Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons^™

Using Annual Forages To Replace Declining Cool-Season Grass Pasture Availability, Jonathon Jenkins

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

As land area in grain crop production increases in the US Midwest, perennial pasture availability decreases but the demand increases. Matching the seasonal growth patterns of C₃ and C₄ plant species to grow forages that are complementary allows producers to fill production gaps in otherwise monoculture systems and possibly increase overall productivity. One way to fill the forage production gap of C₃ grass dominated pastures is by producing a warm-season, annual forage in a separate field. However, with continual reductions in land availability, this may not be an option. Using two studies, our objectives were to improve …

In-Field Optimization Of Soil Water Parameters For Irrigation Scheduling, Ishani Lal

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Several precision technologies are being developed to assist farmers in informed irrigation decision-making. These technologies aim to enhance irrigation water efficiency, check overirrigation, boost crop water productivity, and promote the sustainable utilization of water resources. We hypothesize that soil moisture parameters used in irrigation decision tools need to be validated to best represent the correct state of soil moisture in the field. This is an important factor that affects the accuracy of the irrigation recommendations forecasted by the decision support tools. In this research, we evaluated different methods of estimating field capacity (FC) and wilting point (WP) to optimize soil …

Next-Generation Crop Monitoring Technologies: Case Studies About Edge Image Processing For Crop Monitoring And Soil Water Property Modeling Via Above-Ground Sensors, Nipuna Chamara

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents from University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has advanced rapidly in the past two decades. Internet of Things (IoT) technology has advanced rapidly during the last decade. Merging these two technologies has immense potential in several industries, including agriculture.

We have identified several research gaps in utilizing IoT technology in agriculture. One problem was the digital divide between rural, unconnected, or limited connected areas and urban areas for utilizing images for decision-making, which has advanced with the growth of AI. Another area for improvement was the farmers' demotivation to use in-situ soil moisture sensors for irrigation decision-making due to inherited installation difficulties. As Nebraska …

Establishment Of Wildflower Islands To Enhance Roadside Health, Ecological Value, And Aesthetics, Jackson Ebbers

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Roadsides provide an abundant opportunity to increase connectivity of fragmented landscapes with diminishing floral resources for pollinating insects. The ecological value of these sites is often overlooked as quality habitat for pollinators, particularly monarch butterflies, which have been experiencing severe declines due to loss of habitat and loss of milkweeds that provide food for their larvae. Land managers across the nation are realizing the potential of roadsides to provide high quality floral resources for the benefit of insects and other wildlife. Current wildflower seed mixes used by state transportation departments are often low diversity and may only be implemented following …

Irt-Based Irrigation Scheduling And Dry Bean Crop Water Productivity Under Different Irrigation Scenarios In The Nebraska High Plains, Angie Gradiz

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Irrigation plays a critical role for crop production in western Nebraska of the United States, where crop evapotranspiration often exceeds in-season precipitation. This study investigated the impacts of different irrigation treatments on yield and key physiological parameters of dry edible beans grown in semi-arid western Nebraska during the 2022-2023 growing seasons. Seven irrigation levels (0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, 100%, 125%, 150%) of the fully irrigated treatment (FIT), were applied using a Variable Rate Irrigation (VRI) Linear-Move Sprinkler System. Additionally, an eighth treatment was scheduled based on measurement from infrared radiometry thermometers (IRT) to evaluate the performance of the two-source energy …

Will Saf Turbocharge The Corn Ethanol Market?, Richard Perrin, Lilyan Fulginiti, Felipe Miranda De Souza Almeida

Cornhusker Economics

The long-run outlook for the corn ethanol industry is questionable, due to a transition to electric and hybrid vehicles. One source of hope for the long run is the potential demand for producing Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). SAF is a key component in the United States Aviation Climate Action Plan, a path to net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the aviation industry by 2050. Demand for ethanol for SAF offers hope to the ethanol industry, but it depends a great deal on policy decisions that are being made now. Here we sketch out this story.

