bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Study on the Livelihood Vulnerability of the Poor Relocated Households in Karst Area: A Case Study of Liupanshui Area
Authors: Wang Changxiang , Zhou Zhongfa , Chen Quan , Feng Qing , Zhu Changli
Published: October 2022

Relocation for poverty alleviation has become a vital means for the elimination of rural poverty in China. Research on livelihood vulnerability and its influencing factors of relocated farm households before and after poverty alleviation in Karst areas would contribute to the sustainable development of rural households in mountainous areas, which remains unclear. In this paper, the livelihood vulnerability evaluation index system and evaluation model in Karst areas were constructed based on questionnaire data of relocated households in Liupanshui collected in 2020. Then, the degree of livelihood vulnerability of households before and after relocation was measured, and the analysis of the difference between livelihood vulnerability index and dimension of households with different resettlement methods, relocation time, and livelihood diversification index was carried out in detail. Afterward, stepwise linear regression analysis was chosen to screen the main factors affecting the livelihood vulnerability of rural households subject to different resettlement methods and different relocation time. Results show that the livelihood vulnerability of rural households decreased significantly after relocation, and the risk of rural households returning to poverty was reduced. At the same time, it reveals that the family income level and livelihood diversification index have significant positive effects on the livelihood vulnerability index of rural households before and after relocation. In addition, among the three village resettlement methods, urban resettlement is the most effective way to alleviate the livelihood vulnerability of rural households. With increasing time since relocation, the adaptability of rural households to the new environment is enhanced, and their ability to withstand the impact of risks is also significantly improved.
Review and Prospect for Vegetable Grafting Robot and Relevant Key Technologies
Authors: Yan Guoping , Feng Maoshuo , Lin Weiguo , Huang Yuan , Tong Ruizheng , Cheng Yan
Published: October 2022

Grafting is an effective way to overcome the obstacles of continuous soil cropping and improve the tolerance of plants to abiotic and biotic stresses. An automatic grafting robot can effectively improve the grafting efficiency and survival rate of grafted seedlings, which is an important demand for the commercialization and promotion of vegetable planting. Based on the six main grafting technologies, this paper deeply summarized and analyzed the research status, technical characteristics, and development trends of vegetable grafting robots developed by various countries in the world. At the same time, it focused on the design methods and characteristics of key components such as seedling picking device, clamping device, and cutting device of vegetable grafting robots in detail. Then, the application of machine vision in the grafting robot was compared from the aspects of seed information feature recognition, automatic seedling classification, seedling state detection, and auxiliary grafting. It also was pointed out that machine vision technology was the only way to realize the fully automated grafting of vegetable grafting robots. Finally, several constraints, such as the limited grafting speed of vegetable grafting robots were pointed out, and the future development direction of grafting robots was predicted. As a result, it is believed that the intelligence degree of vegetable grafting robots needs to be improved, and its research and development fail to integrate with the seedling biotechnology, which leads to its poor universality. In the future, improving machine vision, artificial intelligence, and automation technology will help the development of high-performance universal grafting robots.
Test and Optimization of Oilseed Rape (Brassica napus L.) Threshing Device Based on DEM
Authors: Wu Jun , Tang Qing , Mu Senlin , Jiang Lan , Hu Zhichao
Published: October 2022

Gridded concave plate sieves are usually used for threshing operations of grain and oilseed crops. In response to the problems of high threshing loss rate and grain breakage rate when threshing oilseed rape, this research modified the threshing concave plate of oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) harvesters to improve the performance and efficiency of oilseed rape separation. The improved threshing concave plate adopts a 360° wrap angle, and a guide plate with an adjustable inflow angle is designed on the inner side of the concave plate. The optimal combination of parameters for the threshing device is determined by simulation analysis and field testing. Single-factor simulations of the threshing cylinder speed and guide plate angle are carried out using EDEM, which showed that both are influencing factors for the force and speed of the oilseed rape particles. A three-factor and three-level orthogonal experiment was undertaken to validate the simulation analysis further. The threshing cylinder speed, concave plate speed, and guide plate angle were influencing factors. The threshing loss rate and grain breakage rate are evaluation indicators. The field validation tests are carried out on concave plates with 180° wrap angle and 360° wrap angle, the results showed that the concave plate with 360° wrap angle reduces the threshing loss rate by 4.25%, the grain breakage rate by 0.93%, and improved the harvesting efficiency by 0.31 km/h when the threshing cylinder speed was 81.89 rad/s, concave plate speed was 9.34 rad/s, and guide plate angle was 40°. This study demonstrates that the concave plate with a 360° wrap angle has better performance and operational efficiency, and it provides design ideas for threshing devices for other crop combine harvesters.
Analysis of Effect of Grouser Height on Tractive Performance of Tracked Vehicle under Different Moisture Contents in Paddy Soil
Authors: Li Junzheng , Sun Songlin , Sun Chaoran , Liu Cong , Tang Weiguo , Wang Haibi
Published: October 2022

