scholarly journals Production and multiplication of national potato varieties in family farming systems

2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 74-79
Author(s):  
P. L. Colnago; F. Vilaró; P. González
Keyword(s):  
Current System ◽  
National Level ◽  
Total Yield ◽  
Harvest Date ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Production Volume ◽  
Alternative Scheme ◽  
Family Farmers ◽  
Management Factors ◽  
Spring Harvest

Potato is the main vegetable in terms of production volume at national level. In Uruguay, two agricultural cycles are carried out every year, in autumn and in spring. Potato small-scale family farmers represent 80% in number and cover only 10% of national area. The current system of seed multiplication allows for two  crops in two years, involving the conservation of seed tubers for six  months. An alternative scheme for family farmers has been proposed, based on the use of national short dormancy varieties. With proper management, it is possible to obtain four crops in two years. In order to support the insertion of family farmers in a multiplication scheme of national varieties and to identify the main management factors to be improved, the monitoring of seed production was carried out in 2016. Farms were visited every 15 days to assess crop growth and health and support decision making. Total yield was estimated and classified into categories. Critical management factors discussed with farmers were crop design and density, emergence, harvest and post harvest management. We found harvest date is a bottleneck for family farmers, where delays in harvest are frequent. The delay of the spring harvest would not allow using these seeds for the autumn crop since they would not reach an adequate sprouting state. In spite of the fact that national varieties have short dormancy, for this scheme of seed multiplication, the spring harvest date is a key factor to ensure a proper sprout status for the next planting season.

scholarly journals Estimation of environmental effects and genetic parameters of carcass traits on Chikso (Korean brindle cattle)

2020 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 525-530 ◽  
Author(s):  
Byoungho Park ◽  
Tae Jeong Choi ◽  
Mi Na Park ◽  
Sang-Hyon Oh
Keyword(s):  
Linear Model ◽  
Environmental Effects ◽  
Genetic Parameters ◽  
Coat Color ◽  
Carcass Traits ◽  
National Level ◽  
Pedigree Information ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Muscle Area ◽  
Eye Muscle

Objective: The purpose of this study was i) to identify the characteristics of carcass traits in Chikso by gender, region, age at slaughter, and coat color using the carcass data collected from the nationwide pedigree information and coat color investigation, and ii) to estimate genetic parameters for breed improvement.Methods: A linear model was used to analyze the environmental effects on the carcass traits and to estimate genetic parameters. Analysis of variance was performed using TYPE III sum of squares for the unbalanced data provided by the general linear model procedure. Variance components for genetic parameters was estimated using REMLF90 of the BLUPF90 family programs.Results: Phenotypic performance of carcass weight (CW), eye muscle area (EMA), and backfat thickness (BF) in Chikso were lower than those of Hanwoo. This is a natural outcome because Hanwoo have undergone significant efforts for improvement at the national level, a phenomenon not observed in Chikso. Another factor influencing the above outcome was the smaller population size of Chikso compared to that of Hanwoo’s. The heritabilities of CW, EMA, BF, and marbling score in Chikso were estimated as 0.50, 0.37, 0.35, and 0.53, respectively, which were was higher than those of Hanwoo.Conclusion: Based on the genetic parameters that were estimated in this study, it is expected that the carcass traits will improve when the livestock research institutes at each province conduct small-scale performance tests and the semen is provided to farmers after selecting proven bulls using the state-of-art selection technique such as genomic selection.

scholarly journals Drivers of Change in National Disaster Governance under the Hyogo Framework for Action

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 256-269 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maximilian S. T. Wanner
Keyword(s):  
Natural Hazard ◽  
National Level ◽  
Development Aid ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Substantial Variation ◽  
Drivers Of Change ◽  
Governance Capacity ◽  
Systematic Assessment ◽  
First Results ◽  
National Disaster

Many suggestions have been made on what motivates countries to expand their measures for disaster risk reduction (DRR), including the frequency and severity of natural hazards, accountability mechanisms, and governance capacity. Despite the fact that theoretical arguments have been developed and evidence collected from small-scale case studies, few studies have attempted to explain the substantial variation in the adoption of DRR measures across countries. This study combines available data on DRR measures, natural hazard events, governance, and socioeconomic characteristics to provide a systematic assessment of the changes that have occurred in the state of DRR at the national level. In line with theoretical explanations, there are indeed associations between several measures of frequency and severity and the development of DRR status. Additionally, voice and accountability mechanisms, as well as development aid, might facilitate positive change. Although these first results of a global comparative study on change in DRR have to be taken cautiously, it is a step forward to understanding the drivers of change at the national level.

