Journal articles on the topic 'Crop advice'
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1
Bruwer, P. W., and R. H. Khwidzhili. "The role of private agronomists towards the sustainability of commercial crop farmers in the eastern highveld of Mpumalanga, South Africa." South African Journal of Agricultural Extension (SAJAE) 50, no. 1 (November 2, 2022): 147–62. http://dx.doi.org/10.17159/2413-3221/2022/v50n1a11704.
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The face of extension and advisory services for agriculture in South Africa has changed significantly in recent years. The focus of government extension services has shifted to emerging farmers, impacting the quality of extension available to commercial farmers. This paper explores the effect of this shift on the sustainability of commercial crop farming in the Eastern Highveld. Three areas of advice and the impact on sustainability were researched, namely soil management, plant nutrition, and crop protection. Crop farmers regard all three as crucial for sustainability and prefer advisors to be knowledgeable in the following order of preference: plant nutrition, soil management, and crop protection. Most farmers are aware of their advisors’ qualifications and accreditations and discount advice by non-accredited and inexperienced advisors. Sustainable advice followed by responsible application is more effective in crop protection than soil management and plant nutrition. Over the past decade, the contribution of qualified advisors through improved decision-making increased yields by upwards of 40%. To maintain a high level of scientific and ethical advice, supply companies should employ qualified agronomists and promote the importance of qualified advice among stakeholders. Advisors should promote an ethical and professional relationship and regularly offer mentorship to qualified but inexperienced advisors.
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Heins, Royal D., and Paul Fisher. "COMPUTER DECISION SUPPORT TOOL FOR HEIGHT CONTROL OF POINSETTIAS." HortScience 27, no. 6 (June 1992): 692b—692. http://dx.doi.org/10.21273/hortsci.27.6.692b.
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Height control is a major challenge in the production of high quality poinsettia crops. Graphical tracking is a technique where growers make height control decisions by comparing actual measured plant height with a desired height. A computer decision support tool, the Poinsettia Care System, is being developed to combine graphical display of plant height with an expert system to provide height control advice. A simulation model is used to predict future growth of the crop based on greenhouse temperature, growth retardant applications, plant spacing, plant maturity, and light quality. Growth retardant and temperature recommendations are made based on a crop's deviation from the target height, expected future growth rate, and crop maturity. The program was beta tested by 8 Michigan growers over the 1991 poinsettia season. The test growers reacted positively to the program in a follow-up survey. Perceived benefits included improved height control, consistent crop recording, and a `second opinion' when making height control decisions. Improvements were suggested to combine the advice of different crops within the same greenhouse zone, to improve the predictive growth model, and to streamline data entry and output.
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Bohning, Mark A., and Allan K. Stoner. "CROP ADVISORY COMMITTEES: AN ADVISORY COMPONENT OF THE NATIONAL PLANT GERMPLASM SYSTEM." HortScience 27, no. 6 (June 1992): 647a—647. http://dx.doi.org/10.21273/hortsci.27.6.647a.
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The United States' National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS) is responsible for the acquisition, preservation, evaluation and distribution of plant genetic resources in the form of seed and clonal germplasm. In order to operate more effectively, the NPGS established a network of 40 Crop Advisory Committees (CACs) to provide analysis, data, and advice about germplasm within a crop or group of related crops of current or future economic importance. CACs are composed of Federal, State and industry scientists representing a variety of agricultural disciplines and geographic areas of importance to the crop. The committees are involved in a variety of activities including: 1) Developing crop descriptors for the collection of standardized characteristic and evaluation data, 2) Determining priorities for germplasm acquisition, evaluation and enhancement, 3) Advising curators on maintenance techniques, and 4) Developing special reports on the status of genetic resources for their crop(s). Twenty-four of the CACs are concerned with horticultural crops.
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COLBACH, N., B. CHAUVEL, H. DARMENCY, and Y. TRICAULT. "Sensitivity of weed emergence and dynamics to life-traits of annual spring-emerging weeds in contrasting cropping systems, using weed beet (Beta vulgarisssp.vulgaris) as an example." Journal of Agricultural Science 149, no. 6 (March 9, 2011): 679–700. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0021859611000220.
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SUMMARYCropping systems contain a diverse multi-species weed flora including several species that cross-breed with and/or descend from crops, including weed beet (Beta vulgarisssp.vulgaris). The effects of cropping systems on this weed flora are complex because of their large range of variation and their numerous interactions with climate and soil conditions. In order to study and quantify the long-term effects of cropping system components (crop succession and cultural techniques) on weed population dynamics, a biophysical process-based model called GENESYS-Beet has previously been developed for weed beet. In the present paper, the model was modified to remove the crop–weed connection and employed to identify and rank the weed life-traits as a function of their effect on weed emergence timing and density as well as on weed densities at plant, adult and seed bank stages, using a global sensitivity analysis to model parameters. A similar method has already been used with the complete GENESYS-Beet model (i.e. including the crop–weed connection) based on Monte Carlo simulations with simultaneous randomization of all life-trait parameters and run in three cropping systems differing in their risk of infestation by weed beet. Simulated weed emergence timing and density, as well as surviving plant, adult and seed bank densities, were then analysed with regression models as a function of model parameters to rank life-cycle processes and related life-traits and quantify their effects. The comparison of the present, crop-independent results to those of the previous, crop-dependent study showed that the crop-relative weed beet can be considered as a typical crop-independent spring weed as long as no traits conferring a selective advantage are inherited and in rotations where crops favouring weed emergence and reproduction are frequent. In such rotations, advice for controlling the crop-relative and the crop-independent weed is more or less identical. The rarer these favourable crops, the more important pre-emergence processes become for the crop-independent weed; management advice should thus focus more on seed bank survival and seedling emergence. For the crop-relative, post-emergence processes become dominant because of the increasing necessity for a new population founding event; management advice should mostly concern the avoidance of crop bolters. In both studies, the key parameters were more or less the same, i.e. those determining the timing and success of growth, development, seed maturation and the physiological end of seed production. Timing parameters were usually more important than success parameters, showing for instance that optimal timing of weed management operations is often more important than its exact efficacy. Comparison with previous sensitivity analyses carried out for autumn-emerging weed species showed that some of the present conclusions are probably specific to spring-emerging weed species only. For autumn-emerging species, pre-emergence traits would be more important. In the rotations with frequent favourable crops and insufficient weed control, interactions between traits were small, indicating that diverse populations and species with contrasting traits could prosper, potentially leading to a diverse multi-species weed flora. Conversely, when favourable crops were rare and weed control optimal, traits had little impact individually, indicating that a small number of optimal combinations of traits would be successful, thus limiting both intra- and inter-specific variability.
