Agriculture

1618 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sorghum Biomass Production for Energy Purpose Using Treated Urban Wastewater and Different Fertilization in a Mediterranean Environment

by Carmelo Maucieri, Valeria Cavallaro, Caterina Caruso, Maurizio Borin, Mirco Milani and Antonio C. Barbera

Agriculture 2016, 6(4), 67; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture6040067 - 21 Dec 2016

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 6773

Abstract

With the aim at enhancing the sustainability of biomass production in the Mediterranean area, this paper analyzes, for the first time, the production of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) biomass for bioenergy production using urban treated wastewaters and bio-fertilization. For this purpose, [...] Read more.

With the aim at enhancing the sustainability of biomass production in the Mediterranean area, this paper analyzes, for the first time, the production of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) biomass for bioenergy production using urban treated wastewaters and bio-fertilization. For this purpose, the effects on biomass production of three different fertilizations (no-nitrogen control, biofertilizer, and mineral ammonium nitrate), four levels of constructed wetland (CW) wastewater restitutions (0%, 33%, 66% and 100%) of crop evapotranspiration (ETc) and three harvesting dates (at full plant maturity, at the initial senescence stage, and at the post-senescence stage) were evaluated in a two year trial. For bio-fertilization, a commercial product based on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi was used. Mineral nitrogen (N) fertilization significantly increased dry biomass (+22.8% in the first year and +16.8% in the second year) compared to the control (95.9 and 188.2 g·plant⁻¹, respectively). The lowest and highest biomass production, in 2008 and 2009, was found at 0% (67.1 and 118.2 g·plant⁻¹) and 100% (139.2 and 297.4 g·plant⁻¹) ETc restitutions. In both years, the first harvest gave the highest biomass yield (124.3 g·plant⁻¹ in the first year and 321.3 g·plant⁻¹ in the second), followed by the second and the third one. The results showed that in Mediterranean areas, constructed wetlands treated wastewaters, when complying with the European restrictions for their use in agriculture, may represent an important tool to enhance and stabilize the biomass of energy crops by recycling scarce quality water and nutrients otherwise lost in the environment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Approaches to Agricultural Water Management)

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245 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Self-Organization and the Bypass: Re-Imagining Institutions for More Sustainable Development in Agriculture and Food

by Stephen Sherwood, Severine Van Bommel and Myriam Paredes

Agriculture 2016, 6(4), 66; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture6040066 - 17 Dec 2016

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 8335

Abstract

In exploring the social dynamics of agrofood movements in Ecuador as examples of self-organization (i.e., locally distributed and resolved development), this article departs from a preoccupation with innovation by means of design and the use of scaling as a metaphor for describing research [...] Read more.

In exploring the social dynamics of agrofood movements in Ecuador as examples of self-organization (i.e., locally distributed and resolved development), this article departs from a preoccupation with innovation by means of design and the use of scaling as a metaphor for describing research contributions in agriculture and food. The case material highlights that much development is contingent, unpredictable, and unmanageable as well as unbound to fixed spaces or places. In their study of people’s daily practice, the authors do not find clear boundaries between dichotomies of internal–external, lay–expert, traditional–modern, or local–global organization, but heterogeneous blends of each. For the purposes of sustainable development, this highlights the need for attention to be paid to relationships (social, material, and biological), adaptation (the capacity to innovate), and responsibility (adherence to norms of sustainability). Far from romanticizing self-organization, the authors acknowledge that people and their institutions share varying degrees of complicity for the goods as well as the bads of their economic activity, such as mass soil degradation, agrobiodiversity loss, and poisoning by pesticides. Nevertheless, even under highly difficult conditions, certain actors effectively bypass the limitations of formal institutions in forging a socio-technical course of action (i.e., policy) for relatively healthy living and being. As such, the authors have come to appreciate self-organization as a neglected, if paradoxical, resource for policy transition towards more sustainable agriculture and food. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Distributed, Interconnected and Democratic Agri-Food Economies: New Directions in Research)

2390 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Systemic Analysis of Food Supply and Distribution Systems in City-Region Systems—An Examination of FAO’s Policy Guidelines towards Sustainable Agri-Food Systems

by Vanessa Armendáriz, Stefano Armenia and Alberto Stanislao Atzori

Agriculture 2016, 6(4), 65; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture6040065 - 07 Dec 2016

Cited by 36 | Viewed by 11640

Abstract

The world is continuously transforming to supply growing cities and urbanization processes are still driving important changes in our current food systems. Future sustainability constraints are emphasizing that Food Supply and Distribution Systems (FSDS) are deeply embedded in city-region systems with specific technical [...] Read more.

