The impact of internet use on farmers’ chemical fertilizer application: the perspective on efficiency improvement

在等氮、等磷、等钾施肥条件下, 对茄子田分别施用化肥、沼肥加化肥减半、沼肥加饼肥, 研究施用沼肥对茄田节肢动物群落结构及茄子产量的影响。结果表明: 在节肢动物种类与数量上, 沼肥加饼肥处理茄子田的害虫种类为3.67±0.88 种·4m^-2, 显著低于化肥处理和沼肥加化肥减半处理, 且沼肥加化肥减半处理显著低于化肥处理; 害虫个体数量为64.67±4.06 头·4m^-2, 目标害虫桃蚜的数量为31.67±0.56 头·4m^-2、二十八星瓢虫个体数量为8.00±0.15 头·4m^-2, 显著低于化肥处理, 且与沼肥加化肥减半处理差异不显著; 蜘蛛类的个体数量为12.67±1.76 头·4m^-2, 优势种天敌大腹园蛛的个体数量为7.67±0.67 头·4m^-2, 显著高于化肥处理, 且与沼肥加化肥减半处理差异不显著。在节肢动物群落多样性上, 沼肥加饼肥处理茄子田的节肢动物群落多样性指数为1.68±0.04, 均匀度指数为0.53±0.003, 显著高于化肥处理和沼肥加化肥减半处理; 优势集中性指数为0.33±0.02, 显著低于化肥处理, 且与沼肥加化肥减半处理差异不显著。在节肢动物群落稳定性上, 沼肥加饼肥处理<em>Ss/Si</em> 指数为0.112 5±0.001 1, 显著高于化肥处理, 且与沼肥加化肥减半处理差异不显著; <em>Sn/Sp</em> 指数为1.650 0±0.005 5, 显著高于化肥处理和沼肥加化肥减半处理。沼肥加化肥减半、沼肥加饼肥处理的茄子产量与化肥处理相比无显著差异。

This study explored the effect of the combined application of chemical and organic fertilizers on phosphorus morphology and its conversion to an active state. A long-term field positioning experiment comprising five treatments was conducted in black soil. The results concluded that the soil total phosphorus (TP), available phosphorus (AP), inorganic phosphorus, and organic phosphorus contents of all treatments ranked as follows: 1.5M1NPK &gt; M2NPK &gt; M1NPK &gt; NPK &gt; CK. The long-term application of chemical and organic fertilizers increased the proportion of soil reactive phosphorus and moderately reactive phosphorus but decreased the proportion of mildly active phosphorus and residual phosphorus. A phosphorus-31 nuclear magnetic resonance (31P NMR) spectral analysis showed that the contents of orthophosphate, pyrophosphate, phosphoric acid diesters, and orthophosphate acid monoesters increased with the application of chemical and organic fertilizers, of which 1.5M1NPK usually resulted in the highest increases. In conclusion, the long-term application of chemical fertilizers could promote the conversion of soil phosphorus into active phosphorus and improve the effectiveness of soil phosphorus, and the long-term use of organic and chemical fertilizers was more effective than the use of chemical fertilizers only, with 1.5M1NPK providing the best effects.

Long-term effects of integrated application of organics and chemical fertilizers on transformation of copper (Cu) into various chemical pools and their availability under maize–wheat cropping system were investigated in the ongoing long-term fertilizer experiment initiated in 1972 at the research farm of Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Himachal Pradesh Agricultural University on an acidic soil in the Western Himalayas of India. The continuous use of chemical fertilizers alone for 36 years brought about marked depletion in all forms of copper except organically bound Cu (Cu-III) compared to buffer plots. Integrated use of organics and chemical fertilizers gave higher content of Cu forms over chemically treated plots except Cu occluded by free oxides (Cu-IV). Residual Cu was the most dominant form of copper contributing about 62% of the total Cu. Organically bound Cu (Cu-III) was the most important fraction of copper contributing toward DTPA (diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid) extractable Cu. Content of DTPA-extractable Cu increased over control when chemical fertilizers were applied in conjunction with different organics, whereas DTPA-Cu content declined over control with application of chemical fertilizers alone for the last 36 years.

