Kg Of Active Ingredient Research Articles

The hidden indirect environmental effect undercuts the contribution of crop nitrogen fertilizer application to the net ecosystem economic benefit

The current environmental and economic challenges of the application of nitrogen (N) fertilizer on crops are not only to provide an adequate food supply but also to reduce the resulting environmental pollution. A comprehensive understanding of the multiple effects of N fertilizer application on crops will help to more accurately guide the application of N fertilizer to meet current challenges, and to promote sustainable crop production. It is widely known that excessive N fertilizer applied to crops can lead to N-related direct environmental effects, including reactive N (Nr) losses, greenhouse gas emissions, and high environmental costs. However, few studies have revealed the hidden indirect environmental effect of crop N fertilizer application and its impact on the net ecosystem economic benefit (NEEB), which may be triggered by a N-crop-pest cascade pathway. In this study, we conducted three-year wheat field experiments at five N fertilizer application rates (0, 70, 140, 210, and 280 kg ha−1) in a city on the North China Plain. Excluding wheat yield and direct N-related environmental effects, the indirect effects of N fertilizer application, including the occurrence of cereal aphids (the most important wheat insect pests), the use of chemical pesticides for pest control, the impacts on the environmental and human health damage costs and NEEB were studied. Our results showed that the abundances of cereal aphids positively correlated with the N fertilizer application rates. At each N fertilizer application rate (70, 140, 210, 280 kg ha−1), 0.447 kg of active ingredients of chemical pesticides (0.222 kg insecticides and 0.225 g fungicides) per hectare per season were used to control insect pests and pathogens, while no pesticides were used at 0 kg ha−1(i.e., no N fertilizer was applied). The environmental and human health damage costs of pesticides for pest control increased $8 per hectare for wheat at four N fertilizer application rates and then reduced NEEB by the same amount. Our work extends previous studies and reveals the indirect negative environmental effect of N fertilizer application on crops triggered by a N-crop-pest cascade pathway. This effect undercuts the contribution of crop N fertilizer application on NEEB.

Trend of Antimicrobial Use in Food-Producing Animals from 2018 to 2020 in Nepal.

Antimicrobial resistance is a global public health problem and is primarily driven by the widespread overuse of antibiotics. However, antimicrobial use data in animals are not readily available due to the absence of a national database in many developing countries, including Nepal. This study was conducted to estimate the quantities of antimicrobials available in Nepal as an indicator of their use in food-producing animals between 2018 and 2020. Data were collected through surveys targeting major stakeholders: (i) the Department of Drug Administration (DDA), the Government of Nepal (GoN) for the authorized antimicrobials for veterinary use in Nepal, (ii) veterinary pharmaceuticals for antimicrobials produced in Nepal, (iii) the DDA and Veterinary Importers Association for antimicrobials bought by veterinary drug importers, and (iv) the Department of Customs, GoN, for antibiotics sourced through customs. Data showed that in the 3 years, a total of 96 trade names, comprising 35 genera of antibiotics representing 10 classes, were either produced or imported in Nepal. In total, 91,088 kg, 47,694 kg, and 45,671 kg of active ingredients of antimicrobials were available in 2018, 2019, and 2020, respectively. None of the antibiotics were intended for growth promotion, but were primarily for therapeutic purposes. Oxytetracycline, tilmicosin, and sulfadimidine were among the most-used antibiotics in Nepal in 2020. Oxytetracycline was primarily intended for parenteral application, whereas tilmicosin was solely for oral use. Sulfadimidine was available for oral use, except for a small proportion for injection purposes. Aminoglycosides, fluroquinolones, nitrofurans, sulfonamides, and tetracyclines were mostly produced locally, whereas cephalosporins, macrolides and "other" classes of antimicrobials were imported. Amphenicols and penicillins were exclusively imported and nitrofurans were produced locally only. In general, except for tetracyclines, the volume of antimicrobials produced locally and/or imported in 2020 was lower than that in 2018, which corresponded to a decreasing trend in total antimicrobials available. Furthermore, the subsequent years have seen a decrease in the use of critically important antibiotics, particularly class I antibiotics. Finally, this study has firstly established a benchmark for future monitoring of antimicrobial usage in food-producing animals in Nepal. These data are useful for risk analysis, planning, interpreting resistance surveillance data, and evaluating the effectiveness of prudent use, efforts, and mitigation strategies.

