Yield Of Agricultural Products Research Articles

Economic spillover effect of grass-based livestock husbandry on agricultural production—A case study in Hulun Buir, China

As an important part of agriculture, the changes of grass-based livestock husbandry (GBLH) production will inevitably have a significant impact on agricultural sectors and regional economy. We firstly measured the total factor productivity (TFP) of GBLH from 2001 to 2016 by DEA-Malmquist model. Secondly, an ORANI-G model was constructed based on IO table to analyze the economic spillover effect of GBLH on agricultural production in Hulun Buir. The results indicate that the TFP shows an upward trend with an average annual growth rate at only 1%. The TFP increase leads to a significant growth of GDP, export and import (0.07%, 0.11%, 0.02%), improving technical efficiency can further enhance these impacts, while they weakens if it was decreasing. Moreover, the increase of efficiency leads to a growth of output of agricultural products, especially livestock products. The supply and transfer out of livestock products can reach a 3.27% and 6.59% improvement respectively. Additionally, the increase of livestock production and the decrease of price will inevitable lead to a growth on demand, and improving the efficiency can gain more labor employment. In a long term, the increasing efficiency of GBLH is also an adaptation measure to realize win-win for both ecological and economic benefit.

Electrochemical Detection of 4-Nitrophenol by Using Graphene Based Nanocomposite Modified Glassy Carbon Electrodes: A Mini Review

This article describes the fabrication of electrochemical devices for the detection of a key environmental pollutant, 4-Nitrophenol (4-NPh). 4-NPh is a requirement for the synthesis of organophosphate pesticides. These pesticides are mostly used in the agricultural sector to obtain a high yield of agricultural products. The use of 4-NPh in the agricultural field results in poisonous levels of this compound in the soil and water. Different techniques have been used for its transformation by biological and chemical degradation. However, these strategies not only created highly toxic pollutant but also need fast operation and time consuming processes. In this background, we have reported a broad and efficient review of the electrochemical reduction of 4-NPh as a feasible alternate method. In this review paper, graphene oxide (GO), reduced graphene oxide (rGO), N-doped graphene oxide, functionalized graphene oxide, metallic nanoparticles coated graphene oxide, metal oxides covered on rGO, polymer functionalized graphene oxide and hybrids materials functionalized with graphene oxide (hydroxyl apatite and β-cyclodextrin) which have been fabricated on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) to enhance the electrocatalytic reduction and increase the sensor activity of 4-NPh are discussed. We have also described the effects of a few interfering phenolic pollutants such as aminophenol, hydroquinone, o-nitrophenol (o-NPh), trinitrotoluene, trinitrophenol, 2, 4-dinitrophenol (4-DNPh) and nitrobenzene. In the paper, easy and more effective electrochemical methods for the detection of 4-NPh with graphene- based nanocomposites modified on GCE for 4-NPh detection are summarized and discussed.

A Review of Detection of Pest Problem in Rice Farming by using Blockchain and IoT Technologies

Pest can be a serious topic in agricultural areas especially rice plantations. The pest destroys the plants before harvesting time. Because of the presence of the pest, the yield of agricultural products is decreasing. From a technical point of view, an agricultural professional should identify not only the type of pest that destroys rice plants but also overcome the pest. This research proposes a paper review on pest detection systems by using Blockchain technology and the Internet of Things involving all parties involved. The use of the review is to have a broad overview regarding the functional combination between IoT and Blockchain technologies to reduce the pest problems. Smart contract technology Blockchain may be held to determine automatic alert in the system and know how to resolve the problem accurately and all information is verified by blockchain system without a human interception. IoT devices can be attached to rice plantations to monitor, determine and send the information of the pests. Our paper explains the combination of IoT and Blockchain technologies in order to improve any possibility of success rate by getting the pests. Thus, IoT replaces human manual checking in pest identification to reduce human error. So that, the harvesting time can be increased and the agriculture yields are good. The search comparison results show that ScienceDirect has the highest search value

