Present Agricultural Practices Research Articles

The economics of farming expansion in the Brazilian Cerrado under possible effects of climate change

Abstract This analysis assesses the financial viability of legally investing in native Cerrado vegetation deforestation for crop production, considering climate change. The study uses data from twelve different crop models based on three different climate models to predict potential future crop yields in cleared land for growing soy and maize. The outcomes show that in many micro-regions, investments in clearing land for crop production would destroy economic value, that is, generate a negative net present value because of low/negative and volatile cashflows driven primarily by future yields as affected by climate. Our analysis was carried out based on present agricultural practices and technology. As climate changes, farmers may adapt their practices, which can lead to more resilient and productive crops, or grow different crops, which could provide better returns on investment in clearing land than the ones resulting from our analysis. Despite various uncertainties, farmers, policy makers and financial institutions should be aware of the climatic and financial risks associated with land clearing in Brazil, mainly in micro-regions in which all scenarios resulted in negative outcomes in the investment analysis.

Relationships Between Food Systems, Agricultural Practices, and Food Security Amidst Climate Change in Western Bhutan

An estimated 80% of the global population, mostly poor and vulnerable farmers, are at risk of crop failure and hunger due to climate change. Food systems are the networks for organizing food production and distribution that make meals possible at the level of the consumer, however, the networks are varied. Agricultural practices are farming methods that are used to facilitate agriculture. An economic and social condition of ready access by all household members to nutritionally adequate and safe food will ensure food security. The intricate and interconnected relationship between food systems, food security, and agricultural practices amid climate change involves significant impacts on productivity, crop yields, and food resource availability, necessitating resilient and adaptable food systems to address challenges posed by climate-induced variations and ensuring overall sustainability. The study aims to assess the relationships between agricultural practices and food systems and their implication for food security in the changing climate in the three climatic zones of Gasa, Wangdue, and Punakha. Agricultural practices in Gasa, Punakha, and Wangdue districts (Dzongkhag) were compared and relationships were drawn. The sample for the study was 360 households stratified into three climatic zones (120 households in each zone), in five sub-districts (Gewog) having 12 villages (Chiwog) taking 30 randomly selected households from every village. Household-level data was collected using the survey method by administering the pretested semi-structured questionnaire. Agriculture productivity data and climate data for the last 23 years were gathered from the National Statistical Bureau (NSB) and the National Centre for Hydrology and Meteorology (NCHM) respectively. Food systems are fragile and present agricultural practices significantly impact food security. A systematic land leasing programme (SLLP), climate-smart agriculture mass land management for mechanized farming are recommendations from this study.

Menguak Nilai Kearifan Lokal di Balik Praktik Akuntansi Biaya oleh Para Petani: Studi Etnometodologi Islam

This research departs from problems related to the study of cost accounting in the agricultural context, which only reveals the reality of accounting limited to the material and ignores local cultural and spiritual values. This study aims to reveal the value of local wisdom behind agricultural accounting practices. This study uses an Islamic paradigm with an Islamic ethnomethodological approach. There are five data analysis stages: charity, knowledge, faith, revelation information, and courtesy. The results showed that there were agricultural cost accounting practices in the form of rental fees for agricultural land expansion services, planting rice seeds, costs for seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides, as well as increased costs due to rising fuel prices. Financial accounting practice is conditional on the value of patience (patience). The value of patience is reflected through the actions of farmers who persist in this profession, even though the cost of managing agricultural land is increasing due to rising fuel prices. In Gorontalo's Islamic culture, elders often instill the value of patience in the local community through the expression (lumadu) “mopo’o tanggalo duhelo” This expression means full of patience. The implication of this research is to present agricultural accounting practices based on local cultural values.

