Agricultural Use Research Articles

Uplifting a Farmer through Connected Ecosystem

This project consists of developing a unified platform which can help farmers and consumers to come on the same platform and buy the agricultural products directly from the farmers. The application offers smooth online payment, user and farmer profile administration and real time inventory up to date. They are also key in establishing trust as they onboard verified farmers, and upload schemes which are advantageous to the farmers. Further down the line, vehicle and land renting functionalities, as well as tiny fertilizer management, will give farmers more support. Using this app, farmers can rent so agricultural machinery that includes tractor and harvesters at nominal costs finally using technology which was earlier not affordable for them. Farmer's use user friendly interfaces and robust backends to communicate with rental providers, manage bookings and track real time updates. The system is administered by an administration access pool who are responsible for overseeing the system (transaction transparency and efficient dispute resolution) as well as providing the users with the freedom to explore the ecosystem and contribute to it when they wish. We aim to help the agricultural community eliminate costs, increase production of goods, and work together. With this app, digital tools help fill the gap between modern tech and old school farming so we can farm a prosperous and sustainable future. Keywords—- Farm-to-Consumer, Agriculture, Scheme Management, Vehicle Renting, Fertilizer, Land Renting.

Diversidad y usos potenciales de arvenses en fincas familiares, municipio Contramaestre, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba

Weeds are eliminated from agroecosystems without knowing their potential for agricultural use. The objective of this work was to evaluate the diversity and potential uses of weed species in three family farms in the Contramaestre municipality, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba. A unique sampling was carried out on each farm from which a general list was prepared that allowed the determination of the representativeness of the weeds, as well as the evaluation of the botanical composition, alpha diversity indicators and the most dominant species. Potential uses were determined through bibliographic analysis. 77 310 individuals were sampled, belonging to 21 families, 36 genera and 41 species. The families that contributed the most were Poaceae, Asteraceae, Fabaceae, Malvaceae and Cleomaceae; meanwhile, Cleome, Sida and Commelina were the ones who contributed the most. The alpha diversity indicators are within the range established for correct diversity and abundance, although species richness is considered moderate to low; Cleome viscosa, Cleome gynandra and Cleome spinosa were the most dominant species. Medicinal use predominated, which was attributed to several of the weeds found; to a lesser extent, beekeeping, food, domestic, fruit and ornamental uses were recognized.

Publication Trends, Key Findings, and Research Gaps in Renewable Energy Applications in Agriculture

The main aim of this study is to perform a bibliometric analysis (BA) examining the use of renewable energy sources (RESs) in agriculture. To fulfill this aim, several research tasks were outlined: (1) analyze the distribution of publications by year regarding the application of RESs in agriculture (agriculture as a consumer and producer of RESs); (2) identify the most cited articles in this area; (3) determine which countries have made the most significant contributions to the field through their research outputs; (4) highlight the main subject areas linked to RES use in agriculture; (5) explore various practical aspects of implementing RESs in agricultural practices; and (6) suggest potential future research directions in this domain. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were employed to tackle these tasks. The data collection process was completed on 18 July 2024, using the Scopus database to access peer-reviewed sources. After filtering the results, a total of 317 journal and conference papers were selected for further analysis. The study’s key finding reveals that while renewable energy sources are already being integrated into agriculture, there is still a notable lack of comprehensive research in several critical areas. Specifically, it remains unclear whether the adoption of renewable energy in agriculture leads to enhanced operational efficiency, better cost-effectiveness, and improvements in environmental sustainability.

