Planning rice cultivation in a large plot agricultural system

This research aimed to study the approach of the community toward the decision to grow rice and economic crops, including appropriate resource allocation for use on a farm under a large plot agricultural system. The study areas were in Phan district, Chiang Rai province, Thailand, and the data were collected from a sampling of 400 field agriculturalists. The method used was to develop a mathematical model for growing crops with multi-objectives and in multi-periods, together with an agriculturist representative and experts in multiple-criteria decision-making (MCDM). This was to prioritize the importance of alternative crops and find the appropriate allocation of the resources to achieve the targeted goal. The results showed that agriculturists prioritized most toward the criteria for growing Japanese rice with a weight of 0.179 Kg., followed by transplanted rice, transplanted glutinous rice, garlic, sown paddy rice, and sown glutinous paddy rice, respectively. The study’s results also showed that the price fluctuation of the crop products resulted in more use of land and labor in order to increase the production to compensate for the low price, and this also resulted in the higher opportunity cost of growing transplanted rice. Therefore, growing transplanted rice during in season planting was considered the most effective way, while during the off season, either garlic or Japanese rice could be grown. A collective pattern for planning for using resources together in large plot agricultural areas, together with a clear marketing target would bring about effective use of the resources and reduce the risk in revenue from the fluctuation in prices and uncertainty of yields from drought. Moreover, technology development to solve the problem of the lack of labor would be deemed an important approach toward the enhancement of the competitiveness of agriculturists in the future as well.

The Urban Backyard: Resilient spaces for urban dwellers.

<p>The unsustainable nature of New Zealand’s ongoing suburban expansion is reflected by our self-entitled obsession with owning space or land. In a survey commissioned by Mitre 10 (Mitre 10, 2014), 1500 New Zealanders were asked for their opinions of the size of backyards and how they use them. “Most survey respondents, 84 per cent, agreed they liked the idea of the traditional Kiwi quarter-acre paradise - a large plot of land with a standalone house on it, and almost all said they would rather live on the traditional quarter-acre section than in high-density housing.” (Small, 2014) The backyard is a classic space that New Zealanders feel entitled to possess ownership, but if all we require is “enough room for a barbecue” and want “a bit of grass out the back” then we are consuming more space than we need. (Small, 2014) Here, begins an argument for a change in planning.Living in closer and more compact cities has been the catalyst to a more life-filled and active space in American and European cities. But close and compact are not typical to the vernacular in New Zealand. A hybrid form of city living could be found by experimenting with the typical New Zealand suburban lifestyle in urban spaces. By doing so more New Zealanders may decide to live in these new urban spaces. This research explores how a dense urban settlement can integrate the suburban model of a backyard to help facilitate better living spaces in Wellington. Smoothing the barrier between public and privatised space will help these spaces become more appropriated for encouraging human interaction and eventually promoting a sense of ownership and community over the shared backyard space.</p>

The Urban Backyard: Resilient spaces for urban dwellers.

<p>The unsustainable nature of New Zealand’s ongoing suburban expansion is reflected by our self-entitled obsession with owning space or land. In a survey commissioned by Mitre 10 (Mitre 10, 2014), 1500 New Zealanders were asked for their opinions of the size of backyards and how they use them. “Most survey respondents, 84 per cent, agreed they liked the idea of the traditional Kiwi quarter-acre paradise - a large plot of land with a standalone house on it, and almost all said they would rather live on the traditional quarter-acre section than in high-density housing.” (Small, 2014) The backyard is a classic space that New Zealanders feel entitled to possess ownership, but if all we require is “enough room for a barbecue” and want “a bit of grass out the back” then we are consuming more space than we need. (Small, 2014) Here, begins an argument for a change in planning.Living in closer and more compact cities has been the catalyst to a more life-filled and active space in American and European cities. But close and compact are not typical to the vernacular in New Zealand. A hybrid form of city living could be found by experimenting with the typical New Zealand suburban lifestyle in urban spaces. By doing so more New Zealanders may decide to live in these new urban spaces. This research explores how a dense urban settlement can integrate the suburban model of a backyard to help facilitate better living spaces in Wellington. Smoothing the barrier between public and privatised space will help these spaces become more appropriated for encouraging human interaction and eventually promoting a sense of ownership and community over the shared backyard space.</p>

Planning Urban Manufacturing, Industrial Building Typologies, and Built Environments: Lessons From Inner London