Optimization Model and Application for Agricultural Machinery Systems Based on Timeliness Losses of Multiple Operations

Present agricultural practices confront issues such as mismatches between tractors and implements, imprecise machinery allocation, and excessive machinery investment. Optimization of agricultural machinery systems was a potent remedy for these concerns. To address inaccuracies in calculating objective functions and the incompleteness of constraints in existing models for agricultural machinery system optimization, a comprehensive mixed integer nonlinear programming (MINP) model for agricultural machinery system optimization was established. The model introduced timeliness loss costs for multiple key operations across various crops into the objective function, and constraints were enhanced by including operation sequence constraints and boundary constraints on initiation and completion dates of those key operations. Taking corn and soybeans as examples, timeliness loss functions of sowing and harvesting operations were derived through experiments. Solving the MINP model by Lingo (V.14.0) software, improvements in total power, workload per unit power, and total operational costs were shown when comparing the optimized machinery system through the MINP model against current systems. When the model omitted considerations for timeliness loss functions and operation sequence constraints, issues arose including an increase in total operational costs and an inversion of operation sequence. The model’s application in devising machinery allocation plans for production units of various operational scales revealed a gradual decrease in total power and costs per unit area with expanding scale, approaching stability when scale exceeded 1600 hm2. This study enriches theory and methodology for optimizing agricultural machinery systems, provides theoretical and technological underpinnings for rational machinery acquisition, and promotes the high-quality progression of comprehensive agricultural mechanization.

Exploring the Water-Energy-Food nexus in context of conflict in Iraq

This article applies the Water-Energy-Food (WEF) nexus to explore the relationships between Iraq's water (demand and supply), energy (oil, gas and electricity), and food production, moving beyond sector-specific studies. Thus, this is a WEF analysis of a country that is emerging from years of conflict and instability and is among the first WEF applications to Iraq at the national (as opposed to regional or metropolitan) level. We utilize various open-source data, peer reviewed and grey literature to survey environmental conditions, setting the ground for the study of WEF interrelationships. We note the decline in the quality and availability of water, focusing on it as a key input into both agricultural and oil production. We argue that the declining quality and availability of water over many decades is unable to sustain both present agricultural practices and rising oil output, highlighting the difficulty of increasing the outputs of these sectors. As such, the article underlines the need for a multi-sectoral approach in dealing with the present challenges of water, energy and food production and argues that a radical restructuring of the relations between the sectors is required. We offer policy recommendations that seek to overcome internal barriers, constraints that exist and are potentially solvable within Iraq, and other measures geared towards external barriers, including the actions of neighbors.

Effects of land cover and habitat condition on the bird community along a gradient of agricultural development within an arid watershed of Chile

Agricultural activities are a major cause of change in avifauna, frequently resulting in diminished diversity and biotic homogenization, and ultimately compromising ecosystem functioning and resilience. Arid ecosystems, which provide habitat for numerous native and endemic bird species, are vulnerable to global change and valuable in predicting future ecosystem shifts in regions undergoing aridification as a result of climate change. However, the impacts of agriculture on bird communities in arid ecosystems are understudied. Here, we evaluate these impacts in the arid Limarí watershed in north-central Chile, a region that has experienced extensive land use conversion to agriculture over the past 50 years. Specifically, we investigated current spatial patterns of avian beta diversity and the impact of landscape context on this diversity facet. Moreover, we evaluated how bird species respond to land cover and habitat conditions and the role of specific bird traits in this regard. To achieve this, we evaluated taxonomic and functional beta diversity across 26 sites distributed along a gradient of agricultural development, applied a beta diversity decomposition procedure, and carried out hierarchical joint species distribution modeling. Our study revealed high taxonomic but low functional beta diversity of the avifauna in the Limarí watershed, potentially indicative of past functional homogenization. Contrary to our initial expectations, present agricultural practices did not decrease beta diversity. While human-related landscape elements and agricultural features mostly had neutral or positive effects on bird occurrence, they negatively affected endemic species and certain bird traits related to diet and habitat. Riparian vegetation cover and quality, unrelated to agricultural and urban development, emerged as key factors structuring the regional bird community, and influenced beta diversity. Our results underscore the profound influence of land use change on the avian community in this arid region and the vital role of riparian ecosystems in this regard. Balancing conservation objectives with agricultural development is key to ensuring both the persistence of several functional groups in the region as well as the ecosystem services they provide.

