bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Export Promotional System in India
Authors: Pandey R.K.
Published: July 2017

This Paper puts in propor perspoctivo tho role, which export promotion measures/system should play to ensure continuing �expansion and diversification of India's exports in the context of the highly competitivo, complex and fast changing international marketing environment.

The entire export promotion system in India, according to the author, has to be overhauled and scientifically orientod to the oxport marketing promotion/development needs rather than just catering to the cost reduction/profitability enhancement objectives, which indeed have some, but very limited, contribution to tho export expansion and diversification efforts of the country.

A popular method of appraising benefits from export promotion measures in India has been to compare the net foreign exchange realization from exports with the total cost of administering export promotion measures to national exchequer-a fiscalist approach.

The benefit analysis of export promotion system in any country should, however, necessarily bo based on a comparison between Domestic Resource Cost of export promotion measures/system and the Domestic Resource Gain as well as Net Foreign Exchange Earning. The cost-benefit analysis in terms of cost of export promotion system and measures as compared with net foreign exchange earning resulting therefrom can, therefore, be treated only as a partial approach.
Supervisory Attitudes toward Impaired Workers: A Factor Analytic Study of the Behavioral Index of Troubled Employees (BITE)
Authors: Bayer Gregory , Gerstein Lawrence
Published: July 2017

To address the shortage of instruments related to employee assistance programs (EAPs), the Behavioral Index of Troubled Employees (BITE) was developed. This focuses on one aspect of the supervisor-troubled worker intervention process: supervisors' attitudes toward behaviors of impaired employees. As such, the BITE gathers information on supervisors' opinions of various behaviors associated with troubled workers. In a study of the instrument, the BITE was administered to 237 supervisors from two companies in the automotive industry. The underlying structure and pattern of the supervisors' attitudes was determined through the use of principle components factor analytic and reliability procedures. The results suggest that the BITE comprises four valid, reliable factors: industriousness, resistance, acrimoniousness, and disaffection. The authors discuss the implications of using the BITE in future research, theory testing, and training supervisors about EAP practices.
Working Under the Influence (WUI): Correlates of Employees' Use of Alcohol and Other Drugs
Authors: Hollinger Richard C.
Published: July 2017

In response to the use of alcohol and other drugs in the work place, policy decisions with significant social and legal implications—such as urine testing for drug use—are being made without a clear understanding of either the epidemiology or etiology of this phenomenon. This article presents the major theoretical perspectives on employees' substance abuse and assesses the desirability of integrating them. Using data from an anonymous mail survey of 9,175 employees of 47 organizations in three industries, the author analyzed responses to items addressing age, gender, social interaction with coworkers, and satisfaction with one's job to determine any relationship between these variables and self-reported instances of working while intoxicated. The findings indicate that the employees most likely to work under the influence of alcohol or other drugs were men younger than 30 years, and that the likelihood of their—or other employees'—doing so increased when they felt unhappy about their jobs and socialized frequently with coworkers off the job. The author discusses the implications of these findings for both deviance theory and policies for employee assistance programs.
Consonant Confusions and the Constant Ratio Rule
Authors: Pollack Irwin , Decker Louis
Published: July 2017

The constant-ratio rule of Clarke was evaluated with spoken initial English consonants heard against noise: /f, h, l, r, w, y/, the cluster /hw/ and the absence of the initial consonant /#/. The average deviation between observed consonant confusions for three sets of 4 times 4 matrices and confusions predicted on the basis of the constant-ratio rule from the 8 times 8 matrix averaged about four per cent over a wide range of S/N ratios. A tentative representational structure for the selected consonants, based on the confusion analysis, is presented.
Statistical Approximations to English and French
Authors: Taylor Anne , Moray Neville
Published: July 2017

This paper presents samples of English and French prose representing approximations to normal English and French. The range covered in English is from 2nd order to 16th order approximations and in French from 1st order to 8th order.
A Theory in Distributional Syntax: Classes and Constants
Authors: Lascelles Monica
Published: July 2017

Developments are made from the definitions of a syntactic class and a syntactic constant given in the article “Fries on Word Classes”, Language and Speech, 2 (1959), 86. They are related to work by Zellig S. Harris. The theory is applied to English but it is hoped it will be more generally useful.
The Role of Relative Indeterminacy in Word Initials and Finals: a Study in Word Identification
Authors: Oleron Pierre
Published: July 2017

Sixty French six-letter words of high frequency of occurrence (common nouns) were mutilated by deletion either of two first or two last letters. 24 subjects were asked to reconstruct them. The number of errors and non-responses was higher in the case of initial mutilation, and so was the number of equivalent responses.

