Low Ecological Footprint Research Articles

Environmental Sustainability: Ecological Footprint Analysis of Ibadan North, Nigeria

The ecological implications of global development have been a primary focus in discussions surrounding sustainability. As urban development expands globally, addressing its many ecological concerns becomes imperative. However, the ecological footprint (EF) analysis of urban sustainability within the sub-Saharan region, particularly Nigeria, remains largely unexplored. Here, we used the EF indices to explore the environmental sustainability of Ibadan City, one of Nigeria's fastest-growing urban centres. We implemented a bottom-up EF approach in the study, employing a cross-sectional design. We used an EF questionnaire to gather monthly household consumption data on food, energy, and water. We analysed these data descriptively and methodologically using EF formulae. Findings indicate environmental sustainability, as reflected in the low EF of 0.43gha/capita, with the energy footprint accounting for the majority (93%) at 0.4gha/capita. In comparison, the food footprint had the lowest share (below 3%) at 0.01gha/capita. Our findings demonstrate the significant impact of energy consumption on the overall EF, reinforcing the need for more sustainable energy solutions in urban planning, thus contributing to urban sustainability by informing urban planning and energy policy in alignment with the global sustainability drive.

Building a sustainable environment in EU countries: the critical role of infrastructure investments and institutional quality

ABSTRACT The literature on the intersection of environment and economic growth is extensive, and emerging research emphasizes additional variables that affect both domains. It is well known that institutional quality enhances environmental quality because institutions affect environmental quality and economic growth through regulatory policies. Moreover, infrastructure investment is a critical driver of growth and environmental improvement, providing the necessary foundation for change. This research contributes to the literature by examining the dynamic interaction between ecological footprint, infrastructure investment, institutional quality, and economic growth using the Environmental Kuznets Curve hypothesis for the 10 European Union countries with the highest levels of infrastructure investment from 1996 to 2020 to highlight how infrastructure and institutional quality affect environmental outcomes differently across countries. It finds long-run relationships among the variables in the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Norway, Slovakia, Sweden, and Switzerland. The findings confirm the cointegration by confirming the EKC hypothesis for the panel and particularly for Finland, France, Norway, Slovakia, and Sweden. The study observes that increased infrastructure investments reduce the ecological footprint in Germany and Sweden but increase the ecological footprint in the Czech Republic and France. In Sweden, higher institutional quality significantly reduces the ecological footprint, suggesting that improvements in institutional quality are associated with a lower ecological footprint. These results provide a new perspective on the policy revisions required to achieve net zero emissions under the Paris Climate Agreement, emphasizing the need to integrate green finance into privately financed infrastructure projects.

Environmental impacts of the filamentous fungi Paecilomyces variotii (PEKILO®) as a novel protein source in feeds for Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)

The present study investigated environmental impacts associated with greenhouse gas (GHG) emission, economic Fish in Fish out ratio (eFIFO), waste outputs, and food-feed competition of feeding diets containing the filamentous fungus Paecilomyces variotii (PEKILO®) to Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) pre-smolts. To achieve this, a feeding trial was conducted using four experimental diets. The control diet was based on fishmeal, soy protein concentrate, and wheat gluten meal. Diets 1, 2, and 3 were formulated so that P. variotii replaced 5, 10, and 20 % of the crude protein (CP) content of the control diet originating mainly from fishmeal, soy protein concentrate, and wheat gluten meal. Dietary inclusion of P. variotii affected simulated environmental indices such as GHG emission (P < 0.001); this index was P. variotii-dose-dependent, as illustrated by negative linear models (P < 0.001, adjusted R-squared = 0.96). Dietary inclusion of P. variotii was negatively correlated with eFIFO (P < 0.001, adjusted R-squared = 0.82). Dietary inclusion of P. variotii reduced food-competition feedstuff (FCF) in the diets (P < 0.001), as well as the amount of FCF to produce one kg of Atlantic salmon (P < 0.001). Relative to the control diet, solid nitrogen waste output, expressed as g kg−1 fish produced, was increased (P < 0.0001) in fish fed Diet 3. Conversely, linear decreases in solid phosphorous, magnesium and potassium (P < 0.0001) wastes expressed as g kg−1 fish produced were associated with increasing dietary inclusion of P. variotii. Likewise, linear decreases in dissolved nitrogen, magnesium, and potassium (P < 0.0001) wastes were observed with increasing replacement of the CP content of the control diet with P. variotii. Based on this assessment, P. variotii is a relevant alternative protein source with a low environmental footprint for use in Atlantic salmon feeds. Future novel feeds for Atlantic salmon should expand the use of alternative protein- and lipid-rich materials with a low ecological footprint that are produced according to a circular bioeconomy principle and utilize non-food-competing feedstuff (NFCF) such as P. variotii to move the industry toward sustainability.

