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Objective evaluation and in-depth systematic analysis of the effectiveness of implementing a grain support policy series represent an important entry point for improving incentives to grow food, improving grain production support and protection systems, and guaranteeing national food security. Thus, we collected and organized grain support policies during the study period according to the government work reports of 31 provinces in China from 2001 to 2022 and applied a two-way fixed-effects model based on the variables constructed using textual analysis to further explore the effects of a range of grain support policies on grain production gains. The conclusions are as follows: (1) grain support policies significantly contributed to an increase in grain production; (2) grain production gains from grain support policies are more pronounced in less industrialized and disaster-affected areas; (3) a mechanism analysis showed that grain support policies enhanced grain production by expanding the scale of food cultivation, upgrading agricultural mechanization, and strengthening soil erosion control; and (4) further analysis showed that grain support policies increased pesticide use. These conclusions are of great significance for improving grain production support and protection systems, enhancing incentives for farmers to grow food and for local governments to control food, and achieving the goal of food security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food security is crucial for national stability and public welfare. Since the 21st century, China's grain production has been significantly influenced by the rapid process of urbanization. In this context, this paper systematically measures the multidimensional coupling patterns and dynamic coupling processes between urbanization and grain production from 2000 to 2022, and preliminarily summarizes the complex coupling mechanisms within the Chinese context. The goal is to provide scientific references for achieving high-quality coordinated development of urbanization and grain production in China. The study reveals the following key findings: (1) The coupling relationship between urbanization and grain production exhibits both regional heterogeneity and temporal variability, demonstrating specific levels of coupling and dynamic processes under distinct spatiotemporal conditions. (2) Between 2000 and 2022, both urbanization and grain production patterns in China underwent significant reconstruction, with the coupling coordination level displaying a long-term spatial pattern of "high in the north, low in the south; high in the east, low in the west." Although there is an overall upward trend in coupling coordination states, spatial imbalances and dimensional heterogeneity persist. (3) Since the beginning of the 21st century, the dynamic coupling processes between provincial urbanization and grain production have primarily manifested as two types: simultaneous increase (with urbanization outpacing grain production) and urban increase accompanied by grain production decrease. Various dynamic coupling types exhibit significant spatial clustering, and the multidimensional dynamic coupling processes reveal notable similarities. (4) The evolution of coupling states demonstrates an overall trend of optimization, with clear bidirectional migration trends observed in coupling dynamics, primarily transitioning from simultaneous increase (urbanization outpacing grain production) to urban increase with grain production decrease, and vice versa. (5) The formation of the complex coupling relationship between urbanization and grain production in the Chinese context is fundamentally influenced by changes in population quantity and structure between urban and rural areas, shifts in land use, economic transformation, regional specialization, technological interactions, and factor mobility. These influences exhibit significant negative effects in the domains of population, land, and economy, while showcasing notable positive effects in terms of technology and factor mobility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploring the spatiotemporal dynamics, spatial mismatch, and complex influencing mechanism of grain production and cropland productivity in the black soil region of northeast China (BSRNC) is essential for the synergistic protection and utilization of black soil cropland and sustainable grain production. The BSRNC has realized cropland expansion and grain production increases in the past decades. This implied a substantial investment has been made in the region's agriculture. However, at present, knowledge on the spatial mismatch and influencing factors of grain production and cropland productivity is still unclear. This study analyzed the spatial–temporal mismatch characteristics of grain production and cropland net primary productivity (CNPP) using the gravity center model, spatial autocorrelation analysis, and spatial mismatch index (SMI), and identified the spatial heterogeneity and prediction–response relationships of influencing factors based on a geographically and temporally weighted regression (GTWR) model and boosted regression tree (BRT) machine learning algorithm. The findings indicated that grain production and CNPP have been increasing, but the overall spatial pattern of cold hotspots has not changed obviously in the BSRNC from 2000 to 2020. The SMI has shown a decreasing trend, indicating that the synergistic development of grain production and CNPP has been obvious, which plays an important role in sustainable food supply capacity. Agricultural production and the natural environment have always been critical factors influencing the spatial mismatch. Specifically, the marginal impact of fertilizer application has undergone a shift. This study may provide new clues for the formulation of regional strategies for sustainable food supply and black soil cropland system protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main goal of the study is to study the ecological origin, lifestyle, species diversity of wheat and barley samples, which are of strategic importance, ensuring the economic security of the country, forming the main and irreplaceable food of people. In the soil-climatic conditions of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, intensive technology elements (fertilizing, soil cultivation, selection of varieties, sowing period, sowing method, sowing norm, irrigation methods and duration, plant protection) are applied both individually and in a complex manner. Biological characteristics, assessment, their comparative characteristic and continuous study of high-quality and productive varieties of wheat and barley, suitable for local soil and climatic conditions, resistant to unfavorable factors of the external environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article is devoted to the study of the state of production, processing and storage of grain in the Vinnytsia region. The objectives of the research were to monitor the collected areas and gross harvests of the main crops in 2011-2021, establish the trends of their changes, analyze the capacities of transport and technological equipment and granaries of the region. The analysis was conducted on the basis of data from the State Statistics Service of Ukraine for 2011-2021. The analysis of harvested areas and gross harvests of grain of the main crops at agricultural enterprises of the region in 2011–2021 showed their tendency to increase. During this period, harvested areas increased by 1.42 times, and annual volumes of gross grain harvests had a wave-like growth pattern. Linear trend equations are proposed for forecasting harvested areas and gross grain harvests, which are characterized by coefficients of determination R2 of 0.79 and 0.65, respectively. The largest gross harvests were given by corn, wheat and sunflower, and smaller – by barley, soybeans and rapeseed. In 2018-2021, the gross harvest of these crops was within the following limits (thousand tons): corn 2015-2620, wheat 1200-1691, and sunflower 755-1001. 66 enterprises receive grain from vehicles, and 65 forward it. The average capacity of receiving grain is 3032.41 t/day, and forwarding 1183.61 t/day. There are 21 railway transport enterprises hiring, and 55 enterprises offering leave. The average capacity of receiving devices from the railway is 949.52 t/day, and the output capacity is 1448.69 t/day. 111 grain dryers from 11 producing countries are installed at the considered 53 enterprises of the region. Of them, 18.9% of enterprises have dryers of Ukrainian production only, 20.8% of enterprises have both domestic and foreign ones, but the majority of enterprises have dryers of foreign production only, which are 1.85 times more than the number of Ukrainian made dryers. It was established that 82 separators are used for grain cleaning at 37 elevators, most of which (63%) are domestically produced, which outnumber imported ones by 1.73 times. The total capacity of simultaneous storage of grain in 67 elevators of agricultural enterprises is 3554.35 thousand tons, of which 2449.41 thousand tons have harvesting elevators and 1104.94 thousand tons – production elevators. Their simultaneous storage capacity is less than the forecast values of gross grain harvests in 2022 – 6354.2 thousand tons, which requires the expansion of the elevator network of the Vinnytsia region.

