Viktoria Vona
51061645200
Publications - 17
Straw mulching optimized the root and canopy structure of soybean by reducing the topsoil temperature before blooming period
Publication Name: Field Crops Research
Publication Date: 2025-11-01
Volume: 333
Issue: Unknown
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
Context: The soybean seed yield in the Huang-Huai-Hai (HHH) region is challenged by high temperatures before blooming. Straw mulching can act to reduce topsoil temperature. However, little is known about whether changes in topsoil temperature contribute to the optimization of soybean root and canopy structure and, ultimately, yield. Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of straw mulching on soybean topsoil temperature, root growth, and canopy structure in the HHH region, China. Methods: A randomized block design was adopted (2020–2023) in the field, including three straw treatments: straw removing (SR), straw mulching (SM), and straw crushing (SC). Topsoil temperature, root morphology, leaf area index (LAI), light transmittance, canopy photosynthesis, dry matter accumulation, and seed yield of soybean under different treatments were measured. Furthermore, the test results were validated by pot experiment (LT: topsoil cooling, CT: topsoil non-cooling) in 2024. Results: Before soybean blooming, the highest topsoil temperature was 28.47℃ in SR, followed by 27.47℃ in SC and 26.95℃ in SM. Compared to SR and SC, the root length, root surface area, root volume and root dry weight of SM increased by an average of 26.04 %, 27.79 %, 29.13 % and 38.82 %, respectively. Soybean root dry matter weight was significantly positively correlated (P < 0.01) with the LAI and above-ground dry matter accumulation. Compared to SR and SC, Fv/Fm, Y(II), and ETR under SM treatment increased by 8.38 %, 7.94 %, and 7.73 %, respectively. Y(II) of the LT treatment was also significantly (P < 0.05) increased by 17.53 % compared to CT. Among the three treatments, soybean canopy photosynthetic rate and seed yield under SM treatment were, on average, significantly increased by 9.97 %, and 11.87 %, respectively. Furthermore, we identified the LAI characteristics of high-yield soybean canopy: 2.22 0.62 in the lower layer. Conclusion and implications: These findings imply that regulating topsoil temperature through straw mulching optimizes root and canopy development, improving soybean yield. This study provides insights into mitigating heat stress and enhancing sustainable soybean production in warm climates.
Open Access: Yes
Utilizing Different Crop Rotation Systems for Agricultural and Environmental Sustainability: A Review
Publication Name: Agronomy
Publication Date: 2025-08-01
Volume: 15
Issue: 8
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
Monoculture involves growing the same crop on the same land over at least two crop cycles. Continuous monoculture can increase the population density of pests and pathogens over time, thereby reducing agricultural yields and increasing dependence on chemical inputs. Crop rotation is an agricultural practice that involves systematically and sequentially planting different crops in the same field over multiple growing seasons. This review explores the advantages of crop rotation and its contribution to promoting sustainable farming practices, such as legume integration and cover cropping. It is based on a thematic literature review of peer-reviewed studies published between 1984 and 2025. We found that crop rotation can significantly improve soil structure and organic matter content and enhance nutrient cycling. Furthermore, soil organic carbon increased by up to 18% when legumes were included in rotations compared to monoculture systems in Europe, while also mitigating greenhouse gas emissions, enhancing carbon sequestration, and decreasing nutrient leaching and pesticide runoff. Farmers can adopt several strategies to optimise crop rotation benefits, such as diversification of various crops, legume integration, cultivation of cover crops, and rotational grazing. These practices ensure agricultural sustainability and food security and support climate resilience.
