scholarly journals Spatiotemporal dynamics and modelling support the case for area-wide management of citrus greasy spot in a Brazilian smallholder farming region

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
F.F. Laranjeira ◽  
S.X.B. Silva ◽  
R.E. Murray-Watson ◽  
A.C.F. Soares ◽  
H.P. Santos-Filho ◽  
...  

AbstractCitrus greasy spot (CGS), caused byZasmidium citri, induces premature defoliation and yield loss inCitrusspp. CGS epidemiology is well understood in areas of high humidity such as Florida (USA), but remains unaddressed in Brazil, despite differing climatic conditions and disease management practices. We characterize the spatiotemporal dynamics of CGS in the Recôncavo of Bahia, Brazil, focusing on four hierarchical levels (quadrant, plant, grove and region). A survey conducted in 19 municipalities showed that disease is found throughout the entire region with a prevalence (i.e. proportion of affected sampling units) of 100% in groves and plants, and never lower than 70% on leaves. Index of dispersion (D) values suggest the spatial pattern of symptomatic units lies somewhere between random and regular. This was confirmed by the parameters of the binary power law for plants and their quadrants (log(A)<0 andb<1). Variability in disease severity at different plant heights (0.7 m, 1.3 m and 2.0 m) was tested, but no consistent differences were observed. We introduce a simple compartmental model synthesising the epidemiology of the disease, in order to motivate and guide further research. The data we have collected allow such a model to be parameterised, albeit with some ambiguity over the proportion of new infections that result from inoculum produced within the grovevs.external sources of infection. By extending our model to include two populations of growers – those who control and those who do not – coupled by the spread of airborne inoculum, we investigate likely performance of the type of cultural controls that would be accessible to citrus growers in Northeastern Brazil. Our model shows that control via removal of the key source of inoculum – i.e. fallen leaves – can be very effective. However, successful control is likely to require area-wide strategies, in which a large proportion of growers actively manage disease.


Author(s):  
J.M.K. Ojango ◽  
J. Audho ◽  
E. Oyieng ◽  
J. Recha ◽  
A.M. Okeyo ◽  
...  

SummaryThe CGIAR research programme on Climate Change Agriculture and Food Security, in collaboration with several partners is testing a portfolio of interventions to address the threat of changing climatic conditions for smallholder farming communities living beside river flood plains, grouped into “Climate Smart Villages” (CSVs). We present characteristics of farms in CSV in relation to small ruminant (SR) production and the scenario for a breeding and improvement programme. Information was collated using participatory systems research methods from 140 households in seven CSVs in Nyando basin, Kenya. Although most households were headed by men, there were a higher proportion of adult women within the communities, and literacy levels were moderate. A total of 58 percent of the population owned &lt;1 ha of land for growing crops and rearing on average 6.96 ± 3.35 Tropical Livestock Units comprising different species of animals. Women headed households owned more sheep which were mainly crosses of unspecified local breeds, than Goats which were mainly the Small East African breed-type. Mating among the SR was random, with no control of inbreeding as flocks mixed in grazing fields and at water points. Farmers desired large and resilient animals for better market prices; however, growth rates were slow. The SR flocks were dynamic with 31 percent of the animals moving in and out of flocks in a year. A community breeding programme optimally using available resources and incorporating gender integrated innovative technologies could be implemented for the CSV, alongside strong capacity development on animal husbandry, health and marketing of products.



2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 1158
Author(s):  
Cecilia M. Onyango ◽  
Justine M. Nyaga ◽  
Johanna Wetterlind ◽  
Mats Söderström ◽  
Kristin Piikki

Opportunities exist for adoption of precision agriculture technologies in all parts of the world. The form of precision agriculture may vary from region to region depending on technologies available, knowledge levels and mindsets. The current review examined research articles in the English language on precision agriculture practices for increased productivity among smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa. A total of 7715 articles were retrieved and after screening 128 were reviewed. The results indicate that a number of precision agriculture technologies have been tested under SSA conditions and show promising results. The most promising precision agriculture technologies identified were the use of soil and plant sensors for nutrient and water management, as well as use of satellite imagery, GIS and crop-soil simulation models for site-specific management. These technologies have been shown to be crucial in attainment of appropriate management strategies in terms of efficiency and effectiveness of resource use in SSA. These technologies are important in supporting sustainable agricultural development. Most of these technologies are, however, at the experimental stage, with only South Africa having applied them mainly in large-scale commercial farms. It is concluded that increased precision in input and management practices among SSA smallholder farmers can significantly improve productivity even without extra use of inputs.



Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 209
Author(s):  
Luiza Tymińska-Czabańska ◽  
Jarosław Socha ◽  
Marek Maj ◽  
Dominika Cywicka ◽  
Xo Viet Hoang Duong

Site productivity provides critical information for forest management practices and is a fundamental measure in forestry. It is determined using site index (SI) models, which are developed using two primary groups of methods, namely, phytocentric (plant-based) or geocentric (earth-based). Geocentric methods allow for direct site growth modelling, in which the SI is predicted using multiple environmental indicators. However, changes in non-static site factors—particularly nitrogen deposition and rising CO2 concentration—lead to an increase in site productivity, which may be visible as an age trend in the SI. In this study, we developed a geocentric SI model for oak. For the development of the SI model, we used data from 150 sample plots, representing a wide range of local topographic and site conditions. A generalized additive model was used to model site productivity. We found that the oak SI depended predominantly on physicochemical soil properties—mainly nitrogen, carbon, sand, and clay content. Additionally, the oak SI value was found to be slightly shaped by the topography, especially by altitude above sea level, and topographic position. We also detected a significant relationship between the SI and the age of oak stands, indicating the long-term increasing site productivity for oak, most likely caused by nitrogen deposition and changes in climatic conditions. The developed geocentric site productivity model for oak explained 77.2% of the SI variation.



2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Santibañez ◽  
Luz María de la Fuente ◽  
Elena Bustamante ◽  
Sergio Silva ◽  
Pedro León-Lobos ◽  
...  

The study evaluated the efficacy of organic- and hard-rock mine waste type materials on aided phytostabilization of Cu mine tailings under semiarid Mediterranean conditions in order to promote integrated waste management practices at local levels and to rehabilitate large-scale (from 300 to 3,000 ha) postoperative tailings storage facilities (TSFs). A field trial with 13 treatments was established on a TSF to test the efficacy of six waste-type locally available amendments (grape and olive residues, biosolids, goat manure, sediments from irrigation canals, and rubble from Cu-oxide lixiviation piles) during early phases of site rehabilitation. Results showed that, even though an interesting range of waste-type materials were tested, biosolids (100 t ha-1dry weight, d.w.) and grape residues (200 t ha-1d.w.), either alone or mixed, were the most suitable organic amendments when incorporated into tailings to a depth of 20 cm. Incorporation of both rubble from Cu-oxide lixiviation piles and goat manure into upper tailings also had effective results. All these treatments improved chemical and microbiological properties of tailings and lead to a significant increase in plant yield after three years from trial establishment. Longer-term evaluations are, however required to evaluate self sustainability of created systems without further incorporation of amendments.



2012 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 92 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanne L Hardstaff ◽  
Mark T Bulling ◽  
Glenn Marion ◽  
Michael R Hutchings ◽  
Piran C L White


2021 ◽  
Vol 118 (39) ◽  
pp. e2106576118
Author(s):  
Yulong Yin ◽  
Rongfang Zhao ◽  
Yi Yang ◽  
Qingfeng Meng ◽  
Hao Ying ◽  
...  

Hundreds of millions of smallholders in emerging countries substantially overuse nitrogen (N) fertilizers, driving local environmental pollution and global climate change. Despite local demonstration-scale successes, widespread mobilization of smallholders to adopt precise N management practices remains a challenge, largely due to associated high costs and complicated sampling and calculations. Here, we propose a long-term steady-state N balance (SSNB) approach without these complications that is suitable for sustainable smallholder farming. The hypothesis underpinning the concept of SSNB is that an intensively cultivated soil–crop system with excessive N inputs and high N losses can be transformed into a steady-state system with minimal losses while maintaining high yields. Based on SSNB, we estimate the optimized N application range across 3,824 crop counties for the three staple crops in China. We evaluated SSNB first in ca. 18,000 researcher-managed on-farm trials followed by testing in on-farm trials with 13,760 smallholders who applied SSNB-optimized N rates under the guidance of local extension staff. Results showed that SSNB could significantly reduce N fertilizer use by 21 to 28% while maintaining or increasing yields by 6 to 7%, compared to current smallholder practices. The SSNB approach could become an effective tool contributing to the global N sustainability of smallholder agriculture.



