High Fertility Research Articles

Impact of formulated organic fertilizers on soil physical and chemical properties in sandy loam soil of North-Eastern Nigeria

The excessive and sole use of inorganic fertilizers has led to soil nutrient depletion, acidification and loss of soil organic matter. Decreased organic matter content reduces the soil's ability to hold water and nutrients, which can lead to reduced crop yields. Organic fertilizers provide a slow release of nutrients to soil while at the same time improving soil health and reducing the risk of soil degradation. Hence, there is a need to investigate the impact of formulated organic fertilizers on soil physical and chemical properties in the study area. The study site is in the Teaching and Research Farm, Yobe State College of Agriculture, Science and Technology Gujba, Damaturu, Yobe State. Its geographic coordinates are 11.7461° N, 11.9608°. The study area is approximately twenty hectares while the size of land for the experiment was approximately two hectares. The soil analysis conducted revealed varying levels of nutrients. Nitrogen (N) ranged from 0.11 to 0.20 g/kg-1, indicating medium fertility. Phosphorus (P) levels ranged from 0.17 to 0.19 g/kg-1, indicating signifying low fertility, while potassium (K) varied from 0.46 to 0.89 g/kg-1, indicating high fertility. Copper (Cu) levels ranged from 0.67 to 0.85 g/kg-1, suggesting medium fertility. Zinc (Zn) ranged from 0.55 to 0.38 g/kg-1, indicating medium to low fertility, particularly in deeper soil layers. Iron (Fe) ranged from 0.53 to 0.01 g/kg-1, categorized as medium to low fertility. Manganese (Mn) ranged from 0.11 to 0.04 g/kg-1, showing low fertility levels insufficient for optimal agricultural production. Despite minor improvements post-application of organic fertilizer, overall fertility ratings remained largely unchanged. The study highlights the heterogeneous distribution of nutrients in the study area, emphasizing both strengths and deficiencies crucial for agricultural productivity.

Health facility and workforce factors influencing utilization of reproductive health services in selected South Sudan public health facilities

Background: Despite representing only one-tenth of the global population and 20% of worldwide births, nearly half of all maternal deaths occur in Africa. RH issues account for up to 18% of the global disease burden and 32% for women of reproductive age. Access to essential RH interventions, including family planning, is limited in Sub-Saharan Africa, characterized by low contraceptive use (13%) and a high total fertility rate (5.5 children per woman). Methods: This study used a mixed-method research design, integrating both quantitative and qualitative approaches to provide a comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing RH service utilization in South Sudan. This design allowed for in-depth exploration and quantitative analysis of data patterns and trends. Results: The study identified significant barriers to RHS utilization among women in South Sudan. Although many women were aware of the nearest RH clinic, 42.3% were not. Accessibility was a major issue, with 45.8% of women living more than 2 km from the nearest clinic, and the average distance being 2.2 km. Statistically significant relationships were found between health facility characteristics and RHS use. Interviews indicated that higher education levels among healthcare providers improved their skills, critical thinking, and ability to deliver comprehensive RH care, positively influencing service utilization. Conclusions: Key determinants of RHS utilization included awareness of services, proximity to facilities, and availability of contraceptives. The health workforce’s education, staffing levels, workload management, and fair compensation were also critical. To improve RHS utilization, the study recommends community outreach to raise awareness, expand facilities in remote areas, and offer diverse contraceptive options. Future research should address limitations like sampling biases and regional focus, explore broader geographical areas, longitudinal trends, and the impact of specific interventions, and consider technology’s role in enhancing access.

Aмпелографска характеристика на интродуцирани в България десертни сортове лози

A brief ampelographic characteristic of the introduced table grapevine cultivars from P. R. China - Kyoho, Shennong Jinhuanghou, Bixiang Wuhe, and Hanxiangmi was done. According to the period of onset of consumptive ripeness of the grapes, under the specific soil-climatic conditions, the Hanxiangmi cultivar belongs to the group of „very early ripening“ cultivars (beginning of August), and the rest to the group of „early ripening“ (the second half of August). The studied cultivars are distinguished by good adaptive potential and manage to fully develop their qualities in the study area. They are characterized by high fertility and yield, large and attractive clusters, very large berries, and high quality and high transportability of the grapes. They have increased resistance to downy mildew (Plasmopara viticola) and low winter temperatures. The seedless cultivar Hanxiangmi has a very high and relatively constant fertility over the years, with a high proportion of fruit shoots developed from additional and dormant buds.

