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Investigations were conducted at Agriculture College and Research Institute, Vazhavachanur located at Thiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu during 2022-2023 to study the effect of Panchagavya, vermiwash and vermicompost on brinjal (Solanum melongena) and chilli (Capsicum annum). Experiment was conducted in pots and comprised six treatments in a completely randomized block design. The treatments used were soil + vermicompost + Panchagavya, soil + vermicompost + vermiwash, soil + vermicompost + vermiwash + Panchagavya, soil + Panchagavya, soil + vermiwash and soil alone (control). In case of brinjal, maximum plant height was recorded in the treatment soil + vermicompost + vermiwash + Panchagavya (54.6 cm). In case of chilli also, maximum plant height (56.66 cm) was recorded in the same treatment. This treatment resulted in maximum number of branches per plant in brinjal (7.3) and chilli (13.66). Again, this treatment recorded maximum number of leaves per plant in brinjal (20.0) and chilli (25.33). The same treatment was also proved most beneficial in case of yield parameters. Number of buds and flowers (11 and 21) and number of fruits (11 and 20) was also highest in brinjal and chilli respectively in the same treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of organic and inorganic fertilizers on the growth attributes and yield of wheat varieties in intermediate zone of Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir during winter 2018-19 and 2019- 20 at Regional Agricultural Research Station Rajouri, Jammu and Kashmir. The study comprised 4 varieties (WH 1080, WH 1025, VL 907 and VL 967) in main plots and 5 levels of nutrient combinations (N1: Control, N2: 100% RDF, N3: 50% RDF + 50% RDF through FYM, N4: 50% RDF + 50% RDF through vermicompost (VC), N5: 50% RDF + 50% RDF through FYM + 50% RDF through VC + biofertlizers). The experiment was laid out in split plot design with three replications. The pooled mean (2018-19 and 2019-20) showed that plant height (98.9 and 99.8 cm) and dry matter accumulation per plant (22.3 and 26.6 g) at 150 DAS and at harvest respectively were found significantly highest in variety VL 907 over all the varieties. Leaf area index was highest (6.3 and 3.2) in VL 907 at 120 and 150 DAS respectively. Shoot length at 120 DAS (78.9 cm) and grain yield (4,891 kg/ha) were also observed highest in VL 907. Maximum plant height (100.2 and 101.7 cm) and dry matter accumulation per plant (22.9 and 26.0 g) at 150 DAS and at harvest respectively were recorded in RDF (100%) treatment. Leaf area index (6.1 and 3.0) was maximum in RDF (100%) at 120 and 150 DAS respectively. RDF (100%) also resulted in highest shoot length (79.1 cm) at 120 DAS and grain yield (4,757 kg/ha). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cluster frontline demonstrations (CFLDs) under National Food Security Mission (Pulses) were carried out during 2017 to 2021 in different villages of Tumkur district of Karnataka where 200 demonstrations on pigeonpea on an area of 80 ha were carried out by the active participation of farmers with the objective to demonstrate the benefits of fusarium wilt resistant pigeonpea variety with improved technologies. The improved technologies consisted of use of improved wilt resistant variety, seed treatment with Rhizobium culture, soil application of Trichoderma and phosphate solubilising bacteria (PSB), balanced fertilizer application and integrated pest management. There existed full gap in case of use of variety, sowing method, seed treatment, plant protection and weed management and partial gap in fertilizer dose. An average yield 9.54 q per ha was recorded under CFLDs as compared to 7.07 q per ha in farmers' practice. The demonstrations resulted in higher average net return of Rs 27,867 per ha as compared to Rs16,659 in farmers' practice. There was an increase of 90.90 per cent in net return in demonstrations as compared to check. The benefit-cost ratio of pigeonpea cultivation under improved cultivation practices was 2.18, whereas, it was 1.74 under farmers' practice. The technology gap between potential yield and yield of demonstration plots was lowest (29.18%) in Thimalapura, Tiptur Tq, Tumkur district, whereas, highest gap (37.68%) was found in Handalakuppe, Kunigal Tq, Tumkur district. Extension gap under CFLDs ranged from 25.51 (Chikkahonnavally, Tiptur Tq, Tumkur district) to 64.63 (Thimalapura, Tiptur Tq, Tumkur district) per cent which emphasized the need to educate the farmers through various extension means. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gram pod borer (Helicoverpa armigera) is a very destructive and serious pest of gram and causes serious damage to the crop. Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Samba, Jammu and Kashmir conducted on-farm trials (OFTs) during rabi 2021-22 and 2022-23 at farmers' fields to assess the efficacy of a new insecticide for the management of gram pod borer in gram. Treatments used were chloropyriphos 20EC @ 2 ml per litre of water (farmers' practice), cypermethrin 25EC @ 1.5 ml per litre of water (recommended) and emamectin benzoate (Missile 5SG) @ 0.4 g per litre of water (intervention). During 2021-22, in case of emamectin benzoate (Missile 5SG) @ 0.4 g per litre of water, 76.34 per cent reduction in damage to pods was observed over farmers' practice (chlorpyriphos). The yield of gram was 92.31 per cent higher due to the emamectin benzoate over farmers' practice. During 2022-23, emamectin benzoate caused 78.26 per cent less damage to gram over farmers' practice. There was an increase of 82.14 per cent in yield due to emamectin benzoate application over farmers' practice. In 2021-22, emamectin benzoate resulted in B-C ratio of 4.51 as against 2.52 in cypermethrin and 1.86 in chlorpyriphos treatments. In 2022-23, emamectin benzoate gave a B-C ratio of 4.62 in comparison to 2.63 and 2.08 in cypermethrin and chlorpyriphos treatments respectively. Therefore, the use of emamectin benzoate (Missile 5SG) @ 0.4 g per litre of water can be recommended for the control of pod borer in gram crop under rainfed conditions of Samba, Jammu and Kashmir. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examinations on ostrich chick vitality can help to improve the effectiveness of Hungarian ostrich husbandry and hatching technology. The investigations were carried out on an ostrich breeder farm in Eastern Hungary. For the analyses, the Tona et al. (2003) scoring system was applied presenting eight main criteria (activity, feather, condition, eyesight, the condition of navel and leg, the amount of the remaining shell membrane and egg content, and the size and tenderness of the abdomen). Most chicks (98.08%) were vigilant and had clean and dry feathers. There was no difference between the average hatching weights between May and August but a decreasing tendency was shown during the laying season. The vitality total score was above 90 in each evaluated month and was not affected by the hatching month. Our results revealed that the vitality of chicks was not affected by either the hatching month (P=0.51) or the weight category (P=0.11). Neither the hatching weight of chicks and leg condition were correlated (P=0.79). Results showed that the Tona scoring system with small modifications can be well applied to ostrich chicks. Practical on-farm usage of the system can be suggested as an aid in day-old chick evaluation. After individual marking of chicks, the investigation of growth and culling rate could be carried out for more precise conclusions, involving more farms and laying seasons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed at comparing the Bugarama and Busogo sectors (Rwanda) in terms of on-farm woody species, agroforestry practices, uses, and tree diversity. Data were collected from the two sectors through household interviews, direct observations, and measurements. A random sample of 200 households, 100 per sector, was investigated. Names and the number of individuals per species were recorded. Only two woody species occurred in both