The Verticillium genus comprises economically important plant pathogens that collectively affect a broad range of annual and perennial crops. Verticillium longisporum mainly infects brassicaceous hosts, including oilseed rape. The most conspicuous symptom of V. longisporum infection on oilseed rape is black stem striping that appears towards the end of the cropping season. Thus far, the impact ...

Reserving large patches of perennial vegetation has been shown to facilitate biodiversity conservation in industrial agricultural landscapes, but high demand for agricultural products challenges their establishment. Responding to this situation, in 2007, we experimentally integrated diverse native perennial vegetation (i.e., prairie) within annual row crops as a part of the Science-based Trials...

Rotation of grass ley with periods annual crop production can be a means to increased farming system productivity, sustainability, and profitability. This research review offers interpretations rotation results for future African agriculture. Some studies were naturally generated severely over-grazed fallows consisting primarily plant species but other planted well-managed perennial ley. Genera...

Future liquid fuel demand from renewable sources may, in part, be met by converting the seasonally wet portions of the landscape currently managed for soil and water conservation to perennial energy crops. However, this shift may increase nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions, thus limiting the carbon (C) benefits of energy crops. Particularly high emissions may occur during the transition period when ...

In the central Great Plains, pastures and rangelands often are not economically competitive with grain crops. This has led to increases in acreages of row crops at the expense of rangelands, pastures, and hay crops on marginal lands resulting in severe erosion problems. The productivity of forages, pastures, and rangelands needs to be increased to levels that would make them economically compet...

DEDICATED ENERGY CROPS AND MODELS Lignocellulosic biomass derived from energy crops and agricultural residues is a promising renewable source for the production of transportation fuels and bio-based materials. Plants exhibiting C4 photosynthesis are amongst the most promising dedicated energy crops as they possess tremendous intrinsic efficiency in converting solar energy to biomass. Van der We...

Sugar cane is one of the most successful tropical crops, with many agronomic factors in its favour such as high yield, tolerance of a wide range of soils, resistance-to pests, a perennial growth habit, and a sophisticated supportive technology providing improved varieties and cultural practices. It is still grown almost exclusively for sugar production; however, a number of alternative uses hav...

Conceiving, building, maintaining and refi ning a universal health system is an inordinately complex undertaking. Its effective implementation requires everything from political will consistently and strategically applied, to accurate epidemiological data and analysis, plus quality medical education and active citizen participation. It also takes resources—fi nancial, technological, pharmaceuti...