Strategies for sustainable corn production: a case of South Lampung District, Lampung Province, Indonesia

Demand for corn has been increasing from time to time. However, efforts to increase its production face multidimensional challenges and problems. This study aims to assess sustainability status, analyze leverage and prospective factors, and formulate follow-up strategies for sustainable corn production. Data used primarily were data collected through online focus group discussions and interviews with various related agencies and key informants at provincial and district levels. This study was conducted between May and October 2020 in South Lampung District. Multidimensional Scaling (MDS) and Matrix of Cross Impact Multiplications Applied to Classification (MICMAC) were used to assess the sustainability status and analyze leverage and prospective factors. Then, the Multicriteria Policy (MULTIPOL) was used to formulate the follow-up strategies. The results show that the corn production in South Lampung District is classified as less sustainable, with a sustainability index of 49.30. The sustainability of corn production is influenced by ten leverage attributes, four of which are prospective factors, namely corn prices at the farmer level, the number of water pumps, the use of natural pesticides and fertilizers, and the number of corn shellers. The strategies for sustainable corn production could be carried out by by applying reference purchase prices effectively, strengthening farmer partnerships with the feed industry, supporting environmentally friendly corn farming, and optimization and effective use of pre-harvest and post-harvest machinery. It is necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of various assistance and policies implemented at this time to improve the implementation of programs/policies in the future.

Demonstration of Optical Microscopy and Image Processing to Classify Respirable Coal Mine Dust Particles

Respirable coal mine dust represents a serious health hazard for miners. Monitoring methods are needed that enable fractionation of dust into its primary components, and that do so in real time. Near the production face, a simple capability to monitor the coal versus mineral dust fractions would be highly valuable for tracking changes in dust sources—and supporting timely responses in terms of dust controls or other interventions to reduce exposures. In this work, the premise of dust monitoring with polarized light microscopy was explored. Using images of coal and representative mineral particles (kaolinite, crystalline silica, and limestone rock dust), a model was built to exploit birefringence of the mineral particles and effectively separate them from the coal. The model showed >95% accuracy on a test dataset with known particles. For composite samples containing both coal and minerals, the model also showed a very good agreement with results from the scanning electron microscopy classification, which was used as a reference method. Results could further the concept of a “cell phone microscope” type monitor for semi-continuous measurements in coal mines.

PEMANFAATAN DAN OPTIMALISASI LAHAN KERING UNTUK PENGEMBANGAN BUDIDAYA TANAMAN PALAWIJA DI DESA PUDAY KECAMATAN WONGEDUKU KABUPATEN KONAWE PROVINSI SULAWESI TENGGARA

Land is one of the potential natural resources to be developed optimally to increase local revenue. Based on the availability of water, land is grouped into two major groups, which are wetland and dry land (upland). The use of dry land for agriculture is often ignored by policy makers. Problems in dry land management vary in each region, both technical and socio-economic aspects. However, with the right strategy and technology, these problems can be overcome. Efforts to manage dry land to increase food production face problems, including steep slopes, low soil fertility, and water shortages. These problems need to be overcome by applying the right technology. Dry land management technology is available, including management of soil fertility, soil conservation, land rehabilitation, and efficient management of water resources. The problem is the weak dissemination of innovative technology to farmers and the slow adoption of this technology. Utilization of dry land to increase food production requires appropriate planning and strategies.

The Adsorption Mechanism of Activated Carbon and Its Application - A Review

Activated carbon (AC) was recognized by many researchers as useful substance in adsorption of impurities. Several processes involved in the production of AC which were carbonization, crushing, and activation process. Carbonization of carbon required high temperature up to 900oC. Then the carbon will be crush to a desired size for activation process. Activation of carbon can be either chemical activation, physical activation or combination of chemical and physical activation which called physiochemical activation. The mechanism adsorption of AC commonly due to its micropore present in the carbon or the weak vander waals forces which can attract the impurities. Activated carbon have multiple function in human daily life. This study will be discuss the function of AC in the production face mask, water filtration and air filtration.

Les prairies, une richesse et un support d’innovation pour des élevages de ruminants plus durables et acceptables

Face aux crises que subit l’élevage et aux questionnements forts de la société vis-à-vis de celui-ci, les prairies permanentes et temporaires pourraient contribuer à fournir une réponse positive et reconnue pour l’élevage de ruminants (bovin, ovins et caprins). L’objet de cet article est de proposer un état des lieux des nouvelles connaissances et des innovations en termes d’outils de gestion des prairies en zone tempérée, au regard de l’évolution des enjeux associées à l’élevage. Les connaissances sur le fonctionnement des prairies et leur gestion ont fortement progressé ces dernières années et ont été particulièrement approfondies pour les prairies permanentes, surfaces prairiales plus complexes à gérer. Leurs intérêts environnementaux sont multiples et confèrent aux prairies de réels atouts. A ces éléments s’ajoutent de forts avantages au regard de la santé des animaux et de la qualité nutritionnelle et organoleptique des produits animaux ayant un impact sur la santé humaine, mais aussi des perspectives intéressantes pour la résilience des systèmes de production face aux aléas climatiques et économiques. Au-delà de leur intérêt économique, ces éléments écosystémiques devraient permettre aux prairies de conforter leur place dans des élevages ruminants durables de demain et acceptables par la société.

