Agricultural Factor Productivity Research Articles

A Comprehensive Study of Heavy Metals in Centralized Drinking Water Sources of the Yangtze River Basin: Levels, Sources, and Probabilistic Health Risk

The water quality of centralized drinking water sources (CDWSs) in the Yangtze River Basin (YRB) has received widespread public attention. Regrettably, due to the lack of large-scale and high-frequency monitoring data, the trends, sources, and risks of heavy metals (HMs) in the water of CDWSs in the YRB are still unclear. In addition, the correlation between HMs and water quality parameters in natural water has not been established, which greatly affects the efficiency of water management. Herein, we collected data for eight HMs and twelve water quality physical–chemical parameters from 114 CDWSs in 71 prefecture-level cities in the YRB region. An unprecedented spatial distribution map of HMs in the YRB region was drawn, and the response of HMs to water quality and nutrient levels was studied. Overall, the level of HM pollution was low, but the threat of chloride, nitrogen, and phosphorus still exists. The detection rates of the eight HMs ranged from 60.00% (Ti) to 99.82% (Fe), and the mean concentrations were ranked as follows: Fe (36.576 ± 36.784 μg/L) > Mn (7.362 ± 7.347 μg/L) > Ti (3.832 ± 6.344 μg/L) > Co (2.283 ± 3.423 μg/L) > Se (0.247 ± 0.116 μg/L) > Cd (0.089 ± 0.286 μg/L) > Be (0.054 ± 0.067 μg/L) > Tl (0.015 ± 0.012 μg/L). In the large geographic area, the total concentrations of the eight HMs exhibited a fluctuating decay trend over time from 2018 to 2022. Geographically, industrial and agricultural production and geological coupling factors led to significant spatial heterogeneity in HM concentrations in the following order: midstream > downstream > upstream. Importantly, this study proved that Cl−, SO42−, nitrogen, and phosphorus may drive the absorption and transfer of HMs in natural water. Fortunately, exposure to the eight HMs does not cause adverse health effects in humans.

Rhizosphere bacteria from the Bolivian highlands improve drought tolerance in quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.).

Drought is one of the most destructive abiotic factors for agricultural production, causing considerable yield losses. Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is cultivated worldwide in different environmental conditions due to its nutritional characteristics and ability to grow in harsh environments. This study aims to select drought stress tolerant rhizosphere bacteria from the Bolivian altiplano to evaluate their quinoa growth-promoting capacity, including in vitro germination, seedling growth under drought stress in greenhouse conditions and field studies. Rhizosphere soil from the southern highlands of Bolivia was collected to isolate 164 drought-stress tolerant bacteria. From these, 28 strains were shown to produce indole acetic acid, and/or to possess nitrogen-fixing or phosphate solubilizing capacity under in vitro conditions. Furthermore, all strains were evaluated for improvement of in vitro quinoa seed germination. Based on these properties, nine bacterial strains were formulated in three different matrixes and evaluated for quinoa seedling growth promotion during drought stress in a three-month greenhouse experiment. Three strains were shown to significantly (P < 0.05) increase root length of the quinoa seedlings. One strain was selected and shown to significantly (P < 0.05) increase leaf number in a field trial under semi-arid conditions in the southern altiplano in Bolivia. DNA sequencing and phylogenetic analyses of the 16S locus putatively identified the three strains with growth-promoting potential under drought stress as members of the genera Bacillus, Pseudomonas and Serratia. Microorganisms from the arid Bolivian altiplano constitute a potential biological source of bioinoculants to improve quinoa productivity and provide sustainable mitigation of climate change effects.

Analysis of spatial and temporal characteristics and evolution of green total factor productivity in agriculture in the lower Yellow River basin