ABSTRACTLong-term effects of integrated application of organics and chemical fertilizers on transformation of copper (Cu) into various chemical pools and their availability under rice (Oryza sativa L.)–wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cropping system were investigated in the ongoing long-term fertilizer experiment initiated in 1991 kharif season (May–October) at the research farm of Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Himachal Pradesh Agricultural University on an acidic soil in the Western Himalayas of India. The continuous use of chemical fertilizers alone for 20 years brought about marked depletion in all forms of copper except organically bound Cu (Cu-PYR) compared to buffer plots. Integrated use of organics and chemical fertilizers gave higher content of Cu forms over chemically treated plots except Cu occluded by free oxides (Cu-OX). Residual Cu was the most dominant form of copper contributing about 67% of the total Cu. Soil solution and exchangeable Cu (Cu-CA) was the most important fraction of copper contributing toward DTPA (diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid) extractable Cu. Content of DTPA extractable Cu increased over control when chemical fertilizers were applied in conjunction with different organics, whereas DTPA Cu content declined over control with application of chemical fertilizers alone for the last 20 years.

Although numerous studies have explored various impacts of Internet use, few have investigated the linkage between Internet use and chemical fertilizer use in developing economies. This study examines the influences of Internet use and related promotion policy on chemical fertilizer use based on a nationwide dataset including China's 7766 rural households. The baseline regression results show that Internet use reduced chemical fertilizer use significantly. The mechanism analysis unveils the mediation role of human capital; Internet use increased farmers' human capital and then reduced chemical fertilizer use. In addition, the difference-in-difference method is employed to examine the effects of Internet promotion policy and the findings reveal that the promotion policy could help reduce farmers' use of chemical fertilizer. Finally, both propensity score matching-DID model and a two-stage instrumental variable model are used to address potential endogeneity issues associated with Internet use, and results indicate that the empirical results are robust. Our findings suggest that improving the availability of broadband access in a rural area, promoting Internet-related training and education, and more government's investment in rural ICTs infrastructure can contribute to the reduction of chemical fertilizer use.

PurposeInternet use has become particularly prevalent among adolescents, prompting much thought and concern about both its potential benefits and adverse effects on adolescent learning outcomes. Much of the empirical literature on the impact of Internet use on adolescent learning outcomes is mixed, and few studies examine the causal relationship between the two in rural China. In order to bridge these gaps, we use empirical analysis to investigate the effect of Internet use on the learning outcomes of adolescents in rural China.Design/methodology/approachWe use fixed effect models with samples drawn from a large nationally representative dataset (the China Family Panel Studies—CFPS) to identify the causal impacts of Internet use on the learning outcomes of three cohorts (Cohort A (N = 540), Cohort B (N = 287) and Cohort C (N = 827)) of adolescents in rural China.FindingsThe results of the descriptive analysis show a continued increase in the number of adolescents accessing the Internet and the amount of time they spend online. The results of the fixed effect models show that Internet use has positive (in many of the analyses), but mostly insignificant impacts, on the learning outcomes of adolescents. In the sets of results that find significant associations between Internet use and learning outcomes, the measured effects are moderate.Originality/valueThis study investigates the causal relationship between Internet use and adolescent learning outcomes in rural China. The findings claim that there is not a great need to worry about adverse effects of Internet use on adolescent learning development. Attention, however, should focus on seeking ways to improve the positive effects of the Internet use on adolescent learning outcomes. The study will provide a reference and experience for the development of education and the Internet in rural areas and promote the integrated development of urban and rural areas in China.

تأثیر منابع نیتروژن و فسفر بر خصوصیات شیمیایی خاک و غلظت عناصر در آفتابگردان(Helianthus annuus L.)

