Hectares Of Area Research Articles

Diversity and Life History Traits of Native Weed Communities in Agricultural Areas: A Case Study in Eastern China.

Native weeds have a long history of adaptation to local environments. Understanding the relationship between the occurrence of native weeds and their life history traits is crucial for effective weed management and risk assessment of plant invasions. In this study, we surveyed native weed species and their dominance across 666 field sites in agricultural areas of Yangzhou City, China, and each site was 13.3 hectares in area. A total of 287 native weed species were recorded, referring to 63 families, among which 45% were 50-100 cm in plant height and 47% were of an erect life type. In terms of the proportions out of the total native weed occurrence dominance, Poaceae, Compositae, and Fabaceae weeds accounted for 30%, 13%, and 11%; liana and perennials both occupied 32%; and aquatic, hygrophyte, sun plant, and shade plant all occupied < 10%. Additionally, the proportions increased with increasing seed production per plant and with increasing weediness reported worldwide. Native weed groups holding moderate vegetative reproduction abilities, moderate seed sizes, or herbicide resistance showed higher proportions. Moreover, most of the native weeds surveyed were not succulent or thorny plants and did not hold thorns, awns, obvious hairs, or mucilage on their fruits.

Yield Gap and Impact Analysis of Rice Variety CAU R-1 in Different Location of Leparada District of Arunachal Pradesh, India

Front Line Demonstration on rice variety CAU R-1 was conducted in the Leparada District of Arunachal Pradesh in the year of 2019 to 2022 by Krishi Vigyan Kendra, West Siang during the Kharif season. The demonstration was conducted in 40 farmers’ field covering 18 hectares of area. The study was conducted for Grain yield, Yield gap, Technological gap, Extension gap, Economic gains and Technology Index. The demonstration showed that the average grain yield was lowest in 2019 (43.00 q/ha) and highest in 2022 (46.50 q/ha). The average grain yield of farmers’ practice was lowest with 30.00 q/ha in 2019 and highest in 2022 with 34.86 ql/ha. Percentage of increased yield of the demonstration over the farmers’ practice ranges from 33.30% to 43.30%. In case of Technological gap/yield gap, extension gap and technological index the value decreased from 2019 to 2022 with the value of 27.00 to 23.50 (Technological gap/yield gap), 13.00 to 11.64 (extension gap) and 38.60% to 33.60 % (technological index). In term of economic study, the benefit cost ratio of the demonstration ranges from 1.72:1 (2019) to 1.76:1 (2022) whereas the farmers’ practice benefit cost ratio ranges from 1.16:1 (2019) to 1.28:1 (2022). The yield potential of rice can be increased to a great extent by using high yielding varieties with improved technologies through front line demonstration. Accordingly, the production and the productivity of rice will be increased resulting in sustainable and profitable farming at the same time reducing the technology gaps.

Comparison of different attract-and-kill device densities to control the adult population of Popillia japonica (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae).

Popillia japonica Newman is a scarab beetle native to Japan that is considered a serious pest outside its native range. It can feed on more than 400 host plants and spread about 10 km per year in invaded territories, therefore it is considered the second most important quarantine pest in Europe. Both chemical and biological insecticides have been used for control, with variable results. Despite ongoing efforts, P. japonica remains a threat in invaded countries, and it is necessary to test more effective and sustainable solutions in the context of integrated pest management. Here we present a study on long-lasting insecticide-treated nets (LLINs) assembled in semiochemical-baited attract-and-kill devices (A&Ks) as a means to control adults of P. japonica with low environmental impact. This study complements previous ones in which we first evaluated the effectiveness of the LLINs in the laboratory and then tested both effectiveness and duration in field-exposed A&Ks against P. japonica. In the present work we compared the effectiveness of three different densities of A&Ks per hectare in areas where the population of P. japonica was numerically homogeneous. The different densities of A&K (1, 2, 4 A&Ks per ha) resulted in an overall reduction of the population of P. japonica by about two thirds in comparison to the control area. This study suggests that the use of one A&K per hectare, requiring minimal management effort, is an effective ratio for reducing local populations of P. japonica. © 2024 The Author(s). Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Preventive Archaeological Research in Overhead Electric Power Line’s Construction Zones

