Crop modeling applications in agricultural water management

Science.gov (United States)

Kisekka, Isaya; DeJonge, Kendall C.; Ma, Liwang; Paz, Joel; Douglas-Mankin, Kyle R.

2017-01-01

This article introduces the fourteen articles that comprise the “Crop Modeling and Decision Support for Optimizing Use of Limited Water” collection. This collection was developed from a special session on crop modeling applications in agricultural water management held at the 2016 ASABE Annual International Meeting (AIM) in Orlando, Florida. In addition, other authors who were not able to attend the 2016 ASABE AIM were also invited to submit papers. The articles summarized in this introductory article demonstrate a wide array of applications in which crop models can be used to optimize agricultural water management. The following section titles indicate the topics covered in this collection: (1) evapotranspiration modeling (one article), (2) model development and parameterization (two articles), (3) application of crop models for irrigation scheduling (five articles), (4) coordinated water and nutrient management (one article), (5) soil water management (two articles), (6) risk assessment of water-limited irrigation management (one article), and (7) regional assessments of climate impact (two articles). Changing weather and climate, increasing population, and groundwater depletion will continue to stimulate innovations in agricultural water management, and crop models will play an important role in helping to optimize water use in agriculture.

Polymers and its applications in agriculture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Priscila Milani

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Graphical Abstract Abstract Polymers are a class of soft materials with numerous and versatile mechanical and chemical properties that can be tuned specific to their application. Agriculture is an expanding area due to the requirement for indispensable food to meet the demands of a growing global population. Consequently, development of technology to improve the quality of the soil and agriculture manages is still under development. Intelligent agricultural supplies (controlled or slow release agrochemicals and superabsorbents and biosorbents contribute to an expanding niche using technology from polymers. This review elucidates the state-of-the-art and will discuss some important aspects of using polymers in intelligent fertilizers, as well as superabsorbent, biosorbent and biodegradation processes in agriculture that are environmentally, technically, socially, and economically sustainable.

Teaching Materials for Environmental Related Courses in Agriculture Occupations Programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Bohning, Kermit B.; Stitt, Thomas R.

The lesson plans were designed to provide the practicing applied biological and agricultural occupations teacher with a series of units setting down a basic foundation in Environmental Education. Nine lesson plans cover (1) ecosystems and agriculture, (2) biotic communities and food chains, (3) energy and nutrient flow, (4) land use and supply,…

Brief history of agricultural systems modeling.

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, James W; Antle, John M; Basso, Bruno; Boote, Kenneth J; Conant, Richard T; Foster, Ian; Godfray, H Charles J; Herrero, Mario; Howitt, Richard E; Janssen, Sander; Keating, Brian A; Munoz-Carpena, Rafael; Porter, Cheryl H; Rosenzweig, Cynthia; Wheeler, Tim R

2017-07-01

Agricultural systems science generates knowledge that allows researchers to consider complex problems or take informed agricultural decisions. The rich history of this science exemplifies the diversity of systems and scales over which they operate and have been studied. Modeling, an essential tool in agricultural systems science, has been accomplished by scientists from a wide range of disciplines, who have contributed concepts and tools over more than six decades. As agricultural scientists now consider the "next generation" models, data, and knowledge products needed to meet the increasingly complex systems problems faced by society, it is important to take stock of this history and its lessons to ensure that we avoid re-invention and strive to consider all dimensions of associated challenges. To this end, we summarize here the history of agricultural systems modeling and identify lessons learned that can help guide the design and development of next generation of agricultural system tools and methods. A number of past events combined with overall technological progress in other fields have strongly contributed to the evolution of agricultural system modeling, including development of process-based bio-physical models of crops and livestock, statistical models based on historical observations, and economic optimization and simulation models at household and regional to global scales. Characteristics of agricultural systems models have varied widely depending on the systems involved, their scales, and the wide range of purposes that motivated their development and use by researchers in different disciplines. Recent trends in broader collaboration across institutions, across disciplines, and between the public and private sectors suggest that the stage is set for the major advances in agricultural systems science that are needed for the next generation of models, databases, knowledge products and decision support systems. The lessons from history should be

Poultry Production for Agricultural Science I Core Curriculum. Instructor's Guide. Volume 19, Number 2.

Science.gov (United States)

Timko, Joseph J.; Stewart, Bob R.

This unit is designed to aid teachers in lesson planning in the secondary agricultural education curriculum in Missouri. Intended to be taught to ninth-grade students of vocational agriculture, the unit contains six lessons for developing competencies needed in poultry production. The lessons are as follows: (1) the importance of the poultry…

NANOTECHNOLOGY APPLICATIONS IN AGRICULTURE: AN UPDATE

OpenAIRE

Tejpal Dhewa

2015-01-01

Although the scientific studies on the applications of nanotechnology in the agriculture are less than a decade old yet the prospects of nanotechnology in this field has been considerable. The rapid developments in the nanosciences have a great impact on agricultural practices and food manufacturing industries. Nanotechnology has an enormous potential to offer smarter, stronger, cost-effective packaging materials, biosensors for the rapid detection of the food pathogens, toxins and other cont...

Spanish for Agricultural Purposes: The Basic Manual.

Science.gov (United States)

Mainous, Bruce H.; And Others

This manual, part of a one-semester course for North American agriculture specialists preparing to work in Latin America, is built around specimens of agricultural writing in Spanish. The manual contains 12 lessons on general agriculture, sugar production, grain production, geography, forestry, animal husbandry, soy bean production, agricultural…

20 CFR 655.1301 - Applications for temporary employment certification in agriculture.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Applications for temporary employment certification in agriculture. 655.1301 Section 655.1301 Employees' Benefits EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING... Applications for temporary employment certification in agriculture. (a) Application filing requirements. (1) An...

Functionality for learning networks: lessons learned from social web applications

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Berlanga, Adriana; Sloep, Peter; Brouns, Francis; Van Rosmalen, Peter; Bitter-Rijpkema, Marlies; Koper, Rob

2007-01-01

Berlanga, A. J., Sloep, P., Brouns, F., Van Rosmalen, P., Bitter-Rijpkema, M., & Koper, R. (2007). Functionality for learning networks: lessons learned from social web applications. Proceedings of the ePortfolio 2007 Conference. October, 18-19, 2007, Maastricht, The Netherlands. [See also

Carbon Monitoring System Applications Framework: Lessons Learned from Stakeholder Engagement Activities

Science.gov (United States)

Sepulveda Carlo, E.; Escobar, V. M.; Delgado Arias, S.; Forgotson, C.

2017-12-01

The NASA Carbon Monitoring System initiated by U.S. Congress in 2010 is developing products that characterize and quantify carbon sources and sinks in the United States and the global tropics. In 2013, an applications effort was selected to engage potential end users and gather feedback about their data needs. For the past four years the CMS applications efforts has expanded and implemented a number of strategies to connect carbon scientists to decision-makers, contributing to the societal benefits of CMS data products. The applications efforts use crowd sourcing to collects feedback from stakeholders on challenges and lessons learned in the use of CMS data products. Some of the most common data needs from engaged organizations include above and below-ground biomass and fluxes in forestlands and wetlands, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across all land use/cover and land use changes. Stakeholder organizations' needs for CMS data products support national GHG inventories following the Paris Agreement, carbon markets, and sub-national natural resources management and policies. The lessons learned report presents stakeholder specific applications, challenges, and successes from using CMS data products. To date, the most common uses of CMS products include: conservation efforts, emissions inventory, forestry and land cover applications, and carbon offset projects. The most common challenges include: the need for familiar and consistent products over time, budget constraints, and concern with uncertainty of modeled results. Recurrent recommendations from stakeholder indicate that CMS should provide high resolution (30m) and frequent data products updates (annually). The applications efforts have also helped identified success stories from different CMS projects, including the development of the GHG emissions inventory from Providence, RI, the improvement of the U.S. GHG Inventory though the use of satellite data, and the use of high resolution canopy cover maps for

Remote Sensing Image in the Application of Agricultural Tourism Planning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guojing Fan

2013-06-01

Full Text Available This paper introduces the processing technology of high resolution remote sensing image, the specific making process of tourism map and different remote sensing data in the key application of tourism planning and so on. Remote sensing extracts agricultural tourism planning information, improving the scientificalness and operability of agricultural tourism planning. Therefore remote sensing image in the application of agricultural tourism planning will be the inevitable trend of tourism development.

How Did Agricultural Patterns Change in Serbia after the Fall of Yugoslavia?

Science.gov (United States)

Sibinovic, Mikica

2018-01-01

In this lesson plan that takes one class period to complete, high school students explore how political systems influence economic activity by comparing 1991 and 2012 agricultural patterns around the Serbian capital of Belgrade. This lesson provides an insight into the model of transformation of agriculture in Serbia, but a comparison of the…

Agricultural applications of NIR reflectance and transmittance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gislum, René

2009-01-01

There has been a considerable increase in the use of near infrared (NIR) reflectance and transmittance spectroscopy technologies for rapid determination of quality parameters in agriculture, including applications within crop product quality, feed and food quality, manure quality, soil analyses etc....... As a result it was decided to arrange a seminar within the Nordic Association of Agricultural Scientists. This is a report of the meeting....

Diverse applications of electronic-nose technologies in agriculture and forestry.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, Alphus D

2013-02-08

Electronic-nose (e-nose) instruments, derived from numerous types of aroma-sensor technologies, have been developed for a diversity of applications in the broad fields of agriculture and forestry. Recent advances in e-nose technologies within the plant sciences, including improvements in gas-sensor designs, innovations in data analysis and pattern-recognition algorithms, and progress in material science and systems integration methods, have led to significant benefits to both industries. Electronic noses have been used in a variety of commercial agricultural-related industries, including the agricultural sectors of agronomy, biochemical processing, botany, cell culture, plant cultivar selections, environmental monitoring, horticulture, pesticide detection, plant physiology and pathology. Applications in forestry include uses in chemotaxonomy, log tracking, wood and paper processing, forest management, forest health protection, and waste management. These aroma-detection applications have improved plant-based product attributes, quality, uniformity, and consistency in ways that have increased the efficiency and effectiveness of production and manufacturing processes. This paper provides a comprehensive review and summary of a broad range of electronic-nose technologies and applications, developed specifically for the agriculture and forestry industries over the past thirty years, which have offered solutions that have greatly improved worldwide agricultural and agroforestry production systems.

Diverse Applications of Electronic-Nose Technologies in Agriculture and Forestry

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, Alphus D.

2013-01-01

Electronic-nose (e-nose) instruments, derived from numerous types of aroma-sensor technologies, have been developed for a diversity of applications in the broad fields of agriculture and forestry. Recent advances in e-nose technologies within the plant sciences, including improvements in gas-sensor designs, innovations in data analysis and pattern-recognition algorithms, and progress in material science and systems integration methods, have led to significant benefits to both industries. Electronic noses have been used in a variety of commercial agricultural-related industries, including the agricultural sectors of agronomy, biochemical processing, botany, cell culture, plant cultivar selections, environmental monitoring, horticulture, pesticide detection, plant physiology and pathology. Applications in forestry include uses in chemotaxonomy, log tracking, wood and paper processing, forest management, forest health protection, and waste management. These aroma-detection applications have improved plant-based product attributes, quality, uniformity, and consistency in ways that have increased the efficiency and effectiveness of production and manufacturing processes. This paper provides a comprehensive review and summary of a broad range of electronic-nose technologies and applications, developed specifically for the agriculture and forestry industries over the past thirty years, which have offered solutions that have greatly improved worldwide agricultural and agroforestry production systems. PMID:23396191

A change in landscape: Lessons learned from abandonment of ancient Wari agricultural terraces in Southern Peru.

Science.gov (United States)

Londoño, Ana C; Williams, Patrick Ryan; Hart, Megan L

2017-11-01

Ancient agricultural terrace practices have survived for millennia, sustaining populations through extreme climatic shifts and political regime changes. In arid regions with abrupt relief such as Southern Peru, agricultural terracing is undergoing a resurgence, as has seen revitalization of once abandoned terrace and hydraulic systems. Wari terraces at Cerro Baul provide clues to past cultural practices. They also document sustainable farming practices by using resilient land management techniques which can help combat desertification and degradation of arable lands. Three abandoned Wari terrace systems were mapped using microtopographic methods, the erosion patterns examined, the states of preservation compared, and then the design contrasted with modern terracing practices in the Moquegua Valley. In order to negate the harmful effects of desertification, rehabilitation and reconstruction of these terraces using ancient knowledge and techniques may be necessary. Rehabilitation must be conducted with consideration for preservation of cultural patrimony that may be encountered within the terrace treads or riser structures. With future climatic shifts impacting vulnerable dryland areas more than others, the ability to resiliently respond to these changes may be found in the lessons learned from ancient farming techniques such as the Wari. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

JPL Robotics Technology Applicable to Agriculture

Science.gov (United States)

Udomkesmalee, Suraphol Gabriel; Kyte, L.

2008-01-01

This slide presentation describes several technologies that are developed for robotics that are applicable for agriculture. The technologies discussed are detection of humans to allow safe operations of autonomous vehicles, and vision guided robotic techniques for shoot selection, separation and transfer to growth media,

Army, Presidential, and Corporate Strategic Transitions: The Importance of Transition Teams and the Application of Lessons Learned

Science.gov (United States)

2006-05-25

accessed from http://www.american.edu/15pointplan/WhatIsABestPractice.html on 17 Feb 2006. Argenti , Paul A., Corporate Communication . 3rd ed. Boston...Army, Presidential, and Corporate Strategic Transitions: The Importance of Transition Teams and the Application of Lessons Learned A Monograph...SUBTITLE Army, Presidential, and Corporate Strategic Transitions: The Importance of Transition Teams and the Application of Lessons Learned 5c

Using the AGsploration: the Science of Maryland Agriculture Curriculum as a Tool to Increase Youth Appreciation and Understanding of Agriculture and Science

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

April Hall Barczewski

2017-01-01

Full Text Available AGsploration: The Science of Maryland Agriculture is a 24-lesson, peer-reviewed curriculum that includes experiential hands-on activities and built-in pre-/post-evaluation tools. Lesson topics include production agriculture, the environment and nutrition with emphasis on how science relates to each topic. Student pre-/post- evaluation data reflects participation in AGsploration positively affects students’ attitudes about agriculture and science. Separate evaluations were developed to survey two groups of trained teen teachers about the curriculum immediately following their training, 1-2 years after using the curriculum and another 3-4 years post involvement. The results demonstrated that teen teachers were an effective way to disseminate the curriculum and these same teens increased their agriculture knowledge, life skills and interest in agriculture science education and careers. A similar evaluation was conducted with adult educators following a training session and another 1-2 years after actively using the curriculum. This data suggests that the curriculum is well received and valued.

An Evaluation Tool for Agricultural Health and Safety Mobile Applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Reyes, Iris; Ellis, Tammy; Yoder, Aaron; Keifer, Matthew C

2016-01-01

As the use of mobile devices and their software applications, or apps, becomes ubiquitous, use amongst agricultural working populations is expanding as well. The smart device paired with a well-designed app has potential for improving workplace health and safety in the hands of those who can act upon the information provided. Many apps designed to assess workplace hazards and implementation of worker protections already exist. However, the abundance and diversity of such applications also presents challenges regarding evaluation practices and assignation of value. This is particularly true in the agricultural workspace, as there is currently little information on the value of these apps for agricultural safety and health. This project proposes a framework for developing and evaluating apps that have potential usefulness in agricultural health and safety. The evaluation framework is easily transferable, with little modification for evaluation of apps in several agriculture-specific areas.

Applications of Smartphone-Based Sensors in Agriculture: A Systematic Review of Research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Suporn Pongnumkul

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Smartphones have become a useful tool in agriculture because their mobility matches the nature of farming, the cost of the device is highly accessible, and their computing power allows a variety of practical applications to be created. Moreover, smartphones are nowadays equipped with various types of physical sensors which make them a promising tool to assist diverse farming tasks. This paper systematically reviews smartphone applications mentioned in research literature that utilize smartphone built-in sensors to provide agricultural solutions. The initial 1,500 articles identified through database search were screened based on exclusion criteria and then reviewed thoroughly in full text, resulting in 22 articles included in this review. The applications are categorized according to their agricultural functions. Those articles reviewed describe 12 farming applications, 6 farm management applications, 3 information system applications, and 4 extension service applications. GPS and cameras are the most popular sensors used in the reviewed papers. This shows an opportunity for future applications to utilize other sensors such as accelerometer to provide advanced agricultural solutions.

India - 103 Agricultural Extension. Madhya Pradesh Hindi Language.

Science.gov (United States)

Papazian, Elaine; Ray, S. B.

This guide is designed for Hindi language training of Peace Corps workers in agriculture in India and reflects daily communication needs in that context. It consists of notes on Hindi phonology and pronunciation and a series of lessons on description, common phrases, and grammatical constructions. The 41 lessons are presented in four sections,…

Political economy models and agricultural policy formation : empirical applicability and relevance for the CAP

OpenAIRE

Zee, van der, F.A.

1997-01-01

This study explores the relevance and applicability of political economy models for the explanation of agricultural policies. Part I (chapters 4-7) takes a general perspective and evaluates the empirical applicability of voting models and interest group models to agricultural policy formation in industrialised market economics. Part II (chapters 8-11) focuses on the empirical applicability of political economy models to agricultural policy formation and agricultural policy developmen...

Applications and Lessons Learned using Data from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder

Science.gov (United States)

Ray, S. E.; Fetzer, E. J.; Olsen, E. T.; Lambrigtsen, B.; Pagano, T. S.; Teixeira, J.; Licata, S. J.; Hall, J. R.

2016-12-01

Applications and Lessons Learned using Data from the Atmospheric Infrared SounderSharon Ray, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) on NASA's Aqua spacecraft has been returning daily global observations of Earth's atmospheric constituents and properties since 2002. With a 12-year data record and daily, global observations in near real-time, AIRS can play a role in applications that fall under many of the NASA Applied Sciences focus areas. AIRS' involvement in applications is two years in, so what have we learned and what are the pitfalls? AIRS has made gains in drought applications with products under consideration for inclusion in the U.S. Drought Monitor national map, as also with volcano rapid response with an internal alert system and automated products to help characterize plume extent. Efforts are underway with cold air aloft for aviation, influenza outbreak prediction, and vector borne disease. But challenges have occurred both in validation and in crossing the "valley of death" between products and decision makers. AIRS now has improved maps of standard products to be distributed in near real-time via NASA LANCE and by the Goddard DAAC as part of the Obama's administration Big Earth Data Initiative. In addition internal tools have been developed to support development and distribution of our application products. This talk will communicate the status of the AIRS applications effort along with lessons learned, and provide examples of new product imagery designed to best communicate AIRS data.

Some applications of natural radioactivity in industry and agriculture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ma Yonghe; Xu Qiujing

1992-01-01

There are natural radioactivity isotopes of uranium, thorium and potassium everywhere in nature. The characteristics of these isotopes form the basis of various applications. Some applications of natural radioactivity in industry and agriculture are introduced

Research on the development and preliminary application of Beijing agricultural sci-tech service hotline WebApp in agricultural consulting services

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Weishui; Luo, Changshou; Zheng, Yaming; Wei, Qingfeng; Cao, Chengzhong

2017-09-01

To deal with the “last kilometer” problem during the agricultural science and technology information service, we analyzed the feasibility, necessity and advantages of WebApp applied to agricultural information service and discussed the modes of WebApp used in agricultural information service based on the requirements analysis and the function of WebApp. To overcome the existing App’s defects of difficult installation and weak compatibility between the mobile operating systems, the Beijing Agricultural Sci-tech Service Hotline WebApp was developed based on the HTML and JAVA technology. The WebApp has greater compatibility and simpler operation than the Native App, what’s more, it can be linked to the WeChat public platform making it spread easily and run directly without setup process. The WebApp was used to provide agricultural expert consulting services and agriculture information push, obtained a good preliminary application achievement. Finally, we concluded the creative application of WebApp in agricultural consulting services and prospected the development of WebApp in agricultural information service.

Application in agriculture, forestry and environmental science

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williams, J.; Holmes, J.W.; Williams, B. G.; Winkworth, R.E.

1981-01-01

This consideration of the applications of the neutron method in forestry, agriculture and environmental science, focusses on the analyses of the data which can be obtained with the neutron method and draws attention to problem situations associated with its use

Journal of Agriculture and Social Research, Vol. 14, No. 1, 2014 ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

LESSONS IN AGRICULTURE DEVELOPMENT OF ENUGU STATE, ... in sourcing information from one hundred and sixty farmers using simple ... productivity in agriculture is the cause of high incidence of poverty in Nigeria. ... of the agricultural sector by successive government has led to a decline in food production,.

Lessons learned bulletin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-05-01

During the past four years, the Department of Energy -- Savannah River Operations Office and the Westinghouse Savannah River Company (WSRC) Environmental Restoration (ER) Program completed various activities ranging from waste site investigations to closure and post closure projects. Critiques for lessons learned regarding project activities are performed at the completion of each project milestone, and this critique interval allows for frequent recognition of lessons learned. In addition to project related lessons learned, ER also performs lessons learned critiques. T'he Savannah River Site (SRS) also obtains lessons learned information from general industry, commercial nuclear industry, naval nuclear programs, and other DOE sites within the complex. Procedures are approved to administer the lessons learned program, and a database is available to catalog applicable lessons learned regarding environmental remediation, restoration, and administrative activities. ER will continue to use this database as a source of information available to SRS personnel

Impacts of sand and dust storms on agriculture and potential agricultural applications of a SDSWS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stefanski, R; Sivakumar, M V K

2009-01-01

This paper will give an overview of the various impacts of sand and dust storms on agriculture and then address the potential applications of a Sand and Dust Storm Warning System (SDSWS) for agricultural users. Sand and dust storms have many negative impacts on the agricultural sector including: reducing crop yields by burial of seedlings under sand deposits, the loss of plant tissue and reduced photosynthetic activity as a result of sandblasting, delaying plant development, increasing end-of-season drought risk, causing injury and reduced productivity of livestock, increasing soil erosion and accelerating the process of land degradation and desertification, filling up irrigation canals with sediments, covering transportation routes, affecting water quality of rivers and streams, and affecting air quality. One positive impact is the fertilization of soil minerals to terrestrial ecosystems. There are several potential agricultural applications of a SDSWS. The first is to alert agricultural communities farmers to take preventive action in the near-term such as harvesting maturing crops (vegetables, grain), sheltering livestock, and strengthening infrastructure (houses, roads, grain storage) for the storm. Also, the products of a SDSWS could be used in for monitoring potential locust movement and post-storm crop damage assessments. An archive of SDSWS products (movement, amount of sand and dust) could be used in researching plant and animal pathogen movement and the relationship of sand and dust storms to disease outbreaks and in developing improved soil erosion and land degradation models.

Agriculture applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bastidas O, G.; Obando D, R.; Alvarez F, A.

1989-01-01

Since its beginnings, the Agricultural Area had a selected research team involved in the development of different agricultural techniques. Currently, there are two main branches engaged in the solution of agricultural problems: Soil fertility and induced mutations. Soil fertility: Within this branch, studies on soil nutrients and availability of water and light resources, have been made by using isotope methods. In the near future studies on nitrogen and potassium content in potato, rice and wheat plantations will be held. Induced mutations: The main objective of this team is to obtain through radioinduced mutations, as well as in vitro growth, improved rice and other cereal seeds to be used under hostile environmental conditions. The further goal will be to develop new genotypes straight from the mutants or by utilization of this material as breeding materials in interchange programs

Agricultural Construction Volume II. Oxy-Gas and Other Cutting/Welding Processes. Woodworking, Metals, Finishing. Instructor's Guide.

Science.gov (United States)

Admire, Myron; Maricle, Gary

This guide contains instructor's materials for teaching a secondary agricultural construction course consisting of instructional units on oxy-gas and other cutting and welding processes (10 lessons), woodworking (6 lessons), metals (10 lessons), and finishing (4 lessons). The materials for each unit include student objectives, a list of…

Applications of Novel Techniques to Health Foods, Medical and Agricultural Biotechnology

OpenAIRE

Baianu, I. C.; Lozano, P. R.; Prisecaru, V. I.; Lin, H. C.

2004-01-01

Selected applications of novel techniques in Agricultural Biotechnology, Health Food formulations and Medical Biotechnology are being reviewed with the aim of unraveling future developments and policy changes that are likely to open new niches for Biotechnology and prevent the shrinking or closing the existing ones. Amongst the selected novel techniques with applications to both Agricultural and Medical Biotechnology are: immobilized bacterial cells and enzymes, microencapsulation and liposom...

Application of atomic energy in agriculture in China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hsu, Kuan-Jen

1980-01-01

In 1957 China established the first research laboratory for the application of atomic energy in agriculture as part of her 1st twelve-year plan on the development of science and technology. The laboratory, where some 300 were trained as technical personnels specializing in radioisotopes and ionizing radiation, was followed by a number of local laboratories and agricultural universities also providing such training programs. At present more than 500 specialists are engaged in agricultural research with nuclear techniques and symposium are often held among them to exchange information. Their achievements include creation of new types of crop featuring improved yield or superior cold resistance by inducing mutation with nuclear techniques. Promising results have been also obtained in various fields such as growth stimulation, food preservation, insect control, fertilizers and environmental protection. One of future subjects is to make the best use of nuclear techniques in macro-agriculture which covers not only conventional agriculture but forestry, animal husbandry, fishery and processing of by-products of these activities. (Kitajima, A.)

Stand-alone photovoltaic applications. Lessons learned

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Loois, G.; Van Hemert, B.

1999-02-01

The IEA Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme (PVPS) is one of the collaborative R and D agreements established within the IEA. The objective of Task III is to promote and facilitate the exchange of information and experiences in the field of PV Systems in Stand-alone and Island Applications (SAPV). The book focuses on the practical experiences gained, and does not aim to provide a complete manual on SAPV. When Task III started its activities in 1993, a collection of 50 'State of the art' projects was published in the book 'Examples of Stand-Alone Photovoltaic Systems'. This publication marked the base line for the work of the task. Now, in 1998, the showcases from each country demonstrate the lessons learned in five years of cooperation. The book consists of two parts. The first part contains eight chapters dealing with a specific aspect of stand-alone PV. The second part introduces 14 national showcase projects in a systematic presentation. Each chapter and showcase can be read independently from the rest of the book. Chapter 2, contributed by The Netherlands, analyses the market for stand-alone PV systems. It gives an overview of the 'traditional' application of stand-alone PV, which is the electrification of remote buildings and which has been addressed in depth in other publications. The focus is on the market niches of service applications that are also interesting for more densely populated areas, e.g. in industrialised countries. The United Kingdom illustrates the economic aspects in Chapter 3. Cost comparisons are made, but more important is the illustration of the non-financial considerations that make PV the preferred choice as a power source for many applications. Switzerland explores in Chapter 4 (financing aspects) different financing mechanisms, and financial policies used to overcome the initial cost barrier. Most of these approaches have been applied in developing countries rather than in the western world. Using various examples from all over the

Simple and Practical Efficiency Lessons

Science.gov (United States)

Kolpin, Van

2018-01-01

The derivation of conditions necessary for Pareto efficient production and exchange is a lesson frequently showcased in microeconomic theory textbooks. Traditional delivery of this lesson is, however, limited in its scope of application and can be unnecessarily convoluted. The author shows that the universe of application is greatly expanded and a…

Agricultural Pesticides. An Instructional Unit for Teachers of Adult Vocational Education in Agriculture.

Science.gov (United States)

Harrison, Kenneth M.; Iverson, Maynard J.

The proper use of agricultural pesticides is the major emphasis on the unit of instruction developed as a guide for use by teachers in planning and conducting young farmer and adult farmer classes. Seven lessons are included in the unit covering topical areas related to the utilization of pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, and the…

Potential applications of biosurfactant rhamnolipids in agriculture and biomedicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Jianwei; Wu, Qihao; Hua, Yi; Chen, Jun; Zhang, Huawei; Wang, Hong

2017-12-01

Rhamnolipids have recently emerged as promising bioactive molecules due to their novel structures, diverse and versatile biological functions, lower toxicity, higher biodegradability, as well as production from renewable resources. The advantages of rhamnolipids make them attractive targets for research in a wide variety of applications. Especially rhamnolipids are likely to possess potential applications of the future in areas such as biomedicine, therapeutics, and agriculture. The purpose of this mini review is to provide a comprehensive prospective of biosurfactant rhamnolipids as potential antimicrobials, immune modulators, and virulence factors, and anticancer agents in the field of biomedicine and agriculture that may meet the ever-increasing future pharmacological treatment and food safety needs in human health.

Radiological impact of the application of phosphogypsum in agriculture

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mazzilli, B.P.; Saueia, C.H.R., E-mail: chsaueia@ipen.b, E-mail: mazzilli@ipen.b [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil). Lab de Radiometria Ambiental

2011-07-01

Phosphogypsum is a TENORM waste and one possible of this application is in agriculture. This paper aims to evaluate the dose due to ingestion of natural radionuclides present in phosphogypsum that could be incorporated in the food chain. For this evaluation, a conservative scenario was defined, considering a theoretical long term exposure due to annual applications of phosphogypsum in agriculture. This scenario covers estimation of the increment of radionuclides activity concentration in soil due to phosphogypsum applications; the uptake from soil by edible portions of vegetable and crops and activity concentration of radionuclides in milk and meat as part of the food chain; based on a model, transfer factors and conversion factors provided by IAEA and ICRP. The higher doses were found for the ingestion of vegetables and grain crop, up to 4.2 10-1 mSv per year. It is concluded that the radiological impact of this practice is negligible. (author)

Radiological impact of the application of phosphogypsum in agriculture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mazzilli, B.P.; Saueia, C.H.R.

2011-01-01

Phosphogypsum is a TENORM waste and one possible of this application is in agriculture. This paper aims to evaluate the dose due to ingestion of natural radionuclides present in phosphogypsum that could be incorporated in the food chain. For this evaluation, a conservative scenario was defined, considering a theoretical long term exposure due to annual applications of phosphogypsum in agriculture. This scenario covers estimation of the increment of radionuclides activity concentration in soil due to phosphogypsum applications; the uptake from soil by edible portions of vegetable and crops and activity concentration of radionuclides in milk and meat as part of the food chain; based on a model, transfer factors and conversion factors provided by IAEA and ICRP. The higher doses were found for the ingestion of vegetables and grain crop, up to 4.2 10-1 mSv per year. It is concluded that the radiological impact of this practice is negligible. (author)

Solving Guesstimation Problems Using the Semantic Web:Four Lessons from an Application

OpenAIRE

Bundy, Alan; Sasnauskas, Gintautas; Chan, Michael

2013-01-01

We draw on our experience of implementing a semi-automated guesstimation application of the Semantic Web, gort, to draw four lessons, which we claim are of general applicability. These are:1. Inference can unleash the Semantic Web: The full power of the web will only be realised when we can use it to infer new knowledge from old.2. The Semantic Web does not constrain the inference mechanisms: Since we must anyway curate the knowledge we extract from the web, we can take the opportunity to tra...

Mass balance and swath displacement evaluations from agricultural application field trials

Science.gov (United States)

Spray drift is on an ongoing concern for any agricultural application and continues to be the focus for new developments and research efforts dealing with drift reduction technologies, best management application practices and the development of new decision support systems for applicators. Typical...

Evaluating the Implementation and Effectiveness of GIS-Based Application in Secondary School Geography Lessons

OpenAIRE

Ali Ali

2008-01-01

The purpose of the study was to investigate the barriers preventing the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in secondary school geography lessons and to determine its effectiveness on students success. A workshop focusing on ways to implement GIS-based application in the classroom for 14 teachers from nine high schools was conducted in 2006. The teachers were given GIS software, digital data for an application, and the necessary written documents describing the application. Due to var...

Political economy models and agricultural policy formation : empirical applicability and relevance for the CAP

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zee, van der F.A.

1997-01-01

This study explores the relevance and applicability of political economy models for the explanation of agricultural policies. Part I (chapters 4-7) takes a general perspective and evaluates the empirical applicability of voting models and interest group models to agricultural policy

The current status of agricultural radiation application in Korea

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chung, Byungyeoup; Kang, Siyong; Lee, Youngkeun [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2006-04-15

Since the middle of 1960s agricultural radiation applications have been growing rapidly with a huge resultant influence on the Korea economy. However, most applications used by radiation technologies in agricultural areas are drawn toward to mutation breeding of crops. We have started to research new applications of agricultural areas such as microorganism mutation, mass production of medical compounds, structure modifications of genes/proteins/natural polymers and so on since the late 1990s. In mutation breeding field, around 30 plant cultivars including 16 rice, 6 sesame, 4 hibiscus, 2 soybean, 1 barley and 2 box thorn (=Chinese matrimony vine, Lyci fructus) have been developed by the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute(KAERI). Now, we are on going to establish new radiation plant breeding technologies with environmental stresses and a high quality in combination with new bio-technologies (e. g. application of tissue culture, in vitro selection, doubled haploids, molecular marker, and gene analysis, etc.) for developing high quality cultivars. The microbial applications of radiation is one of the most attractive R and D in agricultural field because microorganism can be used as a bio-controller which has some advantages such as long term controlling system, decrease in secondary environmental pollution, and tailored microbial pesticide for various crop diseases. According to the advantages as mentioned above, we have made efforts in improving the functions of microbial pesticide (e. g. selection of microorganisms for heavy metal resistant, high decomposition rate of pesticide, and control of plant pathogens etc.) by means of radiation technology. It is a common conception that a certain range of low doses of radiation can elevate the physiological activities of cells in plants and photosynthetic microorganisms, e. g. by accelerating cell proliferation, ameliorating germination and growth rates, increasing stress resistance, and improving crop yields etc. We

The current status of agricultural radiation application in Korea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chung, Byungyeoup; Kang, Siyong; Lee, Youngkeun

2006-01-01

Since the middle of 1960s agricultural radiation applications have been growing rapidly with a huge resultant influence on the Korea economy. However, most applications used by radiation technologies in agricultural areas are drawn toward to mutation breeding of crops. We have started to research new applications of agricultural areas such as microorganism mutation, mass production of medical compounds, structure modifications of genes/proteins/natural polymers and so on since the late 1990s. In mutation breeding field, around 30 plant cultivars including 16 rice, 6 sesame, 4 hibiscus, 2 soybean, 1 barley and 2 box thorn (=Chinese matrimony vine, Lyci fructus) have been developed by the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute(KAERI). Now, we are on going to establish new radiation plant breeding technologies with environmental stresses and a high quality in combination with new bio-technologies (e. g. application of tissue culture, in vitro selection, doubled haploids, molecular marker, and gene analysis, etc.) for developing high quality cultivars. The microbial applications of radiation is one of the most attractive R and D in agricultural field because microorganism can be used as a bio-controller which has some advantages such as long term controlling system, decrease in secondary environmental pollution, and tailored microbial pesticide for various crop diseases. According to the advantages as mentioned above, we have made efforts in improving the functions of microbial pesticide (e. g. selection of microorganisms for heavy metal resistant, high decomposition rate of pesticide, and control of plant pathogens etc.) by means of radiation technology. It is a common conception that a certain range of low doses of radiation can elevate the physiological activities of cells in plants and photosynthetic microorganisms, e. g. by accelerating cell proliferation, ameliorating germination and growth rates, increasing stress resistance, and improving crop yields etc. We

Plant mutation breeding and application of isotopic tracer in Chinese agriculture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liang Qu

1993-03-01

The progress and achievements made in plant mutation breeding and application of isotopic tracer in Chinese agriculture are outlined. Plant mutation breeding is well developed not only in improvement of crops but also in methodology of mutation induction. More than 325 mutant varieties and hundreds of various valuable mutants of 29 different species have been obtained. The mutant cultivars released have covered more than 10 million hectares in total area. The systematic studies on methodology such as techniques for mutagenic treatment, development of various mutagens, screening and selecting techniques of mutation etc. have been carried out in China. The techniques of radioisotopic tracer used in many research fields are described. Application of isotopic tracer in studies of fertilization and plant nutrition, environment protection, nitrogen-fixation, animal production and diagnosis of diseases, and so on, have made great achievements and benefits in China. Many kinds of labelled compounds, especially of labelled agro-chemicals have been synthesized in the Institute for Application of Atomic Energy (IAAE). Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS). The proposals for the region cooperation in Asia on application of atomic energy in agriculture are included

Application of nanotechnology in detection of mycotoxins and in agricultural sector

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nadejda Sertova

2015-06-01

Full Text Available A brief review of nanotechnology application in detection of mycotoxins and in agriculture sector was presented. Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by fungi. Their toxicity is the reason for implementation of various screening methods to detect them. During the last years, the highlight was put on nanoscale materials included in biosensors, which were some of the smart devices used for determination of mycotoxins, and in agriculture sector. Over the next decade, the progress of nanotechnology will demonstrated a way to improve detection of contaminated feed and food. To achieve this purpose the innovations of nanomaterials reported every year would be applied. In the paper, some of the applications developed by nanotechnology that would contribute to the implementation of new tools for analysis of mycotoxins and agricultural products were discussed.

Nuclear Techniques in Agriculture: Status and Applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kurdali, F.

2007-01-01

This paper is focused on the role of nuclear techniques and their applications in agriculture science for plant and animal production, and to study the relationships among soil, plant, air, water, nutrients and agricultural pests. For example, carbon isotope discrimination 12 C/ 13 C can be used to select appropriate plant genotypes which are tolerant to drought and salinity stress. Using 15 N to study, symbiotic N 2 fixation, inorganic N dynamics in the soil, plant system, mineralization of organic N in soils, efficient use of chemical and organic N fertilizers and microbial protein production in ruminants. Neutron gauges are used for soil moisture measurements to assess crop water use efficiencies, crops water requirements, and irrigation scheduling for conventional and new methods of irrigation. The use of environmental isotopes ( 18 O, 2 H, 3 H and 14 C) in hydrology; and 137 Cs to study soil erosion. Using 32 P to study the fate of applied P fertilizers (chemical fractionation and availability), their use efficiency and phosphorus metabolism in animals. Ionizing radiation is used to improve the quality and productivity of major crops, to induce mutations, to improve the metabolisable and digestible energy of unconventional feeds and the nutritive value of agricultural residues, and to protect crops against agricultural pests and in food conservation. Radioimmunoassay is used in studies to improve the production and reproductive performance of indigenous small ruminants. (author)

LAYERED DOUBLE HYDROXIDES: NANOMATERIALS FOR APPLICATIONS IN AGRICULTURE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luíz Paulo Figueredo Benício

2015-02-01

Full Text Available The current research aims to introduce Layered Double Hydroxides (LDH as nanomaterials to be used in agriculture, with particular reference to its use as storage and slow release matrix of nutrients and agrochemicals for plant growing. Structural characteristics, main properties, synthesis methods and characterization of LDH were covered in this study. Moreover, some literature data have been reported to demonstrate their potential for storage and slow release of nitrate, phosphate, agrochemicals, besides as being used as adsorbent for the wastewater treatment. This research aims to expand, in near future, the investigation field on these materials, with application in agriculture, increasing the interface between chemistry and agronomy.

Application of agricultural fibers in pollution removal from aqueous solution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mahvi, A. H.

2008-01-01

Discharging different kinds of wastewater and polluted waters such as domestic, industrial and agricultural wastewaters into environment, especially to surface water, can cause heavy pollution of this body sources. With regard to increasing effluent discharge standards to the environment, high considerations should be made when selecting proper treatment processes. Any of chemical, biological and physical treatment processes have its own advantages and disadvantages. It should be kept in mind that economical aspects are important, too. In addition, employing environment friendly methods for treatment is emphasized much more these days. Application of some waste products that could help in this regard, in addition to reuse of these waste materials, can be an advantage, Agricultural fibers are agricultural wastes and are generated in high amounts. The majority of such materials is generated in developing countries and, since they are very cheap, they can be employed as bio sorbents in water and wastewater applications. Polluted surface waters, different wastewaters and partially treated wastewater may be contaminated by heavy metals or some organic matters and these waters should be treated to reduce pollution. The results of investigations show high efficiency of agricultural fibers in heavy metal and phenol removal. In this paper, some studies conducted by the author of this article and other investigators are reviewed

Microbiological Production of Surfactant from Agricultural Residuals for IOR Application

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bala, Greg Alan; Bruhn, Debby Fox; Fox, Sandra Lynn; Noah, Karl Scott; Thompson, David Neal

2002-04-01

Utilization of surfactants for improved oil recovery (IOR) is an accepted technique with high potential. However, technology application is frequently limited by cost. Biosurfactants (surface-active molecules produced by microorganisms) are not widely utilized in the petroleum industry due to high production costs associated with use of expensive substrates and inefficient product recovery methods. The economics of biosurfactant production could be significantly impacted through use of media optimization and application of inexpensive carbon substrates such as agricultural process residuals. Utilization of biosurfactants produced from agricultural residuals may 1) result in an economic advantage for surfactant production and technology application, and 2) convert a substantial agricultural waste stream to a value-added product for IOR. A biosurfactant with high potential for use is surfactin, a lipopeptide biosurfactant, produced by Bacillus subtilis. Reported here is the production and potential IOR utilization of surfactin produced by Bacillus subtilis (American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) 21332) from starch-based media. Production of surfactants from microbiological growth media based on simple sugars, chemically pure starch medium, simulated liquid and solid potato-process effluent media, a commercially prepared potato starch in mineral salts, and process effluent from a potato processor is discussed. Additionally, the effect of chemical and physical pretreatments on starchy feedstocks is discussed.

Management and conservation of acid soils in the savannahs of Latin America: Lessons from the agricultural development of the Brazilian cerrados

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thomas, R.J.; Ayarza, M.; Lopes, A.S.

2000-01-01

Acid-soil savannahs represent most of the remaining land suitable for agricultural development in the world. Considered as marginal lands, they are of low inherent productivity for agriculture, and susceptible to rapid degradation. The vast Brazilian 'cerrados' were opened up some 30 years ago, and today they supply a considerable portion of the country's agricultural commodities. Monocultures of grain crops and pastures are proving to be unsustainable under today's conditions, and alternative production systems are being developed and implemented that incorporate improved production technologies and conservation of the natural resources. No-till, minimum tillage and integrated crop-livestock systems are proving to be successful in terms of farmer adoption. However, there is a need to elucidate the principles and functioning of these systems in order to assess their suitability for long-term sustainability of marginal savannah lands. The challenges that remain to ensure that these lands are developed in a sustainable manner include social, cultural and economic aspects, a favourable policy environment and a clearer understanding of sustainability and its measurement. In this article we review the lessons learned from the cerrados experience. Future research should include the development of new crop options with tolerance of acid soils, a better understanding of water and nutrient cycles, the development of principles of soil organic matter and crop-residue management, and the biological management of soil fertility. (author)

Management and conservation of acid soils in the savannahs of Latin America: Lessons from the agricultural development of the Brazilian cerrados

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thomas, R J; Ayarza, M [Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical, Cali (Colombia); Lopes, A S [Federal University of Lavras, Lavras (Brazil)

2000-06-01

Acid-soil savannahs represent most of the remaining land suitable for agricultural development in the world. Considered as marginal lands, they are of low inherent productivity for agriculture, and susceptible to rapid degradation. The vast Brazilian 'cerrados' were opened up some 30 years ago, and today they supply a considerable portion of the country's agricultural commodities. Monocultures of grain crops and pastures are proving to be unsustainable under today's conditions, and alternative production systems are being developed and implemented that incorporate improved production technologies and conservation of the natural resources. No-till, minimum tillage and integrated crop-livestock systems are proving to be successful in terms of farmer adoption. However, there is a need to elucidate the principles and functioning of these systems in order to assess their suitability for long-term sustainability of marginal savannah lands. The challenges that remain to ensure that these lands are developed in a sustainable manner include social, cultural and economic aspects, a favourable policy environment and a clearer understanding of sustainability and its measurement. In this article we review the lessons learned from the cerrados experience. Future research should include the development of new crop options with tolerance of acid soils, a better understanding of water and nutrient cycles, the development of principles of soil organic matter and crop-residue management, and the biological management of soil fertility. (author)

Market assessment of photovoltaic power systems for agricultural applications in the Philippines

Science.gov (United States)

Cabraal, R. A.; Delasanta, D.; Burrill, G.

1981-01-01

The market potential in the Philippines for stand alone photovoltaic (P/V) systems in agriculture was assessed. Applications include: irrigation, postharvest operation, food and fiber processing and storage, and livestock and fisheries operations. Power and energy use profiles for many applications as well as assessments of business, government and financial climate for P/V sales are described. Many characteristics of the Philippine agriculture and energy sector favorably influence the use of P/V systems. However, serious and significant barriers prevent achieving the technically feasible, cost competitive market for P/V systems in the agricultural sector. The reason for the small market is the limited availability capital for financing P/V systems. It is suggested that innovative financing schemes and promotional campaigns should be devised.

Market assessment of photovoltaic power systems for agricultural applications in the Philippines

Science.gov (United States)

Cabraal, R. A.; Delasanta, D.; Burrill, G.

1981-04-01

The market potential in the Philippines for stand alone photovoltaic (P/V) systems in agriculture was assessed. Applications include: irrigation, postharvest operation, food and fiber processing and storage, and livestock and fisheries operations. Power and energy use profiles for many applications as well as assessments of business, government and financial climate for P/V sales are described. Many characteristics of the Philippine agriculture and energy sector favorably influence the use of P/V systems. However, serious and significant barriers prevent achieving the technically feasible, cost competitive market for P/V systems in the agricultural sector. The reason for the small market is the limited availability capital for financing P/V systems. It is suggested that innovative financing schemes and promotional campaigns should be devised.

Isotope and radiation applications to agricultural development in Asia and the Pacific Region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lamm, C.G.

1981-01-01

Use of nuclear techniques have been recognized to be invaluable tools in agricultural research for increasing crop production and reducing food losses in the technologically developed countries. The objectives of FAO/IAEA programme are to exploit the potential of isotopes and radiation applications in R and D for increasing and stabilizing agricultural production, reducing production costs, improving food quality, protecting agricultural products from spoilage and losses and minimizing pollution of food and the agricultural environment. (author)

[Application of THz technology to nondestructive detection of agricultural product quality].

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Yu-ying; Ge, Hong-yi; Lian, Fei-yu; Zhang, Yuan; Xia, Shan-hong

2014-08-01

With recent development of THz sources and detector, applications of THz radiation to nondestructive testing and quality control have expanded in many fields, such as agriculture, safety inspection and quality control, medicine, biochemistry, communication etc. Compared with other detection technique, being a new kind of technique, THz radiation has low energy, good perspectivity, and high signal-to-noise ratio, and thus can obtain physical, chemical and biological information. This paper first introduces the basic concept of THz radiation and the major properties, then gives an extensive review of recent research progress in detection of the quality of agricultural products via THz technique, analyzes the existing shortcomings of THz detection and discusses the outlook of potential application, finally proposes the new application of THz technique to detection of quality of stored grain.

Production of Enzymes From Agricultural Wastes and Their Potential Industrial Applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Bharathiraja, S; Suriya, J; Krishnan, M; Manivasagan, P; Kim, S-K

Enzymatic hydrolysis is the significant technique for the conversion of agricultural wastes into valuable products. Agroindustrial wastes such as rice bran, wheat bran, wheat straw, sugarcane bagasse, and corncob are cheapest and plentifully available natural carbon sources for the production of industrially important enzymes. Innumerable enzymes that have numerous applications in industrial processes for food, drug, textile, and dye use have been produced from different types of microorganisms from agricultural wastes. Utilization of agricultural wastes offers great potential for reducing the production cost and increasing the use of enzymes for industrial purposes. This chapter focuses on economic production of actinobacterial enzymes from agricultural wastes to make a better alternative for utilization of biomass generated in million tons as waste annually. © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Lessons and challenges from adaptation pathways planning applications

Science.gov (United States)

Haasnoot, M.; Lawrence, J.; Kwakkel, J. H.; Walker, W.; Timmermans, J.; Bloemen, P.; Thissen, W.

2015-12-01

Planning for adaptation to dynamic risks (e.g., because of climate change) is a critical need. The concept of 'adaptive policies' is receiving increasing attention as a way of performing strategic planning that is able to address many of the inherent challenges of uncertainty and dynamic change. Several approaches for developing adaptive policies are available in the literature. One approach, for which several applications already exist, is Dynamic Adaptive Policy Pathways (DAPP). Pathway maps enable policy analysts, decision makers, and stakeholders to recognize potential 'locked-in' situations and to assess the flexibility, robustness, and efficacy of decision alternatives. Most of the applications of DAPP have been in deltas, coastal cities, or floodplains, often within the context of climate change adaptation. In this talk, we describe the DAPP approach and present a framework for designing signposts as adaptation signals, together with an illustrative application for the Rhine River in the Netherlands. We also draw lessons and challenges from pathways applications that differ in environment, culture, and institutional context. For example, the Dutch Delta Programme has used pathways to identify short-term decisions and long-term policy options. In Bangladesh, an application is in its early phase. Steps before generating pathways - such as long- term thinking in multiple possible futures and acknowledging uncertainties - are already a big challenge there. In New Zealand, the 'Sustainable Delta Game' has been used as the catalyst for pathways thinking by two local councils. This has led to its application in decision making for coastal and flood risk management and economic analysis of policy options.

