Hasil untuk "Agriculture"

J. Saini, Reetu Saini, L. Tewari

Production of liquid biofuels, such as bioethanol, has been advocated as a sustainable option to tackle the problems associated with rising crude oil prices, global warming and diminishing petroleum reserves. Second-generation bioethanol is produced from lignocellulosic feedstock by its saccharification, followed by microbial fermentation and product recovery. Agricultural residues generated as wastes during or after processing of agricultural crops are one of such renewable and lignocellulose-rich biomass resources available in huge amounts for bioethanol production. These agricultural residues are converted to bioethanol in several steps which are described here. This review enlightens various steps involved in production of the second-generation bioethanol. Mechanisms and recent advances in pretreatment, cellulases production and second-generation ethanol production processes are described here.

R. Gebbers, V. Adamchuk

C. Palm, H. Blanco‐Canqui, F. DeClerck et al.

Tamoghna Ojha, S. Misra, N. Raghuwanshi

A. Bondeau, Pascalle C. Smith, S. Zaehle et al.

In order to better assess the role of agriculture within the global climate‐vegetation system, we present a model of the managed planetary land surface, Lund–Potsdam–Jena managed Land (LPJmL), which simulates biophysical and biogeochemical processes as well as productivity and yield of the most important crops worldwide, using a concept of crop functional types (CFTs). Based on the LPJ‐Dynamic Global Vegetation Model, LPJmL simulates the transient changes in carbon and water cycles due to land use, the specific phenology and seasonal CO2 fluxes of agricultural‐dominated areas, and the production of crops and grazing land. It uses 13 CFTs (11 arable crops and two managed grass types), with specific parameterizations of phenology connected to leaf area development. Carbon is allocated daily towards four carbon pools, one being the yield‐bearing storage organs. Management (irrigation, treatment of residues, intercropping) can be considered in order to capture their effect on productivity, on soil organic carbon and on carbon extracted from the ecosystem. For transient simulations for the 20th century, a global historical land use data set was developed, providing the annual cover fraction of the 13 CFTs, rain‐fed and/or irrigated, within 0.5° grid cells for the period 1901–2000, using published data on land use, crop distributions and irrigated areas. Several key results are compared with observations. The simulated spatial distribution of sowing dates for temperate cereals is comparable with the reported crop calendars. The simulated seasonal canopy development agrees better with satellite observations when actual cropland distribution is taken into account. Simulated yields for temperate cereals and maize compare well with FAO statistics. Monthly carbon fluxes measured at three agricultural sites also compare well with simulations. Global simulations indicate a ∼24% (respectively ∼10%) reduction in global vegetation (respectively soil) carbon due to agriculture, and 6–9 Pg C of yearly harvested biomass in the 1990s. In contrast to simulations of the potential natural vegetation showing the land biosphere to be an increasing carbon sink during the 20th century, LPJmL simulates a net carbon source until the 1970s (due to land use), and a small sink (mostly due to changing climate and CO2) after 1970. This is comparable with earlier LPJ simulations using a more simple land use scheme, and within the uncertainty range of estimates in the 1980s and 1990s. The fluxes attributed to land use change compare well with Houghton's estimates on the land use related fluxes until the 1970s, but then they begin to diverge, probably due to the different rates of deforestation considered. The simulated impacts of agriculture on the global water cycle for the 1990s are∼5% (respectively∼20%) reduction in transpiration (respectively interception), and∼44% increase in evaporation. Global runoff, which includes a simple irrigation scheme, is practically not affected.

J. Dibner, J. D. Richards, J. Dibner

This report will review the history of antibiotic growth promoter (AGP) use in the animal industry, concerns about development of antimicrobial resistance, and response in the European Union and United States to these concerns. A brief description of the history of legislation regarding feed use of antimicrobials in Denmark and the experience of animal producers following the 1998 ban will serve to illustrate the consequences on animal performance and health of withdrawing the approval for this use. The biological basis for antibiotic effects on animal growth efficiency will consider effects on intestinal microbiota and effects on the host animal and will use the germ-free animal to illustrate effects of the conventional microflora. The probability that no single compound will replace all of the functions of antimicrobial growth promoters will be considered, and methods to consolidate and analyze the enlarging database will be discussed.