The construction of ecological barriers in the Yellow River Basin represents a significant step toward reducing agricultural carbon emissions, achieving carbon neutrality, and reaching carbon peaking in China. The diverse agrarian development objectives of various regions within the basin have resulted in a heterogeneous approach to greening agriculture. Therefore, this paper will evaluate the development of carbon sink agriculture across 34 cities and municipalities in the lower Yellow River basin from 2008 to 2021 based on the EBM-GML model, and analyze the spatial-temporal evolution of agricultural green total factor productivity (AGTFP) in each region through the application of the Moran index, kernel density estimation, and spatial Markov chain analysis. The results demonstrate that agricultural carbon emissions in the Lower Yellow River Basin gradually decreased throughout the study period. Furthermore, overall carbon emission efficiency improved, indicating significant potential for further emission reduction. In addition, Agricultural Green Technology Progress (AGTC) has become a primary driver of AGTFP growth, while Agricultural Green Technology Efficiency (AGEC) has demonstrated a gradual upward trend. Locally, most areas are weakly connected and display an isolated development trend. The results of the kernel density analysis demonstrate a notable degree of mobility in the distributional dynamics of AGTFP growth, characterized by a gradual narrowing of the gap between locations. The transfer of (AGTFP) types in the lower reaches of the Yellow River Basin is stable, with a noticeable “club convergence” phenomenon, while geographical conditions significantly influence the transfer of AGTFP types in this region. Based on long-term trend predictions, the future trajectory of AGTFP in the lower Yellow River Basin appears optimistic and is expected to improve progressively, with the overall distribution tending toward equilibrium.

Progress in Agronomic Crops Lodging Resistance and Prevention: A Review

ABSTRACTCrop lodging is recognised as one of the yield‐limiting factors in agricultural production. Therefore, better understanding to improve lodging resistance and to prevent lodging‐induced losses in agronomic crops is necessary. Besides yield losses, lodging severely affects the crop harvesting process and increases the production cost. However, achieving the objective of higher crop yields and yield quality without increasing lodging risk is quite challenging. To this end, it is essential to interpret the underlying mechanism of plant stem buckling and failure of root anchorage and optimise the fundamental trade‐off between lodging resistance and yield performance in agronomic crops. In the present review, we made an effort to discuss recent and innovative research insights that guarantee greater lodging resistance along with advanced lodging prevention strategies while sustaining higher crop yield and yield quality.

The carbon emission reduction benefits of the transformation of the intensive use of cultivated land in China

The transformation of the intensive use of cultivated land has an important impact on agricultural carbon emissions (ACE). However, the existing research on the impact mechanisms of the transformation of intensive use of cultivated land on carbon emissions is not clear. In view of this, this study constructs the impact mechanism of the transformation of intensive use of cultivated land on carbon emissions from the perspective of production factors substitution based on the theory of induced technological change and the theory of marginal returns. Using the Cobb-Douglas production function, this study identifies the transformation patterns of intensive use of cultivated land in China from 1980 to 2021. Furthermore, this study simulates the carbon emission reduction benefits brought about by the transformation of the intensive use of cultivated land by considering the cost of agricultural production. The results show that, first, from 1980 to 2021, the price of agricultural labor increased by 224.10%, while the price of other agricultural production factors significantly decreased. China's intensive use of cultivated land methods has undergone four stages: agricultural labor–intensive (ALI), yield–enhancing factor–intensive (YEFI), labor–saving factor–intensive (LSFI), and innovation factor–intensive (IFI). In 2021, most of China's provinces were in the YEFI or ALI stages. Second, between 1993 and 2021, the transformation of China's intensive use of cultivated land brought about an 87.48% increase in carbon emissions, while the spatial clustering effect of carbon emissions weakened. Furthermore, the results show that, the transition of the use of cultivated land from ALI to YEFI and YEFI to LSFI will reduce carbon emissions by 7.89%, and input factors costs will increase by 23.85%. If all regions, except for those in the IFI stage, transition to the LSFI model, it will result in a 17.56% reduction in carbon emissions, with a corresponding increase of 33.40% of the input factors input costs. This research enriches the theoretical foundation of literature about the transformation of the intensive use of cultivated land. It also expands the research perspective on agricultural carbon emissions. This research also helps provide references for the direction of the transformation of the intensive use of cultivated land in China and the achievement of the dual carbon goals.

A Novel Interpolation Method for Soil Parameters Combining RBF Neural Network and IDW in the Pearl River Delta