Industry 4.0 technologies in agri-food sector and their integration in the global value chain: A review

We use many kinds of digital technologies in our daily life and they lead to radical changes. These technologies are recently being adopted by agriculture and food industry and their use in various applications is tested. The results of the studies conducted with the use of these technologies, especially IoT (internet of things)-based systems, are quite promising for the solution of the chronic problems of agriculture and food industry such as food-borne diseases, mycotoxin contaminations, pesticide residues, increasing waste, etc. Under extraordinary conditions, just like the ones we have recently experienced due to COVID-19 pandemic, IoT-based systems are crucial to ensure the sustainability of agriculture and food supply chain. In this review, the fundamentals of IoT-based systems and recent developments in their use in agriculture and food supply chain are explained. Based on the literature, examples of successful applications of IoT-based systems for irrigation efficiency, pesticide treatments, supply chain management etc. are given. Nowadays, there is a great demand for the integration of IoT-based systems into the present agricultural practices and supply chains and it seems to increase exponentially. Experts in electronics and computer sciences have achieved noteworthy success in the simulations. On the other hand, only a few studies have been conducted in real agricultural and food systems. However, IoT-based systems should be tested on-site and their success in practical applications should be proved. It is obvious that new era will be one in which IoT-based technologies and their tools will be more commonly used in agriculture and food supply.

Heavy Precipitation Impacts on Nitrogen Loading to the Gulf of Mexico in the 21st Century: Model Projections Under Future Climate Scenarios

AbstractWhile spatial heterogeneity of riverine nitrogen (N) loading is predominantly driven by the magnitude of basin‐wide anthropogenic N input, the temporal dynamics of N loading are closely related to the amount and timing of precipitation. However, existing studies do not disentangle the contributions of heavy precipitation versus non‐heavy precipitation predicted by future climate scenarios. Here, we explore the potential responses of N loading from the Mississippi Atchafalaya River Basin to precipitation changes using a well‐calibrated hydro‐ecological model and Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 climate projections under two representative concentration pathway (RCP) scenarios. With present agricultural production and management practices, N loading could increase up to 30% by the end of the 21st century under future climate scenarios, half of which would be driven by heavy precipitation. Particularly, the RCP8.5 scenario, in which heavy precipitation and drought events become more frequent, would increase N loading disproportionately to projected increases in river discharge. N loading in spring would contribute 41% and 51% of annual N loading increase under the RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios, respectively, most of which is related to higher N yield due to increases in heavy precipitation. Anthropogenic N inputs would be increasingly susceptible to leaching loss in the Midwest and the Mississippi Alluvial Plain regions. Our results imply that future climate change alone, including more frequent and intense precipitation extremes, would increase N loading and intensify the eutrophication of the Gulf of Mexico over this coming century. More effective nutrient management interventions are needed to reverse this trend.

OLYMERIC NANOFORMULATION OF A NON-SYSTEMIC DITHIOCARBAMATE PESTICIDE: PREPARATION, CHARACTERIZATION, AND BIOASSAY

The current agricultural practice is to develop novel Nano agrochemicals in the form of Nano pesticides. Many researchers in the world have foretold an upheaval in present agricultural practice. This paper aims at the application of nanotechnology for plant protection in the form of Nano pesticides. Our study endowed with a novel polymeric Nano formulation of a dithiocarbamate nonsystemic agricultural fungicide called Mannose (MCB) by using polycaprolactone as a capping agent. The encapsulated dithiocarbamate complex was characterized by using analytical techniques like UV-Visible spectroscopy, Dynamic light scattering, Scanning electron microscope, and Transmission electron microscope. The particle size distribution emerged at 17-44nm. The bioassay was conducted against Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Sclerotium rolfsii, and Rhizoctonia solani. The bioassay illustrated better results as compared to the commercial pesticide.

