Current Farming Research Articles

Vertebral deformities in cultured big size Rainbow Trout: Radiological analysis from juvenile to harvest size

Vertebral deformities are a big challenge in Rainbow Trout seawater aquaculture. However, supportive scientific literature is missing. The present study used radiology to follow the development of vertebral deformities in a population of farmed Rainbow Trout as they grew from 36 g to 5.5 kg. In addition, separately collected deformity screening data from three other farmed populations were included for comparison.The fish developed deformities in different vertebral regions over time, eventuating to affect almost the entire vertebral column. At this point, the fish were ∼ 5.5 kg and 93 % of the fish had one or more deformed vertebrae. A negative relationship between severity of deformity (number of deformed vertebrae per individual), and fish length and weight strongly suggest a negative impact on fish welfare. The most frequently affected area was the ural region of the vertebral column. This region is a part of the caudal fin complex which also suffered from degradation of the fin rays. Ural region deformities were also frequent in the separately investigated populations.The current results indicate that Rainbow Trout are not able to maintain normal bone development under current farming conditions, consequently, jeopardizing the welfare of the fish.

Prevalence of bean scab caused by Elsinoë phaseoli and challenges associated with bean cultivation in Kenya.

This study investigated the prevalence of scab caused by Elsinoë phaseoli causing yield losses on beans in Kenya. The research focused on common practices and challenges faced by subsistence farmers with the aim of providing insights into scab prevalence, impact, and potential management challenges. A structured questionnaire was employed in a survey conducted in 2022 and 2023, covering major bean-growing regions using a three-stage sampling design. Data from 128 bean farmers included information on farm size, seed sources, cropping systems, awareness of challenges, and pest/disease management practices. Scab prevalence was determined by scouting for symptoms, with a total of 84 farms surveyed in 2021. The incidence of bean scab was confirmed in all surveyed clusters, indicating its widespread occurrence across various agro-ecological zones. Farmers exhibited common practices such as preference for uniform bean seeds (61%), use of uncertified seeds (83%), intercropping (80%), and limited crop rotation. Challenges included disease and pest infestations, with limited diversity in management options. Confirmation of the presence of bean scab in diverse agro-ecological zones emphasizes its importance and the need for further research on its impact and epidemiology. Challenges with crop rotation were evident due to small farm sizes and subsistence-focused farming. The study recommends further research for a comprehensive understanding of the link between increased scab importance and current bean farming practices such as short rotation periods and the use of susceptible varieties. Training programs are also vital to improve farmers' knowledge on safe agro-chemical use, ensuring sustainable constraint management in common bean cultivation in Kenya.

Knowledge and perception of antibiotic resistance and stewardship among pre-health and agriculture undergraduate students.

The global threat of antibiotic-resistant infections has resulted in health organizations compiling an Antibiotic Stewardship Program (ASP), in which the education of current and future medical prescribers and farmers is central to the preservation of current and future antimicrobial treatments. The purpose of this study was to assess and compare the knowledge and perceived threat of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance, as well as the perceived benefit of antibiotic stewardship education, among undergraduate students majoring in Biology and Agriculture at Fort Hays State University. I hypothesized that the difference in knowledge and perceptions between Biology and Agriculture students would be significantly different because of differences in curriculum requirements. Framed by the health belief model (HBM), a quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted using a structured online survey of 136 undergraduate student participants. A χ2 analysis was used to assess differences between the respondents in their knowledge and perceptions of antibiotics, antibiotic resistance, and antibiotic stewardship education at the undergraduate level. Results showed that, although Agriculture students perceived antibiotic resistance as less threatening than Biology/pre-health students, both undergraduate groups were knowledgeable about the problem and wanted more academic education on the issue. These findings create a solid foundation to initiate a conversation on the curriculum development to meet ASP goals and objectives at the undergraduate level while contributing to an ongoing international effort to educate future prescribers and farmers on the importance of antibiotics in medicine and farming and to reduce antibiotic resistance.

First Report of Stem Blight of Mungbean (Vigna radiata) Caused by Diaporthe longicolla in the United States.

