The impact of white grub infestation on sengon plantation and traditional control by local communities

White grub causes severe crop failure in some sengon plantation areas. However, study regarding this pest on sengon plantations is still limited. Therefore, a survey to observe cultivation practice by local farmers in controlling white grub has been carried out in the sengon plantation area. An interview regarding the impact of white grub infestation and its traditional control methods was also carried out with the forest farmers group and the management officer of Perum Perhutani, State-Owned Forest Corporation, to observe the farmer’s knowledge regarding white grubs and their impact on the plantation. In addition, we also carried out sampling to observe the white grub population. The result showed that the average white grub population in the soil was extremely high. The average population was at 20.9 individuals plot−1 (13.6 larvae m2 -1) and dominated by 6-8 cm in length larvae. Therefore, planting failure is expected due to its attack. The local farmer controls applying marang, a rice bowl made of plastic with a small hole on all sides when planting the tree, and collecting white grub larvae during soil tillage, using light trapping. Application of marang was considered to effectively increase the success in planting activity by about 80-90%.

Collaborative Partnership and New Farm Management for Solving Drought According to Different Geo-Social Environment in the Northeast of Thailand

This article studied the collaborative partnership among governmental organisations, local farmer scholar leaders and farmers at the local level. Their collaborative partnership aimed to promote and strengthen grassroots participation through new farm management. The farmer families tried to cope with drought situation by learning and practising new skills at local farmer scholar leaders’ learning centres. They were supported by related external and internal organisations in order to manage their agricultural areas when confronted with drought and infertile soil. The physical aspect, rolling landscape and mostly sandy soil, combined with excessive water in the rainy season became conditions that heavily affected crops in the northeast of Thailand. This was regarded as a major agricultural problem within the region considered as the most poverty-stricken area of the country. Through learning and exchanging views among the farmers, from various geo-social environments, regarding their drought experiences and new farm management techniques, it was found that they had attained considerable success in improving their appropriate, self-reliant and environmentally friendly agricultural practices, guided by, and complied with, the principles and philosophy of sufficiency economy.

Histopathological Effects and Micronucleus Assay of Glyphosate-Based Herbicides on Cultured African Catfish (Clarias Gariepinus, Burchell 1822)

Background: Glyphosate, a brand of agricultural herbicides which intensive use has led to widespread contamination of different ecosystems. This study was designed to determine both organotoxicity and genotoxicity of glyphosate on African Catfish (Clarias gariepinus) exposed to different concentrations for 96 hours.Methods: Questionnaires were administered (physically and online) to determine the type of glyphosate-based herbicides mostly used by fish farmers. Seventy-five apparently healthy adult Clarias gariepinus (300g) were sourced from a local farmer, transported in a plastic keg to Fish and Wildlife Laboratory at the Department of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive medicine for two (2) weeks of acclimatization. After acclimatization, they were further divided into four (4) groups (T0 (Control), T1 (0.003ml/L), T2 (0.0045ml/L) and T3 (0.006ml/L)) by simple randomization and each group replicated into three (3) treatments. At the expiration of 96 hours of exposure, blood samples and organs (Gills, Kidney, and Liver) were collected for mononuclear assay and histopathological lesions respectively.Results: Exposed groups showed erratic swimming, splashing, and restlessness. Mortalities rate was dose-dependent (two (2) mortalities at 0.0045ml/L concentration (T2) and five (5) mortalities 0.006ml/L concentration (T3)). Observed histopathological lesions occurred at higher dose treatment (0.0045ml/L (T2) and (0.006ml/L) T3)) concentrations. The gills showed diffuse stunted and eroded secondary lamellae and severe congestion of the blood channel at the core of the primary lamellae. Lesions in the Liver include severe diffuse vacuolation of the hepatocytes, moderate to severe portal congestion and mild diffuse vacuolation of hepatocytes and moderate diffuse vacuolation of hepatocytes, and severe portal congestion. In the kidney, there was mild to moderate congestion of the interstitium and focus of interstitial oedema within the parenchyma. There was presence of micronucleus in the fish nucleated red blood cells at higher dose concentrations.Conclusion: This study showed that Glyphosate-based herbicides are highly toxic to Clarias gariepinus, therefore their use near the fish farm or in areas close to the aquatic environment should be discouraged. The agricultural community should also be conscious of the potentially adverse effects of pesticides. This is to prevent the water body from the residue of herbicides that would have washed down to the water.

