Harvest Frequency Research Articles

Technical Feasibility and Economic Viability of Portable Limb Shaker in Apricot Harvesting at Union Territory of Ladakh, India

Traditional harvesting methods of apricot result in significant harvesting and post-harvest losses. This study aimed at designing a mechanical apricot harvesting net with limb shakers to reduce the losses and enhance harvesting efficiency in the Ladakh region of India. The physical characteristics of apricot in terms of sphericity, limb displacement, fruit detachment force and apparent stiffness were measured for designing an apricot harvesting net and selection of frequency for harvesting. The technical feasibility of a mechanical apricot harvester was tested for shaking frequency (7, 22 and 33 Hz), limb diameter (<3 cm, 3-6 cm and > 6 cm) and collecting material used (insect shade net, 95% shade net and 75% shade net). The economic assessment was carried out in terms of benefit-cost ratio, breakeven point and payback period. The responses of fruit removal percentage, harvesting efficiency, mechanical bruising percentage and harvesting loss were recorded. The optimization of parameters revealed at 23 Hz shaking frequency and 75% shade net collecting material resulted in 97.16% fruit removal, 11.24% mechanical bruising, 88.77% harvesting efficiency and 52.79g twig losses per 10 kg of fruit removal for each treatment. The cost economics of the mechanical apricot shaker and collecting net revealed an operating cost of Rs. 246.5 per hour, benefit-cost ratio of 1.15:1, breakeven point of 1270.4 quintals and payback period of 2132 hours. The study can be beneficial for reducing drudgery and income augmentation of apricot growers of Ladakh and Kargil region of India.

Efficacy and Economic Viability of Organic Control Methods for Spotted-wing Drosophila in Day-neutral Strawberry Production in the Upper Midwest

Day-neutral strawberry (DNS) production is increasing in the Upper Midwest because of its extended harvest season and greater yield over June-bearing cultivars. However, the longer season increases fruit exposure to the invasive spotted-wing drosophila (Drosophila suzukii; SWD), which threatens the production of small fruits and berries, particularly in organic systems. Numerous pest management tactics have been developed for SWD in recent years; however, relatively few studies have investigated the impact of SWD on DNS. Organic DNS growers need information regarding which management strategy is most effective when compared directly. To address this knowledge gap, we established a 2-year controlled field experiment with organic DNS. We applied treatments that correspond with techniques that local growers reported using or that have shown promise for organic raspberries, including increased harvest frequency, botanical-based repellents, and weekly rotations of organic insecticides, which we compared with an untreated control. We hypothesized that noninsecticidal SWD management strategies would result in fewer SWD eggs per berry and a lower proportion of infested berries compared with those associated with an untreated control. We also hypothesized that noninsecticidal management strategies would be as effective and cost less than organic insecticide applications. We collected data regarding labor hours, direct costs, strawberry yield, and SWD infestation in experimental plots on certified organic land in Minnesota in 2022 and 2023. An average of 33% of strawberries contained SWD eggs. The experimental treatments showed inconsistent effectiveness for reducing infestation compared with that of the untreated control plots and had no effect on marketable plant yield over the 2-year period. Thus, the added labor expense of these pest control treatments yielded net returns that were 17% to 21% below the control. Labor-saving alternatives like exclusion netting or postharvest cold treatments, which reduce fruit pest exposure and egg viability without harming nontarget insects, may offer more cost-effective solutions for managing SWD in organic DNS.

Potential of coupled array harvester in enhanced energy harvesting.

Harvesting energy from nonlinear systems has been at the centre of research in the energy harvesting community. Many such proposed systems are single nonlinear harvester. While these systems show an increase in bandwidth of harvesting frequency, overall, they are not effective enough in power generation. This article studies power harvesting and frequency bandwidth characteristics of an array of harvesters. Multiple harvesters are considered with linear and nonlinear coupling between the harvesters. The phenomena of internal resonance (IR) and stochastic resonance (SR) are reported. The IR in multiple coupled nonlinear harvesters is explored using multiple-scale analysis. A parametric study is conducted to demonstrate the effect of coupling strength, frequency mistuning, innate nonlinearity and other parameters. The parametric study helped establish effective ways to increase bandwidth. Moreover, a stochastically loaded linearly coupled bistable harvester array is numerically analysed to find the effect of coupling strength and array size on the phenomenon of SR and on the system's harvesting performance. Through these studies, the potential of multiple coupled nonlinear harvesters in enhanced energy harvesting is demonstrated under both harmonic and stochastic excitation.This article is part of the theme issue 'Celebrating the 15th anniversary of the Royal Society Newton International Fellowship'.

