Unsupervised segmentation and clustering time series approach to Southern Africa rainfall regime changes

Lovemore  Chipindu Walter Mupangwa Isaiah Nyagumbo Mainassara Zaman-Allah (2023, [Artículo])

Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average Facebook Prophet Hidden Markov Model Regression Regression with Hidden Logistic Process CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA COASTAL AREAS SEMIARID ZONES SUBHUMID ZONES RAINFALL CLIMATE CHANGE

Expanding the WOFOST crop model to explore options for sustainable nitrogen management: A study for winter wheat in the Netherlands

João Vasco Silva Pytrik Reidsma (2024, [Artículo])

Nitrogen (N) management is essential to ensure crop growth and to balance production, economic, and environmental objectives from farm to regional levels. This study aimed to extend the WOFOST crop model with N limited production and use the model to explore options for sustainable N management for winter wheat in the Netherlands. The extensions consisted of the simulation of crop and soil N processes, stress responses to N deficiencies, and the maximum gross CO2 assimilation rate being computed from the leaf N concentration. A new soil N module, abbreviated as SNOMIN (Soil Nitrogen for Organic and Mineral Nitrogen module) was developed. The model was calibrated and evaluated against field data. The model reproduced the measured grain dry matter in all treatments in both the calibration and evaluation data sets with a RMSE of 1.2 Mg ha−1 and the measured aboveground N uptake with a RMSE of 39 kg N ha−1. Subsequently, the model was applied in a scenario analysis exploring different pathways for sustainable N use on farmers' wheat fields in the Netherlands. Farmers' reported yield and N fertilization management practices were obtained for 141 fields in Flevoland between 2015 and 2017, representing the baseline. Actual N input and N output (amount of N in grains at harvest) were estimated for each field from these data. Water and N-limited yields and N outputs were simulated for these fields to estimate the maximum attainable yield and N output under the reported N management. The investigated scenarios included (1) closing efficiency yield gaps, (2) adjusting N input to the minimum level possible without incurring yield losses, and (3) achieving 90% of the simulated water-limited yield. Scenarios 2 and 3 were devised to allow for soil N mining (2a and 3a) and to not allow for soil N mining (2b and 3b). The results of the scenario analysis show that the largest N surplus reductions without soil N mining, relative to the baseline, can be obtained in scenario 1, with an average of 75%. Accepting negative N surpluses (while maintaining yield) would allow maximum N input reductions of 84 kg N ha−1 (39%) on average (scenario 2a). However, the adjustment in N input for these pathways, and the resulting N surplus, varied strongly across fields, with some fields requiring greater N input than used by farmers.

Crop Growth Models WOFOST CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA CROPS NITROGEN-USE EFFICIENCY WINTER WHEAT SOIL WATER

Influence of poverty concerns on demand for healthier processed foods: A field experiment in Mexico City

Marrit Van den Berg Jason Donovan (2023, [Artículo])

Living in poverty can present cognitive biases that exacerbate constraints to achieving healthier diets. Better diets could imply food choice upgrades within certain food categories, such as electing processed foods with an improved nutritional profile. This study evaluated the influence of monetary and health concerns on the willingness to pay (WTP) for healthier processed foods in a low-income section of Mexico City. We employed priming techniques from the scarcity literature, which are applied for the first time to healthier food purchasing behaviours in low-income settings. Our predictions are based on a dual system framework, with choices resulting from the interaction of deliberative and affective aspects. The WTP was elicited through a BDM mechanism with 423 participants. Results showed that induced poverty concerns reduced the valuations of one of the study's healthier food varieties by 0.17 standard deviations. The latter effect did not differ by income level. The WTP for a healthier bread product but one with relatively high sugar and fat content was reduced by induced poverty concerns only among certain consumers without bread purchasing restrictions (78% of the sample). Potential mechanisms were assessed through regression analysis and structural equation modelling. The relationship between poverty concerns and WTP was mediated by increased levels of stress. While we could not rule out impact on cognitive load, it was not deemed a mediator in this study. Our findings signal that improvements in economic and psychological well-being among low-income consumers may aid to increase their demand for healthier processed foods.

Healthier Diets Poverty Psychology Dual System Model CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA DIET POVERTY PSYCHOLOGY STRESS WILLINGNESS TO PAY

Determinantes del comportamiento de queja del consumidor en México

Determinants of consumer complaint behavior in Mexico

IGNACIO JAVIER CRUZ RODRIGUEZ JAVIER GALAN FIGUEROA (2019, [Artículo])

El objetivo del trabajo es explicar los determinantes del comportamiento de queja del consumidor en los niveles socioeconómico y empresa. Para ello se acude a la metodología de datos de panel estático a fin de estimar el impacto de los determinantes de las quejas de los consumidores. Los resultados a nivel socioeconómico indican que las quejas se encuentran determinadas por el ingreso, las conciliaciones a favor de los consumidores y por la población residente en zonas urbanas. Mientras a nivel empresa los resultados muestran que tanto la cuota de mercado como el tamaño de la firma afectan positivamente las quejas. Se concluye que los resultados coinciden con la literatura revisada y que se puede esperar un aumento en el número de quejas presentadas por los consumidores.

