Alternative Production Systems Research Articles

Environmental assessment of the Tung cultivation through life cycle analysis

Over the past few decades, conventional agriculture has been facing serious crises caused by numerous factors, including poor soil management and the excessive application of pesticides. Thus, alternative production systems have been developed, including agroforestry systems, especially those that produce both energy and food. The objective of this study was to environmentally evaluate the culture of Aleurites fordii Hemls. (Tung) using the Life Cycle Assessment method with the SimaPro 7.3.2 software. The results revealed that in family farms that use less mechanization to harvest crops, the primary category of environmental impact was land use, which included the removal of animal and vegetable species and ecosystem changes. The full impact of this category was 1741.21 m2yr PDF (potentially disappeared fraction). Subsequently, prognostics were established for the reduction of such impacts, and we conclude that Tung has a high potential for agricultural installation with high responsibility to the environment. Keywords: Environmental factors, Aleurites fordii Hemls, Life Cycle Management, Tung.

Natural products – learning chemistry from plants

Plant natural products (PNPs) are unique in that they represent a vast array of different structural features, ranging from relatively simple molecules to very complex ones. Given the fact that many plant secondary metabolites exhibit profound biological activity, they are frequently used as fragrances and flavors, medicines, as well as industrial chemicals. As the intricate structures of PNPs often cannot be mimicked by chemical synthesis, the original plant providers constitute the sole source for their industrial, large-scale production. However, sufficient supply is not guaranteed for all molecules of interest, making the development of alternative production systems a priority. Modern techniques, such as genome mining and thorough biochemical analysis, have helped us gain preliminary understanding of the enzymatic formation of the valuable ingredients in planta. Herein, we review recent advances in the application of biocatalytical processes, facilitating generation of complex PNPs through utilization of plant-derived specific enzymes and combinatorial biochemistry. We further evaluate the options of employing heterologous organisms harboring PNP biosynthetic pathways for the production of secondary metabolites of interest.

The effects of welfare-enhancing system changes on the environmental impacts of broiler and egg production

The environmental impacts of 2 alternative UK broiler production systems that aim to improve bird welfare (a lower stocking density indoor system and the same system combined with heat exchangers for ventilation air) were compared with the baseline standard indoor system of broiler production. Furthermore, the environmental impacts of egg production in the conventional battery cage system (banned in the European Union in 2012) and its replacement, the enriched colony cage system, were compared. All comparisons were based on data obtained from the UK poultry industry, and the life cycle assessment method from cradle to farm gate was applied in the analyses. The results show that the lower density system slightly increased the global warming potential (GWP) of broiler production (by 2%), compared with the standard indoor system, due to increased heating requirements. However, when combined with the heat exchanger, the GWP was actually reduced by 3% when compared with the standard system. Both alternative systems for broilers resulted in a reduction in the eutrophication potential (by up to 8%) and acidification potential (by up to 10%). The results also showed that the colony cage system had 8% lower primary energy use and 3% lower GWP than the baseline cage system, due to better energy use efficiency and slightly improved productivity. There were only minor differences in the eutrophication and acidification potentials between different egg production systems. The results suggest that welfare-friendly changes in chicken systems can be achieved without a compromise in their environmental impacts.

RESPONSES OF SWEET CHERRY WATER USE AND PRODUCTIVITY AND SOIL QUALITY TO ALTERNATE GROUNDCOVER AND IRRIGATION SYSTEMS

Ground and irrigation management are two key production practices in sweet cherry. A field trial was conducted on bearing sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) trees (‘Lapins’/Mazzard) on a fine loam soil at The Dalles, Oregon, from 2006 through 2008 to evaluate the transitional impacts of using double-lateral drip irrigation (DD) and straw mulch (ST) as an integrated alternative production system compared with the current micro sprinkler irrigation (MS) and no ground cover (NC) production system. Two irrigation systems of MS and DD and two in-row ground cover systems of wheat straw mulch and the control (no ground cover but herbicides were used to control weeds) were evaluated in a randomized complete block split-plot design with four replicates. Irrigation water use was reduced by 54.3% with DD compared with MS and was lowered by 9.7% with ST relative to NC averaged over the three years. Fruit yields and quality were comparable for the two irrigation and two ground cover systems. Double-lateral drip irrigation increased marketable fruit by 8.6% on average relative to MS. However, leaf P, K, B, Cu, and Zn concentrations were decreased with DD over MS. Therefore, switching from MS to DD can remarkably reduce irrigation water use while maintaining comparable productivity of bearing sweet cherry, but more P, K, B, Cu and Zn fertilizers may be needed. Overall, a combined DD and ST production system is viable for sweet cherry in areas with water shortages and soil erosion.

