Subsequent Harvest Research Articles

Disc mower versus bar mower: Evaluation of the direct effects of two common mowing techniques on the grassland arthropod fauna

Abstract In Central Europe, species‐rich grasslands are threatened by intensive agriculture with frequent mowing, contributing to the reduction of arthropods such as insects and spiders. However, comprehensive and standardised studies on the direct effects of the two most agriculturally relevant mowing techniques, e.g., double‐blade bar mower versus disc mower, are lacking. In a 2‐year experiment, we have investigated the direct effect of mowing on eight abundant arthropod groups in grassland, covering two seasonal mowing events in both years, using a randomised block design. We compared (a) an unmown control, (b) a double‐blade bar mower and (c) a disc mower. For most of the taxonomic groups studied, a significantly lower number of individuals was found in the experimental plots immediately after mowing, regardless of the mowing technique, compared to an unmown control. This was not the case for Orthoptera and Coleoptera, which did not show a significant reduction in the number of individuals for both mowing techniques (Orthoptera) or only for the double‐blade bar mower (Coleoptera). Between both mowing techniques, no significant differences were found for all taxonomic groups investigated. Synthesis and applications. Our findings suggest that mowing in general has a negative impact on abundant arthropod groups in grassland, regardless of the method used. Tractor‐driven double‐blade bar mowers do not seem to be a truly insect‐friendly alternative to a conventional disc mower. Other factors such as cutting height and mowing regimes should be seriously considered to protect spiders and insects from the negative effects of mowing. In addition, we strongly recommend the maintenance of unmown refugia. Insects and spiders that are spared by mowing can take refuge in these unmown areas to avoid subsequent harvesting and thermally unfavourable conditions that arise on mown areas. Further, unmown refugia are basic habitat structures for a subsequent recolonisation of mown areas once the flora has recovered.

Carbon footprint assessment of microalgal biomass production, hydrothermal liquefaction and refining to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in mainland Portugal

Industrial liquid effluents (e.g., from fertilizer industry) and flue gas streams (e.g., CO2-rich, from cement industry) arise as an opportunity for waste valorization. Microalgae are suitable biomass for assimilating both effluents at the cultivation stage. Under a biorefinery concept, given the urge for energy transition in the aviation sector, this research explores the transformation of a microalgae consortium grown at an industrial site in Portugal and its subsequent harvesting, hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL), and bio-oil refining. A life cycle assessment (LCA) approach is undertaken with two functional units (FU): 1 kg of microalgae dry-cell weight (dw) and 1 MJ of bio-jet fuel. The latter follows an attributional approach with energy allocation for comparison with the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) guidelines. HTL is based on data from bench-scale experiments and literature, whereby the Petroleum Refinery Life Cycle Inventory Model (PRELIM) is used to mimic bio-oil refining. Following this approach, achieving Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) compliance requires net-zero electricity (0 gCO2eq/kWh), with an HTL bio-oil yield of 55.6 % dw (the maximum observed), a minimum refining bio-jet fuel yield of at least 16 %. Alternatively, an HTL bio-oil yield of 36.9 % dw (the median observed) with a refining efficiency of at least 24.3 %.

Comparing winter distribution and harvest rates of transmitter‐marked and banded‐only mallards in western Tennessee

AbstractThe miniaturization of Global Positioning Systems (GPS) transmitters is providing insights into the ecology and management of migratory bird species at biologically‐relevant spatial scales. However, transmitters and their attachment methods could bias inferred behaviors, demographic rates, and resulting management decisions. We evaluated the effects of external harness‐style GPS transmitters by comparing direct harvest rates, winter dispersal distances, and subsequent harvest distributions of mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) equipped with GPS transmitters (n = 443) to a tarsal banded‐only control group (n = 1,123) captured in western Tennessee during winters 2019–2022. We found that transmitter‐marked mallards had similar harvest rates, winter dispersal distances, and harvest distributions as banded‐only mallards. Time between capture and harvest predicted dispersal distances but there was no effect of marker type. Specifically, the average time from capture to harvest was 30 (SE = 2) and 31 (SE = 3) days for banded‐only and transmitter‐marked mallards, respectively. Harvest rate () was only 2.2% greater for transmitter‐marked mallards compared to banded‐only mallards overall, but GPS transmitters affected harvest susceptibility of juveniles ( = 14.5%). Based on harvest rates and dispersal distances between transmitter‐marked and banded‐only cohorts, we suggest 7‐ to 10‐day data censoring periods may be warranted, especially for juveniles, as mallards acclimate to GPS transmitters. Overall, we concluded that modern harness‐style GPS transmitters provided reliable information of wintering mallard space use, movements, and harvest mortality and can be used to inform ecology and management of wintering mallards and other dabbling ducks. Future studies should evaluate effects of harness‐style GPS transmitters for other species and during different portions of dabbling ducks' life cycle, such as migration or nesting, when they may experience greater adverse effects.