The Global Food System and Its Environmental Impact: A Call for Sustainable Transformation

The modern global food system—spanning production, processing, distribution, and consumption—has emerged as a significant contributor to environmental degradation. It drives greenhouse gas emissions, land and water degradation, biodiversity loss, and resource depletion. Sustainable nutrition, which integrates environmental considerations into dietary choices, has become a key concern, emphasizing plant-based proteins, seasonal food consumption, and minimal ecological impact. With the global population projected to reach 10 billion by 2050, ensuring food security while minimizing environmental harm is crucial. Agriculture accounts for about 24% of global greenhouse gas emissions, driven by methane from livestock and nitrous oxide from fertilizers. Land use changes for agriculture contribute to deforestation, biodiversity loss, and soil degradation, exacerbating climate change. Water use in agriculture, the largest consumer of freshwater, further strains ecosystems, while pollution from agricultural runoff causes eutrophication. Effective strategies for sustainable transformation include agroecology, regenerative agriculture, dietary shifts, reducing food waste, and technological innovations. Practices like crop rotation and managed grazing improve soil health and sequester carbon. Transitioning to plant-based diets and reducing food waste could significantly lower emissions. Precision agriculture and alternative protein sources offer promising advancements. Holistic approaches involving policy reform, innovation, and behavioral change are needed to create a resilient, environmentally friendly food system that sustains both human and planetary health.

Small and medium-scale biorefineries: biomass quantification and its bioeconomic potential in the Southern Coastal Territory of Bahia.

Small and medium-scale biorefineries are processing facilities designed to produce a portfolio of value-added products with applications in different productive sectors. The Territory of the Southern Coast (TSC) of Bahia in Brazil has a high potential to provide agricultural and forest biomass for these bioindustries. This study focuses on quantifying the biomass of key agricultural crops in the TSC from 1999 to 2019, utilizing data from the Municipal Agricultural Production (MAP) survey conducted by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE). The biomass is subsequently categorized based on its applications in pharmaceutical and other industries, employing the Classification and Regression Tree (CART) algorithm, specifically using the Gini Index. Thus, our results reveal a noteworthy trend over 20years through a time series analysis. For example, banana production (1.3 Mt) surpassed cocoa production (1.1 Mt) despite cocoa cultivation covering a vast 5.8 million hectares expanse compared to the smaller banana footprint. Cocoa and cassava are significant contributors, representing 41.95% and 30.51% of the total raw material, collectively constituting 72.46% of the TSC biomass. In addition, coffee biomass has been profiled as a raw material with potential applications across various industries, while bananas are oriented towards supplying pharmaceutical inputs. Forest species also have the potential for use in the pharmaceutical industry. In conclusion, small and medium-scale biorefineries can help increase agricultural and forest biomass use to provide inputs for various industries and guarantee positive social impacts for the population.

Groundwater Quality Assessment for Irrigation in Durg District, Chhattisgarh, India: A Hydro Geochemical and GIS-Based Perspective

Groundwater quality is a critical factor for agricultural irrigation, as its chemical composition can directly impact soil structure and crop productivity. This study investigates the groundwater quality in Durg district, Chhattisgarh, with a focus on its suitability for irrigation. A comprehensive analysis of hydro geochemical parameters such as pH, electrical conductivity (EC), sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), sodium percentage (Na%), residual sodium carbonate (RSC), and other key elements was conducted. The study uses both chemical analysis and digital tools such as ERDAS IMAGINE and MapInfo Professional to assess the spatial variability of groundwater properties and their implications for agricultural use. The results indicate that while groundwater quality in Durg district is generally favourable for irrigation, local variations exist that require consideration for optimal water use in agriculture.

Climate Smart Agriculture in Food Insecurity Mitigation in Nigeria: A Conceptual Evaluation