This result shows that beginnings of words have more variety than ends. Statistical analysis using dictionaries and concerning these words and another sample of 42 similar five-letter words leads to the same conclusion. The meaning of this result, from the point of view of error pre-correction theory, is discussed.
Sentence Construction in German-English Bilinguals
Authors: Forster Kenneth I. , Clyne Michael G.
Published: July 2017

The characteristics of the sentence production systems of German-English bilinguals were investigated using a sentence completion technique in which either the first or the second half of a sentence was deleted. It was found that the results for bilinguah matched the results obtained for separate groups of German and English speakers, provided that the bilinguals were highly fluent in both languages.
Phonetic Features in Young Children's Slips of the Tongue
Authors: Jaeger Jeri J.
Published: July 2017

The form in which phonological information is stored in the lexical entries of young children, and how this form changes over time, are questions which are difficult to address, given the limitations of current methodologies. However, slips of the tongue made by young children can be used to shed some light on the question. Earlier research (Stemberger, 1989; Jaeger, 1992) has shown that children as young as 1;7 (one year seven months) make slips in which single consonants or single vowels are substituted or exchanged, implying segmental organization in phonological representations. In the present paper, a corpus of 366 consonant substitutions and reversals made by young children, aged 1;7–6;0, are subjected to a multidimensional scaling analysis, and are shown to be governed by patterns of phonetic similarity, indicating that these segments have phonetic structure. A feature system based on the scaling procedure is found to be somewhat different from one generated by van den Broecke and Goldstein (1980) from adult errors, especially in manner features. While both adults and children err on the ‘place of articulation’ feature most often, and ‘nasality’ least often, children produce ‘voicing’ feature errors less often than adults do, indicating that voicing may be a more important organizing principle for young children than for adults. Some age-related trends in number and type of feature errors are discussed.
Developments in the Control of Red Spider Mites
Authors: Edgar E. C.
Published: July 2017

Although modern insecticides have cleared many pests from our crops, they have not only failed against red spider but have actually increased the incidence of these mites by destroying insects that prey upon them. In consequence mite control has become a major concern of the economic entomologist. Research on this subject has occupied the author for some years past, and he describes here how acaricides now being tested at Jealott's Hill offer fresh hope of a solution to this complex problem.
The Changing Pattern of Animal Health
Authors: Harrow W. T.
Published: July 2017

In Britain and other progressive countries striking improvements in animal health have followed recent advances in therapy, better veterinary services, and efficient legislation. Many infections that were looked upon as important not very long ago have been well controlled, lesser troubles have become of relatively greater concern as these declined, and science is at last gaining the upper hand in the unending struggle against disease.
Fertilizer Placement
Authors: Cooke G. W.
Published: July 2017

Within the past ten years experimental work in Great Britain, mostly by the author and his colleagues at Rothamsted, has established methods for the placement of fertilizers that frequently give better results than broadcasting. This paper assesses the value of these techniques for most of our common crops, discusses the factors involved, and suggests how the British work might be applied to cultural conditions in other lands.
Methods of Insecticide Application Against the Desert Locust
Authors: Rainey R. C.
Published: July 2017

This paper was read at the Plant Protection Second International Conference, Fernhurst, 1956. It shows that insecticides may give poor or excellent kills of the desert locust, whether applied in baits for hopper control or sprayed from aircraft against adults in settled or flying swarms. Much depends on locust density and other factors affecting pick-up, and these must be taken into account if efficiency in control is to be improved.
Mistblowing in Orchards in the Netherlands
Authors: Muijzenberg E. W. B. Van Den
Published: July 2017