Grouser height and soil moisture content have a significant effect on the tractive performance of tracked vehicles. Paddy soil has the mechanical properties of both clay soil and sandy soil and can have a wide range of water content values, and it has a considerable influence on the tractive performance of tracked agricultural machinery. To study the influence of grouser height on the tractive performance of a single-track shoe under different soil moisture contents, a three-dimensional shearing model of the single-track shoe and the contact soil was established based on the ground vehicle mechanics theory, and an experimental platform with a soil bin, sensors, and a control system was established. Six preset levels of moisture contents (7%, 12%, 17%, 22%, 27%, and 32%) of paddy soil were prepared for the research experiment. The mechanical properties of the soil with different moisture contents were obtained through the use of a direct shear test, penetration test, and compaction test. The obtained physical parameters of the soil have special characteristics that are different from typical soil. Combined with the three-dimensional model and the obtained soil parameters, the parameters of the tractive performance, such as thrust, running resistance, and traction with different moisture contents were analyzed and calculated. The test results revealed that the thrust at different grouser heights shows a regular waveform growth trend with an increase in soil moisture content. The minimum value and the maximum value of thrust were obtained at moisture contents of 7% and 12%, respectively. The curve of different grouser heights of the running resistance shows similar changes with different moisture contents. The two peak points and inflection points of the fluctuation curve are for moisture contents of 17% and 27%. The change curve of the traction is highly similar to the curve of thrust. The maximum value of the traction was found at a moisture content of 12%, and the minimum value at 22% or 27%. Under different moisture conditions, tracked vehicles with higher grousers have better tractive performances.
Rotational Tillage: A Sustainable Management Technique for Wheat Production in the Semiarid Loess Plateau
Authors: Wang Rui , Ma Lijuan , Lv Wei , Li Jun
Published: October 2022

Rotational tillage could be an advisable attempt to overcome some of the adverse impacts of mono conservation tillage, and it is necessary to assess the feasibility of adoption of rotational tillage for sustaining productivity in the long run. Data from an 8-year site-specific field study conducted on the Loess Plateau were used to estimate the long-term effect of rotational tillage on soil water dynamic, soil properties and winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) productivity. Three mono-tillage (No tilling (NT), subsoiling (ST) and ploughing (PT)) and three rotational tillage (NT/ST (NT and ST performed alternately), ST/PT, PT/NT) methods were applied after wheat harvest. Results showed the mean grain weight in the three rotational tillage treatments was 4.5% to 16.9% greater than in NT, and water use efficiency (WUE) was 5.0% to 18.8% greater over the 8 years. Rotational tillage could overcome the increased bulk density and nutrition stratification caused by NT and soil degradation due to PT. NT/ST was the best rotational tillage pattern with the highest grain yield and WUE, best soil property and relatively low mechanical cost in the present study. Here, we demonstrate that rotational tillage can improve wheat yield, WUE and soil properties compared with long-term no tilling and recommend using NT/ST as the optimal tillage pattern in similar ecological regions.
Design and Test of Precise Regulation System for Process Parameters of Double-Layer Tea Winnowing Machine
Authors: Wu Zhengmin , Huang Yangyang , Ouyang Tengyu , Luo Kun , Qin Kuan , Sun Yan , Cao Chengmao
Published: October 2022

Conventional winnowing machines rely on manual operation and adjust their parameter settings based on experience. These problems have led to poor wind sorting results. In order to improve the sorting accuracy and efficiency of the tea winnowing machine, a double-layer automatically controlled winnowing machine has been designed in this study. Firstly, an automatic control system based on a programmable logic controller is established. Secondly, the AC motor control technology is used to achieve the automatic adjustment of the baffle position. The prototype tests show that the control input voltage of the vibrating feeder is 2 V for Lan tea and 1.5 V for pan-fried green tea material. The frequencies of the upper fan are 30 Hz and 25 Hz, respectively, while those of the lower fan are 35 Hz and 30 Hz, respectively. For Lan tea, the No. 3 baffle moves to the right by 5 cm, and the positions of the No. 5 and No. 6 baffles remain unchanged. The main outlet of the double-layer winnowing machine contains 3.72% impurities. As for pan-fried green tea, the position of the No. 3 baffle remains unchanged, the No. 5 baffle moves 5 cm to the right, and the No. 6 baffle moves 4.5 cm to the right. The main outlet of the winnowing machine contains 4.28% impurities. The experiments indicate that the double-layer winnowing machine is more effective than the single-layer one and can provide a reference for an efficient and accurate winnowing machine.
Technical Efficiency of Rice Production in the Upper North of Thailand: Clustering Copula-Based Stochastic Frontier Analysis
Authors: Chaovanapoonphol Yaovarate , Singvejsakul Jittima , Sriboonchitta Songsak
Published: October 2022

