Impacts of Agro-Ecological Practices on Soil Losses and Cash Crop Yield

Daniela De Benedetto, Francesco Montemurro and Mariangela Diacono
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Daniela De Benedetto: Council for Agricultural Research and Economics—Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment, CREA-AA, 70125 Bari, Italy
Francesco Montemurro: Council for Agricultural Research and Economics—Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment, CREA-AA, 70125 Bari, Italy
Mariangela Diacono: Council for Agricultural Research and Economics—Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment, CREA-AA, 70125 Bari, Italy

Agriculture, 2017, vol. 7, issue 12, 1-18

Abstract: The aim of this study was to determine the impact of agro-ecological practices on soil losses, by assessing experimental field topography changes and cauliflower crop yield after an artificial extreme rainfall event. Data were collected in an innovative experimental device in which different combined agronomic strategies were tested such as hydraulic arrangement, crop rotations and agro-ecological service crops (ASC) introduction. The collection of elevation data was carried out in kinematic way before rainfall, and in punctual surveys to evaluate the effects of artificial event on this parameter. Non-parametric tests were performed to evaluate differences between samples. High-resolution digital elevation models were generated from independent data using kriging, and elevation difference maps were produced. The results indicated that the data before and after the artificial rainfall were statistically different. The raised strips suffered soil loss showing that the strip with permanent intercropping was higher than that in the absence of ASC. A significant rise of elevation was registered in the furrowed strips after rainfall, and deposition of soil occurred at the lowest areas of the experimental field. Moreover, the study showed a relationship between cash crop yield and elevation: the areas with lower elevation (higher flooding) were characterized by the lowest yield.

Keywords: agro-ecological practices; agro-ecological service crops; artificial extreme rainfall event; cauliflower yield; climate change; elevation data; resolution digital elevation models (DEMs); soil losses (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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