Determination of antimicrobial use in commercial poultry farms in Plateau and Oyo States, Nigeria

BackgroundIndiscriminate use of antimicrobials for the prevention and treatment of bacterial infection in animals is a common practice in Nigeria as in other developing countries. These antimicrobials are purchased over the counter without restrictions and often administered in form of medicated feedstuffs. In Nigeria, like most developing countries, antimicrobial prescription data are not routinely collected or reported at the farm level, instead import data are used in reporting antimicrobial consumption. Farmers can be useful sources of data on the use of antimicrobial agents by class, animal species, production type and age. The objective of the study was to determine the knowledge, attitude and practices of poultry farmers on antimicrobial resistance and to generate data on antimicrobial use (AMU) in poultry farms in Plateau and Oyo states in accordance with the guidelines of the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH).MethodsA questionnaire used by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations in Ghana was adopted and modified to collect data on the knowledge, attitude and practices of farmers on AMR and AMU and to collect AMU data from selected poultry farms. A focus group discussion (FGD) was conducted in Plateau state with poultry farmers and representatives from the state veterinary services, using a checklist. The aim of the FGD was to have an idea on antimicrobial use among poultry farmers and to generate additional questions that might be added to the questionnaire. Stratified random sampling technique was used to select 50 farms from Plateau and Oyo states, using the list of registered poultry farms in the two states as sampling frame.ResultsNinety eight percent (98%) of farmers gave antibiotics as prophylactic treatment to day old chicks. There were 47 different products used in the two states within the study period. We observed that five classes of antibiotics (Tetracyclines, Penicillins, Aminoglycosides, Polypeptides and Fluoroquinolone) were used in the two states. A total of 351 kg of active ingredients from seven different classes, namely: tetracyclines, penicillins, aminoglycosides, polypeptide, fluoroquinolones, amphenicol and macrolides were recorded from the two states. Some products contained cocktail of antibiotics, having up to six different classes with very high concentration of active ingredients which are not in the list of registered antimicrobials reported to WOAH.ConclusionThe concept used for this survey proved that the approach can be applied for AMU surveillance in the animal health sector. It also provided insight on farmers’ knowledge and practices with regards to the use of antimicrobials which is missing in the national import data. The need for “stronger” antibiotics was identified as one of the drivers of antibiotic resistance.

Genetically Modified (GM) Crop Use 1996–2020: Environmental Impacts Associated with Pesticide Use Change

ABSTRACT This paper assesses the environmental impacts associated with changes in pesticide use with GM crops at a global level. The main technologies impacting on pesticide use have been crops modified to be tolerant to specific herbicides so as to facilitate improved weed control and crops resistant to a range of crop insect pests that otherwise damage crops or typically require the application of insecticides to control them. Over the 24 year period examined to 2020, the widespread use of GM insect resistant and herbicide tolerant seed technology has reduced pesticide application by 748.6 million kg (−7.2%) of active ingredient and, as a result, decreased the environmental impact associated with insecticide and herbicide use on these crops (as measured by the indicator, the Environmental Impact Quotient (EIQ)) by a larger 17.3% between 1996 and 2020. The technology that has delivered the largest change in pesticide use has been insect resistant cotton, where a 339 million kg of active ingredient saving has occurred and the associated environmental impact (as measured by the EIQ indicator) has fallen by about a third.

Attenuation of organic pollutants and the effects of salinity and seasonality in a Mediterranean micro-estuary

Micro-estuaries are small ubiquitous transitional water bodies that are often located in semi-arid zones. Unlike the vastly studied large estuaries, micro-estuaries lack the ability to dilute and contain pollution from point and non-point sources due to low natural water discharges. Therefore, these diverse ecological systems are susceptible to pollutant loads due to prolonged water residence time and complex geochemical dynamics. Although this elevated anthropogenic stress limits their potential to provide ecological and recreational services, micro-estuaries have some traits similar to those found in wetlands, which provide a natural potential to retain and mitigate organic pollutants. A two consecutive years study conducted at the Alexander micro-estuary tracked the influx and outflux of a large organic pollutant mixture during base-flow and flood events. During the research period, 165 kg of active ingredients entered the micro-estuary and 160 kg flowed out to the Mediterranean Sea, suggesting negligible net attenuation. However, this broad picture conceals inner shifts in pollutant mixture loads, which contained 46 pesticides and 19 pharmaceuticals. Only a handful of pollutants were actually balanced, whereas most compounds were either removed or added to the flow, with no observed correlation to chemical properties. A prominent observation was the load increase along the flow for some pollutants during base-flow conditions. This trend, which was correlated with salinity elevation and was verified in lab experiments, suggests that seawater intrusion to the bottom of the estuary may increase desorption rates of pollutants from the estuary bed, creating an estuarine desorption magnification effect. The combination of strong anthropogenic stress with increased desorption rates severely limits the estuary's potential to mitigate pollutants, frequently transforming it into a pollution source rather than a sink.