EFFICIENT CHROMATOGRAPHIC APPROACH FOR THE ANALYSIS OF INSECTICIDES AND ECO-TOXICOLOGICAL ASPECTS

In today's rapid growing industries and technology, the frequent use of various insecticide in agriculture sector can be commonly encountered. Insecticides such as carbamate, organochlorine and pyrethroids helps protecting the crop from various insects, which ultimately leads to the better yield of agricultural products. But the main concern that comes out in such frequent practice is the adverse effects to the adjacent ecosystems. Especially, the very commonly used carbofuran, DDT, Cypermethrin and its adverse effects can be put forwarded as a potential example in this article. Apart from this, the scope of this article covers the mechanism of toxicity by insecticides to nontargeted organisms in the ecosystem, the recent developments in the analytical techniques considering HPLC and GC, the method of extraction and quantication of active component in sample. A comparison between GC and HPLC is done and the preferred instrumentation is concluded while considering the analysis of Insecticide. Scope of this review also covers the symptoms and treatment of insecticide poisoning.

АНАЛІЗ КОН’ЮНКТУРИ ПРОДОВОЛЬЧОГО РИНКУ ТА ВИЗНАЧЕННЯ СТРАТЕГІЧНИХ ЦІЛЕЙ ЙОГО РОЗВИТКУ

The article analyzes the conjuncture in the food market of Ukraine and trends in its development. The actual capacity of the domestic market for certain products has been determined, taking into account the reduction of the average per capita consumption of certain food products by the population and the reduction of the population of Ukraine. It is established that the growth of gross output of agricultural products has improved the level of self-sufficiency in food in Ukraine. Satisfaction of the population’s food needs, within its purchasing power, is almost entirely provided by domestic products, with the exception of fruits, berries, and grapes. The food market in Ukraine is imperfect, the demand for food is not met by increasing production, but is formed in conditions of low solvency of the population, and the actual consumption of food does not reach the level of rational physiological norms. The formation of the domestic food market, except for gross domestic production, depends on exports and imports of certain groups of food products. Analysis of the dynamics of export-import operations with food products showed a rapid trend towards increasing exports of grain and oil. At the same time, we note an increase in imports of fruits, as well as potatoes, vegetables, oil and milk, and dairy products. A partly significant percentage of imports of fruits, berries, and oil are determined by the import into Ukraine of products that are not produced in our natural and climatic conditions: tropical fruits, olive oil, etc. However, the percentage of import dependence on fruits, berries, and grapes, as well as oil (except sunflower) is much higher than the 30 percent threshold. Effective development of the food market, which will ensure the balance of supply and demand and meet the needs of the population in quality food, should take place by combining the laws of a market economy, good governance, and improving living standards. According to the results of the analysis of conjuncture of the food market of Ukraine, the strategic goals of its development aimed at elimination of existing disparities in agricultural and industrial production, quality of life, a transition from the export of raw materials to export of value-added goods are determined.

Mathematical model of a milking machine manipulator based on stepper motors

The automation of agriculture increases labour productivity and contributes to an increase in the output of agricultural products, an increase in their quality. These processes are closely related to the application of industrial production technology in agriculture, the improvement of planning and management. Also, the improvement of product quality and the growth of labour productivity are associated with the development of automated control systems that contribute to the autonomous operation of entire agricultural complexes. This paper deals with the development of a mathematical model of a milking installation based on stepper motors. The authors of the work recreated the operation of the milking installation, taking into account the operation of the kinematic scheme of the robot and the dynamics of the stepping motors, positioning of its working body near the tops of the teats of the udder of the animal, which are automatically recognized using image analysis from the 3D TOF camera. The uniqueness of this model lies in the fact that various stages of the operation of an autonomous milking installation are concentrated in one software product. This technology makes it possible to study the effect of each stage separately on the static positioning error of the manipulator working body. The model has been tested, an acceptable accuracy of the results of the model operation is achieved. This model can be recommended for use for engineering calculations and the development of control algorithms for the movement of the working body of the manipulator.

Methodological approaches to assessing the level of vulnerability of settlements in Kazakhstan

The aim of the research is to study the factors of development and depression of the territory, the development of a methodological approach to assessing cities and rural settlements of Kazakhstan. The main indicators of selection of localities include population density, industrial production per capita, gross output of agricultural products (services rendered) per capita, retail turnover per capita, nominal income per capita, migration balance, distance up to 50 km from the state border of Kazakhstan. The sample will be formed based on the selected criteria from 88 cities and 6322 rural settlements of Kazakhstan. The developed approach can be applied in further data analysis based on secondary statistical data and conducting an empirical study to collect primary data.