M. Luc, R. Sikora, J. Bridge

Ina Opitz, Regine Berges, A. Piorr et al.

Food security is becoming an increasingly relevant topic in the Global North, especially in urban areas. Because such areas do not always have good access to nutritionally adequate food, the question of how to supply them is an urgent priority in order to maintain a healthy population. Urban and peri-urban agriculture, as sources of local fresh food, could play an important role. Whereas some scholars do not differentiate between peri-urban and urban agriculture, seeing them as a single entity, our hypothesis is that they are distinct, and that this has important consequences for food security and other issues. This has knock-on effects for food system planning and has not yet been appropriately analysed. The objectives of this study are to provide a systematic understanding of urban and peri-urban agriculture in the Global North, showing their similarities and differences, and to analyse their impact on urban food security. To this end, an extensive literature review was conducted, resulting in the identification and comparison of their spatial, ecological and socio-economic characteristics. The findings are discussed in terms of their impact on food security in relation to the four levels of the food system: food production, processing, distribution and consumption. The results show that urban and peri-urban agriculture in the Global North indeed differ in most of their characteristics and consequently also in their ability to meet the food needs of urban inhabitants. While urban agriculture still meets food needs mainly at the household level, peri-urban agriculture can provide larger quantities and has broader distribution pathways, giving it a separate status in terms of food security. Nevertheless, both possess (unused) potential, making them valuable for urban food planning, and both face similar threats regarding urbanisation pressures, necessitating adequate planning measures.

K. Bronson, Irena Knezevic

Farming is undergoing a digital revolution. Our existing review of current Big Data applications in the agri-food sector has revealed several collection and analytics tools that may have implications for relationships of power between players in the food system (e.g. between farmers and large corporations). For example, Who retains ownership of the data generated by applications like Monsanto Corproation's Weed I.D. “app”? Are there privacy implications with the data gathered by John Deere's precision agricultural equipment? Systematically tracing the digital revolution in agriculture, and charting the affordances as well as the limitations of Big Data applied to food and agriculture, should be a broad research goal for Big Data scholarship. Such a goal brings data scholarship into conversation with food studies and it allows for a focus on the material consequences of big data in society.

J. Lindblom, Christina Lundström, M. Ljung et al.

Precision agriculture provides important issues toward a more sustainable agriculture. Many farmers have the necessary technology to operate site-specifically, but they do not use it in practice, and thus available information and communications technology (ICT) systems are not used to their full potential. This paper addresses how to reduce the so-called “problem of implementation”, based on the knowledge that participatory approaches during the design and development process is one of the most important factors to frame technology adoption. The development of sustainable ICT systems through theories and methodologies from the fields of human computer interaction and user-centered design (UCD) is presented and an ongoing Swedish project for development of an agricultural decision support system (AgriDSS) for nitrogen fertilization is used as an example to frame the issue. The overreaching aim is to develop AgriDSSs that are sustainable in design as well as through design by stressing the importance of participatory approaches for the successful development of AgriDSSs. The Swedish project has the intention to apply a UCD approach, and some pitfalls on starting to use this way of working is identified as well as some suggestions on how to reduce them through co-learning processes. Despite the challenges presented in this paper, ICT can contribute significantly to long-term sustainable development. Thus, several competences and scientific disciplines need to act in concert to help develop a sustainable development of agriculture via a transdisciplinary approach that can make an impact on society at many levels.

S. Thanner, D. Drissner, F. Walsh

ABSTRACT In this article, the current knowledge and knowledge gaps in the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in livestock and plants and importance in terms of animal and human health are discussed. Some recommendations are provided for generation of the data required in order to develop risk assessments for AMR within agriculture and for risks through the food chain to animals and humans.

Luyao Hao, Luyao Hao, Fengmiao Zhao et al.