Leaf and seed yield response of vegetable amaranths to nitrogen fertilizers applications and harvesting frequency at Jimma, South West, Ethiopia

Amaranthus (Amaranthus cruentus) is an alternative food crop that requires fewer agronomic practices relative to other food crops. However, the yield of Amaranthus varies due to factors such as season, soil fertility, variety, and management practices. There is limited information available on certain agronomic practices for Amaranthus, such as harvesting frequency and N fertilizer application rates. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of nitrogen levels and harvesting frequencies on the growth, leaf and seed yield, and yield components of the Amaranth Madiira-2 cultivar at Jimma, under irrigation. The study used a randomized complete block design with a factorial arrangement of five N levels (0, 34.5, 69, 103.5, and 138) and three harvesting frequencies (weekly, every 2 weeks, and every 3 weeks), replicated three times. Data on phenological growth, yield, and yield components were collected and analysed using SAS software (version 9.3). The results revealed that the combined effect of nitrogen and harvesting frequency significantly influenced (p < 0.05) the days to 50% flowering and days to 50% physiological maturity. Leaf area, plant height, above-ground fresh weight, above-ground dry weight per plant at harvest, leaf yield, and seed yield were highly significantly influenced (p < 0.01). However, the thousand seed weight when a two-week harvesting frequency was followed after transplanting and 103.5 kg N ha−1 was applied. The leaf yield was found to be significantly influenced by the harvesting frequencies, with the highest yield of 30.33 tons ha−1 observed under this particular combination of factors. Similarly, the seed yield was also maximized at 3.23 tons ha−1 under the same conditions, with 103.5 kg N ha−1 and a three-week harvesting frequency. Therefore, these findings suggest that farmers can benefit from applying 103.5 kg N ha−1 with a two-week harvesting frequency for better leaf yield and 103.5 kg N ha−1 with a three-week harvesting frequency for better seed yield. However, it is important to note that this study was conducted only during one season and in one location. Hence, conducting the experiment again in real-world settings, across various seasons and locations, would be beneficial. This would allow for drawing more reliable conclusions and making appropriate recommendations.

Phononic crystals with incomplete line defects: applications in high-performance and broadband acoustic energy localization and harvesting

Using phononic crystals (PnCs) to enhance the electrical output performance of piezoelectric energy harvesting (PEH) devices and broaden the frequency range of harvesting energy is crucial to solving the self-energy of low-power devices such as wireless sensors. In this work, an ultra-wide full-band gap PnC was designed. The concept of a PnC with an incomplete line defect was proposed. The energy localization and harvesting of incomplete line defect PnCs and traditional point defect and line defect PnCs were studied by finite element analysis. The results show that compared with a point defect and a line defect, the output electric power of an incomplete line defect was increased by 31.88 times and 2.51 times, respectively, and the energy localization and harvesting frequency band were widened. By exploring the influence of the periodicity of the vertical incomplete line defect direction on the electrical output performance of the PnC-based PEH system, it is found that the electrical output performance of the 5 × 3 incomplete line defect PnC is the best, and the maximum output voltage and output electric power are 27.36 V and 17.29 mW, respectively. This work provides new insights and ideas for improving the energy localization and harvesting performance of PnC-based PEH systems.