Spatial non-linearity of methane release dynamics in underground boreholes for sustainable mining

The paper is devoted to the problem of increasing energy efficiency of coalmine methane utilization to provide sustainable development of geotechnologies in the context of transition to a clean resource-saving energy production. Its relevance results from the fact that the anthropogenic effect of coalmine methane emissions on the global climate change processes is 21 times higher than the impact of carbon dioxide. Suites of gassy coal seams and surrounding rocks should be classified as technogenic coal-gas deposits, while gas extracted from them should be treated as an alternative energy source. Existing practices and methods of controlling coalmine methane need to be improved, as the current “mine – longwall” concept does not fully take into account spatial and temporal specifics of production face advancement. Therefore, related issues are relevant for many areas of expertise, and especially so for green coal mining. The goal of this paper is to identify patterns that describe non-linear nature of methane release dynamics in the underground boreholes to provide sustainable development of geotechnologies due to quality improvement of the withdrawn methane-air mixture. For the first time in spatial-temporal studies (in the plane of CH4-S) of methane concentration dynamics, according to the designed approach, the parameter of distance from the longwall (L) is introduced, which allows to create function space for the analyzed process (CH4 of S-L). Results of coalmine measurements are interpreted using the method of local polynomial regression (LOESS). The study is based on using non-linear variations of methane concentration in the underground boreholes and specific features of their implementation to perform vacuum pumping in the most productive areas of the undermined rock mass in order to maintain safe aerogas conditions of the extraction block during intensive mining of deep-lying gassy seams. Identification of patterns in the influence of situational geomechanical conditions of coal mining on the initiation of metastable gas-coal solution transformation and genesis of wave processes in the coal-rock mass allows to improve reliability of predicting methane release dynamics, as well as workflow manageability of mining operations. Presented results demonstrate that development of high-methane Donbass seams is associated with insufficient reliability of gas drainage system operation at distances over 40 m behind the longwall face. Obtained results confirm a working hypothesis about the presence of spatial migration of methane concentration waves in the underground gas drainage boreholes. It is necessary to continue research in the area of estimating deviation angles of “advance fracturing” zone boundaries from the face line direction. Practical significance of research results lies in the possibility to use them in the development of scientific foundation for 3D gas drainage of a man-made coal-methane reservoir, taking into account spatial and temporal advancement of the production face.

Valorisation de quatre accessions de souchets (Cyperus esculentus L.): une bonne option de diversification de culture pour les producteurs de la localité de danay-vokgora (Mayo-danay) en zone soudano-sahélienne du Cameroun