scholarly journals seNorge2 daily precipitation, an observational gridded dataset over Norway from 1957 to the present day

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 235-249 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristian Lussana ◽  
Tuomo Saloranta ◽  
Thomas Skaugen ◽  
Jan Magnusson ◽  
Ole Einar Tveito ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Daily Precipitation ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
National Level ◽  
Calibration Procedure ◽  
Geographical Information ◽  
Optimal Interpolation ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Meteorological Forcing ◽  
Atmospheric Sciences

Abstract. The conventional climate gridded datasets based on observations only are widely used in atmospheric sciences; our focus in this paper is on climate and hydrology. On the Norwegian mainland, seNorge2 provides high-resolution fields of daily total precipitation for applications requiring long-term datasets at regional or national level, where the challenge is to simulate small-scale processes often taking place in complex terrain. The dataset constitutes a valuable meteorological input for snow and hydrological simulations; it is updated daily and presented on a high-resolution grid (1 km of grid spacing). The climate archive goes back to 1957. The spatial interpolation scheme builds upon classical methods, such as optimal interpolation and successive-correction schemes. An original approach based on (spatial) scale-separation concepts has been implemented which uses geographical coordinates and elevation as complementary information in the interpolation. seNorge2 daily precipitation fields represent local precipitation features at spatial scales of a few kilometers, depending on the station network density. In the surroundings of a station or in dense station areas, the predictions are quite accurate even for intense precipitation. For most of the grid points, the performances are comparable to or better than a state-of-the-art pan-European dataset (E-OBS), because of the higher effective resolution of seNorge2. However, in very data-sparse areas, such as in the mountainous region of southern Norway, seNorge2 underestimates precipitation because it does not make use of enough geographical information to compensate for the lack of observations. The evaluation of seNorge2 as the meteorological forcing for the seNorge snow model and the DDD (Distance Distribution Dynamics) rainfall–runoff model shows that both models have been able to make profitable use of seNorge2, partly because of the automatic calibration procedure they incorporate for precipitation. The seNorge2 dataset 1957–2015 is available at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.845733. Daily updates from 2015 onwards are available at http://thredds.met.no/thredds/catalog/metusers/senorge2/seNorge2/provisional_archive/PREC1d/gridded_dataset/catalog.html.

The Influences of Industry Development on the Urban Environment in Beijing, China

2012 ◽  
Vol 260-261 ◽  
pp. 731-737
Author(s):  
Kai Yong Wang ◽  
Yu Deng
Keyword(s):  
Central Government ◽  
National Level ◽  
Urban Pollution ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Beijing City ◽  
Sectoral Shifts ◽  
Pollution Levels ◽  
Industry Type ◽  
Small Scale Industries ◽  
Beijing China

Based on the statistical analysis and on-site interviews, this paper combines to assess the effects of industrial location, industry mix, industry ownership, and environmental policies on urban pollution levels in Beijing, China. A regression model relates these variables to an index of overall environmental quality for Beijing city. Shift-share analysis is used to determine the direction of recent sectoral shifts, and interviews and anecdotal evidence provide a broader context for our conclusions. We found that industry type, ownership and size significantly affect urban pollution levels. We conclude that although local enforcement of environmental regulations in Beijing has been effective, at the national level it is still inadequate. Finally, we recommend that policies calling for a reduction in the role state-owned and certain small-scale industries be incorporated into the larger economic goals of the central government.

scholarly journals The national determinants of deforestation in sub-Saharan Africa

2013 ◽  
Vol 368 (1625) ◽  
pp. 20120405 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas K. Rudel
Keyword(s):  
Forest Cover ◽  
Driving Forces ◽  
National Level ◽  
Congo Basin ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Urban Migration ◽  
Forest Cover Change ◽  
Level Data ◽  
Sub Saharan

