Intercropping Sorghum with Cowpea in Dryland Farming Systems in Botswana. II. Comparative Stability of Alternative Cropping Systems

Lightfoot, C.; Dear, Keith; Mead, R.

doi:10.1017/s0014479700017397

Cited by 19 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…two systems have a small value of CT,, and one system has a high average yield, while the other system has a low yield, both systems would be considered as equally stable, regardless of differences in mean yield. Often, however, it is not so much the variability itself, that is of major concern, but the risk of a poor yield (Mead andRiley 1981, Mead et al 1986). The risk depends on both mean and variance.…”

Section: Probability Methods For System-by-environment Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

Methods for Comparing the Yield Stability of Cropping Systems

Piepho

1998

J Agronomy Crop Science

242

203

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The stability of yield is an important characteristic to be considered when judging the value of a cropping system relative to others. In the context of agricultural research, the analysis of yield stability has been largely confined to multienvironment trials of crop cultivars. This review emphasizes that methods for comparing the stability of cultivars can also be used for comparing different agronomic treatments in general, of which cultivars are but a special case. Throughout the paper, different agronomic treatments are referred to as cropping systems. Some of the methods useful for stability analysis of cropping systems are discussed and a brief review of applications of these methods is given. The paper puts different stability measures into a unifying mixed model perspective.

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Section: Probability Methods For System-by-environment Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

Methods for Comparing the Yield Stability of Cropping Systems

Piepho

1998

J Agronomy Crop Science

242

203

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“…A stable system shows a small change in response to changes in the environment (Lightfoot et al 1987). We regarded each tillage practice as a system, and the stability of the system in this study is measured by linear regression of treatment yield against the environmental mean yield; the environmental mean is the average of all the treatments in a given year (Piepho 1998;Hao et al 2007;Grover et al 2009).…”

Section: Yield Stability Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

A meta-analysis of long-term effects of conservation agriculture on maize grain yield under rain-fed conditions

Rusinamhodzi

Corbeels²,

Wijk

et al. 2011

Agron. Sustain. Dev.

384

260

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Conservation agriculture involves reduced tillage, permanent soil cover and crop rotations to enhance soil fertility and to supply food from a dwindling land resource. Recently, conservation agriculture has been promoted in Southern Africa, mainly for maize-based farming systems. However, maize yields under rain-fed conditions are often variable. There is therefore a need to identify factors that influence crop yield under conservation agriculture and rain-fed conditions. Here, we studied maize grain yield data from experiments lasting 5 years and more under rain-fed conditions. We assessed the effect of long-term tillage and residue retention on maize grain yield under contrasting soil textures, nitrogen input and climate. Yield variability was measured by stability analysis. Our results show an increase in maize yield over time with conservation agriculture practices that include rotation and high input use in low rainfall areas. But we observed no difference in system stability under those conditions. We observed a strong relationship between maize grain yield and annual rainfall. Our meta-analysis gave the following findings: (1) 92% of the data show that mulch cover in high rainfall areas leads to lower yields due to waterlogging; (2) 85% of data show that soil texture is important in the temporal development of conservation agriculture effects, improved yields are likely on well-drained soils; (3) 73% of the data show that conservation agriculture practices require high inputs especially N for improved yield; (4) 63% of data show that increased yields are obtained with rotation but calculations often do not include the variations in rainfall within and between seasons; (5) 56% of the data show that reduced tillage with no mulch cover leads to lower yields in semi-arid areas; and (6) when adequate fertiliser is available, rainfall is the most important determinant of yield in southern Africa. It is clear from our results that conservation agriculture needs to be targeted and adapted to specific biophysical conditions for improved impact.

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“…The basis of yield stability in long-term trials is the comparison of the linear coefficients or slopes of the linear correlation between a set of treatment (including CS) yields and the environmental mean or environmental index (EI; the subtraction of annual treatment yield from the environmental mean yield across treatments and years). Stable treatments have the lowest relative slope or rate of yield change as environmental conditions change (Lightfoot et al, 1987;Raun et al, 1993). The other metric, yield variability, has been represented as the CV of yield for each treatment and crop across years (Grover et al, 2009).…”

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confidence: 99%

Long‐Term Impacts of Cropping Systems and Landscape Positions on Claypan‐Soil Grain Crop Production

et al. 2016

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Sustainable grain crop production on vulnerable claypan soils requires improved knowledge of long‐term impacts of conservation cropping systems (CS). Therefore, effects of CS and landscape positions (LP) on corn (Zea mays L.), soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.], and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production were evaluated from 1991 to 2010 on a claypan soil in Missouri. Replicated treatments were three CS (2‐yr mulch till corn–soybean [MTCS], 2‐yr no‐till corn–soybean [NTCS], and 3‐yr no‐till corn–soybean–wheat–cover crop [NTCSW]) and three LP (summit, backslope, and footslope). Corn yield was equivalent among CS on the summit, 13% higher for NTCS and NTCSW on the backslope, and 14% lower for NTCSW on the footslope. Soybean yield was 8% higher on the summit, 24% higher on the backslope in NTCS and NTCSW, and 12% higher on the footslope in NTCSW than MTCS. Corn yield was more stable in NTCS and NTCSW than MTCS and increased in stability from the footslope to summit. Soybean yield was less stable in NTCS and NTCSW than MTCS and LP effects on stability were similar to corn. The coefficient of variation (CV) of corn yield across years was 10% points lower in NTCS and on the footslope, and of soybean yield was 10% points lower at the footslope and summit. Wheat production was not affected by LP. Results indicate that conservation systems often can maintain grain crop productivity equal to, increase yield stability above, and reduce yield variability below those of a conventional system on claypan soils.

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Intercropping Sorghum with Cowpea in Dryland Farming Systems in Botswana. II. Comparative Stability of Alternative Cropping Systems

Cited by 19 publications

References 9 publications

Methods for Comparing the Yield Stability of Cropping Systems

Methods for Comparing the Yield Stability of Cropping Systems

A meta-analysis of long-term effects of conservation agriculture on maize grain yield under rain-fed conditions

Long‐Term Impacts of Cropping Systems and Landscape Positions on Claypan‐Soil Grain Crop Production

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