This work aims to quantify the determinants of consumer complaint behavior in socioeconomic and business levels. For this purpose, the static panel data methodology is used in order to estimate the impact of consumer complaints both at the federal level of the Mexican Republic and at the level of the main companies that are considered leaders in their field. The results by the state indicate that the complaints are determined by income, reconciliations in favor of consumers and population residing in urban areas.While at the company level, the results show that both market share and company size positively affect consumer complaints. In conclusion, the results agree with the literature reviewed, and a rise in the number of complaints is possible.

HUMANIDADES Y CIENCIAS DE LA CONDUCTA Datos de panel Efectos fijos y efectos aleatorios Satisfacción de los consumidores Quejas del consumidor Panel data models Fixed effects and random effects Consumer complaint

Monitoreo con drones en gráficas con viento dinámico

Jovanni Manuel López Elisea (2024, [Tesis de maestría])

108 páginas. Maestría en Optimización.

Dada una gráfica completa no dirigida, se desea recorrer un subconjunto de sus aristas usando una flotilla de drones. Los drones tienen baterías limitadas que pueden recargarse al regresar a la base y, en principio, el tiempo para recorrer una arista está en función de la distancia entre sus vértices. Sin embargo, ante la presencia de viento el tiempo de recorrer una arista puede depender del sentido en el que se haga. La dificultad del problema aumenta si además la intensidad del viento puede variar de un instante a otro. En esta tesis se aborda el problema anteriormente descrito para el caso particular en el que los vértices son puntos en el plano, el impacto del viento en los tiempos de recorrido de las aristas está relativamente acotado y el subconjunto de las aristas a recorrer inducen un árbol que abarca todos los vértices excepto la base de los drones. Dado que los drones operan simultáneamente y pueden recorrer distintas partes de la gráfica de manera independiente, se desea minimizar el tiempo que emplea el dron con el recorrido más tardado. Esta tesis presenta un modelo matemático para resolver el problema de manera exacta, así como tres heurísticas diferentes para obtener buenas soluciones factibles. La primera de estas heurísticas transforma una solución sin viento y sin batería en una solución con viento y batería. La segunda heurística es un algoritmo glotón sin comunicación entre los drones y la última heurística también es un algoritmo glotón, pero con comunicación entre los drones. Aunque el problema abordado resulta ser lo suficientemente difícil como para que su resolución exacta sea inviable en la práctica, las heurísticas diseñadas son fáciles de implementar y obtuvieron resultados razonables en un tiempo corto de cómputo.

Drone aircraft--Control systems. Drone aircraft--Mathematical models. Mathematical optimization. Heuristic programming. Dynamical systems. Graph theory. Micro vehículos aéreos. Optimización matemática. Programación heurística. Teoría de grafos. TL589.4 CIENCIAS FÍSICO MATEMÁTICAS Y CIENCIAS DE LA TIERRA MATEMÁTICAS INVESTIGACIÓN OPERATIVA DISTRIBUCIÓN Y TRANSPORTE

Gender, rainfall endowment, and farmers’ heterogeneity in wheat trait preferences in Ethiopia

Hom Nath Gartaula Moti Jaleta (2024, [Artículo])

Wheat is a vital cereal crop for smallholders in Ethiopia. Despite over fifty years of research on wheat varietal development, consideration of gendered trait preferences in developing target product profiles for wheat breeding is limited. To address this gap, our study used sex-disaggregated survey data and historical rainfall trends from the major wheat-growing regions in Ethiopia. The findings indicated heterogeneity in trait preferences based on gender and rainfall endowment. Men respondents tended to prefer wheat traits with high straw yield and disease-resistance potential, while women showed a greater appreciation for wheat traits related to good taste and cooking quality. Farmers in high rainfall areas seemed to prioritize high straw yield and disease resistance traits, while those in low rainfall areas valued good adaptation traits more highly. Most of the correlation coefficients among the preferred traits were positive, indicating that farmers seek wheat varieties with traits that serve multiple purposes. Understanding men's and women's preferences and incorporating them in breeding and seed systems could contribute to the development of more targeted and effective wheat varieties that meet the diverse needs of men and women farmers in Ethiopia.

