Major Agricultural Areas Research Articles

Characteristics of carbon emission and approaches of carbon mitigation and sequestration for carbon neutrality in China’s crop production

<p id="C3">Crop production not only ensures national food security, but also is the main source of agricultural carbon emissions and an important pool of carbon sequestration. To clarify the characteristics of carbon emissions from crop production and discuss the approaches to reach the peak and neutrality in major agricultural areas can provide important scientific basis to the decision making of green and high-quality agricultural development and “dual-carbon” goal. Based on the national statistical data, this study compared and analyzed the characteristics of carbon emissions in crop planting regions in China, and presented the recommendations for carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas emission mitigation. The carbon emissions of crop production accounted for 45.5% of the national agricultural total carbon emissions in 2018, and the emissions of farmland methane (CH₄), nitrous oxide (N₂O), and carbon dioxide (CO₂) of diesel consumption accounted for 22.9%, 14.7%, and 7.9% of the total carbon emissions of agricultural production, respectively. In terms of the regional emissions, both the total carbon emission of crop production and the carbon emission per sowing area are higher in South than North China, with the highest emissions in East and central China and the greatest potential for emission mitigation. In the carbon emission from crop production, CH₄ emission from rice fields accounts for the main part (50.3%) and is the focus of emission reduction. The annual carbon emission of crop production in China peaked in 2015, and then dropped down. It was mainly attributed to the decrease trend of rice sown area, agricultural nitrogen application rate, and diesel oil consumption. If the existing agricultural imports are not significantly affected, the carbon emissions in crop production have basically reached the peak. However, it is very difficult to achieve carbon neutrality in crop production if only by soil carbon sequestration of farmland, and it is necessary to consider both farmland emission reduction and carbon sequestration. On the premise of high and stable grain yield, the carbon neutrality of modern crop production should prioritize CH₄ and N₂O reduction, and fully exploit the integrated carbon sequestration potential of farmland ecosystems, such as straw utilization, combination of the use and protection of farmland, and construction of farmland forest network.

Uncertainties of global historical land use scenarios in past-millennium cropland reconstruction in China

Global historical land use scenarios, including HYDE3.2 and PJ, are widely used in global change research. However, their uncertainties have not been well evaluated. Based on the historical-documents-based Chinese historical cropland dataset (CHCD), we evaluated the uncertainties of the representative global historical land use scenarios in past-millennium cropland reconstruction in China in terms of the area and spatial pattern. The results show that apparent differences exist in cropland area at the national scale between HYDE3.2 or PJ and CHCD for the Song-Liao-Jin Era (AD 1000–1279) and the Qing dynasty to present (AD 1644–1999), with a maximum relative difference ratio (RDR) of about −35% and 112%, respectively. We detected similar differences at the provincial scale, except for Guizhou, Heilongjiang, Jilin, and Xinjiang provinces. Specifically, HYDE3.2 underestimates cropland areas of nine provinces, with an absolute difference of up to 5.2 × 104 km2, while overestimates cropland areas of ten provinces, with an absolute difference of up to 5.1 × 104 km2. As for the spatial pattern, the percentage of grids with an absolute value of RDR greater than 70% between HYDE3.2 and CHCD reach up to 54%–82%, mainly distributed in major agricultural areas, frontier areas, and geographical transition zones. In conclusion, neither HYDE3.2 nor PJ reflects China's cropland area and its past-millennium change accurately, resulting from the differences in data sources, area estimation, and spatial allocation methods.