Open Access: Yes
Investigation of the Effect of a New Type of Copper–Sucrose Complex Compound on the Yield and Quality Parameters of Winter Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)
Publication Name: Agronomy
Publication Date: 2025-07-01
Volume: 15
Issue: 7
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
We conducted experiments on winter wheat grown in copper-deficient soil, where soil tests revealed a more pronounced deficiency in the deeper layers. As climate change reduces precipitation, plants increasingly rely on nutrients from these deeper layers. A copper–sucrose complex—previously unused in agriculture—was applied as a foliar spray during the tillering and flowering stages. Across the three-year average, significant increases were observed starting from the 1 kg ha−1 copper dose in yield, from 0.3 kg ha−1 in crude protein content, and from 0.5 kg ha−1 in wet gluten content compared to the untreated control. For all three parameters, the highest values were achieved with the 2 kg ha−1 dose. Yield increased by 1.03 t ha−1, crude protein by 0.9%, and wet gluten by 2.3% relative to the control. In 2019, high humidity and favorable temperatures during flowering led to fungal infections in control plots, with DON toxin concentrations exceeding the regulatory safety threshold. Following copper–sucrose complex application, DON levels dropped below this threshold, demonstrating a measurable protective effect.
Open Access: Yes
Effects of Various Herbicide Types and Doses, Tillage Systems, and Nitrogen Rates on CO2 Emissions from Agricultural Land: A Literature Review
Publication Name: Agriculture Switzerland
Publication Date: 2024-10-01
Volume: 14
Issue: 10
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
Although herbicides are essential for global agriculture and controlling weeds, they impact soil microbial communities and CO2 emissions. However, the effects of herbicides, tillage systems, and nitrogen fertilisation on CO2 emissions under different environmental conditions are poorly understood. This review explores how various agricultural practices and inputs affect CO2 emissions and addresses the impact of pest-management strategies, tillage systems, and nitrogen fertiliser usage on CO2 emissions using multiple databases. Key findings indicate that both increased and decreased tendencies in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions were observed, depending on the herbicide type, dose, soil properties, and application methods. Several studies reported a positive correlation between CO2 emissions and increased agricultural production. Combining herbicides with other methods effectively controls emissions with minimal chemical inputs. Conservation practices like no-tillage were more effective than conventional tillage in mitigating carbon emissions. Integrated pest management, conservation tillage, and nitrogen fertiliser rate optimisation were shown to reduce herbicide use and soil greenhouse gas emissions. Fertilisers are similarly important; depending on the dosage, they may support yield or harm the soil. Fertiliser benefits are contingent on appropriate management practices for specific soil and field conditions. This review highlights the significance of adaptable management strategies that consider local environmental conditions and can guide future studies and inform policies to promote sustainable agriculture practices worldwide.
Open Access: Yes
Beyond land use: Understanding variations in topsoil bulk versus recalcitrant organic matter
Publication Name: Catena
Publication Date: 2024-09-01
Volume: 244
Issue: Unknown
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
Soil organic matter (SOM) concentration and composition are essential properties that affect most functions and ecosystem services. The relationship between soil and environmental covariates regarding SOM concentration and composition in various pools is not completely understood. This study aimed to identify the most influential drivers of SOM stabilization, focusing on arable lands in Hungary. Hungary is an ideal area for investigating SOM variability because it is at the meeting point of the three main climate effects that trigger a wide range of soil, land use, and topographical conditions. Overall, 87 soil samples were taken from the topsoil (2–20 cm) and fractionated (<20 µm) to separate the mineral phase-associated organic carbon (MAOC) and bulk pools. MAOC concentration varied on a wide range (0.5–14.1 %) and was the function of bulk SOM aromaticity and slope steepness, rather than land use, climatic conditions, or soil properties, indicating that MAOC is also affected by decomposition if the bulk OM is less available for the microbiome. Land use, especially in forest topsoils, reflects the elemental composition of the OM, focusing on the variations of residue composition. In contrast, aromaticity is rather related to soil and climate properties, suggesting increased relevance of transformation processes. As a consequence, SOM composition varies on a wide range in the topsoil, however, the lack of a definite trend at the county level suggests the complexity of the system and highlights the role of local circumstances.