Prospect of radiation application in industry and agriculture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kume, Tamikazu

2007-01-01

The prospect of radiation application in industry and agriculture are described. In industry, the radiation-induced crosslinking of polymers and radiation-induced graft polymerization improved many chemical and physical properties and new functional materials were created using ion beams. In agriculture, the food irradiation improved the food hygiene and killed insect pest of fruits and vegetables. Furthermore, the sterile insect technique, mutation breeding of plants, positron imaging system for plant, sterilization of medical products, environmental conservation due to purification of flue gas and wastewater, and upgrading of natural polymer (polysaccharide etc.) have been performed. Radiation process is a clean one without use of chemical reagents. The electron beam radiation is expected to reduce the cost of radiation process compared with the gamma-ray radiation. (M.H.)

Integrating UNESCO ICT-Based Instructional Materials in Chemistry Lessons

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

CHARLIE P. NACARIO

2014-08-01

Full Text Available This study determined the effectiveness of the lessons in Chemistry integrating UNESCO ICT-based instructional material on the achievement of Chemistry students at Central Bicol State University of Agriculture. It aimed to identify lessons that may be developed integrating UNESCO ICT-based instructional materials, determine the effect of the developed lessons using the material on: conceptual understanding; science process skills; and attitude towards chemistry and gather insights from the experiences of the students and teacher. The study used the single group pretest and posttest experimental design. Descriptive, quantitative and qualitative techniques were also utilized. Quantitative data were taken from the pretest-posttest results on the Test on Conceptual Understanding, Science Process Skills and Chemistry Attitudinaire. Qualitative data were drawn from the experts’ assessment of the developed lessons and research instruments, and the insights of students and teacher. The developed lessons integrating UNESCO ICT-based instructional materials were Atomic Model and Structure, Periodic Table of Elements, Chemical Bonding, and Balancing Chemical Equation. These lessons increased the conceptual understanding of the students by topic and skill from very low mastery to average mastery level. The students have slightly improved along the different science process skills. After teaching the lessons, the students’ attitude also improved. The students became more motivated and interested in Chemistry and the lessons were student centered and entailed teacher’s competence and flexibility in computer use.

Advances in the development of remote sensing technology for agricultural applications

Science.gov (United States)

Powers, J. E.; Erb, R. B.; Hall, F. G.; Macdonald, R. B.

1979-01-01

The application of remote sensing technology to crop forecasting is discussed. The importance of crop forecasts to the world economy and agricultural management is explained, and the development of aerial and spaceborne remote sensing for global crop forecasting by the United States is outlined. The structure, goals and technical aspects of the Large Area Crop Inventory Experiment (LACIE) are presented, and main findings on the accuracy, efficiency, applicability and areas for further study of the LACIE procedure are reviewed. The current status of NASA crop forecasting activities in the United States and worldwide is discussed, and the objectives and organization of the newly created Agriculture and Resources Inventory Surveys through Aerospace Remote Sensing (AgRISTARS) program are presented.

Biofungicides and Their Applicability in Modern Agricultural Practice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mila Grahovac

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Agricultural production in developed countries undergoes various changes, some of which take place at consumers’ request, while others are of ethical importance. This is especially true of plant protection. A global demand for reducing the use of chemical pesticides, which are regarded as harmful to the consumer, induce the developement of new, less harmful and sustainable strategies of plant protection. Many chemical pesticides have been excluded from further use (e.g. organochlorine insecticides, methyl bromide due totheir potential risk to human health, the environment and non-target organisms, or developement of resistance of harmful organisms to those substances. A need for developing alternative protection systems in the future is beyond doubt and they should be implementedeither as an addition or a substitute for conventional pesticides. Well-considered use of biological products in combination with other protection measures would meet the requirements for producing sanitary and health-safe agricultural products, and food in general. In the paper, we discuss the modes of action, formulation types and applicability of different biological fungicides, and list them individually with their advantages and disadvantages, as well as the production and application risks associated with biological products.

Applications of color machine vision in the agricultural and food industries

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Min; Ludas, Laszlo I.; Morgan, Mark T.; Krutz, Gary W.; Precetti, Cyrille J.

1999-01-01

Color is an important factor in Agricultural and the Food Industry. Agricultural or prepared food products are often grade by producers and consumers using color parameters. Color is used to estimate maturity, sort produce for defects, but also perform genetic screenings or make an aesthetic judgement. The task of sorting produce following a color scale is very complex, requires special illumination and training. Also, this task cannot be performed for long durations without fatigue and loss of accuracy. This paper describes a machine vision system designed to perform color classification in real-time. Applications for sorting a variety of agricultural products are included: e.g. seeds, meat, baked goods, plant and wood.FIrst the theory of color classification of agricultural and biological materials is introduced. Then, some tools for classifier development are presented. Finally, the implementation of the algorithm on real-time image processing hardware and example applications for industry is described. This paper also presented an image analysis algorithm and a prototype machine vision system which was developed for industry. This system will automatically locate the surface of some plants using digital camera and predict information such as size, potential value and type of this plant. The algorithm developed will be feasible for real-time identification in an industrial environment.

A Study on the Application Model of B2B E-Commerce in the Agricultural Sector

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

ZHANG Jinlong; DU Xiaofang

2004-01-01

There are two main application models of B2B e-commerce, which are best suitable for agricultural sector. One is the e-market intermediation model (EMIM), and the other is the Integrative content center model (ICCM). Based on the analysis of these two models in application field of agriculture, a conclusion is drawn that these two models will be the main application ones of agricultural e-cornmerce at present, while ICCM will be a transition from local e-commerce to integrative e-commerce. The future development of agricultural e-commerce will follow the direction of integrative e-commerce which is based on the supply chain model on the E-Hubs. And a new framework of integrative e-commerce is presented as a conclusion at last.

Organic marketing initiatives and rural development - lessons learned for the organic industry

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kristensen, Niels Heine; Kujala, Jouni

2005-01-01

Kujala J, Kristensen NH, (2005): Organic marketing initiatives and rural development - lessons learned for the organic industry. Article in "Organic farming for a new millennium - status and future challenges". Published by Nordic Association of Agricultural Scientists (NJF). Swedish University...... of Agricultural Sciences Alnarp, Sweden. NJF-Seminar 369, June 15-17, 2005. Electronic version available at www.njf.nu. ISSN 1653-2015...

Plant biotechnology patents: applications in agriculture and medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Hefferon, Kathleen

2010-06-01

Recent advances in agricultural biotechnology have enabled the field of plant biology to move forward in great leaps and bounds. In particular, recent breakthroughs in molecular biology, plant genomics and crop science have brought about a paradigm shift of thought regarding the manner by which plants can be utilized both in agriculture and in medicine. Besides the more well known improvements in agronomic traits of crops such as disease resistance and drought tolerance, plants can now be associated with topics as diverse as biofuel production, phytoremediation, the improvement of nutritional qualities in edible plants, the identification of compounds for medicinal purposes in plants and the use of plants as therapeutic protein production platforms. This diversification of plant science has been accompanied by the great abundance of new patents issued in these fields and, as many of these inventions approach commercial realization, the subsequent increase in agriculturally-based industries. While this review chapter is written primarily for plant scientists who have great interest in the new directions being taken with respect to applications in agricultural biotechnology, those in other disciplines, such as medical researchers, environmental scientists and engineers, may find significant value in reading this article as well. The review attempts to provide an overview of the most recent patents issued for plant biotechnology with respect to both agriculture and medicine. The chapter concludes with the proposal that the combined driving forces of climate change, as well as the ever increasing needs for clean energy and food security will play a pivotal role in leading the direction for applied plant biotechnology research in the future.

Summary of Planned Implementation for the HTGR Lessons Learned Applicable to the NGNP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mckirdy, Ian

2011-01-01

This document presents a reconciliation of the lessons learned during a 2010 comprehensive evaluation of pertinent lessons learned from past and present high temperature gas-cooled reactors that apply to the Next Generation Nuclear Plant Project along with current and planned activities. The data used are from the latest Idaho National Laboratory research and development plans, the conceptual design report from General Atomics, and the pebble bed reactor technology readiness study from AREVA. Only those lessons related to the structures, systems, and components of the Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP), as documented in the recently updated lessons learned report are addressed. These reconciliations are ordered according to plant area, followed by the affected system, subsystem, or component; lesson learned; and finally an NGNP implementation statement. This report (1) provides cross references to the original lessons learned document, (2) describes the lesson learned, (3) provides the current NGNP implementation status with design data needs associated with the lesson learned, (4) identifies the research and development being performed related to the lesson learned, and (5) summarizes with a status of how the lesson learned has been addressed by the NGNP Project.

WTO Agricultural Tariffication with Lessons for Tariff Adoption

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jeong¡-Bin Im

2005-06-01

Full Text Available According to the Uruguay Round Agreement on Agriculture (URAA, all agricultural non-tariff trade barriers should be converted into equivalent tariffs and further, reduced over time. However each member country has the authority to choose the tariff types when it converts NTBs to tariffs such as ad valorem tariff and specific tariff. The paper tries to find the reason for the choice of a certain type of tariff in the process of tariffication after the UR negotiation on agriculture. To achieve this goal, the paper analyses the effects of tariffication of a fixed quota into tariffs on price, trade and welfare in a number of scenarios related to the sources of uncertainty. In this paper, we examine the nonequivalence of specific tariff and ad valorem tariff, which are general type of tariffs used in the most of countries. The paper has shown that the two types of tariffs selected by tariffication of import quota are not generally equivalent in both their effects on price and trade stability and welfare with the trade model under uncertainty. The main conclusion of this study is that there is no general presumption that one tariff regime is superior to the other tariff regime under conditions of uncertainty. The precise source of uncertainty and the properties of the relevant demand and supply functions might affect the determination of tariff type selected after tariffication of non-tariff barriers.

Agricultural and Food Processing Applications of Pulsed Power and Plasma Technologies

Science.gov (United States)

Takaki, Koichi

Agricultural and food processing applications of pulsed power and plasma technologies are described in this paper. Repetitively operated compact pulsed power generators with a moderate peak power are developed for the agricultural and the food processing applications. These applications are mainly based on biological effects and can be categorized as germination control of plants such as Basidiomycota and arabidopsis inactivation of bacteria in soil and liquid medium of hydroponics; extraction of juice from fruits and vegetables; decontamination of air and liquid, etc. Types of pulsed power that have biological effects are caused with gas discharges, water discharges, and electromagnetic fields. The discharges yield free radicals, UV radiation, intense electric field, and shock waves. Biologically based applications of pulsed power and plasma are performed by selecting the type that gives the target objects the adequate result from among these agents or byproducts. For instance, intense electric fields form pores on the cell membrane, which is called electroporation, or influence the nuclei. This paper mainly describes the application of the pulsed power for the germination control of Basidiomycota i.e. mushroom, inactivation of fungi in the soil and the liquid medium in hydroponics, and extraction of polyphenol from skins of grape.

Women's land rights and the challenge of patriachy: lessons from ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Women's land rights and the challenge of patriachy: lessons from ozalla community, edo state, Nigeria. ... production output and ensuring higher incomes. KEYWORDS: Cultural practices, customary, economic life, food crisis, food production, gender equity, land rights, patriarchy, rural agriculture, rural areas, social justice ...

Nastran's Application in Agricultural Engineering

Science.gov (United States)

Vanwicklen, G. L.

1985-01-01

Finite element analysis has been recognized as a valuable solution method by agricultural engineers. NASTRAN has been obtained by the Agricultural Engineering Department at the University of Georgia. The NASTRAN Thermal Analyzer has been used in the teaching program for an undergraduate course in heat transfer and will be used for a new graduate course in finite element analysis. The NASTRAN Thermal Analyzer has also been applied to several research problems in the Agricultural Engineering Department.

Unravelling institutional determinants affecting change in agriculture in West Africa

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Struik, P.C.; Klerkx, L.W.A.; Hounkonnou, D.

2014-01-01

This paper compares lessons learned from nine studies that explored institutional determinants of innovation towards sustainable intensification of West African agriculture. The studies investigated issues relating to crop, animal, and resources management in Benin, Ghana, and Mali. The constraints

Human Spaceflight Conjunction Assessment: Lessons Learned

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Jason T.

2011-01-01

This viewgraph presentation reviews the process of a human space flight conjunction assessment and lessons learned from the more than twelve years of International Space Station (ISS) operations. Also, the application of these lessons learned to a recent ISS conjunction assessment with object 84180 on July 16, 2009 is also presented.

Phagocytosis: history's lessons.

Science.gov (United States)

Garg, Manish; Chandawarkar, Rajiv Y

2013-01-01

The assimilation of lessons from the past is an essential component of education for scientists of tomorrow. These lessons are not easy to find. History books on science are few and usually highly dramatized and biographies of scientists tend to exaggerate the pomp of scientific discovery. Both underplay the hard and laborious work that is integral to any scientific pursuit. Here we illustrate one such example. A century ago, the Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded to two scientists: Ilya Metchnikoff, a Russian zoologist, for the discovery ofphagocytosis-a cell-mediated ingestion ofmicrobes; and Paul Ehrlich, a distinguished physician-scientist, for discovering a highly antigen-specific serum-derived antibody-based immune defense. These two diametrically opposing views of the host-pathogen interaction set the stage for a strife that led to seminal advancements in immunology. Mirrored in this journey are important lessons for scientists today--ubiquitously as applicable to modern scientific life as they were a century ago. This commentaryhighlights these lessons--a fitting centenary to a well-deserved recognition.

Post-Chernobyl scientific perspectives: Agricultural countermeasures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Richards, J.I.; Hance, R.J.

1996-01-01

One of the lessons of Chernobyl is that farming is vulnerable to the effects of a nuclear accident hundreds, even thousands, of miles away from the site. Therefore plans are needed for countermeasures that can reduce contamination of agricultural produce, regardless of whether or not a country has its own nuclear programme. The plans need to specify radiation levels for foods and feedstuffs at which intervention is necessary and to include a range of countermeasures to be taken to protect agriculture under a range of possible post-accident situations. The FAO/WHO Codes Alimentarius Commission has developed international standards for radionuclides contamination to be applied to food moving in international trade. The intervention levels are based on a number of conservative assumptions to be confident that there will be essentially no effect over a lifetime of exposure. An important purpose of agricultural countermeasures is to maximize the quantity of food produced which passes intervention criteria. The present report discusses how the Joint FAO/IAEA programme on nuclear techniques in food and agriculture has approached agricultural countermeasures

Use of nuclear techniques in agriculture in Venezuela

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramirez C, R.

1984-01-01

The agricultural activites being carried out so far in Venezuela are described. Failures and lessons learned from the induced mutation programme (sorghum and ajonjoli) are emphasized. Some of the results obtained with the use of isotopes in biological investigations with dairy and beef cattle and sheep are related. (M.A.C.) [pt

Pest Management and Environmental Quality. Course 181. Correspondence Courses in Agriculture, Family Living and Community Development.

Science.gov (United States)

Cole, Herbert, Jr.; And Others

This publication is the course book for a correspondence course in pest control with the Pennsylvania State University. It contains basic information for agricultural producers on pest management and the proper and safe use of pesticides. The course consists of eleven lessons which can be completed at one's leisure. The first nine lessons contain…

Applications of microwave remote sensing of soil moisture for water resources and agriculture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Engman, E.T.

1991-01-01

There has been significant progress in the application of microwave remote sensing for measuring soil moisture. Both passive and active systems have demonstrated the capability to measure soil moisture, and there have been a number of studies using aircraft and spaceborne data that have demonstrated its usefulness for agricultural and hydrologic applications. However, there are still several unresolved questions regarding the optimal instrument configuration and other target characteristics such as roughness and vegetation. In addition, the most likely disciplines for using these data, agriculture and hydrology, do not currently possess adequate models or procedures to use this new technology

Application of Medium and Seasonal Flood Forecasts for Agriculture Damage Assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Fakhruddin, Shamsul; Ballio, Francesco; Menoni, Scira

2015-04-01

Early warning is a key element for disaster risk reduction. In recent decades, major advancements have been made in medium range and seasonal flood forecasting. This progress provides a great opportunity to reduce agriculture damage and improve advisories for early action and planning for flood hazards. This approach can facilitate proactive rather than reactive management of the adverse consequences of floods. In the agricultural sector, for instance, farmers can take a diversity of options such as changing cropping patterns, applying fertilizer, irrigating and changing planting timing. An experimental medium range (1-10 day) and seasonal (20-25 days) flood forecasting model has been developed for Thailand and Bangladesh. It provides 51 sets of discharge ensemble forecasts of 1-10 days with significant persistence and high certainty and qualitative outlooks for 20-25 days. This type of forecast could assist farmers and other stakeholders for differential preparedness activities. These ensembles probabilistic flood forecasts have been customized based on user-needs for community-level application focused on agriculture system. The vulnerabilities of agriculture system were calculated based on exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity. Indicators for risk and vulnerability assessment were conducted through community consultations. The forecast lead time requirement, user-needs, impacts and management options for crops were identified through focus group discussions, informal interviews and community surveys. This paper illustrates potential applications of such ensembles for probabilistic medium range and seasonal flood forecasts in a way that is not commonly practiced globally today.

Statistical methods for longitudinal data with agricultural applications

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Anantharama Ankinakatte, Smitha

The PhD study focuses on modeling two kings of longitudinal data arising in agricultural applications: continuous time series data and discrete longitudinal data. Firstly, two statistical methods, neural networks and generalized additive models, are applied to predict masistis using multivariate...... algorithm. This was found to compare favourably with the algorithm implemented in the well-known Beagle software. Finally, an R package to apply APFA models developed as part of the PhD project is described...

BIODYNAMIC AGRICULTURE - ECO-FRIENDLY AGRICULTURAL PRACTICE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Veselka Vlahova

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Biodynamic agriculture is undoubtedly the oldest organized agricultural movement in the world. It is considered as an organic agricultural farming approach and determined as the oldest organized alternative agricultural movement in the world. In 1924 Rudolf Steiner – an Austrian natural scientist and philosopher, carried out a series of eight lectures in Koberwitz, currently Kobierzyce- Poland, where he formulated his visions on changes in agriculture and revealed his spiritual and scientific concepts about the connection between nature and agriculture by determining the important role of agriculture for the future of humanity and thus he became known as “the father of anthroposophy”. The great ecological effect of the application of the biodynamic agriculture is expressed in soil preservation and preservation of the living organisms in the soil, as well as maintenance of the natural balance in the vegetable and animal kingdom.

Development and Preliminary Application of Multi-channel Agricultural Science and Technology Consulting Service U Disk

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, W. S.; Luo, C. S.; Wei, Q. F.; Zheng, Y. M.; Cao, C. Z.

2017-12-01

To deal with the “last kilometer” problem during the agricultural science and technology information service, the USB flash disk “Zixuntong”, which integrated five major consulting channels, i.e., telephone consultation, mutual video, message consultation, online customer service and QQ group was developed on the bases of capital experts and date resources. Since the products have the computer and telephone USB interface and are combined with localized information resources, users can obtain useful information on any terminal without the restriction of network. Meanwhile, the cartoon appearance make it friendly and attractive to people. The USB flash disk was used to provide agricultural expert consulting services and obtained a good preliminary application achievement. Finally, we concluded the creative application of USB flash disk in agricultural consulting services and prospected the future development direction of agricultural mobile consultation.

Not all GMOs are crop plants: non-plant GMO applications in agriculture.

Science.gov (United States)

Hokanson, K E; Dawson, W O; Handler, A M; Schetelig, M F; St Leger, R J

2014-12-01

Since tools of modern biotechnology have become available, the most commonly applied and often discussed genetically modified organisms are genetically modified crop plants, although genetic engineering is also being used successfully in organisms other than plants, including bacteria, fungi, insects, and viruses. Many of these organisms, as with crop plants, are being engineered for applications in agriculture, to control plant insect pests or diseases. This paper reviews the genetically modified non-plant organisms that have been the subject of permit approvals for environmental release by the United States Department of Agriculture/Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service since the US began regulating genetically modified organisms. This is an indication of the breadth and progress of research in the area of non-plant genetically modified organisms. This review includes three examples of promising research on non-plant genetically modified organisms for application in agriculture: (1) insects for insect pest control using improved vector systems; (2) fungal pathogens of insects to control insect pests; and (3) virus for use as transient-expression vectors for disease control in plants.

Innovating for skills enhancement in agricultural sciences in Africa: The centrality of field attachment programs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anthony Egeru

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Africa remains an intensely agrarian continent, with two-thirds of its people directly or indirectly deriving their livelihood from agriculture. Higher agricultural education has thus emphasised production of graduates with the requisite skills to drive agricultural development. Despite these efforts, too few graduates in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA have the employable skills necessary to transition to the labour market. A similar situation is observable among agricultural science graduates, who are vital to serving rural smallholder farmers. Most Colleges of Agriculture in Africa offer field attachment internships in agriculture and related fields but they are largely designed to cater for undergraduate students and are not part of the training programs at graduate level. To ameliorate this gap, the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM, a network of 55 member universities in SSA, designed and rolled out an innovative field attachment program award (FAPA, launched in 2010, to serve graduate students. The FAPA is competitively based and designed to encourage students to follow through with the dissemination of their research and to enable them to link more closely with the communities and agencies working in the geographical area where the research was undertaken. During the period 2010–2015, five grant cycles were successfully implemented and 114 graduate students from 17 countries in SSA awarded. This article discusses the lessons learned during this period by examining two key areas: (1 the application process and implementation of the awards; and (2 the reported outcomes and challenges for grantees. Establishing the award has generated key technical and implementation lessons that the network and individual universities have been able to use to improve and institutionalise processes. Grantees have reported gaining a range of cross-cutting skills in personal mastery, initiative leadership and innovativeness

Agricultural Marketing. Student Reference. Volume 12, Number 10. Agdex 810, Catalog Number AG-81-S.

Science.gov (United States)

Denker, Robert

This student guide in agricultural marketing is designed to accompany the lessons in the curriculum unit, "Instructor's Guide in Agricultural Marketing" (CE 025 683). There are six sections in the student guide: (1) Introduction to Marketing; (2) Marketing Cash Grains; (3) Marketing Grain with a Protected Price; (4) Marketing Cash Livestock; (5)…

Development and application of modern agricultural biotechnology in Botswana: the potentials, opportunities and challenges.

Science.gov (United States)

Batlang, Utlwang; Tsurupe, Gorata; Segwagwe, Amogelang; Obopile, Motshwari

2014-07-03

In Botswana, approximately 40% of the population live in rural areas and derive most of their livelihood from agriculture by keeping livestock and practising arable farming. Due to the nature of their farming practises livestock and crops are exposed to diseases and environmental stresses. These challenges offer opportunities for application of biotechnology to develop adaptable materials to the country's environment. On the other hand, the perceived risk of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) has dimmed the promise of the technology for its application in agriculture. This calls for a holistic approach to the application of biotechnology to address issues of biosafety of GMOs. We have therefore assessed the potentials, challenges and opportunities to apply biotechnology with specific emphasis on agriculture, taking cognisance of requirement for its research, development and application in research and teaching institutions. In order to achieve this, resource availability, infrastructure, human and laboratory requirements were analyzed. The analysis revealed that the country has the capacity to carry out research in biotechnology in the development and production of genetically modified crops for food and fodder crops. These will include gene discovery, genetic transformation and development of systems to comply with the world regulatory framework on biosafety. In view of the challenges facing the country in agriculture, first generation biotech crops could be released for production. Novel GM products for development may include disease diagnosis kits, animal disease vaccines, and nutrient use efficiency, drought, and pest and disease resistant food and fodder crops.

Lessons learned from accidents investigations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zuniga-Bello, P. [Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologia (CONACYT), Mexico City (Mexico); Croft, J. [National Radiological Protection Board (United Kingdom); Glenn, J

1997-12-31

Accidents from three main practices: medical applications, industrial radiography and industrial irradiators are used to illustrate some common causes of accidents and the main lessons to be learned. A brief description of some of these accidents is given. Lessons learned from the described accidents are approached by subjects covering: safety culture, quality assurance, human factors, good engineering practice, defence in depth, security of sources, safety assessment and monitoring and verification compliance. (author)

Lessons learned from accident investigations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zuniga-Bello, P.; Croft, J.R.; Glenn, J.

1998-01-01

Accidents in three main practices - medical applications, industrial radiography and industrial irradiators - are used to illustrate some common causes of accidents and the main lessons to be learned from them. A brief description of some of these accidents is given. Lessons learned from the accidents described are approached bearing in mind: safety culture, quality assurance, human factors, good engineering practice, defence in depth, security of sources, safety assessment and monitoring and verification compliance. (author)

Radiation synthesis of superabsorbent CMC based hydrogels for agriculture applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raafat, Amany I.; Eid, Mona; El-Arnaouty, Magda B.

2012-01-01

A series of superabsorbent hydrogel based on carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) crosslinked with gamma irradiation have been proposed for agriculture application. The effect of preparation conditions such as feed solution composition and absorbed irradiation dose on the gelation and swelling degree was evaluated. The structure and the morphology of the superabsorbent CMC/PVP hydrogel were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy technique (FTIR), and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Effect of ionic strength and cationic and anionic kinds on the swelling behavior of the obtained hydrogel was investigated. Urea as an agrochemical model was loaded onto the obtained hydrogel to provide nitrogen (N) nutrients. The water retention capability and the urea release behavior of the CMC/PVP hydrogels were investigated. It was found that, the obtained CMC/PVP hydrogels have good swelling degree that greatly affected by its composition and absorbed dose. The swelling was also extremely sensitive to the ionic strength and cationic kind. Owing to its considerable slow urea release, good water retention capacity, being economical, and environment-friendly, it might be useful for its application in agriculture field.

Radiation synthesis of superabsorbent CMC based hydrogels for agriculture applications

Science.gov (United States)

Raafat, Amany I.; Eid, Mona; El-Arnaouty, Magda B.

2012-07-01

A series of superabsorbent hydrogel based on carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) crosslinked with gamma irradiation have been proposed for agriculture application. The effect of preparation conditions such as feed solution composition and absorbed irradiation dose on the gelation and swelling degree was evaluated. The structure and the morphology of the superabsorbent CMC/PVP hydrogel were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy technique (FTIR), and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Effect of ionic strength and cationic and anionic kinds on the swelling behavior of the obtained hydrogel was investigated. Urea as an agrochemical model was loaded onto the obtained hydrogel to provide nitrogen (N) nutrients. The water retention capability and the urea release behavior of the CMC/PVP hydrogels were investigated. It was found that, the obtained CMC/PVP hydrogels have good swelling degree that greatly affected by its composition and absorbed dose. The swelling was also extremely sensitive to the ionic strength and cationic kind. Owing to its considerable slow urea release, good water retention capacity, being economical, and environment-friendly, it might be useful for its application in agriculture field.

Radiation synthesis of superabsorbent CMC based hydrogels for agriculture applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Raafat, Amany I., E-mail: ismaelraafat_a@hotmail.com [Polymer Chemistry Department, National Center for Radiation Research and Technology, P.O. Box 29, Nasr City, Cairo (Egypt); Eid, Mona; El-Arnaouty, Magda B. [Polymer Chemistry Department, National Center for Radiation Research and Technology, P.O. Box 29, Nasr City, Cairo (Egypt)

2012-07-15

A series of superabsorbent hydrogel based on carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) crosslinked with gamma irradiation have been proposed for agriculture application. The effect of preparation conditions such as feed solution composition and absorbed irradiation dose on the gelation and swelling degree was evaluated. The structure and the morphology of the superabsorbent CMC/PVP hydrogel were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy technique (FTIR), and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Effect of ionic strength and cationic and anionic kinds on the swelling behavior of the obtained hydrogel was investigated. Urea as an agrochemical model was loaded onto the obtained hydrogel to provide nitrogen (N) nutrients. The water retention capability and the urea release behavior of the CMC/PVP hydrogels were investigated. It was found that, the obtained CMC/PVP hydrogels have good swelling degree that greatly affected by its composition and absorbed dose. The swelling was also extremely sensitive to the ionic strength and cationic kind. Owing to its considerable slow urea release, good water retention capacity, being economical, and environment-friendly, it might be useful for its application in agriculture field.

Application of fuzzy inference system to increase efficiency of management decision-making in agricultural enterprises

OpenAIRE

Balanovskаya, Tetiana Ivanovna; Boretska, Zoreslava Petrovna

2014-01-01

Application of fuzzy inference system to increase efficiency of management decision- making in agricultural enterprises. Theoretical and methodological issues, practical recommendations on improvement of management decision-making in agricultural enterprises to increase their competitiveness have been intensified and developed in the article. A simulation example of a quality management system for agricultural products on the basis of the theory of fuzzy sets and fuzzy logic has been proposed...

Market assessment of photovoltaic power systems for agricultural applications worldwide

Science.gov (United States)

Cabraal, A.; Delasanta, D.; Rosen, J.; Nolfi, J.; Ulmer, R.

1981-11-01

Agricultural sector PV market assessments conducted in the Phillippines, Nigeria, Mexico, Morocco, and Colombia are extrapolated worldwide. The types of applications evaluated are those requiring less than 15 kW of power and operate in a stand alone mode. The major conclusions were as follows: PV will be competitive in applications requiring 2 to 3 kW of power prior to 1983; by 1986 PV system competitiveness will extend to applications requiring 4 to 6 kW of power, due to capital constraints, the private sector market may be restricted to applications requiring less than about 2 kW of power; the ultimate purchase of larger systems will be governments, either through direct purchase or loans from development banks. Though fragmented, a significant agriculture sector market for PV exists; however, the market for PV in telecommunications, signalling, rural services, and TV will be larger. Major market related factors influencing the potential for U.S. PV Sales are: lack of awareness; high first costs; shortage of long term capital; competition from German, French and Japanese companies who have government support; and low fuel prices in capital surplus countries. Strategies that may aid in overcoming some of these problems are: setting up of a trade association aimed at overcoming problems due to lack of awareness, innovative financing schemes such as lease arrangements, and designing products to match current user needs as opposed to attempting to change consumer behavior.

UAV FOR GEODATA ACQUISITION IN AGRICULTUREAL AND FORESTAL APPLICATIONS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. Reidelstürz

2012-09-01

The airframe´s wingspan is about 3,45m weighting 4.2 kg, ready to fly. The hand launchable UAV can start from any place in agricultural regions. The wing is configured with flaps, allowing steep approaches and short landings using a „butterfly“ brake configuration. In spite of the lightweight configuration the UAV yet proves its worth under windy baltic wether situations by collecting regular sharp images of fields under wind speed up to 15m/s (Beaufort 6 –7. In further projects the development of further payload modules and a user friendly flight planning tool is scheduled considering different payload – and airframe requirements for different precision farming purposes and forest applications. Data processing and workflow will be optimized. Cooperation with further partners to establish UAV systems in agricultural, forest and geodata aquisition is desired.

Review of anthraquinone applications for pest management and agricultural crop protection.

Science.gov (United States)

DeLiberto, Shelagh T; Werner, Scott J

2016-10-01

We have reviewed published anthraquinone applications for international pest management and agricultural crop protection from 1943 to 2016. Anthraquinone (AQ) is commonly found in dyes, pigments and many plants and organisms. Avian repellent research with AQ began in the 1940s. In the context of pest management, AQ is currently used as a chemical repellent, perch deterrent, insecticide and feeding deterrent in many wild birds, and in some mammals, insects and fishes. Criteria for evaluation of effective chemical repellents include efficacy, potential for wildlife hazards, phytotoxicity and environmental persistence. As a biopesticide, AQ often meets these criteria of efficacy for the non-lethal management of agricultural depredation caused by wildlife. We summarize published applications of AQ for the protection of newly planted and maturing crops from pest birds. Conventional applications of AQ-based repellents include preplant seed treatments [e.g. corn (Zea mays L.), rice (Oryza sativa L.), sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.), wheat (Triticum spp.), millet (Panicum spp.), sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.), pelletized feed and forest tree species] and foliar applications for rice, sunflower, lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), turf, sugar beets (Beta vulgaris L.), soybean (Glycine max L.), sweet corn and nursery, fruit and nut crops. In addition to agricultural repellent applications, AQ has also been used to treat toxicants for the protection of non-target birds. Few studies have demonstrated AQ repellency in mammals, including wild boar (Sus scrofa, L.), thirteen-lined ground squirrels (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus, Mitchill), black-tailed prairie dogs (Cyomys ludovicainus, Ord.), common voles (Microtus arvalis, Pallas), house mice (Mus musculus, L.), Tristram's jirds (Meriones tristrami, Thomas) and black rats (Rattus rattus L.). Natural sources of AQ and its derivatives have also been identified as insecticides and insect repellents. As a natural or synthetic biopesticide, AQ

Households and food security: lessons from food secure households in East Africa.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Silvestri, Silvia; Douxchamps, Sabine; Kristjanson, Patti; Förch, Wiebke; Radeny, Maren; Mutie, Lanetta; Quiros, F.C.; Herrero, M.; Ndungu, Anthony; Claessens, L.F.G.

2015-01-01

Background
What are the key factors that contribute to household-level food security? What lessons can we learn from food secure households? What agricultural options and management strategies are likely to benefit female-headed households in particular? This paper addresses these questions

Lessons learned from Gen II NPP staffing approaches applicable to new reactors - 15003

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goodnight, C.

2015-01-01

This paper discusses lessons learned from the operation of the Gen II fleet of existing nuclear power plants (NPPs), in terms of staffing, that can be applied to the final design, deployment, and operation of new reactor designs. The most significant of these lessons is the need to appropriately staff the facility, having the right number of people with the required skills and experience. This begs the question of how to identify those personnel requirements. For NPPs, there are five key factors that ultimately will determine the effectiveness and costs of operating nuclear power plants (NPPs): 1) The Nuclear Steam Supply System (NSSS) and the layout of the plant site; 2) The processes which the operating organization applies; 3) The organizational structure of the operating organization; 4) The organizational culture of the operating organization, and 5) The regulatory framework under which the licensee must operate. In summary, this paper identifies opportunities to minimize staffing and costs learned from Gen II NPPs that may be applicable for new nuclear plants. (author)

Biochar-based functional materials in the purification of agricultural wastewater: Fabrication, application and future research needs.

Science.gov (United States)

Wei, Dongning; Li, Bingyu; Huang, Hongli; Luo, Lin; Zhang, Jiachao; Yang, Yuan; Guo, Jiajun; Tang, Lin; Zeng, Guangming; Zhou, Yaoyu

2018-04-01

Nowadays, agricultural contamination is becoming more and more serious due to the rapid growth of agricultural industry, which discharged antibiotics, pesticides or toxic metals into farmlands. A large number of researchers have applied biochar-based functional materials to the treatment of agricultural wastewater contamination. Meanwhile, biochar has also proved to be a very promising and effective technology in water purification field due to its various beneficial properties (e.g., cost effective, high specific surface area, and surface reactive groups). The focus of this review is to highlight the fabrication methods and application of biochar-based functional materials with the removal of different agricultural contaminants, and discuss the underlying mechanisms. However, the application of biochar-based functional materials is currently under its infancy, with the main hindrance is identified as the gap between laboratory scale and field application, immaturity of engineered biochar production technologies, and lack of quality standards. In order to fill these knowledge gaps, more efforts should be made to pay for the relevant research in future studies. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Lessons learned from application of the Swedish regulations for decommissioning of nuclear facilities - The regulator's perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Efraimsson, Henrik; Amft, Martin; Leisvik, Mathias

2016-01-01

The paper presents an overview of the Swedish regulations for decommissioning of nuclear facilities. It describes some of the experiences that the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority has gained from the application of these regulations. The focus of the present paper lies on administrative aspects of the care and maintenance operation and on the safety related documentation that has to be prepared before dismantling commences. Lessons learned during recent years will be considered when revising the regulations for decommissioning. Also these lessons learned will help to streamline the administration of the large NPP decommissioning projects that are anticipated to commence in Sweden in the near future. (authors)

An application to model traffic intensity of agricultural machinery at field scale

Science.gov (United States)

Augustin, Katja; Kuhwald, Michael; Duttmann, Rainer

2017-04-01

Several soil-pressure-models deal with the impact of agricultural machines on soils. In many cases, these models were used for single spots and consider a static machine configuration. Therefore, a statement about the spatial distribution of soil compaction risk for entire working processes is limited. The aim of the study is the development of an application for the spatial modelling of traffic lanes from agricultural vehicles including wheel load, ground pressure and wheel passages at the field scale. The application is based on Open Source software, application and data formats, using python programming language. Minimum input parameters are GPS-positions, vehicles and tires (producer and model) and the tire inflation pressure. Five working processes were distinguished: soil tillage, manuring, plant protection, sowing and harvest. Currently, two different models (Diserens 2009, Rücknagel et al. 2015) were implemented to calculate the soil pressure. The application was tested at a study site in Lower Saxony, Germany. Since 2015, field traffic were recorded by RTK-GPS and used machine set ups were noted. Using these input information the traffic lanes, wheel load and soil pressure were calculated for all working processes. For instance, the maize harvest in 2016 with a crop chopper and one transport vehicle crossed about 55 % of the total field area. At some places the machines rolled over up to 46 times. Approximately 35 % of the total area was affected by wheel loads over 7 tons and soil pressures between 163 and 193 kPa. With the information about the spatial distribution of wheel passages, wheel load and soil pressure it is possible to identify hot spots of intensive field traffic. Additionally, the use of the application enables the analysis of soil compaction risk induced by agricultural machines for long- and short-term periods.

A novel application for concentrator photovoltaic in the field of agriculture photovoltaics

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Luqing; Guan, Chenggang; Zhang, Fangxin; Li, Ming; Lv, Hui; Liu, Yang; Yao, Peijun; Ingenhoff, Jan; Liu, Wen

2017-09-01

Agriculture photovoltaics is a trend setting area which has already led to a new industrial revolution. Shortage of land in some countries and desertification of land where regular solar panels are deployed are some of the major problems in the photovoltaic industry. Concentrator photovoltaics experienced a decline in applicability after the cost erosion of regular solar panels at the end of the last decade. We demonstrate a novel and unique application for concentrator photovoltaics tackling at a same time the issue of conventional photovoltaics preventing the land being used for agricultural purpose where ever solar panels are installed. We leverage the principle of diffractive and interference technology to split the sun light into transmitted wavelengths necessary for plant growth and reflected wavelengths useful for solar energy generation. The technology has been successfully implemented in field trials and sophisticated scientific studies have been undertaken to evaluate the suitability of this technology for competitive solar power generation and simultaneous high-quality plant growth. The average efficiency of the agriculture photovoltaic system has reached more than 8% and the average efficiency of the CPV system is 6.80%.

Data Collection Satellite Application in Precision Agriculture

Science.gov (United States)

Durào, O.

2002-01-01

's over Brazilian territory. There were 25 platforms when SCD-1 was launched. However this number is growing rapidly to 400 platforms, at first for measurements of water reservoir levels as well as other hydrology applications (The Brazilian Electricity Regulatory Agency - ANEEL is the customer), and for many other different applications such as meteorology, oceanography, environmental monitoring sciences, and people and animal tracking. The clear feeling is that users are discovering a satellite system whose benefits were not previously well understood when launched and being able to propose and come up with different and useful applications. A new field in the country that has a great potential to benefit from this system is agriculture. Per se, this is a very important sector of the Brazilian economy and its international trade. Combining it with space technology may justify the investment of new and low cost dedicated satellites. This paper describes a new proposal for use of the SCD-1,2,CBERS-1 satellite system for precision agriculture. New PCD's would be developed for measurements of chemical content of the soil, such as, for example, Nitrogen and others, beyond humidity and solar incidence. This can lead to a more efficient fertilization, harvesting and even the spray of chemical defensives, with the consequence of environment protection. The PCD's ground network so established, along with the information network already available, combined with the space segment of such a system may, as previously said, be able to justify the investment in low cost satellites with this sole purpose.

Developing a New Wireless Sensor Network Platform and Its Application in Precision Agriculture

Science.gov (United States)

Aquino-Santos, Raúl; González-Potes, Apolinar; Edwards-Block, Arthur; Virgen-Ortiz, Raúl Alejandro

2011-01-01

Wireless sensor networks are gaining greater attention from the research community and industrial professionals because these small pieces of “smart dust” offer great advantages due to their small size, low power consumption, easy integration and support for “green” applications. Green applications are considered a hot topic in intelligent environments, ubiquitous and pervasive computing. This work evaluates a new wireless sensor network platform and its application in precision agriculture, including its embedded operating system and its routing algorithm. To validate the technological platform and the embedded operating system, two different routing strategies were compared: hierarchical and flat. Both of these routing algorithms were tested in a small-scale network applied to a watermelon field. However, we strongly believe that this technological platform can be also applied to precision agriculture because it incorporates a modified version of LORA-CBF, a wireless location-based routing algorithm that uses cluster-based flooding. Cluster-based flooding addresses the scalability concerns of wireless sensor networks, while the modified LORA-CBF routing algorithm includes a metric to monitor residual battery energy. Furthermore, results show that the modified version of LORA-CBF functions well with both the flat and hierarchical algorithms, although it functions better with the flat algorithm in a small-scale agricultural network. PMID:22346622

Developing a new wireless sensor network platform and its application in precision agriculture.

Science.gov (United States)

Aquino-Santos, Raúl; González-Potes, Apolinar; Edwards-Block, Arthur; Virgen-Ortiz, Raúl Alejandro

2011-01-01

Wireless sensor networks are gaining greater attention from the research community and industrial professionals because these small pieces of "smart dust" offer great advantages due to their small size, low power consumption, easy integration and support for "green" applications. Green applications are considered a hot topic in intelligent environments, ubiquitous and pervasive computing. This work evaluates a new wireless sensor network platform and its application in precision agriculture, including its embedded operating system and its routing algorithm. To validate the technological platform and the embedded operating system, two different routing strategies were compared: hierarchical and flat. Both of these routing algorithms were tested in a small-scale network applied to a watermelon field. However, we strongly believe that this technological platform can be also applied to precision agriculture because it incorporates a modified version of LORA-CBF, a wireless location-based routing algorithm that uses cluster-based flooding. Cluster-based flooding addresses the scalability concerns of wireless sensor networks, while the modified LORA-CBF routing algorithm includes a metric to monitor residual battery energy. Furthermore, results show that the modified version of LORA-CBF functions well with both the flat and hierarchical algorithms, although it functions better with the flat algorithm in a small-scale agricultural network.

Constellation Program Lessons Learned. Volume 2; Detailed Lessons Learned

Science.gov (United States)

Rhatigan, Jennifer; Neubek, Deborah J.; Thomas, L. Dale

2011-01-01

These lessons learned are part of a suite of hardware, software, test results, designs, knowledge base, and documentation that comprises the legacy of the Constellation Program. The context, summary information, and lessons learned are presented in a factual format, as known and described at the time. While our opinions might be discernable in the context, we have avoided all but factually sustainable statements. Statements should not be viewed as being either positive or negative; their value lies in what we did and what we learned that is worthy of passing on. The lessons include both "dos" and "don ts." In many cases, one person s "do" can be viewed as another person s "don t"; therefore, we have attempted to capture both perspectives when applicable and useful. While Volume I summarizes the views of those who managed the program, this Volume II encompasses the views at the working level, describing how the program challenges manifested in day-to-day activities. Here we see themes that were perhaps hinted at, but not completely addressed, in Volume I: unintended consequences of policies that worked well at higher levels but lacked proper implementation at the working level; long-term effects of the "generation gap" in human space flight development, the need to demonstrate early successes at the expense of thorough planning, and the consequences of problems and challenges not yet addressed because other problems and challenges were more immediate or manifest. Not all lessons learned have the benefit of being operationally vetted, since the program was cancelled shortly after Preliminary Design Review. We avoid making statements about operational consequences (with the exception of testing and test flights that did occur), but we do attempt to provide insight into how operational thinking influenced design and testing. The lessons have been formatted with a description, along with supporting information, a succinct statement of the lesson learned, and

Applications of satellite 'hyper-sensing' in Chinese agriculture: Challenges and opportunities

Science.gov (United States)

Onojeghuo, Alex Okiemute; Blackburn, George Alan; Huang, Jingfeng; Kindred, Daniel; Huang, Wenjiang

2018-02-01

Ensuring adequate food supplies to a large and increasing population continues to be the key challenge for China. Given the increasing integration of China within global markets for agricultural products, this issue is of considerable significance for global food security. Over the last 50 years, China has increased the production of its staple crops mainly by increasing yield per unit land area. However, this has largely been achieved through inappropriate agricultural practices, which have caused environmental degradation, with deleterious consequences for future agricultural productivity. Hence, there is now a pressing need to intensify agriculture in China using practices that are environmentally and economically sustainable. Given the dynamic nature of crops over space and time, the use of remote sensing technology has proven to be a valuable asset providing end-users in many countries with information to guide sustainable agricultural practices. Recently, the field has experienced considerable technological advancements reflected in the availability of 'hyper-sensing' (high spectral, spatial and temporal) satellite imagery useful for monitoring, modelling and mapping of agricultural crops. However, there still remains a significant challenge in fully exploiting such technologies for addressing agricultural problems in China. This review paper evaluates the potential contributions of satellite 'hyper-sensing' to agriculture in China and identifies the opportunities and challenges for future work. We perform a critical evaluation of current capabilities in satellite 'hyper-sensing' in agriculture with an emphasis on Chinese sensors. Our analysis draws on a series of in-depth examples based on recent and on-going projects in China that are developing 'hyper-sensing' approaches for (i) measuring crop phenology parameters and predicting yields; (ii) specifying crop fertiliser requirements; (iii) optimising management responses to abiotic and biotic stress in crops

Pesticide Applicator Certification Training, Manual No. 1a: Agricultural Pest Control. a. Plant.

Science.gov (United States)

Allen, W. A.; And Others

This manual provides information needed to meet the minimum standards for certification as an applicator of pesticides in the agricultural plant pest control category. Adapted for the State of Virginia, the text discusses: (1) the basics of insecticides; (2) insect pests; (3) selection and calibration of applicator equipment; and (4) the proper…

Evaluating the performance of a low-cost GPS in precision agriculture applications

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Kjeld; Larsen, Morten; Simonsen, Tom

2012-01-01

Field Robots are often equipped with a Real Time Kinematic (RTK) GPS to obtain precise positioning. In many precision agriculture applications, however, the robot operates in semi-structured environments like orchards and row crops, where local sensors such as computer vision and laser range...... scanners can produce accurate positioning relative to the crops. GPS is then primarily needed for robust inter-row navigation. This work evaluates a new low-cost GPS. Static tests were used to test the absolute accuracy. To test the GPS in a precision agriculture environment it was installed on a robot...

Fabrication of Scalable Indoor Light Energy Harvester and Study for Agricultural IoT Applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watanabe, M; Nakamura, A; Kunii, A; Kusano, K; Futagawa, M

2015-01-01

A scalable indoor light energy harvester was fabricated by microelectromechanical system (MEMS) and printing hybrid technology and evaluated for agricultural IoT applications under different environmental input power density conditions, such as outdoor farming under the sun, greenhouse farming under scattered lighting, and a plant factory under LEDs. We fabricated and evaluated a dye- sensitized-type solar cell (DSC) as a low cost and “scalable” optical harvester device. We developed a transparent conductive oxide (TCO)-less process with a honeycomb metal mesh substrate fabricated by MEMS technology. In terms of the electrical and optical properties, we achieved scalable harvester output power by cell area sizing. Second, we evaluated the dependence of the input power scalable characteristics on the input light intensity, spectrum distribution, and light inlet direction angle, because harvested environmental input power is unstable. The TiO 2 fabrication relied on nanoimprint technology, which was designed for optical optimization and fabrication, and we confirmed that the harvesters are robust to a variety of environments. Finally, we studied optical energy harvesting applications for agricultural IoT systems. These scalable indoor light harvesters could be used in many applications and situations in smart agriculture. (paper)

Fabrication of Scalable Indoor Light Energy Harvester and Study for Agricultural IoT Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Watanabe, M.; Nakamura, A.; Kunii, A.; Kusano, K.; Futagawa, M.

2015-12-01

A scalable indoor light energy harvester was fabricated by microelectromechanical system (MEMS) and printing hybrid technology and evaluated for agricultural IoT applications under different environmental input power density conditions, such as outdoor farming under the sun, greenhouse farming under scattered lighting, and a plant factory under LEDs. We fabricated and evaluated a dye- sensitized-type solar cell (DSC) as a low cost and “scalable” optical harvester device. We developed a transparent conductive oxide (TCO)-less process with a honeycomb metal mesh substrate fabricated by MEMS technology. In terms of the electrical and optical properties, we achieved scalable harvester output power by cell area sizing. Second, we evaluated the dependence of the input power scalable characteristics on the input light intensity, spectrum distribution, and light inlet direction angle, because harvested environmental input power is unstable. The TiO2 fabrication relied on nanoimprint technology, which was designed for optical optimization and fabrication, and we confirmed that the harvesters are robust to a variety of environments. Finally, we studied optical energy harvesting applications for agricultural IoT systems. These scalable indoor light harvesters could be used in many applications and situations in smart agriculture.