The article is dedicated to archaeological research within the limits of projected and existing overhead power lines in Ukraine. Based on the experience of the Scientific and Research Centre “Rescue Archaeological Service” of the Institute of Archaeology, the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, the results of such works were summarised and monument protection measures for avoiding or mitigating the negative impact on the archaeological heritage during the overhead power lines construction were proposed. In 2008–2024 the Center’s employees surveyed 1507.3 km of power lines 220‑750 kW and 2642 hectares of area within the 14–21 m wide right of way; 444 new and known archaeological objects were localised; monument protection measures for 342 objects were developed; 8946 m2 were excavated in places where supports installed on 40 archaeological sites; 30 archaeological sites were supervised; accounting documentation for 78 monuments was developed. According to the survey results the average archaeological objects occurrence index per one kilometer of the overhead power lines planned route was determined as 0.251. It has been confirmed that in the steppe zone and adjacent areas of the forest-steppe mounds and mound groups occur more often than the settlements that prevail in the forest and forest-steppe zones. The regularities in which each stage of research defines the task for the next and gradually narrows the scope of development areas have been determined: at the Feasibility study stage an area of more than 1200000 hectares was developed; at the Project stage 2642 ha were archaeologically surveyed; at the stage of Construction monument protection research is planned on an area of 28.27 hectares. The same trend applies to the archaeology objects number covered 1358, 444 and 342 objects respectively. Despite the research areas decreasing, their resource consumption and the cost of the archaeological methods used are increasing.The United Energy System of Ukraine is one of the largest in Europe. According to its promising development program it was planned to build a thousand km of new overhead power lines. However, the war made its corrections and to the new planning construction were added hundreds of kilometers of destroyed overhead lines and dozens of ruined electrical substations. Comparing such linear objects as highways or main pipelines a much smaller volume of earthworks is processed during the overhead lines construction and they too can potentially have a significant negative impact on the environment including cultural heritage. Therefore, preventive measures developed on the mitigation hierarchy principles should be implemented at all construction stages. Each cycle’s phase corresponds to a certain type of archaeological research: planning → preliminary archival and bibliographic research; design → archaeological investigations (surveys); construction → archaeological monument protection research; exploitation → monitoring. Such approach using ensures the optimal management adoption decisions and helps to avoid and/or reduce the potential negative impact on cultural heritage even at the first stages of the investment project development.

Metabolic Aspects of Rural Life and Settlement Coexistence in China

Among realms of settlement coexistences, desakota areas or Township-Village-Enterprises in China stand out as relatively conservative of material and other resources, including embodied energy. Chencun Village in the Shunde District of Guangdong Province is an agriculturally productive example of such a settlement covering some 131 hectares in area and hosting some 6,000 inhabitants, including villagers and migrant so-called “floating” households. Formerly a center of sericulture, the village now produces flowers and plants, alongside some factory operations making needed hardware in support of agriculture. From a metabolic perspective consisting of what Chencun is made of in material flows of stocks, including material extracted from the Geosphere, Biosphere, and Hydrosphere resulting in building materials, buildings, and land-uses, alongside of collected waste and recycling, the village’s environmental performance is comparatively better than many other forms of settlement coexistence. Measured by stock-flow models represented by Sankey Diagrams, Chencun registers slightly lower than an average of 4.0 MJ/Kg/Yr. or about 106 metric tons of building material per year, below that of more compact and even peripheral modes of settlement. Water use, though very present due to agricultural production takes place in a non-water-stressed part of China and benefits from graywater recycling. Energy use is likewise relatively restrained due to the small amount of transportation and the largely compact and stay-at-home pattern of desakota life. Further, such desakota forms of settlement should be preserved as more environmentally suitable than denser and more profligate forms of settlement in emerging Metropolitan Regions of China like the Greater Bay Area.

