Scope for improved eco-efficiency varies among diverse cropping systems

Global food security requires eco-efficient agriculture to produce the required food and fiber products concomitant with ecologically efficient use of resources. This eco-efficiency concept is used to diagnose the state of agricultural production in China (irrigated wheat–maize double-cropping syste...

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Autores principales: Carberry, Peter S., Liang, Wei-li, Twomlow, Stephen, Holzworth, Dean P., Dimes, John P., McClelland, Tim., Huth, Neil I., Chen, Fu, Hochman, Zvi, Keating, Brian A.
Formato: Journal Article
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: National Academy of Sciences 2013
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/128776
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author Carberry, Peter S.
Liang, Wei-li
Twomlow, Stephen
Holzworth, Dean P.
Dimes, John P.
McClelland, Tim.
Huth, Neil I.
Chen, Fu
Hochman, Zvi
Keating, Brian A.
author_browse Carberry, Peter S.
Chen, Fu
Dimes, John P.
Hochman, Zvi
Holzworth, Dean P.
Huth, Neil I.
Keating, Brian A.
Liang, Wei-li
McClelland, Tim.
Twomlow, Stephen
author_facet Carberry, Peter S.
Liang, Wei-li
Twomlow, Stephen
Holzworth, Dean P.
Dimes, John P.
McClelland, Tim.
Huth, Neil I.
Chen, Fu
Hochman, Zvi
Keating, Brian A.
author_sort Carberry, Peter S.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Global food security requires eco-efficient agriculture to produce the required food and fiber products concomitant with ecologically efficient use of resources. This eco-efficiency concept is used to diagnose the state of agricultural production in China (irrigated wheat–maize double-cropping systems), Zimbabwe (rainfed maize systems), and Australia (rainfed wheat systems). More than 3,000 surveyed crop yields in these three countries were compared against simulated grain yields at farmer-specified levels of nitrogen (N) input. Many Australian commercial wheat farmers are both close to existing production frontiers and gain little prospective return from increasing their N input. Significant losses of N from their systems, either as nitrous oxide emissions or as nitrate leached from the soil profile, are infrequent and at low intensities relative to their level of grain production. These Australian farmers operate close to eco-efficient frontiers in regard to N, and so innovations in technologies and practices are essential to increasing their production without added economic or environmental risks. In contrast, many Chinese farmers can reduce N input without sacrificing production through more efficient use of their fertilizer input. In fact, there are real prospects for the double-cropping systems on the North China Plain to achieve both production increases and reduced environmental risks. Zimbabwean farmers have the opportunity for significant production increases by both improving their technical efficiency and increasing their level of input; however, doing so will require improved management expertise and greater access to institutional support for addressing the higher risks. This paper shows that pathways for achieving improved eco-efficiency will differ among diverse cropping systems.
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spelling CGSpace1287762024-08-27T10:36:20Z Scope for improved eco-efficiency varies among diverse cropping systems Carberry, Peter S. Liang, Wei-li Twomlow, Stephen Holzworth, Dean P. Dimes, John P. McClelland, Tim. Huth, Neil I. Chen, Fu Hochman, Zvi Keating, Brian A. Global food security requires eco-efficient agriculture to produce the required food and fiber products concomitant with ecologically efficient use of resources. This eco-efficiency concept is used to diagnose the state of agricultural production in China (irrigated wheat–maize double-cropping systems), Zimbabwe (rainfed maize systems), and Australia (rainfed wheat systems). More than 3,000 surveyed crop yields in these three countries were compared against simulated grain yields at farmer-specified levels of nitrogen (N) input. Many Australian commercial wheat farmers are both close to existing production frontiers and gain little prospective return from increasing their N input. Significant losses of N from their systems, either as nitrous oxide emissions or as nitrate leached from the soil profile, are infrequent and at low intensities relative to their level of grain production. These Australian farmers operate close to eco-efficient frontiers in regard to N, and so innovations in technologies and practices are essential to increasing their production without added economic or environmental risks. In contrast, many Chinese farmers can reduce N input without sacrificing production through more efficient use of their fertilizer input. In fact, there are real prospects for the double-cropping systems on the North China Plain to achieve both production increases and reduced environmental risks. Zimbabwean farmers have the opportunity for significant production increases by both improving their technical efficiency and increasing their level of input; however, doing so will require improved management expertise and greater access to institutional support for addressing the higher risks. This paper shows that pathways for achieving improved eco-efficiency will differ among diverse cropping systems. 2013-05-21 2023-02-20T17:41:19Z 2023-02-20T17:41:19Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/128776 en Open Access National Academy of Sciences Carberry, Peter S.; Liang, Wei-li; Twomlow, Stephen; Holzworth, Dean P.; Dimes, John P.; McClelland, Tim.; Huth, Neil I.; Chen, Fu; Hochman, Zvi; Keating, Brian A. 2013. Scope for improved eco-efficiency varies among diverse cropping systems. PNAS 110(21):8381-6
spellingShingle Carberry, Peter S.
Liang, Wei-li
Twomlow, Stephen
Holzworth, Dean P.
Dimes, John P.
McClelland, Tim.
Huth, Neil I.
Chen, Fu
Hochman, Zvi
Keating, Brian A.
Scope for improved eco-efficiency varies among diverse cropping systems
title Scope for improved eco-efficiency varies among diverse cropping systems
title_full Scope for improved eco-efficiency varies among diverse cropping systems
title_fullStr Scope for improved eco-efficiency varies among diverse cropping systems
title_full_unstemmed Scope for improved eco-efficiency varies among diverse cropping systems
title_short Scope for improved eco-efficiency varies among diverse cropping systems
title_sort scope for improved eco efficiency varies among diverse cropping systems
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/128776
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