Monoclonal Antibody Delivery Using 3D Printed Biobased Hollow μNe3dle Arrays for the Treatment of Osteoporosis.

Transdermal microneedles have demonstrated promising potential as an alternative to typical drug administration routes for the treatment of various diseases. As microneedles offer lower administration burden with enhanced patient adherence and reduced ecological footprint, there is a need for further exploitation of microneedle devices. One of the main objectives of this work was to initially develop an innovative biobased photocurable resin with high biobased carbon content comprising isobornyl acrylate (IBA) and pentaerythritol tetraacrylate blends (50:50 wt/wt). The optimization of the printing and curing process resulted in μNe3dle arrays with durable mechanical properties and piercing capacity. Another objective of the work was to employ the 3D printed hollow μNe3dles for the treatment of osteoporosis in vivo. The 3D printed μNe3dle arrays were used to administer denosumab (Dmab), a monoclonal antibody, to osteoporotic mice, and the serum concentrations of critical bone minerals were monitored for six months to assess recovery. It was found that the Dmab administered by the 3D printed μNe3dles showed fast in vitro rates and induced an enhanced therapeutic effect in restoring bone-related minerals compared to subcutaneous injections. The findings of this study introduce a novel green approach with a low ecological footprint for 3D printing of biobased μNe3dles, which can be tailored to improve clinical outcomes and patient compliance for chronic diseases.

The Internet of Musical Stuff

A recent initiative within ubimus research contemplates the development of an internet of musical stuff (IoMuSt) as a concept that interacts with and expands the pre-existing rubric of the internet of musical things (IoMusT). Opposed to the ontological fixedness of things, stuff is pliable, fairly amorphous, changeable depending on usage, context-reliant, either persistent or volatile. It encompasses adaptable and flexible temporalities, featuring non-allotable, non-monetisable and non-reifiable resources. Furthermore, IoMuSt highlights the distinction between object and subject, blurring this crisp separation. The IoMuSt rubric is sustained by aesthetic pliability, fostering an expansion of creative practices and a critical stance towards utilitarian human-computer interaction perspectives. The authors discuss key dimensions of aesthetic pliability as related to flexible infrastructures, open sources and methods, enhanced collaboration and a low ecological footprint. The properties of aesthetic pliability are explored within the realm of two case studies.

The illusion of the Holy Grail of decoupling: Are there countries with relatively high SDGI and moderately low ecological footprint?

The development of sustainability indicators at the national level emerged due to the limitations of using GDP as a measure of well-being, sustainability, and resilience. Over time, various indicators and rankings have been formulated, with a shift in focus from solely economic growth to a more encompassing perspective. The objective of this study was to create a new ranking, based on the integration of two methodologies, namely UN Sustainable Development Goals Index (SDGI), and the Global Footprint Network's Ecological Footprint (EF), in order to identify meaningful clusters of countries based on both measures. Hierarchical clustering was utilized to group countries, while the Nearest Neighbour method was employed to filter out outliers, and the Ward method determined the final clusters. Additionally, the Pearson's correlation coefficient was calculated to assess the relationship between the 17 SDGIs and the EF. The clustering outcomes revealed that a three-cluster solution can be considered satisfactory. The results obtained with the new method demonstrate that the environmental dimension of SDGI is a sufficient metric for environmental sustainability in terms of ranking countries.

Characteristics of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection in intensive care unit before (2007-2010) and after (2011-2014) the beginning of an antimicrobial stewardship program.