Recovery of the Seagrass Zostera noltei and Commercial Bivalve Populations After Shellfish Harvesting

Conservation efforts have raised awareness about the impact of small-scale fisheries on the distribution of seagrass plants. The patterns of recovery of the seagrass Zostera noltei and of the commercial bivalves Cerastoderma edule, Ruditapes decussatus and Ruditapes philippinarum after shellfish harvesting were studied in a field experiment in a shellfish bed in NW Spain. Sample plots were subjected to a single disturbance in two types of shellfish harvesting treatments in three zones characterized by different harvesting frequency and seagrass density. The photosynthetic efficiency (Fv/Fm), shoot density, leaf length and carbohydrate content of Z. noltei were monitored every three months during one year, and the C and N content of leaves and biomass of plants were measured one year after the disturbance. The abundance of adults, juveniles and recruits and the condition index of adult bivalves were quantified after the experimental harvesting. Shoot density and biomass of Z. noltei remained low during the ten months after the disturbance but recovered to control values after one year. Carbohydrate contents of apical rhizomes were lower in disturbed (treated) plots, whereas no effect was observed on Fv/Fm. Denser and more complex seagrass patches recovered faster. The abundance of adult bivalves below commercial size was lower in the disturbed plots, while the abundance of adults of commercial size, juveniles and recruits did not vary, indicating that abundance and condition were not hampered by harvesting pressure. The findings also suggest that Z. noltei meadows can recover within one year of the impact of shellfish harvesting if the harvesting areas are rotated and dense patches are preserved.

Reducing the Resonant Frequency of the Vibration Energy Harvester With a Negative Stiffness Magnetic Spring

Reducing the Resonant Frequency of the Vibration Energy Harvester With a Negative Stiffness Magnetic Spring

Piezoelectric-triboelectric energy harvester with elastic double-side stoppers

An impact-based piezoelectric and triboelectric energy harvester with elastic double-side stoppers for wideband operation and efficient energy capture is proposed. The coupled nonlinear governing equations of the energy harvesting system are derived based on Hertz's contact model. The dynamic behavior of the energy harvester is enriched from linear to nonlinear regime by introducing stoppers to broaden the energy harvesting frequency range. The dynamic mechanism and energy harvesting performance of the harvester are explored through frequency sweeps, which identify comprehensive dynamic states and evaluate the energy harvesting performance. The time history diagram, phase diagram, Poincaré mapping and bifurcation diagram are used to discuss the single-period, double-period, multi-period and chaotic period vibrations of the energy harvester. Detailed parametric studies investigate the effects of the initial gap, mass ratio, stopper stiffness and excitation amplitude on the voltage and power output. Four models with different stoppers are compared to identify the best energy harvesting performance. Results show that compared with the cantilever without stopper, the proposed model with elastic double-side stoppers significantly broadens the resonance frequency region by 172.5 %, and increases the output cumulative voltage by 0.89 V. A maximum voltage of 1.2 V with a 0.6-V-bandwidth of 6.9 Hz is achieved when the energy harvester is actuated at 0.8 g acceleration. The RMS voltage of triboelectric nanogenerator is highest at 25 Hz, reaching 1.99 V, and the peak-to-peak output voltage reaches 15.59 V.

Enhancing lucerne (Medicago sativa) yield and nutritional quality: a meta-analysis of fertilization types and environmental factors in China.

Lucerne (Medicago sativa), is a cornerstone of China's livestock industry, however, due to the backward agronomic strategies and technology, lucerne in China faces cultivation challenges that result in lower productivity and quality than global standards. Therefore, we undertook a meta-analysis to evaluate the impact of five distinct fertilization types on lucerne yield and nutritional quality in various locations in China. The fertilizer practices included manure application, combined mineral fertilizer and manure application (FM), biological fertilizer application, unbalanced application of two or more mineral fertilizer types, and balanced mineral fertilizer application. Furthermore, we investigate influential factors of yield and quality of lucerne under fertilization, including climatic variables (mean annual precipitation, mean annual temperature), initial soil properties (soil organic carbon; total nitrogen, pH), and agronomic factors (seeding rate, harvest frequency, and lucerne stand age). Our study analyzed 53 published papers to discern the most beneficial fertilizer for enhancing lucerne yield and nutritional quality. The results showed that the fertilizer practices, on average, significantly improved yield by 31.72% and crude protein content by 11.29%, with FM emerging as the most effective, this is because mineral fertilizers provide available nutrients for lucerne, manure provides essential organic matter for microorganisms and improve soil properties. In addition, the fertilizer practices significantly reduced neutral and acid detergent fiber contents by 6.28% and 8.50%, respectively, while increasing ash content and relative feeding value. Furthermore, climatic variables, soil properties, and planting system factors such as sowing date and harvest frequency significantly affected yield and nutritional quality. The practical implications of our results emphasize the need for balanced and strategic fertilizer application to optimize lucerne production and highlight the potential to adjust cultivation practices according to environmental conditions. Balanced and strategic fertilizer application can simultaneously improve soil properties, enhance soil carbon sequestration, and reduce the emission of greenhouse gases from the soil, which is a vital measure for realizing sustainable agricultural development.

