Agriculture In China Research Articles

TAM-Based Study of Farmers’ Live Streaming E-Commerce Adoption Intentions

Amidst the digital economy surge, live streaming e-commerce of agricultural products has significantly boosted agricultural prosperity. Investigating farmers’ behavioral intentions toward adopting live streaming e-commerce holds critical importance for fostering agricultural healthy and swift growth. Utilizing the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) as a foundation, this study incorporates three additional variables—government support, platform support, and social learning—to devise a theoretical model. It takes the agriculture-related live streaming e-commerce platform as an example, with 424 Chinese farmers as the sample, to quantitatively assess the factors that impact the intentions to adopt live streaming e-commerce behaviors. The findings indicate that, firstly, the TAM is applicable to the assessment of farmers’ intentions to adopt live streaming e-commerce. Secondly, government support positively impacts perceived usefulness, social learning enhances perceived ease of use, and platform support positively impacts both perceived ease of use and usefulness. Lastly, the technology acceptance extension model applicability varies among farmer groups: government support influence on perceived ease of use is more significant among traditional farmers, social learning impact on perceived ease of use is higher in farmers with higher education levels, and platform support effect on perceived usefulness is stronger among farmers experienced in e-commerce. Therefore, differentiated promotion strategies by the government are necessary, and e-commerce platforms should leverage their technology to offer efficient services and encourage farmer education. A multi-party collaboration model involving the government, platforms, and farmers is essential to collectively foster the healthy development of rural live streaming e-commerce.

Negotiating Public Land Rights in Rural China: Insights into Conflict Resolution

Land expropriation disputes, particularly those involving public land, are growing more prevalent in rural areas of China as urbanization picks up speed. Studies on land expropriation, urbanization, and farmers' rights abound, but there are very few that concentrate on the procedures used to settle public land disputes. There is a dearth of research on this topic, especially in rural areas where the focus is often on land expropriation during urbanization and urban land management challenges. This study uses interviews to examine the behaviors and effects of Chinese farmers who are pursuing public land rights to fill this research vacuum. To extract in-sights from the textual material provided by the interviews, the NVivo software tool was utilized in conjunction with the theme analysis technique. According to the study, these farmers mostly use normative claims and benefit distribution tactics, which reflects their intricate relationships inside the established legal system. Additionally, the study shows how farmers really implement land policy by using the social and political systems that are already in place to strengthen their negotiating position. These exchanges show that resolving conflicts over public land in rural areas is a social and political matter as much as a legal one, reflecting the dynamic shifts in power and interest structures within these communities. The study's conclusions give fresh viewpoints for comprehending and settling public land disputes in rural China, as well as important new information for developing and carrying out rural land policy.

Farm size and greenhouse gas emission: Do large farms in China produce more emissions?

Farm size and greenhouse gas emission: Do large farms in China produce more emissions?

Effects of Nutrient Solution Application Rates on Yield, Quality, and Water-Fertilizer Use Efficiency on Greenhouse Tomatoes Using Grown-in Coir.

