Cover crops (CC) provide numerous ecosystem services such as improving soil health, reducing nutrient loss, increasing productivity, and mitigating greenhouse gas emission. However, adoption of CC has been hindered by perceived negative impacts on main crop productivity and additional production costs. This is partly attributed to the gap in current state of knowledge in CC and its interaction with main crop production under different biophysical conditions. In this study, Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer model was used to evaluate the longterm impact of cereal rye (Secale cereale L.) on corn (Zea mays L.) yield, soil organic carbon (SOC), nitrate leaching, soil water, and drainage for a range of climate, soil, and irrigation management in Eastern and Central Nebraska. A 30-year (1991-2020) simulation showed no difference in corn yield and SOC between CC and no-cover crop treatments at both sites under irrigated and rainfed conditions. However, CC resulted in reduction of N loss by up to 48% at the Eastern Nebraska Research and Extension Center and 24% at South Central Agricultural Laboratory under irrigation. Cereal rye has no significant effect on total soil water but, a significant reduction in cumulative subsurface drainage of 44% was determined at both sites. This study has shown the possible effect of cover crop on corn crop yield and soil properties over different regions in Nebraska. Future research extending the scope and geographic area is needed to test and quantify possible impacts of multiple CC species under diverse management and biophysical conditions.
A proper development of railway transportation is critical for sustainable socio-economic and environmental benefits. Nonetheless, in Eritrea, a country that once had a vibrant railway system, it is currently nonfunctional. There are also ambitious sectoral investments in neighboring Ethiopia and Sudan, pressing Eritrea to revitalize its decimated railway transportation system. Therefore, this study used population settlement pattern, environmental and physical criteria as inputs to a least-cost multi-criteria decision-making for modeling the railway network for Eritrea. Accordingly, seven railway routes, covering a total of 1, 610 km distance, were modeled. Four are running in the north-to-south directions, while three are running in the east-to-west directions. This railway network will give services to 5 out of 6 Eritrean’s administrative regions, where 93% of the estimated 5.8 million people reside. Additionally, it will service the 21 urban centers, where an estimated population of 1,658,749 live; approximately 70% of Eritrea’s urban population. Besides, it shall boost regional integration, peace, and development thereof, in an otherwise conflict-ravaged geographical region.
The fungal pathogen <i>Pseudocercospora fuligena</i>, known to affect tomatoes in the tropics and subtropics, has been reported from temperate climates including the United States and Turkey in recent years. In this study, an isolate from fresh tomatoes and the disease it causes were characterized and infection mechanisms investigated. Macroscopically, both sides of tomato leaves show indistinct effuse patches but prolific production of fuliginous lesions is conspicuous on the abaxial side first but also on the adaxial side later on as infection progressed. Microscopically, fascicles of conidiophores (11-128 µm × 3.5-9 µm) arising from stromata and conidia with up to 12 septations were observed. Molecular characterization of the isolate revealed high homology (99.8%) to other <i>P. fuligena</i> isolated from tomatoes in Turkey. Out of the 10 media tested, <i>P. fuligena</i> grew significantly well and sporulated better on unsealed tomato oatmeal agar and carrot leaf decoction agar, both supplemented with CaCO<sub>3</sub>. Direct transfer of conidia from profusely sporulating lesions was the easiest and quickest method of isolation for <i>in-vitro</i> studies. Light and scanning electron microscopy on cleared and intact tomato leaves further confirmed stomatal penetration and egress as well as prevalence of primary and secondary infection hyphae. <i>In situ</i>, blocked stomatal aperture areas of 154, 401, and 2,043 µm<sup>2</sup> were recorded at 7, 12, and 17 days after inoculation, respectively. With the recent expanded horizon of the pathosystem and its consequential impact, such studies will be useful for a proper diagnosis, identification and management of the disease on tomato worldwide.
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