Recent experimental work on the possibilities of mistblowing for the control of pests and diseases is briefly described in this paper, read at an international conference on plant protection held at Fernhurst Research Station in 1956. Mistblowing uses far less material than spraying and gives just as good results in orchards at about half the cost per acre. It is now becoming popular in Holland, and its wider use is expected.
Hormones in Meat Production
Authors: Hammond John
Published: July 2017

A recent development of much interest to the livestock farmer is the use of synthetic oestrogens in the production of beef and mutton. Numerous trials have proved that such hormones, implanted under the skin or fed in concentrates, not only increase the rate of liveweight gain in cattle and sheep but improve carcass quality and the efficiency of food conversion. The practice is already common in the U.S.A. and is spreading in the U.K.
The Mechanization of Rice Growing
Authors: Hawkins J. C.
Published: July 2017

Machines and implements have been developed by means of which nearly all operations in rice growing can be carried out with success, granted the right soil and good control of water. There are other considerations: even if the engineering problems on wet land can be solved, social and financial obstacles will usually make it impossible to adopt mechanization in the old paddy areas, though place has been found for it on new land.
A New Herbicide
Authors: Stubbs J.
Published: July 2017

Numerous trials have shown that 1:1′-ethylene-2:2′-dipyridylium dibromide is a potent systemic herbicide having several useful properties. In particular, it enters foliage within a few minutes of contact, so that rain falling after this period does not affect its toxic action, and it is rapidly inactivated when applied to the soil. Potential uses include potato haulm destruction and crop desiccation as well as general weedkilling.
Clostridial Diseases of Sheep
Authors: Stamp John T.
Published: July 2017

Lamb dysentery, blackleg, enterotoxaemia, braxy, and a number of other acute and often fatal diseases of sheep are caused by clostridial organisms of various types. Infection is closely related to the status of the host, and as the rising incidence of some of these diseases is associated with modern methods of grass production and fattening lambs more use must be made of the vaccines and sera that alone can ensure their effective control.
Some Nutritional and Physiological Aspects of Calf Rearing
Authors: Roy J. H. B.
Published: July 2017

A great deal of research work is now being done in the hope of finding better or cheaper methods of calf rearing, and this paper briefly reviews some of the results that have been obtained in studies of the fundamental problems involved. It is concerned essentially with factors that affect the nutrition and development of the calf from birth to weaning, considered in relation to early-weaning systems of feeding now being adopted on many farms.
Reproduction Problems in British Cattle
Authors: Dawson F. L. M.
Published: July 2017

Bovine infertility is a major cause of trouble and loss to farmers in Britain and other lands. Under this term come a number of conditions leading to failure to breed, thereby shortening the working life of the average dairy cow. They comprise physiological derangements of different kinds as well as infection by bacteria and other organisms, and such factors as heredity, management and nutrition may all contribute to producing a problem.
Pasture Renovation by Herbicidal and Other Treatments
Authors: Davies W. , Jones L.
Published: July 2017

The changed appearance of cereal fields in Britain is frequently remarked: freedom from weeds; short straw and heavy yield. Potential changes in grassland can be no less striking. The nitrogenous green sward, with heavy stocking, is becoming common, as is the forage harvester. Transition from poor to profitable grass need no longer be slow: with the aid of new herbicides it may be brought about efficiently, quickly and cheaply.
The Eco-Physiology of Mediterranean and North Temperate Varieties of Tall Fescue
Authors: Morgan D. G.
Published: July 2017

In Britain, over the last 20 years, grass has come to be grown as a crop, though not every acre is yet heavily fertilized. Currently, the permanent and ley grass acreage receives nearly half the country's annual tonnage of inorganic nutrients. Any step leading towards cheaper grass for grazing or conservation—alongside generous use of fertilizers—is bound to be welcome. Of topical interest are varieties able to make growth during winter.
Changes in Distribution of Milk Production in England and Wales
Authors: Smith L. P.
Published: July 2017

Examination of past records as a guide to future changes is a time-honoured and valuable exercise that becomes more and more fashionable and profitable as data multiply. In agriculture it can mislead if novel factors obtrude. The chances of success are multiplied when the records cover a lengthy period, when the rate of advance is relatively slow, and when use can be made, as in the present case, of a comprehensive scientific parameter.
Nitrogen Metabolism of Cattle and Sheep in Southern Africa
Authors: Topps J. H. , Elliott R. C.
Published: July 2017

