Please wait a minute...
Journal of Integrative Agriculture  2019, Vol. 18 Issue (8): 1714-1725    DOI: 10.1016/S2095-3119(18)62098-2
Special Focus: Science and Technology Backyard Advanced Online Publication | Current Issue | Archive | Adv Search |
Correlation of production constraints with the yield gap of apple cropping systems in Luochuan County, China
 
1 College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, P.R.China#br# 2 Key Laboratory of Plant-Soil Interactions, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100193, P.R.China#br# 3 Beijing Key Laboratory of Biodiversity and Organic Farming, Beijing 100193, P.R.China
Download:  PDF in ScienceDirect  
Export:  BibTeX | EndNote (RIS)      
Abstract  
Apple occupies a dominant position in fruit production globally, and has become the main income source of local smallholder farmers in Luochuan County in the Loess Plateau area, one of the largest apple production areas in China.  However, the annual productivity of apple orchards in this region remains low and has gradually declined over the years.  The distinction and correlation of production constraints can contribute to the promotion of apple orchard productivity and the development of a sustainable orchard system.  In the present study, survey data from 71 smallholder farmers were analyzed using a yield gap model to distinguish the production constraints and determine their correlation with the yield gap based on the structural equation model (SEM).  The results indicated that the average apple yield in Luochuan County was 29.9 t ha–1 yr–1, while the attainable yield (Yatt; the highest yield obtained from the on-farm surveys) was 58.1 t ha–1 yr–1.  The average explained and unexplainable yield gaps were 26.3 and 1.87 t ha–1 yr–1.  According to the boundary line analysis, crop load, number of sprayings and base fertilizer N were the top three constraints on apple production in 9.8, 7.8 and 7.8% of the plots, respectively.  Among the production constraints, crop load and fruit weight affected apple yield through direct pathways, whereas other constraints influenced apple yield through an indirect pathway based on the SEM, explaining 51% of the yield variance by all the main production constraints.  These results can improve the current understanding of production constraints and contribute to the development of management strategies and policies for improving apple yield.
Keywords:  smallholder farmer        boundary line analysis        structural equation model (SEM)        crop loadf        ertilization        tree performance  
Received: 12 June 2018   Accepted:
Fund: This work was funded by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2016YFD0201137 and 2016YFE0101100) and the Innovative Group Grant of the National Science Foundation of China (31421092).
Corresponding Authors:  Correspondence WANG Chong, Tel: +86-10-62734710, Fax: +86-10-62731016, E-mail: wangchong@cau.edu.cn   
About author:  ZHANG Dong, E-mail: dongzhcau@126.com;

Cite this article: 

ZHANG Dong, WANG Chong, LI Xiao-lin, YANG Xiu-shan, ZHAO Lu-bang, XIA Shao-jie . 2019. Correlation of production constraints with the yield gap of apple cropping systems in Luochuan County, China. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 18(8): 1714-1725.