Intraspecific variation in leaf (poly)phenolic content of a southern hemisphere beech (Nothofagus antarctica) growing under different environmental conditions

Nothofagus antarctica (G.Forst.) Oerst. (Ñire) leaves are a valuable source of (poly)phenolic compounds and represent a high-value non-timber product from Patagonian forests. However, information on the variability of their chemical profile is limited or non-existent. The aim of this study was to evaluate the (poly)phenolic variability in Ñire leaf infusions. To this end, different tree populations growing under different temperature regimes and soil characteristics were considered. Interestingly, a cup of Ñire leaf infusion could be considered as a rich source of quercetin. Significant differences in the (poly)phenolic content, especially in flavonoid conjugates and cinnamic acids, were found among the populations studied. These results suggest metabolic variability among the forests studied, which could be related to the species response to its growing conditions, and also provide some clues about the performance of N. antarctica under future climate scenarios. The N. antarctica forests growing in environments with lower frequency of cold and heat stress and high soil fertility showed better infusion quality. This study showed how a South American beech interacts with its local environment at the level of secondary metabolism. In addition, the information obtained is useful for defining forest management strategies in the Patagonian region.

The Effects of Nitrogen Application and Varietal Variation on the Product Quality and In Vitro Bioaccessibility of Bioactive Compounds of Baby Spinach Varieties Grown in a Soilless Growth Medium.

Baby spinach is becoming increasingly popular as a salad ingredient and needs high fertiliser rates to grow well and attain higher-quality leaves (dark green leaves). Chemical fertilisers, especially nitrogen (N), boost yields. There are many risks associated with nitrogen fertilisation. Additionally, spinach contains phenolic compounds and carotenoids. Nitrogen fertilisation affects growth, development, yield and metabolites. This study examined the impact of lower concentrations of N (0, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150 mg/L) on yield and colour properties [light intensity (L*) colour coordinates, unique for green colour (a*) and yellow colour (b*)], as well as the impact of varying N concentrations on the total phenolic content and p-coumaric acid, quercetin, ferulic acid, kaempferol, lutein, zeaxanthin, β-carotene and antioxidant activities in the baby spinach varieties 'Acadia', 'Crosstrek' and 'Traverse', and it was established that N fertilisation improves phytochemical bioaccessibility and antioxidant activity. In a split strip plot design, three baby spinach varieties were treated with different N concentrations, including 0, 30, 60, 90, 120 and 150 mg/L. For 40 days, three baby spinach varieties were grown on soilless Mikskaar Professional substrate 300. During both seasons, 'Crosstrek' had the highest fresh mass (921.4 g/m2, 856.3 g/m2) at 120 mg/L N, while 'Traverse' had the highest fresh mass at 554.8 g/m2 and at 564.3 g/m2 at 90 mg/L N and did not differ significantly from 90 to 150 mg/L N during either season. During both seasons, 'Acadia' at 90 mg/L N increased fresh mass to 599 g/m2 and 557.9 g/m2. The variety × N supply interaction significantly affected the leaf colour; chlorophyll content across seasons; the levels of bioactive compounds, p-coumaric acid, quercetin, ferulic acid, kaempferol, lutein, zeaxanthin and β-carotene in spinach varieties; the in vitro bioaccessibility; and the antioxidant activity. Varietal differences influenced the bioaccessibility of phenolic compounds and carotenoid components. The appropriate N levels can be used during plant cultivation to optimise the bioaccessibility of this spinach variety. Thus, fertilising 'Traverse' with 90 mg/N mL increased the in vitro bioaccessibility of β-carotene (35.2%), p-coumaric acid (7.13%), quercetin (8.29%) and ferulic acid (1.92%) without compromising the yield.