Genetic diversity in pointed gourd (Trichosanthes dioica) genotypes for fruit yield and quality traits under eastern plateau and hill region

The experiment was conducted during summer seasons of 2021–22 and 2022–2023 at ICAR-Research Complex for Eastern Region, Farming System Research Centre for Hill and Plateau Region, Plandu, Ranchi, Jharkhand focused on assessing the genetic diversity for fruit yield and quality parameters among 46 unique pointed gourd (Trichosanthes dioica Roxb.) genotypes. The data collected underwent thorough statistical analyses, encompassing genetic variability, analysis of variance (ANOVA), correlation coefficients, path analysis, exploration of genetic divergence and biochemical characterization. The ANOVA results revealed significant variations across the selected genotypes in terms of fruit yield and quality traits. Key attributes, such as the number of fruits/plant, harvest frequency, pulp seed ratio and total phenol content, displayed significant positive correlations with total fruit yield. The noteworthy was the positive direct effect of pulp weight on total fruit yield indicated by a coefficient of 0.99. Further, this study identified total fruit yield as the primary contributor to the observed genetic diversity. Cluster analysis results in to the grouping of 46 genotypes into 12 distinct clusters based on D2 values. The study highlighted significant variability among pointed gourd genotypes, suggesting ample opportunities for selection-based improvement. Selection based on characteristics such as the number of fruits per plant, pulp weight and pulp seed ratio is expected to enhance yield potential. Identified genotypes, such as Swarna Alaukik, HAP-79, HAP-70 (for yield-related attributes) and HAP-106 (for quality traits), emerged as promising which hold potential for future breeding initiatives and are recommended for cultivation in the eastern plateau and hill region for augmenting yield potential. Cluster III and cluster XII offer diverse genetics for breeding. Crossing these clusters can create new high-yield cultivars. This strategic cultivation aims to enhance the nutritional well-being of the local population in that area.

Performance of dairy cows offered silages produced from grass swards harvested on either three or five occasions during the growing season

The nutritive value of grass silage can be improved by harvesting herbage at a less mature growth stage, which in practice usually involves more frequent harvests. This study examined the performance of dairy cows offered grass silages produced from perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) based swards harvested at 2 different frequencies during the growing season (3-harvest (3H) vs. 5-harvest (5H)). Thirty-four mid-lactation (av. 147 d in milk) dairy cows (30 multiparous, 4 primiparous) were offered either 3H or 5H silages in a continuous design (21 wk) experiment. Within each treatment cows were offered silage from each harvest (in harvest number order) for a pre-determined number of days in proportion to herbage DM yield at each harvest. Silages were offered ad libitum while a common concentrate was offered to all cows at 12.0 kg per cow/d over the first 15 wk of the study, 8.0 kg per cow/d during wk 16 -19 and 6.0 kg cow/d during wk 20 - 21. Total yield of herbage harvested over the season from within 3H and 5H were 12.6 and 11.2 t DM/ha, respectively. Across all harvests the mean ME and CP concentration of silages were 10.9 MJ/kg DM and 131 g/kg DM for 3H, and 11.5 MJ/kg DM and 152 g/kg DM for 5H. Silage DMI was greater for cows offered 5H silages compared with 3H silages (14.1 vs. 11.7 kg/d, respectively). Cows offered 5H silages had a greater daily milk yield (33.5 vs. 31.9 kg) and ECM yield (37.4 vs. 35.6 kg) compared with cows offered 3H silages. Treatment had no effect on milk fat or protein concentration. Cows offered 5H silages produced milk with greater concentrations of CLA and n-3 fatty acids. Treatment had no effect on mean BW or BCS, or on efficiency metrics such as milk yield or ECM yield per kg of DMI. Molar proportions of VFA in ruminal fluid differed between the treatments, with cows offered 3H silages having higher proportion of total butyrate (15.9 vs. 14.4% of total VFA) and lower total valerate (3.2 vs. 3.7% of total VFA) compared with those offered 5H. The acetate: propionate and acetate plus butyrate: propionate ratios were unaffected by treatment. In conclusion, increasing herbage harvesting frequency from 3 to 5 times per year improved the nutritional value of the resulting silages, and this led to higher silage DMI, milk yield and ECM yield. However, overall production efficiency (ECM/DMI) was unaffected by treatment.