Soil fertility decline has pushed farmers across the world to resort to chemical fertilizers in order to improve soil fertility and enhance crop yields. In agroforestry systems, the application of chemical fertilizers is a call for concern considering that agroforestry systems are supposedly agro-ecological, environmentally friendly and sustainable systems. It was within this context that this study sought to assess the application of chemical fertilizers in cocoa-based agroforestry systems and its policy ramifications. Data was collected through a household survey of 300 cocoa farmers in Cameroon, and analyzed on SPSS 17.0 employing descriptive and analytical techniques. It was found that the most commonly used chemical fertilizers by cocoa farmers in cocoa-based agroforestry systems were NPK 20:10:10 (60%), NPK 15:20:15 (50%), and Urea (40%). It was also noticed that a majority of the cocoa farmers sampled used no chemical fertilizer (35%), very small quantity (15%), small quantity (20%), and moderate quantity (20%). With respect to frequency of use, most cocoa farmers never used chemical fertilizer (35%), used it rarely (30%), or used it occasionally (15%). However, some cocoa farmers used chemical fertilizers frequently (5%) and very frequently (5%) in their cocoa agroforests. Coefficients of correlation and regression showed the existence of a statistically significant (p&lt;0.05) direct and inverse non-causal and causal relationship between different explanatory variables (income level, availability of chemical fertilizers, access to information, membership in farming group and access to extension services) and cocoa farmers’ use of chemical fertilizers; while farm size and number of farms had a statistically significant inverse relationship. Correlation and regression coefficients showed the existence of a statistically significant (p&lt;0.05) direct non-causal and causal relationship between different levels of cocoa yields (very high cocoa yield, high cocoa yield, average cocoa yield, low cocoa yield, very low cocoa yield, no change in cocoa yields) and the application of chemical fertilizers in cocoa-based agroforestry systems. On the basis of the study’s findings, it is recommended that measures be taken to limit the use of chemical fertilizers in cocoa-based agroforestry systems in order to enhance the sustainability of these systems.

BackgroundAccording to the United Nations classification of aging societies, China is rapidly transitioning into a moderately aging society, facing significant challenges related to population aging. Concurrently, China is actively implementing the Internet Power Strategy and the Internet Plus action plan, which are profoundly transforming the daily lives of individuals, including their health status. However, research on the impact of internet use on the health of middle-aged and older adults has not reached a consensus. This study aims to investigate the effects of internet use on the health of middle-aged and older adults, as well as the mechanisms and heterogeneity of these effects.MethodsThis study utilized data from the China General Social Survey conducted in 2018, which includes a sample of 6470 individuals. Self-rated health, mental health, and objective health were used as key health indicators, with internet use identified as the primary independent variable. The study aims to analyze the impact of internet use on the health status of middle-aged and older adults through the application of an ordered probit model and instrumental variable methods.ResultsThe results indicate that internet use has a significant positive impact on the health of middle-aged and older adults, with significance at the 1% level. This finding has passed a series of robustness tests. Mechanism analysis reveals that information acquisition is a crucial mediating mechanism between internet use and the health of middle-aged and older adults. This suggests that increased internet use enhances information access, thereby improving health outcomes. Furthermore, heterogeneity analysis shows that the impact of internet use on health is more pronounced among individuals living in rural areas, western regions, low-income groups, and those aged under 60, compared to their counterparts in urban areas, eastern regions, higher-income brackets, and those aged 60 and above.ConclusionInternet use can improve the health of middle-aged and older adults. Therefore, government departments, senior universities, communities, and families should collaborate to actively conduct digital skills training for older adults. Additionally, efforts should be accelerated to adapt electronic products to be more elder-friendly, helping older adults overcome the digital divide and thereby reducing health inequalities among middle-aged and older groups.