Assessing Sustainability of Paddy Farmers in Peri-Urban Khulna: An Application of Farmer Sustainability Index

Association of sustainability agriculture and farming practices is somehow closely connected. There are necessary different farming practices for both adjusted and unadjusted PFSI measurement. The study observes practices of paddy farming and if farmers are practicing agriculture sustainably by estimating PFSI in three villages of Gutudia union. The objective is to spot the present agricultural practices and accessible sustainable practices, to examine the sustainability degree at field beneath the present paddy farming systems using PFSI and additionally to identify recommendations. The unit of analysis is 50 farmers and measured on a scale of 0 to 100 and also through Saltiel, Bauder, and Palakovich (1994) index. The results discovers that the average sustainability level which is presumably quite unsustainable this shows the necessity for more extension of correct practices. Chi-square analysis shows that the level of farmers’ awareness toward sustainable agriculture and positive attitude are considerably different with the level of PFSI.

Levels of 226Ra in groundwater samples collected in Phu Yen province, Vietnam associated with health risks to local population and impacts on the maize (Zea mays L.) soil.

Groundwater is a major source of drinking water and agricultural water in some regions of the world. However, it contains a high level of 226Ra that is potentially hazardous to human health and the environment. Normally, the activity concentration of 226Ra in groundwater is determined to assess the quality of groundwater that can be used as drinking water. There are few studies on the accumulation of 226Ra in the agricultural soil due to irrigation with groundwater. In this study, levels of 226Ra were determined on over 60 groundwater samples collected from the public water supply wells in Phu Yen province, Vietnam. Besides assessment of the health risks to population due to drinking groundwater samples, the impact of groundwater irrigation to the maize field in the study area was studied. For this purpose, two chemical fate models were applied and the comparison of their results was performed. Based on the model assessments, we predicted that the present agricultural practices increased the 226Ra activity concentration in the maize soil, and the level of 226Ra activity concentration in the topsoil can exceed the recommended level at 11.4 years of the present agricultural practices on the maize soil.

Потенціал використання соломи зернових культур як біопалива

In the present of our country, its energy independence is a topical issue. Ukraine has a huge potential of biomass - straw, which today, as biofuel is extremely small, because of the lack of equipment and machinery for proper collection of fields and power plants, where it can be burned. This plant is the only niche in the production of solid biofuels, which, in fact, is underdeveloped today. Straw can be one of the most promising sources of alternative fuel for the country as a whole. The article presents the research results of potential use of straw for energy purposes. One of the problematic issues is the contents in the biomass of straw of some chemical elements, which reduce the efficiency of power plants. This problem can be solved by leaching the elements from the straw in the use of biomass for direct burning or when using straw for the manufacture of pellets. Pellet production of straw has both advantages and disadvantages. Cereal straw is one of the promising energy sources, efficient use of which is determined by several factors, including the need for an ecological justification. Determined the predictive potential of straw as an alternative fuel and assessed the energy costs of its collection, preparation for combustion in boilers. On the basis of estimates and predicts the possible volumes of consumption of a particular alternative fuel for the future. In this work, we discussed the balance sheet evaluation methods of the potential of straw as biofuel for a specific condition and results of researches of influence on the environment. It is shown that exposure of straw in the field can significantly reduce the content of corrosion-hazardous elements. There has been analyzed the composition of the ash waste, which are formed during combustion of straw. It is established that under the present agricultural practice the content of some heavy metals in the ash do not exceed the European Union standards, which allows its use as a fertilizer for crops.

