Economics of crop residue management

Vijesh Krishna Maxwell Mkondiwa (2023, [Artículo])

More than five billion metric tons of agricultural residues are produced annually worldwide. Despite having multiple uses and significant potential to augment crop and livestock production, a large share of crop residues is burned, especially in Asian countries. This unsustainable practice causes tremendous air pollution and health hazards while restricting soil nutrient recycling. In this review, we examine the economic rationale for unsustainable residue management. The sustainability of residue utilization is determined by several economic factors, such as local demand for and quantity of residue production, development and dissemination of technologies to absorb excess residue, and market and policy instruments to internalize the social costs of residue burning. The intervention strategy to ensure sustainable residue management depends on public awareness of the private and societal costs of open residue burning.

Crop Biomass Residue Burning Environmental Effects CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA CROPS BIOMASS RESIDUES ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT CLIMATE CHANGE SMALLHOLDERS TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION

Agroecology can promote climate change adaptation outcomes without compromising yield in smallholder systems

Sieglinde Snapp Yodit Kebede Eva Wollenberg (2023, [Artículo])

A critical question is whether agroecology can promote climate change mitigation and adaptation outcomes without compromising food security. We assessed the outcomes of smallholder agricultural systems and practices in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) against 35 mitigation, adaptation, and yield indicators by reviewing 50 articles with 77 cases of agroecological treatments relative to a baseline of conventional practices. Crop yields were higher for 63% of cases reporting yields. Crop diversity, income diversity, net income, reduced income variability, nutrient regulation, and reduced pest infestation, indicators of adaptative capacity, were associated with 70% or more of cases. Limited information on climate change mitigation, such as greenhouse gas emissions and carbon sequestration impacts, was available. Overall, the evidence indicates that use of organic nutrient sources, diversifying systems with legumes and integrated pest management lead to climate change adaptation in multiple contexts. Landscape mosaics, biological control (e.g., enhancement of beneficial organisms) and field sanitation measures do not yet have sufficient evidence based on this review. Widespread adoption of agroecological practices and system transformations shows promise to contribute to climate change services and food security in LMICs. Gaps in adaptation and mitigation strategies and areas for policy and research interventions are finally discussed.

CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA CLIMATE CHANGE CROPS FOOD SUPPLY GAS EMISSIONS GREENHOUSE GASES FARMING SYSTEMS AGROECOLOGY FOOD SECURITY LESS FAVOURED AREAS SMALLHOLDERS YIELDS NUTRIENTS BIOLOGICAL PEST CONTROL CARBON SEQUESTRATION LEGUMES

Association of specific expansins with growth in maize leaves is maintained under environmental, genetic, and developmental sources of variation

Francois Tardieu (2007, [Artículo])

Environmental Stimuli Expansins CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA CELLS CROPS GENETIC ENGINEERING PROTEINS TISSUE EPIDERMIS ZEA MAYS

Mapping crop and livestock value chain actors in Mbire and Murehwa districts in Zimbabwe

Hambulo Ngoma Moti Jaleta Frédéric Baudron (2023, [Documento de trabajo])

We conducted a preliminary value chain actors mapping for major crops grown and livestock kept by smallholder farmers in Mbire and Murehwa districts of Zimbabwe. Accordingly, in this report we mapped value chain actors for 11 crops and livestock commodities: namely, sorghum, cotton, sesame, maize, groundnut, sweet-potato, vegetables (tomato and onion), cattle, goats, poultry, and honey/beekeeping. Except sesame from Mbire, most of the crop and livestock commodities are channeled to the main markets in Harare and Marondera for Murehwa. Sesame is smuggled to Mozambique and the market is mainly dependent on middlemen. The Grain Market Board (GMB) is the major actor in sorghum and maize marketing in both districts. Groundnut is sold to both rural and urban consumers after processing it to peanut butter locally within the production zones. Goats and cattle are mostly supplied to the Harare market by middlemen collecting these livestock from village markets and moving door-to-door to buy enough quantity to transport to Harare. Honey production and marketing is still at its initial stage through the support of HELP from Germany and the Zimbabwe Apiculture Trust projects. Long dry season is a challenge in honey production. The Pfumvudza program supported by the Presidential free input scheme helped in introducing and scaling conservation agriculture practices in Zimbabwe. Though there is strong integration of crop-livestock systems at both districts, the level of manure use is gradually decreasing because farmers receive chemical fertilizer support from the Pfumvudza program and applying manure to crop fields is labor-intensive. The input supply system is more competitive in Murehwa district where there are quite several input suppliers in town. The possible interventions that favor agroecological transitions are: (1) honey processing plants and supply of beehives to potential areas, (2) encouraging manure use in crop production, possibly linking it to the basins preparation requirement to be eligible for the presidential input subsidy scheme, (3) support the organic vegetable production initiatives and explore market segments in Harare paying premium prices for certified organic products, (4) Expedite payment systems in sorghum and maize marketing with GMB, and (5) sesame production with agroecologically friendly agronomy and improve markets.

CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA VALUE CHAINS CROPS LIVESTOCK SMALLHOLDERS SUPPLY CHAINS

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

Innovative approaches to integrating gender into conventional maize breeding: lessons from the Seed Production Technology for Africa project

Rachel Voss Jill Cairns Michael Olsen Esnath Tatenda Hamadziripi (2023, [Artículo])

The integration of gender concerns in crop breeding programs aims to improve the suitability and appeal of new varieties to both women and men, in response to concerns about unequal adoption of improved seed. However, few conventional breeding programs have sought to center social inclusion concerns. This community case study documents efforts to integrate gender into the maize-focused Seed Production Technology for Africa (SPTA) project using innovation history analysis drawing on project documents and the authors’ experiences. These efforts included deliberate exploration of potential gendered impacts of project technologies and innovations in the project’s approach to variety evaluation, culminating in the use of decentralized on-farm trials using the tricot approach. Through this case study, we illustrate the power of active and respectful collaborations between breeders and social scientists, spurred by donor mandates to address gender and social inclusion. Gender integration in this case was further facilitated by open-minded project leaders and allocation of funding for gender research. SPTA proved to be fertile ground for experimentation and interdisciplinary collaboration around gender and maize breeding, and has provided proof of concept for larger breeding projects seeking to integrate gender considerations.

Crop Breeding On-Farm Trials Tricot CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA GENDER CROPS BREEDING ON-FARM RESEARCH SOCIAL INCLUSION CITIZEN SCIENCE MAIZE

Genomic selection: A tool for accelerating the efficiency of molecular breeding for development of climate-resilient crops

UTTAM KUMAR Rajeev Ranjan Kumar Philomin Juliana Sundeep Kumar (2022, [Artículo])

Genomic Selection Single-Trait Genomic Selection Multi-Trait Genomic Selection Genomic Estimated Breeding Value Climate-Resilient Crops CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA MARKER-ASSISTED SELECTION CLIMATE CHANGE STRESS CLIMATE RESILIENCE CROPS ABIOTIC STRESS BIOTIC STRESS

Economic inequality and the impact of cash transfers in the state of Veracruz, México, 2008 to 2020

José Alejandro Pérez-Nájera Rogelio Javier Rendón Hernández (2023, [Artículo, Artículo])

Income inequality in Mexico is extremely high and the federal states are considerably heterogeneous, which is why a regional analysis allows us to identify the fundamental characteristics, trends, and regional conditions for the implementation of redistributive policies.  We used microdata from the National Household Income and Expenditure Survey (ENIGH) to analyze the evolution of income inequality in the state of Veracruz during the 2008-2020 period; To identify its sources and investigate how it was affected by monetary transfers, the income decomposition method is used to identify the ENIGH income sources and investigate preliminary COVID-19 effects. The results show evidence of a decrease in inequality in the period; relatively and marginally, it is identified that the observed decrease can be attributed to cash transfers. In recent years, transfers represented 30% of the income of the lowest deciles (I, II, and III) and the income elasticity of the Gini coefficient indicates that their increase represents a decrease in inequality.

Desigualdad ingresos monetarios elasticidad del ingreso Políticas Sociales distribución del ingreso CIENCIAS SOCIALES CIENCIAS SOCIALES Cash transfers income elasticities inequality monetary income

A Novel Technique for Classifying Bird Damage to Rapeseed Plants Based on a Deep Learning Algorithm.

Ali Mirzazadeh Afshin Azizi Yousef Abbaspour_Gilandeh José Luis Hernández-Hernández Mario Hernández Hernández Iván Gallardo Bernal (2021, [Artículo])

Estimation of crop damage plays a vital role in the management of fields in the agricultura sector. An accurate measure of it provides key guidance to support agricultural decision-making systems. The objective of the study was to propose a novel technique for classifying damaged crops based on a state-of-the-art deep learning algorithm. To this end, a dataset of rapeseed field images was gathered from the field after birds¿ attacks. The dataset consisted of three classes including undamaged, partially damaged, and fully damaged crops. Vgg16 and Res-Net50 as pre-trained deep convolutional neural networks were used to classify these classes. The overall classification accuracy reached 93.7% and 98.2% for the Vgg16 and the ResNet50 algorithms, respectively. The results indicated that a deep neural network has a high ability in distinguishing and categorizing different image-based datasets of rapeseed. The findings also revealed a great potential of Deep learning-based models to classify other damaged crops.

rapeseed classification damaged crops deep neural networks INGENIERÍA Y TECNOLOGÍA CIENCIAS TECNOLÓGICAS TECNOLOGÍA DE LOS ALIMENTOS

Distribution of Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici races and virulence in wheat growing regions of Kenya from 1970 to 2014

Lesley Boyd sridhar bhavani Cristobal Uauy Annemarie Fejer Justesen Mogens Hovmoller (2022, [Artículo])

Cereals and Grains Pathogen Diversity Puccinia f. sp. tritici Stripe Rust Yellow Rust CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA CEREALS FIELD CROPS FUNGI PATHOGENICITY RUSTS TRITICUM AESTIVUM