Pre-harvest Season Research Articles

IMPLEMENTASI SISTEM CERDAS PENGENDALI HAMA BURUNG PADA TANAMAN PADI DI LINGKUNGAN INTEGRATED MULTI-TROPHIC AQUACULTURE (IMTA)

Birds are one type of pest that worries many rice farmers when they enter the harvest period. During the harvest period, farmers start to get busy again with activities to protect their crops so that birds don't eat them. Efforts made by farmers to repel bird pests are still carried out conventionally, namely by tying ropes to poles and making scarecrows which are moved by farmers. If birds enter the rice fields, this is deemed less effective and efficient. As a follow-up to this problem, this research aims to help farmers protect rice plants from bird pests during the pre-harvest season. This intelligent system was built using laser sensors and can automatically detect and control bird pests. This laser beam is reflected by mirrors installed on both sides of the rice field. This mirror is used to reflect laser light to detect the presence of bird pests and send data to the ESP8266 MCU node to instruct the AC motor to pull the tassel rope to repel bird pests. Based on the research results, this tool has been implemented at IMTA so that this tool can be used to detect the presence of bird pests and control bird pests so that it can be used as an effort to control bird pests. Apart from that, monitoring the work of this tool system can be done remotely via the website.

Prevalence and Genomic Investigation of Salmonella Isolates Associated with Watermelons and Their Environmental Reservoirs in Bejaia, Algeria.

This study was conducted in Bejaia, Algeria, to determine the presence of Salmonella in fresh watermelon (n = 105), soil (n = 23), and irrigation water samples (n = 17) collected from two different farms. After isolation, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, serotype determination, multilocus sequence typing, antimicrobial resistance genes detection, and whole genome sequencing were performed. Twenty watermelon samples (19%) were contaminated with Salmonella, but none were found in the soil or irrigation water. Among the 20 Salmonella isolates, 2 serovars were identified (Salmonella Liverpool and Salmonella Anatum), belonging to sequence types ST1959 and ST64, respectively. Ten Salmonella isolates showed significant resistance to nalidixic acid, ofloxacin, and ciprofloxacin but were susceptible to all other antibiotics. The coexistence of point mutations (parC:p.T57S) in Quinolone Resistance-Determining Regions and the qnrB19 gene may contribute to quinolone resistance. The study identified 164 virulence genes in the Salmonella isolates. Our study found Salmonella in fresh watermelon during the preharvest season in Bejaia, Algeria. Our study indicates a relatively high prevalence of Salmonella on watermelon samples before harvest. Although we cannot directly compare our results with previous studies, it is crucial to recognize that the absence of comprehensive comparative data underscores the need for further research and surveillance.

The impact of dietary diversity and seasonality in food availability on the quantile distribution of birth size among pregnant women in rural Malawi – a cross-sectional study

BackgroundDietary diversity scores can be used as a proxy for dietary intakes and for assessment of nutrient adequacy. Studies from low-resource settings have found maternal dietary diversity scores to be associated with neonatal birth size. We here investigated the relationship between the dietary diversity score among pregnant mothers and birth size of their offspring across quantiles of the birth size variables; birth weight, length, abdominal circumference, and head circumference. We also investigated if seasonality affects birth size across different quantiles.MethodsDietary intake and anthropometric data were collected from 190 pregnant women and their neonates in rural Malawi through two agricultural seasons. Dietary data was collected using 24-hour recall interviews and was categorized into the 10-food group dietary diversity score proposed for women by the Food and Agriculture Organization. Neonatal anthropometrics were collected upon delivery at health facilities. Quantile regression analyses were used to investigate associations between dietary diversity scores and birth size, as well as between seasonality and birth size.ResultsWe found that neonatal abdominal circumference was 0.9 cm larger during the post-harvest season compared to the pre-harvest season among neonates in the 25th quantile. Birth weight was 281.4 g higher for those born during the post-harvest season in the 90th quantile. For a one-unit increase in maternal dietary diversity score, birth weight increased by 56.7 g among those in the 25th quantile and neonatal head circumference increased by 0.2 cm for those in the 70th quantile. However, these findings did not remain significant when considering the cluster effect of the neonatal anthropometric data.ConclusionsOur findings indicate that the relationship between seasonality and birth size differs across the distribution of birth size. Investigating the effect of seasonality across the distribution of birth size could be important to identify vulnerable subgroups and develop better, targeted interventions to improve maternal and child nutrition and health.