Analyzing relationships between rainfall and paddy harvest using artificial neural network (ANN) approach: case studies from North-western and North-central provinces, Sri Lanka

Purpose: Food and agriculture are frequently affected from on-going climate change. A significant percentage of annual harvest is lost due to extreme climatic conditions in different parts of the world. Sri Lanka is considered as a country which is vulnerable to climate change. Therefore, this research presents a detailed analysis to find out the non-linear relationships between the rainfall and paddy harvest in two major provinces of Sri Lanka. Research Method: North-central and North-western provinces as two major agricultural areas were selected for the study. Rainfall trends were identified using non-parametric Mann-Kendall and Sen’s slope estimator tests. The artificial neural network (ANN) approach was used to establish non-linear relationships between rainfall and paddy yield. Findings: There was no significant (p &gt; 0.05) linear correlation between rainfall amount and the rainfed paddy yield in tested locations. However, no clear relationship between the rainfall and rain fed yield were found in the 14 predefined functions (polynomial, logarithmic, exponential and trigonometric) derived using ANN where the calculated coefficients of determination were less than 0.3. Research limitations: Due to lack of other climate variables such as temperatures, a significant relationship was not observed in this study. Originality/value: We have shown that non-linear artificial neural network approach can be used to study the impact of climate on agricultural production in Sri Lanka.

Analysis of a Short-Term and a Seasonal Precipitation Forecast over Kenya

Kenya is highly dependent on precipitation for both food and water security. Farmers and pastoralists rely on rain to provide water for crops and vegetation to feed herds. As such, precipitation forecasts can be useful tools to inform decision makers and potentially allow the preparation for such events as drought. This study assessed the predictability of a seasonal forecast (CFSv2) and a short-term precipitation forecast (CHIRPS-GEFS) over Kenya. The short-term forecast was assessed on its ability to predict the onset date of the rainy season, and the skill of the seasonal forecast in predicting abnormal precipitation patterns. CHIRPS-GEFS provided a useful starting point to estimate the onset date, but during the long rains in the southwest, where agriculture is concentrated, differences between the predicted and actual onset dates were large (over 20 days). Assessments for CFSv2 generally displayed lower forecast skill over highlands and coastal regions at a seasonal scale. The CFSv2 forecast skill varied widely over individual months and lead times, but over whole rainy seasons, CFSv2 was more skillful than a random forecast at all lead times in the major agricultural areas of Kenya. This research fills a critical research and application gap in understanding the forecast precipitation skill for onset and sub-seasonal prediction.

Recharge assessment in the context of expanding agricultural activity: Urucuia Aquifer System, western State of Bahia, Brazil

Groundwater recharge rate estimation is crucial to sustainable development of aquifers in intensely pumped regions, such as the Urucuia Aquifer System (UAS). A sedimentary aquifer in Western Bahia, Brazil, that underlies one of the major agricultural areas of the country where there has been major growth of irrigated areas. This study seeks to evaluate the recharge component of the water budget in the UAS area, based on three complementary techniques. The double-ring infiltrometer test was used to evaluate surface infiltration capacity, an important control on recharge. Water level data from wells (2011–2019 period, 19 wells) in the Brazilian Geological Survey's Integrated Groundwater Monitoring Network (RIMAS-CPRM) was used to estimate the aquifer recharge using the water table fluctuation (WTF) method. Additionally, this study used the Soil Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model in two selected sub-basins to estimate deep recharge from the surface hydrological data. The results of the infiltrometer tests show a notable difference in the infiltration rates between the natural vegetation zones and cropped areas. The WTF and SWAT simulations results suggest similar ranges of recharge rate (an average of 24% of precipitation, in both methods). Results of the study indicate equivalence of these methods to estimate the recharge in sedimentary unconfined aquifers as UAS.

Application of Standard Precipitation Index (SPI) to Assess Rainfall variability in a Major Agricultural Area in Dry Zone of Sri Lanka

Agriculture in the dry zone of Sri Lanka is highly constrained by the inadequacy of irrigation water. The small village tanks located in these areas help farmers to cultivate their lands during dry periods by storing rainwater. However, the rainfall variability has made a considerable threat to functioning of these tanks and in providing expected benefits to the farmers. The objective of this study was to assess the climatic variability using 30-year (1989 to 2018) daily rainfall data from six rain gauging locations (Anuradhapura, Mahagalkadawala, Hingurakgoda, MahaIlluppallama, Girithale and Diyabeduma) in a small tank dominated area in the Dry Zone. Standard Precipitation Index (SPI) was calculated to assess the temporal variability of dry and wet extremes. Mann Kendal Trend Test (MK test) was used to analyze the trend of SPI and Sen’s Slope Estimator to assess the magnitude of the trend. The results of Anuradhapura, Diyabeduma and Mahagalkadawala show significantly increasing trend of SPI 12/ annual rainfall. According to the SPI, there were increasing trends in First Inter Monsoon in Anuradhapura and MahaIlluppallama, which have resulted an increasing rainfall trend in Yala season. Additionally, there was an increasing trend in Second Inter-Monsoon in Anuradhapura. These changes highlight that there are extreme rainfall events occurring in some seasons without making a significant impact in the annual rainfall pattern of the area.

