A review of Precision Agriculture as an aid to Nutrient Management in Intensive Grassland Areas in North West Europe

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 782-786 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Higgins ◽  
J. Schellberg ◽  
J. S. Bailey
Keyword(s):  
Precision Agriculture ◽  
Nutrient Management ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Soil Nutrient ◽  
Data Interpretation ◽  
North West ◽  
Market Structures ◽  
Food Industries ◽  
Technological Advances ◽  
Made In

Great technological advances have been made in Precision Agriculture (PA) in the past decade, yet adoption of PA in intensive grassland areas in North West Europe is low. This is despite the fact that in these areas the market structures are suitable and there are highly developed agricultural and food industries offering great potential for the application of new technology. Specific inefficiencies in plant nutrient management in soil exist, which are not only limiting grass yields but are also causing environmental deterioration. Soil nutrient management efficiency could be greatly improved using PA techniques, but the complexity of grassland systems, coupled with a lack of calibration of sensors specific to grassland, together with local barriers, appear to be the reasons why PA adoption is poor in these areas. This paper reviews new and existing technology including soil and crop sensors, navigation devices, remote sensing and unmanned aerial vehicles. The suitability and readiness of these technologies for adoption in grassland areas is discussed, along with data interpretation issues, future perspectives and research opportunities.

Microencapsulation and Nanoencapsulation: A Review

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Suganya ◽  
V. Anuradha
Keyword(s):  
Drug Release ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Inert Material ◽  
Food Industries ◽  
Control Drug ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Nano Scale ◽  
Pharmaceutical Industries ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Control Drug Release

Encapsulation is a process of enclosing the substances within an inert material which protects from environment as well as control drug release. Recently, two type of encapsulation has been performed in several research. Nanoencapsulation is the coating of various substances within another material at sizes on the nano scale. Microencapsulation is similar to nanoencapsulation aside from it involving larger particles and having been done for a greater period of time than nanoencapsulation. Encapsulation is a new technology that has wide applications in pharmaceutical industries, agrochemical, food industries and cosmetics. In this review, the difference between micro and nano encapsulation has been explained. This article gives an overview of different methods and reason for encapsulation. The advantages and disadvantages of micro and nano encapsulation technology were also clearly mentioned in this paper.

scholarly journals QVigourMap: A GIS Open Source Application for the Creation of Canopy Vigour Maps

Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 952
Author(s):  
Lia Duarte ◽  
Ana Cláudia Teodoro ◽  
Joaquim J. Sousa ◽  
Luís Pádua
Keyword(s):  
Open Source ◽  
Precision Agriculture ◽  
Vegetation Indices ◽  
Data Interpretation ◽  
Vegetation Monitoring ◽  
Distribution Maps ◽  
Monitoring Process ◽  
Multi Temporal ◽  
The Creation ◽  
The Right

In a precision agriculture context, the amount of geospatial data available can be difficult to interpret in order to understand the crop variability within a given terrain parcel, raising the need for specific tools for data processing and analysis. This is the case for data acquired from Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), in which the high spatial resolution along with data from several spectral wavelengths makes data interpretation a complex process regarding vegetation monitoring. Vegetation Indices (VIs) are usually computed, helping in the vegetation monitoring process. However, a crop plot is generally composed of several non-crop elements, which can bias the data analysis and interpretation. By discarding non-crop data, it is possible to compute the vigour distribution for a specific crop within the area under analysis. This article presents QVigourMaps, a new open source application developed to generate useful outputs for precision agriculture purposes. The application was developed in the form of a QGIS plugin, allowing the creation of vigour maps, vegetation distribution maps and prescription maps based on the combination of different VIs and height information. Multi-temporal data from a vineyard plot and a maize field were used as case studies in order to demonstrate the potential and effectiveness of the QVigourMaps tool. The presented application can contribute to making the right management decisions by providing indicators of crop variability, and the outcomes can be used in the field to apply site-specific treatments according to the levels of vigour.

scholarly journals From Nanoparticles to Cancer Nanomedicine: Old Problems with New Solutions

Nanomaterials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 1727
Author(s):  
Chi-Ling Chiang ◽  
Ming-Huei Cheng ◽  
Chih-Hsin Lin
Keyword(s):  
Surface Modification ◽  
Immune Responses ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Tumor Tissue ◽  
Developmental Process ◽  
Engineered Nanomaterials ◽  
Technological Advances ◽  
Cancer Nanomedicine ◽  
Made In ◽  
Target Cancer

Anticancer nanomedicines have been studied over 30 years, but fewer than 10 formulations have been approved for clinical therapy today. Despite abundant options of anticancer drugs, it remains challenging to have agents specifically target cancer cells while reducing collateral toxicity to healthy tissue. Nanocompartments that can be selective toward points deeply within malignant tissues are a promising concept, but the heterogeneity of tumor tissue, inefficiency of cargo loading and releasing, and low uniformity of manufacture required from preclinical to commercialization are major obstacles. Technological advances have been made in this field, creating engineered nanomaterials with improved uniformity, flexibility of cargo loading, diversity of surface modification, and less inducible immune responses. This review highlights the developmental process of approved nanomedicines and the opportunities for novel materials that combine insights of tumors and nanotechnology to develop a more effective nanomedicine for cancer patients.