A Study on Costs and Returns of Potato in Azamgarh District of Eastern Uttar Pradesh, India

Potato is the most important food crop of India after rice and wheat. It has always been the ‘poor man’s friend. Potato is an economical food and rich source of energy. The total potato produce in the world was 376.82 million tonnes from 18.33 million hectare of area. Both the area and production of potato has increased manifold during the past decades. India produced nearly 36.28 million tonnes of potato from 1.82 million hectare. In Uttar Pradesh potato is grown in 564.3hectares with a production of 13808 million tonnes and productivity of 24.5 million tonnes per hectare. The study conducted pawai block of Azamgarh district. The study showed that an overall farms i.e.1.553 ha and cropping intensity i.e. 217.92 per cent as exhibiting inverse relationship with the size of form. Perfarm average investment on overall farm came to Rs.242208.79 and maximum share was under the head of building i.e. 57.00 per cent followed by farm machinery and livestock share. The overall average cost of cultivation (C3) per hectare was Rs. 78154.62 and gross income came to Rs. 123527.20, which offers a net income of Rs. 45372.50.

Micro Irrigation in Rice: A Review

Rice (Oryza sativa) is the most important staple food crop over half of the world’s population and it provides 21 per cent of global human per capita energy. In India, rice is widely grown as the second food crop occupying about 43 million hectares of area. Water scarcity is a major constraint in the development of rice farming in some parts of the world. The water required to produce unit kg of rice is as high as 4000-5000 liters under conventional methods of water application (Transplanting under submerged conditions). During the crop growth period of rice, the amount of water usually applied to field is often much more than the actual field requirement because of adopting traditional flood irrigation methods. In order to meet the growing demand for water it is necessary to use water efficiently and reduce the loss of water. One such practice to conserve water is adoption of micro irrigation to a water loving crop like rice to reduce the wastage of water and to increase the water use efficiency. Micro irrigation is defined as the application of small quantities of water directly above and below the soil surface, usually as discrete drops, continuous drops or tiny streams through emitters placed along a water delivery line.

Mapping the Potential Development of Soybenas Crops Based on Growing Degree Days

The main factors affecting plant growth and yield are soil, climate, and plants. The influence of clime is more than soil on plant growth under certain conditions. The evidence is that some cover vegetation growth conditions are much different even though they grow on the same land. In each distinct place, the harvest time of one type of plant is not the same. One crucial factor that affects this is the daily growth rate or the degree of Growing Degree Days (GDD). Know parameters such as soil type, slope, land use, rainfall, and GDD temperature by using geographic information systems in determining the suitability of agricultural commodity development areas. The study aims to determine the suitability of soybean cropland in West Sumatra based on GDD value. Conducting land suitability analysis using the GDD method through several stages, namely, the classification of soybean land suitability parameters, making a map of soybean plant land suitability in physical characteristics, classifying the GDD value of soybean plants for the West Sumatra region, and making a soybean cropland suitability map based on GDD value. The potential land for soybean cultivation in West Sumatra based on land suitability class, physical characteristics, and GDD value is 555,791.66 hectares in class S1 (very suitable) and an area of 2,313,796.44 hectares in class S2 (appropriate enough). The most optimal planting time for soybean cultivation is in August. Lima Puluh Kota Regency, Pasaman Regency, Sijunjung Regency, and Solok Regency have land suitable for soybean cultivation with more than 200 thousand hectares of areas and are in areas with growing degree days suitable for soybean growth.