Despite concerns about the loss of industry, industrial land, and buildings in high-value post-industrial cities, there is concurrently a renewed enthusiasm around the potential of “new” urban manufacturing and its contribution to the socio-economic diversity of cities. Yet, little is known about how planning policy can best support the retention and growth of urban manufacturing. To advance this agenda, this article proposes that we need a better understanding of industrial building typologies and resultant urban form. Using concepts developed by Julienne Hanson to analyse residential morphologies undergoing transformation under modernism, we apply these concepts to investigate the industrial, mixed-use contexts in two areas of London with concentrations of urban manufacturing—Hackney Mare Street and Old Kent Road. The research presented examines how both areas have evolved historically to produce distinctive urban tissues and a range of industrial building typologies. The article reveals that, despite territorial similarities in the late 19th century, the mixed land uses and smaller plot sizes of Hackney Mare Street have allowed for a more resilient development pattern, whereas the greater separation of land uses, large plot sizes, and inward-facing development in the Old Kent Road has facilitated its reimagination for large-scale regeneration. We conclude that greater attention needs to be paid to the relationship between urban manufacturing and built urban form if policies that aim to protect or support the revival of manufacturing in cities are to avoid negative unintended consequences.

Yield and Economic Response of Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) Cultivars to Prohexadione Calcium in Large-Plot Trials in Georgia

Prohexadione calcium, a plant growth regulator, has been used on virginia market type peanut cultivars for many years to manage excessive vine growth and improve digging efficiency. Prohexadione calcium has not been widely used on runner market type cultivars due to their slower growth habit and sporadic yield response at the labeled rate until recent research showed lower use rates of prohexadione calcium provided similar vine control and enhanced yield response. Large plot experiments were conducted in Colquitt county at the Darrell Williams Research Farm on the Sun Belt Ag Expo to quantify yield and market grade quality and economics of using prohexadione calcium at 105 g a.i./ha on six runner type cultivars. Prohexadione calcium was applied twice during the growing season. The first application was made when 50% or greater of lateral vines from adjacent rows were touching. A second application of each treatment was applied 14d after the first application. The runner type cultivars were Georgia-06G, Georgia-12Y, Georgia-13M, Georgia-14N, TUFRunner TM -297, and TUFRunner TM -511. Similar large-plot experiments were conducted on farms in Baker and Early counties evaluating yield and economic response of prohexadione calcium on Georgia-06G. A non-treated control was used in all experiments. Prohexadione calcium increased pod yield in all experiments ranging from 450 to 650 kg/ha compared to the non-treated control with response similar across cultivars. Prohexadione calcium reduced the dollar value per metric ton (DVMT) as a result of lowering total sound mature kernel (%TSMK) percentages up to 3 points. The higher yields obtained for the prohexadione calcium-treated peanut provided higher gross dollar value return/ha (GDR) in all experiments and higher gross dollar value return/ha above treatment cost (GDRAT) in the on-farm trials. Therefore, prohexadione calcium at 105 g/ha applied twice on runner market type peanut is warranted to improve yield and financial return when excessive vine growth is a concern.

Influence of Prohexadione Calcium Rate on Growth and Yield of Peanut (Arachis hypogaea)

ABSTRACT Prohexadione calcium, a plant growth regulator, is commonly used on virginia market type peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) cultivars to manage excessive vine growth and improve digging efficiency. However, use of prohexadione calcium on runner market type cultivars has been minimal. The objective of this research was to evaluate prohexadione calcium on virginia and runner market type peanut cultivars at multiple rates in small-plot (17 site years) and on-farm (5 site years) experiments. Applications of prohexadione calcium were at the manufacturer's recommended use rate of 140 g a.i./ha (1x), 105 g a.i /ha (0.75x), and 70 g a.i /ha (0.5x) rates. A non-treated control was also included in all experiments. Cultivar and treatment responses were evaluated based on mainstem height, yield, total sound mature kernels, and return on investment. Plants treated with prohexadione calcium had greater row definition based on a 1-10 row visibility rating scale. Plant main stem heights were often shortened when prohexadione calcium was applied compared to the control, although response varied by location and by year. Average mainstem heights were 26 cm for non-treated plots and 23 cm for prohexadione calcium treated plots across all virginia market type small plot experiments. Prohexadione calcium did not significantly increase yield at any rate in any small plot experiments regardless of rate. Reduced rates of prohexadione calcium significantly increased yield in all the large on-farm experiments compared to the control. Yield increases ranged from 453 to 731 kg/ha for all prohexadione calcium treatments compared to the control across all large plot on-farm experiments. The greatest return on investment was the 0.75x rate resulting in an increase in revenue of $210 ha−1. With an increase in yield and return on investment in all large plot on-farm experiments and not in small plot experiments no matter the market type, it is assumed that the growth and yield response to prohexadione calcium may be more pronounced where soil variability is greater, affecting growth, digging, and yield potential. Prohexadione calcium can be beneficial in virginia market type and runner market type peanut cultivars to decrease vine growth and increase yield.

