Climbing beans play a central role in food security of rural households in the densely populated highlands of East and Central Africa. Soil fertility degradation and the lack of nutrient inputs are major limitations to yield of beans and other crops. We conducted field trials in Northern Rwanda in Kinoni and Muko villages to evaluate the effect of mineral N, P, and K fertilizers (both alone and in combination) and farmyard manure on nitrogen fixation and grain yields of climbing bean in smallholder farmers’ fields. The trials were laid down in a randomized complete block design with seven replicate blocks in each village. Manure and fertilizer application led to greater yields in all fields, and the largest yields were achieved when manure was combined with NPK. Large variability in yield between fields was observed. Application of fertilizer together with manure increased the grain yield from 1.5 to 3.9 t ha−1 in Kinoni and from 2.6 to 5.4 t ha−1 in Muko. Fertilizer and/or manure increased stover yield from 0.8 to 2.3 t ha−1 in Kinoni and from 1.5 to 3.4 t ha−1 in Muko. Application of 30 kg P ha−1 and 5 t manure ha−1 led to increased N and P uptake (from 49 to 106 kg N ha−1 and from 6.1 to 12.4 kg P ha−1 in Kinoni and from 46 to 128 kg N ha−1 and from 5.3 to 17.9 kg P ha−1 in Muko). There was no clear relationship between soil fertility characteristics and the response of climbing bean to applied inputs at Muko site. However, at Kinoni site, limited response to manure and NPK application was observed in plots where soil available P and soil exchangeable K were relatively low. Our results show the benefits of using manure along with mineral fertilizers for increased climbing bean yields and nutrient uptake in smallholder farming systems.

In this study, the CERES-Maize model was calibrated and evaluated using data from 60 farmers’ fields across Sudan (SS) and Northern Guinea (NGS) Savannas of Nigeria in 2016 and 2017 rainy seasons. The trials consisted of 10 maize varieties sown at three different sowing densities (2.6, 5.3, and 6.6 plants m−2) across farmers’ field with contrasting agronomic and nutrient management histories. Model predictions in both years and locations were close to observed data for both calibration and evaluation exercises as evidenced by low normalized root mean square error (RMSE) (≤15%), high modified d-index (> 0.6), and high model efficiency (>0.45) values for the phenology, growth, and yield data across all varieties and agro-ecologies. In both years and locations and for both calibration and evaluation exercises, very good agreements were found between observed and model-simulated grain yields, number of days to physiological maturity, above-ground biomass, and harvest index. Two separate scenario analyses were conducted using the long-term (26 years) weather records for Bunkure (representing the SS) and Zaria (representing the NGS). The early and extra-early varieties were used in the SS while the intermediate and late varieties were used in the NGS. The result of the scenario analyses showed that early and extra-early varieties grown in the SS responds to increased sowing density up to 8.8 plants m−2 when the recommended rate of N fertilizers (90 kg N ha−1) was applied. In the NGS, yield responses were observed up to a density of 6.6 plants m−2 with the application of 120 kg N ha−1 for the intermediate and late varieties. The highest mean monetary returns to land (US$1336.1 ha−1) were simulated for scenarios with 8.8 plants m−2 and 90 kg N ha−1, while the highest return to labor (US$957.7 ha−1) was simulated for scenarios with 6.6 plants m−2 and 90 Kg N ha−1 in the SS. In the NGS, monetary return per hectare was highest with a planting density of 6.6 plants m−2 with the application of 120 kg N, while the return to labor was highest for sowing density of 5.3 plants m−2 at the same N fertilizer application rates. The results of the long-term simulations predicted increases in yield and economic returns to land and labor by increasing sowing densities in the maize belts of Nigeria without applying N fertilizers above the recommended rates.