Application of Stochastic Frontier to Agriculture in Ethiopia

ABSTRACT Farming is more than just a job of Ethiopia’s smallholder farmers, who live in a low productivity environment. This study employed stochastic frontier approach agricultural efficiency in Ethiopia. Furthermore, Tobit model results show that loss due to wild animals had a negative impact on technical efficiency, while slope of the land and off-farm income had a positive impact. Regarding to the determinants of allocative efficiency, uses of mobile have positive impacts and the off-/non-farm income have negative impacts. In terms of economic efficiency determinants, land slope has a positive influence, while loss due to wild animals and off-farm income have a negative influence. According to the study findings, farmers in the study area kill wild animals, such as monkeys, pigs, and apes, because the loss of wild animals has a high impact on agricultural production during the pre-harvest season. Thus to increase efficiency of farmers and boosting agricultural output, Ethiopian governments policies and strategies should be directed toward providing tourism, construction of soil bunds, tree planting, planting grass, fencing and use of natural fertilizer to maintain the fertility of steep slopes, and supporting farmers by providing network facilities for mobile users that boost farmers’ maize productive efficiency.

Understanding the drivers of food security among agriculture-based households in Gurué District, Central Mozambique

BackgroundThe prevalence of food insecurity in Mozambique is alarming, despite progress made during the 2010s. Several studies apply different proxy indicators of food security (FS) to assess the FS situation. However, these studies overlook the factors affecting FS, using only a single data point that results in an incomplete picture of FS. Food security is expected to fluctuate, being better and worse than what studies suggest. Using a sample of 296 households to assess FS, key drivers conditioning households’ capacity to achieve FS in Gurué District, Central Mozambique, are identified. Data were collected in the pre-harvest period and during the harvest period to capture relevant interseasonal variation of FS. Household FS is assessed using three standard indicators: Household Dietary Diversity Score (HDDS), Household Food Consumption Score (HFCS), and Months of Adequate Household Food Provisioning (MAHFP).ResultsEach household was classified into a specific FS status depending on the indicator applied. Generally, most households were classified as being severely or moderately food insecure during the pre-harvest season, while during the harvest season, medium and high levels of FS predominated. Nevertheless, varying outcomes were found depending on the indicator used to assess FS. MAHFP and HDDS are more related to the consumption of farm-sourced food, while HFCS responds more strongly to purchased food. Gender and age of the household head, geographic location, size and quality of land, staples production (especially cassava), livestock and crop diversity, as well as cash crops had a statistically significant effect on FS indicators.ConclusionsThe study concludes that the decision whether farmers should rely on staple foods production for increasing their FS status or specialize on cash crops production to generate income and buy food depends on the indicator used to assess FS, since each indicator captures a specific domain of food security. Thus, one central recommendation derived from our results is that policy makers should promote a balance between market-oriented agriculture and subsistence production to achieve FS.

Effects of communication, group selection, and social learning on risk and ambiguity attitudes: Experimental evidence from Bangladesh

In this paper, we conduct lab-in-field experiments using a sample of 206 farmers in Bangladesh and perform four main tasks related to measuring the farmers’ attitudes toward risk and ambiguity in both gain and loss domains: (i) measure the effect of communication and group members’ characteristics on risk and ambiguity attitudes, (ii) investigate the effect of group selection on risk and ambiguity attitudes, (iii) investigate the effect of seasonal variation on risk and ambiguity attitudes, and (iv) study the gender disparity in the measured attitudes in different environments. Our experiments yield the following key results. First, farmers exhibit higher risk and ambiguity aversions when they make choices in groups compared to choosing alone. In addition, group members’ characteristics such as social stature, literacy, etc. are important factors that influence farmers’ measured behavioral attributes after communication. Second, farmers are less risk-averse but more ambiguity-averse when group members are self-selected relative to when they are randomly assigned. Third, farmers in our sample are substantially more risk averse during the pre-harvest season compared to the post-harvest season. Finally, women tend to be more risk and ambiguity averse than men in all dimensions as male farmers tend to make more extreme choices than females.