sites, four were exclusively found in Bugarama and seven in Busogo. About 56% and 21% of respondents in Bugarama and Busogo, respectively, did not practice agroforestry. Three on-farm tree spatial arrangements were identified in both sites, while two were exclusively observed in the Busogo sector. Five uses of on-farm trees were found to be the most important and common to both sites. Although Busogo showed higher woody species diversity than Bugarama, both sites were similar in terms of on-farm woody species, their planting arrangement, and uses. In total, seven uses were identified in both areas, and each site had one use exclusively mentioned: medicinal for Bugarama and stakes for climbing beans for Busogo sites. Being wetter and more fertile, the number of trees in the Busogo site was about 1.6 times higher than that of Bugarama. The indices of diversity were 1.333 for Busogo and 1.198 for Bugarama, while the similarity was reasonably low (0.363). The reported limited number of agroforestry woody species does not hold in this study since their number varied significantly across the study sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decline in soil fertility is one of the major constraints to sustainable crop production and profitability. To meet the increasing demand for the growing population the issue of low soil fertility needs to be addressed. An on-farm experiment was established to evaluate the effect of interaction between NPK fertilizers and minimum tillage on soil fertility, maize crop yield and on farm profit margins. The field trials were set up in a split-plot design organized in a randomized complete block design in 28 farmers' fields. Application of all the three macronutrients i.e. NPK had the highest and significant (P < 0.0001) yields relative to treatments, where any of the three nutrients was omitted. Maize grain yield increased by over 150% with NPK, NP and NK application in all the three cropping seasons over the control. Grain losses with the omission of a single nutrient were highest with N (2.06, 2.40 & 2.42 t ha−1) followed by P (0.8, 0.59 & 0.43 t ha−1) in the short rain 2014 (SR2014), long rains 2015 (LR2015) and SR2015 seasons, respectively. Conservation agriculture recorded a significant (P < 0.0007) increase in P over the three seasons. There was significantly higher K in the soil within the NP and PK treatments and in the conservation agriculture compared to the conventional agriculture systems. Compared with conventional tillage, the benefit to cost ratio was higher by 3 and 5% under minimum tillage during the LR2015 and SR2015 seasons, respectively. Total variable cost was 4 and 2% higher under conventional tillage compared to minimum tillage during the LR2015 and SR2015 seasons, respectively. Treatments with N and conservation agriculture were the most profitable. A combined use of conservation agriculture and all the three macro-nutrients (NPK) is the best bet for increasing, maize crop yield and associated return on investment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was conducted to analyzed the income determinants among farm households in Kaduna state, Nigeria. One hundred and twenty (120) respondents were administered questionnaires selected using simple random sampling. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics like frequency distribution, percentages, mean and inferential statistics like multiple regressions. Results from the analysis revealed that, the respondents were in their productive age, (46 years), mostly males (60%), highly educated, married (50%) with average family size of 7 persons. The analysis also documented that 38% of the respondents earned their income from off-farm activities with an average annual income of N188, 466.50. The major factors that influence income determination were marital status, household size, farm size and credit as these have coefficients that were significant at 1%, 5%, 5% and 1% levels respectively with a high R² value of .86. The study concluded that on- farm income is the most important source of income for rural household and recommend that on-farm and non-farm economic activities should be promoted among rural households income improvement. The need for farmers to form cooperative society is important as access to credit significantly influenced income of farmers, this will also enable them to increase their farm size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article highlights the use of ‘on-farm reservoir' (OFR) for improving yield of rice crop and saving of water. Topics include paper lies in the command area of canal network in Haryana where irrigation supply do not reach because of lavish water consumption by farmers at the head reach of the canal; and irrigation schemes in India suffer due to overuse of irrigation water by the head enders in the gravity flow system.

Abstract There has been interest in producing fuel from oil seed crops for use on farms, however little guidance is available on where this may be profitable, the extent to which greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions may be mitigated or the cost associated with that mitigation. We conduct a national analysis to evaluate the economics of on-farm processing of soybeans, the GHG mitigation potential of several on-farm uses of the oil, and the cost of achieving the mitigation. We found that significant GHG mitigation is possible when substituting soybean oil for on-farm energy use, however, often the food market has higher economic value. When we characterized the conditions and consequently, the regions where on-farm soybean processing was profitable, we found that the economics and greenhouse gas abatement potential of processing soybeans on-farm improves as farm location moves towards the coastal Atlantic and Gulf regions where the economic value of the meal is higher. Overall, we found that on-farm pressing of soybeans can add value to soybean production, but the market for the extracted oil will depend on the price of soybean meal and the market for food uses of the meal. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • Substituting diesel fuel with soybean oil for on-farm use mitigates GHG emissions. • Soybean oil has higher economic value in food rather than energy markets. • Farm scale soybean press facilities can add economic value to soybean production. • Low GHG abatement costs & high economic incentives align with soybean meal value. • Economics and GHG abatement improves towards coastal Atlantic and Gulf regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. An on-farm assessment of keel bone, feet, plumage and skin damage was conducted in layers in small furnished cages to evaluate welfare implications. 2. Thirteen farms participated, all housing Lohmann LSL layers in systems allowing 8 or 10 hens per cage. 3. Each flock was visited at three different ages: 32, 62 and 77 weeks. During each visit, 100 hens were examined for keel bone fractures and deviations, plumage damage, body wounds, foot pad lesions, bumble feet, missing toes and toe wounds. 4. A deterioration with age of the condition of the plumage and keel bone was found (P < 0.001). At 77 weeks of age, 16% of the birds had poor plumage, and 43% of the birds had keel bone damage. In contrast, foot pad lesions were most prevalent at 32 weeks of age (13%), whereas the other foot injuries and body wounds remained at a relatively low level throughout the three ages examined. 5. Prevention of damage to the keel bone, plumage and foot pads should therefore be considered when aiming to improve welfare of laying hens housed in small furnished cages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The paper presents insight into pond based integrated farming system (IFS) in humid tropics of Eastern India in terms of ecosystem area allocated and income generated from different enterprises. It is based on on-farm survey conducted in 51 farmer fields using stratified random sampling technique in 3 agro-ecosystems (coastal waterlogged, rainfed plateau, and canal irrigated) during the year 2012-13. The results revealed that highest average net economic return of '115485 ha-1 under IFS was accrued in irrigated ecosystem. It was closely followed by coastal waterlogged ecosystem ('111740 ha-1) while lowest amount of '61,964 ha-1 was noted under rainfed ecosystem. This return for coastal waterlogged ecosystem was very high as it increased by 6.7 times as compared to the common practice of rice-fallow sequence with a net return of '16801 ha-1 only. Such increases were 3.0 and 2.2 times under rainfed plateau and irrigated ecosystems, respectively. Net return from IFS were further divided into 3 broad components viz., pond, embankment and adjoining upland, and field crop component. In case of the pond component, average net return was quite lucrative under coastal waterlogged ecosystem ('181085 ha-1), however, for embankment and adjoining upland component, it was under irrigated ('209843 ha-1) ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

