Agricultural Research Articles

Ecological Suitability Evaluation of City Construction Based on Landscape Ecological Analysis

Ecological suitability evaluation is a critical component of regional sustainable development and construction, serving as a foundation for optimizing spatial patterns of regional growth. This is particularly pertinent in karst mountainous regions characterized by limited land resources and heightened ecosystem vulnerability, where a quantitative assessment of ecological suitability for land development is both crucial and urgent. Based on the fundamental principles of structural and functional dynamics in landscape ecology, this study focuses on Gui’an New Area, a designated urban development zone situated in the karst landscape of Guizhou Province. An index system was established encompassing three dimensions: ecological elements, ecological significance, and ecological resilience, utilizing the integrated ecological resistance (IER) model to evaluate the suitability of regional development and construction. The results reveal that the eastern region exhibits higher suitability compared to the central and western regions, with the northwest region demonstrating the lowest suitability overall. Relatively speaking, the evaluation of geological environment suitability and the comprehensive ecological constraints associated with development and construction indicates that the areas currently planned and ongoing reflect flat terrain and low ecological risk. Furthermore, within the scope of ecosystem dynamic adaptation, developmental activities in these regions exert minimal impact on the natural ecosystem, thereby demonstrating a high suitability for development and construction. In terms of future key development zones, areas with gentle slopes ranging from 8 to 15 degrees are recommended, aligning with the actual requirements for cultivated land protection. The total area designated as prohibited development zones constitutes the smallest proportion, representing only 9.45%, which is significantly lower than that of priority development zones (38.75%) and moderate development zones (22.45%). From the perspective of landscape ecology, this paper provides a comprehensive investigation into the ecological suitability evaluation system for development and construction in the karst regions of Southwest China, offering valuable insights for assessing ecological suitability in similar areas.

The Impact of Agricultural Socialization Services on the Ecological Protection of Rice Farmland in Jianghan Plain, China

The ecological protection of cultivated land is crucial for advancing high-quality agricultural development. This study analyzes the impact of agricultural socialization services on the ecological conservation of farmland, focusing on the reduction of chemical fertilizers and pesticides among rice farmers in the Jianghan Plain area. Utilizing data from 743 farmer household surveys conducted in 2023, the findings reveal that agricultural socialization services significantly encourage farmers to reduce chemical input usage. For every 1% increase in the level of agricultural social services, the average fertilizer use per hectare will decrease by 14% and the average pesticide use per hectare will decrease by 16.4%. The study identifies scale operation, factor substitution, and alleviation of capital constraints as mediating factors enhancing the efficacy of these services. Furthermore, heterogeneity analysis indicates that these services are more effective in reducing chemical inputs among large-scale and newer-generation farmers compared to their small-scale and older counterparts. Additionally, technology-intensive socialized services exhibit a stronger impact on reducing chemical inputs than labor-intensive services.

Exploring Silica Nanoparticles: A Sustainable Solution for Pest Control in Sri Lankan Rice Farming

Rice cultivation stands as a cornerstone of Sri Lanka’s economy, serving as a vital source of employment for rural communities. However, the constraints of limited land availability have prompted an escalating dependence on agrochemicals, notably for pest management, thereby posing significant threats to human health and the environment. This review delves into the exploration of silica nanoparticles as a promising eco-friendly substitute for conventional pesticides in the context of Sri Lankan rice farming. It comprehensively examines various aspects, including the synthesis methods of silica nanoparticles, their encapsulation with synthetic pesticides, and an evaluation of their efficacy in pest control. Furthermore, it sheds light on the innovative utilization of agricultural waste such as rice husk and straw in the production of silica-based nanopesticides. This approach not only demonstrates a shift towards sustainable agricultural practices but also aligns with the principles of green chemistry and circular economy, offering a holistic solution to the challenges faced by the rice farming sector in Sri Lanka.