Nuclear agricultural sciences in China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu Bujin

2004-01-01

Nuclear technique is a powerful scientific tool in agricultural research, an area with fruitful achievements in China. Nuclear technique application in agriculture based on the development of related science and technology is of a high technical area, and also a meaningful aspect of non-electrical power application of nuclear technique. Nuclear Agricultural Sciences is an important component of agricultural science and technology, and has been made a lot of significant achievements, which has made remarkable contribution to the development in economy, society and ecology of China. This article reviews the achievements and present situation of Nuclear Agricultural Sciences in China briefly. For promoting its development, the author strongly suggests that Chinese government bodies should put more attention to the study on the application of nuclear technique in agriculture to make further more contributions to Chinese society and agriculture. (authors)

Quantitative measures of corrosion and prevention: application to corrosion in agriculture

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schouten, J.C.; Gellings, P.J.

1987-01-01

The corrosion protection factor (c.p.f.) and the corrosion condition (c.c.) are simple instruments for the study and evaluation of the contribution and efficiency of several methods of corrosion prevention and control. The application of c.p.f. and c.c. to corrosion and prevention in agriculture in

Webinar Presentation: Prenatal Residential Proximity to Agricultural Pesticide Applications and IQ in Children

Science.gov (United States)

This presentation, Prenatal Residential Proximity to Agricultural Pesticide Applications and IQ in Children, was given at the NIEHS/EPA Children's Centers 2015 Webinar Series: Brain Health held on Aug. 12, 2015.

Apply Pesticides Correctly, A Guide for Commercial Applicators: Agricultural Pest Control -- Animal.

Science.gov (United States)

Wamsley, Mary Ann, Ed.; Vermeire, Donna M., Ed.

This guide contains basic information to meet specific standards for pesticide applicators. The text is concerned with the common pests of agricultural animals such as flies, ticks, bots, lice and mites. Methods for controlling these pests and appropriate pesticides are discussed. (CS)

Applicability of health physics lessons learned from the Three Mile Island Unit 2 accident to the Fukushima Daiichi accident.

Science.gov (United States)

Bevelacqua, J J

2012-02-01

The TMI-2 and Fukushima Daiichi accidents appear to be dissimilar because they involve different reactor types. However, the health physics related lessons learned from TMI-2 are applicable, and can enhance the Fukushima Daiichi recovery effort. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Potential Applications of Polyamines in Agriculture and Plant Biotechnology.

Science.gov (United States)

Tiburcio, Antonio F; Alcázar, Rubén

2018-01-01

The polyamines putrescine, spermidine and spermine have been implicated in a myriad of biological functions in many organisms. Research done during the last decades has accumulated a large body of evidence demonstrating that polyamines are key modulators of plant growth and development. Different experimental approaches have been employed including the measurement of endogenous polyamine levels and the activities of polyamine metabolic enzymes, the study of the effects resulting from exogenous polyamine applications and chemical or genetic manipulation of endogenous polyamine titers. This chapter reviews the role of PAs in seed germination, root development, plant architecture, in vitro plant regeneration, flowering and plant senescence. Evidence presented here indicates that polyamines should be regarded as plant growth regulators with potential applications in agriculture and plant biotechnology.

Biotechnology and Agriculture.

Science.gov (United States)

Kenney, Martin

Even at this early date in the application of biotechnology to agriculture, it is clear that agriculture may provide the largest market for new or less expensive biotechnologically manufactured products. The chemical and pharmaceutical industries that hold important positions in agricultural inputs are consolidating their positions by purchasing…

Application of the WEPS and SWEEP models to non-agricultural disturbed lands

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Tatarko

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Wind erosion not only affects agricultural productivity but also soil, air, and water quality. Dust and specifically particulate matter ≤10 μm (PM-10 has adverse effects on respiratory health and also reduces visibility along roadways, resulting in auto accidents. The Wind Erosion Prediction System (WEPS was developed by the USDA-Agricultural Research Service to simulate wind erosion and provide for conservation planning on cultivated agricultural lands. A companion product, known as the Single-Event Wind Erosion Evaluation Program (SWEEP, has also been developed which consists of the stand-alone WEPS erosion submodel combined with a graphical interface to simulate soil loss from single (i.e., daily wind storm events. In addition to agricultural lands, wind driven dust emissions also occur from other anthropogenic sources such as construction sites, mined and reclaimed areas, landfills, and other disturbed lands. Although developed for agricultural fields, WEPS and SWEEP are useful tools for simulating erosion by wind for non-agricultural lands where typical agricultural practices are not employed. On disturbed lands, WEPS can be applied for simulating long-term (i.e., multi-year erosion control strategies. SWEEP on the other hand was developed specifically for disturbed lands and can simulate potential soil loss for site- and date-specific planned surface conditions and control practices. This paper presents novel applications of WEPS and SWEEP for developing erosion control strategies on non-agricultural disturbed lands. Erosion control planning with WEPS and SWEEP using water and other dust suppressants, wind barriers, straw mulch, re-vegetation, and other management practices is demonstrated herein through the use of comparative simulation scenarios. The scenarios confirm the efficacy of the WEPS and SWEEP models as valuable tools for supporting the design of erosion control plans for disturbed lands that are not only cost-effective but

Application of the WEPS and SWEEP models to non-agricultural disturbed lands.

Science.gov (United States)

Tatarko, J; van Donk, S J; Ascough, J C; Walker, D G

2016-12-01

Wind erosion not only affects agricultural productivity but also soil, air, and water quality. Dust and specifically particulate matter ≤10 μm (PM-10) has adverse effects on respiratory health and also reduces visibility along roadways, resulting in auto accidents. The Wind Erosion Prediction System (WEPS) was developed by the USDA-Agricultural Research Service to simulate wind erosion and provide for conservation planning on cultivated agricultural lands. A companion product, known as the Single-Event Wind Erosion Evaluation Program (SWEEP), has also been developed which consists of the stand-alone WEPS erosion submodel combined with a graphical interface to simulate soil loss from single (i.e., daily) wind storm events. In addition to agricultural lands, wind driven dust emissions also occur from other anthropogenic sources such as construction sites, mined and reclaimed areas, landfills, and other disturbed lands. Although developed for agricultural fields, WEPS and SWEEP are useful tools for simulating erosion by wind for non-agricultural lands where typical agricultural practices are not employed. On disturbed lands, WEPS can be applied for simulating long-term (i.e., multi-year) erosion control strategies. SWEEP on the other hand was developed specifically for disturbed lands and can simulate potential soil loss for site- and date-specific planned surface conditions and control practices. This paper presents novel applications of WEPS and SWEEP for developing erosion control strategies on non-agricultural disturbed lands. Erosion control planning with WEPS and SWEEP using water and other dust suppressants, wind barriers, straw mulch, re-vegetation, and other management practices is demonstrated herein through the use of comparative simulation scenarios. The scenarios confirm the efficacy of the WEPS and SWEEP models as valuable tools for supporting the design of erosion control plans for disturbed lands that are not only cost-effective but also incorporate

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service research in application technology for pest management.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, L A; Thomson, S J

2003-01-01

A research summary is presented that emphasizes ARS achievements in application technology over the past 2-3 years. Research focused on the improvement of agricultural pesticide application is important from the standpoint of crop protection as well as environmental safety. Application technology research is being actively pursued within the ARS, with a primary focus on application system development, drift management, efficacy enhancement and remote sensing. Research on application systems has included sensor-controlled hooded sprayers, new approaches to direct chemical injection, and aerial electrostatic sprayers. For aerial application, great improvements in on-board flow controllers permit accurate field application of chemicals. Aircraft parameters such as boom position and spray release height are being altered to determine their effect on drift. Other drift management research has focused on testing of low-drift nozzles, evaluation of pulsed spray technologies and evaluation of drift control adjuvants. Research on the use of air curtain sprayers in orchards, air-assist sprayers for row crops and vegetables, and air deflectors on aircraft has documented improvements in application efficacy. Research has shown that the fate of applied chemicals is influenced by soil properties, and this has implications for herbicide efficacy and dissipation in the environment. Remote sensing systems are being used to target areas in the field where pests are present so that spray can be directed to only those areas. Soil and crop conditions influence propensity for weeds and insects to proliferate in any given field area. Research has indicated distinct field patterns favorable for weed growth and insect concentration, which can provide further assistance for targeted spraying.

The Implementation of Lesson Study in English Language Learning: A Case Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wakhid Nashruddin

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Lesson Study as a growing interest in the education world has attracted educators, experts, and professionals in the area to make use of it in improving the lessons—it also happens in Indonesia. Originally applied in the teaching of mathematics in Japan, now it turns to be used in other fields, and English is one of them. This paper highlights the guideline on Lesson Study and pictures its application in a private senior high school in Malang, East Java, Indonesia. The adaptation of Lesson Study is interesting since Japan and Indonesia have different cultural background. How Lesson Study is usually implemented in Japan and the US and how it is applied in Indonesia will be seen here. As this is a case study, it will only focus on a school and the result should not be used to generalize Lesson Study applications in Indonesia. Interview and observation were instruments used in this study. The interview was used to gain information on how Lesson Study was normally conducted and observation (and the researchers’ involvements was used to see the real implementation of Lesson Study. What happened during the implementation of Lesson Study and during the teaching and learning process become a great attention here.

Applications of stable isotopes in agriculture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koren'kov, D.A.; Faust, Kh.

1977-01-01

The stable isotope 15 N has become widely used in agricultural studies. With it one can determine the true uptake of fertilizer and soil nitrogen by different crops as a function of their particular biological characteristics. Under field conditions, the extent of fertilizer nitrogen uptake by plants does not as a rule exceed 50%, being less for winter cereals and significantly more for perennial grasses. Applied fertilizer nitrogen, by intensifying the mobilization processes, increases the mobility of soil nitrogen. As a result, the accessibility of soil nitrogen to plants increases, and there is a greater chance of its being lost through washing-out. A considerable fraction of fertilizer nitrogen (on average 20-30%) becomes fixed in the soil in compounds which are not easily hydrolized and hence not readily available to plants. Nitrogen fixed in fulvic acids and non-specific compounds is the most mobile and can be used by plants. Fertilizer nitrogen in the soil undergoes various changes, as a result of which some is lost in the form of gaseous compounds. A certain amount of fertilizer nitrogen may become lost through washing-out. On the basis of 15 N investigations, it is possible to find ways of increasing the effectiveness of nitrogenous fertilizers and reducing nitrogen losses - for example, fertilizer application closer to the beginning of the period of active utilization of nutrients by plants, selection of more efficient fertilizer forms and the use of nitrification inhibitors. The wider employment of 15 N in agricultural studies should become possible through the use of cheaper compounds depleted or slightly enriched in 15 N. (author)

Agricultural application of radioisotopes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Agrawal, H.M.

2001-01-01

The radiations and isotopic tracers laboratory (R.I.T.L.) is duly approved B-class laboratory for handling radioactivity and functions as a central research facility of our university which has played a very significant role in ushering green revolution in the country. Radiolabelled fertilizers, insecticides and isotopes mostly supplied by Board of Radiation and Isotope Technology, (BRIT) Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) are being used in our university for the last three decades to study the uptake of fertilizers, micro nutrients, photosynthesis and photorespiration studies in different crop plants, soil-water-plant relations and roots activity, pesticides and herbicides mode of action, plants physiology and microbiology. Main emphasis of research so far has been concentrated on the agricultural productivity. The present talk is an attempt to highlight the enormous potential of radioisotopes to evolve better management of crop system for eco-friendly and sustainable agriculture in the next century. (author)

Remote sensing and implications for variable-rate application using agricultural aircraft

Science.gov (United States)

Thomson, Steven J.; Smith, Lowrey A.; Ray, Jeffrey D.; Zimba, Paul V.

2004-01-01

Aircraft routinely used for agricultural spray application are finding utility for remote sensing. Data obtained from remote sensing can be used for prescription application of pesticides, fertilizers, cotton growth regulators, and water (the latter with the assistance of hyperspectral indices and thermal imaging). Digital video was used to detect weeds in early cotton, and preliminary data were obtained to see if nitrogen status could be detected in early soybeans. Weeds were differentiable from early cotton at very low altitudes (65-m), with the aid of supervised classification algorithms in the ENVI image analysis software. The camera was flown at very low altitude for acceptable pixel resolution. Nitrogen status was not detectable by statistical analysis of digital numbers (DNs) obtained from images, but soybean cultivar differences were statistically discernable (F=26, p=0.01). Spectroradiometer data are being analyzed to identify narrow spectral bands that might aid in selecting camera filters for determination of plant nitrogen status. Multiple camera configurations are proposed to allow vegetative indices to be developed more readily. Both remotely sensed field images and ground data are to be used for decision-making in a proposed variable-rate application system for agricultural aircraft. For this system, prescriptions generated from digital imagery and data will be coupled with GPS-based swath guidance and programmable flow control.

Imaging with electromagnetic spectrum applications in food and agriculture

CERN Document Server

Jayasuriya, Hemantha

2014-01-01

This book demonstrates how imaging techniques, applying different frequency bands from the electromagnetic spectrum, are used in scientific research. Illustrated with numerous examples this book is structured according to the different radiation bands: From Gamma-rays over UV and IR to radio frequencies. In order to ensure a clear understanding of the processing methodologies, the text is enriched with descriptions of how digital images are formed, acquired, processed and how to extract information from them. A special emphasis is given to the application of imaging techniques in food and agriculture research.

Fungicide application practices and personal protective equipment use among orchard farmers in the agricultural health study.

Science.gov (United States)

Hines, C J; Deddens, J A; Coble, J; Alavanja, M C R

2007-04-01

Fungicides are routinely applied to deciduous tree fruits for disease management. Seventy-four private orchard applicators enrolled in the Agricultural Health Study participated in the Orchard Fungicide Exposure Study in 2002-2003. During 144 days of observation, information was obtained on chemicals applied and applicator mixing, application, personal protective, and hygiene practices. At least half of the applicators had orchards with orchard applicators.

Proceedings of the Scientific Meeting on Application of Isotopes and Radiation, Book I, Agricultural, Animal and Biology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suhadi, F.; Sisworo, E.L.; Maha, M.; Ismachin, M.; Hilmy, N.; Sumatra, M.; Mugiono; Wandowo; Soebianto, Y.S

1998-01-01

The aim of the 10 t h Meeting of the Isotope and Radiation Application is to disseminate the result of research on application of nuclear techniques on agriculture, animal, biology, chemistry, environment, radiation process and industry. The meeting was held in Jakarta, 18-19 February 1998, and there were 6 invited papers and 52 papers indexed individually. This proceeding is divided by two volumes. Volume I and volume II consists of agriculture, animal, biology and chemistry, environment, radiation process and industry, respectively.(ID)

The application of GMOs in agriculture and in food production for a better nutrition: two different scientific points of view.

Science.gov (United States)

Buiatti, M; Christou, P; Pastore, G

2013-05-01

This commentary is a face-to-face debate between two almost opposite positions regarding the application of genetic engineering in agriculture and food production. Seven questions on the potential benefits of the application of genetic engineering in agriculture and on the potentially adverse impacts on the environment and human health were posed to two scientists: one who is sceptical about the use of GMOs in Agriculture, and one who views GMOs as an important tool for quantitatively and qualitatively improving food production.

Lessons Learned from the USAID Girls' Education Activity in Guatemala, Morocco, and Peru.

Science.gov (United States)

Rugh, Andrea; Brush, Lorelei

The Girls' Education Activity (GEA) is a project of the United States Agency for International Development's (USAID's) Office of Women in Development (WID) in the Bureau for Economic Growth, Agriculture and Trade. This report summarizes the experiences and lessons learned from 12 project initiatives in the 3 participating countries (Guatemala,…

Meats Units for Agricultural Science I and Advanced Livestock Production and Marketing Courses. Instructor's Guide. Volume 18, Number 4.

Science.gov (United States)

Stewart, Bob R.; McCaskey, Michael J.

These two units are designed to aid teachers in lesson planning in the secondary agricultural education curriculum in Missouri. The first unit, on meat identification, is to be taught as part of the first year of instruction in agricultural science, while the second unit, advanced meats, was prepared for use with 11th- and 12th-grade students in…

Developing Ubiquitous Sensor Network Platform Using Internet of Things: Application in Precision Agriculture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francisco Javier Ferrández-Pastor

2016-07-01

Full Text Available The application of Information Technologies into Precision Agriculture methods has clear benefits. Precision Agriculture optimises production efficiency, increases quality, minimises environmental impact and reduces the use of resources (energy, water; however, there are different barriers that have delayed its wide development. Some of these main barriers are expensive equipment, the difficulty to operate and maintain and the standard for sensor networks are still under development. Nowadays, new technological development in embedded devices (hardware and communication protocols, the evolution of Internet technologies (Internet of Things and ubiquitous computing (Ubiquitous Sensor Networks allow developing less expensive systems, easier to control, install and maintain, using standard protocols with low-power consumption. This work develops and test a low-cost sensor/actuator network platform, based in Internet of Things, integrating machine-to-machine and human-machine-interface protocols. Edge computing uses this multi-protocol approach to develop control processes on Precision Agriculture scenarios. A greenhouse with hydroponic crop production was developed and tested using Ubiquitous Sensor Network monitoring and edge control on Internet of Things paradigm. The experimental results showed that the Internet technologies and Smart Object Communication Patterns can be combined to encourage development of Precision Agriculture. They demonstrated added benefits (cost, energy, smart developing, acceptance by agricultural specialists when a project is launched.

Developing Ubiquitous Sensor Network Platform Using Internet of Things: Application in Precision Agriculture.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferrández-Pastor, Francisco Javier; García-Chamizo, Juan Manuel; Nieto-Hidalgo, Mario; Mora-Pascual, Jerónimo; Mora-Martínez, José

2016-07-22

The application of Information Technologies into Precision Agriculture methods has clear benefits. Precision Agriculture optimises production efficiency, increases quality, minimises environmental impact and reduces the use of resources (energy, water); however, there are different barriers that have delayed its wide development. Some of these main barriers are expensive equipment, the difficulty to operate and maintain and the standard for sensor networks are still under development. Nowadays, new technological development in embedded devices (hardware and communication protocols), the evolution of Internet technologies (Internet of Things) and ubiquitous computing (Ubiquitous Sensor Networks) allow developing less expensive systems, easier to control, install and maintain, using standard protocols with low-power consumption. This work develops and test a low-cost sensor/actuator network platform, based in Internet of Things, integrating machine-to-machine and human-machine-interface protocols. Edge computing uses this multi-protocol approach to develop control processes on Precision Agriculture scenarios. A greenhouse with hydroponic crop production was developed and tested using Ubiquitous Sensor Network monitoring and edge control on Internet of Things paradigm. The experimental results showed that the Internet technologies and Smart Object Communication Patterns can be combined to encourage development of Precision Agriculture. They demonstrated added benefits (cost, energy, smart developing, acceptance by agricultural specialists) when a project is launched.

Empirical analysis of dry spells for agricultural applications in west Africa

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sivakumar, M.V.K.

1992-01-01

Recurring droughts and decreased agricultural productivity during the last two decades in West Africa point to the need for a clearer understanding of the length of dry spells, their frequencies, and their probabilities. The simplest calculations of dry spells for general applications involve computation of the probabilities of maximum and conditional dry spells exceeding a user-specified threshold value from a given calendar date. For more precise applications in agriculture, it is important to consider the different periods after sowing a crop, since sowing dates in the semiarid West African regions vary from year to year. Using the specific definition of onset of rains in each year as the sowing date, the length of dry spells was calculated from the historical rainfall data. Probability distribution of time to the next wet day and the percentage frequencies of dry spells were computed for successive days after sowing (DAS) a crop. Dry-spell analysis showed a pronounced drop in the drought risk for cereal crops from the panicle initiation phase (20 DAS) to the flowering phase (60 DAS). The relationships between mean annual rainfall and average frequency of dry spells for the selected locations in West Africa showed distinct patterns and permit the prediction of the frequency of dry spells from annual rainfall totals. Applications of the dry-spell analysis for the choice of a crop/variety, supplemental irrigation, and crop water requirements have been described with examples

Atoms for Food and Nutrition: Application of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Esilaba, A.O.

2017-01-01

KALRO is a corporate body created under the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Act of 2013 to establish suitable legal and institutional frameworks for coordination of agricultural research in Kenya. It promote, streamline, co-ordinate and regulate research in crops, livestock, genetic resources and biotechnology and animal diseases. To expedite equitable access to research information, resources and technologies and promote the application of research findings and developed technologies in the field of agriculture and livestock. FAO's report identifies 15 trends and 10 challenges affecting the world's food systems. There are 10 key challenges that need to be addressed if we are to succeed in eradicating hunger and poverty, while making agriculture and food systems sustainable (FAO, 2017). Empowering small-scale farmers and providing them better access to information, markets and technologies is key to ensuring future food security. The mission of the Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture is to support and promote the safe and appropriate use of nuclear and related technologies by the FAO/IAEA member states in food and agriculture, with the aim to contribute to peace, health and prosperity throughout the world, especially to global food security and sustainable agricultural development.Isotopic techniques are employed to monitor foods for contamination with agrochemicals -optimizing sample preparation by radioisotopes -detecting contaminant by electron capture detector. Both stable and radioactive isotopes can be used as tracers in soil and water management & crop nutrition. Through collaboration with IAEA, KALRO is now the center in Africa where new drip irrigation technologies are being evaluated. KALRO partners with IAEA to host fellowship training for scientists and technicians from African region on soil and water management, efficient irrigation technologies and nitrogen fertilizer use efficiency. There is need for

29 CFR 780.509 - Agriculture.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 29 Labor 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Agriculture. 780.509 Section 780.509 Labor Regulations... INTERPRETATION NOT DIRECTLY RELATED TO REGULATIONS EXEMPTIONS APPLICABLE TO AGRICULTURE, PROCESSING OF... Section 13(a)(14) Shade-Grown Tobacco § 780.509 Agriculture. The definition of “agriculture,” as contained...

Lessons from the History of Ivermectin and Other Antiparasitic Agents.

Science.gov (United States)

Campbell, William C

2016-01-01

The twentieth century's arsenal of chemical anthelmintics brought manifold improvement in human health and, more abundantly, in animal health. The benefits were not only in health per se but also in agricultural economics, livestock management, and the overall production of food and fiber to support expanding human populations. Nevertheless, there remains (due in large part to drug resistance and paucity of available vaccines) a great need for new means of controlling disease caused by parasitic worms. Prudence should persuade us to look to our past for lessons that might help in our quest for new drugs. The lessons suggested here derive from the history of ivermectin and other anthelmintics. They deal with the means of finding substances with useful antiparasitic activity and with alternative approaches to drug discovery.

Lessons learned from the development of health applications in a tertiary hospital.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Joong-Yeol; Lee, Guna; Shin, Soo-Yong; Kim, Jeong Hun; Han, Hye-Won; Kwon, Tae-Wan; Kim, Woo Sung; Lee, Jae Ho

2014-03-01

Adoption of smart devices for hospital use has been increasing with the development of health applications (apps) for patient point-of-care and hospital management. To promote the use of health apps, we describe the lessons learned from developing 12 health apps in the largest tertiary hospital in Korea. We reviewed and analyzed 12 routinely used apps in three categories-Smart Clinic, Smart Patient, and Smart Hospital-based on target users and functions. The log data for each app were collected from the date of release up until December 2012. Medical personnel accessed a mobile electronic medical record app classified as Smart Clinic an average of 452 times per day. Smart Hospital apps are actively used to communicate with each other. Patients logged on to a mobile personal health record app categorized as Smart Patient an average of 222 times per day. As the mobile trend, the choice of supporting operating system (OS) is more difficult. By developing these apps, a monitoring system is needed for evaluation. We described the lessons learned regarding OS support, device choice, and developmental strategy. The OS can be chosen according to market share or hospital strategic plan. Smartphones were favored compared with tablets. Alliance with an information technology company can be the best way to develop apps. Health apps designed for smart devices can be used to improve healthcare. However, to develop health apps, hospitals must define their future goals and carefully consider all the aspects.

High Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactors Lessons Learned Applicable to the Next Generation Nuclear Plant

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

J. M. Beck; L. F. Pincock

2011-04-01

The purpose of this report is to identify possible issues highlighted by these lessons learned that could apply to the NGNP in reducing technical risks commensurate with the current phase of design. Some of the lessons learned have been applied to the NGNP and documented in the Preconceptual Design Report. These are addressed in the background section of this document and include, for example, the decision to use TRISO fuel rather than BISO fuel used in the Peach Bottom reactor; the use of a reactor pressure vessel rather than prestressed concrete found in Fort St. Vrain; and the use of helium as a primary coolant rather than CO2. Other lessons learned, 68 in total, are documented in Sections 2 through 6 and will be applied, as appropriate, in advancing phases of design. The lessons learned are derived from both negative and positive outcomes from prior HTGR experiences. Lessons learned are grouped according to the plant, areas, systems, subsystems, and components defined in the NGNP Preconceptual Design Report, and subsequent NGNP project documents.

Synthesis, Characterization, and Application of Superhydrophobic Sands in Desert Agriculture

KAUST Repository

Reihmer, Joel W.

2017-04-01

A sustainable supply of fresh water for the human population is a global concern. Intriguingly, about 70% of the total fresh water consumed in the world annually is claimed by agriculture alone; this fraction is even higher in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, where natural regeneration of groundwater is the slowest. Thus, there is a serious need for innovative materials and technologies to enhance the efficiency water usage in agriculture. To this end, plastic mulches have been employed across the developed world to minimize evaporative loss of water from top-soils. While plastic mulches are inexpensive, they do require specialized farm machinery for installation and long processing times. On one hand, plastic mulches have proven to increase crop yields, but on the other their non-biodegradability poses serious environmental concerns. In response, development of low-cost bio-/photo-degradable artificial mulches remains an area of intense research. In this thesis, we report on a novel superhydrophobic material exploiting inexpensive simple components to reduce the amount of water required for irrigation in agriculture by suppressing evaporative losses from the top-soil. Our material consists of ordinary beach sand coated with < 20 nm thick layer of paraffin wax. We synthesized and extensively characterized our material and applied them as mulches for tomato and barley plants at the KAUST greenhouse. We found that when a ~5 mm thick layer of superhydrophobic sand was placed onto the top-soil in pots, it dramatically suppressed evaporative losses and significantly enhanced the yields. Our preliminary field-scale experiments with tomatoes and barley crops at the Hada Al Sham site corroborate these results. Our approach might find applications in desert agriculture and other fields and alleviate water stress in the MENA region.

Promoting food security and well-being among poor and HIV/AIDS affected households: lessons from an interactive and integrated approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Swaans, Kees; Broerse, Jacqueline; Meincke, Maylin; Mudhara, Maxwell; Bunders, Joske

2009-02-01

Participatory and interdisciplinary approaches have been suggested to develop appropriate agricultural innovations as an alternative strategy to improve food security and well-being among HIV/AIDS affected households. However, sustainable implementation of such interactive approaches is far from easy and straight forward. This study reports of the Interactive Learning and Action (ILA) approach, a methodology for agricultural innovation which has been adapted to the context of HIV/AIDS. Role players in agriculture and health were brought together to stimulate and sustain innovation among three support groups for poor and affected households in a rural high HIV/AIDS prevalence area in South Africa. The effectiveness of the approach was evaluated using both outcome and process criteria. The results indicate that an interactive approach in which service providers/researchers engage themselves as actors to explore the livelihood system and develop appropriate solutions in joint collaboration with resource users has potential. However, it also revealed that cooperation among participants and stakeholders at the interface of agriculture and HIV/AIDS is complicated and sensitive to erosion. Of particular concern was the difficulty of mobilizing members from poor and affected households to participate and to overcome stigma and discrimination. Lessons and potential applications for the further development of interactive approaches are discussed.

Application of Sludges and Wastewaters on Agricultural Land: A Planning and Educational Guide, MCD-35. Research Bulletin 1090.

Science.gov (United States)

Knezek, Bernard D., Ed.; Miller, Robert H., Ed.

This report addresses the application of agricultural processing wastes, industrial and municipal wastes on agricultural land as both a waste management and resource recovery and reuse practice. The document emphasizes the treatment and beneficial utilization of sludge and wastewater as opposed to waste disposal. These objectives are achieved…

Soil management and application of agricultural gypsum in a Planosol for soybean cultivation

OpenAIRE

Marchesan, Enio; Tonetto, Felipe; Teló, Gustavo Mack; Coelho, Lucas Lopes; Aramburu, Bruno Behenck; Trivisiol, Vinicius Severo

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT: This study investigated the effects of soil management systems, tillage, and application of gypsum agricultural to soil, on soybean development in lowland areas. The experiment was carried out on an Alfisol in a randomized complete block design in a factorial arrangement. The two soil tillage practices were without deep tillage and with deep tillage. Gypsum treatments were no gypsum application, 500kg of gypsum ha-1, 1000kg of gypsum ha-1, and 1500kg of gypsum ha-1. Deep tillage res...

National benchmarking against GLOBALGAP : Case studies of Good Agricultural Practices in Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico and Chile

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Valk, van der O.M.C.; Roest, van der J.G.

2009-01-01

This desk study examines the experiences and lessons learned from four case studies of countries aiming at the GLOBALGAP benchmarking procedure for national Good Agricultural Practices, namely Chile, Kenya, Malaysia, and Mexico. Aspects that determine the origin and character of the benchmarking

A Review on Microbial Mutagenesis through Gamma Irradiation for Agricultural Applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoe, P.C.K.; Khairuddin Abdul Rahim

2016-01-01

Gamma irradiation is widely used in sterilization and mutagenesis, especially for plant breeding and crop protection. Microbial mutagenesis through gamma irradiation is mainly applied in fermentation industry. In agriculture, gamma irradiation is mostly applied in crop improvement. Microbial mutagenesis is mainly applied against fungus and spore-forming bacteria, which are resistant to gamma irradiation. Response of microbes to gamma irradiation varies and depends on various factors. Review of previous works on gamma irradiation for microbial mutagenesis in agriculture may provide some information for the use of this method. The general view on gamma irradiation, its application, and mutagenesis are discussed in this paper. Further investigation on microbial mutagenesis should consider molecular changes, information on which is lacking in previous works. Moreover, studies on microbial mutagenesis are still lacking in Malaysia despite having several gamma irradiation facilities. Therefore, further studies on microbial mutagenesis should be conducted. (author)

Unexpected stimulation of soil methane uptake as emergent property of agricultural soils following bio-based residue application.

Science.gov (United States)

Ho, Adrian; Reim, Andreas; Kim, Sang Yoon; Meima-Franke, Marion; Termorshuizen, Aad; de Boer, Wietse; van der Putten, Wim H; Bodelier, Paul L E

2015-10-01

Intensification of agriculture to meet the global food, feed, and bioenergy demand entail increasing re-investment of carbon compounds (residues) into agro-systems to prevent decline of soil quality and fertility. However, agricultural intensification decreases soil methane uptake, reducing, and even causing the loss of the methane sink function. In contrast to wetland agricultural soils (rice paddies), the methanotrophic potential in well-aerated agricultural soils have received little attention, presumably due to the anticipated low or negligible methane uptake capacity in these soils. Consequently, a detailed study verifying or refuting this assumption is still lacking. Exemplifying a typical agricultural practice, we determined the impact of bio-based residue application on soil methane flux, and determined the methanotrophic potential, including a qualitative (diagnostic microarray) and quantitative (group-specific qPCR assays) analysis of the methanotrophic community after residue amendments over 2 months. Unexpectedly, after amendments with specific residues, we detected a significant transient stimulation of methane uptake confirmed by both the methane flux measurements and methane oxidation assay. This stimulation was apparently a result of induced cell-specific activity, rather than growth of the methanotroph population. Although transient, the heightened methane uptake offsets up to 16% of total gaseous CO2 emitted during the incubation. The methanotrophic community, predominantly comprised of Methylosinus may facilitate methane oxidation in the agricultural soils. While agricultural soils are generally regarded as a net methane source or a relatively weak methane sink, our results show that methane oxidation rate can be stimulated, leading to higher soil methane uptake. Hence, even if agriculture exerts an adverse impact on soil methane uptake, implementing carefully designed management strategies (e.g. repeated application of specific residues) may

ELPSA AS A LESSON DESIGN FRAMEWORK

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tom Lowrie

2015-07-01

Full Text Available This paper offers a framework for mathematics lesson design that is consistent with the way we learn about, and discover, most things in life. In addition, the framework provides a structure for identifying how mathematical concepts and understanding are acquired and developed. This framework is called ELPSA and represents five learning components, namely: Experience, Language, Pictorial, Symbolic and Applications. This framework has been used in developing lessons and teacher professional programs in Indonesia since 2012 in cooperation with the World Bank. This paper describes the theory that underlines the framework in general and in relation to each inter-connected component. Two explicit learning sequences for classroom practice are described, associated with Pythagoras theorem and probability. This paper then concludes with recommendations for using ELPSA in various institutional contexts.Keywords: ELPSA, lesson design framework, Pythagoras theorem, probability DOI: dx.doi.org/10.22342/jme.62.77

APPLICATION OF CONVOLUTIONAL NEURAL NETWORK IN CLASSIFICATION OF HIGH RESOLUTION AGRICULTURAL REMOTE SENSING IMAGES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. Yao

2017-09-01

Full Text Available With the rapid development of Precision Agriculture (PA promoted by high-resolution remote sensing, it makes significant sense in management and estimation of agriculture through crop classification of high-resolution remote sensing image. Due to the complex and fragmentation of the features and the surroundings in the circumstance of high-resolution, the accuracy of the traditional classification methods has not been able to meet the standard of agricultural problems. In this case, this paper proposed a classification method for high-resolution agricultural remote sensing images based on convolution neural networks(CNN. For training, a large number of training samples were produced by panchromatic images of GF-1 high-resolution satellite of China. In the experiment, through training and testing on the CNN under the toolbox of deep learning by MATLAB, the crop classification finally got the correct rate of 99.66 % after the gradual optimization of adjusting parameter during training. Through improving the accuracy of image classification and image recognition, the applications of CNN provide a reference value for the field of remote sensing in PA.

Finnish Students’ Engagement in Science Lessons

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Janna Linnansaari

2015-05-01

Full Text Available The decreasing number of students who are engaged in science learning has been recognised as a problem. The pre-conditions of engagement and actual engagement were examined using a novel research method to obtain detailed information on Finnish students’ engagement in different situations and to gain a better understanding of this phenomenon. The study’s participants consisted of 68 students (31 girls, 37 boys from 9th grade and 67 students (46 girls, 21 boys from 1st grade in upper secondary school. The research aimed to answer the following question: How does Finnish students’ engagement occur in exact and life science lessons? Participants received smartphones equipped with a smartphone application that included an experience sampling method questionnaire. The smartphones were programmed to emit a signal during every science lesson and otherwise randomly during the day (from 8 am to 8 pm. The results reveal that situation and grade had significant effects on students’ pre-conditions of engagement and actual engagement. Our results also show that girls had the highest interest in life science lessons and boys in exact science lessons.

Agriculture and renewable energies: contribution and opportunities for farming exploitation - Synthesis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leveque, Benjamin; Hajjar, Ali; Noirot-Cosson, Paul-Emile; Oudin, Bertrand; Meiffren, Olivia; Khamlich, Ali; Varchavsky, Marc; Lapierre, Aline; Brinon, Alain; Nguyen, Elodie; Mhiri, Tarek; Bonnard, Philippe; Gagnepain, Bruno; Cardona Maestro, Astrid; Berthomieu, Nadine; Theobald, Olivier; Bardinal, Marc; Mousset, Jerome; Thual, Julien; Fautrad, Alice; Bastide, Guillaume; Parrouffe, Jean-Michel; Dubilly, Anne-Laure; Bellini, Robert; Gerson, Raphael; Mehl, Celine; Mainsant, Armand; Carrere, Tristan; Marchal, David; Duval, Joakim; Huet, Sebastien; Herrera, Joanna; Hascuet, Isabelle; Rousselon, Nicolas; Ollivier, Denis; Lemaignan, Benoit; Jager, Florian; Porcheyre, Edwige; Bealu, Christophe; Denninger, F.; Guggemos, Fabien; Richard, Axel; Duclos, Paul; Flajollet-Millan, Johanna; Roesner, Sven; Begue, Marie; Furois, Timothee; Oriol, Louise; Denoyer, Gerard; Pagnac-Farbiaz, Elisabeth; Guibert, Olivier de; Parisse, Sandrine; Bozonnat, Cedric; Liger, Davy; Molinie, Lea; Jarrige, Leonard; Mery, Yoann; Charrier, Virginie; Ait Amar, Samy

2018-02-01

This study aimed at assessing direct and indirect contributions of agriculture to renewable energy production in France from now until 2023, 2030 and 2050. It notably aims at a better knowledge of the economic contribution of renewable energies for the agriculture sector, and of the contribution of this sector to energy transition for the country. Technical, economic and environmental benefits and drawbacks of each renewable energy have been studied in order to identify levers and brakes for the development of renewable energies in this sector. A first part proposes methods of assessment and results for the contribution to renewable energy production. The second part reports an economic analysis of the impact of renewable energies on the agriculture sector. The third part evokes the diversity of business models in relationship with exploitation type. The next part reports a prospective study, while the last one reports main lessons already learned through the deployment of renewable energies in agriculture

Application of isotopes and radiation to increasing agricultural production - Phase 2. Indonesia. Project findings and recommendations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-01-01

This Phase 2 Project was primarily aimed at consolidating the advances made during the previous phase, formulating practical agricultural technologies which can be adopted by farmers, disseminating and applying these technologies, and enhancing the capability of the Centre for Application of Isotopes and Radiation (CAIR) to conduct agricultural research using nuclear and related techniques. Outputs generated by this project were generally in accordance with those anticipated in the Project Document. Some outputs have been transferred to the target beneficiaries (farmers) through existing systems of extension, in co-operation with the main implementing agency (BATAN). Other outputs have potential for further assessment, and may lead to practical applications in future. The rest remain as important contributions to scientific knowledge. The project has been managed to assure sustainability after project termination. A strong indication of such sustainability is evident in the on-going research and development work at CAIR and the adoption of transferred technologies by the end-users. To keep up with rapid global advancements in bio-science and technology, a new project on application of nuclear and related techniques in agricultural bio-science and technology would be needed in relation to the second long-term phase of the national development programmes. (author)

Design and Testing of an Agricultural Implement for Underground Application of Rodenticide Bait

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hugo Malón

2015-01-01

Full Text Available An agricultural implement for underground application of rodenticide bait to control the Mediterranean pocket gopher (Microtus Duodecimcostatus in fruit orchards has been designed and tested. The main objective of this research was to design and test the implement by using the finite element method (FEM and considering a range of loads generated on most commonly used furrow openers in agricultural implements. As a second step, the prototype was tested in the field by analysing the effects of forward speed and application depth on the mechanical behaviour of the implement structure. The FEM was used in the design phase and a prototype was manufactured. The structural strains on the prototype chassis under working conditions were tested by using strain gauges to validate the design phase. Three forward speeds (4.5, 5.5, and 7.0 km/h, three application depths (0.12, 0.15, and 0.17 m, and two types of soil (clayey-silty-loam and clayey-silty-sandy were considered. The prototype was validated successfully by analysing the information obtained from the strain gauges. The Von Mises stresses indicated a safety coefficient of 1.9 for the most critical load case. Although both forward speed and application depth had a significant effect on the stresses generated on the chassis, the latter parameter critically affected the structural behaviour of the implement. The effects of the application depth on the strains were linear such that strains increased with depth. In contrast, strains remained roughly constant regardless of variation in the forward speed.

Strategies for Successfully Teaching Students with ADD or ADHD in Instrumental Lessons

Science.gov (United States)

Melago, Kathleen A.

2014-01-01

Teachers can easily encounter students with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in the instrumental lesson setting. Applicable to instrumental lesson settings in the public or private schools, private studios, or college studios, this article focuses on specific strategies ranging from the…

Lessons Learned in International Safeguards - Implementation of Safeguards at the Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ehinger, Michael H.; Johnson, Shirley

2010-01-01

The focus of this report is lessons learned at the Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant (RRP). However, the subject of lessons learned for application of international safeguards at reprocessing plants includes a cumulative history of inspections starting at the West Valley (New York, U.S.A.) reprocessing plant in 1969 and proceeding through all of the efforts over the years. The RRP is the latest and most challenging application the International Atomic Energy Agency has faced. In many ways the challenges have remained the same, timely inspection and evaluation with limited inspector resources, with the continuing realization that planning and preparations can never start early enough in the life cycle of a facility. Lessons learned over the years have involved the challenges of using ongoing advances in technology and dealing with facilities with increased throughput and continuous operation. This report will begin with a review of historical developments and lessons learned. This will provide a basis for a discussion of the experiences and lessons learned from the implementation of international safeguards at RRP.

Preventive measures used by farmers during agricultural pesticide application

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cihan Önen

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Objective: This study describes protective measures used by farmers during agricultural pesticide application in Çelikhan, Adıyaman. Methods: The target population of this descriptive study consists of 900 active farmers registered at Chamber of Agriculture in Çelikhan. The Sample included 381 farmers, who were interviewed, face to face, during January and February 2014. The Chi-square (Fisher’s exact test was used for the statistical evaluation. Results: Of the 363 farmers, who were growing tobacco, 358 used pesticides. The percentage of the farmers who use protective equipment during the application of pesticides was as follows: 78.8% used a face-mask, 73.2% used protective gloves, 29.6% used protective clothing, 16.8% used protective goggles and 15.6% used boots, while 4.7% never used any protective equipment. The following related to environmental factors: 72.3%, used appropriate doses and qualifications, 70.7% did not use pesticides during windy weather, 66.2% removed people from the field (55.6% kept it the pesticide in an appropriate warehouse and 17.6% used warning signs. A significant statistical relationship was found between the educational status and safe disposal of pesticide waste, not releasing pesticide boxes into the environment and knowing the harm of pesticide to human body (p<0.05. Conclusion: Farmers in this study are using masks and gloves for personal protection, a majority of them are not eating and drinking during spraying and nearly half of them are removing drug equipment safely. The need for protective equipment and for health education of the farmers is important as is the need for the safe disposal of waste materials. In order to awaken the interest of farmers, environmental and individual consciousness must be created.

Labor migration in Southern Africa and agricultural development: some lessons from Lesotho.

Science.gov (United States)

Plath, J C; Holland, D W; Carvalho, J W

1987-01-01

Using Lesotho as a case study, this paper presents an analytical framework regarding certain policy issues relevant to agriculture becoming a viable alternative to migration for employment and income. 60% of adult Basotho (people of Lesotho) males between the ages of 20 and 44 are employed in the mines in South Africa. About 70% of rural households in Lesotho have at least 1 member who is a migrant. In recent years, over 40% of Lesotho's gross national product has come from mine wages. Migrant remittances contributed about 65% of rural household incomes in the late 1970s. Future opportunities for migrant employment will either remain at current levels or decline as mining becomes less labor intensive and South Africa gives priority to employing local blacks. In Lesotho, only about 2% of the land is arable. Also, the impact of so much migration to South Africa has a direct effect on labor available to Lesotho agriculture. To estimate indirectly the costs of migration, 34 Basotho migrants employed in the South African mines were interviewed in the Nyakosoba area in 1983. Results show that the cost of migration was valued at 40% of their annual average income in 1983. There is sparse ownership of and access to land and oxen; there is also a scarcity of agricultural equipment. The authors calculate that 1) returns from growing traditional field crops using traditional technology are abysmally low, 2) net return from growing the same crops with improved technology are greatly improved, and 3) the commercial planting and cultivation of fruit trees would yield net returns that far exceed the amounts most surveyed migrants indicated would be sufficient to stop them from migrating. Constraints to improved technology adoption include 1) investment in fixed capital and variable inputs, 2) higher levels of management and knowledge of how to use the technology, 3) the necessity to quit mine work and pursue agriculture full time. Production risk needs to be reduced. Orchard

Nanotechnologies in agriculture and food - an overview of different fields of application, risk assessment and public perception.

Science.gov (United States)

Grobe, Antje; Rissanen, Mikko E

2012-12-01

Nanomaterials in agriculture and food are key issues of public and regulatory interest. Over the past ten years, patents for nanotechnological applications in the field of food and agriculture have become abundant. Uncertainty prevails however regarding their current development status and presence in the consumer market. Thus, the discussion on nanotechnologies in the food sector with its specific public perception of benefits and risks and the patterns of communication are becoming similar to the debate on genetically modified organisms. The food industry's silence in communication increased mistrust of consumer organisations and policy makers. The article discusses the background of the current regulatory debates, starting with the EU recommendation for defining nanomaterials, provides an overview of possible fields of application in agriculture and food industries and discusses risk assessment and the public debate on benefits and risks. Communicative recommendations are directed at researchers, the food industry and regulators in order to increase trust both in stakeholders, risk management and regulatory processes.

Biosurfactants in agriculture.

Science.gov (United States)

Sachdev, Dhara P; Cameotra, Swaranjit S

2013-02-01

Agricultural productivity to meet growing demands of human population is a matter of great concern for all countries. Use of green compounds to achieve the sustainable agriculture is the present necessity. This review highlights the enormous use of harsh surfactants in agricultural soil and agrochemical industries. Biosurfactants which are reported to be produced by bacteria, yeasts, and fungi can serve as green surfactants. Biosurfactants are considered to be less toxic and eco-friendly and thus several types of biosurfactants have the potential to be commercially produced for extensive applications in pharmaceutical, cosmetics, and food industries. The biosurfactants synthesized by environmental isolates also has promising role in the agricultural industry. Many rhizosphere and plant associated microbes produce biosurfactant; these biomolecules play vital role in motility, signaling, and biofilm formation, indicating that biosurfactant governs plant-microbe interaction. In agriculture, biosurfactants can be used for plant pathogen elimination and for increasing the bioavailability of nutrient for beneficial plant associated microbes. Biosurfactants can widely be applied for improving the agricultural soil quality by soil remediation. These biomolecules can replace the harsh surfactant presently being used in million dollar pesticide industries. Thus, exploring biosurfactants from environmental isolates for investigating their potential role in plant growth promotion and other related agricultural applications warrants details research. Conventional methods are followed for screening the microbial population for production of biosurfactant. However, molecular methods are fewer in reaching biosurfactants from diverse microbial population and there is need to explore novel biosurfactant from uncultured microbes in soil biosphere by using advanced methodologies like functional metagenomics.

Agriculture: Laws and Regulations that Apply to Your Agricultural Operation by Farm Activity

Science.gov (United States)

A general description of EPA’s requirements applicable to agriculture, and should only be used as a guide. Since rules and regulations may change use this information is a starting place to determine which regulations apply to your agricultural operation.

[Application of biodegradable plastic film to reduce plastic film residual pollution in Chinese agriculture].

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Changrong; He, Wenqing; Xue, Yinghao; Liu, Enke; Liu, Qin

2016-06-25

Plastic film has become an important agriculture production material in recent years. Over the past three decades, the amount and application area of plastic film have increased steadily, and in 2014, which are 1.4 million tons and more than 180 million hm² respectively. It plays a key role for ensuring the supply of agricultural goods in China. Meanwhile, plastic film residual pollution becomes more and more serious, and in some regions, the amount of plastic film residues has reached over 250 kg/hm². In part of the Northwest region, soil structure of farmland has been destroyed by plastic film residues and then crop growth and farming operations were suppressed. It is recognized as a good choice to replace plastic film with biodegradable plastic film, an effective measure to solve the plastic film residue pollution. Now, it is in a critical stage of study and assessment of biodegradable plastic film in China and fortunately some biodegradable plastic films show effects in the production of potatoes, peanuts and tobacco. Overall, a series of challenges has still been faced by the biodegradable plastic film, mainly including improving the quality of biodegradable plastic products, such as tensile strength, flexibility, improving the controllability of rupture and degradation, enhancing the ability of increasing soil temperature and preserving soil moisture, and to satisfy the demand of crops production with mulching. In addition, it is essential to reduce the cost of the biodegradable film and promote the application of biodegradable film on large-scale. With the development of biodegradable plastic technology and agricultural production environment, the application of the biodegradable film will have a good future.

Development of Bioelectrochemical Systems to Promote Sustainable Agriculture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaojin Li

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Bioelectrochemical systems (BES are a newly emerged technology for energy-efficient water and wastewater treatment. Much effort as well as significant progress has been made in advancing this technology towards practical applications treating various types of waste. However, BES application for agriculture has not been well explored. Herein, studies of BES related to agriculture are reviewed and the potential applications of BES for promoting sustainable agriculture are discussed. BES may be applied to treat the waste/wastewater from agricultural production, minimizing contaminants, producing bioenergy, and recovering useful nutrients. BES can also be used to supply irrigation water via desalinating brackish water or producing reclaimed water from wastewater. The energy generated in BES can be used as a power source for wireless sensors monitoring the key parameters for agricultural activities. The importance of BES to sustainable agriculture should be recognized, and future development of this technology should identify proper application niches with technological advancement.