Estimating nitrogen flows of agricultural soils at a landscape level – A modelling study of the Upper Enns Valley, a long-term socio-ecological research region in Austria

This paper explores the fate of reactive nitrogen (Nr) on the landscape scale of present agricultural production practice on arable and grassland soils. We use the soil modelling tool LandscapeDNDC (landscape scale DeNitrification-DeComposition model) to quantify resulting flows of Nr distributed to the atmosphere, hydrosphere and the crops. Test area is a watershed in the Austrian Alps characterized by arable production in the low-lying areas and grassland in the mountains. The approach considers an overall budget of nitrogen, and determines the nitrogen use efficiency for individual crops and crop rotations, with average levels found at 85% for the arable area and 68–98% for the grassland areas. Modelled Nr flows are compared to the values resulting from the national emission factor (EF) method used for the Austrian emission inventory. For the arable part of the study region, the annual sum of released Nr emissions derived from LandscapeDNDC modelling is lower than the result of the EF method by about 13% (or 7 kg N ha−1). Model results are lower also for other Nr species, yet nitrate leaching rates as well as ammonia emissions contribute a major share. For grassland areas, nitrate leaching values estimated by LandscapeDNDC greatly depend on local specifics and substantially exceed EF estimates. All other modelled Nr species are lower than the EF results. The model set-up allows to characterize spatially explicit effects of mitigation measures. As an example, we identify nitrous oxide (N2O) hot spots in the study region, and we quantify the N2O emission saving potential if focusing reduction efforts to such hot spots. Reducing fertilization of hot spots by half could remove 14% of N2O emission for 5% less crop yield and a loss of grassland yield by <1% when extrapolated to the whole study area.

Agriculture changes soil properties on the Galápagos Islands – two case studies

The Galápagos Islands have faced a huge rise in the number of inhabitants and tourists over recent decades. As a consequence, natural forest vegetation has been converted to arable land to meet the increasing demand for agricultural produce. However, studies on soils and soil use change in the Galápagos Islands are scarce. In this study, we assessed the impacts of agricultural land-use on the islands of Santa Cruz and San Cristóbal. The site on Santa Cruz was called El Cascajo (EC, Leptosol, 5 years after conversion to intensive agriculture) and that on the oldest island of the Galápagos archipelago, San Cristóbal, Cerro Verde (CV, Ferralsol, 15 years after conversion). At both sites, we compared arable soils to soils under forests within the adjacent Galápagos National Park, which had formed on the same parent materials. Several soil properties showed a significant impact of the arable use. Soil organic carbon (Corg) stocks were relatively high at both sites (between 94 ± 28 and 142 ± 10 Mg ha–1). At CV, the stocks were 25% lower in arable plots compared with natural forest, but the observed decrease at EC was non-significant. Many other parameters like total nitrogen and several Mehlich-III extractable nutrients were closely correlated with the changes in Corg. Microbial biomass carbon (Cmic) and dissolved organic carbon were significantly lower in arable plots compared with forest at both sites. At EC, Cmic/Corg dropped by a factor of 1.9. Changes in pH and the use of agrochemicals, evidenced by pesticide residues detected in the soil, might be a possible explanation. Ammonium-N decreased and nitrate-N increased tremendously in the arable plots on both islands. Our research shows that present agricultural practices have potential for improvements towards a more sustainable agricultural use of soil resources on the Galápagos Islands.

SOIL EROSION BY TILLAGE IN RAINFED N-W. EGYPTION COAST

Tillage erosion is one of the main causes of land degradation. The objective of the present study is to evaluate the effect of tillage systems (up and downslope and contour tillage), soil conditions (consolidated and loosened soils), tillage depth, speed and slope on tillage erosion rate. Field experiments of variable slopes (3 - 16%) were established on sandy soil of Wadi El Ramala, west Mersa Matruh City. Soil translocation as affected by tillage systems and soil conditions were examined. In addition, soil losses by tillage erosion and water erosion were measured and evaluated. The experimental results showed that the average displacement distance is a function of gradient slopes, soil condition, tillage system, depth and speed. The validation of the soil translocation model developed by (Van Muysen et al 2000), under different gradient slopes, tillage depth, speed and soil condition were evaluated. This validation showed that variations in tracer displacement distance can be successfully predicted. Consequently, such model can be used under sandy soil. Finally, experiment results showed that tillage operations with a chisel plow under present agricultural practices are responsible for the major field redistribution of soil. Furthermore, it is clear that tillage of a loosened soil is far more erosive than tillage of a consolidated soil, where the tillage transport coefficient (K) was 105 kg.m-1 per tillage operation for consolidated soil and 179 kg.m-1 for loosened soil under contour tillage. However, 256 kg.m-1 per tillage prevailed for consolidated soil and 454 kg.m-1 for loosened soil under up and downslope tillage treatments.