Chen Y X, Wen X X, Sun Y L, Zhang J H, Wu W, Liao Y C. 2014. Mulching practices altered soil bacterial community structure and improved orchard productivity and apple quality after five growing seasons. Scientia Horticulturae, 172, 248–257.
Choi H S, Rom C R, Gu M. 2011. Effects of different organic apple production systems on seasonal nutrient variations of soil and leaf. Scientia Horticulturae, 129, 9–17.
Das B, Ahmad N, Srivastava K K, Ranjan P. 2011. Top working method and bloom density of pollinizers as productive determinant for spur type apple (Malus×domestica Borkh.) cultivars. Scientia Horticulturae, 129, 642–648.
Delgado-Baquerizo M, Reich P B, Khachane A N, Campbell C D, Thomas N, Freitag T E, Abu Al-Soud W, Sorensen S, Bardgett R D, Singh B K. 2017. It is elemental: Soil nutrient stoichiometry drives bacterial diversity. Environmental Microbiology, 19, 1176–1188.
FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization). 2017. Online statistical database: Crop. FAOSTAT. [2017-12-02]. http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data
Fermont A M, Van Asten P J A, Tittonell P, Van Wijk M T, Giller K E. 2009. Closing the cassava yield gap: An analysis from smallholder farms in East Africa. Field Crops Research, 112, 24–36.
Gao L B, Xu H S, Bi H X, Xi W M, Bao B, Wang X Y, Bi C, Chang Y F. 2013. Intercropping competition between apple trees and crops in agroforestry systems on the Loess Plateau of China. PLoS ONE, 8, e70739.
Gjamovski V, Kiprijanovski M. 2011. Influence of nine dwarfing apple rootstocks on vigour and productivity of apple cultivar ‘Granny Smith’. Scientia Horticulturae, 129, 742–746.
Holb I J, Dremak P, Bitskey K, Gonda I. 2012. Yield response, pest damage and fruit quality parameters of scab-resistant and scab-susceptible apple cultivars in integrated and organic production systems. Scientia Horticulturae, 145, 109–117.
Van Ittersum M K, Cassman K G, Grassini P, Wolf J, Tittonell P, Hochman Z. 2013. Yield gap analysis with local to global relevance - A review. Field Crops Research, 143, 4–17.
Jung S K, Choi H S. 2010. Light penetration, growth, and fruit productivity in ‘Fuji’ apple trees trained to four growing systems. Scientia Horticulturae, 125, 672–678.
Kumar P, Suman S, Spehia R S, Kumar V, Kaith N S. 2016. Studies on method and rate of fertilizer application in apple under mulch in north-western Himalayas. Journal of Plant Nutrition, 39, 219–226.
Laurent A S, Merwin I A, Thies J E. 2008. Long-term orchard groundcover management systems affect soil microbial communities and apple replant disease severity. Plant and Soil, 304, 209–225.
Li X L, Zhang J L, Gai J P, Cai X, Christie P, Li X L. 2015. Contribution of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi of sedges to soil aggregation along an altitudinal alpine grassland gradient on the Tibetan Plateau. Environmental Microbiology, 17, 2841–2857.
Von Liebig J. 1840. Chemistry in its Application to Agriculture and Physiology. Taylor and Walton, London.
Liu C, Han M, Zhang L. 2008. Effects of fertilize application at early summer on growth, yield and quality of Fuji apple in Weibei Highland. Agricultural Research in the Arid Areas, 26, 62–66.
Meyer A H, Wooldridge J, Dames J F. 2015. Effect of conventional and organic orchard floor management practices on enzyme activities and microbial counts in a ‘Cripp’s Pink’/M7 apple orchard. South African Journal of Plant and Soil, 32, 105–112.
Milic B, Cabilovski R, Keserovic Z, Manojlovic M, Magazin N, Doric M. 2012. Nitrogen fertilization and chemical thinning with 6-benzyladenine affect fruit set and quality of golden delicious apples. Scientia Horticulturae, 140, 81–86.
Milosevic T, Milosevic N. 2015. Apple fruit quality, yield and leaf macronutrients content as affected by fertilizer treatment. Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, 15, 76–83.
Murtaza G, Thapa G B, 2015. Determinants of yield gap in small-scale apple farms in Balochistan, Pakistan. Journal of Crop Improvement, 29, 196–227.
Pramanick K K, Kishore D K, Singh R, Kumar J. 2012. Performance of apple (Malus×domestica Borkh) cv. Red Spur on a new apple rootstock in high density planting. Scientia Horticulturae, 133, 37–39.
Qian X, Gu J, Pan H J, Zhang K Y, Sun W, Wang X J, Gao H. 2015. Effects of living mulches on the soil nutrient contents, enzyme activities, and bacterial community diversities of apple orchard soils. European Journal of Soil Biology, 70, 23–30.
Reganold J P, Glover J D, Andrews P K, Hinman H R. 2001. Sustainability of three apple production systems. Nature, 410, 926–930.
Schnug E, Heym J, Achwan F. 1996. Establishing critical values for soil and plant analysis by means of the boundary line development system (BOLIDES). Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis, 27, 2739–2748.
Suo G D, Xie Y S, Zhang Y, Cai M Y, Wang X S, Chuai J F. 2016. Crop load management (CLM) for sustainable apple production in China. Scientia Horticulturae, 211, 213–219.
Tessmer M A, Appezzato-Da-Glória B, Antoniolli L R. 2016. Influence of growing sites and physicochemical features on the incidence of lenticel breakdown in ‘Gala’ and ‘Galaxy’ apples. Scientia Horticulturae, 205, 119–126.
Tittonell P, Giller K E. 2013. When yield gaps are poverty traps: The paradigm of ecological intensification in African smallholder agriculture. Field Crops Research, 143, 76–90.
Vandeplas I, Vanlauwe B, Driessens L, Merckx R, Deckers J. 2010. Reducing labour and input costs in soybean production by smallholder farmers in south-western Kenya. Field Crops Research, 117, 70–80.
Wairegi L W I, Van Asten P J A, Tenywa M M, Bekunda M A. 2010. Abiotic constraints override biotic constraints in East African highland banana systems. Field Crops Research, 117, 146–153.
Wang G Y, Zhang X Z, Wang Y, Xu X F, Han Z H. 2015. Key minerals influencing apple quality in Chinese orchard identified by nutritional diagnosis of leaf and soil analysis. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 14, 864–874.
Wang N, Jassogne L, Van Asten P J A, Mukasa D, Wanyama I, Kagezi G, Giller K E. 2015. Evaluating coffee yield gaps and important biotic, abiotic, and management factors limiting coffee production in Uganda. European Journal of Agronomy, 63, 1–11.
Wang N, Joost W, Zhang F S. 2016. Towards sustainable intensification of apple production in China - Yield gaps and nutrient use efficiency in apple farming systems. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 15, 716–725.
Wooldridge J, Fourie J, Joubert M E. 2013. Effects of soil surface management practices on soil and tree parameters in a ‘Cripps Pink’/M7 apple orchard 2. Tree performance and root distribution. South African Journal of Plant and Soil, 30, 171–177.
Yang X S, Zhao L B, Zhang D, Wang C, Qu J T. 2017. The status of fertilization management and recommendation in apple orchard in Luochuan County. Shaanxi Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 63, 61–63. (in Chinese)
Yuri J A, Gonzalez Talice J, Verdugo J, Del Pozo A. 2011a. Responses of fruit growth, quality, and productivity to crop load in apple cv. Ultra Red Gala/MM111. Scientia Horticulturae, 127, 305–312.
Yuri J A, Ibarra-Romero M, Vasquez J L, Lepe V, Gonzalez-Talice J, Del Pozo A. 2011b. Reduction of apple tree height (Malus domestica Borkh.) cv. Ultra Red Gala/MM111 does not decrease fruit yield and quality. Scientia Horticulturae, 130, 191–196.
Zhang Y J, Guo S L, Liu Q F, Jiang J S, Wang R, Li N N. 2015. Responses of soil respiration to land use conversions in degraded ecosystem of the semi-arid Loess Plateau. Ecological Engineering, 74, 196–205.
Zheng W, Li Y G, Gong Q L, Zhang H Q, Zhao Z Y, Zheng Z X, Zhai B N, Wang Z H. 2016. Improving yield and water use efficiency of apple trees through intercrop-mulch of crown vetch (Coronilla varia L.) combined with different fertilizer treatments in the Loess Plateau. Spanish Journal of Agricultural Research, 14, e1207.
Zoppolo R J, Stefanelli D, Bird G W, Perry R L. 2011. Soil properties under different orchard floor management systems for organic apple production. Organic Agriculture, 1, 231–246.
 
