Hand Safety for Specialty Crop Production Workers: A Pilot Study Investigating Frequencies of Minor Open-Wound Hand Injuries and Presence of Pathogenic Bacteria

AbstractCommercial farmers have been using polyethylene plastic mulch since the 1950s. Despite the affordability and effectiveness of polyethylene mulch, the disposal process is financially and environmentally costly. Biodegradable plastic mulches, an ecologically sustainable alternative to polyethylene mulch films, were introduced in the 1980s. Biodegradable plastic mulches can be tilled into the soil or composted at the end of the season, reducing the labor and environmental costs associated with plastic removal and disposal. However, research results are mixed as to the effectiveness, degradability and ease-of-use of biodegradable plastic mulches. In 2008–2012, researchers, funded by a USDA Specialty Crop Research Initiative grant, conducted surveys and focus groups in three different agricultural regions of the USA to better understand the barriers and bridges to the adoption of biodegradable plastic mulches for specialty crop production systems. Data on the experiences and views of specialty crop growers, agricultural extension agents, agricultural input suppliers, mulch manufacturers and other stakeholders showed that the major adoption barriers were insufficient knowledge, high cost and unpredictable breakdown. The major bridges to adoption were reduced waste, environmental benefits and interest in further learning. These findings are discussed with reference to the classic innovation diffusion model, specifically work on the innovation–decision process and the attributes of innovations. The study results can be used to guide the activities of those involved in the design, development and promotion of biodegradable plastic mulches for US specialty crop production systems.

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The New Industrial Agriculture: The Regional Integration of Specialty Crop Production

The Rural ◽

10.4324/9781315237213-1 ◽

2017 ◽

pp. 3-22

Author(s):

Margaret FitzSimmons

Keyword(s):

Regional Integration ◽

Crop Production ◽

Industrial Agriculture ◽

Specialty Crop

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Compositional and Functional Characteristics of Swine Slurry Microbes through 16S rRNA Metagenomic Sequencing Approach

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani10081372 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (8) ◽

pp. 1372

Author(s):

Himansu Kumar ◽

Yu Jang ◽

Kwangmin Kim ◽

Junhyung Park ◽

Min Jung ◽

...

Keyword(s):

16S Rrna ◽

Crop Production ◽

Pathogenic Bacteria ◽

Storage Time ◽

Pig Slurry ◽

Metagenomic Sequencing ◽

Bacterial Populations ◽

Linear Discriminant ◽

Kegg Pathways ◽

Microbial Biomarkers

Traditionally slurry is used as source of nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium in bio fertilizers to improve crop production. However, poorly managed slurry causes a hazardous effect to the environment by producing greenhouse gases, causing the eutrophication of water bodies, and polluting the groundwater. It has been largely reported that the microbial presence in slurry causing a diverse effect on its storage and disposal system. However, the diversity of bacterial populations in pig slurries remains largely unexplored. Here we report the bacterial diversity present in the slurry from slurry pits, and the effect of storage time on bacterial population. We collected 42 samples from three different pig slurry pits, as three replicates from each one until the 14th week. We used the 16S rRNA, Quantitative Insights Into Microbial Ecology (QIIME) and Phylogenetic Investigation of Communities by Reconstruction of Unobserved States (PICRUSt) protocols for the metagenomic downstream analysis. Taxonomic annotation using the Greengenes metagenomic database indicated that on an average 76.2% Firmicutes, 14.4% Bacteroidetes, 4.9% Proteobacteria, etc. microbial populations were present. Comparative microbial analysis showed that the population of Firmicutes decreased from the first to the 14th week, whereas the population of Bacteroidetes increased from the first to the 14th week. Through principal coordinate analysis (PCoA), (linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe), and Pearson’s correlation analysis, we found microbial biomarkers according to the storage time point. All bacterial populations were well clustered according to the early, middle, and last weeks of storage. LEfSe showed that Actinobacteria, Lachnospiraceae, Ruminococcaceae, and Bacteroidia are dominantly present in first, seventh, ninth, and 14th week, respectively. Lachnospiraceae and Ruminococcaceae are ubiquitous gastrointestinal non-pathogenic bacteria. KEGG pathways, such as membrane transport, carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism, genetic replication and repair, were significant among all samples. Such a KEGG pathway may indicate the association between the host organism’s metabolic activity and the microbes present in the gastro intestinal tract (GIT).

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Beyond Scale and Scope: Exploring Economic Drivers of U.S. Specialty Crop Production With an Application to Edamame

Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems ◽

10.3389/fsufs.2020.582834 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 4 ◽

Author(s):

Clinton L. Neill ◽

Kimberly L. Morgan

Keyword(s):

Crop Production ◽

Economies Of Scale ◽

Future Research ◽

Market Demand ◽

Key Factors ◽

Specialty Crops ◽

Row Crops ◽

Specialty Crop ◽

Alternative Crop ◽

High Reward

Specialty crops are considered high-risk, high-reward, yet growers face differing, and relatively larger risk exposure when compared to traditional row crops. With traditional row crops, economies of scale and scope are key factors to increasing economic profitability. However, increasing economic profit for specialty crop operations present challenges which limit grower ability to easily take advantage of scale and scope economies. The authors discuss production, finance, regulatory, price, and human resource risks unique to U.S.-grown specialty crops. We apply our economic risk assessment framework to analyze U.S. edamame and present strategies to manage and mitigate risks faced by growers. We conclude that edamame may represent a profitable alternative crop in the U.S., and suggest future research topics are needed to optimize yields and meet market demand.