To stay or to migrate? When Becker meets Harris-Todaro

Allowing migration as an integral part of demographic transition and economic development, we construct a dynamic competitive migration equilibrium framework with rural agents heterogeneous in skills and fertility preferences to establish a location-fertility trade-off and explore its macroeconomic consequences. We characterize a mixed migration equilibrium where an endogenously determined fraction of high-skilled agents with high fertility preferences or low-skilled agents with low fertility preferences ultimately moves. By calibrating the model to fit the data from China, whose migration and population control policies offer a rich array of issues for quantitative investigation, we find strong interactions between migration and fertility decisions – the location-fertility trade-off – and rich interplay between the joint responses of these choices to changes in migration and population control policies. Our results indicate that both output per capita and urbanization rates are more responsive than Total Fertility Rate (TFR) to migration and population policies: A one-percent decrease in TFR corresponds to an over one-percent increase in output per capita and a more than two-percent rise in urbanization rates. Overlooking the location-fertility trade-off may thus lead to nonnegligible biases in assessing the implications and effectiveness of government policies.

Reducing nitrogen fertilizer applications mitigates N2O emissions and maintains sugarcane yields in South China

Fertilizer N application combined with crop residue retention and a warm and humid climate increases nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from sugarcane systems. However, the effects of high fertilizer N application rates on N2O emissions from sugarcane fields in China and the N2O reduction potential are still unclear. This study measured N2O emissions, the δ15N values for N2O and soil mineral N (NH4+ and NO3–), and yields during three continuous growing seasons in a sugarcane field in subtropical South China when four fertilizer N application rates: 0 (N0), 300 (N300), 400 (N400), and the local conventional rate of 500 kg N ha–1 (N500), were applied. The results showed that N2O emissions peaked in the first 4 weeks after fertilizer N application and the peak amplitude was highest after applying the N500 rate. The greatest soil N2O fluxes occurred when soil NH4+ and NO3– contents were high, the soil pore spaces contained large amounts of water (around 60 %), and there was a high soil surface temperature (around 35°C). The cumulative N2O emissions over the whole season (1.3–64.8 kg N ha–1) and emission factor values (2.6–11.1 %) both strongly increased with fertilizer N rate. The δ15N values for N2O and soil NH4+ and NO3– indicated that N2O production after N fertilization was dominated by denitrification and the microbial types varied with time and N fertilization rate. The principal component analysis showed that the factors associated with denitrification and nitrification explained 53.53 % and 30.53 % of the variation in N2O fluxes, respectively. Sugarcane yields, N uptake, and sugar contents were not affected by the reduced fertilizer N rates (N400 and N300) compared to that of N500. A reasonable N fertilizer rate of around 340 kg N ha–1 could reduce N2O emissions by more than 65 % compared to the conventional N500 rates while maintaining sugarcane yields. This study quantified the N2O emissions induced by different fertilizer N rates in a sugarcane system in China and highlighted the considerable potential for reducing N2O emissions through optimization of the fertilizer N application rate.

Religious Involvement Is Associated With Higher Fertility and Lower Maternal Investment, but More Alloparental Support Among Gambian Mothers.

Human childrearing is cooperative, with women often able to achieve relatively high fertility through help from many individuals. Previous work has documented tremendous socioecological variation in who supports women in childrearing, but less is known about the intracultural correlates of variation in allomaternal support. In the highly religious, high-fertility setting of The Gambia, we studied whether religious mothers have more children and receive more support with their children. We randomly sampled 395 mothers and 745 focal children enrolled in the Kiang West (The Gambia) Longitudinal Population Study cohort. Structured interviews asked mothers who and how often people invest in their children, and about their religious practices. Data were collected at participants' homes on electronic tablet-based long-form surveys and analyzed using the Bayesian hierarchical models. Religiosity was weakly associated with women's higher age-adjusted fertility. Maternal religiosity was negatively related to maternal investment in focal children, but positively associated with total allomaternal support. Specifically, a woman's religiosity was positively associated with allomaternal support from matrilineal kin, other offspring, and affinal kin, but unrelated to paternal, patrilineal, and non-kin investment. These results suggest that higher fertility among religious mothers may be supported by high levels of investment from biological and affinal kin. Matrilineal kin, other siblings, and affinal kin seem to be the most responsive to a woman's religiosity. Our findings cast doubt on interpretations of women's religious behaviorsas signals of fidelity, and instead suggest theymay be part of strategies to enable collective allomaternal resources and higher relative fertility.