The world is continuously transforming to supply growing cities and urbanization processes are still driving important changes in our current food systems. Future sustainability constraints are emphasizing that Food Supply and Distribution Systems (FSDS) are deeply embedded in city-region systems with specific technical and socio-ecological characteristics. This paper aims to provide a systemic understanding on FSDS focusing the integration of urban and rural structures considering the system biophysical boundaries and societal targets. A qualitative framework model, based on the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)’s FSDS literature, has been developed by using Systems Thinking (ST) and System Dynamics (SD) approaches. The model analysis suggested that to increase sustainability and resilience of food systems large emphasis has to be maintained on: (i) estimation of local territorial carrying capacities; (ii) land use planning to enhance connections among rural supplies and city needs; (iii) city policies, to regulate emergent market size and local scale of production; (iv) technological efficiency at farm, distribution and market levels; (v) urban, peri-urban and rural functional linkages that considers social metabolic balances; (vi) rural development as a core point for building sustainable food systems and counteracting the urbanization growth. These key areas are relevant to test new paths of cities-regions reconfiguration towards the transition to resilient agri-food systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Distributed, Interconnected and Democratic Agri-Food Economies: New Directions in Research)

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3856 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Combination of Fuzzy Logic and Analytical Hierarchy Process Techniques to Assess Potassium Saturation Percentage of Some Calcareous Soils (Case Study: Fars Province, Southern Iran)

by Marzieh Mokarram and Mahdi Najafi-Ghiri

Agriculture 2016, 6(4), 59; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture6040059 - 06 Dec 2016

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 5991

Abstract

This research was carried out to evaluate the capability of a combined fuzzy logic-based approach and analytical hierarchy process (AHP) for potassium saturation percentage (KSP) estimation in some calcareous soils of southern Iran. Based on a reconnaissance soil survey, 52 soil series were [...] Read more.

This research was carried out to evaluate the capability of a combined fuzzy logic-based approach and analytical hierarchy process (AHP) for potassium saturation percentage (KSP) estimation in some calcareous soils of southern Iran. Based on a reconnaissance soil survey, 52 soil series were selected and different physical and chemical properties were determined. Five soil parameters including clay, cation exchange capacity, calcium carbonate equivalent, electrical conductivity, and organic carbon were chosen for analysis. Mapping was developed with the kriging method for each parameter. Different fuzzy membership functions were employed and weights for all parameters were calculated according to AHP. Finally, KSP classes were provided for each land unit. Results indicated that about 60% of the studied area is classified as having moderate to high KSP content (>3%) and 40% of had low or very low KSP content (<3%). Then 15 sample points were used for determination of the accuracy of the fuzzy method. Results showed that the fuzzy and AHP methods have a high accuracy for KSP estimation in the studied soils. Further development of the fuzzy and AHP methods would be worthwhile for improving the accuracy of KSP analysis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Big Data Application in Agriculture)

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1544 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Application of Increasing Concentrations of Contaminated Water on the Different Fractions of Cu and Co in Sandy Loam and Clay Loam Soils

by John Volk and Olusegun Yerokun

Agriculture 2016, 6(4), 64; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture6040064 - 05 Dec 2016

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 5559

Abstract

This study aimed to establish the fate of copper (Cu) and cobalt (Co) in sandy loam and clay loam soils that had been irrigated with increasing concentrations of contaminated water. A sequential extraction procedure was used to determine the fractions of Cu and [...] Read more.