Selection of Entomopathogenic Fungi for the Biological Control of Demotispa neivai (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in Oil Palm Plantations in Colombia

Demotispa neivai (Bondar) is an economically important pest of oil palm, Elaeis guineensis Jacq., plantations in Colombia. During our search for alternatives to conventional chemical insecticides for controlling D. neivai, we initially screened 50 isolates of various entomopathogenic fungi against adults and larvae. At a concentration of 1 × 107 conidia/ml, 28 of the isolates caused fungal-induced mortality. Isolates of Metarhizium anisopliae (Metchnikoff) Sorokin, designated CPMa1502 and CeMa9236, caused the greatest mortality in adults and larvae. These isolates were further evaluated for efficacy against natural infestations of D. neivai in oil palm fruit bunches by applying each isolate at a rate of 1 × 1013 conidia/ha. The CPMa1502 isolate caused a significantly (F = 39.22; df = 6, 8; P &lt; 0.0001) higher larval mortality (87.7%) than that of the CeMa9236 isolate. Three concentrations (5 × 1012, 7.5 × 1012, and 1 × 1013 conidia/ha) of the CPMa1502 isolate were then compared in a field efficacy test, and no significant differences were observed among the treatments. CPMa1502 also was applied to commercial oil palm plantations in two tests at a rate of 1 × 1013 on a large plot with 23 palms and a rate of 5 × 1012 conidia/ha on a 511-palm plot. Larval mortality in these field tests was greater than 62%.

Density and nutrient content of Terebralia pallustris mangrove snails in mangrove ecosystems in Pannikiang Island, Barru Regency, South Sulawesi

Mangrove snail, Terebralia palustris Linnnaeus 1967, was also found on Pannikiang Island, Barru Regency, South Sulawesi. This study aims to describe the fluctuation of T. palustris density in a year of observation. This research was conducted for ten months from August 2018 to July 2019. There were two research stations. Each station has a large plot measuring 10m x 10m and in it, five small plots are measuring 1m x 1m. Measurements of environmental parameters such as temperature, salinity, and pH were carried out in situ. This snail meat as much as 100gr also analyzed proximate. The proximate analysis of the snail shows that crude protein content is 18.73% so that the snail is very suitable to be used as a source of protein. The highest density is in July 2019 and the lowest density is in August 2018.

Scaling issues in the interpretation of dry matter yield differences among perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) cultivars

Perennial ryegrass breeding is estimated to be delivering rates of genetic gain in dry matter (DM) yield of 50–60 kg DM/ha per year of breeding effort. These estimates are based on DM yield data from tightly managed small-plot trials which are not necessarily representative of typical farm management. To assess the possible realised (on-farm) DMY gains from breeding, seasonal DMY data were collected contemporaneously at two ‘scales’ of evaluation for eight perennial ryegrass cultivars over a total of 14 seasons (comprising 5 ‘seasons’ in each of three years excluding the first winter) in each of four regions. The scales were denoted ‘small plot’ (SP, 10 m2, perennial ryegrass monocultures only) and ‘large plot’ (LP, 65–90 m2, subject to more intensive dairy cattle grazing and including all combinations of two nitrogen fertiliser rates with or without white clover as treatments). Relationships between DMY measured in SP versus LP were statistically significant (P<0.001) for all combinations of region, N fertiliser level and clover presence/absence, indicating good general agreement in cultivar performance trends. However, the slope of the relationship (range 0.492 to 1.171, mean 0.733) was significantly less than 1 in three-quarters of the region by treatment combinations. The slope was closely and inversely related to the size of the difference in total N supply between and SP (N from fertiliser only) and LP (where N was supplied as fertiliser at a lower rate but included biological fixation): the smaller the difference in N supply between the two ‘scales’, the greater the slope. Estimated realised DMY differences between cultivar ranking positions on New Zealand dairy farms under future projected N fertiliser rates were in the range 0.7–0.8 of those predicted from the SP scale of evaluation.

Between One and One Another

Design emerges through interactions with clients. It is also centrally shaped through interactions with others in the office. The “Friday review” is the weekly slot where designs are discussed by the whole practice. During one of these sessions, Ronan is presenting ideas he has been working on. He starts by explaining the brief, which is simple: there is a house at the head of a wooded valley; the house doesn’t make the most of its site and isn’t well adapted to the needs of the clients who live in it, a middle-aged couple with older children. He notes, in passing, that they own the local builders merchants, a detail that is not elaborated but, in the absence of a fixed budget, seems intended to convey the likelihood the budget will be generous. He illustrates the site with plans and maps, gesturing and pointing as he talks. As he describes what he shows, he shuffles and rearranges papers, moving between a map of the site, plans of the building, and images of the site. What Ronan shows through this description is a building on a steep slope, “marooned” at the edge of a large plot. The views are “fantastic,” but windows and rooms are configured so that the views are rarely seen. The existing building is “uninspiring.” Ronan shows us some of his ideas. My untrained eyes focus on the elegant tidiness of his pencil sketches, but Ronan doesn’t see this: looking at his plans and sketches, he is looking at an idea that doesn’t quite work, a solution he can’t yet see....