به منظور بررسی اثر سیستم های گوناگون تغذیه ای بر عملکرد و اجزاء عملکرد گیاه روغنی آفتابگردان رقم یوروفلور (Helianthus annuus L.) در شرایط تنش رطوبتی، آزمایشی به صورت کرت های خرد شده در قالب طرح بلوک های کامل تصادفی در سه تکرار در مزرعه تحقیقاتی دانشکده کشاورزی دانشگاه بوعلی سینا همدان در سال 93-1392 اجرا شد. تیمارها شامل دو سطح آبیاری بهینه و تنش کم آبیاری (به ترتیب آبیاری پس از 60 و 120 میلی متر تبخیر از تشتک تبخیر کلاس A) به عنوان کرت های اصلی و تیمارهای گوناگون تغذیه گیاهی شامل: 1- عدم کاربرد هر گونه کود شیمیایی و زیستی (شاهد)، 2- کاربرد 100 درصد کود شیمیایی پیشنهاد شده (NPK)، 3- کود آلی ورمی‌کمپوست، 4- کود زیستی فسفونیتروکارا، 5- ورمی‌کمپوست+ فسفونیتروکارا، 6- ورمی‌کمپوست+ 50 درصد کود شیمیایی نیتروژن و فسفر پیشنهاد شده، 7- فسفو نیتروکارا+ 50 درصد کود شیمیایی نیتروژن و فسفر پیشنهاد شده، 8- ورمی‌کمپوست+ فسفونیتروکارا+ 50 درصد کود شیمیایی نیتروژن و فسفر پیشنهاد شده و9 - 50 درصد کود شیمیایی نیتروژن و فسفر پیشنهاد شده به عنوان کرت های فرعی بود. نتایج حاصل از این بررسی نشان داد که تنش کم آبی و تیمارهای تغذیه ای به طور معنی داری تمامی صفات اندازه گیری شده را تحت تأثیر قرار دادند. همچنین اثر متقابل سیستم تغذیه در آبیاری بر صفات وزن طبق، تعداد دانه در طبق، عملکرد دانه و عملکرد بیولوژیک معنی دار بود. بالاترین عملکرد دانه در شرایط آبیاری بهینه با کاربرد کامل کود شیمیایی به دست آمد (591 گرم در مترمربع)، در حالی که در شرایط تنش کم آبی، بیشترین عملکرد (314 گرم در مترمربع) به کاربرد ورمی‌کمپوست به همراه نیمی از کود شیمیایی توصیه شده تعلق داشت. به طور کلی، از مقایسه کودهای بررسی شده چنین به نظر می رسد که کاهش مصرف کودهای شیمیایی و جایگزینی آن با ورمی‌کمپوست می تواند در راستای نیل به کشاورزی پایدار در شرایط تنش رطوبتی، مؤثر واقع شود.

The development of Internet technology has significantly impacted how people live their daily lives. How this disparity in Internet use affects the self-rated health of older adults needs to be further explored. This paper studies the impact of Internet use on self-rated health, aiming to examine the effect of Internet use and social support on the self-rated health of older adults in China. This study used data from the 2017 China General Social Survey (CGSS) to verify the effect of Internet use on older adults' self-rated health. The results showed that Chinese elderly who used the Internet had a higher self-rated health, and social support from relatives and friends significantly improved the elderly's self-rated health. This social support played a critical, partially mediating role between Internet use and self-rated health. In China, the effect of Internet use on older adults' self-rated health was heterogeneous. Among them, the impact of Internet use was more significant for the male elderly, younger elderly, and rural elderly. The results suggest that the government should formulate targeted policies to improve the utilization of the Internet and maintain a good Internet environment to enhance the well-being of older adults according to the trend of population aging and the popularity of the Internet.

Introduction: Under the overlapping interaction of digitization and aging, the number of elderly Internet users has increased yearly. However, the impact of Internet use on the social networks of the elderly is still unclear. Methodology: In this study, we utilize the methods of ordinary least square regression (OLS), propensity score matching (PSM), instrumental variable (IV), and Bootstrap-mediated effect analysis methods using data from the Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS) to analyze the impact of Internet use on the social networks of the elderly and examine the mediating effect of social participation. Objectives: A total of 1363 validated respondents aged 60 or above were included to explore the relationship between Internet use, social networks, and social participation among the elderly in China. Results: The results show that Internet use positively and significantly impacts the social networks of the elderly. Compared to the elderly who do not use the Internet, the elderly who use the Internet have a larger social network size, more significant social network heterogeneity, and higher social network upper reachability. The mediated analysis shows that social participation plays a positive mediating role in the influence of Internet use on the social networks of the elderly. That is, Internet use will benefit the social network of the elderly by improving the level of their social participation. Besides, there also exists heterogeneity in the effect of Internet use on social networks among the elderly with different genders, ages, and places of residence. Conclusions: Internet use benefits the social network of the elderly, and social participation partially mediates the relationship between Internet use and the social network of the elderly. These findings have implications for formulating public policies aimed at active aging; it is necessary to bridge the “digital divide” and promote the digital integration of the elderly. Let more older adults benefit from Internet use, thus improving the social network and quality of life of the elderly.