This study aimed to establish the fate of copper (Cu) and cobalt (Co) in sandy loam and clay loam soils that had been irrigated with increasing concentrations of contaminated water. A sequential extraction procedure was used to determine the fractions of Cu and Co in these soils. The concentration of bioavailable Cu and Co on clay loam was 1.7 times that of sandy loam soil. Cu on sandy loam soil was largely in the organic > residual > exchangeable > water-soluble > carbonate fractions, whereas on clay loam soil the element was largely in organic > exchangeable > residual > carbonate > water-soluble fractions. Co was largely observed in the exchangeable, water-soluble, and carbonate fractions, but with no particular trend observed in both soil types. When crops are grown on sandy soils that have a low capacity to hold heavy metals, the resulting effect would be high uptake of the heavy metals in crop plants. Because the predominant forms of Cu and Co vary in soils, it is expected that the metals will behave differently in the soils. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water Quality for Agriculture)

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Open AccessArticle

The Effect of Tillage on Organic Carbon Stabilization in Microaggregates in Different Climatic Zones of European Russia

by Zinaida S. Artemyeva and Boris M. Kogut

Agriculture 2016, 6(4), 63; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture6040063 - 02 Dec 2016

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 5084

Abstract

Tillage may affect the microstructural organization of soil, including the distribution of microaggregates with different mechanical strengths. We quantified the impact of tillage treatment on the amount and distribution of free organic matter, microaggregates (unstable and stable under low intensity sonification) and their [...] Read more.

Tillage may affect the microstructural organization of soil, including the distribution of microaggregates with different mechanical strengths. We quantified the impact of tillage treatment on the amount and distribution of free organic matter, microaggregates (unstable and stable under low intensity sonification) and their components, in the upper horizons of zonal soils of the Center of the Russian Plain. Under plowing, the carbon content decreases, both in unstable and stable microaggregates. The loss of carbon in unstable microaggregates was ~24%, whereas in stable microaggregates, it was ~37%, relative to native soils. The carbon content of organic (LF_oc) and organo-clay (Clay_rd) fractions in unstable microaggregates (C_LF^oc/C_Clay^rd) was almost identical in the upper horizons of native soils: the ratio of these components is for Albeluvisols (1.1), Phaeozem (0.8) and Chernozems (1.0). Under plowing, these decrease to: Albeluvisols and Chernozems (0.6) and Phaeozem (0.5). The shares of carbon accumulated within the unstable and stable microaggregates (C_unstable/C_stable) are constant under equilibrium conditions and show a tendency to decrease from north to south on the order of: Albeluvisols and Phaeozem (2.2) > Chernozems (1.0). Under plowing, they increase to: Albeluvisols (3.0) and Phaeozem (3.2) > Chernozems (1.5). Full article

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1373 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sustaining Chili Pepper Production in Afghanistan through Better Irrigation Practices and Management

by S. Alan Walters and Ajay K. Jha

Agriculture 2016, 6(4), 62; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture6040062 - 24 Nov 2016

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 12092

Abstract

Water management and utilization is an ongoing problem in developing countries with semi-arid to arid climates such as Afghanistan. The lack of effective irrigation systems are oftentimes the most limiting factor for maximizing agricultural productivity in these countries. In Afghanistan, the most widely [...] Read more.

Water management and utilization is an ongoing problem in developing countries with semi-arid to arid climates such as Afghanistan. The lack of effective irrigation systems are oftentimes the most limiting factor for maximizing agricultural productivity in these countries. In Afghanistan, the most widely used irrigation methods are basin/border for cereal crops and furrow for vegetables and grapes, although drip irrigation is a technology that could be used to significantly improve water use efficiency (WUE) in horticultural crop production. Therefore, three irrigation methods (basin, furrow, and drip) were evaluated for their influences on chili pepper production and WUE at the Afghanistan Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL) Badam Bagh Agricultural Research and Demonstration Farm in Kabul over the 2009 and 2010 growing seasons. Results from this study indicated that both drip and furrow irrigation provided similar high chili pepper plant growth and yield responses compared to the low amounts provided by basin irrigation (p ≤ 0.05). The drip and furrow irrigation methods provided a similar low incidence of Phytophthora blight disease, as 4% and 7% of chili pepper plants were visually afflicted by this disease, respectively, while an astounding 69% of chili peppers grown with basin irrigation had symptoms of this disease. Drip irrigation resulted in the best overall WUE (p ≤ 0.05), as this water delivery method utilized the least amount of water and provided the highest chili pepper yield. Furrow irrigation provided a lower WUE compared to drip, but was greater than that of basin irrigation. Although this study indicated that drip irrigation had the greatest WUE for chili pepper production, furrow irrigation is still the method of choice by farmers in Afghanistan to provide water to this crop. The associated costs with pressurized drip irrigation systems are too expensive for farmers to purchase and maintain, which has led to the widespread use of surface irrigation. Moreover, the resistance of growers to change to newer and more advanced technologies is commonplace in many developing countries, and without some type of improvement to current water management practices at the farm level, there is a bleak outlook to maximize agricultural productivity in these areas of the world with limited rainfall and minimal water resources. Although it is essential to sustain this important resource through better irrigation management practices, on-farm agricultural economics are often more important than the needs of future generations and the environment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Approaches to Agricultural Water Management)

