Historical Indigenous Food Preparation Using Produce of the Three Sisters Intercropping System.

For centuries, some Indigenous Peoples of the Americas have planted corn, beans and squash or pumpkins together in mounds, in an intercropping complex known as the Three Sisters. Agriculturally, nutritionally and culturally, these three crops are complementary. This literature review aims to compile historical foods prepared from the products of the Three Sisters planting system used in Indigenous communities in the region encompassing southern Quebec and Ontario in Canada, and northeastern USA.

Conditioning Machine Learning Models to Adjust Lowbush Blueberry Crop Management to the Local Agroecosystem.

Agroecosystem conditions limit the productivity of lowbush blueberry. Our objectives were to investigate the effects on berry yield of agroecosystem and crop management variables, then to develop a recommendation system to adjust nutrient and soil management of lowbush blueberry to given local meteorological conditions. We collected 1504 observations from N-P-K fertilizer trials conducted in Quebec, Canada.

Global Research Alliance N O chamber methodology guidelines: Recommendations for deployment and accounting for sources of variability.

Adequately estimating soil nitrous oxide (N O) emissions using static chambers is challenging due to the high spatial variability and episodic nature of these fluxes. We discuss how to design experiments using static chambers to better account for this variability and reduce the uncertainty of N O emission estimates. This paper is part of a series, each discussing different facets of N O chamber methodology.

Site-specific machine learning predictive fertilization models for potato crops in Eastern Canada.

Statistical modeling is commonly used to relate the performance of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) to fertilizer requirements. Prescribing optimal nutrient doses is challenging because of the involvement of many variables including weather, soils, land management, genotypes, and severity of pests and diseases.

Expression of N-cycling genes of root microbiomes provides insights for sustaining oilseed crop production.

Agricultural production is dependent on inputs of nitrogen (N) whose cycle relies on soil and crop microbiomes. Crop diversification has increased productivity; however, its impact on the expression of microbial genes involved in N-cycling pathways remains unknown. Here, we assessed N-cycling gene expression patterns in the root and rhizosphere microbiomes of five oilseed crops as influenced by three 2-year crop rotations.

A Whole-Plant Screening Test to Select Freezing-Tolerant and Low-Dormant Genotypes.

Winter survival is a determinant factor for the persistence of perennials grown in northern climates. High winter survival cultivars, however, have lower yield due to their early transition into a dormant state in the fall. Here we describe a whole plant assay entirely performed indoor in growth chambers and walk-in freezers to identify low-dormant genotypes with superior freezing tolerance within populations of open pollinated species.

Tall fescue as an alternative to timothy fed with or without alfalfa to dairy cows.

Tall fescue might be an alternative to timothy in northeastern North America because of its tolerance of recurring drought periods and its good summer regrowth, but is not always considered as an option in dairy rations because of its possible lack of palatability. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects on the performance of lactating dairy cows of (1) replacing timothy silage by tall fescue silage, offered as sole forage in the diet or in combination with alfalfa silage, and (2) feeding tall fescue as silage (35% dry matter, DM) or haylage (55% DM). Experimental diets with a forage-to-concentrate ratio of 70:30 were (1) 100% timothy silage (TS); (2) 100% tall fescue silage (TFS); (3) 55:45 timothy:alfalfa silages (TS + AS); (4) 55:45 tall fescue:alfalfa silages (TFS + AS); and (5) 100% tall fescue haylage (TFH).

Effects of nitrogen deposition and litter layer management on soil CO, NO, and CH emissions in a subtropical pine forestland.

Forestland soils play vital role in regulating global soil greenhouse gas (GHG) budgets, but the interactive effect of the litter layer management and simulated nitrogen (N) deposition on these GHG flux has not been elucidated clearly in subtropical forestland. A field trial was conducted to study these effects by using litter removal method under 0 and 40 kg N ha yr addition in a subtropical forestland in Yingtan, Jiangxi Province, China. Soil CO emission was increased by N addition (18-24%) but decreased by litter removal (24-32%).

Greenhouse gas emissions and global warming potential from biofuel cropping systems fertilized with mineral and organic nitrogen sources.

Non-legume bioenergy crops can be fertilized with animal manures instead of mineral fertilizers, but the simultaneous application of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) with manures can increase nitrous oxide (NO) emissions. On the other hand, manure could increase soil organic C stocks and partly offset greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and global warming potential (GWP) of crop systems. We performed a two-year study in a biofuel cropping system with sunflower and canola to examine the effects of manure fertilization on grain yields and N use efficiency of crops, and on GWP and GHG intensity (GHGI) in no-till soils under subtropical conditions.

Cultivar-specific nutritional status of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) crops.

Gradients in the elemental composition of a potato leaf tissue (i.e. its ionome) can be linked to crop potential.

Fungal Communities of the Canola Rhizosphere: Keystone Species and Substantial Between-Year Variation of the Rhizosphere Microbiome.

Rhizosphere microbes influence one another, forming extremely complex webs of interactions that may determine plant success. Identifying the key factors that structure the fungal microbiome of the plant rhizosphere is a necessary step in optimizing plant production. In a long-term field experiment conducted at three locations in the Canadian prairies, we tested the following hypotheses: (1) diversification of cropping systems influences the fungal microbiome of the canola (Brassica napus) rhizosphere; (2) the canola rhizosphere has a core fungal microbiome, i.

Treatment Analogous to Seasonal Change Demonstrates the Integration of Cold Responses in .

Anthropogenic climate change precipitates the need to understand plant adaptation. Crucial in temperate climates, adaptation to winter is characterized by cold acclimation and vernalization, which respectively lead to freezing tolerance and flowering competence. However, the progression of these responses during fall and their interaction with plant development are not completely understood.