The yield, quality, and water-fertilizer use efficiency of crops are important parameters for assessing rational water and fertilizer management. For an optimal water and fertilizer system with respect to the nutrient solution irrigation of greenhouse tomatoes using cultivation substrates, a two-year greenhouse cultivation experiment was conducted from 2022 to 2023. Three drip fertigation treatments (T1, T2, and T3) were implemented in the experiment, where nutrient solutions were supplied when the substrate's water content reached 60%, 70%, and 80%. The frequency of nutrient solution applications is based on weighing coconut coir strips in the morning and evening at 7:00 to determine the daily water consumption of plants. Nutrient solutions were supplied when the substrate's water content reached the lower limit, and the upper limit for nutrient supply was set at 100% of the substrate water content. The nutrient solution application was carried out multiple times throughout the day, avoiding the midday heat. The nutrient solution formula used was the soilless tomato cultivation formula from South China Agricultural University. The results show that plant height and the leaf area index rapidly increased in the early and middle stages, and later growth tended to stabilize; the daily transpiration of tomatoes increased with an increase in nutrient solution supply, and it was the greatest in the T3 treatment. Between the amount of nutrient solution application and the number of years, the yield increased with the increase of the amount of nutrient solution, showing T3 > T2 > T1. Although the average yield of the T2 treatment was slightly lower than that of the T3 treatment by 3.65%, the average irrigation water use efficiency, water use efficiency, and partial fertilizer productivity of the T2 treatment were significantly higher than those of the T3 treatment by 29.10%, 19.99%, and 28.89%, respectively (p < 0.05). Additionally, soluble solid, vitamin C, and soluble sugar contents and the sugar-acid ratio of tomatoes in the T2 treatment were greater than those in the other two treatments (p < 0.05). Using the TOPSIS (Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution) method, it was concluded that the nutrient solution application rate of 70% can significantly increase water and fertilizer use efficiency and markedly improve the nutritional and flavor quality of the fruit without a significant reduction in yield. This finding provides significant guidance for the high-yield, high-quality, and efficient production of coconut coir-based cultivated tomatoes in greenhouses.

Life cycle environmental analysis of offshore wind power: A case study of the large-scale offshore wind farm in China

China's decarbonization is indispensable for the large-scale utilization of renewable energy. In this process, the development of offshore wind energy has become an important support, because in the eastern region of China, especially the coastal areas, there's the most load requirements but limited onshore renewable resources. Under the goals of both carbon neutral and sustainable development, however, there's still a research gap in evaluating the environmental impacts of large-scale offshore wind plants in China. In this study, the research performed a comprehensive process-based life cycle environmental analysis of a large-scale (400 MW) offshore wind farm with large wind turbine units (5 MW) in China. Global Warming Potential is 25.73 g CO2-eq/kWh and greenhouse gas payback time is calculated as 12.05 months. Fossil fuel consumption amounts to 0.31 MJ/kWh with an energy payback period of 25.56 months. Material resources and ecotoxicity to freshwater need more attention with the values of 1.68 CTUe/kWh and 3.32 10−6 kg Sb-eq/kWh, respectively. The manufacturing stage contributes most to all the impacts examined. The disposal and recycling process shows significant environmental benefits for most impacts but exerts burdens on the particulate matter. Focusing on Global Warming Potential, the wind turbine generation set has the highest effect, among which the blades contribute 73.2% of it. Further, the evolution of electricity and heating mix of China and use of biomass-based precursors could decrease 57% of the blades' greenhouse gas emissions in 2050. This study could provide guidance on the sustainable design and policy-making of offshore wind farms.

Explore the Functional Beauty of Chinese Traditional Farm Tools

As a traditional agricultural society in ancient China, farm tools and instruments have been an indispensable part of China's agricultural production since ancient times, and their production development is an important symbol of the development of social productive forces. Chinese traditional farm tools have typical characteristics of The Times and regional characteristics. Excavating and sorting out these historical elements and cultural characteristics and integrating them into modern industrial design can not only promote traditional culture, but also make these traditional elements relate to modern life and reflect The Times value of traditional culture. The simple functional aesthetics embodied in traditional farm tools is the technology and experience accumulated by working people in long-term production practice, and has the characteristics of "practical, simple, flexible and environmental protection". Starting from the development history of farm tools, this paper combs the significance of pragmatism in traditional farm tools, explores the functional beauty of Chinese traditional farm tools and the theoretical and practical value of functional beauty in traditional farm tools. Hope to provide some references for the protection and inheritance of Chinese traditional farm tools.