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of cowpea green manure and inorganic nitrogen (N) fertilizers on yields of winter wheat and soil emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O). The comparisons included cowpea grown solely as green manure where all biomass was terminated at maturity by tillage, summer fallow treatments with 90 kg N ha−1 as urea (90-N), and no fertilization (control) at planting of winter wheat. Fluxes of N2O were measured by closed chamber methods after soil incorporation of cowpea in autumn (October–November) and harvesting of winter wheat in summer (June–August). Growth and yields of winter wheat and N concentrations in grain and straw were also measured. Cowpea produced 9.5 Mg ha−1 shoot biomass with 253 kg N ha−1 at termination. Although soil moisture was favorable for denitrification after soil incorporation of cowpea biomass, low concentrations of soil mineral N restricted emissions of N2O from cowpea treatment. However, increased concentrations of soil mineral N and large rainfall-induced emissions were recorded from the cowpea treatment during summer. Growth of winter wheat, yield, and grain N concentrations were lowest in response to cowpea treatment and highest in 90-N treatment. In conclusion, late terminated cowpea may reduce yield of winter wheat and increase emissions of N2O outside of wheat growing seasons due to poor synchronization of N mineralization from cowpea biomass with N-demand of winter wheat.

Maize production is central to rural livelihoods in the hills of Nepal. Access to affordable improved maize seed has long been a barrier to productivity gains and livelihood improvement. This study evaluates the direct and indirect (spillover) impacts of a community-based seed production program in Nepal using a quasi-experimental method for selected outcome indicators. Our results show that community-based seed production provides a significant positive direct impact on maize income and female leadership opportunities. The impacts were particularly favorable for disadvantaged households (HHs) from lower castes and HHs that owned less land. There is also strong evidence of spillover impacts on improved seed adoption, yield, and household maize self-sufficiency. Community-based seed production thereby could help Nepal attain cereal self-sufficiency and nutritional security as envisioned in the national agricultural development strategy and seed vision.

In order to assess the response of cocoa trees to drought, changes in water status, gas exchange, leaf carbon isotopic ratio (δ13C), photochemical activity, and leaf N and chlorophyll content during the rainy and dry season were measured in 31 Venezuelan cocoa clones (17 Trinitarios, 6 Criollos, and 8 Modern Criollos) grown in a common garden. Drought caused a 40% decrease in water potential (ψ) in all but the Modern Criollos, and a reduction in net photosynthetic rate (A) and stomatal conductance (gs) without an increase in instantaneous water use efficiency (WUE) in 93% of clones, and an increase in δ13C (long-term WUE) in 74% of clones; these responses suggest differences in tolerance to drought among clones. A positive correlation between A and both gs and leaf N content was found for all genotypes. Leaf N content, chlorophyll content, and photochemical activity were reduced during drought, suggesting that metabolism was also inhibited. The best performance during drought was shown by Modern Criollos with the highest WUE, while five Trinitario clones seemed to be less sensitive to drought, since neither chlorophyll, N, total soluble protein concentration, nor gs changed with drought, indicating that those Trinitario clones, with lower A, have a conservative water use. Modern Criollos showed no reductions in either ψ or gs; A remained unchanged, as did WUE, which was the highest, suggesting that these clones would be more successful in environments with low water availability. Our results indicate large variation in physiological response to drought over a range of parameters, suggesting possible differences in tolerance among clones.

Meloidogyne paranaensis is responsible for considerable losses in coffee production. Because of the distribution of this species in the main Coffea arabica producing regions, there is a need for management practices to ensure the sustainability of coffee production. In this work, we evaluated the agronomic performance of resistant clones of the Conilon coffee cultivar Vitoria Incaper 8142 in areas infested by M. paranaensis in the west region of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Clones 2V, 3V, and 6V presented the lowest number of nematodes per gram of roots and were considered resistant to M. paranaensis. All other clones were considered tolerant to this nematode, and one had good vegetative growth but allowed nematode reproduction. Clones of Vitoria Incaper 8142 of C. canephora represent an alternative to coffee production in areas infested by M. paranaensis including areas traditionally cultivated with C. arabica.