1992 ◽  
Vol 70 (10) ◽  
pp. 1931-1939 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. R. T. Dale ◽  
A. G. Thomas ◽  
E. A. John

The relationship between the weed communities and environmental variables such as soil, crop, and management was investigated in two provinces of Canada. The frequencies of weed species were recorded in cereal and oilseed fields in Saskatchewan (2244 fields over 4 years) and Manitoba (864 fields over 3 years), Canada. Information on some of the physical characteristics of the fields and on the management practices imposed on them was also collected, in part by questionnaire. The two kinds of data were ordinated together using canonical correspondence analysis to assess the relationships between the species and the environmental variables. In the Saskatchewan data, there was a clear and consistent separation of the species into groups along an axis correlated with soil zone and the associated climatic gradient. In the Manitoba data, the same groups of species did not separate as clearly or as consistently, although geographic region was a major determinant of the weed communities. The greater variability may be due to the fact that the gradient of soil types is much more restricted in Manitoba and not as closely correlated with climatic conditions. In both provinces, culture practices were less important as correlates of the weed community composition than soil type or, to a certain extent, the previous crop. Key words: canonical correspondence analysis, cereal crops, oil seed crops.



2014 ◽  
Vol 109 (2) ◽  
pp. 229-235 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosangela de Castro Silva ◽  
Marilda Agudo Mendonça Siqueira ◽  
Eduardo Martins Netto ◽  
Jacione Silva Bastos ◽  
Cristiana Maria Nascimento-Carvalho ◽  
...  


2016 ◽  
Vol 76 (4) ◽  
pp. 975-982 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. A. S. Nunes ◽  
A. V. Leite ◽  
C. C. Castro

Abstract Phenology and reproductive biology of cultivated species are important for the comprehension of the requirements for fruit and seed production and the management of pollinators. This study aimed to characterise the phenology, reproductive biology and growing degree days of the grapevine ‘Isabel’ (Vitis labrusca) in northeastern Brazil during January 2011 (P1), Augst 2011 (P2), April 2012 (P3) and August 2012 (P4). We recorded the duration (days) of the phenological stages, pruning (P), woolly bud (W), budburst (B), inflorescence development (ID), flowering (F), ripening (R) and harvest (H). We analysed the floral biology, the sexual system and the breeding system. We measured the growing degree days (GDD) required to reach the subperiods P-B, B-F and F-H. The periods P1, P2, P3 and P4 lasted for 116, 125, 117 and 130 days, respectively. The number of days of harvest were similar in the same dry (P1 and P3) and rainy (P2 and P4) periods. All the periods that we recorded were shorter than those observed in other regions of Brazil, which may be attributable to the mean temperature and carbohydrate metabolism. The flowers are green, hermaphroditic, with an odour of mignonette, low pollen viability and autogamous. The base temperature of 10°C was considered the most adequate for the subperiods as has been documented for other grape varieties in Brazil. Thus, temperature was also the most adequate for the cycles, presenting a smaller standard deviation (0.119, 0.147, 0.156 and 0.153 to P1, P2, P3 and P4, respectively) when compared to a base temperature of 12°C (0.122, 0.158, 0.165 and 0.160 to P1, P2, P3 and P4, respectively). The higher and the lower observed GDD were 1972.17 and 1870.05, respectively, both above the values recorded in other parts of Brazil for same variety. The phonological results, including knowledge of growing degree days, are important to the planning of cultures at the study site and in other regions that have similar climatic conditions and make it possible to pre-determine the harvest.



2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (6) ◽  
pp. 23-26
Author(s):  
Литвинова ◽  
Natalya Litvinova

The article presents the results of field studies of air quality depending on mobile sources of pollution. Studies of the carbon monoxide concentration was conducted for the climatic conditions of the South of Western Siberia. The object of the study was residential buildings. The studies were conducted under unfavorable wind speed. Processing of experimental data allowed to obtain the calculated dependences of dimensionless concentration of carbon monoxide (II) on the height of building’s facade under emissions from highways. According to the results of research a nomogram was constructed to determine the optimal air intake height of buildings located near roads of various traffic intensity. Research results and given recommendations allow considering external sources of pollution when designing ventilation of a building.



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