Quantifying carbon budget, crop yields and their responses to environmental variability using the ecosys model for U.S. Midwestern agroecosystems

As one of the major agricultural production areas in the world, the United States (U.S.) Midwest plays a vital role in the global food supply and agricultural ecosystem services. Although significant efforts have been made in modeling the carbon cycle dynamics over this area, large uncertainty still exists in the previous simulations in terms of reproducing individual components of the carbon cycle and their responses to environmental variability. Here we evaluated the performance of an advanced agroecosystem model, ecosys, in simulating carbon budgets over the U.S. Midwest, considering both the magnitude of carbon flux/yield and its response to environmental (climate and soil) variability. We conducted model simulations and evaluations at 7 cropland eddy-covariance sites as well as over 293 counties of Illinois, Indiana, and Iowa in the U.S. Midwest. The site-level simulations showed that ecosys captured both the magnitude and seasonal patterns of carbon fluxes (i.e., net ecosystem carbon exchange (NEE), ecosystem gross primary production (GPP), and ecosystem respiration (Reco)), leaf area index (LAI), and dynamic plant carbon allocation processes, with R2 equal to 0.92, 0.87, 0.87, and 0.78 for GPP, NEE, Reco, and LAI, respectively across all the sites compared with the observations. For regional scale simulations, ecosys reproduced the spatial distribution and interannual variability of corn and soybean yields with the constraints of observed yields and a new remotely sensed GPP product, with R2 of multi-year averaged simulated and observed yield equal 0.83 and 0.80 for corn and soybean, respectively. The simulated responses of carbon cycle dynamics to environmental variability were consistent with that from the empirical observations at both site and regional scales. Our results demonstrated the applicability of ecosys in simulating the carbon cycle and soil carbon dynamics of the U.S. Midwestern agroecosystems under different climate and soil conditions.

Contamination and human health risks of phthalate esters in vegetable and crop soils from the Huang-Huai-Hai region of China.

The widespread presence of phthalate esters (PAEs) in a variety of agricultural inputs has led to PAE contamination in soils and farm products. The endocrine disruption and carcinogenicity of PAEs have attracted much attention. Our research investigated the characteristics of PAE pollution in the soils of vegetable fields and adjacent stable crop fields in four provinces/municipalities across a major agricultural production area in China. We found that the concentrations of PAEs in vegetable soils were not significantly higher than those in stable crop soils. The noncarcinogenic and carcinogenic risks from bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and dibutyl phthalate (DBP) to humans were calculated to represent the risk posed by PAEs. The results showed that diet was the main route for noncarcinogenic risks from PAEs in crop soil and vegetable soils. Because of the combined effect of the population dietary structure and the concentration of PAEs in soils, the noncarcinogenic risks from PAEs in crop soils were similar to or higher than those in vegetable soils. The same pattern was also applicable to the carcinogenic risk from DEHP. Low noncarcinogenic and carcinogenic risks posed by DEHP and DBP indicated that the current level of PAEs in soils did not decrease the safety of agricultural products in the Huang-Huai-Hai region. Stable crop soil, as a non-negligibly phthalate-polluted area, is worthy of as much attention as vegetable soil. This study provides scientific support for food safety risk assessment and control of PAE pollution in the main agricultural production areas in China.