Analysis of grain production performance can provide reference information to explore multiple cropping options and further improve the resource use efficiency of farming methods. This study investigated the spatiotemporal dynamics of grain production performance and efficiency of major crop production systems (CPS) in the Ethiopia's Blue Nile Basin. The results show that only 39% of the basin is currently cultivated, although a significant cropland expansion (10%) was recorded between 1985 and 2020. The study identified 11 major CPS, mostly practiced in the basin. Of these, single cropping based on the main rainy season (Meher-Only) covers the largest area (26%), followed by Meher-Residual-Intermittent (12%) and Meher-Belg-Dependable (11%). Extended-Meher, Meher-Residual-Dependable, Meher-Residual-Intermittent, and Meher-Belg-Dependable are the four more powerful CPS with higher efficiency. Comparatively, CPS practiced in Wet-Woyna-Dega and Wet-Dega have better overall performance. Findings confirm that agricultural space management (land) and green-water (rainfall) utilization are the most influential factors, followed by land use planning and land use systems (CPS) invention. As landscape suitability for grain production governs future performance, in the low elevation and flood plains parts of the basin, the possibility of creating additional space into the food system is very high. In mountainous and high-altitude regions, the efficiency of grain production will decrease because incorporating additional arable land into the food system is trivial. In the last three decades, in BNB, only 10% of arable land (equivalent to 30 million quintals of food) has been added to the good system, which can support approximately 6 million people. Compared to the population growth of the basin (12 million 1985–2020), its contribution to the food system was less than 50%. This confirms that multiple cropping systems, such as Residual moisture-based CPS, have played a significant role in boosting the food system in the basin. Therefore, improving grain production performance/efficiency requires targeted investments, including the invention of more adaptable crop varieties, efficient cropping practices, and the introduction of advanced agricultural space and water management technologies. The results of the study will help identify important policy gaps and suggest possible options to enhance residual farming and other multiple cropping systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excessive nitrogen (N) fertilization harms the diversity, structure, and function of the soil microbiome. Yet, whether such adverse effects can be repaired through reducing the subsequent N fertilization rate remains not completely clear so far. Here, using a long-term N-overfertilized wheat-maize cropping field, we assessed the effect of reducing various proportions of the subsequent N fertilization rate over six years on crop productivity, soil physicochemical and biochemical properties, and microbiome. Five treatments were employed in our field experiment: the farmers' conventional N fertilization rate (zero reduction, as a control) and the reduction in the farmers' N rate by 20%, 40%, 60%, and 100%. The results showed that moderate N reduction (20–40%) enhanced crop productivity and soil fertility but did not affect soil enzyme activity. Soil bacterial and fungal community diversity were insensitive to N fertilization reduction, whereas their community structures changed significantly, with more prominent alteration in the fungal community. Functional prediction indicated that average relative abundance of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi increased with N fertilization reduction but that of ectomycorrhizal fungi decreased. Moderate N reduction (20–40%) enhanced species interactions and, thus, provided a more complex cross-kingdom microbial co-occurrence network. Both bacterial and fungal community assembly were governed by stochastic processes, and this was not altered by N fertilization reduction. Overall, the response of the soil microbiome to N fertilization reduction was greatly dependent on the reduced N proportion. The findings obtained here shed light on the importance of optimal N fertilization rate in the intensively cultivated, high-input grain production system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Science & Technology of Cereals, Oils & Foods is the property of Science & Technology of Cereals, Oils & Foods Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

One of the most challenging aspects of agricultural pest control is accurate detection of insects in crops. Inadequate control measures for insect pests can seriously impact the production of corn and soybean plantations. In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms have been extensively used for detecting insect pests in the field. In this line of research, this paper introduces a method to detect four key insect species that are predominant in Brazilian agriculture. Our model relies on computer vision techniques, including You Only Look Once (YOLO) and Detectron2, and adapts them to lightweight formats—TensorFlow Lite (TFLite) and Open Neural Network Exchange (ONNX)—for resource-constrained devices. Our method leverages two datasets: a comprehensive one and a smaller sample for comparison purposes. With this setup, the authors aimed at using these two datasets to evaluate the performance of the computer vision models and subsequently convert the best-performing models into TFLite and ONNX formats, facilitating their deployment on edge devices. The results are promising. Even in the worst-case scenario, where the ONNX model with the reduced dataset was compared to the YOLOv9-gelan model with the full dataset, the precision reached 87.3%, and the accuracy achieved was 95.0%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stability and yield of barley grain are affected by several factors, such as climatic conditions, fertilisation, and the different barley varieties. In a long-term experiment in Prague, Czech Republic, established in 1955, we analysed the weather trends and how weather, fertilisation (10 treatments in total), and different barley varieties affected grain yield and stability. A total of 44 seasons were evaluated. Trends in mean, minimum, and maximum temperatures from 1953 to 2023, as well as sunshine duration from 1961 to 2022, showed statistically significant increases. The trend for annual precipitation from 1953 to 2023 was not significant, but changes in precipitation were recorded via seasonal precipitation concentration indexes. The unfertilised Control and farmyard manure (FYM) provided the lowest mean yields. Mineral fertilisers (NPK) and FYM+NPK increased grain yield, ranging from 4.9 t ha−1 to 5.5 t ha−1. Three notable correlations between weather conditions and yields were observed: (1) June precipitation (r = 0.4), (2) minimal temperature in July (r = 0.3), and (3) sunshine duration in May (r = −0.5). According to the linear–plateau response model, the reasonable N dose is 55 kg ha−1, resulting in a mean yield of 6.7 t ha−1 for the contemporarily used barley variety Sebastián. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive examination of the differences in food production and the spatio-temporal evolution characteristics from the county scale is an important reference value for improving China's grain production and guaranteeing food security issues. The spatio-temporal pattern and distributional dynamic evolution of China's grain production were investigated based on data from 2 545 county scales from 2000 to 2020, using standard deviation ellipse, three-stage nested Theil index and stochastic Kernel density estimation etc methods. The results showed that, the overall level of China's grain production rose at a slow pace, the growth rate of food production showed an obvious fluctuating trend from 2000 to 2020, and China's grain production would remain stable but the growth rate of fgrain production would decline slightly over a long period of time in the future. In terms of spatial distribution pattern, the center of grain production in China was moving to the northwest, showing the directionality of northeasts-outhwest, and the development dispersion of southeast-northwest. In terms of spatial difference, the overall difference in China's grain production was showing an increasingly high level, and although the contribution rate of county difference in China's grain production had decreased from 49.94% to 29.51%, the county scale was still the most important source of the overall difference. Therefore, spatial differences were mainly dominated by county differences, followed by inter-provincial differences, inter-municipal differences and inter-regional differences, respectively. In terms of spatial effect, China's grain production level showed a growing trend and the possibility of local convergence, and its spatial effect had continuity and had obvious positive correlation spatial effect under different time and county space. In coordination with the development trend and practical needs of China's regional economic structure transformation, the "double cycle" development pattern captured the differences in regional grain production resilience in detail, which was conducive to the formulation of reasonable and effective grain production policies tailored to the local conditions of each region, and was of great significance for steadily breaking through the grain production dilemma and coordinating grain production security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food security is crucial for national stability and public welfare. Since the 21st century, China’s grain production has been significantly influenced by the rapid process of urbanization. In this context, this paper systematically measures the multidimensional coupling patterns and dynamic coupling processes between urbanization and grain production from 2000 to 2022, and preliminarily summarizes the complex coupling mechanisms within the Chinese context. The goal is to provide scientific references for achieving high-quality coordinated development of urbanization and grain production in China. The study reveals the following key findings: (1) The coupling relationship between urbanization and grain production exhibits both regional heterogeneity and temporal variability, demonstrating specific levels of coupling and dynamic processes under distinct spatiotemporal conditions. (2) Between 2000 and 2022, both urbanization and grain production patterns in China underwent significant reconstruction, with the coupling coordination level displaying a long-term spatial pattern of “high in the north, low in the south; high in the east, low in the west.” Although there is an overall upward trend in coupling coordination states, spatial imbalances and dimensional heterogeneity persist. (3) Since the beginning of the 21st century, the dynamic coupling processes between provincial urbanization and grain production have primarily manifested as two types: simultaneous increase (with urbanization outpacing grain production) and urban increase accompanied by grain production decrease. Various dynamic coupling types exhibit significant spatial clustering, and the multidimensional dynamic coupling processes reveal notable similarities. (4) The evolution of coupling states demonstrates an overall trend of optimization, with clear bidirectional migration trends observed in coupling dynamics, primarily transitioning from simultaneous increase (urbanization outpacing grain production) to urban increase with grain production decrease, and vice versa. (5) The formation of the complex coupling relationship between urbanization and grain production in the Chinese context is fundamentally influenced by changes in population quantity and structure between urban and rural areas, shifts in land use, economic transformation, regional specialization, technological interactions, and factor mobility. These influences exhibit significant negative effects in the domains of population, land, and economy, while showcasing notable positive effects in terms of technology and factor mobility.