Biomass Plant and Sensors Network for Process Monitoring and Energy Storage in a Superconducting Magnetic Device

This research has been carried out in the context of a national organization project (PON04a2_F), promoted by the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research under the tutelage of the European Community. It is part of a more complex “Smart Cities” project, and it is devoted to the realization of an alternative system for green energy production. It includes an electrical power supply generated from the anaerobic digestion of biomass and the storage of electrical energy in a superconducting magnetic energy storage device in order to overcome energy blackout and meet the energy needs of the network when the demand rises in closed-cycle production systems.

Whole Pichia pastoris Yeast Expressing Measles Virus Nucleoprotein as a Production and Delivery System to Multimerize Plasmodium Antigens

Yeasts are largely used as bioreactors for vaccine production. Usually, antigens are produced in yeast then purified and mixed with adjuvants before immunization. However, the purification costs and the safety concerns recently raised by the use of new adjuvants argue for alternative strategies. To this end, the use of whole yeast as both production and delivery system appears attractive. Here, we evaluated Pichia pastoris yeast as an alternative vaccine production and delivery system for the circumsporozoite protein (CS) of Plasmodium, the etiologic agent of malaria. The CS protein from Plasmodium berghei (Pb) was selected given the availability of the stringent C57Bl/6 mouse model of infection by Pb sporozoites, allowing the evaluation of vaccine efficacy in vivo. PbCS was multimerized by fusion to the measles virus (MV) nucleoprotein (N) known to auto-assemble in yeast in large-size ribonucleoprotein rods (RNPs). Expressed in P. pastoris, the N-PbCS protein generated highly multimeric and heterogenic RNPs bearing PbCS on their surface. Electron microscopy and immunofluorescence analyses revealed the shape of these RNPs and their localization in peripheral cytoplasmic inclusions. Subcutaneous immunization of C57Bl/6 mice with heat-inactivated whole P. pastoris expressing N-PbCS RNPs provided significant reduction of parasitemia after intradermal challenge with a high dose of parasites. Thus, in the absence of accessory adjuvants, a very low amount of PbCS expressed in whole yeast significantly decreased clinical damages associated with Pb infection in a highly stringent challenge model, providing a proof of concept of the intrinsic adjuvancy of this vaccine strategy. In addition to PbCS multimerization, the N protein contributed by itself to parasitemia delay and long-term mice survival. In the future, mixtures of whole recombinant yeasts expressing relevant Plasmodium antigens would provide a multivalent formulation applicable for antigen combination screening and possibly for large-scale production, distribution and delivery of a malaria vaccine in developing countries.

Salmonid alphavirus replication in mosquito cells: towards a novel vaccine production system

Salmonid alphavirus (SAV) causes pancreas disease and sleeping disease in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and confers a major burden to the aquaculture industry. A commercial inactivated whole virus vaccine propagated in a salmon cell line at low temperature provides effective protection against SAV infections. Alphaviruses (family Togaviridae) are generally transmitted between vertebrate hosts via blood-sucking arthropod vectors, typically mosquitoes. SAV is unique in this respect because it can be transmitted directly from fish to fish and has no known invertebrate vector. Here, we show for the first time that SAV is able to complete a full infectious cycle within arthropod cells derived from the Asian tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus. Progeny virus is produced in C6/36 and U4.4. cells in a temperature-dependent manner (at 15°C but not at 18°C), can be serially passaged and remains infectious to salmonid Chinook salmon embryo cells. This suggests that SAV is not a vertebrate-restricted alphavirus after all and may have the potential to replicate in invertebrates. The current study also shows the ability of SAV to be propagated in mosquito cells, thereby possibly providing an alternative SAV production system for vaccine applications.

