National Food Research Articles

Unravelling the complexities of wetland agriculture, climate change, and coping mechanisms: an integrative review using economics and satellite approaches

AbstractThe flash flood-affected wetland region of Bangladesh contributes around 20–25% of the annual Boro rice production, which is vital for local, regional, and national food security. Considering the crucial significance of Boro rice and the growing susceptibility of wetland regions to flash floods and climate change, it is imperative to investigate viable approaches and adaptation methods to reduce the adverse effects on agricultural output. This review study investigated the relationships between wetlands, climate change, and coping mechanisms while incorporating economic and advanced satellite remote sensing approaches. Through a comprehensive analysis of flash flood impacts on Boro rice yield using satellite remote sensing technique, the findings revealed significant adverse effects on the vegetative reproduction of Boro rice in the study areas. Notably, flash floods in 2017 exhibited more pronounced impacts than other years (2018 and 2019), underscoring the urgency for effective and integrated coping strategies to ensure sustainable agricultural production. Consequently, the study identified and discussed probable coping strategies, including changes in cropping patterns through land suitability assessment, evaluating vulnerable areas through vulnerability mapping, analyzing yield forecasting models, and introducing a damage-based crop insurance approach to mitigate farmers’ losses. These probable adaptation strategies will offer viable solutions to address the recurrent issue of flash floods and safeguard sustainable agricultural production in the wetland areas of Bangladesh. Considering the current situation, climate change issues and probable alternative coping strategies are crucial for developing a resilient agricultural system in light of flash floods, ensuring the long-term viability of wetland agriculture. The study outcomes provide valuable insights for policymakers, researchers, and stakeholders in wetland agricultural planning and management to develop proper and long-term sustainable adaptation and mitigation strategies.

National Food Policies and Food Security in Kenya's Arid and Semi-Arid Lands

Food insecurity remains a persistent challenge in Kenya's Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs) due to a combination of frequent climate shocks such as droughts, floods and livestock diseases. These extremes disrupt traditional ways of life and devastate crops and livestock, leaving communities with little to no food. This paper examined the effect of national food policies and strategies on food security in these fragile regions, specifically focusing on initiatives designed to address the recurring problem. The arguments of the decentralization and institutional capacity theories were used to guide the analysis. Methodologically, the study employed a descriptive survey research design to inform data collection and analysis. The research established that despite government interventions, food insecurity remains prevalent in ASAL regions. The causes of this insecurity are multifaceted, encompassing factors such as climate variability, restricted access to resources and socio-economic disparities. The paper recommends a review of national food policies targeting ASALs to align them with the drivers of food insecurity. The review should include community engagement and stakeholder collaboration to attain effective and sustainable solutions.

The Effect of High-Standard Farmland Construction Policy on Grain Harvest Losses in China

The United Nations included reducing harvest losses as a Sustainable Development Goal in 2015, sparking heightened research and policymaker interest in reducing losses to ensure food security. High-standard farmland construction plays a crucial role in ensuring food security. Few studies have combined high-standard farmland construction with grain harvest losses. Drawing on the data from the 2022 Chinese Post-Harvest Loss Survey (CPHLS 2022), the study utilizes OLS (ordinary least square) and quantile regression models to explore the impact of high-standard farmland construction on grain harvest losses. Empirical results show that high-standard farmland construction can significantly reduce grain harvest losses. The research conclusions are still valid after passing a series of robustness tests. The heterogeneity analysis shows that high-standard farmland construction significantly impacts on grain harvest losses for farmers in major grain-producing areas, plain areas, and eastern regions. Mechanism analysis reveals that high-standard farmland construction mainly reduces grain harvest losses by expanding operational scale and enhancing mechanization application. Based on research findings, the Chinese government should formulate a targeted high-standard farmland construction policy, optimize the agricultural machinery operating environment, and promote appropriate operational scale to ensure national food security.