Two‐cut system suggested for tall wheatgrass to balance herbage yield and quality in the coastal saline–alkaline land around the Bohai Sea

AbstractBackgroundTall wheatgrass is a perennial salt‐tolerant bunchgrass, which is a promising candidate for establishing a “Coastal Grass Belt” in China, particularly in the coastal saline–alkaline soils surrounding the Bohai Sea.MethodsSeven harvesting treatments were performed to explore the optimal harvesting time and frequency for tall wheatgrass in coastal area. The dry matter yield (DMY) and forage nutritional values were investigated for each cut. The correlation between harvesting time and frequency thereof among the investigated traits was also determined.ResultsThe results showed that the two‐cut on June 18 and October 29 produced the highest DMY. Another two‐cut on May 26 and October 29 produced a relatively high crude protein (CP) yield. The DMY, contents of neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), and crude cellulose (CC) as well as CP yield were positively correlated to plant height, while the CP content and the relative feed value (RFV) were negatively correlated to plant height. The accumulating growing degree days, accumulated precipitation, and sunshine duration were positively correlated with plant height, DMY, contents of NDF, ADF, and CC as well as CP yield, but negatively correlated with CP content and RFV for the first cut.ConclusionsThe two‐cut treatment at the end of May and October may be suitable for tall wheatgrass in the “Coastal Grass Belt” targeted area.

Autologous bone harvested during implant bed preparation: A randomized clinical trial comparing high-speed drilling with irrigation versus low-speed drilling without irrigation.

To compare collected bone weight and the frequency of autologous bone harvesting from the flutes of surgical drills used for implant bed preparation using two different drilling techniques. A comparative evaluation of radiographic bone density and bone quality was also made. A randomized clinical trial was made of 66 dental implants in patients with a single posterior edentulous site. The compared drilling techniques were high-speed drilling with irrigation (control group) and low-speed drilling without irrigation (test group). The bone collected in both groups was dried and weighed with a precise electronic balance. The frequency of harvesting was calculated. The median radiographic bone density of each implant site was measured using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) pixel values. Patient sex, age, implant position and dimensions, as well as the last drill diameter were analyzed as independent variables. The level of significance was 5%. The harvesting of bone chips from drill flutes proved possible in 51.5% of the procedures in the control group and in 100% in the test group (p < 0.001). There were also statistically significant differences in bone weight between the control group (6.7 ± 10.6 mg) and the test group (41.9 ± 30.3 mg) (p < 0.001). The CBCT pixel values were directly correlated with the collected bone weight in both groups. The median radiographic bone density, arch and last drill diameter were significantly associated with harvesting bone frequency and collected bone weight (p < 0.05). Our findings suggest that the frequency and weight of autologous bone harvested from drills are greater with low-speed drilling without irrigation than with high-speed drilling with irrigation. Radiographic bone density, arch and last drill diameter also significantly influenced the harvesting outcomes.