Open Access: Yes
Effect of pH, Carbonate and Clay Content on Magnesium Measurement Methods on Hungarian Soils
Publication Name: Soil Systems
Publication Date: 2024-06-01
Volume: 8
Issue: 2
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
More exact information on soil nutrient management is crucial due to environmental protection, nature conservation, decreasing sources for mining, general precaution, etc. Soil magnesium (Mg) analytical methods of potassium chloride (KCl), Mehlich 3 (M3), water (WA) and cobalt hexamine (CoHex) extractions are compared with an elemental analysis and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis. The ratio of the available to the total Mg content was calculated and compared on the whole dataset. The results showed that the linear regressions between all the pairs of Mg content measurement methods were significant. The linear relationship between the KCl and CoHex methods has the highest determination coefficient (R2 = 0.96), followed by WA–M3 (R2 = 0.68), M3–CoHex (R2 = 0.66) and M3–KCl (R2 = 0.60). The M3 solution demonstrated a greater capacity for extracting Mg from the soil. The second part is the analysis of the influence of CaCO3 , pH, soil texture and clay content on the measurable magnesium content of soils. It was established that the extraction methods, the soil and the classification method of the soil properties affect the evaluation. These results may help through the nutrient replenishment and the melioration of soils. These results can help the examination of mineral nutrients, especially the Mg uptake.
Open Access: Yes
Challenges in Mapping Soil Variability Using Apparent Soil Electrical Conductivity under Heterogeneous Topographic Conditions
Publication Name: Agronomy
Publication Date: 2024-06-01
Volume: 14
Issue: 6
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
Site-specific management requires the identification of treatment areas based on homogeneous characteristics. This study aimed to determine whether soil mapping based on apparent soil electrical conductivity (ECa ) is suitable for mapping soil properties of fields with topographic heterogeneity. Research was conducted on two neighbouring fields in Fejér county, Hungary, with contrasting topographic heterogeneity. To characterise the spatial variability of soil attributes, ECa was measured and supplemented by obtaining soil samples and performing soil profile analysis. The relationship between ECa and soil physical and chemical properties was analysed using correlation, principal component, and regression analyses. The research revealed that the quality and strength of the relationship between ECa and soil remarkably differed in the two studied fields. In homogeneous topographic conditions, ECa was weakly correlated with elevation as determined by soil physical texture and nutrient content in a strong (R2 = 0.72) linear model. On the other hand, ECa was significantly determined by elevation in heterogeneous topographic conditions in a moderate (R2 = 0.47) linear model. Consequently, ECa -based soil mapping can only be used to characterise the soil, thus delineating management zones under homogeneous topographic conditions.
Open Access: Yes
Yield Prediction Using NDVI Values from GreenSeeker and MicaSense Cameras at Different Stages of Winter Wheat Phenology
Publication Name: Drones
Publication Date: 2024-03-01
Volume: 8
Issue: 3
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
This work aims to compare and statistically analyze Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) values provided by GreenSeeker handheld crop sensor measurements and calculate NDVI values derived from the MicaSense RedEdge-MX Dual Camera, to predict in-season winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) yield, improving a yield prediction model with cumulative growing degree days (CGDD) and days from sowing (DFS) data. The study area was located in Mosonmagyaróvár, Hungary. A small-scale field trial in winter wheat was constructed as a randomized block design including Environmental: N-135.3, P2 O5 -77.5, K2 O-0; Balance: N-135.1, P2 O5 -91, K2 O-0; Genezis: N-135, P2 O5 -75, K2 O-45; and Control: N, P, K 0 kg/ha. The crop growth was monitored every second week between April and June 2022 and 2023, respectively. NDVI measurements recorded by GreenSeeker were taken at three pre-defined GPS points for each plot; NDVI values based on the MicaSense camera Red and NIR bands were calculated for the same points. Results showed a significant difference (p ≤ 0.05) between the Control and treated areas by GreenSeeker measurements and Micasense-based calculated NDVI values throughout the growing season, except for the heading stage. At the heading stage, significant differences could be measured by GreenSeeker. However, remotely sensed images did not show significant differences between the treated and Control parcels. Nevertheless, both sensors were found suitable for yield prediction, and 226 DAS was the most appropriate date for predicting winter wheat’s yield in treated plots based on NDVI values and meteorological data.