Evidence supports both the positive and negative effects of Internet use on mental health outcomes, but it remains unclear on the role of online social support in this relationship. This study examined the link between daily hours of general Internet use and bidimensional mental health (BMMH) through the pathway of online social support (OSSS). Drawing from a sample of 247 Filipino university students, this cross-sectional study tested two simple mediation models that considered mental wellbeing and psychological distress as outcome variables. Findings show that the total effect of Internet use is positive and negative for mental wellbeing and psychological distress, respectively. Online social support mediated the favorable effects of Internet use on BMMH outcomes. However, the introduction of OSSS as a mediator yielded residual direct effects with opposing signs for both models. The resultant inconsistent mediation in the models signifies the double-edged impact of Internet use on mental health, with favorable effects transmitted through online social support. Findings highlight the importance of online social support as a pathway to harness the positive effects of Internet on mental health. Recommendations to improve online social support for students are discussed herein.

This paper investigates the impact of Internet use on bilateral trade flows using a gravity model and panel data for the period 1996–2014. First, we test the positive influence of Internet use on exports for aggregate data. Second, we test the impact of Internet use on bilateral flows separately for high-income countries and low- and middle-income countries. We find a significant and positive relationship between the Internet and bilateral exports for both groups of countries. The results also show that the impacts vary from 0.03% to 0.13% depending on the levels of income. Unlike previous studies, our findings suggest that the effect of Internet use is greater for bilateral trade flows among high-income countries. We contribute to the literature by investigating the differentiated impacts of Internet use for high-income economies and low- and middle-income countries. Our study uses panel data and covers the period of the greatest Internet diffusion.

The excessive use of chemical fertilizers causes many problems for which solutions are being sought in a variety of agricultural production systems. From the perspective of paying attention to the health requirements of aquatic animals in terms of water quality, this study investigated the impact of chemical fertilizer application on water quality in a rice (Oryza sativa L.; Cultivar “Qingxiangruangeng,” accession number: 2014004)–eel (Monopterus albus) coculture system in Shanghai, China. Chemical fertilizer was applied four times—as base fertilizer, rejuvenated fertilizer, tiller fertilizer, and ear granule fertilizer—during the production process of a rice–eel coculture system (June to October 2020). Changes in the water quality parameters of rice field’s surface water and ring ditch water in the regular chemical fertilizer group (RF) and no chemical fertilizer group (NF, the control) were compared before and at 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h after the chemical fertilizer application. The results for the analyzed physical and chemical indexes of each water area before and after four fertilizations revealed several consistent trends. First, the pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), water temperature (T), and chemical oxygen demand (COD) of either water area were similar between the NF and RF groups, whereas their total nitrogen (TN), total ammonia nitrogen (TAN), and total phosphorus (TP) levels differed significantly. After adding the above fertilizer containing nitrogen and phosphorus, 24 h later, the TN, TAN, and TP content had already increased significantly in comparison with the control. The maximum average content of TAN and nitrite nitrogen (NO2−-N) in the ring ditch water reached 12.30 mg/L and 0.37 mg/L, respectively, at 24 h after the chemical fertilizer application. Nonlinear regression analysis results showed that there was a significant positive relationship TN (δTN) and TAN (δTAN) vis-à-vis the nitrogen content of the fertilizer. The results of this study provide a timely empirical reference and data support for improving fertilizer management in rice–eel coculture systems.