Influence of acid and thermal treatment on regeneration of spent bleaching clay and conversion of residual oil to biodiesel

ABSTRACT Spent bleaching clay (SBC) is a hazardous waste produced by vegetable oil refining industries. SBC contains a residual oil (RO) with a lot of organic and inorganic impurities and its disposal leads to severe environmental consequences. In this study, SBC regeneration by extraction, acid modification and pyrolysis under various conditions and biodiesel production were studied. The GC-MS of the extracted RO shows that the fatty acid content is in conformity with crude oil and is appropriate for biodiesel production. FTIR was recorded in order to evaluate the main functional groups of fresh-, spent-, regenerated bleaching clay. The specific surface area (SSA) of fresh bleaching clay (FBC) (166.1 ± 1.7 m2/g) was lower than regenerated bleaching clay (RBC) one. The highest SSA (252.1 ± 1.7 m2/g) was revealed by pyrolysis at 550°C and activation with 10% sulfuric acid. Subsequent increase in the acid concentration and temperature of pyrolysis caused a decrease in the SSA. The heavy metals concentration in RBC was lower than the limits for activated bleaching clay in the National Food Safety Standard. Hence, RBC effectively copes with heavy metal removal. The peroxide, anisidine, acid values and oxidation stability of oil bleached with RBC are comparable to the FBC. Implications: The disposal of spent bleaching clay from vegetable oil refining industries has been recognized as a significant environmental issue. After adsorbing the impurities, spent bleaching clay becomes contaminated with a high concentration of organic and inorganic substances, including residual oils, fatty acids, phospholipids, and potentially toxic heavy metals. This makes spent bleaching clay a hazardous waste and improper disposal can lead to severe environmental consequences. Due to the potential environmental harm caused by spent bleaching clay disposal, it is crucial for vegetable oil refining industries to adopt proper waste management practices. Overall, the proper management and disposal of spent bleaching clay is essential to prevent environmental contamination and safeguard human health.

Persistence of widespread moderate Spinosad resistance among wild melon fly (Zeugodacus cucurbitae) and oriental fruit fly (Bactrocera dorsalis) populations on the major Hawaiian islands.

Insecticide resistance among invasive tephritid fruit flies poses a great risk to national food security and has the potential to disrupt quarantine and eradication programs, which rely on the efficacy of Spinosad to prevent widespread establishment in North America. During 2022 to 2023 we surveyed the extent of Spinosad resistance of two key species, oriental fruit fly Bactrocera dorsalis, and melon fly Zeugodacus cucurbitae, from 20 sites across five Hawaiian Islands including Kaua'i, O'ahu, Maui, Molokai and the "Big Island" (Hawai'i). We used topical thoracic applications of eight concentrations of Spinosad ranging from 0.028 to 3.6 mg/mL to evaluate the lethal concentration (LC50 and LC99) required to kill wild-caught males. Resistance ratios (RR) were calculated by comparing the LC50 of wild flies to laboratory susceptible lines maintained in colony. Our results identified at least two new sites of concern for melon fly resistance on the Big Island, and at least four sites of concern for oriental fruit fly, all of which were located on the Big Island. At these locations RRs were >5. On O'ahu, melon fly RRs were >10. The persistence of Spinosad resistance is concerning, yet it is a reduction compared to the values reported previously and before changes to Spinosad use recommendations by local extension agents beginning in 2017. For oriental fruit fly, these RR values are the highest levels that have been detected in wild Hawai'i populations. These data suggest that expanded Spinosad reduction and replacement programs are warranted given the ongoing issues with Spinosad resistance in Hawai'i and expansion in the number of species affected. © 2024 The Author(s). Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry. This article has been contributed to by U.S. Government employees and their work is in the public domain in the USA.

Planetary Health Diet Compared to Dutch Dietary Guidelines: Nutritional Content and Adequacy.

In 2019, the EAT-Lancet Commission proposed a Planetary Health Diet (PHD) to address challenges toward sustainable and healthy diets. However, its suitability within the Dutch context and a comparison with the Dutch Dietary Guidelines (DDG) needs investigation. Our study aimed to compare the PHD with DDG in terms of food groups, servings, nutritional content, and adequacy in adults. We modeled two theoretical diets, the PHD (PHD-NL) and another based on the DDG (DDG-NL), using the Dutch National Food Consumption Survey (FCS-2016) and Dutch Food Composition Database to calculate the nutritional content and compared it with the Dutch Dietary Reference Values (DRVs). The PHD included higher quantities of vegetables, fish, legumes, and nuts, while the DDG suggested more significant amounts of cereals, tubers, starchy vegetables, dairy, and red meat. We observed differences in macronutrient distribution; while both diets lacked sufficient vitamin D, calcium content was lower in the PHD-NL. The PHD-NL had higher levels of fiber, vegetable protein, unsaturated fats, and non-heme iron, while vitamins B2, B6, B12, and calcium were lower than the DDG-NL diet. The PHD-NL has nutritional adequacy in the Dutch context, except for vitamin D and calcium, although it is essential to be cautious with iron because of the bioavailability of non-heme iron in plant-based diets. These findings have implications for the adoption of a sustainable diet according to nutritional requirements, population health status, and sociocultural context, as well as compliance with specific dietary behaviors of populations.