Comparison of Biodynamic and Organic Agriculture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Özlem Çakır

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Modern agricultural applications contain various biologic physical and chemical process steps to maximize the durability and fertility of the products. Because of the apprehensions that come out as a result of increase in usage of chemical input in these processes, some alternative concepts have been come to exist for modern agricultural applications. Even these approaches match with traditional applications, they differ by their some outstanding features. By the help of industrial devolution in 18TH century, the increasing popularity and global warming caused the people to notice the ecologic deformation on the earth and accordingly saving the ecology and the earth became one of the main topics of current issues. The biodynamic agriculture system is founded in 1924 by Rudolf Steiner (philosopher and E. Pfeiffer (agronomist and built on an anthropologic theory that based on human-nature-universe concept. Biodynamic agriculture is familiar with organic agriculture. Mainly both of them are originated by oppositional perspective on using chemical input (manure, pesticide, herbicide, hormone e.g.. The main dissimilitude of biodynamic agriculture with organic apart from philosophical and historical aspects is, using the biodynamic preparations includes some minerals or specific herbs those are fermented with animal organs. In this review study, the differences between organic and biodynamic agriculture are analysed by emphasizing the main advantages of biodynamic agriculture.

Cancer Incidence among Glyphosate-Exposed Pesticide Applicators in the Agricultural Health Study

OpenAIRE

De Roos, Anneclaire J.; Blair, Aaron; Rusiecki, Jennifer A.; Hoppin, Jane A.; Svec, Megan; Dosemeci, Mustafa; Sandler, Dale P.; Alavanja, Michael C.

2004-01-01

Glyphosate is a broad-spectrum herbicide that is one of the most frequently applied pesticides in the world. Although there has been little consistent evidence of genotoxicity or carcinogenicity from in vitro and animal studies, a few epidemiologic reports have indicated potential health effects of glyphosate. We evaluated associations between glyphosate exposure and cancer incidence in the Agricultural Health Study (AHS), a prospective cohort study of 57,311 licensed pesticide applicators in...

Synthesis of amino acid rare earth complexes and its application in agriculture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luo, G.-T.; Lian, P.; Hu, Y.H.; Guo, G.-R.

1998-01-01

Full text: The application of rare-earth compounds in agriculture has been widely reported. So far, most rare-earth compounds used in agriculture were inorganic salt and they were difficult to be absorbed by croup. The synthesis method and structure of amino acid rare-earth complexes have been reported. In this paper, we reported the preparation of mixed amino acids rare-earth complexes and their application in agriculture. The mixed amino acids were obtained by hydrolysis of waste natural protein. Rare earth was lanthanum oxide(99%). Mixed amino acids lanthanum complexes(MALa) was prepared according to the previous method. Investigation to the effect of croup by MALa, we have make tests of citrus, rice and mung bean. The results show as follows: 1) When the experiment group citrus was sprinkled twice 400ppm MALa at bouquet stage and young fruit stage, the sugar, morose, sucrose, soluble solid matter and vitamin C of fruit were increased 21%, 20%, 22%, 22% and 6% as compared to the control group, respectively. The area of leaf and foliage branch in Spring were also increased 4.6% and 2.2%. 2) When the rice was sprinkled 300ppm MALa at early tillering stage, the productively of rice was addition to 10-15%, and the relative effect of prevention was 45.61% for sheath and culm blight of rice. 3) In the test of mungbean growth, the low consistency of MALa ( 250ppm) retain from sprouting seed. As the same time, it was similar action to seeding growth. Preliminary results indicated MLAa could used as the plant growth regulation agent on the croup. Investigation to the effect of MALa on other croup and the mechanism of biological effect on the croup are still going on

Familiarization and Application of ICTs in Agricultural Advisory ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

user

Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to provide agricultural advisory services. For the .... their own agricultural offices with extension process owners and Subject Mater Specialists (SMSs), and three .... information in any format (i.e., voice, data, text and image), computers, the Internet, CD-. ROMs, email ...

The climate-smart village approach: framework of an integrative strategy for scaling up adaptation options in agriculture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pramod K. Aggarwal

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Increasing weather risks threaten agricultural production systems and food security across the world. Maintaining agricultural growth while minimizing climate shocks is crucial to building a resilient food production system and meeting developmental goals in vulnerable countries. Experts have proposed several technological, institutional, and policy interventions to help farmers adapt to current and future weather variability and to mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG emissions. This paper presents the climate-smart village (CSV approach as a means of performing agricultural research for development that robustly tests technological and institutional options for dealing with climatic variability and climate change in agriculture using participatory methods. It aims to scale up and scale out the appropriate options and draw out lessons for policy makers from local to global levels. The approach incorporates evaluation of climate-smart technologies, practices, services, and processes relevant to local climatic risk management and identifies opportunities for maximizing adaptation gains from synergies across different interventions and recognizing potential maladaptation and trade-offs. It ensures that these are aligned with local knowledge and link into development plans. This paper describes early results in Asia, Africa, and Latin America to illustrate different examples of the CSV approach in diverse agroecological settings. Results from initial studies indicate that the CSV approach has a high potential for scaling out promising climate-smart agricultural technologies, practices, and services. Climate analog studies indicate that the lessons learned at the CSV sites would be relevant to adaptation planning in a large part of global agricultural land even under scenarios of climate change. Key barriers and opportunities for further work are also discussed.

Development of a Hybrid Uav Sensor Platform Suitable for Farm-Scale Applications in Precision Agriculture

Science.gov (United States)

Pircher, M.; Geipel, J.; Kusnierek, K.; Korsaeth, A.

2017-08-01

Today's modern precision agriculture applications have a huge demand for data with high spatial and temporal resolution. This leads to the need of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) as sensor platforms providing both, easy use and a high area coverage. This study shows the successful development of a prototype hybrid UAV for practical applications in precision agriculture. The UAV consists of an off-the-shelf fixed-wing fuselage, which has been enhanced with multi-rotor functionality. It was programmed to perform pre-defined waypoint missions completely autonomously, including vertical take-off, horizontal flight, and vertical landing. The UAV was tested for its return-to-home (RTH) accuracy, power consumption and general flight performance at different wind speeds. The RTH accuracy was 43.7 cm in average, with a root-mean-square error of 39.9 cm. The power consumption raised with an increase in wind speed. An extrapolation of the analysed power consumption to conditions without wind resulted in an estimated 40 km travel range, when we assumed a 25 % safety margin of remaining battery capacity. This translates to a maximal area coverage of 300 ha for a scenario with 18 m/s airspeed, 50 minutes flight time, 120 m AGL altitude, and a desired 70 % of image side-lap and 85 % forward-lap. The ground sample distance with an in-built RGB camera was 3.5 cm, which we consider sufficient for farm-scale mapping missions for most precision agriculture applications.

Breathing Life into Engineering: A Lesson Study Life Science Lesson

Science.gov (United States)

Lawrence, Maria; Yang, Li-Ling; Briggs, May; Hession, Alicia; Koussa, Anita; Wagoner, Lisa

2016-01-01

A fifth grade life science lesson was implemented through a lesson study approach in two fifth grade classrooms. The research lesson was designed by a team of four elementary school teachers with the goal of emphasizing engineering practices consistent with the "Next Generation Science Standards" (NGSS) (Achieve Inc. 2013). The fifth…

Lessons learned in over 100 zebra mussel control applications at industrial facilities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McGough, C.M.; Gilland, P.H.; Muia, R.A. [Calgon Corp., Pittsburgh, PA (United States)

1998-12-31

Since their introduction into US waterways, Zebra Mussels (Dreissena polymorphae) have spread rapidly throughout the Great Lakes and Mississippi regions. These mussels have continued to colonize the intake pipes of industrial water supplies and water distribution systems throughout the affected areas. Their colonization has compromised plant safety and production efficiency, and steadily increased costs to water users. The design of each industrial plant water distribution system is unique. A comprehensive zebra mussel control strategy using the best available options must be considered in each specific situation. This paper discusses the successful use of one strategy (a quaternary ammonia-based molluscicide) in the battle against zebra mussels. The commercial life cycle of an industrial molluscicide began with initial toxicity screening in the laboratory. The evaluation continued at plant sites through field trials and applications. Lessons learned from these experiences helped direct the efforts toward the development of a second generation program.

Status and developmental strategy of nuclear agricultural sciences in researches of eco-environmental sciences in agriculture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hua Luo; Wang Xunqing

2001-01-01

The concept, research scopes, research progress and achievement of nuclear agricultural sciences in past several decades in China, as well as the relationship between nuclear agriculture research and eco-environmental sciences were described. The disciplinary frontier, major research fields and priority developmental fields of nuclear agriculture in eco-environmental sciences was displayed. Suggestions were made to improve and strengthen nuclear agriculture research. Those provided basic source materials and consideration for application developmental strategy of nuclear agriculture in eco-environmental sciences

The Knitting Lesson.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Pamela

1987-01-01

Based on Jean-Francois Millet's 1869 painting, "The Knitting Lesson," this lesson's goal is to introduce students in grades seven through nine to genre (everyday life) painting the nineteenth century. The lesson is also designed to show that some aspects of genre may be timeless. (BSR)

Lessons on transdiciplinary research in a co-innovation programme in the New Zealand agricultural sector

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Botha, N.; Klerkx, L.W.A.; Small, B.; Turner, J.A.

2014-01-01

A recently implemented research and development (R&D) programme in New Zealand is attempting to implement co-innovation principles throughout the country’s agricultural sector. It is based on an agricultural innovation systems (AIS) approach, using five innovation platforms (IPs) based in the

Crop residue stabilization and application to agricultural and degraded soils: A review.

Science.gov (United States)

Medina, Jorge; Monreal, Carlos; Barea, José Miguel; Arriagada, César; Borie, Fernando; Cornejo, Pablo

2015-08-01

Agricultural activities produce vast amounts of organic residues including straw, unmarketable or culled fruit and vegetables, post-harvest or post-processing wastes, clippings and residuals from forestry or pruning operations, and animal manure. Improper disposal of these materials may produce undesirable environmental (e.g. odors or insect refuges) and health impacts. On the other hand, agricultural residues are of interest to various industries and sectors of the economy due to their energy content (i.e., for combustion), their potential use as feedstock to produce biofuels and/or fine chemicals, or as a soil amendments for polluted or degraded soils when composted. Our objective is review new biotechnologies that could be used to manage these residues for land application and remediation of contaminated and eroded soils. Bibliographic information is complemented through a comprehensive review of the physico-chemical fundamental mechanisms involved in the transformation and stabilization of organic matter by biotic and abiotic soil components. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nanotechnology in Agriculture

Science.gov (United States)

An overview is given of the application of nanotechnology to agriculture. This is an active field of R&D, where a large number of findings and innovations have been reported. For example, in soil management, applications reported include nanofertilizers, soil binders, water retention aids, and nut...

An intellectual property sharing initiative in agricultural biotechnology: development of broadly accessible technologies for plant transformation.

Science.gov (United States)

Chi-Ham, Cecilia L; Boettiger, Sara; Figueroa-Balderas, Rosa; Bird, Sara; Geoola, Josef N; Zamora, Pablo; Alandete-Saez, Monica; Bennett, Alan B

2012-06-01

The Public Intellectual Property Resource for Agriculture (PIPRA) was founded in 2004 by the Rockefeller Foundation in response to concerns that public investments in agricultural biotechnology benefiting developing countries were facing delays, high transaction costs and lack of access to important technologies due to intellectual property right (IPR) issues. From its inception, PIPRA has worked broadly to support a wide range of research in the public sector, in specialty and minor acreage crops as well as crops important to food security in developing countries. In this paper, we review PIPRA's work, discussing the failures, successes, and lessons learned during its years of operation. To address public sector's limited freedom-to-operate, or legal access to third-party rights, in the area of plant transformation, we describe PIPRA's patent 'pool' approach to develop open-access technologies for plant transformation which consolidate patent and tangible property rights in marker-free vector systems. The plant transformation system has been licensed and deployed for both commercial and humanitarian applications in the United States (US) and Africa, respectively. © 2012 The Authors. Plant Biotechnology Journal © 2012 Society for Experimental Biology, Association of Applied Biologists and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

European Society of Nuclear Methods in Agriculture. Proceedings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The conference proceedings reported include papers on the Czechoslovak nuclear programme in the field of agriculture and food industry, the application of stable isotopes in agriculture, the applications of radioanalytical methods in agriculture, the use of waste heat from nuclear power plants, food irradiation, waste processing by irradiation, radiation-induced stimulation effects in plants, tracer techniques in animal science, radiation analysis, the use of nuclear techniques in the study of soil-plant relationships, applied mutagenesis, environmental pollution, genetic methods of pest control, the applications of radioisotopes in insect ecology, and the application of nuclear methods in plant physiology. (J.B.)

Agricultural Extension, Collective Action and Innovation Systems: Lessons on Network Brokering from Peru and Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Hellin, Jon

2012-01-01

Purpose: New approaches to extension service delivery are needed that stimulate increased agricultural production, contribute to collective action and which also foster the emergence of agricultural innovation systems. Research in Peru and Mexico explores some of these new approaches. Design/methodology/approach: In both countries, a qualitative…

The history of a lesson

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Mikkel Vedby

2003-01-01

and emphasises the need to study the history of lessons rather than the lessons of history. This approach shows that Munich is the end point of a constitutive history that begins in the failure of the Versailles treaty to create a durable European order following the First World War. The Munich lesson is thus......The article investigates the concept of lessons in IR. By means of a constructivist critique of the 'lessons literature', the article analyses one of the most important of IR lessons: that of Munich. Examining how the Munich lesson came about, the article shows the praxeological nature of lessons...... one element of the lesson of Versailles, which is a praxeology that defines how the West is to make peace, and against whom peace must be defended. The lesson of Versailles has been, at least in part, constitutive of the outbreak of the Cold War, and it continues to define the Western conception...

Potential applications of plant probiotic microorganisms in agriculture and forestry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luciana Porto de Souza Vandenberghe

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Agriculture producers, pushed by the need for high productivity, have stimulated the intensive use of pesticides and fertilizers. Unfortunately, negative effects on water, soil, and human and animal health have appeared as a consequence of this indiscriminate practice. Plant probiotic microorganisms (PPM, also known as bioprotectants, biocontrollers, biofertilizers, or biostimulants, are beneficial microorganisms that offer a promising alternative and reduce health and environmental problems. These microorganisms are involved in either a symbiotic or free-living association with plants and act in different ways, sometimes with specific functions, to achieve satisfactory plant development. This review deals with PPM presentation and their description and function in different applications. PPM includes the plant growth promoters (PGP group, which contain bacteria and fungi that stimulate plant growth through different mechanisms. Soil microflora mediate many biogeochemical processes. The use of plant probiotics as an alternative soil fertilization source has been the focus of several studies; their use in agriculture improves nutrient supply and conserves field management and causes no adverse effects. The species related to organic matter and pollutant biodegradation in soil and abiotic stress tolerance are then presented. As an important way to understand not only the ecological role of PPM and their interaction with plants but also the biotechnological application of these cultures to crop management, two main approaches are elucidated: the culture-dependent approach where the microorganisms contained in the plant material are isolated by culturing and are identified by a combination of phenotypic and molecular methods; and the culture-independent approach where microorganisms are detected without cultivating them, based on extraction and analyses of DNA. These methods combine to give a thorough knowledge of the microbiology of the studied

Lesson Learning at JPL

Science.gov (United States)

Oberhettinger, David

2011-01-01

A lessons learned system is a hallmark of a mature engineering organization A formal lessons learned process can help assure that valuable lessons get written and published, that they are well-written, and that the essential information is "infused" into institutional practice. Requires high-level institutional commitment, and everyone's participation in gathering, disseminating, and using the lessons

Pathway for agricultural science impact in West Africa: lessons from the Convergence of Sciences programme

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nederlof, S.; Röling, N.; Huis, van A.

2007-01-01

The impact of agricultural research on the livelihoods of resource-poor farmers in West Africa has been disappointing. This article reports on research on agricultural research that sought to identify an alternative pathway of science that would lead to greater impact. It is based on the analysis of

The Case for "Environment in All Policies": Lessons from the "Health in All Policies" Approach in Public Health.

Science.gov (United States)

Browne, Geoffrey R; Rutherfurd, Ian D

2017-02-01

Both public health, and the health of the natural environment, are affected by policy decisions made across portfolios as diverse as finance, planning, transport, housing, education, and agriculture. A response to the interdependent character of public health has been the "health in all policies" (HiAP) approach. With reference to parallels between health and environment, this paper argues that lessons from HiAP are useful for creating a new integrated environmental management approach termed "environment in all polices" (EiAP). This paper covers the theoretical foundations of HiAP, which is based on an understanding that health is strongly socially determined. The paper then highlights how lessons learned from HiAP's implementation in Finland, California, and South Australia might be applied to EiAP. It is too early to learn from evaluations of HiAP, but it is apparent that there is no single tool kit for its application. The properties that are likely to be necessary for an effective EiAP approach include a jurisdiction-specific approach, ongoing and strong leadership from a central agency, independent analysis, and a champion. We then apply these properties to Victoria (Australia) to demonstrate how EiAP might work. We encourage further exploration of the feasibility of EiAP as an approach that could make explicit the sometimes surprising environmental implications of a whole range of strategic policies. Citation: Browne GR, Rutherfurd ID. 2017. The case for "environment in all policies": lessons from the "health in all policies" approach in public health. Environ Health Perspect 125:149-154; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/EHP294.

Lessons learned from the NREL village power program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Taylor, R.W. [National Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO (United States)

1998-09-01

Renewable energy solutions for village power applications can be economical, functional, and sustainable. Pilot projects are an appropriate step in the development of a commercially viable market for rural renewable energy solutions. Moreover, there are a significant number of rural electrification projects under way that employ various technologies, delivery mechanisms, and financing arrangements. These projects, if properly evaluated, communicated, and their lessons incorporated in future projects and programs, can lead the way to a future that includes a robust opportunity for cost-effective, renewable-based village power systems. This paper summarizes some of NREL`s recent experiences and lessons learned.

Lessons Learned from the NREL Village Power Program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Taylor, R.

1998-07-01

Renewable energy solutions for village power applications can be economical, functional, and sustainable. Pilot projects are an appropriate step in the development of a commercially viable market for rural renewable energy solutions. Moreover, there are a significant number of rural electrification projects under way that employ various technologies, delivery mechanisms, and financing arrangements. These projects, if properly evaluated, communicated, and their lessons incorporated in future projects and programs, can lead the way to a future that includes a robust opportunity for cost-effective, renewable-based village power systems. This paper summarizes some of NRELs recent experiences and lessons learned.

State-private partnership: aspects of application in the agricultural sphere

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. R. Zakirova

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The relevance of the study is determined by the importance of using the mechanism of public-private partnership in the agro-industrial complex, which allows, under conditions of mutual benefit for the state and business, to expand the resource base and channel untapped resources to sustainable agricultural development. The aim of the article is to study theoretical approaches and substantiate practical recommendations aimed at improving the mechanism of public-private partnership in the Russian agro-industrial complex. In preparing the article, general scientific methods of research were used: analysis and synthesis, generalization, comparison, classification. Results. The mechanism of public-private partnership in modern conditions is investigated, its definitions and essence are analyzed, its importance as an effective form of realization of investment activity is defined. The benefits of implementing public-private partnership projects for the state, business and the whole economy are systematized. Key risks for participants of public-private partnership are highlighted. The foreign experience of realization of joint projects of the state and business is analyzed. Features of public-private partnership in Russia are considered, tendencies of its development are determined. It is established that the agro-industrial complex as a sphere of application of public-private partnership needs special attention, since it is responsible for life support and ensures food security of the country. The program-targeted approach is analyzed, which is implemented in the form of the State Program for the Development of Agriculture and Regulation of Agricultural Products, Raw Materials and Foodstuffs of the Russian Federation. The government benefits from investing in the development of the agro-industrial complex are determined. The directions of methodical work in the sphere of the implementation of public-private projects are singled out. It is concluded

Agricultural implications of the Fukushima nuclear accident

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakanishi, Tomoko M.; Tanoi, Keitaro

2013-01-01

Since the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident in March 2011, contamination of places and foods has been a matter of concern. Unfortunately, agricultural producers have few sources of information and have had to rely on the lessons from the Chernobyl accident in 1986 or on information obtained from the International Atomic Energy Agency. However, as of this writing, data on the specific consequences of the Fukushima accident on Japanese agriculture remain limited. More than 80% of the land that suffered from the accident was related to agriculture or was in forests and meadows. The in fluence of the accident on agriculture was the most difficult to study because the activity in nature had to be dealt with. For example, when contaminated rice is harvested, scientists working on rice plants and soils and the study of watercourses or mountains have to collaborate to analyze or determine the vehicle by which the radioactivity accumulated and through which it spread in nature. At the request of agriculturists in Fukushima, we at the Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences at The University of Tokyo have been urgently collecting reliable data on the contamination of soil, plants, milk, and crops. Based on our data, we would like to comment on or propose an effective way of resuming agricultural activity. Because obtaining research results based on in situ experiments is time-consuming, we have been periodically holding research report meetings at our university every 3-4 months for lay people, showing them how the contamination situation has changed or what type of effect can be estimated. Although our research is still ongoing, we would like to summarize in this book our observations made during the one and a half years after the accident. (author)

Agricultural sector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ainul Hayati Daud; Hazmimi Kasim

2010-01-01

The applications of nuclear technology in agriculture sector cover the use of the technology at every aspects of agricultural activity, starting from the seed to harvesting as well as the management of plantations itself. In this sector, a total of 55 entities comprising 17 public agencies and 38 private companies were selected for the study. Almost all, 91 % of them are located in Peninsular Malaysia; the rest operates in Sabah and Sarawak. The findings of the study in the public agencies and private companies are presented in the next sections. (author)

Fate of phosphorus in Everglades agricultural soils after fertilizer application

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wright, Alan L. [Everglades Research and Education Center, Belle Glade, FL (United States); Hanlon, Edward A. [Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, FL (United States); McCray, J. Mabry [Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, FL (United States)

2012-07-01

Land use changes, agricultural drainage and conventional cultivation of winter vegetables and sugarcane cropping in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) may alter soil conditions and organic matter decomposition and ultimately influence the fate of phosphorus (P). Theses agricultural practices promote soil subsidence, reduce the soil depth to bedrock limestone and increase the potential for incorporation of limestone into the root zone of crops. The incorporation of limestone into surface soil has significantly increased soil pH which in turns causes greater fixation of P fertilizer into unavailable forms for plant growth. Additional P fertilization is thus required to satisfy crop nutrient requirements in plant-available P form. It is important to determine how the mixing of bedrock limestone into soils influences the behavior of P fertilizers after their application. To accomplish this task, P fertilizers were applied to (1) typical cultivated soils and to (2) soils that have never been fertilized or extensively tilled. The changes in P concentrations over time were then compared between the two land uses, with differences being attributable to the impacts of cultivation practices. The P distribution in soil varied between land uses, with sugarcane having more P in inorganic pools while the uncultivated soil had more in organic pools. Water-soluble P concentrations in soil increased with increasing fertilizer application rates for all sampling times and both land uses. However, concentrations in uncultivated soil increased proportionally to P-fertilized soil due to organic P mineralization. At all sampling times, plant-available P concentrations remained higher for uncultivated than sugarcane soil. Lower P concentrations for sugarcane were related to adsorption by mineral components (e.g. limestone). Cultivated soils have higher calcium concentrations resulting from incorporation of bedrock limestone into soil by tillage, which increased pH and fostered

Isotopes and radiations in agriculture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sawant, A.G.

1998-01-01

Some of the spectacular advances in agriculture in developing nations have stimulated wide interest both in basic as well as adaptive research and in harnessing all the tools that science can offer for progress of agriculture. The nuclear tools are relevant in this respect and also offer particular promise in some areas. Ionising radiations and isotopes have immense applications in agriculture. Both radioisotopes and stable isotopes are being used

Lessons learned in the verification, validation and application of a coupled heat and fluid flow code

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsang, C.F.

1986-01-01

A summary is given of the authors recent studies in the verification, validation and application of a coupled heat and fluid flow code. Verification has been done against eight analytic and semi-analytic solutions. These solutions include those involving thermal buoyancy flow and fracture flow. Comprehensive field validation studies over a period of four years are discussed. The studies are divided into three stages: (1) history matching, (2) double-blind prediction and confirmation, (3) design optimization. At each stage, parameter sensitivity studies are performed. To study the applications of mathematical models, a problem proposed by the International Energy Agency (IEA) is solved using this verified and validated numerical model as well as two simpler models. One of the simpler models is a semi-analytic method assuming the uncoupling of the heat and fluid flow processes. The other is a graphical method based on a large number of approximations. Variations are added to the basic IEA problem to point out the limits of ranges of applications of each model. A number of lessons are learned from the above investigations. These are listed and discussed

Integrating climate-smart rice agriculture into secondary-level curriculum: lessons from three high schools in the Philippines.

Science.gov (United States)

Manalo, Jaime A; Balmeo, Katherine P; Berto, Jayson C; Saludez, Fredierick M; Villaflor, Jennifer D; Pagdanganan, Argie M

2016-01-01

Climate change (CC) is an urgent and highly relevant topic that must be integrated into the school curriculum. Literature on CC integration, however, is scarce, let alone literature on integrating climate-smart rice agriculture (CSRA). Bringing CSRA lessons into the classroom means the chance is higher that climate-smart technologies on rice will reach even the most far-flung areas of the Philippines, which stand to be among the most vulnerable as regards the negative impacts of CC. This paper shares experiences drawn from three high schools in the Philippines on integrating CSRA into their curriculum. The research centers on appropriate teaching tools/strategies, push and exogenous factors in CSRA integration, and the types of information that are likely to be shared by the students with their farmer-parents or other farmers in their communities. Surveys among participating students (n = 155) and three focus group discussions among key school officials were conducted. Different teaching methods and/or tools were found to be generally useful in various contexts. Photos and videos, however, emerged as the most effective tools across sites. The livelihood source of the students does have a bearing on the complexity of messages that they can convey. Students from rice-farming households can competently discuss even highly complex adaptation and mitigation information with their farmer-parents or other farmers. Thorough message-framing is necessary to maximize student involvement as well as to increase production of education-entertainment (edutainment) materials to be utilized in teaching. This study, in general, contributes to CC education by bringing in best-fit practices in teaching tools and strategies to mobilize students to act on urgent matters relating to the impacts of CC. It also advises on considering exogenous factors that might affect CC education by taking into account those that are equally capable of shaping students' perception and knowledge.

Dialkyl phosphate metabolites of organophosphorus in applicators of agricultural pesticides in Majes – Arequipa (Peru

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chung Arturo

2006-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Organophosphorus (OPs pesticides are the most commonly used pesticides in Peruvian agriculture. The population at risk for OPs exposure includes formulators, applicators and farmers. Majes Valley is the most important agricultural center of the Southern region of Peru. The present study was aimed to determine the knowledge about using OPs, safety practice and urinary dialkylphosphate metabolites on OP applicators in the Majes Valley, Peru. Methods This study was based on a questionnaire which included socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge of safety practices to handling OPs, characteristics of pesticide application and use of protective measures to avoid pesticide contamination. Exposure was assessed by measuring six urinary OP metabolites (DMP, DMTP, DMDTP, DEP, DETP, and DEDTP by gas chromatography using a single flame photometric detector. The sample consisted of 31 men and 2 women aged 20 – 65 years old. Results 76% of applicators had at least one urinary dialkylphosphate metabolite above the limit of detection. The geometric mean (GM and the geometric standard deviation (GSD of DMP and DEP were 5.73 ug/g cr. (GSD 2.51, and 6.08 ug/g cr. (GSD 3.63, respectively. The percentage of applicators with detectable DMP, DMDTP, and DMTP in urine was 72.72%, 3.03%, and 15.15%, respectively, while the corresponding figures for DEP, DETP, and DEDTP were 48.48%, 36.36% and 15.15%, respectively. There was no significant association between the use of protection practices and the absence of urine OPs metabolites suggesting inadequate protection practices. Conclusion The pesticide applicators in Majes Valley have significant exposure to OP pesticides, probably due to inappropriate protective practices. Future work should evaluate possible health effects.

Development and application of an agricultural intensity index to invertebrate and algal metrics from streams at two scales

Science.gov (United States)

Waite, Ian R.

2013-01-01

Research was conducted at 28-30 sites within eight study areas across the United States along a gradient of nutrient enrichment/agricultural land use between 2003 and 2007. Objectives were to test the application of an agricultural intensity index (AG-Index) and compare among various invertebrate and algal metrics to determine indicators of nutrient enrichment nationally and within three regions. The agricultural index was based on total nitrogen and phosphorus input to the watershed, percent watershed agriculture, and percent riparian agriculture. Among data sources, agriculture within riparian zone showed significant differences among values generated from remote sensing or from higher resolution orthophotography; median values dropped significantly when estimated by orthophotography. Percent agriculture in the watershed consistently had lower correlations to invertebrate and algal metrics than the developed AG-Index across all regions. Percent agriculture showed fewer pairwise comparisons that were significant than the same comparisons using the AG-Index. Highest correlations to the AG-Index regionally were −0.75 for Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera richness (EPTR) and −0.70 for algae Observed/Expected (O/E), nationally the highest was −0.43 for EPTR vs. total nitrogen and −0.62 for algae O/E vs. AG-Index. Results suggest that analysis of metrics at national scale can often detect large differences in disturbance, but more detail and specificity is obtained by analyzing data at regional scales.

Use of stable isotopes in agriculture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ali, F. K.

2011-01-01

Scientific research is considered to be one of the most important steps to achieve sustainable agriculture development. This paper is focused on the role of stable isotopes and their applications in agriculture for plant and animal production, and to study the relationship between soil, plant, air, water, nutrients and agricultural pests. Symbiotic N 2 fixation and efficient use of chemical and organic N fertilizers using 15 N were reported. Factors affecting 13 C values and application of carbon isotope discrimination to physiological and eco-physiological studies and selection of genotypes with improved water-use efficiency and drought tolerance and the recent progress in this field are reviewed. Moreover, the use of carbon isotope compositions in monitoring environmental changes and its various applications in food technology, animal production and entomology are discussed. (author)

Lessons for Co-Innovation in Agricultural Innovation Systems: A Multiple Case Study Analysis and a Conceptual Model

Science.gov (United States)

Fielke, Simon J.; Botha, Neels; Reid, Janet; Gray, David; Blackett, Paula; Park, Nicola; Williams, Tracy

2018-01-01

Purpose: This paper highlights important lessons for co-innovation drawn from three ex-post case study innovation projects implemented within three sub-sectors of the primary industry sector in New Zealand. Design/methodology/approach: The characteristics that fostered co-innovation in each innovation project case study were identified from…

Introduction to Agronomy, Grain Crops, Weeds and Controls. A Learning Activity Pac in Agricultural Education Courses in Wisconsin.

Science.gov (United States)

Wisconsin State Dept. of Public Instruction, Madison. Div. of Instructional Services.

This learning activity pac contains information to help the teachers of high school vocational agriculture in the instructional area of agronomy. Each of the two main sections, grain crops and weeds and controls, includes teacher and student units for the section lessons. Teacher units include special instructions--equipment needed (film…

Agriculture and food processing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muhammad Lebai Juri

2003-01-01

This chapter discuss the application of nuclear technology in agriculture sector. Nuclear Technology has help agriculture and food processing to develop tremendously. Two techniques widely use in both clusters are ionization radiation and radioisotopes. Among techniques for ionizing radiation are plant mutation breeding, SIT and food preservation. Meanwhile radioisotopes use as a tracer for animal research, plant soil relations water sedimentology

The Development Model Electronic Commerce of Regional Agriculture

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Jun; Cai, Lecai; Li, Hongchan

With the developing of the agricultural information, it is inevitable trend of the development of agricultural electronic commercial affairs. On the basis of existing study on the development application model of e-commerce, combined with the character of the agricultural information, compared with the developing model from the theory and reality, a new development model electronic commerce of regional agriculture base on the government is put up, and such key issues as problems of the security applications, payment mode, sharing mechanisms, and legal protection are analyzed, etc. The among coordination mechanism of the region is discussed on, it is significance for regulating the development of agricultural e-commerce and promoting the regional economical development.

ELPSA as A Lesson Design Framework

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tom Lowrie

2015-07-01

Full Text Available This paper offers a framework for mathematics lesson design that is consistent with the way we learn about, and discover, most things in life. In addition, the framework provides a structure for identifying how mathematical concepts and understanding are acquired and developed. This framework is called ELPSA and represents five learning components, namely: Experience, Language, Pictorial, Symbolic and Applications. This framework has been used in developing lessons and teacher professional programs in Indonesia since 2012 in cooperation with the World Bank. This paper describes the theory that underlines the framework in general and in relation to each inter-connected component. Two explicit learning sequences for classroom practice are described, associated with Pythagoras theorem and probability. This paper then concludes with recommendations for using ELPSA in various institutional contexts.

Design and control of precision drop-on-demand herbicide application in agricultural robotics

OpenAIRE

Urdal, Frode; Utstumo, Trygve; Vatne, Jan Kåre; Ellingsen, Simen Andreas Ådnøy; Gravdahl, Jan Tommy

2014-01-01

This is the author’s final, accepted and refereed manuscript to the article. Drop-on-demand weed control is a field of research within Precision Agriculture, where the herbicide application is controlled down to individual droplets. This paper focuses on the fluid dynamics and electronics design of the droplet dispensing. The droplets are formed through an array of nozzles, controlled by two-way solenoid valves. A much used control circuit for opening and closing a soleno...

29 CFR 780.605 - Employment in agriculture.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 29 Labor 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Employment in agriculture. 780.605 Section 780.605 Labor... POLICY OR INTERPRETATION NOT DIRECTLY RELATED TO REGULATIONS EXEMPTIONS APPLICABLE TO AGRICULTURE... Agriculture and Livestock Auction Operations Under the Section 13(b)(13) Exemption Requirements for Exemption...

Recent advances in biochar applications in agricultural soils: Benefits and environmental implications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xu, Gang; Lv, Yingchun [Key Laboratory of Coastal Zone Environmental Processes, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research (YIC), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Yantai (China); Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Coastal Zone Environmental Processes, YICCAS, Yantai (China); Sun, Junna; Wei, Linlin [Key Laboratory of Coastal Zone Environmental Processes, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research (YIC), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Yantai (China); Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing (China); Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Coastal Zone Environmental Processes, YICCAS, Yantai (China); Shao, Hongbo [Key Laboratory of Coastal Zone Environmental Processes, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research (YIC), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Yantai (China); Institute of Life Sciences,Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao (China); Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Coastal Zone Environmental Processes, YICCAS, Yantai (China)

2012-10-15

Biochar, a by-product of biomass pyrolysis, has been suggested as a mean to combat climate change, and at the same time to achieve agricultural and environmental benefits. As one possible source of the components with high aromatic structure in soil humus, biochar is of great importance in increasing soil carbon storage and improving soil nutrient retention and nutrient availability, and in maintaining the balance of soil ecosystem. This paper briefly reviewed and synthesized recent findings and discussions regarding the production and characteristics of biochar, its effects on global climate change and particularly in relation to the environmental effects of biochar in soils. Agronomic benefits of biochar application are critically highlighted because researches show that biochar had varied effects on crop productivity thorough the different bio-physical interactions between the biochar and the soils, which are deserved for further investigations. Potential pitfalls and knowledge gaps were briefly discussed on the environmental behavior and the effects of biochar in agricultural ecosystem. (Copyright copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Cuban agriculture and nuclear techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Labrada Remon, A.; Perez Talavera, S.

1997-01-01

The application of nuclear techniques to agriculture emerged in Cuba at the end of the 60s. At the beginning only few researchers used these techniques for stimulating or mutational purposes. At the end of the 80 s systematic research began for its possible application to existing agricultural problems among which we can highlight radiomutable genesis and the determination of diagnostic damage of seeds by x-rays, plant nutrition and soil fertility, efficient water use, animal nutrition, reproduction and health as well as pest control

Nuclear science in the 20th century. Nuclear agricultural science

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Jun; Xu Furong; Zheng Chunkai

2003-01-01

Nuclear science and technology have been successfully applied to many subjects, nuclear agriculture being one of the most important applications. We present a general review of the applications of nuclear radiation and nuclear tracer techniques in agriculture. The development of nuclear agriculture in China is also reviewed briefly

Adapting Agriculture Platforms for Nutrition: A Case Study of a Participatory, Video-Based Agricultural Extension Platform in India.

Science.gov (United States)

Kadiyala, Suneetha; Morgan, Emily H; Cyriac, Shruthi; Margolies, Amy; Roopnaraine, Terry

2016-01-01

Successful integration of nutrition interventions into large-scale development programmes from nutrition-relevant sectors, such as agriculture, can address critical underlying determinants of undernutrition and enhance the coverage and effectiveness of on-going nutrition-specific activities. However, evidence on how this can be done is limited. This study examines the feasibility of delivering maternal, infant, and young child nutrition behaviour change communication through an innovative agricultural extension programme serving nutritionally vulnerable groups in rural India. The existing agriculture programme involves participatory production of low-cost videos promoting best practices and broad dissemination through village-level women's self-help groups. For the nutrition intervention, 10 videos promoting specific maternal, infant, and young child nutrition practices were produced and disseminated in 30 villages. A range of methods was used to collect data, including in-depth interviews with project staff, frontline health workers, and self-help group members and their families; structured observations of mediated video dissemination sessions; nutrition knowledge tests with project staff and self-help group members; and a social network questionnaire to assess diffusion of promoted nutrition messages. We found the nutrition intervention to be well-received by rural communities and viewed as complementary to existing frontline health services. However, compared to agriculture, nutrition content required more time, creativity, and technical support to develop and deliver. Experimentation with promoted nutrition behaviours was high, but sharing of information from the videos with non-viewers was limited. Key lessons learned include the benefits of and need for collaboration with existing health services; continued technical support for implementing partners; engagement with local cultural norms and beliefs; empowerment of women's group members to champion nutrition

Toward a New Generation of Agricultural System Data, Models, and Knowledge Products: State of Agricultural Systems Science

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, James W.; Antle, John M.; Basso, Bruno; Boote, Kenneth J.; Conant, Richard T.; Foster, Ian; Godfray, H. Charles J.; Herrero, Mario; Howitt, Richard E.; Janssen, Sander;

Application of Solar Photovoltaic Water Pumping System in Hainan Agriculture

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Xiangchun; YU; Qingqing; LIN; Xuedong; ZHOU; Zhibin; YANG

2013-01-01

With radical socio-economic development and strengthening of regulation of agricultural industrial structure in Hainan Province,fresh water resource becomes increasingly insufficient.Existing water-saving facilities and measures are unable to promote sustainable and stable development of local economy.This needs modern irrigation method.Solar photovoltaic water pumping system is necessary and feasible in Hainan agriculture,and will have directive significance for Hainan Province developing photovoltaic agriculture.

Revising the Depreciation and Investment Credit Lessons for Farm Management and Supervised Occupational Experience for Use in Missouri Programs of Vocational Agriculture. Final Report.

Science.gov (United States)

Rohrbach, Norman; And Others

This project developed four lessons that reflect the 1981 tax laws as they relate to the use of investment credit and depreciation in farm accounting systems. Project staff reviewed tax laws and related materials and identified four lessons in farm management and supervised occupational experience that needed revision. Materials were then…

Lessons Learned from Ares I Upper Stage Structures and Thermal Design

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmed, Rafiq

2012-01-01

The Ares 1 Upper Stage was part of the vehicle intended to succeed the Space Shuttle as the United States manned spaceflight vehicle. Although the Upper Stage project was cancelled, there were many lessons learned that are applicable to future vehicle design. Lessons learned that are briefly detailed in this Technical Memorandum are for specific technical areas such as tank design, common bulkhead design, thrust oscillation, control of flight and slosh loads, purge and hazardous gas system. In addition, lessons learned from a systems engineering and vehicle integration perspective are also included, such as computer aided design and engineering, scheduling, and data management. The need for detailed systems engineering in the early stages of a project is emphasized throughout this report. The intent is that future projects will be able to apply these lessons learned to keep costs down, schedules brief, and deliver products that perform to the expectations of their customers.

Regional markets with agricultural workforce based on Labour offices' data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

František Nohel

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The changes in Czech agriculture over the past twenty years have had their impact on the agricultural labour market, too. The regional differentiation of the chances of applicants on the labour market as well as the agricultural enterprises’ chances of hiring employees fitting their requirements, are, among others, influenced by the specific conditions of agricultural production. The aim of this paper pertains to two basic problem areas: first, the differentiation of respective regions based on the number of agricultural applicants and job vacancies, and second, the identification of disequilibrium on the agricultural labour market. The latter is based on a theoretical framework defined by approaches in economy dealing with labour market equilibrium. Due to the unavailability of economic data (including wages, economic performance, etc. on the regional level, authors develop their own methodological approach, based on the number of applicants per job vacancy. A database of applicants and vacancies available from the Labour Offices is used as a source for the analysis and interpretation of data, enabling us to study the agricultural labour market not only sector-wise but also region-wise.

Radiation technology in agriculture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

D'Souza, S.F.

2013-01-01

The Department of Atomic Energy through its research, development and deployment activities in nuclear science and technology, has been contributing towards enhancing the production of agricultural commodities and their preservation. Radiations and radioisotopes are used in agricultural research to induce genetic variability in crop plants to develop improved varieties, to manage insect pests, monitor fate and persistence of pesticides, to study fertilizer use efficiency and plant micronutrient uptake and also to preserve agricultural produce. Use of radiation and radioisotopes in agriculture which is often referred to as nuclear agriculture is one of the important fields of peaceful applications of atomic energy for societal benefit and BARC has contributed significantly in this area. 41 new crop varieties developed at BARC have been released and Gazette notified by the MoA, GOI for commercial cultivation and are popular among the farming community and grown through out the country

Action-research platforms in water and agriculture: Lessons from three programmes in Africa

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Tucker, J

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Stakeholder platforms are popular among agricultural innovation projects. However, there has been limited critical or comparative research on these platforms, exploring what outcomes can be expected and what makes platforms effective or sustainable...

Market assessment of photovoltaic power systems for agricultural applications in Morocco

Science.gov (United States)

Steingass, H.; Asmon, I.

1981-01-01

Results of a month-long study in Morocco aimed at assessing the market potential for stand-alone photovoltaic systems in agriculture and rural service applications are presented. The following applications, requiring less than 15 kW of power, are described: irrigation, cattle watering, refrigeration, crop processing, potable water and educational TV. Telecommunications and transportation signalling applications, descriptions of power and energy use profiles, assessments of business environment, government and private sector attitudes towards photovoltaics, and financing were also considered. The Moroccan market presents both advantages and disadvantages for American PV manufacturers. The principle advantages of the Moroccan market are: a limited grid, interest in and present use of PV in communications applications, attractive investment incentives, and a stated policy favoring American investment. Disadvantages include: lack of government incentives for PV use, general unfamiliarity with PV technology, high first cost of PV, a well-established market network for diesel generators, and difficulty with financing. The market for PV in Morocco (1981-1986), will be relatively small, about 340 kwp. The market for PV is likely to be more favorable in telecommunications, transport signalling and some rural services. The primary market appears to be in the public (i.e., government) rather than private sector, due to financial constraints and the high price of PV relative to conventional power sector.

WHC significant lessons learned 1993--1995

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bickford, J.C.

1997-12-12

A lesson learned as defined in DOE-STD-7501-95, Development of DOE Lessons Learned Programs, is: A ``good work practice`` or innovative approach that is captured and shared to promote repeat applications or an adverse work practice or experience that is captured and shared to avoid a recurrence. The key word in both parts of this definition is ``shared``. This document was published to share a wide variety of recent Hanford experiences with other DOE sites. It also provides a valuable tool to be used in new employee and continuing training programs at Hanford facilities and at other DOE locations. This manual is divided into sections to facilitate extracting appropriate subject material when developing training modules. Many of the bulletins could be categorized into more than one section, however, so examination of other related sections is encouraged.

Report of the 2nd RCM on development of radiation-processed products of natural polymers for application in agriculture, healthcare, industry and environment. Working Material

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2010-07-01

Radiation processing offers a clean and additive-free method for preparation of value-added novel materials based on renewable, non-toxic and biodegradable natural polymers and natural polymer waste. The results of research work showed that depending on the irradiation conditions, natural polysaccharides (alginate, chitin/chitosan, carrageeneans, carboxylmethylcellulose, etc.) could be either degraded or crosslinked by radiation. This paved the way for development of many successful applications; some of them commercialized, for use in agriculture, health care and environmental protection. The inputs for the formulation of this CRP and the key issues that need to be addressed were provided by the Consultant’s Meeting on “Radiation Processing of Natural Polymers for Development of Finished Products for Health Care, Agriculture and Environment” held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 26 – 30 March 2007. The main objective was defined as wide-spread promotion and general application of radiation processed natural materials, by coupling radiation technology and end-users to derive additional benefits from these value-added natural materials. The first RCM of the CRP was convened in Vienna on 21-25 April 2008. The participants presented and discussed the status of the field, the needs for further research, and various application possibilities. The work plan formulated during the meeting focused on harmonization of procedures for characterization of irradiated polymers, and protocols for investigation of the functional properties of degraded natural polymer products and their field testing. A network for collaboration was also proposed. The Meeting Report was published and is available for all Member States. The second RCM of this CRP was held in Reims, France, on 12–16 October 2009. The meeting was attended by 14 participants who reported their individual research results obtained since the first RCM, as well as their further plans. This meeting report contains

Report of the 2nd RCM on development of radiation-processed products of natural polymers for application in agriculture, healthcare, industry and environment. Working Material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2010-01-01

Radiation processing offers a clean and additive-free method for preparation of value-added novel materials based on renewable, non-toxic and biodegradable natural polymers and natural polymer waste. The results of research work showed that depending on the irradiation conditions, natural polysaccharides (alginate, chitin/chitosan, carrageeneans, carboxylmethylcellulose, etc.) could be either degraded or crosslinked by radiation. This paved the way for development of many successful applications; some of them commercialized, for use in agriculture, health care and environmental protection. The inputs for the formulation of this CRP and the key issues that need to be addressed were provided by the Consultant’s Meeting on “Radiation Processing of Natural Polymers for Development of Finished Products for Health Care, Agriculture and Environment” held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 26 – 30 March 2007. The main objective was defined as wide-spread promotion and general application of radiation processed natural materials, by coupling radiation technology and end-users to derive additional benefits from these value-added natural materials. The first RCM of the CRP was convened in Vienna on 21-25 April 2008. The participants presented and discussed the status of the field, the needs for further research, and various application possibilities. The work plan formulated during the meeting focused on harmonization of procedures for characterization of irradiated polymers, and protocols for investigation of the functional properties of degraded natural polymer products and their field testing. A network for collaboration was also proposed. The Meeting Report was published and is available for all Member States. The second RCM of this CRP was held in Reims, France, on 12–16 October 2009. The meeting was attended by 14 participants who reported their individual research results obtained since the first RCM, as well as their further plans. This meeting report contains

Agricultural risk management

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lund, Mogens; Oksen, Arne; Larsen, Torben U.

2005-01-01

A new model for risk management in agriculture is described in the paper. The risk model is constructed as a context dependent process, which includes four main phases. The model is aimed at agricultural advisors, who wish to facilitate and disseminate risk management to farmers. It is developed...... and tested by an action research approach in an attempt to make risk management more applicable on family farms. Our obtained experiences indicate that farmers don’t apply probabilistic thinking and other concepts according to formal decision theory....

Remote sensing with simulated unmanned aircraft imagery for precision agriculture applications

Science.gov (United States)

Hunt, E. Raymond; Daughtry, Craig S.T.; Mirsky, Steven B.; Hively, W. Dean

2014-01-01

An important application of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) may be remote-sensing for precision agriculture, because of its ability to acquire images with very small pixel sizes from low altitude flights. The objective of this study was to compare information obtained from two different pixel sizes, one about a meter (the size of a small vegetation plot) and one about a millimeter. Cereal rye (Secale cereale) was planted at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center for a winter cover crop with fall and spring fertilizer applications, which produced differences in biomass and leaf chlorophyll content. UAS imagery was simulated by placing a Fuji IS-Pro UVIR digital camera at 3-m height looking nadir. An external UV-IR cut filter was used to acquire true-color images; an external red cut filter was used to obtain color-infrared-like images with bands at near-infrared, green, and blue wavelengths. Plot-scale Green Normalized Difference Vegetation Index was correlated with dry aboveground biomass ( ${mbi {r}} = 0.58$ ), whereas the Triangular Greenness Index (TGI) was not correlated with chlorophyll content. We used the SamplePoint program to select 100 pixels systematically; we visually identified the cover type and acquired the digital numbers. The number of rye pixels in each image was better correlated with biomass ( ${mbi {r}} = 0.73$ ), and the average TGI from only leaf pixels was negatively correlated with chlorophyll content ( ${mbi {r}} = -0.72$ ). Thus, better information for crop requirements may be obtained using very small pixel sizes, but new algorithms based on computer vision are needed for analysis. It may not be necessary to geospatially register large numbers of photographs with very small pixel sizes. Instead, images could be analyzed as single plots along field transects.