This study utilizes micro-level farm panel data from 2007 to 2012 to measure the technical efficiency of grain production among farms using a stochastic frontier analysis model. Additionally, it employs a two-way fixed effects model to empirically investigate the impact of fiscal support for agriculture on grain production technical efficiency and its underlying mechanisms. The results reveal significant room for improvement in the technical efficiency of grain production among Chinese farms, with increased fiscal support for agriculture demonstrating a substantial enhancement of their efficiency. This promoting effect only exists in the major grain-producing areas and increases with the increase of farm size. The augmentation of fiscal support for agriculture achieves this goal by augmenting modern agricultural input factors, alleviating financing constraints faced by farms, and optimizing agricultural production infrastructure. Our findings provide guidance for optimizing fiscal policy to support agriculture, promoting agricultural modernization, and achieving food security.

Amaranth is one of the ancient, so-called pseudo-cereal crops, the first mentions of it date back more than 8,000 years. Despite the sufficiently high study of amaranth and its wide distribution, according to the volume of its cultivation, it can be classified either as a niche crop or as a special purpose crop. Amaranth can be attributed to small-seeded grain crops, the grain has a rounded lenticular, oval-rounded shape with a diameter of 0.9 to 1.7 mm, the weight of 1000 grains is in the range of 0.6 to 1.1 g. Amaranth grains can be white, red, golden, black, or brown in color, with the white grain having the highest manufacturability. In Ukraine, up to 50 enterprises are engaged in the processing of amaranth, while receiving oil, cereals, flakes and flour, but at the moment, despite the high usefulness of these products, a permanent circle of its consumers has not yet been formed in our country, which in turn affects the volume of amaranth cultivation and volumes of its processing into food products. 15 varieties of amaranth are included in the register of plant varieties suitable for distribution on the territory of Ukraine, among which seven varieties are intended for grain. Sterkh, the forage amaranth variety, was the first to enter the Register... in 1994. In the following year, 1998, three amaranth varieties Atstek and Ul'tra and Kremovyi rannii were registered. It should be noted that the first two varieties are grain requirements according to the recommendations of the Register..., and the Kremovyi rannii variety is a fodder variety. In 1999, two more grain varieties of amaranth, Orkhideia and Polischuk, were registered. In 2000, the grain requirements variety Zhaivir was registered. In 2003, the Liera and Sem grain requirements varieties were registered, and in 2009, the Students'kyi variety. Indirectly, amaranth can be characterized by a mass fraction of protein up to 19%, fat up to 9%, carbohydrates up to 60 %, fiber up to 4 %, ash up to 3 %. An impeding factor in increasing the volume of amaranth grain processing is the lack of approved regulations and the lack of enterprises with the appropriate understanding of how to effectively clean amaranth grain from impurities, carry out dehulling, sorting of dehulling products and, most importantly, what kind of product range to produce. All this stops the wide spread of this crop in our country and, accordingly, amaranth products are not widely distributed compared to other traditional crops and are not well known to the domestic consumer.

Under the influence of global climate change, the climatic conditions of China's major agricultural regions have changed significantly over the last half-century, affecting regional grain production levels. With its favorable conditions for agricultural activities, China's central region has been a strategic location for grain production since ancient times and has assumed an essential responsibility for maintaining national grain security. However, the key concerns of this study are whether the national grain security pattern is stable and whether it might be affected by global climate change (especially climate instability and increased risks in recent years). Therefore, the present study collected grain production data and used descriptive statistical and geospatial analyses to reveal the trend and spatiotemporal pattern of grain production in China's central region from 2010 to 2020. Then, a further analysis was conducted by combining meteorological data with a geographically weighted regression (GWR) model to investigate the relationship between spatial differences in the output per unit of the grain sown area (OPUGSA). The findings were as follows: (1) The overall development trend of grain production in China's central region from 2010 to 2020 revealed a positive overall trend in grain production, with notable differences in growth rates between northern and southern provinces. (2) Most regions in the southern part of the central region from 2015 to 2020 showed varying degrees of total output of grain (TOG) and OPUGSA reduction, possibly affected by the effects of the anomalies for global climate change and a strong El Niño effect in 2015. (3) Low-low (L-L) clusters of TOG and OPUGSA indicators were consistently in the northwest part (Shanxi) of the central region, and high-high (H-H) clusters of TOG were consistently in the central part (Henan and Anhui) of the central region, but H-H clusters of OPUGSA were not stably distributed. (4) The fitting results of the GWR model showed a better fit compared to the ordinary least squares (OLS) model; it was found that the annual average temperature (AAT) had the greatest impact on OPUGSA, followed by annual sunshine hours (ASH) and annual precipitation (AP) last. The spatiotemporal analysis identified distinct clusters of productivity indicators. It suggested an expanding range of climate impact possibilities, particularly in exploring climate-resilient models of grain production, emphasizing the need for targeted adaptation strategies to bolster resilience and ensure agricultural security.