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Effects of probiotic on gut microbiota in children with acute diarrhea: a pilot study

Paediatrica Indonesiana ◽

10.14238/pi60.2.2020.83-90 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 60 (2) ◽

pp. 83-90

Author(s):

Dion Darius Samsudin ◽

Agus Firmansyah ◽

Eka Laksmi Hidayati ◽

Irene Yuniar ◽

Mulya Rahma Karyanti ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pilot Study ◽

Gut Microbiota ◽

Acute Diarrhea ◽

Pathogenic Bacteria ◽

Placebo Treatment ◽

Healing Time ◽

Fecal Specimen ◽

Healthy Children ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Probiotic Treatment

Background Acute diarrhea is a common health problem in Indonesia. During acute diarrhea, changes in gut microbiota are marked by decrease beneficial microbes Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus, and increased pathogenic bacteria Enterobacter and Clostridium. Such microbial imbalances are known as dysbiosis. Treatment with probiotics may help repair dysbiosis, quicken healing time, and decrease complications. Objective To assess for dysbiosis during acute diarrhea, and determine if it can be normalized by probiotic treatment. Methods This placebo-controlled, unblinded clinical trial was performed in Budhi Asih District Hospital, Jakarta, from January to March 2018. Twenty-four children age 6-24 months with acute diarrhea and 12 healthy children were enrolled. First fecal specimen was collected for all subjects and analyzed using non-culture real time PCR to count the population of Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, Enterobacter, Clostridium, and all bacteria. Children with diarrhea were assigned to probiotic or placebo treatment for 5 days and the second fecal specimen was analyzed two weeks after the diarrhea subsided. Results Prior to treatment, significant higher amounts of Lactobacillus were observed in children with acute diarrhea than in healthy controls [median (interquartile range/IR): 1.52x103 (1.22x104) vs. 6.87x10 (2.41x102), respectively; proportion in percentage (from total bacteria population): 0.044% vs. 0.003%, respectively]. However, median (IR) Clostridium was significantly higher in healthy controls than in children with acute diarrhea [2.37x102 (4.64x103) vs. 4.67 (1.50x102), respectively (P<0.05), with proportion of 0.01% vs. 0.0001%, respectively]. Children who received probiotics had significantly higher count of Bifidobacterium compared to the placebo group [1.94x104 (4.97x104) vs. 1.74x103 (2.08x107), respectively, with proportion of 0.394% vs. 0.081%, respectively]. Conclusion This pilot study do not find evidence of dysbiosis in children with acute diarrhea. Group who received probiotic had higher Bifidobacterium count compared towards those who received placebo.

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Hand injuries of coal miners in Southern West Virginia: A pilot study on health-care resources in Southern West Virginia

Journal of Emergencies Trauma and Shock ◽

10.4103/jets.jets_39_19 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

pp. 18

Author(s):

FrankH Annie ◽

Ravi Viradia ◽

Maher Kali ◽

Frederic Pollock ◽

JohnDavid Hayes

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Pilot Study ◽

West Virginia ◽

Hand Injuries ◽

Coal Miners ◽

Health Care Resources

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Soil Management Practices to Mitigate Nitrous Oxide Emissions and Inform Emission Factors in Arid Irrigated Specialty Crop Systems

Soil Systems ◽

10.3390/soilsystems3040076 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (4) ◽

pp. 76

Author(s):

Xia Zhu-Barker ◽

Mark Easter ◽

Amy Swan ◽

Mary Carlson ◽

Lucas Thompson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Nitrous Oxide ◽

Crop Production ◽

Management Practices ◽

Ghg Emissions ◽

Soil Management ◽

Emission Factors ◽

Nitrous Oxide Emissions ◽

Specialty Crops ◽

Specialty Crop ◽

The Impact

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from arid irrigated agricultural soil in California have been predicted to represent 8% of the state’s total GHG emissions. Although specialty crops compose the majority of the state’s crops in both economic value and land area, the portion of GHG emissions contributed by them is still highly uncertain. Current and emerging soil management practices affect the mitigation of those emissions. Herein, we review the scientific literature on the impact of soil management practices in California specialty crop systems on GHG nitrous oxide emissions. As such studies from most major specialty crop systems in California are limited, we focus on two annual and two perennial crops with the most data from the state: tomato, lettuce, wine grapes and almond. Nitrous oxide emission factors were developed and compared to Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) emission factors, and state-wide emissions for these four crops were calculated for specific soil management practices. Dependent on crop systems and specific management practices, the emission factors developed in this study were either higher, lower or comparable to IPCC emission factors. Uncertainties caused by low gas sampling frequency in these studies were identified and discussed. These uncertainties can be remediated by robust and standardized estimates of nitrous oxide emissions from changes in soil management practices in California specialty crop systems. Promising practices to reduce nitrous oxide emissions and meet crop production goals, pertinent gaps in knowledge on this topic and limitations of this approach are discussed.

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