Theoretical Application of Supervision over Quality and Safety of Agricultural Products

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Xin; CHENG; Ying; ZHANG

2013-01-01

Supervision over quality and safety of agricultural products has received high attention of management department.Competent authorities have formulated and issued many measures to strengthen supervision over quality and safety of agricultural products and improve China’s agricultural product quality and safety level.From the perspective of management science,this paper elaborates basic contents of two basic management theories,Broken Windows Effect and Effect of Heat Furnace.Then,it analyzes influence of Broken Windows Effect and Effect of Heat Furnace on supervision over quality and safety of agricultural products.Finally,it comes up with recommendations for supervision over quality and safety of agricultural products.

[Effects of agricultural practices on community structure of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in agricultural ecosystem: a review].

Science.gov (United States)

Sheng, Ping-Ping; Li, Min; Liu, Run-Jin

2011-06-01

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are rich in diversity in agricultural ecosystem, playing a vital role based on their unique community structure. Host plants and environmental factors have important effects on AM fungal community structure, so do the agricultural practices which deserve to pay attention to. This paper summarized the research advances in the effects of agricultural practices such as irrigation, fertilization, crop rotation, intercropping, tillage, and pesticide application on AM fungal community structure, analyzed the related possible mechanisms, discussed the possible ways in improving AM fungal community structure in agricultural ecosystem, and put forward a set of countermeasures, i.e., improving fertilization system and related integrated techniques, increasing plant diversity in agricultural ecosystem, and inoculating AM fungi, to enhance the AM fungal diversity in agricultural ecosystem. The existing problems in current agricultural practices and further research directions were also proposed.

Development process and achievements of China nuclear agricultural sciences

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wen Xianfang

2009-01-01

This paper outlines the creation of our nuclear agricultural sciences and the development process as well as the main results for agricultural applications of nuclear technology. Nuclear agricultural sciences in China began in 1956, after 50 years of development, the collaborative research network, the academic exchange network, and the international exchange network have been formatted. These three networks comprehensively have promoted the formation and development of China nuclear agricultural sciences. Remarkable results have been achieved in the fields of radiation mutation breeding, space mutation breeding, isotope tracer technique application in agriculture, agricultural products storage and preservation of irradiation processing, irradiation sterile insect technique, low-doses of radiation to stimulate output. In addition, the concept of suggestions on the future development of China nuclear agricultural sciences, as well as the priorities of research fields are put forward. (authors)

Putting Gino's lesson to work: Actor-network theory, enacted humanity, and rehabilitation.

Science.gov (United States)

Abrams, Thomas; Gibson, Barbara E

2016-02-01

This article argues that rehabilitation enacts a particular understanding of "the human" throughout therapeutic assessment and treatment. Following Michel Callon and Vololona Rabeharisoa's "Gino's Lesson on Humanity," we suggest that this is not simply a top-down process, but is cultivated in the application and response to biomedical frameworks of human ability, competence, and responsibility. The emergence of the human is at once a materially contingent, moral, and interpersonal process. We begin the article by outlining the basics of the actor-network theory that underpins "Gino's Lesson on Humanity." Next, we elucidate its central thesis regarding how disabled personhood emerges through actor-network interactions. Section "Learning Gino's lesson" draws on two autobiographical examples, examining the emergence of humanity through rehabilitation, particularly assessment measures and the responses to them. We conclude by thinking about how rehabilitation and actor-network theory might take this lesson on humanity seriously. © The Author(s) 2016.

7 CFR 1.26 - Representation before the Department of Agriculture.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Representation before the Department of Agriculture. 1.26 Section 1.26 Agriculture Office of the Secretary of Agriculture ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS Departmental Proceedings § 1.26 Representation before the Department of Agriculture. (a) Applicability. This...

Analysis of the some effective teaching quality factors within faculty members of agricultural and natural resources colleges in Tehran University

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Ghonji

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Agricultural higher education institutions have a significant role in development of the agriculture sector and the effectiveness of higher education is dependent on the quality of teaching offered by its faculty members. The purpose of this study was to determine and classify factors related to teaching quality by members of a scientific board. The method of evaluation for this research was by evaluation of data from a descriptive survey taken with a researcher made questionnaire. The target population of the study consisted of 256 faculty members in agricultural colleges in Tehran University. A sample of 100 staff was selected through a randomized multi-stage sampling method based on the Koukran formula. The questionnaire, used as the research tool, was verified by a panel of experts. The reliability of the questionnaire was verified through calculating the Crookback Alpha coefficient equal to 0/86 following a pilot study. Data was analyzed through SPSS15/Win and results of the explorative factor analysis revealed that five components explained 74/82% of the total variance. These factors were as follows; (1 lesson plan (19.52%, (2 teaching skill (17.97%, (3 communication skills (17.93%, (4 expertise related to lesson content (10.59%, and (5 individual capabilities of members (9.15% respectively.

Review and prospect of nuclear technology agriculture application in Zhejiang province

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu Yanting; Xiong Lidong; Wu Qing; Jin Qingsheng

2012-01-01

The discipline development, main progress and achievements of nuclear agricultural sciences in past 50 years in Zhejiang Province were reviewed in the paper. The great progress were obtained in radiation mutation breeding and related heredity mechanism, radiation sterile insect technique and related molecular biology mechanism, the agricultural products storage and preservation of irradiation processing. There were remarkable achievements in isotope tracer technique for animal and plant physiology and biochemistry research and agricultural chemicals safety usage standard. There was also distinct progress in space mutation breeding. From now on, there will be a close combination for the nuclear agricultural sciences with the modern bio-technology and the information technology, which will unceasingly promote the nuclear agricultural sciences development. (authors)

Using Pesticides: Commercial Applicator Manual, Texas. Agricultural Pest Control - Field Crop Pest Control, Fruit and Vegetable Pest Control, Weed and Brush Control.

Science.gov (United States)

Texas A and M Univ., College Station. Texas Agricultural Extension Service.

This document is designed to provide commercial pesticide applicators with practical information and regulations required by the Texas Department of Agriculture. The manual includes two major sections. The first section discusses labels and labeling, pesticides, aerial application, ground application, pesticide safety, pests and pest damage,…

Nanotechnology in sustainable agriculture: Present concerns and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Nanotechnology in sustainable agriculture: Present concerns and future aspects. ... of those living in developing countries face daily food shortages as a result of ... applications in agricultural, food, and water safety that could have significant ...

Capacity Building in NASA Remote Sensing Data for Meteorological and Agricultural Communities in East Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Granger, S. L.; Andreadis, K.; Das, N. N.; Macharia, D.

2015-12-01

Across the globe, planners and decision makers are hampered by a lack of historic data and scant in situ observations on which to base policy and action plans. Data is often sorely lacking in poorly developed regions such as East Africa where people are vulnerable to a changing climate, extreme weather events, and economies and food security are tied directly to rain fed agriculture or pastoral cultures. NASA global remote sensing observations and research are promising in this regard, as they have great potential to inform policy- and decision-making at global, regional and even local scales the world over, However that potential is not realized as often as it should for a variety of reasons: the data stores are often impenetrable requiring special expertise to "crack the code", sustainability of observations remains a concern, and research and data are not focused on applications, thus results don't "fit" in existing tools or are developed for a short-term science objective without long-term use in mind. Although there are good examples of the use of NASA Earth Science research and observations for applications, capacity is lacking and must be built to advance the use of remote sensing for applications and to ease transition of research to the stakeholder. Capacity building is a critical component to transition Earth science research results to stakeholder communities, and is more than traditional training,, it has been described as…."the process of developing and strengthening the skills, instincts, abilities, processes and resources that organizations and communities need to survive, adapt, and thrive in the fast-changing world. Best practices and lessons learned from recent capacity building efforts for Agricultural and Environmental Ministires in East African in support of a NASA-SERVIR Applied Science Project to provide estimates of hydrologic extremes tied to crop yield are described.

29 CFR 780.128 - General statement on “secondary” agriculture.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 29 Labor 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false General statement on âsecondaryâ agriculture. 780.128... APPLICABLE TO AGRICULTURE, PROCESSING OF AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES, AND RELATED SUBJECTS UNDER THE FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT General Scope of Agriculture Practices Exempt Under âsecondaryâ Meaning of Agriculture...

How to engage across sectors: lessons from agriculture and nutrition in the Brazilian School Feeding Program

OpenAIRE

Hawkes, Corinna; Brazil, Bettina Gerken; Castro, Inês Rugani Ribeiro de; Jaime, Patricia Constante

2016-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To provide insights for nutrition and public health practitioners on how to engage with other sectors to achieve public health goals. Specifically, this study provides lessons from the example of integrating family farming and a nutrition into a legal framework in Brazil on how to successfully shift other sectors toward nutrition goals.\\ud \\ud METHODS: The study analyzed policy processes that led to a Brazilian law linking family farming with the National School Feeding Program. Ma...

Radiation Synthesis of Super absorbent CMC Based Hydrogels For Agriculture Applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raafat, A.I.; Eid, M.; El-Arnaouty, M.B.

2010-01-01

A good hydrogels of carboxy methyl cellulose (CMC) and poly vinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) were synthesized by gamma radiation at different doses and compositions. The prepared hydrogels were characterized by (FTIR) and (SEM). The hydrogels properties such as gelation (%), swelling and water retention capability were investigated. As the content of PVP in PVP/CMC hydrogels increased the gelation (%) increased. The swelling ratio of prepared hydrogel decreased with increasing of irradiation doses and the temperature. The (PVP/CMC) hydrogen of composition (40:60) prepared at 20 kGy showed the highest swelling ratio. The addition of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO 3 ) to the PVP/CMC hydrogels during the irradiation process decreases the swelling ratio. The water retention reveals a similar behavior for the different compositions. The swelling characteristics in the presence of different cations and anions in a swelling medium were studied. The hydrogels were also loaded with urea solutions as a model agrochemical and their potential application for controlled release has been investigated. The improve properties of the prepared materials suggested that, the (PVP/CMC) hydrogels can be use in agriculture applications

Application of radioisotopes and radiation in the field of agricultural engineering in Japan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ochiai, T.

1974-01-01

Data have been published about the application of radioisotopes and radiation in Japan agricultural engineering. The radioisotopes have been used : 1 for measuring the humidity of the ground in the development of the irrigation and canalization of the cultivated areas; 2 for measuring i. the circulation rate of the ground water, ii. the porosity and the storing capacity of the water-carrier layers. iii. the drift and sand-transporting speed of the open canals; 3, for the control of the dam leaking in the ground water hydrology. (K.A.)

Licence renewal in the United States - enhancing the process through lessons learned

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Walters, D.J.

2000-01-01

The Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) is the Washington based policy organisation representing the broad and varied interests of the diverse nuclear energy industry. It comprises nearly 300 corporate members in 15 countries with a budget last year of about USD 26.5 million. It has been working for 10 years with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), colleagues in the industry and others to demonstrate that license renewal is a safe and workable process. The first renewed license was issued on 24 March to BGE for the the Calvert Cliffs plant. One month later the NRC issued the renewed license for the Ocoenne plant. By 'Enhancing the process through lessons learned', we mean reducing the uncertainty in the license renewal process. This is achieved through lessons learned from the net wave of applicants and the reviews of the Calvert Cliffs and Ocoenne applications. Three areas will be covered: - Incentive for minimising uncertainty as industry interest in license renewal is growing dramatically. - Rigorous reviews by Nuclear Regulatory Commission assure continued safety: process put in place by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to assure safety throughout the license renewal term, specifically areas where the lessons learned suggest improvements can be made. - Lessons learned have identified enhancements to the process: numerous benefits associated with renewal of nuclear power plant licenses for consumers of electricity, the environment, the nuclear operating companies and the nation. (author)

A technical selection of suitable agricultural products for the application of radurisation technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hill, N.D.

1989-01-01

The commercial utilization of radurization technology has not reached the levels expected due, predominantly, to two contributing factors. Over and above the suspicions held by the consumer towards food radurization, a dearth of information exists regarding the costs of applying this technology. It appears, therefore, that if the question of consumer acceptance is surmounted, an indication of benefit costs would be crucial to convincing potential radurization users whether or not this technology can provide any economic benefit. The range of food and agricultural products consumed in South Africa is very diverse. To determine the radurization benefit cost of each food product consumed in South Africa would, therefore, be a monumental task. As a result an investigation was commissioned by the Study Group for the Techno-Economic Aspects of the Steering Committee for the Marketing of Radurized Food Products. This investigation was aimed, in the first instance, at identifying those food and agricultural products best suited for the application of this technology, thereby creating a short list on which detailed benefit cost analyses could be performed

The application of quality management (TQM to enhance the competitiveness of agricultural entities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jelena Kristić

2016-12-01

Full Text Available In recent years quality management has become a new management segment and the most important factor in the market survival as well as in the growth and the development of business entities in most European and other countries worldwide. In order to determine characteristics of an efficient quality management system in agricultural entities and their impact on financial, economic and business performance and competitiveness, primary research was carried out on a sample of 248 respondents, i.e. the representatives of Croatian agricultural entities. The results of the research indicate there is a statistically significant relationship between a high level of TQM application and the horizontal and flexible organization structure, defined mission and vision, systematic observation of changes in the market, stable top management support, employee empowerment and their involvement in quality management activities, creating business environment that supports employee initiatives, education and training, measurable quality objectives, clear understanding of quality concept, business process evaluation and improvement, by using a proactive approach, and finally, orientation towards consumers. The study has found that TQM improves the financial, economic and business performance, i.e. increases market share, price competitiveness, competitive advantage, total sales, the introduction of new products, profitability, input use efficiency, exports, as well as employee and consumer satisfaction. Cost reduction is another advantage. Understanding the role of TQM is essential for gaining competitive advantage, which agricultural entities can achieve only through the synergy of all these elements.

Investigation study for technological application of alternative methods for the energy exploitation of biomass/agricultural residues in Northern Greece

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zabaniotou Anastasia A.

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Biomass energy potential is addressed to be the most promising among the renewable energy sources, due to its spread and availability worldwide. Apart form that, biomass has the unique advantage among the rest of renewable energy sources, to be able to provide solid, liquid, and gaseous fuels that can be stored, transported, and utilized, far away from the point of origin. For the northern region of Macedonia in Greece, biomass utilization is considered to be a major issue, due to the considerably intensive regional agricultural activities. Wood by-products, fruit cores, rice husk and cotton gin waste provide a promising energy source for the region. The energy potential of the available agricultural biomass produced in the region is much enough to cover the 10% of the annual oil consumption utilized for thermal applications. However, the cost of energy utilization of biomass is considerably high due to the high cost of the logistics concerning the collection, transport, and storage of biomass. The available utilization technologies developed, to handle efficiently all different species of biomass, cover a wide technological range. One of the most promising technologies involving thermal treatment of biomass and the production of a gaseous fuel (biogas for industrial heat applications and electricity production, is the thermo chemical conversion. In the present work, an investigation concerning biomass potential for energy production in the region of central Macedonia in Greece, utilizing several locally produced biomass species, is conducted. Emphasis is put on the energy utilization of agricultural by-products and residues. Agricultural sector is of great importance due to the considerably intensive agricultural activities in the region of Central Macedonia. .

Data Cubes Integration in Spatial OLAP for Agricultural Commodities

Science.gov (United States)

Putri, A. I.; Sitanggang, I. S.

2017-03-01

Ministry of Agriculture Indonesia collects data of agricultural commodities in Indonesia in the annual period. Agricultural commodities data include food crops, horticulture, plantations, and livestock. The data are available in the spreadsheet format. This study developed data cubes for food crops, plantations, and livestock using the galaxy schema of data warehouse and integrated the data cubes into the SOLAP Horticulture using SpagoBI. SOLAP is useful for data analysis and data visualization. The application displays agricultural commodities data in form of crosstab and chart. This study also developed the location intelligence module that visualizes agricultural commodities data on the map. The system was tested using the black box approach. The result showed that main functions including roll up, drill down, slice, dice, and pivot work properly. This application is expected to enable users to easily obtain data summaries of agricultural commodities.

How helpful is nanotechnology in agriculture?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ditta, Allah

2012-01-01

Nanotechnology has great potential, as it can enhance the quality of life through its applications in various fields like agriculture and the food system. Around the world it has become the future of any nation. But we must be very careful with any new technology to be introduced regarding its possible unforeseen related risks that may come through its positive potential. However, it is also critical for the future of a nation to produce a trained future workforce in nanotechnology. In this process, to inform the public at large about its advantages is the first step; it will result in a tremendous increase in interest and new applications in all the domains will be discovered. With this idea, the present review has been written. There is great potential in nanoscience and technology in the provision of state-of-the-art solutions for various challenges faced by agriculture and society today and in the future. Climate change, urbanization, sustainable use of natural resources and environmental issues like runoff and accumulation of pesticides and fertilizers are the hot issues for today's agriculture. This paper reviews some of the potential applications of nanotechnology in the field of agriculture and recommends many strategies for the advancement of scientific and technological knowledge currently being examined. (review)

Applications of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) in the modelling and design of ventilation systems in the agricultural industry: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Norton, Tomás; Sun, Da-Wen; Grant, Jim; Fallon, Richard; Dodd, Vincent

2007-09-01

The application of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) in the agricultural industry is becoming ever more important. Over the years, the versatility, accuracy and user-friendliness offered by CFD has led to its increased take-up by the agricultural engineering community. Now CFD is regularly employed to solve environmental problems of greenhouses and animal production facilities. However, due to a combination of increased computer efficacy and advanced numerical techniques, the realism of these simulations has only been enhanced in recent years. This study provides a state-of-the-art review of CFD, its current applications in the design of ventilation systems for agricultural production systems, and the outstanding challenging issues that confront CFD modellers. The current status of greenhouse CFD modelling was found to be at a higher standard than that of animal housing, owing to the incorporation of user-defined routines that simulate crop biological responses as a function of local environmental conditions. Nevertheless, the most recent animal housing simulations have addressed this issue and in turn have become more physically realistic.

Nutrition-sensitive agriculture and the promotion of food and nutrition sovereignty and security in Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Maluf, Renato Sergio; Burlandy, Luciene; Santarelli, Mariana; Schottz, Vanessa; Speranza, Juliana Simões

2015-08-01

This paper explores the possibilities of the nutrition-sensitive agriculture approach in the context of the programs and actions towards promoting food and nutrition sovereignty and security in Brazil. To analyze the links between nutrition and agriculture, this paper presents the conceptual framework related to food and nutrition security, and stresses the correlations among concepts, institutional structures and program design in Brazil. Dominant models of food production and consumption are scrutinized in the light of these relationships. This paper also highlights differences amongst different ways to promote nutrition-sensitive agriculture through food-acquisition programs from family farmers, experiences in agro-ecology and bio-fortification programs. In the closing remarks, the paper draws some lessons learned from the Brazilian experience that highlight the advantages of family farming and rapid food production, distribution and consumption cycles in order to promote access to an affordable, diversified and more adequate diet in nutritional terms.

Energy efficiency and renewable energies: first lessons learned from AFD and FFEM funding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ries, Alain; Dubus, Koulm; Naudet, Jean David

2008-04-01

The French Agency for Development (AFD) has been always more involved in projects dealing with issues related to global warming, and more particularly in projects aiming at developing energy efficiency and renewable energies, these projects involved different expertises (energy, urban planning, transports, agriculture, and so on). In order to highlight lessons learned from these diversity of projects and interventions, this report first proposes an analysis of these projects related to energy efficiency and renewable energies in terms of concerned sectors, of intervener, of funding type, and of evolution in time. Then, the authors highlight lessons learned in terms of project starting conditions (national framework, funding, technical abilities, social and environmental factors), in terms of funding conditions for these projects (concessional financing, specialised credit lines), and in terms of climatic impact assessment and of criteria of project selection (practices and reductions of greenhouse gas emissions, improvement of the climatic impact for project financed by the AFD)

A Lesson about the Circular Flow. Active Learning Lessons. Economics International.

Science.gov (United States)

Landfried, Janet

This lesson plan was developed through "Economics International," an international program to help build economic education infrastructures in the emerging market economies. It provides a lesson description; appropriate grade level; economic concepts; content standards and benchmarks; related subjects; instructional objectives; time…

The National Agriculture Imagery Program Change 2002-2017

Data.gov (United States)

Farm Service Agency, Department of Agriculture — The National Agriculture Imagery Program Change 2002-2017 is a web mapping application hosted on the ArcGIS online FSA Organizational Subscription. This web...

An Approach to Determining the Market for Academic Positions: Application to the Discipline of Agricultural Economics

Science.gov (United States)

Farrell, Terence; Casavant, Ken; Jessup, Eric

2007-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to present issues that are relevant to pursuing an academic career in the chosen discipline of each student. The application will be a general case study of agricultural economics. The analytical model will be used to evaluate options for Ph.D. graduates in a supply and demand context. The first issue presented is a…

Development and application of a mechanistic model to estimate emission of nitrous oxide from UK agriculture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown, L.; Jarvis, S.C.; Syed, B.; Goulding, K.W.T.; Li, C.

2002-01-01

A mechanistic model of N 2 O emission from agricultural soil (DeNitrification-DeComposition - DNDC) was modified for application to the UK, and was used as the basis of an inventory of N 2 O emission from UK agriculture in 1990. UK-specific input data were added to DNDC's database and the ability to simulate daily C and N inputs from grazing animals and applied animal waste was added to the model. The UK version of the model, UK-DNDC, simulated emissions from 18 different crop types on the 3 areally dominant soils in each county. Validation of the model at the field scale showed that predictions matched observations well. Emission factors for the inventory were calculated from estimates of N 2 O emission from UK-DNDC, in order to maintain direct comparability with the IPCC approach. These, along with activity data, were included in a transparent spreadsheet format. Using UK-DNDC, the estimate of N 2 O-N emission from UK current agricultural practice in 1990 was 50.9Gg. This total comprised 31.7Gg from the soil sector, 5.9Gg from animals and 13.2Gg from the indirect sector. The range of this estimate (using the range of soil organic C for each soil used) was 30.5-62.5Gg N. Estimates of emissions in each sector were compared to those calculated using the IPCC default methodology. Emissions from the soil and indirect sectors were smaller with the UK-DNDC approach than with the IPCC methodology, while emissions from the animal sector were larger. The model runs suggested a relatively large emission from agricultural land that was not attributable to current agricultural practices (33.8Gg in total, 27.4Gg from the soil sector). This 'background' component is partly the result of historical agricultural land use. It is not normally included in inventories of emission, but would increase the total emission of N 2 O-N from agricultural land in 1990 to 78.3Gg. (Author)

Development and application of a mechanistic model to estimate emission of nitrous oxide from UK agriculture

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brown, L.; Jarvis, S.C. [Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research, Okehampton (United Kingdom); Syed, B. [Cranfield Univ., Silsoe (United Kingdom). Soil Survey and Land Research Centre; Sneath, R.W.; Phillips, V.R. [Silsoe Research Inst. (United Kingdom); Goulding, K.W.T. [Institute of Arable Crops Research, Rothamsted (United Kingdom); Li, C. [University of New Hampshire (United States). Inst. for the Study of Earth, Oceans and Space

2002-07-01

A mechanistic model of N{sub 2}O emission from agricultural soil (DeNitrification-DeComposition - DNDC) was modified for application to the UK, and was used as the basis of an inventory of N{sub 2}O emission from UK agriculture in 1990. UK-specific input data were added to DNDC's database and the ability to simulate daily C and N inputs from grazing animals and applied animal waste was added to the model. The UK version of the model, UK-DNDC, simulated emissions from 18 different crop types on the 3 areally dominant soils in each county. Validation of the model at the field scale showed that predictions matched observations well. Emission factors for the inventory were calculated from estimates of N{sub 2}O emission from UK-DNDC, in order to maintain direct comparability with the IPCC approach. These, along with activity data, were included in a transparent spreadsheet format. Using UK-DNDC, the estimate of N{sub 2}O-N emission from UK current agricultural practice in 1990 was 50.9Gg. This total comprised 31.7Gg from the soil sector, 5.9Gg from animals and 13.2Gg from the indirect sector. The range of this estimate (using the range of soil organic C for each soil used) was 30.5-62.5Gg N. Estimates of emissions in each sector were compared to those calculated using the IPCC default methodology. Emissions from the soil and indirect sectors were smaller with the UK-DNDC approach than with the IPCC methodology, while emissions from the animal sector were larger. The model runs suggested a relatively large emission from agricultural land that was not attributable to current agricultural practices (33.8Gg in total, 27.4Gg from the soil sector). This 'background' component is partly the result of historical agricultural land use. It is not normally included in inventories of emission, but would increase the total emission of N{sub 2}O-N from agricultural land in 1990 to 78.3Gg. (Author)

Development and application of a mechanistic model to estimate emission of nitrous oxide from UK agriculture

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, L.; Syed, B.; Jarvis, S. C.; Sneath, R. W.; Phillips, V. R.; Goulding, K. W. T.; Li, C.

A mechanistic model of N 2O emission from agricultural soil (DeNitrification-DeComposition—DNDC) was modified for application to the UK, and was used as the basis of an inventory of N 2O emission from UK agriculture in 1990. UK-specific input data were added to DNDC's database and the ability to simulate daily C and N inputs from grazing animals and applied animal waste was added to the model. The UK version of the model, UK-DNDC, simulated emissions from 18 different crop types on the 3 areally dominant soils in each county. Validation of the model at the field scale showed that predictions matched observations well. Emission factors for the inventory were calculated from estimates of N 2O emission from UK-DNDC, in order to maintain direct comparability with the IPCC approach. These, along with activity data, were included in a transparent spreadsheet format. Using UK-DNDC, the estimate of N 2O-N emission from UK current agricultural practice in 1990 was 50.9 Gg. This total comprised 31.7 Gg from the soil sector, 5.9 Gg from animals and 13.2 Gg from the indirect sector. The range of this estimate (using the range of soil organic C for each soil used) was 30.5-62.5 Gg N. Estimates of emissions in each sector were compared to those calculated using the IPCC default methodology. Emissions from the soil and indirect sectors were smaller with the UK-DNDC approach than with the IPCC methodology, while emissions from the animal sector were larger. The model runs suggested a relatively large emission from agricultural land that was not attributable to current agricultural practices (33.8 Gg in total, 27.4 Gg from the soil sector). This 'background' component is partly the result of historical agricultural land use. It is not normally included in inventories of emission, but would increase the total emission of N 2O-N from agricultural land in 1990 to 78.3 Gg.

Classroom Management and Lesson Planning(4)

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

2006-01-01

Lesson PlanningTask 1As teachers,we all need to plan our lessons before we teach.Make a list of things that you think need tobe included in a lesson plan.Then compare and discuss your list with another teacher.Also think about reasonswhy we need to plan our lessons.

Vegetable oils as hydraulic fluids for agricultural applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mendoza, G.

2011-03-01

Full Text Available The formulation of environmentally friendly lubricants following the criterion of the European EcoLabel is expensive owing to the lack of technological development in this area. The present work deals with the development of lubricant formulations from vegetable oils, in particular using high oleic sunflower oil as base fluid. These new biolubricants have to perform as good as the reference lubricants used in the real application (an agricultural tractor but with the additional condition and value of their biodegradability without toxicity. Formulation development has been performed by Verkol Lubricantes, involving the selection of the base oil and the design of the additive package. The investigation performed by Tekniker in the laboratory has covered different aspects, characterizing the most important physicochemical properties of the lubricants, including their behavior at low temperatures and their resistance to oxidation. The tribological properties of the new biolubricants have also been studied, analyzing their ability to protect the interacting surface from wear, as well as the level of friction generated during sliding. Moreover, the compatibility of the new formulated oil with all the seals present in the real application has been taken into consideration. The selected lubricant is now being tested in agricultural machinery from AGRIA.

La formulación de lubricantes amigables con el medioambiente siguiendo los criterios Europeos de la EcoLabel resulta cara debido a la falta de desarrollo tecnológico en esta área. En el presente trabajo se han desarrollado formulaciones de lubricantes a partir de aceites de origen vegetal, en particular empleando como aceite base el GAO (Girasol de Alto Oleico. Estos nuevos lubricantes deben presentar un comportamiento tan bueno como el de los lubricantes de referencia empleados en la aplicación real (un tractor agrícola, pero con la condición y valor añadido de ser biodegradables y no t

77 FR 6535 - Notice of the Advisory Committee on Agriculture Statistics; Meeting

Science.gov (United States)

2012-02-08

... Program Priorities, Computer Assisted Personal Interview Technology Applications, Census of Agriculture... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE National Agricultural Statistics Service Notice of the Advisory Committee on Agriculture Statistics; Meeting AGENCY: National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA. ACTION...

Classroom Management and Lesson Planning(4)

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

2006-01-01

@@ Lesson Planning Task 1 As teachers,we all need to plan our lessons before we teach.Make a list of things that you think need to be included in a lesson plan.Then compare and discuss your list with another teacher.Also think about reasons why we need to plan our lessons.

Lessons learned from the design of chemical space networks and opportunities for new applications

Science.gov (United States)

Vogt, Martin; Stumpfe, Dagmar; Maggiora, Gerald M.; Bajorath, Jürgen

2016-03-01

The concept of chemical space is of fundamental relevance in chemical informatics and computer-aided drug discovery. In a series of articles published in the Journal of Computer- Aided Molecular Design, principles of chemical space design were evaluated, molecular networks proposed as an alternative to conventional coordinate-based chemical reference spaces, and different types of chemical space networks (CSNs) constructed and analyzed. Central to the generation of CSNs was the way in which molecular similarity relationships were assessed and a primary focal point was the network-based representation of biologically relevant chemical space. The design and comparison of CSNs based upon alternative similarity measures can be viewed as an evolutionary path with interesting lessons learned along the way. CSN design has matured to the point that such chemical space representations can be used in practice. In this contribution, highlights from the sequence of CSN design efforts are discussed in context, providing a perspective for future practical applications.

Lessons learned from the design of chemical space networks and opportunities for new applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Vogt, Martin; Stumpfe, Dagmar; Maggiora, Gerald M; Bajorath, Jürgen

2016-03-01

The concept of chemical space is of fundamental relevance in chemical informatics and computer-aided drug discovery. In a series of articles published in the Journal of Computer-Aided Molecular Design, principles of chemical space design were evaluated, molecular networks proposed as an alternative to conventional coordinate-based chemical reference spaces, and different types of chemical space networks (CSNs) constructed and analyzed. Central to the generation of CSNs was the way in which molecular similarity relationships were assessed and a primary focal point was the network-based representation of biologically relevant chemical space. The design and comparison of CSNs based upon alternative similarity measures can be viewed as an evolutionary path with interesting lessons learned along the way. CSN design has matured to the point that such chemical space representations can be used in practice. In this contribution, highlights from the sequence of CSN design efforts are discussed in context, providing a perspective for future practical applications.

Lesson Planning the Kodaly Way.

Science.gov (United States)

Boshkoff, Ruth

1991-01-01

Discusses the contribution of Zoltan Kodaly to music lesson planning. Emphasizes preparation, presentation, and practice as the three important strategies in teaching concepts and skills to be included in a lesson plan. Includes a sample lesson plan covering a semester and advice on choosing song material. (DK)

Adapting Agriculture Platforms for Nutrition: A Case Study of a Participatory, Video-Based Agricultural Extension Platform in India.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Suneetha Kadiyala

Full Text Available Successful integration of nutrition interventions into large-scale development programmes from nutrition-relevant sectors, such as agriculture, can address critical underlying determinants of undernutrition and enhance the coverage and effectiveness of on-going nutrition-specific activities. However, evidence on how this can be done is limited. This study examines the feasibility of delivering maternal, infant, and young child nutrition behaviour change communication through an innovative agricultural extension programme serving nutritionally vulnerable groups in rural India. The existing agriculture programme involves participatory production of low-cost videos promoting best practices and broad dissemination through village-level women's self-help groups. For the nutrition intervention, 10 videos promoting specific maternal, infant, and young child nutrition practices were produced and disseminated in 30 villages. A range of methods was used to collect data, including in-depth interviews with project staff, frontline health workers, and self-help group members and their families; structured observations of mediated video dissemination sessions; nutrition knowledge tests with project staff and self-help group members; and a social network questionnaire to assess diffusion of promoted nutrition messages. We found the nutrition intervention to be well-received by rural communities and viewed as complementary to existing frontline health services. However, compared to agriculture, nutrition content required more time, creativity, and technical support to develop and deliver. Experimentation with promoted nutrition behaviours was high, but sharing of information from the videos with non-viewers was limited. Key lessons learned include the benefits of and need for collaboration with existing health services; continued technical support for implementing partners; engagement with local cultural norms and beliefs; empowerment of women's group members

Urban agriculture: long-term strategy or impossible dream?: Lessons from Prospect Farm in Brooklyn, New York.

Science.gov (United States)

Angotti, T

2015-04-01

Proponents of urban agriculture have identified its potential to improve health and the environment but in New York City and other densely developed and populated urban areas, it faces huge challenges because of the shortage of space, cost of land, and the lack of contemporary local food production. However, large portions of the city and metropolitan region do have open land and a history of agricultural production in the not-too-distant past. Local food movements and concerns about food security have sparked a growing interest in urban farming. Policies in other sectors to address diet-related illnesses, environmental quality and climate change may also provide opportunities to expand urban farming. Nevertheless, for any major advances in urban agriculture, significant changes in local and regional land use policies are needed. These do not appear to be forthcoming any time soon unless food movements amplify their voices in local and national food policy. Based on his experiences as founder of a small farm in Brooklyn, New York and his engagement with local food movements, the author analyzes obstacles and opportunities for expanding urban agriculture in New York. Copyright © 2014 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Research Data Curation Pilots: Lessons Learned

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David Minor

2014-07-01

Full Text Available In the spring of 2011, the UC San Diego Research Cyberinfrastructure (RCI Implementation Team invited researchers and research teams to participate in a research curation and data management pilot program. This invitation took the form of a campus-wide solicitation. More than two dozen applications were received and, after due deliberation, the RCI Oversight Committee selected five curation-intensive projects. These projects were chosen based on a number of criteria, including how they represented campus research, varieties of topics, researcher engagement, and the various services required. The pilot process began in September 2011, and will be completed in early 2014. Extensive lessons learned from the pilots are being compiled and are being used in the on-going design and implementation of the permanent Research Data Curation Program in the UC San Diego Library. In this paper, we present specific implementation details of these various services, as well as lessons learned. The program focused on many aspects of contemporary scholarship, including data creation and storage, description and metadata creation, citation and publication, and long term preservation and access. Based on the lessons learned in our processes, the Research Data Curation Program will provide a suite of services from which campus users can pick and choose, as necessary. The program will provide support for the data management requirements from national funding agencies.

Agricultural Commercialisation, Diversification, and Conservation of Renewable Resources in Northern Thailand Highlands

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guy Trébuil

2013-02-01

Full Text Available The process of commercialisation-diversification in the highlands of upper northern Thailand and the accompanying dismissal of self-subsistence are documented based on the findings from seven case studies carried out in different agricultural and social situations during the past decade. The characteristics of the key driving forces powering this agrarian transition such as rapid economic growth, decrease in the share of labour employed in the agriculture, urbanization and changes in food consumption patterns, and improved communication infrastructures, are presented in the Thai context. The environmental impact of these profound agrarian transformations on the degradation of key renewable resources, particularly soil erosion, is assessed. Their socio-economic consequences on an extensive differentiation among farming households and equity issues are also discussed. Finally the authors draw several lessons from this Thai experience that illustrate the very strong adaptive capacity of small highland farmers. They could be useful in similar agro-ecological zones of neighbouring countries that are presently experiencing the same kind of agricultural transition in the Montane Mainland Southeast Asia ecoregion. Particularly, the article underlines the need for more holistic and integrated approaches to agricultural development and the management of renewable resources in highland agro-ecosystems to alleviate poverty while conserving the resource base.

Agricultural biotechnology research and development in Ethiopia ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Ethiopia is an agrarian country that can have enormous benefit from the applications of biotechnology for increasing its agricultural productivity. The country is at initial stages of research and development in agricultural biotechnology with scattered efforts underway in various public institutions. Research efforts and ...

Analysing the integration of engineering in science lessons with the Engineering-Infused Lesson Rubric

Science.gov (United States)

Peterman, Karen; Daugherty, Jenny L.; Custer, Rodney L.; Ross, Julia M.

2017-09-01

Science teachers are being called on to incorporate engineering practices into their classrooms. This study explores whether the Engineering-Infused Lesson Rubric, a new rubric designed to target best practices in engineering education, could be used to evaluate the extent to which engineering is infused into online science lessons. Eighty lessons were selected at random from three online repositories, and coded with the rubric. Overall results documented the strengths of existing lessons, as well as many components that teachers might strengthen. In addition, a subset of characteristics was found to distinguish lessons with the highest level of engineering infusion. Findings are discussed in relation to the potential of the rubric to help teachers use research evidence-informed practice generally, and in relation to the new content demands of the U.S. Next Generation Science Standards, in particular.

Computer applications. Annual report, October 1, 1977-September 30, 1978. [LASL data base management activities regarding agricultural phenomena in southwestern US

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sanders, W.M.; Campbell, C.L.; Lester, J.V.; Payne, R.J.

1979-09-01

The Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory is funded by the US Department of Agriculture to apply scientific and computer technology to solve agricultural problems. This report summarizes work during the period October 1, 1977, through September 30, 1978, on the application of computer technology to three areas: (1) surveillance of slaughterplants in Texas; (2) a pilot study of the New Mexico Brucellosis Eradication Program; and (3) the Market Cattle Identification program in Texas.

How to engage across sectors: lessons from agriculture and nutrition in the Brazilian School Feeding Program.

Science.gov (United States)

Hawkes, Corinna; Brazil, Bettina Gerken; Castro, Inês Rugani Ribeiro de; Jaime, Patricia Constante

2016-08-11

To provide insights for nutrition and public health practitioners on how to engage with other sectors to achieve public health goals. Specifically, this study provides lessons from the example of integrating family farming and a nutrition into a legal framework in Brazil on how to successfully shift other sectors toward nutrition goals. The study analyzed policy processes that led to a Brazilian law linking family farming with the National School Feeding Program. Main actors involved with the development of the law were interviewed and their narratives were analyzed using a well-established theoretical framework. The study provides five key lessons for promoting intersectorality. First, nutrition and health practitioners can afford to embrace bold ideas when working with other sectors. Second, they should engage with more powerful sectors (or subsectors) and position nutrition goals as providing solutions that meet the interests of these sector. Third is the need to focus on a common goal - which may not be explicitly nutrition-related - as the focus of the intersectoral action. Fourth, philosophical, political, and governance spaces are needed to bring together different sectors. Fifth, evidence on the success of the intersectoral approach increases the acceptance of the process. This study on policy processes shows how a convergence of factors enabled a link between family farming and school feeding in Brazil. It highlights that there are strategies to engage other sectors toward nutrition goals which provides benefits for all sectors involved.

With Interest It Comes To...Unconscionable Clauses in Sales Contracts. A Student's Lesson Plan [and] A Teacher's Lesson Plan [and] A Lawyer's Lesson Plan.

Science.gov (United States)

Howard, Estelle; And Others

One of a series of secondary level teaching units presenting case studies with pro and con analysis of particular legal problems, the document presents a student's lesson plan, a teacher's lesson plan, and a lawyer's lesson plan on unconscionable clauses in sales contracts. The unit acquaints students with the operation of sales contracts and…

Big Data in food and agriculture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kelly Bronson

2016-06-01

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

Validation of an instrument for mathematics enhancement teaching efficacy of Pacific Northwest agricultural educators

Science.gov (United States)

Jansen, Daniel J.

Teacher efficacy continues to be an important area of study in educational research. This study tested an instrument designed to assess the perceived efficacy of agricultural education teachers when engaged in lessons involving mathematics instruction. The study population of Oregon and Washington agricultural educators utilized in the validation of the instrument revealed important demographic findings and specific results related to teacher efficacy for the study population. An instrument was developed from the assimilation of three scales previously used and validated in efficacy research. Participants' mathematics teaching efficacy was assessed using a portion of the Mathematics Teaching Efficacy Beliefs Instrument (MTEBI), and personal mathematics efficacy was evaluated by the mathematics self-belief instrument which was derived from the Betz and Hackett's Mathematics Self-Efficacy Scale. The final scale, the Teachers' Sense of Efficacy Scale (TSES) created by Tschannen-Moran and Woolfolk Hoy, examined perceived personal teaching efficacy. Structural equation modeling was used as the statistical analyses tool to validate the instrument and examine correlations between efficacy constructs used to determine potential professional development needs of the survey population. As part of the data required for validation of the Mathematics Enhancement Teaching Efficacy instrument, demographic information defining the population of Oregon and Washington agricultural educators was obtained and reported. A hypothetical model derived from teacher efficacy literature was found to be an acceptable model to verify construct validity and determine strength of correlations between the scales that defined the instrument. The instrument produced an alpha coefficient of .905 for reliability. Both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were used to verify construct and discriminate validity. Specifics results related to the survey population of agricultural educators

Enrichment of tropical peat with micronutrients for agricultural applications: evaluation of adsorption and desorption processes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Melo, Camila de A.; Oliveira, Lilian K. de; Fraceto, Leonardo F.; Rosa, Andre H., E-mail: ahrosa@sorocaba.unesp.br [Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho (UNESP), Sorocaba, SP (Brazil). Dept. de Engenharia Ambiental; Goveia, Danielle [Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho (UNESP), Araraquara, SP (Brazil). Inst. de Quimica

2014-01-15

The objective of this work was to evaluate the adsorption and desorption of micronutrients in tropical peats, from the perspective of potential agricultural applications. Adsorption experiments were performed at different pH values, using solutions containing individual and multiple metal ions. Maximum adsorption capacity occurred at pH 6.0, and the order of affinity was Cu > Fe > Co > Ni > Zn = Mn. Release of the micronutrients was evaluated at different pH values, using an aqueous medium as well as soil and plants. Release of the micronutrients was most efficient at pH 6.0, and followed the order: Fe > Zn > Mn > Co = Ni > Cu. Micronutrient release to the soil was accompanied by uptake by the plant. The use of tropical peat enriched with micronutrients could contribute to improved agricultural productivity, since the release profile of the micronutrients can effectively stimulate plant growth. (author)

Data mining in agriculture

CERN Document Server

Mucherino, Antonio; Pardalos, Panos M

2009-01-01

Data Mining in Agriculture represents a comprehensive effort to provide graduate students and researchers with an analytical text on data mining techniques applied to agriculture and environmental related fields. This book presents both theoretical and practical insights with a focus on presenting the context of each data mining technique rather intuitively with ample concrete examples represented graphically and with algorithms written in MATLAB®. Examples and exercises with solutions are provided at the end of each chapter to facilitate the comprehension of the material. For each data mining technique described in the book variants and improvements of the basic algorithm are also given. Also by P.J. Papajorgji and P.M. Pardalos: Advances in Modeling Agricultural Systems, 'Springer Optimization and its Applications' vol. 25, ©2009.

A review of theoretical frameworks applicable for designing agricultural watershed restoration projects

Science.gov (United States)

Agricultural watershed restoration is the process of assisting the recovery of ecosystem structure and/or function within watersheds that have been degraded and damaged by agriculture. Unfortunately, agricultural watershed restoration is the rare exception within the Midwestern United States despit...

Lessons learned related to packaging and transportation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wallen, C.

1995-01-01

The use of lessons learned as a tool for learning from past experiences is well established, especially by many organizations within the nuclear industry. Every person has, at some time, used the principles of lessons learned to adopt good work practices based on their own experiences or the experiences of others. Lessons learned can also help to avoid the recurrence of adverse practices, which is often an area that most lessons-learned programs tend to focus on. This paper will discuss how lessons learned relate to packaging and transportation issues and events experienced at Department of Energy (DOE) facilities. It will also discuss the role performed by the Office of Nuclear and Facility Safety's Office of Operating Experience Analysis and Feedback in disseminating lessons learned and operating experience feedback to the DOE complex. The central concept of lessons learned is that any organization should be able to learn from its own experiences and events. In addition, organizations should implement methodologies to scan external environments for lessons learned, to analyze and determine the relevance of lessons learned, and to bring about the necessary changes learned from these experiences. With increased concerns toward facility safety, the importance of utilizing the lessons-learned principles and the establishment of lessons-learned programs can not be overstated

Radioisotopes in Burmese agricultural research

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1961-07-15

The Burmese authorities decided to start a laboratory for the use of radioisotope techniques in agricultural r e search. The laboratory was set up at the Agricultural Research Institute at Gyogon, on the outskirts of Rangoon. Under its technical assistance program, IAEA assigned an expert in the agricultural applications of radioisotopes for this project. Discussions were held with regional representatives of the Food and Agriculture Organization on the best lines of research to be adopted at the laboratory in its early stages. As the most important crop in Burma is rice, a series of experiments were planned for a study of the nutrition of rice, particularly its phosphorus uptake, with special reference to comparative responses on a range of typical paddy soils. The experiments began last year and are being continued.

Nutrition-sensitive agriculture and the promotion of food and nutrition sovereignty and security in Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Renato Sergio Maluf

2015-08-01

Full Text Available AbstractThis paper explores the possibilities of the nutrition-sensitive agriculture approach in the context of the programs and actions towards promoting food and nutrition sovereignty and security in Brazil. To analyze the links between nutrition and agriculture, this paper presents the conceptual framework related to food and nutrition security, and stresses the correlations among concepts, institutional structures and program design in Brazil. Dominant models of food production and consumption are scrutinized in the light of these relationships. This paper also highlights differences amongst different ways to promote nutrition-sensitive agriculture through food-acquisition programs from family farmers, experiences in agro-ecology and bio-fortification programs. In the closing remarks, the paper draws some lessons learned from the Brazilian experience that highlight the advantages of family farming and rapid food production, distribution and consumption cycles in order to promote access to an affordable, diversified and more adequate diet in nutritional terms.

Application of nuclear techniques in agriculture and medicine: the TRNC experience

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Senvar, C.; Korkut, F.C.

2002-01-01

As a small island State in the Eastern corner of the Mediterranean, better known for its potential in academia and tourism, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) is not a country which produces or uses nuclear energy. Nevertheless, in order to safeguard against the biological effects of radiation, the TRNC benefits from nuclear sciences and techniques. In order to ensure the safety of agricultural produce, apart from utilizing nuclear medicine and Co60 (cobalt 60) therapy and similar applications, gamma spectrometric measurements are also undertaken by the State Laboratories which is attached to the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare. Similar techniques are used to measure radioactive content in environmental (sea water, soil, rocks, etc.) samples. All facilities in the TRNC which utilize nuclear agents in the field of medicine, including the X-Ray Screening centers, are subject to control and supervision in accordance with relevant regulations and waste disposal is carried out in cooperation with the Turkish Atomic Energy Authority (TAEK). Just as nuclear techniques can be used for peaceful purposes in such fields as agriculture, control of food-borne diseases, medicine and industry, it can also be abused. In awareness of the global threat of the illicit trafficking of nuclear materials and radioactive sources and given its geo-strategic location at the crossroads of Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, the TRNC has taken all the necessary measures, within the context of combating terrorism, to prevent illicit trafficking as such

Lesson Exemplars in Electricity and Students’ Epistemological Beliefs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vergel P. Mirana

2017-10-01

Full Text Available The study evaluated the effects of a developed lesson exemplars in electricity integrating computer simulations and constructivist approach on students' Epistemological Beliefs. Specifically, it sought to determine how computer simulations, constructivist approach and Formativ e Assessment Classroom Technique (FACT can be integrated in the lesson exemplars in electricity; and evaluate the effects of the developed lesson exemplars in the students’ Epistemological Beliefs. The investigation employed the pre - experimental single - gr oup pretest and posttest study using the Epistemological Beliefs Assessment in Physical Sciences (EBAPS questionnaire. The study was conducted among seventy - two (72 Grade 10 students of a laboratory high school from a state university in the Philippines. They were taught using Physics Educational Technology (PhET and other web - based simulations, constructivist approach, and formative assessment classroom technique. The results revealed that the over - all Epistemological Beliefs of the students did not cha nge significantly; only along Nature of Knowing and Learning and Real - Life Applicability. Generally, utilizing computer simulations and applying constructivist approach did not alter students' epistemological beliefs in its entirety. However, it can be en gaging and effective in promoting students’ understanding of Physics.