Abandoned cropland is a widespread issue globally, with the impacts of utilizing abandoned cropland, such as grain production and carbon emissions, raising increasing concern. However, existing studies have largely overlooked the potential spillover effects on other regions through grain flows when increasing grain production in one region by utilizing abandoned cropland. Therefore, this study aimed to comprehensively estimate the impacts of using winter fallow fields (a typical seasonal abandoned cropland) on grain production and carbon emissions, particularly its neglected spillover impact. Focusing on Zhejiang province, this study used remote sensing techniques to identify winter fallow fields in 2018 and then assessed the impact of using those winter fallow fields on grain production based on grain yield data from the FAO, as well as its local and spillover impacts on carbon emissions based on the Greenhouse Gas Emission Factor method and a transportation carbon emission model. The results indicate the following: (1) The winter fallow fields in Zhejiang cover 5,161,000 hectares, accounting for 40.8% of the total cropland, with a notable prevalence in Jiaxing, Huzhou, Jinhua, and Quzhou. (2) Using winter fallow fields would increase grain production by 1,870,000 tons. (3) At the same time, local carbon emissions would rise by 261,000 tons if using winter fallow fields, but this would be paired with a reduction of 668,000 tons of carbon emissions from other regions (that is, a spillover impact), reflecting a net reduction (−447,000 tons) in overall emissions. In conclusion, using winter fallow fields can achieve a 'win–win' effect, increasing grain production while reducing carbon emissions. This study highlights that the spillover effects of using winter fallow fields on carbon emissions significantly surpass the localized impact, underscoring a critical aspect that has been traditionally undervalued, which should be paid more attention when policymakers formulate and implement cropland use policies. This study not only contributes to the academic discourse on sustainable land management but also serves as a practical guide for policymakers seeking to optimize agricultural productivity while curtailing the carbon footprint, thereby advancing towards a more secure and environmentally responsible food system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grain production is an important element of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, regarding livelihoods and social stability. This article uses data on agricultural technology, social factor and grain production in China from 2011 to 2022, and uses the Generalized Additive Model (GAM) to deeply explore the nonlinear impact of agricultural technology and social factor on grain production. The results of the study show that (1) China's grain output is generally on a growing trend, but the growth rate is declining and fluctuating significantly. There is a significant difference in grain production before and after the COVID-19 epidemic. Moreover, the output in the northern region is significantly higher than that in the south. (2) Except for Consumption expenditure per capita, all other agricultural technology and social factor variables are positively correlated with grain out. (3) The impact of agricultural technology and social factor on grain output shows significant non-linear characteristics, and its impact effect varies in different intervals. Specifically, When the value of the agricultural meteorological observation service station is 20-25, the effective irrigation area is greater than 1800, consumption expenditure per capita greater than 17000 and the total sowing area of crops is 7500, it can significantly increase grain yield. On the contrary, if the emission value of chemical oxygen demand exceeds 130, it has a significant inhibitory effect on grain yield. Furthermore, the effect on grain yield peaks when the total power of agricultural machinery, GDP, and the number of unemployed people in cities approach 3000, 10000, and 20, respectively. The results of the study provide an important basis for optimizing the allocation of agricultural resources and enhancing the efficiency of grain production. Finally, some practical policy recommendations are put forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Science & Technology of Cereals, Oils & Foods is the property of Science & Technology of Cereals, Oils & Foods Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Under the influence of global climate change, the climatic conditions of China's major agricultural regions have changed significantly over the last half-century, affecting regional grain production levels. With its favorable conditions for agricultural activities, China's central region has been a strategic location for grain production since ancient times and has assumed an essential responsibility for maintaining national grain security. However, the key concerns of this study are whether the national grain security pattern is stable and whether it might be affected by global climate change (especially climate instability and increased risks in recent years). Therefore, the present study collected grain production data and used descriptive statistical and geospatial analyses to reveal the trend and spatiotemporal pattern of grain production in China's central region from 2010 to 2020. Then, a further analysis was conducted by combining meteorological data with a geographically weighted regression (GWR) model to investigate the relationship between spatial differences in the output per unit of the grain sown area (OPUGSA). The findings were as follows: (1) The overall development trend of grain production in China's central region from 2010 to 2020 revealed a positive overall trend in grain production, with notable differences in growth rates between northern and southern provinces. (2) Most regions in the southern part of the central region from 2015 to 2020 showed varying degrees of total output of grain (TOG) and OPUGSA reduction, possibly affected by the effects of the anomalies for global climate change and a strong El Niño effect in 2015. (3) Low-low (L-L) clusters of TOG and OPUGSA indicators were consistently in the northwest part (Shanxi) of the central region, and high-high (H-H) clusters of TOG were consistently in the central part (Henan and Anhui) of the central region, but H-H clusters of OPUGSA were not stably distributed. (4) The fitting results of the GWR model showed a better fit compared to the ordinary least squares (OLS) model; it was found that the annual average temperature (AAT) had the greatest impact on OPUGSA, followed by annual sunshine hours (ASH) and annual precipitation (AP) last. The spatiotemporal analysis identified distinct clusters of productivity indicators. It suggested an expanding range of climate impact possibilities, particularly in exploring climate-resilient models of grain production, emphasizing the need for targeted adaptation strategies to bolster resilience and ensure agricultural security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grain production (GP) is inherently dependent on ecosystem services (ESs). However, the increasing grain demand heightens the conflict between ESs and GP. This tension is further fueled by unstable natural, socio-economic, and political factors. To reconcile this issue and promote their mutual growth, quantifying the extent to which ESs support GP is essential. This study is designed to present a scientific method for measuring the impact of ESs on GP, thereby enhancing the objectivity and scientific rigor of strategies for ecological and food security. This study, by deconstructing the functional relationship between ESs and GP, employs the Super-SBM model to analyze the mathematical relationships between them, thereby achieving the quantification of the efficiency of ESs in supporting GP. The findings reveal the following key points: (1) the Super-SBM model offers a viable and scientifically robust approach for quantifying the supporting efficiency of ESs on GP; (2) the supporting efficiency of ESs for GP in 93.94% of the counties in the Hengduan Mountainous Region (HMR) is less than 1, indicating that both the efficiency and capacity of regional ESs to support GP are relatively low; (3) an obvious spatial mismatch in allocation is evident between the provision of ESs and the demands of GP in the HMR, which leading to regional supply–demand imbalance; (4) the slack relationships and quantity between ESs and grain output assessed by the Super-SBM model provide a scientific basis and optimization direction for crafting sustainable development strategies between ESs and GP. Supporting efficiency research, as an exploration of the relationship between ESs and GP in the quantitative dimension, represents a deepening of qualitative research, it serves to enhance the scientific basis for sustainable development decisions in the ecological environment and agricultural production, holding a certain degree of positive significance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Expansion of urban green space (UGS) enhances greenery and its benefits in cities. However, the impacts of such expansions on regional landscape sustainability and their spatiotemporal traits across the national scale remain unclear. Objectives: This study uncovers a trade-off between agricultural ecosystem services and urban human well-being—the loss of grain production due to UGS expansion consuming cropland—in China from 2000 to 2020. It proposes a safety boundary for UGS expansion to minimize the costs of grain production while addressing the escalating demand for UGS exposure. Methods: UGS expansion and cropland loss are quantified using land cover products, with statistical data contributing to the established relationship between grain loss and UGS coverage. UGS expansion scenarios for 2040 are simulated through bottom-up modeling. Results: Quadrupled UGS area growth contributed approximately one-third to urban expansion during 2000–2020 in China. Despite improvements in per capita UGS area implying enhanced UGS exposure during rapid urbanization, UGS expansion resulted in a national grain production loss of 4.2 ± 1.4 million t from 2000 to 2020, accelerating post-2010. This loss is equivalent to the annual food intake of 9.3 million Chinese people. We propose a 30.87% UGS coverage target in China by 2040 to preserve UGS access while minimizing