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Peanut monoculture-induced decline in fertility of Andosols in Nicaragua
(2022-08-23)
Background: Andosols are generally characterized by strong resilience to degradation and high soil fertility. This may decline during long-term peanut (Arachis hypogea) monoculture, as indicated by soil chemical and biological properties. Aims: The study investigated the monoculture-induced changes in soil chemical environment as driver for the decline in soil fertility. Methods: In this on-farm study, soils from seven sites cropped with peanut monoculture for different periods between 1 and 20 years were analyzed ...
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Showcasing the multifaceted aspects of agricultural transformation: The example of mountain oases in Oman
(2022-11-11)
In the Anthropocene the consequences of land-use transformation on ecosystem services are of growing concern, particularly in fragile areas of mountain agriculture that often represent high nature-value farmland. This study uses a decadal repeated survey approach to analyse the effects of modernisation on oasis systems in the Jabal Al Akhdar region of northern Oman. This rugged mountain region at the north-eastern tip of the Arabian Peninsula experiences a growing influx of regional and international tourists since ...
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Toward the Next Generation of Digitalization in Agriculture Based on Digital Twin Paradigm
(2022-01-10)
Digitalization has impacted agricultural and food production systems, and makes application of technologies and advanced data processing techniques in agricultural field possible. Digital farming aims to use available information from agricultural assets to solve several existing challenges for addressing food security, climate protection, and resource management. However, the agricultural sector is complex, dynamic, and requires sophisticated management systems. The digital approaches are expected to provide more ...
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Associations between Dairy Herds’ Qualitative Behavior and Aspects of Herd Health, Stockperson and Farm Factors—A Cross-Sectional Exploration
(2022-01-22)
The affective state is an integrated aspect of farm animal welfare, which is understood as the animals’ perception of their living environment and of their internal biological functioning. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to explore animal-internal and external factors potentially influencing dairy cows’ affective state. For this purpose, qualitative behavior assessments (QBA) describing the animals’ body language were applied at herd level on 25 dairy farms. By means of principal component analysis (PCA), ...
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Harnessing the Potential of Wheat-Pea Species Mixtures: Evaluation of Multifunctional Performance and Wheat Diversity
(2022-03-25)
Species mixtures and heterogeneous crop populations are two promising approaches for diversified ecological cropping systems with increased resilience and reduced dependency on external inputs. Inter- and intraspecific diversity were evaluated in combination using 15 wheat (Triticum aestivum) entries, including line cultivars and heterogeneous populations (HPs), from central Europe and Hungary and one winter pea cultivar under organic conditions. Monocultures and wheat mixtures were evaluated multi-functionally for ...
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Dietary Quality of Women of Reproductive Age in Low-Income Settings: A Cross-Sectional Study in Kyrgyzstan
(2022-01-11)
Dietary diversity and adequate nutrient intake are essential for conducting a healthy life. However, women in low-income settings often face difficulties in ensuring dietary quality. This research assessed relationships between the dietary diversity, nutrient adequacy, and socio-economic factors among women of reproductive age (WRA) in Kyrgyzstan. A cross-sectional study was undertaken in four locations, including two rural and two urban areas in the north and south of Kyrgyzstan. A survey with pre-coded and open-ended ...
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Adoption of Food Species Mixtures from Farmers’ Perspectives in Germany: Managing Complexity and Harnessing Advantages
(2022-05-15)
Many agronomic studies have shown the advantages of species mixtures (SM), but for food grain production, they represent only a small niche. Empirical studies that investigate reasons for SM adoption in food grain production are scarce. Here we present an in-depth study based on qualitative expert interviews with nine farmers. By means of interpretative analysis and reconstruction, socially shared models of SM adoption were built to identify the five main factors for SM adoption: (1) perceived relative mixture ...
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Agricultural Management Practices and Decision-Making in View of Soil Organic Matter in the Urbanizing Region of Bangalore
(2022-05-10)
Rapid urbanization and agricultural intensification are currently impacting the soils of many tropical countries. Bangalore is a growing megacity experiencing both issues and their derived ecological and socio-economic effects. This paper seeks to understand how the socio-economic effects of urbanization are affecting soil organic carbon (SOC) in Bangalore’s rural–urban interface. We first compiled information on how management practices affect SOC dynamics and specifically evaluated the effects of fertilization ...
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Food Flows and the Roles of Cities in West African Food Distribution Networks
(2022-05-31)
In West Africa, rampant urbanization is changing food systems, including the magnitude and composition of food flows and the length of supply chains. An increasing body of literature discusses pathways to sustainable transformation of urban food systems taking into account links between urban and rural spaces. Research and policy have focused on the role of cities as consumption centers receiving food from local, regional, and global hinterlands. This study aims at widening the perspective on the role of cities in ...
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Development and Experimental Study of Smart Solar Assisted Yogurt Processing Unit for Decentralized Dairy Value Chain
(2022-04-04)
Yogurt production at the farm level is important for adding value to milk. In this study, a solar-assisted yogurt processing unit capable of performing the three processes of heating, fermentation, and cooling in a single unit was developed. It consisted of a circular chamber surrounded by a coil for heating by a solar vacuum tube collector and a pillow plate for cooling by a solar PV-powered chiller unit. Experiments were performed using 50, 40 and 30 L of raw milk under a constant water circulation rate of 50 L per ...