Enhancing maize phosphorus uptake with optimal blends of high and low-concentration phosphorus fertilizers.

High-concentration phosphorus (P) fertilizers are crucial for crop growth. However, fertilizers with lower P concentrations, such as calcium magnesium phosphate (CMP) and single super phosphate (SSP), can also serve as efficient P sources, especially when blended with high-concentration P fertilizers like diammonium phosphate (DAP) or monoammonium phosphate (MAP). In this study, we conducted a 48-day pot experiment to explore how blending low-P fertilizers could optimize maize P utilization, using CMP to replace DAP in acidic soil, and SSP to replace MAP in alkaline soil, with five SSP+MAP and CMP+DAP mixtures tested. Key metrics such as shoot and root biomass, shoot P uptake, root length, and soil P bioavailability were measured. We found that maize biomass and P uptake with 100% DAP were comparable to those with 50% CMP and 50% DAP in acidic soil. Similar results were observed for 100% MAP compared to 50% SSP and 50% DAP in alkaline soil. Root biomass and length were largest with 100% MAP in acidic soil and at 100% DAP in alkaline soil, with no significant differences at 50% SSP or CMP substitutions for MAP and DAP, respectively. Furthermore, 50% SSP or CMP substitutions for MAP and DAP increased the content and proportion of the labile inorganic P (Pi) pool (H2O-Pi and NaHCO3-Pi), had a direct and positive effect on Olsen-P. Our findings reveal that 1:1 blends of SSP and MAP in acidic soil, and CMP and DAP in alkaline soil, effectively meet maize's P requirements without relying solely on high-concentration P fertilizers. This indicates that strategic blending of fertilizers can optimize P use, which is crucial for sustainable agriculture.

Effect of sesame cake fertilizer with γ-PGA on soil nutrient, water and nitrogen use efficiency

γ-polyglutamic acid (γ-PGA), as an environmentally sustainable material, is extensive applied in agriculture for enhancing water and fertilizer utilization efficiency, augmenting crop yield, and ameliorating soil conditions. However, the effect of γ-PGA in conjunction with sesame cake fertilizer on the soil environment remains uncertain.The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of γ-PGA on soil nutrients, water use efficiency (WUE) and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), and maize yield across various levels of sesame cake fertilizer. Additionally, the study seeks to identify the optimal ratio to establish a theoretical and practical foundation for sustainable agricultural development and the promotion of ecological agriculture. Through field experiments, nine treatments were established, comprising three levels of sesame cake fertilizer application rates (B1 = 900 kg/hm2 for low fertility, B2 = 1100 kg/hm2 for medium fertility, and B3 = 1300 kg/hm2 for high fertility) and three levels of γ-PGA application rates (R1 = 200 kg/hm2, R2 = 400 kg/hm2, and R3 = 600 kg/hm2). The results can be outlined as follows: (1) When γ-PGA application rate increased, total nitrogen (TN) exhibited a synergistic effect under B1 treatment, but an antagonistic effect under B2 and B3 treatments. At the 6-leaf stage (V6), 12-leaf stage (V12), and tasseling stage (VT), available phosphorus (AP) exhibited antagonistic effects. However, at the filling stage (R2) and maturity stage (R6), AP in B1 and B2 treatments at various depths underwent partial transformation into a synergistic effect. The levels of available potassium exhibited a notable antagonistic effect, leading to a decrease in harvest index (HI). B2 treatment demonstrated superior results compared to the B1 and B3 treatments, with the highest levels observed under B2R1 treatment; (2) TN content in the 0–40 cm soil layer increased during the filling period, and it was uniformly distributed in the 40–60 cm soil layer. When the soil AP was located in the 0–60 cm soil layer, there was an increase in AP content during the mature period. Following the tasseling period, different treatments exhibited varying patterns of increase in response to the presence of potassium within the 0–60 cm soil layer. Consequently, in cases where the sesame cake fertilizer content is low, the interaction between γ-PGA can compensate for the deficiency of fertilizer, thereby enhancing water and nitrogen utilization efficiency. The optimal fertilization strategy for enhancing soil nutrient distribution, WUE and NUE, and yield is proposed to be the application of 1100 kg/hm2 sesame cake fertilizer and 200 kg/hm2 γ-PGA.