Network pharmacology combined with experimental validation reveals the mechanism of action of erpixing granules on functional dyspepsia

Ethnopharmacological relevanceFunctional dyspepsia (FD) is a prevalent gastrointestinal disorder characterised by high incidence and recurrence rates, posing significant health risks. Erpixing Granules (EPX), approved by the National Food and Drug Administration in 2002, are known for their spleen and stomach invigorating properties, effectively treating FD. However, its mechanism of action remains unclear. Aim of the studyThis study aims to elucidate EPX's mechanism of treating FD through network pharmacology, and experimental validation using FD animal models. MethodsIn this study, the chemical composition of EPX in positive and negative ion modes was analyzed by UHPLC-Q-TOF MS. The mass spectral data were processed and analyzed using MS-DIAL software to automatically match compound fragment information and identify the known components with the compound database to obtain the active components of EPX. SwissTargetPrediction was used to obtain EPX targets, while FD-related targets were sourced from GeneCards, OMIM and DisGeNET databases. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed using the STRING platform, and potential signalling pathways of EPX were determined through Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis. Finally, an FD model was established in rates by administering a 0.1% iodoacetamide sucrose solution, followed by tail clamp stimulation to experimentally validate the network pharmacology findings. ResultsOur results revealed 139 effective ingredients in EPX, targeting 60 core FD-related genes. PPI network analysis identified EGFR, CTNNB1 and NFκB1 as core target genes. The KEGG pathway analysis indicated that EPX can modulate FD progression through the PI3K/AKT signalling pathway. Animal experiments demonstrated EPX's capacity to increase body mass, food intake and food utilisation efficiency in FD rats, alongside increased gastric juice secretion, pepsin activity, trypsin activity, cholesterol, bile acid and bilirubin activity. HE examination revealed that EPX improved the inflammatory infiltration of gastric mucosal cells in rats. Furthermore, EPX also promoted gastric emptying and intestinal propulsion in mice. These results suggest that EPX improves spleen and stomach function, enhances the protective effect on the spleen and stomach and promotes food digestion and absorption. Immunofluorescence studies revealed upregulated expression of PI3K, AKT and ANO1 proteins in gastric tissue following EPX administration, while Western blotting indicated increased expression of SCF and C-kit proteins. ConclusionSuggesting EPX's anti-FD effect may involve the regulation of the SCF/C-kit signalling pathway and activation of downstream PI3K/AKT signalling pathway, thereby promoting gastrointestinal motility and improving FD symptoms.

Mobile money, food security and coping strategies in a post-conflict and fragile context: evidence from Burundi

PurposeAttaining the Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SDG2) of zero hunger continues to be a challenge in most parts of Sub-Saharan Africa. However, financial inclusion is seen as a potential pathway for reducing food insecurity among poor households. Mobile money is a financial inclusion instrument that is easily accessible to poor households and has the potential to increase the level of financial inclusion. This paper contributes to the literature by examining the determinants of mobile money adoption, its effects on household food security and the choice of coping strategies in Burundi, a post-conflict and fragile country.Design/methodology/approachUsing survey data that involved 860 households in Burundi, we adopted the Household Hunger Scale (HHS) developed under the Food and Nutrition Technical Assistance Project to measure household food security. We further employ the endogenous switching regression treatment effects model for ordered outcomes and the multivariate probit model to achieve our aims.FindingsThe results of our study reveal that the adoption of mobile money is influenced by factors such as gender, marital status, age, formal education, membership in a social network, area of residence and access to a tarred road network. Additionally, the food security status of a household was determined by marital status, formal education, social network membership, access to tarred roads, off-farm income, access to credit and land tenure security. We confirm that mobile money adoption has a significantly positive effect on the food security status of households with heterogeneity in gender and area of residence. We also find that mobile money adoption reduces the likelihood of households adopting consumption-related coping strategies.Practical implicationsThe promotion of mobile money should, therefore, be included in Burundi’s national food security policies.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the literature by providing empirical evidence on the effect of mobile money adoption on household food security and the choice of coping strategies in a post-conflict context.