The genetic diversity and population structure of wild and cultivated Avena species in Ethiopia using a SSR markers

Oats are grains that can be consumed by both animals and humans. They have thrived in Ethiopia, where certain oat species are considered native to the region. This work represents the first investigation of the population structure and genetic diversity of Ethiopian and other country oats. This led the scientists to explore the genetic diversity and population structure of wild and cultivated Ethiopian oats (Avena) species as well as oat cultivated in USA, the Netherlands and Austria. This study's main objective looks to be to investigate the variation in genetic makeup of cultivated and wild oat species. Studying the population structure of the oat species in the germplasm of Ethiopia, USA, the Netherlands and Austria. We used nineteen fluorescent SSR (simple sequence repeat) markers since previous research had indicated that these markers had high PIC (polymorphism information content) values. Five species of Avena were studied among the 176 oat accessions: A. sativa (cultivated oats) and four wild oats, such as A. abyssinica, A. vaviloviana, A. fatua, and A. sterilis. The AMOVA investigation revealed significant genetic distinctions among populations, individuals, and within individuals, explaining 18 % of the variance within populations, 4 % among populations, and 78 % within individuals. The AMOVA analysis of Avena species demonstrated extensive variance, with 33 % variation among species and 67 % within each species, underscoring robust species differentiation. The study also discovered gene interchange between wild oat and cultivated populations, defining two Avena species: domesticated oats and wild oats. Using the STRUCTURE software at K = 2, PCoA, and UPGMA, a distinct genetic structure was displayed in the dataset. Despite variations in ploidy levels and genomes, A. sterilis and A. vaviloviana were determined to be more closely linked, whereas A. abyssinica and A. fatua demonstrated a close association. This research delivers valuable insights for scientists and can be employed in oat breeding programs to improve future oat yield and productivity.

Seeds and farmers' rights as drivers of change on food systems

In the heart of Kenya's vibrant agricultural landscape lies a fundamental aspect crucial for food security, cultural heritage, and economic resilience: the right to seed. Embedded within the fabric of traditional farming practices, the right to seed encompasses the freedom of farmers to save, exchange, and utilize traditional and farmer-bred seeds. In Kenya, as in many other countries, this right is not only a legal concept but a cornerstone of agricultural sovereignty. However, its preservation faces challenges in the face of globalization, corporate interests, and evolving intellectual property regimes. Yet, amidst these challenges, significant strides are being made, with collaborative efforts at the global level, particularly through initiatives led by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA), aimed at promoting and protecting farmers' rights. Every smallholder farmer has the right to safe, nutritious and healthy food and the ability to sustain themselves and their societies with the existing endorsed resources. The concept of farmers’ rights came out as a subject of debate in international agricultural circles, spearheaded by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO). This includes the right to save, use, exchange and sell farm-saved seed and propagating materials, the right to protect traditional knowledge among others. In developing countries, the right to seed is a fundamental aspect of agricultural sovereignty and food security. This still emulates the subject debate from FAO. However, attention in scientific literature and policy circles for both seeds and farmers’ rights are compromised. This paper employs mediation analysis to explore the causal relationship between seed rights, farmers' rights, and food sovereignty, highlighting the pivotal role of smallholder farmers in shaping sustainable food systems. The findings underscore the importance of inclusive policies that prioritize farmers' rights and empower local communities to sustainably manage their seed resources. Key words: Farmer-managed seeds, seed banks, Access, smallholder farmers and benefit-sharing

Organic farming support policy as viewed by the farmers

The purpose of this paper is to present the policy for organic farming support in Poland as viewed by three groups of farmers: “committed”, “pragmatic”, and “committed pragmatic” ones. The authors determined the differences and similarities between the groups in how they view the support policy and found out whether they intend to continue or discontinue organic production in the future. The study relies on a qualitative survey administered to 154 organic farms. Most farmers were found to have a negative view of amendments to organic farming regulations. This can lead to a higher perception of risks involved in organic farming compared to conventional agriculture and may discourage them from continuing organic production in the future. When it comes to expectations about future policy, increased financial support is of key importance. This is especially true for two farmer groups: “committed” and “committed pragmatic” farmers. According to this study, the number of “pragmatic” farms is likely to change the most because every third member of that group intends to discontinue organic farming, and every third is hesitant about it.