Enhancing Sustainable Agriculture in China: A Meta-Analysis of the Impact of Straw and Manure on Crop Yield and Soil Fertility

As the main organic materials, straw and manure play a critical role in soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration and crop yield in China. This meta-analysis evaluated the impact of straw and manure amendments, both individually and combined, on crop yield, SOC, and soil nutrients in China by collecting 173 studies. The findings of this study revealed that straw return and manure application increased crop yields by 14.4% and 70.4%, respectively, overall. Combined straw and manure application gained a better improvement effect than straw alone but was less effective than manure alone. Regarding the straw return results, rice straw and a 3000–6000 kg ha−1 returning quantity improved crop yield, SOC, available phosphorus (AP), available potassium (AK), and total nitrogen (TN) the most; regarding the straw return form, straw incorporated into soil and biochar increased crop yield and SOC more, respectively; and &lt;5 years and ≥5 years of straw return treatment increased crop yield and TN more, respectively. Regarding manure application, pig and chicken manure increased crop yield and TN more, respectively; a 50–80% substitution ratio and 10–20 years of duration were best for improving crop yield, SOC, AP, AK, and TN. This study highlights the importance of optimal organic amendment through straw or manure applications to achieve a win–win between crop yield and soil fertility under the requirement of sustainable agriculture.

Solve the Plight of Rural Healthcare Talent from the Success of the Barefoot Doctor Period

The Barefoot Doctors (BDs) have contributed tremendous strength to the protection and promotion of the health and well-being of vast farmers in China, and the country’s three-tiered medical and preventive healthcare network of counties, townships, and villages is widely acknowledged as a valuable experience in providing rural healthcare in developing nations. In the twenty-first century, China’s rural health care is facing new opportunities and challenges in terms of talent issues. In order to provide a new avenue for the survival and advancement of rural health care workers in the twenty-first century, this paper addresses the predicament of the current workforce and incorporates an interview with Ms. Song, a former barefoot doctor, to distill the successful experience and propose a solution to the current predicament.

Research Note: Analysis of microbial diversity on the shell surface of eggs collected from geographically distinct farms in China

Micro-organisms on the eggshell surface of affect the quality of the egg. Sometimes, these microbes even pose a serious threat to the health of the egg's consumer. Bacterial 16S rDNA and fungal internal transcribed spacer region were sequenced to analyze the microbial diversity on the shell surface of the eggs collected from 4 distinct regions of China: Guyuan (GY; 1.5 million hens), Langfang (LF; 0.1 million hens), Beihai (BH; 1.2 million hens), and Dongguan (DG; 0.2 million hens). The results showed a higher bacterial and fungal abundance on the eggs collected from the northern and southern China farms, respectively. The dominant bacterial phylum detected across all egg samples was Firmicutes. In addition, the shell surfaces of the DG and LF samples harbored abundant levels of Proteobacteria. The dominant fungal phyla detected across all egg samples were Ascomycota and Basidiomycota. The bacterial compositions on eggshell surfaces differed significantly across all geographic regions, and the fungal composition differed significantly between samples collected from the southern and northern farms (P < 0.05). The abundance and composition of microbial colonies on the eggshell surface varied based on their geographical location (climate and environment) and farming scale (management). Our findings provide an important reference for optimizing the cleaning and disinfection methods for fresh eggs collected from different sources.

Occurrence, distribution and sources of microplastics in typical marine recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) in China: The critical role of RAS operating time and microfilter