Modular design for increasing assembly automation

Modular design can address the need for a high number of product variants and further allow a higher degree of automation in the assembly line. A framework is developed for the simultaneous modular product design and the design of automated manufacturing system. Product designs are optimized for automation using Design Structure Matrix and Modular Function Deployment. Alternative production systems are designed and accessed based on the analysis of assembly steps hierarchically. The implementation of the framework on the design of a production system for furniture assembly, able to handle multiple variants with a large number of components, is demonstrated.

Assessment of Production System Alternatives During Early Development Phase

The development of modern mechatronic systems is characterized by a rising complexity and an increasing necessity to develop product and according production system in a close interplay. Model-based Systems Engineering has been introduced to cope with these challenges by means of an integrated system model. It enables the consideration of possible interdependencies and allows the analysis of the whole system model from the beginning. Especially during the early phase of the production system development many interdependencies have to be considered while the information are still vague and most system specifications yet have to be determined. The objective of the approach presented in this contribution is therefore to compare and assess early alternative production system specifications parallel to the development in order to reduce the relevant solution space and save valuable development resources. For that purpose a three stage evaluation procedure is proposed and methodologically founded. Additionally an according multi criteria structure that is based on common specification languages like CONSENS or SysML is presented and the practicality of the approach is demonstrated with an application example.

Desempenho bioeconômico de sistemas intensivos de cria e de ciclo completo por meio de simulação

Foram simulados quatro sistemas de produção de bovinos de corte a partir de dados zootécnicos e econômicos de uma fazenda de ciclo completo situada no município de Corinto, região central de Minas Gerais. Utilizou-se o programa de simulação bioeconômica Embrapec. Os sistemas simulados foram: ciclo completo com uso de cruzamento industrial (CompCRUZA), ciclo completo exclusivamente com zebuíno (CompZEBU), ciclo de cria com uso de cruzamento industrial (CriaCRUZA), ciclo de cria exclusivamente com zebuíno (CriaZEBU). No sistema com cruzamento industrial, os animais eram vendidos logo após a desmama, com oito meses (CriaCRUZA), ou abatidos aos 13 meses (CompCRUZA). No sistema com rebanho zebu, os animais eram também vendidos à desmama (CriaZEBU) ou abatidos aos 24 meses (CompZEBU). As bezerras foram recriadas, e uma parcela (15%), descartada para a venda. A quantidade de animais em um rebanho estabilizado foi 13,1% e 10,7% menor nos sistemas cruzados, completo e cria, respectivamente; porém a quantidade (kg) de carcaça vendida/ha (49,9 para CriaCRUZA e 118,1 para CompCRUZA) e a taxa de desfrute (24,4%) foram em média 15,3% maior que zebuínos. A taxa interna de retorno e o valor presente líquido foram superiores para os sistemas que adotaram o cruzamento de zebuínos com raças europeias, CriaCRUZA (17,2% e R$ 10.151.896,54) e CompCRUZA (18,9% e R$ 11.749.329,42). Quando comparados os sistemas de produção, os que utilizaram ciclo completo, o CompCRUZA (18,9% e R$ 11.749.329,42) e CompZEBU (16,2% e R$ 9.568.293,51), foram em média 18,7% maiores que os de cria, quando comparados com o mesmo grupo genético, CriaCRUZA (17,2% e R$ 10.151.896,54) e CriaZEBU (14,6% e R$ 7.955.230,38). Todos os sistemas de produção simulados foram economicamente viáveis, sendo que o sistema de produção CompCRUZA foi que apresentou maior viabilidade econômica e com melhores indicadores zootécnicos.

Multiple criteria decision making for setting priorities of investments into the table egg production

The process of growth and development of any business entity is tightly linked to investments. This paper elaborates on the application of multiple criteria methods from the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) with the aim to create assumptions for the development of production, particularly focused on opportunities for investments in table egg production. There were two alternatives analysed: investment in enriched cages and investment in alternative production systems. Each of these options had advantages and disadvantages, that were graded by criteria. Investment in alternative systems was assessed as a better alternative, as eggs produced in these systems were estimated to achieve higher income. Financial investments in such systems are higher, but eggs achieve a higher price in the market than those from enriched cages. Sensitivity analysis presented the effects that changes in the egg price and in costs structure have on the net present value of investment. Sensitivity analysis showed that changes in egg price significantly affect the success of business, while input costs have less impact on the business result.

