Francesca Beggi

Institute of Bioinformatics

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Co-Authors

Andreas Buerkert

University of Kassel

C. Tom Hash

International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics

Natalia Estrada-Carmona

CGIAR

Hamidou Falalou

Abdou Moumouni University

Vincent Vadez

International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics

Fabrice DeClerck

Alliance Bioversity International - CIAT

Roseline Remans

Alliance Bioversity International - CIAT

Dorcus C. Gemenet

International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center

Céline Termote

International Center for Tropical Agriculture

ÉH

Étienne Hainzelin

Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement

Cooperative Institutions

Alliance Bioversity International - CIAT

Bioversity International

International Center for Tropical Agriculture

Agropolis International

CGIAR

International Center for Tropical Agriculture

International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics

Institut Agro Montpellier

University of Hohenheim

World Agroforestry Centre

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Papers

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Belowground carbon allocation by trees, understory vegetation and soil type alter microbial community composition and nutrient cycling in tropical Eucalyptus plantations

Soil Biology and Biochemistry (2014)

Rajasekaran Murugan Francesca Beggi Sanjay Kumar

Understory

Girdling

Nutrient cycle

Cycling

10.1016/j.soilbio.2014.05.022

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Citations (46)

Using biodiversity to provide multiple services in sustainable farming systems

Simon Attwood Natalia Estrada-Carmona Fabrice DeClerck Stephen A. Wood Francesca Beggi

Source

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Citations (3)

DUS(Soil)—A Framework for Developing a Minimum Data Set of Soil Health Indicators and Management Guidelines for Farmers

Journal of Agricultural Science (2021)

P. M. Govindakrishnan A. N. Ganeshamurthy N. K. Krishna Kumar Francesca Beggi Sajith Bhaskar

Soil health information is still not widely used in decision making in agriculture. One of the reasons is the lack of a simple and effective method for selection of soil health indicators that have direct relevance to management decisions. A framework for soil health indicators selection and developing location-specific management practices that improve soil health are presented. The framework involves selection of a minimum data set of soil health indicators based on ‘DUS(Soil)’ criteria. In this framework ‘D’ represents Distinctness (indicators representing distinct functional soil processes), ‘U’ represents Utility (amenability for amelioration of the status of the indicator or altering its impact through management practices) and ‘S’ represents Simplicity (amenability for measurement in the field/small laboratories using simple protocols). This study also outlines a method for developing management guidelines for farmers based on the status of the selected soil health indicators. This involved classifying the status of each of the indicators into three classes. Thereafter, taking cognizance of the agroecological context, suitable field management schedules were developed for each class of the indicators, based on literature and local expert knowledge. The use of this framework was demonstrated by developing management guidelines for a coarse textured soil with optimum pH, low soil carbon, poor in water stable aggregates (highly slaking), optimum porosity and poor in soil macro fauna in Mandla district, Madhya Pradesh, India. The study showed that the framework is flexible, generic as well as simple and is useful to develop site-specific management guidelines logically, to overcome the soil quality constraints.

Soil Management

10.5539/jas.v14n1p41

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Research strategies to catalyze agroecological transitions in low- and middle-income countries

Sustainability Science (2022)

Sarah K. Jones N. Bergamini Francesca Beggi Didier Lesueur Barbara Vinceti

Abstract Governments are updating national strategies to meet global goals on biodiversity, climate change and food systems proposed in the Convention on Biological Diversity post-2020 framework and agreed at the United Nation’s Climate Change Conference (COP26) and Food Systems Summit (UNFSS). This represents a unique and crucial opportunity to integrate and accelerate food system actions to tackle interconnected global challenges. In this context, agroecology is a game-changing approach that can provide the world’s growing population with nutritious, healthy affordable food, ensure fair incomes to farmers and halt and reverse the degradation of the natural environment. Here, we explore agroecological transition pathways in four case studies from low- and middle- income countries and identify catalysts for change. We find that enabling policy and market environments, participatory action research and local socio-technical support each plays a critical role in stimulating transitions towards agroecology. We propose strategies and priorities for research to better support agroecological transitions using these catalysts of change as entry points. Engagement of governments, private sector, civil society, farmers and farm workers in this research agenda is essential.

Agroecology

Summit

10.1007/s11625-022-01163-6

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Citations (13)

Effects of phosphorus and water stress on shoot and root growth and on mycorrhization of different pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.) varieties from West Africa

Francesca Beggi

This thesis was prepared within the research project “Tackling abiotic production constraints in pearl millet and sorghum-based agricultural systems in the West African Sahel” funded by Bundesministerium fur wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung (BMZ)and implemented by International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT).

Pennisetum

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Citations (2)

Ammonium fertilization increases pearl millet yield by promoting early root growth, higher tillering, and water use during grain filling in a low P Sahelian soil

Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science (2020)

Francesca Beggi Vincent Vadez Andreas Buerkert

Abstract Background : Adaptation of pearl millet [ Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.] to low soil phosphorus (P) at early seedling stages and efficient P fertilizer application are crucial for its survival in the West African Sahel. While addition of to P in the microdose technique has been reported to stimulate early growth of pearl millet, there is little information regarding root length (RL) at different timings. Aims : Our study aimed at assessing the effects of added and to P on (1) pearl millet agronomic traits such as root and shoot growth and (2) the water use dynamics during the cropping cycle. Methods : Twenty‐four “RhizoTubes” filled with P‐deficient soil were used to grow pearl millet under three treatments: (T1) placed P addition alone at 0.4 g per seed hole, P placed , (T2) P placed + , and (T3) P placed + . At 2, 3, 4, and 5 weeks after sowing (WAS) we took non‐destructive measurements of RL. Water use (transpiration) was measured from 3.5 to 9 WAS. Results : At early growth, roots in the topsoil of T2 were longer than T3 and T1 roots (at 4 WAS: 129.3 cm for T2, 87.5 cm for T3, and 93.3 cm for T1, p < 0.05). Total RL at 2 WAS correlated positively with seedling height and final grain yield. Fertilization with reduced the time to flowering and increased the number of tillers and grain yield, whereas addition of increased vegetative dry matter at harvest and water use efficiency. Conclusions : Our findings suggest that fertilization with plays a critical root stimulating role at early growth stages, seemingly by increasing lateral root initiation, which carries through to a larger water use during grain filling and higher grain yield.