Computerized Image Enhancement for Visually Impaired Persons: New Technology, New Possibilities

1986 ◽  
Vol 80 (7) ◽  
pp. 849-854
Author(s):  
E. Pell ◽  
L. E. Arend ◽  
G. T. Timberlake
Keyword(s):  
Image Enhancement ◽  
Visually Impaired ◽  
Transfer Functions ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Visual Degradation ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Visually Impaired Persons ◽  
Made In

Patients with age-related visual loss suffer reduced ability to recognize faces and other scenes in photographs and on television. Recently, progress has been made in image enhancement, using controlled distortion of digitally stored images that increases their usefulness in particular applications. Described are two approaches to image enhancement for the visually impaired. In one approach, the visual losses that characterize individual patients and disease classes are described using detailed measurements of visual degradation transfer functions, which are profiles of loss of image information at various spatial scales. The particular distortion used for image enhancement is then adjusted to the impairment of the individual patient or disease class. A second approach takes advantage of the resemblance between the visual losses of many patients and the degradation of picture information in other applications due to external limitations (e.g., fog and haze) on photography. Several enhancement algorithms have been found useful with such images and may also improve picture recognition by the visually impaired.

scholarly journals A Series of Humanly-Fashioned Flints Found in the Cliffs and on the Shore at Mundesley, Norfolk

1920 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 219-243
Author(s):  
J. Reid Moir
Keyword(s):  
Present Author ◽  
The South ◽  
North West ◽  
The North ◽  
Close Proximity ◽  
Made In

When visiting Mundesley, in Norfolk, in September, 1916, the present author found upon the shore, in close proximity to an exposure of clay which he now considers to be referable to the Cromer Forest Bed Series, a very finely-made and large flint flake, of human manufacture. This discovery induced him to again visit Mundesley, and during this year (1919) close upon three weeks have been spent in an examination of the stretch of cliffs and shore lying between Trimingham, to the north-west of Mundesley, and Bacton, which lies to the south-east.The author's researches have been greatly helped by the co-operation of three friends, Professor A. S. Barnes, Mr. Walter B. Nichols, and the Hon. Robert Gathorne-Hardy, who accompanied him to Mundesley, and to whom he offers his warmest thanks. He would, however, wish to make it clear that these gentlemen are in no way responsible for the statements made in this paper. For these the author is solely responsible.

scholarly journals Applicability of the Mehlich-3 method for the site-specific soil nutrient management in Northern Mozambique

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 138-146
Author(s):  
Fukuda Monrawee ◽  
Nakamura Satoshi ◽  
Nasukawa Hisashi ◽  
Naruo Kazuhiro ◽  
M. Ibraimo Momade ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nutrient Management ◽  
Soil Nutrient ◽  
Site Specific

scholarly journals Toward Zero Hunger Through Coupled Ecological Sanitation-Agriculture Systems

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Ryals ◽  
Elena Bischak ◽  
Katherine K. Porterfield ◽  
Steven Heisey ◽  
Julie Jeliazovski ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Crop Production ◽  
Nutrient Management ◽  
Soil Nutrient ◽  
Nitrous Oxide Emissions ◽  
Ecological Sanitation ◽  
Organic Nutrient ◽  
Human Excreta ◽  
Carry Over ◽  
Zero Hunger ◽  
Nutrient Resources

Ecological sanitation (EcoSan) systems capture and sanitize human excreta and generate organic nutrient resources that can support more sustainable nutrient management in agricultural ecosystems. An emerging EcoSan system that is implemented in Haiti and several other contexts globally couples container-based household toilets with aerobic, thermophilic composting. This closed loop sanitation system generates organic nutrient resources that can be used as part of an ecological approach to soil nutrient management and thus has the potential to contribute to Sustainable Development Goals 2 (zero hunger), 6 (clean water and sanitation for all), and 13 (climate change solutions). However, the role of organic nutrient resources derived from human excreta in food production is poorly studied. We conducted a greenhouse experiment comparing the impact of feces-derived compost on crop production, soil nutrient cycling, and nutrient losses with two amendments produced from wastewater treatment (pelletized biosolids and biofertilizer), urea, and an unfertilized control. Excreta-derived amendments increased crop yields 2.5 times more than urea, but had differing carry-over effects. After a one-time application of compost, crop production remained elevated throughout all six crop cycles. In contrast, the carry-over of crop response lasted two and four crop cycles for biosolids and biofertilizer, respectively, and was absent for urea. Soil carbon concentration in the compost amended soils increased linearly through time from 2.0 to 2.5%, an effect not seen with other treatments. Soil nitrous oxide emissions factors ranged from 0.3% (compost) to 4.6% (biosolids), while nitrogen leaching losses were lowest for biosolids and highest for urea. These results indicate that excreta-derived compost provides plant available nutrients, while improving soil health through the addition of soil organic carbon. It also improved biogeochemical functions, indicating the potential of excreta-derived compost to close nutrient loops if implemented at larger scales. If captured and safely treated through EcoSan, human feces produced in Haiti can meet up to 13, 22, and 11% of major crop needs of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, respectively.

The Economics of Cloud Computing

2015 ◽  
pp. 2135-2148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Federico Etro
Keyword(s):  
Cloud Computing ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Fixed Costs ◽  
Substantial Impact ◽  
Market Structures ◽  
The Public ◽  
Marginal Costs ◽  
Job Reallocation ◽  
New Business ◽  
The Cost

This chapter examines the economic impact of the diffusion of a new technology as cloud computing. This will allow firms to rent computing power and storage from service providers, and to pay on demand, with a profound impact on the cost structure of all the industries, turning some of the fixed costs in marginal costs of production. Such a change will have a substantial impact on the incentives to create new business, and through this, on: investments and macroeconomic growth, job creation in all industries and job reallocation in the ICT sector, and public finance accounts, through the direct impact on the public sector spending and the indirect one on the tax revenues. In this study, the author investigates the consequences of the diffusion of cloud computing on market structures and competition and tries to disentangle the above mentioned aspects with a particular focus on a simulation run for the European economy.

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