Histopathological effects and micronucleus assay of glyphosate-based herbicides on cultured african catfish (Clarias Gariepinus, Burchell 1822)

Glyphosate, a brand of agricultural herbicides which intensive use has led to widespread contamination of different ecosystems. This study was designed to determine both organotoxicity and genotoxicity of glyphosate on African Catfish (Clarias gariepinus) exposed to different concentrations for 96 hours. Questionnaires were administered (physically and online) to determine the type of glyphosate-based herbicides mostly used by fish farmers. Seventy-five apparently healthy adult Clarias gariepinus (300g) were sourced from a local farmer, transported in a plastic keg to Fish and Wildlife Laboratory at the Department of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive medicine for two (2) weeks of acclimatization. After acclimatization, they were further divided into four (4) groups (T0 (Control), T1 (0.003ml/L), T2 (0.0045ml/L) and T3 (0.006ml/L)) by simple randomization and each group replicated into three (3) treatments. At the expiration of 96 hours of exposure, blood samples and organs (Gills, Kidney, and Liver) were collected for mononuclear assay and histopathological lesions respectively.Exposed groups showed erratic swimming, splashing, and restlessness. Mortalities rate was dose-dependent (two (2) mortalities at 0.0045ml/L concentration (T2) and five (5) mortalities 0.006ml/L concentration (T3)). Observed histopathological lesions occurred at higher dose treatment (0.0045ml/L (T2) and (0.006ml/L) T3)) concentrations. The gills showed diffuse stunted and eroded secondary lamellae and severe congestion of the blood channel at the core of the primary lamellae. Lesions in the Liver include severe diffuse vacuolation of the hepatocytes, moderate to severe portal congestion and mild diffuse vacuolation of hepatocytes and moderate diffuse vacuolation of hepatocytes, and severe portal congestion. In the kidney, there was mild to moderate congestion of the interstitium and focus of interstitial oedema within the parenchyma. There was presence of micronucleus in the fish nucleated red blood cells at higher dose concentrations.This study showed that Glyphosate-based herbicides are highly toxic to Clarias gariepinus, therefore their use near the fish farm or in areas close to the aquatic environment should be discouraged. The agricultural community should also be conscious of the potentially adverse effects of pesticides. This is to prevent the water body from the residue of herbicides that would have washed down to the water.

Optimization of Osmotic Dehydration Coupled to Hot Air Drying for the Production of Tomato Powder and Reconstituted Concentrates

The brine temperature (X1), the NaCl concentration (X2), the drying temperature (X3), and the drying time (X4) were the 4 parameters explored in this study, which aimed to model the OD-Drying coupling of fresh tomato. A 4 factors Box-Behnken experimental design associated to the response surface methodology (RSM). A transformation of the usual quadratic model was necessary to fit the experimental results. From the obtained models, relationships between the studied factors and the followed responses were establish. From the multicriteria optimization, the following conditions were found as optimal: X1 = 65 ℃, X2 = 5%, X3 = 43.88 ℃ and X4 = 24h. The tomato powder obtained by reproduction of optimal conditions showed better properties than the tomato powder produced by local farmer by sun drying, but similar characteristics as the concentrate prepared from it. From the fresh tomato to the tomato powder obtain using the optimal conditions, the overall quality lost is relatively low.

Effects of Different Rates of Nitrogen and Phosphorus Fertilizers on Growth and Yield of Potato (Solanum tuberosum) under Mechanized and Traditional Cultivation