To investigate the factors associated with Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates in intensive care unit (ICU) before and after an antimicrobial stewardship program. Monocentric retrospective cohort study. Patients admitted to the ICU in 2007-2014 were included. Characteristics of P. aeruginosa patients were compared to overall ICU population. Clinical and microbiological characteristics of P. aeruginosa patients before (2007-2010) and after (2011-2014) the beginning of the AMP were compared. Overall, 5,263 patients were admitted to the ICU, 274/5,263 (5%) had a P. aeruginosa isolate during their staying. In 2011-2014, the percentage P. aeruginosa isolates reduced (7% vs 4%, P ≤ .0001). Patients with P. aeruginosa had higher rates of in-hospital death (43% vs 20%, P < .0001) than overall ICU population. In 2011-2014, rates of multidrug-resistant (11% vs 2%, P = .0020), fluoroquinolone-resistant (35% vs 12%, P < .0001), and ceftazidime-resistant (23% vs 8%, P = .0009) P. aeruginosa reduced. Treatments by fluoroquinolones (36% vs 4%, P ≤ .0001), carbapenems (27% vs 9%, P = .0002), and third-generation cephalosporins (49% vs 12%, P ≤ .0001) before P. aeruginosa isolation reduced while piperacillin (0% vs 13%, P < .0001) and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (8% vs 26%, P = .0023) increased. Endotracheal intubation reduced in 2011-2014 (61% vs 35%, P < .0001). Fluoroquinolone-resistance was higher in patients who received endotracheal intubation (29% vs 17%, P = .0197). Previous treatment by fluoroquinolones (OR = 2.94, P = .0020) and study period (2007-2010) (OR = 2.07, P = .0462) were the factors associated with fluoroquinolone-resistance at the multivariate analysis. Antibiotic susceptibility in P. aeruginosa isolates was restored after the reduction of endotracheal intubation, fluoroquinolones, carbapenems, and third-generation cephalosporins and the increased use of molecules with a low ecological footprint, as piperacillin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole.

Oxidative dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene on mesoporous carbon catalysts: effect of the active site number on the apparent catalytic activity

SMC-x catalysts demonstrate a distinctive carbon framework containing a significant number of CO active sites for ethylbenzene oxidative dehydrogenation.

Global measurement of ecological footprint in the context of sustainable development

The relationships between the ecological footprint indicator and the level of achievement of sustainable development goals at the global level were examined. Cluster analysis tools were used to assess such relationships by grouping countries with similar characteristics according to these two indicators. As a consequence, four clusters of countries were identified. The first cluster, which mainly includes African countries, is characterized by a low level of economic development and a minimal impact on the environment. It was determined that the second cluster includes many countries of the European Union, Argentina, Brazil, Cuba and Chile and it’s characterized by a high level of achievement of sustainable development goals and a moderate impact on nature. The third cluster, which includes India, Egypt, Indonesia and other countries, has a low ecological footprint, indicating conservation of natural resources and an average level of achievement of sustainable development goals. These countries have the potential for harmonious social, ecological and economic development. It was established that the countries of the fourth cluster have achieved a significant level of sustainable development, but they use large amounts of natural resources. It was found that the common directions of environmental policy for SDG achievement of are the fight against pollution, resource exhaustion and climate change to avoid a decrease in quality of of life of citizens.

The ecological footprint of physicians: A survey of physicians in Canada, India, and USA.

Combating climate change may be the greatest public health opportunity of the 21st century. While physicians play an important role in addressing climate change, given their affluence in society, they may be an important source of greenhouse gas emissions themselves. We sought to examine the size and nature of the ecological footprint of physicians and medical students. We conducted an online survey from December 2021-May 2022 examining resource consumption, changes in consumption patterns over time, and beliefs about climate change. Participants were medical students, residents, and staff physicians in Canada, India, or USA. Only 20 out of 162 valid respondents had a low ecological footprint (12%), defined as meat intake ≤2 times per week, living in an apartment or condominium, and using public transport, bicycle, motorcycle or walking to work. 14 of these 20 participants were from India. 91% of participants were open to reducing their own ecological footprint, though only 40% had made changes in that regard. 49% participants who discussed climate change at work and at home had decreased their ecological footprint, compared to 29% of participants who rarely engaged in such conversations (OR 2.39, 95% CI 1.24-4.63, P = 0.01). We conclude that physicians have a large ecological footprint, especially those from Canada and USA. A majority of physicians are interested in reducing their ecological footprint, and those who engage in conversations around climate change are more likely to have done so. Talking frequently about climate change, at work and at home, will likely increase climate change action amongst physicians.