Trait Preferences Multivariate Probit Model CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA WHEAT AGRONOMIC CHARACTERS GENDER RAINFALL PROBIT ANALYSIS

Escenarios de la distribución de plomo en agua, sedimentos y bacterias del lago de Chapala, México

ANNE MARGRETHE HANSEN HANSEN ADRIANA VILLA NAVIA MANFRED JOSEF VAN AFFERDEN MOELDERS (2006, [Artículo])

Para evaluar la distribución de plomo en los recursos naturales en el lago de Chapala se analizó la adsorción de este metal en bacterias y, mediante datos publicados en la literatura y modelación numérica, se estimó el riesgo asociado al consumo de peces y agua. Experimentos de adsorción en tres cepas de bacterias y simulaciones de la distribución en un sistema agua-sedimentos-bacterias indican que la distribución del plomo en el lago depende de variaciones en calidad del agua tales como sólidos suspendidos totales, plomo total y biomasa. Considerando únicamente el plomo contenido en los sedimentos depositados en el fondo del lago, las simulaciones sugieren que las concentraciones generalmente no sobrepasan los límites y criterios establecidos para uso y protección del agua, sedimentos y biota. Considerando la existencia de una fuente adicional que localmente aumente la concentración de plomo con un factor de diez, la cantidad de plomo en agua y sedimentos puede sobrepasar los límites establecidos. La bioacumulación de plomo en el lago de Chapala fue estimada a partir de los factores de bioconcentración y biomagnificación del metal, calculados mediante los valores simulados en este trabajo y concentraciones publicadas sobre plomo en peces (Ayla Jay y Ford, 2001). Los resultados indican que el plomo se concentra en bacterias y peces, y puede alcanzar factores de 721 y 6,195, respectivamente. Asimismo, la bioacumulación de plomo en el lago ocurre por bioconcentración en peces más que por biomagnificación en la cadena trófica.

Lagos Contaminación por plomo Modelo de equilibrio químico Bioacumulación Lago de Chapala CIENCIAS FÍSICO MATEMÁTICAS Y CIENCIAS DE LA TIERRA

GWAS identifies genetic loci underlying nitrogen responsiveness in the climate resilient C4 model Setaria italica (L.)

Tirthankar Bandyopadhyay Stéphanie M. Swarbreck Vandana Jaiswal Rajeev Gupta Alison Bentley Manoj Prasad (2022, [Artículo])

C4 Model Crop Climate Resilience CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA CLIMATE RESILIENCE FOOD SECURITY GENE EXPRESSION NITROGEN

Multicriteria assessment of alternative cropping systems at farm level. A case with maize on family farms of South East Asia

Santiago Lopez-Ridaura (2023, [Artículo])

CONTEXT: Integration of farms into markets with adoption of maize as a cash crop can significantly increase income of farms of the developing world. However, in some cases, the income generated may still be very low and maize production may also have strong negative environmental and social impacts. OBJECTIVE: Maize production in northern Laos is taken as a case to study how far can farms' performance be improved with improved crop management of maize with the following changes at field level: good timing and optimal soil preparation and sowing, allowing optimal crop establishment and low weed infestation. METHODS: We compared different farm types' performance on locally relevant criteria and indicators embodying the three pillars of sustainability (environmental, economic and social). An integrated assessment approach was combined with direct measurement of indicators in farmers' fields to assess eleven criteria of local farm sustainability. A bio-economic farm model was used for scenario assessment in which changes in crop management and the economic environment of farms were compared to present situation. The farm model was based on mathematical programming maximizing income under constraints related to i) household composition, initial cash and rice stocks and land type, and ii) seasonal balances of cash, labour and food. The crop management scenarios were built based on a diagnosis of the causes of variations in the agronomic and environmental performances of cropping systems, carried out in farmers' fields. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed that moderate changes in crop management on maize would improve substantially farm performance on 4 to 6 criteria out of the 11 assessed, depending on farm types. The improved crop management of maize had a high economic attractiveness for every farm type simulated (low, medium and high resource endowed farms) even at simulated production costs more than doubling current costs of farmers' practices. However, while an improvement of the systems performance was attained in terms of agricultural productivity, income generation, work and ease of work, herbicide leaching, improved soil quality and nitrogen balance, trade-offs were identified with other indicators such as erosion control and cash outflow needed at the beginning of the cropping season. SIGNIFICANCE: Using farm modelling for multicriteria assessment of current and improved maize cropping systems for contrasted farm types helped capture main opportunities and constraints on local farm sustainability, and assess the trade-offs that new options at field level may generate at farm level.

Bio-Economic Farm Model Smallholder Farms CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA CASH CROPS INDICATORS SMALLHOLDERS CROPPING SYSTEMS MAIZE

Preparing for, coping with and bouncing back after shocks. A nuanced resilience assessment for smallholder farms and farmers in Northern Ghana

Mirja Michalscheck Fred Kizito Carl Timler Jeroen Groot (2023, [Artículo])

Whole-Farm Model Health Shock CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA SUSTAINABLE INTENSIFICATION VULNERABILITY SMALLHOLDERS LANDSCAPE TECHNOLOGY