Application of Mixed Group Decision Making to Safety Evaluation of Agricultural Products

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

2012-01-01

In view of the gravity of issues concerning safety of agricultural products and urgency of resolving these issues,after analyzing the problems existing in safety of agricultural products,this article offers a method for evaluating safety of agricultural products on the basis of mixed group decision making.First of all,it introduces the factors influencing safety evaluation of agricultural products;subsequently,given that the judgment matrices offered by the group of experts contain both reciprocal and complementary judgment matrices in the process of jointly participating in evaluation arising from personal preference,it proposes to assemble expert information in order to obtain indicator weight using the OWA operator;finally,the process of evaluating safety of agricultural products is given.

MODIS Science Algorithms and Data Systems Lessons Learned

Science.gov (United States)

Wolfe, Robert E.; Ridgway, Bill L.; Patt, Fred S.; Masuoka, Edward J.

2009-01-01

For almost 10 years, standard global products from NASA's Earth Observing System s (EOS) two Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensors are being used world-wide for earth science research and applications. This paper discusses the lessons learned in developing the science algorithms and the data systems needed to produce these high quality data products for the earth sciences community. Strong science team leadership and communication, an evolvable and scalable data system, and central coordination of QA and validation activities enabled the data system to grow by two orders of magnitude from the initial at-launch system to the current system able to reprocess data from both the Terra and Aqua missions in less than a year. Many of the lessons learned from MODIS are already being applied to follow-on missions.

Genome editing and genetic engineering in livestock for advancing agricultural and biomedical applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Telugu, Bhanu P; Park, Ki-Eun; Park, Chi-Hun

2017-08-01

Genetic modification of livestock has a longstanding and successful history, starting with domestication several thousand years ago. Modern animal breeding strategies predominantly based on marker-assisted and genomic selection, artificial insemination, and embryo transfer have led to significant improvement in the performance of domestic animals, and are the basis for regular supply of high quality animal derived food. However, the current strategy of breeding animals over multiple generations to introduce novel traits is not realistic in responding to the unprecedented challenges such as changing climate, pandemic diseases, and feeding an anticipated 3 billion increase in global population in the next three decades. Consequently, sophisticated genetic modifications that allow for seamless introgression of novel alleles or traits and introduction of precise modifications without affecting the overall genetic merit of the animal are required for addressing these pressing challenges. The requirement for precise modifications is especially important in the context of modeling human diseases for the development of therapeutic interventions. The animal science community envisions the genome editors as essential tools in addressing these critical priorities in agriculture and biomedicine, and for advancing livestock genetic engineering for agriculture, biomedical as well as "dual purpose" applications.

Nanotechnology in Sustainable Agriculture: Recent Developments, Challenges, and Perspectives

Science.gov (United States)

Prasad, Ram; Bhattacharyya, Atanu; Nguyen, Quang D.

2017-01-01

Nanotechnology monitors a leading agricultural controlling process, especially by its miniature dimension. Additionally, many potential benefits such as enhancement of food quality and safety, reduction of agricultural inputs, enrichment of absorbing nanoscale nutrients from the soil, etc. allow the application of nanotechnology to be resonant encumbrance. Agriculture, food, and natural resources are a part of those challenges like sustainability, susceptibility, human health, and healthy life. The ambition of nanomaterials in agriculture is to reduce the amount of spread chemicals, minimize nutrient losses in fertilization and increased yield through pest and nutrient management. Nanotechnology has the prospective to improve the agriculture and food industry with novel nanotools for the controlling of rapid disease diagnostic, enhancing the capacity of plants to absorb nutrients among others. The significant interests of using nanotechnology in agriculture includes specific applications like nanofertilizers and nanopesticides to trail products and nutrients levels to increase the productivity without decontamination of soils, waters, and protection against several insect pest and microbial diseases. Nanotechnology may act as sensors for monitoring soil quality of agricultural field and thus it maintain the health of agricultural plants. This review covers the current challenges of sustainability, food security and climate change that are exploring by the researchers in the area of nanotechnology in the improvement of agriculture. PMID:28676790

Nanotechnology in Sustainable Agriculture: Recent Developments, Challenges, and Perspectives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ram Prasad

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Nanotechnology monitors a leading agricultural controlling process, especially by its miniature dimension. Additionally, many potential benefits such as enhancement of food quality and safety, reduction of agricultural inputs, enrichment of absorbing nanoscale nutrients from the soil, etc. allow the application of nanotechnology to be resonant encumbrance. Agriculture, food, and natural resources are a part of those challenges like sustainability, susceptibility, human health, and healthy life. The ambition of nanomaterials in agriculture is to reduce the amount of spread chemicals, minimize nutrient losses in fertilization and increased yield through pest and nutrient management. Nanotechnology has the prospective to improve the agriculture and food industry with novel nanotools for the controlling of rapid disease diagnostic, enhancing the capacity of plants to absorb nutrients among others. The significant interests of using nanotechnology in agriculture includes specific applications like nanofertilizers and nanopesticides to trail products and nutrients levels to increase the productivity without decontamination of soils, waters, and protection against several insect pest and microbial diseases. Nanotechnology may act as sensors for monitoring soil quality of agricultural field and thus it maintain the health of agricultural plants. This review covers the current challenges of sustainability, food security and climate change that are exploring by the researchers in the area of nanotechnology in the improvement of agriculture.

The X-15 airplane - Lessons learned

Science.gov (United States)

Dana, William H.

1993-01-01

The X-15 rocket research airplane flew to an altitude of 354,000 ft and reached Mach 6.70. In almost 200 flights, this airplane was used to gather aerodynamic-heating, structural loads, stability and control, and atmospheric-reentry data. This paper describes the origins, design, and operation of the X-15 airplane. In addition, lessons learned from the X-15 airplane that are applicable to designing and testing the National Aero-Space Plane are discussed.

NDE performance demonstration in the US nuclear power industry - applications, costs, lessons learned, and connection to NDE reliability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ammirato, F.

1997-01-01

Periodic inservice inspection (ISI) of nuclear power plant components is performed in the United States to satisfy legal commitments and to provide plant owners with reliable information for managing degradation. Performance demonstration provides credible evidence that ISI will fulfill its objectives. This paper examines the technical requirements for inspection and discusses how these technical needs are used to develop effective performance demonstration applications. NDE reliability is discussed with particular reference to its role in structural integrity assessments and its connection with performance demonstration. It is shown that the role of NDE reliability can range from very small to critical depending on the particular application and must be considered carefully in design of inspection techniques and performance demonstration programs used to qualify the inspection. Finally, the costs, benefits, and problems associated with performance demonstration are reviewed along with lessons learned from more than 15 years of performance demonstration experience in the US. (orig.)

Results and lessons learned of the first edition of the master in nuclear engineering and applications (MINA)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Herranz, Luis E.; Garcia, Juan c.; Falcon, Susana; Marco, Maria l.; Gonzalez Romero, Enrique M. [Centro de Investigaciones Energeticas Medioambientales y Tecnologicas (CIEMAT), Avda. Complutense, 22. 28040 Madrid (Spain); Casas, Jose A. [Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Seccion Departamental de Ingenieria Quimica, 28049 Cantoblanco, Madrid (Spain)

2010-07-01

The Master in Nuclear Engineering and Applications (MINA) was born to build up a bridge between University education and the technical skills demanded by nuclear industry and organizations, particularly in Spain. Motivated by nuclear renaissance, knowledge preservation and the bases of the European Education area, the new approach adopted to accomplish such a challenge has been heavily based on a professional profile defined by the Spanish nuclear community. The first edition success (MINA-2008) has been assessed through a set of indicators, which encompass a broad range of aspects, from the number of registrations to the employment rate. This paper summarizes and discusses such an assessment. Additionally, a critical thorough review has allowed identifying a few aspects that could be improved. All the lessons learned have been translated into specific measures implemented in the MINA-2009 edition. Among the indicators, participation and industrial support were considered of utmost importance. MINA-2008 had 18 students, out of which 60% were financially supported to some extent thanks to the nuclear industry and organizations (during the conduction of the master project, this support was even enhanced). Beyond the economic contribution, nuclear companies and institutions were strongly involved in all the phases of MINA-2008, from the definition of the program up to the supervision of more than 70 % of the master projects. As a result of the lessons learned, the subjects have been grouped in modules and a more practical approach has been pursued in the teaching/learning process. (authors)

Results and lessons learned of the first edition of the master in nuclear engineering and applications (MINA)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Herranz, Luis E.; Garcia, Juan c.; Falcon, Susana; Marco, Maria l.; Gonzalez Romero, Enrique M.; Casas, Jose A.

2010-01-01

The Master in Nuclear Engineering and Applications (MINA) was born to build up a bridge between University education and the technical skills demanded by nuclear industry and organizations, particularly in Spain. Motivated by nuclear renaissance, knowledge preservation and the bases of the European Education area, the new approach adopted to accomplish such a challenge has been heavily based on a professional profile defined by the Spanish nuclear community. The first edition success (MINA-2008) has been assessed through a set of indicators, which encompass a broad range of aspects, from the number of registrations to the employment rate. This paper summarizes and discusses such an assessment. Additionally, a critical thorough review has allowed identifying a few aspects that could be improved. All the lessons learned have been translated into specific measures implemented in the MINA-2009 edition. Among the indicators, participation and industrial support were considered of utmost importance. MINA-2008 had 18 students, out of which 60% were financially supported to some extent thanks to the nuclear industry and organizations (during the conduction of the master project, this support was even enhanced). Beyond the economic contribution, nuclear companies and institutions were strongly involved in all the phases of MINA-2008, from the definition of the program up to the supervision of more than 70 % of the master projects. As a result of the lessons learned, the subjects have been grouped in modules and a more practical approach has been pursued in the teaching/learning process. (authors)

Lessons for Teaching Art Criticism.

Science.gov (United States)

Barrett, Terry, Ed.; Clark, Gilbert, Ed.

This collection of lessons is meant to be a practical guide to help teachers engage children in art criticism. The lessons generally follow a similar format. Most suggest an age group but may be modified for use with younger or older students. Several authors suggest variations and extensions for lessons that include studio activities. A broad…

"Frankenstein." [Lesson Plan].

Science.gov (United States)

Simon, Melanie

Based on Mary Shelley's novel "Frankenstein," this lesson plan presents activities designed to help students understand that active readers interpret a novel (its characters, plot, setting, and theme) in different ways; and the great literature can be and has been adapted in many ways over time. The main activity of the lesson involves students…

How to engage across sectors: Lessons on leveraging agriculture for nutrition from the Brazilian school meal program

OpenAIRE

Hawkes, C.; Jaime, P. C.; Rugani, I. C.; Brasil, B. G.

2016-01-01

OBJECTIVE:\\ud To provide insights for nutrition and public health practitioners on how to engage with other sectors to achieve public health goals. Specifically, this study provides lessons from the example of integrating family farming and a nutrition into a legal framework in Brazil on how to successfully shift other sectors toward nutrition goals. \\ud METHODS: \\ud The study analyzed policy processes that led to a Brazilian law linking family farming with the National School Feeding Program...

Rights of the Accused: Criminal Amendments in the Bill of Rights. A Compilation of Lessons by Minnesota Teachers.

Science.gov (United States)

Bloom, Jennifer, Ed.

The 36 lessons collected in this publication are designed to introduce students to the rights of the accused and provide a scholarly study of these rights, exploring historical development as well as current application. Lessons are provided for all grade levels. The topics covered include the Bill of Rights, criminal rights amendments, juvenile…

Lessons Learned from Environmental Remediation Programmes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2014-03-15

Several remediation projects have been developed to date, and experience with these projects has been accumulated. Lessons learned span from non-technical to technical aspects, and need to be shared with those who are beginning or are facing the challenge to implement environmental remediation works. This publication reviews some of these lessons. The key role of policy and strategies at the national level in framing the conditions in which remediation projects are to be developed and decisions made is emphasized. Following policy matters, this publication pays attention to the importance of social aspects and the requirement for fairness in decisions to be made, something that can only be achieved with the involvement of a broad range of interested parties in the decision making process. The publication also reviews the funding of remediation projects, planning, contracting, cost estimates and procurement, and issues related to long term stewardship. Lessons learned regarding technical aspects of remediation projects are reviewed. Techniques such as the application of cover systems and soil remediation (electrokinetics, phytoremediation, soil flushing, and solidification and stabilization techniques) are analysed with respect to performance and cost. After discussing soil remediation, the publication covers issues associated with water treatment, where techniques such as ‘pump and treat’ and the application of permeable barriers are reviewed. Subsequently, there is a section dedicated to reviewing briefly the lessons learned in the remediation of uranium mining and processing sites. Many of these sites throughout the world have become orphaned, and are waiting for remediation. The publication notes that little progress has been made in the management of some of these sites, particularly in the understanding of associated environmental and health risks, and the ability to apply prediction to future environmental and health standards. The publication concludes

Lessons Learned from Environmental Remediation Programmes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2014-01-01

Several remediation projects have been developed to date, and experience with these projects has been accumulated. Lessons learned span from non-technical to technical aspects, and need to be shared with those who are beginning or are facing the challenge to implement environmental remediation works. This publication reviews some of these lessons. The key role of policy and strategies at the national level in framing the conditions in which remediation projects are to be developed and decisions made is emphasized. Following policy matters, this publication pays attention to the importance of social aspects and the requirement for fairness in decisions to be made, something that can only be achieved with the involvement of a broad range of interested parties in the decision making process. The publication also reviews the funding of remediation projects, planning, contracting, cost estimates and procurement, and issues related to long term stewardship. Lessons learned regarding technical aspects of remediation projects are reviewed. Techniques such as the application of cover systems and soil remediation (electrokinetics, phytoremediation, soil flushing, and solidification and stabilization techniques) are analysed with respect to performance and cost. After discussing soil remediation, the publication covers issues associated with water treatment, where techniques such as ‘pump and treat’ and the application of permeable barriers are reviewed. Subsequently, there is a section dedicated to reviewing briefly the lessons learned in the remediation of uranium mining and processing sites. Many of these sites throughout the world have become orphaned, and are waiting for remediation. The publication notes that little progress has been made in the management of some of these sites, particularly in the understanding of associated environmental and health risks, and the ability to apply prediction to future environmental and health standards. The publication concludes

Agricultural policy, food policy, and communicable disease policy.

Science.gov (United States)

Grant, Wyn

2012-12-01

Food and agricultural policy is an essential element of a communicable disease policy. The European Union has developed a more systematic and broadly based interest in questions of food safety and animal health and welfare linked to modernization of the Common Agricultural Policy, reflected in a new treaty obligation on animal welfare. Following the bovine spongiform encephalopathy crisis, moves were made to create a European competency, but implementation and enforcement resources reside with the member states. The European Animal Health Strategy is meant to lead to an EU animal health law, but this has already been constrained by fiscal austerity. The development of such a law may lead to a lowest common denominator formula that does little to enhance consumer protection or improve animal welfare. This is an inherent risk with top-down forms of Europeanization; more attention should be paid to lessons to be learned from bottom-up initiatives of the type used to counteract the bovine diarrhea virus. There will always be a tension among what is good policy for reducing the incidence of communicable disease, policy that is popular with EU citizens, and policy that is acceptable to member states.

Isotopes in tropical agriculture

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1962-04-15

Ways in which the use of radioisotopes and radiation can help to improve the agriculture of tropical Africa were discussed by a panel of experts. The panel included scientists from Africa, Europe, and the United States, most of whom had had actual experience dealing with agricultural problems in various parts of tropical Africa. The experts agreed that radioisotopes and radiation might now be employed to particular advantage in tropical Africa to improve crop nutrition and combat insect pests. Other applications discussed were in the fields of hydrology, plant breeding and food preservation

Isotopes in tropical agriculture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1962-01-01

Ways in which the use of radioisotopes and radiation can help to improve the agriculture of tropical Africa were discussed by a panel of experts. The panel included scientists from Africa, Europe, and the United States, most of whom had had actual experience dealing with agricultural problems in various parts of tropical Africa. The experts agreed that radioisotopes and radiation might now be employed to particular advantage in tropical Africa to improve crop nutrition and combat insect pests. Other applications discussed were in the fields of hydrology, plant breeding and food preservation

The effect of application of contextual teaching and learning (CTL model-based on lesson study with mind mapping media to assess student learning outcomes on chemistry on colloid systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Annisa Fadillah

2017-08-01

Full Text Available The research was conducted to determine the effect of the application of CTL learning model based on lesson study with mind mapping media to the learning outcomes of students on colloid systems. The population of this research was all students of grade XI of SMA N 1 Sunggal. The sample was taken using on the purposive random sampling. The Experiment class was taught with Contextual Teaching and Learning (CTL model based on Lesson Study with Mind Mapping media and the control class taught with conventional learning model. The data was collected using an objective test was consisting of 20 questions which validity, reliability, level of difficulty and power of difference had been tested. T test results showed that tcalculate = 2.1 and ttable = 1.6697 thus tcalculate> ttable which means that Ha is accepted and Ho is rejected. The enhancement of the student learning outcomes showed that the results of experiment class are g = 72.88%, while the control class is 68.97%. From the percentage, it can be seen that learning outcomes of the experiment class are greater than the control class. The analysis of developing cognitive aspects pointed out that C1 = 70.02%, C2 = 73.58%, C3 = 68.63%, Thus the domain of cognitive level are on the cognitive aspects of C2. The result of Lesson Study Analysis showed the results of 71.09% at the first lesson and 88.28% at the second lesson. It means that there is increasing adherence to the indicators after two lessons. Based on the above results, it can be concluded that the result of studying chemistry of the students of class XI of SMA Negeri I Sunggal TA 2014/2015 taught by a CTL model based  on Lesson Study with Mind Mapping media was higher (72.88% than those taught by conventional learning models (68.97% in the subject matter of colloids System.

Space Agriculture, Tourism and Health - Lessons from British Imperial History

Science.gov (United States)

Sivier, D. J.

Advocates of space commercialisation and colonisation have drawn on previous centuries' experience of the exploration and exploitation of terrestrial New Worlds. Although so far chiefly confined to the colonisation of the Americas and exploration of the Antarctic, a proper examination of the problems and solutions faced and found by the late 19th - early 20th century Jamaican tourist trade, mid-Victorian planter agriculturalists in Sri Lanka and the impact of climatic theories of health on early 20th century White colonists in Kenya and Rhodesia, can, if properly applied to today's conditions affecting modern space businesses, offer important insights to the psychological impact and aetiology of disease amongst future space colonists, and the success- ful establishment and management of tourism and agriculture in space. By following the precedents set by the imperial pioneers, it should be possible to apply their founding principles in these sectors successfully, while avoiding the pitfalls and excesses of terrestrial imperialism.

Intensive rice agriculture deteriorates the quality of shallow groundwater in a typical agricultural catchment in subtropical central China.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yi; Li, Yuyuan; Li, Yong; Liu, Feng; Liu, Xinliang; Gong, Dianlin; Ma, Qiumei; Li, Wei; Wu, Jinshui

2015-09-01

High nitrogen (N) concentrations in rural domestic water supplies have been attributed to excessive agricultural N leaching into shallow groundwater systems; therefore, it is important to determine the impact of agriculture (e.g., rice production) on groundwater quality. To understand the impact of agricultural land use on the N concentrations in the shallow groundwater in subtropical central China, a large observation program was established to observe ammonium-N (NH4-N), nitrate-N (NO3-N), and total N (TN) concentrations in 161 groundwater observation wells from April 2010 to November 2012. The results indicated that the median values of NH4-N, NO3-N, and TN concentrations in the groundwater were 0.15, 0.39, and 1.38 mg N L(-1), respectively. A total of 36.3 % of the water samples were categorized as NH4-N pollution, and only a small portion of the samples were categorized as NO3-N pollution, based on the Chinese Environmental Quality Standards for Groundwater of GB/T 14848-93 (General Administration of Quality Supervision of China, 1993). These results indicated of moderate groundwater NH4-N pollution, which was mainly attributed to intensive rice agriculture with great N fertilizer application rates in the catchment. In addition, tea and vegetable fields showed higher groundwater NO3-N and TN concentrations than other agricultural land use types. The factorial correspondence analysis (FCA) suggested that the flooded agricultural land use types (e.g., single-rice and double-rice) had potential to impose NH4-N pollution, particularly in the soil exhausting season during from July to October. And, the great N fertilizer application rates could lead to a worse NO3-N and TN pollution in shallow groundwater. Hence, to protect groundwater quality and minimize NH4-N pollution, managing optimal fertilizer application and applying appropriate agricultural land use types should be implemented in the region.

Novel Techniques and Their Wide Applications to Health Foods, Medical and Agricultural Biotechnology in Relation to Policy Making on Genetically Modified Crops and Foods

CERN Document Server

Baianu, I C; Lozano, P; Lin, H C

2004-01-01

Selected applications of novel techniques in Agricultural Biotechnology, Health Food formulations and Medical Biotechnology are being reviewed with the aim of unraveling future developments and policy changes that are likely to open new markets for Biotechnology and prevent the shrinking or closing of existing ones. Amongst the selected novel techniques with applications in both Agricultural and Medical Biotechnology are: immobilized bacterial cells and enzymes, microencapsulation and liposome production, genetic manipulation of microorganisms, development of novel vaccines from plants, epigenomics of mammalian cells and organisms, and biocomputational tools for molecular modeling related to disease and Bioinformatics. Both fundamental and applied aspects of the emerging new techniques are being discussed in relation to their anticipated, marked impact on future markets and present policy changes that are needed for success in either Agricultural or Medical Biotechnology. The novel techniques are illustrated ...

Transforming the Roles of a Public Extension Agency to Strengthen Innovation: Lessons from the National Agricultural Extension Project in Bangladesh

Science.gov (United States)

Chowdhury, Ataharul Huq; Odame, Helen Hambly; Leeuwis, Cees

2014-01-01

Purpose: The rapidly evolving nature of agricultural innovation processes in low-income countries requires agricultural extension agencies to transform the classical roles that previously supported linear information dissemination and adoption of innovation. In Bangladesh, strengthening agricultural innovation calls for facilitation of interactive…

A preliminary evaluation of volcanic rock powder for application in agriculture as soil a remineralizer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramos, Claudete G.; Querol, Xavier; Oliveira, Marcos L.S.; Pires, Karen; Kautzmann, Rubens M.; Oliveira, Luis F.S.

2015-01-01

Mineralogical and geochemical characteristics of volcanic rock residue, from a crushing plant in the Nova Prata Mining District, State of Rio Grande do Sul (RS), Brazil, in this work named rock powder, were investigated in view of its potential application as soil ammendment in agriculture. Abaut 52,400 m 3 of mining waste is generated annually in the city of Nova Prata without a proper disposal. The nutrients potentially available to plants were evaluated through leaching laboratory tests. Nutrient leaching tests were performed in Milli-Q water; citric acid solution 1% and 2% (AC); and oxalic acid solution 1% and 5% (AO). The bulk and leachable contents of 57 elements were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES). Mining waste were made up by CaO, K 2 O, SiO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , Fe 2 O 3 , and P 2 O 5 . The analysis by X-ray diffraction (XRD) showed the major occurence of quartz, anorthite, cristobalite, sanidine, and augite. The water leachable concentrations of all elements studied were lower than 1.0 mg/kg, indicating their low solubility. Leaching tests in acidic media yield larger leachable fractions for all elements being studied are in the leachate of the AO 1%. These date usefulness of volcanic rock powder as potential natural fertilizer in agriculture in the mining district in Nova Prata, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil to reduce the use of chemical fertilizers. - Highlights: • Volcanic rock powder as fertilizer in agriculture • Volcanic rock powder as a source of nutrients to plants • This technology may favor the use of volcanic rock in agriculture

Application of Solar Photovoltaic Water Pumping System in Hainan Agriculture

OpenAIRE

Yu, Xiangchun; Lin, Qingqing; Zhou, Xuedong; Yang, Zhibin

2013-01-01

With radical socio-economic development and strengthening of regulation of agricultural industrial structure in Hainan Province, fresh water resource becomes increasingly insufficient. Existing water-saving facilities and measures are unable to promote sustainable and stable development of local economy. This needs modern irrigation method. Solar photovoltaic water pumping system is necessary and feasible in Hainan agriculture, and will have directive significance for Hainan Province developi...

Namibia specific climate smart agricultural land use practices: Challenges and opportunities for enhancing ecosystem services

Science.gov (United States)

Kuhn, Nikolaus J.; Talamondjila Naanda, Martha; Bloemertz, Lena

2015-04-01

Agriculture is a backbone for many African economies, with an estimated 70% of Africans active in agricultural production. The sector often does not only directly contribute to, but sustains food security and poverty reduction efforts. Sustaining this productivity poses many challenges, particularly to small scale subsistence farmers (SSF) in dry land areas and semi-arid countries like Namibia. SSF in northern central Namibia mix crop and livestock production on degraded semi-arid lands and nutrient-poor sandy soils. They are fully dependent on agricultural production with limited alternative sources of income. Mostly, their agricultural harvests and outputs are low, not meeting their livelihood needs. At the same time, the land use is often not sustainable, leading to degradation. The Namibia case reveals that addressing underlying economic, social and environmental challenges requires a combination of farm level-soil management practices with a shift towards integrated landscape management. This forms the basis for SSF to adopt sustainable land management practices while building institutional foundations, like establishing SSF cooperatives. One way in which this has been tested is through the concept of incentive-based motivation, i.e. payment for ecosystem services (PES), in which some of the beneficiaries pay, for instance for farmers or land users, who provide the services. The farmers provide these services by substituting their unsustainable land and soil management and adopting new (climate smart agricultural) land use practices. Climate Smart Agricultural land use practices (CSA-LUP) are one way of providing ecosystem services, which could be fundamental to long-term sustainable soil and land management solutions in Africa. There are few PES cases which have been systematically studied from an institutional development structure perspective. This study presents lessons evolving from the notion that direct participation and involvement of local people

Job task analysis: lessons learned from application in course development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meredith, J.B.

1985-01-01

Those at Public Service Electric and Gas Company are committed to a systematic approach to training known as Instructional System Design. Our performance-based training emphasizes the ISD process to have trainees do or perform the task whenever and wherever it is possible for the jobs for which they are being trained. Included is a brief description of our process for conducting and validating job analyses. The major thrust of this paper is primarily on the lessons that we have learned in the design and development of training programs based upon job analysis results

Cellulose nanocrystals in nanocomposite approach: Green and high-performance materials for industrial, biomedical and agricultural applications

Science.gov (United States)

Fortunati, E.; Torre, L.

2016-05-01

The need to both avoid wastes and find new renewable resources has led to a new and promising research based on the possibility to revalorize the biomass producing sustainable chemicals and/or materials which may play a major role in replacing systems traditionally obtained from non-renewable sources. Most of the low-value biomass is termed lignocellulosic, referring to its main constituent biopolymers: cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin. In this context, nanocellulose, and in particular cellulose nanocrystals (CNC), have gain considerable attention as nanoreinforcement for polymer matrices, mainly biodegradable. Derived from the most abundant polymeric resource in nature and with inherent biodegradability, nanocellulose is an interesting nanofiller for the development of nanocomposites for industrial, biomedical and agricultural applications. Due to the high amount of hydroxyl groups on their surface, cellulose nanocrystals are easy to functionalize. Well dispersed CNC are able, in fact, to enhance several properties of polymers, i.e.: thermal, mechanical, barrier, surface wettability, controlled of active compound and/or drug release. The main objective here is to give a general overview of CNC applications, summarizing our recent developments of bio-based nanocomposite formulations reinforced with cellulose nanocrystals extracted from different natural sources and/or wastes for food packaging, medical and agricultural sectors.

Science at Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute, 1868-1893

Science.gov (United States)

Tucker, Linda Bart

Science had a variety of uses at Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute, a private, missionary school supported by northern whites and Virginia's black land grant school from 1872 to 1920. Samuel Chapman Armstrong, principal for the first twenty-five years (1868-1893), advocated not classical but scientific studies, primarily as applied science to improve lives and "civilize" blacks and Indians. Agriculture and mechanics were practiced in Hampton's industries, where students worked their way through school. They were organized for production rather than instruction, though Armstrong claimed that labor had a moral value and that practical experience was valuable learning. In contrast to works by James D. Anderson and Donald Spivey, this study stresses the pragmatic, business purposes of Hampton's industries rather than any ideological agenda. Problems with providing specialized facilities, apparatus, and teachers made it difficult for Hampton to provide rigorous, graded science instruction. Students learned of practical applications of science in agricultural lectures and in such classes as physiology. However, the curriculum was designed for teacher training, using broad, elementary science for general knowledge, to train minds, and to make adult remedial language lessons more effective. Not surprisingly, very few graduates pursued careers which required more than general science studies. Besides the utilitarian and disciplinary purposes, Hampton used science to discourage superstitious ideas in religion. Armstrong also argued for racially distinctive education for blacks and Indians on the basis of scientific ideas about cultural evolution and inheritance of the experience of past generations. In practice, however, Hampton teachers adapted mainstream tools and methods of instruction. Not all teachers shared Armstrong's racial views, and several demonstrated concern for students, confidence in their ability, and professional interest in advancing them as

Automated genomic DNA purification options in agricultural applications using MagneSil paramagnetic particles

Science.gov (United States)

Bitner, Rex M.; Koller, Susan C.

2002-06-01

The automated high throughput purification of genomic DNA form plant materials can be performed using MagneSil paramagnetic particles on the Beckman-Coulter FX, BioMek 2000, and the Tecan Genesis robot. Similar automated methods are available for DNA purifications from animal blood. These methods eliminate organic extractions, lengthy incubations and cumbersome filter plates. The DNA is suitable for applications such as PCR and RAPD analysis. Methods are described for processing traditionally difficult samples such as those containing large amounts of polyphenolics or oils, while still maintaining a high level of DNA purity. The robotic protocols have ben optimized for agricultural applications such as marker assisted breeding, seed-quality testing, and SNP discovery and scoring. In addition to high yield purification of DNA from plant samples or animal blood, the use of Promega's DNA-IQ purification system is also described. This method allows for the purification of a narrow range of DNA regardless of the amount of additional DNA that is present in the initial sample. This simultaneous Isolation and Quantification of DNA allows the DNA to be used directly in applications such as PCR, SNP analysis, and RAPD, without the need for separate quantitation of the DNA.

Targeting, out-scaling and prioritising climate-smart interventions in agricultural systems: Lessons from applying a generic framework to the livestock sector in sub-Saharan Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Notenbaert, An; Pfeifer, Catherine; Silvestri, Silvia; Herrero, Mario

2017-02-01

As a result of population growth, urbanization and climate change, agricultural systems around the world face enormous pressure on the use of resources. There is a pressing need for wide-scale innovation leading to development that improves the livelihoods and food security of the world's population while at the same time addressing climate change adaptation and mitigation. A variety of promising climate-smart interventions have been identified. However, what remains is the prioritization of interventions for investment and broad dissemination. The suitability and adoption of interventions depends on a variety of bio-physical and socio-economic factors. Also their impacts, when adopted and out-scaled, are likely to be highly heterogeneous. This heterogeneity expresses itself not only spatially and temporally but also in terms of the stakeholders affected, some might win and some might lose. A mechanism that can facilitate a systematic, holistic assessment of the likely spread and consequential impact of potential interventions is one way of improving the selection and targeting of such options. In this paper we provide climate smart agriculture (CSA) planners and implementers at all levels with a generic framework for evaluating and prioritising potential interventions. This entails an iterative process of mapping out recommendation domains, assessing adoption potential and estimating impacts. Through examples, related to livestock production in sub-Saharan Africa, we demonstrate each of the steps and how they are interlinked. The framework is applicable in many different forms, scales and settings. It has a wide applicability beyond the examples presented and we hope to stimulate readers to integrate the concepts in the planning process for climate-smart agriculture, which invariably involves multi-stakeholder, multi-scale and multi-objective decision-making.

Agricultural Policies and Their Impact on Poverty Reduction in Developing Countries: Lessons Learned from Three Water Basins in Cape Verde

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Serafin Corral

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Agriculture is the main driving force of rural economies so there is a need to promote sustainable rural development and hence improve the living conditions of local communities. This article analyses the role of agricultural policies in reducing poverty in rural communities. Two aspects will be analysed: firstly, whether there has been a reduction in poverty in the basins analysed for the period 2006–2013; and secondly, whether that poverty reduction, to the extent that it has occurred, has been due to the agricultural policies applied. The analysis shows that the agricultural policies implemented helped to diversify and enhance agricultural production, so that a reduction in effective poverty occurred. However, these policies need to work jointly and in harmony with other economic sectors.

Low level waste shipment accident lessons learned

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rast, D.M.; Rowe, J.G.; Reichel, C.W.

1995-01-01

On October 1, 1994 a shipment of low-level waste from the Fernald Environmental Management Project, Fernald, Ohio, was involved in an accident near Rolla, Missouri. The accident did not result in the release of any radioactive material. The accident did generate important lessons learned primarily in the areas of driver and emergency response communications. The shipment was comprised of an International Standards Organization (ISO) container on a standard flatbed trailer. The accident caused the low-level waste package to separate from the trailer and come to rest on its top in the median. The impact of the container with the pavement and median inflicted relatively minor damage to the container. The damage was not substantial enough to cause failure of container integrity. The success of the package is attributable to the container design and the packaging procedures used at the Fernald Environmental Management Project for low-level waste shipments. Although the container survived the initial wreck, is was nearly breached when the first responders attempted to open the ISO container. Even though the container was clearly marked and the shipment documentation was technically correct, this information did not identify that the ISO container was the primary containment for the waste. The lessons learned from this accident have DOE complex wide applicability. This paper is intended to describe the accident, subsequent emergency response operations, and the lessons learned from this incident

The costly benefits of opposing agricultural biotechnology.

Science.gov (United States)

Apel, Andrew

2010-11-30

Rigorous application of a simple definition of what constitutes opposition to agricultural biotechnology readily encompasses a wide array of key players in national and international systems of food production, distribution and governance. Even though the sum of political and financial benefits of opposing agricultural biotechnology appears vastly to outweigh the benefits which accrue to providers of agricultural biotechnology, technology providers actually benefit from this opposition. If these barriers to biotechnology were removed, subsistence farmers still would not represent a lucrative market for improved seed. The sum of all interests involved ensures that subsistence farmers are systematically denied access to agricultural biotechnology. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Agricultural Animal Pest Control. Manual 90.

Science.gov (United States)

Missouri Univ., Columbia. Agricultural Experiment Station.

This training manual provides information needed to meet the minimum EPA standards for certification as a commercial applicator of pesticides in the agricultural animal pest control category. The text discusses pesticide hazards, application techniques, and pests of livestock such as mosquitoes, flies, grubs and lice. (CS)

Controlling Radiation Degradation of Natural Polymers for Industrial and Agricultural application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hegazy, E.A.; AbdEl-Rehim, H

2008-01-01

Radiation induced degradation technology is a new and promising application of ionizing radiation to develop viscose, pulp, paper, food preservation, pharmaceutical production, and natural bioactive agents industries. Controlling the degree of degradation, uniform molecular weight distribution, saving achieved in the chemicals (used in conventional methods) on a cost basis, and environmentally friendly process are the beneficial effects of using radiation technology in these industries. However, for some development countries such technology is not economic. Therefore, a great effort should be done to reduce the cost required for such technologies. One of the principle factors for reducing the cost is achieving the degradation at low irradiation doses. The addition of some additives such as potassium per-sulfate (KPS), ammonium per-sulfate (APS), or H 2O2 to natural polymers such as chitosan and Na-alginate during irradiation process accelerates their degradation. The highest degradation rate of polysaccharides obtained when APS was used. The end product of irradiated chitosan, and Na-alginate may be used as food additive or benefited in agricultural purposes. The prepared crosslinked copolymers possessed high and fast swelling properties in simulated urine media and the swelling ratios of CMC-Na /PAAm gels in urine are acceptable for diaper application. (author)

Lesson study in prospective mathematics teacher education: didactic and paradidactic technology in the post-lesson reflection

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Klaus

2016-01-01

This paper presents a detailed analysis of the post-lesson reflection, carried out in the context of eight cases of lesson study conducted by teams of Danish, lower secondaryprospective teachers and their supervisors. The participants, representing different institutions, were all new to the less...... and concern to the whole profession of mathematics teachers and the analysis adds to our insight into the potential of lesson study in prospective education as a meeting place where pertinent actors contribute to the expansion and dissemination of shared professional knowledge......This paper presents a detailed analysis of the post-lesson reflection, carried out in the context of eight cases of lesson study conducted by teams of Danish, lower secondaryprospective teachers and their supervisors. The participants, representing different institutions, were all new to the lesson...... study format. Nevertheless, it is demonstrated how their interaction shape the development of discourse about mathematical learning. The anthropological theory of the didactic is employed as the theoretical approach to analyse the mathematical and primarily didactical praxeologies developed...

Modular and extensible lesson on fiber optics for youths

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Nicholas H. L.; Tong, Amy S. K.; Posner, Matthew T.; Ravagli, Andrea

2017-08-01

Fiber optics and its application in telecommunications are rarely encountered by students until they reach tertiary education. While some secondary/middle school curricula may include coverage of basic geometrical optics concepts such as reflection and refraction, few if any go further to elaborate on how these eventually relate to global telecommunications. One could say that the science is made accessible for early-stage students, but discussions about applications are often reserved till later stages. In working through a PhD student-led optics educational outreach program called the "Lightwave Roadshow", we have observed, via engagements with young students and the public at school visits and fairs, that many youths (as well as parents) do have a basic appreciation that the internet is somehow based on light signals. However, few know how the two are related, much less how they work. To address this, our team of `ambassadors' in the Lightwave program has designed a self-contained lesson to introduce youths, aged 11 to 18 years, to fiber optics and optical fiber communications, drawing inspiration from various educational resources such as LASER ClassroomTM and the Exploratorium(R). The lesson is modularized into several parts, starting with using light to communicate Morse code, and then going into advanced concepts, such as total internal reflection and multiuser communications based on wavelength-division multiplexing. The latter can be treated as extensions whose inclusion can be tailored based on the youths' educational levels. A feature of this lesson is that it takes amore phenomenological than theoretical approach, and uses materials that are easily obtainable or craftable as well as interesting for youths, including colored gelatin, LED sources, and water as a waveguide. We outline a lesson and pedagogical method which contains hands-on experiments that can be carried out by educators in formal or informal classes, students learning independently, or

Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute (BNARI) at a glance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2007-01-01

Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute (BNARI) was established in 1993 as one of the research, development and technology transfer institutes of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC). This was to help the GAEC to expand its research and development in the area of biotechnology and nuclear agriculture, which have been found to have a major impact on the agricultural development in countries involved in peaceful application of nuclear energy. The main objective of the Institute is to explore and exploit the application of isotopes, ionizing radiation and biotechnologies for increased agricultural and economic development of Ghana and to help the Country attain self-sufficiency in food and agriculture in order to alleviate malnutrition, hunger and poverty. This brochure describes the organizational structure; research facilities and programmes; services of the various departments of the Institute as well as achievements

AGRICULTURE AND CRISIS IN MEXICO: THIRTY YEARS OF NEOLIBERAL ECONOMIC POLITICS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alejandro Ortega Hernández

2010-09-01

Full Text Available An analysis of Mexican agriculture crisis was realized, and empirical evidence was presented in order to prove the relationship between the application of neoliberal politics and the current crisis in the agricultural sector. Our theoretic position states that between the agriculture and industrial sectors has been establish a new relation, as a market economy product, which took place in the application of certain politics in the macroeconomic and agricultural level. The effects brought about by the implementation of that kind of policies have been, among others, increased imports of staple foods, reduced plantings and the yields and in general an overall decrease of national agricultural products; this situation arises in a state of food dependency. It concludes that while such kind of policies remains the agricultural production will not be increased, and Mexico won´t have ensured food security.

Information about the CENA: Agriculture Nuclear Energy Center

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1982-10-01

The purposes of the CENA-Brazil is described in this paper such as to develop and absorb techniques and nuclear methods of research interest and agricultural applications; to spread the methods and techniques through the courses, scientific exchange and publications; to develop in permanent character, researches, studies and works of nuclear energy application in agricultural problems and transfer the technology to the public; cooperation programs with the others units and USP-Sao Paulo University in graduation and post-graduation courses. (L.M.J.)

Nitrogen losses to the environment following food-based digestate and compost applications to agricultural land.

Science.gov (United States)

Nicholson, Fiona; Bhogal, Anne; Cardenas, Laura; Chadwick, Dave; Misselbrook, Tom; Rollett, Alison; Taylor, Matt; Thorman, Rachel; Williams, John

2017-09-01

The anaerobic digestion of food waste for energy recovery produces a nutrient-rich digestate which is a valuable source of crop available nitrogen (N). As with any 'new' material being recycled to agricultural land it is important to develop best management practices that maximise crop available N supply, whilst minimising emissions to the environment. In this study, ammonia (NH 3 ) and nitrous oxide (N 2 O) emissions to air and nitrate (NO 3 - ) leaching losses to water following digestate, compost and livestock manure applications to agricultural land were measured at 3 sites in England and Wales. Ammonia emissions were greater from applications of food-based digestate (c.40% of total N applied) than from livestock slurry (c.30% of total N applied) due to its higher ammonium-N content (mean 5.6 kg/t compared with 1-2 kg/t for slurry) and elevated pH (mean 8.3 compared with 7.7 for slurry). Whilst bandspreading was effective at reducing NH 3 emissions from slurry compared with surface broadcasting it was not found to be an effective mitigation option for food-based digestate in this study. The majority of the NH 3 losses occurred within 6 h of spreading highlighting the importance of rapid soil incorporation as a method for reducing NH 3 emissions. Nitrous oxide losses from food-based digestates were low, with emission factors all less than the IPCC default value of 1% (mean 0.45 ± 0.15%). Overwinter NO 3 - leaching losses from food-based digestate were similar to those from pig slurry, but much greater than from pig farmyard manure or compost. Both gaseous N losses and NO 3 - leaching from green and green/food composts were low, indicating that, in these terms, compost can be considered as an 'environmentally benign' material. These findings have been used in the development of best practice guidelines which provide a framework for the responsible use of digestates and composts in agriculture. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Agricultural land management options following large-scale environmental contamination - evaluation for Fukushima affected agricultural land

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vandenhove, Hildegarde

2013-01-01

The accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant has raised questions about the accumulation of radionuclides in soils, the transfer in the food chain and the possibility of continued restricted future land use. This paper summarizes what is generally understood about the application of agricultural countermeasures as a land management option to reduce the radionuclides transfer in the food chain and to facilitate the return of potentially affected soils to agricultural practices in areas impacted by a nuclear accident. (authors)

Agricultural land management options following large-scale environmental contamination - evaluation for Fukushima affected agricultural land

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vandenhove, Hildegarde [Biosphere Impact Studies, Belgian Nuclear Research Center SCK-CEN, Mol (Belgium)

2013-07-01

The accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant has raised questions about the accumulation of radionuclides in soils, the transfer in the food chain and the possibility of continued restricted future land use. This paper summarizes what is generally understood about the application of agricultural countermeasures as a land management option to reduce the radionuclides transfer in the food chain and to facilitate the return of potentially affected soils to agricultural practices in areas impacted by a nuclear accident. (authors)

A Review of Wireless Sensor Technologies and Applications in Agriculture and Food Industry: State of the Art and Current Trends

Science.gov (United States)

Ruiz-Garcia, Luis; Lunadei, Loredana; Barreiro, Pilar; Robla, Jose Ignacio

2009-01-01

The aim of the present paper is to review the technical and scientific state of the art of wireless sensor technologies and standards for wireless communications in the Agri-Food sector. These technologies are very promising in several fields such as environmental monitoring, precision agriculture, cold chain control or traceability. The paper focuses on WSN (Wireless Sensor Networks) and RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), presenting the different systems available, recent developments and examples of applications, including ZigBee based WSN and passive, semi-passive and active RFID. Future trends of wireless communications in agriculture and food industry are also discussed. PMID:22408551

A Review of Wireless Sensor Technologies and Applications in Agriculture and Food Industry: State of the Art and Current Trends

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ignacio Robla

2009-06-01

Full Text Available The aim of the present paper is to review the technical and scientific state of the art of wireless sensor technologies and standards for wireless communications in the Agri-Food sector. These technologies are very promising in several fields such as environmental monitoring, precision agriculture, cold chain control or traceability. The paper focuses on WSN (Wireless Sensor Networks and RFID (Radio Frequency Identification, presenting the different systems available, recent developments and examples of applications, including ZigBee based WSN and passive, semi-passive and active RFID. Future trends of wireless communications in agriculture and food industry are also discussed.

"Training by Papua New Guinea Women, for Papua New Guinea Women": Lessons from the Development of a Co-Constructed Course for Women Smallholder Farmers

Science.gov (United States)

Pamphilon, Barbara; Mikhailovich, Katja; Chambers, Barbara

2014-01-01

This article examines the lessons from a collaborative project that worked with women agricultural leaders in Papua New Guinea. The project sought to build the capacity of these leaders as trainers in a way that would enable the development of a sustainable community of practice and worked within a critical and place-based pedagogy underpinned by…

A preliminary evaluation of volcanic rock powder for application in agriculture as soil a remineralizer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ramos, Claudete G., E-mail: claudeterms@brturbo.com.br [Laboratory of Environmental Researches and Nanotechnology Development, Centro Universitário La Salle, Mestrado em Avaliação de Impactos Ambientais, Victor Barreto, 2288 Centro, 92010-000 Canoas, RS (Brazil); Querol, Xavier [Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDÆA-CSIC), C/Luis Solé y Sabarís s/n, 08028 Barcelona (Spain); Oliveira, Marcos L.S. [Laboratory of Environmental Researches and Nanotechnology Development, Centro Universitário La Salle, Mestrado em Avaliação de Impactos Ambientais, Victor Barreto, 2288 Centro, 92010-000 Canoas, RS (Brazil); Pires, Karen [Departamento Nacional de Produção Mineral (DNPM), Washington Luiz, 815, Centro, 90010-460 Porto Alegre, RS (Brazil); Kautzmann, Rubens M. [Laboratory of Environmental Researches and Nanotechnology Development, Centro Universitário La Salle, Mestrado em Avaliação de Impactos Ambientais, Victor Barreto, 2288 Centro, 92010-000 Canoas, RS (Brazil); Oliveira, Luis F.S., E-mail: felipeqma@hotmail.com [Laboratory of Environmental Researches and Nanotechnology Development, Centro Universitário La Salle, Mestrado em Avaliação de Impactos Ambientais, Victor Barreto, 2288 Centro, 92010-000 Canoas, RS (Brazil)

2015-04-15

Mineralogical and geochemical characteristics of volcanic rock residue, from a crushing plant in the Nova Prata Mining District, State of Rio Grande do Sul (RS), Brazil, in this work named rock powder, were investigated in view of its potential application as soil ammendment in agriculture. Abaut 52,400 m{sup 3} of mining waste is generated annually in the city of Nova Prata without a proper disposal. The nutrients potentially available to plants were evaluated through leaching laboratory tests. Nutrient leaching tests were performed in Milli-Q water; citric acid solution 1% and 2% (AC); and oxalic acid solution 1% and 5% (AO). The bulk and leachable contents of 57 elements were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES). Mining waste were made up by CaO, K{sub 2}O, SiO{sub 2}, Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}, Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}, and P{sub 2}O{sub 5}. The analysis by X-ray diffraction (XRD) showed the major occurence of quartz, anorthite, cristobalite, sanidine, and augite. The water leachable concentrations of all elements studied were lower than 1.0 mg/kg, indicating their low solubility. Leaching tests in acidic media yield larger leachable fractions for all elements being studied are in the leachate of the AO 1%. These date usefulness of volcanic rock powder as potential natural fertilizer in agriculture in the mining district in Nova Prata, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil to reduce the use of chemical fertilizers. - Highlights: • Volcanic rock powder as fertilizer in agriculture • Volcanic rock powder as a source of nutrients to plants • This technology may favor the use of volcanic rock in agriculture.

Agriculture: Agriculture and Air Quality

Science.gov (United States)

Information on air emissions from agricultural practices, types of agricultural burning, air programs that may apply to agriculture, reporting requirements, and links to state and other federal air-quality information.

Mainstreaming conservation agriculture in Malawi: Knowledge gaps and institutional barriers.