European pig production is encountering many economic and environmental challenges. To address these challenges, farmers need tools to assess the sustainability of their production systems and to make changes to ensure their sustainability. Decision support tools can help farmers to simulate and understand the influence of their management practices on production system performance. In a previous article, we described a dynamic pig fattening unit model that considers individual variability in pig performance, farmers’ practices and animal management and estimated environmental impacts (through Life Cycle Assessment) and economic results of the unit. This model is intended to be included in a decision support tool, which requires appropriate parameterisation for on-farm application and assessment to guarantee the quality of predictions. The objective of the present article is to develop a process to adequately parameterise a model for on-farm use, apply it to the pig unit model, and evaluate it using external data from commercial farms. Twenty-one pig farms were surveyed in western France in 2015 to collect data on animal performance, batch and shipping management, and farming practices. The parameterisation process was divided into six steps which correspond to incremental parameterisation of the model using data collected in the survey. The first step consists of parameterising the inputs related to farm infrastructure and management. The second step consists of setting initial mean weight and age of pigs at the beginning of fattening equal to those observed on each farm. The third step consists of three successive parameterisations for targeted slaughter weight, mean protein deposition, and mean feed intake. Steps four, five and six are iterations of step three. Each input parameterisation step improved predictions, with a decrease in the squared bias, non-unity slope and lack of correlation between predicted and observed data. For slaughter weight (SW), the root mean squared error (RMSE) decreased from 3.25 to 0.83 kg (i.e. from 2.8 to 0.7% of mean SW). For average daily gain (ADG), the RMSE decreased from 58.9 to 14.3 g live weight (LW)/day (i.e. from 7.3 to 1.8% of ADG). For the feed conversion ratio (FCR), the RMSE decreased from 0.22 to 0.03 kg feed/kg LW (i.e. from 7.8 to 1.1% of mean FCR). Considering the final RMSE values, the parameterisation process developed appears suitable for calibrating the model for future use in a decision support system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several multiple-media culture systems have become commercially available for on-farm identification of mastitis-associated pathogens. However, the accuracy of these systems has not been thoroughly and independently validated against microbiological evaluations performed by referral laboratories. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to evaluate the performance of commercially available culture plates (Accumast, Minnesota Easy System, SSGN and SSGNC Quad plates) to identify pathogens associated with clinical mastitis in dairy cows. Milk samples from the affected quarter with clinical mastitis were aerobically cultured with the on-farm culture systems and by two additional reference laboratories. Agreeing results from both standard laboratories were denoted as the reference standard (RS). Accuracy (Ac), sensitivity (Se), specificity (Sp), positive and negative predictive values (PPV and NPV, respectively) and Cohen’s kappa coefficient (k) of on-farm plates were determined based on the RS culture of 211 milk samples. All four plate-systems correctly identified ≥ 84.9% of milk samples with no bacterial growth. Accumast had greater values for all overall predictive factors (Ac, Se, Sp, PPV and NPV) and a substantial agreement (k = 0.79) with RS. The inter-rater agreements of Minnesota, SSGN, and SSGNC with RS were moderate (0.45 ≤ k ≤ 0.55). The effectiveness to categorize bacterial colonies at the genus and species was numerically different amongst the commercial plates. Our findings suggest that Accumast was the most accurate on-farm culture system for identification of mastitis-associated pathogens of the four systems included in the analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trade-offs between livelihood and environmental outcomes due to agricultural intensification in sub-Saharan Africa are uncertain. The present study measured yield, economic performance and nitrous oxide (N 2 O) emissions in African indigenous vegetable (AIV) production to investigate the optimal nutrient management strategies. In order to achieve this, an on-farm experiment with four treatments – (1) 40 kg N/ha diammonium phosphate (DAP), (2) 10 t/ha cattle manure, (3) 20 kg N/ha DAP and 5 t/ha cattle manure and (4) a no-N input control – was performed for two seasons. Yields and N 2 O emissions were directly measured with subsampling and static chambers/gas chromatography, respectively. Economic outcomes were estimated from semi-structured interviews (N = 12). Trade-offs were quantified by calculating N 2 O emissions intensity (N 2 OI) and N 2 O emissions economic intensity (N 2 OEI). The results indicate that, DAP alone resulted at least 14% greater yields, gross margin and returns to labour in absolute terms but had the highest emissions (p = 0.003). Productivity-climate trade-offs, expressed as N 2 OI, were statistically similar for DAP and mixed treatments. However, N 2 OEI was minimized under mixed management (p = 0.0004) while maintaining productivity and gross margins. We therefore conclude that soil fertility management strategies that mix inorganic and organic source present a pathway to sustainable intensification in AIV production. Future studies of GHG emissions in crop production need to consider not only productivity but economic performance when considering trade-offs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Botanical insecticides provide a multitude of chemistries for the development of new pest management products. Despite relatively low rates of expansion of botanically based pesticides, regulatory changes in many parts of the world are driving a renaissance for the development of new natural pest control products that are safer for human health and the environment. Africa is arguably the continent with the most to gain from developing natural plant-based pesticides. Hundreds of indigenous and exotic species with pesticidal properties have been reported from Africa through various farmer surveys and subsequent research, many of which have been confirmed to be active against a range of arthropod pests. On-farm use of pesticidal plants, particularly among resource-poor small-holder farmers, is widespread and familiar to many African farmers. Until recently, the pyrethrum industry was dominated by East African production through small holder farmers, showing that non-food cash crop production of pesticidal plants is a realistic prospect in Africa when appropriate entrepreneurial investment and regulatory frameworks are established. This paper reviews the current status of research and commercialisation of pesticidal plant materials or botanically active substances that are used to control pests