Temporal and spatial variability of antibiotics in agricultural soils from Huang-Huai-Hai Plain, northern China

The objective of this study was to investigate the temporal and spatial distribution of antibiotics in agricultural soils of Huang-Huai-Hai Plain, which is a major agricultural producing area and economically developed region in China. In this study, 105 soil samples including 13 groups of soil profile samples (0–20, 20–40 and 40–60 cm) and 23 paired surface soil samples of greenhouse and open-field were collected from four provinces/municipality in 2018. The occurrence of 20 antibiotics, including four tetracyclines (TCs), seven quinolones (QNs), six sulfonamides (SAs) and three macrolides (MLs) were measured. The concentrations of total antibiotics fell in the range of 1.62–575 μg kg−1, with the mean value of 68.8 μg kg−1. TCs and QNs were dominant antibiotics in soil, accounting for 99.6% of the total concentration. Regional differences of antibiotic residues in soil were found among the four regions as well as between different cropping systems. The levels of antibiotics in greenhouse soils (3.52–575 μg kg−1) were higher than those in open-field soils (1.62–142 μg kg−1). In soils of greenhouse of 1–6 years old, the levels of antibiotics were higher than those with longer history (7–30 years). Antibiotics were mainly distributed in the depth of 0–20 cm. The total concentrations of antibiotics/QNs followed the order of 0–20 cm > 40–60 cm > 20–40 cm, due to probably their interactions with total organic carbon and associated bacterial communities. The results in the study will provide data supports for the formulation of soil antibiotic contamination prevention and control measures.

Climate change impacts and adaptation strategies on rainfed and irrigated maize in the agro-pastoral ecotone of Northwestern China

The agro-pastoral ecotone of Northwestern China (APENC) is one of the major agricultural production areas in China and a region where climate change is evident. Maize is a widely cultivated crop in the APENC, but the potential impact of climate change on maize, and potential adaptation strategies in response to this, are poorly understood. In this study, we used the Cropping System Model (CSM)-CERES-Maize to evaluate the impacts of climate change on maize yield, as well as the feasibility of 2 adaptation strategies; namely, adjusting the planting date and supplying irrigation. CSM-CERES-Maize was driven by an ensemble of 20 global climate models under 2 Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs: RCP4.5 and RCP8.5) from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5). CSM-CERES-Maize performed well in simulating phenology, leaf area index (LAI), maize yield, and soil water dynamics. The results showed that irrigated maize yield would change by +3.9, -16.3, and -20.4% under the RCP4.5 scenario and +0.1, -31.2, and -53.1% under the RCP8.5 scenario in the 2030s, 2060s, and 2090s, respectively. Rainfed maize yield during the 2030s, 2060s, and 2090s would change by +21.7, +16.4, and +12.6% under the RCP4.5 scenario and +25.1, +4.8, and -12.3% under the RCP8.5 scenario, respectively. Evaluation of adaptation strategies suggests that delaying planting dates and supplying irrigation at the tasseling and grain filling stages are the best strategies to increase maize yield under climate change. These results will provide comprehensive information for local policymakers to combat the adverse impacts of climate change.

Spatio-Temporal Differentiation and Driving Mechanism of the “Resource Curse” of the Cultivated Land in Main Agricultural Production Regions: A Case Study of Jianghan Plain, Central China

Cultivated land resources are an important component of natural resources and significant in stabilizing economic and social order and ensuring national food security. Although the research on resource curse has progressed considerably, only a few studies have explored the existence and influencing factors of the resource curse of non-traditional mineral resources. The current study introduced resource curse theory to the cultivated land resources research and directly investigated the county-level relationship between cultivated land resource abundance and economic development. Meanwhile, the spatiotemporal dynamic pattern and driving factors of the cultivated land curse were evaluated on the cultivated land curse coefficient in China’s Jianghan Plain from 2001 to 2017. The results indicated that the curse coefficient of cultivated land resources in Jianghan Plain generally shows a downward trend. That is, the curse phenomenon of the cultivated land resources in large regions did not improve significantly in 2001–2017. The influencing factors of the cultivated land resource curse in different cursed degree areas varied and the spatial interaction of the cursed degree areas differed as well. This study proposed a transmission mechanism of the cultivated land resource curse in Jianghan Plain. Policies from throughout the entire and within the main agricultural producing areas were proposed to adjust the cultivated land resource curse. The results and conclusions of this study will be beneficial in improving future land-use policies in major agricultural areas and reducing lag in economic development caused by the strict protection of cultivated land resources.