Study of cattle and sheep suffering stress from natural protein shortage has thrown light on the mechanisms by which they are able to make good use of nitrogen, thus conserving this body nutrient. Doubt has been cast on the assumption that protein requirements for maintenance, for animals of all species, are governed solely by metabolic body size, but the nitrogen-sparing processes for cattle and sheep are not yet well understood.
Red phosphorus as a possible fertilizer
Authors: Rothbaum H. P.
Published: July 2017

Red phosphorus as a fertilizer is slow in action. It gradually oxidizes in moist air to mixtures of phosphites and phosphates, a reaction accelerated by copper catalysts to give almost pure phosphates. Suitable mixtures of red phosphorus, copper and superphosphate may therefore prove to be practical phosphatic fertilizers. Such mixtures are free from fire hazards and if manufactured on a large scale could be more economical than superphosphate alone, when transport costs are high or when aerial application is required.
Animal production and improvement in Malaya
Authors: Devendra C.
Published: July 2017

The high humidity, high rainfall and moderately, but consistently, high temperatures encountered in Malaya set severe problems for the improvement of animal production, particularly when upgrading by the introduction of European breeds, As might be expected, progress is being stimulated by the increasing demand for protein. It may also be accelerated by current efforts to develop a more diversified agriculture, if only from intensified “undergrazing” of the expanding acreage under oil-palm and coconut.
The copper-molybdenum complex in ruminant nutrition
Authors: Dick A. T.
Published: July 2017

The significance of molybdenum in the metabolism of higher animals and its association with copper were demonstrated in 1938. Since then much has been learnt about the interaction between copper and molybdenum in both ruminants and non-ruminants. This knowledge has contributed greatly to our ability to prevent or to treat ‘teart’ and ‘peat scours’ in ruminants. The copper-molybdenum interaction may also be involved in chronic copper poisoning and copper deficiency.
The intensification of sheep production
Authors: Owen J. B.
Published: July 2017

In the progressive intensification of sheep production increased prolificacy is already attainable by refinement of current techniques; larger litters could be achieved by breeding specifically for this character. Simple graphical models for hill and lowland conditions show how costs of artificial feeding of lambs influence the cost per lamb at different levels of prolificacy. Recent research findings provide the links for the integrated chain of techniques that leads to optimal commercial systems.
Fascioliasis
Authors: Froyd G.
Published: July 2017

Fascioliasis, a disease caused by flukes of the Trematode genus Fasciola, is responsible for economic losses in many countries. Sheep and cattle are commonly attacked but other domestic animals, game animals and other wild animals may also be infected. Control measures embrace dosing with drugs (of which there are many, of varying efficacy and safety), attacking the snail intermediate hosts with molluscicides, destroying the habitat of the snail through drainage or ensuring that sheep and cattle are isolated from infective areas.
The reproductive pattern and performance of sheep
Authors: Lees J. L.
Published: July 2017

Development of an economic system of sheep production is dependent on a number of factors, among which the reproductive pattern of the breed concerned is of prime importance. Knowledge of this pattern facilitates control of conception and lambing and makes it possible to increase prolificacy, to obtain two reproductive cycles in one year or three in two years or merely to arrange lambing to match market requirements or availability of feed.
Powdery mildew of barley and its control
Authors: Brooks D. H.
Published: July 2017

Powdery mildew is believed to be the most important disease attacking barley over a large part of the world. Recent experiments with fungicides have indicated that losses due to the disease arc generally greater than had been suspected. The discovery of a systemic fungicide, which can be applied to the crop as a seed-dressing, a granule or as a spray, promises greatly improved control. The adoption of cultural measures and the use of resistant varieties offer an integrated approach.
Nutrition and gastro-intestinal parasitism in ruminants
Authors: Reveron A. E. , Topps J. H.
Published: July 2017

That the interaction between nutrition and the state of health of the animal is a matter of great importance to the stockbreeder has long been known. That this interaction is complex has also been appreciated for many years. This article explores the relationship between nutrition and one form of ill-health—that caused by nematode parasitism of the gastro-intestinal tract of the ruminant. Such parasitism is one of the widely acknowledged hazards of intensified animal husbandry.
A management advisory system using computerized optimization techniques
Authors: Beale E. M. L.
Published: July 2017

