pineapple fruits and other fruit addition. 

The parents of these pupils reach an agreement with us and they pay for the lunch we serve their pupils, on a term basis. We have covered two major schools.

“Children love our smoothies and juices. We are creating excitement for our customers and still focused on the core of the business. We have juices, and healthy Yogurts made without preservatives. We only persevere these Yogurts with refrigeration. This is the first branch, but we are looking at opening four other locations in 2017.

“Government should evaluate the agricultural value chain, the players and know where the challenges are coming from, then address it. 

I think the challenge before the administration facing is implementation. For private entrepreneurs, we will try our best to set the stage, within our capacity. 

The bank is not helping us with the interest rates they are giving. It is difficult if you don’t have funds. There should more credit facilities to encourage entrepreneurs.”

Anxiety in Nigeria Over Fate of Tomato Paste Industry

With the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN’s) reluctance to amend its foreign exchange restriction for the importation of certain commodities, value-chain operators in the tomato paste industry have warned of the potential collapse of the N19 billion manufacturing industry before the end of second quarter of 2017, if the decision is not reviewed.

According to the operators, the value of imported tomato paste in Nigeria used to be about $170 million before the CBN ban on 41 items, out of which imported triple concentrate tomato paste used as raw material by the packers account for around $50 million.

Recall that an indigenous local tomato paste manufacturer, Erisco Foods Limited, made good its threat of shutting down the $150 million plant and relocating its manufacturing base to a location outside Nigeria last month.

The Chief Executive Officer, Erisco Foods, Chief Eric Umeofia, had announced that the company was winding down operations preparatory for its final exit from the country, citing that he was moving the factory to China, where he already had a thriving business.

He added that from there, he would be manufacturing and exporting tomato paste back to Nigeria, as it was far cheaper doing so than producing locally.

Spokesman of the Union of Tomato Paste Manufacturers in Nigeria, Nnamdi Nnodebe, hinted that the tomato processing industry is in a dire position as unavailability of tomato paste triple concentrate for the industry is grinding production to a halt.

While some operators had urged government to embrace a gradual backward integration agenda to achieve its objectives, Nnodebe noted that the sudden implementation of the forex policy by the apex ban has affected the profile of the industry drastically.

He said: “It makes better economics to import the raw materials that will enable production, grow the economy and keep jobs rather than importing the finished products or frustrating efforts to get the raw materials, thereby rendering millions jobless which might further kill the economy.

“The local packing industry can also form the hub for exports to the hinterland countries as there are adequate local capacities to more than cater to the domestic requirement. Using the ECOWAS benefits, this can be a huge foreign exchange earner for the country today and in the near future. 

Through the growth of the tomato industry Nigeria can compete with China instead of buying the finished goods from them.

“It is important for the government to recognise that the packing industry is an essential component of the tomato paste value chain and without this sector there can be no link between the farmer and the final consumer. 

Even if we develop our own triple concentrate manufacturing industry in future, the bulk of triple concentrate cannot be consumed in Nigeria alone as exportation of the local production will become more lucrative.”

Farmer Makes Mineral Feeder Portable

Lee Gooder already had three perfectly good feeders, one in each of his three pastures. Why, then, did he need a brand-new one, his wife, Jill, wanted to know.

“This mineral feeder has curtains and scratchers and a large, rubber tub for salt and mineral,” he explained to her.

Still skeptical, she asked him how he intended to move it from one pasture to the next. “That was a good question. Once I made it portable, she was OK with it, and we were all good to go,” he says.

That portability has worked out extremely well, Gooder emphasizes. The transition began by mounting a snowmobile trailer axle to the self-feeder.

Son Zach helped build the axle mount and a hitch. They got help from a local welding shop with fabrication and mounting.

“That axle is removable, so when we want to take it off and make a stationary unit, we can,” Gooder points out.

switch out when fly season is over

Since dust bags and an oiler aren’t required during the winter, the Gooders can have their trailer back in time for snowmobile season.

The Cattle Saver feeder built by Easy Way Cattle Care in Decorah, Iowa, gets shedded. “I put the three old feeders back out until springtime,” he says.

The Gooders’ pastureland has steep slopes. So steep, the ground has never been used for anything but pasture. Yet, Gooder says, he’s had no trouble pulling the feeder with his Gator.

“I can easily lift the tongue even when the feeder is full of mineral. It’s nimble, but it’s stable, too. We get quite a bit of wind up there, and, so far, it hasn’t been knocked over,” he says. 

Another winner

Gooder is the last recipient of a $2,500 Firestone in-store credit offer for having his idea chosen as the Idea of the Month.

More about Lee Gooder

Family farm: Besides fall-calving stock cows, Gooder grows corn, soybeans, and alfalfa. He also feeds out Jersey bottle calves. He is a full-time road maintenance employee for Howard County in northeast Iowa.

Anticipation: The county has ordered him a new Caterpillar road grader.

Changing practices: Gooder sold his disk recently and bought a super coulter. “I’m trying to go as minimum-till as possible. The goal is to eventually do no-till,” he says. 

Family: Wife Jill works full time at the local hospital. Both of their children, daughter Shelley and son Zach, are grown.

To join in the all farm contest click here and submit your ideas

UN Conference reaches agreement to Mainstreaming Biodiversity to ensure Sustainable Development

As part of efforts to achieve sustainable development, governments from 167 countries have given an unparalleled recognition to the need to protect biodiversity across the agricultural sectors towards ensuring food security and addressing climate change.