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757 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Nested Markets, Food Networks, and New Pathways for Rural Development in Brazil

by Sergio Schneider, Natália Salvate and Abel Cassol

Agriculture 2016, 6(4), 61; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture6040061 - 22 Nov 2016

Cited by 31 | Viewed by 8725

Abstract

This paper applies the frameworks of nested markets and alternative food networks to two empirical cases in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, aiming to analyse the construction and dynamics of these markets in order to demonstrate how their dimensions of [...] Read more.

This paper applies the frameworks of nested markets and alternative food networks to two empirical cases in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, aiming to analyse the construction and dynamics of these markets in order to demonstrate how their dimensions of quality, location, and nature are built and sustained, especially with regard to their interface with broader markets and their contributions to rural development practices, policies, and processes. The paper focuses on the study of rural tourism in Caminhos de Pedra Route, in the municipality of Bento Gonçalves, and the Farmers’ Market, in the municipality of Passo Fundo. Both cases represent alternative practices and processes of rural development and bear features that associate them to the nested markets. It is noteworthy that the influence of conventional food markets in these cases shows that nested markets do not operate in isolation but coexist and are continuously in connection with broader agri-food markets. In this sense, despite being subject to criticism and showing limitations, nested markets constitute increasingly robust strategies for rural development practices, processes, and policies, being able to create opportunities for families’ livelihood in rural areas. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Distributed, Interconnected and Democratic Agri-Food Economies: New Directions in Research)

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Open AccessArticle

Frequency Domain Probe Design for High Frequency Sensing of Soil Moisture

by Mathew G. Pelletier, Robert C. Schwartz, Greg A. Holt, John D. Wanjura and Timothy R. Green

Agriculture 2016, 6(4), 60; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture6040060 - 11 Nov 2016

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 5967

Abstract

Accurate moisture sensing is an important need for many research programs as well as in control of industrial processes. This paper describes the development of a high accuracy frequency domain sensing probe for use in obtaining dielectric measurements of materials suitable for work [...] Read more.

Accurate moisture sensing is an important need for many research programs as well as in control of industrial processes. This paper describes the development of a high accuracy frequency domain sensing probe for use in obtaining dielectric measurements of materials suitable for work ranging from 300 MHz to 1 GHz. The probe was developed to accommodate a wide range of permittivity’s ranging from ε_r = 2.5 to elevated permittivity’s as high as ε_r = 40. The design provides a well-matched interface between the soil and the interconnecting cables. A key advantage of the frequency domain approach is that a change of salt concentration has a significantly reduced effect on ε′, versus the traditional time-domain reflectometry, TDR, measured apparent permittivity, Ka. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Big Data Application in Agriculture)

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Open AccessArticle

Seasonal Canopy Temperatures for Normal and Okra Leaf Cotton under Variable Irrigation in the Field

by James R. Mahan, Paxton R. Payton and Haydee E. Laza

Agriculture 2016, 6(4), 58; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture6040058 - 04 Nov 2016

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 6266

Abstract

Temperature affects a number of physiological factors in plants and is related to water use, yield and quality in many crop species. Seasonal canopy temperature, measured with infrared thermometers, is often used in conjunction with environmental factors (e.g., air temperature, humidity, solar radiation) [...] Read more.