Microbes and the Next Nitrogen Revolution.

The Haber Bosch process is among the greatest inventions of the 20th century. It provided agriculture with reactive nitrogen and ultimately mankind with nourishment for a population of 7 billion people. However, the present agricultural practice of growing crops for animal production and human food constitutes a major threat to the sustainability of the planet in terms of reactive nitrogen pollution. In view of the shortage of directly feasible and cost-effective measures to avoid these planetary nitrogen burdens and the necessity to remediate this problem, we foresee the absolute need for and expect a revolution in the use of microbes as a source of protein. Bypassing land-based agriculture through direct use of Haber Bosch produced nitrogen for reactor-based production of microbial protein can be an inspiring concept for the production of high quality animal feed and even straightforward supply of proteinaceous products for human food, without significant nitrogen losses to the environment and without the need for genetic engineering to safeguard feed and food supply for the generations to come.

Food waste in the United States: A contributing factor toward environmental instability

The world’s population continues to increase at record rates along with corresponding nutritional needs and related agricultural consequences. In the United States, food waste levels serve as dominant components of land-fill masses, oil and freshwater waste, methane and CO2 emissions, damage to wildlife ecosystems, and substantial financial losses. Agricultural effects on the environment were investigated through various research studies, referenced in this document, and efforts made toward food waste recycling were discussed as noteworthy models concerning improvements in sustainable agricultural practices. Food waste levels in the United States can be traced as faults of consumers, agricultural businesses, as well as federal legislation and there is an evident need for reform to maintain consumer health, viable foreign affairs, and environmental sustainability. Present agricultural practices are intense and rapid, increasing the risk of soil infertility and commercial alterations in production yields; repercussions well documented in neighboring nations. Experts argue that food waste in developed countries damages food availability around the world and, based on current agricultural practices and production, there is debate conc

Nanotechnology in Agriculture: Propagating, Perpetuating, and Protecting Life

Natural agricultural production is an open system, both energy and matters are exchanged freely in this system involving interactions of geosphere (especially pedosphere), biosphere, and atmosphere. Agriculture provides crops for food and industry, fiber, fuel, auto-fuel and drugs. On one hand it faces ever escalating food prices and farmer’s suicides, and on the other hand input use efficiency is low. Present agricultural practices have made harvests toxic, mother’s milk a poison, and breathing-air venom. In this background, nanotechnology brings new hope. Nanotechnology is an interdisciplinary venture-field that converge science, engineering, and agriculture and food systems into one. The Environmental Protection Agency of the US has defined nanotechnology as the understanding and control of matter at dimensions of roughly 1-100 nm, where unique physical properties make novel applications possible. The triple problems of agriculture – over-dependence on supplementary irrigation, vulnerability to climate, and poor input and energy conversion to products – can be solved by using nanotechnology, provided agricultural scientists seek a chance to try and cooperate with scientists of kindred disciplines. Nanotechnology is new to agriculture; a ventured field of less than a decade old. But, already success has been achieved for manufacturing nano-pesticides and nano-fertilizer, in disease elimination in poultry, in food packaging, use of agricultural waste, nanosensors, precision agricultural practices, and in livestock and fisheries. Nanotechnology holds the potential to revolutionize agriculture and food systems in the areas of nano-fertilizers, pesticide career, microfluidics, BioMEMS, nucleic acid bioengineering, smart treatment delivery systems, nanobioprocessing, bioanalytical nanosensors, nanomaterials, bioselective surfaces, environmental processing, pathogen detection, plant/animal production, biosecurity, molecular and cellular biology, protection of the environment through the reduction and conversion of agricultural materials into valuable products, design and development of new nanocatalysts to convert vegetable oils into biobased fuels and biodegradable industrial solvents, and in controlled ecological life support system, to name a few.