Assessing the effects of manure application rate and timing on nitrous oxide emissions from managed grasslands under contrasting climate in Canada.

It is uncertain whether process-based models are currently capable of simulating the complex soil, plant, climate, manure management interactions that influence soil nitrous oxide (NO) emissions from perennial cropping systems. The objectives of this study were (1) to calibrate and evaluate the DeNitrification DeComposition (DNDC) model using multi-year datasets of measured nitrous oxide (NO) fluxes, soil moisture, soil inorganic nitrogen, biomass and soil temperature from managed grasslands applied with manure slurry in contrasting climates of Canada, and (2) to simulate the impact of different manure management practices on NO emissions including slurry application i) rates (for both single vs. split); and ii) timing (e.

Biochar phosphorus fertilizer effects on soil phosphorus availability.

Biochar is a potential material for making slow-releasing phosphorus (P) fertilizers for the sake of increasing soil P use efficiency and mitigating P losses. However, the long-term effects of P-laden biochars on soil P availability remains unconcerned. In this study, a laboratory-scale 70-days soil incubation experiment was conducted to study the effects of original and P-laden biochars on soil P availability and fractions.

Axenic growth of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Rhizophagus irregularis and growth stimulation by coculture with plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are ecologically important for the growth and survival of most vascular plants. These fungi are known as obligate biotrophs that acquire carbon solely from host plants. A C-labeling experiment revealed the ability of axenically grown Rhizophagus irregularis DAOM 197198 to derive carbon from axenic culture on a relatively novel medium containing two sources of palmitic acid developed by Ishii (designated IH medium).

Long-term effects of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilization on soil microbial community structure and function under continuous wheat production.

Soil microorganisms play a critical role in the biosphere, and the influence of cropland fertilization on the evolution of soil as a living entity is being actively documented. In this study, we used a shotgun metagenomics approach to globally expose the effects of 50-year N and P fertilization of wheat on soil microbial community structure and function, and their potential involvement in overall N cycling. Nitrogen (N) fertilization increased alpha diversity in archaea and fungi while reducing it in bacteria.

Deinking sludge compost stability and maturity assessment using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and thermal analysis.

Thermal composting is an important and useful way to transfer raw organic matter into value-added product rich in humic substances. Furthermore, thermal composting is a very promising way to reduce deinking paper sludge pollutions, which are difficult to remove. The objective of this study was to investigate the behaviour of the composting process of deinking paper sludge with poultry manure over 14 months.

Mycorrhizal response in crop versus wild plants.

We proposed a theoretical framework predicting mutualistic outcomes for the arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis based on host provenance (crop versus wild). To test the framework, we grew two isolates of Rhizoglomus irregulare (commercial versus an isolate locally isolated), with five crop plants and five wild plants endemic to the region that co-occur with the locally sourced fungus. While inoculation with either isolate had no effect on plant biomass, it decreased leaf P content, particularly for wild plants.

Soil 16S DNA sequence data and corresponding soil property and wheat yield data from a 72-plot field experiment involving pulses and wheat crops grown in rotations in the semiarid prairie.

The soil bacteria diversity and corresponding environmental data made available here are from a 72-field plot experiment testing the effect of pulse frequency in nine wheat-based rotation systems, in the semiarid prairie. The data include sequences of the V6-V8 regions of bacterial 16S rDNA from soil and root extracts, generated using Roche GS FLX Titanium technology, and associated environmental data, specifically levels of soil organic carbon, total carbon, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, pH, electrical conductivity, and extractible sulfate sulfur, copper, iron, manganese, zinc, potassium, nitrate nitrogen, phosphate phosphorus, calcium, and magnesium in the 0-15 cm soil layer, and mineral nitrogen and phosphate in the 0-120 cm soil layer. The grain yield of wheat in the last (4th) phase of the crop rotation systems is also given.

Linking changes in snow cover with microbial nitrogen cycling functional gene abundance and expression in agricultural soil.

In eastern Canada, climate change-related warming and increased precipitation may alter winter snow cover, with potential consequences for soil conditions, nitrogen (N) cycling, and microbes. We conducted a 2-year field study aimed at determining the influence of snow removal, snow accumulation, and ambient snow in a potato-barley crop system on the abundance and expression of denitrifier (nirS, nirK, nosZ) and nitrifier (ammonium oxidizing archaeal (AOA) and bacterial (AOB) amoA) genes. Denitrifier and nitrifier abundance and expression results were compared to N2O production, soil atmosphere accumulation, and surface fluxes.

Sows' preferences for different forage mixtures offered as fresh or dry forage in relation to botanical and chemical composition.

Providing forage to feed-restricted pregnant sows may improve their welfare by reducing their high feeding motivation. The aim of this study was to determine sows' preferences for four forage mixtures cultivated in Canada. Forage mixtures were compared when offered either fresh or dry.

Discussion paper: Sustainable increase of crop production through improved technical strategies, breeding and adapted management - A European perspective.

During the next decade it will be necessary to develop novel combinations of management strategies to sustainably increase crop production and soil resilience. Improving agricultural productivity, while conserving and enhancing biotic and abiotic resources, is an essential requirement to increase global food production on a sustainable basis. The role of farmers in increasing agricultural productivity growth sustainably will be crucial.

National estimation of soil organic carbon storage potential for arable soils: A data-driven approach coupled with carbon-landscape zones.

Soil organic carbon (SOC) is important for its contributions to agricultural production, food security, and ecosystem services. Increasing SOC stocks can contribute to mitigate climate change by transferring atmospheric CO into long-lived soil carbon pools. The launch of the 4 per 1000 initiative has resulted in an increased interest in developing methods to quantity the additional SOC that can be stored in soil under different management options.