Attraction of foreign direct investment in agriculture

Agriculture is an industry with potential and advantages for development, but it is increasingly difficult to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) flows. Up to now, the results of attracting FDI inflows into the agricultural sector have many limitations, not really reaching the industry’s potential. This study will assess the current situation of attracting foreign direct investments into the agricultural sector in Vietnam in terms of FDI capital scale, FDI capital structure based on agriculture standard, investment method, investment partners and by investment recipients. The Red River Delta is one of the two Vietnamese economic regions with highly agricultural production. With the tradition of agricultural production and many favorable natural, economic and social conditions, the Red River Delta can further develop into a major agricultural production area of the country, contributing to economic development of the region and the whole country. However, FDI investment in agriculture in the region is modest compared to the potential of the industry as well as compared to other sectors in the region. While FDI inflow into Vietnam and other sectors in the region tends to increase strongly, FDI into agriculture is very low and has not grown for a long time, which is contrary to the trend of FDI to other sectors of the Red River Delta as well as the whole country and also contrary to the FDI flows to global agriculture.

Spatial Availability of Nitrogen and Pesticides in the Surface Layers of Agricultural Soils of Tropical Hydrosystems in the Wet Season: Case of the B&amp;#233;r&amp;#233; Watershed in C&amp;amp;ocirc;te d’Ivoire (West Africa)

The objective of this study was to assess the contribution of the spatial organization of cropping systems and the physicochemical properties of surface layers of the agricultural zones soils in tropical hydrosystems to the spatial availability of nitrogen and pesticides during the wet season, such as the Béré watershed (BW) in C?te d’Ivoire. For this purpose, after mapping the spatial distribution of the BW cropping systems based on the likelihood classification methodology of satellite images of the study area, 27 samples from the 0 - 20 cm horizon of the soil surface layers of the agricultural areas were taken during the wet and agricultural season of the year 2016. The Kjeldahl method has been used to evaluate the total nitrogen concentration and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) chain made it possible for the analysis of pesticide residues in the soil solutions. Geostatistical analysis and processing of spatial data and physicochemical and agrochemical soil parameters revealed that two major agricultural areas stand out in the BW, namely the Béré upstream watershed (BUW) dominated at 32.65% by annual croppings (maize, cotton, rainfed or lowland rice, market gardening, etc.) and the Béré downstream watershed (BDW) by large areas of perennial croppings (cashew nuts, cocoa, etc.), i.e. 21.47%. Agricultural soils in BW are usually of the moderately desaturated ferralitic type with a low acid pH and a quite strong temperature, such as those of tropical soils’ characteristics. However, agricultural soils in the BUW are characterized by higher proportions of sand and coarse sand. The parameters such as total porosity, cation exchange capacity, clay, organic matter, silt, fine silt, coarse silt, and potassium ions, are higher in the soils of the agricultural area of the BDW. Moreover, soils in the agricultural areas of the BUW are less rich in total nitrogen (0.84 g·kg-1) in contrast to those of the BDW (1.2 g·kg-1). On the other hand, the median concentrations of total pesticides remain very high in the BUW (193.80 μg·kg-1) in front of those of the BDW (94.81 μg·kg-1). In addition, the biological family of herbicides was the most notable in BW. The chemical families of triazines (100% detection; 79.37 μg·kg-1) are the most important in the agricultural area of the BUW with the very significant presence of active molecules of pesticides such as simazine (92.86% detection; 13.17 μg·kg-1). However, in the BDW, urea substitute (100% detection; 44.02 μg·kg-1) dominate, including the active substance chlortoluron (84.62% detection; 10.12 μg·kg-1). The presence and abundance of nitrogen and pesticides in the soils of the agricultural areas of BW are strongly linked to the intensive use of these agrochemicals in cropping systems in recent decades in West African countries, even though most of the active molecules found are forbidden in several countries, especially in European countries. These are applied to tropical agricultural soils with physicochemical characteristics favorable to their retention in wet weather, as confirmed by the case of BW’s agricultural soils. Therefore, the BW’s water resources present worrying risks of contamination during rainy events that deserve to be assessed and monitored. Hence the need to take mitigating measures to this effect in order to preserve the quality of the environment.