Metabolomic analysis of umami taste variation in Pyropia haitanensis throughout the harvest cycle

Porphyra sensu lato, a highly valuable edible seaweed renowned for its distinctive umami taste, undergoes significant taste variations during the harvest cycle, affecting product quality and pricing. In this study, umami-related metabolites in Pyropia haitanensis were investigated at different harvesting times using GC–MS metabolomic, targeted LC-MS analysis, and an electronic tongue taste evaluation. High concentrations of compounds, including glutamic acid, aspartic acid, and inosine 5′-monophosphate, were identified as the main contributors to the overall umami profile. The concentrations of the compounds and umami-enhancing substances, such as sugars, were negatively correlated as the harvesting period extended. The early harvested P. haitanensis exhibited a superior umami taste, which gradually decreased with subsequent harvest time. Proline, a known cold-resistance metabolite, accumulated as the seawater temperature decreased and the harvest period progressed. These findings provide insights into the optimal cultivation and harvesting practices for maintaining umami quality in P. haitanensis products.

Abstract B016: Eosinophils alter metastatic spread in pancreatic cancer

Abstract Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) is the third most common cause of cancer death in the US with a 11% 5-year survival rate. A key contributor of this dismal prognosis is early and frequent metastatic spread with limited treatment options for patients. Metastasis in PDA is facilitated by a robust fibroinflammatory response in the primary tumor site, a large portion of which is composed of infiltrating immune cells, and survival during transit to establish in the secondary site. In the primary tumor reactive stroma, we found increased eosinophils in both human and mouse PDA compared to the normal pancreas. Eosinophils are an innate immune cell best known for their ability to control parasite responses and have been implicated in either pro- or anti-cancer roles in various solid tumors. We used the ΔdblGata mice, which lack eosinophils, to study the role of eosinophils during metastatic spread using a resectable model of PDA metastasis. This model of metastasis was developed to facilitate consistent seeding of lung metastasis in approximately 50 percent of mice from a transient subcutaneous tumor which undergoes subsequent surgical removal and harvest to evaluate metastasis at 4 weeks. We found that mice lacking eosinophils have increased metastasis to the lung in our resectable model of PDA metastasis but no difference in establishment of IV injected PDA tumor cells, suggesting eosinophil control at the primary tumor site. Single cell sequencing of the subcutaneous tumors finds differences in the angiogenic subtypes, tip and stalk cells, in mice lacking eosinophils. Sequencing of eosinophil populations in humans and mice find an increase in angiogenic signaling suggesting a regulatory role in tumor cell access to the circulation. We conclude that eosinophils in PDA inhibit the metastatic process through control of angiogenic signaling. Citation Format: Megan T. Hoffman, Patrick J. Lenehan, Jen Wang, Lestat Ali, Amiko Uchida, Sara Vayrynen, Andressa Dias Costa, Michael Dougan, Max Heckler, Jonathan Nowak, Brian W. Wolpin, Stephanie K. Dougan. Eosinophils alter metastatic spread in pancreatic cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference in Cancer Research: Pancreatic Cancer; 2023 Sep 27-30; Boston, Massachusetts. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(2 Suppl):Abstract nr B016.