Climate-Smart agriculture and its impact on food security have been topical issues in policy and food security discusses by successive governments in Nigeria however, the extent of its awareness among the farmers as a food insecurity mitigation measure has not been adequately represented in contemporary local literature hence the need for this research to ascertain the extent of awareness through: an examination of literary works by scholars in the field, assessing the extent of climate-smart procedures in agriculture and suggest where possible ideas to enhance its adoption. The study therefore evaluated secondary data and studies on the impacts of climate change on agriculture and how it can be mitigated through the adoption of climate smart approaches. Climate-Smart Agriculture is an emerging agricultural strategy initiated to tackle the consequences of climate change in food security and sustain agriculture. It involves the combination of approaches in the management of agricultural lands, forests, fisheries and livestock. The study in this regard took a holistic view of the adoption of climate smart agriculture by the farmers, its benefits and approaches and considered objectives such as accessing and assessing other scholars works and views on climate smart agricultural practices utilized by rural farmers in parts of Nigeria, discussing climate smart agriculture and food security, deliberating on climate smart agriculture and resource use efficiency and, viewing the constraining factors hampering the adoption of Climate Smart Agricultural practices in Nigeria. This is because climate change presently is one of the challenges and problems facing the world and an important factor in agricultural productivity. Variations in climatic factors will have ripple effects on crop yield and animal production. Farmers may have been facing weather variability and uncertainty patterns, however, the increasing pace of these uncertainties caused by climate change exacerbate food insecurity and hunger incidences and will require some degree of flexibility and rapid response capacity that climate smart agriculture offers. Building resilience in agricultural and farming practices will reduce the risk of food insecurity outside increasing the adaptive capacity and coping capabilities of the farmers.

Variations in wheat water requirement and climatic causes in arid regions of northwest China.

Analysis of crop water requirement and its influencing factors are important for optimal allocation of water resources. However, research on variations of climatic factors and their contribution to wheat water requirement in Xinjiang is insufficient. In our study, daily meteorological data during 1961‒2017 in Xinjiang was collected. Penman-Monteith formula and crop coefficient method was adopted to calculate wheat water requirement. Mann-Kendall mutation test and grey correlation degree analysis were used to investigate variation characteristics and correlation degree between climatic factors and wheat water requirement. The results showed that wheat water requirement ranged from 511 to 548mm (average = 529.5mm). Spatial distribution of wheat water requirement in Xinjiang presented a pattern of "southeast > Northwest, east > west". Wheat water requirement in most areas of Xinjiang showed a decreasing trend. During the whole growth period of wheat, the top five climatic factors affecting wheat water requirement in Xinjiang were ET0, Tmax, Tmean, sunshine duration, and Umean. Precipitation and relative humidity negatively impacted wheat water requirement, while reference crop evapotranspiration (ET0), mean wind speed (Umean), mean temperature (Tmean), maximum temperature (Tmax), minimum temperature, and sunshine duration had positive effects. This study provides a comprehensive basis for the decision making of efficient agricultural water use and irrigation measures in Xinjiang.

A Systemic Design-Led Participatory Process to Address Meaningful Impact Pathways for Netzero Cities

This work explores the role of design in supporting public administrations to set up local-based NetZero city strategies. In particular the paper presents the design-led participatory process designed and led by the Service Design Lab team (authors) to support the Municipality of Prato in preparing the baseline for the Climate City Contract. Based on four pillars (energy efficiency, sustainable mobility, circular economy, agriculture and land use, urban forestry), the process aimed at spotting systemic barriers and laying the groundwork to co-design a portfolio of actions aimed at achieving carbon neutrality by the year 2030. The strategy supporting the process was based on two main phases (understanding the system and co-designing a portfolio) connected by an intermediary bridging phase, and another cross-cutting level of inquiry itself consisting of two stages: the front-end (the local-based facilitation process) and the back-end (the systemic interconnectedness process). Lastly we highlight the limitations of the process and the key takeaways of participatory infrastructuring actions, and specifically the benefits for the Municipality in establishing meaningful and context-based impact pathways.