grain loss under future urbanization. Conclusions: Acknowledging the critical role of UGS expansion in the issue of cropland loss to urbanization is imperative. Our results offer insights into ensuring human well-being and ecosystem services through landscape and urban planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cultivated land is the most important carrier of grain production. Quantity, quality, and utilization rate can also determine the production capacity of grain for national grain security. Among them, agricultural carbon emission has been one of the important sources of greenhouse gases. There is a complex logical relationship among land use, land use carbon reduction, and grain production under the strategic context of climate change response to the overall layout of ecological civilization. In response to the growing demand for grain, agricultural production factors in the short term have caused ecological pollution and carbon emissions in cultivated land. The demand for diversified agricultural products has also intensified the excessive investment of production resources, further deteriorating the ecological environment of cultivated land and carbon emissions. Therefore, this study aims to explore the relationship between cultivated land utilization and grain production in the context of carbon emission constraints, in order to reveal the complex logical relationship among the three elements of "soil-carbon-grain". The challenges were also proposed to sustainably utilize the cultivated land under the goals of grain security and carbon emission reduction. Furthermore, the optimal paths were constructed to promote the green transformation and upgrading of cultivated land use for better grain production. The results showed that: (1) A complex "soilcarbon-grain" factor system was obtained to form the logical connection between cultivated land utilization and grain production under carbon emission constraints. (2) The carbon reduction was implemented to utilize the cultivated land under current agricultural production. There were uncertain impacts on national grain security. But the ever-increasing grain production still resulted in a large amount of carbon emissions. (3) There was a better balance between cultivated land utilization and grain production under carbon emission constraints. A coordinated optimal path was established for the "soilcarbon-grain" elements from three aspects: cultivated land protection, carbon reduction, and grain production. The cultivated land resources were allocated to construct a carbon trading market for the structure of grain production. According to the current agricultural production, it was still feasible to coordinate the "Carbon Peaking and Carbon Neutrality" goals with grain security goals, although there was a high degree of uncertainty on carbon emissions that were reduced from cultivated land utilization. The proportion and quantity of input were optimized from the factors of grain production, in order to implement the "Trinity" protection system for the cultivated land, differentiated carbon reduction for cultivated land use, and stable support of agricultural funding. A mature trading market of agricultural carbon was established to innovate the green technologies of agricultural production. The carbon emissions were reduced from the cultivated land use for the national grain security, the carbon sequestration emission reduction potential of cultivated land, and grain production. It is very necessary to plan the spatial patterns of cultivated land using various policy tools, in order to promote the sustainable and synergistic development of low-carbon and green utilization of cultivated land and national food security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coordinated development of water and soil resource matching and grain production is essential to enhance integrated grain production capacity and promote sustainable development in agriculture. Based on the perspective of a water footprint, this article empirically evaluates the coupling coordination relationship between water and soil resource matching and grain production in typical black soil areas in Northeast China using the coupled coordination degree and the obstacle model and further analyzes the obstacle factors that affect the coordination between the two systems. The results indicate that the blue water footprint, green water footprint, and total water footprint of five grain crops are increasing year by year. Soybean has the largest water footprint per unit mass, tubers have the smallest, and rice has the largest water footprint among cereals. The overall matching degree of water and soil resources in the study area is steadily increasing. However, there are significant differences in the water and soil resource matching coefficients between regions, with the highest being observed in Hegang City and the lowest being observed in Jiamusi City. Coupling remains at a high level and coupling coordination shifts from a low–middle–high to a middle–high stage. The correlation between soil and water resource matching and grain production systems is of significant importance. The degree of matching between water and soil resources serves as the primary obstacle affecting the coupling and coordinated development of integrated systems, which fundamentally restricts the sustainable development of regional agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Amaranth is one of the ancient, so-called pseudo-cereal crops, the first mentions of it date back more than 8,000 years. Despite the sufficiently high study of amaranth and its wide distribution, according to the volume of its cultivation, it can be classified either as a niche crop or as a special purpose crop. Amaranth can be attributed to small-seeded grain crops, the grain has a rounded lenticular, oval-rounded shape with a diameter of 0.9 to 1.7 mm, the weight of 1000 grains is in the range of 0.6 to 1.1 g. Amaranth grains can be white, red, golden, black, or brown in color, with the white grain having the highest manufacturability. In Ukraine, up to 50 enterprises are engaged in the processing of amaranth, while receiving oil, cereals, flakes and flour, but at the moment, despite the high usefulness of these products, a permanent circle of its consumers has not yet been formed in our country, which in turn affects the volume of amaranth cultivation and volumes of its processing into food products. 15 varieties of amaranth are included in the register of plant varieties suitable for distribution on the territory of Ukraine, among which seven varieties are intended for grain. Sterkh, the forage amaranth variety, was the first to enter the Register... in 1994. In the following year, 1998, three amaranth varieties Atstek and Ul'tra and Kremovyi rannii were registered. It should be noted that the first two varieties are grain requirements according to the recommendations of the Register..., and the Kremovyi rannii variety is a fodder variety. In 1999, two more grain varieties of amaranth, Orkhideia and Polischuk, were registered. In 2000, the grain requirements variety Zhaivir was registered. In 2003, the Liera and Sem grain requirements varieties were registered, and in 2009, the Students'kyi variety. Indirectly, amaranth can be characterized by a mass fraction of protein up to 19%, fat up to 9%, carbohydrates up to 60 %, fiber up to 4 %, ash up to 3 %. An impeding factor in increasing the volume of amaranth grain processing is the lack of approved regulations and the lack of enterprises with the appropriate understanding of how to effectively clean amaranth grain from impurities, carry out dehulling, sorting of dehulling products and, most importantly, what kind of product range to produce. All this stops the wide spread of this crop in our country and, accordingly, amaranth products are not widely distributed compared to other traditional crops and are not well known to the domestic consumer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analysis of grain production performance can provide reference information to explore multiple cropping options and further improve the resource use efficiency of farming methods. This study investigated the spatiotemporal dynamics of grain production performance and efficiency of major crop production systems (CPS) in the Ethiopia’s Blue Nile Basin. The results show that only 39% of the basin is currently cultivated, although a significant cropland expansion (10%) was recorded between 1985 and 2020. The study identified 11 major CPS, mostly practiced in the basin. Of these, single cropping based on the main rainy season (Meher-Only) covers the largest area (26%), followed by Meher-Residual-Intermittent (12%) and Meher-Belg-Dependable (11%). Extended-Meher, Meher-Residual-Dependable, Meher-Residual-Intermittent, and Meher-Belg-Dependable are the four more powerful CPS with higher efficiency. Comparatively, CPS practiced in Wet-Woyna-Dega and Wet-Dega have better overall performance. Findings confirm that agricultural space management (land) and green-water (rainfall) utilization are the most influential factors, followed by land use planning and land use systems (CPS) invention. As landscape suitability for grain production governs future performance, in the low elevation and flood plains parts of the basin, the possibility of creating additional space into the food system is very high. In mountainous and high-altitude regions, the efficiency of grain production will decrease because incorporating additional arable land into the food system is trivial. In the last three decades, in BNB, only 10% of arable land (equivalent to 30 million quintals of food) has been added to the good system, which can support approximately 6 million people. Compared to the population growth of the basin (12 million 1985–2020), its contribution to the food system was less than 50%. This confirms that multiple cropping systems, such as Residual moisture-based CPS, have played a significant role in boosting the food system in the basin. Therefore, improving grain production performance/efficiency requires targeted investments, including the invention of more adaptable crop varieties, efficient cropping practices, and the introduction of advanced agricultural space and water management technologies. The results of the study will help identify important policy gaps and suggest possible options to enhance residual farming and other multiple cropping systems.