Analysis of the Phytochemical Composition of Leaves of Six Superior Salt-Tolerant Mulberry Germplasm Grown Under Coastal Saline Soils of South 24 Parganas District of West Bengal, India

The nutritive value of mulberry leaves makes it the only food of silkworms (Bombyx mori L.). It is recorded that 6.73 million hectares of area are affected by salinity and sodicity stresses covering various states of the country, which is becoming one of the major threats to popularizing sericulture in India. In the present study, chlorophyll, protein, catalase, peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase content of leaves of six mulberry germplasm viz., English Black, Kolitha-3, C776, Rotundiloba, BC259, and S1 grown under coastal saline soils of South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal, India was investigated. Results demonstrated a sharp decrease in the chlorophyll (2.35 to1.19 mg.g FW-1) and protein (30.10 to 15.20 mg.g FW-1) contents of leaves of all the mulberry germplasm with increasing soil salinity (1.60 to 22.70 dS.m-1). On the contrary, the number of stress-related antioxidant enzymes like catalase, peroxidases, and superoxide dismutase increased from 1.15 to 5.43, 1.43 to 4.76, and 8.65 to 25.15 g-1 FW.min-1, respectively. Overall, the field study indicated the superiority of Kolitha-3 and C776 grown in Canning (Canning I and II), Basanti, Namkhana, Kakdwip, and Sagar blocks of coastal regions of South 24 Parganas. The study deals with issues of the utilization of scarce land promoting income-generating avenues like sericulture in saline areas.

Technical evaluation of the efficiency of two feeding systems used in whiteleg shrimp Penaeus vannamei (Boone 1931) culture during fattening

The present study evaluated the efficiency of two feeding techniques (broadcast feeding and mechanical feeding) during the fattening of whiteleg shrimp Litopennaeus vannamei in a semi-intensive system. Six growing ponds pertaining to the Practica Veracruzana aquaculture production unit were used to test each technique. Two stocking densities (32 and 35 organisms per square meter) were used for each treatment in each pond, which measured one hectare in area. The production parameters used as a reference during the present study were weekly shrimp growth, survival rate, and feed conversion ratio (FCR). The same type of feed was used for both treatments throughout the experiment, with only the feeding technique changed. The non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis test (?:0.05) was used to analyze the growth and FCR results, while a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to analyze the survival results obtained. Both analyses revealed no statistically significant differences between the treatments in terms of weekly growth (P= 0.89), FCR (P=0.11), or the percentage of survival (P= 0.88). On the other hand, the financial analysis conducted found that broadcast feeding generates greater financial benefits throughout the lifetime of the culture, with cost-benefit analysis showing that, for every peso spent, the broadcast feeding technique obtained 0.22 pesos more in profit than the mechanical feeding technique.

Биотехнические показатели товарного выращивания красноклешневого рака в прудовой аквакультуре в условиях юга России

Work was carried out on commercial cultivation of the australian red-clawed crayfish Cherax quadricarinatus in the pond aquaculture of the Astrakhan region in the summer-autumn period of 2021 and 2022. During the exper-iment, young crayfish were studied, formed in 5 groups in accordance with the initial average weight of 0.17, 0.18, 1.8, 5.1 and 7.8 g and cultivated in ponds with an area of 0.1 hectares each. The duration of cultivation was 62-99 days, depending on the groups under consideration. During the work, the main size and mass characteristics of cancers in each group were determined, linear growth, weight gain, bio-mass, survival, overall cancer productivity, and the yield of marketable products were calculated. Also, the hydrochemical parameters of the environment and the feed base of the ponds were monitored, the values of which characterized the condition of the ponds as satisfactory for the cultivation of crayfish. The average daily water temperature during the work period was in the range of 24.0-25.0 ºC on average. It is determined that the optimal period of cultivation of ARCC under natural temperatures should be at least 3 months. The average weight of young crayfish planted in ponds for cultivation can be 0.2-8.0 g, depending on the tasks set: obtaining a larger number of crayfish within an average weight of 40 g, obtaining a smaller number, but larger individuals (60-80 g). It is most effective to plant juveniles of an average weight of at least 2 g in ponds. Cultivation of early ARCC juveniles in ponds in the South of Russia to produce commercial cancers is less effective, but it is possible due to the highest yield of commercial products per hectare of area among the groups of cancers under consideration. The hydrochemical regime of reservoirs must meet the biological requirements of the species. The condition of ponds, and in particular, the rapid development of aquatic vegetation in the water column during cultivation can significantly reduce the natural cancer productivity of reservoirs.