Based on the information available …

Field Research Report: Results From The Enreec Vri Field For The 2021, 2022, And 2023 Crop Seasons, Derek M. Heeren, Ali T. Mohammed, Eric Wilkening, Christopher M. U. Neale, Alan L. Boldt, Ankit Chandra, Precious Nneka Amori, Ivo Z. Goncalves, Yeyin Shi, Guillermo R. Balboa

Department of Biological Systems Engineering: Conference Presentations and White Papers

Long-term irrigation management research has been conducted from 2014 to 2023 for corn and soybean at the Eastern Nebraska Research, Extension, and Education Center (ENREEC) Variable Rate Irrigation (VRI) Field located in subhumid east-central Nebraska (in the Lower Platte North Natural Resources District). The objective of this report was to present the overall results from the VRI Field for 2021 to 2023. Across the three growing seasons, there were the following irrigation treatments: Best Management Practice (BMP), 50% BMP, 125% BMP, rainfed, Spatial ET Modeling Interface (SETMI), SDD1, SDD2, machine-learning-based Cyber-Physical System (CPS), a student team recommended rate, and industry …

Evaluation Of Ndot’S Sediment Barrier Practices Using Performance Data, Michael A. Perez, Wesley N. Donald, J. Blake Whitman, Brian G. Roche

Nebraska Department of Transportation: Research Reports

To protect waterways adjacent to construction projects with disturbed land, a 50 ft (15 m) vegetated buffer or equivalent sediment controls are required. However, there is little guidance on the effectiveness of vegetated buffers in removing sediment or how sediment barriers can aid shorter buffers or replace buffers. A modeling methodology was developed and used to determine the performance of 11,664 50 ft (15 m) vegetated buffer configurations with Nebraska conditions; sediment capture averaged 92.6% and ranged from 18.5% to 99.5%. To determine the performance of Nebraska Department of Transportation standard and modified sediment barrier installations, a large-scale testing methodology …

Adding Value To Crop Production Systems By Integrating Forage Cover Crop Grazing, Robert B. Mitchell, Daren D. Redfearn, Kenneth P. Vogel, Terry J. Klopfenstein, Galen Erickson, P. Steven Baenziger, Bruce E. Anderson, Mary E. Drewnoski, Jay Parsons, Steven D. Masterson, Marty R. Schmer, Virginia L. Jin

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

In addition to their value as cereal grains, wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and triticale (× Triticosecale Wittmack) are important cool-season annual forages and cover crops. Yearling steer (Bos taurus) performance was compared in the spring following autumn establishment as for age cover crops after soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] grain harvest. Replicated pastures (0.4 ha) were no-till seeded in three consecutive years into soybean stubble in autumn, fertilized, and grazed the following spring near Ithaca, Nebraska, USA. Each pasture (n = 3) was continuously stocked in spring with four yearling steers (380 ± 38 kg) for …

Perennializing Marginal Croplands: Going Back To The Future To Mitigate Climate Change With Resilient Biobased Feedstocks, Salvador Ramirez Ii, Marty R. Schmer, Virginia L. Jin, Robert B. Mitchell, Catherine E. Stewart, Jay Parsons, Daren D. Redfearn, John J. Quinn, Gary E. Varvel, Kenneth P. Vogel, Ronald F. Follett

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Managing annual row crops on marginally productive croplands can be environmentally unsustainable and result in variable economic returns. Incorporating perennial bioenergy feedstocks into marginally productive cropland can engender ecosystem services and enhance climate resiliency while also diversifying farm incomes. We use one of the oldest bioenergy-specific field experiments in North America to evaluate economically and environmentally sustainable management practices for growing perennial grasses on marginal cropland. This long-term field trial called 9804 was established in 1998 in eastern Nebraska and compared the productivity and sustainability of corn (Zea mays L.)—both corn grain and corn stover—and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum …

Hop Cone Drying For The Small Grower: Temperature And Airflow Considerations, Stacy A. Adams, David M. Mabie, Michael F. Kocher, David Jones

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Small hop growers without nearby processors for cone stripping and drying must attempt to do so on their own farm. Challenges exist for self-built drying systems, including drying capacity, processing speed, airflow direction, and maintaining quality during drying. Research-based recommendations are given for optimal temperature, sizing of drying vessel, maximum cone depth, and influences associated with airflow on processing uniformity and cone quality are presented.

Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions In Maize No-Till Agroecosystems In Southern Brazil Based On A Long-Term Experiment, Guilherme Rosa Da Silva, Adam J. Liska, Cimelio Bayer

Biological Systems Engineering: Papers and Publications

Brazilian agriculture is constantly questioned concerning its environmental impacts, particularly greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This research study used data from a 34-year field experiment to estimate the life cycle GHG emissions intensity of maize production for grain in farming systems under no-tillage (NT) and conventional tillage (CT) combined with Gramineae (oat) and legume (vetch) cover crops in southern Brazil. We applied the Feedstock Carbon Intensity Calculator for modeling the “field-to-farm gate” emissions with measured annual soil N₂O and CH₄ emissions data. For net CO₂ emissions, increases in soil organic C (SOC) were applied as a proxy, …

Assessing The Morphological And Physiological Traits Of Smooth Brome Pastures Under Long Term Grazing And Nutrient Enrichment In Eastern Nebraska, Hassan Shehab

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Climate change together with the increase in demands for food, feed, fuel, and fiber are becoming a threat to sustainability and resilience of agriculture and pasture lands. Bromus inermis (smooth bromegrass) dominates pastures for cattle grazing in Eastern Nebraska, US, where it is planted in monocultures, and is considered high quality forage because of its palatability and high nutritional value for cattle, especially under intensive management practices. Sustainable management of these pastures is key to long-term resilience. This study aims to assess the performance of smooth bromegrass pastures to the combined effects of long-term management practices (since 2005) of fertilization …

2020-2021 Field Seasons Of Maize Gxe Project Within The Genomes To Fields Initiative, Dayane Cristina Lima, Alejandro Castro Aviles, Ryan Timothy Alpers, Alden Perkins, Dylan L. Schoemaker, Martin Costa, Kathryn J. Michel, Shawn Kaeppler, David Ertl, Maria Cinta Romay, Joseph L. Gage, James Holland, Timothy Beissinger, Martin Bohn, Edward Buckler, Jode Edwards, Sherry Flint-Garcia, Michael A. Gore, Candice N. Hirsch, Joseph E. Knoll, John Mckay, Richard Minyo, Seth C. Murray, James Schnable, Rajandeep S. Sekhon, Maninder P. Singh, Erin E. Sparks, Peter Thomison, Addie Thompson, Mitchell Tuinstra, Jason Wallace, Jacob D. Washburn, Teclemariam Weldekidan, Wenwei Xu, Natalia De Leon

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Objectives: This release note describes the Maize GxE project datasets within the Genomes to Fields (G2F) Initiative. The Maize GxE project aims to understand genotype by environment (GxE) interactions and use the information collected to improve resource allocation efficiency and increase genotype predictability and stability, particularly in scenarios of variable environmental patterns. Hybrids and inbreds are evaluated across multiple environments and phenotypic, genotypic, environmental, and metadata information are made publicly available. Data description: The datasets include phenotypic data of the hybrids and inbreds evaluated in 30 locations across the US and one location in Germany in 2020 and 2021, soil …

Responses Of Maize To Different Irrigation Regimes In Semi-Arid Western Nebraska, Swathi Palle

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

As the “Cornhusker State”, Maize (Zea mays) is an important crop in Nebraska. However, farmers in the state are challenged by unstable supply of surface water and limited groundwater resources. A better understanding of maize's response to water stress that occurs at different growth stages can help implement the best irrigation practices that conserve water while maintaining yields. In this study, we conducted field experiments at the Panhandle Research, Extension, and Education Center to compare the responses of maize to eight irrigation treatments which included both limited and deficit irrigation regimes during 2022 and 2023 growing seasons. Specifically, …