A survey was conducted of Indonesian cocoa farms to assess the extent of yield variation and factors associated with this variation. The survey of 120 farms during the course of 3 years encompassed four provinces in Sulawesi (South, South-East, West and Central), Western Sumatra, Lampung, East Java and West Papua. A high degree of yield variation was observed between farms, the average over 3 years ranged from 39 to 3586 kg ha−1. Overall, yields were greater on farms that were classified as ‘highly managed’, compared to ‘moderately’ and ‘less managed’. Seasonal variability in yields was generally greater in districts with a more pronounced dry season such as South Sulawesi and Lampung. Multiple regression analyses revealed particular husbandry practices that were linked with higher cocoa yields. Specifically, the use of inorganic fertilisers, application of fungicides against blackpod and weeding were all practices that were associated with higher yields. A positive association between rainfall and yield was observed for the years 2014/15 and 2015/16 but not 2016/17, which was a La Niña year (when rainfall totals were higher). Some of the farms surveyed were planted with cocoa at very low densities implying an opportunity for yield improvement through gap filling or replanting at higher densities (although it was noted that some farmers maintained lower planting densities due to the cultivation of companion crops). Given the smallholder status of most cocoa farms in Indonesia (mean area in this study was 0.71 ha) it is important that farmers are able to maximise returns from their land in order to maintain a livelihood. This study illustrated the potential for yield improvement on Indonesian cocoa farms through adoption of best agronomic practice.

Agronomists have increasingly conducted experiments on-farm, in an attempt to increase the wider applicability (external validity) of their experimental findings and their relevance for agricultural development. This review assesses the way in which on-farm experimental studies address the scope or generalisability of their findings when based on a limited number of farms. A central question is how on-farm studies define the environment or research population in which the on-farm trial findings are valid, or are valuable for. Such an assessment is, of course, conditional on the (internal) validity of the experimental findings. We therefore first analyse how authors of on-farm experimental studies describe the factors that may shape experimental outcomes. As agronomic experiments often use ‘yield’ as dependent variable to assess treatment effects, we developed a procedure to score studies on their descriptions of yield-determining factors. Although experimental validity principally rests upon the reproducibility of the experiment and its findings, we found that on the basis of the information provided in published on-farm experimental studies, it is often difficult or impossible to reproduce the experimental design. Nutrient management, weed management and crop information are best described, whereas land preparation, field history and management of pests and water are rarely described. Further, on-farm experimental studies often compare treatments to a ‘farmer practice’ reference or control treatment which is assumed to be widely and uniformly practiced and known to the reader. The wider applicability or external validity is often poorly addressed in the reviewed studies. Most do not explicitly define the research population and/or environment in which (they expect) the experimental findings to work. Academic textbooks on agronomic experimentation are remarkably silent on both the internal and external validity of on-farm experimentation. We therefore argue for more systematic investigations and descriptions of the research population and settings to which on-farm experimental studies seek to generalise their findings.

The cotton-wheat double-cropping system is widely used in the Yellow River Valley of China, but whether and how different planting patterns within cotton-wheat double-cropping systems impact heat and light use efficiency have not been well documented. A field experiment investigated the effects of the cropping system on crop productivity and the capture and use efficiency of heat and light in two fields differing in soil fertility. Three planting patterns, namely cotton intercropped with wheat (CIW), cotton directly seeded after wheat (CDW), and cotton transplanted after wheat (CTW), as well as one cotton monoculture (CM) system were used. Cotton-wheat double cropping significantly increased crop productivity and land equivalent ratios relative to the CM system in both fields. As a result of increased growing degree days (GDD), intercepted photosynthetically active radiation (IPAR), and photothermal product (PTP), the capture of light and heat in the double-cropping systems was compared with that in the CM system in both fields. With improved resource capture, the double-cropping systems exhibited a higher light and heat use efficiency according to thermal product efficiency, solar energy use efficiency (Eu), radiation use efficiency (RUE), and PTP use efficiency (PTPU). The cotton lint yield and biomass were not significantly correlated with RUE across cropping patterns, indicating that RUE does not limit cotton production. Among the double-cropping treatments, CDW had the lowest GDD, IPAR, and PTP values but the highest heat and light resource use efficiency and highest overall resource use efficiency. This good performance was even more obvious in the high-fertility field. Therefore, we encourage the expanded use of CDW in the Yellow River Valley, especially in fields with high fertility, given the high productivity and resource use efficiency of this system. Moreover, the use of agronomic practices involving a reasonably close planting density, optimized irrigation and nutrient supply, and the application of new short-season varieties of cotton or wheat can potentially enhance CDW crop yields and productivity.