A quantitative assessment model for students’ sustainability: evidence from a Peruvian university

PurposeThe study of sustainability within universities is recognized as essential for debates and research; in the long term, the “sustainable university” concepts can contribute to sustainability from a larger perspective. This study aims to propose a conceptual model for evaluating the students’ sustainability considering their interactions with the university and the environment. The proposed model is titled Sunshine model. It is applied to students of the La Salle University, Peru.Design/methodology/approachThe model combines academic performance, happiness and the ecological footprint to quantify university students’ sustainability. A structured questionnaire survey was elaborated and applied to get the raw data that feeds the three methods. The students’ average grades evaluate academic performance. Happiness is quantified by the happiness index method, and the ecological footprint is measured by the demand for food, paper, electricity, transport and built-up areas. Results are evaluated under both approaches, overall group performance and clusters.FindingsThe proposed model avoids misleading interpretations of a single indicator or discussions on sustainability that lack a conceptual model, bringing robustness in assessing students’ sustainability in universities. To have a low ecological footprint, the student needs to need up to 1 planet for their lifestyle, be considered happy with at least 0.8 (of 1) for happiness index, and have good academic performance with at least a grade of 7 (of 10) in their course. Regarding the case study, La Salle students show a high academic grade degree of 7, a high level for happiness index of 0.8 and low performance for ecological footprint by demanding 1.8 Earth planets, resulting in an “environmentally distracted” overall classification for students with 2019 data. From a cluster approach, 81% of evaluated students (n = 603) have low performance for ecological footprint, whereas 31% have low performance for indicators of recreational activities of happiness. Changing lifestyles and making more recreational activities available play crucial roles in achieving higher sustainability for the La Salle students.Research limitations/implicationsThe happiness assessment questionnaire can be subject to criticism, as it was created as a specific method for this type of audience based on existing questionnaires in the literature. Although it can be seen as an important approach for diagnoses, the proposed model does not consider the cause–effect aspect. The decision-maker must consider the sociocultural aspects before implementing plan actions.Practical implicationsUniversity managers can better understand why university students have high or low sustainability performance and provide more effective actions toward higher levels of students’ sustainability.Originality/valueThe proposed model, Sunshine model, overcomes the single-criteria existing tools that access the sustainability of universities. Rather than focusing on university infrastructure, the proposed model focuses on the students and their relationship with the university.

Assessing influential factors for ecological footprints: A complex solution approach

The present study investigates the necessary and sufficient conditions for the ecological footprint in a panel of 103 countries in 2018 by employing two distinct analytical approaches: Necessary Condition Analysis (NCA) and Fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) models. The NCA and fsQCA models are data-based and were analyzed using R software. The research utilized various factors, such as economic growth, institutional quality, urbanization, energy consumption, fragile states, and trade openness, as influencing factors. The NCA model examines the necessary conditions for the influence of independent variables on the ecological footprint. In contrast, the fsQCA model allows for exploring sufficient conditions and identifying the optimal combination of variables that increase or decrease the ecological footprint. The results of the NCA model indicate that only energy consumption is a necessary condition for the ecological footprint. In contrast, the fsQCA model shows that low GDP is necessary for a low ecological footprint. Moreover, the fsQCA model reveals five combined solutions for increasing or decreasing the ecological footprint. For example, solution 4, with a compatibility of 0.98, states that increasing urbanization and institutional quality, along with reducing energy consumption, leads to a decrease in the ecological footprint. The term "compatibility" in this context refers to the extent to which the solution satisfies the necessary and sufficient conditions of the model. The findings suggest that policymakers should focus on reducing energy consumption to decrease the ecological footprint and promote low economic growth to achieve a sustainable environment.

Ecological footprint, water scarcity footprint, and benefit to cost ratio analysis towards sustainable rice production in Thailand

Thailand is a large producer of rice and the sustainable production of rice is very important. This research aimed at assessing the ecological footprint, water scarcity footprint (WSF), and benefit to cost ratio (B/C) of major and second rice cultivation and ecological footprint of packaged rice production using the life cycle assessment approach. The study areas included provinces in the northern, northeastern, central, and southern regions of Thailand. The ecological footprint of major and second rice cultivation ranged between 1.37–3.33 and 1.39–2.64 gha/t, respectively. Rainwater and irrigation water were the most important resources for the major and second rice cultivation as measured by forest productivity or ecological footprint of forest. Applying the alternate wetting and drying technique could decrease the ecological footprint of major and second rice cultivation to 0.89–2.89 and 0.90–2.14 gha/t, respectively. The ecological footprint of packaged rice ranged from 1.78 to 4.02 gha/t, contributed mainly by the ecological footprint of the forest from the water requirement in cultivation. The WSF of major and second rice cultivation ranged between 2.58–25.4 and 14.2–1021 m3 H2Oeq/t. The variation of WSF resulted from the variation in both irrigation water and water stress index. There was a significant change in the benefit of rice cultivation from 2009 to 2018 resulting in the variation of B/C of major rice from 0.75 to 1.48 and second rice from 0.76 to 1.60. To promote sustainable rice cultivation, cultivation at the provincial and regional levels must have lower ecological footprint and WSF as well as higher B/C than the national average. The ecological footprint, WSF, and B/C results can be used by policymakers to promulgate the area-based policy on reducing resource use and increasing the income for the farmers in Thailand.