Objective evaluation and in-depth systematic analysis of the effectiveness of implementing a grain support policy series represent an important entry point for improving incentives to grow food, improving grain production support and protection systems, and guaranteeing national food security. Thus, we collected and organized grain support policies during the study period according to the government work reports of 31 provinces in China from 2001 to 2022 and applied a two-way fixed-effects model based on the variables constructed using textual analysis to further explore the effects of a range of grain support policies on grain production gains. The conclusions are as follows: (1) grain support policies significantly contributed to an increase in grain production; (2) grain production gains from grain support policies are more pronounced in less industrialized and disaster-affected areas; (3) a mechanism analysis showed that grain support policies enhanced grain production by expanding the scale of food cultivation, upgrading agricultural mechanization, and strengthening soil erosion control; and (4) further analysis showed that grain support policies increased pesticide use. These conclusions are of great significance for improving grain production support and protection systems, enhancing incentives for farmers to grow food and for local governments to control food, and achieving the goal of food security.

Introduction: The impact of farm machinery outsourcing services (FMOS) on grain production has been extensively studied in the literature. However, whether FMOS would adjust cropping structures and ensure food security is little known. To address this research gap, we analyzed the impact of FMOS on the cropping structure adjustment and grain production of farmers. Methods: We estimate the impact of FMOS on grain production by using data collected from a survey of 3,863 wheat farmers in China. We employ the Extended Regression Model (ERM) to address selectivity bias. Results and discussion: The empirical results show that FMOS can adjust the cropping structure and increase the proportion of household food cultivation. Among all segments of FMOS, fertilizer application services drive the increase in grain acreage more significantly. We also find that large-scale households prefer to self-purchase farm machinery rather than FMOS, leading to an insignificant impact of FMOS on cropping structure. Therefore, in the process of promoting the development of FMOS, we should focus on the coordinated development of various types of FMOS, strengthen the popularization and application of fertilization services, and formulate a differentiated subsidy policy for heterogeneous farmers in terms of scale to better play the role of agricultural machinery in promoting grain production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Grain production at the regional level is related to the strategic development orientation of the country as a whole, and maintaining the stability of grain production is of great importance in ensuring the sustainable development of the food system. Studying the potential imbalance differences resulting from the spatial and temporal development of grain production and its driving factors will help to reduce the contradiction between the rapid development of the urban economy and the inappropriate use of arable land resources, thus coordinating regional agricultural development and further clarifying the direction and focus of future food security construction work. Methods: This study focuses on the potential imbalance differences based on spatial and temporal development of grain production in Jiangsu Province during the period 1990-2020, and explores the spatial and temporal patterns and driving mechanisms of grain production spatial autocorrelation model and spatial error model are applied to analysis the spatial and temporal characteristics of grain production and security in Jiangsu Province and their influencing factors. Results: The results are as follows: (1) The total amount of food in Jiangsu Province increased by 17.36% during the 30-year period, but the growth rate was lower than the national average. (2) Regional differences are significant, with a significant decline in grain production in southern Jiangsu and growth in northern and central Jiangsu. (3) The center of gravity for grain production has shifted to northern Jiangsu. (4) Grain production is significantly correlated with socio-economic factors such as per capita ownership, sown area, irrigated area, and cultivated area. Discussion: To ensure the sustainability of food production in the future, attention should be paid to the risk of imbalance in regional food production, coordination of socio-economic factors, promotion of efficient agricultural production, improvement of the relevant policy system and optimization of the food production system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To reveal the level and variation characteristics of China ′s grain production eco-efficiency, this paper estimates the grain ecoefficiency of 30 provinces from 2000 to 2021 based on the super-efficiency SBM model, reveals its evolution characteristics through nonparametric kernel density analysis, and analyzes its influencing factors through fixed effect model. The results show that: from the perspective of grain eco-efficiency level, China ′s grain eco-efficiency increased from 0.662 to 0.787 from 2000 to 2021, with an average annual increase of 0.827%. The change trend of grain eco-efficiency in the main production area and the production and marketing balance area is similar to the national level, while the main sales area is far lower than the national average; from the perspective of the evolution of spatial and temporal patterns, China ′ s grain eco-efficiency has long been polarized between high-high agglomeration and low-low agglomeration, and has gradually gathered to a higher level over time, showing the characteristics that the north is higher than the south, and the major producing areas are higher than the non-main producing areas. Among the influencing factors, the influence of per capita GDP and grain operation scale is significantly positive, and the influence of chemical fertilizer application intensity, agricultural machinery intensity and natural disasters is significantly negative. The research shows that the overall level of China ′s grain eco-efficiency is still low and the regional gap is large. Most provinces have not reached the efficiency frontier, and there is a large room for improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Although China's grain production has reached nineteen consecutive harvests, the uncertainty of the current domestic and international environment has put more pressure on further increasing grain production in the future. For the past few years, agricultural socialization services have been crucial in boosting grain production and farmers' revenue by addressing the issue of land cultivation and farming methods. In this regard, the question of whether and how agricultural socialized services may resolve the present grain production conundrum is extremely practical. Therefore, the study employs the China Rural Revitalization Survey data of 3709 households. Based on the 2SLS model, stepwise regression method, and moderated effects model, it creatively takes into account a variety of agricultural production segments, investigates the mechanism of services on grain production from the standpoint of improved production efficiency and plot concentration, and further examines the effects of aging populations and regional variations in grain production areas. The study found the following: (1) The average proportion of grain production area of farmers in the sample is 49%, and 42% of farmers have purchased agricultural socialization services. (2) Agricultural socialization services can significantly promote farmers' grain cultivation behavior by facilitating connected transfers in and inhibiting connected transfers out to take advantage of plot concentration, and boosting the use of agricultural machines to enhance output efficiency. (3) The aging of the agricultural population will, to a certain extent, strengthen the promoting effect of agricultural socialization services on grain cultivation. Agricultural socialization services affect grain cultivation more in main grain-producing areas. Therefore, emphasizing the role of agricultural socialization services in accelerating the shift to moderate-scale operations, decreasing the non-grain component of the planting structure, and promoting the implementation of policies tailored to actual production needs are important steps to safeguard the production capacity of grain in different regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Legumes represent crops with multiple values at the farm level, from an economic and ecological point of view. The study evaluated the variation of biological yield, grain production and some productivity elements in field peas. The research took place in ARDS Lovrin, Romania. The experiment was organized under the conditions of a cambic chernoziom type soil, in a non-irrigated system. The 'Boxer' pea cultivar was cultivated. Fertilization was done with phosphorus, applied in autumn, in five concentrations (0, 40, 80, 120 and 160 kg ha-1 a.s.; a.s. - active substance). On each phosphorus level, nitrogen was applied in spring in five doses (0, 25, 