RESIDUES OF CHLORPYRIPHOS AND MONOCROTOPHOS IN SOIL AND WATER OF OTTANCHATHARAM BLOCK, INDIA

The indiscriminate use of pesticides to meet the demand of growing population led to environmental contamination and consequently health risks. The study was undertaken to assess residue levels in vegetable growing area of Ottanchathiram block of Dindigul District. The study revealed that about 55 per cent the farmers applied 4 kg or less of technical grade pesticides per ha and the remaining 45 per cent used more than 4 kg of active ingredient (a.i)/ ha in chillies and About 87 per cent of cauliflower growers applied pesticides amounting to 4 kg or less of a.i/ha and the remaining applied more than this quantity. The villages, Thasaraipatti, Veeralapatti, Ambilikai, Arasappapillaipatti, Vadakadu, Kosavapatti, Krishnakoundanputhur and Virupachi are intensive vegetable growing areas selected for the pesticide residue analysis. The village Thasaraipatti soil sample recorded maximum amount of Chlorpyriphos residues (5.6 μgkg-1) and Monocrotophos residues (4.5μgkg-1). Residues in water samples ranged from not detectable to 0.5 μgl-1 of Chlorpyriphos and Monocrophos

Resource-saving methods of fodder crop cultivation in the Trans-Baikal Territory

The results of the study on the comparative assessment of different tillage methods in the field crop rotation with different levels of mineral nutrition (N30P30 and N60P30 kg of active ingredient/ ha) are presented. The experiment was carried out on low-humus low-carbonate chernozem of the forest-steppe zone of Eastern Trans-Baikal Territory in 2012–2014. The zoned variety of Buryatskaya-79 spring wheat, and Metis oat variety were used for sowing. Low-cost methods of soil tillage were studied, providing for the preservation and improvement of soil fertility, an increase in the productivity of grain and fodder crops, and a decrease in material and energy costs. Replacement of the basic tillage with a PN-4-35 plow with a ring roller in the third and fourth crop rotation fields by surface tillage with a Stepnyak-7.4 cultivator and direct sowing on the stubble with a PPM Ob4-ZT seeder when applying mineral fertilizers at a rate of N60P30 kg of active ingredient/ha had a positive effect on the condition of the soil. The following indicators of soil fertility were achieved: structural coefficient 1.28–1.38, organic matter content 3.15–3.33%, productive moisture content in the 0–50 cm layer 29.2–31.8 mm, the release of carbon dioxide 1.810–1.969 kg per 1 hour, the content of Р2О5 in the 0–20 cm layer 71–96 mg/kg of soil, the content of K2O – 57–82 mg/kg of soil. An increase in the yield of oat grain of 0.16–0.21 t/ha, the green mass of annual grasses of 3.44.0 t/ha, the collection of feed units of 0.32–0.34 t/ha, a reduction in the cost of fuel and lubricants by 31.2-36.4%, and an increase in profitability by 25.0–40.3% were achieved.

Antimicrobial use in poultry flocks in Austria between 2013 and 2019.

The increase in bacteria that are resistant to antimicrobials-often selected for a high level of antimicrobial uses (AMUs) in human beings or food-producing animals-is a global concern. The Austrian Poultry Health Service (QGV) has established a database containing comprehensive information on poultry flocks in Austria. AMU in 32,411 broiler flocks and 2946 turkey flocks between 2013 and 2019 is analysed by calculating different metrics, including the treatment incidence TI1000 . Furthermore, the Austrian benchmarking system for poultry is introduced. Annual AMU in broilers decreased from 1030.8 kg of active ingredient to 762.5 kg between 2013 and 2016 but rose again to 1165.0 kg in 2019; while for turkeys annual AMU dropped from 1196.4 kg to 569.0 kg between 2013 and 2019. At the same time, the proportion of treated flocks decreased from 34.2% to 24.8% for broilers and from 54.3% to 44.0% for turkeys. In both broilers and turkeys, the most frequently used antimicrobial class, according to the TI1000 unit, in broilers and turkeys is polymyxins. Calculating different metrics enables a deeper insight into AMU. Total AMU reduced without legislation but the increase of AMU in broiler production needs further investigation.