Has Covid‐19 Polarised the Debate on Climate Change and Food Security in the European Union?

SummaryThe response of the global food system to the Covid‐19 crisis demonstrated not just its capacity to prevent a health crisis turning into a food crisis, but also highlighted deep divisions around the manner in which food security and climate action interact. The global food system has genuine shortcomings which are part of a much broader, complex picture of trade‐offs between enhancing climate action and food production; all major agricultural countries and regions face area constraints in meeting growing demands from the expected increase in world population. Amongst all major global players it is only in the EU that agriculture has reduced its GHG emissions, and even there momentum seems to have been exhausted recently. However, per capita and per area emissions differ significantly, with the ‘old world’ having a higher level of agricultural intensity than the ‘new world’. These production changes saw Brazil, the US and the EU, in different sectors and to varying degrees, increase the volume of food surpluses, while Africa and Asia generally increased their deficits; the former in food grains and the latter in feed and livestock products. These facts clearly point to an uncomfortable reality – that globally, we need to produce more with less, and therefore both economic and environmental efficiency matter.

Desalination and sustainability: a triple bottom line study of Australia

For many arid countries, desalination is considered as the final possible option to ensure water availability. Although seawater desalination offers the utilisation of almost infinite water resources, the technology is associated with high costs, high energy consumption and thus high carbon emissions when using electricity from fossil sources. In our study, we compare different electricity mixes for seawater desalination in terms of some economic, social and environmental attributes. For this purpose, we developed a comprehensive multi-regional input-output model that we apply in a hybrid life-cycle assessment spanning a period of 29 yr. In our case study, we model desalination plants destined to close the water gap in the Murray-Darling basin, Australia’s major agricultural area. We find that under a 100%-renewable electricity system, desalination consumes 20% less water, emits 90% less greenhouse gases, and generates 14% more employment. However, the positive impacts go hand in hand with 17% higher land use, and a 10% decrease in gross value added, excluding external effects.

Paths of adaptation to climate change in major Italian agricultural areas: Effectiveness and limits in supporting the profitability of farms

Climate change requires Mediterranean farms to maintain adequate profitability, while adapting to the increase in water needs of crops, the growth of water demand for non-agricultural users and the reduction of resource availability. We use discrete stochastic programming models of three Italian farming areas to simulate the adaptation paths of their farm types to changes in yields and irrigation needs of crops that climate change could generate at 2030. This is done in a context of progressive decrease of water availability. We condense the adaptation choices attributed by the optimization process to the farm types by means of indicators of value produced per water cubic meter and per hectare. We use those indicators in a quadratic regression analysis to explain the change in the hourly wages of family labour, which represents the farm resources’ profitability. The examination of the resulting elasticity indices outlines the adaptation paths impact on farm profitability. This integrated analysis of optimization models and econometric regression shows that the core of Italian cow milk production, based on medium-high intensity forage systems, adapts better. Instead, available technologies and structural features provide much narrower margins to livestock farms based on intensive forage production and, conversely, to more extensive livestock systems. Crop farms adapt by reducing labour use in less profitable activities, which boosts family hourly wages but increases unemployment. Furthermore, the surface of some crops can be expanded because their cycle takes place in months in which the availability of water decreases less and their irrigation requirement increases less; however, the low productivity of these crops does not allow to increase wages for family labour. The results on farms overall profitability derive from an integrated analysis of changes in water resources productivity, soil and labor. Mathematical programming outlines the adaptation paths that maximize farming incomes; the econometric analysis indicates whether those paths support profitability, favouring farm economic sustainability.