Unraveling The Tapestry Of Indigenous Maize In North America: A Case Study Of Pawnee Ancestral Maize, Kahheetah Barnoskie

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Studies on Indigenous ancestral landrace maize in North America has significant historical and scientific importance. Indigenous peoples, such as the Pawnee people, have been cultivating maize for thousands of years, resulting in diverse varieties adapted to their local environments. This study aims to deepen the knowledge of Indigenous maize by examining specific varieties from the Pawnee, including a comparative analysis of the genetic makeup through DNA sequencing. This study used Genotyping by Target Sequencing (GBTS) method to examine the genetic variation and characteristics among the multiple varieties the Pawnee people once grew historically, providing valuable information about the evolutionary history …

Evaluation Of Vegetative Indices To Determine Canopy Ground Cover For Winter Survival And Hybrid Necrosis In Winter Wheat, Micheal Young

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The benefit of unmanned aircraft systems and image processing methods in agronomic research across numerous crops has been well documented as has the importance of wheat, Triticum aestivum L., on the global food supply. Hence there is great interest in digital solutions applied to aspects of wheat breeding. A major trait of importance to winter wheat breeders in higher latitudes is winter survival, which can result in poor yield and performance if lines do not survive extreme cold. Scoring winter survival is most commonly based on visual score of 0% to 100% with the higher percentage conveying higher winter survival …

High Throughput Phenotyping: Field Based Triticale Breeding And Educational Resource Impact, Catherine Kay Mick

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Triticale (Triticosecale) is a multifunctional hybrid cereal crop that adopted the hardiness of rye and wheat's high-yielding and nutritional qualities. Plant breeding programs work to improve the quality and number of varieties available to producers through multiple rounds of evaluation and selection. However, traditional phenotyping methods are labor-intensive, time-consuming, and destructive, creating a phenotyping bottleneck. Remote sensing using unmanned aerial systems has the potential to alleviate this issue and change the evaluation of phenotypes in a breeding. Demand for educational resources to advance public awareness and prepare the workforce has increased with the utilization of more technology in …

Does Selection For Seedling Tiller Number In Perennial Biomass Feedstocks Translate To Yield And Quality Improvements In Mature Swards?, Robert B. Mitchell, Kenneth P. Vogel, Susan Tunnell, James Stubbendieck

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Breeding for seedling traits in herbaceous perennial biomass feedstocks that translate into increased biomass yield or quality in established swards could accelerate the development of perennial grass cultivars for bioenergy or forage. In previously reported research, breeding for single large tillers (ST) or multiple tillers (MT, ≥3) six weeks after planting for two generations in big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii Vitman) and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) base populations produced ST and MT populations that differed significantly for seedling and mature plant traits including biomass yield in spaced planted nurseries. Our objective was to evaluate these ST and MT populations in sward …

Genetic Analysis Of Basal Stalk Rot Resistance Introgressed From Wild Helianthus Petiolaris Into Cultivated Sunflower (Helianthus Annuus L.) Using An Advanced Backcross Population, Zahirul I. Talukder, William Underwood, Christopher G. Misar, Xuehui Li, Gerald J. Seiler, Xiwen Cai, Lili Qi

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Introduction: Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is a serious pathogen causing severe basal stalk rot (BSR) disease on cultivated sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) that leads to significant yield losses due to insufficient resistance. The wild annual sunflower species H. petiolaris, commonly known as prairie sunflower is known for its resistance against this pathogen. Sunflower resistance to BSR is quantitative and determined by many genes with small effects on the resistance phenotype. The objective of this study was to identify loci governing BSR resistance derived from H. petiolaris using a quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping approach.