Effectiveness of increasing doses of mineral fertilizers in the cultivation of spring barley of the Novichok variety

The results of the research were obtained in 2019-2020 on sod-podzolic middle-loam soil in the conditions of EuroNorth-East of the Russian Federation. There were studied 18 variants of increasing doses of mineral fertilizers in the range from 30 to 150 kg of active ingredient per hectare. Under the conditions of 2019 growing season, nitrogen fertilizers influenced the value of yield of Novichok barley variety to a greater extent (Y = 0.67 - 0. 11x2 + 1.33x, R2 = 0.92), in 2020 - phosphorus fertilizers (Y = 1.48 - 0.02x2 + 0.48x, R2 = 0.99). On average, over 2 years of research, the yield in the control variant without the use of fertilizers was 0.87 t/ha. Yield increase of barley grains because of enlarged fertilizer doses ranged from 1.38 to 3.90 t/ha. The payback of 1 kg of active ingredient of fertilizers with increase of barley yield decreased due to enlarged doses: from 15.3 (N30P30K30) to 8.3 kg (N150P150K150). On average for two years of the research the increasing doses and ratios of mineral fertilizers had no significant effect on technological properties of spring barley seeds. The content of crude protein in grain grew with increase in fertilizer doses (r = 0.55). To obtain grain of the 2nd class of quality it is necessary to apply not less than 90 kg of active ingredient/hectare of ammonium nitrate. According to the content of crude cellulose, the 1st class of grain quality has been obtained, and this indicator did not depend on the application of fertilizers. High profitability of cultivation of the Novichok spring barley variety (from 54.2 to 59.1 %) has been recorded by application of mineral fertilizers in doses N60P60N120, N60P60K60 and N120P120K120.

A comparison of pesticide residues in soils from two highly technified agricultural valleys in northwestern Mexico

A pesticide characterization is presented for two highly technified valleys in northwest Mexico: Culiacan Valley (CV) in Sinaloa and Yaqui Valley (YV) in Sonora. Approximately 250,000 kg of active ingredients are used every year, half of which are considered highly hazardous pesticides. Legacy pesticides are still present in the soils of these valleys. The aim of the present study was to identify and quantify a wide variety of pesticides in soils and correlate their concentrations with historical and current use. Agricultural soils from both valleys were sampled and analyzed using accelerated solvent extraction and subsequent quantification by gas chromatography with selective detectors. The most frequently detected pesticides (mean, µg g−1) in CV were organochlorines (0.1967), organophosphates (0.0928), synthetic pyrethroids (0.2565), organonitrogen (0.0552), and miscellaneous pesticides (0.1851). In YV, the most frequently detected pesticides were organochlorines (0.8607), organophosphates (0.0001), synthetic pyrethroids (0.0124), and miscellaneous pesticides (0.0009). The pesticides were more diverse in CV compared to those of YV, which was based on the types of crops produced. Both locations presented highly hazardous pesticides, including concentrations above the action levels established by the Canadian Soil Quality Guide. A follow-up risk assessment is recommended to assess potential effects.