AC R-CNN: Pixelwise Instance Segmentation Model for Agrocybe cylindracea Cap

The popularity of Agrocybe cylindracea is increasing due to its unique flavor and nutritional value. The Agrocybe cylindracea cap is a key aspect of the growth process, and high-throughput observation of cap traits in greenhouses by machine vision is a future development trend of smart agriculture. Nevertheless, the segmentation of the Agrocybe cylindracea cap is extremely challenging due to its similarity in color to the rest of the mushroom and the occurrence of mutual occlusion, presenting a major obstacle for the effective application of automation technology. To address this issue, we propose an improved instance segmentation network called Agrocybe cylindracea R-CNN (AC R-CNN) based on the Mask R-CNN model. AC R-CNN incorporates hybrid dilated convolution (HDC) and attention modules into the feature extraction backbone network to enhance the segmentation of adhesive mushroom caps and focus on the segmentation objects. Furthermore, the Mask Branch module is replaced with PointRend to improve the network’s segmentation accuracy at the edges of the mushroom caps. These modifications effectively solve the problems of the original algorithm’s inability to segment adhesive Agrocybe cylindracea caps and low accuracy in edge segmentation. The experimental results demonstrate that AC R-CNN outperforms the original Mask R-CNN in terms of segmentation performance. The average precision (AP) is improved by 12.1%, and the F1 score is improved by 13.7%. Additionally, AC R-CNN outperforms other networks such as Mask Scoring R-CNN and BlendMask. Therefore, the research findings of this study can meet the high-precision segmentation requirements of Agrocybe cylindracea caps and lay a theoretical foundation for the development of subsequent intelligent phenotyping devices and harvesting robots.

Multiple physiological mechanisms involved in reproduction could be targeted for breeding heat tolerance in lima bean

AbstractWith global warming, the impact of high‐temperature stress on crop production is one of the major issues facing agriculture. Combining a series of field and controlled environment experiments, the current study aimed at understanding causes of yield loss due to heat stress in lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus L.) in order to guide breeding for heat tolerance. A growth‐stage analysis of multi‐year field trials suggested that yields were reduced by sensitivity to heat during floral transition. High nighttime temperatures during this period were also associated with delayed pod set and subsequent harvest. These effects were validated in controlled environments, with additional tests revealing how nighttime heat stress generally reduces seeds per pod but can also reduce the number of pods set. Using an intra‐plant dual temperature treatment design for vegetative and reproductive organs, it was determined that effects on pollen viability and release are primary factors underlying heat stress‐associated yield losses in lima bean. Elevated nighttime temperatures did not reduce aboveground biomass, indicating the physiological basis for temperature sensitivity was not driven by a photosynthate deficit, but instead could be attributed to changes in source–sink dynamics. Still, the basis for sensitivity to heat differed among genotypes, opening new targets for a multi‐mechanistic breeding approach for heat tolerance.

Multimodality, multidisciplinary approach to overcome technical challenges in a pediatric stem cell harvest for sickle cell disease with preformed donor-specific antibodies

Abstract Sickle cell disease is a group of disorders caused by a mutation in the beta chain of hemoglobin (Hb) leading to a vicious cycle of HbS polymerization, increased adhesion-mediated vaso-occlusion and hemolysis-mediated endothelial dysfunction. Herein, we describe a multimodality approach undertaken in a 10-year-old girl child with sickle cell anemia with preformed donor specific antibody (DSA). The initial autologous stem cell rescue collection had to be aborted due to excessive clotting in the stem cell collection set due to elevated Hb S levels. Red cell exchange was performed in view of this and the subsequent autologous harvest was successful. Five cycles of therapeutic plasma exchanges were done before allogeneic stem cell transplantation to reduce the mean fluorescent intensity value of DSA. The child tolerated the procedures well without any adverse events.