Yield Estimation of Winter Wheat in Pre-harvest Season by Satellite Imagery Based Regression Models

Early crop yield estimates could provide up-to-date information on supply, demand, stocks, and export availability through which governing bodies can make better agricultural management plans. This study aims to develop a yield model estimating pre-harvest winter wheat yield at both tillering and flowering stages using a multiple linear regression approach based on the relationship between actual yield and satellite derived crops’ phenological parameters. Four crop parameters (NDVI, Cumulative NDVI, LAI and FPAR) were regressed in combination to find the best applicable model. Regression results showed that correlations for all models among the variables of the flowering period are higher than that of tillering (0.63>0.53). The mean RMSE’s of the observed vs predicted yields for tillering period was 645.9 kg ha-1 and 574.5 kg ha-1 for flowering period. The optimal developed model which consists of NDVI and CNDVI variables provided 76% and 79% of predicting accuracy 3 and 1.5 months before harvest respectively.

Household food insecurity and hunger in Babile district, Ethiopia

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine household food gap and food insecurity in Eastern Ethiopia. Differences in food gap and food insecurity were also examined in terms of gender of the household head and location.Design/methodology/approachA combination of quantitative and qualitative methods such as household survey, key informant interview and focused group discussion were utilized for this study. Households were drawn randomly from the study area.FindingsIn terms of food availability, more than half of the households experienced a food gap during the year, especially during the months of July and August. In terms of gender, female-headed households had more months of food shortage compared to their male counterparts. This disparity was also reflected in poorer food access among female-headed households as shown by the higher HFIAS. Differences in food insecurity were obtained in terms of gender of the household head and location. Livestock ownership, cereal crop production, extension contact and household size significantly influenced household food access.Research limitations/implicationsFindings are valid only for low-land agroecologiesOriginality/valueThis study contributes to the existing literature by examining household food gap and food insecurity using a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods. It adds value in examining disparities between male-headed and female-headed households. Literature related to seasonal household food insecurity is limited in Ethiopia. This study contributes in this regard by examining seasonal food insecurity between post-harvest and pre-harvest seasons.

Baseline Characteristics of Study Participants in the Early Life Interventions for Childhood Growth and Development in Tanzania (ELICIT) Trial.

.Recurrent enteric infections and micronutrient deficiencies, including deficiencies in the tryptophan–kynurenine–niacin pathway, have been associated with environmental enteric dysfunction, potentially contributing to poor child growth and development. We are conducting a randomized, placebo-controlled, 2 × 2 factorial interventional trial in a rural population in Haydom, Tanzania, to determine the effect of 1) antimicrobials (azithromycin and nitazoxanide) and/or 2) nicotinamide, a niacin vitamer, on attained length at 18 months. Mother/infant dyads were enrolled within 14 days of the infant’s birth from September 2017 to September 2018, with the follow-up to be completed in February 2020. Here, we describe the baseline characteristics of the study cohort, risk factors for low enrollment weight, and neonatal adverse events (AEs). Risk factors for a low enrollment weight included being a firstborn child (−0.54 difference in weight-for-age z-score [WAZ] versus other children, 95% CI: −0.71, −0.37), lower socioeconomic status (−0.28, 95% CI: −0.43, −0.12 difference in WAZ), and birth during the preharvest season (November to March) (−0.22, 95% CI: −0.33, −0.11 difference in WAZ). The most common neonatal serious AEs were respiratory tract infections and neonatal sepsis (2.2 and 1.4 events per 100 child-months, respectively). The study cohort represents a high-risk population for whom interventions to improve child growth and development are urgently needed. Further analyses are needed to understand the persistent impacts of seasonal malnutrition and the interactions between seasonality, socioeconomic status, and the study interventions.

Seasonal Variation of Household Food Insecurity and Household Dietary Diversity on Wasting and Stunting among Young Children in A Drought Prone Area in South Ethiopia: A Cohort Study

ABSTRACT This study was conducted to evaluate seasonal patterns of household food insecurity, dietary diversity, and household characteristics on wasting and stunting among children in households followed for 1 year in the drought-prone areas of Sidama, Ethiopia. A cohort study design was employed. Data were collected on the pre-harvest season (March and June) and post-harvest season (September and December) of 2017. We studied 935 children aged 6 to 47 months. At four seasons over a year, we had 3,449 observations from 897 households and 82% (2,816) (95% CI: 80.3–82.9) were food in-secured households. Severe food insecurity was higher in the pre-harvest (March; food scarcity season) which was 69% as compared to 50% of September (P < .001). From 3,312 observations, 43% (1,408) (95% CI: 40.8-44.2) of children were stunted. Stunting showed seasonal variations with 36% (95% CI: 32.5-39.0) in March and 48% (95% CI: 45.0-51.8) in December. Six percent (95% CI: 4.8-6.3) of children were wasted, with higher prevalence in March (8%) as compared to 3% of September (P < .001). Moreover, household characteristics such as poverty level, education, occupation and the household food insecurity and dietary diversity were associated with subsequent wasting or stunting.