Dietary Biodiversity and Diet Quality in Dutch Adults.

Dietary biodiversity, defined as the variety of consumed plants, animals and other organisms, can be measured by dietary species richness (DSR). This study investigated associations between DSR and diet quality in Dutch adults. Dietary intake data of 2078 Dutch participants, aged 19 to 79 years, were collected by the Dutch National Food Consumption Survey between 2012 and 2016 via two non-consecutive 24-h dietary recalls. DSR scores were calculated based on the total count of unique species consumed per individual over the two measurement days. An overall DSR score and separate scores for fruit and vegetable species consumption were calculated. The Dutch Healthy Diet index 2015 (DHD15-index) was used to measure diet quality. Linear regression analyses were performed to investigate associations between DSR scores and DHD15-index. Analyses were stratified by age and adjusted for relevant confounders. In total, 157 unique species were identified within the investigated food groups. On average, individuals consumed 13 unique species over two days (SD 4.55). For every additional species consumed, the DHD15-index increased by 1.40 points (95%CI 1.25-1.55). Associations between DSR and DHD15-index were higher in younger adults. DSR fruit showed the strongest associations with DHD15-index (β 4.01 [95%CI 3.65-4.38]). Higher DSR scores are associated with higher diet quality in Dutch adults. These newly developed DSR scores create opportunities for further research to explore the implications of dietary biodiversity in Western diets on health and related outcomes.

Spatiotemporal Distribution and Driving Mechanisms of Cropland Long-Term Stability in China from 1990 to 2018

Long-term stability is crucial in cropland for maintaining stable agricultural production and ensuring national food security. However, relatively few studies have been conducted on the long-term stability of cropland at the national level. This study assessed the long-term stability of cropland in China from 1990 to 2018 using a fine-resolution land use dataset. The experimental results indicated that the average area of unstable cropland in China from 1990 to 2018 amounted to 2.08 × 106 km2, 47.31% of the total. The Qinghai–Tibet Plateau exhibited the highest average proportion of unstable cropland at 65.9%, followed by the northern arid and semiarid region, Southern China, and the Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau. The quantity of unstable cropland in China initially declined before increasing, reaching a final growth rate of 5.09%. Furthermore, this study explored the relevant driving factors of cropland’s long-term stability from both natural factors and human activities based on artificial neural networks. The relative importance of distance to vegetation reached a value of 0.30, indicating that it had the most significant influence on the long-term stability of cropland, followed by relief amplitude and soil type. This phenomenon may be attributed to the inadequate execution of the Grain for Green Policy and the requisition–compensation balance of cropland policy, along with the depletion of young and middle-aged laborers due to urban migration from rural areas. Local governments should focus on addressing the unsustainable exploitation of sloped land in rural mountainous or hilly regions while preventing urban developers from appropriating fertile cropland to compensate for less fertile areas.

Selection of optimal knot point and best geographic weighted on geographically weighted spline nonparametric regression model

This study proposes the development of a nonparametric regression model combined with geographically weighted regression. The regression model considers geographical factors and has a data pattern that does not follow a parametric form to overcome the problem of spatial heterogeneity and unknown regression functions. This study aims to model provincial food security index data in Indonesia with the GWSNR model, so finding the optimal knot point and the best geographic weighting is necessary. We propose the selection of optimal knot points using the Cross Validation (CV) and Generalized Cross Validation (GCV) methods. The optimal knot point will control the accuracy of the regression curve as we also consider the MSE value in showing the ability of the model. In addition, we determine the best geographic weighting and test the significance of the model parameters. We demonstrate the GWSNR model on food security index data. The best GWSNR model uses the Gaussian kernel weighting function and selects the optimal knot point as one-knot point based on the lowest CV and GCV values. Simultaneous and partial parameter test results show that there are 10 area classifications with different effects on each group of classification results. Some of the highlights of the proposed approach are:•The method is the development of a nonparametric regression model with geographic weighting, which combines nonparametric and spatial regression in modeling the national food security index.•There are three-knot points tested in nonparametric truncated spline regression and three geographic weightings in spatial regression. Then the optimal knot point and best bandwidth are determined using Cross Validation and Generalized Cross Validation.•This article will determine regional groupings in Indonesia in 2022 based on significant predictors in modeling the national food security index numbers.