In the present study, half of the land was cultivated mechanically by tractor using a two-bladed mould board plough and nine tine harrow. The other half was cultivated by a local farmer who used a bullock and wooden plough. A single seed variety (Marabel) was sown across the entire trial site. Four separate identical fertilizer treatments were used across both the mechanized and traditionally cultivated sites. Phosphorous was applied in the form of diammonium phosphate. Nitrogen was applied in the form of Urea. FAO’s recommended rates for phosphorus (220kg/ha) and nitrogen (330kg/ha) were applied. In addition, additional rates below and above the FAO’s recommendations were also applied, with phosphorous being applied at 0 kg/ha, 110 kg/ha (50% of recommendation) and 440 kg/ha (200% of recommendation). Nitrogen was applied at 0 kg/ha, 165 kg/ha (50% of recommendation) and 660 kg/ha (200% of recommendation). Results on average revealed that across all four fertilizer rates, mechanized cultivation produced 60% higher crop yields (average 32.83mt/ha) compared with traditional cultivation (average 20.5 mt/ha) which resulted in an average of 12.33mt/ha higher yield for mechanized cultivation over traditional cultivation. This yield difference was highly statistically significant (P =0.99(. Additionally, the average gross margin per hectare was 74% higher across the mechanized plots (US$6,552/ha or 373,464AFN/ha) compared with the traditional plots (US$3,772/ha or 215,004 AFN/ha). These figures confirm that use of mechanized cultivation and the application of phosphorus at 440 kg/ha and nitrogen at 660 kg/ha will increase the potato yield and produce a higher cash value and a higher gross margin per hectare.

The early benefits of agroforestry as the solution of social conflict and peat land degradation in Kampar - Riau, Indonesia

Agroforestry has been mentioned has good potency to be selected as one of the tools to overcome the problem of degraded tropical peat swamp forest (TPSF) which was associated with social conflict. Here, we evaluated the early benefits of agroforestry for some aspects which has relationship with the attempt to overcome social conflict and peatland degradation*. We established the experimental plot of agroforestry in the conflict area at forest area with special purpose (KHDTK) in Kepau Jaya Village, Kampar District, Riau Province. We planted three native tree species of TPSF, namely were Balangeran (Shorea balangeran), Geronggang (Cratoxylum arborescens) and Gelam (Melaleuca cajuputi subsp. cumingiana. In this plot, between rows of tree plantation the local farmer cultivated their crop. At 11 months after plantation; the ranges of survival rate, height and collar diameter increment of all tree native species were 56.2% - 72.44%, 97.4 m/year – 163.0 m/year and 2.04 cm/year – 3.2 cm/year, respectively. Furthermore, from the yields of the three types of seasonal crops (melon, chilli and luffa), the average income which was gathered by farmers was of 6,000,000 IDR. We also observed that during this agroforestry activity, the intensity of forest disturbance by the local community around KHDTK was relatively reduced. It is important to manage and increase those diverse benefits in further years.

113 in 1928? Validation of Delina Filkins as the First “Second-Century Teenager”

Delina Filkins was born May 4, 1815 in Stark, Herkimer County, New York, a small village of less than 2000 persons in the Hudson River Valley, Upstate New York. Her father, William Ecker, and mother, Susanna Herwick, were descended from Dutch and German settlers that came to the Mohawk Valley, New York, in the 1700s. Living her entire life in the same area within a ten-mile radius, her life spanned over 113 years. With the exception of her great age and her generally good health, Delina’s life was rather ordinary: she lived most of it on the family farm, helping with family tasks such as spinning yarn and making clothes. Delina married John Filkins, a local farmer, at age 18 and they had six (possibly seven) children together, two of whom outlived her. Delina was noted for her age in very late life, with local coverage from about 1916, then reaching national attention in the 1920s. With the understanding that Delina’s age was generally considered to be reliable by the press at the time, her case is a candidate for the earliest validated person to reach age 113+. This chapter takes a closer look at the case and the documents available and concludes that the amount and consistency of the available documentation suggest that Delina Filkins did indeed reach age 113 in 1928.

Domain B: Knowledge and Culture

In this chapter, we examine the role of knowledge processes in the form of local practice, research, innovation and education in agroecology transformations. Knowledge and power are intimately linked; the questions of ‘what knowledge’ and ‘whose knowledge’ is valued are vitally important. We review the informal (outside of institutions) and formal knowledge processes that have been found to support agroecology. These affirm and enable the knowledge systems of agricultural producers, especially those of women and youth. We further discuss how the combination of scientific knowledge with local and traditional knowledge is important in agroecology transformations. Unfortunately, mainstream knowledge systems often disable agroecology because they privilege outside and top-down processes of knowledge transfer that invalidate local, farmer and indigenous knowledges.