ЭКОНОМИКА ПЛАНИРУЕМЫХ УРОЖАЕВ ЯРОВОЙ ПШЕНИЦЫ НА ПАХОТНЫХ ЧЕРНОЗЕМАХ ЗА СЧЕТ ВНЕСЕНИЯ МИНЕРАЛЬНЫХ УДОБРЕНИЙ

In modern conditions of agricultural intensification, the use of a scientifically based fertilizer system becomes extremely necessary. It is she who will allow you to get economically viable crop yields. Studies to obtain the planned yield with the introduction of increasing doses of mineral fertilizers were carried out in 2018-2020 in the forest-steppe zone of the Urals. The soil is old leached chernozem. Experiment scheme: control (without fertilization); application of mineral fertilizers to the planned yield: by 3.0 t/ha of grain N40 P75; 4.0 t/ha - N95P110; 5.0 t/ha - N150P200 and 6.0 t/ha - N185P160 kg of active ingredient. On average, over the years of research, the planned yield of spring wheat was achieved. The cost of growing spring wheat without mineral fertilizers amounted to 16850 rubles/ha. The introduction of mineral fertilizers for the planned harvests increases costs up to 34200 rubles/ha. Such high costs are explained by the use of phosphate fertilizers, whose price is twice as high as ammonium nitrate. In the structure of costs for obtaining a yield of 3.0 t/ha of grain, the share of mineral fertilizers accounts for 17 %. A further increase in the level of mineral nutrition through fertilizers increases the share of fertilizer costs up to 45 %. The profit from the sale of grain on the option with NPK of 6.0 t/ha of grain reached 27400 with a profitability of 80 %. On the control, the corresponding indicators were 5150 rubles/ha and 31 %. The optimal and economically justified is the level of mineral nutrition, providing 4.0 t/ha of spring wheat grain. A further increase in the agricultural background is associated with a risk due to the peculiarities of weather conditions in the forest-steppe zone of the Urals

Effects of Long-term Fertilization Systems on Heavy Metals Residues in Sod-podzolic Soil and Oats Yield

Background: The paper presents the results of studies conducted on the basis of the former Smolensk branch of Pryanishnikov Institute of Agrochemistry, in the village of Olsha, Smolensk district, Smolensk region. In a long field experiment, various fertilizer systems were studied, their effect and aftereffect on the qualitative and quantitative crop yield, soil properties.Methods: A stationary field experiment was established in 1978. The aftereffect of fertilization systems on oats has been studied since 2009. The aftereffect was studied in 2015-2016 and 2017. With one dose of organic fertilizer (compost based on cattle manure - cattle), over 30 years of experience, 17.4 tons of organic matter, 435 kg of total nitrogen, 198 kg of phosphorus (P2O5), 621 kg of potassium (K2O) entered the soil. A single calculated dose of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium corresponded to 25.5 kg of active ingredient per ha-1. Result: With prolonged use of fertilizers, the content of heavy metals in the soil did not exceed the calculated permissible concentration. However, at a fivefold norm (N150P150K150 + 15 t ha-1), the cadmium content was overestimated. An ecologically justified dose of aftereffect in the Smolensk region on sod-podzolic soil should be considered a fourfold dose of mineral components and compost (N120P120K120 + 12 t ha-1).

ВАЖНЕЙШИЕ КРИТЕРИИ ОТБОРА НА КАЧЕСТВО ЗЕРНА В СЕЛЕКЦИИ ОЗИМОЙ ПШЕНИЦЫ

The quality of wheat grain largely depends on the hereditary characteristics of the variety. In 2018-2020, in the North Caucasus Federal Agricultural Research Center, studies were carried out to search for source material among the diversity of genotypes of common winter wheat at the early stages of the breeding process to select the most promising in the context of grain quality. The soil of the experimental plot is ordinary medium-thick low-humus medium loamy chernozem. The climate of the zone is temperate continental. According to long-term data, the annual sum of effective temperatures is 3177.2 °C; average annual precipitation is 559.6 mm; Selyaninov's hydrothermal coefficient (HTC) is 1.06. Before sowing, complex mineral fertilizers were applied at a dose of N40P60K40; in spring, ammonium nitrate – 26 kg of active ingredient per ha. Fifteen lines of common winter wheat selected according to a complex of breeding valuable signs (yield, resistance to diseases, frost and winter hardiness, drought resistance) served as a material for the studies. Lines were compared with the standard variety ‘Aivina’ according to the most important criteria: gluten mass fraction and quality, protein mass fraction and sedimentation value. Four wheat lines (21663, 20029, 21728, 21944) characterized by gluten of I and II group (gluten content from 23 % to 25.7 %) were identified. They exceeded the standard by 2.0–4.7% and corresponded to the 3 class of grain quality. In line 21944, minor variability of the protein amount (10 %) in the grain by year was noted; in the lines 21226, 21924 and 20029 ‒ average (14.2‒18.7 %); in the rest genotypes, including standard, it was significant (20.1‒34.3 %). On average, over the years of studying, six lines (21420, 21663, 21683, 21118, 21944, 21924) were classified as strong wheat (sedimentation value was in the range of 51‒62 ml). The flour strength of the ‘Aivina’ wheat grain had an average sedimentation value – 49 ml. Lines 21944 and 21924, which exceeded the standard, can be used as sources of high-quality grain when creating new varieties of common winter wheat for regions with a dry period of grain formation.