Nanotechnology in Agriculture: Propagating, Perpetuating, and Protecting Life

AbstractNatural agricultural production is an open system, both energy and matters are exchanged freely in this system involving interactions of geosphere (especially pedosphere), biosphere, and atmosphere. Agriculture provides crops for food and industry, fiber, fuel, auto-fuel and drugs. On one hand it faces ever escalating food prices and farmer’s suicides, and on the other hand input use efficiency is low. Present agricultural practices have made harvests toxic, mother’s milk a poison, and breathing-air venom. In this background, nanotechnology brings new hope. Nanotechnology is an interdisciplinary venture-field that converge science, engineering, and agriculture and food systems into one. The Environmental Protection Agency of the US has defined nanotechnology as the understanding and control of matter at dimensions of roughly 1-100 nm, where unique physical properties make novel applications possible. The triple problems of agriculture – over-dependence on supplementary irrigation, vulnerability to climate, and poor input and energy conversion to products – can be solved by using nanotechnology, provided agricultural scientists seek a chance to try and cooperate with scientists of kindred disciplines. Nanotechnology is new to agriculture; a ventured field of less than a decade old. But, already success has been achieved for manufacturing nano-pesticides and nano-fertilizer, in disease elimination in poultry, in food packaging, use of agricultural waste, nanosensors, precision agricultural practices, and in livestock and fisheries. Nanotechnology holds the potential to revolutionize agriculture and food systems in the areas of nano-fertilizers, pesticide career, microfluidics, BioMEMS, nucleic acid bioengineering, smart treatment delivery systems, nanobioprocessing, bioanalytical nanosensors, nanomaterials, bioselective surfaces, environmental processing, pathogen detection, plant/animal production, biosecurity, molecular and cellular biology, protection of the environment through the reduction and conversion of agricultural materials into valuable products, design and development of new nanocatalysts to convert vegetable oils into biobased fuels and biodegradable industrial solvents, and in controlled ecological life support system, to name a few.

Extraction of Protein from Common Plant Leaves for Use as Human Food

Problem statement: Protein deficiency is one of the major nutritional problems in the developing world. The most disastrous consequences occur in children where protein malnutrition manifests itself in forms of two notorious diseases: Marasmus and kwashiorkor. Expansion of present agricultural practices into marginal lands is expected to solve this chronic protein shortage. The process of photosynthesis is the only non depletable protein source and can supply some essential amino acids as well as provide adequate nitrogen in the diet for synthesis of non essential amino acids in addition to vitamins and minerals. Approach: The aim of this study was to assess the nutritional values of common plant leaves and determine the feasibility of using them as a protein supplement. Six plants were cultivated and tested for their nutritional quality: amaranth, cowpea, sugar been, pumpkin, sweet potato and cabbage. Results: Pumpkin leaves recorded the highest protein yield (11.75%) followed by amaranth (10.5%) The protein contents in the leaves of sweet potato, cowpea, cabbage and sugar been were much lower (7.85, 6.95, 5.60 and 3.45%, respectively). Conclusion: Except for sugar bean, all plants had higher extractable protein content than cabbage. Proper use of the growing season can achieve high protein yield. Clean cutting will ensure that the leaves do not deteriorate within a few hours when kept in cool place and freezing leaves can improve protein extractability. The test plants should be given a trial as protein sources for human. Plant leaves have vitamins, minerals and essential amino acids and when consumed in adequate amounts they can supplement protein especially in areas where the environment is very hostile to livestock keeping or where fish protein is lacking. The optimum harvest age, fertilizer requirements and the possibility of combining two or more plants together to improve protein content should be studied. The amino acid, minerals and vitamins profiles should also be determined.