in Africa and establishes where major gaps lie and formulates a strategy for taking research forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study analyzes and explains on-farm diversification in Emilia-Romagna, a productive and agriculturally intensified region in Italy. The purpose was to contribute to knowledge gaps on the adoption of different diversification strategies in relation to farming system. Based on farm-level census data gathered by the Italian National Institute of Statistics during the sixth general agricultural census, two on-farm diversification pathways were investigated: deepening and broadening. The farmer’s decision to diversify activities and the identification of diversification pathways were analyzed using logit and multinomial logit models. The results show that arable farms adopt broadening strategies, intensive farms opt for deepening ones, and specialized adopters of quality schemes combine both strategies. Furthermore, in contrast to the existing research, the study highlights that intensive farms are more likely than arable farms to diversify. Finally, the findings provide insights to improve analyses in the context of policy and regional strategic support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive strategies to improve on-farm antimicrobial use (AMU) are needed to contain antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Little is known about farmers’ motivating and enabling factors, and about their influence on AMU. In a cross-sectional online survey, Dutch dairy, veal and pig farmers (n = 457) reported their on-farm AMU as “Defined Daily Dose Animal” per year (DDDA F ) and completed a detailed questionnaire on their view, knowledge and behavior towards AMU and AMR. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) on the questionnaire items identified four psychological factors labeled as ‘referent beliefs’, ‘perceived risk’, ‘knowledge’, and ‘undesired attitude to regulations’. Linear regression was done to explore the relationship between the obtained factors and on-farm AMU across the three animal sectors. Dairy farmers showed the highest factor scores for ‘knowledge’ and the lowest for ‘perceived risk’. ‘Knowledge’ scores were significantly and inversely related to AMU (P = 0.0004). Borderline significant associations with AMU were found for ‘perceived risk’ and ‘undesired attitude to regulations’ (negative and positive relationships respectively). There were no apparent differences for these relationships between the three livestock sectors. Behavioral interventions in farmers such as educational campaigns or increased support by veterinarians could empower farmers with more prudent and rational practices, eventually reducing AMU in food animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper estimates the welfare impacts of adoption of maize-soybean rotation in eastern Zambia using data from on-farm trials and household survey data collected from over 800 households. The on-farm trials were conducted from 2012 to 2015 while the household survey was conducted in 2012. The study evaluated maize-soybean rotation where soybean was grown with and without inoculants and inorganic fertilizer, whereas continuous maize cropping was used as a control. The paper estimated household level income changes and poverty reduction due to adoption of maize-soybean rotation using market level economic surplus as well as household level analyses to allocate economic surplus changes to individual households. The results showed that several factors influence the adoption of maize-soybean rotation, including land ownership, education, and age of the household head. Results also showed that adoption of maize-soybean rotation reduced per-unit production costs by between 26 and 32% compared to continuous maize. Ex-ante welfare impact analysis showed significant potential income gains and poverty reduction following adoption of maize-legume rotation in eastern Zambia. The paper concludes with implications for policy to promote wider adoption of soil fertility management practices such as maize-soybean rotation for increased maize productivity in Zambia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Site-specific nitrogen (N) fertilizer strategy based on soil mineral N (Nmin) test is crucial for maintaining high crop yield and high N-use efficiency. A two-year field experiment was conducted to develop a site-specific N fertilizer management for winter oilseed rape in the 2011–12 and 2012–13 seasons in Wuhan, central China. In contrast to fixed N fertilizer recommendation (FN), the use of the Nmintest could optimize the N fertilizer inputs in time to fulfill crop N uptake during different growth stages and achieve high seed yield. Despite annual variations in seed yields and N fertilizer recommendations, the N recovery efficiency of the site-specific N fertilizer (SN) treatment was higher than that of the FN treatment. Consequently, the soil-based N strategy matches crop N uptake and soil N supply and achieves high yield depending on the site-specific soil-crop conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

While previous research has shown the potential of automatic lameness detection by means of a pressure mat, these systems are currently not adopted in practice due to their high cost and low on-farm applicability. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate to what level the size (0.61 × 4.88 m) and resolution (0.0127 × 0.0127 m) of the pressure mat can be reduced without significant loss in lameness detection performance. To this end, standard gait variables were calculated based on adapted datasets in which the available data had been reduced to simulate the effects of a decreasing mat length and sensor resolution. These extracted gait variables were then used in a linear discriminant analysis to classify cows as non-lame, mildly lame or severely lame. This analysis indicated that the measurement zone length must be at least 3.28 m to successfully monitor one complete gait cycle, while the size of each individual sensing element should not be larger than 2.58 ∗ 10 −3 m 2 to avoid an increase in the misidentification of imprints. When these limits were taken into account, the obtained overall lameness detection accuracy was not worse than that of the original system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brazil is a country historically characterized by high levels of capital and land ownership concentration, and some areas where family farming is traditionally strong are potentially impacted by the expansion of sugarcane, through land renting contracts between farmers (landowners) and sugar mills (tenants). This paper examines the socioeconomic and environmental impacts of mill-cultivated sugarcane expansion on family farming in the municipality of Ipiranga de Goiás, Goiás state, Brazil, where sugarcane plantations compete with corn, pasture and dairy cattle. Using a questionnaire composed of closed-and open-ended questions, we interviewed 28 family farmers, which were divided into two groups: those with and those without land renting contracts with the ethanol and sugar mill. The results show differences between both groups, such as average area size, main source of income, past and current activities, and perceptions about the pros and cons of sugarcane expansion. Land leasing emerged as a short-term solution to the shortage of on-farm labor and other economic difficulties small farmers continue to face. There are some farmers, however, who have resisted leasing their land for a number of reasons, including revenue is too low due to the small area in question; they also want to avoid loss of autonomy in production and the deep transformation of their rural way of life and landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work investigated the dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) encoding resistance to sulfonamide and tetracycline antibiotics in nine swine feedlots located in Shandong Province of China, and examined their potential removal by various on-farm treatment processes. Results indicate that