Industrial mariculture, a vital means of providing high quality protein to humans, is a potential source of microplastics (MPs) which have recently received increasing attention. This study investigated the occurrence and distribution of microplastics in feed, source water and recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) with long & short operating times as well as in fish from typical industrial mariculture farms in China. Results showed that microplastics occurred in all samples with the average concentration of 3.53 ± 1.39 particles/g, 0.70 ± 0.17 particles/L, 1.53 ± 0.21 particles/L and 2.21 ± 0.62 particles/individual for feed, source water, RAS and fish, respectively. Microplastics were mainly fiber in shape, blue in color and 20–500 μm in size. Compared with short operated RAS, long operating time led to higher microplastic concentration in RAS, especially that of microplastic in 20–500 μm, granular and blue. Regardless of short or long operating time, microplastics in RAS mainly gathered in culture tank, tank before microfilter and fixed-bed biological filter, and the microfilter removed efficiently the microplastic with the shape of film, granule, fragment as well as those with size > 1000 μm. As for the polymer types, polyamide (PA, 71.9 %) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET, 65.7 %) dominated in feed and source water, respectively, which may be the reason for the high proportion of PA (38.8 % and 26.4 %) and PET (31.8 % and 30.2 %) in RAS and fish. In addition, polypropylene (PP) was also detected in RAS (18.7 %) and fish (22.6 %), indicating that other plastic facilities such as PP brush carrier also made a contribution. Positive matrix factorization (PMF) model revealed three sources of MP in RAS, namely plastic facilities, industrial sewage and plastic packaging products. Our results provided a theoretical basis for the management of MP in RAS.

The cropland intensive utilisation transition in China: An induced factor substitution perspective

Understanding the transition process of cropland-use intensification can help reconcile the relationship between food demand and ecological conservation. The transition of cropland-use intensification is a trend developing in the continuous reorganisation and optimization of factor inputs with the changes in socio-economics, policies and institutions. From the induced factor substitution perspective, a transition of cropland-use intensification occurs when the agricultural entities adjust the structure of factor inputs in response to changes in the relative prices of production factors. This paper established an analytical framework for identifying the transition of cropland-use intensification and conducted an empirical study based on evidence from China between 1978 and 2019. The empirical study revealed a four-phase transition process of cropland-use intensification in China, named the ‘labour-force-driven intensification’, the ‘yield-increasing-factors-driven intensification’, the ‘labour-saving-factors-driven intensification’, and the ‘innovation-driven intensification’. This paper also investigated the transition trajectory of cropland-use intensification in nine different agricultural zones and explored the influencing factors that contributed to the heterogeneity of the transition trajectory among different zones. Furthermore, this paper discussed the policy initiative to accelerate the transition of cropland-use intensification to the fourth stage to benefit the ecological environment and farmers’ livelihood and ultimately be of great significance in promoting the sustainable development of agriculture in China.

Diverse Genotypes of Cronobacter spp. Associated with Dairy Farm Systems in Jiangsu and Shandong Provinces in China.

Cronobacter spp. are the most concerning foodborne pathogen in infant formula milk powder. Currently, there are many reports on the prevalence of Cronobacter spp. in infant formula milk and its processing environment, but there are few studies on the prevalence of Cronobacter spp. on dairy farms. We have, therefore, undertaken this study to investigate and track genomic epidemiology of Cronobacter spp. isolates from Chinese dairy farms in the provinces of Jiangsu and Shandong. In this study, forty Cronobacter spp. strains, consisting of thirty Cronobacter sakazakii, eight Cronobacter malonaticus, and two Cronobacter dublinensis, were obtained from 1115 dairy farm samples (raw milk, silage, bedding, and feces), with a prevalence rate of 3.57%. These isolates were classified into 10 Cronobacter serotypes and 31 sequence types (STs), including three novel STs which were isolated for the first time. Notably, pathogenic Cronobacter STs 7, 8, 17, 60, and 64, which are associated with clinical infections, were observed. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing showed that all the Cronobacter spp. were highly resistant to cephalothin and fosfomycin, which was consistent with the antimicrobial genotype. All isolates carried core virulence genes related to adherence, invasion, endotoxin, immune evasion, secretion system, and regulation. Approximately half the isolates were also able to produce a strong biofilm. Twenty-one prophages and eight plasmids were detected, with the most common prophage being Cronobacter_ENT47670 and the most common plasmid being IncFIB (pCTU1). In addition, two isolates harbored the transmissible locus of stress tolerance (tLST) which confers high environmental persistence. Phylogenetic analysis showed strong clustering by species level and sequence types. Isolates from different sources or regions with a similar genomic background suggests the cross-contamination of Cronobacter spp. The presence of diverse genotypes of Cronobacter spp. in dairy farms in Jiangsu and Shandong provinces indicates that surveillance of Cronobacter spp. on dairy farms should be strengthened, to prevent and control transmission and ensure the quality and safety of raw dairy products.