Reaction of fiber flax varieties to seeding rates, sowing time and optimization of mineral nutrition on sod-podzolic medium- cultivated soils in the Pskov region

The article presents the results of scientific research for 2014-2019 on the reaction of early-maturing fiber flax varieties (Linum usitatissimum L.) of the Pskov selection Peresvet, Kvartet, Voskhod and Dobrynya to growing conditions: sowing time, seeding rates (16, 18, 20, 22, 24 million pieces of germinating seeds per 1 ha), doses of nitrogen fertilizers (0, 15, 30, 45 kg of active ingredient (a. i.) per hectare. The hydrothermal coefficient (GTC) for the growing season varied from 0.98 to 1.94. The optimal seeding rate for fiber flax of the Peresvet variety is 22 million pcs /ha, and for the Kvartet variety − 20 million pcs /ha. With these seeding rates the yield of flax fiber was 21.9-20.6 hundred kilograms (centners) per hectare, respectively, that significantly exceeded the yield of fiber with the minimum seeding rate of 1,0-1.7 hkg/ha, respectively, with LSD05 = 0.7-0.9 hkg/ha. The maximum yield of seeds in both varieties was obtained at the minimum seeding rate. The optimal sowing period for the Peresvet variety was the third period (May 8-17th, 2014-2016) and the second period for the Kvartet variety (May 11-20th, 2017-2019). The yield of flax fiber for these varieties significantly exceeded the 1stsowing period by 0.7-2.3 hkg/ha, respectively (LSD05 = 0.6-0.8 hkg/ha ) and amounted to 23.0-21.1 hkg/ha , that of seeds – 9.8-9.1 hkg/ha. The optimal nitrogen doses for R40K60 background are for Voskhod and Kvartet varieties 15 kg a. i./ha, and for the Dobrynya and Peresvet varieties − 30 kg a. i./ha. The yield of flax fiber for them exceeded the control by 1.5-1.3 hkg/ha, respectively (LSD05 = 0.6-0.8 hkg/ha) and 2.7-2.5 hkg/ha (LSD05 = 1,0-0.9 hkg/ha). The payback of 1 kg of nitrogen by flax fiber increase in all varieties was the highest with the minimum dose of N15. Among the varieties, it ranged from 8 to 12.7 kg/kg. The specific removal of food elements per 1 ton of flax straw and flax fiber recommended for use in determining the doses of mineral fertilizers for the planned yield of flax fiber, has been determined.

Pesticides Hazardous Hotspots: Empirical Evidences from North India.

The pesticide use in Indian agriculture showed a declining trend in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Since 2007, pesticide use gained an upward trend. To study the pesticide use pattern and identify pesticide hotspots, we collected data from a sample of 1201 apple, rice, vegetable, and cotton growers from the temperate Kashmir Valley, subtropical Jammu, and Punjab. Our study provided some interesting empirical results: prophylactic pesticide applications in apple crop making it a pesticide guzzler [25.2 kg of active ingredient (ai)/ha] with use of riskiest carcinogen pesticides (9 kg of a.i/ha) and field use environmental impact quotient (FEIQ) (620.4/ha) being the highest, the Kashmir Valley is the "pesticide hottest spot", followed by cotton and rice areas of Punjab and vegetable cultivation in Jammu subtropics. Pesticides banned for use in vegetables, such as monocrotophos were also applied by farmers in vegetable crops. However, rice areas in Kashmir and Jammu were only treated with herbicides. The protective measures taken by farmers while mixing and applying pesticides were primitive, resulting in localized mild/moderate pesticide poisoning besides loss of consciousness. We also found that the official data on the pesticide use are underreported and hence unreliable. Our study shows that neither the pesticide use by mass nor the pesticide use frequency, in combination or alone, is the robust indicator to measure the pesticide hazardous hotspots; besides these, FEIQ and less hazardous pesticides that are not probable or possible carcinogen should be rather used in conjunction.