Soil fertility is a critical factor in agricultural production, directly impacting crop growth, yield, and quality. To achieve precise agricultural management, accurate spatial interpolation of soil parameters is essential. This study developed a new interpolation prediction framework that combines Radial Basis Function (RBF) neural networks with Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW), termed the IDW-RBFNN. This framework initially uses the IDW method to apply preliminary weights based on distance to the data points, which are then used as input for the RBF neural network to form a training dataset. Subsequently, the RBF neural network further trains on these data to refine the interpolation results, achieving more precise spatial data interpolation. We compared the interpolation prediction accuracy of the IDW-RBFNN framework with ordinary Kriging (OK) and RBF methods under three different parameter settings. Ultimately, the IDW-RBFNN demonstrated lower error rates in terms of RMSE and MRE compared to direct RBF interpolation methods when adjusting settings based on different power values, even with a fixed number of data samples. As the sample size decreases, the interpolation accuracy of OK and RBF methods is significantly affected, while the error of IDW-RBFNN remains relatively low. Considering both interpolation accuracy and resource limitations, we recommend using the IDW-RBFNN method (p = 2) with at least 60 samples as the minimum sampling density to ensure high interpolation accuracy under resource constraints. Our method overcomes limitations of existing approaches that use fixed steady-state distance decay parameters, providing an effective tool for soil fertility monitoring in delta regions.

IMPORTANCE OF PUBLIC FUNDS AND DEBT CAPITAL IN FINANCING INVESTMENTS IN POLISH AGRICULTURE IN 2004-2022

The article assesses the importance of public funds and debt capital in financing investment outlays in agriculture in Poland in 2004-2022. The analysis used statistical data on inputs of production factors in agriculture, in particular investment outlays, as well as budget expenditure on agriculture, farmers’ credit indebtedness and leasing of agricultural machinery. The analysis included both nominal values and values adjusted for the CPI index. It has been shown that capital expenditure in agriculture increased in the years 2004-2022, including nominal and real investment expenditure. During the period under study, the importance of public funds, from the national budget and European funds, in financing agriculture increased. This also applied to investments in agricultural farms. In 2004-2019, a dynamic increase in investment outlays financed in the form of bank loans and leasing could also be observed. A positive correlation was demonstrated between investment expenditure in agriculture and the level of budget expenditure on agriculture and farmers’ credit indebtedness. In the last years of the period under review, i.e. 2020-2022, a decrease in the share of external capitals in the form of long-term bank loans and leasing in financing fixed assets in agriculture was observed.

Climate risk and green total factor productivity in agriculture: The moderating role of climate policy uncertainty.

In light of the escalating global warming and the escalating frequency of extreme weather events, the agricultural sector, being a fundamental and pivotal industry worldwide, is encountering substantial challenges due to climate change. Using Chinese provincial panel data for 2000-2021, this paper utilizes a two-way fixed-effect model to investigate the impact of Climate Risk (CR) on green total factor productivity in agriculture (AGTFP), with China's climate policy uncertainty (CPU) being introduced as a moderating variable within the research framework to scrutinize its influence in this context. The findings reveal a noteworthy adverse effect of CR on AGTFP, further exacerbated by CPU. Heterogeneity analysis results show that there is a clear regional variation in the effect of CR on AGTFP across different Chinese regions, with CR significantly inhibiting AGTFP development in the northern regions and provinces in major grain producing regions. Consequently, there is a pressing necessity to bolster the establishment of climate change monitoring infrastructures, devise tailored climate adaptation strategies at a regional level, and enhance the clarity and predictability of climate policies to fortify the resilience and sustainability of agricultural production systems.

The impact of labor force aging on agricultural total factor productivity of farmers in China: implications for food sustainability

IntroductionThe rapid aging of the labor force has serious implications for socioeconomic development and poses challenges to food sustainability. Existing studies have focused on the impact of labor force aging on land productivity, but little attention has been paid to the comprehensive capacity of agricultural production, namely the total factor productivity of agriculture.MethodsWe estimate the impact of labor force aging on total factor productivity in agriculture using data from 170,506 sample farm households from the National Fixed Point Survey data from 2003 to 2020. We estimate the results using a panel fixed effects approach and mitigate the endogeneity problem using an instrumental variables approach to ensure the robustness of the estimates.Results and discussionThe results show that labor force aging has an adverse effect on the agricultural total factor productivity of farm households and remains robust after addressing endogeneity and substituting explanatory variables. The aging effect shows significant heterogeneity across different food functional areas with different types of farm households. The negative impact of labor force aging on total factor productivity in agriculture is mainly concentrated in the main grain-production and grain-producing and marketing-balanced areas. We also find that the negative impact of labor force aging is more significant among large-scale farmers. The mechanism analysis finds that the aging of the labor force adversely affects the agricultural total factor productivity by inhibiting technological progress and reducing the efficiency of agricultural resource allocation. These insights, when considered in the light of global trends towards agricultural labor aging, suggest that policy interventions aimed at promoting technological adoption, enhancing resource allocation efficiency, and supporting the transitioning of older farmers may hold promise for maintaining food sustainability and addressing the challenges posed by an aging agricultural workforce in numerous developing nations.