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Rosenberger, David A. "Factors Limiting IPM-Compatibility of New Disease Control Tactics for Apples in Eastern United States." Plant Health Progress 4, no. 1 (January 2003): 22. http://dx.doi.org/10.1094/php-2003-0826-01-rv.
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Economic constraints in the production of apples and perhaps other horticultural crops limit the adoption of many new IPM-friendly technologies. Because of the diminishing profit margins and the complexities involved in evaluating new technologies, farmers will increasingly turn to crop consultants for advice on when and how to integrate new disease-control technologies into their production systems. Accepted for publication 26 June 2003. Published 26 August 2003.
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Omara, Reda Ibrahim, Yasser S. A. Mazrou, Abdelrahman Elsayed, Nevien Moawad, Yasser Nehela, and Atef A. Shahin. "MISSR: A Mentoring Interactive System for Stripe Rust." Agronomy 12, no. 10 (October 5, 2022): 2416. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12102416.
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Wheat is one of the most important crops in the world and was considered the major grain crop grown in Egypt. Nowadays, Egypt is the largest wheat importer in the world and consumes an extensive amount of it. To decrease the gap between production and consumption and increase the yield, we need to control wheat diseases, especially stripe rust, due to its major damage to wheat. Further, we need to advise farmers as early as we can to control and treat them. The paper proposed an interactive intelligent system to monitor, predict and give the correct advice at the right time to farmers. This system is called MISSR (Mentoring Interactive System for Stripe Rust). The system is considered an important means to effectively prevent risks in agricultural production. It also plays an important role in guiding farmers and decision-makers to plan and implement suitable practices to increase yield and mitigate stripe-rust disease. On the other hand, it can acquire relevant and timely information in the areas where this information or data is unavailable. To build this model for the wheat crop in Egypt, we used wheat experts’ knowledge and climate data API. MISSR is available as a mobile application to provide access for more farmers and increase its availability.
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De Wilde, T., B. De Meulenaer, F. Mestdagh, R. Verhé, Y. Govaert, S. Fraselle, J. M Degroodt, et al. "Acrylamide formation during frying of potatoes: thorough investigation on the influence of crop and process variables." Czech Journal of Food Sciences 22, SI - Chem. Reactions in Foods V (January 1, 2004): S15—S18. http://dx.doi.org/10.17221/10602-cjfs.
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Acrylamide, which is a suspected human carcinogen, is particularly formed in starch-rich foodstuffs, like potato. The inter- and intraspecies variability of the potato causes a dispersion in the amount of acrylamide. This intraspecies variability can be influenced through agricultural practices and storage conditions. By assessing these factors, advice to potato producers can be given in order to lower the formation of acrylamide during frying.
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Li, Guo Xin, Fei Lao, Long Cheng, and Bing Quan Huo. "Design of Remote Crops Image Capture and Expert System in the Yellow River Delta." Applied Mechanics and Materials 533 (February 2014): 466–69. http://dx.doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/amm.533.466.
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The Yellow River Delta National Agricultural Science and Technology Park proposed the concept of "One Zone One Hundred Parks", namely the Yellow River Delta National Agricultural Science and Technology Park consists of a hundred geographically dispersed agricultural technology demonstration park. In order to effectively provide intellectual support for these geographically dispersed agricultural technology demonstration parks, this paper presents the design and the idea of remote crop image capture and expert systems. The core idea is to set up image collection terminals in a decentralized agricultural technology demonstration park. Crop samples are collected by the terminals, using GPRS network to transfer the captured image data to the Key Laboratory of Agricultural Bioengineering. Agricultural experts make an analysis to image samples, and propose treatment advice. And then, the experts feedback the advice to the various agricultural technology demonstration parks. After a year of testing, the entire system is reliable, excellent performance in real-time transmission of images. This system has played a very important role in the prevention and control of crop pests and crop growth guidance.
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Stigliani, Lucia, Giuseppe Santospirito, Nicola Cardinale, and Cosimo Resina. "A Relational Database as Decision Support System in Chemical Weed Control." Weed Technology 10, no. 4 (December 1996): 781–94. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0890037x00040811.
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Decision making in weed control is complex and time-consuming. Moreover, the structure of the available information does not facilitate the comparison of different herbicides. Indeed, information format can be the limiting factor in the performance of sophisticated computer programs intended to supply appropriate advice on weed control treatments. A relational database for decision support on chemical weed control has been developed. It uses a detailed structure by subdividing the information where possible. The database includes programs for entering, updating, and printing data, as well as programs for retrieving information and giving treatment advice. The information access on herbicides is organized around searches based on a specific crop and multiple weed species at their respective growth stages. Optimization of the selected herbicides is carried out and supplies the lowest number of herbicides controlling all the chosen weeds. Information on critical parameters for herbicide application such as varietal restrictions, rotational crops, and compatibility with other products is also interactively available.
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Knight, Jonathan D., and John D. Mumford. "Decision Support Systems in Crop Protection." Outlook on Agriculture 23, no. 4 (December 1994): 281–85. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/003072709402300408.
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All farmers and growers have at some time faced the decision of whether to control a pest in their crop. In order to make the correct decision the farmer needs access to, and an understanding of, sufficient information relevant to such pest problems. Decision support systems are able to help farmers make these difficult decisions by providing information in an easily understandable and quickly accessed form. The increasing use of computers by farmers for record-keeping and business management is putting the hardware necessary for the implementation of these systems onto more and more farms. The scarcity of expert advice, increasingly complex decisions and reduced economic margins all increase the importance of making the right pest management decision at the right time. It is against this background that decision support systems have an important role to play in the fight against losses caused by pests and diseases.
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Sparrow, LA. "A review of fertiliser advice in Australia." Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 33, no. 8 (1993): 1067. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ea9931067.
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Fertiliser advice is provided in many ways in Australia today. There has been a move away from blanket recommendations to recommendations for particular paddock-crop-farmer combinations. Emphasis has been on phosphorus for pastures and on nitrogen and phosphorus for cereals because of the importance of these elements and production systems in Australian agriculture. Soil tests are a major tool used in formulating recommendations, but plant tissue testing and nutrient budgets are playing increasing roles both in addition, and as alternatives, to soil tests. Variability within our agricultural systems places limits on the capacity of any or all of these techniques to predict precise fertiliser needs. We know very little about farmer attitudes to fertiliser advice, both for the minority of farmers who use advisory services and, more so, for the majority who do not. Farmers have not been questioned enough about why they have, or have not, adopted available technology. If better fertiliser management is to be more widely practised, the needs of our clients must direct future research and extension in soil fertility more than they have in the past. Resources for research will be increasingly difficult to justify unless serious consideration is given to the application of that research in agriculture and its adoption by farmers.
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Ambler, Kate, Alan de Brauw, and Susan Godlonton. "Cash Transfers and Management Advice for Agriculture: Evidence from Senegal." World Bank Economic Review 34, no. 3 (October 31, 2019): 597–617. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/wber/lhz005.