For decades, the dynamics of tropical deforestation in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) have defied easy explanation. The rates of deforestation have been lower than elsewhere in the tropics, and the driving forces evident in other places, government new land settlement schemes and industrialized agriculture, have largely been absent in SSA. The context and causes for African deforestation become clearer through an analysis of new, national-level data on forest cover change for SSA countries for the 2000–2005 period. The recent dynamic in SSA varies from dry to wet biomes. Deforestation occurred at faster rates in nations with predominantly dry forests. The wetter Congo basin countries had lower rates of deforestation, in part because tax receipts from oil and mineral industries in this region spurred rural to urban migration, declines in agriculture and increased imports of cereals from abroad. In this respect, the Congo basin countries may be experiencing an oil and mineral fuelled forest transition. Small farmers play a more important role in African deforestation than they do in southeast Asia and Latin America, in part because small-scale agriculture remains one of the few livelihoods open to rural peoples.

scholarly journals Eddy–Wind Interaction in the California Current System: Dynamics and Impacts

2016 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
pp. 439-459 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyodae Seo ◽  
Arthur J. Miller ◽  
Joel R. Norris
Keyword(s):  
Wind Stress ◽  
Current System ◽  
California Current ◽  
Surface Current ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Propagation Time ◽  
Ekman Pumping ◽  
Induced Current ◽  
California Current System ◽  
The Mean

AbstractThe summertime California Current System (CCS) is characterized by energetic mesoscale eddies, whose sea surface temperature (SST) and surface current can significantly modify the wind stress and Ekman pumping. Relative importance of the eddy–wind interactions via SST and surface current in the CCS is examined using a high-resolution (7 km) regional coupled model with a novel coupling approach to isolate the small-scale air–sea coupling by SST and surface current. Results show that when the eddy-induced surface current is allowed to modify the wind stress, the spatially averaged surface eddy kinetic energy (EKE) is reduced by 42%, and this is primarily due to enhanced surface eddy drag and reduced wind energy transfer. In contrast, the eddy-induced SST–wind coupling has no significant impact on the EKE. Furthermore, eddy-induced SST and surface current modify the Ekman pumping via their crosswind SST gradient and surface vorticity gradient, respectively. The resultant magnitudes of the Ekman pumping velocity are comparable, but the implied feedback effects on the eddy statistics are different. The surface current-induced Ekman pumping mainly attenuates the amplitude of cyclonic and anticyclonic eddies, acting to reduce the eddy activity, while the SST-induced Ekman pumping primarily affects the propagation. Time mean–rectified change in SST is determined by the altered offshore temperature advection by the mean and eddy currents, but the magnitude of the mean SST change is greater with the eddy-induced current effect. The demonstrated remarkably strong dynamical response in the CCS system to the eddy-induced current–wind coupling indicates that eddy-induced current should play an important role in the regional coupled ocean–atmosphere system.

Salinity Variations in the Southern California Current*

2005 ◽  
Vol 35 (8) ◽  
pp. 1421-1436 ◽  
Author(s):  
Niklas Schneider ◽  
Emanuele Di Lorenzo ◽  
Pearn P. Niiler
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Southern California ◽  
Current System ◽  
California Current ◽  
Southern California Bight ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Climate Indices ◽  
California Current System ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Salinity Variations

Abstract Hydrographic observations southwestward of the Southern California Bight in the period 1937–99 show that temperature and salinity variations have very different interannual variability. Temperature varies within and above the thermocline and is correlated with climate indices of El Niño, the Pacific decadal oscillation, and local upwelling. Salinity variability is largest in the surface layers of the offshore salinity minimum and is characterized by decadal-time-scale changes. The salinity anomalies are independent of temperature, of heave of the pycnocline, and of the climate indices. Calculations demonstrate that long-shore anomalous geostrophic advection of the mean salinity gradient accumulates along the mean southward trajectory along the California Current and produces the observed salinity variations. The flow anomalies for this advective process are independent of large-scale climate indices. It is hypothesized that low-frequency variability of the California Current system results from unresolved, small-scale atmospheric forcing or from the ocean mesoscale upstream of the Southern California Bight.

scholarly journals <i>Swarm</i> field-aligned currents during a severe magnetic storm of September 2017

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Renata Lukianova
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Storm ◽  
Ring Current ◽  
Current System ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Substantial Fraction ◽  
H Index ◽  
Swarm Satellites ◽  
Scale Field ◽  
Extreme Behavior ◽  
A Current