This study examines the efficiency of rice production in Thailand, especially major rice, which is the main crop of farmers in all regions of Thailand and is still a pressing issue. Analyzing technical efficiency by using the appropriate analytical tools inevitably brings about determining the correct production efficiency measures. In this study, we applied the K-Means algorithm and copula-based stochastic frontier model to cluster farmer groups in order to find the different factors that impact the group, and to relax the assumption of the two components of random error, which is that they are independent to each other; the correlation of the two components of random error is also represented by the estimation of copula. The findings from the K-Means clustering algorithms applied in this study indicate that the production frontiers can be divided into two frontiers, with the number of farmers under the frontiers of such production differing from the number of farmers collected in each area. The production frontiers were obtained with 591 farmers under the first production frontier and 65 farmers under the second. In addition, the results reflected a correlation between the two error components U and V. This suggests inefficiencies and zero-mean, and that the symmetric error is not independent of each other. The findings from the application of the copula-based stochastic frontier production function models indicate that land, cost of chemicals, and labor inputs have significant positive effects on the mean output of major rice in both groups of farmers. Therefore, the results of this study indicate that the financial services in rural areas should be continuously promoted by governmental policy, particularly via agricultural loans, to rural people since the utilization of inputs affects the quantity of rice produced. Timely loans should be encouraged.
Agritourism and Peer-to-Peer Accommodation: A Moderated Mediation Model
Authors: Elshaer Ibrahim A. , Azazz Alaa M. S. , Ameen Faleh A. , Fayyad Sameh
Published: October 2022

Agritourism is not a new phenomenon; moreover, it has increased significantly over the past decade and is expected to continue growing in the future. Despite this growth, there is no shared understanding of agritourism, which is problematic because it creates confusion and diminishes its appeal among consumers, thereby impeding communication and collaboration between stakeholders. Agritourism activities can be carried out on a microscale in rural areas by families and agricultural practitioners or on a large scale by hotels, restaurants, and catering firms. Despite many developing countries’ agricultural potential, agritourism has not been inserted into development plans in these countries. Only agritourism in small accommodation enterprises is carried out on a microscale by rural families. This study seeks to test the relationship between the positive impacts of peer-to-peer (P2P) accommodation and agritourism performance, with the mediating effects of support for P2P accommodations and organizational citizenship behavior towards P2P accommodations. The data were derived from 300 Airbnb consumers and hosts of agritourism accommodations in the eastern province of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The results of “Structural Equation Modeling” (SEM) via the “Partial least squares” (PLS) showed a positive direct relationship between peer-to-peer accommodation and agritourism performance with a significant mediating role of Organizational Citizenship Behavior and a positive moderating role of information on Agritourism destinations. Several theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
Response of Plant Immunity Markers to Early and Late Application of Extracellular DNA from Different Sources in Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)
Authors: Carbajal-Valenzuela Ireri Alejandra , Guzmán-Cruz Rosario , González-Chavira Mario M. , Medina-Ramos Gabriela , Serrano-Jamaica Luz María , Torres-Pacheco Irineo , Vázquez Lucía , Feregrino-Pérez Ana Angelica , Rico-García Enrique , Guevara-González Ramón Gerardo
Published: October 2022

As a recently explored agricultural practice, the controlled elicitation of plants offers high potential in multiple crop needs as growth promotion, activation of defenses and the production of specific metabolites. Extracellular DNA has been identified as a plant immune system elicitor but some aspects of the plant response have not been explored. In the present work, five DNA treatments were applied in tomato plants and the response of catalase, superoxide dismutase, phenylalanine ammonia lyase activities, hydrogen peroxide, total phenolics and flavonoid contents in leaves were spectrophotometrically measured. Treatments differed by the source and concentration of DNA and plant phenological stage of application. Furthermore, mathematical modeling and principal component analysis were performed to explore the behavior of each variable and their interaction. The most effective treatment was the self-DNA application in young plants based on the intensity and duration of immune system activation. The information given by the measured variables correlated positively with the phenylpropanoid pathway markers and negatively with catalase and superoxide dismutase activities. Results reported here propose an easy way to evaluate plant immune response activation by DNA and any other elicitor and provide useful information for future development of controlled elicitation strategies in crop production.
A Comparative Study on the Structural Properties and Lipid Profile of Mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) Powder Obtained by Different Drying Methods
Authors: Piskov Sergey , Timchenko Lyudmila , Avanesyan Svetlana , Siddiqui Shahida Anusha , Sizonenko Marina , Kurchenko Vladimir , Rzhepakovsky Igor , Blinov Andrey , Nagdalian Andrey , Shariati Mohammad Ali , Ibrahim Salam A.
Published: October 2022