Value chain analysis of a women‐dominated wild‐caught mud crab fishery

AbstractA value chain analysis (VCA) is a cost‐effective tool to guide targeted value chain development interventions to address social wellbeing and environmental performance. Examining value chains through a gender lens can help design and implement interventions that enhance opportunities for women in the fisheries and address gender inequalities in the sector. We conducted a VCA in 2015 of the wild‐caught mud crab (Scylla serrata) fishery in Bua Province, Fiji. We found five main players involved in the selling of mud crabs – fishers, traders, retail shops, restaurants and exporters. The value chain was dominated by Indigenous (iTaukei) women fishers (88.1% of fishers) and characterised by low technological input, targeted largely for domestic markets or consumption, and with limited value‐adding activities. Although most women harvested mud crabs on a part‐time basis, it was an important source of income for most with 30% relying on it as their main livelihood. Despite being a lucrative commodity, there are several bottlenecks in the fishery – the relative informality of relationships amongst players in the value chain, the independent livelihood‐driven harvest behaviours of fishers, and opportunistic sale of products. As a result, the fishery did not meet the demands of the domestic market. Our study concluded the gendered‐skewness in the fishery increases the vulnerability of the chain to declines in economic productivity because of its reliance on irregular suppliers, and gender‐based constraints. However, the low frequency and intensity of harvesting and use of low technological harvesting methods meant the fishery was not over‐exploited and likely sustainable.

Experimental and simulation of a tension-like nonlinear piezoelectric energy harvester

This article proposes a low-frequency and efficient tension-like nonlinear piezoelectric energy harvester, which increases the harvesting performance of the harvester by swinging the support frame. Firstly, design the structure of the harvester and draw a physical model. Secondly, finite element models are used to simulate and analyze the structure’s dynamic characteristics. Finally, make an experimental prototype of the harvester and explore the power generation characteristics of the device through experiments. The results indicate that the harvester has two natural frequencies under low-frequency conditions. The energy harvester has the optimal external resistance to achieve peak output power. The greater the excitation acceleration, the greater the total output power value of the energy harvester. When the mass of the mass block is 3.7 g and the excitation acceleration is 0.4 g, the total output power value of the energy harvester is 3.88 mW, and the harvesting frequency band is wide, indicating excellent output performance of the harvester. The experimental results of the energy harvester device are consistent with the simulation results, fully verifying the correctness of the experiment and simulation. This piezoelectric energy harvester can efficiently harvest vibration energy at low frequencies, providing a good prospect for supplying power to microelectronic devices.

Income Contribution of Backyard Gardening and its Association with Household Food Security: A Case Study in an Urban Setting

Households located in urban township settings experience food insecurity which can be alleviated through backyard gardening. This study is to determine the extent of the contribution of backyard gardening to food security. Based on the Logistic Regression Model, household size, farming experience, employment status of the household head and harvesting frequency were found to be significant in affecting the food security status of the household. The study found that backyard gardening contributes (contribution index of 67.25%) towards household food security. Household specific factors should therefore be considered in policy targeted intervention strategies aimed at alleviating food insecurity.

Rotation of Celosia argentea and Sedum plumbizincicola promotes Cd phytoextraction efficiency

Most hyperaccumulators cannot maintain vigorous growth throughout the year, which may result in a low phytoextraction efficiency for a few months. In the present study, rotation of two hyperaccumulators is proposed to address this issue. An 18-month field experiment was conducted to evaluate the phytoextraction efficiency of Cd by the monoculture and rotation of Celosia argentea and Sedum plumbizincicola. The results showed that rotation increased amount of extracted Cd increased by 2.3 and 1.6 times compared with monoculture of C. argentea and S. plumbizincicola. In rotation system, the biomass of S. plumbizincicola and Cd accumulation in C. argentea increased by 54.4% and 40.7%, respectively. Rotation reduced fallow time and increased harvesting frequency, thereby enhancing Cd phytoextraction. Planting C. argentea significantly decreased soil pathogenic microbes and increased the abundances of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase genes, which may be beneficial for the growth of S. plumbizincicola. Planting S. plumbizincicola increased the abundance of sulfur oxidization (SOX) system genes and decreased soil pH (p < 0.05), thereby increasing the Cd uptake by C. argentea. These findings indicated that rotation of C. argentea and S. plumbizincicola is a promising method for promoting Cd phytoextraction.