Temperature affects a number of physiological factors in plants and is related to water use, yield and quality in many crop species. Seasonal canopy temperature, measured with infrared thermometers, is often used in conjunction with environmental factors (e.g., air temperature, humidity, solar radiation) to assess crop stress and management actions in cotton. Normal and okra leaf shapes in cotton have been associated with differences in water use and canopy temperature. The okra leaf shape in cotton is generally expected to result in lower water use and lower canopy temperatures, relative to normal leaf, under water deficits. In this study canopy temperatures were monitored in okra and normal leaf varieties for a growing season at four irrigation levels. Differences in canopy temperature (<2 °C) were measured between the two leaf shapes. As irrigation levels increased, canopy temperature differences between the leaf shapes declined. At the lowest irrigation level, when differences in sensible energy exchanges due to the okra leaf shape would be enhanced, the canopy temperature of the okra leaf was warmer than the normal leaf. This suggests that varietal differences that are not related to leaf shape may have more than compensated for leaf shape differences in the canopy temperature. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Approaches to Agricultural Water Management)

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Open AccessArticle

From Short Food Supply Chains to Sustainable Agriculture in Urban Food Systems: Food Democracy as a Vector of Transition

by Yuna Chiffoleau, Sarah Millet-Amrani and Arielle Canard

Agriculture 2016, 6(4), 57; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture6040057 - 28 Oct 2016

Cited by 79 | Viewed by 13469

Abstract

In industrialized nations, local food networks have generally been analyzed through alternative food systems, in spite of the fact that they are much more diverse than this would imply. In France, ‘short food chains’ are both a continuation of a long tradition and [...] Read more.

In industrialized nations, local food networks have generally been analyzed through alternative food systems, in spite of the fact that they are much more diverse than this would imply. In France, ‘short food chains’ are both a continuation of a long tradition and a recent trend which now extends beyond activists, to consumers and producers as well. This paper will explore the conditions under which these chains can change the practices and knowledge of ordinary actors in urban food systems, from producers to urban consumers and policy-makers, in the area of agriculture and sustainability. It will consider the case study of the creation and development of an urban open-air market which has been analyzed using intervention research with input from economic sociology. We will highlight how personal relations, which are encouraged by a participatory context, support the evolution of practices and knowledge. We will also illustrate how a system of produce labelling has emerged as a mediation resource, and has increased changes as well as participation within the re-territorialization of the urban food system. By describing a concrete expression of food democracy which is spreading in France via a free collective trademark, and by showing its role in the transition of ‘ordinary’ actors towards a more sustainable agriculture, this paper will shine new light onto local food chains as well as traditional short food chains, and will call for more research on the subject. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Distributed, Interconnected and Democratic Agri-Food Economies: New Directions in Research)

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978 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Detection and Differentiation between Laurel Wilt Disease, Phytophthora Disease, and Salinity Damage Using a Hyperspectral Sensing Technique

by Jaafar Abdulridha, Reza Ehsani and Ana De Castro

Agriculture 2016, 6(4), 56; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture6040056 - 27 Oct 2016

Cited by 45 | Viewed by 9818

Abstract

Laurel wilt (Lw) is a fatal disease. It is a vascular pathogen and is considered a major threat to the avocado industry in Florida. Many of the symptoms of Lw resemble those that are caused by other diseases or stress factors. In this [...] Read more.

Laurel wilt (Lw) is a fatal disease. It is a vascular pathogen and is considered a major threat to the avocado industry in Florida. Many of the symptoms of Lw resemble those that are caused by other diseases or stress factors. In this study, the best wavelengths with which to discriminate plants affected by Lw from stress factors were determined and classified. Visible-near infrared (400–950 nm) spectral data from healthy trees and those with Lw, Phytophthora, or salinity damage were collected using a handheld spectroradiometer. The total number of wavelengths was averaged in two ranges: 10 nm and 40 nm. Three classification methods, stepwise discriminant (STEPDISC) analysis, multilayer perceptron (MLP), and radial basis function (RBF), were applied in the early stage of Lw infestation. The classification results obtained for MLP, with percent accuracy of classification as high as 98% were better than STEPDISC and RBF. The MLP neural network selected certain wavelengths that were crucial for correctly classifying healthy trees from those with stress trees. The results showed that there were sufficient spectral differences between laurel wilt, healthy trees, and trees that have other diseases; therefore, a remote sensing technique could diagnose Lw in the early stage of infestation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Big Data Application in Agriculture)

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Open AccessArticle

Determinants of the Use of Certified Seed Potato among Smallholder Farmers: The Case of Potato Growers in Central and Eastern Kenya

by Julius Juma Okello, Yuan Zhou, Norman Kwikiriza, Sylvester Ochieng Ogutu, Ian Barker, Elmar Schulte-Geldermann, Elly Atieno and Justin Taj Ahmed

Agriculture 2016, 6(4), 55; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture6040055 - 24 Oct 2016

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 7676

Abstract

Potato yields in sub-Saharan Africa remain very low compared with those of developed countries. Yet potato is major food staple and source of income to the predominantly smallholder growing households in the tropical highlands of this region. A major cause of the low [...] Read more.