Dynamics of Variation in Agricultural and Forest Areas in the Southwest Amazon (Sena Madureira, AC)

Objective: To analyze the dynamics of variation in agricultural areas in the southwest of the Brazilian Amazon, specifically in the municipality of Sena Madureira, Acre. Theoretical framework: The expansion of agriculture in the Brazilian Amazon is the result of new logistics associated with new flow modes that allow the insertion of their activities in areas with potential for use and occupation. Method: Use of geotechnologies to analyze the dynamics of variation in areas and forms of use and occupation of agriculture, based on data generated by MapBiomas, with the aid of the ArcGis 10.8 software. Use of linear regression, including coefficient of determination and bivariate analysis. Results and conclusion: Exponential growth of cattle ranching with grassland areas reaching 222,413 hectares in 2022, expanding preferentially both in the vicinity of the margins of the BR 364 and AC 339 highways and in the urban perimeter of Sena Madureira, while agriculture presented oscillatory amounts in hectares of area, suggesting its use for subsistence. The very strong relationship between forest and grassland variables with linear regression analysis, shows the growth of agricultural areas to the detriment of forest areas. The study made it possible to generate bases for understanding the lack of conciliation between economic growth and environmental preservation. Implications of the research: Generation of bases for understanding the relationship between agricultural economic growth and environmental preservation in the southwest of the Brazilian Amazon. Originality/value: The historical perspective concerning the comprehension of areas used for agricultural practices and the intersection with Amazonian environmental issues.

The Impact and Prediction of Shoreline Dynamics in Pekalongan, Indonesia

Shoreline in Pekalongan has changed and impacted land use significantly. This research investigates historical changes in shoreline dynamics and their impact on land use from 2003–2021. This research also examines the trend of shoreline prediction for 2031–2041. Multitemporal SPOT5 and SPOT6 satellite images were used as primer data to detect shoreline and land use changes. The DSAS (Digital Shoreline Analysis System) analyzes the shoreline change and generates shoreline prediction. This research shows that the coastal areas of Pekalongan have been impacted by erosion, with 528.08 hectares of area and 56.33 hectares of accretion. The North Pekalongan sub-district is the worst area hit by erosion. The shoreline has retreated 2405.8 meters with a 353.3 m/year erosion rate. Several areas of land use were heavily affected by erosion trends, such as ponds, rice fields, and open land. Shoreline predictions generated by DSAS were heavily reliant on historical rates of shoreline change dynamics. The predicted area of the shoreline is estimated to retreat 49.9–466.2 meters from the existing position in the next 10 and 20 years. This research is expected to provide information to local governments for evaluating the maintenance and development planning of the coastal area

Chloroplast microsatellite diversity of Pinus brutia Ten. and Pinus halepensis Mill. populations across the Mediterranean basin: Inferences of their distributions

Aim of study: To characterize and compare the genetic resources and gain some insights into the evolutionary history of Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis Mill.) and Brutia pine (Pinus brutia Ten.) species which are both distributed across more than 8 million hectares of area in the Mediterranean Basin.&#x0D; Study area: Fifty-six populations from eight Mediterranean basin countries where P. halepensis and P. brutia species are located.&#x0D; Materials and methods: We analyzed 1344 seeds belonging to 56 populations using five cpSSR primers (Pt15169, Pt30204, Pt41093, Pt87268, and Pt110048).&#x0D; Main results: The analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed that the genetic diversity among the Brutia pine populations was slightly higher than that of Aleppo pine (27.06% and 24.27%, respectively). The Aleppo pine populations separately displayed a clear east-west differentiation across the Mediterranean Basin, confirming previous results using other markers. Although the Brutia pine populations showed no spatial genetic pattern, geographically close populations and/or populations from their continual distribution range were genetically closer than the fragmented and/or ecologically marginal populations.&#x0D; Research highlights: The seven Aleppo pine populations from the eastern range (Türkiye, Greece, and Italy) were more than two-fold diverse than the 13 populations from the western range (Spain and Morocco). The eastern range of Aleppo pine and Brutia pine populations had similar levels of genetic diversity parameters. These results suggested that the Eastern Mediterranean Basin is a possible genetic diversity center for the two pine species.