Mushroom powders, as functional food ingredients, have attracted much attention in recent years. In the present study, four drying methods, i.e., freeze drying (FD), hot air drying (HAD), microwave drying (MWD), and sun drying (SD), were investigated to determine the effects on the structure and lipid profile of mushroom powder. The morphology of the mushroom powder was studied by using X-ray microtomography. The surface of the particles was studied by using scanning electron microscopy. The identification of lipophilic components was carried out by using gas chromatography in a powder extract obtained under in vitro conditions simulating digestion. The FD powder extract, with the widest range of particle size distribution (17.7–2270.3 µm), represented flake shapes with a porous structure. In addition, particles with minimal sizes (17.7–35.4 µm) were recorded only in the FD powder extract. Among the samples, the representation of large granules (1135.5–2270.3 µm) was ranked in the order: MWD < SD < FD < HAD, where the MWD sample was characterized by a narrow particle size composition (35.4–1135.1 µm), whereas the HAD granules were characerizedd by a lamellar structure with multiple deformations. The MWD particles were fused microaglomerates, whereas the SD powder consisted of amorphous particles with a strongly wrinkled surface. Sixty compounds were identified in the lipophilic powder extracts. Regarding the number of compounds identified, the powder extracts were ranked in the order MWD > FD > HAD > SD. Based on the content of linoleic acid, the samples were ranked in the order HAD < MWD < FD < SD, and, based on the stearic acid concentration, they were ranked in the order FD < HAD < MWD < SD. Oleic acid was identified in the HAD and MWD powder extracts, and palmitic acid was only identified in the SD powder extract. According to the number of fatty acid esters, the extracts were ranked in the order SD < FD < MWD < HAD. As per the concentration, alkanes were obtained from HAD and MWD samples and fatty alcohols were obtained from the FD samples. Lipophilic substances with a possible undesirable effect were identified only in the FD and HAD powder extracts. The results of this study expand the currently limited knowledge about the effect of various drying methods on the structural properties of mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) powder and its lipophilic component. The new information obtained will contribute to better management of mushroom raw materials in terms of optimization, taking into consideration the manufacturer’s interest in the technological and functional properties of mushroom powders as a food ingredient or biologically active substance for the production of nutraceuticals.
Factors Affecting the Survival of Ostrich from Hatching Untilthe Age of 48 Weeks
Authors: Brassó Lili Dóra , Török Evelin , Komlósi István , Posta János
Published: October 2022

The study aimed to investigate the effect of the combination of year and season of breeding period, egg weight, the annual hatching order of chicks and the hatchability of eggs on the relative risk of total loss for chicks during their 48-week life period. The examination was conducted on one of the largest farms in Hungary working with sixty breeding birds, kept in trios (one male and two females). The research covered the growing information of 1606 chicks hatched in 2019, 2020 and 2021. The highest relative risk of total loss was revealed in autumn 2020 and 2021. In comparison with the reference group (2021 summer), the relative risk of total loss was significantly lower in summer 2019 (p < 0.05) and spring 2020 (p = 0.0049) 2020 (p = 0.0000) and 2021 (p = 0.0348) spring. Both between years and between seasons the tendency of relative risk was the same. The relative risk of total loss increased until the end of the third quart of the incubation period, then remained unchanged. Chicks from groups having weak hatchability (≤50%) had the highest relative risk (p < 0.05).
Efficacy of Trunk Injected Imidacloprid and Oxytetracycline in Managing Huanglongbing and Asian Citrus Psyllid in Infected Sweet Orange (Citrus sinensis) Trees
Authors: Archer Leigh , Qureshi Jawwad , Albrecht Ute
Published: October 2022

Traditional foliar spray and soil drench applications of crop protection compounds have been ineffective at managing huanglongbing (HLB) in citrus. Trunk injection is a technique that delivers crop protection compounds directly into the tree vasculature, which optimizes compound availability while minimizing drift, runoff, and damage to non-target organisms. Five-year-old HLB-affected ‘Valencia’ sweet orange (Citrus sinensis) trees were injected with the insecticide imidacloprid or the antibacterial oxytetracycline in October 2020 and April 2021. Trees were monitored for tree health, psyllid colonization, bacterial titers, fruit quality, fruit drop, and yield for two production seasons. Imidacloprid injection caused 63% mortality of psyllid adults within one week and reduced progeny survival by 80%, though the efficacy waned within two months. Injection with oxytetracycline significantly improved tree health, reduced bacterial titers, and reduced preharvest fruit drop by more than 3-fold with corresponding increases in yield. Residue dynamics varied by injected compound and tissue analyzed. These results suggest trunk injection could be an effective delivery method for existing or novel therapeutics targeting either the insect vector or the pathogen causing HLB.
The Combinations of White, Blue, and UV-A Light Provided by Supplementary Light-Emitting Diodes Promoted the Quality of Greenhouse-Grown Cucumber Seedlings
Authors: Yan Zhengnan , Wang Chunling , Wang Long , Li Xin , Wang Guanjie , Yang Yanjie
Published: October 2022