The growth rate and genetic variability of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) half-sibs in test crops of Northern Kazakhstan

Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) is a valuable tree species, playing an important role in maintaining the ecological and economic balance not only in Kazakhstan, but also in many countries around the world. The purpose of this study was to assess the growth rate and to identify the genotypes of the half-sib progeny of Scotch pine plus trees in order to further obtain high-quality seeds with valuable genetic traits. A molecular genetic analysis was carried out using six microsatellite and 20 isoenzyme loci on 15 Scots pine half-sib families, represented by two samples of seeds collected in the subsequent harvesting periods (planted in 1986 and 1987), that evaluated the taxonomic characteristics such as tree height and trunk diameter (DBH, measured at 1.3 meters). Families with the highest growth rate in both samples were selected as candidates for the elite group. During the SSR analysis, a decrease in the level of expected heterozygosity (0.2377-0.5362 with an average value of 0.4593) was observed in P. sylvestris L. half-sibs compared to the sample of maternal plus trees (0.5444), with similar results to that of the “founder effect”. At the same time, the level of observed heterozygosity remained sufficiently high (0.3333-0.7037 with an average value of 0.4980 and 0.4556, respectively). During the isoenzyme analysis, the level of genetic variability either decreased or was similar to that of the maternal trees. Rare and unique alleles were found in seed samples of the analysed tree families. In general, this research showed that a comprehensive evaluation combining both traditional breeding methods (genetic assessment of progeny in the course of growth) and molecular genetic analysis is required for the selection of elite trees.

Precision Detection of Dense Litchi Fruit in UAV Images Based on Improved YOLOv5 Model

The utilization of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for the precise and convenient detection of litchi fruits, in order to estimate yields and perform statistical analysis, holds significant value in the complex and variable litchi orchard environment. Currently, litchi yield estimation relies predominantly on manual rough counts, which often result in discrepancies between the estimated values and the actual production figures. This study proposes a large-scene and high-density litchi fruit recognition method based on the improved You Only Look Once version 5 (YOLOv5) model. The main objective is to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of yield estimation in natural orchards. First, the PANet in the original YOLOv5 model is replaced with the improved Bi-directional Feature Pyramid Network (BiFPN) to enhance the model’s cross-scale feature fusion. Second, the P2 feature layer is fused into the BiFPN to enhance the learning capability of the model for high-resolution features. After that, the Normalized Gaussian Wasserstein Distance (NWD) metric is introduced into the regression loss function to enhance the learning ability of the model for litchi tiny targets. Finally, the Slicing Aided Hyper Inference (SAHI) is used to enhance the detection of tiny targets without increasing the model’s parameters or computational memory. The experimental results show that the overall AP value of the improved YOLOv5 model has been effectively increased by 22%, compared to the original YOLOv5 model’s AP value of 50.6%. Specifically, the APs value for detecting small targets has increased from 27.8% to 57.3%. The model size is only 3.6% larger than the original YOLOv5 model. Through ablation and comparative experiments, our method has successfully improved accuracy without compromising the model size and inference speed. Therefore, the proposed method in this paper holds practical applicability for detecting litchi fruits in orchards. It can serve as a valuable tool for providing guidance and suggestions for litchi yield estimation and subsequent harvesting processes. In future research, optimization can be continued for the small target detection problem, while it can be extended to study the small target tracking problem in dense scenarios, which is of great significance for litchi yield estimation.

O2RNet: Occluder-occludee relational network for robust apple detection in clustered orchard environments

Automated apple harvesting has attracted significant research interest in recent years because of its great potential to address the issues of labor shortage and rising labor costs. One key challenge to automated harvesting is accurate and robust apple detection, due to complex orchard environments that involve varying lighting conditions, fruit clustering and foliage/branch occlusions. Apples are often grown in clusters on trees, which may be mis-identified as a single apple and thus causes issues in fruit localization for subsequent robotic harvesting operations. In this paper, we present the development of a novel deep learning-based apple detection framework, called the Occluder-Occludee Relational Network (O2RNet), for robust detection of apples in clustered situations. A comprehensive dataset of RGB images were collected for two varieties of apples under different lighting conditions (overcast, direct lighting, and back lighting) with varying degrees of apple occlusions, and the images were annotated and made available to the public. A novel occlusion-aware network was developed for apple detection, in which a feature expansion structure is incorporated into the convolutional neural networks to extract additional features generated by the original network for occluded apples. Comprehensive evaluations of the developed O2RNet were performed using the collected images, which outperformed 12 other state-of-the-art models with a higher accuracy of 94% and a higher F1-score of 0.88 on apple detection. O2RNet provides an enhanced method for robust detection of clustered apples, which is critical to accurate fruit localization for robotic harvesting.