In recent years, bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) has been associated with increased respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases in cattle. Comprehensive monitoring and investigations into the virus's pathological features are crucial for developing effective prevention strategies. This study investigated BVDV prevalence and pathogenicity in farms undergoing elimination protocols, with a focus on characterizing a novel Cytopathic Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus (CP-type BVDV) strain (HH839) isolated from a symptomatic calf in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia. During 2021 and 2022, 103 bovine samples were screened for BVDV via nucleic acid detection. Positive cases underwent viral isolation using MDBK cells. The HH839 strain was analyzed for cytopathic effects, ultrastructure (electron microscopy), antigenicity (serum neutralization), and genetic lineage (whole genome sequencing). Pathogenicity of Cytopathic Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus (CP-type BVDV) infected group, Noncytopathic Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus (NCP-type BVDV) infected group, and the mixed-infection group of CP-type and NCP-type BVDV was evaluated in New Zealand White rabbits, with viral distribution and histopathological damage assessed in multiple organs. We identified 33 positive BVDV nucleic acid cases, resulting in a positivity rate of 32.04%. Five strains of NCP-type BVDV were isolated, yielding a 15.15% separation rate, alongside one strain of CP-type BVDV with a separation rate of 3.03%. The CP strain HH839 was isolated from a severely symptomatic calf in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia. The HH839 strain demonstrated significant cytopathic effects in MDBK cells, including cellular crumpling and syncytia formation, with a concentration of 5.23 log10TCID50/0.1 mL. Electron microscopy revealed a spherical morphology with a diameter of 40–60 nm. Genetic analysis indicated a close relationship with the BVDV FBS-D8 strain from the BVDV-1d subtype. Pathogenicity trials showed slight fever and minor body weight loss in infected subjects, with BVDV detected in the trachea, lungs, spleen, and small intestines, predominantly in the spleen. The isolation of HH839, a pathogenic CP-type BVDV-1d strain, underscores the coexistence of multiple BVDV biotypes in regional cattle populations. Enhanced pathogenicity observed in mixed infections highlights complex viral interactions. These findings emphasize the necessity for sustained surveillance and biotype-specific control strategies to mitigate BVDV-associated economic losses in livestock industries.

Miguel Carrillo Parraguez, Miguel Carrillo Parraguez, Eduardo Ponssa et al.

Despite its sociocultural and economic importance, dairy farming in Uruguay has not experienced a significant increase in cattle stocks in recent decades, partly due to low reproductive efficiency and a high risk of calf mortality. Neospora caninum is one of the primary abortive pathogens in dairy cattle; however, the economic losses caused by neosporosis in Uruguay remain uncalculated. This study aimed to assess the direct annual economic losses for the primary dairy sector (dairy farmers) due to abortions resulting from bovine neosporosis in the Uruguayan herd. An adjusted bioeconomic model was used to estimate the economic losses from early (second gestational trimester) or late (third gestational trimester) abortions, considering the Present Value (PV) of future production loss due to these abortions after deducting production costs (lost profits). The average economic loss per abortion due to neosporosis was US$ 868 (range 605–1,162) if the aborting cow remained in the herd without any additional abortions throughout its productive life and US$ 1,866 (range 782–2,825) if the cow was culled after the abortion. Individual losses varied based on the gestational stage and the age of the aborting cow, with the worst-case scenario being a late abortion in first-pregnancy heifers. The annual number of abortions due to neosporosis was estimated by considering the stock of cows and heifers of reproductive age at risk of abortion (pregnant) and the national seroprevalence of N. caninum in dairy herds, accounting for 90% vertical transmission and 10% horizontal transmission, with aborting seropositive dams representing 15 and 35%, respectively. The economic losses for the national herd were calculated by multiplying individual losses by the number of abortions across various simulated scenarios (second or third gestational trimester), adjusted according to sub-scenarios (with and without culling of the aborted cow). The estimated economic losses for the primary sector due to abortions occurring in 2018 totaled nearly US$ 12 million, which is attributed to the loss of offspring, delayed lactation, reduced productive life (fewer days in milk production/days of life), and early culling. These estimated losses reflect only the primary sector, excluding the secondary (industrial) and tertiary (services) sectors. In physical terms, abortions associated with neosporosis caused a total loss of 62 million L of milk, which is 3.3% of the volume industrialized annually in the country. The estimated losses did not account for profits lost by dairy farmers from beef production (i.e., breeding, fattening, and sale for slaughter of male calves from dairy breeds lost due to neosporosis) nor any indirect losses (for example, the loss of genetic merit, stunted growth of the national dairy stock, etc.). The characteristics of Uruguay’s grazing dairy production system require a tailored approach to estimating the economic impact of bovine diseases. This information can be used by farmers, veterinarians, and policymakers to evaluate the cost–benefit of implementing control and prevention strategies for bovine neosporosis at both the farm and national levels.

