Organic agriculture has experienced remarkable growth in recent decades as societal interest environmental protection and healthy eating increased. Research shown that relative to conventional agriculture, organic farming is more efficient its use of non-renewable energy, maintains or improves soil quality, less a detrimental effect on water quality biodiversity. Studies have had mixed findings, however, when examining the impact greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions climate change. Life cycle...

Abstract We compared the crop yields and economic performance of organic, lowinput, conventional farming systems over an eight-year period based on research from Sustainable Agriculture Farming Systems (SAFS) Project in California's Sacramento Valley. The SAFS consisted four farming-system treatments that differed material input use rotation sequence. included four-year rotations under (conv-4), low-input, organic management, a conventionally-managed, two-year (conv-2). processing tomato,...

Eco-efficiency has become a cornerstone in improving the environmental and economic performance of farms. The joint use life cycle assessment (LCA) data envelopment analysis (DEA), known as LCA + DEA methodology, is an expanding area research this quest. estimates impacts products or services, while evaluates their efficiency, providing targets benchmarks for inefficient ones. Because energy consumption quality are highly interdependent, we carried out study to examine efficiency emissions...

The global warming potential (GWP) of organic strawberries (Fragaria × ananassa) grown under high tunnels in Kentucky, USA, was assessed using life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology. site, part the Berea College Farm, had been crop management for two decades. GWP calculated as 0.57 kg CO2-eq per with combined impact aluminum and plastic manufacturing accounting 44% total direct production activities, including labor, another 28%. average yields 18,990 kg/ha fresh fruit over years...

Composts, used alone or in mixtures with other materials, can serve as horticultural potting media organic production systems. In this study, we evaluated the suitability of two locally available composts for lettuce and tatsoi produced organically an unheated greenhouse. One was from food residuals landscape wastes a bulking agent, while generated horse bedding. Although materials had relatively similar total N contents, C:N ratios, bulk densities, they performed very differently media. Net...

Value-added processing and direct marketing are commonly recommended strategies for increasing income improving the economic viability of small farms. This case study uses partial budgeting to examine performance an on-farm store in Kentucky (USA) over a six-year period (2014–2019), intended adding value raw farm ingredients through sales consumers. Three primary product supply chains were aggregated, stored, processed, sold store: livestock (meats), grains (flours meals), fresh produce...

Ground beetle assemblages were compared in organic, no-till, and chisel-till cropping systems of the USDA Farming Systems Project Maryland. The consisted 3-yr rotations corn (Zea mays L.), soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.), wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) that planted to during 2 yr field sampling (2001–2002). Each year, ground beetles sampled using pitfall traps three 9- 14-d periods corresponding spring, summer, fall. A total 2,313 specimens, representing 31 species, collected over sampling....

This systematic review critically analyzes the literature on study of energy-use patterns in agricultural crop systems Iran. We examine relevant methodologies and research trends from 2008 to 2019, a particularly active productive period. Initially, we find researchers using energy audits regression modeling estimate patterns. Then economic environmental-emissions are more commonly incorporated into analyses. Finally, application different Artificial Intelligence (AI) methods observed...

The Berea College student farm undertook a transition to alternative practices in an effort improve the sustainability of its operations, which included expansion organic crop production, reduced-input cattle and hog shift toward local marketing sales, particularly value-added products. changes, developed planned by students, staff faculty 2007, were implemented 2008–2009 fully place 2010. plan required reduction livestock herd sizes, creating less dependence on purchased off-farm inputs,...

Ground beetle assemblages were compared in organic, no-till, and chisel-till cropping systems of the USDA Farming Systems Project Maryland. The consisted 3-yr rotations corn (Zea mays L.), soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.), wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) that planted to during 2 yr field sampling (2001–2002). Each year, ground beetles sampled using pitfall traps three 9- 14-d periods corresponding spring, summer, fall. A total 2,313 specimens, representing 31 species, collected over sampling....

We present a meta-analysis of energy-consumption and environmental-emissions patterns in Iranian cropping systems using data collected from articles published between 2008 2018 for 21 different crops. The results show that the crops consuming most energy per hectare are tomato, sugarcane, cucumber alfalfa, while sunflower consumed least. average total input all Iran during study period was 48,029 MJ ha−1. Our analysis revealed potato has highest potential to reduce consumption electricity...

Commercial horticulture in many regions of the world depends upon Sphagnum peat as a potting-media substrate, but extracting has serious environmental consequences. Composts may be able to serve effective substitutes for and offer potential advantages. The suitability compost potting media raw materials well processing methods used. This study includes two related experiments—one with beet (Beta vulgaris L.) other tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.)—aimed at assessing viability farm-produced,...

This paper discusses briefly the various insect pests affecting cotton, truck crops and citrus in Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas, nature control measures practised some experimental results obtained at Experiment Station.

Tough Choices: Facing the Challenge of Food Scarcity. By Lester R. Brown. 1996. W.W. Norton and Company, Inc., 500 Fifth Ave, New York, NY 10110; http://www.norton.com. $11.00, paper. 159 pp. - Volume 12 Issue 2