Optimisation of the traditional land-use system in the Angolan highlands using linear programming

This study used linear programming (LP) to analyse land-use alternatives in the traditional Umbundu farming system in the Angolan central highlands. Farmers of the region have traditionally produced maize and pulses for subsistence and vegetables and timber as cash crops. Different pasture and forest fallow rotations are used along catena production sites. The system is labour-intensive and uses animal traction. LP problems were formulated and solved for a baseline land-use alternative, improved diet alternative and maximal timber production alternative. All three problem formulations included constraints that guaranteed sufficient food and firewood production and sufficient pasture area for animals while being feasible in terms of human labour and animal traction consumption. Of the alternative production systems, cash crops with forest fallow had the highest land expectation value (LEV), while cereals under short grazing fallow showed even negative LEVs. Changing the diet by diversifying carbohydrate and protein sources increased LEV and reduced the need for women labour during the peak season. When timber production was maximised the optimal share of land devoted to pure forestry was 57%, and less labour was required.

MULTI-CRITERIA ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SUPPLY SOLUTIONS TO PUBLIC NEARLY ZERO ENERGY BUILDINGS / BEVEIK NULINIO ENERGIJOS BALANSO VISUOMENINIŲ PASTATŲ APRŪPINIMO ENERGIJA SPRENDIMAI, DAUGIAKRITERĖ ANALIZĖ

The article analyzes energy supply alternatives for modernised public nearly zero energy buildings. The paper examines alternative energy production systems such as heat pumps (air-water and ground-water), solar collectors, adsorption cooling, biomass boiler, solar photovoltaic, wind turbines and combinations of these systems. The simulation of the analysed building energy demand for different energy production alternatives has been performed using TRNSYS modelling software. In order to determine an optimal energy supply variant, the estimated results of energy, environmental, and economic evaluation have been converted into non-dimensional variables (3E) using multi-criteria analysis. Article in Lithuanian. Santrauka Siekiant beveik nulinio energijos balanso modernizuotame viešosios paskirties pastate, nagrinėjamos aprūpinimo energija alternatyvos. Tiriamos šios alternatyvios aprūpinimo energija sistemos: šilumos siurbliai (gruntas–vanduo ir oras– vanduo), saulės kolektoriai, adsorbcinė vėsinimo mašina, biokuro katilas, saulės elementai, vėjo jėgainė – ir šių sistemų deriniai. Skirtingų aprūpinimo energija variantų energijos poreikiai modeliuojami TRNSYS (The Transient System Simulation Program) modeliavimo programa. Siekiant nustatyti optimalų aprūpinimo energija variantą, gauti energinio, ekologinio ir ekonominio vertinimų rezultatai daugiakriterės analizės būdu perskaičiuojami į nedimensinius rodiklius (3E).

Combined intracellular nitrate and NIT2 effects on storage carbohydrate metabolism in Chlamydomonas

Microalgae are receiving increasing attention as alternative production systems for renewable energy such as biofuel. The photosynthetic alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is widely recognized as the model system to study all aspects of algal physiology, including the molecular mechanisms underlying the accumulation of starch and triacylglycerol (TAG), which are the precursors of biofuel. All of these pathways not only require a carbon (C) supply but also are strongly dependent on a source of nitrogen (N) to sustain optimal growth rate and biomass production. In order to gain a better understanding of the regulation of C and N metabolisms and the accumulation of storage carbohydrates, the effect of different N sources (NH4NO3 and ) on primary metabolism using various mutants impaired in either NIA1, NIT2 or both loci was performed by metabolic analyses. The data demonstrated that, using NH4NO3, nia1 strain displayed the most striking phenotype, including an inhibition of growth, accumulation of intracellular nitrate, and strong starch and TAG accumulation. The measurements of the different C and N intermediate levels (amino, organic, and fatty acids), together with the determination of acetate and remaining in the medium, clearly excluded the hypothesis of a slower and acetate assimilation in this mutant in the presence of NH4NO3. The results provide evidence of the implication of intracellular nitrate and NIT2 in the control of C partitioning into different storage carbohydrates under mixotrophic conditions in Chlamydomonas. The underlying mechanisms and implications for strategies to increase biomass yield and storage product composition in oleaginous algae are discussed.