Antimicrobial Usage in Horses: The Use of Electronic Data, Data Curation, and First Results.

The usage of antimicrobial drugs (AMs) leads to an increase in antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Although different antimicrobial usage (AMU) monitoring programs exist for livestock animals in Germany, there is no such system for horses. However, with the increasing usage of electronic practice management software (EPMS), it is possible to analyze electronic field data generated for routine purposes. The aim of this study was to generate AMU data for German horses with data from the Clinic for Horses (CfH), University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover (TiHo), and in addition to show that different processes of data curation are necessary to provide results, especially considering quantitative indices. In this investigation, the number of antimicrobial doses used and the amount and percentage of active ingredients applied were calculated. Data contained all drugs administered between the 1st of January and the 31st of December 2017. A total of 2,168 horses were presented for veterinary care to the CfH and 34,432 drug applications were documented for 1,773 horses. Of these, 6,489 (18.85%) AM applications were documented for 837 (47.21%) horses. In 2017, 162.33 kg of active ingredients were documented. The most commonly used antibiotic classes were sulfonamides (84.32 kg; 51.95 %), penicillins (30.11 kg; 18.55%) and nitroimidazoles (24.84 kg; 15.30%). In 2017, the proportion of Critically Important Antibiotics (CIA)—Highest Priority used was 0.15% (0.24 kg) and the proportion of CIA—High Priority used was 20.85% (33.85 kg). Of the total 9,402 entries of antimicrobial active ingredients, the three with the largest number used were sulfonamides [n = 2,798 (29.76%)], trimethoprim [n = 2,757 (29.76%)] and aminoglycosides [n = 1,381 (14.69%)]. Comparison between Administered Daily Dose (ADA) and Recommended Daily Dose of CfH (RDDCfH), showed that 3.26% of ADA were below RDDCfH, 3.18% exceeded RDDCfH and 93.55% were within the range around RDDCfH. This study shows that data generated by an EPMS can be evaluated once the method is set up and validated. The method can be transferred to evaluate data from the EPMS of other clinics or animal species, but the transferability depends on the quality of AMU documentation and close cooperation with respective veterinarians is essential.

Genetically modified (GM) crop use in Colombia: farm level economic and environmental contributions

ABSTRACT This study assesses the economic and environmental impacts that have arisen from the adoption and use of genetically modified (GM) cotton and maize in Colombia in the fifteen years since GM cotton was first planted in Colombia in 2003. A total of 1.07 million hectares have been planted to cotton and maize containing GM traits since 2003, with farmers benefiting from an increase in income of US $301.7 million. For every extra US $1 spent on this seed relative to conventional seed, farmers have gained an additional US $3.09 in extra income from growing GM cotton and an extra US $5.25 in extra income from growing GM maize. These income gains have mostly arisen from higher yields (+30.2% from using stacked (herbicide tolerant and insect resistant cotton and +17.4% from using stacked maize). The cotton and maize seed technology have reduced insecticide and herbicide spraying by 779,400 kg of active ingredient (−19%) and, as a result, decreased the environmental impact associated with herbicide and insecticide use on these crops (as measured by the indicator, the Environmental Impact Quotient (EIQ)) by 26%. The technology has also facilitated cuts in fuel use, resulting in a reduction in the release of greenhouse gas emissions from the GM cotton and maize cropping area and contributed to saving scarce land resources.

Indaziflam: Leaching and control of Urochloa plantaginea in applications on coffee litter with different rainfall simulations