Rhesus macaque fetal and placental growth demographics: A resource for laboratory animal researchers.

Rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) are amongst the most common nonhuman primate species used in biomedical research. These animals provide a precious resource for translational studies and opportunities to maximize rhesus data use are encouraged. Here we compile data produced from 10 years of investigator-driven pregnancy studies conducted at the Oregon National Primate Research Center (ONPRC). All pregnancies were generated within the consistent and reproducible protocols of the ONPRC time-mated breeding program. The data included are from control animals who did not experience in utero perturbations or experimental manipulations. A total of 86pregnant rhesus macaques were delivered by cesarean section over a range of gestational days (G) 50 to G159 (where term is G165 ± 10 days in the rhesus macaque), with subsequent immediate tissue harvesting following standardized protocols. Fetal and placental growth measures, and all major organ weights are reported. All data are presented relative to gestational age for the entire cohort and in addition, data are stratified by fetal sex. The outcome is a large reference resource for use by laboratory animal researchers in future comparative fetal development studies.

Experimental studies from shake flasks to 3 L stirred tank bioreactor of nutrients and oxygen supply conditions to improve the growth of the avian cell line DuckCelt®-T17

BackgroundTo produce viral vaccines, avian cell lines are interesting alternatives to replace the egg-derived processes for viruses that do not grow well on mammalian cells. The avian suspension cell line DuckCelt®-T17 was previously studied and investigated to produce a live attenuated metapneumovirus (hMPV)/respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza virus vaccines. However, a better understanding of its culture process is necessary for an efficient production of viral particles in bioreactors.ResultsThe growth and metabolic requirements of the avian cell line DuckCelt®-T17 were investigated to improve its cultivation parameters. Several nutrient supplementation strategies were studied in shake flasks highlighting the interest of (i) replacing L-glutamine by glutamax as main nutrient or (ii) adding these two nutrients in the serum-free growth medium in a fed-batch strategy. The scale-up in a 3 L bioreactor was successful for these types of strategies confirming their efficiencies in improving the cells’ growth and viability. Moreover, a perfusion feasibility test allowed to achieve up to ~ 3 times the maximum number of viable cells obtained with the batch or fed-batch strategies. Finally, a strong oxygen supply – 50% dO2 – had a deleterious effect on DuckCelt®-T17 viability, certainly because of the greater hydrodynamic stress imposed.ConclusionsThe culture process using glutamax supplementation with a batch or a fed-batch strategy was successfully scaled-up to 3 L bioreactor. In addition, perfusion appeared as a very promising culture process for subsequent continuous virus harvesting.

Understanding the impact of climate change and resilience among highlanders in northern parts of Bhutan: A case study in Gasa district

Mountainous regions are affected the most by climate change across the world. The livelihood of highlanders primarily depends on livestock farming and natural resources. In Bhutan, yak farming and sale of Cordyceps sinensis (caterpillar fungus)remain the main source of income for most highlanders. We conducted a study to understand the impact of climate change on the community livelihoods in Bhutan. A cross-sectional survey was conducted and interviewed 132 household heads, two focus group discussions of 20 respondents (10 in each group), and key informant interviews (n = 5) in two highland communities (i.e., Laya and Lunana) of Gasa district in northern Bhutan between August 2019 and February 2020. The study revealed that the caterpillar fungus (78.8%) is the major source of income for highland communities which overtook the yak farming practices since its legalization in 2004. More than 80% of households have abandoned yak farming due to its poor economic return because of the decreased utility of yak for meat purposes and other socio-cultural related practices. The majority of the respondents (91%) expressed concern that climate change is posing a threat to the growth and subsequent harvest of caterpillar fungus. The highland people reported emergence of insects/vectors in their community and mosquitoes were the most frequently reported (85%) insect. A small proportion of respondents (1.5%) were concerned about the grazing habitat of the yaks due to the change in the botanical composition of the rangeland. Given that there is a decrease in caterpillar fungus, which is the main source of income for highland communities, this study calls for a climate-resilient community-based economic opportunity for the sustainable livelihood of highland communities. Furthermore, we recommend a detailed study of the negative impacts due to climate change on freshwater resources, the distribution of vectors and vector-borne diseases, and rangeland ecology in the highland.