Efficiency of Agricultural Insurance in Facilitating Modern Agriculture Development: From the Perspective of Production Factor Allocation

Agricultural insurance is instrumental in consolidating the gains of poverty alleviation and advancing rural revitalization. It significantly aids in the efficient allocation of agricultural production factors, which in turn enhances agricultural output and bolsters the evolution of modern agriculture. Therefore, utilizing data from 583 household surveys and employing endogenous transformation and intermediary effect models, this paper analyzes the production factor allocation effect and specific mechanism of agricultural insurance. It focuses on small-scale farmers and new agricultural operators, exploring how insurance contributes to the advancement of modern agricultural practices. The results show the following: (1) Agriculture insurance can significantly affect the agricultural scale input behavior of farmers such as land input scale and input scale, agricultural machinery application behavior such as the degree of mechanization and water conservancy application, agricultural technology adoption behavior, and planting structure selection behavior, thereby helping to modernize agriculture. (2) There is heterogeneity in the impact of agriculture insurance on the allocation of production factors for small farmers and new agricultural operators. For small farmers, agriculture insurance has a significant promoting effect on their agricultural machinery application behavior, agricultural technology adoption behavior, and planting structure selection behavior. For new agricultural operators, agriculture insurance significantly promotes their agricultural scale input behavior, agricultural machinery application behavior, and agricultural technology adoption behavior. (3) In terms of the mechanism of action, agriculture insurance mainly promotes agricultural scale input behavior through land transfer, facilitates agricultural machinery application behavior by purchasing agricultural machinery equipment and services, encourages agricultural technology adoption behavior by strengthening agricultural technology training, and enhances professional production levels by increasing the scale of insured planting, thereby contributing to the development of modern agriculture. Based on this, several policy suggestions have been proposed. These include enhancing the directionality of agriculture insurance policies, improving the collaborative interaction mechanism between agriculture insurance and agricultural credit financing, and adopting certain reward and punishment measures to curb moral hazard.

Effect of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) on growth and yield of shallots on saline soils

Soil salinity is a limiting factor in agricultural productivity. One of the biological approaches to mitigate the impact of salt stress on plants is inoculating plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) to the plant roots. This study aimed to investigate the eff of PGPR dosage on the growth and yield of shallots at various salinity levels. This study was carried out in the experimental field of Poncokusumo, Malang. The treatments tested consisted of two factors. The first factor was soil salinity level, consisting of four levels: no salinity, NaCl 50 mM, NaCl 100 mM, and NaCl 150 mM. The second factor was PGPR concentration, consisting of four levels: no PGPR, PGPR 10 mL/L, PGPR 20 mL/L, and PGPR 30 mL/L. The sixteen treatment combinations were arranged in a randomized block design with three replications. The data obtained were subjected to the analysis of variance (ANOVA) at a significance level limit of 5%, followed by the Honestly Significant Difference (HSD) test at a 5% significance level for any significant differences. The results showed that the application of 30 mL/L of PGPR reduced EC of the soil and improved plant height, plant dry weight, leaf area, bulb diameter, bulb weight, and the number of bulbs per plant by 33%, 47.3%, 81%, 13%, 34.2%, 98.5%, and 31%, respectively, compared to the treatment without PGPR application under NaCl 150 mM salinity. The application of PGPR at 20 and 30 mL/L dosages significantly increased chlorophyll, flavonoid, and proline indices at NaCl at 100 mM and 150 mM salinity levels compared to the treatment without PGPR.

The Role of Climate Change, Employment, Government Expenditure, and Imports on the Value of Agricultural Production in Romania

Abstract Agricultural production is important for ensuring food security, supporting many activities of society and building strong trade economy of a country, but can be slightly influenced by numerous factors. Even if exists a lot of studies that analyze the influencing factors of agricultural production in terms of value, investments, climate change, credits, costs of energy and more, in the literature can be observed a research gap regarding the relation between emissions or mean weekly hours actually worked per employed person and value of agricultural production. The identified gap in the specialty literature was covered in this paper. The present paper aims to analyze a series of factors that influence the value of agricultural production, like: climate change, employment, government expenditure and imports, after discussing the theoretical framework about the subject. The methodological approach is based on using several linear regressions, tested with the EViews software. One of the main findings indicates the existence of relationships between both the change of imports and the change of emissions with the value of agricultural production in Romania during 1995-2021. Also, another result indicates a negative influence of temperature change on the value of agricultural production, showing once again that climate change does negatively impact agricultural output and, thus, the sustainable development of Romania. This study could be used further by policy makers to understand on which drivers should act on in developing sustainable policies for Romanian agriculture.