An Occupational Heat Stress and Hydration Assessment of Agricultural Workers in North Mexico.

Expanding agribusiness in Northern Mexico has increased demand for workers from Southern Mexico, with hundreds of thousands migrating for work annually. Extreme temperatures, physical labor, and low fluid consumption place workers at risk for heat strain and dehydration, commonly underreported hazards in the agricultural industry. The objectives of this pilot study were to assess heat exposure and hydration status of a population of migratory agricultural workers in Northern Mexico throughout the grape harvest season. In addition to demographic information, environmental conditions, hydration status, and core body temperatures were collected. The majority listed Chiapas as their home state, nearly half spoke an Indigenous language, and none had completed high school. The wet-bulb globe temperature was significantly higher during the harvest and post-harvest seasons compared to the pre-harvest season. Across the different seasons, the majority were dehydrated post-shift, and mean core body temperature of workers was not significantly different. This project highlights the need for targeted interventions to improve hydration and prevent heat stress in this region. As the number of warm days is expected to rise each year worldwide, it will be increasingly important to engage in practices to protect vulnerable populations, such as migratory agriculture workers.

Food Insecurity, Wasting and Stunting Among Young Children in a Drought Prone Area in South Ethiopia: A Cohort Study (P04-040-19)

ObjectivesAs many households in Ethiopia are food insecure, seasonal malnutrition could be an important public health problem related to food availability. Ethiopia requires effective community-based nutrition interventions to curb childhood malnutrition. Improving our understanding of the association between the agricultural cycle, rainfall pattern, and malnutrition is important. The objective of this paper was to evaluate the risks of food insecurity, wasting, and stunting among children in households of the Sidama Zone of Ethiopia during different seasons. MethodsA cohort study design was employed in the chronically food insecure Boricha area. Data was collected on Pre-harvest season (March and June) and Post-harvest season (September and December) of 2017. Post-harvest season was food plenty season. We studied 935 mothers-child (aged 6 to 47 months) pairs from 894 households. ResultsAt four seasons over a year, we did 3449 measurement (894 households) and 82% (2816) (95% CI: 80.3–82.9) were food in-secured. Severe food insecurity was higher in March (69%) as compared to 50% of September (X2 = 55.5, P < 0.001). From 3488 measurements, 44% (1533) (95% CI: 42.3–45.6) of children were stunted. Stunting showed seasonal variations with 38% (95% CI: 34.7–41.0) in March and 49% (95% CI: 45.8–52.5) in December (X2 = 22, P < 0.001). Six % (95% CI: 5.0–6.6) of children were wasted, with higher prevalence in March (8%) as compared to 3% of September (X2 = 20, P < 0.001). Multivariate risk analysis showed that wasting was higher among poor households, households with uneducated fathers, food in-secured households, and among children with recent illness. Stunting was higher among poor households and in households with low education. ConclusionsThe highest prevalence of wasting and food insecurity occurred in the same season. However, stunting occurred some months after the period with highest prevalence of food insecurity. Such a finding could have implications in evaluating the effect of interventions as the time relationship between food security and acute and chronic malnutrition differs. Funding SourcesNorwegian Programme for Capacity Development in Higher Education and Research for Development (NORHED); South Ethiopia Network Universities in Public Health (SENUPH). Supporting Tables, Images and/or Graphs▪▪▪▪

Swiddeners' Household Strategies for the Wild Harvest of Rauvolfia serpentina and Amorphophallus bulbifer in a Karen Swidden System in the Bago Mountains, Myanmar

Swiddeners in the Bago Mountains, Myanmar collect two economically important non-timber forest products (NTFPs)—Rauvolfia serpentina (L.) Benth. ex Kurz (Apocynaceae) roots and Amorphophallus bulbifer (Roxb.) Blume (Araceae) corms. We analyzed household strategies for NTFP collection at ST village located on a paved road with direct access to middlemen, and KC village connected to a paved road by 10 km of a non-paved foot path. The number and percentage of harvesters of both species was greater at KC village than at ST village. Males contributed more (79.5%) than females (20.5%) to the R. serpentina harvest at KC village but not at ST village. Women could collect A. bulbifer within the limited time they had available from undertaking household tasks at both villages. The average amount of both species per harvest was higher at KC village than at ST village. The total production amounts of R. serpentina were 441.2 kg and 626.6 kg (valued at USD 529.5 and USD 751.9), and those of A. bulbifer were 1175.8 kg and 2254.6 kg (USD 117.6 and USD 225.5) per year at ST village and KC village, respectively. The NTFPs provided supplementary income for household members in the pre-harvest season of the swidden livelihood.