Sustainable future food demand: Integrating social, health, and environmental considerations in forecasting

Predicting future food demand and understanding its environmental and dietary ramifications are vital for ensuring food system sustainability in an equitable manner. Existing forecasting methods often overlook societal diversity and do not connect projected food demand with its socio-environmental implications. This paper introduces a framework for forecasting a nation's future food demand with considerations for socio-demographics and dietary preferences, along with potential dietary and environmental implications. Israeli household expenditure surveys spanning two decades (1997–2017) representing over 120,000 households were used to explore a series of potential food purchase scenarios for the period up to 2030 and the nutritional and environmental footprints of subgroups. These subgroups included small and large families, young couples, the elderly, and wealthy adult households. Three dietary scenarios based on expected socio-demographic changes were then examined: “Environmental,” “Healthy,” and “Mediterranean” scenarios. All examined scenarios predicted a surge in food demand by 18 to 22 % for the period of 2018–2030. The “business-as-usual” (BAU) scenario emphasizes the expected rise in the consumption of meat, oil products, and food outside the home, leading to a 20 % rise in greenhouse gas emissions. In comparison, in the case of the Healthy scenario, emissions are expected to rise by 22 %, and according to the Environmental scenario by only 10 %. Significant differences were also discovered across various social groups in regard to the analyzed dietary and environmental indicators. Although the study focuses on Israel, the proposed framework's universality makes it adaptable to any country. This could empower policymakers and stakeholders to craft food security informed decisions and targeted interventions that address the needs of diverse social groups while considering socio-environmental implications both presently and in the future.

The Frequently Used Industrial Food Process Additive, Microbial Transglutaminase: Boon or Bane.

Microbial transglutaminase (mTG) is a frequently consumed processed food additive, and use of its cross-linked complexes is expanding rapidly. It was designated as a processing aid and was granted the generally recognized as safe (GRAS) classification decades ago, thus avoiding thorough assessment according to current criteria of toxicity and public health safety. In contrast to the manufacturer's declarations and claims, mTG and/or its transamidated complexes are proinflammatory, immunogenic, allergenic, pathogenic, and potentially toxic, hence raising concerns for public health. Being a member of the transglutaminase family and functionally imitating the tissue transglutaminase, mTG was recently identified as a potential inducer of celiac disease. Microbial transglutaminase and its docked complexes have numerous detrimental effects. Those harmful aspects are denied by the manufacturers, who claim the enzyme is deactivated when heated or by gastric acidity, and that its covalently linked isopeptide bonds are safe. The present narrative review describes the potential side effects of mTG, highlighting its thermostability and activity over a broad pH range, thus, challenging the manufacturers' and distributers' safety claims. The national food regulatory authorities and the scientific community are urged to reevaluate mTG's GRAS status, prioritizing public health protection against the possible risks associated with this enzyme and its health-damaging consequences.

Habitat and movement selection processes of American lobster/jakej within a restricted bay in the Bras d’Or Lake/Pitu’paq, Nova Scotia, Canada

American lobster inhabit the unique, brackish Bras d’Or Lake system, although densities are low compared to areas with similar habitats in the Atlantic Ocean. Nevertheless, lobsters are an important part of local First Nation (Mi’kmaq) food and culture. We used acoustic telemetry and habitat mapping, combined with local Mi’kmaw knowledge, to document the movements and habitat use of adult lobsters within a section of the Lake. Movement patterns of acoustically tagged individual lobsters were analyzed with both resource selection functions and integrated step selection functions using data obtained from a high-resolution VEMCO Positioning System within a restricted bay in the Bras d’Or Lake. The resource selection function suggested stronger selections of substrates that contained a combination of soft and hard sediments. While the integrated step selection functions found substantial individual variability in habitat selections, there was a trend for lobsters to exhibit more resident behaviour on the combined soft/hard substrates despite the fact these sediments provided little in the way of obvious shelters for the animals. Adult lobsters at this site have very little risk of predation, which presumably allows them to freely exhibit exploratory behaviours and reduce their association with substrates that provide shelters.