Mungbean (Vigna radiata) is primarily grown in Asia and directly consumed by humans. U.S. consumers embraced mungbean as a plant-based protein in vegan eggs and meat substitutes. New cultivars are being developed for American farmers because of the crop's tolerance to heat and drought, and its adaptability to current farming infrastructure. Mungbean's short season complements various cropping systems such as intercropping, alternative cropping, and green manure. With rotations and inclusion with soybean systems, there is a concern about the overlap of common pathogens for soybean and mungbean. During August 2022 when mungbeans reached full maturity (growth stage R6), reddish-brown and necrotic stem lesions with linear rows of black pycnidia were observed on Berken and OK2000 cultivars at fields located in Hancock County, IA and Story County, IA in the United States. Pycnidia measured 0.5-0.6mm in length. Disease incidence was approximately 10% of plants in Hancock County, IA and less than 3% of plants in Story County, IA. Pycnidia from 16 plants were excised and immersed in a 0.5% NaOCl solution for 1 min, rinsed with autoclaved distilled water, and placed onto potato dextrose agar (PDA). Eighteen isolates were hyphal tipped and grown on PDA and were stored at 25°C. Isolates were then visually identified by culture and conidia morphology (Hobbs et al. 1985, Santos et al. 2011). Colonies were cream to white, dense, and floccose. Large black stromata were formed in a concentric pattern or scattered; alpha conidia were ellipsoidal. Template DNA for PCR amplification of the internal transcribed spacer region of the nuclear ribosomal DNA operon (ITS) and the beta-tubulin gene (TUB) was extracted from 18 isolates by scraping mycelia with a sterile pipette tip and transferring it into 50 ul of PrepMan Ultra Sample Reagent (Applied Biosystems, Foster City, California, USA). Fungal primers were ITS1 and ITS4 (White et al. 1990) and Bt-2F/Bt-2R (Udayanga et al. 2014). Sequences of isolates obtained from fields in both counties were identical, providing no species diversity. GenBank accession numbers for the ITS region were PP105598 and PP105599; PP108254 and PP108255 for TUB sequences. BLAST results showed the ITS 550/550 base pairs with type specimen D. longicolla ATCC 60326 GB NR_144924 and the TUB 446/446 base pairs with type specimen D. longicolla ATCC 60325 GB KJ610883. Thus, the isolates were identified as Diaporthe longicolla (Hobbs) J.M. Santos, Vrandecic & A.J.L. Phillips based on morphology and molecular characters (Santo et al 2011; Udayanga et al. 2014). To confirm the pathogenicity of the D. longicolla isolates, twenty mungbean plants (cv. Berken and OK2000) were grown in the greenhouse at 85% RH and 16hr light for 20 days. Inoculum was prepared by placing sterile toothpicks on 1/3 PDA with a single representative isolate from each field location for 21 days (Ghimire et al. 2019). Mungbean plants were grown in a 10cm-by-10cm pot containing a greenhouse professional growing mix (Sungrow, Agawam, Massachusetts, USA) and grown for 30 days post emergence. After 12 days of growing, a 3mm segment of the infested toothpick was inserted into a stem wound below the first trifoliate and sealed with parafilm. A sterile toothpick was inserted into the control plants. After 14 days, red lesions extended downward 1 to 3 cm from the inoculation site, and white mycelial was present in the wound. At 21 days red lesions spanned 3 to 9 cm upward and downward from the inoculation site. Pycnidia were present on collapsed stem tissue, and leaves became chlorotic. Damage was limited to 2mm from the mock-inoculation site, with no discoloration in the control plants. Symptomatic tissues were plated and compared to the original isolates. Alpha conidia were ellipsoidal with the base end rounded. To our knowledge, this is the first report of Diaporthe longicolla causing disease on mungbean within the U.S. and worldwide. The presence of this disease in two locations suggests the potential for Diaporthe longicolla to be a serious disease of mungbean in the future.