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Abstract This study analyzes impacts of large, one-time cash transfers and farm management plans among farmers in Senegal. Farmers were randomized into groups receiving advisory visits; the visits and an individualized farm management plan; or the visits, the plan, and a cash transfer. After one year, crop production and livestock ownership were higher in the transfer group relative to the group that only received visits. Livestock gains persisted after two years. The evidence suggests the results were driven by increased investment, and, indeed, there is no robust evidence that the management plans alone affected agricultural outcomes.
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Chiffoleau, Yuna, and Jean-Marc Touzard. "Understanding local agri-food systems through advice network analysis." Agriculture and Human Values 31, no. 1 (May 16, 2013): 19–32. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10460-013-9446-6.
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Stigliani, Lucia, and Cosimo Resina. "SELOMA: Expert System for Weed Management in Herbicide-Intensive Crops." Weed Technology 7, no. 3 (September 1993): 550–59. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0890037x00037337.
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A practical expert system is needed to handle POST weed control in herbicide-intensive crops such as wheat, barley, oat, rye, sugarbeet, corn, and sorghum. SELOMA is an expert system having a step-by-step problem-solving procedure closely resembling what a weed management expert would follow. It is based on field surveys of weed density, and crop and weed growth stage and height. SELOMA evaluates weed competitiveness and provides weed management advice. It suggests whether or not to intervene, chemical and mechanical weed control treatments, and selects the best herbicides, including commercial formulations, costs, and optimal dosages.
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Allen, Dave. "The practicalities of managing cultivar change." NZGA: Research and Practice Series 6 (January 1, 1996): 25–27. http://dx.doi.org/10.33584/rps.6.1995.3371.
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Ten years experience from trial-and-error plus some advice, has led to the development of successful base management systems for white clover cultivar-change. These systems are capable of modification according to site and season to maximise seed returns and have reached the point where white clover is now my safest crop. This paper considers crop management requirements necessary from the 'change' decision, some years before inception, through to harvested seed yield. Keywords: crop management, cultivar-change requirements, harvest, seed production, sowing technology, Trifolium repens L., white clover
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Boykin, Laura, Ammar Ghalab, Bruno Rossitto De Marchi, Anders Savill, James M. Wainaina, Tonny Kinene, Stephen Lamb, et al. "Real time portable genome sequencing for global food security." F1000Research 7 (July 18, 2018): 1101. http://dx.doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.15507.1.
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Crop losses due to viral diseases and pests are major constraints on food security and income for millions of households in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Such losses can be reduced if plant diseases and pests are correctly diagnosed and identified early. Currently, accurate diagnosis for definitive identification of plant viruses and their vectors in SSA mostly relies on standard PCR and next generation sequencing technologies (NGS). However, it can take up to 6 months before results generated using these approaches are available. The long time taken to detect or identify viruses impedes quick, within-season decision-making necessary for early action, crop protection advice and disease control measures by farmers. This ultimately compounds the magnitude of crop losses and food shortages suffered by farmers. The MinION portable pocket DNA sequencer was used, to our knowledge globally for the first time, to sequence whole plant virus genomes. We used this technology to identify the begomoviruses causing the devastating cassava mosaic virus, which is ravaging smallholder farmers’ crops in sub-Saharan Africa.
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Stradiot, P., and P. Battistel. "IMPROVED PLANT MANAGEMENT WITH LOCALISED CROP HEATING AND ADVICE ON DISTANCE IN THE MEDITERRANEAN CLIMATE." Acta Horticulturae, no. 614 (September 2003): 461–67. http://dx.doi.org/10.17660/actahortic.2003.614.69.
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Egbetokun, O. A., S. Ajijola, O. A. Awolola, and D. O. Awoyemi. "Economic Evaluation of Maize Intercropped with Some Major Food Crops in Southwestern Nigeria." Cercetari Agronomice in Moldova 51, no. 4 (December 1, 2018): 27–35. http://dx.doi.org/10.2478/cerce-2018-0033.
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Abstract In Nigeria, the traditional farmer finds it more satisfactory to plant a diversity of crops than planting sole. It is cheaper for farmers to grow many crops of their own requirements than to buy them. Hence, intercrop has remained the traditional farming practice in many other developing nations. Maize is a major cereal crop grown by all farming households all over Nigeria in combination with other crops. There are many studies on intercropping of maize with other food crops in Nigeria; however, many of these studies do not bother to look into the economics of intercrop. Therefore, this study examines the economic profitability of maize intercropped with major food crops in Southwestern Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling technique was employed in the study. A total of 138 questionnaire were used for analysis. Information was collected on socio-economic characteristics of the farming households, cropping systems, cost of labour input, cost of seeds, fertilizer and chemicals; yield and price of output. Data analysis involved the use of descriptive analysis, which includes frequency distribution, mean and percentages. Also, benefit-cost ratio and net farm income analyses were employed. The results showed that the average farm size was 1.5 ha, 75% of the farmers intercropped maize with other crops and six varieties of maize were planted in the study area. Among all the crop combinations, sole maize has the least cost, while maize intercropped with cassava and yam has the highest cost. Benefit-cost analysis showed that for every N 1 spent in maize intercropped with cassava and yam, N 1.26 would be realized as profit. It is therefore, recommended that for optimal use of resources and crop combinations, both public and private extension workers should advice farmers on this finding and the most profitable crop combinations.
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Dampney, P. M. R., E. I. Lord, and B. J. Chambers. "Development of improved advice for farmers and advisers." Soil Use and Management 16 (January 19, 2006): 162–66. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-2743.2000.tb00221.x.
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Loureiro, Maria L., and Rodolfo M. Nayga. "Physician's Advice Affects Adoption of Desirable Dietary Behaviors." Review of Agricultural Economics 29, no. 2 (June 2007): 318–30. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9353.2007.00345.x.
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Woods, Matthew E., Rehman Ata, Zachary Teitel, Nishara M. Arachchige, Yi Yang, Brian E. Raychaba, James Kuhns, and Lesley G. Campbell. "Crop diversity and plant–plant interactions in urban allotment gardens." Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems 31, no. 6 (January 15, 2016): 540–49. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1742170515000472.