Regeneration of rural rice farmers in Central Java Province

Central Java Province is one of the rice production centers in Java Island which plays a role in supporting national food availability. The phenomenon of a decrease in the number of agricultural business households over 10 years by 16.3 % indicates a shift in the interest of people working in the agricultural sector, switching to other sectors outside the agricultural sector. The lack of interest of the younger generation in farming indicates the phenomenon of a shift in community interest in the agricultural sector. This is inseparable from the regeneration of farmers in rural areas. This research uses the basic method of descriptive analysis. The research location was determined by purposive method so that the district with the largest average harvest area and rice production, namely Grobogan District and the location that reflects the adoption of technology, namely Sukoharjo District. The number of research samples was 250 samples of rice farmers in Central Java Province. Factors affecting the regeneration of rice farmers in Central Java Province were analyzed by SEM PLS. The results of the inner model analysis showed (1) latent variables of individual characteristics, socio-cultural environment, and farmer empowerment significantly positive effect on the performance of rice farmers, (2) economic environment variables and farm management had, a significantly negative effect on the performance of rice farmers, (3) latent variables of socio-cultural environment, economic environment, and performance of rice farmers have a significant positive effect on the regeneration of rice farmers in Central Java Province and (4) variable farmer empowerment has a significant negative effect on the regeneration of rice farmers in Central Java Province. The results of the model fit analysis and quality indices show that the model fit test has been fit (ideal).

Genetic characterization of cucumber genetic resources in the NARO Genebank indicates their multiple dispersal trajectories to the East

Key messageGenotyping-by-sequencing of 723 worldwide cucumber genetic resources revealed that cucumbers were dispersed eastward via at least three distinct routes, one to Southeast Asia and two from different directions to East Asia.The cucumber (Cucumis sativus) is an economically important vegetable crop cultivated and consumed worldwide. Despite its popularity, the manner in which cucumbers were dispersed from their origin in South Asia to the rest of the world, particularly to the east, remains a mystery due to the lack of written records. In this study, we performed genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) on 723 worldwide cucumber accessions, mainly deposited in the Japanese National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO) Genebank, to characterize their genetic diversity, relationships, and population structure. Analyses based on over 60,000 genome-wide single-nucleotide polymorphisms identified by GBS revealed clear genetic differentiation between Southeast and East Asian populations, suggesting that they reached their respective region independently, not progressively. A deeper investigation of the East Asian population identified two subpopulations with different fruit characteristics, supporting the traditional classification of East Asian cucumbers into two types thought to have been introduced by independent routes. Finally, we developed a core collection of 100 accessions representing at least 93.2% of the genetic diversity present in the entire collection. The genetic relationships and population structure, their associations with geographic distribution and phenotypic traits, and the core collection presented in this study are valuable resources for elucidating the dispersal history and promoting the efficient use and management of genetic resources for research and breeding in cucumber.

Groundwater Balance Estimation and Quality For Irrigation In The Food Estate Area, Central Sumba Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia

Abstract Food estate in Central Sumba Regency is one of Indonesia’s Nasional Strategic Projects that aim to increase the national food supply. Groundwater has been the main water supply by residents around the food estate area in Central Sumba Regency. Groundwater exploitation in the research area uses dug wells, bore wells, and springs. They mostly use groundwater for domestic use and irrigation purposes. Aquifer depletion and declining groundwater levels can occur as groundwater is exploited too much due to the growing need for groundwater. Hence, determining the groundwater budget is required to ensure the basin’s sustainability. This study aims to determine groundwater quality for irrigation in the food estate and estimate the groundwater budget. Besides, water quality is also an important feature of groundwater, and it expresses how sufficient the water is for various needs, each having its requirements represented as water quality standards. Groundwater samples were taken from various areas in the research area, and groundwater’s physical-chemical properties, such as TDS, EC, temperature, and pH, were measured in the field and compared with Government Regulation no. 22, 2021, and FAO for irrigation water quality standards. The results show that the research area has a low to medium groundwater potential. The result of physical-chemical properties measurement are as follows TDS value is 183 mg/L on average, EC value is 366 μS/cm on average, the temperature value is 25.4°C on average, and pH value is 7.3 on average. It can be concluded that all of the samples met the standards.