Towards sustainable fruit production: Identifying challenges and optimization strategies

CONTEXTThe transition to sustainable fruit production is vital for global sustainability and agricultural development. However, implementing these insights into practice faces significant challenges. OBJECTIVESPomelo (Citrus maxima), a prominent citrus species in tropical and subtropical regions, has been cultivated to enhance farmer profitability but increasing yields often comes at the cost of environmental degradation. This study uses pomelo as a case study to assess key factors influencing pomelo production and establish optimal practices that meet consumption-based food while co-benefits for environmental and economic sustainability. METHODSA comprehensive study was conducted by combining 1155 farm surveys (from 2010, 2018, and 2022) with 31 field experiments. Life cycle assessment (LCA), classification and regression tree (CART) analysis, and scenario analysis were employed to develop pathways for sustainable pomelo production in Pinghe County, Fujian Province, China. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONSResults show no significant differences in pomelo yield across the three years; however, pomelo production in 2022 demonstrated a 60 %–67 % lower in environmental footprints and a 64 %–76 % higher benefit-cost ratio (BCR) compared to 2010 and 2018. Tree age was identified as a critical factor influencing pomelo yield, with optimal yields observed in trees older than 12.5 years. The rate of phosphorus fertilizer application was a key determinant of the phosphorus footprint (PF), which was positively correlated with phosphorus fertilizer rates. Similarly, nitrogen fertilizer application significantly impacted both carbon and nitrogen footprints (CF and NF) as well as the BCR. CF and NF increased with higher nitrogen fertilizer rates, while BCR exhibited a negative correlation with nitrogen fertilizer application. Implementing Science and Technology Backyards (STB) followed by farmer training of slightly more than pomelo nutrient requirements practice (SNRP) or coordinate management by farmers and researchers of matching pomelo nutrients requirement practice (MNRP) had 50 %–91 % lower environmental footprints per ton of pomelo produced and 15 %–44 % higher BCR compared to current farming practices (FP) via reducing 46 %–77 % N, 49 %–92 % P2O5, and 42 %–73 % K2O per hectare. Moreover, adopting 100 % MNRP in pomelo production, along with sustainable fertilizer practices and the implementation of innovative fertilizers, could reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (0.76 Tg), reactive nitrogen (Nr) emissions (8.76 Gg), phosphorus (P) losses (0.84 Gg), and augment net ecosystem economic benefits (NEEB) (0.94 billion CNY) at the county scale. SIGNIFICANCEOur study provides evidence-based strategies for achieving sustainable pomelo production through multi-stakeholder collaboration of STB, government, enterprises, and smallholders.

Controlling the stock or the habitat – The crisis of native invasive encroachment in the grazing land of Norwegian reindeer husbandry

Climate change negatively impacts reindeer grazing in Fennoscandia, with the encroachment of Empetrum nigrum (crowberry) being a significant, yet largely unrecognized problem. Crowberry encroachment affects the neighboring palatable vegetation negatively, homogenizing the pasture and decreasing ecosystem biodiversity. Current husbandry management aims are based on sustainable use of the pasture land, yet pasture quality is not considered a central indicator. To prevent overgrazing, reindeer numbers are limited, but as the animals avoid crowberry, this invasive species exacerbates the Norwegian reindeer husbandry's pasture crisis. Herders therefore intervene with two adaptive strategies, supplementary feeding and/or crowberry control. We develop a general three-species bioeconomic model with five variants to understand the economic impact of an invasive species on herbivore husbandry, and the net benefits of the two adaptive measures at the steady state. Our analytical results show that the native invasive encroachment causes a decrease in not only the nutrient-high grazing land but also the optimal herbivore herd and slaughter volume. Supplementary feeding is implemented to increase the herd size, yet the measure further depletes the grazing pasture, making this practice unsustainable. Instead, controlling crowberry protects both the grazing pasture and reindeer herd size. Applying this to the Norwegian reindeer husbandry case, we find crowberry control more cost-effective and less stressful for the pasture land than supplementary feeding. Government subsidies are shown to be essential for restoring herd sizes to the status quo.

Soybean response to high‐speed planting in Mississippi

AbstractMississippi soybean [Glycine max (L.) Mer.] producers are under pressure to plant as much land as possible within narrow planting windows. The 5‐year average planting progress is 45% of the total at the end of the optimal soybean planting window. New metering and seed delivery technology claims faster planting without sacrificing singulation, stand, or yield, but these tools need to be validated before recommendation. This study aimed to quantify soybean response to planting speeds using a precision planter (John Deere MaxEmerge 2 row units retrofitted with Ag Leader SureSpeed and SureForce) and a mechanical planter (John Deere 1700 ground‐driven mechanical planter equipped with eSet meters) for a total of 7 site‐years across Mississippi. In 2022, both planters were evaluated at four actual ground speeds of 7.9, 10.8, 13.5, and 16.4 km h−1 in a 2 × 4 factorial design. The experimental design was modified in 2023, where the mechanical planter served as the current farmer practice check at 9.7 km h−1and the precision planter speeds were 9.7, 14.5, and 17.7 km h−1 at research station sites and 9.7 and 14.5 km h−1 at an on‐farm site. Across sites, increased planting speed generally increased plant spacing, in‐row spacing variability, and decreased plant population. However, increased speed did not affect soybean yield. The precision planter at 17.7 km h−1 was no different from the mechanical planter in terms of soybean plant population, spacing, and yield in 2023. Results suggest soybean producers can plant soybean at 17.7 km h−1 without compromising yield.