Climate change and government policy: Fresh insights from complexity theory

Governments worldwide are increasingly concerned about ensuring a balance between economic and environmental well being. Global economies, particularly developing ones, emphasize the importance of achieving escofriendly growth to maintain the levels of the ecological footprint while achieving higher economic growth. The ecological footprint is a comprehensive indicator of environmental degradation. It is used to assess the state of the environment because it reflects the impact of all human activities on nature. This study contributes to the literature by offering a novel analytical approach for solving complex interactions of ecological footprint antecedents, advancing the theoretical reasoning behind how government policy combines to explain the ecological footprint from some G7 countries (France, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom, and Germany) from 1996 to 2020. To establish a composite score of environmental footprint, we used complexity theory as well as fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) and necessary condition analysis (NCA). Our analysis revealed that low expenditures on environmental protection and waste management, low taxes on transport, and high energy use are sufficient conditions to be included in the causal configurations for a high ecological footprint. Additionally, the sufficient solution, which has the highest coverage score that produces a low ecological footprint relies on high expenditure on environmental protection and high taxes on transportation. In this framework, Japan, Italy, and France have more effective government policies in terms of reducing the ecological footprint.

Insects as mini-livestock: Considering insect welfare in feed production

Insect farming for animal feed production is considered a promising alternative to the traditional feed manufacturing sector, because of its low ecological footprint and circular use of required resources. However, treating insects as mini-livestock is accompanied by various questions on the suitable rearing conditions needed to achieve high-quality products, while considering insect welfare. Although there are concepts which have long served as a compass for animal welfare regulations, these have been under increasing criticism. Also, they have been drawn up for vertebrate animals and are, therefore, not entirely applicable to insects. We hold that the development of commonly accepted methods for keeping insects as mini-livestock demands deep knowledge on insect biology and a dynamic discussion on insect welfare. We plead for an evaluation of the relevant ethical and empirical aspects of insect rearing conditions and for establishing welfare criteria based on these evaluations. By addressing several questions and uncertainties from an interdisciplinary perspective of entomology, animal ethics and philosophy of mind, we argue that taking into account current knowledge on insect biology could aid in the emergence of a novel, well-informed and integrated perspective on insect welfare. Ultimately, our goal is to trace the necessary biological factors for designing implementable and appropriate insect rearing conditions, in order to avoid ethical mistakes that have historically been made in animal production systems.

Waste Orange Peels as a Feed Additive for the Enhancement of the Nutritional Value of Tenebrio molitor

Lately, additional attention is being placed on edible insects, since they constitute an excellent, cost-efficient source of proteins with a low ecological footprint. Tenebrio molitor was the first insect that was considered edible by EFSA in 2021. This species can replace conventional protein sources and thus, it has the potential to be used in many different food products. In the present study, a food by-product that is commonly produced (i.e., albedo orange peel waste) was used as a feed additive for T. molitor larvae, in an effort to further improve the circular economy and enhance the nutritional value of the insects. To this end, bran, which is commonly used as feed for T. molitor larvae, was fortified with the albedo orange peel waste (up to 25% w/w). Larval performance, in terms of larval survival and growth, as well as the larval nutritional value, i.e., the content of protein, fat, carbohydrates, ash, carotenoids, vitamins A and C, and polyphenols, was evaluated. Based on the results, the increase in the percentage of orange peel albedos in T. molitor feed resulted in a subsequent increase in the content of larvae in carotenoids and vitamin A up to 198%, in vitamin C up to 46%, and an increase in the protein and ash content up to 32% and 26.5%, respectively. Therefore, the use of albedo orange peel waste for feeding of T. molitor larvae is highly recommended, since it results in larvae with enhanced nutritional value and at the same time, the utilization of this feeding substrate further lowers the cost of insect farming.

Biodegradable Guar-Gum-Based Super-Porous Matrices for Gastroretentive Controlled Drug Release in the Treatment of Helicobacter pylori: A Proof of Concept.