KARAKTER SPASIAL DAN TEMPORAL CURAH HUJAN BULANAN KABUPATEN JEMBER BERDASARKAN DATA CHIRPS

Jember Regency is one of the national food storage areas. One of the most important resources in cultivating food crops is water which comes from rainfall. The existence of rainfall data is very important in planning and implementing agricultural activities. Limited rainfall data is the main problem for agricultural planning. One solution to this problem is to utilize rainfall data from CHIRPS (Climate Hazards Group Infrared Precipitation Station). The use of CHIRPS data is still biased data, so bias correction is needed to measure the level of accuracy of CHIRPS data for estimating rainfall in an area. Bias correction is carried out using two methods, namely multiple linear regression and power regression. The correction results show that the multiple linear regression method is able to produce monthly rainfall that is close to observations with an RMSE value of 3.9 and a coefficient of determination of 0.99. Temporally, the peak of the rainy season in Jember Regency occurs in December while the dry season is in August. In the rainy season (December-January and February) Jember Regency's rainfall is around 300-500 mm/month and in the dry season (June-July-August) it is in the range of 50-200 mm/month. Spatially, the northern part of Jember, especially Sumberbaru, Bangsalsari and Tanggul subdistricts, is wetter than the Jember Regency area as a whole. The southern part of Jember, especially those close to the coast, has lower rainfall than other regions. In the dry season, rainfall in this region is less than 20 mm/month.

Screening of Drought-Resistant Potato Germplasm Resources Based on Intelligent Algorithm

As a staple food resource, potato is of great significance for improving grain reserves and ensuring national food security. In order to improve potato yield and promote the process of potato becoming a staple food, a K-means algorithm optimized by particle swarm algorithm was proposed to realize the screening of dry potato germplasm resources. First, the research continues the research on particle swarm optimization, and innovatively applies K-means algorithm to optimization. The research utilizes the advantages of particle swarm optimization, such as fast convergence speed, strong search ability, and simple operation, to enable particle swarm optimization to take on the role of optimizing the initial clustering center, thereby improving the accuracy and efficiency of clustering analysis. On this basis, a PSO-K-means drought resistant potato germplasm resource screening model was constructed. This model consists of a data collection and preprocessing module, an impact indicator determination module, and a comprehensive evaluation module. Finally, the application effect of the model was verified. The results show that the AUC value of the model is up to 0.840, and the screening accuracy is as high as 94.5%, which is 13.5% higher than that of the K-means model. The research method has been validated to improve the limitations of K-means mode, such as high screening error, weak stability, and falling into local optimal solutions. It optimizes the screening effect of drought resistant potato germplasm resources, which is conducive to exploring the potential of potato resources. In addition, research has also provided broader ideas for the optimization and application of particle swarm optimization algorithms.

Capital deepening and land average grain yield convergence: Evidence from China

The shift of agricultural labor force to non-agricultural sectors has paralleled China's economic development, leading to a substantial rise in labor costs relative to capital. Consequently, the agricultural production has witnessed a shift towards capital-intensive practices. The capital deepening coincides with the significant increase in China's grain output while the main cause of capital deepening in China's grain production is poorly understood. This study examines the effect of increasing in various capital investments on the grain yield growth and growth convergence in China's main production areas, based on the data collected from the data set of the Compilation of Cost-Benefit Data of Agricultural Products (CCBDAP). Results show that the increases of chemical fertilizer, pesticide and machinery input have played key roles in the increase of grain yield. For early indica rice, japonica rice, wheat and maize, the average land output bears a β convergence. These findings suggest that more capital investments are supposed to accelerate the growth of grain yield per unit of land, take the opportunity of practicing the cross-provincial balance system of occupation and compensation of cultivated land. Moreover, strategic adjustments to the spatial distribution of grain cultivation are recommended to maximize the utilization of limited arable land resources while upholding national food security objectives.