Developing sustainable dairy farms in the tropics: From policy to practice

CONTEXTSustainable dairy production is included in the policy agenda of many countries in the tropics to address, among others, their commitment to the Paris Agreement. To the best of our knowledge, however, a study to assess the impact of the proposed interventions for sustainable dairy production is still lacking for most of those countries. Using policy goals as entry points to develop scenarios can provide insight into the impact of policy interventions on dairy farming practices. OBJECTIVEThis study aimed to evaluate the implication of interventions towards sustainable dairy development identified by the governments of Indonesia and Costa Rica. METHODSInformation about current farming practices (i.e. the baseline) were collected on 32 smallholder dairy farms in Indonesia and 24 dairy farms in Costa Rica. Scenarios were designed based on policy goals for dairy development and climate change mitigation in each country. The scenarios for Indonesia encompassed relocation of the dairy sector to Sumatra to allow coupling of livestock to land combined with a restriction on manure production to ensure all manure to be applied to grow forage, and a restriction on the amount of purchased feeds, at two levels: maximally 100% and 50% of the baseline. The scenarios for Costa Rica included a silvopastoral system and a reduction in the amount of purchased feeds, at two levels: 50% and 80% lower than the baseline. We estimated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions at chain level and carbon (C) stocks at farm level. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONSThe scenarios for Indonesia increased herd size and milk output by 240–360%, and GHG emissions per farm by 269–455%, while decreased GHG emissions per kg milk by 1–10%, compared to the baseline. C stocks per farm were higher in the scenarios than in the baseline, but compared to natural vegetation much more C is lost under the scenarios because more land is being used. The scenarios for Costa Rica reduced herd size and milk output by 5–25% and GHG emissions per farm by 17–35%, while GHG emissions per kg milk decreased by 10%, compared to the baseline. C stocks per farm were comparable. SIGNIFICANCETo achieve the multiple policy goals for sustainable dairy development, the governments need to consider the trade-off between increasing milk production and reducing GHG emissions. In Indonesia, relocation of the dairy sector needs a strict policy to avoid the expansion of dairy farms into tropical forest land. Furthermore, the Costa Rican government needs to incentivise dairy farmers to implement a silvopastoral system to reduce GHG emissions and land use. This, however, will be at the expense of milk output.

Mechanized wet direct seeding for increased rice production efficiency and reduced carbon footprint

Crop establishment is one of the major rice production operations that strongly affects rice production, productivity, and environmental impacts. This research introduced a new technology and provided scientific evidence for the benefits of mechanized wet direct seeding (mDSR) of rice as compared with the other crop establishment practices commonly applied by farmers for wet direct seeded rice in Mekong River Delta in Vietnam, such as seeding in line using drum-seeder (dDSR) and broadcast seeding (bDSR). The experiment was implemented across two consecutive rice cropping seasons that are Winter-Spring season and Summer-Autumn season in 2020–2021. Treatments included (1–3) mDSR with seeding rates of 30, 50, and 70 kg ha− 1, (4) dDSR with 80 kg ha− 1 seed rate, and (5) bDSR as current farmer practice with seeding rate of 180 kg ha− 1. The fertilizer application was adjusted as per seeding rate with 80:40:30 kg ha− 1 N: P2O5: K2O with lower seed rate 30 and 50 kg ha− 1 in mDSR; 90:40:30 kg ha− 1 N: P2O5: K2O with medium seed rate of 70 to 80 kg ha− 1; and 115:55:40 kg ha− 1 N: P2O5: K2O with high seed rate of 180 kg ha− 1 in bDSR. Mechanized wet direct seeding rice with a lower seed rate of 30 to 70 kg ha− 1 and fertilizer rate by 22–30% reduced variation in seedling density by 40–80% and in yield by 0.1 to 0.3 t ha− 1 and had similar yield to bDSR. In consequence, N productivity was 27 and 32% higher in mDSR as compared to bDSR during the Winter-Spring season and Summer-Autumn seasons, respectively. The use of lower seed rate and fertilizer in mDSR also led to higher income and lower carbon footprint (GHGe per kg of paddy grains) of rice production than the currently used practices of bDSR. Net income of mDSR was comparable to that of dDSR and higher by 145–220 and 171–248 $US than that of bDSR in Winter-Spring season and Summer-Autumn, respectively. The carbon footprint of mDSR rice production compared to bDSR was lower by 22–25% and 12–20% during the Winter-Spring and Summer-Autumn seasons, respectively. Given the above benefits of farming efficiency, higher income, and low emission, mDSR would be a technology package that strongly supports sustainable rice cultivation transformation for the Mekong River Delta of Vietnam.