Nazife Eroglu, M. Emekci, C. Athanassiou

Anna Teresa Seiche, Lucas Wittstruck, Thomas Jarmer

In order to meet the increasing demand for crops under challenging climate conditions, efficient and sustainable cultivation strategies are becoming essential in agriculture. Targeted herbicide use reduces environmental pollution and effectively controls weeds as a major cause of yield reduction. The key requirement is a reliable weed detection system that is accessible to a wide range of end users. This research paper introduces a self-built, low-cost, multispectral camera system and evaluates it against the high-end MicaSense Altum system. Pixel-based weed and crop classification was performed on UAV datasets collected with both sensors in maize using a U-Net. The training and testing data were generated via an index-based thresholding approach followed by annotation. As a result, the F1-score for the weed class reached 82% on the Altum system and 76% on the low-cost system, with recall values of 75% and 68%, respectively. Misclassifications occurred on the low-cost system images for small weeds and overlaps, with minor oversegmentation. However, with a precision of 90%, the results show great potential for application in automated weed control. The proposed system thereby enables sustainable precision farming for the general public. In future research, its spectral properties, as well as its use on different crops with real-time on-board processing, should be further investigated.

L. C. Dias, F. Pimenta, A. B. Santos et al.

J. Huuskonen, T. Oksanen

Abstract Soil sampling is an important tool to gather information for making proper decisions regarding the fertilization of fields. Depending on the national regulations, the minimum frequency may be once per five years and spatially every ten hectares. For precision farming purposes, this is not sufficient. In precision farming, the challenge is to collect the samples from such regions that are internally consistent while limiting the number of samples required. For this purpose, management zones are used to divide the field into smaller regions. This article presents a novel approach to automatically determine the locations for soil samples based on a soil map created from drone imaging after ploughing, and a wearable augmented reality technology to guide the user to the generated sample points. Finally, the article presents the results of a demonstration carried out in southern Finland.

J. F. Velasco-Muñoz, J. A. Aznar-Sánchez, L. Belmonte-Ureña et al.

Sustainability of water use in agriculture is a line of research that has gained in importance worldwide. The present study reviewed 25 years of international research on sustainable water use in agriculture. A bibliometric analysis was developed to sample 2084 articles. Results indicate exponential growth in the number of articles published per year, with research in this field having acquired a global scale. Environmental Science and Agricultural and Biological Sciences are the main categories. Three journals—Agricultural Water Management, Water Resources Management and Nongye Gongcheng Xuebao Agricultural Engineering—published the most of the articles. China, the U.S., Australia, India and Germany produced the most research. The three institutions that published the most articles were all Chinese (Chinese Academy of Sciences, China Agricultural University and Northwest A&F University). The most cited authors were Ridoutt, Hoekstra and Zhang. The keywords most frequently used include: water-use, irrigation, water-management, water-supply, and sustainability. A network map shows three clusters that focus on the environmental, agronomic and management aspects. The findings of this study can assist researchers in this field by providing an overview of research on the sustainability of hydric resources.

P. González-De-Santos, A. Ribeiro, C. Fernández-Quintanilla et al.

Abstract Feeding the growing global population requires an annual increase in food production. This requirement suggests an increase in the use of pesticides, which represents an unsustainable chemical load for the environment. To reduce pesticide input and preserve the environment while maintaining the necessary level of food production, the efficiency of relevant processes must be drastically improved. Within this context, this research strived to design, develop, test and assess a new generation of automatic and robotic systems for effective weed and pest control aimed at diminishing the use of agricultural chemical inputs, increasing crop quality and improving the health and safety of production operators. To achieve this overall objective, a fleet of heterogeneous ground and aerial robots was developed and equipped with innovative sensors, enhanced end-effectors and improved decision control algorithms to cover a large variety of agricultural situations. This article describes the scientific and technical objectives, challenges and outcomes achieved in three common crops.