Potato yields in sub-Saharan Africa remain very low compared with those of developed countries. Yet potato is major food staple and source of income to the predominantly smallholder growing households in the tropical highlands of this region. A major cause of the low potato yields is the use of poor quality seed potato. This paper examines the factors determining the decision to use certified seed potato (CSP), as well as the intensity of its use, among potato growers with access to it. We focused on potato growers in the central highlands of Kenya and used regression analysis to test hypotheses relating to potential impediments of CSP use. The study found that the distance to the market (a proxy for transaction costs), household food insecurity, and asset endowment affect the decision to use CSP. However, the effect of the intensity of use of CSP depends on how the intensity variable is defined. Several other control variables also affect the decision and extent of CSP use. The study concludes that transaction costs, asset endowment, and household food insecurity play a major role in the decision by smallholder potato farmers to use CSP and the extent to which they do so. We also discuss the policy implications of the findings. Full article

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Open AccessArticle

PDO as a Mechanism for Reterritorialisation and Agri-Food Governance: A Comparative Analysis of Cheese Products in the UK and Switzerland

by Damian Maye, James Kirwan, Emilia Schmitt, Daniel Keech and Dominique Barjolle

Agriculture 2016, 6(4), 54; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture6040054 - 18 Oct 2016

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 8054

Abstract

The protection of geographical indications (European regulation 1151/2012) is arguably the most significant initiative, certainly within Europe, that promotes foods with territorial associations and reorganises agri-food chain governance through a strategy of reterritorialisation. Research on Protected Designation of Origins (PDOs) and Protected Geographical [...] Read more.

The protection of geographical indications (European regulation 1151/2012) is arguably the most significant initiative, certainly within Europe, that promotes foods with territorial associations and reorganises agri-food chain governance through a strategy of reterritorialisation. Research on Protected Designation of Origins (PDOs) and Protected Geographical Indications (PGIs) suggests that they generate significant economic value at an EU-level, especially in certain countries. They can also help to deliver territorial rural development policy and develop new food markets. In this paper we examine the way the PDO scheme has been developed and applied in one commodity sector (cheese) in two countries (Switzerland and the UK), where the uptake of PDOs is variable. We adopt a food chain approach and examine specific cheese product case studies (at micro and meso levels) in both countries to better understand how the PDO scheme (as a territorialisation and respacing strategy) is implemented. L’Etivaz and Le Gruyère are examined in Switzerland. Single Gloucester and West Country cheddar are examined in the UK. The PDO scheme is an important governance strategy and regulatory system, but despite strict guidelines regarding implementation and geographical infrastructure there are notable differences between the UK and Switzerland in terms of how the label is used to organise and respatialise food chains: it is framed as a strategy to protect the rural economy in Switzerland but is promoted more as a mechanism to communicate and reconnect with consumers in the UK. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Distributed, Interconnected and Democratic Agri-Food Economies: New Directions in Research)

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Open AccessArticle

How Much Meteorological Information Is Necessary to Achieve Reliable Accuracy for Rainfall Estimations?

by Mohammad Valipour

Agriculture 2016, 6(4), 53; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture6040053 - 14 Oct 2016

Cited by 141 | Viewed by 8813

Abstract

This paper reports the study of the effect of the length of the recorded data used for monthly rainfall forecasting. Monthly rainfall data for three periods of 5, 10, and 49 years were collected from Kermanshah, Mashhad, Ahvaz, and Babolsar stations and used [...] Read more.