Scientific support and advanced research in dairy farming in the Russian Federation

Increasing the output of agricultural products and improving their quality is one of the most important tasks of ensuring the food security of the Russian Federation. The solution to this problem is impossible without the introduction of up-to-date technologies that ensure the competitiveness and output growth, which are the result of scientific research and development. The basis for increasing the efficiency of dairy farming and, as a consequence, increasing milk production is the genetic improvement of the breeding base. The organization of selection and breeding work based on the use of our own genetic resources is a strategic task of the industry, which allows increasing the output of livestock products, reducing the technological import dependence of animal husbandry and minimizing the risk of the introduction of infectious diseases into the country. At the same time, the breeding base of dairy cattle breeding is on average 13.8% of the total livestock in the Russian Federation. The breeding progress is ensured by agricultural organizations, in which less than half of the total head of cows is concentrated. They are also the main consumers of research and development results. The purpose of the study is to analyze the state of the industry and its scientific potential, as well as formulate proposals for improving scientific support to create conditions for solving the tasks set by the state.

Scientific support for the innovative development of sheep breeding in the Russian Federation

Increasing the output of agricultural products and improving their quality is one of the most important tasks of ensuring the food security of the Russian Federation. The main solution to this problem is the introduction of innovative technologies, which are the result of research and development. In this country, sheep breeding is developing in accordance with the tasks set by the government to increase output, improve quality and develop export potential. Currently, the main livestock of sheep is concentrated among farmers and households, which cannot provide breeding work and the introduction of innovations at the required level. The main consumers of innovations are agricultural organizations, which occupy a small share in terms of livestock and products. The aim of the study is to analyze the scientific potential of the industry from the standpoint of its sufficiency to solve the tasks set by the government.

Decision-making and coordination with government subsidies and fairness concerns in the poverty alleviation supply chain

This paper primarily focuses on the impact of government subsidies and fairness concerns on the decisions and coordination involved in a poverty alleviation supply chain (PASC) consisting of a farmer enterprise and a core enterprise. In the context of government subsidies, we also analyze and compare the optimal decisions in centralized and decentralized models with/without fairness concerns using game theory. This study presents several findings: (1) Reasonable government subsidies can promote the effectiveness of the market allocation of resources, strengthen the trickle-down effect, eliminate market failures, improve corporate social responsibility (CSR), enhance the output of agricultural products and increase profits of both the farmer enterprise and core enterprise. (2) The fairness concerns of the farmer enterprise aggravate the double marginalization within the PASC and reduce the profit of both enterprises thus reducing supply chain efficiency. This finding deserves the attention of the core enterprise. (3) Under certain conditions, a CSR cost-sharing joint revenue-sharing contract can coordinate the PASC, and lead to Pareto improvement. The largest contribution of this paper is proving that embedding poor farmer enterprises into a supply chain led by core enterprises is an effective way to achieve sustainable poverty alleviation.

Spatial differentiation characteristics and driving factors of agricultural eco-efficiency in Chinese provinces from the perspective of ecosystem services

Farmland ecosystem service is an important output of agricultural production, but it has been incompletely reflected in current studies on eco-efficiency. In this study, the value of improved farmland ecosystem services is used as one of the expected outputs. The data envelopment method is used to evaluate the agricultural eco-efficiency (AEE) of 31 provincial administrative regions in China from 2006 to 2018. The spatial autocorrelation method is used to explore the characteristics of AEE in China. Geographical detector model (Geodetector) is adopted to detect the driving factors of AEE spatial differentiation in China. China’s AEE trend from 2006 to 2018 was downward with the efficiency value decreasing from 1.023 to 0.995. China’s AEE level has improved with an average of 1.004. The spatial distribution pattern represented in space is in the following order: eastern region > western region > northeast region > central region. The AEE gap among provinces in the western region is the largest, and that in the northeast region is the smallest. China’s AEE spatial correlation distribution presents random distribution characteristics. During the research period, the low–high (LH) efficiency response area has centered on Yunnan Province. The low–low (LL) level concentration area has centered on Inner Mongolia autonomous region and Liaoning Province. The high–low (HL) level diffusion effect agglomeration area has centered on Heilongjiang Province. Energy input, water resource input, and carbon emission are the core drivers of AEE spatial differentiation in China. Water resource input, pesticide input and labor input are the significant control factors of AEE spatial differentiation in the eastern, central, and western regions of China.