During the past twenty years, linear programming has been developed as a tool for planning enterprises in government and industry using a computer. It has also been used to supplement farm advisory services based on traditional accountancy methods. More recently, computer programs have been developed for preparing the equations representing the problem. The author, as consultant to the ‘MASCOT’ project, has contributed greatly to the development of a complete working system that accepts and analyses farm planning problems in agricultural terms.
The future of locust and grasshopper control
Authors: Haskell P. T.
Published: July 2017

The locust problem has attracted a great deal of attention down the millenia but only in this century has it been defined with any precision and appropriate control measures devised. Much of this progress is attributable to the pioneering work of the late Sir Boris Uvarov—work that led to the founding of the Anti-Locust Research Centre, with Sir Boris as its first director. Dr. Haskell, the present director, takes up the story, traces current trends and discusses future possibilities.
The brucellosis problem
Authors: Mcdiarmid A.
Published: July 2017

Brucellosis is considered the most important disease of cattle. It also affects goats and sheep and may even spread to farmers, veterinary surgeons and the general public. The need for eradication is apparent. While this has indeed been achieved in some countries, it still poses a major problem in most others. The author discusses the techniques available and the difficulties involved, with special reference to Great Britain, where an eradication scheme has recently been initiated.
The Rumanian “Kombinat” Piggery at Oltenita
Authors: Mcfarland A. G.
Published: July 2017

One of the largest piggeries in the world is the “Kombinat” at Oltenita, Rumania. It is a fully integrated and entirely independent pig community housing about 6,000 breeding sows, 270 boars, 30,000 pigs from birth to weaning and 40,000 fattening pigs—about 76,000 pigs in all. 300 fat pigs leave daily, and 30 sows farrow, averaging 11 born alive and 10 reared to weaning. Interest centres on the veterinary arrangements on which commercial feasibility depends.
The cost-effectiveness of soil survey
Authors: Beckett Philip
Published: July 2017

The author suggests how to assess the success of a soil survey, or the utility of a soil map. He also shows how map scale, legend and survey procedure all affect the utility and cost of a soil map and indicates how to decide which particular combination of survey procedure, map scale and legend will produce the most useful map for a given cost, or will require the minimum cost to achieve a specified quality. The various criteria for this type of decision are discussed in some detail.
Pasture management and parasitism in the lamb crop
Authors: Thomas R. J. , Boag B.
Published: July 2017

Nematode parasitism is a major problem in the development of intensive grazing systems for fat lamb production, a development which is essential to the progress of the sheep industry. An understanding of the epidemiology of the parasites concerned is the key to the formulation of effective control measures. In this context, the importance of the pasture as the link between parasite and host is receiving increasing recognition; so too is the significance of pasture management.
Conservation of genetic resources in domestic animals
Authors: Turner Helen Newton
Published: July 2017

During the course of perhaps 10,000 years, man has domesticated for one purpose or another a very large number of animals, mostly mammals and birds. In many cases wild stocks of these animals have been greatly reduced while the domesticated animals themselves have been bred along specific lines to meet current requirements. Future needs may conceivably be somewhat different. What, then, can be done to conserve genetic resources in order to meet these needs ?
The agronomic and biological significance of hedgerows
Authors: Caborn J. M.
Published: July 2017

Hedgerows have been regarded as attractive features of those countries in which they occur. Their origins may have been diverse but in practice they all tend to exert an ecological influence quite unrelated to boundary limitation or stock restraint implicit in those origins. Shelter for crop and beast against wind is one property widely accredited to hedges but, until recently, inadequately assessed. Critical investigations into the wildlife significance of hedges are now in progress.
Agriculture and the landscape
Authors: Crowe Sylvia
Published: July 2017

The landscape is primarily determined by geology, topography and climate. Agriculture, itself dependent on these same basic factors, modifies their expression in scenic values. It is suggested that, taking the long view, an agriculture healthily adjusted to the terrain generates an attractive landscape, and that only minor sacrifices in operational efficiency are necessary to maximize aesthetic values. Motorways, on balance, have an adverse effect on agriculture and the rural landscape, but research and experience indicate that this can be mitigated by careful planning.
Potato agronomy in a changing industry
Authors: Scott R. K. , Younger A.
Published: July 2017