Investigation of small-scale farming status of Tire track eel (Mastacembelus favus) in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam

Tire track eel (Mastacembelus favus) is an economically important freshwater fish in the Mekong Delta. However, there is a lack of academic information about the current farming status, feed, and feeding related to this species in the region. Therefore, a field survey of small scale farming of tire track eel was conducted in An Giang, Dong Thap, Hau Giang and Kien Giang provinces of Vietnam. The objective of the survey was to determine the current farming practices information on households, especially the feed and feeding status of tire track eel in order to improve and develop a suitable feed for this fish in the future. The results showed that most of the small-scale farmers cultured fish in earthen ponds with or without plastic liners. Tire track eels were fed with feeds of other species and typically fed 3 - 5 times/d during the fingerling stage, and twice per day during the grow-out period. In terms of feed ingredients, crude protein contents in the feeds were 39.5 - 45.5% while crude lipid contents were 7.7 - 12.7%. Feed conversion ratios of tire track eels were 2 - 5. The farming periods of fish were 11.8 - 14 months when the fish reached the harvesting sizes of 318.2 - 421.4 g/fish, with the survival rates of 40 - 80%. It took 2.5 months to cultivate the fingerling stage (around 3 g/fish) from the fry with the survival rate of 55.7%. It was reported that this species was raised with a simple technique and got less illness compared to other fish species. However, the main reason of fish deaths during farming period related to management factors such as poor water quality due to decomposition of uneaten feed in water or lacks of dissolved oxygen due to high stocking density or power supply failures.

Rotation Culture of Macroalgae Based on Photosynthetic Physiological Characteristics of Algae

Seaweed farming has made outstanding contributions to food supply and the restoration of the ecological environment despite the limitations in production and ecological effects due to the current intensive farming of single algae species. These limitations can be overcome by selecting suitable algal species based on their physiological characteristics and by constructing a large-scale seaweed rotation model. This study carried out a trial culture in aquaculture sea areas, and performed in situ monitoring of the environmental conditions and physiological characteristics of Saccharina japonica, Hizikia fusiformis, and Gracilariopsis lemaneiformis. Additionally, a comparative analysis of the three macroalgae at different times was conducted to determine their response characteristics to environmental factors. The results showed that: (1) The three macroalgae had varying light tolerance. The effective quantum yield of Hizikia fusiformis and Gracilariopsis lemaneiformis remained unchanged during the changes in light environment, while that of Saccharina japonica first decreased and then recovered. (2) The relative electron transport rates of the three macroalgae were significantly different under different temperature conditions. Hizikia fusiformis and Saccharina japonica exhibited the highest relative electron transport rates (70.45 and 106.75, respectively) in May (20.3 °C). Notably, Gracilariopsis lemaneiformis demonstrated good growth and exhibited the highest relative electron transport rate (93.07) in September (27.5 °C). These findings collectively support the feasibility of establishing a macroalgae rotation model. Based on the combined environmental conditions of the seas in Shandong, Zhejiang, and Fujian, a macroalgae rotation model was proposed. The application of this model in the construction of artificial seaweed farms in marine ranches can provide a stable output of large-scale seaweed production and ecological benefits.