Cultivated Land Information Extraction and Spatial Pattern Analysis in Beijing Based on Deep Learning

Abstract. Cultivated land is the basic resource and material condition for human survival, providing the necessary material basis for agricultural development and agricultural modernization (Tian and Shi, 2024). For this reason, this paper takes Beijing as an experimental area to study the cultivated land extraction method and analyze the distribution pattern of cultivated land and the degree of fragmentation. The results show that (1) the extraction results are evaluated by using confusion matrix and Kappa coefficient, and the Kappa coefficient is obtained to be 0.8358.(2) The cultivated land in Beijing is mainly distributed in the southeast as well as the northwest of the local area of gentle terrain, and the The range of the extremely high value of cultivated land kernel density in 2017–2022 is significantly reduced, the slope of the area with the smallest reduction in the proportion of cultivated land is less than 5°, the reduction in the area of cultivated land in water resource-rich areas is small, and the reduction in the proportion of cultivated land in road-intensive areas is large. (3) Due to various natural factors and human activities, the degree of cultivated land fragmentation in Beijing is increasing, the boundary shape of cultivated land patches tends to be irregular.

Study on the Value of Ecosystem Services and Land Use Change in the Area North of the Tianshan Mountains from 2000 to 2020

The northern Tianshans region in the arid zone of northwestern China plays a key role in promoting high-quality development of the ecological environment. In recent years, ecological environmental protection in this region has encountered major challenges due to the dual impacts of human activities and natural changes. In order to accurately assess the current status of the ecological environment in the northern Tianshans, this study analyzed the spatial and temporal changes in land use and ecological and environmental effects using land use data from 2000 to 2020 and explored the current status of land use, land use dynamic process, and ecosystem service value (ESV) in the region. Two-factor spatial autocorrelation analysis revealed the spatio-temporal characteristics of the value changes over the 20-year period as well as their spatial heterogeneity. The results show that: (1) land use changes are dominated by increases in cultivated land, forest land, watershed, and wetland, and decreases in grassland, glacier snow, and bare land. Of these changes, the expansion of cultivated land area is the most significant, showing a total increase of 1136.13 × 103 hm2. (2) The ESV increased and then decreased, reaching the highest value in 2005 and the lowest in 2020. The value of individual ecosystem services is dominated by regulating services, accounting for about 67% of the total value. (3) The overall regional balance of ecological environment quality and the contribution rate of the conversion from bare land to other land types is as high as 82.7986%, constituting the main factor in regional ecological environment improvement. The spatial distribution pattern exhibits the characteristic of “high in the northeast and low in the southwest”. (4) There is a positive correlation between the ESV, the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), and the Anthropogenic Impact Composite Index, with the NDVI being the main cause of spatial heterogeneity in the ESV. The research results provide a scientific basis for ecological protection, land management, and policy formulation in the northern foothills of the Tianshan Mountains and are of great significance for promoting regional sustainable development.

Incorporating Phenological Patterns and Multi-source Remote Sensing Imagesfor Cropland Change Detection

Abstract. Accurate information on cropland changes is critical for monitoring arable land minimum, ensuring national food security, and grasping the situation of agricultural production and supply. The change detection using remote sensing images is one of the main methods for quickly extracting cropland changes. However, existing methods were highly susceptible to seasonal differences due to the high heterogeneity of cultivated land. In this study, an integrated framework was proposed to perform change detection by incorporating phenological patterns and multi-source remote sensing images.There were two improvements in this proposed cropland change detection method: 1) the multi-source remote sensing images were utilized to fill the missing data within a time-series image stack by considering phenological patterns of cropland and 2) the Seq2Seq model considering phenological patterns was developed to extract changes in cropland directly. Compared to the traditional change detection methods, the proposed strategy was able to detect change process. Experiments demonstrated that the proposed method can significantly improved change detection accuracies, given a limited number of labeled samples.