Seed Production in Jalandhar

A key factor in agricultural resilience, crop diversity, and productivity is seed production—particularly in areas like Jalandhar that must meet changing market demands and climate change. This project explores the complexities of seed production in Jalandhar and how it affects agricultural development with the goal of educating researchers, policymakers, and agricultural stakeholders on how to support sustainable seed production systems. Located in the rich plains of Punjab, Jalandhar has become a major centre for the production of seeds, especially for pulses, wheat, and rice. The region's favorable soil and climate, together with cutting-edge farming techniques, are what propel the expansion of the seed business. With the growing use of hybrid and genetically modified seeds, government programs encouraging agricultural output, and growing farmer awareness of the advantages of high-quality seeds, Jalandhar has a huge market potential for seed production. Nevertheless, in order to fully realize the potential of this industry, stakeholders must work together and implement strategic interventions in response to issues including volatile market pricing, restricted financial availability for small-scale farmers, and environmental sustainability concerns. The sector's growth trajectory is further aided by the existence of well-established agricultural research institutions and government policies that are supportive of the industry, providing growing opportunities in both domestic and foreign markets High-quality seeds improve crop yields while also contributing to overall sustainability and profitability in farming operations. Agro-ecologically-suited certified seeds are essential for reducing the danger of pests, illnesses, and unfavorable weather. Encouraging and supporting sustainable seed production systems in Jalandhar benefits all related departments and financial institutions by promoting agricultural development, economic success, and food security. Keywords : Seed production ,Agricultural development ,Market potential ,Sustainable seed systems ,Government initiatives ,Economic prosperity.

Nickel iron mining slag and soil acidity correction

Soil acidity is one of the limiting factors of agricultural production most commonly reported in oxidic soils, such as Oxisols often found in the Brazilian Cerrado regions for example. The dredging is the most efficient management practice in the correction of soil acidity and increase of base saturation levels. The nickel iron mining scora is a residue that has relevant amounts of magnesium silicate, and may have neutralization capacity of soil acidity. Therefore, the objective of this work was to value the potential of magnesium silicate as a soil acidity corrective. The experimental design used was completely randomized, arranged in a 2x5x5 factorial scheme with twelve replications, where the 1st factor consisted of two hatching dates, 30 and 60 days, the 2nd factor consisted of five doses of mining slag: 0, 90, 120, 150 and 180 Mg ha-1, and the 3rd factor consisted of five doses of dolomític limestone: 0, 90, 120, 150 and 180 Mg ha-1. The mining slag did not present soil pH neutralization power under the evaluated conditions. However, it presented potential for neutralization under conditions of lower granulometry and greater solubilization.

Spatial Distribution Characteristics and Influencing Factors of Geographical Indication Agricultural Products in Shaanxi Province

Geographical indication agricultural products are of great significance to promote the high-quality development of rural revitalization due to their unique quality and brand value. Based on the geographical concentration index, the nearest neighbor index and the kernel density estimation method, this paper empirically studies the spatial distribution characteristics and influencing factors of 117 geographical indication agricultural products in Shaanxi Province. The results show that the spatial distribution of geographical indications in Shaanxi is extremely uneven, showing the characteristics of ' dense in the south and sparse in the north, regional agglomeration '. From the perspective of density distribution characteristics, the overall spatial distribution of geographical indications in Shaanxi shows a distribution pattern of ' three high and three times ', and the three high-density areas show a agglomeration distribution pattern of ' pin-shaped '. The difference between the north and the south is obvious, and the overall distribution pattern is ' cold in the north and hot in the south '. The spatial distribution pattern of geographical indications in Shaanxi is affected by many factors. Natural factors are the basis, social and economic factors strengthen the spatial distribution pattern of geographical indications, and government-led and policy factors play a regulatory and guiding role. It is suggested to optimize the spatial distribution pattern of geographical indications in Shaanxi, rely on local social resources, give full play to the leading role of the government, and actively promote the industrialization development of geographical indication products.