Socio-Economic, Socio-Personal and Demographic Profiling of KVK-Based Vermicompost Training Participants: Evidence from Bihar, India

Vermicompost is essentially a varied blend of decomposed farm waste, food waste, and worm castings, organically produced using different species of earthworms. This nutrient-dense organic fertilizer is gaining significant attention amid climate change concerns and the push for organic farming. Agricultural experts are increasingly advising farmers to transition from synthetic fertilizers to organic manures, prompting the need for training programs on vermicomposting to educate farmers about this valuable practice. This research aimed to examine the socioeconomic, demographic, and socio-personal characteristics of farmers who participated in three recent vermicomposting training sessions organized by three Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) in Bihar, India. This study adopted cross sectional survey design. The rationale behind this part of the project is to understand the various attributes of the training participants which could contribute in different ways to the adoption of vermicomposting. It also sought to reveal the status of those variables in relation to the adoption scenario amongst the current farming communities in those three districts. The study was carried out in three districts of Bihar—Samastipur, Muzaffarpur, and Madhubani—with a sample size of 150 farmers. Surveys were conducted in two blocks from each of these districts, selected purposefully. Data analysis was performed using statistical tools in SPSS to calculate the index for each individual farmer. A varied socio-demographic profile of the respondents was revealed who participated in the KVK-based vermicomposting training and it also provided a snapshot of the farming communities of the specific regions. This analysis concludes that the training sessions at three different KVKs attracted a diverse group of farm participants, characterized by varying demographic, socioeconomic, and socio-personal attributes. It is noteworthy that the majority of farmers who attended the vermicomposting training programs were small-scale and marginal farmers, with only a small percentage having high income levels. It is recommended to encourage stakeholder farmers to adopt this technology by providing training and support tailored to their socio-demographic profiles, as this could potentially increase the adoption rate among farmers.

Is nutrition‐sensitive fish farming a panacea for Africa's increasing malnutrition burden? The case of Sierra Leone

AbstractFish is vital for reducing hunger and malnutrition. However, the combined impact of climate change and overfishing is increasing the hunger and malnutrition burden on the African continent and its population of over 200 million people who depend on marine capture fishing and related activities for survival. Fish farming was introduced to alleviate these problems, and our study assessed the extent to which current fish farming activities in the least developed countries (LDCs) like Sierra Leone provide sufficient micro‐ and macro‐nutrients for local communities. The present study which is based on data from 300 survey questionnaires and 77 semi‐structured interviews administered in three communities in Sierra Leone, and from two expert judgments which investigated the nutritional impact of fish farming activities in Sierra Leone, revealed that (1) there is a range of sub‐standard fish farming activities from sampled farms; (2) that these activities could diminish the nutritional quality of farmed fish; and (3) that coastal communities were suspicious of eating or investing in fish farming. To alleviate Africa's increasing malnutrition, burden, our research highlights the need for investment in nutrition‐sensitive fish farming – a refocus from an emphasis on increasing production and income. The nutritional quality of farmed fish is a more basic consideration than the quantity of production for securing a healthy and economically viable fish farming sector for LDCs like Sierra Leone.

Review of current perspectives and future outlook on bacterial disease prevention through vaccination in Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer).

Asian seabass, Lates calcarifer, is an important aquatic species in mariculture. Intensive farming of this species has faced episodes of bacterial diseases, including those due to vibriosis, scale drop, and muscle necrosis disease, big belly disease, photobacteriosis, columnaris, streptococcosis, aeromoniasis, and tenacibaculosis. Vaccination is one of the most efficient, non-antibiotic, and eco-friendly strategies for protecting fish against bacterial diseases, contributing to aquaculture expansion and ensuring food security. As of now, although numerous vaccines have undergone laboratory research, only one commercially available inactivated vaccine, suitable for both immersion and injection administration, is accessible for preventing Streptococcus iniae. Several key challenges in developing vaccines for Asian seabass must be addressed, such as the current limited understanding of immunological responses to vaccines, the costs associated with vaccine production, forms, and routes of vaccine application, and how to increase the adoption of vaccines by farmers. The future of vaccine development for the Asian seabass industry, therefore, is discussed with these key critical issues in mind. The focus is on improving our understanding of Asian seabass immunity, including maternal immunity, immunocompetence, and immune responses post-vaccination, as well as developing tools to assess vaccine effectiveness. The need for an alignment of fish vaccines with state-of-the-art vaccine technologies employed in human and terrestrial animal healthcare is also discussed. This review also discusses the necessity of providing locally-produced autogenous vaccines, especially for immersion and oral vaccines, to benefit small-scale fish farmers, and the potential benefits that might be extended through changes to current husbandry practices such as the vaccination of broodstock and earlier life stages of their off-spring.