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AbstractAllotment food gardens represent important sources of food security for urban residents. Since urban gardeners rarely receive formal agricultural education and have extremely limited space, they may be relying on readily available gardening advice (e.g., seed packet instructions), inventing cultural strategies that consider inter-specific competitive dynamics, or making poor planting decisions. Knowledge of garden crop diversity and planting arrangements can aid in designing strategies for productive urban gardens and food systems. We surveyed 96 individual plots in 10 allotment gardens in the Toronto region, assessed crop diversity within gardens and recorded planting practices used by urban gardeners by measuring the proximity of individual plants relative to similar or different crop species. We also compared planting densities used by urban gardeners with those recommended by major seed distributers. Collectively, Toronto urban agriculture contributes substantially to urban plant diversity (108 crops), but each plot tends to be relatively depauperate. Carrots and lettuce were three to five times more likely to be planted in clusters than intermingled with other crops (P< 0.05); whereas gardeners did not appear to use consistent planting arrangements for tomatoes or zucchini. Gardeners tended to plant tomatoes and zucchini 56–62.5% more densely than recommended by seed distributers (P< 0.001), whereas they planted 147 times fewer carrots in a given area than recommended (P< 0.05). Furthermore, neither crop planting density nor crop diversity changed with plot size. The planting arrangements we have documented suggest gardeners using allotment plots attempt plant densely in extremely limited space, and are employing cultural strategies that intensify competitive dynamics within gardens. Future research should assess the absolute and relative effect of altered cultural practices on yield, such that any modifications can be prioritized by their impact on yield.
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Lagos-Ortiz, Katty, María del Pilar Salas-Zárate, Mario Andrés Paredes-Valverde, José Antonio García-Díaz, and Rafael Valencia-García. "AgriEnt: A Knowledge-Based Web Platform for Managing Insect Pests of Field Crops." Applied Sciences 10, no. 3 (February 4, 2020): 1040. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/app10031040.
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In the agricultural context, there is a great diversity of insects and diseases that affect crops. Moreover, the amount of data available on data sources such as the Web regarding these topics increase every day. This fact can represent a problem when farmers want to make decisions based on this large and dynamic amount of information. This work presents AgriEnt, a knowledge-based Web platform focused on supporting farmers in the decision-making process concerning crop insect pest diagnosis and management. AgriEnt relies on a layered functional architecture comprising four layers: the data layer, the semantic layer, the web services layer, and the presentation layer. This platform takes advantage of ontologies to formally and explicitly describe agricultural entomology experts’ knowledge and to perform insect pest diagnosis. Finally, to validate the AgriEnt platform, we describe a case study on diagnosing the insect pest affecting a crop. The results show that AgriEnt, through the use of the ontology, has proven to produce similar answers as the professional advice given by the entomology experts involved in the evaluation process. Therefore, this platform can guide farmers to make better decisions concerning crop insect pest diagnosis and management.
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Hughes, Gareth, and Fiona J. Burnett. "Integrating Experience, Evidence and Expertise in the Crop Protection Decision Process." Plant Disease 99, no. 9 (September 2015): 1197–203. http://dx.doi.org/10.1094/pdis-02-15-0197-fe.
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Generically, farm-scale crop protection decision making may be characterized as a process beginning with an initial assessment of disease risk followed by the accumulation of evidence related to current risk factors, leading to a risk prediction. What action is then taken depends on the response of the decision owner, taking into account previous experience, advice from trusted sources, alongside policy or legislative constraints on crop protection practice that are intended to mitigate any impacts that may transcend the farm scale. This process has commonalities with decision-making in the strategy of preventive medicine. This article delves into the clinical literature in order to provide a perspective on some recent discussions of shared decision making presented there, discussions that relate to issues also faced in sustainable crop protection.
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Tatchell, G. M. "Aphid-control advice to farmers and the use of aphid-monitoring data." Crop Protection 4, no. 1 (March 1985): 39–50. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0261-2194(85)90004-3.
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Brown, D. C., and E. M. Thomas. "Feeding maize silage to pregnant ewes." Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Production (1972) 1989 (March 1989): 101. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0308229600010928.
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New cultivars of forage maize have recently been introduced into this country which make maize silage an attractive alternative crop to grass silage. Little advice is available on feeding maize silage to pregnant ewes in the United Kingdom. This experiment compares in physical and financial terms, the feeding of maize silage with grass silage, when offered to pregnant housed ewes.
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COLBACH, N., S. GRANGER, and D. MÉZIÈRE. "Using a sensitivity analysis of a weed dynamics model to develop sustainable cropping systems. II. Long-term effect of past crops and management techniques on weed infestation." Journal of Agricultural Science 151, no. 2 (March 20, 2012): 247–67. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0021859612000160.
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SUMMARYBoth scientists and farmers are confronted by a similar question: which current and past cropping system components will influence the present weed flora, and how? This information is necessary to optimize both cropping systems for weed control, and quality and cost in surveys and monitoring schemes. The present study addressed these questions with a sensitivity analysis to input variables of a cropping system model,AlomySys, that predicts weed dynamics in interaction with pedo-climatic conditions. The study ranked cropping system components according to their impact on weed infestation in winter wheat, showing for instance that though crop succession was crucial, current and past tillage strategies influenced grass weed densities even more. Crops were not only ranked as a function of the resulting weed risk but the latter was also linked to crop species traits, i.e. crop type, usual sowing period and emergence speed. A previous winterv.spring crop thus increased weed density by 72% in the following winter wheat; a late-sownv.early sown winter crop by 26%, a slowv.fast-emerging winter crop by 17%, and a lower competitive ability by 9%. Similarly, the characteristics of each crop management technique (tillage, catch crop, secondary crop, mowing, mechanical weeding, herbicides, nitrogen fertilizer, manure and harvest) were quantified. For instance, the timing of the first tillage operation was crucial prior to the analysed winter wheat crop while the choice of the tool used even 5 years previously still influenced weed infestation in the current year; a catch crop prior to previous spring sown crops reduced the current infestation regardless of catch crop sowing dates and densities, but the reductive effect could be lost if the field was tilled several times to destroy the catch crop. The advice synthesized here and in a companion paper (Colbach & Mézière 2012). will be valuable to design innovative, integrated cropping systems, indicating (1) which cropping system components to modify to produce the largest effect, (2) for how long past practices must be considered when choosing current options and (3) the optimal options for the different management techniques. Points (1) and (2) are also valuable to identify data to record in surveys, though still resulting in a total of 232 variables. In a second step, these detailed variables were therefore simplified and aggregated to determine a smaller set of 22 synthetic variables easily recorded in surveys, such as the proportion of winter and spring crops during the last 10 years (instead of the actual crop sequence), the proportion of crops sown in summer, early autumn, late autumn, early spring and late spring during the last 5 years (instead of exact sowing dates), the ploughing frequency (instead of ploughing dates and characteristics), the mean number of herbicide sprayings per year (instead of dates), etc. This reduced survey list will reduce the cost of surveys as well as increase the number and quality of surveys as more farmers will be ready to participate and there will be fewer uncertainties in the answers.
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Farré, Gemma, Georgina Sanahuja, Shaista Naqvi, Chao Bai, Teresa Capell, Changfu Zhu, and Paul Christou. "Travel advice on the road to carotenoids in plants." Plant Science 179, no. 1-2 (July 2010): 28–48. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.plantsci.2010.03.009.