The area of dry-season rice (Oryza sativa L.) has rapidly increased in Cambodia owing to the large-scale development of irrigation infrastructure. But little is known of potential productivity and adaptive crop management. The objective of our study was to evaluate potential yield and nutrient requirements of dry-season rice in Cambodia, and the economic feasibility of soil-specific management recommended by the government. Field experiments were conducted on four soil types (Bakan, equivalent to Alfisol; Krakor, Inceptisol; Prateah Lang, Plinthustalfs; and Toul Samroung, Endoaqualfs) in four provinces (Battambang, Kampong Thom, Pursat, and Siem Reap) during the 2016 and 2017 dry seasons to compare 14 (2016) and 8 (2017) N-P-K combinations. Grain yield ranged from 1.0 to 5.5 t ha−1 in 2016 and from 1.3 to 6.7 t ha−1 in 2017. Potential yield from the experiments was 6–7 t ha−1 on Toul Samroung soil, 5–6 t ha−1 on Bakan soil, and 3–5 t ha−1 on Prateah Lang and Krakor soils. A rate of 140-60-60 kg ha−1 of N-P2O5-K2O was more than enough to achieve the best yields on any soil group. On the other hand, modest application rates in soil-specific management (44–78 kg ha−1 of N, 23–28 kg ha−1 of P2O5, 0–30 kg ha−1 of K2O) proved reasonable for resource-poor farmers in Cambodia, since the treatment always provided >75 % of the highest economic profit in high-input plots.

Manure and chemical fertilizers have different effects on soil properties, the nitrogen cycle, and crop yield. This study aimed to investigate the effects of different fertilizer applications under the same N input on soil physicochemical properties and soil bacterial communities and to explain the contributions of soil properties to grain yield. Manure substitution of chemical fertilizer was conducted in leaching monitoring systems. The study began in 2009 and sampling was carried out in 2014 and 2016. Three fertilizer treatments with the same total N, P, and K application rates and one control treatment were designed as follows: (1) CK, without nitrogen fertilizer; (2) 100%U, whole nitrogen coming from urea; (3) 100%M, whole nitrogen coming from composted cattle manure; and (4) 50%U + 50%M, half nitrogen from composted cattle manure and half nitrogen from urea. Soil organic carbon (SOC) content was positively correlated with total N (TN), NO3−–N, and NH4+–N contents, the mean weight diameter of soil aggregates, and the Shannon diversity index of bacteria, whereas SOC content was not significantly correlated with grain yield. NO3−–N content was positively correlated with grain yield. Substituting half the amount of chemical fertilizer with manure as a nitrogen source improved soil stability, increased bacterial diversity, and enhanced nitrogen supply, while reducing nitrogen loss from ammonia volatilization and nitrogen leaching. Substituting half the amount of chemical fertilizer with manure as a nitrogen source was a more sustainable way to increase grain yield through a sustainable nitrate supply and to reduce N loss.

Comparative analysis of preferences and key criteria for selecting cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) varieties was conducted using the data collected from farmers’ participatory varietal selection (FPVS) activities conducted over 3 years with a total of 2401 farmers (1230 male and 1171 female) in 13 villages in Tougouri department in northern region and Tiéfora department in southern region of Burkina Faso in West Africa. Over the 3 years, farmer criteria for variety selection remained basically stable, but some variations among the regions and years were noticed. Grain yield was the most common and the most important criterion for farmers’ choice in both regions. Farmers in Tougouri (north) put more emphasis on early maturity (90%) and drought resistance (19.7%) as selection criteria than farmers in Tiéfora (south). Farmers in Tiéfora placed statistically significant importance on seed colour and plant type, while farmers in Tougouri did not, and for these selection criteria, there were only slight differences between genders in both areas. Results of stepwise multiple regression indicated that maturity and seed colour in the north, and seed size and seed colour in the south were the most important selection factors for farmers to select cowpea varieties. Improved varieties should have sufficiently good yield to be accepted, but other favoured traits may differ by target region as a reflection of local and regional market demands as well as deep-rooted cultural preferences. Understanding local and regional differences in selection criteria for cowpea varieties is necessary to improve the acceptance of newly released improved varieties. Preferences identified in the participatory activities could inform further development of cowpea breeding strategies for north and south regions of Burkina Faso.