ANALYSIS OF THE PHYSICAL WORKLOAD OF SUGARCANE HARVEST WORKERS AS THE BASIS FOR DETERMINING THE LENGTH OF REST BREAK AT BONE ARASOE SUGAR FACTORY

Arasoe Bone Sugar Factory is one of the sugar factories in Bone Regency, South Sulawesi. The production process at this company entirely uses machines that run automatically. However, the sugarcane harvesting activity is still carried out manually. All sugarcane harvesting activities result in physical workload on workers, especially when lifting sugarcane since in one loading, the workers are able to lift more than 30 kg of sugarcane. This activity is carried out repeatedly which results in fatigue on the harvest workers. The other factors that affect fatigue on the harvest workers are the harvested sugarcane plantations that can reach approximately 7 hectares in area and the work that lasts for 7 hours each day. This study aims to determine how much physical workload is experienced by sugarcane harvest workers and to determine how long the rest break is based on the physical workload that is obtained while working for the sugarcane harvest workers. The assessment of physical workload was carried out using the Cardiovascular Load (%CVL) method and the calculation of the length of rest break was carried out using a physiological approach. Based on the results of calculating the percentage of Cardiovascular Load (%CVL), it was discovered that all respondents experienced fatigue consisting of 5 workers with a %CVL of 60%, 13 people with %CVL of 80%, and 2 people with %CVL of 100%. Therefore, all respondents were included into the category of heavy physical workload. The optimal rest break is 80.79 minutes, while the rest break given is only 60 minutes. Hence, an additional 20.79 minutes of rest break is needed. The rest break of 20.79 minutes is used for spontaneous breaks, i.e., short break after the workload.

Use of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for mapping, and accuracy assessment of the orthophoto with and without using GCPs: A case study in Nepal

The conventional methods of aerial photogrammetry using helicopters or airplanes are costly and challenging for small areas. For a developing country like Nepal, where Geospatial data is in high demand, a new competitive approach is essential for rapid spatial data acquisition at a low cost and time. This article demonstrates how this can be achieved using one of the evolving remote sensing technology, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). The application of UAVs is rapidly increasing in Nepal due to its capability of acquiring images remotely and the potential to provide data with a very high spatial and temporal resolution even in inaccessible terrain at a relatively low cost. Here, the performance of UAVs for topographical surveying and mapping has been investigated, along with the comparison between orthophoto obtained using GCPs, and without using GCPs. For this study, a DJI Phantom 3 Advanced quadcopter collected about 700 images at a flying height of 50 m above the settlement area. An orthophoto of 3.78 cm GSD covering 40.83 hectares of area was produced. With appropriate ground control points, an absolute positional accuracy of 0.035 m RMSE was achieved, whereas the output obtained without using GCPs was satisfactory. This study also highlights the use of a High-Performance Computing (HPC) system and open-source platform for rapid image processing.

Potato Processing Industry in China: Current Scenario, Future Trends and Global Impact.

Potatoes play an important role in ensuring food security. During the COVID-19 epidemic, consumption of processed potato products decreased, and consumption of fresh potatoes increased. China is the world’s largest potato producer with more than 4.81 million hectares of area under potato production and 90.32 million metric tonnes of potatoes produced in 2018. This accounts for 27.36% of the world’s planting area and 24.53% of the world’s potato production. The proportion of potatoes processed in China was about 12% in 2017, mostly dominated by starch production. However, the recent policy of the Chinese government to popularise potato as a staple food has created new markets for processed potato products other than starch. A very few reports have analysed these future trends of the rapidly growing Chinese potato processing industry and its impact within and outside China. This paper provides an overview of the latest developments with a focus on processed potato products such as potato chips, French fries and dehydrated potatoes, and also, due to the unique Chinese diet culture, it highlights the need for more scientific research dedicated towards the development of novel potato-based healthy foods.