Interaction effects of phosphorus (P) and zinc (Zn) on dry matter, concentration and uptake of P and Zn in chia

Interaction of phosphorus (P) and zinc (Zn) is a crucial factor affecting crop yield in agricultural production. A greenhouse experiment was established to investigate the effects of P (0, 25, 50, 100, 200 and 400 mg kg−1), Zn (0, 2.5, 5 and 10 mg kg−1) and their interaction on dry matter accumulation, P and Zn concentration and their uptake in chia (Salvia hispanica L.). The application of P significantly increased dry matter by 6.3-fold over the control, while Zn treatment resulted in a 1.2-fold increase. The effect of P and Zn interaction was significant on dry matter, P and Zn concentration and their uptake. Dry matter did not respond to Zn application at low P doses, however, chia plants produced 8-fold higher dry matter at high levels of P and Zn compared to the control. Although P and Zn application showed a positive effect on chia growth, high levels of P drastically decreased Zn concentration. The application of P up to 100 mg P kg−1 enhanced Zn uptake significantly, but additional P doses resulted in a decrease. It is concluded that a balanced fertilization of P is rather important to prevent Zn deficiency and improve chia growth.

Vitamin E Is Superior to Vitamin C in Delaying Seedling Senescence and Improving Resistance in Arabidopsis Deficient in Macro-Elements.

Nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) are three essential macro-elements for plant growth and development. Used to improve yield in agricultural production, the excessive use of chemical fertilizers often leads to increased production costs and ecological environmental pollution. Vitamins C and E are antioxidants that play an important role in alleviating abiotic stress. However, there are few studies on alleviating oxidative stress caused by macro-element deficiency. Here, we used Arabidopsis vitamin E synthesis-deficient mutant vte4 and vitamin C synthesis-deficient mutant vtc1 on which exogenous vitamin E and vitamin C, respectively, were applied at the bolting stage. In the deficiency of macro-elements, the Arabidopsis chlorophyll content decreased, malondialdehyde (MDA) content and relative electric conductivity increased, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulated. The mutants vtc1 and vte4 are more severely stressed than the wild-type plants. Adding exogenous vitamin E was found to better alleviate stress than adding vitamin C. Vitamin C barely affected and vitamin E significantly inhibited the synthesis of ethylene (ETH) and jasmonic acid (JA) genes, thereby reducing the accumulation of ETH and JA that alleviated the senescence caused by macro-element deficiency at the later stage of bolting in Arabidopsis. A deficiency of macro-elements also reduced the yield and germination rate of the seeds, which were more apparent in vtc1 and vte4, and adding exogenous vitamin C and vitamin E, respectively, could restore them. This study reported, for the first time, that vitamin E is better than vitamin C in delaying seedling senescence caused by macro-element deficiency in Arabidopsis.

Investigation the Effects of Climate Variables on Yield and Yield Risk of Dry-land Wheat Using Moment-Based Models

The yield of agricultural products and their risk are highly conditional on climate conditions. Thus, investigating how these changes will affect yields of different crops and their risk of production is of interest to producers and agricultural policy makers. This study tries to investigate consequences of changes in climate parameters on yield and risk of dry-land wheat production in Mashhad city. To this end, annual time series data on dry-land wheat yield and monthly climate information over 1991 to 2017 in Mashhad were used to specify crop yield conditional probability distribution functions, using Moment-based regression models. Unconditional yield distribution then, was derived using the yield conditional probability distributions. Finally, simulation approach was used to simulate the effects of changes in the climate parameters on the mean and variance of yield distribution. Results reveal that the rainfall factor in the vegetative growth phase and in the germination stage, the total annual precipitation, and the numbers of days that go below zero degree of Celsius in the sleep stage are important factors in determining the yield and yield risk of dry-land wheat in Mashhad. The simulation results indicate that the yield’s mean of dry-land wheat will fluctuate between +21.40% and -20.49% relative to the base line yield, given the best or the worst reviewed climate condition is prevailed. In addition, given the upward trend of average annual temperature and downward trend of total annual precipitation during the past 26 years in Mashhad, and according to IPCC climate change prediction, an increase in the risk of production and a decrease in the mean of the yield is expected in the future. Accordingly, developing an appropriate variety which is dry resistance, or searching for an appropriate plant to be substituted for the dry-land wheat in Mashhad can be suggested as a way to face with climate change challenges in this region.