This paper reports the study of the effect of the length of the recorded data used for monthly rainfall forecasting. Monthly rainfall data for three periods of 5, 10, and 49 years were collected from Kermanshah, Mashhad, Ahvaz, and Babolsar stations and used for calibration time series models. Then, the accuracy of the forecasting models was investigated by the following year’s data. The following was concluded: In temperate and semi-arid climates, 60 observation data is sufficient for the following year’s rainfall forecasting. The accuracy of the time series models increased with increasing amounts of observation data of arid and humid climates. Time series models are appropriate tools for forecasting monthly rainfall forecasting in semi-arid climates. Determining the most critical rainfall month in each climate condition for agriculture schedules is a recommended aim for future studies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Approaches to Agricultural Water Management)

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1671 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Feature Selection as a Time and Cost-Saving Approach for Land Suitability Classification (Case Study of Shavur Plain, Iran)

by Saeid Hamzeh, Marzieh Mokarram, Azadeh Haratian, Harm Bartholomeus, Arend Ligtenberg and Arnold K. Bregt

Agriculture 2016, 6(4), 52; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture6040052 - 10 Oct 2016

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 7032

Abstract

Land suitability classification is important in planning and managing sustainable land use. Most approaches to land suitability analysis combine a large number of land and soil parameters, and are time-consuming and costly. In this study, a potentially useful technique (combined feature selection and [...] Read more.

Land suitability classification is important in planning and managing sustainable land use. Most approaches to land suitability analysis combine a large number of land and soil parameters, and are time-consuming and costly. In this study, a potentially useful technique (combined feature selection and fuzzy-AHP method) to increase the efficiency of land suitability analysis was presented. To this end, three different feature selection algorithms—random search, best search and genetic methods—were used to determine the most effective parameters for land suitability classification for the cultivation of barely in the Shavur Plain, southwest Iran. Next, land suitability classes were calculated for all methods by using the fuzzy-AHP approach. Salinity (electrical conductivity (EC)), alkalinity (exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP)), wetness and soil texture were selected using the random search method. Gypsum, EC, ESP, and soil texture were selected using both the best search and genetic methods. The result shows a strong agreement between the standard fuzzy-AHP methods and methods presented in this study. The values of Kappa coefficients were 0.82, 0.79 and 0.79 for the random search, best search and genetic methods, respectively, compared with the standard fuzzy-AHP method. Our results indicate that EC, ESP, soil texture and wetness are the most effective features for evaluating land suitability classification for the cultivation of barely in the study area, and uses of these parameters, together with their appropriate weights as obtained from fuzzy-AHP, can perform good results for land suitability classification. So, the combined feature selection presented and the fuzzy-AHP approach has the potential to save time and money for land suitability classification. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Big Data Application in Agriculture)

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Open AccessArticle

Gradual Accumulation of Heavy Metals in an Industrial Wheat Crop from Uranium Mine Soil and the Potential Use of the Herbage

by Gerhard Gramss and Klaus-Dieter Voigt

Agriculture 2016, 6(4), 51; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture6040051 - 10 Oct 2016

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 6263

Abstract

Testing the quality of heavy-metal (HM) excluder plants from non-remediable metalliferous soils could help to meet the growing demands for food, forage, and industrial crops. Field cultures of the winter wheat cv. JB Asano were therefore established on re-cultivated uranium mine soil (A) [...] Read more.

Testing the quality of heavy-metal (HM) excluder plants from non-remediable metalliferous soils could help to meet the growing demands for food, forage, and industrial crops. Field cultures of the winter wheat cv. JB Asano were therefore established on re-cultivated uranium mine soil (A) and the adjacent non-contaminated soil (C). Twenty elements were determined by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) from soils and plant sections of post-winter seedlings, anthesis-state, and mature plants to record within-plant levels of essential and toxic minerals during ripening and to estimate the (re)use of the soil-A herbage in husbandry and in HM-sensitive fermentations. Non-permissible HM loads (mg∙kg⁻¹∙DW) of soil A in Cd, Cu, and Zn of 40.4, 261, and 2890, respectively, initiated the corresponding phytotoxic concentrations in roots and of Zn in shoots from the seedling state to maturity as well as of Cd in the foliage of seedlings. At anthesis, shoot concentrations in Ca, Cd, Fe, Mg, Mn, and Zn and in As, Cr, Pb, and U had fallen to a mean of 20% to increase to 46% during maturation. The respective shoot concentrations in C-grown plants diminished from anthesis (50%) to maturity (27%). They were drastically up/down-regulated at the rachis-grain interface to compose the genetically determined metallome of the grain during mineral relocations from adjacent sink tissues. Soil A caused yield losses of straw and grain down to 47.7% and 39.5%, respectively. Nevertheless, pronounced HM excluder properties made Cd concentrations of 1.6–3.08 in straw and 1.2 in grains the only factors that violated hygiene guidelines of forage (1). It is estimated that grains and the less-contaminated green herbage from soil A may serve as forage supplement. Applying soil A grains up to 3 and 12 in Cd and Cu, respectively, and the mature straw as bioenergy feedstock could impair the efficacy of ethanol fermentation by Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Full article

