Crop and non-crop productivity in a traditional maize agroecosystem of the highland of Mexico

González-Amaro, Rosa María; Martínez-Bernal, Angélica; Basurto-Peña, Francisco; Vibrans, Heike

doi:10.1186/1746-4269-5-38

Cited by 16 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…However, in percentage terms, the increase in efficiency was higher in the MT system (292%). The contribution of weeds to the increase in EE was 7.9-14.4%, with the highest value in the MxT system, In some cases, the contribution of dry matter of weeds in the milpa agroecosystem can be greater than that of corn silage [32].…”

Section: Energy Efficiencymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The highest yield of total dry matter was reached on site 6, a high proportion of this came from the forage dry matter and weeds with statistical differences compared to the other sites. Most of these weeds were classified as "arvenses" which are weeds used for forage or for human consumption, ocassionally, these species may have a higher value than the maize crop [32].…”

Section: Yields Of Grain Forage (Stover) and Weedsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Productivity and energy efficiency of three tillage systems for maize (Zea mayz L.) production

Ruiz-Vega

Mena-Mesa

Diego-Nava

et al. 2015

Rev. Fac. Ing. Antioquia

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ABSTRACT:The amount of inputs and dry matter yields of grain, stover and weeds were quantifi ed in six sites located in the districts of Zaachila and Etla, in the Central Valleys of Oaxaca Region, México. The tillage systems evaluated, which are the most widely used for corn production in this region, were full animal traction (FAT), mixed traction (MXT) and mechanical traction (MT). The higher productivity was achieved in the MT system, followed by the MxT system. According to the energy balance, the largest energy effi ciency (EE) was achieved in the FAT system with a value of 34.4 and the least one with the MT system. The lowest EE of the MT system was associated to a higher use of machinery operations and the use of petrol derivate products. No signifi cant differences in EE were found between the FAT and MxT systems; when the weed's dry matter production was considered, EE in this last system was increased 14%, while in the FAT system an 8% increase was observed. Therefore, besides the FAT system, MxT is also recommended because it is common to have plots smaller than 1 ha in the region and mechanical plowing is more effi cient for primary tillage operations, while animal power can be used as a renewable source of energy for tasks such as weeding and transport. RESUMEN: La cantidad de insumos utilizados para la producción de maíz (Zea mays L.)fueron cuantifi cados, así como el rendimiento de grano, forraje y malezas en seis parcelas comerciales ubicadas en los distritos de Zaachila y Etla, pertenecientes a los Valles Centrales de Oaxaca, México. Los sistemas de labranza evaluados fueron: labranza con tracción animal (LTA), labranza mixta (LMx) y labranza mecanizada (LM), los más empleados para la producción de maíz en esta región. La mayor productividad en cuanto a rendimientos de biomasa la obtuvo el sistema LM, seguido por LMx. De acuerdo con el balance energético, la mayor efi ciencia energética (EE) se alcanzó en el sistema LTA con un valor de 34.4 y la menor con el sistema LM. La menor efi ciencia de éste último se asoció con un mayor uso de operaciones con maquinaria, así como de insumos derivados del petróleo. No existieron diferencias signifi cativas en EE entre LTA y LMx, cuando se consideró a las malezas, en este último sistema se produjo un incremento en la EE del 14%, contra un 8% observado en LTA. Por lo tanto también se recomienda utilizar LMx, ya que en la región predominan parcelas menores de 1 ha y con éste se obtuvieron niveles de rendimientos por jornada mayores durante la labranza primaria y se utiliza la tracción animal como fuente renovable de energía para laboreo secundario y transporte.