An increase in resistance to key antibiotics has made the need for novel treatments for the gastric colonization of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) a matter of the utmost urgency. Recent studies tackling this topic have focused either on the discovery of new compounds to ameliorate therapeutic regimes (such as vonoprazan) or the synthesis of gastroretentive drug delivery systems (GRDDSs) to improve the pharmacokinetics of oral formulations. The use of semi-interpenetrating polymer networks (semi-IPNs) that can act as super-porous hydrogels for this purpose is proposed in the present work, specifically those displaying low ecological footprint, easy synthesis, self-floating properties, high encapsulation efficiency for drugs such as amoxicillin (AMOX), great mucoadhesiveness, and optimal mechanical strength when exposed to stomach-like fluids. To achieve such systems, biodegradable synthetic copolymers containing acid-labile monomers were prepared and interpenetrated with guar gum (GG) in a one-pot polymerization process based on thiol-ene click reactions. The resulting matrices were characterized by SEM, GPC, TGA, NMR, and rheology studies, and the acidic hydrolysis of the acid-sensitive polymers was also studied. Results confirm that some of the obtained matrices are expected to perform optimally as GRDDSs for the sustained release of active pharmaceutical ingredients at the gastrointestinal level, being a priori facilitated by its disaggregation. Therefore, the optimal performance of these systems is assessed by varying the molar ratio of the labile monomer in the matrices.

The Ecological Footprint of Greek Citizens: Main Drivers of Consumption and Influencing Factors

The Ecological Footprint (EF) is undoubtedly an important tool for calculating humans’ impact on the environment. For this tool to be even more accessible and understood by most of the people, many online ecological footprint calculators have been created, the most reliable of which was developed by Global Footprint Network (GFN). Aim of this study is to present the Greek population’s main drivers of consumption patterns after customizing the GFN’s international online calculator to the Greek statistics and national accounts. Moreover, the goal of this study is to assess the factors influencing the Ecological Footprint of Greek citizens. The development of a Greek-specific calculator was based on long-lasting research that included gathering and analyzing information about the Greek population. Five hundred seventy-four Greeks used the calculator after its adaptation, and data were collected regarding their total ecological footprint and its differentiation by land type and by consumption category. According to the results, Greece has a low mean of ecological footprint in comparison to other European countries, but there is still a lot of ground to cover for achieving a truly acceptable sustainable way of living. Additionally, only the variable of gender seems to affect the ecological footprint of Greeks, with females having significantly lower personal EF (M = 3.37) than males (M = 4.36, p = 0.011). The adapted online calculator and the produced results regarding the EF of Greek citizens are considered as a valuable tool for policy makers, stakeholders, and educational institutions.

Monitoring System for Leucoptera malifoliella (O. Costa, 1836) and Its Damage Based on Artificial Neural Networks

The pear leaf blister moth is a significant pest in apple orchards. It causes damage to apple leaves by forming circular mines. Its control depends on monitoring two events: the flight of the first generation and the development of mines up to 2 mm in size. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop two models using artificial neural networks (ANNs) and two monitoring devices with cameras for the early detection of L. malifoliella (Pest Monitoring Device) and its mines on apple leaves (Vegetation Monitoring Device). To train the ANNs, 400 photos were collected and processed. There were 4700 annotations of L. malifoliella and 1880 annotations of mines. The results were processed using a confusion matrix. The accuracy of the model for the Pest Monitoring Device (camera in trap) was more than 98%, while the accuracy of the model for the Vegetation Monitoring Device (camera for damage) was more than 94%, all other parameters of the model were also satisfactory. The use of this comprehensive system allows reliable monitoring of pests and their damage in real-time, leading to targeted pest control, reduction in pesticide residues, and a lower ecological footprint. Furthermore, it could be adopted for monitoring other Lepidopteran pests in crop production.

The Biomass Productivity of Maize, Hemp and Faba Bean Multi-Crops

Crop biomass is valuable not only from a nutritional and fodder point of view, but also from an energetic point of view. The main task is to increase biomass production while maintaining low nutrient and pesticide requirements and low ecological footprint. A stationary three-year field experiment was performed at the Experimental Station of Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania, in 2020–2022. Single crops and mixtures of maize, hemp, and faba bean were investigated in terms of their biomass productivity. Results showed that as the crop diversification increases, the productivity of maize and hemp grown in the mixture decreases, while faba bean ensures high dried biomass productivity. During the three years of the experimentation, the highest total dried biomass was found in the ternary crop: on average, 1495.4 g m−2 per year. The highest dried biomass of the ternary crop was established in the first year of experimentation: 2081.1 g m−2. A decrease in biomass yields in the second and third years of the experiment was observed in all treatment plots. The results suggest that the low fertilization level (totally N 45, P 45, K 45 kg ha−1) in the experiment should be increased if multi-crop cultivations are to be regrown during vegetative seasons.