Comparison of production performance and meat quality characteristics between Guizhou Black goats and F4 generation hybrids of South African Kalahari Goats

This study spanned 6 years and 4 generations, involving the progressive crossbreeding of South African Kalahari Goat (SK) and Guizhou Black Goat (GB) over three generations, followed by cross fixation F3 with F1 in the fourth generation, accompanied by the use of molecular markers technology to select a high fertility population, resulting in the creation of a hybrid goat, BKF4 (11/16 SK lineage and 5/16 GB lineage). A comparative evaluation of the BKF4 hybrid breed and its parental breeds was conducted. Reproductive and production parameters of GB, SK, and BKF4 goat groups were monitored, including lambing rate (LR), survival rate (SR), daily weight gain at 3 months of age (DWG), and adult body weight (ABW) (n = 110, 106, 112 per group). In addition, dressing percentage (DP) (n = 12 per group) and analyses of amino acids (n = 8, 6, 10 per group) and fatty acids (n = 6 per group) were conducted to evaluate meat quality indicators. Results: (1) Reproductive and production performance: The index of LR reached 199%, significantly higher than GB and SK (p ≤ 0.001), with a SR of 95.0%, markedly higher than SK (p ≤ 0.001); DWG was 276.5 g, ABW reached 56.6 kg and with a dressing percentage (DP) of 54.5%, they are significantly surpassing GB (p ≤ 0.001). (2) Regarding meat quality: pH45-value and crude protein content (CP) increased, while intramuscular fat content increased compared to GB and ash content decreased. The amino acid composition was similar to GB, but the taste was more similar to SK. However, there were some negative impacts on fatty acid composition and functionality. (3) PCA analysis revealed that: BKF4 exhibited superior meat quality compared to GB and SK, influenced by two key factors contributing 83.49% and 16.51% to the explained variance, respectively. The key factors affecting meat quality include intramuscular fat (IMF), nutrient index (NI), PUFAs/MUFAs, n-6FAs, and drip loss (DL).

“An obedient wife never says “no” to her virtual god.” High fertility conceptions and barriers to contraceptive use among mothers of Southern Pakistan: a qualitative study

IssueBiomedical approaches want to change locals’ behaviors without understanding the sociocultural rationales and contextualizing the cultural and structural backdrop of women’s agency.ObjectivesThis study explored the perceptions and practices of rural mothers about fertility and reproductive health and further examine the lack of preference for contraception and birth spacing in Southern Pakistan.MethodologyUsing purposive sampling we recruited 15 healthcare providers and 20 mothers from Southern Punjab. Key informants and in-depth interviews were used for data collection. We extracted themes and sub themes to analyse qualitative data.FindingsFive major themes identified preventing birth spacing and contraceptive use: (1) cultural barriers (2) economic difficulties and demographic factors; (3) gender-related hurdles; (4) spiritual and religious obstacles, and (5) medico-ethical complications. Nearly, ten sub-themes contributing to these major themes were: custom of girls’ early marriages, in-laws’ permission for contraception, women’s concern for medical complications and preference for safer methods, misuse of contraceptive methods by the medical community, mothers’ perception of contraception as sinful act and controlling birth is against faith, economic and rural-ethnic factors for high fertility, masculine disapproval of condom use, and wishing to give birth to male children.SuggestionsWe advocate for understanding the sociocultural explanations for low contraceptive use and urge practice of more natural methods of birth spacing over commercial solutions. The study suggests socio-economic development of less developed communities and empowerment of poor, illiterate, and rural women along with behavior change communication strategies.