Science.gov (United States)

Dougill, Andrew J; Whitfield, Stephen; Stringer, Lindsay C; Vincent, Katharine; Wood, Benjamin T; Chinseu, Edna L; Steward, Peter; Mkwambisi, David D

2017-06-15

Conservation agriculture (CA) practices of reduced soil tillage, permanent organic soil coverage and intercropping/crop rotation, are being advocated globally, based on perceived benefits for crop yields, soil carbon storage, weed suppression, reduced soil erosion and improved soil water retention. However, some have questioned their efficacy due to uncertainty around the performance and trade-offs associated with CA practices, and their compatibility with the diverse livelihood strategies and varied agro-ecological conditions across African smallholder systems. This paper assesses the role of key institutions in Malawi in shaping pathways towards more sustainable land management based on CA by outlining their impact on national policy-making and the design and implementation of agricultural development projects. It draws on interviews at national, district and project levels and a multi-stakeholder workshop that mapped the institutional landscape of decision-making for agricultural land management practices. Findings identify knowledge gaps and institutional barriers that influence land management decision-making and constrain CA uptake. We use our findings to set out an integrated roadmap of research needs and policy options aimed at supporting CA as a route to enhanced sustainable land management in Malawi. Findings offer lessons that can inform design, planning and implementation of CA projects, and identify the multi-level institutional support structures required for mainstreaming sustainable land management in sub-Saharan Africa. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

29 CFR 780.104 - How modern specialization affects the scope of agriculture.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 29 Labor 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false How modern specialization affects the scope of agriculture... EXEMPTIONS APPLICABLE TO AGRICULTURE, PROCESSING OF AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES, AND RELATED SUBJECTS UNDER THE FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT General Scope of Agriculture Introductory § 780.104 How modern specialization...

29 CFR 780.210 - The typical hatchery operations constitute “agriculture.”

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... EXEMPTIONS APPLICABLE TO AGRICULTURE, PROCESSING OF AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES, AND RELATED SUBJECTS UNDER THE FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT Agriculture as It Relates to Specific Situations Hatchery Operations § 780.210 The typical hatchery operations constitute “agriculture.” As stated in § 780.127, the typical hatchery...

Conservation of Agroecosystem through Utilization of Parasitoid Diversity: Lesson for Promoting Sustainable Agriculture and Ecosystem Health

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

DAMAYANTI BUCHORI

2008-12-01

Full Text Available For many years, agricultural intensification and exploitation has resulted in biodiversity loss and threaten ecosystem functioning. Developing strategies to bridge human needs and ecosystem health for harmonization of ecosystem is a major concern for ecologist and agriculturist. The lack of information on species diversity of natural enemies and how to utilize them with integration of habitat management that can renovate ecological process was the main obstacle. Parasitoids, a group of natural enemies, play a very important role in regulating insect pest population. During the last ten years, we have been working on exploration of parasitoid species richness, how to use it to restore ecosystem functions, and identifying key factors influencing host-parasitoid interaction. Here, we propose a model of habitat management that is capable of maintaining agricultural biodiversity and ecosystem functions. We present data on parasitoid species richness and distribution in Java and Sumatera, their population structure and its impact toward biological control, relationship between habitat complexes and parasitoid community, spatial and temporal dynamic of parasitoid diversity, and food web in agricultural landscape. Implications of our findings toward conservation of agroecosystem are discussed.

The Future of Electricity Distribution Regulation. Lessons from International Experience

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nillesen, P.H.L.

2008-12-03

This thesis contains five essays on the regulation of electricity distribution networks, each presenting a different point of view. Two essays use US data to demonstrate that incentive-based regulation has valuable application within a management setting and can lead to gaming behaviour within a regulatory setting. One essay discusses the lessons that can be drawn from the failed first electricity distribution price control review in the Netherlands. One essay presents the views of 75 international regulation managers and gives recommendations on ways to improve the regulatory quality and process. The final essay analyses the economic consequences of the forced ownership unbundling of the electricity distribution networks in 1998 in New Zealand, and draws lessons for future structural remedies that may be sought in other countries.

The Future of Electricity Distribution Regulation. Lessons from International Experience

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nillesen, P.H.L.

2008-01-01

This thesis contains five essays on the regulation of electricity distribution networks, each presenting a different point of view. Two essays use US data to demonstrate that incentive-based regulation has valuable application within a management setting and can lead to gaming behaviour within a regulatory setting. One essay discusses the lessons that can be drawn from the failed first electricity distribution price control review in the Netherlands. One essay presents the views of 75 international regulation managers and gives recommendations on ways to improve the regulatory quality and process. The final essay analyses the economic consequences of the forced ownership unbundling of the electricity distribution networks in 1998 in New Zealand, and draws lessons for future structural remedies that may be sought in other countries

LASL/USDA computer applications annual progress report, October 1, 1978-September 30, 1979. [Data Base Management activities regarding agricultural problems in southwestern USA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sanders, W.M.; Campbell, C.L.; Pickerill, P.A.; Myers, H.R.; Payne, R.J.

1980-10-01

The Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory is funded by the US Department of Agriculture to apply scientific and computer technology to solve agricultural problems. This report summarizes work during the period October 1, 1978 through September 30, 1979 on the application of computer technology to four areas: (1) Texas brucellosis calfhood-vaccination studies, (2) brucellosis data-entry system in New Mexico, (3) Idaho adult vaccination data base, and (4) surveillance of slaughterplants in Texas.

The individual teacher in lesson study collaboration

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Skott, Charlotte Krog; Møller, Hanne

2017-01-01

used in lesson study research. Design/methodology/approach The authors use collective case studies. By being participant observers the authors provide detailed descriptions of two selected teachers’ lived experiences of lesson study collaboration. In addition to gain first-hand insights, the authors...... in the participation of each of the two teachers during a two-year lesson study project. By comparing these shifts the authors identify significant conditions for their individual learning. Research limitations/implications Although the study is small scale, both the insights into the different ways in which teachers...... participated and the theoretical insights might be valuable for other lesson study research approaches. Practical implications This paper provides valuable insights into conditions that might influence teachers’ participation in lesson study activities, especially in cultures with little experience of lesson...

Applying cinematic materials at geography lessons with suggestopedic educational technology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Вікторія Салімон

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The article describes the use of cinematic materials, especially materials from feature films as one of the best means to assimilate the information on the lessons with suggestopedic educational technology. Scientific research of this method including on geography  essons, have been analyzed. Modern pupils study, learn and grow under the influence of communication technologies, so they require a rapid response and adaptation to modern conditions, as well as other interests, a special motivation in training. Feature films, like nothing else, captivates the modern youth, so there is an opportunity to use the screen art for educational purposes and effect of the suggestopedic influence allows pupils to perceive a large amount of information. The use of cinematic materials with suggestopedic educational technology on geography lessons belongs to audiovisual learning tools, giving the opportunity to acquire different modern motivating knowledge. After analyzing suggestive teaching methods, the results of these methods application have been presented, the essence of cinematic materials use as audiovisual learning tools, especially materials from feature films, on suggestopedic lessons and feasibility of their use in the educational process have been described. The authors propose to focus on artistic learning tools or means of art, as a special type of vacated (released stimulating didactical art, that reveals the spare capacity in education and improves memorization and understanding of the studied material when using cinematic materials on geography lessons with suggestopedic educational technology. Methodical recommendations for the suggestopedic lesson using cinematic materials for the topic «Major relief forms of dry land of the Earth. Mountains» in the general geographic course have been suggested.

Safety Requirements / Design Criteria for SFR. Lessons Learned from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Accident

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yllera, Javier

2013-01-01

After the Fukushima event (March 2011) the IAEA has started an action to review and revise, if necessary, all Safety Standards to take into consideration the lessons learned from the accident. The Safety Standards that need to be revised have been identified. A Prioritization Approach has been established: The first priority is to review safety guides applicable for NPPs and spent fuel storage with focus on the measures for the prevention and mitigation of severe accident due to external hazards - ● Regulatory framework, Safety assessment, Management system, Radiation protection and Emergency Preparedness and response; ● Sitting, Design, Operation of NPPs ● Decommissioning and Waste Management. Original sources for lessons learned: IAE fact Finding Mission, Japan´s report to the Ministerial Conference, INSAG Report, etc. Later, other lesson sources considered

Lessons learned from commercial experience with nuclear plant decontamination to safe storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fischer, S.R.; Partain, W.L.; Sype, T.

1995-01-01

The Department of Energy (DOE) has successfully performed decontamination and decommissioning (D ampersand D) on many production reactors it. DOE now has the challenge of performing D ampersand D on a wide variety of other nuclear facilities. Because so many facilities are being closed, it is necessary to place many of them into a safe-storage status before conducting D ampersand D-for perhaps as much as 20 yr. The challenge is to achieve this safe-storage condition in a cost-effective manner while remaining in compliance with applicable regulations. The DOE Office of Environmental Management, Office of Transition and Management, commissioned a lessons learned study of commercial experience with safe storage and transition to D ampersand D. Although the majority of the commercial experience has been with reactors, many of the lessons learned presented in this paper are directly applicable to transitioning the DOE Weapons Complex

Addressing bystander exposure to agricultural pesticides in life cycle impact assessment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ryberg, Morten Walbech; Rosenbaum, Ralph K.; Mosqueron, Luc

2018-01-01

Residents living near agricultural fields may be exposed to pesticides drifting from the fields after application to different field crops. To address this currently missing exposure pathway in life cycle assessment (LCA), we developed a modeling framework for quantifying exposure of bystanders...... magnitude of individual bystanders can be substantially larger than the exposure of populations not living in the proximity to agricultural fields. Our framework for assessing bystander exposure to pesticide applications closes a relevant gap in the exposure assessment included in LCA for agricultural...... to pesticide spray drift from agricultural fields. Our framework consists of three parts addressing: (1) loss of pesticides from an agricultural field via spray drift; (2) environmental fate of pesticide in air outside of the treated field; and (3) exposure of bystanders to pesticides via inhalation...

Wastewater for agriculture: A reuse-oriented planning model and its application in peri-urban China.

Science.gov (United States)

Murray, Ashley; Ray, Isha

2010-03-01

The benefits of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) are widely known but its recommendations remain thinly implemented. Designing wastewater treatment plants for reuse in irrigation is a particularly underutilized IWRM opportunity that could potentially increase agricultural yields, conserve surface water, offset chemical fertilizer demand, and reduce the costs of wastewater treatment by eliminating nutrient removal processes. This paper presents a novel planning model, consisting of a reuse-centric performance assessment and optimization model to help design wastewater treatment plants for reuse in agriculture. The performance assessment and optimization model are described, and their coupled application is demonstrated in the peri-urban district of Pixian, China. Based on the results of the performance assessment, two reuse scenarios are evaluated: wastewater to supplement business as usual (BAU) irrigation, and wastewater to replace BAU irrigation. The results indicate that wastewater supplementation could increase profits by $20 million (M) annually; alternatively, wastewater replacement could conserve 35Mm(3) of water in local rivers each year. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

What Happens at the Lesson Start?

Science.gov (United States)

Saloviita, Timo

2016-01-01

Transitional periods, such as lesson starts, are necessary steps from one activity to another, but they also compete with time for actual learning. The aim of the present study was to replicate a previous pilot study on lesson starts and explore possible disturbances. In total, 130 lesson starts in Finnish basic education in grades 1-9 were…

Overview of wireless underground sensor networks for agriculture ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

In recent years, many applications have been proposed for wireless sensor networks (WSN). One of these is agriculture, where WSN can play an important role in the handling and management of water resources for agricultural irrigation and so on. The WSN suffer from intensive human involvement and delay of ...

Application of Interactive Multimedia Tools in Teaching Mathematics--Examples of Lessons from Geometry

Science.gov (United States)

Milovanovic, Marina; Obradovic, Jasmina; Milajic, Aleksandar

2013-01-01

This article presents the benefits and importance of using multimedia in the math classes by the selected examples of multimedia lessons from geometry (isometric transformations and regular polyhedra). The research included two groups of 50 first year students of the Faculty of the Architecture and the Faculty of Civil Construction Management.…

Lesson study i Danmark?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mogensen, Arne

2009-01-01

Der beskrives et japansk lesson study forløb, og det diskuteres i hvilket omfang, de gode japanske erfaringer kan overføres til dansk matematikundervisning.......Der beskrives et japansk lesson study forløb, og det diskuteres i hvilket omfang, de gode japanske erfaringer kan overføres til dansk matematikundervisning....

Soil physics and agriculture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dourado Neto, Durval; Reichardt, K.; Sparovek, G.

2004-01-01

The approach that integrates knowledge is very important in Agriculture, including farmers, extensionists, researchers and professors. The specialists, including the soil physicists, must have a global view of the crop production system. Therefore, their expertise can be useful for the society. The Essence of scientific knowledge is its practical application. The soil physics is a sub area of Agronomy. There are many examples of this specific subject related to Agriculture. This paper will focus, in general, the following cases: (i) erosion, environmental pollution and human health, (ii) plant population and distribution, soil fertility, evapo-transpiration and soil water flux density, and (iii) productivity, effective root depth, water deficit and yield

Mobile Digital Applications for Farmers to Transform Agriculture Statistics from the Bottom Up

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, M. E.; Grace, K.; Sahajpal, R.; Nagol, J. R.

2017-12-01

As the global population continues to grow and become more wealthy, the amount of food humanity consumes should also grow, particularly in low income countries that are currently consuming significantly less per capita than is optimal. Reducing yield gaps in low income regions can increase overall agricultural production and pull populations conducting subsistence agriculture in rural areas out of poverty. Investment in the transformation of agricultural value chain to include low income farmers can have significant positive impacts on communities and individuals participating, as well as the resilience of the food system itself. A major obstacle to improving the effectiveness of policies and interventions in the rural agriculture sector is a lack of information about the socio-economic, agricultural production and environmental conditions experienced by farmers as they participate in agriculture. There is a significant lack of high quality statistics that can be used to develop effective agricultural development programs. In today's world of online mapping software, accurate global positioning systems that allow instant, affordable location retrieval and growing mobile connectivity, what is needed is community- or even field-level information. Given the enormous geographic, economic and cultural diversity of even small countries, why settle for national statistics? The kind of information that is needed is at the field and farmer level, not the country level. This paper reviews ways geospatial and information technology can be used to generate farmer-specific information across all countries participating in agriculture.

Disaster policy and nuclear liability: insights from post-Chernobyl agriculture in the United Kingdom

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kerr, W.A.; Kwaczek, A.S.; Mooney, S.

1989-01-01

The recent events at Chernobyl have again brought the issues of nuclear safety to the forefront of the nuclear power debate. Fortunately, our experience with such incidents has been very limited, but it is important to learn as much as possible from such events so as to minimize the cost and effect of any other nuclear incidents, be they small or large. Much of the discussion about the possible effects of nuclear incidents has centered around the human cost in terms of health. While this is undoubtedly of paramount concern, the effect of the release of radiation from Chernobyl on the agricultural resource base in Europe can provide valuable insights on how to reduce the costs associated with the contamination of agricultural areas. This article outlines some of the lessons that can be learned using the livestock-raising industry in northern Wales as an example

Disaster policy and nuclear liability: Insights from post-Chernobyl agriculture in the United Kingdom

Science.gov (United States)

Kerr, William A.; Kwaczek, Adrienne S.; Mooney, Sian

1989-09-01

The recent events at Chernobyl have again brought the issues of nuclear safety to the forefront of the nuclear power debate. Fortunately, our experience with such incidents has been very limited, but it is important to learn as much as possible from such events so as to minimize the cost and effect of any other nuclear incidents, be they small or large. Much of the discussion about the possible effects of nuclear incidents has centered around the human cost in terms of health. While this is undoubtedly of paramount concern, the effect of the release of radiation from Chernobyl on the agricultural resource base in Europe can provide valuable insights on how to reduce the costs associated with the contamination of agricultural areas. This article outlines some of the lessons that can be learned using the livestock-raising industry in northern Wales as an example.

LANDSAT-4 Science Characterization Early Results. Volume 4: Applications. [agriculture, soils land use, geology, hydrology, wetlands, water quality, biomass identification, and snow mapping

Science.gov (United States)

Barker, J. L. (Editor)

1985-01-01

The excellent quality of TM data allows researchers to proceed directly with applications analyses, without spending a significant amount of time applying various corrections to the data. The early results derived of TM data are discussed for the following applications: agriculture, land cover/land use, soils, geology, hydrology, wetlands biomass, water quality, and snow.

St. Louis FUSRAP Lessons Learned

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eberlin, J.; Williams, D.; Mueller, D.

2003-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to present lessons learned from fours years' experience conducting Remedial Investigation and Remedial Action activities at the St. Louis Downtown Site (SLDS) under the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP). Many FUSRAP sites are experiencing challenges conducting Remedial Actions within forecasted volume and budget estimates. The St. Louis FUSRAP lessons learned provide insight to options for cost effective remediation at FUSRAP sites. The lessons learned are focused on project planning (budget and schedule), investigation, design, and construction

ERP in agriculture: Lessons learned from the Dutch horticulture

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verdouw, C.N.; Robbemond, R.M.; Wolfert, J.

2015-01-01

Farming nowadays is a complex managerial task that imposes stringent requirements on farm management information systems. In other sectors, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems are widely implemented to meet such requirements. This paper assesses the applicability of ERP systems in the

Analysis of the frontier technology of agricultural IoT and its predication research

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Shuqing; Zhang, Jianhua; Zhu, Mengshuai; Wu, Jianzhai; Shen, Chen; Kong, Fantao

2017-09-01

Agricultural IoT (Internet of Things) develops rapidly. Nanotechnology, biotechnology and optoelectronic technology are successfully integrated into the agricultural sensor technology. Big data, cloud computing and artificial intelligence technology have also been successfully used in IoT. This paper carries out the research on integration of agricultural sensor technology, nanotechnology, biotechnology and optoelectronic technology and the application of big data, cloud computing and artificial intelligence technology in agricultural IoT. The advantages and development of the integration of nanotechnology, biotechnology and optoelectronic technology with agricultural sensor technology were discussed. The application of big data, cloud computing and artificial intelligence technology in IoT and their development trend were analysed.

The Role of Aerospace Technology in Agriculture. The 1977 Summer Faculty Fellowship Program in Engineering Systems Design

Science.gov (United States)

1977-01-01

Possibilities were examined for improving agricultural productivity through the application of aerospace technology. An overview of agriculture and of the problems of feeding a growing world population are presented. The present state of agriculture, of plant and animal culture, and agri-business are reviewed. Also analyzed are the various systems for remote sensing, particularly applications to agriculture. The report recommends additional research and technology in the areas of aerial application of chemicals, of remote sensing systems, of weather and climate investigations, and of air vehicle design. Also considered in detail are the social, legal, economic, and political results of intensification of technical applications to agriculture.

A Relevant Lesson: Hitler Goes to the Mall

Science.gov (United States)

Gerwin, David

2003-01-01

A "Motivation" eliciting the "Aim" of each lesson initiates each lesson in the orthodox "developmental lesson-plan" that has dominated classroom instruction in NYC public schools for at least the past half-century. An action-research study of 38 lesson-plans (over 5 each from 5 teachers) drawn from student-teaching…

Towards sustainable and multifunctional agriculture in farmland landscapes: Lessons from the integrative approach of a French LTSER platform.

Science.gov (United States)

Bretagnolle, Vincent; Berthet, Elsa; Gross, Nicolas; Gauffre, Bertrand; Plumejeaud, Christine; Houte, Sylvie; Badenhausser, Isabelle; Monceau, Karine; Allier, Fabrice; Monestiez, Pascal; Gaba, Sabrina

2018-06-15

Agriculture is currently facing unprecedented challenges: ensuring food, fiber and energy production in the face of global change, maintaining the economic performance of farmers and preserving natural resources such as biodiversity and associated key ecosystem services for sustainable agriculture. Addressing these challenges requires innovative landscape scale farming systems that account for changing economic and environmental targets. These novel agricultural systems need to be recognized, accepted and promoted by all stakeholders, including local residents, and supported by public policies. Agroecosystems should be considered as socio-ecological systems and alternative farming systems should be based on ecological principles while taking societal needs into account. This requires an in-depth knowledge of the multiple interactions between sociological and ecological dynamics. Long Term Socio-Ecological Research platforms (LTSER) are ideal for acquiring this knowledge as they (i) are not constrained by traditional disciplinary boundaries, (ii) operate at a large spatial scale involving all stakeholders, and (iii) use systemic approaches to investigate biodiversity and ecosystem services. This study presents the socio-ecological research strategy from the LTSER "Zone Atelier Plaine & Val de Sèvre" (ZA PVS), a large study area where data has been sampled since 1994. Its global aim is to identify effective solutions for agricultural development and the conservation of biodiversity in farmlands. Three main objectives are targeted by the ZAPVS. The first objective is intensive monitoring of landscape features, the main taxa present and agricultural practices. The second objective is the experimental investigation, in real fields with local farmers, of important ecosystem functions and services, in relation to pesticide use, crop production and farming socio-economic value. The third aim is to involve stakeholders through participatory research, citizen science and

Agricultural experts’ attitude towards precision agriculture: Evidence from Guilan Agricultural Organization, Northern Iran

OpenAIRE

Mohammad Sadegh Allahyari; Masoumeh Mohammadzadeh; Stefanos A. Nastis

2016-01-01

Identifying factors that influence the attitudes of agricultural experts regarding precision agriculture plays an important role in developing, promoting and establishing precision agriculture. The aim of this study was to identify factors affecting the attitudes of agricultural experts regarding the implementation of precision agriculture. A descriptive research design was employed as the research method. A research-made questionnaire was used to examine the agricultural experts’ attitude to...

Agriculture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goetz, B.; Riss, A.; Zethner, G.

2001-01-01

This chapter deals with fertilization techniques, bioenergy from agriculture, environmental aspects of a common agriculture policy in the European Union, bio-agriculture, fruit farming in Austria and with environmental indicators in agriculture. In particular renewable energy sources (bio-diesel, biogas) from agriculture are studied in comparison to fossil fuels and other energy sources. (a.n.)

Beautiful Beads: A Lesson in Making Beads with Friendly Clay. AMACO[R] Lesson.

Science.gov (United States)

Gamble, Harriet; Gamble, David

This lesson resource includes a brief summary of the history of bead making and historic fascination with beads as adornment. A focus on design elements, color theory, craftsmanship, and technical skill in bead making is encouraged. The plan includes lesson goals and objectives; background preparation; a glossary of terms; a list of supplies; and…

Water conservation in agriculture -a step in combating the water crisis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prinz, D.; Malik, A.H.

2005-01-01

In Pakistan, the agricultural sector is the largest water user with 95%, leaving only marginal quantities for households and industry. On one hand, agriculture is a very important sector in Pakistan's economic development, contributing about 23 % to the national GDP -but industry contributes slightly more using only about 2 % of the available water resources. As Pakistan faces a growing problem of water shortage, significant achievements in water conservation have to be materialized, predominantly on the agricultural sector. There is scope for a higher degree of efficiency in water use, as water losses, namely in irrigation, are still rather high. There is another good reason for water conservation in agriculture: Over-irrigation results in rising water tables and increased soil salinity, which has reduced Pakistan's agricultural output during the last 2 decades by nearly 25%. Water conservation measures can be divided into (1) measures which are only applicable under rain-fed agricultural conditions, (2) measures which are relevant to save water in rain-fed agriculture as well as in irrigated agriculture and (3) measures, which are relevant in irrigated agriculture only. The first group centres around efficient rainwater management, which can be either 'in-situ moisture conservation' or 'rainwater harvesting'. The second group includes (1) improving crop selection, (2) improving crop husbandry, (3) combining cropping with animal husbandry, (4) reduction of transpiration losses, (5) reduction of evaporation losses and (6) reduction of percolation losses. Efficient irrigation can be accomplished by (1) reduction of conveying and distribution losses, (2) reduction of application losses, (3) use of efficient irrigation methods, (4) use of efficient application techniques, (5) application of supplemental and deficit irrigation and (6) improving water availability. The awareness of the problem, the knowledge of adapted and affordable techniques, the creation of suitable

Model Driven Software Development for Agricultural Robotics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Morten

The design and development of agricultural robots, consists of both mechan- ical, electrical and software components. All these components must be de- signed and combined such that the overall goal of the robot is fulfilled. The design and development of these systems require collaboration between...... processing, control engineering, etc. This thesis proposes a Model-Driven Software Develop- ment based approach to model, analyse and partially generate the software implementation of a agricultural robot. Furthermore, Guidelines for mod- elling the architecture of an agricultural robots are provided......, assisting with bridging the different engineering disciplines. Timing play an important role in agricultural robotic applications, synchronisation of robot movement and implement actions is important in order to achieve precision spraying, me- chanical weeding, individual feeding, etc. Discovering...

Modeling applications for precision agriculture in the California Central Valley

Science.gov (United States)

Marklein, A. R.; Riley, W. J.; Grant, R. F.; Mezbahuddin, S.; Mekonnen, Z. A.; Liu, Y.; Ying, S.

2017-12-01

Drought in California has increased the motivation to develop precision agriculture, which uses observations to make site-specific management decisions throughout the growing season. In agricultural systems that are prone to drought, these efforts often focus on irrigation efficiency. Recent improvements in soil sensor technology allow the monitoring of plant and soil status in real-time, which can then inform models aimed at improving irrigation management. But even on farms with resources to deploy soil sensors across the landscape, leveraging that sensor data to design an efficient irrigation scheme remains a challenge. We conduct a modeling experiment aimed at simulating precision agriculture to address several questions: (1) how, when, and where does irrigation lead to optimal yield? and (2) What are the impacts of different precision irrigation schemes on yields, soil organic carbon (SOC), and total water use? We use the ecosys model to simulate precision agriculture in a conventional tomato-corn rotation in the California Central Valley with varying soil water content thresholds for irrigation and soil water sensor depths. This model is ideal for our question because it includes explicit process-based functions for the plant growth, plant water use, soil hydrology, and SOC, and has been tested extensively in agricultural ecosystems. Low irrigation thresholds allows the soil to become drier before irrigating compared to high irrigation thresholds; as such, we found that the high irrigation thresholds use more irrigation over the course of the season, have higher yields, and have lower water use efficiency. The irrigation threshold did not affect SOC. Yields and water use are highest at sensor depths of 0.5 to 0.15 m, but water use efficiency was also lowest at these depths. We found SOC to be significantly affected by sensor depth, with the highest SOC at the shallowest sensor depths. These results will help regulate irrigation water while maintaining yield

Contribution of nuclear techniques towards a sustainable agriculture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muniz Ugarte, O.

1997-01-01

The papers mentions the main nuclear techniques applied in order to achieve a sustainable agriculture, the technical support given to Cuba by the IAEA mainly in training and in the creation of a infrastructure (Laboratories) to enable the application of nuclear techniques to agricultural research related to soil fertility, plant nutrition and water usage

Scheduling lessons learned from the Autonomous Power System

Science.gov (United States)

Ringer, Mark J.

1992-01-01

The Autonomous Power System (APS) project at NASA LeRC is designed to demonstrate the applications of integrated intelligent diagnosis, control, and scheduling techniques to space power distribution systems. The project consists of three elements: the Autonomous Power Expert System (APEX) for Fault Diagnosis, Isolation, and Recovery (FDIR); the Autonomous Intelligent Power Scheduler (AIPS) to efficiently assign activities start times and resources; and power hardware (Brassboard) to emulate a space-based power system. The AIPS scheduler was tested within the APS system. This scheduler is able to efficiently assign available power to the requesting activities and share this information with other software agents within the APS system in order to implement the generated schedule. The AIPS scheduler is also able to cooperatively recover from fault situations by rescheduling the affected loads on the Brassboard in conjunction with the APEX FDIR system. AIPS served as a learning tool and an initial scheduling testbed for the integration of FDIR and automated scheduling systems. Many lessons were learned from the AIPS scheduler and are now being integrated into a new scheduler called SCRAP (Scheduler for Continuous Resource Allocation and Planning). This paper will service three purposes: an overview of the AIPS implementation, lessons learned from the AIPS scheduler, and a brief section on how these lessons are being applied to the new SCRAP scheduler.

River water quality management considering agricultural return flows: application of a nonlinear two-stage stochastic fuzzy programming.

Science.gov (United States)

Tavakoli, Ali; Nikoo, Mohammad Reza; Kerachian, Reza; Soltani, Maryam

2015-04-01

In this paper, a new fuzzy methodology is developed to optimize water and waste load allocation (WWLA) in rivers under uncertainty. An interactive two-stage stochastic fuzzy programming (ITSFP) method is utilized to handle parameter uncertainties, which are expressed as fuzzy boundary intervals. An iterative linear programming (ILP) is also used for solving the nonlinear optimization model. To accurately consider the impacts of the water and waste load allocation strategies on the river water quality, a calibrated QUAL2Kw model is linked with the WWLA optimization model. The soil, water, atmosphere, and plant (SWAP) simulation model is utilized to determine the quantity and quality of each agricultural return flow. To control pollution loads of agricultural networks, it is assumed that a part of each agricultural return flow can be diverted to an evaporation pond and also another part of it can be stored in a detention pond. In detention ponds, contaminated water is exposed to solar radiation for disinfecting pathogens. Results of applying the proposed methodology to the Dez River system in the southwestern region of Iran illustrate its effectiveness and applicability for water and waste load allocation in rivers. In the planning phase, this methodology can be used for estimating the capacities of return flow diversion system and evaporation and detention ponds.

Computerised image analysis of biocrystallograms originating from agricultural products

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Jens-Otto; Henriksen, Christian B.; Laursen, J.

1999-01-01

Procedures are presented for computerised image analysis of iocrystallogram images, originating from biocrystallization investigations of agricultural products. The biocrystallization method is based on the crystallographic phenomenon that when adding biological substances, such as plant extracts...... on up to eight parameters indicated strong relationships, with R2 up to 0.98. It is concluded that the procedures were able to discriminate the seven groups of images, and are applicable for biocrystallization investigations of agricultural products. Perspectives for the application of image analysis...

Social support and child protection: Lessons learned and learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, Ross A

2015-03-01

Social support has been a topic of research for nearly 50 years, and its applications to prevention and intervention have grown significantly, including programs advancing child protection. This article summarizes the central conclusions of the 1994 review of research on social support and the prevention of child maltreatment prepared for the U.S. Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect, and surveys advances in the field since its publication. Among the lessons learned twenty years ago are (a) the diversity of the social support needs of at-risk families and their association with child endangerment, (b) the need to supplement the emotionally affirmative aspects of social support with efforts to socialize parenting practices and monitor child well-being, (c) the desirability of integrating formal and informal sources of social support for recipients, and (d) the importance of considering the complex recipient reactions to receiving support from others. The lessons we are now learning derive from research exploring the potential of online communication to enhance social support, the neurobiology of stress and its buffering through social support, and the lessons of evaluation research that are identifying the effective ingredients of social support interventions. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Agriculture: About EPA's National Agriculture Center

Science.gov (United States)

EPA's National Agriculture Center (Ag Center), with the support of the United States Department of Agriculture, serves growers, livestock producers, other agribusinesses, and agricultural information/education providers.

Lessons learned from accidents in radiotherapy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ortiz-Lopez, P [International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna (Austria). Div. of Nuclear Safety; Novotny, J [University Hospital St. Rafael, Leuven (Belgium); Haywood, J [South Cleveland Hospital (United Kingdom). Cleveland Medical Physics Unit

1996-08-01

Radiotherapy is the only application of radiation which intentionally delivers very high doses to humans. A gross deviation from the prescribed dose or dose distribution can have severe, or even fatal consequences. Since the patient is placed directly in the beam or sources are inserted in the body, any mistake made with the beam or the sources leads almost certainly to an accidental exposure. Lessons learned from previous incidents can be used to test the vulnerability of a given facility, provided that these are adequately disseminated. The purpose of this paper is to present a summary of the lessons learned from a relatively large sample of events. The analysis has been presented as a short description followed by an identification of the triggering event and the contributing factors. These have been grouped as follows: errors in commissioning or calibration machines and sources affecting many patients; mistakes affecting individual patients such as irradiating the wrong patient, the wrong, field or site, and mistakes when entering data into or reading from the patient`s chart; error due to unusual treatments or situations; equipment failure and human machine problems, including maintenance. (author). 1 ref.

Lessons learned from accidents in radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ortiz-Lopez, P.; Haywood, J.

1996-01-01

Radiotherapy is the only application of radiation which intentionally delivers very high doses to humans. A gross deviation from the prescribed dose or dose distribution can have severe, or even fatal consequences. Since the patient is placed directly in the beam or sources are inserted in the body, any mistake made with the beam or the sources leads almost certainly to an accidental exposure. Lessons learned from previous incidents can be used to test the vulnerability of a given facility, provided that these are adequately disseminated. The purpose of this paper is to present a summary of the lessons learned from a relatively large sample of events. The analysis has been presented as a short description followed by an identification of the triggering event and the contributing factors. These have been grouped as follows: errors in commissioning or calibration machines and sources affecting many patients; mistakes affecting individual patients such as irradiating the wrong patient, the wrong, field or site, and mistakes when entering data into or reading from the patient's chart; error due to unusual treatments or situations; equipment failure and human machine problems, including maintenance. (author). 1 ref

Application of Multi-Criteria Analysis in the Evaluation of Biogas Plants with Respect to the Stability of the Agricultural System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jitka Šišková

2015-01-01

Full Text Available As a result of the interconnection and globalization of access to information, scientific expertise and new technologies across the world, development of society is now progressing at a skyrocketing pace. Production in businesses is reaching maximum possible levels. This paper focuses on systemic evaluation of the interrelations among production processes of agricultural businesses running biogas plants. It represents a comprehensive proposal of a model instrument for comparison of production options in relation to available input materials in agricultural businesses. Interconnection of the economic, environmental and social factors is of growing significance for strategic progress along the lines of sustainable development of society. The objective of this paper is to propose and to describe the practical application of a multi-criterion model as an instrument of decision-making processes with a view to establishing a procedure for comparison of available input materials for biogas plants from the viewpoint of maintaining the stability of systemic interrelations in the agricultural sector in the context of sustainable development.

Applications of CELSS technology to controlled environment agriculture

Science.gov (United States)

Bates, Maynard E.; Bubenheim, David L.

1991-01-01

Controlled environment agriculture (CEA) is defined as the use of environmental manipulation for the commercial production of organisms, whether plants or animals. While many of the technologies necessary for aquaculture systems in North America is nevertheless doubling approximately every five years. Economic, cultural, and environmental pressures all favor CEA over field production for many non-commodity agricultural crops. Many countries around the world are already dependent on CEA for much of their fresh food. Controlled ecological life support systems (CELSS), under development at ARC, KSC, and JSC expand the concept of CEA to the extent that all human requirements for food, oxygen, and water will be provided regenerated by processing of waste streams to supply plant inputs. The CELSS will likely contain plants, humans, possibly other animals, microorganisms and physically and chemical processors. In effect, NASA will create engineered ecosystems. In the process of developing the technology for CELSS, NASA will develop information and technology which will be applied to improving the efficiency, reliability, and cost effectiveness for CEA, improving its resources recycling capabilities, and lessening its environmental impact to negligible levels.

Agricultural GMOs—What We Know and Where Scientists Disagree

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David Zilberman

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Population growth, climate change, and increasing human impact on land and aquatic systems all pose significant challenges for current agricultural practices. Genetic engineering is a tool to speed up breeding for new varieties, which can help farmers and agricultural systems adapt to rapidly changing physical growing conditions, technology, and global markets. We review the current scientific literature and present the potential of genetically modified organisms (GMOs from the perspectives of various stakeholders. GMOs increase yields, lower costs, and reduce the land and environmental footprint of agriculture. The benefits of this technology are shared among innovators, farmers, and consumers. Developing countries and poor farmers gain substantially from GMOs. Agricultural biotechnology is diverse, with many applications having different potential impacts. Its regulation needs to balance benefits and risks for each application. Excessive precaution prevents significant benefits. Increasing access to the technology and avoidance of excessive regulation will allow it to reach its potential.

Learning Lessons from TMI to Fukushima and Other Industrial Accidents: Keys for Assessing Safety Management Practices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dechy, N.; Rousseau, J.-M.; Dien, Y.; Montmayeul, R.; Llory, M.

2016-01-01

The main objective of the paper is to discuss and to argue about transfer, from an industrial sector to another industrial sector, of lessons learnt from accidents. It will be achieved through the discussion of some theoretical foundations and through the illustration of examples of application cases in assessment of safety management practices in Nuclear Power Plant (NPP). The nuclear energy production industry has faced three big ones in 30 years (TMI, Chernobyl, Fukushima) involving three different reactor technologies operated in three quite different cultural, organizational and regulatory contexts. Each of those accident has been the origin of questions, but also generator of lessons, some changing the worldview (see Wilpert and Fahlbruch, 1998) of what does cause an accident in addition to the engineering view about the importance of technical failures (human error, safety culture, sociotechnical interactions). Some of their main lessons were implemented such as improvements of human-machine interfaces ergonomics, recast of some emergency operating procedures, severe accident mitigation strategies and crisis management. Some lessons did not really provide deep changes. It is the case for organizational lessons such as, organizational complexity, management of production pressures, regulatory capture, and failure to learn, etc.

DETERMINANTS OF AGRICULTURAL LAND EXPANSION IN NIGERIA: APPLICATION OF ERROR CORRECTION MODELING (ECM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A Oyekale

2007-12-01

Full Text Available This study used an ECM to analyze the determinants of agricultural land expansion in Nigeria. Results show that at first differencing, Augmented Dickey Fuller test indicated stationarity for all the variables (p< 0.05 and there were 7 cointegrating vectors using Johansen test. The dynamic unrestricted short-run parameters of permanent cropland growth rates (68.62, agricultural production index (10.23, livestock population (0.003, human population (-0.145, other land (-0.265 and cereal cropland growth rate (0.621 have significant impact on agricultural land expansion (p< 0.05. The study recommended that appropriate policies to address the problem of expansion of agricultural land and agricultural production must focus on development of cereal and permanent crop hybrids that are high yielding and resistant to environmental stress, human population control and guided use of land for industrial and urban development, among others.

Building Capacity to Use Earth Observations in Decision Making for Climate, Health, Agriculture and Natural Disasters

Science.gov (United States)

Robertson, A. W.; Ceccato, P.

2015-12-01

In order to fill the gaps existing in climate and public health, agriculture, natural disasters knowledge and practices, the International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI) has developed a Curriculum for Best Practices in Climate Information. This Curriculum builds on the experience of 10 years courses on 'Climate Information' and captures lessons and experiences from different tailored trainings that have been implemented in many countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. In this presentation, we will provide examples of training activities we have developed to bring remote sensing products to monitor climatic and environmental information into decision processes that benefited users such as the World Health Organization, Ministries of Health, Ministries of Agriculture, Universities, Research Centers such as CIFOR and FIOCRUZ. The framework developed by IRI to provide capacity building is based on the IDEAS framework: Innovation (research) Around climate impacts, evaluation of interventions, and the value of climate information in reducing risks and maximizing opportunities Demonstration E.g. in-country GFCS projects in Tanzania and Malawi - or El Nino work in Ethiopia Education Academic and professional training efforts Advocacy This might focus on communication of variability and change? We are WHO collaborating center so are engaged through RBM/Global Malaria Programme Service ENACTS and Data library key to this. Country data better quality than NASA as incorporates all relevant station data and NASA products. This presentation will demonstrate how the IDEAS framework has been implemented and lessons learned.

Implementing the water framework directive in Denmark - Lessons on agricultural measures from a legal and regulatory perspective

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jacobsen, Brian H.; Anker, Helle Tegner; Baaner, Lasse

2017-01-01

One of the major challenges in the implementation of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) is how to address diffuse agricultural pollution of the aquatic environment. In Denmark the implementation of agricultural measures has been fraught with difficulty in the form of delays and legal proceedings...... and a policy failure. It is argued that the adoption of more flexible measures to be implemented at the local level could have resulted in fewer difficulties from an economic and legal point of view as measures could have been applied where there was a clear environmental benefit, and possibly also at a lower...

Overview of plant dosimetry in agricultural commodities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khedkar, Kalpana C.

2014-01-01

Extensive research carried out for more than three decades at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Bombay and other laboratories in India had conclusively established application of radiation processing of food for catering to the domestic and export market. A major milestone of food irradiation was reached in the country when Board of Radiation and Isotope Technology, a constituent unit of Department of Atomic Energy had set up 'SPICE PLANT' at Vashi, Navi Mumbai in the year 2000. It was first demonstration plant for radiation processing of spices for hygienisation purpose. For expanding scope of applications in agricultural sector, the next step in this direction was taken by BARC for setting up 'KRUSHAK' plant at Lasalgaon, Nashik. This was the first plant for low dose application of gamma radiation in agricultural commodities i.e. for sprout inhibition in onion and potatoes

Impacts of agricultural irrigation on nearby freshwater ecosystems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lorente, Carmen; Causape, Jesus; Glud, Ronnie N.

2015-01-01

A small hydrological basin (Lerma, NE Spain), transformed from its natural state (steppe) to rain-fed agriculture and recently to irrigation agriculture, has been monitored across four seasons of an agricultural year. The goal of this study was to assess how and whether agricultural activities....... In this way, PICT can serve to establish causal linkages between pollutants and the observed biological impacts. The periphyton presented significantly different sensitivities against terbuthylazine through the year in accord with the seasonal application of this herbicide in the crops nowadays....... The sensitivity of already banned herbicides, atrazine and simazine does not display a clear seasonality. The different sensitivities to herbicides were in agreement with the expected exposures scenarios, according to the agricultural calendar, but not with the concentrations measured in water, which altogether...

Representing Water Scarcity in Future Agricultural Assessments

Science.gov (United States)

Winter, Jonathan M.; Lopez, Jose R.; Ruane, Alexander C.; Young, Charles A.; Scanlon, Bridget R.; Rosenzweig, Cynthia

2017-01-01

Globally, irrigated agriculture is both essential for food production and the largest user of water. A major challenge for hydrologic and agricultural research communities is assessing the sustainability of irrigated croplands under climate variability and change. Simulations of irrigated croplands generally lack key interactions between water supply, water distribution, and agricultural water demand. In this article, we explore the critical interface between water resources and agriculture by motivating, developing, and illustrating the application of an integrated modeling framework to advance simulations of irrigated croplands. We motivate the framework by examining historical dynamics of irrigation water withdrawals in the United States and quantitatively reviewing previous modeling studies of irrigated croplands with a focus on representations of water supply, agricultural water demand, and impacts on crop yields when water demand exceeds water supply. We then describe the integrated modeling framework for simulating irrigated croplands, which links trends and scenarios with water supply, water allocation, and agricultural water demand. Finally, we provide examples of efforts that leverage the framework to improve simulations of irrigated croplands as well as identify opportunities for interventions that increase agricultural productivity, resiliency, and sustainability.

Analysing the Integration of Engineering in Science Lessons with the Engineering-Infused Lesson Rubric

Science.gov (United States)

Peterman, Karen; Daugherty, Jenny L.; Custer, Rodney L.; Ross, Julia M.

2017-01-01

Science teachers are being called on to incorporate engineering practices into their classrooms. This study explores whether the Engineering-Infused Lesson Rubric, a new rubric designed to target best practices in engineering education, could be used to evaluate the extent to which engineering is infused into online science lessons. Eighty lessons…

Application of Systematic Approach to the Study of Financial and Credit Infrastructure of Agriculture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aleksandr Vladimirovich Dorzhdeev

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The increasing value of development of financial and credit infrastructure of agriculture in reproduction activity of agricultural producers is caused by the need of continuous receipt of funds for financing the requirements of agriculture and limited opportunities of selffinancing as a result of rather high capital intensity at rather low level of profitability. The systematic approach to research of financial and credit infrastructure of agriculture assumes its consideration as a set of the interconnected and interdependent subsystems and their elements focused on performance of certain functions. The use of systematic approach deepens complete theoretical ideas about the financial and credit infrastructure of agriculture. In the present article the essence of financial and credit infrastructure of agriculture in the points of view of functional and institutional aspects is opened, its subsystems are characterized, their functions and elements are defined by the authors. The study of the systemic features of market infrastructure allowed the authors to reveal the signs peculiar to financial and credit infrastructure of agricultural sector.

A Novel Fungal Metabolite with Beneficial Properties for Agricultural Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francesco Vinale

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Trichoderma are ubiquitous soil fungi that include species widely used as biocontrol agents in agriculture. Many isolates are known to secrete several secondary metabolites with different biological activities towards plants and other microbes. Harzianic acid (HA is a T. harzianum metabolite able to promote plant growth and strongly bind iron. In this work, we isolated from the culture filtrate of a T. harzianum strain a new metabolite, named isoharzianic acid (iso-HA, a stereoisomer of HA. The structure and absolute configuration of this compound has been determined by spectroscopic methods, including UV-Vis, MS, 1D and 2D NMR analyses. In vitro applications of iso-HA inhibited the mycelium radial growth of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and Rhizoctonia solani. Moreover, iso HA improved the germination of tomato seeds and induced disease resistance. HPLC-DAD experiments showed that the production of HA and iso HA was affected by the presence of plant tissue in the liquid medium. In particular, tomato tissue elicited the production of HA but negatively modulated the biosynthesis of its analogue iso-HA, suggesting that different forms of the same Trichoderma secondary metabolite have specific roles in the molecular mechanism regulating the Trichoderma plant interaction.

A novel fungal metabolite with beneficial properties for agricultural applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Vinale, Francesco; Manganiello, Gelsomina; Nigro, Marco; Mazzei, Pierluigi; Piccolo, Alessandro; Pascale, Alberto; Ruocco, Michelina; Marra, Roberta; Lombardi, Nadia; Lanzuise, Stefania; Varlese, Rosaria; Cavallo, Pierpaolo; Lorito, Matteo; Woo, Sheridan L

2014-07-08

Trichoderma are ubiquitous soil fungi that include species widely used as biocontrol agents in agriculture. Many isolates are known to secrete several secondary metabolites with different biological activities towards plants and other microbes. Harzianic acid (HA) is a T. harzianum metabolite able to promote plant growth and strongly bind iron. In this work, we isolated from the culture filtrate of a T. harzianum strain a new metabolite, named isoharzianic acid (iso-HA), a stereoisomer of HA. The structure and absolute configuration of this compound has been determined by spectroscopic methods, including UV-Vis, MS, 1D and 2D NMR analyses. In vitro applications of iso-HA inhibited the mycelium radial growth of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and Rhizoctonia solani. Moreover, iso HA improved the germination of tomato seeds and induced disease resistance. HPLC-DAD experiments showed that the production of HA and iso HA was affected by the presence of plant tissue in the liquid medium. In particular, tomato tissue elicited the production of HA but negatively modulated the biosynthesis of its analogue iso-HA, suggesting that different forms of the same Trichoderma secondary metabolite have specific roles in the molecular mechanism regulating the Trichoderma plant interaction.

Agricultural SWOT analysis and wisdom agriculture design of chengdu

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Qian; Chen, Xiangyu; Du, Shaoming; Yin, Guowei; Yu, Feng; Liu, Guicai; Gong, Jin; Han, Fujun

2017-08-01

According to the status of agricultural information, this paper analyzed the advantages, opportunities and challenges of developing wisdom agriculture in Chengdu. By analyzed the local characteristics of Chengdu agriculture, the construction program of Chengdu wisdom agriculture was designed, which was based on the existing agricultural informatization. The positioning and development theme of Chengdu agriculture is leisure agriculture, urban agriculture and quality agriculture.

Are Organic Standards Sufficient to Ensure Sustainable Agriculture? Lessons From New Zealand’s ARGOS and Sustainability Dashboard Projects

OpenAIRE

Merfield, Charles; Moller, Henrik; Manhire, Jon; Rosin, Chris; Norton, Solis; Carey, Peter; Hunt, Lesley; Reid, John; Fairweather, John; Benge, Jayson; Le Quellec, Isabelle; Campbell, Hugh; Lucock, David; Saunders, Caroline; MacLeod, Catriona

2015-01-01

Our review concludes that organic standards need to account for a broader set of criteria in order to retain claims to ‘sustainability’. Measurements of the ecological, economic and social outcomes from over 96 kiwifruit, sheep/beef and dairy farms in New Zealand between 2004 and 2012 by The Agricultural Research Group on Sustainability (ARGOS) project showed some enhanced ecosystem services from organic agriculture that will assist a “land-sharing” approach for sustainable land management. H...

DAE-BRNS workshop on applications of image processing in plant sciences and agriculture: lecture notes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-10-01

Images form important data and information in biological sciences. Until recently photography was the only method to reproduce and report such data. It is difficult to quantify or treat the photographic data mathematically. Digital image processing and image analysis technology based on recent advances in microelectronics and computers circumvents these problems associated with traditional photography. WIPSA (Workshop on Applications of Image Processing in Plant Sciences and Agriculture) will feature topics on the basic aspects of computers, imaging hardware and software as well advanced aspects such as colour image processing, high performance computing, neural networks, 3-D imaging and virtual reality. Imaging done using ultrasound, thermal, x-rays and γ rays, neutron radiography and the film-less phosphor-imager technology will also be discussed. Additionally application of image processing/analysis in plant sciences, medicine and satellite imagery are discussed. Papers relevant to INIS are indexed separately

Improving the redistribution of the security lessons in healthcare: An evaluation of the Generic Security Template.