Tourist Satisfaction in Kerala Agritourism: Insights from Domestic and International Visitors

Purpose: Tourism has been an essential component of human civilization since the beginning, evolving through various forms, phases, and practices over the centuries. Agritourism is a type of tourism that uses agricultural life as a tourist attraction. It is either agricultural tourism or agricultural marketing. It has the potential to generate additional income and employment for farmers. Agriculture has been a cornerstone of life in Kerala since ancient times, and even in today’s digital era, traditional farming methods remain prevalent among the farming community. It can help to boost local economic development and also helps to preserve biodiversity. Furthermore, rural communities must recognize the value of agricultural biodiversity and the need to protect it. It is important to measure the quality of services offered at the agritourism centre to ensure the operational effectiveness of centres as well as the tourist satisfaction [1]. The study was conducted to assess the level of satisfaction of foreign and domestic tourists in the agritourism destinations. Methodology: Primary survey was conducted among 150 domestic tourists and 150 foreign tourists who visited agritourism centres in Kerala using pre-tested structured questionnaire. Results: The findings indicated low satisfaction with accessibility, disability-friendly environment, telecommunication facilities and medical facilities available at the agritourism center. The low satisfaction level indicates that these elements are not functioning efficiently in agritourism destinations. As mentioned in the earlier discussions, accessibility is vital for the success of agritourism destinations. Most of the tourists were hesitant to revisit the centers because of inadequate accessibility. More than just a practical concern, it is crucial for boosting economic development, enhancing visitor satisfaction, and promoting sustainable agritourism practices. Likewise network connectivity challenges in agritourism centers located in hill areas pose significant obstacles to effective operation and visitor satisfaction. These issues affect communication, emergency response, and financial viability of centres as well as tourists. Medical facilities are essential to agritourism destinations, crucial for safeguarding the well-being of visitors. The agritourism centers are located in remote areas, making it challenging to access hospitals in emergency situations. So having adequate medical services in tourism centers are essential for protecting the health and well-being of tourists. Conclusion: The study assessed the level of satisfaction of foreign and domestic tourists in the agritourism destinations. Visitor satisfaction is critical to the success of agritourism destinations, as it influences visitor loyalty, the destination's reputation, operational improvements, and financial gains. By focusing on providing superior experiences and actively seeking feedback, agritourism operators can enhance their offerings, establish a positive reputation, and foster long-term growth.

Quantifying and Zoning Ecological Compensation for Cultivated Land in Intensive Agricultural Areas: A Case Study in Henan Province, China

Cultivated land ecological compensation (CLEC) is an important way to solve regional development imbalance and cultivated land problems, and the scientific quantification of the ecological value of cultivated land is the key to CLEC. This study quantified the total amount and urgency of CLEC in China’s main grain-producing region using the cropland ecological footprint (EF) and ecosystem service value (ESV) methods. Furthermore, this study analyzed the comprehensive zoning of CLEC considering natural and economic development. The results showed that the spatial distribution of EFs and the ecological carrying capacity of cultivated land in Henan Province are similar, presenting the spatial characteristics of being high in the southeast and low in the northwest; the cultivated land in most of the counties and districts is in a state of ecological surplus, and the cultivated land resources are sufficient to support their own consumption needs. Henan Province as a whole is an ecologically compensated region, with a compensation amount of CNY 1.39 billion, and the total amount of compensation is in a positive value of 94.94%. The Southwest Yu and North Yu economic zone of Henan are the areas of high and low values of cultivated land compensation. The priority compensation region is the most extensive and widely distributed type in the five regions of Henan Province, accounting for 55% of the counties and districts. The degree of compensation is most urgent in the Huanghuai, Southwest Yu, and North Yu economic zones. This study’s findings provide new ideas for the development of differentiated ecological compensation policies, and provide references for the participation of multiple market participants and the diversification of compensation forms.

Cultivated Land Quality Assessment and Obstacle Factors Diagnosis in Changtu County, Northeast China

ABSTRACTEffective evaluation of cultivated land quality is crucial for sustainable agricultural management. Existing research often focuses on regional scales and lacks sufficient detailed analysis of spatial distribution and limiting factors at localized scales. This study aims to select the key indicators to evaluate cultivated land quality and analyze their influence on cultivated land quality at the county level. Taking Changtu County as the research area, principal component analysis (PCA) was employed to identify the most effective Minimum Data Set (MDS) for evaluation, including cultivated layer thickness, soil organic matter (SOM), pH, bulk density (BD), and cultivated layer texture. Additionally, an obstacle degree model was used to analyze restricting factors and their degrees of impact. Results showed that the constructed MDS could replace all indicators for cultivated land quality evaluation. Quality was higher in central areas and lower in eastern and western regions. SOM content decreases with the decrease of quality grade, significantly affecting the quality distribution, and pH in the medium category (Grades III and VI) cultivated lands were lower compared to other categories. Low organic matter content and low pH levels were the main obstacles affecting cultivated land quality, with average obstacle degrees of 43.5% and 29.3%, respectively. Low SOM content significantly affected land quality, particularly in the western region, whereas acidic soils in the eastern region influenced quality grade distribution. Thus, strategies for pH control and SOM enhancement are essential for improving cultivated land quality. This study provides valuable insights into sustainable agriculture.