Investigation into the Performance Characteristics of the Organic Dry Farming Transition and the Corresponding Impact on Carbon Emissions Reduction

Global warming affects food security and ecological security, and it threatens economic stability and sustainable agricultural development. The transformation and development of agriculture have significant implications for the achievement of the “dual-carbon” goals and the promotion of sustainable agricultural development. Based on panel data on organic dry farming in China from 2005 to 2020, this study aimed to comprehensively assess the transformation performance of organic dry farming (TRODF) in 15 provinces. It explored the impact of the transformation of organic dry farming on carbon emissions by utilizing a spatial Markov chain and spatial measurement models. Our findings are as follows: (1) The performance of the organic dryland agriculture transformation has gradually improved and is accompanied by a corresponding trend of fluctuating regional disparities, which are on the rise. Moreover, the disparities between the five major regions mainly stem from intra-regional differences. (2) TRODF agriculture presents the possibility of state transfer during different periods, featuring four convergent zones: a lagging zone, a starting zone, a crossing zone, and an advanced zone. The spatial Markov chain indicates that state transitions typically occur between adjacent levels, with fewer instances of “jump”-type transitions. Moreover, there is a clear trend of differentiation in the state transitions between non-adjacent areas. (3) The organic dry farming transformation exhibits a significant carbon reduction effect, which is characterized by heterogeneity across different stages of agricultural development, provinces, and time periods. This study emphasizes that economic and industrial transformation, along with the transformation of the ecological environment, represents a crucial direction for conserving resources and achieving a further reduction in carbon emissions.

Chinese Farms: A Case Study of Taihe Farm in Binchuan County, Dali Experience

This paper is based on the author's fieldwork experience and literature, this paper discusses The predictor of Taihe Overseas Chinese Farm in Binchuan County, Dali Experience was established In 1958, in response to the Yunnan provincial party committee's call for "Ten years of hard work to build a new socialist countryside," the farm has contributed to the local community's development Committee's call for "Ten years of hard work to build a new socialist countryside," the farm has contributed to the local economy, and the experts have enriched the local culture, giving the local culture a new dimension The farm has contributed to the local economy, and the experts have enriched the local culture Its aim is to promote diversity and revitalize the countryside, in line with the goal of building a strong Chinese community, the new Yingqiaotang(the Hall of Welcom the Overseas Chinese) Overseas Chinese Farm Museum on the farm shows the hard journal of overseas Chinese from Southeast Asia In the context of building a strong Chinese Volksgemeinschaft and revitalizing the country, the new Yingqiaotang Overseas Chinese Farm Museum on the farm presents the hard journal of overseas Chinese from Southeast Asia since the 1960s, pass on a period of historical memory, but also have come a unique local display window of overseas Chinese culture.

Downscale Inversion of Soil Moisture during Vegetation Growth Period in Ebinur Lake Watershed

Soil moisture content is an important measure of soil health, and high-precision soil moisture trend analysis is essential for understanding regional ecological quality in the context of climate change, flood monitoring, and water cycle processes. However, in the arid regions of Central Asia, where data are severely lacking, obtaining high-spatial-resolution, continuous soil moisture data is difficult due to the scarcity of stations. Moreover, because soil moisture is easily affected by evaporation time, surface morphology, and anthropogenic factors, mature theoretical models or empirical or semiempirical models to measure soil moisture are also lacking. To investigate the distribution and trend of soil moisture in the Ebinur Lake water, in this study, microwave remote sensing and visible remote sensing data were selected as inputs, and the Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS-2.2) data products were downscaled using the GTWR model, which increased the spatial scale from 27,830 m × 27,830 m to 30 m × 30 m. The phenomena involved in the soil moisture change cycle, spatial distribution, temporal variation, and internal randomness distance were analyzed in the study area through wavelet analysis, Theil–Sen trend analysis, the Mann–Kendall (MK) test, and a variogram. This study obtained high-resolution continuous soil moisture data in the arid and data-scarce region in Central Asia, thus broadening the field of multisource remote sensing analysis and providing a theoretical basis for the construction of precision agriculture in northwest China.