The global leaders while making the agreement at the United Nations Biodiversity Conference (CBD COP13) held recently in Cancun, Mexico consented on specific steps to promote the integration of the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity within and across the agriculture, fisheries, forestry and tourism sectors.

Addressing participants at the Conference, Deputy Director General Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, Maria Helena Semedo explained that though agricultural sectors and biodiversity have often been regarded as separate and even conflicting concerns, they are inextricably connected.

“Agriculture is by nature a major user of biodiversity, but it also has the potential to contribute to its protection,” she added

The Conference declaration stressed that the international community must involve different governmental and economic sector and not just environment ministries to protect biodiversity- the thousands of interconnected species that make up a vital web of ecosystem services upon which global food production depends.

The platform which is aimed at facilitating cross-sector dialogue, will allow ministries of agriculture, forestry, fisheries and environment to share experiences and explore how to best encourage sectors that depend or have an impact on biodiversity to adopt integrated approaches for its conservation and sustainable use.

Dangote extols Nigerians’ perseverance, canvasses for agric resurgence

The President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote has commended Nigerians for their resilience and perseverance in the face of prevailing economic challenges, while stressing the need for Nigerians to return to agriculture.

 

Dangote who stated this while addressing a group of small and medium scale enterprises in Lagos, on the challenges faced in the country stressed the need to become a producing nation and reduce importation.

 

According to him, “We need to produce what we consume as opposed to importation, which takes away our forex. 

 

We import just anything and the reality is dawn on us now that we have to change this habit, this is why the federal government has been emphasizing the need to go back to agriculture and total manufacturing so that we also can produce what we need and even export rather than import.”

 

He furthered that the nation has abundant raw materials to produce and did not need to import of some of these products.

 

Expressing confidence that the sacrifices made by the citizens would see the country out of the woods the business mogul urged the people to cooperate with the government in bringing Nigeria back to a path of sufficiency and economic buoyancy.

 

Vanguard reports that the business mogul had indicated that his new $12 billion three in one project, the refinery, petrochemical and fertilizer plants currently under construction would create a minimum of 235,000 new jobs, both direct and indirect jobs, as it becomes operational in the first quarter of 2019.

FG increases import duties on rice, salt and other food items

The Federal Government has raised duties on some food items being imported into the country. Some of these food items include rice, salt and sugarcane and are known have alternatives that can be sourced locally.

 

The new rate which is contained in a circular by the Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun to Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) is an increase from the 20 per cent which the owners currently enjoy. 

 

According to the Finance Minister, President Buhari has already approved the new tariff structure.

“This is to confirm that Mr. President has approved the 2016 fiscal policy measures made up of the 

 

Supplementary Protection Measures (SPM) for implementation together with the ECOWAS CET 2015 – 2019 with effect from 17th October, 2016”, she said.

 

“Consequently, all transactions prior to the effective date of this circular shall be subjected to the tariff rates applicable before the coming into effect of this 2016 fiscal policy measures”, she added.

 

Due to the increase,  sugar cane and salt prices have now increased by 60 per cent; alcoholic spirit, beverages and tobacco from 20 per cent to 60 per cent; and rice from 10 per cent to 60 per cent.

 

Medicaments such as anti-malarials and antibiotics; crude palm oil; wheat flour; tomatoes paste; and cassava products are also affected in the upward review of duties.

 

It will be recalled that the plan to raise the duties was first contemplated by former Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo- Iweala under the immediate past administration of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.

How AfDB is helping transform Agriculture in Africa – Report

The African Development Bank (AfDB) has deployed $5.5 billion in investments into the agriculture sector over five years up to 2015, the new Development Effectiveness Review on Agriculture, has revealed.

 

According to the review, the bank trained three million people on better farming practices, put 20,000 food marketing and storage into use, constructed four thousand kilometres of feeder roads, offered 150,000 microcredit loans, irrigated and built other water systems on 181,000 hectare of farmland.

 

While commenting on the review, the Director of Quality Assurance and Results of the Department that authored the Review Simon Mizrahi explained that the Review is Mission accomplished.

 

“The Development Effectiveness Review is mission accomplished, as the AfDB sets out an even more ambitious agenda in its Feed Africa strategy to end hunger and extreme poverty by 2025” he said

 

The Review which details the progress and the pitfalls to date in transforming Africa’s agriculture sector, lays out what steps must be taken to catapult Africa into becoming a global agricultural power house in the next decade.

 

It maintains that, agriculture has zoomed to the top of Africa’s policy agenda, with African countries pledging to eradicate hunger and halve post-harvest losses in under a decade. 

 

Some of other most noteworthy operations of the Bank cited in the report during the period include the Africa Food Crisis Response Programme, which fast-tracked relief that raised US$1.0 billion and led to better harvests; New Rice for Africa, which boosted the hardiness, nutrition and yields of rice and improved the livelihoods of almost a quarter of a million subsistence farmers amongst others.

 

To end hunger, the development report stresses the need to invest in agriculture as it remains the only panacea to the problem of hunger and poverty in the continent.

 

“It has become increasingly clear that investing in agriculture is the best way to end hunger, malnutrition, and extreme poverty in Africa,” the development report states. 

 

“Given that seven out of 10 Africans earn a living from the land, agriculture can create economic growth spread more evenly across society, and extending deeper into rural areas, and helping more women, who make up 70 percent of farmers”, it reads.