MALDI‐TOF characterization of hGH1 produced by hairy root cultures of Brassica oleracea var. italica grown in an airlift with mesh bioreactor

Expression systems based on plant cells, tissue, and organ cultures have been investigated as an alternative for production of human therapeutic proteins in bioreactors. In this work, hairy root cultures of Brassica oleracea var. italica (broccoli) were established in an airlift with mesh bioreactor to produce isoform 1 of the human growth hormone (hGH1) as a model therapeutic protein. The hGH1 cDNA was cloned into the pCAMBIA1105.1 binary vector to induce hairy roots in hypocotyls of broccoli plantlets via Agrobacterium rhizogenes. Most of the infected plantlets (90%) developed hairy roots when inoculated before the appearance of true leaves, and keeping the emerging roots attached to hypocotyl explants during transfer to solid Schenk and Hildebrandt medium. The incorporation of the cDNA into the hairy root genome was confirmed by PCR amplification from genomic DNA. The expression and structure of the transgenic hGH1 was assessed by ELISA, western blot, and MALDITOF-MS analysis of the purified protein extracted from the biomass of hairy roots cultivated in bioreactor for 24 days. Production of hGH1 was 5.1 ± 0.42 µg/g dry weight (DW) for flask cultures, and 7.8 ± 0.3 µg/g DW for bioreactor, with productivity of 0.68 ± 0.05 and 1.5 ± 0.06 µg/g DW*days, respectively, indicating that the production of hGH1 was not affected by the growth rate, but might be affected by the culture system. These results demonstrate that hairy root cultures of broccoli have potential as an alternative expression system for production of hGH1, and might also be useful for production of other therapeutic proteins.

Experience staging and symbolic knowledge: The case of Bornholm culinary products

The ongoing changes in Western food markets and the emergence of ‘alternative’ agri-food production–consumption systems have been conceptualized in numerous ways but very rarely in terms of an ‘experience turn’. This article applies the perspective offered by the concept of the experience economy and empirically analyses the development and marketing of culinary products from the Danish island of Bornholm as production-side activities in a larger ‘territorial staging system’ which at consumption-side primarily relates to urban consumers. A second analytical focus is on the knowledge aspects of experience-based economic activities. The knowledge aspects of the coordinated staging activities of Bornholm firms, business networks and governance actors are studied by use of the differentiated knowledge bases taxonomy, which includes a category of socio-cultural ‘symbolic’ knowledge, complementary to the technological and scientific types of knowledge important for developing functional assets of products. The data and analyses suggest that the experience economy perspective can enrich the research on alternative food production systems by directing attention to the crucial role of strategic, coordinated staging of experiences that reach the consumers in and outside the region. Second, the article shows that the innovation and staging of experience offerings and authenticity-based products relies on symbolic knowledge dynamics in creating and communicating commercially relevant cultural values and meanings and that the sources of such knowledge dynamics are not only local but to a large extent extra-regional and multi-scalar. These findings are indications of new opportunities, barriers and external linkages for rural areas.

Elicitation of Orthosiphon stamineus cell suspension culture for enhancement of phenolic compounds biosynthesis and antioxidant activity

Our previous studies had showed that there was variation in the total phenolic contents with anti-oxidant activities of the field grown plants of Orthosiphon stamineus Benth (Lamiaceae). This study was hence carried out to evaluate the phenolic compound biosynthesis and the anti-oxidant activities of elicitor treated cells (ec) of O. stamineus compared to the mature plants (mp), in vitro plantlets (tcp) and the non-treated cells (nc). The total phenolic content was determined with Folin–Ciocalteu reagent, while the anti-oxidant activity was evaluated with DPPH and TEAC methods. The anti-oxidant activities of crude extracts decreased in the order of ec>tcp>nc>mp. Among the five tested elicitors, chitosan (150mg/l) supplemented into the cell proliferation medium, MS+1.0mg/l NAA+1.0mg/l 2,4-D, enhanced the anti-oxidant activity and increased the total phenolic content of O. stamineus cell cultures. The anti-oxidant activity was correlated positively with the total phenolic content of the chitosan elicited cultured cells. This study indicated that cell suspension cultures of O. stamineus could be used as an alternative system for sustainable and consistent production of biochemical with anti-oxidant activity.