Monitoring of Temporal and Spatial Variation of Water Quality in Agricultural Reservoir During Summer

ABSTRACTThis study investigated the spatiotemporal dynamics of water quality in a small‐scale agricultural reservoir, the Bangok Reservoir, during the summer. The study is motivated by the increasing importance of preserving river ecosystems, ensuring irrigation water quality and expanding agricultural water use. Seven water quality parameters were monitored at multiple points from July to October 2020, and Spearman correlation analysis was conducted to understand their spatial relationships. The results revealed that the Bangok Reservoir had reached a hypertrophic state, indicating excessive nutrient levels. While heavy rainfall and dilution effects posed challenges for accurate analysis, significant correlations were observed between chlorophyll‐a and total phosphorus, as well as between dissolved oxygen and pH. The trophic state index of Korea (TSIKO) indicated conditions favourable for algal growth due to phosphorus abundance. Higher concentrations of pollutants were found upstream, which was likely attributed to the inflow of livestock manure during rainfall and shallow water mixing. The study recommends the implementation of algae removal and reduction facilities in the upstream areas of the reservoir. These findings provide essential data for ongoing research on water quality in small‐scale agricultural reservoirs and emphasize the importance of continuous monitoring for better environmental management.

How economic instruments address sustainable nutrient use: the example of phosphorus governance

BackgroundThe widely inefficient agricultural use of phosphorus (P) causes environmental damage. At the same time, an uneven resource distribution risks supply shortages for this essential nutritional element. Effective governance solutions help to stimulate a more sustainable P management and fulfil the human right to food. This article applies a qualitative governance analysis to develop an integrated governance solution for the multi-layered problems of agricultural P use primarily by economic instruments. Based on P-related challenges and the cornerstones of sustainable P management, an assessment scheme for economic instruments for P is conceptualized and applied.ResultsResults show that there is no ‘one fits all’ solution for all problems associated with agricultural P use. We find a combination of (1) an economic instrument for rock phosphate-based fertilizers with (2) a tax for P surpluses and (3) a regulation on contaminant levels in fertilizers addresses all P-related problems effectively.ConclusionsThe optimal P governance combines economic and regulatory policy instruments. Besides addressing sustainable P management and thus contributing to the implementation of the right to food, the policy mix also positively impacts further ecological challenges such as disrupted N cycles, climate change and biodiversity loss.

Impacts and Internal Mechanisms of High-Standard Farmland Construction on the Reduction of Agricultural Carbon Emission in China

In response to climate change, the reduction of carbon emissions during agricultural production has garnered increasing global focus. This study takes high-standard farmland construction (HSFC) implemented in 2011 as the standard natural experiment and adopts the continuous differences-in-differences (DID) model to explore the impact and internal mechanism of HSFC on agricultural carbon emissions based on a panel data of 31 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions in China from 2003 to 2021. The results show that HSFC can effectively reduce the carbon emissions in agricultural production, and the average annual reduction can reach 53.8%. The effects of HSFC on agriculture carbon emissions could be associated with reducing agricultural fossil energy consumption and reducing agricultural chemical use. Further, the heterogeneity study shows that the carbon reduction effect of HSFC was mainly reflected in non-major grain-producing areas, while there was no significant impact in major grain-producing areas. Policymakers should unswervingly continue to promote HSFC, considering their own economic and geographical conditions. This study can provide valuable information and references for developing countries similar to China to formulate policies on agricultural carbon reduction.

Guadua angustifolia biochar/TiO2 composite and biochar as bio-based materials with environmental and agricultural application