Genetic Studies on Sugar and Fibre Accumulation Patterns Among Different Types of Energy Canes in Mauritius

This study was conducted to assess the accumulation pattern of sucrose and fibre content among different types of energy canes in Mauritius. Twelve highly selected biomass genotypes with variable sucrose to fibre ratios were commonly planted in two variety trials in RCBDs with three replicates. Five month old samples, starting from pre-harvest season (May) to mid-season harvest (September), were taken from the first ratoon crop in 2011. Broadly, all the genotypes followed the same trend in terms of total dry matter content accumulation, with a sharp rise from May to June (pre-harvest season) and a tendency to flatten thereafter. The trends were highly influenced by sucrose accumulation pattern that showed a drastic rise at the pre-harvest season. Fibre content was generally found to be stable across the whole sampling period and, although it increased linearly and marginally up to September, variety by month interaction was non-significant. The genetic variances, H, and genetic coefficient of variances, GCVs, were lowest for sucrose content in May and highest during the first half of the harvest season (June–September). Spearman’s rank correlations showed that highest changes in rank for sucrose content occurred between May and June. These findings confirmed that sampling for sucrose content would be least effective when taken before the harvest season. Fibre content, on the other hand, showed stable genetic variance and GCV and least rank changes across time. As a result, fibre content can be measured at any time during the pre-harvest to harvest period in 8- to 12-month-old crops. Fibre accumulation that demarcated the different types of varieties occurred before the pre-harvest season and remained stored in the stem. The study also highlighted the complexities in using fresh and dry weight estimates of the cane quality traits.

Seasonality in associations between dietary diversity scores and nutrient adequacy ratios among pregnant women in rural Malawi - a cross-sectional study.

BackgroundDietary diversity scores (DDS) are simple indicators often used as proxies for nutrient adequacy. A 10-food group indicator is proposed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations as a global standard for measuring dietary diversity among women in low-resource settings. However, its validity as a proxy for nutrient adequacy across different agricultural seasons for pregnant women has not been determined.ObjectiveWe studied associations between DDS and nutrient adequacy ratios (NAR) across two different agricultural seasons (pre- and post-harvest seasons) for pregnant women in rural Malawi and assessed whether a 1-day DDS or a 3-day DDS would be the best indicator of nutrient adequacy.DesignDietary intakes of 330 pregnant women were assessed between gestational weeks 28 and 35. Intakes of energy, macronutrients, and 11 micronutrients were estimated using three repeated interactive 24-h diet recalls, and DDS were also calculated from these days. Correlation coefficients (r) between DDS, NAR, and mean adequacy ratio (MAR) of the 11 micronutrients were determined.ResultsAfter energy adjustments, we found significant correlations between DDS and MAR with both DDS indicators in the preharvest season (r = 0.22–0.23; p < 0.001) but not in the post-harvest season (p > 0.05). For individual energy-adjusted NARs, correlations were not consistently significant across the two seasons and the two DDS indicators.ConclusionsOur results suggest that DDS could be used to predict overall nutrient adequacy during the preharvest season. As similar correlations were found using both the 1- and 3-day indicators, we recommend using a 1-day DDS, for simplicity. However, as the indicators are sensitive to seasonality they should be used with care in this study setting.