Golden harvest: Nitrogen’s impact on maize carotenoids

Highly weathered tropical soils are deficient in nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K), impacting maize yield and nutritional quality. The influence of soil N and P on maize carotenoid content remains poorly characterized, hindering nutritional advancements. This study examined how varying N fertilizer rates (0, 60, and 120 kg N/ha) affect provitamin A (proVA) carotenoid accumulation in different maize genotypes. proVA carotenoid components analyzed were alpha-carotene (αC), beta-carotene (βC), and beta-cryptoxanthin (βCr). The study also estimated proVA content among maize genotypes. The increasing N rates from 0 to 120 kg N/ha significantly (P < 0.05) enhanced proVA carotenoid content, as higher proVA content observed in higher N rates i.e., in 120 kg N/ha compared to low N rates (60 kg N/ha and 0 kg N/ha). The βC mean concentration ranged 0.42 to 13.08 µg/g, 0.56–11.17 µg/g and 0.38–11.99 µg/g for 120 kg N/ha, 60 kg N/ha, and 0 kg N/ha, respectively. While βCr concentration ranged 2.35 to 4.49 µg/g for 0 kg N/ha, 2.37–4.34 µg/g for 60 kg N/ha, and 2.35–4.69 µg/g for 120 kg N/ha. Whereas for αC content in studied maize genotypes ranged 0.38 to 13.08 µg/g and the highest value observed on high fertilizer rate (120 kg N/ha) where low content determined on low N rates (0 and 60 kg N/ha). The proVA ranged from 1.93 to 16.7 µg/g, the level of proVA in studied maize genotypes increased with increase in fertilizer rates. For instance, for 0 kg N/ha, proVA ranged from 2.03 to 12.3 µg/g), 60 kg N/ha (2.11–14.1 µg/g) and for 120 kg N/ha (1.99–16.7 µg/g). Genotype EE20 performed better in all the carotenoid components treated with 120 kg N/ha and the T4 had poor performance under no fertilizer plots. Indicating that N had a significant influence on proVA accumulation in maize kernels. The highest provitamin A concentration (16.7 µg/g) was observed on 120 kg N/ha, followed by 14.1 µg/g reported on 60 kg N/ha, and the lowest (12.3 µg/g) was observed on 0 kg N/ha. Thus, for enhancing carotenoid content in maize, N fertilization is crucial. This suggest that in low-N soils, biofortification of provA carotenoids efforts may not bring successful results.

INFLUENCE OF THE BREED AND BREEDING METHODS OF PIGS ON THEIR REPRODUCTIVE QUALITIES AND GROWTH OF SUCKLING PIGLETS

The purpose of this article is to study the dependence of the reproductive productivity of sows of English origin and the intensity of growth of their offspring on the direction of their selection for purebred (internally linear) breeding, crossing and hybridization and the influence of breed and breeding methods on their manifestation, as well as the degree of phenotypic dominance under direct and reverse crossing of parent breeds. It was established that the sows of the parental synthetic line were inferior to their counterparts of the maternal genotypes in terms of fertility, litter weight of piglets at birth, number of piglets at weaning, had a higher proportion of non-viable piglets at farrowing, but showed higher fertility, average daily and absolute gains, average weight of one piglet at weaning and better preservation of piglets until weaning. It was proved that under the conditions of hybridization, domestic sows surpassed animals of the original maternal form only in terms of average daily growth, while animals of the parental form they prevailed in terms of multifertility, number of piglets at weaning, weight of the nest at birth and at weaning and were inferior to them in terms of high fertility, growth intensity, mass one piglet at weaning and preservation. It was found that when two mother breeds were crossed, the effect of phenotypic dominance appeared in almost all indicators of reproductive performance, and its level depended on the combination of parent breeds. It was proved that the breed factor had a probable influence on the number of piglets at weaning and the weight of the nest of weaned piglets. The method of pig breeding likely influenced the weight of one piglet at weaning, the weight of their litter during this period, and the number of piglets at weaning. The interaction of these two factors had an impact on the survival of the herd, on the number of piglets and the weight of the nest of piglets at weaning.