Open Access: Yes
The effect of local samples in the accuracy of mid-infrared (MIR) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) -based spectral prediction models
Publication Name: Precision Agriculture
Publication Date: 2022-12-01
Volume: 23
Issue: 6
Page Range: 2027-2039
Description:
Within the soil spectroscopy community, there is an ongoing discussion addressing the comparison of the performance of prediction models built on a global calibration database, versus a local calibration database. In this study, this issue is addressed by spiking of global databases with local samples. The soil samples were analysed with MIR and XRF sensors. The samples were further measured using traditional wet chemistry methods to build the prediction models for seventeen major parameters. The prediction models applied by AgroCares, the company that assisted in this study, combine spectral information from MIR and XRF into a single ‘fused-spectrum’. The local dataset of 640 samples was split into 90% train and 10% test samples. To illustrate the benefits of using local calibration samples, three separate prediction models were built per element. For each model, 0%, 50% (randomly selected) and 100% of the local training samples were added to the global dataset. The remaining 10% local samples were used for validation. Seventeen soil parameters were selected to illustrate the differences in performance across a range of soil qualities, using the validation set to measure performance. The results showed that many models already exhibit an excellent level of performance (R2 ≥ 0.95) even without local samples. However, there was a clear trend that, as more local calibration samples were added, both R2 and ratio of performance to interquantile distance (RPIQ) increase.
Open Access: Yes
Calibration of an Arduino-based low-cost capacitive soil moisture sensor for smart agriculture
Publication Name: Journal of Hydrology and Hydromechanics
Publication Date: 2022-09-01
Volume: 70
Issue: 3
Page Range: 330-340
Description:
Agriculture faces several challenges to use the available resources in a more environmentally sustainable manner. One of the most significant is to develop sustainable water management. The modern Internet of Things (IoT) techniques with real-time data collection and visualisation can play an important role in monitoring the readily available moisture in the soil. An automated Arduino-based low-cost capacitive soil moisture sensor has been calibrated and developed for data acquisition. A sensor- and soil-specific calibration was performed for the soil moisture sensors (SKU:SEN0193 - DFROBOT, Shanghai, China). A Repeatability and Reproducibility study was conducted by range of mean methods on clay loam, sandy loam and silt loam soil textures. The calibration process was based on the data provided by the capacitive sensors and the continuously and parallelly measured soil moisture content by the thermogravimetric method. It can be stated that the response of the sensors to changes in soil moisture differs from each other, which was also greatly influenced by different soil textures. Therefore, the calibration according to soil texture was required to ensure adequate measurement accuracy. After the calibration, it was found that a polynomial calibration function (R2 ≥ 0.89) was the most appropriate way for modelling the behaviour of the sensors at different soil textures.
Open Access: Yes
Weed Composition in Hungarian Phacelia (Phacelia tanacetifolia Benth.) Seed Production: Could Tine Harrow Take Over Chemical Management?
Publication Name: Agronomy
Publication Date: 2022-04-01
Volume: 12
Issue: 4
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
Phacelia tanacetifolia, an excellent cover, green manure and honey crop is now widely cultivated throughout the world. One of its principal European seed production regions is north‐western Hungary, where the recent withdrawal of a potent herbicide, linuron, created a new challenge for many growers. The goal of this study is to identify the main factors determining weed species composition in the phacelia fields of the region and to assess the efficiency of tine harrow and clopyralid herbicide in reducing weed abundance and biomass. We carried out a series of weed surveys across the study region following a two‐level design: (i) we estimated the cover of all weed species in 205 fields (broad‐scale survey, BS); and (ii) in 22 of these fields, we provided more precise biomass measurements (counting the individuals and measuring the dry weights of all weed species) in microplots samples (fine‐scale survey; FS). To characterize the fields, 34 background variables were also collected for all of the studied fields. In both investigations, Chenopodium album was by far the most abundant weed. Within the BS, using a minimal adequate model containing 11 terms with significant net effects, 20.93% of the total variation in weed species data could be explained. The variation in species composition was determined by environmental factors (soil pH, clay and K; precipitation and temperature), non‐chemical management variables (crop cover, preceding crop, irrigation and tillage system) and herbicides (linuron and clopyralid). Variation partitioning demonstrated the dominance of environmental and cultural components in shaping the weed species composition. Although the effect of mechanical treatments was most likely masked in the BS by the soil properties, our FS suggests that tine harrow could efficiently decrease the total number and biomass of weeds and can be a useful tool in the phacelia management of the future.