Globally, the companies that make commercial use of bamboo culms produce different kinds of solid waste rich in lignocellulosic biomass, which in some cases is not used and is discarded in landfills or incinerated in the open air; losing the possibility of recovering them and using them in other productive sectors. The research objective were to produce a biochar from Guadua agustifolia Kunth sawdust, evaluate its potential environmental and agricultural use, obtain a biochar/TiO2 composite to inactivate Escherichia coli and use the biochar as a soil conditioner in medicinal plants producing phenolic compounds and flavonoids. Biochar composite (produced at 300 °C for 1 h) involved TiO2 at 450 °C for 1 h for inactivation of E. coli (initial concentration: 6.5 ± 0.3 Log10 CFU mL− 1). For agriculture, 2% biochar was used to evaluate B. pilosa L. and G. angustifolia plant growth for 90 days. The biochar/TiO2 composite had a high photocatalytic activity on E. coli, generating a final count of 1.97 ± 0.2 Log10 CFU mL− 1 after 60 min. Biochar (2%) increased the total phenol and flavonoid content in the medicinal plant B. pilosa L. and total phenols in G. angustifolia, tested at the nursery stage. This study provides new information on the conversion and use of G. angustifolia sawdust as an alternative for new bio-based materials with environmental and agricultural applications. In addition, obtaining biochar and composite could positively impact the bamboo production chain in Colombia because of renewable and globally accepted alternatives that help capture gaseous emissions causing the greenhouse effect.

Spatiotemporally derived agricultural field delineations for species effects assessments and environmental decision support.

Rural landscapes are strongly defined by the spatial distribution of agricultural fields. GIS layers that capture this information have much utility in many decision support contexts, particularly with regards to the intersection of agricultural pesticide use and endangered species habitat. The United States Department of Agriculture's Cropland Data Layer (CDL) is a georeferenced, annual resource that often serves a crucial role in pesticide risk-related decision support applications. However, CDL agriculture timeseries data are not mapped to explicit field boundaries, contributing to increased uncertainty regarding differentiated crop type spatial homogeneity and geographic extent, inherently adding complexity to multi-temporal crop monitoring and analyses efforts. We describe the development and testing of an approach for field delineation based on timeseries information from the 2008-2021 CDL at spatial scales relevant for endangered species risk assessment. We validate and test the approach against quantitative crop information and contextualize the outputs as part of a case study reconstructing past agricultural pesticide exposures to non-target species to demonstrate the utility of the method for ecological risk assessment decision support. The approach resulted in delineated field unit boundaries that effectively incorporated the unmodified CDL crop type generalized spatial distribution patterns; derived metrics closely corresponded with reported crop metrics for landscapes with proportionally significant agriculture use. When modified to reflect areas of mixed/small crop acreages, the method can provide a useful framework for large-scale field delineation of the CDL, which can complement ongoing environmental risk assessment and conservation efforts in agricultural landscapes.

Constraints perceived by the farmers in use of implements in rice cultivation

Constraints perceived by the farmers in use of implements in rice cultivation

Bacillus pumilus SMU5927 protect mice from damage caused by Salmonella Enteritidis colonization

BackgroundSalmonella Enteritidis is one of the main pathogens of foodborne diseases and an important pathogen causing diarrhea in yaks. Antibiotics are the mainstay of treatment for salmonellosis, but the widespread use of antibiotics has increased Salmonella resistance. Probiotics have been shown to antagonize Salmonella and reduce Salmonella infection. Bacillus pumilus is one of the microbial feed additives approved by the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture for use in animal breeding, which has the effect of improving animal growth performance and immunity, among others. Therefore, this paper explored the anti-infective effect of Bacillus pumilus against Salmonella. ResultsBacillus pumilus SMU5927 significantly enhances the intestinal mechanical barrier and reduces the number of Salmonella transferred to the organs. Bacillus pumilus SMU5927 ameliorated intestinal tissue damage and attenuated intestinal inflammatory responses in mice. In addition, Bacillus pumilus increased the ratio of the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes in the intestinal flora, increased the abundance of beneficial bacteria such as Lactobacillus, and decreased the abundance of harmful bacteria. ConclusionThis study confirmed the role of Bacillus pumilus SMU5927 in preventing and attenuating Salmonella damage and provided ideas for the development of novel antimicrobial drugs.

Microbial degradation of bioplastic (PHBV) is limited by nutrient availability at high microplastic loadings

Degradation of PHBV in soil, quantified with pyrolysis GC-MS, was nutrient limited at increasing microplastic concentrations. Hydrophobicity increased while plant and soil microbial biomass decreased at higher soil microplastic concentrations.