Agromet Advisories to Mitigate the Effects of Aberrant Weather in Himachal Pradesh

Weather is a pivotal factor in agricultural production, influencing crop growth, disease and pest occurrences, water and fertilizer needs, and the effectiveness of cultural and preventive measures. Extreme weather events can cause physiological stress, physical damage, soil erosion, and crop quality degradation. In India, agriculture's vulnerability to adverse weather is a significant concern, with natural disasters like floods, droughts, and cyclones leading to crop failure, food insecurity, and economic impacts. To mitigate these challenges, Agrometeorological Advisory Services (AAS) play a crucial role in providing farmers with weather-based advisories to manage agricultural risks. The Integrated Agro-Meteorological Advisory Service (IAAS), run by the Indian Ministry of Earth Sciences and the India Meteorological Department (IMD), offers district-level weather forecasts and agromet advisories to support farmers in adapting to weather fluctuations. These advisories cover various weather-related risks, including cold injury and frost, high temperatures, wind damage, hailstorms, and floods. Sample advisories suggest measures like irrigation for frost protection, mulching to reduce heat stress, and shelter belts to mitigate wind damage. Effective dissemination of advisories involves communication through electronic media, Krishi Vigyan Kendras (Agriculture Science Centres), and Kisan (Farmer) Call Centres. Thrust areas for enhancing AAS include improved scientific understanding, advanced monitoring and prediction of severe weather events, satellite-based communication technologies, and real-time forecasting. By integrating these strategies, farmers can better prepare for extreme weather and mitigate its impact on agriculture.

MEASURING THE AGRICULTURAL TOTAL FACTOR PRODUCTIVITY OF PROVINCES IN TURKEY USING MALMQUIST INDEX

This study aims to reveal the total factor productivity levels in the agricultural sector in 81 provinces of Turkey by using the Malmquist index method over the period 2009-2019. The results extracted from the Malmquist index findings show that index value changed between 1.186 and 0.952, agricultural productivity increased in 75 provinces and decreased in 6 provinces. In addition, our findings confirm technological change affects the change in agricultural productivity levels in all provinces in Turkey, and that technology is a determining factor in agricultural productivity in all provinces. From a policy perspective, the results suggest that authorities in Turkey should develop and implement technologies that will make the sector productive, to encourage and support infrastructure, research and publication studies on technology. In addition, this research claims that the regional incentive system can be revised and, it can build an incentive system based on performance and efficiency in which provinces or businesses operating in this field are classified according to their productivity.

Integrating the rent gap into the ground rent theory. Measurement and implications for different models of agriculture

The aim of this paper is to establish a conceptual framework for the rent gap theory in agriculture and to identify potential implications of the rent gap for socio-economic processes occurring in agriculture and rural areas. From an empirical perspective an attempt was made to determine the state and dynamics of the rent gap phenomenon in agriculture in Poland, considering the regional division. The authors used income approach and Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) for estimating the capitalization rate. It was found that rent gap is a permanent phenomenon in Polish agriculture, the dynamics of which largely depends on macroeconomic factors. A widening rent gap may result in the withdrawal of land from farming and a decline in total factor productivity in agriculture. Thus, the implications of the rent gap may relate to food security. Measuring the rent gap can be a step towards determining the quasi-market value of environmental amenities of land.

Potential of Eco-Weeding with High-Power Laser Adoption from the Farmers’ Perspective

Agriculture and rural regions in Europe face a number of economic, social, and environmental challenges. Rural areas are active players in the EU’s green transition. Weeding is one of the most important factors in agricultural production. New weeding techniques are being developed to enhance sustainability. Among them, laser-based weeding seems to be a promising alternative to the use of chemicals. The WeLASER technique is a novel technique for weed control. Its successful implementation depends on many factors related to the innovation itself, policy context, farming conditions, and users’ attitudes. A survey was carried out to provide insight into the attitudes towards the innovative (laser) weed control tool (autonomous robot). The CATI method was selected for the surveying of farmers’ opinions and carried out in three countries: Denmark, Spain, and Poland. Statistical methods were applied to analyze the results. This study provided knowledge on how farmers see the barriers and opportunities related to implementing the device in practice. Positive attitudes of farmers were observed but with high expectations related to the quality of the technique and the systemic conditions of its implementation.

Agricultural Practices to Improve Irrigation Sustainability

Water is the main limiting factor in agricultural production in regions where the annual or seasonal rainfall is insufficient for the water requirements of crops [...]