Understanding of middle east women’s decisions and barriers to use family planning methods

Background when family planning methods not use, there is a higher chance of high fertility, which raises health risks for both mother and infant and lowers quality of life by limiting access to jobs employment, education, and nutrition. Unsatisfactory needs and poor family planning use can be explained by fear of negative impacts, rejection from couples, limits in knowledge, and social condemnation. Objectives To understanding the Middle East women’s barriers about make decisions and use of family planning methods Methodology A descriptive and analytic (cross sectional) study, conducted at six Arabic countries includes a non-probability (purposive sample) consist of (198) women. Which were selected according to inclusion criteria that are women in reproductive age, primiparous and multiparous mothers, and mothers who attended primary healthcare centers. Results Women are with average age of 32.23±7.9 years in which the highest percentage is seen with age group of 30-39 (40.4%). women have high affective barrier to avoid family planning methods (total grand mean= 2.60); have high behavioral barriers to avoid family planning methods (total grand mean= 2.56); and have high cognitive barriers to avoid family planning methods (total grand mean= 2.56). So, the mean scores indicate high among most of affective, behavioral, and cognitive barriers. Conclusions There are many potential barriers which can negatively impact the Middle East women’s decision about their reproductive life (affective, behavioral and cognitive) barriers. Despite the fact that family planning faces several challenges in the Middle East, governments and civil society organizations are working to find solutions to improve access to family planning services, promote education, hold candid conversations about reproductive health with local communities. Empowering the role of nurse in family planning to educate the couples about contraceptive methods and how to help them to choice the appropriate method.

A Retrospective Analysis of Breast Cancer Mortality among Jewish and Muslim Arab Women in Israel: The Role of Sociodemographic Factors.

Breast cancer mortality rates vary across ethnic groups in Israel, where protective factors such as high fertility and breastfeeding rates may be moderated by socioeconomic factors and mammography rates. We aim to investigate disparities in breast cancer mortality between Jewish and Muslim Arab women in Israel and examine how sociodemographic variables and number of children are associated with mortality. Our retrospective follow-up study uses data from the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics and multivariable Cox regression models, adjusting for age, number of children, country of origin, locality size, and socioeconomic status. Compared to Jewish women, Muslim Arab women exhibited lower breast cancer mortality rates. However, after adjusting for multiple sociodemographic variables, no significant differences persisted between Jewish and Muslim Arab women. Having more than three children was associated with lower mortality among Muslim Arab women but not among Jewish women. European/American origin, larger localities, and medium socioeconomic status were associated with higher mortality. Sociodemographic factors may therefore explain the disparities in breast cancer mortality between Jewish and Muslim Arab women in Israel. Targeted intervention programs that consider the unique characteristics and risk factors of different ethnic groups are needed to reduce disparities and improve outcomes.

Some innovations in pig farming and their zootechnical assessment

The purpose of this work was to investigate the life expectancy, duration of breeding use, and reproductive qualities of sows of the large white breed of French selection, based on the obtained data to develop a new way of evaluating sows according to their operational value, as well as to calculate the economic efficiency of their use in the conditions of the industrial complex. The research was carried out in the conditions of the breeding plant for breeding large white pigs of Agroprime Holding LLC of the Odesa region and the animal husbandry laboratory of the Institute of Grain Crops of the National Academy of Sciences of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Evaluation of sows by indicators characterizing the level of their adaptation and reproductive qualities was carried out taking into account the following characteristics: life expectancy, months; duration of tribal use, months; received farts during the period of breeding use of all, received live piglets of all, head.; multifertility, goal; high fertility, kg; nest weight at the time of weaning at 28 days, kg; preservation of piglets until weaning, %. A comprehensive assessment of the sows of the general sample and different operational values was carried out according to the methodology of Berezovsky (2019) and biometric processing of research results – according to Kovalenko et al. (2010). It was established that the sows of the controlled population are characterized by high indicators of life expectancy, duration of breeding use, and reproductive qualities. Regarding fertility and litter weight at the time of weaning at 28 days, the sows of the controlled population belong to the elite class. A significant difference between sows of the category “high operational value” (I experimental group) and “low operational value” (II sub-experimental group) was established by the duration of life (7.9 months; td = 7.67), the duration of breeding use (8.3 months; td = 7.61), the number of farrowings obtained (1.7 farrowings; td = 9.44), the number of live piglets (24.9 goals; td = 10.50), multifertility (1.1 goals; td = 3.23), high fertility (0.03 kg; td = 0.67), the weight of the nest at the time of weaning at the age of 28 days (8.0 kilograms; td=3.07), survival of piglets before weaning (2.7 %; td = 1.52) and M. D. Berezovsky's index (3.43 points; td = 3.26). The number of reliable correlations between life expectancy, duration of breeding use, absolute indicators of reproductive qualities of sows, and the index “exploitation value of the sow” (EVS) is 75.0 %. The criterion for selecting sows of high operational value for the controlled population is the “EVS” index value at 220.90 or more points.