Pennisetum

10.1002/jpln.202000347

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Tolerant pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.) varieties to low soil P have higher transpiration efficiency and lower flowering delay than sensitive ones

Plant and Soil (2014)

Francesca Beggi Hamidou Falalou Andreas Buerkert Vincent Vadez

In the West African Sahel low soil phosphorus (P) and unpredictable rainfall are major interacting constraints to growth and grain yield of pearl millet. Investigating the relationship between transpiration and final yield under the combined effect of water and P stress is fundamental to understand the underlying mechanisms of tolerance and improve breeding programs. We conducted two lysimeter trials using 1 m long PVC tubes (35 cm diameter) filled with a P poor Sahelian soil mimicking soil profiles to assess grain and stover yield, and water use of 15 pearl millet genotypes grown under different P (no P supply or addition of 1.5 g P tube−1) and water (well watered or terminal water stress) regimes. In experiment 2 transpiration was measured twice a week from tube weight differences, and transpiration efficiency (TE) was calculated as dry matter (DM) produced per kg of water transpired. Low soil P delayed flowering, and more so in sensitive genotypes. Later flowering of genotypes sensitive to low P made them more sensitive to terminal water stress. Under P limiting soil, genotypes tolerant and sensitive to low P used similar amounts of water (19.8 and 21.7 kg water plant−1, respectively). However, tolerant lines transpired less water prior to anthesis (8.8 kg water plant−1) leaving more water available for grain filling (11 kg water plant−1) while sensitive lines used 14.4 kg water plant−1 pre-anthesis, leaving only 7.2 kg water plant−1 for grain filling. Low soil P decreased grain yield by affecting seed size at harvest and its damage during seed filling overrode the effect of seed size at sowing. Grain yield was positively correlated with water extracted after anthesis. TE was enhanced by P supply, especially in sensitive lines, and TE was higher in tolerant than in sensitive genotypes under low soil P. Pearl millet plants tolerant to low P were more resistant to the delay of flowering caused by low P soil and they presented higher transpiration efficiency. The pattern of transpiration was important to cope with terminal water stress under different levels of P availability. Higher transpiration after anthesis, resulting from conservative water mechanism pre-anthesis (higher TE) and possibly by a shorter delay in flowering under low soil P, enhanced grain yield.

Pennisetum

Lysimeter

Anthesis

Water potential

Stover

Water Use Efficiency

10.1007/s11104-014-2338-8

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Citations (17)

Changes in plant community and soil ecological indicators in response to Prosopis juliflora and Acacia mearnsii invasion and removal in two biodiversity hotspots in Southern India

Soil Ecology Letters (2020)

Rajasekaran Murugan Francesca Beggi Nehru Prabakaran Shafique Maqsood Rainer Georg Joergensen

Acacia mearnsii

Soil carbon

Prosopis

10.1007/s42832-019-0020-z

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Citations (19)

Effects of early mycorrhization and colonized root length on low‐soil‐phosphorus resistance of West African pearl millet

Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science (2016)

Francesca Beggi Hamidou Falalou C. Tom Hash Andreas Buerkert

Abstract Phosphorus (P) deficiency at early seedling stages is a critical determinant for survival and final yield of pearl millet in multi‐stress Sahelian environments. Longer roots and colonization with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) enhance P uptake and crop performance of millet. Assessing the genotypic variation of early mycorrhization and its effect on plant growth is necessary to better understand mechanisms of resistance to low soil P and to use them in breeding strategies for low P. Therefore, in this study, eight pearl millet varieties contrasting in low‐P resistance were grown in pots under low P (no additional P supply) and high P (+ 0.4 g P pot −1 ) conditions, and harvested 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks after sowing (WAS). Root length was calculated 2 WAS by scanning of dissected roots and evaluation with WinRhizo software. AM infection (%) and P uptake (shoot P concentration multiplied per shoot dry matter) were measured at each harvest. Across harvests under low P (3.3 mg Bray P kg −1 ), resistant genotypes had greater total root length infected with AMF (837 m), higher percentage of AMF colonization (11.6%), and increased P uptake (69.4 mg P plant −1 ) than sensitive genotypes (177 m, 7.1% colonization and 46.4 mg P plant −1 , respectively). Two WAS, resistant genotypes were infected almost twice as much as sensitive ones (4.1% and 2.1%) and the individual resistant genotypes differed in the percentage of AMF infection. AMF colonization was positively related to final dry matter production in pots, which corresponded to field performance. Early mycorrhization enhanced P uptake in pearl millet grown under P‐deficient conditions, with the genotypic variation for this parameter allowing selection for better performance under field conditions.

10.1002/jpln.201500501

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Citations (11)

Correction: Research strategies to catalyze agroecological transitions in low- and middle-income countries

Sustainability Science (2022)

Sarah K. Jones N. Bergamini Francesca Beggi Didier Lesueur Barbara Vinceti

Agroecology

10.1007/s11625-022-01205-z

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Citations (0)