Probing Anticancer Molecules from Onion Peels Waste; First Synthesis and Biological Studies of a Rare Quercetin Derivative-pachypodol

Background: The constant increase in global onion production escalates the generation of onion peel waste. For instance, globally, >50 lakh tons of onion waste are generated annually. Methods: Its objectionable odor precludes its use in agriculture or disposal as landfilling presents environmental issues. Previous studies show that two major flavonoids, quercetin and its glycosides (spiraeoside), have been identified in abundance in onion waste. By utilizing the spiraeoside (quercetin-4ʹ-glucoside), a rapid synthesis of pachypodol (quercetin-3,3′,7-trimethyl ether, and a rare flavonol), an essential Ayurvedic product, has been developed and achieved. Pachypodol and analogs were studied for their ability to inhibit matrix metalloproteinase-2 and -9 (MMP-2 & 9) activity. Amongst the compounds tested, pachypodol significantly inhibited MMP-2 activity. Results: In-silico docking studies suggest that, unlike most known MMP inhibitors, pachypodol interacts selectively with MMP-2 through the residues Ile222, Tyr223, and Thr227 in a zincindependent manner. Conclusion: The experimental studies also prove that pachypodol inhibits the MMP-2 enzyme in a zinc-independent way.

Water scarcity: A global hindrance to sustainable development and agricultural production – A critical review of the impacts and adaptation strategies

Abstract Water is essential for sustaining life and required for carrying out basic daily activities. Even though water covers the vast majority of the earth’s surface, the availability of fresh water, which is necessary to maintain human activities, is limited, making it a scarce resource. Climate change, overexploitation of groundwater, and population growth are all putting significant pressure on natural water sources, which pose a serious threat to various sectors of society, especially in agriculture. Future projections of freshwater availability indicate agriculture production will suffer a significant shock globally, including in India, leading to a threat to food security and sustainability. To ensure the sustainability of this vital resource, it is crucial to use water sensibly. Moreover, it is essential to adopt certain strategies to manage agricultural water use effectively. This includes adopting various water-efficient techniques such as ‘micro-irrigation’, ‘irrigation scheduling’, ‘conservation agriculture’, ‘crop switching’ and so on. In this review, firstly, we discuss water scarcity and its types, causes, crisis for water shortages and hindrance to sustainable development from a global perspective emphasizing the Indian scenario as a developing nation. Secondly, we elaborated our discussion on water scarcity in agriculture including the impacts of water scarcity on agricultural production and its connection to climate change, population growth, and overexploitation of natural resources globally focusing on the Indian scenario. In addition, innovative water management practices and adaptation strategies to manage agricultural water use, constraints, and the need for further research are also covered. It is anticipated that this review will benefit researchers and policymakers by providing useful information on the impacts of water limitation and adoption strategies.

Adsorption of brilliant cresyl blue using NaOH-activated biochar derived from sewage sludge

The treatment of sewage wastewater generates a substantial amount of sludge, which poses significant ecotoxicological and environmental challenges. Managing this sludge is critical, as traditional disposal methods carry risks: agricultural use can lead to environmental contamination, while landfill disposal raises concerns about solid waste management and the preservation of landfill sites. Our research focuses on converting this urban sludge into activated carbon. We employed various techniques to characterize NaOH-activated biochar, including infrared (IR) analysis. BET analysis revealed a specific surface area of 62.35 m2/g. We also assessed NaOH-activated biochar for its effectiveness in adsorbing brilliant cresyl bleu (BCB). The SSE error calculations indicated a first-order adsorption, while the isotherms suggested a better fit with the Sips model, indicating heterogeneous adsorption with an ns value of 0.95. Our study highlights the effectiveness of biochar in adsorbing dyes such as brilliant cresyl bleu BCB.