Methods: BSR …

Effects Of Rootstock And Location On Open Field ‘Bhn 589’ And ‘Nebraska Wedding’ Grafted Tomato Yield, Raihanah H. Shonerd, Ashley A. Thompson, Samuel E. Wortman

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Grafted tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) production is popular, particularly in high tunnels, because grafted plants can mitigate soilborne disease incidence in highly infested soils and increase water and nutrient use efficiency and crop yield and quality. However, these potential benefits are not as well documented in open field production systems with less disease pressure. The objective of this study was to quantify the effect of tomato grafting on fruit yield, number, and size across 2 years (2018 and 2019) and three diverse open-field production environments in Nebraska (Lincoln, North Platte, and Dwight). At each location, a scion from one …

Evaluation Of Land Preparation Methods For Soil Stabilization, Revegetation, And Renewed Productivity In Semi-Arid Climates, Jarrett Lardy, North Dakota State University, Miranda Meehan, Aaron L. M. Daigh, James Staricka, Nathan Derby

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

In the Williston Basin, land-preparation treatments have not been compared in side-by-side trials to evaluate performance for parameters such as runoff, erosion, and vegetation establishment. Thus, four treatments of wheat-straw crimping, land imprinting, wood-fiber hydromulch, and the combination of land imprinting and hydromulch were evaluated against a bare soil control in a replicated and randomized completed block field experiment near Williston, ND. Rainfall simulations were performed in September 2020 and June 2021 to examine the effectiveness of the treatments to reduce runoff and sediment losses. Vegetation establishment was also evaluated in August 2021. The wheat straw treatment reduced the equivalent …

Deleterious Mutations Predicted In The Sorghum (Sorghum Bicolor) Maturity (Ma) And Dwarf (Dw) Genes From Whole‑Genome Resequencing, Nathan P. Grant, John J. Toy, Deanna L. Funnell, Scott E. Sattler

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

In sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] the Maturity (Ma1, Ma2, Ma3, Ma4, Ma5, Ma6) and Dwarf (Dw1, Dw2, Dw3, Dw4) loci, encode genes controlling flowering time and plant height, respectively, which are critical for designing sorghum ideotypes for a maturity timeframe and a harvest method. Publicly available whole-genome resequencing data from 860 sorghum accessions was analyzed in silico to identify genomic variants at 8 of these loci (Ma1, Ma2, Ma3, Ma5, Ma6, Dw1, Dw2, Dw3) to identify novel loss …

Optimizing Crop Productivity And Fertility Practices In Intermediate Wheatgrass, Roberta Bianchin Rebesquini

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The intensive management associated with many annual crops often includes recurring tillage, fertilization, and pesticide applications, which contribute to environmental concerns such as water pollution and soil erosion. Intermediate wheatgrass (Thinopyrum intermedium), recognized under the trade name Kernza®, is a perennial grass that can be managed to produce grain and biomass while providing desired environmental benefits such as soil conservation and nutrient cycling. There has been limited research on best management practices and crop productivity for this alternative dual-use crop in Nebraska. A field experiment was conducted beginning in 2021 to assess nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) management …

Did Cover Crop Or Animal Manure Ameliorate Corn Residue Removal Effects On Soil Mechanical Properties After 10 Years?, Hans W. Klopp, Humberto Blanco-Canqui, Michael Sindelar, Virginia L. Jin, Marty R. Schmer, Richard B. Ferguson

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Crop residue removal may negatively affect soil mechanical properties, which are key components of soil quality. To evaluate potential long-term effects, we assessed the 10-yr impact of corn (Zea mays L.) residue removal (59 % of non-grain biomass annually) on surface soil mechanical properties (0–20 cm). We also evaluated whether adding carbon (C) amendments, such as using a winter rye (Secale cereale L.) cover crop or surface-applying cattle manure (24 Mg ha− 1 biannually) can ameliorate the effects of crop residue removal. This long-term study was under irrigated no-till continuous corn on a silt loam soil in south-central …

Is Climate Change Causing The Range Contraction Of Cape Rock-Jumpers (Chaetops Frenatus)?, Gregory D. Duckworth, Raquel A. Garcia, Rheinhardt Scholtz, Res Altwegg