Insufficient solar light in winter inside the greenhouse may lead to a lower quality of vegetable seedlings, and supplemental light is an effective technique to solve this problem. This study evaluated the impacts of supplementary white (W)-light-emitting diodes (LEDs), ultraviolet A LEDs (UV-A), white and blue LEDs (WB), the combinations of white and UV-A LEDs (W-UVA), and white, blue, and UV-A LEDs (WB-UVA) on the leaf morphology, photosynthetic traits, biomass accumulation, root architecture, and hormone content of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L. cv. Tianjiao No. 5) seedlings grown in the greenhouse. The results indicated that supplementary LED lighting led to a decreased plant height, shorter hypocotyl length, bigger leaf area, and thicker leaf compared with those grown with solar light only, regardless of light quality. The shoot fresh weight, root fresh weight, and seedling quality index of cucumber seedlings grown under the combinations of white, blue, and UVA radiations increased by 30.8%, 3.2-fold, and 1.8-fold, respectively, compared with those grown with natural light only. However, no significant differences were exhibited in the biomass accumulation of greenhouse-grown cucumber seedlings between the control and the UVA treatment. The cellulose content and stem firmness of greenhouse-grown cucumber seedlings grown under the combinations of white, blue, and UVA radiations increased by 49.9% and 13.1%, respectively, compared with those grown under white light only. Additionally, the cytokinin content of cucumber seedlings was promoted by over 36.7% by applying supplementary light. In summary, the combinations of white, blue, and UVA radiations led to compact morphological characteristics, superior mechanical properties, and preferable growth performance, which could be applied as an available lighting strategy to obtain the desired morphological and quality properties of vegetable seedlings.
The Recent Development in Technologies for Attaining Doubled Haploid Plants In Vivo
Authors: Zargar Meisam , Zavarykina Tatiana , Voronov Sergey , Pronina Irina , Bayat Maryam
Published: October 2022

Haploid plants with a doubled set of chromosomes (doubled haploid (DH)) significantly speed up the selection process by the fixation of genetic traits in each locus in the homozygous state within one generation. Doubled haploids are mainly attained by the formation of plants from the cultured gametophytic (haploid) tissues and cells in vitro, or by targeted reduction in the parent chromosome during intra- or interspecific hybridization. Since then, DH has become one of the most powerful tools to support various basic research studies, as well as applied research. This review is focused on the recent development of the production of doubled haploids in vivo and their fundamental bases. The various mechanisms and approaches responsible for the formation of haploids in vivo are discussed, particularly the induction of parthenogenesis by BBM-like proteins, the long constructed Salmon system of wheat, the usage of patatin-like phospholipases MTL/PLA1/NLD, the IG1 system, uniparental genome elimination during interspecific hybridization, and the perspective technology of centromeric histone 3 (CENH3) modification.
International Evaluation of China’s Beef Cattle Industry Development Level and Lagging Points
Authors: Li Xujun , Ma Xiaoping , Wang Mingli , Zhang Hao
Published: October 2022

Quality, efficiency, safety and environmental protection are important directions for the development of animal husbandry in China. Taking China’s beef industry as an example, this study establishes a comprehensive index system from six industrial subsystems: resource endowment, production, consumption, quality, trade and environment. By comparison with the beef cattle industry in other countries, great effort is being made to position the development level of China’s beef industry and to determine its lagging points, according to the coupling coordination degree and relative development degree of each subsystem. Under the multidimensional development goals, the development level of China’s beef cattle industry shows a fluctuating upward-downward trend, and the resource endowment has a certain advantage, but the development of the production, consumption, quality and environmental subsystems is insufficient and lacks competitiveness. China’s beef cattle industry is less developed than in Brazil, the United States, Argentina, Australia and other countries in terms of production, consumption, quality, trade and environment. The industrial subsystems mainly present low-level coordination and operation, with lagging development of the production quantity and quality. According to the analysis of the industry’s weaknesses, China’s beef industry needs to promote the combination of planting and breeding, cost reduction, efficiency increase, and green breeding.
Enhancing Carbon Sequestration in Mediterranean Agroforestry Systems: A Review
Authors: Carranca Corina , Pedra Filipe , Madeira Manuel
Published: October 2022

The agroforestry systems with a high potential for C sequestration are those degraded by poor management strategies. Studies on changes in soil C status in these ecosystems mostly take into account labile C pools. Labile and stable soil organic matter (SOM) fractions are affected by soil management and land-use changes. Stable C pools are essential to understanding effects of land-use on soil C storage in the long term. The SOM stability is partly enhanced by the interaction of SOM with minerals and its inclusion into soil aggregates. Recalcitrant substances (e.g., lignin and chitin) also contribute to the passive SOM fraction. Macroaggregates mostly reflect the influence of plant roots and coarse intra-aggregate particulate SOM (POM), whereas microaggregates reflect the influence of fine interaggregate POM, clay concentration and humified SOM fraction. Often, POM is more sensitive to soil management changes than total SOM. Glomalin is a recalcitrant protein consisting of chitin produced by mycorrhizal fungi to protect hyphae. Glomalin has implications on C sequestration in agroforestry soils, but further research is needed before any prediction can be made. One challenge is reducing the CO2 emission from roots, and increasing the recalcitrant root C.
Potato Planter and Planting Technology: A Review of Recent Developments
Authors: Zhou Baidong , Li Yexin , Zhang Cong , Cao Liewang , Li Chengsong , Xie Shouyong , Niu Qi
Published: October 2022