The Establishment of a Murine Mandibular Molar Extraction Socket Healing Model.

This study introduces the development of a molar extraction model in the murine mandible to provide a practicable model for studying alveolar bone regeneration and intramembranous ossification. C57/J6 mice were used to extract the mandibular first molar to establish this model. They were executed, and the bilateral mandibles harvested, at 1 week and 4 weeks post-surgery, respectively. Subsequent serial stereoscopic harvest, histological assessment, and immunofluorescence staining were performed to demonstrate successful surgery. Immediately after surgery, the stereoscopic images displayed an empty extraction socket. The hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) at 1 week and Masson staining at 4 weeks post-surgery showed that the area of the original root was partially and fully filled with bone trabeculae, respectively. The immunofluorescence staining showed that, compared with the homeostasis side, the Sp7 expression increased at 1 week post-surgery, suggesting vigorous osteogenesis in the alveolar fossa. All these results demonstrated a practicable murine tooth extraction socket healing model. Upcoming studies revealing the mechanisms of jawbone defect healing or socket healing could adopt this method.

A BMP-2–triggered in vivo osteo-organoid for cell therapy

Cell therapies and regenerative medicine interventions require an adequate source of therapeutic cells. Here, we demonstrate that constructing in vivo osteo-organoids by implanting bone morphogenetic protein-2-loaded scaffolds into the internal muscle pocket near the femur of mice supports the growth and subsequent harvest of therapeutically useful cells including hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs), mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), lymphocytes, and myeloid cells. Profiling of the in vivo osteo-organoid maturation process delineated three stages-fibroproliferation, osteochondral differentiation, and marrow generation-each of which entailed obvious changes in the organoid structure and cell type distribution. The MSCs harvested from the osteochondral differentiation stage mitigated carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced chronic liver fibrosis in mice, while HSPCs and immune cells harvested during the marrow generation stage rapidly and effectively reconstituted the impaired peripheral and solid immune organs of irradiated mice. These findings demonstrate the therapeutic potentials of in vivo osteo-organoid-derived cells in cell therapies.

Resiliency of Marine Benthic Communities in Sea Scallop Rotational Management Areas on Georges Bank

Area closures allow fish and shellfish populations and associated habitats to recover from the effects of fishing. Determining the appropriate duration of rotational management closures for the Atlantic sea scallop (Placopecten magellanicus) fishery requires information on both the recovery of scallop populations for subsequent harvest and the resiliency of marine benthic ecosystems for conservation objectives. Here, the effects of scallop fishing on the benthic communities of the northern edge of Georges Bank were examined with a control-impact environmental study comparing an area that had been closed to fishing for over 20 y to an area continually fished. Substrate composition, faunal density, and taxonomic richness data were collected using drop camera surveys. These areas have similar substrate composition, mostly cobble and gravel. Sediment in the control area shifted to larger particle sizes over time, whereas the sediment in the impact area remained the same, suggesting fishing activity prevented this shift in the impact area. Comparing survey stations of like substrate showed that as fishing effort subsided from 2015 to 2017, there was a marked recovery of taxonomic richness and abundance in the impact area. The impact and control areas shifted in a similar manner but varied in the intensity of the shift. This suggests the benthic communities in this area of Georges Bank were relatively resilient to the effects of fishing effort with mean densities of all categories recovering within 2 years.