Food security under smallholder farming can be improved through innovative intensification of cropping systems. Maize (Zea mays L.) – mungbean (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek) – common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) sequential intercropping was studied to evaluate the patterns of radiation capture and radiation use efficiency and to determine the effects of leaf removal and row orientation on performance and intercropping efficiency. Sequential intercropping captured 1039 MJ m−2 photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) accounting for 70% of incident seasonal PAR. The corresponding sole stands for maize captured 41%, mungbean 29%, common bean 34% and mungbean–common bean 63%. Intercropped components had interception ratios of 0.98, 0.31 and 0.61 for maize, mungbean and common bean, respectively. Associated maize used intercepted light with similar efficiency, mungbean with greater efficiency and common bean with lesser efficiency compared to sole crops. Maize leaf removal and row orientation had no significant effect on performance and partial land equivalent ratio (LER) of maize. Leaf removal under East–West (EW) orientation increased grain yield by 96%, total biomass by 63%, partial LER by 92%, in common bean and total LER by 7%. Leaf removal also improved grain yield, biomass yield, partial LER, in common bean and total LER during the wetter year of 2013. Similarly, EW orientation was advantageous in 2013 raising total LER by 8%. Maize leaf removal and EW row orientation had synergistic effects on intercropping efficiency and economic benefit and both have exerted positive influence under favourable weather. Total LER values of 1.47 in 2013 and 1.29 in 2015 had revealed greater biological efficiency for intercropping during both years though it was more profitable in 2013. Thus, the cropping system can be adopted under timely onset of the rainy season using EW row orientation while leaf removal can also be practiced depending on weather conditions and convenience.

Although several studies have underlined the advantages of using insect-proof nets to improve yields while reducing the use of pesticides, one obstacle to the diffusion of this technique in tropical conditions is the associated increase in temperature in the tunnel. The aim of this work was to assess the interest of combining the physical protection provided by nets against insect pests with the beneficial impacts of using shade nets to grow cabbages. A two-season experiment was set up to compare temperature conditions, insect pest populations, yields, and the quality of cabbage crops grown in the open field and in low tunnels covered with nets providing different degrees of shading, 17.2% by white and 50.1% by silver nets. During the day, the temperature under the white and silver nets was 10.4 °C and 6.3 °C higher, respectively, than in the open field in the first season, and 6.5 °C and 5.9 °C higher in the second season. Both insect-proof nets significantly reduced insect pest populations and hence the need for insecticide treatments. The white nets increased marketable yield by 45.4% in the first season and by 16.4% in the second compared to yields in the open field, whereas silver nets reduced yield by 18.6% and 15.0%, respectively. The reduction in yield under silver nets was attributed to excessive shading that prevented the light requirements of cabbage crops from being fulfilled. Economic analysis raised some concerns about the profitability of the use of netting to grow cabbage due to investment costs and the lack of premium prices for vegetables produced with fewer pesticides in local markets.