Characterizing changes in soil microbiome abundance and diversity due to different cover crop techniques.

Soil-based microorganisms assume a direct and crucial role in the promotion of soil health, quality and fertility, all factors known to contribute heavily to the quality and yield of agricultural products. Cover cropping, used in both traditional and organic farming, is a particularly efficient and environmentally favorable tool for manipulating microbiome composition in agricultural soils and has had clear benefits for soil quality and crop output. Several long-term investigations have evaluated the influence of multi-mix (multiple species) cover crop treatments on soil health and microbial diversity. The present study investigated the short-term effects of a seven species multi-mix cover crop treatment on soil nutrient content and microbial diversity, compared to a single-mix cover crop treatment and control. Analysis of 16S sequencing data of isolated soil DNA revealed that the single-mix cover crop treatment decreased overall microbial abundance and diversity, whereas the control and multi-mix treatments altered the overall microbial composition in similar fluctuating trends. Furthermore, we observed significant changes in specific bacteria belonging to the phyla Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, Planctomycetes, Proteobacteria and Verrucombicrobia for all treatments, but only the single-mix significantly decreased in abundance of the selected bacteria over time. Our findings indicate that the control and multi-mix treatments are better at maintaining overall microbial composition and diversity compared to the single-mix. Further study is required to elucidate the specific difference between the treatment effect of the multi-mix treatment and the control, given that their microbial composition changes over time were similar but they diverge into two populations of unique bacterial types by the end of this short-term study.

A multifunctional TENG yarn integrated into agrotextile for building intelligent agriculture

Raining as a common phenomenon in agricultural environment sometimes may bring adverse effects on agricultural production, to remedy this, agrotextiles are extensively utilized. In this study, the technology of triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) is firstly integrated into agrotextiles. To construct a robust TENG yarn, a facile and effective method for the fabrication of stretchable electrode is developed, i.e. coating an elastic fibre with MXene ink, followed by spontaneous growth of Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs). By consecutively coating the conductive fibre with PDMS, the final developed triboelectric yarn (diameter of ~400 μm) is demonstrated to possess extraordinary output performance, generating a voltage of 7.7 V with a effective contact length of 3 cm. Moreover, the excellent mechanical property, highly stretchability, outstanding robustness, and considerable hydrophobicity of the TENG yarn also make it be capable of being woven into net or integrated into agrotextile. Thus, in the meantime of providing protection for crop plantation and animal husbandry to improve the quality and yield of agricultural products, the raindrop energy can also be harvested. Moreover, it can also act as a self-powered sensor to monitor dynamic force, which provide a basic information of weather condition. All in all, this developed TENG yarn enables many promising advantages such as being easily engineered and scaled up, therefore possessing great potential to apply in agrotextile for building intelligent agriculture. • A facile method for fabricating highly stretchable electrode is firstly presented. • The TENG yarn is easily engineered and scaled up for various applications. • The technology of TENG is firstly proposed to combine with the agrotextile. • The TENG yarn can harvest raindrop energy and protect crops at the same time. • The constructed TENG yarn can self-powered monitor dynamic forces.