the target ARGs were widely distributed in swine wastes, with mean relative abundances ranging from 3.3 × 10 −5 ( tet C) to 5.2 × 10 −1 ( tet O) in swine manure and from 7.3 × 10 −3 ( tet C) to 1.7 × 10 −1 ( tet O) in swine wastewater. The mean relative ARG abundances ranged from 9.9 × 10 −5 ( tet W) to 1.1 × 10 −2 ( tet O) in soils and from 3.1 × 10 −4 ( tet W) to 1.1 × 10 −2 ( sul 2) in receiving river sediments, indicating that the farmland application of swine manure compost and the discharge of swine wastewater promoted the dissemination of ARGs into adjacent environments. Microbial fermentation bed (MFB) could reduce the relative ARG abundances by 0–1.18 logs. However, septic tank, biogas digester and natural drying methods were relatively ineffective for ARG removal, and the relative abundances of some ARGs (i.e., tet C, tet G, sul 1, and sul 2) even increased by 0.74–3.90 logs in treated wastes. Bacterial diversity analysis indicates that the evolution of bacterial communities in the MFB played a crucial role in eliminating the ARGs. This study helps the effective assessment and management of ecological risks arising from ARGs in swine feedlots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural research has to tackle complex questions such as the design of sustainable cropping systems. System experiments are innovative approaches to address this challenge and a framework to iteratively design annual cropping systems has been proposed by Debaeke et al. (2009). However, specificities of some other cropping systems are not considered. Orchards are complex perennial agroecosystems formed of grass and tree layers aiming at the production of fresh fruit that require specific design and management over space and time. To identify orchard specificities and adapt the design framework to such perennial systems, we used two case studies of orchards aiming at decreasing pesticide use in temperate (apple, system experiment) and tropical (citrus, on-farm network) fruit productions. Specificities to take into account in the design framework are: (1) the spatial heterogeneity of the orchard with grass and tree layers, and tree rows and alleys; (2) the succession and interrelations among a young unproductive and then a productive stage; (3) the permanency of the fruit-tree crop constraining the management of soil fertility, (4) ground cover and (5) pest control, especially for pests that complete their lifecycle in the orchard and can build up important populations or inoculum across years. This is especially true in tropical areas where there is no dormant season. (6) Conversely, the permanency of the orchard habitats facilitates the sowing, planting or conservation of plant assemblages (e.g., ground covers, lining hedgerows) to enhance conservation biocontrol and/or compete weeds, provided non-disruptive practices are applied. Because of their longevity, orchards contribute to foster both plant-mediated (e.g., bottom-up) and natural enemy-mediated (e.g., top-down) processes in the foodweb to avoid direct measures against pests. Interactions among the orchard life stages, spatial and functional dimensions and practices need to be explicitly considered to optimize the efficiency of the system as a whole. Using the generic framework proposed by Debaeke et al. (2009) to design annual cropping systems, our framework includes adaptations to account for orchard specificities: (i) Agronomic objectives have to be fixed for each orchard stage; (ii) The cultivar choice and the composition and spatial arrangement of plants within the orchard are key elements to provide the expected services in the long term. This entails to include an additional step of perennial spatial design; (iii) Within-time and −space interactions have to be considered in the decisional system; (iv) Evaluation has to consider all the orchard stages in the global impact or performance, to account for carry-over effects and possible ‘paybacks’ of a given stage or period to the orchard whole lifetime. Last, to handle such complex interactions, design needs knowledge from many stakeholders in the food system (growers, advisors, scientists etc.) and requires more and renewed interactions among those stakeholders in a co-design process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The objective of this study is to test the extent to which, under different opportunities for market participation, the diversity of plant species rural households grow or collect (on-farm diversity), and the variety of foods mothers purchase (market diversity) are associated with their dietary diversity. Methods: Rural households from three districts in southern Benin were interviewed during dry (n = 472) and wet (n = 482) seasons between 2011 and 2012. Villages within districts and their households were selected randomly according to market accessibility, with a mother selected from each household. Information on on-farm diversity was collected using a semi-structured questionnaire. Market diversity was obtained through a 7-day food frequency questionnaire that elicited if foods were purchased. Dietary diversity was derived from a quantitative 24-hour food recall. A system of three simultaneous equations via a Generalized Methods of Moments was estimated to address potential endogeneity between dietary diversity and on-farm diversity and market diversity. Results: Results show rich on-farm diversity with more than 65 different edible plant species grown or collected by households. More than 70% of foods consumed by mothers were purchased in 55 market places. More than 50% of mothers met minimum dietary diversity with at least 5 food groups consumed. Diagnostic tests indicated the existence of endogeneity. Econometric results showed that on-farm and market diversities were positively associated with mothers’ dietary diversity (p < 0.05) once market opportunities, seasonality and other socioeconomic factors were controlled for. Conclusion: Results provide evidence of a positive relationship between on-farm diversity and dietary diversity among participant mothers. They demonstrate the important contribution of market diversity to their dietary diversity. Links among these three facets of diversity suggest that production for self-consumption and food purchases complement rather than replace each other in their contribution to dietary diversity and thus dietary quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On-farm trials in India investigated the role of nutrient imbalance on yellow leaf disease (YLD) in arecanut on a laterite soil using compositional nutrient diagnosis (CND) approach. Soil fertility status was imbalanced with high organic carbon status and low phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). The CND norms indicated that the order of nutrient demand was changed with nutrient application. Interventions increased yield by 50% during 2007–2010. The correlations indicated positive effect of nitrogen (N) and K and negative effect of manganese (Mn) on yield. The CND indices for NPK were important discriminators between yellowed and apparently healthy populations both in 2007 and 2010. Linear regressions between leaf nutrient concentrations and CND indices were significant for P, K, iron (Fe), Mn, and copper (Cu) (R2 = 0.44–0.53). Results suggest that the predisposing factor for YLD might be nutrient imbalance in the soil leading to deficit of major nutrients in plant. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The objective of this study was to carry out an on-farm experiment in sheep owner farms in Kanaan district for the period from 7th Feb. 2015 to 27th Mar. 2015 and to identify the unconventional methods in controlling the reproduction in sheep and increase their productivity using 45 local Awassi ewes, randomly selected from three sheep owners (15 ewes / owner). Treatment group (10 ewes/ owner) were treated with a vaginal sponges containing 20 mg fluorogestone acetate (FGA) inserted for 10 days, followed by I.M. injection of 500 IU equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG), while 5 ewes / owner were regarded as control group without any treatment. Estrus was observed for all ewes for 5 days post withdrawal of sponges. Ewes that showed estrus were mated by rams in their flocks, thereafter, pregnancy detection was conducted at days 35-37 post- mating using transabdominal ultrasonography. A questionnaire involved 20 sheep owners and a demonstrative field day was conducted for owners contributed in the experiment, and others from the region of study to explain the importance and results of the experiment. The results showed the appearance of estrus in all ewes 100% within three days after the withdrawal of sponges. Pregnancy rate of 85.71% at days 35-37 of mating. The questionnaire showed there is an urgent need of knowledge for owners to find out the importance of controlling the reproductive cycle in sheep using vaginal sponges. Also, there were a correlation between the need of knowledge for sheep owners with (educational level for most of them, herd sizes, income from breeding, training courses and other activities in the fields of breeding and reproduction of sheep). In conclusion, the technology of estrus synchronization has an important role to improve reproductive performance of sheep and pregnancy could be detected through transabdominal ultrasonography at 35-37 days with high accuracy as well as there is great desire for the most owner to conduct estrus synchronization technique and to take care their birth of herds simultaneously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between on-farm avian conservation measures and the potential provisioning of pest-control services by birds is poorly understood in intensive agricultural landscapes, especially in temperate regions. We used an exclusion experiment to test the effects of field- and landscape-scale habitat complexity on avian-provisioned pest-control services and assessed avian abundance and diversity across 32 conventional alfalfa ( Medicago sativa ) fields in winter and early spring in California. Alfalfa is a key forage crop around the world and is grown on approximately 30 million hectares globally each year. Bird foraging reduced the abundance of the most significant insect pests of alfalfa by over 33%. The presence of complex edge habitat (presence of at least two trees >1.5 m) led to higher avian abundance within fields, which in turn led to reduced pest insect populations at sampling points close to the field edge. Fields with complex edge habitat also harbored nearly three times as many bird species as those with simple edge habitat. The distance from the nearest riparian habitat, a measure of landscape diversity, did not affect bird abundance or diversity in winter alfalfa fields, which may be related to the homogenous landscape in which our study was based. Our results show that relatively simple conservation measures in intensively managed farming landscapes, such as planting small trees along a field edge, can result in increased abundance and diversity of over-wintering birds, with direct benefits to farmers through increased avian-mediated pest-control services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) is a soil management approach that emphasizes combined application of organic and mineral fertilizer inputs with the goal of improving yields and fertilizer use efficiency. Combined applications have resulted in a positive interaction between organic inputs and mineral fertilizers on vegetable yields, where yields from combined treatments are greater than yields from sole fertilizer treatments. ISFM studies have been conducted with a diverse range of crops, including grains, legumes, tubers, and bananas, but not vegetable crops. Particularly lacking are ISFM studies conducted under participatory, smallholder farmer management. A researcher-designed, farmer-managed, on-farm study was conducted on highly weathered soils (Ferralsols) in the Lake Victoria Crescent of Uganda to determine the influence of combined organic and mineral fertilizer treatments on yields of a commonly grown indigenous leafy vegetable known as nakati ( Solanum aethiopicum ). Farmer-managed plots allowed for the effect of farmer participation and management to be analyzed in conjunction with fertilizer treatment effects. A gradient of 100% organic (sole manure) to 0% organic (sole mineral) fertilizer treatments were applied at both an upper (200 kg ha −1 ) and lower (100 kg ha −1 ) nitrogen (N) rate. N rates were derived from survey results on typical organic application rates used by smallholder farmers in their vegetable plots. Fertilizer treatments resulted in significantly different vegetable yields; however, combined treatments did not necessarily result in higher yields than sole treatments. Differences between organic-mineral ratios were only seen when fertilizers were applied at the higher N rate. The highest yields were obtained when fertilizer was applied at a ratio of 67% organic to 33% mineral fertilizer. Effects of soil properties on yield were also observed; after accounting for the effect of fertilizer treatment, yields significantly increased with increasing soil pH. Farmer participation level had a significant effect on yield. All treatment means were significantly increased by greater participation in the study, and the interactive effects of all treatments became less negative when participation was higher. On-farm studies are needed to demonstrate the applicability of a technology under real world conditions, but trials need to maintain farmers’ interest throughout the study period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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A previous study on key farm performance indicators for animal welfare incidents in Ireland provided anecdotal evidence to suggest that farm animal welfare standards are often underpinned by social and human health-related factors among farmers. The present study took an exploratory approach to identify these factors and how they influence farm animal neglect. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with farmers. Identified factors included farming difficulties associated with age and help on the farm ( n = 5), mental health-related problems ( n = 4), and differing perceptions of animal welfare ( n = 4). Stress was a prevalent theme. Evidence suggests that these negative human factors impact on farmers' ability to carry out farm management activities. Poor uptake of support services was noted and barriers included resistance, self-reliance and an inability to talk openly about mental health problems. Initiatives such as the early warning system, aimed at reducing the incidence of farm animal neglect in Ireland, should be understood as often involving a human element. In particular, further research is required into how mental health problems may lead to altered or reduced regard for animal welfare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to assess the profitability of extensive goat production through on-farm research. Eleven goat farms were used; purchased inputs and sales were recorded for two years and total gross margin was calculated, excluding family labour. Labour intensity and labour efficiency were compared. Univariate analyses and correlations were used to explain the producers' profitability. All sources of income per farm were assessed, compared and contrasted with official poverty indexes. The area of land used for cultivation and grazing and producers' knowledge of agriculture most limited productivity. The weakest producers were limited by these factors and earned a fifth of the regular per hour wage in the region. Management aspects determined profitability. Family labourintensive producers were the most profitable. Business-oriented producers were more productive but less profitable. In the dry year, milk production per doe declined by 30%, external inputs doubled, and unwanted sales of animals increased; thus the gross margin per doe decreased by 10%. Goat husbandry is not a profitable activity since most of its profits only compensate the labour employed. In the Mexican highlands, non-farm income is necessary to avoid poverty; the main sources were government aid (29% on average) and remittances (25% on average). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On-farm research was conducted to investigate the effects of nitrogen (N) and compost (C) on yield and yield components of spring maize (Zea maysL.) under conventional and deep tillage system (T) at the research farm of the University of Agriculture, Peshawar, Pakistan, during spring 2013. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with split-plot arrangement, using three replications. Three compost levels (0, 1, and 2 t ha−1) and two tillage systems (conventional and deep tillage) were allotted to the main plot, whereas N levels (60, 90, 120, and 150 kg N ha−1) were allotted to subplots in the form of urea. Nitrogen and compost levels had significantly affected all the parameters. Plots treated with 150 kg N ha−1increased ear length (31 cm), grains ear−1(413), thousand-grain weight (240.2 g), grain yield (3097 kg ha−1), straw yield (9294 kg ha−1), harvest index (24.7 percent), and shelling percentage (81.7 percent). Compost applied at 2 t ha−1increased ear length (32 cm), grains ear−1(430), thousand-grain weight (242.3 g), grain yield (2974 kg ha−1), straw yield (8984 kg ha−1), harvest index (24.6 percent), and shelling percentage (83.2 percent). Tillage system had significant effect on all parameters except ear length and harvest index. Deep tillage system produced more grains ear−1(365), thousand-grain weight (233.3 g), grain yield (2630 kg ha−1), straw yield (8549 kg ha−1), and shelling percentage (79.6 percent). It was concluded from the results that application of 120 kg N ha−1 + 2 C t ha−1under a deep tillage system could improve spring maize yield and yield-contributing traits under semi-arid conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stagnant early growth and mortality are the major constraints for goat production in Ethiopia. We evaluated the effects of non-genetic factors on early growth performance of kids in Halaba district of southern Ethiopia, on-farm monitoring with 587 kids owned by 60 households from 2008 to 2009. Body weight (kilograms) of kids at birth, 30, 60, 90, 120 and 150 days were 2.34, 4.39, 6.61, 9.85, 11.8 and 13.7, respectively, while the average daily gain (ADG; gram) from birth to 30, 60, 90, 120 and 150 days were 68.3, 70.4, 82.3, 78.3 and 75.0, respectively. Season had profound effect on body weights of kids at all ages (except at 120 days) and ADG. There was significant sex effect on body weights from 30 to 120 days (P < 0.05). Parity influenced body weights of kids at birth (P < 0.01) and 30, 60, 120 and 150 days (P < 0.05). Type of birth affected pre-weaning body weights (P < 0.05) and ADG from birth to 30, 60 days (P < 0.01) and birth to 90 days (P < 0.05). There were significant (P < 0.05) effects of parity by sex and parity by type of birth on body weights and ADG at weaning. The non-genetic factors evaluated in this study are important sources of variation and need to be taken into account in the improvement plan of Halaba goats under semi-arid tropical conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Determination of optimum plot size has been regarded as an important and useful area of study for agriculturists and statisticians since the first remarkable contribution on this problem came to light in a paper by Smith (1938). As we explore the scientific literature relating to this problem, we may note a number of contributions, including those of Modjeska and Rawlings (1983), Webster and Burgess (1984), Sethi (1985), Zhang et al. (1990, 1994), Bhatti et al.(1991), Fagroud and Meirvenne (2002), etc. In Pal et al. (2007), a general method was presented by means of which the optimum plot size can be determined through a systematic analytical procedure. The importance of the procedure stems from the fact that even with Fisherian blocking, the correlation among the residuals is not eliminated (as such the residuals remain correlated). The method is based on an application of an empirical variogram constructed on real-life data sets (obtained from uniformity trials) wherein the data are serially correlated. This paper presents a deep and extensive investigation (involving theoretical exploration of the effect of different plot sizes and shapes in discovering the point - actually the minimum radius of curvature of the variogram at that point - beyond which the theoretical variogram assumes stationary values with further increase in lags) in the case of the most commonly employed model (incorporating a correlation structure) assumed to represent real-life data situations (uniformity trial or designed experiments, RBD/LSD). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimal participation in market-based instruments such as PES (payment for ecosystem services) schemes is a necessary precondition for achieving large scale cost-effective conservation goals from agricultural landscapes. However farmers' willingness to participate in voluntary conservation programmes is influenced by psychological, financial and social factors and these need to be assessed on a case-by-case basis. In this research farmers' values towards on-farm ecosystem services, motivations and perceived impediments to participation in conservation programmes are identified in two local land services regions in Australia using surveys. Results indicated that irrespective of demographics such as age, gender, years farmed, area owned and annual gross farm income, farmers valued ecosystem services important for future sustainability. Non-financial motivations had significant associations with farmer's perceptions regarding attitudes and values towards the environment and participation in conservation-related programmes. Farmer factors such as lack of awareness and unavailability of adequate information were correlated with non-participation in conservation-based programmes. In the current political context, government uncertainty regarding schemes especially around carbon sequestration and reduction was the most frequently cited impediment that could deter participation. Future research that explores willingness of farmers towards participation in various types of PES programmes developed around carbon reduction, water quality provision and biodiversity conservation, and, duration of the contract and payment levels that are attractive to the farmers will provide insights for developing farmer-friendly PES schemes in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smallholder farmers who grow diverse landraces in centres of crop diversity contribute to sustaining the capacity of agricultural and food systems to adapt to change by maintaining crop evolution in their fields today, thus enabling humanity to continue to have the broad genetic variation needed to adapt crops to changes tomorrow. Given this fact, the last 20 years have witnessed an ever-growing interest in on-farm conservation of crop infra-specific diversity. While numerous projects to support it have been, and continue to be, implemented worldwide, there has been very little systematic assessment of the extent to which these projects have been effective at contributing to the maintenance of crop diversity on-farm and the creation of associated benefits for the farmers involved. The factors and relationships implicated in attaining conservation and livelihood results are complex, so that a conceptual scheme that brings them together in a simplified but coherent fashion can be extremely useful for the scientists, donors, policy-makers and practitioners concerned. This paper presents a conceptual framework for analysing on-farm projects, the trade-offs involved and assesses their success in a more systematic way. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article discusses a study which compares power take-off (PTO) shielding across multiple farming operations. The methods of the U.S. National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) phone survey and an on-farm audit are mentioned. Results show detailed information about the proportion of farms that have a functional driveline shield.