50, 75 and 100 kg ha-1 a.s.). The combination of the two fertilizers resulted in 25 experimental variants, in four repetitions. Biological yield recorded values BY=0.800 - 1.640±0.046 kg m-2. Pea grains production recorded values PgP=0.091 - 0.604±0.031 kg m-2. Pea stalks varied between PS=0.584 - 1.026±0.026 kg m-2. Secondary pea production varied between PsP=0.659 - 1.127±0.027 kg m-2. Correlation of variable intensity was recorded between determined parameters. Based on PCA, PC1 explained 72.664% of variance, and PC2 explained 27.217% of variance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study evaluated 80 corn genotypes based on grain production under comparative crop conditions. The research took place within the ARSD Lovrin, Romania. The culture of the 80 corn genotypes was carried out in non-irrigated conditions. The hybrids were numbered in the form C01 to C80 (C - corn; 01 to 80 - genotype number). The height of the corn plants (PH) varied between PH = 2.05 - 2.71±0.02 m. The height of corn ear insertion (EIH) varied between EIH = 0.74 - 1.25±0.01 m. The weight of one thousand grains (TGW) varied between TGW = 230.10 - 345.20±2.95 g. The hectoliter weight (HW) varied between HW = 75.20 - 84.45±0.21 kg. Grain production (Y) varied between Y = 5,027.00 - 10,169.00±120.29 kg ha-1. Under the aspect of the variability of the studied parameters values, based on the coefficient of variation (CV), a high value of variation was recorded in the case of production (CV=14.55874), followed by the variability within the EIH parameter (CV=11.14396), the TGW parameter (CV= 9.05588), PH (CV=5.67716) and HW (CV=2.39561). The multivariate analysis (PCA) led to the distribution diagram and principal component (PC1, PC2) explained the variance (PC1 = 44.857%; PC2 = 21.495%). The cluster analysis (CA) led to the obtaining of the dendrogram of the grouping of the maize genotypes in relation to the main parameters. The variation of production in relation to plants parameters (PH, EIH), and corn grains quality (TGW, HW) was described mathematically and in the form of graphic models, under statistical safety conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this research is to justify the feasibility of using digital intelligent technologies in forecasting the development of net blotch in winter barley. The developed AI solution is a binary decision tree that can predict scenarios of net blotch development: depressive, moderate, and epiphytotic development. To configure the algorithm parameters, we carried out field and laboratory experiments at the Federal Scientific Center for Biological Plant Protection from 2021 to 2023. The preparation of data involved several stages, including setting up of field plots to create an artificial infection background as well as the preparation of an inoculum, sowing of highly susceptible and resistant winter barley varieties, and artificial inoculation. The selected input factors included the observed degree of leaf damage, type of variety resistance, vegetation phase at the time of primary infection, and average relative air humidity during the vegetation phase of infection. The total sample size was 144 observations. The trained model has demonstrated a high classification accuracy on both the training and test datasets at an accuracy rate of more than 96%. Based on the statistical estimate of the significance of the factors influencing the development of net blotch in barley, it is shown that the most influential factor is the current degree of leaf infection (74.3%), followed by the average relative air humidity (11.9%), the resistance of the variety to the disease (10.4%), and the development stage during which infection occurred (3.4%). The proposed solution has a significant practical importance since it provides new opportunities for the diagnostic process of net blotch in winter barley, including high diagnostic rate, accuracy in forecast predictions, and applicability in field conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Millet grain is a promising crop for expanding the current assortment of cereal production products. Products of millet processing in the world include a wide range of food and feed products, as well as biofuel produced on the basis of food production waste (husks). Groats, flakes, plucked grains, extruded food products are produced from millet, millet flour is widely used for the production of composite flour mixtures with baking flour, bakery and confectionery products, etc. In the Register of plant varieties suitable for distribution on the territory of Ukraine (Register) 35 varieties of common millet Panicum miliaceum L., which can be used as a food grain, are registered. The most common millet variety in Ukraine is Myronіvs'ke 51. It was entered into the Register in 1978. Indirectly, depending on varietal characteristics and growing conditions, millet can contain 8-18% protein, 3-5% fat, 59-69% carbohydrates, 2-3% sugars, 1-3% fiber and 2-3% ash. The chemical composition of millet contains water-soluble vitamins B1, B2, B5, B6, B9, PP, and millet is also an important source of macroelements such as Cu, I, Br, Ca, Fe, Zn. One of the possible solutions for increasing the quantitative indicators of millet processing and increasing the yield values of finished products is the inclusion of water-heat treatment in the stage of grain preparation before husking. Conducting water-heat treatment makes it possible to strengthen the core and, accordingly, reduce by 5-7% the amount of formation at the dehulling and pearling stage of by-products and waste. The lack of a water-heat treatment stage in the traditional scheme is also due to the fact that at the time of publication and approval of the Rules, there was no technological equipment that would allow detecting and removing potentially damaged grains from the technological process effectively enough, especially considering the characteristics of millet grain. In addition, millet is the only crop in the range of which the Rules recommend producing only one type of groat. Taking into account the sufficiently balanced chemical composition of millet, there is a need to expand the range of products from this grain and justify their production modes, as well as to modernize and revise the existing technological process for the production of classic millet groats in the direction of using modern technological equipment, which will allow to increase the controllability of various stages of the technological process at simultaneous reduction of energy costs for production. Today, instant cereals or cereals that do not require cooking, flaked products and cereal breakfasts, muesli, cereal bars, multi-grain cereals, granola, etc. are widely popular in the World and also in Ukraine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although agricultural machinery is indispensable for modern agriculture, the effect of machinery structure on food production is rarely scrutinized. Machinery structure, referring to the proportion of high‐capacity machines which are represented by tractors with relatively high horsepower, is used to measure the scale of agricultural machinery. In response, this article investigates how agricultural machinery structurally impacts grain production theoretically and empirically, with particular emphasis on the effects of capacity structure and subsidy policy. The article estimates a Translog production function with a panel dataset covering 126 counties across Xinjiang and Hubei provinces in China from 2002 to 2012. Though we find the general elasticity of output with respect to machinery inputs is.03, the capacity structure of agricultural machines could impact agricultural production by inducing the reallocation of other input factors. Along with the upsizing of farming machines, we observe the complementarity between machinery horsepower and land inputs in production increases, while the joint effect of machinery and fertilizer decreases. The positive land channel is found in areas with fewer high‐capacity machines, while the negative fertilizer channel occurs when there are more large machines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stability and yield of barley grain are affected by several factors, such as climatic conditions, fertilisation, and the different barley varieties. In a long-term experiment in Prague, Czech Republic, established in 1955, we analysed the weather trends and how weather, fertilisation (10 treatments in total), and different barley varieties affected grain yield and stability. A total of 44 seasons were evaluated. Trends in mean, minimum, and maximum temperatures from 1953 to 2023, as well as sunshine duration from 1961 to 2022, showed statistically significant increases. The trend for annual precipitation from 1953 to 2023 was not significant, but changes in precipitation were recorded via seasonal precipitation concentration indexes. The unfertilised Control and farmyard manure (FYM) provided the lowest mean yields. Mineral fertilisers (NPK) and FYM+NPK increased grain yield, ranging from 4.9 t ha−1 to 5.5 t ha−1. Three notable correlations between weather conditions and yields were observed: (1) June precipitation (r = 0.4), (2) minimal temperature in July (r = 0.3), and (3) sunshine duration in May (r = −0.5). According to the linear–plateau response model, the reasonable N dose is 55 kg ha−1, resulting in a mean yield of 6.7 t ha−1 for the contemporarily used barley variety Sebastián.