Reduced neurobehavioral functioning in agricultural workers and rural inhabitants exposed to pesticides in northern Chile and its association with blood biomarkers inhibition

BackgroundPrevious biomonitoring studies have shown that people in the rural population of Coquimbo, the major agricultural area in northern Chile are being occupationally and environmentally exposed to organophosphate/carbamate (OP/CB) pesticides. Given their harmful effects, this study had two aims; first, to evaluate the effect of cumulative or chronic exposure to OP/CB pesticides on the neurobehavioral performance of agricultural workers and rural inhabitants; second, to determine if changes in the neurobehavioral performance are associated to changes in blood biomarkers of OP/CB pesticides during the spray season, when exposure is higher.MethodsFor the first aim, a cross sectional study of neurobehavioral performance in adult volunteers (men and women, 18–50 years-old, right-handed) was carried out in the pre-spray season. Sampling was done by convenience and a questionnaire was used to categorize participants depending on their level of chronic exposure, as either: occupationally exposed (OE, n = 87), environmentally exposed (EE, n = 81), or non-exposed controls or reference group (RG, n = 100). A neurobehavioral test battery consisting of 21 tests to measure cognitive, motor and emotional state was applied. For the second aim, neurobehavioral measures were taken a second time from EE and OE groups during the spray season, and their exposure corroborated by blood-based biomarker inhibition.ResultsLower neurobehavioral performance was observed in the pre-spray evaluation of EE and OE groups compared to the non-exposed, OE being the worst performing group. Seasonal exposure impaired performance in both exposure groups on all tests except those on attention and mood. Data modeling of the basal (pre-spray) measurements showed that the level of exposure was the best predictor of performance. During spraying, inhibition of BChE activity in the EE group was the best predictor of low performance in tests measuring logical, auditory and visual memory, inhibitory control of cognitive interference, constructional and planning abilities, executive functions, and motor speed and coordination.ConclusionLong-term occupational or environmental exposure to pesticides caused impairment in neurobehavioral functioning, which worsened during the spraying season, mainly in EE. BChE inhibition was the best predictor for seasonal neurobehavioral changes in EE.

Field assay using a native entomopathogenic nematode for biological control of the weevil Phyrdenus muriceus in organic eggplant crops in Argentina

The weevil Phyrdenus muriceus Germar (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is an emergent pest of eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) crops in the humid Pampa of Argentina. Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) constitute an effective and environmentally safe strategy within integrated pest management. The efficacy of a native EPN Heterorhabditis bacteriophora SUP isolate for the control of P. muriceus was evaluated. Larvae and adults were susceptible to the nematode in laboratory assays. Field evaluations indicated a slight reduction of P. muriceus populations, evidenced after a second application by a decrease of the foliar damage in the eggplant crops. Adults of P. muriceus parasitized by H. bacteriophora were observed in the field one month after the second application. The present study is the first assessment of EPNs against P. muriceus under field conditions, and the first report of their use in the humid Pampa, one of the major agricultural areas of Argentina.

Occurrence and Fate of Natural Estrogens in Swiss Cattle and Pig Slurry

Natural estrogens act as endocrine disruptors. However, the fate of livestock farming derived natural estrogens (17α-estradiol, 17β-estradiol, estrone, and estriol) in slurry is not well understood. In this study, we assessed the effects of on farm-storage on natural estrogen concentrations in slurry. Furthermore, we monitored pig and cattle slurry pits from major agricultural areas in Switzerland and determined natural estrogen concentrations therein. They were relatively stable over time, and mean concentrations ranged from 138 to 861 and 54 to 244 ng/L for cattle and pig slurries, respectively. 17α-Estradiol and estriol were the most prevalent estrogens in cattle and pig slurries, respectively. Based on livestock numbers, agricultural area, and estrogen concentrations in slurry, the estimated annual load of total natural estrogens applied on agricultural area amounted to 36 mg/ha. Our results indicate that slurry application is a relevant source of natural estrogens in the environment.

Analysis of temporal and spatial characteristics and Influonling Factors of crop residue burning in major agricultural areas from 2013 to 2017

Analysis of temporal and spatial characteristics and Influonling Factors of crop residue burning in major agricultural areas from 2013 to 2017