Abstract. Swarm satellites observations are used to characterize the extreme behavior of large- and small-scale field-aligned currents (FACs) during the severe magnetic storm of September 2017. Evolution of the current intensities and the equatorward displacement of FACs are analyzed while the satellites cross the pre-midnight, pre-noon, dusk and dawn sectors in both hemispheres. The equatorward boundaries of FACs mainly follow the dynamics of ring current (as monitored in terms of the SYM-H index). The minimum latitude of the FAC boundaries is limited to 50° MLat, below which saturation occurs. The FAC densities are very variable and may increase dramatically, especially in the nightside ionosphere during the storm-time substorms. At the peak of substorm, the average FAC densities reach 3 μA/m2, while the quite level is below 0.1 μA/m2. The dawn–dusk asymmetry is manifested in the enhanced dusk-side R2 FACs in both hemispheres. Filamentary high-density structures are always observed confirming that a substantial fraction of R1/R2 FACs is composed of many small-scale currents. In the pre-noon sector, the bipolar structures (7.5 km width FACs of opposite polarities adjacent to each other) dominate, while in the post-midnight sector the upward and downward FACs tend to form more latitudinally extended structures of a certain polarity. The most intense small-scale FACs (up to ~80 μA/m2) is observed just in the post-midnight sector. Simultaneous magnetic and plasma perturbations indicate that this structure is likely a current system of a mesoscale auroral arc.

scholarly journals The establishment and first experiences of a crisis advisory service for water supplies in Norway

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 545-555 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susanne Hyllestad ◽  
Vidar Lund ◽  
Karin Nygård ◽  
Preben Aavitsland ◽  
Line Vold
Keyword(s):  
Water Supply ◽  
National Level ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Water Supply Systems ◽  
Water Supplies ◽  
Near Misses ◽  
Advisory Service ◽  
Service Water ◽  
Contamination Events ◽  
Supply Systems

Abstract Water supply systems, in particular small-scale water supply systems, are vulnerable to adverse events that may jeopardise safe drinking water. The consequences of contamination events or the failure of daily operations may be severe, affecting many people. In Norway, a 24-hour crisis advisory service was established in 2017 to provide advice on national water supplies. Competent and expert advisors from water suppliers throughout the country assist other water suppliers and individuals who may be in need of advice during an adverse event. This paper describes the establishment of this service and experiences from the first three years of its operation. Since the launch of the service, water suppliers across Norway have consulted it approximately one to two times a month for advice, in particular about contamination events and near misses. The outcomes have helped to improve guidance on water hygiene issues at the national level.

scholarly journals Unravelling the variability and causes of smallholder maize yield gaps in Ethiopia

Food Security ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 83-103 ◽  
Author(s):  
Banchayehu Tessema Assefa ◽  
Jordan Chamberlin ◽  
Pytrik Reidsma ◽  
João Vasco Silva ◽  
Martin K. van Ittersum
Keyword(s):  
Stochastic Frontier Analysis ◽  
National Level ◽  
Total Yield ◽  
Maize Yield ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Yield Gap ◽  
Potential Yield ◽  
Frontier Analysis ◽  
Yield Gaps ◽  
Maize Yields

AbstractEthiopia has achieved the second highest maize yield in sub-Saharan Africa. Yet, farmers’ maize yields are still much lower than on-farm and on-station trial yields, and only ca. 20% of the estimated water-limited potential yield. This article provides a comprehensive national level analysis of the drivers of maize yields in Ethiopia, by decomposing yield gaps into efficiency, resource and technology components, and accounting for a broad set of detailed input and crop management choices. Stochastic frontier analysis was combined with concepts of production ecology to estimate and explain technically efficient yields, the efficiency yield gap and the resource yield gap. The technology yield gap was estimated based on water-limited potential yields from the Global Yield Gap Atlas. The relative magnitudes of the efficiency, resource and technology yield gaps differed across farming systems; they ranged from 15% (1.6 t/ha) to 21% (1.9 t/ha), 12% (1.3 t/ha) to 25% (2.3 t/ha) and 54% (4.8 t/ha) to 73% (7.8 t/ha), respectively. Factors that reduce the efficiency yield gap include: income from non-farm sources, value of productive assets, education and plot distance from home. The resource yield gap can be explained by sub-optimal input use, from a yield perspective. The technology yield gap comprised the largest share of the total yield gap, partly due to limited use of fertilizer and improved seeds. We conclude that targeted but integrated policy design and implementation is required to narrow the overall maize yield gap and improve food security.

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