Open Access: Yes
Comparing Different Phosphorus Extraction Methods: Effects of Influencing Parameters
Publication Name: Sustainability Switzerland
Publication Date: 2022-02-01
Volume: 14
Issue: 4
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
The current study compares the phosphorus (P) analysis methods of ammonium lactate (AL), Mehlich 3 (M3); water extraction (P-WA(P)&P-WA(PO4 )), cobalt hexamine (CoHex) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) as an estimate of total soil P. The ratio of the P-content/XRF was first calculated and compared with the whole dataset. Based on the comparison of all the data, there were significant differences between the results of P-WA(P) and P-WA(PO4 ) vs. M3 and AL, CoHex vs. M3 and CoHex vs. AL methods (p < 0.001). The second step was the analysis of the influencing factors based on their categories for a more in-depth understanding of their role (CaCO3 -content, pH, soil texture and clay content). The results showed that higher CaCO3 content (>1%) resulted in lower correlations (6/10 cases). The extraction methods, the soil, the classification method of the soil properties and the statistical analyses affect the evaluation. The dataset covers a good range of the analysed factors for the evaluation of phosphorus in the majority of Hungarian soil types in arable use. There were two methods that detected the largest amount of P from the total P in the soil: AL and M3.
Open Access: Yes
DOI: 10.3390/su14042158
Impact of environmental and soil factors in the prediction of soil carbon dioxide emissions under different tillage systems
Publication Name: Ecocycles
Publication Date: 2022-01-01
Volume: 8
Issue: 1
Page Range: 27-39
Description:
Understanding the roles of natural drivers in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of arable fields is crucial for adequate agricultural management. This study investigated the combined effect of two tillage treatments (NT - no-tillage; CT - tillage with mouldboard ploughing) and environmental (air pressure, air temperature) and soil factors (total organic carbon, gravimetric water content and soil penetration resistance) on soil carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in maize in 2020 and 2021. The soil tubes required for the laboratory measurement were derived from three different altitudes of the two differently cultivated fields from Fejér county, Hungary. The typical soil type was Chernozem in both fields. At the time of soil sampling, soil penetration resistance was measured with a 06.15SA Penetrologger in 10 repetitions. To preserve the moisture content of the soil columns during the investigation, moisture replenishment was performed equal to the degree of weekly theoretical evapotranspiration. Emissions measurements of soil columns were performed by close chamber technique for five weeks from sampling, 15 times, in 3 repetitions in laboratory conditions. The data were evaluated by two-way ANOVA, followed by the Tukey HSD multiple comparison test and two-tailed Student's T-test at a significance level of p<0.05. The combined effect of environmental factors on soil carbon dioxide emissions was investigated using stepwise multiple linear regression. It has been proved that the observed difference between soil penetration resistance and soil carbon dioxide emissions was significant between CT and NT cultivation at different stages of the growing season. The analysis of the interaction of the experimental factors revealed that the combined effect of soil penetration resistance, total organic carbon and moisture content in tillage system (adjusted R2=0.92 at a significance level of p=0.05) in 2020, while the combined effect of moisture content and air temperature in the no-tillage system (adjusted R2=0.79 at a significance level of p=0.085) has the most significant effect on soil CO2 emissions in 2020. In 2021, the air temperature for the tillage system (adjusted R2=0.74 at a significance level of p=0.05) and the combined effect of air temperature and pressure for no-tillage systems (adjusted R2=0.69 at a significance level of p=0.1) played an important role in soil CO2 emissions. These observations highlight that different soil and environmental factors of different tillage significantly impact the soil carbon dioxide emissions in different years.