The extension of potato culture from Peru to North America, Europe and the rest of the world has been accompanied by the development of a variety of production systems. With the intensification of potato production in many countries, the available genetic resources of the plant are being severely stretched. This may be why experimental departures from standard husbandry do not always give the advantages expected. Potato agronomy, nevertheless, is in the throes of change.
Control of algae
Authors: Hawkins A F
Published: July 2017

Certain algae have direct benefit as food or fertilizer. Excessive growths of algae in fresh water, however, reduce water quality and make it less suitable for drinking or amenity use. They also present difficulties in freshwater fisheries, in industrial cooling systems, and in drainage and irrigation of agricultural land. In salt water, certain algae cause fouling of ships’ hulls. Although some control is possible by means of chemical algicides there are many problems still to be solved.
The forced evolution of cereal disease
Authors: Wolfe M S
Published: July 2017

The efforts made to increase cereal production have induced a concomitant increase in the actual and potential losses from cereal diseases. The force of the evolutionary direction exerted on the major pathogens has frustrated many attempts to breed for stable resistance. Greater understanding of the various factors involved is therefore essential for the creation of a more stable situation.
‘No-tillage’ farming in the United States-its profit and potential
Authors: Young Harry M
Published: July 2017

Experience of a Kentucky farmer indicates many advantages for this system, notably increased grain yields, lower equipment investment and farm production costs, more intensive land use through removal of soil conservation limitations and reduction of weather risks. These practical conclusions are substantiated by research at Universities and State Experiment Stations. Nearly five million acres of crops, mostly grains, are now produced in the USA by ‘no-tillage’.
“Spray-Seed”: The Western Australian direct sowing system
Authors: Stonebridge W C , Fletcher I C , Lefroy D B
Published: July 2017

“Spray Seed,” which involves direct combine-drilling of cereals after killing weeds and regenerating pasture grasses with a mixture of bipyridyl herbicides, has been developed in Western Australia as a means of minimizing the loss of grazing land during seedbed preparation at a time of the year when feed is critically short for sheep and other livestock. The results of several years’ field trials are summarized together with practical experience from a farm 120 miles north-east of Perth.
Research into farming techniques applicable to the marshland soils of Western France
Authors: Damour L , Camus P , Garreau J , Lesage B , Jeannin B
Published: July 2017

The aims of the Trials and Information Department of the INRA are to advise the Regional Agricultural Development Services on improvements to existing methods and on new methods of production, on the basis of surveys conducted on the Department's Trials Farms. A study relevant to the coastal marshland areas has been started near La Rochelle in Western France.
New approaches to increasing fodder production 1. Direct drilling of chou moellier in New Zealand
Authors: Leonard W F
Published: July 2017

In the winter-cool and the summer-dry regions of New Zealand pasture growth is at times inadequate and supplementary fodder has to be provided. Chou moellier is widely grown for this purpose but preparatory soil cultivation takes the land out of production for too long and has a high energy requirement. Direct-drilling the brassica after spraying pasture with a paraquat-dicamba mixture offers several advantages. These operations are now largely done by contractors.
The formulation of pesticides for convenience and safety
Authors: Marrs G J , Middleton M R
Published: July 2017

The user wants pesticides that are convenient, safe and effective. The most commonly used types of formulation—dusts, aqueous solutions, dispersible powders and emulsifiable concentrates—all have their limitations. More sophisticated formulations have been developed which offer reduced handling hazards and provide better control of placement and persistence. These include granules, colloidal dispersions and encapsulated formulations with a wide range of particle size.
A review of cotton entomology
Authors: Proctor J. H.
Published: July 2017

Cotton is attacked by numerous insects throughout its growth. These range from millipedes and cutworms, through aphids, thrips, jassids, mirids and whitefly, to bollworms and boll weevils. Acceptable control can be achieved by judicious use of insecticides coupled with good agronomic practices, but insect problems can change, and sometimes escalate, when insecticides are introduced. Early sowing and protection of the young seedlings are particularly important.
Intensive open-air cultivation of vegetable crops (tomatoes and lettuce) in California, USA
Authors: Sims William L , Rubatzky Vincent E
Published: July 2017