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Section: Energy Efficiencymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Yields Of Grain Forage (Stover) and Weedsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Productivity and energy efficiency of three tillage systems for maize (Zea mayz L.) production

Ruiz-Vega

Mena-Mesa

Diego-Nava

et al. 2015

Rev. Fac. Ing. Antioquia

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“…A wide variety of traditional tools used for weeding the milpa are now replaced by agrochemicals (herbicide). This has led to the decline of several edible herbaceous species (quelites) that have been used for food all along in history and whose diversity used to be abundant in the milpa (González-Amaro et al 2009). One interviewee mentioned: "if we continued using the tools that our ancestors used, the land would continue giving birth to several plants that have been the food of our families for ages, such as quelite (Amaranthus spp.…”

Section: Agricultural Activitiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Food security strategies of an indigenous community in Veracruz, Mexico

Leyva-Trinidad¹,

Pérez-Vázquez²,

Newell³

et al. 2021

Ethnobio Conserv

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Amidst most indigenous groups in Mexico, traditional knowledge still prevails which constitutes local strategies that address the issue of food insecurity. This study aims to analyze the body of Traditional Agroecological Knowledge (TAK) of Nahuatl indigenous community of Ocotal Texizapan, Tatahuicapan, Veracruz, to understand the strategies practiced to achieve food security. Participatory observation and semi-structured and in-depth interviews at the household level (n = 20 families) revealed that Traditional Agroecological Knowledge and local life strategies are linked to the "milpa" (traditional agroecosystem), home gardening, gathering, hunting and fishing activities which are key components to achieve food security at the family level. Rain-fed and "tapachole" (residual humidity) milpa, based on sowing maize intercropped with several crops, are closely-related to direct empirical knowledge, the rational use of available natural resources, family labour, and local knowledge. Currently, changes in land use and the use of agrochemicals are increasing in the study community and depleting biodiversity affecting food security at the family level: a situation that endorses the importance of traditional agriculture (milpa), backyard livestock (hens, ducks, pigs) together with gathering, hunting and fishing among the Nahuatl families.

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“…Similarly, the lower and upper limit for leaf area index (LAI taller and LAI shorter ) were set as 0.01 to 10 respectively. The range of extinction coefficient (K taller and K shorter ) was determined as 0.32 to 1 from Gonzalez-Amaro et al [27]. Different from the crop growth parameters, the default values for intercropping geometry parameters were based on Gou, et al [11].…”

Section: Sensitivity Analysis Numerical Experimentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Parameter Sensitivity and Uncertainty of Radiation Interception Models for Intercropping System

Zeng

Srivastava

et al. 2020

Ecological Chemistry and Engineering S

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Estimating the interception of radiation is the first and crucial step for the prediction of production for intercropping systems. Determining the relative importance of radiation interception models to the specific outputs could assist in developing suitable model structures, which fit to the theory of light interception and promote model improvements. Assuming an intercropping system with a taller and a shorter crop, a variance-based global sensitivity analysis (EFAST) was applied to three radiation interception models (M1, M2 and M3). The sensitivity indices including main (Si) and total effects (STi) of the fraction of intercepted radiation by the taller (ftaller), the shorter (fshorter) and both intercrops together (fall) were quantified with different perturbations of the geometric arrangement of the crops (10-60 %). We found both ftaller and fshorter in M1 are most sensitive to the leaf area index of the taller crop (LAItaller). In M2, based on the main effects, the leaf area index of the shorter crop (LAIshorter) replaces LAItaller and becomes the most sensitive parameter for fshorter when the perturbations of widths of taller and shorter crops (Wtaller and Wshorter) become 40 % and larger. Furthermore, in M3, ftaller is most sensitive to LAItaller while fshorter is most sensitive to LAIshorter before the perturbations of geometry parameters becoming larger than 50 %. Meanwhile, LAItaller, LAIshorter, and Ktaller are the three most sensitive parameters for fall in all three models. From the results we conclude that M3 is the most plausible radiation interception model among the three models.

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Crop and non-crop productivity in a traditional maize agroecosystem of the highland of Mexico

Cited by 16 publications

References 17 publications

Productivity and energy efficiency of three tillage systems for maize (Zea mayz L.) production

Productivity and energy efficiency of three tillage systems for maize (Zea mayz L.) production

Food security strategies of an indigenous community in Veracruz, Mexico

Parameter Sensitivity and Uncertainty of Radiation Interception Models for Intercropping System

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