USE OF SEED+® AND CROP+® BIOESTIMULANTS ON THE QUALITY OF TOMATO FRUITS UNDER WATER STRESS

ABSTRACT Accelerated biotic and abiotic stresses have diminished the quality and yield of agricultural products. Thus, the use of biostimulants comes with the proposal of reducing the stresses experienced by plants and, consequently, reducing agricultural losses. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of Seed+® and Crop+® biostimulants on tomato fruits, cultivar Santa Cruz Kada, under water stress. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse. A completely randomized experimental design was used, in a 2 x 2 x 6 three-factor scheme, with the following factors: application time (flowering and fruiting), soil water conditions (50% and 100% of soil water retention capacity) and biostimulants (without treatment; Seed+®; Seed+® + Crop+® 1x the commercial dose; Seed+® + Crop+® 2x the commercial dose; Crop+® 1x the commercial dose; Crop+® 2x the commercial dose). Under water deficit conditions, the fruits of plants treated with Seed+® and Crop+® biostimulants had higher values of pH, total soluble solids and titratable acidity compared to plants that did not receive biostimulants. Seed+® and Crop+® biostimulants maintain the quality of tomato fruits until 18 days after harvest.

Technical Efficiency of Agricultural Production in Ethiopia

Farmers faced low productivity due to lack of knowledge on maximizing level of output at the given level of inputs. Technical efficiency of agricultural production in the Ethiopia were assessed by using cross-sectional secondary data collected from Ethiopia socioeconomic survey in 2015/16 production year. Cobb-Douglas stochastic frontier production function model was used to estimate technology and determinants of technical inefficiency simultaneously using the maximum likelihood estimator (MLN). MLN estimation results showed that increasing input use like area, seed, oxen, fertilizer and labor would increase yield of agricultural production. The coefficients of elasticity for area, seed, oxen, fertilizer and labor were 0.21, 0.29, 0.38, 0.12 and 0.10 respectively. Consequently, agricultural production exhibits increasing return to scale because the sums of input elasticity’s were greater than one which is 1.1. The mean technical efficiency of farmers in the agricultural production was about 36%. The implication is that there is an opportunity to increase output on average by 64% through efficient use of inputs given the current input use and technology. The discrepancy ratio gamma (γ) which measures the relative deviation of output from the frontier due to inefficiency was about 86 percent indicating that about 86% of variation in agricultural production among the farmers was attributed to technical inefficiency effects. Thus, it is possible to improve technical efficiency through better use of these factors. Keywords: Technical efficiency, Cobb-Douglas stochastic frontier and Smallholders. DOI: 10.7176/JNSR/10-5-05 Publication date: March 31 st 2020

Determinants of Agricultural Production and Agricultural Sector Output in Nigeria

The study examined the determinant of agricultural production and agricultural sector output in Nigeria. The objective of the study is to determine the impact of agricultural production determinants on agricultural output. The study was carried out based on secondary data collected through the CBN statistical bulletin unit root test was conducted test and granger causality test were used as the main statistical tests. The findings from the study based on the OLS results shows that agricultural funding, agricultural credit/loan as well as exchange rate have positive relationship with agricultural production output. Also, the granger causality test shows that agricultural funding, agricultural credit loan as well as exchange rate impact on agricultural production output. In view of the findings, it is recommended for adequate budgetary provisions for the agricultural sector in order to provide infrastructural facilities to the rural areas where farm produce are concentrated in order to boost production. Also, provision of credit facilities to the agricultural sector through the farmers in rural areas should be encouraged

Rural Folks Perception of Suicide Drivers in rural communities of Delta State, Nigeria: Implications for Societal and Agricultural Security

Abstract The study examined rural folks’ perception of suicide drivers in rural communities of Delta state, Nigeria and the resultant implications for societal and agricultural security. The objectives of the study are to: describe the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents, ascertain the perceived suicide rates in rural households; identify the main causes (or drivers) of suicide in rural communities, ascertain the means of committing suicide, and determine respondents’ perception of the effect of suicide on agricultural production and their families. A multi-stage sampling procedure was used in composing 351 respondents who furnished information on suicide situation in the study area. Results indicated some cases of suicide in the area; several perceived suicide drivers were identified by the respondents, and the respondents identified some perceived deleterious effects of suicide as illness among family members, depression of surviving members, loss of income and output of agricultural production and scattering of family of suicide victim. Logistic regression of relationship between perceived social economic characteristics and suicidal death indicated that marital status, education, family size, family income, membership of association and extension contact were significant in preventing suicide. From the findings, it was recommended that all stakeholders including the government, private sector, religion organizations, health and welfare institutions, rural communities, and individuals have crucial role to play in curbing suicidal deaths in rural communities.