SesamumGDB: a comprehensive platform for Sesamum genetics and genomics analysis.

Sesame (Sesamum indicum L., 2n = 26) is a crucial oilseed crop cultivated worldwide. The ancient evolutionary position of the Sesamum genus highlights its value for genomics and molecular genetics research among the angiosperms of other genera. However, Sesamum is considered a small orphan genus with only a few genomic databases for cultivated sesame to date. The urgent need to construct comprehensive, curated genome databases that include genus-specific gene resources for both cultivated and wild Sesamum species is being recognized. In response, we developed Sesamum Genomics Database (SesamumGDB), a user-friendly genomic database that integrates extensive genomic resources from two cultivated sesame varieties (S. indicum) and seven wild Sesamum species, covering all three chromosome groups (2n = 26, 32, and 64). This database showcases a total of 352 471 genes, including 6026 related to lipid metabolism and 17 625 transcription factors within Sesamum. Equipped with an array of bioinformatics tools such as BLAST (basic local alignment search tool) and JBrowse (the Javascript browser), SesamumGDB facilitates data downloading, screening, visualization, and analysis. As the first centralized Sesamum genome database, SesamumGDB offers extensive insights into the genomics and genetics of sesame, potentially enhancing the molecular breeding of sesame and other oilseed crops in the future. Database URL: http://www.sgbdb.com/sgdb/.

Spatiotemporal Evolution and Driving Factors of Land Use Carbon Emissions in Jiangxi Province, China

Analyzing the spatiotemporal changes and influencing factors of carbon emissions generated by land use is of great importance for improving land use structure and promoting regional low-carbon economic development. This study, based on remote sensing and statistical yearbook data from 1995 to 2020, calculated the carbon emissions from land use in Jiangxi Province, China. Multiple spatial analysis methods and the logarithmic mean Divisia index were used to elucidate the spatiotemporal evolution and driving factors of carbon emissions, and the findings revealed the following: (1) The spatiotemporal changes in land use in Jiangxi Province during 1995–2020 were substantial as forest land accounted for 65% of the entire land area, while construction land increased by 98.1%. Cultivated land decreased the most, followed by forest land. (2) There was a fourfold rise in carbon emissions in Jiangxi Province, driven primarily by construction land, and northern areas produced higher carbon emissions compared with central and southern regions. Forest land was the main carbon sink. (3) Economic development (257.36%) and the impact of the proportion of construction land (211.31%) were the primary factors contributing to the increase in carbon emissions from land use, while other factors had inhibitory effects. This study transformed the macroscale low-carbon development strategy of cities into targeted local policies, and the research theories and methods adopted could provide scientific reference for other regions in urgent need of carbon reduction worldwide.

Classification and Evaluation of Marginal Land for Potential Cultivation in Northwest China Based on Contiguity and Restrictive Factors

Water, land, and other environmental conditions restrict marginal land (ML) conversion into newly cultivated land. Accurately evaluating ML’s development and utilization potential (DUP) can provide critical support for increasing new cultivated land and ensuring food security. This study focuses on Northwest China, using spatial identification of different types of ML based on remote sensing images, and constructs a county-level DUP evaluation model through contiguous characteristics and restrictive factors to determine new cultivated-land potential, water demand, and liftable grain production. The results show that the DUP of ML in Northwest China is 12.59 million ha, with low-efficiency cultivated land (LCL) and two types of restoration land (TTRL) accounting for 3.29% and 5.95%, and other marginal land (OML) making up 90.76%. The total water demand for ML development and utilization is 69.87 billion cubic meters, which can increase grain production by 62.31 million tons. The coordinated development of water, land, and food promotes an increase in grain production, with water resources being the main restrictive factor. This model effectively evaluates DUP and provides a scientific basis for promoting the rational use of water and land resources. Further research should set up more detailed water resource utilization strategies and scenarios as well as find more development and utilization techniques.

