Abstract
Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) is the single most important agricultural industry in Fiji and occupies half of the nation's cropped area while supporting 25% of the labour force. However, the industry is facing comprehensive challenges across the supply chain, underlain by declining productivity and changing climate. The purposes of this study were to: (1) use model simulation to determine the potential of conservation agriculture (CA) practices to narrow yield gaps in sugarcane production systems under historical and projected climates in a case study; (2) identify and rank candidate practices that would contribute to narrowing such yield gaps; and (3) identify the limitations of the modelling approach and make recommendations for improving it. We simulated nine scenarios of CA practices with potential to reduce the estimated yield gap (55 Mg ha-1) by increasing nitrogen (N) fertiliser rates (30 Mg ha−1), liming (25 Mg ha−1), improved weed control (5–9 Mg ha−1), replacing uncropped fallow with legume crops (2–3 Mg ha−1), crop cycle duration (0 Mg ha−1), and retaining crop residues (−2 Mg ha−1). The yield benefit of CA practices was similar under projected climates that were warmer and wetter or drier, or hotter and wetter. For a projected climate that was hotter and drier, the greatest yield benefit was obtained from liming, weed control, and retaining crop residues. The study was limited by the availability of daily weather data, and it would be complemented by additional studies incorporating more local crops, evaluation of barriers to mechanisation needed to implement new practices, and economic assessment of scenarios.
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Claims 12
Claim · model-written summary
The estimated sugarcane yield gap was 55 Mg ha-1.
Verbatim
e0“estimated yield gap (55 Mg ha-1)”
t0“sugar industry”
e1“Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Increased nitrogen fertiliser rate reduced the simulated yield gap by 30 Mg ha−1.
- Taxon
- Sugarcanee1
- Treatment
- increasing nitrogen (N) fertiliser ratese0
- Outcome
- yield gape0
- Direction
- reducee0
- Value
- 30 Mg ha−1e0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“reduce the estimated yield gap (55 Mg ha-1) by increasing nitrogen (N) fertiliser rates (30 Mg ha−1)”
e1“Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Liming reduced the simulated yield gap by 25 Mg ha−1.
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“reduce the estimated yield gap (55 Mg ha-1) by increasing nitrogen (N) fertiliser rates (30 Mg ha−1), liming (25 Mg ha−1)”
e1“Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Improved weed control reduced the simulated yield gap by 5–9 Mg ha−1.
- Taxon
- Sugarcanee1
- Treatment
- improved weed controle0
- Interactor
- weede0weed
- Outcome
- yield gape0
- Direction
- reducee0
- Value
- 5–9 Mg ha−1e0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“reduce the estimated yield gap (55 Mg ha-1) by increasing nitrogen (N) fertiliser rates (30 Mg ha−1), liming (25 Mg ha−1), improved weed control (5–9 Mg ha−1)”
e1“Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Replacing uncropped fallow with legume crops reduced the simulated yield gap by 2–3 Mg ha−1.
- Taxon
- Sugarcanee1
- Treatment
- replacing uncropped fallow with legume cropse0
- Outcome
- yield gape0
- Direction
- reducee0
- Value
- 2–3 Mg ha−1e0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“reduce the estimated yield gap (55 Mg ha-1) by increasing nitrogen (N) fertiliser rates (30 Mg ha−1), liming (25 Mg ha−1), improved weed control (5–9 Mg ha−1), replacing uncropped fallow with legume crops (2–3 Mg ha−1)”
e1“Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Changing crop cycle duration produced no simulated yield gap gain.
- Taxon
- Sugarcanee2
- Treatment
- crop cycle duratione0
- Outcome
- yield gape1
- Direction
- no_changeinferrede0
- Value
- 0 Mg ha−1e0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“crop cycle duration (0 Mg ha−1)”
e1“estimated yield gap”
e2“Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Retaining crop residues worsened the simulated yield gap by −2 Mg ha−1.
- Taxon
- Sugarcanee2
- Treatment
- retaining crop residuese0
- Outcome
- yield gape1
- Direction
- increaseinferrede0
- Value
- −2 Mg ha−1e0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“retaining crop residues (−2 Mg ha−1)”
e1“estimated yield gap”
e2“Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Yield benefit from conservation practices was similar across projected warmer and wetter or drier, and hotter and wetter climates.
Verbatim
e0“The yield benefit of CA practices was similar under projected climates that were warmer and wetter or drier, or hotter and wetter”
e1“Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Liming gave one of the greatest projected yield benefits under a hotter and drier climate.
- Taxon
- Sugarcanee1
- Treatment
- liminge0
- Outcome
- yield benefite0
- Direction
- greateste0
- Qualifier
- projected climate that was hotter and driere0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“For a projected climate that was hotter and drier, the greatest yield benefit was obtained from liming, weed control, and retaining crop residues”
e1“Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Weed control gave one of the greatest projected yield benefits under a hotter and drier climate.
- Taxon
- Sugarcanee1
- Treatment
- weed controle0
- Interactor
- weede0weed
- Outcome
- yield benefite0
- Direction
- greateste0
- Qualifier
- projected climate that was hotter and driere0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“For a projected climate that was hotter and drier, the greatest yield benefit was obtained from liming, weed control, and retaining crop residues”
e1“Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Retaining crop residues gave one of the greatest projected yield benefits under a hotter and drier climate.
- Taxon
- Sugarcanee1
- Treatment
- retaining crop residuese0
- Outcome
- yield benefite0
- Direction
- greateste0
- Qualifier
- projected climate that was hotter and driere0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“For a projected climate that was hotter and drier, the greatest yield benefit was obtained from liming, weed control, and retaining crop residues”
e1“Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Daily weather data availability limited the modelling study.
Not reportedComparatorValue
Schema note from the model: Method limitation lacks an explicit comparator or value.
Verbatim
e0“The study was limited by the availability of daily weather data”
e1“Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.)”
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