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Stirling, GR, and A. Nikulin. "Population dynamics of plant parasitic nematodes in Queensland pineapple fields and the effects of these nematodes on pineapple production." Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 33, no. 2 (1993): 197. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ea9930197.
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Twelve pineapple fields with various densities of root-knot nematode were selected during a ratoon crop. Nematode populations were monitored regularly after the crop was ploughed out. Regardless of the original population density, rootknot nematodes were almost nondetectable at the end of the subsequent 3-6-month fallow intercycle period. In the absence of nematicide treatment there were marked differences between sites in the manner in which rootknot nematodes increased in the newly planted crop. At some sites, they were detectable 9-15 months after planting, whereas at other sites, nematodes were not observed at 15 months. Increases in ratoon crop yield following application of ethylene dibromide or fenamiphos were related to root-knot nematode population density. Significant increases in yield were not obtained at sites where the nematode was not detectable at 15 months. The results suggest that some pineapple growers are needlessly applying nematicides and that nematode diagnostic services should be developed to provide growers with advice on their nematode management programs.
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Giroux, Stacey, Patrick Kaminski, Kurt Waldman, Jordan Blekking, Tom Evans, and Kelly K. Caylor. "Smallholder social networks: Advice seeking and adaptation in rural Kenya." Agricultural Systems 205 (February 2023): 103574. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2022.103574.
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Reid, J. B., A. R. Renquist, A. J. Pearson, and P. J. Stone. "137 Evaluating PARJIB, a Model of Vegetable Crop Performance in Response to Nutrient Supply." HortScience 34, no. 3 (June 1999): 465C—465. http://dx.doi.org/10.21273/hortsci.34.3.465c.
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Economic and environmental concerns have increased the need for quantitative advice on fertilizer rates. In addition, it would aid researchers to be able to estimate the degree to which nutrient availability is affecting yield in a wide variety of field experiments. All of these needs can, in principle, be addressed using the new PARJIB model. PARJIB retains the functional simplicity of much earlier analytical models of crop responses to soil test values and fertiliser application rates. However, in a key departure from previous approaches, response to scaled nutrient supply indices is dictated by the potential yield adjusted for plant population and water stress. The version currently being evaluated simulates responses to supply of N, P, K and Mg, varying either singly or in combination. We have calibrated the model for sweet corn, carrots, and snap bean crops grown under temperate conditions in a wide range of soils. Simulated yields agreed well with observed values; the root mean square error was 8% to 13%, and regressions of observed against simulated yields passed through the origin with slopes that were not significantly different from 1. After calibration, the model predicted strong interactions between nutrient supply, plant population and water stress. PARJIB appears to have substantial potential to improve nutrient management for horticultural crops.
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Pfister, Herbert. "The German ZKBS providing advice for risk mamagers since 1978." Journal für Verbraucherschutz und Lebensmittelsicherheit 3, S2 (February 2009): 54. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00003-009-0417-1.
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CARR, M. K. V. "THE WATER RELATIONS AND IRRIGATION REQUIREMENTS OF COFFEE." Experimental Agriculture 37, no. 1 (January 2001): 1–36. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0014479701001090.
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The role of water in the development and yield of the coffee crop (Coffea arabica L.) is reviewed. A period of water stress, induced either by dry soil or dry air, is needed to prepare flower buds for blossoming that is then stimulated by rain or irrigation. Although attempts have been made to quantify the intensity and duration of stress required, these have not yet been specified in ways that are commercially useful. Water must be freely available during the period of rapid fruit expansion to ensure large, high-quality seed yields. Depending on the time and uniformity of flowering this can occur at times when rainfall is unreliable, particularly in equatorial areas.Although there are differences in their responses to drought, commercial cultivars have retained many of the characteristics adapted to the shady environment of the forests in the Ethiopian highlands in which C. arabica is believed to have originated. These include partial closure of the stomata when evaporation rates are high as a result of large leaf-to-air saturation deficits (>1.6 kPa), even if the soil is at field capacity. This is thought to be an adaptive mechanism that minimizes transpiration at high irradiances when the leaves are light-saturated.Our understanding of the actual water use of coffee crops grown in diverse ways is imperfect. For mature crops, well supplied with water, the crop coefficient (Kc) appears to have a value in the range equivalent to 0.7–0.8 times the evaporation from a US Weather Bureau Class A pan. There is some evidence that Kc values are less than this on days when evaporation rates are high (>7 mm d−1). For immature crops allowance has to be made for the proportion of the ground area shaded by the leaf canopy, but this alone may underestimate rates of water use. Present methods of calculating crop water requirements for the purposes of irrigation scheme design and management are imprecise and, probably, subject to large errors depending on local circumstances.The need for irrigation, and its role in controlling the timing of flowering, varies depending on the rainfall distribution, the severity of the dry season, and soil type and depth. Two geographic areas need to be distinguished in particular; those close to the equator with a bi-modal rainfall pattern and those at higher latitudes with a single rainy season and an extended dry season. Despite the international importance of irrigation in coffee crop production, the benefits to be derived from irrigation, in yield and in financial terms, have not been adequately quantified in either location. Allowable soil-water deficits have been specified for deep-rooting crops (2–3 m) on water retentive soils, usually linked to conventional over-tree sprinkler irrigation systems. Other, potentially more efficient, methods of irrigation are now available for coffee grower use, in particular, micro-jet- and drip-irrigation systems. However, there appears to be little advice, based on sound experimental work, on how to design and operate these to best advantage.There is a need to interpret and apply the scientific understanding of the role that water plays in the growth and development of the coffee plant into practical advice that can assist the grower to plan and to use water efficiently, whether rainfall or irrigation, for the production of reliable, high-quality crops. Future research opportunities are identified.
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Kokic, Philip, Rohan Nelson, Holger Meinke, Andries Potgieter, and John Carter. "From rainfall to farm incomes—transforming advice for Australian drought policy. I. Development and testing of a bioeconomic modelling system." Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 58, no. 10 (2007): 993. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ar06193.
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In this paper we report the development of a bioeconomic modelling system, AgFIRM, designed to help close a relevance gap between climate science and policy in Australia. We do this by making a simple econometric farm income model responsive to seasonal forecasts of crop and pasture growth for the coming season. The key quantitative innovation was the use of multiple and M-quantile regression to calibrate the farm income model, using simulated crop and pasture growth from 2 agroecological models. The results of model testing demonstrated a capability to reliably forecast the direction of movement in Australian farm incomes in July at the beginning of the financial year (July–June). The structure of the model, and the seasonal climate forecasting system used, meant that its predictive accuracy was greatest across Australia’s cropping regions. In a second paper, Nelson et al. (2007, this issue), we have demonstrated how the bioeconomic modelling system developed here could be used to enhance the value of climate science to Australian drought policy.