Aim of this study was to test the influence of feeding strategy on faecal particle size distribution as indicator of fibre digestion under on-farm conditions. Seventy-six cows from 11 farms, located in Switzerland and southern Germany were included. Cows were monitored up to eight times during one full lactation. All valid individual test days resulted in a total of 347 datasets. Milk yield and composition were recorded. Diet composition was described in a binary yes/no- indication for the presence or non-presence of different roughage components (fresh grass, grass silage, hay, maize silage and straw) and the exact amount of concentrates. Faecal samples were taken at each test day and sieved with a set of four wire-mesh screens with pore sizes of 4mm, 2mm, 1mm, and 0.3mm under running tap water. Dry matter proportions were calculated. The inclusion of maize silage and an increasing level of concentrates significantly increased the presence of faecal particles in the sieves. Maize silage increased the larger particles, while concentrates enhanced the smaller particle fractions. No effect of fresh grass and grass silage was found. Based on the results, the faecal particle fractions appear to be a practicable tool to predict influences of feeding systems on fibre utilization in dairy cows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development and maintenance of a positive human–horse/donkey relationship is essential in order to decrease accidents and reduce negative states of equine welfare. In many animal species the reaction of animals to humans during specific behavioural tests is influenced by their past interaction and is linked to the level of fear felt in the presence of a human. The present research aims to assess whether a set of on-farm behavioural tests allow differentiation between horse facilities with excellent or sub-optimal human–animal relationship. Furthermore, we evaluated mid-term repeatability (3-month intervals), inter-observer reliability and on-farm feasibility of these behavioural tests in single stabled horses and in group housed donkeys. Eleven horse and eight donkey facilities ( N = 313 adult horses; N = 47 adult donkeys) were visited twice at 3-month intervals. Horse facilities were selected on the basis of reports of inspections on animal welfare conducted by competent local authorities; they were classified as “excellent” ( N = 5) and “sub-optimal” ( N = 6). Four observers, with no experience in assessing equine welfare and not aware of the a priori category of the facility, were trained to perform and score standardised human–equine behavioural tests: avoidance distance test (AD), voluntary animal approach test (VAA), forced human approach test (FHA), walking down side and tail tuck. All the behavioural tests carried out proved to be feasible in an on-farm environment. In spite of the fact that the reactions of horses were largely positive, those kept in facilities with “sub-optimal” relationship showed avoidance and aggressive behaviours more often when approached (GLMM P < 0.05). As for donkeys, less than 30% of the animals exhibited negative behaviour towards the assessor. Observer's agreement of AD, VAA, FHA, WDS and tail tuck scoring was consistent for both species (percentage agreement ranged between 67.7% and 93.3%). Repeatability of tests was good for all the tests and no significant differences were found between two repetitions at 3-month intervals. Our results support the findings described for working donkeys and show that, also on-farm, the assessment of donkeys’ reactions to an unknown human during standardised tests could prove useful in evaluating the quality of their relationship with humans. Further research is needed to verify if our findings can be generalised for different husbandry conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Fertile Crescent encompasses a mega-center of diversity of crops and livestock of global importance. The International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) coordinated a 5-year regional project funded by the Global Environment Facility to promote in situ conservation of dryland agrobiodiversity in Jordan, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority and Syria. The project focused on conserving landraces and wild relatives of Allium, Vicia, Trifolium, Medicago and Lathyrus spp. and barley, wheat, lentil and dryland fruit trees (olive, prune, pear, pistachio, almond, cherry and apricot). ICARDA and national programs assessed the status and importance of local agrobiodiversity by surveying 570 farm households in the project target areas including the characterization of their livelihood strategies, agrobiodiversity use and household income sources. A wealth index was created considering human, natural, financial, physical and social assets and was used to classify households into four wealth quartiles. The results indicated that agriculture and agrobiodiversity continue to be important for supporting the livelihoods of poor communities in dry and mountainous regions. The poorest households obtained their income from diverse sources including crop production, off-farm labor and government employment. However, households in the highest wealth grouping are mainly dependent on income from selling livestock products and live animals. They also practiced crop production, worked off-farm and took advantage of government employment. Off-farm income was important for livelihoods in all areas, representing 43–68% of household incomes. For all groups, fruit trees were generally more important than field crops for income generation, mainly in mountainous areas. The finding of this study showed that all farmers’ groups contribute greatly to on-farm conservation of landraces, with a bigger role for poor farmers in conserving the landraces of fruit trees. Diversification of income and farming systems to include livestock, field crops and fruit trees along with off-farm activities are contributing to the conservation of agrobiodiversity in these marginal environments. Several opportunities for income increase and diversification through add-value activities and alternative sources of income are demonstrated to the custodians of dryland agrobiodiversity. Their benefits can contribute to the sustainability of agrobiodiversity conservation, provided that marketing of local products can be enhanced. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Building vibration prediction induced by moving train can indicate the degree of vibration influence by moving train. With the prediction results, the corresponding measurements can be used to reduce the influence of vibration. To obtain an accurate prediction result, support vector machine (SVM) is used in this paper. Since the error in the recorded data affects the prediction performance of SVM obviously, wavelet analysis is adopted to filter the input data. The prediction model based on SVM and wavelet analysis is validated by the data of field experiments. The results show that the prediction model can provide a good performance compared with the measured values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field experiment was conducted during 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 on sandy clay loam soil of Agricultural College Farm, Bapatla during kharif to study the effect of different levels of nitrogen and phosphorus on yield and economics of rice fallow castor under different levels of N and P applied to kharif rice and different schedules given to succeeding castor crop. The treatments consisted of four N levels i.e. 80 kg N ha-1, 120 kg N ha-1, 240 kg N ha-1 and green manuring @5 t ha-1, three P levels i.e. 0, 30 and 60 kg P2O5 ha-1 to preceding rice and three fertilizer schedules i.e 0, 50 and 100% recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF) to succeeding castor. Application of 240 kg N ha-1 in combination with 60 kg P2O5 ha-1 and 100% RDF to castor significantly increased the growth, yield and economics of castor over other levels of nitrogen phosphorus and fertilizer schedules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field experiment was conducted at Regional Agricultural Research Station, Nandyal during kharif 2012 to study the effect of time of sowing and nitrogen fertilization on growth and yield of castor in vertisols under rainfed conditions. The experiment was laid out in a split-plot design with three replications. The treatments consisted of four main plots (Time of sowing - II fortnight of June, I fortnight of July , II fortnight of July and I fortnight of August and four sub plots (Nitrogen levels :0,40,60,80 Kg/ha). Significantly highest castor bean yield was recorded with I F.N. of July sowing but it was at par with II F.N. of June sowing. Significantly lowest castor yield was recorded with I F.N of August sowing. Irrespective of time of sowing, increase in N fertilization from 0 to 80 kg/ ha increased the castor yield significantly, highest being with 80 kg N /ha. Interaction effect of I F.N of July sowing with 80 kg of N/ha recorded the highest yield but was at par with II F.N. of July sowing at the same level of N. I F.N of July sowing with 80 kg/ha of nitrogen application recorded the highest gross and net returns and B: C ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Genotypes selected for higher yield under intermittent drought experiments were well adapted to farmers’ fields. [•] Selection for high yield potential and drought tolerance in on-station managed water conditions enabled the identification of promising lines for the rainfed lowlands. [•] High positions generally produced low yield but no significant interaction between position and genotypes existed, therefore usefulness is limited if number of sites is limited. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]