Impacts of chemical fertilizer reduction on grain yield: A case study of China.

Reducing fertilizer usage is a crucial measure for achieving high-quality development in Chinese agriculture. Utilizing panel data from 31 Chinese provinces spanning from 2004 to 2019, this study empirically analyzes the dynamic relationship between fertilizer application and grain production, exploring the underlying mechanisms. The study findings reveal that the application of fertilizers maintains a positive impact on grain production. The two variables will demonstrate a dynamic alternation between "strong decoupling" and "retreat decoupling," suggesting that grain production may either increase or gradually decline, while fertilizer application exhibits a decreasing trend. Mechanism analysis reveals a distinct substitution relationship between fertilizer use efficiency and application quantity. Increasing fertilizer use efficiency while reducing application quantity still facilitates the stable and increased production of grains. Heterogeneity analysis indicates that the efficiency of fertilizer use has a more pronounced impact on grain yield in the eastern and western regions. Increasing fertilizer quantity is detrimental to wheat yield but has a promoting effect on corn yield. However, in the main grain-producing areas, increasing fertilizer quantity can enhance wheat yield but is unfavorable for the overall grain yield. Additionally, nitrogen fertilizer input has exceeded the optimal level compared to potassium fertilizer. Continuously increasing nitrogen fertilizer input will hinder the increase in grain yield. Therefore, there is a need to shift from the notion of "more fertilizer is better" and focus on improving fertilizer use efficiency to transition from the emphasis on "quantity" to "quality" of fertilizer application.

Prevalence and transmission of extensively drug-resistant Salmonella enterica serovar Kentucky ST198 based on whole-genome sequence in an intensive laying hen farm in Jiangsu, China

Salmonella, which is widely distributed in nature, is an important zoonotic pathogen affecting humans, livestock, and other animals. Salmonella infection not only hinders the development of livestock and poultry-related industries but also poses a great threat to human health. In this study, we collected 1,537 samples including weak chicks, dead embryos, fecal samples and environmental samples from 2020 to 2023 (for a period of 1 to 2 months per year) to keep a long-term monitor the prevalence of Salmonella in an intensive laying hen farm, 105 Salmonella strains were isolated with an isolation rate of 6.83% (105/1,537). It revealed a significant decrease in prevalence rates of Salmonella over time (P < 0.001). Before 2020, the predominant serotype was S. Enteritidis. S. Kentucky was first detected in November 2020 and its proportion was gradually found to exceed that of S. Enteritidis since then. S. Kentucky isolates were distributed in various links of the four regions in the poultry farm. A total of 55 S. Kentucky strains, were assigned to ST198 based on whole genome sequencing. Among them, 54 strains were resistant to 12 to 16 antibiotics, indicating that they were extensively drug-resistant (XDR). Seventeen antimicrobial resistance genes were detected in 55 S. Kentucky isolates. For most of these isolates, antibiotic resistance phenotypes were concordant with their genotypes. All S. Kentucky strains isolated from this farm in 2020 to 2023 showed a high similarity based on their core-genome SNP-based phylogeny. The traceability analysis revealed that S. Kentucky was introduced to the farm through newly purchased flocks. The long-term existence of XDR S. Kentucky ST198 poses a substantial risk because of the multiage management and circulation of workers in this poultry farm. Thus, this study is the first to report extensively drug-resistant S. Kentucky ST198 detected in this intensive poultry farm in China.