Multi-objective optimization for integrated sugarcane cultivation and harvesting planning

Sugarcane and its by-products make a relevant contribution to the world economy. In particular, the sugar-energy industry is affected by the timing of sugarcane cultivation and harvesting from which sucrose and bio-energy are produced. We address this issue by proposing a mixed-integer non-linear programming model to schedule planting and harvesting operations for different varieties of sugarcane. The decisions to be made include the choice of sugarcane varieties to be grown on a given set of plots, the periods for their cultivation, the subsequent harvesting periods, and the type of harvesting equipment. These decisions are subject to various constraints related to matching cultivation periods with harvesting periods according to the maturity cycles of the selected sugarcane varieties, the availability of harvesting machinery, the demand for sucrose and fiber, and further technical requirements. The tactical cultivation and harvesting plans to be determined account for three conflicting objectives, namely maximization of the total sucrose and fiber production, minimization of the total time devoted to harvesting, and minimization of the total cost of transporting the harvesting equipment. We develop a tailored exact method based on the augmented Chebyshev scalarization technique extended with a mechanism for identifying an initial feasible integer solution that greatly helps reduce the computational effort for obtaining Pareto-optimal solutions. Our computational study with instances that reflect the current cultivation and harvesting practices in Brazil demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed methodology. In addition, a comparative analysis reveals the trade-offs achieved by alternative planting and harvesting schedules, thereby facilitating the decision-making process.

Soil Erosion Satellite-Based Estimation in Cropland for Soil Conservation

Intensive cropland expansion for an increasing population has driven soil degradation worldwide. Modeling how agroecosystems respond to variations in soil attributes, relief and crop management dynamics can guide soil conservation. This research presents a new approach to evaluate soil loss by water erosion in cropland using the RUSLE model and Synthetic Soil Image (spectroscopy technique), which uses time series remotely sensed environmental, agricultural and anthropic variables, in the southeast region of São Paulo State, Brazil. The availability of the open-access satellite images of Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) and Landsat satellite images provided ten years of rainfall data and 35 years of exposed soil surface. The bare soil surface and agricultural land use were extracted, and the multi-temporal rainfall erosivity was assessed. We predict soil maps’ attributes (texture and organic matter) through innovative soil spectroscopy techniques to assess the soil erodibility and soil loss tolerance. The erosivity, erodibility, and topography obtained by the Earth observations were adopted to estimate soil erosion in four scenarios of sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) residue coverage (0%, 50%, 75%, and 100%) in five years of the sugarcane cycle: the first year of sugarcane harvest and four subsequent harvesting years from 2013 to 2017. Soil loss tolerance means 4.3 Mg ha−1 exceeds the minimum rate in 40% of the region, resulting in a total soil loss of ~6 million Mg yr−1 under total coverage management (7 Mg ha−1). Our findings suggest that sugarcane straw production has not been sufficient to protect the soil loss against water erosion. Thus, straw removal is unfeasible unless alternative conservation practices are adopted, such as minimum soil tillage, contour lines, terracing and other techniques that favor increases in organic matter content and soil flocculating cations. This research also identifies a spatiotemporal erosion-prone area that requests an immediately sustainable land development guide to restore and rehabilitate the vulnerable ecosystem service. The high-resolution spatially distribution method provided can identify soil degradation-prone areas and the cropland expansion frequency. This information may guide farms and the policymakers for a better request of conservation practices according to site-specific management variation.

Microalgae enrichment for biomass harvesting and water reuse by ceramic microfiltration membranes

Harvesting and water reuse are two critical issues for large-scale microalgae cultivation. Using two representative microalgae species, namely C. vulgaris and Scenedesmus sp., this study evaluates the performance of a ceramic microfiltration membrane to extract clean water for reuse and pre-concentrate the microalgae solution for subsequent harvesting. The results show that fouling was specific to each individual microalgae species due to the difference in cell properties (e.g. size, shape, and cell membrane). Importantly, membrane fouling could be efficiently mitigated by aeration and regular backwashing without any chemical addition. Aeration reduced the transmembrane pressure when filtering C. vulgaris and Scenedesmus sp. by 56 and 38%, respectively. In long-term performance experiments, C. vulgaris showed considerable membrane fouling over time; by contrast, Scenedesmus sp. showed negligible fouling. The results reaffirmed that membrane filtration efficiency was microalgae species-specific. Permeate water reuse for growing another batch of microalgae was also demonstrated using both species. Results reported here suggest that ceramic microfiltration membrane can simultaneously enrich the microalgae solution and recycle permeated water for microalgae cultivation.