Seasonality and determinants of child growth velocity and growth deficit in rural southwest Ethiopia

BackgroundEthiopia faces cyclic food insecurity that alternates between pre- and post- harvest seasons. Whether seasonal variation in access to food is associated with child growth has not been assessed empirically. Understanding seasonality of child growth velocity and growth deficit helps to improve efforts to track population interventions against malnutrition. The aim of this study was assess child growth velocity, growth deficit, and their determinants in rural southwest Ethiopia.MethodData were obtained from four rounds of a longitudinal household survey conducted in ten districts in Oromiya Region and Southern Nations, Nationality and Peoples Region of Ethiopia, in which 1200 households were selected using multi-stage cluster sampling. Households with a child under 5 years were included in the present analyses (round 1 n = 579, round 2 n = 674, round 3 n = 674 and round 4 n = 680). The hierarchical nature of the data was taken into account during the statistical analyses by fitting a linear mixed effects model. A restricted maximum likelihood estimation method was employed in the analyses.ResultCompared to the post-harvest season, a higher length and weight velocity were observed in pre-harvest season with an average difference of 6.4 cm/year and 0.6 kg/year compared to the post-harvest season. The mean height of children in post-harvest seasons was 5.7 cm below the WHO median reference height. The mean height of children increased an additional 3.3 cm [95% CI (2.94, 3.73)] per year in pre-harvest season compared to the post-harvest season. Similarly, the mean weight of children increased 1.0 kg [95% CI (0.91, 1.11)] per year more in the pre-harvest season compared to the post-harvest season. Children who had a low dietary diversity and were born during the lean season in both seasons had a higher linear growth deficit. Being member of a highly food insecure household was negatively associated with higher weight gain. Having experienced no illness during the previous 2 weeks was positively associated with linear growth and weight gain.ConclusionChild growth velocities and child growth deficits were higher in the pre-harvest season and post- harvest season respectively. Low dietary diversity and being part of a highly food insecure household were significantly risk factors for decreased linear growth and weight gain respectively.

Feeding practices and growth among young children during two seasons in rural Ethiopia

BackgroundThe use of indices of infant and young child feeding practices to predict growth has generated inconsistent results, possibly through age and seasonal confounding. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of a dietary diversity score (DDS) and infant and child feeding index (ICFI) with growth among young children in a repeated cross-sectional and a follow-up study in two distinct seasons in rural southwest Ethiopia.MethodsWe used a repeated cross-sectional design comparing child feeding practices to nutritional status in 6–12 month old children during harvest (HS; n = 320) and pre-harvest season (PHS; n = 312). In addition, 6–12 month old children from the HS were reassessed 6 months later during PHS. In addition to child anthropometry, child feeding practices were collected using 24-h and 7-day dietary recalls.ResultsThe mean (±SD) length-for-age z-score (LAZ) of the 6–12 month old children was −0.77 (±1.4) and −1.0 (±1.3) in HS and PHS, respectively, while the mean (±SD) of the follow-up children in PHS was −1.0 (±1.3). The median DDS (IQR) was 2.0 (1.0, 3.0.), 2.0 (2.0, 3.0) and 3.0 (2.0, 4.0) for the children in HS, PHS and the follow-up children in PHS, respectively. The DDS in HS was positively associated with LAZ at follow-up (β = 0.16; 95% CI: 0.01, 0.30; P = 0.03) after controlling for confounding factors. ICFI and DDS were not associated with mean LAZ, weight-for-height z-score and weight-for-age z-score within season. However, the odds of being stunted when having a DDS ≤ 2 was 2.3 times (95% CI: 1.10, 4.78; P = 0.03) higher compared to a DDS > 2 child in HS and 1.7 times (95% CI: 1.04, 2.71; P = 0.04) higher for the pooled sample of 6–12 months old children in HS and PHS.ConclusionsThe DDS was found to be an indicator for child stunting during the Ethiopian harvest season. The DDS can be an appropriate tool to evaluate the association of child feeding practices with child growth irrespective of season. Inclusion of other dimensions in the construction of ICFI should be considered in future analysis as we found no association with growth.

Monitoring Landsat vegetation indices for different crop treatments and soil chemistry