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Species distribution models often suggest strong links between climate and species' distribution boundaries and project large distribution shifts in response to climate change. However, attributing distribution shifts to climate change requires more than correlative models. One idea is to examine correlates of the processes that cause distribution shifts, namely colonization and local extinction, by using dynamic occupancy models. The Cape Rock-jumper (Chaetops frenatus) has disappeared over most of its distribution where temperatures are the highest. We used dynamic occupancy models to analyse Cape Rock-jumper distribution with respect to climate (mean temperature and precipitation over the warmest annual quarter), …

Dicamba Off-Target Movement From Applications On Soybeans At Two Growth Stages, Greg R. Kruger, Guilherme S. Alves, Kasey Schroeder, Jeffrey A. Golus, Daniel B. Reynolds, Darrin M. Dodds, Ashli E. Brown, Bradley K. Fritz, Wesley C. Hoffmann

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

The objective of this study was to evaluate dicamba off-target movement during and after applications over soybean at two growth stages. Dicamba-tolerant soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] at V3 and R1 growth stages in Nebraska and Mississippi fields were treated with diglycolamine salt of dicamba (560 g ae ha⁻¹), potassium salt of glyphosate (1260 g ae ha⁻¹), and a drift-reducing adjuvant (0.5% v v⁻¹). Filter papers positioned outside the sprayed area were used to determine primary movement and air samplers positioned at the center of sprayed area were used to calculate dicamba flux …

A Follow-Up Survey To Assess Stakeholders’ Perspectives On Weed Management Challenges And Current Practices In Nebraska, Usa, Shawn T. Mcdonald, Debalin Sarangi, Jennifer M. Rees, Amit J. Jhala

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Stakeholders across the state of Nebraska, USA, were surveyed in 2019–2020 to assess problem weeds and weed management practices in agronomic crops. A total of 420 complete responses were obtained across four Nebraska districts (Northeast, Panhandle, Southeast, and West Central). Accumulated across the state, 65.5% of farmed or scouted crop ground in Nebraska was under no-till production, with the major crops being corn and soybean representing 39.3% and 30.7% of agronomic crop production area, respectively. Palmer amaranth, horseweed, waterhemp, kochia, and giant ragweed were ranked the most problematic weeds. In a 2014–2015 survey, Palmer amaranth was the sixth most problematic …

The Evolving Definition Of Plant Cell Type, Sahand Amini, Jeffrey J. Doyle, Marc Libault

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

In 1665 Robert Hooke, looking at cork through his microscope, discovered that plants are composed of elementary structures he named “cells”. Variation in the expression of a single genome in a complex eukaryotic organism guides the initiation, maturation, physiology, and biochemistry of cells with different shapes and sizes, playing different structural and functional roles in space and time. How many kinds of cells—”cell types”— an organism possesses of course depends on the organism’s cellular complexity, but the plasticity within a cell type fuels the emergence of the concept of cell state (Figure 1). The transition between cell states is driven …

Shortening Harvest Interval, Reaping Benefits? A Study On Harvest Practices In Oil Palm Smallholder Farming Systems In Indonesia, Rosanne E. De Vos, Lisa Nurfalah, Fatima A. Tenorio, Ya Li Lim, Juan Pablo Monzon, Christopher R. Donough, Hendra Sugianto, Asri A. Dwiyahreni, Nurul L. Winarni, Nadia Mulani, Gilang Ramadhan, Muhammad Ali Imran, Antonius P. Tito, Pandu Sulistiawan, Muhammad Khoirul, Rana Farrasati, Iput Pradiko, Patricio Grassini, Maja Slingerland

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

CONTEXT: Smallholders are responsible for a large share of global palm oil production. Yet, in Indonesia, the main palm oil producing country, smallholders’ yields remain low. Better management practices, including short harvest interval (HI, the number of days between two harvest rounds), could help to raise smallholder yields. However, at present, HI is long in smallholder fields and the drivers underlying this phenomenon are poorly understood.

OBJECTIVE: We explored agronomic, socio-economic, and institutional factors that underlie harvesting practices in independent oil palm smallholder farming systems in Indonesia to assess scope for sustainable intensification through shorter HI and reduced …