Investigating Conservation Agriculture (CA) Systems in Zambia and Zimbabwe to Mitigate Future Effects of Climate Change

Thierfelder, Christian; Wall, P. C.

doi:10.1080/15427520903558484

Cited by 115 publications

(89 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…One of these benefits is attributed to the water-harvesting effects of minimum-tillage practices [50,51]. Underwater limited conditions increased soil moisture, leading to comparably higher yields under CA [9]. We did not report any water data in our study but indirectly derived these through sensors that measure related parameters.…”

Section: Implications Of Growing Conditions On Yield Parametersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Phenotyping Conservation Agriculture Management Effects on Ground and Aerial Remote Sensing Assessments of Maize Hybrids Performance in Zimbabwe

Gracia‐Romero

Vergara-Díaz

Thierfelder³

et al. 2018

Remote Sensing

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Abstract:In the coming decades, Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) faces challenges to sustainably increase food production while keeping pace with continued population growth. Conservation agriculture (CA) has been proposed to enhance soil health and productivity to respond to this situation. Maize is the main staple food in SSA. To increase maize yields, the selection of suitable genotypes and management practices for CA conditions has been explored using remote sensing tools. They may play a fundamental role towards overcoming the traditional limitations of data collection and processing in large scale phenotyping studies. We present the result of a study in which Red-Green-Blue (RGB) and multispectral indexes were evaluated for assessing maize performance under conventional ploughing (CP) and CA practices. Eight hybrids under different planting densities and tillage practices were tested. The measurements were conducted on seedlings at ground level (0.8 m) and from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) platform (30 m), causing a platform proximity effect on the images resolution that did not have any negative impact on the performance of the indexes. Most of the calculated indexes (Green Area (GA) and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI)) were significantly affected by tillage conditions increasing their values from CP to CA. Indexes derived from the RGB-images related to canopy greenness performed better at assessing yield differences, potentially due to the greater resolution of the RGB compared with the multispectral data, although this performance was more precise for CP than CA. The correlations of the multispectral indexes with yield were improved by applying a soil-mask derived from a NDVI threshold with the aim of corresponding pixels with vegetation. The results of this study highlight the applicability of remote sensing approaches based on RGB images to the assessment of crop performance and hybrid choice.

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Section: Implications Of Growing Conditions On Yield Parametersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Phenotyping Conservation Agriculture Management Effects on Ground and Aerial Remote Sensing Assessments of Maize Hybrids Performance in Zimbabwe

Gracia‐Romero

Vergara-Díaz

Thierfelder³

et al. 2018

Remote Sensing

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“…As previously discussed, while growing season temperatures may not increase above the threshold temperatures for sub-tropical and tropical maize by 2050, the higher growing season temperatures will increase plant transpiration thereby increasing planting water use and reducing plant-available soil water. Improved soil water status has the potential to both buffer plants against the potential effects of drought stress under intermittent rainfall and reduce the severity of a drought event (Thierfelder and Wall 2010). Conservation agriculture is a system of agronomy based on minimum soil disturbance through ploughing, residue retention and crop rotations (Hobbs 2007).…”

Section: Reducing the Effects Of Climate Change On Farmers In Maize-bmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Verhulst et al (2011) showed that, under mild drought, yields of maize grain under conservation agriculture were 1.8 to 2.7 times higher than under conventional management practices. Higher soil water content under conservation agriculture may be an important mechanism by which maize production is buffered against short drought periods during the growing season (Fischer et al 2002;Thierfelder and Wall 2009;Thierfelder and Wall 2010).…”

Section: Reducing the Effects Of Climate Change On Farmers In Maize-bmentioning

confidence: 99%

Adapting maize production to climate change in sub-Saharan Africa

Cairns¹,

et al. 2013

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Given the accumulating evidence of climate change in sub-Saharan Africa, there is an urgent need to develop more climate resilient maize systems. Adaptation strategies to climate change in maize systems in subSaharan Africa are likely to include improved germplasm with tolerance to drought and heat stress and improved management practices. Adapting maize systems to future climates requires the ability to accurately predict future climate scenarios in order to determine agricultural responses to climate change and set priorities for adaptation strategies. Here we review the projected climate change scenarios for Africa's maize growing regions using the outputs of 19 global climate models. By 2050, air temperatures are expected to increase throughout maize mega-environments within sub-Saharan Africa by an average of 2.1°C. Rainfall changes during the maize growing season varied with location. Given the time lag between the development of improved cultivars until the seed is in the hands of farmers and adoption of new management practices, there is an urgent need to prioritise research strategies on climate change resilient germplasm development to offset the predicted yield declines.

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“…As part of the relief and recovery programs, research and development initiatives have seen the introduction of a specific set of technology options that aim to improve and stabilize crop yields while preserving soil and water, and using precision methods to apply inputs. This set of technology options is defined as conservation agriculture (CA) (Thierfelder and Wall, 2010;Twomlow et al, 2008).…”

Section: Rationale For Conservation Agriculturementioning

confidence: 99%

Positive Aspects of Conservation Agriculture

2016

IJSR

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A multi-pronged approach was adopted in gathering data for this study. Information sources included the Internet, agency and departmental reports, journal papers, conference papers and analytical reports. This paper presents some positive aspects of conservation agriculture. Conservation agriculture has emerged as an alternative to conventional agriculture. The rationale or case for CA is its potential ability to reduce soil degradation through several practices that minimize the alteration of soil composition and structure. It specifically purports to address the problems of soil degradation resulting from agricultural practices that deplete the organic matter and nutrient content of the soil, and reduce crop production, productivity and sustainability. CA also increases farm financial profitability and food security and enhances environmental integrity. Potential economic benefits associated with CA include a reduction in on-farm costs and an increase in yields and long-term yield stability. Ecosystem benefits of CA include stabilization of soils and protection from erosion, reduced siltation of water bodies, recharge of aquifers, and more regular river flows. CA also mitigates climate change by carbon sequestration in soils and reduced burning of crop residues. Constraints to CA adoption in sub-Saharan Africa include a low degree of mechanization within the smallholder farming system; a lack of appropriate implements; a lack of appropriate soil fertility management options; problems of weed control under no-till systems; poor access to credit; a lack of appropriate technical information for change agents and farmers; blanket recommendations that ignore the resource status of rural households; competition for crop residues in mixed crop-livestock systems; and labour shortages. There appears to be considerable potential for adoption of CA under smallholder farming systems in sub-Saharan Africa. However, the only feasible way to tap that potential appears to rest with the establishment and implementation of appropriate policy initiatives that address ecological, financial and socio-economic constraints facing the smallholder farming sector.

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Investigating Conservation Agriculture (CA) Systems in Zambia and Zimbabwe to Mitigate Future Effects of Climate Change

Cited by 115 publications

References 8 publications

Phenotyping Conservation Agriculture Management Effects on Ground and Aerial Remote Sensing Assessments of Maize Hybrids Performance in Zimbabwe

Phenotyping Conservation Agriculture Management Effects on Ground and Aerial Remote Sensing Assessments of Maize Hybrids Performance in Zimbabwe

Adapting maize production to climate change in sub-Saharan Africa

Positive Aspects of Conservation Agriculture

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