INFLUENCE OF ORGANIC FARMING ON VOLATILE COMPOUNDS IN METHANOLIC FRUIT EXTRACTS OF CHILI (CAPSICUMANNUUM L.)

In India nearly,3.56 million hectaresof area is being managed organically (certified) with limited internal inputs to keep fruits and vegetables chemical-free. Thepresent study aims to obtain bioactive volatile compounds profile of chili fruits grown under organic and conventional farming system in the same climatic conditions. Fields practicing organic farming ORG I (since last 2-3 year), ORG II (5-6 years) and ORG III (8-9 years) were selected. fruit extracts obtained from three experimental fields and one conventional field were analyzed through Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectroscopy. The current experimental study on comparative analysis of nutrient content and effect of pesticides on chili fruits has been conducted in the year 2018. Study based on soil quality, temperature condition, amount of organic matter, pesticide spray, and year of practicing as an organic field.GC-MS analysis of conventional chili recorded a high number of compounds contrasting to organically grown chili which recorded a lesser number of compounds.GC-MS analysis of chili fruit samples grown in different agricultural conditions showed various volatile compounds. Comaprative data shows higher compounds in conventionally grown samples while lower quantity in organically grown samples. Nutritional compounds like ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) were recorded 13.22% in organic fruits in comparison to conventional chili fruits (4.37%).Capsaicinoidsand fatty acid contents were reported manyfold in organically grown chili in comparison to conventional chili fruits. Reports are in favor to promote more and more organic farming systems for nutritional enhancement in food crops.

Factors Determining Adoption of Bhoochetana Scheme by Farmers in Rainfed Agriculture of Karnataka: A Probit Analysis

The government of Karnataka has, over the decades, intervened in agriculture production through schemesto enhance the productivity of farm activities, sustainability and food security to increase the socio-economic standards of farmers. One of such efforts is the Bhoochetana scheme through which micronutrients are supplied to farmers to enhance the fertility of the soil to ensure productivity of farm land. This study, therefore, sought to examine the extent and factors that influenced the adoption of the Bhoochetana scheme by farmers in Kalaburagi district of Karnataka, which is one of the major rainfed district having 9,74,000 hectares of area under rainfed agriculture in the state. Data was obtained randomly from a sample of 120 farmers consisting of 60 Bhoochetana beneficiaries and equal number of non-beneficiaries using a well-structured schedule which was analyzed by using descriptive statistics and Probit model. The results of the econometric model revealed that the probability of application of Bhoochetana inputs increases significantly with an increase in education-level, access to credit and extension services but decreases with the age of farmers. Based on the findings, it is recommended that the Bhoochetana scheme should be widely publicized by the government to promote adoption. Along with, extension services must be enhanced to ensure that all farmers get appropriate and sufficient information on improved production practices and new innovations in agriculture in order to improve the productivity of rainfed agriculture in the state.

Social-Environmental Certification in Coffee Production: The Making of a Sustainable Coffee Market

The aim of this research is to identify the transformations caused by the market practices conducted by UTZ in certified small coffee growers. For this, documentary research and semi-structured interviews were carried out with 13 certified growers of up to 50 hectares of area in a UTZ certification group coordinated by a private company, with technical assistance from a cooperative from Campos Gerais - MG. Content analysis was applied for processing obtained data. As a result, we identified that both the growers and the Management Unit of the certification that support them perform market and structuring practices, so that each one contributes to this market’s shaping. Observed inscription processes explain the transportation of market practices of the same nature between these actors, while structuring practices make these inscriptions visible in the context of analysis and catalyze the process of assimilation or dissociation from market practices. The results achieved in this research from the focus on inscriptions allowed an expansion of the theoretical model of the Constructivist Market Studies. It was also possible to demonstrate the Market Practices carried out by other authors of the Market Practices conducted by UTZ whose interactions were demonstrated through the Translation Chain and Inscription.