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BHOGAL, A., A. D. ROCHFORD, and R. SYLVESTER-BRADLEY. "Net changes in soil and crop nitrogen in relation to the performance of winter wheat given wide-ranging annual nitrogen applications at Ropsley, UK." Journal of Agricultural Science 135, no. 2 (September 2000): 139–49. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0021859699008035.
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The effects of eight rates of nitrogen (N) application (0–245 kg/ha) on the performance of winter wheat over five seasons (1991–1995) on a long-term field experiment (established 1978) at Ropsley (UK) are described. In each of the five seasons, N was withdrawn from replicate plots in order to study the residual effect of fertilizer. N applications in excess of 140 kg/ha left significant residues as soil mineral N (SMN) in the autumn which, despite some loss over-winter, had a significant effect on the yield and N offtake of the subsequent crop. The amount of N carried over was equivalent to 8–20% of the fertilizer N and was observed at N applications up to 40 kg/ha lower than the optimum rate (c. 200 kg/ha). Part of the unrecovered N was also considered to contribute to the long-term build-up of fertility at the site. The results suggest that restrictions on N use to below the optimum will reduce leachable N, but may have an impact on soil fertility and future crop productivity. In addition, the rate of N applied to preceding crops should be taken into account when formulating fertilizer advice on retentive soils.
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Wan, Gu, Zhang, Zhang, Ji, Wang, Qiao, and Toepfer. "Conflicts of Interests When Connecting Agricultural Advisory Services with Agri-Input Businesses." Agriculture 9, no. 10 (October 9, 2019): 218. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/agriculture9100218.
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Conflicts of interests have been hypothesized when agricultural advisory services are connected to agri-input businesses. However, these have not been examined using large sets of advisory service and grower data. We provide quantitative insights into dependencies between service, crop production, sustainability and the level of agri-input business-linkage of extension workers. We analyzed 34,000+ prescription forms (recommendations) issued to growers in China, as well as grower interview data. Results revealed some conflicts of interest, but to a small extent and not always as expected. Both forms of advisory service (with and without business-linkages) heavily emphasize chemical pest management. However, grower interviews revealed that business-linked advisors recommend pesticides even 18% more often than non-business-linked advisors do (96% vs. 78% of advice). This advice was also often implemented (94% and 90% uptake). There is a slightly higher chance that dangerous pesticides are being recommended by business-linked advisors (0.4% vs. 0.14%), but these advisors recommended antibiotics less frequently (1.6% vs. 2.5%). No effects of the source of advice on yields or grower profits were found. Thus, there is no apparent economic disadvantage of growers taking advice from business-linked advisors. However, if pesticide use is a concern for human health and the environment, then the increased use of such products may further exacerbate existing problems. Depending on national priorities, countries may re-consider moving away from governmental extension services, and more closely analyze the advantages of promoting agri-business-linked advisory services (no public funds, better outreach) versus the disadvantages (slightly higher pesticide risks).
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HARWOOD, R. R., A. H. KASSAM, H. M. GREGERSEN, and E. FERERES. "NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT RESEARCH IN THE CGIAR: THE ROLE OF THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE." Experimental Agriculture 41, no. 1 (January 2005): 1–19. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0014479704002315.
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Judicious management of our natural resources is a major pillar of sustainable agriculture, broadly defined. It is, therefore, unfortunate that, until now, research in natural resources management (NRM) has not received sufficient support, or the recognition that other agricultural research topics have had. The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) recognized, early on, the complementarities and synergies between NRM research and other themes, notably genetic improvement, and its research Centres have pursued some vigorous programmes for many years. The Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) to the CGIAR was supportive of such programmes from the start and provided advice to the CGIAR System on NRM research strategies. Highlights of such advice over the last 20 years are discussed, including the ecoregional approach, the 1996 study of Priorities and Strategies for Soil and Water Research, and the CGIAR Vision and Strategy of 2000. Recent developments at the Centres leading to the promotion of integrated approaches to NRM (INRM) are described, and a set of priority areas in INRM research for future CGIAR activities is presented.
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Brink, Lars. "Making Agricultural Economics Research Relevant for Policy Advice." Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics/Revue canadienne d'agroeconomie 61, no. 1 (February 19, 2013): 15–36. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/cjag.12001.
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Duran, Nancy. "Farmers' Bulletins Advice to Women on Diet, Food, and Cooking." Journal of Agricultural & Food Information 6, no. 1 (March 9, 2004): 49–75. http://dx.doi.org/10.1300/j108v06n01_06.
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Burns, Ian G. "Duncan Joseph Greenwood. 16 October 1932 — 13 February 2010." Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society 70 (January 13, 2021): 189–209. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsbm.2020.0037.
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During his 55-year career as a highly distinguished scientist, Duncan Greenwood made a major contribution to the field of soil science and plant nutrition. His early studies on soil aeration revolutionized thinking on the mechanisms by which oxygen influences the activity of microorganisms and their metabolism of organic substances in structured soil. His ideas resulted in the ‘micro-site concept of soil aeration’, which is still widely accepted today. Later he turned his attention to the nutritional requirements of vegetable crops at a time when the horticultural industry was starting to introduce inorganic fertilizers. He developed a novel static model of N, P and K response, which he used to produce the first scientifically based inorganic fertilizer recommendations for 23 different vegetable crops. Not satisfied with this major development, Duncan started to create more sophisticated dynamic models using novel widely applicable relationships that took more account of the effects of weather on nutrient behaviour in the soil and plant. He not only used these to provide important insights into many of the complex interacting processes involved, but also incorporated them into some of the first computer-based decision support systems for practical site-specific fertilizer advice for the vegetable growing industry. The application of these advances had an important effect on the efficiency of crop production and the reduction of associated environmental impacts. Duncan continued to devise new models for nutrient and water use throughout the rest of his career and to explore ways of applying them in different areas of soil and crop science.
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Calatrava, Javier, David Martínez-Granados, Raúl Zornoza, Manuel González-Rosado, Beatriz Lozano-García, Manuela Vega-Zamora, and María Dolores Gómez-López. "Barriers and Opportunities for the Implementation of Sustainable Farming Practices in Mediterranean Tree Orchards." Agronomy 11, no. 5 (April 22, 2021): 821. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11050821.
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This study identifies, through consultation with relevant stakeholders, low-input farming practices that can help to minimize the most pressing agronomic and environmental problems in some of the most relevant Mediterranean woody crops in Spain (almond, citrus, and olive) and enhance their sustainability. The results illustrate stakeholders’ perception regarding how each cropping system could be oriented towards a more sustainable production. Despite each case study’s particularities, there is consensus in the need for a shift towards the use of organic fertilizers, the maintenance of vegetation in the edges of plots and the use of integrated pest control strategies. On the contrary, stakeholders have selected different tillage and soil cover practices that are consistent with the characteristics and problems of each cropping system. This study also identifies relevant strengths and drawbacks for the implementation of low-input agricultural practices in each crop and study area. While stakeholders find the identified low-impact farming practices as easy and not costly, suggesting a significant potential for their successful implementation, the results also point out at the reduced knowledge of the practical benefits of some farming practices and the need for improved technical advice to foster the adoption of others.