Farming non-typical sentient species: ethical framework requires passing a high bar

More widespread farming of species not typically used as livestock may be part of a sustainable approach for promoting human health and economic prosperity in a world with an increasing population; a current example is peccary farming in the Neotropics. Others have argued that species that are local to a region and which are usually not farmed should be considered for use as livestock. They may have a more desirable nutrient profile than species that are presently used as livestock. It may also reduce the pressure from hunting on other wild species, and cause less environmental damage than exotic species. We propose a sentiocentric utilitarian framework that could be used to decide whether species that are local, but generally not used as livestock, should be farmed. To illustrate the use of our decision-making framework, we employ two contrasting neotropical case studies: the Spotted Paca (Cuniculus paca) and the Capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris). We argue that it may be acceptable to use non-sentient species that are typically not farmed as livestock. However, research should determine whether farming them offers human, environmental or sustainability benefits. In addition, we recommend that if invertebrate species are considered for farming, research should be conducted to determine the likelihood that they are sentient. Finally, given the ethical failings of current livestock farming practices, we argue that a high bar must be met if ‘new’ species that are sentient are to be farmed.

Accounting of carbon sequestration and tradeoff under various climatic scenarios in alternative agricultural system: a comprehensive framework toward carbon neutrality

IntroductionThe increase in atmospheric CO2 concentration, which mainly is attributed to fossil-fuel combustion and deforestation, is often suggested as one of the prime causative factors toward accelerated global warming. This commends for sequestration of atmospheric carbon under terrestrial systems to partially offset fossil-fuel emissions. Concerning the same, agricultural sector presents an extensive opportunity, especially for countries such as India where over 55% of the population is engaged in the agriculture sector.MethodsSequestering atmospheric carbon in agriculture requires the adoption of climate-resilient alternative agriculture practices without compromising food security. The deliberated study highlights the options of alteration in current conventional farming practices and its economic evaluation for sequestrating carbon under two Climate Change (CC) scenarios, viz., RCP 4.5 and 8.5, over three temporal scales, i.e., 2020, 2030, and 2050. Considering the current land-use pattern and existing growth rate in land-use shifting, three land-use policies, namely, Business as Usual (BaU), Optimistic, and Pessimistic scenario, integrated with CC scenarios were contemplated. Six possible futuristic scenarios were generated for the assessment of carbon sequestration and its valuation following the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoff (InVEST) model.ResultsThe results suggested that across the studied region adopting an optimistic policy over BaU and pessimistic scenario, carbon can sequestrate an additional 0.64 to 1.46 Mt. (2.35 to 5.36 million ton CO2e) having an economic value of 193.4 to 504.8 million USD.ResultsMoreover, the outcomes of the study are advocated for the policy of carbon credit in the agriculture sector, which shall contribute toward meeting various nationally determined contributions (NDCs) and sustainable development goals (SDGs) as well.

Exploring management strategies to improve yields and reduce reactive nitrogen emissions in a summer maize‐winter wheat cropping system under long‐term climate variability

AbstractAchieving high stable crop yields and minimal environmental damage is crucial to enhance the sustainability of agriculture in China. Process‐based models are indispensable tools to develop agronomy management practices to achieve sustainable agriculture by simulating crop production and emissions of reactive nitrogen (N), particularly in complex climate scenarios. In this study, a long‐term field experiment with an intensive summer maize‐winter wheat rotation system in north‐central China was simulated using the DeNitrification‐DeComposition (DNDC) model. The DNDC model validation and calibration was done by using two‐year monitoring data of crop yields and nitrous oxide emission fluxes and ammonia volatilization. Moreover, the optimal management practices to promote crop production and reduce the reactive N loss under 22 years of climate variability were explored using the calibrated DNDC model in this region. The results showed that the DNDC model effectively simulated wheat and maize yields, N uptake, ammonia volatilization, and nitrous oxide emissions. Sensitivity analyses demonstrated that the agronomic management practices (N rates and ratio of base to topdressing, planting time, and tillage depth) substantially affected crop yields and reactive N losses under long‐term climate variability. Compared with current farming practices, optimal Nutrient Expert (NE) management achieved an increase in high yields and environmental pollution radiation by altering the rate of N application and ratio of base to topdressing. Moreover, the optimal management strategies developed by the DNDC model, such as adjusting the planting date and tillage depth, further increased the average grain yield by 2.9% and reduced the average reactive N losses by 10.5% compared with the NE management implemented in the annual rotation cropping with a 22‐year simulation. This study suggests that the modeling method facilitates the development of most effective agronomic management practices to promote crop production and alleviate the negative impact on environment.