La valorisation de certaines espèces sous-utilisées constitue des moyens palliatifs de la diversification des cultures dans certaines localités de l’Extrême-Nord. Plus spécifiquement, l’absence des connaissances sur les méthodes culturales de la culture de souchet (Cypérus esculentus L.) constitue un frein de sa production. Face à cette situation, une étude été menée dans la plaine du Mayo-Danay (Danay-vokgora) afin de transférer le paquet technologique (itinéraire technique) de production de cette culture aux producteurs en vue de substituer les cultures sensibles à la variabilité et au changement climatique. Une parcelle de démonstration (Champ Ecole Paysan (CEP)) de quatre accessions de souchet (Cyperus esculentus L.) a été mise en place. Les opérations culturales ont été mise en oeuvre dans le dispositif en split plot comprenant les blocs de placettes complètement randomisées. La densité de semis et les accessions comportant quatre modalités chacun et répétées quatre fois ont été appliquées et contrôlées. L’issu des résultats révèlent qu’il n’existe pas des effets des densités de semis sur les rendements moyens en t/ha de souchet au seuil de 5% de signification. Par contre, les accessions « c= glazay » et « d= wéchéché » se sont différenciées avec les meilleurs rendements moyens en t/ha. Bien que l’accession « c= glazay » fasse l’objet du choix de préférence des bénéficiaires de ladite localité, la comparaison des quantités nécessaires et des productivités marginales des inputs de production de souchet (Cyperus esculentus L.) ont montré qu’il serait avantageux de produire avec l’accession « d= wéchéché », car avec la meilleure combinaison des inputs de production, sa productivité marginale (73,09 FCFA) serait plus profitable pour l’unité additionnelle relative au coût de location de la parcelle. De ce fait, il est important d’évaluer cette pratique culturale pour mieux apprécier le degré d’adoption de l’innovation relative à l’itinéraire technique de la culture de souchet dans la localité de Danay-vokgora.Mots clés: Valorisation, Souchet, Rendement, Danay-vokgoro, Soudano-sahélienne. English Title: Valorization of four accessions of tigernut (Cyperus esculentus L.): a good option of cultural diversification for the producers of the locality of danay-vokgora (Mayo-danay) in sudano-sahelien zone CameroonThe development of some underutilized species is a palliative means of crop diversification in some communities in the Far North. More specifically, the lack of knowledge about the cultivation methods of Tigernut culture (Cyperus esculentus L.) is a hindrance to its production. Faced with this situation, a study was conducted in the Mayo-Danay plain (Danay-vokgora) in order to transfer the technological package (technical practice) of production of this crop to producers in order to replace crops sensitive to variability and climate change. A demonstration plot (Field School Peasant (CEP)) of four accessions of Tigernut (Cyperus esculentus L.) has been set up. To do this, the implementation of the operations was conducted in the experimental split plot including randomized completely block design. Seedling density and accessions with four modalities each and repeated four times were applied and controlled. At the end of study, the results show that at 5% level of the significance, the effects of planting densities do not influence on average yields in t/ha of Tigernut (Cyperus esculentus L.). On the other hand, "c = glazay" and "d=wéchéché" accessions of Tigernut (Cyperus esculentus L.) differed by presenting best average yields in t/ha. While "c = glazay"accession is subject to the choice of preference beneficiaries to Danay-vokgora locality (Mayo-Danay), but the comparison of quantities needed and the marginal productivity of the production of the accessions of the Tigernut (Cyperus esculentus L.) has shown that it would advantageous to produce with the "d=wéchéché" accession, because with the best combination of inputs, her marginal productivity would be more profitable for an additional unit of 73.09 FCFA for the renting cost of the parcel. Therefore, it is important to evaluate this farming practice to better appreciate the degree of adoption of innovation related to the technical practice of Tigernut (Cyperus esculentus L.) culture in the locality of Danay-vokgora.Keywords: Valorization, Nutgrass, Yield, Danay-vokgoro, Sudano-sahelien.

Metabolomics, an Essential Tool in Exploring and Harnessing Microbial Chemical Ecology

Efforts to meet the steadily increasing global need for plant products without continuously expanding the environmental footprint of crop production face several convoluted challenges. One challenge is minimizing crop loss due to diseases and pests without heavily relying on synthetic pesticides. Microorganisms secrete diverse molecules to influence surrounding organisms and environments. Research on these molecules has uncovered diverse mechanisms underpinning both beneficial and harmful microbial interactions and has also resulted in new crop protection strategies. However, compared with rapid advances in research on secreted proteins, research on metabolites, particularly volatile compounds, considerably lags. Diverse roles of secreted metabolites are highlighted here to underscore the need for systematically exploring microbial chemical ecology. This review focuses on how genomics, especially metabolomics, can enlighten the nature and mechanism of diverse microbial chemical ecology processes crucial for plant health and how to translate resulting insights into environment-friendly and sustainable crop protection strategies. Metabolomics entails comprehensive and rapid profiling of an entire measurable set of compounds in complex mixtures derived from organisms or environments using a growing array of analytical instruments. Metabolomics has expediated discoveries of novel bioactive compounds and subsequent studies on their mode of action. We review a variety of metabolomics tools and how they can be integrated with other tools to study and harness microbial chemical ecology.

IMPACT OF HEALTH CAPITAL AND EDUCATION ON INFANT MORTALITY RATE OF DISTRICTS OF PUNJAB

Economies with large labor population and labor oriented production face problems of quality of labor provided. This quality can be divided into two components; one the skill component and other the health component. The purpose of the paper is to identify the root causes of low health standards in the working population. The district wise data of Punjab (Pakistan), revealed that fertility rate, number of hospitals, literacy rate, and proxy income are the major determinants that can reduce Infant Mortality Rate, and the time being dummy variable in GMM model indicated the health standard to be depreciated in 2011 as compared to 2004

DNA Fingerprinting of Sex in Jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis) Grown under the Semi-arid Conditions of Sudan

Jojoba cultivation and production face the challenge of establishing ways to identify the sex at early stage of plant growth. The present study was carried out to identify sex of jojoba at the seedling stage under Sudan condition. Two DNA markers, ISSR (UBC807) and RAPD (OPG-5), were used for sex identification of jojoba genotypes: two known male and females genotypes and four unknown genotypes. ISSR marker, UBC807 was successfully amplified a unique male-specific band at 1200 bp, while RAPD marker, OPG-5 could not amplify a unique band within jojoba sex. The result clearly indicates that ISSR-UBC807 marker can be used for sex identification of jojoba at seedlings stage, a finding that could make the commercial cultivation and production of jojoba possible in Sudan.