Agricultural production on the Mahafaly Plateau in SW-Madagascar has traditionally been based on subsistence rain-fed agriculture, with yields declining as a result of low soil fertility, recurrent droughts, and erratic rainfall. Market-oriented vegetable production in this area may help households improve their nutrition and diversify their income. In field trials between the 2013 and 2016 dry cropping seasons, the feasibility of carrot (Daucus carota L.) and onion (Allium cepa L.) production was assessed by testing effects of manure and charcoal amendments, shading, and seed quality on yields. Due to damage caused by cyclones and strong winds, only data from 2013 and 2016 are reported in this paper. Additionally to the field experiments, effects of salinity on seed germination were also examined under laboratory conditions and in the field. Carrot dry matter (DM) yields were 0.24 to 2.76 t·ha−1 while those of onion were 0.15 to 0.99 t·ha−1 DM. While the combination of manure and charcoal application had only minor effects on crop growth, manure alone increased carrot yield by 26% across years. After one cropping season, manure application reduced soil pH from 9.0 to 8.6 and increased soil Corg from 0.87 to 1.76%, N from 0.08 to 0.14%, and P from 10.6 to 15.1 mg·kg−1. Shading reduced carrot yields from 0.87 to 0.58 t·ha−1 DM in 2013 and from 1.87 to 0.85 t·ha−1 DM in 2016, but increased onion yield in 2013 from 0.24 to 0.62 t·ha−1 DM. Carrot seed procured locally performed better in the field than seed imported from the capital which translated into differences in seedling emergence. Saline irrigation water (electrical conductivity = 7.03 mS·cm−1) reduced seedling emergence rate of carrot from 73 to 20% and for onion from 44 to 28% and unprimed seeds performed better than primed ones. Using shading during the dry season is not advisable for carrot and onion production, but improving seed quality and targeted use of soil amendments (time of manure application, manure quality) may enhance vegetable yields.

Identifying options for the sustainable intensification of cropping systems in southern Africa under prevailing high climate risk is needed. With this in mind, we tested an intercropping system that combined the staple crop maize with lablab, a local but underutilised legume. Grain and biomass productivity was determined for four variants (i) sole maize (sole-maize), (ii) sole lablab (sole-lablab), (iii) maize/lablab with both crops sown simultaneously (intercropped-SP) and (iv) maize/lablab with lablab sown 28 days after the maize crop (intercropped-DP). Soil water and weather data were monitored and evaluated. The trial was conducted for two seasons (2015/2016 and 2016/2017) at two sites in the Limpopo Province, South Africa: Univen (847 mm rainfall, 29.2 °C maximum and 18.9 °C minimum temperature average for the cropping season over the years 2008–2017) and Syferkuil (491 mm rainfall, with 27.0 °C maximum and 14.8 °C minimum temperature). Analysis revealed three key results: The treatment with intercropped-SP had significantly lower maize yields (2320 kg ha−1) compared with maize in intercropped-DP (2865 kg ha−1) or sole-maize (2623 kg ha−1). As expected, maize yields in the El Niño affected in season 2015/2016 were on average 1688 kg ha−1 lower than in 2016/2017. Maize yields were significantly lower (957 kg ha−1) at Univen, the warmer site with higher rainfall, than at Syferkuil. In 2015/2016, maximum temperature at Univen exceeded 40 °C around anthesis. Furthermore, soil water was close to the estimated permanent wilting point (PWP) for most of the cropping season, which indicates possible water limitations. In Syferkuil, the soil water was maintained well above PWP. Lablab yields were low, around 500 ha−1, but stable as they were not affected by treatment across season and site. Overall, the study demonstrated that intercropped-DP appears to use available soil water more efficiently than sole maize. Intercropped-DP could therefore be considered as an option for sustainable intensification under high climate risk and resource-limited conditions for smallholders in southern Africa.

The limitation of soil amendments and insufficient and irregular rainfall are the main factors accounting for the decline in crop yields in the Sahelian low-input cropping systems. This study explored the agronomic and economic responses of integrated use of millet glume-derived compost with synthetic fertilizer in cowpea-based cropping system. A two-year field experiment was laid out as factorial design arranged in randomized complete blocks with three rates of compost (0, 4000, and 8000 kg ha−1) and three rates of recommended synthetic fertilizer (0, 50, and 100%). Cowpea grain yield increased markedly with combined application of compost and synthetic fertilizer. The combined use of compost applied at 8000 kg ha−1 and 50% of the recommended rate of synthetic fertilizer increased cowpea grain yield by 51% compared to the application of 100% of the recommended rate of synthetic fertilizer. The rainwater use efficiency (RaUE) increased by 52 and 49% with the combined application of compost at 8000 kg ha−1 along with 50% of the recommended rate of synthetic fertilizer when compared to the application of 100% of the recommended rate of synthetic fertilizer in 2013 and 2014, respectively. All treatments induced a positive net income, and the highest value/cost ratio was achieved with combined application of compost and synthetic fertilizer. This study highlights the possibility of improving cowpea productivity through combined use of composted locally available organic input with half of the recommended rate of synthetic fertilizer. This combination would reduce the investment in mineral fertilizer currently made by smallholder farmers in the Sahelian low-input cowpea cropping system and reduce environmental pollution resulting from the current practice of burning the millet glume.