ABSTRACTThe timing and quantity of fertilizer and herbicide applications in agricultural systems are critical where maximizing vigour and yield is the ultimate goal. While fertilizers are applied to the soil to promote plant growth, herbicides are commonly used to control weeds in order to reduce the weeds’ competition for nutrients. Satellite imagery is frequently used to monitor agricultural activities and vegetation indices (VIs) are widely applied in temporal analysis of crop status. This study considers monitoring Landsat VIs for the period between 5 June and 27 October 2014 in agricultural systems under four different management treatments at the Kellogg Biological Station (KBS), in Michigan, USA. The results show that (1) fine-tuning conventional treatments by intense early herbicide applications in combination with no-tilled soil results in significantly higher VIs during the early growth stage, a more rapid maturity rate, and the highest crop yield; (2) nitrogen uptake from nitrate-based rather than from ammonium-based fertilizers might be more beneficial in terms of crop vigour and yield return; (3) organic treatments, with organic corn and no agricultural chemicals, keep higher VIs longer in the season at the cost of lower yield; and (4) genetically modified (GM) breeds under conventional or reduced-chemical treatments have synchronized early senescence. A positive correlation between VIs during the early growth stage and yield is observed for conventional no-till treatment (coefficient of determination, R2 = 0.70). The correlation becomes gradually weaker with each month from late June to October (29 June: R2 = 0.70; 16 August: R2 = 0.61; 17 September: R2 = 0.44; 27 October: R2 = 0.01). The analysis of variance (ANOVA)–Tukey–Kramer approach suggests significant differences in VIs between organic and GM corn (treated conventionally or with reduced chemicals) for the preharvest season (27 October 2014). The leave-out-one cross-validation analysis confirms the predictive accuracy of the model (mean square error (MSE) = 0.0014). The rapid evolution of herbicide-resistant weeds requires constant refinement of chemical inputs to agricultural systems, thus making the monitoring of (Landsat) VIs important in the years to come.

Dietary diversity predicts dietary quality regardless of season in 6-12-month-old infants in south-west Ethiopia.

Simple, cost-effective and convenient instruments like food group-based scores are proposed to assess micronutrient adequacy of children in developing countries. We assessed the predictive ability and seasonal stability of a dietary diversity score (DDS) to indicate dietary quality of infants. A 24 h dietary recall assessment was carried out on a sample of 320 and 312 breast-fed infants aged 6-12 months during harvest (HS) and pre-harvest (PHS) seasons, respectively, in Ethiopia. DDS was calculated based on seven food groups, while mean micronutrient density adequacy (MMDA) was calculated for eight micronutrients. Multiple linear regression models were used to assess the relationship between DDS and MMDA, and differences in nutrient intake between the two seasons. A receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to derive DDS cut-offs that maximized sensitivity and specificity of assessing dietary quality. The study was conducted in the catchment of the Gilgel Gibe Field Research Centre of Jimma University, south-west Ethiopia. The mean (sd) DDS for HS and PHS was 2·1 (0·94) and 2·3 (1·1), respectively. The DDS was associated with MMDA (β=0·045, P<0·0001 in HS; β=0·044, P<0001 in PHS). A DDS of ≤2 food groups best predicted 'low' MMDA (<50 %) with 84 % and 92 % sensitivity, 36 % and 43 % specificity, and 47 % and 51 % correct classification for the HS and PHS, respectively. DDS is predictive of dietary quality of breast-fed infants. The study supports the use of DDS to indicate inadequate intakes of micronutrients by breast-fed infants in different seasons.

Variations between post- and pre-harvest seasons in stunting, wasting, and Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) practices among children 6-23 months of age in lowland and midland agro-ecological zones of rural Ethiopia.

IntroductionFood availability and access are strongly affected by seasonality in Ethiopia. However, there are little data on seasonal variation in Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) practices and malnutrition among 6-23 months old children in different agro-ecological zones of rural Ethiopia.MethodsSocio-demographic, anthropometry and IYCF indicators were assessed in post- and pre-harvest seasons among children aged 6–23 months of age randomly selected from rural villages of lowland and midland agro-ecological zones.ResultsChild stunting and underweight increased from prevalence of 39.8% and 26.9% in post-harvest to 46.0% and 31.8% in pre-harvest seasons, respectively. The biggest increase in prevalence of stunting and underweight between post- and pre-harvest seasons was noted in the midland zone. Wasting decreased from 11.6% post-harvest to 8.5% pre-harvest, with the biggest decline recorded in the lowland zone. Minimum meal frequency, minimum acceptable diet and poor dietary diversity increased considerably in pre-harvest compared to post-harvest season in the lowland zone. Feeding practices and maternal age were predictors of wasting, while women’s dietary diversity and children age was predictor of child dietary diversity in both seasons.ConclusionThere is seasonal variation in malnutrition and IYCF practices among children 6-23 months of age with more pronounced effect in midland agro-ecological zone. A major contributing factor for child malnutrition may be poor feeding practices. Health information strategies focused on both IYCF practices and dietary diversity of mothers could be a sensible approach to reduce the burden of child malnutrition in rural Ethiopia.