Climatic conditions in California are so favourable that intensive outdoor horticultural production is economically feasible despite the inconvenience and expense of long-distance transport to high population centres in NE and N Central USA. Processing tomatoes typify the warm season, machine-harvested, outdoor crops, and crisp-headed lettuce the cool season, fresh market, hand-harvested crops. Cultural practices, including control of weeds, pests and diseases, are outlined.
Aims and objectives in breeding cereal varieties
Authors: Slootmaker L A J
Published: July 2017

Cereal breeding in NW Europe has historically been directed at raising grain yields, increasing resistance to fungal attack and improving technological characteristics, e.g. for breadmaking or malting. The objectives of more recent work have included minimizing production of unwanted waste straw, increasing the efficiency of utilization of applied fertilizer nitrogen, reducing the plants’ sensitivity to cold and to high soil acidity, and increasing resistance to aphids and other pests.
Maximum potato yield in the United Kingdom
Authors: Evans S A
Published: July 2017

Country average yields of maincrop potatoes are far lower than the theoretically possible maximum. Investigations at a Yorkshire Experimental Station have demonstrated what can be done by removing known limitations. Application of these findings on commercial farms has not been invariably successful, but the work raises the question whether future research, e.g. in plant breeding, should be conducted under optimum conditions instead of at lower levels of production.
Cereal straw production and utilization in England and Wales
Authors: Staniforth A R
Published: July 2017

The big expansion in the total area of the three major cereals which has taken place in England and Wales since the beginning of the second World War has resulted in a more than doubling of straw production but without a corresponding increase in utilization. Roughly half the straw that is produced is now burnt or ploughed in. A number of potential industrial uses for this surplus are considered and some of the remaining problems that need to be overcome are briefly outlined.
Seed certification and control
Authors: Finch C G
Published: July 2017

Action by OEEC/OECD since 1954, and by EEC from 1966, has led to important developments in seed certification and control. Procedures vary from country to country but basically they require: the existence of statutory or recommended lists of varieties, with descriptions; a Certifying Authority which conducts field inspections, plot comparisons and laboratory testing for purity, etc; regulation of the number of generations from basic or pre-basic seed; and adequate documentation.
The role of quality seed use for world crop production with special reference to the developing countries
Authors: Feistritzer W P
Published: July 2017

In this short article the author indicates the present stages of development of variety evaluation, testing, certification, production and marketing of quality seed—of cereals, industrial crops, pasture plants and vegetables—in major geographical regions of the world and draws attention to some of the underlying problems which must be faced in the future if further progress is to be made.
Achievements and limitations of seed treatments
Authors: Callan I W
Published: July 2017

In spite of impressive new developments in the field of crop protection over the last three decades, seed treatment probably remains the cheapest and simplest method of controlling certain pests and diseases of major crop plants. The overall benefits which result are measured in millions of tons of extra grain harvested each year, in addition to large gains in other feed crops as well as cotton.
New developments in seed pelleting and seed coating, with special reference to rangeland improvement
Authors: Johnson I J
Published: July 2017

The merits of the more precise planting of seed which is made possible by pelleting and coating are well recognized, but there is relatively little published scientific information on which to assess the value of pelleted and coated seed, under practical farming conditions, in respect of its improved ballistic properties for sowing from the air for rangeland improvement, for example. Details of the processes and materials employed tend to be regarded as “trade secrets”.
Effects of direct drilling on soil conditions and root growth
Authors: Scott Russell R , Cannell R Q , Goss M J
Published: July 2017

Direct drilling affects the pore size distribution in the soil, the distribution of organic debris on and within the soil, and the soil structure. These changes in turn affect the development of the root system of the crop, with consequential changes on its nutrient supply and early growth.
Weed control in reduced cultivation and direct drilling systems
Authors: Cussans G W
Published: July 2017

There will probably always be weeds and weed problems in agriculture but, when cultivation practices change, so do the problems. Some of the changes which have been observed are described and other possible risks are suggested. It does not appear that weeds will be a technical barrier to development of new techniques but there may be economic and managerial problems.
Reduced cultivation and direct drilling in farming systems
Authors: Elliott J G
Published: July 2017