[1] NIU Kunyu, GUO Hui, LIU Jing. Can food security and low carbon be achieved simultaneously? —An empirical analysis of the mechanisms influencing the carbon footprint of potato and corn cultivation in irrigation areas[J]. >Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 2023, 22(4): 1230-1243.
[2] ZHENG Yang-yang, ZHU Tie-hui, JIA Wei. Does Internet use promote the adoption of agricultural technology?  Evidence from 1 449 farm households in 14 Chinese provinces[J]. >Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 2022, 21(1): 282-292.
[3] JIAO Xiao-qiang, ZHANG Hong-yan, MA Wen-qi, WANG Chong, LI Xiao-lin, ZHANG Fu-suo. Science and Technology Backyard: A novel approach to empower smallholder farmers for sustainable intensification of agriculture in China[J]. >Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 2019, 18(8): 1657-1666.
[4] CHEN Guang-feng, CAO Hong-zhu, CHEN Dong-dong, ZHANG Ling-bo, ZHAO Wei-li, ZHANG Yu, MA Wen-qi, JIANG Rong-feng, ZHANG Hong-yan, ZHANG Fu-suo. Developing sustainable summer maize production for smallholder farmers in the North China Plain: An agronomic diagnosis method[J]. >Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 2019, 18(8): 1667-1679.
[5] ZHANG Dong, WANG Chong, LI Xiao-lin. Yield gap and production constraints of mango (Mangifera indica) cropping systems in Tianyang County, China[J]. >Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 2019, 18(8): 1726-1736.
No Suggested Reading articles found!