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Molina-Maturano, Janet, Nele Verhulst, Juan Tur-Cardona, David T. Güereña, Andrea Gardeazábal-Monsalve, Bram Govaerts, and Stijn Speelman. "Understanding Smallholder Farmers’ Intention to Adopt Agricultural Apps: The Role of Mastery Approach and Innovation Hubs in Mexico." Agronomy 11, no. 2 (January 20, 2021): 194. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11020194.
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While several studies have focused on the actual adoption of agricultural apps and the relevance of the apps’ content, very few studies have focused on drivers of the farmer’s intention and initial decision to adopt. Based on a survey of 394 smallholder farmers in 2019, this study investigated willingness to adopt an agricultural advice app in Guanajuato, Mexico. A structural equation modeling approach, based on the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT), was applied. To understand the farmers’ adoption decisions, extended constructs were studied (e.g., mastery-approach goals) along with the farmers’ age and participation in an innovation hub. Results showed that the intention to adopt the app is predicted by how farmers appraise the technical infrastructure and acquire new knowledge by using an app. The multi-group analysis revealed that performance expectancy is a relevant predictor of the intention to adopt, whereas the mastery-approach goal is relevant only for younger farmers and farmers not connected to the innovation hub. This study provides valuable insights about the innovation hubs’ role in the intention to adopt apps, offering precision agriculture advice in developing countries. The findings are useful for practitioners and app developers designing digital-decision support tools.
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Thomas, G. A., G. W. Titmarsh, D. M. Freebairn, and B. J. Radford. "No-tillage and conservation farming practices in grain growing areas of Queensland - a review of 40 years of development." Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 47, no. 8 (2007): 887. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ea06204.
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Early agricultural practices in Queensland inadvertently led to accelerated soil erosion. During the 1940s, the Queensland Government initiated a soil conservation service that worked with the principles of matching land use with its capability, as well as runoff management using earth structures such as contour banks and grassed waterways. A concerted effort began in the 1960s to develop and adapt farming systems that maximised retention of crop residues to maintain surface cover to complement the earthworks. Investigation and promotion of farm machinery capable of dealing with high stubble levels commenced in the mid-1970s. Demonstrations of the benefits of reduced and no-tillage conservation farming practices for improved productivity and soil conservation also began at this time. The combined research, development and extension efforts of farmers, grower organisations, agribusiness and government agencies have contributed to an increase in the understanding of soil–water–crop interactions that have led to the adoption of no-tillage and conservation farming practices in Queensland. In 2005, the overall area under no-tillage was ~50% of the cropping land in the main grain growing areas of southern and central Queensland, but was potentially as high as 85% among some groups of farmers. Conservation farming practices, in their many forms, are now regarded as standard practice, and the agricultural advisory industry is involved considerably in providing advice on optimum herbicide application and crop rotation strategies for these practices. Factors hindering greater adoption of no-tillage include: farmer attitudes and aspirations, machinery conversion or replacement costs, buildup of soil and stubble-borne plant diseases, use of residual herbicides that may limit crop options, dual use of land for grazing and cropping, herbicide resistance, buildup of hard-to-kill weeds, the need for soil disturbance in some situations, and concerns by farmers about the effects of herbicides on the environment and human health. Developments that may aid further adoption of no-tillage systems include: ongoing machinery modifications that allow greater flexibility in the cropping systems, refinement of controlled traffic farming and precision agriculture, improved crop resistance or tolerance to plant diseases associated with stubble retention, availability of more crop options and rotations, development of a broader spectrum of effective herbicides and the use of genetic modification technologies to breed herbicide-resistant crops.
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Wightman, John A. "Can lessons learned 30 years ago contribute to reducing the impact of the fall army worm Spodoptera frugiperda in Africa and India?" Outlook on Agriculture 47, no. 4 (December 2018): 259–69. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0030727018814849.
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The rapid spread of the fall army worm ( Spodoptera frugiperda) across sub-Saharan Africa, and now South Asia, has created surprise and distress to the smallholder farmers of both regions who face hunger and economic stress because of this pest. There has been high-quality support from the international agricultural information sector, but there has also been advice that may not be applicable to the farming systems of smallholder farmers. That comment arises from lessons learned from involvement with a similar pest outbreak of a related pest species in India starting in the mid-80s. Post-rainy season groundnut (peanut) Arachis hypogaea is a high-value crop in the coastal region of Andhra Pradesh. Changes in the management of tobacco crops to the North of the groundnut belt resulted in invasions of Spodoptera litura. The groundnut farmers responded by applying a wide range of insecticides that did nothing to protect their crops from further defoliation. Scientists from the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) initiated research that enriched the knowledge of this crop–pest relationship. For instance, they showed that groundnut plants could withstand close to complete defoliation with little loss in yield. Farmers also learned that the cessation of their insecticide regime allowed natural enemies of the caterpillars to take over the management of the pests. They were showed how to enhance the populations of the coccinellids and the birds that were the key predators. ‘Citizen Scientists’ led this process. Non- and quasi-governmental organizations took over the extension process. They were provided with ongoing personal and technical support, for instance, the provision of definitive facts about the high levels of insecticide resistance, encouraging cultural control techniques, and of exploiting natural enemies, including entomopathogens. The involvement of the ICRISAT team later extended into the groundnut fields of South East Asia.
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Knight, J. D., G. M. Tatchell, G. A. Norton, and R. Harrington. "FLYPAST: an information management system for the Rothamsted Aphid Database to aid pest control research and advice." Crop Protection 11, no. 5 (October 1992): 419–26. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0261-2194(92)90024-y.
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Botha, P. W., and J. A. Meiring. "PRODUCTION RISK ADVICE AT WHOLE FARM LEVEL: REPRESENTATIVE VERSUS MEAN FARMS." Agrekon 40, no. 2 (June 2001): 280–90. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03031853.2001.9524951.
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Graça, Jessica, Giulia Bondi, Achim Schmalenberger, and Karen Daly. "Phosphorus Fractions in Temperate Grassland Soils and Their Interactions with Agronomic P Tests." Agronomy 12, no. 10 (October 19, 2022): 2569. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12102569.