The regrowth of a C3 forage Stylosanthes capitata in a rain-fed field provided the weekly data collection in the southeast of Brazil during a heat event in autumn. A system named Trop-T-FACE simulated the free-air carbon dioxide enrichment and the enhanced temperature in four climatic regimes: current atmospheric conditions (Control), CO2 enrichment (600 ppm, eC), warming (2 °C above ambient canopy temperature, eT), and a combination of eC + eT. The area and biomass of foliage per shoot decreased, and the number of flowers per shoot and flowered ramification increased under single eC treatment besides the increment in palisade parenchyma of leaves. Increased investment in flowering in eC occurred notably when the soil water content was higher than 0.30 m3 m–3. Single eT treatment also impaired the area or biomass of foliage production per shoot, raised the shoot mortality, and promoted the increment of the spongy leaf parenchyma. There was some mitigation of the adverse effects of foliage production of eT or eC in eC + eT, but under this combined treatment, the shoot mortality also increased. Changes in leaf tissues under eC or eT or some mitigation of adverse effects in eC + eT did not offset the constraints on leaf growth per shoot. The harmful impact on foliage production by eC, eT, or eC + eT under rain-fed conditions indicated no advantages for feeding the livestock with the C3 forage S. capitata in expected climate change under field conditions.

The objective of the study was to characterize small-scale dairy production systems to identify the technological preferences according to the farmer and farm characteristics and to analyze the importance and role of the information communication technologies (ICTs) in the dissemination of information related to management and livestock activities. To collect the data, a survey was applied to 170 small-scale dairy farmers from central Mexico. To characterize the farms, a factor analysis (FA) and cluster analysis (CA) were performed. To compare and identify differences between groups, a Kruskal–Wallis test was conducted. Four factors that explain 70.93% of the accumulated variance were identified; these factors explain the use of technology, production characteristics, social connections, and use of ICTs. The cluster analysis identified four groups. Group 1 was integrated by farmers with more experience and the largest farms. Group 2 had higher studies and use of ICTs. Group 3 was formed by young farmers but had a low use of technology. Group 4 contained older farmers with a low use of technology. The young farmers with higher studies have begun to incorporate ICTs into their daily activities on the farm, as observed in Group 2. Smartphones were the most used and were considered important by the farmers of the four groups, since they enable interaction with other farmers and the dissemination of topics of interest related with the farm. In conclusion, four group of farmers were differentiated; therefore, different extension approaches should be implemented to take into account the preferences and the technologies considered most important for each group. The ICTs are emerging technologies among small-scale dairy farmers to communicate information related to livestock management, mainly by young farmers with studies of secondary, as observed in Group 2.

Striga hermonthica infestation causes significant losses of maize yield in the Nigerian savannas and several technologies have been developed and promoted to control Striga in maize. However, since no single technology has been found to be effective against Striga, integrated management is needed to achieve satisfactory and sustainable Striga control. Both on-station and on-farm trials were undertaken from 2013 to 2015 in Bauchi and Kano States of Nigeria to evaluate the performance of integrated Striga control technologies. In the on-station trials, a soybean–maize rotation did not suppress Striga in maize in either location. However, nitrogen application suppressed and reduced Striga infection, except in Bauchi in 2014. The soybean–maize rotation accompanied by N application reduced Striga damage in both locations. On farmers’ fields, rotating soybean with maize significantly reduced Striga infection. At the same time, the use of maize varieties with a combined tolerance to drought and resistance to Striga parasitism also increased maize grain yield on farmers’ fields, probably due to three factors: a reduction in Striga infection, reduced effects of a mid-season moisture deficit, and increased uptake of nutrients from the soil. We concluded that the use of Striga-resistant maize varieties in combination with the application of N fertilizer and rotation with soybean could increase the productivity of maize in Striga-infested fields in the Nigerian savannas.