With the increase of global warming, grain producers should consider emission reduction in their production activities to move towards sustainable development. Besides the challenges of environmental sustainability, grain producers in developing countries face budget constraints for promoting their sustainability level. Moreover, sustainability strategies made by grain producers are not stable and are continually changing over time. This study proposes an evolutionary game model to investigate the evolutionary behaviours of a population of financially constrained producers in Iran who gain financial support from one dominant distributor based on their sustainability investment in the long term. This study develops a one-population evolutionary game model to investigate different strategies of producers towards sustainability, considering the time value of money. Moreover, using SimaPro 8.0.3 software, the impacts of non-renewable and renewable electricity consumption on global warming potential are evaluated through life cycle assessment for grain production. Results reveal that using biomass as the source of electricity instead of natural gas in the grain production reduces contribution to global warming potential from 269 kg CO2-eq to 18 kg CO2-eq. This study provides stakeholders who have environmental and social concerns (i.e. grain producers and agricultural production management entities) with insights into keeping their supply chain sustainable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Food production stands as a critical global concern necessitating comprehensive investigation. This study utilizes provincial-level data from China to explore the intricate relationships between farmland transfer, agricultural loans, and grain production, with the aim of shedding light on the complexities of these dynamics. Methods: A two-way fixed effects model and instrumental variable approach are applied to assess the interplay between farmland transfer, agricultural loans, and grain production. These methods provide a robust framework for understanding the complex relationships among these variables. Results and discussion: The study reveals a notable positive correlation between farmland transfer and grain production. Conversely, agricultural loans demonstrate a significantly negative impact on grain production. However, the positive interaction term between farmland transfer and agricultural loans suggests a nuanced relationship. While profit-driven financial activities may not inherently favor grain production, they contribute to more efficient utilization of farmland resources, ultimately promoting grain production. The findings underscore the significance of continued government support for rural land system reform and active guidance of farmland transfer. It is emphasized that a moderate-scale operation of farmland is crucial for finance to play a lubricating and catalytic role. Furthermore, there is a need to guide agricultural finance towards investing in medium and long-term projects of agricultural production. Attention is also directed to preventing potential food crises arising from the phenomenon of "non-farming" associated with agricultural loans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Environmental & Social Management Journal / Revista de Gestão Social e Ambiental is the property of Environmental & Social Management Journal and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Phosphorus, as a key nutrient, plays an essential role in both algal growth in surface waters and crop development on land. Its presence in inorganic fertilizers is crucial for maximizing crop yields. However, an excessive accumulation of phosphorus in soils can lead to its loss and exacerbate eutrophication in water bodies. This study highlights the complex interplay among phosphorus management, agricultural productivity, and environmental health, particularly in the context of climate change's influence on sediment transport and water pollution. We focus on the Poyang Lake Basin (PLB) and use a sophisticated process-based phosphorus model to forecast phosphorus load trends from 2020 to 2049. Our predictions indicate a significant increase in the total phosphorus load of the PLB due to the impact of climate change. To address these challenges, we explore a novel strategy combining organic and inorganic phosphorus fertilizers. This approach aims to improve crop yields while reducing non-point source phosphorus pollution through adjusted anthropogenic inputs. Our findings reveal that a synergistic application of these fertilizers, coupled with a controlled use of inorganic phosphate, can reduce its usage by more than 2.5% annually. This method not only contributes to a 2.2% average annual increase in livestock and poultry production but also promotes a 0.6% yearly growth in grain output. Consequently, it effectively diminishes non-point source phosphorus pollution, offering a sustainable solution to the dual challenge of enhancing agricultural productivity and protecting environmental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grain products are in the main place in ensuring food safety. The paper focuses on trends in the development of grain production in Azerbaijan. The analysis of food security, which is included in the list of global problems, taking into account the difficulties caused by the economic crisis, internal and external factors in the modern period, is quite relevant at the national level. The assessment of the availability of grain and grain products, which form the basis of food security, is the main resource of our research. An assessment of the availability of grain shows that the volume of its production is not enough to meet our domestic needs. Comparative analysis of new data on grain production, use and quality in Azerbaijan and determination of the most pressing tasks for solving the grain problem in accordance with world experience is very important. To this end, the article comprehensively analyzed the current state of grain production by analyzing the theoretical and methodological foundations of the development of grain production, identified and characterized the factors affecting grain production. In terms of ensuring food safety, the level of self-sufficiency with grain products was assessed. As a result, we tried to determine the perspective directions of the development of grain production in order to obtain a general result and ensure food security by examining the main reasons that slow down the development of grain production. Research method. During the research-observation, comparison, statistical analysis, grouping, constructive calculation methods were used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, agricultural remote sensing technology has made great progress. The availability of sensors capable of detecting electromagnetic energy and/or heat emitted by targets improves the pre-harvest process and therefore becomes an indispensable tool in the post-harvest phase. Therefore, we outline how remote sensing tools can support a range of agricultural processes from field to storage through crop yield estimation, grain quality monitoring, storage unit identification and characterization, and production process planning. The use of sensors in the field and post-harvest processes allows for accurate real-time monitoring of operations and grain quality, enabling decision-making supported by computer tools such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence algorithms. This way, grain producers can get ahead, track and reduce losses, and maintain grain quality from field to consumer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Located in the Yangtze River Delta region, Jiangsu Province has become the major grain production area of China and plays an important role in ensuring national food security. With rapid economic development and urbanization, the amount of cultivated land has decreased, which greatly affects food security. Based on the statistical data of grain production in Jiangsu Province since 2000 and the remote sensing data of 2000, 2010, and 2020, this paper used the stochastic frontier production function to calculate the output elasticity of various factors and the technical efficiency of grain production. The agglomeration effect of food production was investigated by using spatial correlation analysis. Finally, regression analysis was applied to examine the impact of land use change on grain yield and the technical efficiency of production. The results show that the grain-sown area is the decisive factor for the increase in grain output in Jiangsu Province. The technical efficiency of grain production in the province has been maintained at a relatively high level since 2000, showing a fluctuating upward trend, and the efficiency value in southern Jiangsu Province is greater than that in central and northern Jiangsu. The analysis of the spatial distribution characteristics of grain production technical efficiency shows that grain production has an agglomeration effect. The regression results showed that the complexity of land use and the density of the cultivated land patch were negatively correlated with grain yield and grain production technical efficiency, while the location of cultivated land was positively correlated with grain yield and grain production technical efficiency. The conclusion of this paper has important policy significance for promoting food production and ensuring food security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]