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Phosphorus (P) is a major nutrient for plant growth and animal health, and its availability in soil is influenced by agronomic management and soil properties. This study examined the distribution of labile and non-labile soil P fractions in grassland and the properties that influence their distribution in temperate grasslands. Eleven fractions were identified as, labile (H2O.P and NaHCO3.P), moderately labile (NaOH.P) and plant non-available (NaOH.P, HCl.P and residual P). The residual P, moderately labile organic (NaOH.Po) and inorganic (NaOH.Pi) fractions comprised 38%, 24% and 15% of the total P (TP), respectively. The residual and organic (Po) fractions were associated with extractable Fe, and the NaOH.Pi fraction was associated with extractable Al. Agronomic reagents (Morgan’s and Mehlich3) targeted specific fractions based on their affinity for different soil elements. Morgan’s P was associated with extractable and residual Ca and in high Ca soils, and overestimated plant-available P by extracting non-labile Ca.P forms (HCl.P). The Mehlich3 P test was associated with NaOH.Pi fraction and showed a preference for Al.P oxides. This study indicates that Mehlich3 reagent, which provides a wider suite of elements such as P, Ca, Al and Fe, will suit as a better indicator for soil P dynamics and improved P advice to farmers. The inclusion of additional soil chemico-physical characteristics would improve agronomic soil testing, benefitting farmers’ advice.
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Akpalu, DA. "Agriculture extension service delivery in a semi-arid rural area in South Africa: The case study of Thorndale in the Limpopo province." African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development 13, no. 59 (September 23, 2013): 8034–57. http://dx.doi.org/10.18697/ajfand.59.12205.
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Poverty, geographical isolation and being poorly served by agricultural workers, education, health, transport, communication and other services characterise the rural environment in most developing countries. Agricultural productivity and its associated agricultural extension services are important to the livelihood activities of rural communities. As a result rural communities require access to productive services information on input supply, new technologies, early warning systems for drought (pests and diseases), credit, and market prices. Agricultural extension service has been identified as an important part of the intended transformation of the agricultural sector. In South Africa, farmers consider the effectiveness of extension services in relation to receiving technological information and advice for purposes of crop and livestock production. The paper discusses the role of agricultural extension services in agricultural production in Thorndale, situated in the Savannah biome of the Bushbuckridge region in the Limpopo Province, South Africa. A questionnaire survey was used in the collection of data. The results indicated that the majority of the farmers do not have access to the services of extension officers. Yet, some farmers have infrequent contacts with extension officers and information, and the magnitude of extension services have been restricted to verbal instructions rather than demonstrative, innovative and hands on practical guidance to farmers. The majority of the respondents approximately 97% are farmers who engage in agricultural production, consisted of small-scale approximately 97% and commercial 3% farmers. The approximately 38% of households who have had contacts with extension officers indicated that the advice and assistance they received entailed farming practices such as buying seeds needed for crop production and storage of the produce harvested for eventualities such as drought or famine. Others include nursery making, correct crop spacing and fertilizer application, planting, transplanting, herbicide application, timely planting and early weeding. The study concluded that extension officers need to visit and guide rural farmers regularly with improved farming technologies and services. Further, capacity development and logistical assistance should be strengthened towards improving the current extension services to the rural communities.
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Fielke, Simon, Bruce Taylor, and Emma Jakku. "Digitalisation of agricultural knowledge and advice networks: A state-of-the-art review." Agricultural Systems 180 (April 2020): 102763. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2019.102763.
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Appiah, Sadick Amoakohene, Jiuhao Li, Yubin Lan, Ransford Opoku Darko, Kelvin Edom Alordzinu, Alaa Al Aasmi, Evans Asenso, et al. "Real-Time Assessment of Mandarin Crop Water Stress Index." Sensors 22, no. 11 (May 26, 2022): 4018. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/s22114018.
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The use of plant-based indicators and other conventional means to detect the level of water stress in crops may be challenging, due to their difficulties in automation, their arduousness, and their time-consuming nature. Non-contact and non-destructive sensing methods can be used to detect the level of water stress in plants continuously and to provide automatic sensing and controls. This research aimed at determining the viability, efficiency, and swiftness in employing the commercial Workswell WIRIS Agro R infrared camera (WWARIC) in monitoring water stress and scheduling appropriate irrigation regimes in mandarin plants. The experiment used a four-by-three randomized complete block design with 80–100% FC water treatment as full field capacity and three deficit irrigation treatments at 70–75% FC, 60–65% FC, and 50–55% FC. Air temperature, canopy temperature, and vapor pressure deficits were measured and employed to deduce the empirical crop water stress index, using the Idso approach (CWSI(Idso)) as well as baseline equations to calculate non-water stress and water stressed conditions. The relative leaf water content (RLWC) of mandarin plants was also determined for the growing season. From the experiment, CWSI(Idso) and CWSI were estimated using the Workswell Wiris Agro R infrared camera (CWSIW) and showed a high correlation (R2 = 0.75 at p < 0.05) in assessing the extent of water stress in mandarin plants. The results also showed that at an altitude of 12 m above the mandarin canopy, the WWARIC was able to identify water stress using three modes (empirical, differential, and theoretical). The WWARIC’s color map feature, presented in real time, makes the camera a suitable device, as there is no need for complex computations or expert advice before determining the extent of the stress the crops are subjected to. The results prove that this novel use of the WWARIC demonstrated sufficient precision, swiftness, and intelligibility in the real-time detection of the mandarin water stress index and, accordingly, assisted in scheduling irrigation.
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Molina-Maturano, Janet, Nele Verhulst, Juan Tur-Cardona, David T. Güerena, Andrea Gardeazábal-Monsalve, Bram Govaerts, Hans De Steur, and Stijn Speelman. "How to Make a Smartphone-Based App for Agricultural Advice Attractive: Insights from a Choice Experiment in Mexico." Agronomy 12, no. 3 (March 12, 2022): 691. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12030691.
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Mobile phone apps can be a cost-effective way to provide decision support to farmers, and they can support the collection of agricultural data. The digitisation of agricultural systems, and the efforts to close the digital divide and to include smallholders, make data ownership and privacy issues more relevant than ever before. In Central and South American countries, smallholders’ preferences regarding data licenses and sharing have largely been ignored, and little attention has been paid to the potential of nonfinancial incentives to increase the uptake of digital solutions and participation by farmers. To investigate incentives for smallholder farmers to potentially use an agricultural advisory app in which they share their data, a Discrete Choice Experiment was designed. Based on a survey of 392 farmers in Mexico, preferences for attributes related to its usage were revealed using a conditional logit (CL) model. To explore heterogeneity, groups and profiles were explored through a latent class (LC) model. The CL model results revealed, for example, farmers’ positive preference to receive support at first use and access to training, while negative preference was found for sharing data with private actors. The LC identified three classes which differ in their preference for attributes such as the degree of data sharing. Furthermore, for example, a farmer’s connectedness to an innovation hub was found to be one of the significant variables in the class membership function. The main contribution of the study is that it shows the importance of nonfinancial incentives and the influence of data sharing on farmer preferences.