Utilizing Machine Learning Framework to Evaluate the Effect of Climate Change on Maize and Soybean Yield

In recent years, climate change patterns and extreme weather events have adversely affected agricultural production and have raised concerns about its effect on crop yields. These changes can affect the crop yield in many ways including the changes in the length of the growing season, planting and harvest time windows, precipitation amount and frequency, and the growing degree days, etc. So, it is important to analyze the effect of climate change on yield variability for a better understanding of its effect on the crops. This study aims to analyze the historical monthly county-level data for the state of Ohio to quantify maize (Zea mays) and soybean (Glycine max) yield temporal variability and to study the impact of proposed climate change scenarios on the yield. Machine learning algorithms were used to model the effect of monthly temperature and precipitation levels on yield variability, and to study the effect of climate change scenarios on yield. In addition, yield prediction models were integrated with proposed climate change scenarios for higher and lower emissions scenarios to predict the maize and soybean yield for the year 2100. To model the effect of weather parameters on temporal yield variability, the Random Forest model outperformed with RMSE of 0.61 Mt/ha and R2 of 0.73 for maize and with RMSE of 0.21 Mt/ha, R2 of 0.64 for soybean crop. Maximum temperature for July which has a negative correlation with yield was found to be the most dominant parameter for maize yield followed by the precipitation in August, July, and June which have a positive correlation with maize yield. Precipitation in August was found to be the most dominant weather parameter for soybean yield followed by maximum temperature in July. Based on the projected average increase in Ohio’s temperature and precipitation levels alone, maize yield was predicted to drop by 13.2% or 18.5% respectively due to lower emissions and higher emissions climate change scenario of Ohio. Similarly, a 6.64% and a 9.63% drop is expected in the soybean yield by the year 2100 for both lower emissions and higher emissions climate change scenarios. In economic terms based on current commodity values, this is an astounding loss of 254.7 to 369.7 million USD for maize and 535.9 – 751.1 million USD for soybean crop to the state of Ohio.

Effects of management practices on the ecosystem-service multifunctionality of temperate grasslands

Human wellbeing depends on ecosystem services, highlighting the need for improving the ecosystem-service multifunctionality of food and feed production systems. We study Swiss agricultural grasslands to assess how employing and combining three widespread aspects of grassland management and their interactions can enhance 22 plot-level ecosystem service indicators, as well as ecosystem-service multifunctionality. The three management aspects we assess are i) organic production system, ii) an eco-scheme prescribing extensive management (without fertilization), and iii) harvest type (pasture vs. meadow). While organic production system and interactions between the three management aspects play a minor role, the main effects of eco-scheme and harvest type considerably shape single services. Moreover, the eco-scheme ‘extensive management’ and the harvest type ‘pasture’ enhance plot-scale ecosystem-service multifunctionality, mostly through facilitating cultural services at the expense of provisioning services. These changes in ecosystem-service supply occur mainly via changes in land-use intensity, i.e., reduced fertilizer input and harvest frequency. In conclusion, diversifying grassland management where this is currently homogeneous across farms and landscapes depicts an important first step to improve landscape-scale multifunctionality for sustainable grassland systems. To meet societal ecosystem services demand, the three studied management aspects can be systematically combined to increase ecosystem services that are in short supply.

Productivity of the rod-shaped willow depends on varietal characteristics and frequency of biomass harvesting

The problem of solid biofuel production in Ukraine based on basket willow varieties (Salix viminalis L.) is highlighted. It was established that it is impractical to grow energy plantations of varieties of this species with a rotation age of 6-8 years. It is more optimal to harvest the biomass of varieties of this willow every three years. The cultivar ``Tora'' is characterized by the highest yield of dry energetic biomass during the eight-year growing cycle – 58.05 t/ha. Cultivars Ternopilska (38.64 t/ha), Inger (36.90 t/ha) and Wilhelm (31.10 t/ha) are also characterized by high biomass yield, which indicates the expediency of their use for the creation of energy plantations in the conditions of the Right Bank Forest Steppe. Varieties of Polish selection ′Marzencinski′, ′Gigantea′ can also be considered promising for the research region. It is advisable to continue the study of the researched willow cultivars in order to clarify the periodicity of harvesting their biomass and the dynamics of yield during the entire period of existence of the plantations.