Shift from legacy to emerging per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances for watershed management along the coast of China

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and their short-chain alternatives have attracted world-wide attention due to their widespread presence and persistence in the environment. However, the sources, environmental fate, and driving forces of PFAS in coastal ecosystems remain poorly understood. In this study, the spatial distribution, source apportionment, and driving mechanisms of PFAS were investigated through a comprehensive analysis of water samples collected along the China's coastline. The concentrations of Σ25PFAS in water samples followed a general pattern, with higher levels observed in northern coastal zones of China than the south, ranging from 0.72 to 1872.21 ng L−1. PFOA and PFBA were dominant. Emerging short-chain PFAS, such as PFBS, PFBA, F-53B and GenX, were frequently detected, with detection rates of 97%, 99%, 95% and 77%, respectively. This indicated a shift in coastal PFAS contamination from legacy compounds to emerging short-chain alternatives. Source apportionment using the Positive Matrix Factorization model identified key contributors to PFAS pollution, including textile production, volatile precursors, precious metal industries, aqueous film-forming foam, metal-plating, electrochemical fluorination, and fluoropolymer manufacturing. Additionally, PFAS concentrations were significantly positively correlated with cultivated land, urban area, and wastewater discharge, while negatively correlated with annual precipitation and woodland coverage (p < 0.05). Socio-economic development was identified as a major driver of PFAS emissions, while the hydrological factors and vegetation coverage can significantly enhance watershed resilience against PFAS pollution.

What Do We Know About CapsicumVolatilome?

The Capsicum genus includes several cultivated species that release complex blends of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) associated with their unique aroma. These VOCs are essential info-chemicals in ecological interactions. In this review, we describe how the volatilomic profiling naturally varies based on specific plant organs and genotypes as well as how non-beneficial organisms affect VOCs biosynthesis and accumulation in pepper plants. Also, we show evidence about VOCs variation under the pressure of different abiotic factors such as water stress, soil type and nutrient availability. The contribution of specific metabolic pathways and gene expression related to the biosynthesis of particular VOCs is addressed. We highlighted the utility of VOCs as chemical markers for quality control in the food industry, breeding programs to generate resistant plants and to improve aroma innovation. Herein we present a database containing 2734 VOCs, revealing 113 as the basic core of the volatilome from five Capsicum species.

Traditional pandal agriculture of cucurbit vegetables utilises a relay intercropping approach with perennial Castor (Ricinus communis L.) to conserve resources

Traditional pandal agriculture of cucurbit vegetables utilises a relay intercropping approach with perennial Castor (Ricinus communis L.) to conserve resources

Risk of human exposure to Brucella species through the consumption of milk among traditional cattle farmers in the western province of Zambia

MARY MUBIANA1,2⁎, CHISONI MUMBA1, DOREEN SITALI1, MULENGA MALATA1,3, ISABEL NAMFUKWE LUAMBIA4, JOHN BWALYA MUMA1

Research on the impact of land rights certification on farmers’ operating behavior

This article aims to assess the impact of issuing land rights certification on farmers' operating behavior. To accomplish this objective, this paper establishes a theoretical framework for farmers' management behavior and thoroughly examines the stability, endowment, and security effects of land rights certification. Subsequently, using household survey data, the Probit and propensity score matching (PSM) estimation methods are employed to empirically substantiate the influence of farmland ownership confirmation. The verification results show that land right confirmation tends to motivate farmers to engage in agricultural management, and encourages female and older laborers to be more involved in agricultural production compared to males and younger laborers. Furthermore, the paper explores the mechanism by introducing such indicators as investment in agricultural machinery, quality of cultivated land, non-agricultural income of farmers, and laborers’ insurance status. Through analysis and testing, this paper holds that land right confirmation has a dual impact on farmer management, and when the reverse effect is limited, farmers are prompted to adjust the contradiction through labor force allocation within the family.