Goosegrass Seedling Emergence and Growth in Bermudagrass Canopy and Divots

Goosegrass, Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertn., is a serious weed in bermudagrass, Cynodon spp. Rich., golf and sports turf. Reduction of canopy gaps such as divots might discourage goosegrass establishment because turf canopy reduces sunlight that could stimulate goosegrass seed germination. The objective was to compare goosegrass seedling emergence and growth under different conditions of bermudagrass canopy, including bare soil and divots of different ages, and the effect of fertilization rates. The first experiment compared surface treatments. Goosegrass seeds were planted monthly for 12 months in bare soil and divoted pots in a glasshouse. Initial goosegrass seedling emergence was large in the first month after planting, 23% in divots and 20% in bare soil, compared with only 9% emergence from canopy. Reduced emergence occurred from 2 to 8 months in canopy, divots, and bare soil. Cumulative goosegrass emergence was 44% in divots, 40% in bare soil, and 31% in canopy. In a second experiment, goosegrass seeds were planted in divots 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 weeks old. Divots were visibly closed within 4 to 6 weeks. By 9 weeks after seed planting, goosegrass seedling emergence was reduced 72% after planting in 10-week-old divots compared with fresh, 0-week divots. Goosegrass continued to emerge through all 63 weeks observed after seed planting. High fertilization rate, 123 g N/m2/year, from 10 to 63 weeks reduced cumulative late seedling emergence 34%, compared with half-rate fertilization, probably due to denser canopy under high fertilization. In a third experiment, goosegrass seedlings planted in closed bermudagrass canopy grew 90% less, in root and shoot fresh and dry mass, compared with seedlings planted in divots. Across all experiments, goosegrass emergence and growth were reduced by increased canopy.

Nutrient use efficiency of rice genotypes under iron-toxic lowland soil influenced by high potassic fertilizer and foliar application of kinetin

Nutrient use efficiency of rice genotypes under iron-toxic lowland soil influenced by high potassic fertilizer and foliar application of kinetin

Fertility and quality of arable soils in Poland: spatial–temporal analysis of long-term monitoring

Soil quality is a globally important issue from the point of view of food production, maintenance of appropriate environmental quality and ecological balance. Assessing its quality and fertility using indices is one of the methods that make it possible to formulate recommendations for good soil management. The aim of the study was, therefore, to determine the spatial and temporal distribution of soil properties in the context of soil quality assessment (SQI) and soil fertility assessment (SFI, SEF, NIV, and SSFI) using the example of a Central European country (Poland). The inverse distance-weighted spatial interpolation technique was used to estimate the spatial distribution of soil quality and fertility indicators. So far, no research has been carried out that would include a comprehensive analysis of soil fertility and quality indicators in such a large research area over many years. The results of 216 points of monitoring the chemistry of arable soils in Poland from the period 1995–2020 for 28 physicochemical soil parameters were considered. The analyses carried out showed significant variability in the properties of the described soils in Poland, as evidenced by the principal component analysis (PCA) and the coefficient of variation (exceptions: bulk density, pH). It was found that heavy metals (Zn, Cd, Cu) were responsible for the deterioration of soil properties. The results obtained for different indices were different (SFI – most soils with good fertility, SEF – high fertility, NIV – soils highly enriched with nutrients, SQI – average soil quality). It was found that the SSFI is the most appropriate indicator among the analyzed indicators for Polish conditions in relation to arable soils, as it is adapted and calibrated to the specifics of this area. The Spearman correlation matrix showed that the largest group of statistically highly significant parameter pairs belonged to heavy metals (Ni/Zn, Zn/Pb, Zn/Cu, Ni/Cu). In contrast, the strongest correlations were recorded for Ni (with effective cation exchange capacity (ECEC), Mn, Mgav, Zn, Cu). The assessment revealed limiting factors and temporal trends in the overall evaluation of the quality of the country’s agricultural soils, which are important from the point of view of both sustainable development and agricultural production.