Open Access: Yes
Study of the antifungal effect of a copper-containing foliar fertilizer
Publication Name: Cereal Research Communications
Publication Date: 2021-06-01
Volume: 49
Issue: 2
Page Range: 337-341
Description:
Winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is one of the most important arable crops. Copper-containing fertilizers are used in crop production to treat or reduce the negative effects of copper deficiency. Various copper compounds are also widely used as effective fungicide agents. The influence of a copper-containing foliar fertilizer prepared from a copper solution and sucrose had been tested on the yield and raw protein content of winter wheat in previous field experiments. In this work, we studied the antifungal effect of this particular foliar fertilizer in an in vitro trial, wherein the fungicide effect on growth and reproduction of specific plant pathogens, i.e., Fusarium graminearum and Drechslera sorokiniana, was evaluated with the agar well diffusion method. The results showed that doses of the foliar fertilizer corresponding to field applications of at least 1 kg ha−1 had antifungal effects, which were significant (P < 0.01) above the concentration level of 3337 mg L−1, corresponding to 2 kg ha−1 application, against both fungal pathogens. A linear correlation (r2 > 0.95) was found between copper concentration and fungicide efficiency in the concentration range studied. The fungicide efficiency of the foliar fertilizer was lower than that of the commercially available copper-oxychloride fungicide. The sole use of the foliar nutrient tested probably cannot replace fungicide treatments. However, in addition to its plant nutrition effect, its antifungal properties should also be taken into consideration.
Open Access: Yes
The effect of soil physicochemical characteristics on zinc analysis methods
Publication Name: Soil and Water Research
Publication Date: 2021-01-01
Volume: 16
Issue: 3
Page Range: 180-190
Description:
Zn is an essential micronutrient involved in a wide variety of physiological processes. Soils are tested for zinc in many countries with several extractants. Each country has its validated methods, best-suited for its soils. The current study was designed to compare different zinc content measuring methods with seventy-one samples from Hungary. The data were first compared for the whole dataset and then in certain categories such as CaCO3 -content, pH, texture and clay content. The zinc content was determined by the water extraction, KCl-EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid), Mehlich 3, CoHex (cobalt hexamine trichloride), and XRF (X-ray fluorescence) methods. Based on the analyses of all the data, we can conclude that all the methods are different. However, further analyses during the comparison of the methods based on the influencing factors, such as the pH, lime content, texture class, and clay content proved that, in some of the cases, there are similarities among the methods and, this way, we can get more knowledge on the measurements and the results provided. Farmers can gain extra knowledge from the comparison of the influencing factors to know where intervention is needed to use extra Zn for the proper fertilisation of their plants.
Open Access: Yes
DOI: 10.17221/53/2020-SWR
Past-present-future in hungarian soil analyses
Publication Name: Agrokemia Es Talajtan
Publication Date: 2020-12-01
Volume: 69
Issue: 1
Page Range: 127-151
Description:
The purpose of the present paper isAuthors aim was to deliver a compilation of to summarize the Hungarian soil analysies methods and theas well as to present the advisory system for nutrient management advisory system. Both of them are based on several decades of work. We need to should learn from these past experiences of reasonable and good agricultural practices. We can only apply the present and future results of soil science and find out what direction should we develop, if we were aware of the results of the past and we calculate with their governing effects. The majority of our recent methods are based on historical researches and the present current statesituation of our field of scientific fieldce can only be judged and developed further if we knew the former history of the methodological findings. The recent Hungarian soil analysis system provides useful results that can be used very well today, however, the adaptation of the new international methods, learned from the follow-up of the international trends can might provide open new perspectives in for the Hungarian laboratory analyses methodology. TThe subject is extremely timely because there are hea never- met demand for cost and time effective, environmentally friendly soil analysis methods underpin how actual and hot the topic is. nowadays.
Open Access: Yes
Comparison of magnesium determination methods on Hungarian soils
Publication Name: Soil and Water Research
Publication Date: 2020-01-01
Volume: 15
Issue: 3
Page Range: 173-180
Description:
Magnesium is one of the most important nutrient elements. Soils are tested for magnesium in many countries with several extractants. Each country has its own validated methods, best-suited for its soils. The current study was designed to compare different magnesium content measuring methods with 80 Hungarian samples. The magnesium content was determined by the potassium chloride (1 M KCl 1:10), Mehlich 3 and CoHex (cobalt hexamine trichloride) methods. The maximum, mean and median values resulting from all the Mg determination methods showed the following order of measured magnitude: KCl < CoHex < M3.
Open Access: Yes
DOI: 10.17221/92/2019-SWR