Entrepreneurial failure influences the health of Chinese farmers: Evidence from the data of China labor-force dynamic survey

High failure rate is a primary characteristic of current farmer entrepreneurial activities in China. We examined the impact of entrepreneurial failure on the health of Chinese farmers based on the data from the China Labor-force Dynamics Survey (CLDS). We found that entrepreneurial failure significantly depresses the health of Chinese farmers. Specifically, the farmers with entrepreneurial failure experience are more likely to have low self-reported levels of psychological and physical health, and the probability of experiencing severe injury and illness is elevated by 4.6 %. Mechanism analysis shows that entrepreneurial failure depresses the health of Chinese farmers through weakening informal social support and increasing the probability of overwork. Furthermore, these effects are more significant in the older generation of farmers who were born before 1980 and the farmers striving to make a living.

Ageing influences the toxicity of two innovative nanofertilizers to the soil invertebrates Enchytraeus crypticus and Folsomia candida

The increasing global food demand is threatening the sustainability of agrifood production systems. The intensification of agricultural practices, with inadequate use of pesticides and fertilizers, poses major challenges to the good functioning of agroecosystems and drastically degrades the soil quality. Nanotechnology is expected to optimize the current farming practices and mitigate some associated impacts. Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) are a class of nanomaterials with high potential for use in agricultural productions, mostly due to their sustained release of nutrients. Considering its novelty and lack of studies on the terrestrial ecosystem, it is essential to assess potential long-term harmful consequences to non-target organisms. Our study aimed to evaluate the effect of Zn–Al–NO3 LDH and Mg–Al–NO3 LDH ageing on the survival and reproduction of two soil invertebrate species Enchytraeus crypticus and Folsomia candida. We postulated that the toxicity of nanomaterials to soil invertebrates would change with time, such that the ageing of soil amendments would mediate their impacts on both species. Our results showed that the toxicity of LDHs was species-dependent, with Zn–Al–NO3 LDH being more toxic to E. crypticus, while Mg–Al–NO3 LDH affected more F. candida, especially in the last ageing period, where reproduction was the most sensitive biological parameter. The toxicity of both nanomaterials increased with ageing time, as shown by the decrease of the EC50 values over time. The influence of LDH dissolution and availability of Zn and Mg in the soil pore water was the main factor related to the toxicity, although we cannot rule out the influence of other structural constituents of LDHs (e.g., nitrates and aluminium). This study supports the importance of incorporating ageing in the ecotoxicity testing of nanomaterials, considering their slow release, as effects on soil organisms can change and lead to more severe impacts on the ecosystem functioning.

Smart Agriculture and Greenhouse Gas Emission Mitigation: A 6G-IoT Perspective

Smart farming has emerged as a promising approach to address the agriculture industry’s significant contribution to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. However, the effectiveness of current smart farming practices in mitigating GHG emissions remains a matter of ongoing debate. This review paper provides an in-depth examination of the current state of GHG emissions in smart farming, highlighting the limitations of existing practices in reducing GHG emissions and introducing innovative strategies that leverage the advanced capabilities of 6G-enabled IoT (6G-IoT). By enabling precise resource management, facilitating emission source identification and mitigation, and enhancing advanced emission reduction techniques, 6G-IoT integration offers a transformative solution for managing GHG emissions in agriculture. However, while smart agriculture focuses on technological applications for immediate efficiency gains, it also serves as a crucial component of sustainable agriculture by providing the tools necessary for long-term environmental supervision and resource sustainability. As a result, this study also contributes to sustainable agriculture by providing insights and guiding future advancements in smart farming, particularly in the context of 6G-IoT, to develop more effective GHG mitigation strategies for smart farming applications, promoting a more sustainable agricultural future.