Net returns and risk for cover crop use in Alabama tomato production

AbstractTomato (Solanum lycopersicumL.) producers are faced with uncertain yields and prices, and utilizing a production system that will reduce risk while maintaining yield may keep tomato producers economically sustainable into the future. A conservation tillage production system with high biomass cover crops may be an economically viable alternative for tomato producers in Alabama. The objective of this study was to compare the economics of alternative production systems using different cover crops, such as cereal rye (Secale cerealeL.) and crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatumL.), and different subsoiler shanks for fresh-market tomato production relative to a commonly used plastic mulch system to determine the preferred treatment. Gross revenues and net returns from tomato production using a rye cover crop were higher than tomato production using plastic mulch in 2 of the 4 years. For the clover cover crop, gross revenues and net returns were higher in 1 out of the 4 years. Under tomato prices and weather conditions observed during 2005–2008, the preferred treatment for a risk neutral producer was planting tomatoes into a rye cover crop with a wide shank. For a strongly risk averse producer, all cover crop treatments were preferred to plastic mulch. The use of a cover crop in tomato production has the potential to be an equally profitable, less risky alternative to plastic mulch in Alabama.

The end of the Pacific? Effects of sea level rise on Pacific Island livelihoods

As in the past, most Pacific Island people live today along island coasts and subsist largely on foods available both onshore and offshore. On at least two occasions in the 3500 years that Pacific Islands have been settled, sea level changes affected coastal bioproductivity to the extent that island societies were transformed in consequence. Over the past 200 years, sea level has been rising along most Pacific Island coasts causing loss of productive land through direct inundation (flooding), shoreline erosion and groundwater salinization. Responses have been largely uninformed, many unsuccessful. By the year 2100, sea level may be 1.2 m higher than today. Together with other climate‐linked changes and unsustainable human pressures on coastal zones, this will pose huge challenges for livelihoods. There is an urgent need for effective and sustainable adaptation of livelihoods to prepare for future sea level rise in the Pacific Islands region. There are also lessons to be learned from past failures, including the need for adaptive solutions that are environmentally and culturally appropriate, and those which appropriate decision makers are empowered to design and implement. Around the middle of the twenty‐first century, traditional coastal livelihoods are likely to be difficult to sustain, so people in the region will need alternative food production systems. Within the next 20–30 years, it is likely that many coastal settlements will need to be relocated, partly or wholly. There are advantages in anticipating these needs and planning for them sooner rather than later. In many ways, the historical and modern Pacific will end within the next few decades. There will be fundamental irreversible changes in island geography, settlement patterns, subsistence systems, societies and economic development, forced by sea level rise and other factors.

Dengue virus tetra-epitope peptide expressed in lettuce chloroplasts for potential use in dengue diagnosis.

Dengue virus causes about 100 million cases of dengue disease per year in the world. Laboratory diagnosis is done mainly by serological techniques, which in many cases use crude virus extracts that may cause cross-reactions to other flaviviruses. These undesirable cross-reactions can be reduced or eliminated by using recombinant proteins based on restricted epitopes. Aiming to decrease flaviviral cross-reactions and non-specific interactions in dengue serological assays, a plant expression system was chosen for recombinant antigen production as a reliable and inexpensive dengue diagnostic tool. In the present report, the lettuce plastid transformation system was applied to achieve efficient and stable tetra-epitope peptide antigen production, and its reactivity was evaluated. For this purpose, one putative epitope at positions 34 to 57 of E protein within the junction site of domains I and II of dengue virus (DENV) 1 to 4 serotypes linked by glycine linkers was expressed in lettuce chloroplasts. The potential immunoreactivity for the four DENV serotypes was evaluated using sera from patients of positive and negative dengue cases. Results indicated an overall sensitivity of 71.7% and specificity of 100%. No cross-reactions with the sera of yellow fever-positive or healthy individuals vaccinated against yellow fever were observed. This novel approach may provide an alternative system for the large-scale production of dengue recombinant antigens useful for serodiagnosis.