Potato is one of the most important food crops in the world, which is of great significance for sustainable agricultural development. Mechanized planting is the essential technical link in mechanized production, which has an essential component in the potato growing industry. The mechanization of potato planting technology is an effective method of increasing potato yields. A variety of potato planting technologies and machines have been developed around the world. This review presents the research progress and application status of potato planters and planting technology worldwide. It classifies the planting technology into four types: research of materials characteristics for potatoes, soil cultivation, seed potato separation, and zero-speed seeding. The most critical seed potato separation technology was divided into six types according to the structure of the seed metering device. Detailed features have been provided for some typical potato planters and soil cultivation machines. Finally, the developing trend of intelligent planting technology was analyzed, and some suggestions were proposed to promote the development of potato planters.
Estimation of Technical, Allocative, and Economic Efficiencies for Smallholder Broiler Producers in South Africa
Authors: Myeki Lindikaya W. , Nengovhela Nkhanedzeni B. , Mudau Livhuwani , Nakana Elvis , Ngqangweni Simphiwe
Published: October 2022

The prevailing economic conditions as a result of COVID-19, climate change, and the Russia–Ukraine conflict, have led to renewed global interest in the efficiency of the agricultural sector. As a result of this, we investigated the efficiencies of 64 broiler producers in three districts covering the North West and Limpopo provinces in South Africa from 2019 to 2022, using a two-stage data envelopment analysis method with input orientation. The results show that producers operate on the upper bounds toward efficiency, but room for improvement still exists at 10%, 20%, and 28% on technical, allocative, and cost efficiencies. This indicates that inputs can still be reduced without changing the level of output and that the input combination is incompatible with cost minimization. Consequently, only 13%, 8%, and 4% of the sampled broiler producers exhibited technical, allocative, and cost efficiencies, respectively; the majority were women. The Vhembe, Capricorn, and Dr. Kenneth Kaunda (DRKK) districts had vastly different scores for each efficiency type, indicating that their differences in resource endowments, technology, and climate, necessitate the formulation of district-specific policies. The mortality rate, heating costs, and investments in health emerged as significant efficiency determinants. Overall, the findings provide insights into refocusing the country’s poultry sector in light of current shocks and the notable aspirations of the poultry master plan.
Fermented Apple Pomace Improves Plasma Biochemical and Antioxidant Indicators and Fecal Microbiota of Weaned Pigs
Authors: Ao Weiping , Cheng Meng , Chen Yanxu , Sun Jipeng , Zhang Chunlei , Zhao Xianle , Liu Mingzheng , Zhou Bo
Published: October 2022

As a by-product, apple pomace (AP) is very rich in pectin, polyphenols, carbohydrates and minerals, which have antioxidant and immune-enhancing functions on animals. To investigate the effects of fermented AP on pigs, a total of 120 weaned pigs were allocated into one of two treatments: the control (CON) group, fed with diets containing 5% silage AP; or the AP group, fed with diets containing 5% silage corn-AP for 28 d. The average daily gain was increased (p < 0.001) in the AP group compared with the CON group. The concentration of albumin and superoxide dismutase were increased by 8.98 g/L (p < 0.001) and 2.9 U/mL (p = 0.001), while the concentration of aspartate aminotransferase and malondialdehyde were decreased by 23.59 U/L (p < 0.001) and 2.33 nmol/mL (p = 0.003) in the AP group, respectively. There were 46 and 125 unique OTUs in the AP and CON groups, respectively. In the AP group, the abundance of Lactobacillus was increased (p < 0.003), but the abundances of Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1 (p = 0.001), Terrisporobacter (p = 0.026), Ruminococcus (p = 0.001) were decreased. In addition, the relative abundance of genetic information processing pathways was increased (p = 0.001) in the AP group, while the relative abundance of cellular processes had a tendency to decrease (p = 0.056) in the AP group. Above all, the supplementation of fermented AP has beneficial impacts on the growth, plasma biochemistry and immune indicators, and gut microbiota of weaned pigs.
The Technical Efficiency of Beef Calf Production Systems: Evidence from a Survey in Hebei, China
Authors: Xue Yongjie , Yan Jinling , Cui Yongfu , Zhao Huifeng , Zhang Ya’nan , Ma Changhai , Zheng Haijing
Published: October 2022