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2849 KiB

Open AccessReview

Current Advances in Genomics and Breeding of Leaf Chicory (Cichorium intybus L.)

by Gianni Barcaccia, Andrea Ghedina and Margherita Lucchin

Agriculture 2016, 6(4), 50; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture6040050 - 08 Oct 2016

Cited by 26 | Viewed by 8896

Abstract

This review gives an overview of agricultural topics on a non-model species, in other words, leaf chicory. Often classified as a minor crop, “Radicchio”, the Italian name of leaf chicory, is assuming a very important role at both a local and national level, [...] Read more.

This review gives an overview of agricultural topics on a non-model species, in other words, leaf chicory. Often classified as a minor crop, “Radicchio”, the Italian name of leaf chicory, is assuming a very important role at both a local and national level, as it characterizes a high proportion of the agricultural income of suited areas. Botanical classification along the genus Cichorium is reported and a detailed description of the most important cultivated biotypes typical of northern Italy is presented. A special consideration is reserved to breeding aspects, from molecular marker-assisted selection to the implementation of the first genome draft and leaf transcriptomes. Sexual barriers, for example, self-incompatibility or male-sterility, are described in great detail with the aim to be utilized for breeding purposes. The main aspects of seed production are also critically presented. In conclusion, the present work is a sort of handbook to better understand this orphan crop and it is mainly directed to breeders and seed producers dealing with leaf chicory. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Plant Disease Resistance in Sustainable Agriculture)

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874 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Combining Multifunctionality and Ecosystem Services into a Win-Win Solution. The Case Study of the Serchio River Basin (Tuscany—Italy)

by Massimo Rovai and Maria Andreoli

Agriculture 2016, 6(4), 49; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture6040049 - 30 Sep 2016

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 8181

Abstract

Post-war development—characterized by intensive processes of urbanization, concentration of agriculture on the most fertile lands, and abandonment of mountainous and marginal areas—brought about negative environmental and socio-economic consequences. They have been particularly severe in terms of increase of hydrogeological risk, which is high [...] Read more.

Post-war development—characterized by intensive processes of urbanization, concentration of agriculture on the most fertile lands, and abandonment of mountainous and marginal areas—brought about negative environmental and socio-economic consequences. They have been particularly severe in terms of increase of hydrogeological risk, which is high in most Italian regions. Over time, there has been an increasing awareness of the multiple functions played by agriculture in terms of provision of Ecosystem Services (ES), which contribute fundamentally to human well-being. In particular, some ES provided by farmers may help to reduce the hydrogeological risk of territories prone to landslides and floods. In this framework, the paper presents as a case study the project “Farmers as Custodians of a Territory.” This project was implemented in the Serchio River basin, Tuscany (Italy), and combines a multifunctional farm strategy of diversification with the provision of Ecosystem Services related to the hydraulic and hydrogeological protection of the river-basin territory. Although this case study should be read within the framework of the theories of agricultural multifunctionality and ES provision, it nevertheless took a very pragmatic and innovative approach, which differentiates it from most of the case studies given in the literature. Results of our analysis show that, by involving farmers as custodians of the territory, it is possible to reach a “win-win” solution characterized, on the one hand, by better services for the community at a lower cost for the Land Reclamation Consortia involved with hydrogeological risk prevention, thus improving the effectiveness and efficiency of ES provision; and on the other hand, by improving the economic situation and survival chances of local farms. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Distributed, Interconnected and Democratic Agri-Food Economies: New Directions in Research)

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Agriculture, Volume 6, Issue 4 (December 2016) – 19 articles

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