Coffee litter and the rain that occurs after the application of pre-emergence herbicides impact on their leaching and weed control effectiveness. The objective of this study was to evaluate the leaching and control effectiveness of indaziflam, applied on coffee litter, and under simulations of different amounts of rainfall. Two experiments in greenhouse were conducted with the application of indaziflam (0.1 kg of active ingredient - a.i. - ha-1), in a completely randomized design. The first involved the leaching of the herbicide using Urochloa plantaginea as a bioindicator, in a 8 x 4 factorial arrangement, with eight depths in the PVC column (0-0.05; 0.05-0.1; 0.1-0.15; 0.15-0.2; 0.2-0.25; 0.25-0.3; 0.3-0.35; 0.35-0.4 m) and four amounts of straw (0; 1; 3 and 5 t ha-1), this factor was isolated for rainfall simulations (10, 20 and 40 mm). The second experiment tested the effectiveness in controlling U. plantaginea, in a 4 x 3 factorial arrangement, with four amounts of litter (0; 1; 3 and 5 t ha-1) and three amounts of rainfall (10, 20 and 40 mm). Both experiments had four repetitions and controls without application of the herbicide. In leaching, a greater effect of indaziflam was found at a depth of 0-0.05 m, and the higher the simulated rainfall, the greater the phytotoxicity observed in U. plantaginea, with 39.75%, 52.50% and 92.06%, for rainfall amounts of 10, 20 and 40 mm, respectively. U. plantaginea showed high susceptibility to control by the herbicide indaziflam, and the lowest control, 82%, was observed when indaziflam was applied on 5 t ha-1 with simulation of rainfall at 10 mm. The increase in the amount of litter on the soil surface, combined with lower amounts of rainfall can reduce the leaching of indaziflam and the control of U. plantaginea.

Economic efficiency of fertilizer system in field crop rotation of the Trans-Urals

In order to determine the optimal combination of components of a fertilizer system economic and agronomic efficiency of lime, organic and mineral fertilizers in grain and steam crop rotation in the forest steppe of the Trans-Urals was analyzed. The definition of agronomic efficiency showed that the payback of 1 kg of active ingredient (a.i.) of added fertilizers yield gain on average over 3 years made 1.04-1.42 kg, the maximum payback was observed in the option with a dose of N30P30 – 5.33 kg of grain units (g.u.)/kg a.i. The increase in the dose of mineral fertilizers increased the production costs and reduced the payback from 2.12 to 1.49 rubles. Options of mixed organo-mineral fertilizer on the basis of sapropel with lime and mineral fertilizers in the ratio of mass fractions 1:0,1:0,01 and 1:0,1:0,05 are proposed.

The effect of nitrogen fertilizer application methods on the development of leaf surface of oat plants

The article presents the results of field trials conducted on leached chernozem of forest-steppe of the Volga region in 2012-2014. Studied was the development of the leaf surface of filmy varieties (Horizon, Krechet, Eclipse) and naked varieties (Vyatsky, Persheron) of spring oat during the growing season under the influence of nitrogen fertilizers (without nitrogen fertilizers, N60, N60 + N30). The most rapid formation of the leaf apparatus was observed in the filmy oats of Horizon and Krechet varieties in the phase of shooting when nitrogen fertilizers were applied at a dose of 60 kg of active ingredient (30.7-30.3 thousand m2 /ha). However, by the time the panicle was headed, the filmy variety Krechet had almost achieved this value. Naked varieties of oats in comparison with the filmy ones formed a slightly smaller assimilation surface. The use of nitrogen fertilizers had a significant impact on the formation of the assimilation surface of the leaves. However, the additional application of nitrogen fertilizers did not give a significant increase in the leaf apparatus. A higher air-dry mass (94.73 g/m2 ) was formed in the filmy variety Krechet in the phase of milk ripeness against the background of pre-sowing dose of nitrogen fertilizers with additional fertilizing them in the phase of tillering of the culture (variant N60 + N30). Naked varieties of oats were significantly inferior in this indicator to filmy varieties and practically did not differ from each other in the accumulation of dry matter in plants. Only a significant accumulation of dry matter in the Vyatsky and Persheron varieties was noted against the background of applying a pre-sowing dose of nitrogen fertilizers with additional fertilizing them in the tillering phase of the culture (variant N60 + N30). The highest rates of net photosynthesis productivity (NPF) among the studied varieties was observed in filmy varieties in the interphase period "shooting-heading of panicle" against the background of nitrogen fertilizers N60 + N30 (7.17-7.38 g/m 2 ). In naked varieties, this figure was slightly lower than in the filmy ones (6.89-6.90 g/m 2 ). When applying nitrogen fertilizers at a dose of 60 kg active ingredient /ha, there was an increase in the NPF in the interphase period "tillering-shooting " in the following varieties: Horizon by 23%, Krechet by 21%, Eclipse by 15%, Vyatsky by 44%, Persheron by 11%. With the additional introduction of N30 a further increase in the NPF was noted in Horizon by 46%, Krechet by 26%, Eclipse by 42%, Vyatsky and Persheron by 56% relative to the variant without the introduction of mineral nitrogen fertilizer.