Beef calf production is a source of sustainable development for the beef cattle industry. However, no comparative studies have reported on the technical efficiency of different beef calf production systems and their influencing factors. Based on data from 218 Chinese farmers and 12 governments, in the present study, we constructed data envelopment analysis (DEA) models and conducted a comparative analysis of the technical efficiency of the main three beef calf production systems: the Simmental calf intensive production system (CIPS), Simmental calf semi-intensive production system (SCIPS) and Holstein bull calf intensive production system (BCIPS). Using Tobit models, we analyzed the effects of various factors. The results show that: (1) The technical efficiency of the production system of Simmental calf is higher than that of Holstein bull calf, and the efficiency of SCIPS is higher than that of CIPS. The technical efficiency (TE), pure technical efficiency (PTE) and scale efficiency (SE) of different systems are significantly different. (2) Policy on the environment positively affected (p < 0.01) the TE, TPE and SE of CIPS, but negatively affected the PTE of SCIPS. Therefore, appropriate environmental regulations have a positive effect on production efficiency, which means that measures should be taken according to the reality and characteristics of the production system, and policies applicable to other systems or regions may not be applicable in a given case. (3) The management level and technology training had positive effects on the TE, TPE and SE of the three systems, while the number of years of production had a negative or no significant effect. Producers are not the “perfectly rational economic man”, and the more knowledge they have, the more productive they will be. However, the “knowledge” referred to here is that which is adapted to production, not that which is traditional. The knowledge possessed by the producer should be updated continuously with the changes over time and the development of the industry, while outdated information is not considered as “knowledge” here. Therefore, to achieve sustainability, the government should fully consider the characteristics of the local breeding mode and, more importantly, the expected effects of policies to be implemented.
Comparative Evaluation of Physicochemical Properties, Microstructure, and Antioxidant Activity of Jujube Polysaccharides Subjected to Hot Air, Infrared, Radio Frequency, and Freeze Drying
Authors: Wu Bengang , Qiu Chengcheng , Guo Yiting , Zhang Chunhong , Li Dan , Gao Kun , Ma Yuanjin , Ma Haile
Published: October 2022

In this study, we used four drying methods (hot air, freezing, infrared, and radio frequency) to dry fresh jujube and its polysaccharide extracts by a two-step drying method, and the effects of the drying methods on the physical and chemical properties, structural properties, and antioxidant activity of jujube polysaccharides were studied. The results showed significant differences in the yield, drying time, monosaccharide content, molecular weight, apparent viscosity, thermal stability, and microstructure of the polysaccharides treated under the different drying methods. In contrast, no significant differences in the monosaccharide composition and functional groups of the polysaccharide samples obtained from the different drying methods were observed. Among all the tested methods, the freeze-drying extraction rate was the highest, reaching 4.52 ± 0.19%, while its drying time was the longest. Although the extraction rate of radio frequency drying was only 3.55 ± 0.21%, the drying time was the shortest, compared with hot air drying, the drying time was reduced by 76.67–83.29%, and the obtained polysaccharides exerted good antioxidant activity. Therefore, radio frequency drying is a potential polysaccharide extraction and drying technique, and this study can provide a theoretical basis for its industrial production.
Design and Testing of Discrete Element-Based Counter-Rotating Excavation Device for Cyperus esculentus
Authors: Zhao Zhuang , He Xiaoning , Shang Shuqi , Hou Jialin , Zhu Hao , Wang Haiqing , Wang Yuetao , Li Dongjie , Chang Zengcun , Xia Chao , Wang Dongwei
Published: October 2022

Currently, the mechanized harvesting method of Cyperus esculentus is mainly based on rotary excavation, but there are problems such as high working resistance, high damage rate, and high buried fruit rate in the working process. This paper focuses on the analysis of the movement trajectory of the positive-rotating and counter-rotating Cyperus esculentus excavation device, establishes a agglomerate model of soil-Cyperus esculentus tuber-Cyperus esculentus root system-mechanism, and conducts discrete element simulation tests on Cyperus esculentus agglomerates under different soil layers. According to Expert test optimization, the optimal structural parameters of the counter-rotating blade are determined: the radius of gyration is 151 mm, the inclination angle of the cutting edge is 42.5°, and the working width is 318 mm. The comparative test of the positive-rotating rotary tillage method under the optimal structural parameters shows that the working resistance is reduced by 11.25%, and the torque of the tool shaft is reduced by 16.11%, which proves that the designed anti-rotation excavation structure has the effect of reducing resistance. To further test the harvesting performance of the Cyperus esculentus excavation device, field harvesting tests were conducted, and the results showed that the buried fruit rate of the counter-rotating excavation device was reduced by 11.6%, and the damage rate was reduced by 6.1% year-on-year. This study shows that the design of the counter-rotating excavation device can further improve the harvesting performance of Cyperus esculentus based on reduced resistance harvesting and meet the requirements of Cyperus esculentus harvesting.
Development of the Reliability Assessment Process of the Hydraulic Pump for a 78 kW Tractor during Major Agricultural Operations
Authors: Siddique Md. Abu Ayub , Kim Yong-Joo , Baek Seung-Min , Baek Seung-Yun , Han Tae-Ho , Kim Wan-Soo , Kim Yeon-Soo , Lim Ryu-Gap , Choi Yong
Published: October 2022