The impact of the digital economy on high-quality agricultural development--Based on the regulatory effects of financial development.

The digital economy, as a new economic form with high information density, provides a new driving force for the realization of high-quality agricultural development. Panel data of 31 provinces in China from 2011 to 2020 were selected for analysis. The static panel data interaction effect model and panel threshold model were used to verify the nonlinear influence mechanism and heterogeneity of financial development in the process of the digital economy affecting high-quality agricultural development. The findings are as follows. (1) During the study period, the high-quality development of China's agriculture showed a steady upward trend; however, the regional differences were significant, and the eastern part was larger than the central and western part. (2) The digital economy can promote high-quality agricultural development. (3) The digital economy has a double threshold effect in the process of affecting high-quality agricultural development, which depends on the level of financial development. When the threshold is exceeded, the digital economy has a more significant promoting effect on high-quality agricultural development. (4) The impact of the digital economy on high-quality agricultural development is heterogeneous. From the perspective of different regions, the impact effect is greatest in the eastern region, while the effect is smaller in the central and western regions. From different resource endowments, the positive impact effect is greatest in the major grain-selling areas, followed by the major grain producing areas, but the positive digital economy driving effect is not significant in the balance of production and sales areas. Finally, three policy suggestions are proposed. First, the Chinese government should increase investments in and support for digital technology to promote the integration of the digital economy and agriculture. Second, the Chinese government should promote the development of digital inclusive finance in areas with financial development below the threshold. Third, different regions should implement differentiated digital economies to promote high-quality agricultural development.

Development of a multiplex reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (qPCR) method for detecting common causative agents of swine viral diarrhea in China

BackgroundDiarrheal diseases caused by viral agents have led to a great morbidity, mortality, and economic loss in global pig industry. Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV), porcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV), and group A porcine rotavirus (RVA) are main causative agents of swine viral diarrhea with similar clinical signs on Chinese farms and their co-infection is also common. However, it is still lack of a convenient method to detect these four agents.MethodsA TaqMan multiplex qPCR method was developed to detect PEDV, TGEV, PDCoV, and RVA, simultaneously. This method was then applied to investigate 7,342 swine fecal samples or rectal swabs, as well as 1,246 swine intestinal samples collected from 2075 farms in China in 2022.ResultsMinimum detection limits of this method were 3 copies/µL for PEDV, 4 copies/µL for TGEV, 8 copies/µL for RVA, and 8 copies/µL for PDCoV, suggesting a good sensitivity. No signals were observed by using this method detecting other viral agents commonly prevalent in pigs, which is suggestive of a good specificity. Application of this method on investigating clinical samples demonstrated a relatively high positive rate for PEDV (22.21%, 1907/8588) and RVA (44.00%, 3779/8588). In addition, co-infection between PEDV and RVA was observed on 360 investigated farms, accounting for 17.35% (360/2075) of the farms where co-infection events were screened.ConclusionsA TaqMan multiplex qPCR method targeting PEDV, TGEV, PDCoV, and RVA was developed in this study. This method demonstrated a good specificity and sensitivity on investigating these four common viruses responsible for viral diarrhea on Chinese pig farms, which represents a convenient method for the monitoring and differential diagnosis of swine viral diarrhea.

South-South cooperation and food security: Evidence from Chinese agricultural technology demonstration Center in Africa

Using the Chinese Agriculture Technology Demonstration Center (ATDC) in Africa as a quasi-natural experiment, we examine the causal impacts of China’s aid on crop production in Africa. The data pertain to African country-by-crop panel data from 2000 to 2018. Leveraging the triple difference-in-differences method, we find that the ATDC leads to increased crop production and improved trade dependence. The positive effects are more pronounced for free-standing technical support and ATDCs operated by state-owned enterprises. Lastly, the ATDC has profound implications for local agriculture and rural development.