Science.gov (United States)

He, Ying; Johnson, Chris

2015-11-01

The recurrence of past security breaches in healthcare showed that lessons had not been effectively learned across different healthcare organisations. Recent studies have identified the need to improve learning from incidents and to share security knowledge to prevent future attacks. Generic Security Templates (GSTs) have been proposed to facilitate this knowledge transfer. The objective of this paper is to evaluate whether potential users in healthcare organisations can exploit the GST technique to share lessons learned from security incidents. We conducted a series of case studies to evaluate GSTs. In particular, we used a GST for a security incident in the US Veterans' Affairs Administration to explore whether security lessons could be applied in a very different Chinese healthcare organisation. The results showed that Chinese security professional accepted the use of GSTs and that cyber security lessons could be transferred to a Chinese healthcare organisation using this approach. The users also identified the weaknesses and strengths of GSTs, providing suggestions for future improvements. Generic Security Templates can be used to redistribute lessons learned from security incidents. Sharing cyber security lessons helps organisations consider their own practices and assess whether applicable security standards address concerns raised in previous breaches in other countries. The experience gained from this study provides the basis for future work in conducting similar studies in other healthcare organisations. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Robotics in agriculture and forestry

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bergerman, M.; Billingsley, J.; Reid, J.; Henten, van E.J.

2016-01-01

Robotics for agriculture and forestry (A&F) represents the ultimate application of one of our society’s latest and most advanced innovations to its most ancient and important industries. Over the course of history, mechanization and automation increased crop output several orders of magnitude,

Soil nitrogen balance assessment and its application for sustainable agriculture and environment

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Rabindra; Nath; Roy

2005-01-01

[1]United Nations,World Population Prospects:The 1998 Revision,New York,1999.[2]FAO,Fertilizer Requirements in 2015 and 2030,Rome:FAO,2000.[3]IPCC,Climate Change 1995:The Science of Climate Change,Cambridge:Cambridge University Press,1996.[4]USEPA Impact Assessment Report US EPA,Office of Policy,Planning and Evaluation,Washington,DC,1997.[5]IFA/FAO,Global estimates of gaseous emissions of NH3,NO and N2O from agricultural land,Rome,2001.[6]Stoorvogel,J.J.,Smaling,E.M.A.,Assessment of Soil Nutrient Depletion in Sub-Saharan Africa:1983-2000.Report 28,Wageningen:Winland Staring Centre,1990.[7]Pieri,C.,Bilans minéraux des systèmes de cultures pluviales en zones arides et semi-arides,L'Agron.Trop.,1985,40:1 -20.[8]Henao,J.,Baanante,C.,Estimating Rates of Nutrient Depletion in Soils of Agriculture Lands in Africa,Muscle Shoals:International Fertilizer Development Center,1999.[9]OECD,OECD National Soil Surface Nitrogen Balances-Explanatory Notes,Paris:OECD Secretariat,200la.[10]OECD,Environmental Indicators for Agriculture,Volume 3:Methods and Results,Paris:OECD Secretariat,200lb.[11]Sheldrick,W.F.,Syers,J.K.,Lingard,J.,A conceptual model for conducting nutrient audits at national,regional,and global scales,Nut.Cyc.Agroecosys.,2002,62:61-72.[12]Sheldrick,W.F,Syers,J.K.,Lingard,J.,Soil nutrient audits for China to estimate nutrient balances and output/input relationships,Ag.Ecosys.Env.,2003a,94:341-354.[13]FAO,Scaling soil nutrient balances-enabling mesolevel applications for African realities,in Fertilizer and Plant Nutrition Bull.15,Rome:FAO,2004.[14]IFA/IFDC/FAO,Fertilizer Use by Crop,4th ed.,Rome:IFA/IFDC/FAO,2000.[15]De Willigen,P.,An analysis of the calculation of leaching and denitrification losses as practised in the NUTMON approach.Report 18,Wageningen:Plant Research International,2000.[16]Schoorl,J.M.,Veldkamp,A.,Bouma,J.,Modelling water and soil redistribution in a dynamic landscape context,Soil Sci.Soc.Am.,2002,66:1610- 1619.[17]Smaling

Survey of the distributions of population and agricultural produce, etc. and the application for population dose evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iijima, Toshinori

1978-07-01

The computer model CARIEN to calculate the population doses due to all LWRs in Japan needs the distributions of population and agricultural produce around the nuclear installations. These distributions were presumed to be obtainable from national censuses, and a case-study survey was carried out in 1976 for the area up to 1000 km from the JAERI Tokai Research Establishment. The present report describes the survey and its results, and then discusses applicability of the censuses for population dose evaluation. The national censuses of population and foodstuffs were found to be sufficient for determining these distributions and predicting the future population changes. Results indicated the following: a) the population and agricultural produce around little contribute to the population doses, b) the contributions of leafy vegetables and cow's milk are important compared with inhalation, and c) if such as rice, egg and pork concentrate radionuclides to the same extent as leafy vegetables or milk, these are also important. (auth.)

Nuclear techniques in agriculture in the Philippines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Medina, F.I.S. III; Medina, V.F.O.

1994-01-01

Nuclear techniques, both isotopic tracers and radiation have been utilized in the Philippine agricultural research and development to improve food production, reduce food losses and protect the environment. The Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI), a government agency has been mandated to promote the peaceful application of nuclear energy to accelerate national development. It takes the lead role in nuclear assisted agricultural research and development and has adopted a two-pronged approach for food and agricultural R and D by increasing productivity through crop improvement by mutation breeding, soil management and fertilizer uptake studies, livestock improvement; and reducing losses by pest control and food irradiation

The Construction and Pilot Application of a Scoring Rubric for Creative Drama Lesson Planning

Science.gov (United States)

Korkut, Perihan

2018-01-01

Instructional planning is an important part of successful teaching. Therefore, quality lesson planning is accepted as an important indicator of teacher knowledge and ability. This is no different for creative drama. Although drama is strongly rooted in the participating group's creativity and spontaneity, its success depends on a careful and…

Application of radiation in agriculture in Indonesia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Masrizal; Sumanggono, Riyanti; Kuswadi, Ahmad Nasroh; Arifin, Muchson; Gandanegara, Soertini [National Nuclear Energy Agency of Indonesia (BATAN), Research and Development Center for Isotopes and Radiation Technology, Jakarta (Indonesia)

2001-03-01

Radiation has been used in agriculture research and development in Indonesia since several decades ago, especially in fields of mutation breeding, pest control, plant nutrition, and animal health. Mutation breeding using gamma radiation has contributed several crop varieties, namely seven varieties of rice, three of soybean, and two of mungbean to national agriculture. Besides, hundreds of promising mutant lines of rice, soybean, mungbean, peanut, sorghum, horticultural crops, and industrial plants which are ready for multi-location trials. Radiation is also used for the control of insect pests, either field or storage pests. Storage pests are eradicated by lethal dosage for direct killing, while the population of field pests (especially fruit flies) is eliminated by the release of radiosterilized insects in the program of sterile insects technique (SIT). A pilot scale trial of SIT to control fruit fly is being conducted in East Java province. Lethal dosage of gamma irradiation is used as post-harvest treatment for food of such as dried spices, fresh fruits, and packed foods. Gamma radiation has been also used to sterilize culture media of Bradyrhizobium, a nitrogen fixative bacteria that is the symbiont of soybean to be used in yield improvement. In animal health, gamma radiation can be used directly or indirectly to eliminate, decrease diseases. Disease control can use irradiation to develop vaccines, and to produce the diagnostic reagent kits. Vaccines for Coccidiosis (chick) diseases have been produced and disseminated in Indonesia. (author)

Application of radiation in agriculture in Indonesia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Masrizal; Sumanggono, Riyanti; Kuswadi, Ahmad Nasroh; Arifin, Muchson; Gandanegara, Soertini

2001-01-01

Radiation has been used in agriculture research and development in Indonesia since several decades ago, especially in fields of mutation breeding, pest control, plant nutrition, and animal health. Mutation breeding using gamma radiation has contributed several crop varieties, namely seven varieties of rice, three of soybean, and two of mungbean to national agriculture. Besides, hundreds of promising mutant lines of rice, soybean, mungbean, peanut, sorghum, horticultural crops, and industrial plants which are ready for multi-location trials. Radiation is also used for the control of insect pests, either field or storage pests. Storage pests are eradicated by lethal dosage for direct killing, while the population of field pests (especially fruit flies) is eliminated by the release of radiosterilized insects in the program of sterile insects technique (SIT). A pilot scale trial of SIT to control fruit fly is being conducted in East Java province. Lethal dosage of gamma irradiation is used as post-harvest treatment for food of such as dried spices, fresh fruits, and packed foods. Gamma radiation has been also used to sterilize culture media of Bradyrhizobium, a nitrogen fixative bacteria that is the symbiont of soybean to be used in yield improvement. In animal health, gamma radiation can be used directly or indirectly to eliminate, decrease diseases. Disease control can use irradiation to develop vaccines, and to produce the diagnostic reagent kits. Vaccines for Coccidiosis (chick) diseases have been produced and disseminated in Indonesia. (author)

Progress and perspective of nuclear agriculture in China

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xunqing, Wang; Luo, Hua [Inst. for Application of Atomic Energy, CAAS, Beijing (China)

2001-04-01

The application of agricultural nuclear techniques constitutes one essential component of new and high technologies in agriculture. It has contributed significantly to sustainable development of agricultural production. By using radiation or in combination with related techniques and focusing on the selections of new strains with better quality, higher yield, stronger resistance or tolerance, China has obtained 513 new varieties of more than 40 species of plants. New mutagens such as ion beam, low magnetic treatment and space mutation have been developed in mutation breeding and achieved a batch of outstanding mutants and varieties. Recent work has laid more emphasis on selection and improvement of crop plants and high value horticultural plants with superior quality traits. Some innovative mutation technologies have been proposed and recommended as technical guideline in mutation practices. China has approved 18 kinds of irradiated agricultural products and foods and six national hygiene standards on six classes of irradiated foods. The annual irradiated foods and agricultural products are undergoing rapid growth in past years and reached 80 thousand tons in 1999. Nuclear technique and related techniques are widely used in soil and fertility management, agrochemical pollution, soil erosion, animal nutrition, productivity and diagnosis of disease. Remarkable social and economic benefits have been achieved in reasonable utilization of agricultural resource, animal health and production. Sterile insect technique has been studied in the control of a variety of pest insects and has provided feasible technology packages for the control of harmful insects. Finally, the authors have made a comprehensive perspective on the role and potential application of nuclear techniques in addressing main agricultural problems.

Progress and perspective of nuclear agriculture in China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Xunqing; Hua Luo

2001-01-01

The application of agricultural nuclear techniques constitutes one essential component of new and high technologies in agriculture. It has contributed significantly to sustainable development of agricultural production. By using radiation or in combination with related techniques and focusing on the selections of new strains with better quality, higher yield, stronger resistance or tolerance, China has obtained 513 new varieties of more than 40 species of plants. New mutagens such as ion beam, low magnetic treatment and space mutation have been developed in mutation breeding and achieved a batch of outstanding mutants and varieties. Recent work has laid more emphasis on selection and improvement of crop plants and high value horticultural plants with superior quality traits. Some innovative mutation technologies have been proposed and recommended as technical guideline in mutation practices. China has approved 18 kinds of irradiated agricultural products and foods and six national hygiene standards on six classes of irradiated foods. The annual irradiated foods and agricultural products are undergoing rapid growth in past years and reached 80 thousand tons in 1999. Nuclear technique and related techniques are widely used in soil and fertility management, agrochemical pollution, soil erosion, animal nutrition, productivity and diagnosis of disease. Remarkable social and economic benefits have been achieved in reasonable utilization of agricultural resource, animal health and production. Sterile insect technique has been studied in the control of a variety of pest insects and has provided feasible technology packages for the control of harmful insects. Finally, the authors have made a comprehensive perspective on the role and potential application of nuclear techniques in addressing main agricultural problems

Raman chemical imaging technology for food and agricultural applications

Science.gov (United States)

This paper presents Raman chemical imaging technology for inspecting food and agricultural products. The paper puts emphasis on introducing and demonstrating Raman imaging techniques for practical uses in food analysis. The main topics include Raman scattering principles, Raman spectroscopy measurem...

29 CFR 780.405 - Exemption is direct and does not mean activities are agriculture.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... agriculture. 780.405 Section 780.405 Labor Regulations Relating to Labor (Continued) WAGE AND HOUR DIVISION... EXEMPTIONS APPLICABLE TO AGRICULTURE, PROCESSING OF AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES, AND RELATED SUBJECTS UNDER THE FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT Employment in Agriculture or Irrigation That Is Exempted From the Overtime Pay...

Seasonal Forecasting of Agriculture Gross Domestic Production in Iran: Application of Periodic Autoregressive Model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Ghahremanzadeh

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Agriculture as one of the major economic sectors of Iran, has an important role in Gross Domestic Production by providing about 14% of GDP. This study attempts to forecast the value of the agriculture GDP using Periodic Autoregressive model (PAR, as the new seasonal time series techniques. To address this aim, the quarterly data were collected from March 1988 to July 1989. The collected data was firstly analyzed using periodic unit root test Franses & Paap (2004. The analysis found non-periodic unit root in the seasonal data. Second, periodic seasonal behavior (Boswijk & Franses, 1996 was examined. The results showed that periodic autoregressive model fits agriculture GDP well. This makes an accurate forecast of agriculture GDP possible. Using the estimated model, the future value of quarter agricultural GDP from March 2011 to July 2012was forecasted. With consideration to the fair fit of this model with agricultural GDP, It is recommended to use periodic autoregressive model for the future studies.

Internet of Things in agriculture

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verdouw, C.N.; Wolfert, Jacques; Tekinerdogan, B.

2016-01-01

This literature review on Internet of Things (IoT) in agriculture and food, provides an overview of existing applications, enabling technologies and main challenges ahead. The results of the review show that this subject received attention by the scientific community from 2010 on and the number of

Electromagnetic radiation properties of foods and agricultural products

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohsenin, N.N.

1984-01-01

In this book, the author examines the effects of the various regions of the electromagnetic radiation spectrum on foods and agricultural products. Among the regions of the electromagnetic radiation spectrum covered are high-energy beta and neutron particles, gamma-rays and X-rays, to lower-energy visible, near infrared, infrared, microwave and low-energy radiowaves and electric currents. Dr. Mohsenin applies these electromagnetic phenomena to food products such as fruits, vegetables, seeds, dairy products, meat and processed foods. Contents: Some Basic Concepts of Electromagnetic Radiation. Basic Instruments for Measurement of Optical Properties. Applications of Radiation in the Visible Spectrum. Color and its Measurement. Sorting for Color and Appearance. Near-Infrared and Infrared Radiation Applications. Applications of High-Energy Radiation. Related Concepts of Microwaves, Radiowaves, and Electric Currents. Measurement of Electrical Properties of Foods and Agricultural Products. Applications of Electrical Properties. Appendix, Cited References. Subject Index

Financial Instruments and Conflicts of Interest: Application to French Agricultural Co-operatives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francis Declerck

2015-11-01

Agricultural co-operatives' governance and economic projects are often misunderstood by external financial investors. The risk of conflicts of interest plays a role in these misunderstandings in the way retained earnings, returns to agricultural products brought by co-op member and returns to equity capital. Such risks are identified and answers are proposed.

Agricultural experts’ attitude towards precision agriculture: Evidence from Guilan Agricultural Organization, Northern Iran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Sadegh Allahyari

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Identifying factors that influence the attitudes of agricultural experts regarding precision agriculture plays an important role in developing, promoting and establishing precision agriculture. The aim of this study was to identify factors affecting the attitudes of agricultural experts regarding the implementation of precision agriculture. A descriptive research design was employed as the research method. A research-made questionnaire was used to examine the agricultural experts’ attitude toward precision agriculture. Internal consistency was demonstrated with a coefficient alpha of 0.87, and the content and face validity of the instrument was confirmed by a panel of experts. The results show that technical, economic and accessibility factors accounted for 55% of the changes in attitudes towards precision agriculture. The findings revealed that there were no significant differences between participants in terms of gender, field of study, extension education, age, experience, organizational position and attitudes, while education levels had a significant effect on the respondent’s attitudes.

Shaping Interpersonal Learning in the Jazz Improvisation Lesson: Observing a Dynamic Systems Approach

Science.gov (United States)

de Bruin, Leon Rene

2018-01-01

Music institutions predominantly utilize the one-to-one lesson in developing and supporting music students' learning of skill and knowledge. This article explores the effect that interpersonal interaction plays in shaping pedagogical applications between teacher and student. Observing the learning of improvisation within this individualized social…

7 CFR 760.1000 - Applicability.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 7 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Applicability. 760.1000 Section 760.1000 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) FARM SERVICE AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE... Catfish Grant Programs § 760.1000 Applicability. (a) This subpart establishes the terms and conditions...

Designing Conservation Corridors in Production Landscapes: Assessment Methods, Implementation Issues, and Lessons Learned

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amanda T. Lombard

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Designing broad-scale conservation corridors has become increasingly common as a way of conducting an assessment for achieving targets for the representation and persistence of nature. However, since many of these corridors must traverse agricultural and other production landscapes, planning and implementation are not trivial tasks. Most approaches to conservation assessments in the dynamic world of production landscapes are data-intensive and analytically complex. However, in the real world, donor and other external requirements impose time and budget constraints, and dictate strong stakeholder involvement in the entire planning process. In order to accommodate this, assessments must be rapid, cheap, and the approach and products must be comprehensible and acceptable to stakeholders. Here we describe such an assessment aimed at identifying and implementing a network of conservation corridors in the Gouritz Initiative project domain of South Africa's Cape Floristic Region hotspot. We used empirical data and expert knowledge to identify a corridor network hypothesized to sustain key ecological and evolutionary processes. We also consulted experts to provide a spatially explicit assessment of the opportunity costs of conservation associated with agriculture, the predominant land use in the region. We used these products to identify categories of land requiring different actions and instruments to achieve conservation goals, thereby moving from the "where" to the "how" of conservation. This information was then fed into the collaborative strategy development process for the Gouritz Initiative. Our discussion emphasizes the lessons that we learnt from undertaking this assessment, particularly lessons regarding the implementation of the planning products. We conclude that at the outset of any planning project, a consensus on the vision must be achieved, a detailed social assessment of appropriate institutions must be undertaken, and a learning

Establishment and application of the estimation model for pollutant concentrfation in agriculture drain

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Qiangkun; Hu, Yawei; Jia, Qian; Song, Changji

2018-02-01

It is the key point of quantitative research on agricultural non-point source pollution load, the estimation of pollutant concentration in agricultural drain. In the guidance of uncertainty theory, the synthesis of fertilization and irrigation is used as an impulse input to the farmland, meanwhile, the pollutant concentration in agricultural drain is looked as the response process corresponding to the impulse input. The migration and transformation of pollutant in soil is expressed by Inverse Gaussian Probability Density Function. The law of pollutants migration and transformation in soil at crop different growth periods is reflected by adjusting parameters of Inverse Gaussian Distribution. Based on above, the estimation model for pollutant concentration in agricultural drain at field scale was constructed. Taking the of Qing Tong Xia Irrigation District in Ningxia as an example, the concentration of nitrate nitrogen and total phosphorus in agricultural drain was simulated by this model. The results show that the simulated results accorded with measured data approximately and Nash-Sutcliffe coefficients were 0.972 and 0.964, respectively.

Ways forward for resilience thinking: lessons from the field for those exploring social-ecological systems in agriculture and natural resource management

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katrina Sinclair

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Resilience thinking appears to offer a holistic approach that can be used by social researchers to interpret past and contemporary conditions and identify possible futures for social-ecological systems (SES. Resilience thinking is shaping contemporary environmental policy and its implementation in Australia, Europe, and North America. At the same time, social researchers have raised concerns about the limitations of resilience thinking, particularly in its handling of human agency, power relationships, social thresholds, and the social construction of SES definitions. We argue for a reflexive turn in resilience thinking as a way to address these concerns. We draw on lessons from three Australian case studies where a reflexive application of resilience thinking generated insights for research and practice. We propose six areas for reflexive inquiry: (1 focal scale and level, (2 SES definition, (3 narratives of change, (4 processes of knowledge production, (5 social transition trajectories, and ( 6 social thresholds. In so doing, the assumptions of resilience thinking are politicized and problematized, which improves its theoretical analytical utility, and in practice generates new insights into social processes. Reflexivity offers opportunity for greater cross-disciplinary dialogue between resilience thinking and the social sciences, while allowing methodologies with differing ontologies and epistemologies to be applied in a complementary manner.

Planning geometry lessons with learning platforms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tamborg, Andreas Lindenskov

mathematics teachers’ joint planning of a lesson in geometry with a learning platform called Meebook is analyzed using the instrumental approach. It is concluded that the interface in Meebook orients the teachers work toward what the students should do rather than what they should learn, although the latter......This paper investigates how mathematics teachers plan lessons with a recently implemented Danish learning platform designed to support teachers in planning lessons in line with a recent objective-oriented curriculum. Drawing on data from observations of and interviews with teachers, three...... is a key intention behind the implementation of the platform. It is also concluded that when the teachers succeed in using learning objectives actively in their planning, the objectives support the teachers in designing lessons that correspond with their intentions. The paper concludes with a discussion...

Hydrogen Fuel Cell Analysis: Lessons Learned from Stationary Power Generation Final Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Scott E. Grasman; John W. Sheffield; Fatih Dogan; Sunggyu Lee; Umit O. Koylu; Angie Rolufs

2010-04-30

This study considered opportunities for hydrogen in stationary applications in order to make recommendations related to RD&D strategies that incorporate lessons learned and best practices from relevant national and international stationary power efforts, as well as cost and environmental modeling of pathways. The study analyzed the different strategies utilized in power generation systems and identified the different challenges and opportunities for producing and using hydrogen as an energy carrier. Specific objectives included both a synopsis/critical analysis of lessons learned from previous stationary power programs and recommendations for a strategy for hydrogen infrastructure deployment. This strategy incorporates all hydrogen pathways and a combination of distributed power generating stations, and provides an overview of stationary power markets, benefits of hydrogen-based stationary power systems, and competitive and technological challenges. The motivation for this project was to identify the lessons learned from prior stationary power programs, including the most significant obstacles, how these obstacles have been approached, outcomes of the programs, and how this information can be used by the Hydrogen, Fuel Cells & Infrastructure Technologies Program to meet program objectives primarily related to hydrogen pathway technologies (production, storage, and delivery) and implementation of fuel cell technologies for distributed stationary power. In addition, the lessons learned address environmental and safety concerns, including codes and standards, and education of key stakeholders.

Sustainable agricultural water management across climates

Science.gov (United States)

DeVincentis, A.

2016-12-01

Fresh water scarcity is a global problem with local solutions. Agriculture is one of many human systems threatened by water deficits, and faces unique supply, demand, quality, and management challenges as the global climate changes and population grows. Sustainable agricultural water management is paramount to protecting global economies and ecosystems, but requires different approaches based on environmental conditions, social structures, and resource availability. This research compares water used by conservation agriculture in temperate and tropical agroecosystems through data collected from operations growing strawberries, grapes, tomatoes, and pistachios in California and corn and soybeans in Colombia. The highly manipulated hydrologic regime in California has depleted water resources and incited various adaptive management strategies, varying based on crop type and location throughout the state. Operations have to use less water more efficiently, and sometimes that means fallowing land in select groundwater basins. At the opposite end of the spectrum, the largely untouched landscape in the eastern plains of Colombia are rapidly being converted into commercial agricultural operations, with a unique opportunity to manage and plan for agricultural development with sustainability in mind. Although influenced by entirely different climates and economies, there are some similarities in agricultural water management strategies that could be applicable worldwide. Cover crops are a successful management strategy for both agricultural regimes, and moving forward it appears that farmers who work in coordination with their neighbors to plan for optimal production will be most successful in both locations. This research points to the required coordination of agricultural extension services as a critical component to sustainable water use, successful economies, and protected environments.

Innovative Work Practices and Lessons Learned at the N Area Deactivation Project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Day, R.S.

1999-01-01

This report identifies many of the lessons learned, innovations,and effective work practices that derived from activities supporting the N Area Deactivation Project at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Hanford Site. The work practices discussed in this report may be applicable and beneficial to similar projects throughout the DOE complex

Horizontal stresses below two agricultural vehicles

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lamande, Mathieu André Maurice; Munkholm, Lars Juhl; Nielsen, Janne Aalborg

Abstract Deformation of the pore system in the subsoil due to mechanical stress applied by agricultural machinery is persistent for at least decades. Application of normal stress exceeding subsoil strength leads to a reduction of capacity soil properties (i.e. air-filled porosity) by compaction...... below the edge of tires. Stress distribution at the tire/soil contact is not uniform. Dimensions and inflation pressure are key factors for the ability of agricultural tires to distribute the wheel load. Our hypothesis was that the risk of shearing increases with the tire inflation pressure...

Biogeoscience opportunities to address agricultural supply chain risk: observations, methods, and applications

Science.gov (United States)

Wolf, A.; Gaitan, C. F.; Thomas, T.; Watts, D.; Bollinger, J.

2017-12-01

Food and agriculture is the largest global industry, at $7.8Tn annual value, and is also the least digitized industry. As a consequence, the inefficiencies in this industry are staggering: yield gaps below potential are 20-70% worldwide, and of the crops that are produced, 20-50% are lost from the time of harvest up to consumption. Where some frame the challenges in agriculture as "grow more with less," a more useful analysis is around risk and uncertainty. In emerging markets, lack of geospatial data makes it difficult to recommend improved seeds or fertilizers for particular locales, therefore risky to make operating loans, impossible to accurately price crop insurance, and ultimately poses challenges in making contracts for delivery to processors that bring ag products into the food system. In developed markets, the ever increasing demands around immediacy, transparency, quality, crop novelty and food safety are straining the capacity of growers and processors to keep up. We have come to see this as a challenge in developing predictions joining both buyers and sellers around a shared set of facts on harvest timing, total yield, and post harvest quality. While these challenges have been met historically from government agencies and marketing boards reporting seasonal and regional forecasts, in many instances these are insufficient for making critical operational decisions on short timescales. In this talk, we will present a new set of measurements and analytical tools that enable unprecedented granularity in predictions to reduce risk and uncertainty in the food and ag supply chain, with special attention to applications that have potential to be economically self-sustaining.

Soil Macronutrient Sensing for Precision Agriculture

Science.gov (United States)

Accurate measurements of soil macronutrients (i.e., nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) are needed for efficient agricultural production, including site-specific crop management (SSCM), where fertilizer nutrient application rates are adjusted spatially based on local requirements. Rapid, non-destru...

Masterwork Art Lesson: Kandinsky Watercolors.

Science.gov (United States)

LiPira, Michael

2003-01-01

Presents an art lesson used with sixth-grade students which also can be used with other grade levels. Explains that the artwork of Wassily Kandinsky served as inspiration for this lesson. Explains that the students learned about abstract art and used watercolors to create their own paintings in the style of Kandinsky. (CMK)

Bead Game Simulation. Lesson Plan.

Science.gov (United States)

Ripp, Ken

This lesson plan offers students the opportunity to participate in the three basic economic systems (market, command, and tradition). By working in each of the systems, students will internalize the fundamental values present in each system and will gain insights into the basic advantages and disadvantages of each system. The lesson plan provides…

Implementing US Department of Energy lessons learned programs. Volume 2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1995-08-01

The DOE Lessons Learned Handbook is a two-volume publication developed to supplement the DOE Lessons Learned Standard (DOE-STD-7501-95) with information that will organizations in developing or improving their lessons learned programs. Volume 1 includes greater detail than the Standard in areas such as identification and documentation of lessons learned; it also contains sections on specific processes such as training and performance measurement. Volume 2 (this document) contains examples of program documents developed by existing lessons learned programs as well as communications material, functional categories, transmittal documents, sources of professional and industry lessons learned, and frequently asked questions about the Lessons Learned List Service.

[Development of APSIM (agricultural production systems simulator) and its application].

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Yuying; Nan, Zhibiao; Bellotti, Bill; Robertson, Michael; Chen, Wen; Shao, Xinqing

2002-08-01

Soil-crop simulator model is an effective tool for providing decision on agricultural management. APSIM (Agricultural Production Systems Simulator) was developed to simulate the biophysical process in farming system, and particularly in the economic and ecological features of the systems under climatic risk. The current literatures revealed that APSIM could be applied in wide zone, including temperate continental, temperate maritime, sub-tropic and arid climate, and Mediterranean climates, with the soil type of clay, duplex soil, vertisol, silt sandy, silt loam and silt clay loam. More than 20 crops have been simulated well. APSIM is powerful on describing crop structure, crop sequence, yield prediction, and quality control as well as erosion estimation under different planting pattern.

Agriculture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2002-01-01

The report entitled Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation : A Canadian Perspective, presents a summary of research regarding the impacts of climate change on key sectors over the past five years as it relates to Canada. This chapter on agriculture describes how climate change will affect primary agriculture production in Canada with particular focus on potential adaptation options, and vulnerability of agriculture at the farm level. Agriculture is a vital part of the Canadian economy, although only 7 per cent of Canada's land mass is used for agricultural purposes due to the limitations of climate and soils. Most parts of Canada are expected to experience warmer conditions, longer frost-free seasons and increased evapotranspiration. The impacts of these changes on agriculture will vary depending on precipitation changes, soil conditions, and land use. Northern regions may benefit from longer farming seasons, but poor soil conditions will limit the northward expansion of agricultural crops. Some of the negative impacts associated with climate change on agriculture include increased droughts, changes in pest and pathogen outbreaks, and moisture stress. In general, it is expected that the positive and negative impacts of climate change would offset each other. 74 refs., 2 tabs., 1 fig

Physically active academic lessons in elementary children.

Science.gov (United States)

Bartholomew, John B; Jowers, Esbelle M

2011-06-01

Although schools are an ideal location to conduct interventions that target children, the emphasis on standardized testing makes it difficult to implement interventions that do not directly support academic instruction. In response, physically active academic lessons have been developed as a strategy to increase physical activity while also addressing core educational goals. Texas I-CAN! is one incarnation of this approach. We will review the on-going research on the impact of these active lessons on: teacher implementation, child step count, child attention control, and academic performance. The collected studies support the impact of physically active academic lessons on each area of interest. If these data can be replicated, it suggests that teachers might find these lessons of benefit to their primary role as educators, which should ease dissemination of these and other physically active lessons in elementary schools. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Green Agriculture - features and agricultural policy measures for the transition to a sustainable agriculture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cornelia Nistor

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Agriculture is one of the most important economic activities in each country or area, as it is in close correlation with all other the other economic activities, in a whole which must be structured so as to achieve a more efficient planning and organization of the territory. The practice of a traditional agriculture, based on industrialization, affects the natural environment through emissions of pollutants, waste and deforestation which together affects biodiversity. Green Agriculture suppose to empower managers to widespread the use of fertilizers, to improve the crop rotation, to realize a more efficient water consumption, to improve the storage methods and the supply chain of products. Agricultural policies are closely interrelated with environmental policies as agricultural activities have a considerable influence on the environment. The efficiency of agricultural policies is reflected in monetary transfers between agriculture and other economic sectors, in the costs due to the reallocation of the resources between different agricultural and non-agricultural activities and in the realized gains. Currently there is a constant concern of the governments for the transition to a green agriculture, and most countries recognize the importance of achieving sustainable economic development.

Lesson Study and History Education

Science.gov (United States)

Halvorsen, Anne-Lise; Kesler Lund, Alisa

2013-01-01

This article examines the experiences of a group of fifth-grade teachers who used lesson study, a teacher-driven form of professional development, to teach history in a project supported by a Teaching American History Grant. The project addressed the following questions: What does a lesson study cycle for history education look like? What…

DESIGN OF INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM OF VERTICALLY INTEGRATED AGRICULTURAL HOLDINGS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Александр Витальевич ШМАТКО

2015-05-01

Full Text Available The paper deals with an approach to the design and development of information systems for the management and optimization of the organizational structure of vertically integrated agricultural holdings. A review of the problems of building and improving the organizational structure of vertically integrated agricultural holding is made. A method of constructing a discrete model management structure agricultural holding, which minimizes the costs associated with attracting applicants to work, is proposed.

Transboundary Movement of Radioactively Contaminated Scrap Metal - Lessons Learned

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nizamska, M., E-mail: m.nimzamska@bnra.bg [Emergency Planning and Preparedness Division, Bulgarian Nuclear Regulatory Agency, Sofia (Bulgaria)

2011-07-15

Starting in 1989, Bulgaria has undergone a comprehensive transformation of its economy and social conditions. Part of this process is related to the intensive privatization that started in 2001. This privatization included facilities, as well as sites that use radioactive material for different applications - industry, medicine, agriculture, science, etc. The rapid change of property ownership and, in some cases, the resulting bankruptcy, has caused difficulties in tracing and identifying radioactive sources and materials and a deterioration of the system of safety, physical protection, etc. of radioactive material. In some cases, radioactive sources were stolen because of the value of their protective containers and sold for scrap metal. This led to the occurrence of different types of radiation incidents, mainly related to the discovery of radioactive sources in scrap metal. The consequences of these incidents include the risk of radiation exposure of the workers at scrap metal yards or reprocessing facilities and of members of the public and, in addition, radioactive contamination of the environment. The Bulgarian Nuclear Regulatory Agency (BNRA) has been responding to these incidents and has carried out a series of measures to improve the control over materials (e.g. activated or surface contaminated materials) and radioactive sources and to strengthen the preventive, monitoring, emergency preparedness and mitigating measures at facility, national and transboundary levels. This paper presents an analysis of the lessons learned by the BNRA and of the control of the transboundary movement of radioactively contaminated scrap metal through the territory of Bulgaria. (author)

Practical lesson of Photosynthesis: A demonstration of Hill reaction in chloroplasts with energy dissipation by fluorescence upon photosystems uncoupling or inhibition by Diuron herbicide

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vadim Ravara Viviani

2016-05-01

Full Text Available During photosynthesis, the photochemical electron transfer process is easily demonstrated by the Hill reaction, where artificial electron acceptors are reduced by active chloroplasts suspensions in the presence of light.  However, the destiny of luminous energy absorbed by chlorophyll molecules in uncoupled or damaged photosystems is not usually demonstrated. Here we provide an adaptation of the classical Hill reaction using intact spinach chloroplasts, which includes the visualization of energy dissipation by fluorescence in lysed chloroplasts, and a dose/effect response in photosystems inhibited by the herbicide DCMU. This laboratory lesson, which is aimed to biochemistry and biophysics for undergraduate courses of Chemistry, Biological, Environmental and Agricultural Sciences, provides the basic photochemical principles using the classical Hill reaction, and photophysical principles through the visualization of energy dissipation by chlorophyll fluorescence,  improving the understanding of the photosynthetic process, and introducing the concept of fluorescence and its applications as bioanalytical tool to monitor photosynthesis in plants and vegetal ecosystems.

Value pricing pilot program : lessons learned

Science.gov (United States)

2008-08-01

This "Lessons Learned Report" provides a summary of projects sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA's) Congestion and Value Pricing Pilot Programs from 1991 through 2006 and draws lessons from a sample of projects with the richest an...

Landsat and agriculture—Case studies on the uses and benefits of Landsat imagery in agricultural monitoring and production

Science.gov (United States)

Leslie, Colin R.; Serbina, Larisa O.; Miller, Holly M.

2017-03-29

Executive SummaryThe use of Landsat satellite imagery for global agricultural monitoring began almost immediately after the launch of Landsat 1 in 1972, making agricultural monitoring one of the longest-standing operational applications for the Landsat program. More recently, Landsat imagery has been used in domestic agricultural applications as an input for field-level production management. The enactment of the U.S. Geological Survey’s free and open data policy in 2008 and the launch of Landsat 8 in 2013 have both influenced agricultural applications. This report presents two primary sets of case studies on the applications and benefits of Landsat imagery use in agriculture. The first set examines several operational applications within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the second focuses on private sector applications for agronomic management.  Information on the USDA applications is provided in the U.S. Department of Agriculture Uses of Landsat Imagery for Global and Domestic Agricultural Monitoring section of the report in the following subsections:Estimating Crop Production.—Provides an overview of how Landsat satellite imagery is used to estimate crop production, including the spectral bands most frequently utilized in this application.Monitoring Consumptive Water Use.—Highlights the role of Landsat imagery in monitoring consumptive water use for agricultural production. Globally, a significant amount of agricultural production relies on irrigation, so monitoring water resources is a critical component of agricultural monitoring. National Agricultural Statistics Service—Cropland Data Layer.—Highlights the use of Landsat imagery in developing the annual Cropland Data Layer, a crop-specific land cover classification product that provides information on more than 100 crop categories grown in the United States. Foreign Agricultural Service—Global Agricultural Monitoring.—Highlights Landsat’s role in monitoring global agricultural

7 CFR 900.103 - Application for mediation.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 8 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Application for mediation. 900.103 Section 900.103 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Marketing... Application for mediation. An application for mediation by a cooperative, shall be in writing and shall...

Students’ motivation in a disc golf-lesson and a soccer-lesson: An experimental study in the Physical Education setting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kristian Vernegaard

2017-09-01

Full Text Available One of the purposes of physical education (PE in both Norway and Denmark is that PE should inspire to a lifelong active lifestyle. Based on the self-determination theory, the aim of the present study was to compare students’ intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, and perceived competence in a lifestyle sport inspired PE-lesson (disc golf to a traditional PE-lesson (soccer and general PE. In addition, we aimed to investigate whether differences in motivation and perceived competence were conditional of the students’ relative attitude toward PE. The result of the study revealed that perceived competence was higher in the disc golf-lesson compared to the soccer-lesson and general PE. No overall differences in intrinsic motivation were found. However, when investigating differences in intrinsic motivation according to the students’ relative attitude toward PE, the results indicated that the students with a negative attitude toward PE was significantly more intrinsically motivated in disc golf-lesson compared to soccer-lesson and general PE. The findings may be seen as further recommendations to physical educators to vary the activity choices in physical education classes.

The role of allelopathy in agricultural pest management.

Science.gov (United States)

Farooq, Muhammad; Jabran, Khawar; Cheema, Zahid A; Wahid, Abdul; Siddique, Kadambot H M

2011-05-01

Allelopathy is a naturally occurring ecological phenomenon of interference among organisms that may be employed for managing weeds, insect pests and diseases in field crops. In field crops, allelopathy can be used following rotation, using cover crops, mulching and plant extracts for natural pest management. Application of allelopathic plant extracts can effectively control weeds and insect pests. However, mixtures of allelopathic water extracts are more effective than the application of single-plant extract in this regard. Combined application of allelopathic extract and reduced herbicide dose (up to half the standard dose) give as much weed control as the standard herbicide dose in several field crops. Lower doses of herbicides may help to reduce the development of herbicide resistance in weed ecotypes. Allelopathy thus offers an attractive environmentally friendly alternative to pesticides in agricultural pest management. In this review, application of allelopathy for natural pest management, particularly in small-farm intensive agricultural systems, is discussed. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry.

Routing of biomass for sustainable agricultural development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suhaimi Masduki; Aini Zakaria

1998-01-01

Photosynthetically derived biomass and residues, including waste products from food processing industries are renewable. They accumulate every year in large quantities, causing deterioration to the environment and loss of potentially valuable resources. The conserved energy is potentially convertible; thermodynamically the energy can be tapped into forms which are more amenable for value added agricultural applications or for other higher value products such as chemicals or their feedstocks. The forms and types in which this biomass has to be modified for the intended use depend on the costs or the respective alternatives. Under current situations, where chemical feedstocks are available in abundance at very competitive prices, biomass is obviously more suitably placed in the agro-industrial sector. Recycling of the biomass or residues into the soil as biofertilizers or for some other uses for agricultural applications requires less intense energy inputs for their improvements. Highly efficient biological processes with microorganisms as the primary movers in the production of the desired end products indeed require less capital costs than in most other industrial entities. In this paper, the various processes, which are potentially valuable and economically feasible in the conversion of biomass and residues for several products important in the agricultural sector, are described. Emphasis is given to the approach and the possible permutations of these processes to arrive at the desired good quality products for sustainable agricultural development. (Author)

Arthropod genomics research in the United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service: Applications of RNA interference and CRISPR gene editing technologies in pest control

Science.gov (United States)

The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is the intramural research agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) which addresses basic scientific questions and develops applied solutions to a range of agricultural problems, and in doing so protects national food security and supports ...

Assessing the impacts of sustainable agricultural practices for water quality improvements in the Vouga catchment (Portugal) using the SWAT model.

Science.gov (United States)

Rocha, João; Roebeling, Peter; Rial-Rivas, María Ermitas

2015-12-01

The extensive use of fertilizers has become one of the most challenging environmental issues in agricultural catchment areas. In order to reduce the negative impacts from agricultural activities and to accomplish the objectives of the European Water Framework Directive we must consider the implementation of sustainable agricultural practices. In this study, we assess sustainable agricultural practices based on reductions in N-fertilizer application rates (from 100% to 0%) and N-application methods (single, split and slow-release) across key agricultural land use classes in the Vouga catchment, Portugal. The SWAT model was used to relate sustainable agricultural practices, agricultural yields and N-NO3 water pollution deliveries. Results show that crop yields as well as N-NO3 exportation rates decrease with reductions in N-application rates and single N-application methods lead to lower crop yields and higher N-NO3 exportation rates as compared to split and slow-release N-application methods. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

GM crops in Ethiopia : a realistic way to increase agricultural performance?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Azadi, Hossein; Taisma, Nanda; Ho, Peter; Zarafshani, Kiumars

Much has been published on the application of genetically modified (GM) crops in Africa, but agricultural performance has hardly been addressed. This paper discusses the main consequences of GM crops on agricultural performance in Ethiopia. Three main criteria of performance productivity,

Agriculture Teacher Awareness and Application of Self-Regulation Strategies

Science.gov (United States)

McKendree, R. Bud; Washurn, Shannon G.

2017-01-01

This qualitative study investigated four rural Kansas high school agriculture teachers' comprehension and implementation of self-regulation strategies in their own professional growth and in their instructional practice. The participants included two males and two females, each one having between five and 20 years of teaching experience.…

Creating optimized machine working patterns on agricultural fields

OpenAIRE

Mark Spekken

2015-01-01

In the current agricultural context, agricultural machine unproductivity on fields and their impacts on soil along pathways are unavoidable. These machines have direct and indirect costs associated to their work in field, with non-productive time spent in manoeuvres when these are reaching field borders; likewise, there is a double application of product when machines are covering headlands while adding farm inputs. Both issues aggravate under irregular field geometry. Moreover, unproductive ...

Learning to observe mathematical learning in lesson studies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Klaus; Østergaard, Camilla Hellsten; Foss, Kristian Kildemoes

2016-01-01

This poster deals with lesson study (LS) in pre-service teacher education. In particular how to prepare for, carry out, and reflect upon, observations of pupil learning. Observation is of crucial importance to the lesson study process, and here we present a study of observation features which ena...... enable or hinder fruitful lesson study. While substantial research has been carried out in the general field of bserving pupils’ learning processes and teachers’ pedagogical practice, little is known about this in the particular setting of lesson study....

A System Engineering Approach to Strategic Partnership Development: A pilot study with NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 (OCO-2) and the National Laboratory for Agriculture and the Environment (NLAE)

Science.gov (United States)

Yuen, K.; Chang, G.; Basilio, R. R.; Hatfield, J.; Cox, E. L.

2017-12-01

The prevalence and availability of NASA remote sensing data over the last 40+ years have produced many opportunities for the development of science derived data applications. However, extending and systematically integrating the applications into decision support models and tools have been sporadic and incomplete. Despite efforts among the research communities and external partners, implementation challenges exist and still remain to be addressed. In order to effectively address the systemic gap between the research and applications communities, steps must be taken to effectively bridge that gap: specific goals, a clear plan, and a concerted and diligent effort are needed to produce the desired results. The Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 (OCO-2) mission sponsored a pilot effort on science data applications with the specific intent of building strategic partnerships, so that organizations and individuals could effectively use OCO-2 data products for application development. The successful partnership with the USDA/ARS National Laboratory for Agriculture and the Environment (NLAE) has laid the foundation for: 1) requirements and lessons for establishing a strategic partnership for application development, 2) building opportunities and growing partnerships for new missions such as OCO-3, and 3) the development of a methodology and approach for integrating application development into a mission life cycle. This presentation will provide an overview of the OCO-2 pilot effort, deliverables, the methodology, implementation, and best practices.

Radiation processing of natural polymers for industrial and agricultural applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hegazy, El-Sayed A.; AbdEl-Rehim, H.; Diaa, D.A.; El-Barbary, A.

2008-01-01

Radiation induced degradation technology is a new and promising application of ionizing radiation to develop viscose, pulp, paper, food preservation, pharmaceutical production, and natural bioactive agents industries. Controlling the degree of degradation, uniform molecular weight distribution, saving achieved in the chemicals (used in conventional methods) on a cost basis, and environmentally friendly process are the beneficial effects of using radiation technology in these industries. However, for some development countries such technology is not economic. Therefore, a great efforts should be done to reduce the cost required for such technologies. One of the principle factors for reducing the cost is achieving the degradation at low irradiation doses. The addition of some additives such as potassium per-sulfate (KPS), ammonium per-sulfate (APS), or H 2 O 2 to natural polymers (carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), chitosan, carrageenan and Na-alginate) during irradiation process accelerates their degradation. The highest degradation rate of polysaccharides obtained when APS was used. The end product of irradiated CMC, chitosan, carrageenan and Na-alginate may be used as food additive or benefited in agricultural purposes. On the other hand, radiation crosslinking of PAAm or PNIPAAm is affected by the presence of natural polymer like CMC-Na and carrageenan due to their degradability which could be controlled according to its concentration in the bulk medium and irradiation dose. Accordingly, the gel content, thermo-sensitivity (LCST) and swelling properties of PNIPAAm based natural polymers could be controlled. The swelling of the prepared copolymer hydrogels was investigated for its possible use in personal care articles particularly diapers or as carriers for drug delivery systems. The prepared crosslinked copolymers possessed high and fast swelling properties in simulated urine media and the swelling ratios of CMC-Na/PAAm gels in urine are acceptable for diaper

Lessons learned from solar energy projects in Saudi Arabia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huraib, F.S.; Hasnain, S.M.; Alawaji, S.H.

1996-01-01

This paper describes the lessons learned from the major RD and D activities at Energy Research Institute (ERI), King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) in the field of solar energy. Photovoltaic, solar thermal dishes, solar water heating, solar water pumping and desalination, solar hydrogen production and utilization are some of the areas studied for solar energy applications. Recommendations and guidelines for future solar energy research, development, demonstration and dissemination in Saudi Arabia are also given. (Author)

The agricultural policy of Serbia and common agricultural policy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stanković Milica

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The agricultural sector has a relatively high importance in the economic structure of Serbia. The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP, Common Agricultural Policy is one of the main policies of the European Union. It is very important to point out the fundamental principles and objectives of the Common Agricultural Policy. Harmonization of the national agricultural policy of Serbia with the Common Agricultural Policy and acceptance of its mechanisms is crucial for the development of the agricultural sector as a whole.

Analysis of agricultural drought in Iiuni, Eastern Kenya: Application of a Markov model

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Biamah, E.K.; Sterk, G.; Sharma, T.C.

2005-01-01

In semi-arid Kenya, episodes of agricultural droughts of varying severity and duration occur. The occurrence of these agricultural droughts is associated with seasonal rainfall variability and can be reflected by seasonal soil moisture deficits that significantly affect crop performance and yield.

TECHNICAL ADVANCE AS A BASES DYNAMIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE ECONOMY AGRICULTURAL ENTERPRISES REGION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P.I. Ogorodnikov

2009-12-01

Full Text Available In the article coordinate together technical advance and economic indicators of agricultural enterprise. Justified, that lowering equipment branch crop production and cattle breeding result in considerable loss productiveness and rise expense. Necessity cost cutout determine application more high-performance machine and state-of-the-art technology on output of products agricultural industry. Underline practicability of active state support grower of agricultural produce agricultural commodities inclusive of securing social setting conditions of life man agricultural enterprise.

7 CFR 1416.703 - Application process.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 10 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Application process. 1416.703 Section 1416.703 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) COMMODITY CREDIT CORPORATION, DEPARTMENT... PROGRAMS 2005 Hurricane Tree Assistance Program § 1416.703 Application process. (a) A complete application...

7 CFR 1416.103 - Application process.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 10 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Application process. 1416.103 Section 1416.103 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) COMMODITY CREDIT CORPORATION, DEPARTMENT... PROGRAMS Livestock Compensation Program § 1416.103 Application process. (a) Applicants must submit to CCC...

integrated aerospace technologies in support of precision agriculture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borfecchia, Flavio; De Cecco, Luigi; Martini, Sandro

2015-01-01

In a scenario where agriculture plays a role increasingly important and strategic, dissemination, in this field, these space technologies and advanced robotic, more and more accessible, responds We need to base decisions on information integrated, not only to increase the production, but also to ensure quality food to the people World, minimizing environmental impacts and climate, and enhancing biodiversity. In this context, applications based on these technologies are proving increasingly central role in tackling the challenges of productivity increase in agriculture required by the global market, with a view Environmental sustainability also focused on diffusion of green economy and circular, in which refer some of the experimental applications and on April conducted in ENEA. [it