This study focuses on the development of the reliability test method for the hydraulic pump of a tractor during major agricultural operations (plow, rotary, baler, and wrapping) at various driving and PTO (power take-off) gear stages. The hydraulic-pressure-measurement system was installed on the tractor. The measured hydraulic pressure and engine rotational speed were converted to the equivalent pressure and engine speed for each agricultural operation using a mathematical formula. Additionally, the overall equivalent pressure and overall engine speed were calculated to determine the acceleration lifetime. The average equivalent pressure and engine speed for plow tillage were calculated at around 5.44 MPa and 1548.37 rpm, respectively, whereas the average equivalent pressure and engine speed for rotary tillage were almost 5.70 MPa and 2074.73 rpm, accordingly. In the case of baler and wrapping operations, the average equivalent pressure and engine speed were approximately 11.22 MPa and 2203.01 rpm, and 11.86 MPa and 913.76 rpm, respectively. The overall hydraulic pressure of the pump and the engine rotational speed were found to be around 10.07 MPa and 1512.93 rpm, respectively. The acceleration factor was calculated using the overall pressure and engine speed accounting for 336. In summary, the developed reliability test method was evaluated by RS-B-0063, which is the existing reliability evaluation standard for agricultural hydraulic gear pumps. The evaluation results proved that the developed reliability test method for the hydraulic pump of a tractor satisfied the standard criteria. Therefore, it could be said that the developed reliability test method could be applicable to the hydraulic pump of the tractor during agricultural field operations.
Measurement Method of Collision Restitution Coefficient between Corn Seed and Soil Based on the Collision Dynamics Theory of Mass Point and Fixed Surface
Authors: Gao Zhen , Lu Caiyun , Li Hongwen , He Jin , Wang Qingjie , Huang Shenghai , Li Yunxiang , Zhan Huimin
Published: October 2022

The collision restitution coefficient (CRC) is the essential parameter of the discrete element method (DEM) to study the interaction mechanism between corn seed and soil. The accuracy of its measurement results is the criticalness to ensuring simulation accuracy. In the current study, the CRC between corn seed and soil is mainly measured by the method of corn seed colliding with soil. However, since the soil is a granular body, the essence of the collision of corn seed with soil is the collision between one corn seed and a quantity of soil particles, resulting in inaccurate measurement results soil particles. Therefore, based on the collision dynamics theory of mass point and fixed surface, this paper proposed a measurement method of CRC to study the interaction mechanism between corn seed and soil. This paper analyzed the influence of mass point selection on the measurement results of CRC in the collision process. The measurement method was determined by taking soil particle as mass point and corn seed as fixed surface. To verify the feasibility of this method, a CRC measurement system was established based on high-speed camera technology. The soil particle was dropped at the heights of 10, 15, 20, and 25 cm to collide with the corn seed. The separation velocity and approaching velocity of the soil particle was measured to obtain the CRC between the corn seed and soil. Taking the CRC as the essential parameter of discrete element simulation, the discrete element simulation experiment (DESE) and the soil bin experiment (SBE)of corn seed free fall impact on soil were carried out, and the experiment results were compared and analyzed. In the experiment, the falling height (40, 50, 60, 70 cm) of corn seed and the touching position of the corn seed (positions a, b, c, d) were taken as the influencing factors. The movement state of corn seed and the separation approaching velocity ratio (SAVR) ξ during the collision were taken as the indexes. The results showed that when the positions of corn seed touched the soil was the same, with the increase of the falling height, the SAVR ξ obtained from the DESE and the SBE showed a downward trend. When the falling height was the same, and the corn seed touched the soil at positions b, c, and d, the motion state in the DESE was basically the same as that in the SBE. The relative error of the SAVR between the DESE and the SBE was less than 10%, which proves the feasibility of the method proposed in this paper. The measurement method of the CRC between corn seed and soil proposed in this study provided a theoretical research basis for clarifying the interaction mechanism between corn seed and soil and solving the seed bouncing in high-speed precision sowing.
Influence of Lighting and Laser Irradiation on the Germination of Caper Seeds
Authors: Foschi María Laura , Juan Mariano , Pascual Bernardo , Pascual-Seva Nuria
Published: October 2022

Caper seeds present difficulties in their germination, which has been studied by several research teams. It is known that light can release dormancy in some seeds, but its effect on caper seed germination has not yet been deeply studied. The main aim of this study was to analyze the response of caper seeds germination to light exposure. The study analyzed the germination response of seeds to lighting with different wavelengths (white, red, blue, red + blue and darkness) and to the He-Ne laser light, using both dry seeds and seeds that had been previously soaked in water. Overall, it could be stated that caper seeds are insensitive to light during the germination process. Thus, germination could be carried out in lightness or darkness, so germination in nurseries could be carried out in the darkness, leading to substantial energy savings. Caper seed irradiation with a He-Ne laser during short exposure times improved the germination percentage for the seeds previously soaked in water, germinating all viable seeds. However, applying a solution of gibberellic acid was always required in all the cases studied.