The replies to a questionnaire addressed in 1974 to some seventy progressive cereal farmers are analysed. The results include factual data on the size distribution of the farms and the labour force and numbers of tractors employed, details of seed rates and sowing dates of winter and spring cereals grown on recorded fields, together with information on fertilizer practice and methods of land preparation and straw disposal, and opinions expressed by these farmers on certain topics.
Ecological and economic problems created by aphids in Latin America
Authors: Zúñiga E , Suzuki H
Published: July 2017

The present article briefly reviews the main species of aphids in Latin America which are of economic importance, or are specially noteworthy for other reasons. Various possibilities for improved control are considered. These include in particular the introduction of entomophagous insects or entomopathogens, the use of pesticides only where population densities exceed defined limits, and the use of aphicides which are either themselves selective or are used selectively.
The microscopic examination of the structure of sub-surface horizons of soils
Authors: Bullock P , Murphy C P
Published: July 2017

What is meant by “soil structure”? Microscopic examination of thin sections of soil, using such instruments as the polarising microscope, X-ray diffractometer and scanning electron microscope has enabled a classification of the components of soils and their structural types to be built up. Now with the aid of the image-analysing computer these components can be quantified rapidly, characteristics may be calculated and their behaviour under varying cultural conditions predicted.
Factors affecting the nutritive value of silage
Authors: Wilkinson J M , Wilson R F , Barry T N
Published: July 2017

Although the quantity of silage made in the United Kingdom has increased in recent years, lack of an understanding of the factors associated with the ensiling process has led often to the production of material of reduced nutritive value. Recent research, reviewed here, has shown ways in which silage making may be improved and higher levels of animal production from silage achieved.
Stimulation of oleoresin yield in conifers
Authors: Parham M R
Published: July 2017

Techniques for chemical stimulation of pine oleoresins have industrial and sociological advantages beyond the immediate profit to be derived from greater volume of production per man day or per tonne of pulpwood. They could increase opportunities of employment in remote forested areas, and constitute a step towards conserving world energy supplies by using renewable sources of plant-fabricated molecules instead of energy-intensive synthetic products from fossil hydrocarbons.
Fruit growing in Alto Adige
Authors: Mantinger H
Published: July 2017

Fruit growing in Alto Adige has steadily increased in importance since the post-World War II introduction of anti-hoar-frost overhead irrigation systems. An early awareness of constraints due to the scarcity and high cost of labour has led to the adoption of close-planting systems and older varieties are rapidly being supplanted by more commercially acceptable ones. But the undoubted success of the area depends largely upon the widespread and effective official Advisory Service.
Fertilizer use on farm crops in England and Wales: Information from the Survey of Fertilizer Practice, 1942–1976
Authors: Church B M , Lewis D A
Published: July 2017

Although the Survey of Fertilizer Practice has already covered a period of major and rapid change in agriculture, the rate of technical innovation and hence the demands made upon the industry will undoubtedly increase in the future and there will be an even greater need for the information it provides. The Survey has the background, depth and range of coverage to monitor fertilizer use, and thus help to ensure that in England & Wales the agricultural potential of the 1980s is achieved.
Conserving grain on the small farm in the tropics
Authors: Hindmarsh P S , Tyler P S , Webley D J
Published: July 2017

Traditionally, structures for the storage of grain from peasant farms in tropical countries have been concerned with keeping the rain off, and the rats out. However, a major source of loss in storage, that caused by insect damage, has not been effectively controlled by traditional methods. The use of fumigants, certain safe and effective insecticides, and improvements to storage structures may provide a solution, but the existence of an adequate and well-trained advisory service is essential.
Transportation and conservation of tropical fruits
Authors: Marriott J , Proctor Felicity J
Published: July 2017

Tropical fruits are difficult to handle at every stage from producer to consumer. The rapidity with which they ripen naturally demands special handling technology and accounts for the small volume of international trade in most of them. Nevertheless they are important to the economy particularly of underdeveloped nations. This article examines the problems of shipment, storage and ripening of bananas, pineapples, avocados, mangoes and papayas.
Procurement of yield in field and broad beans
Authors: Chapman G P , Peat W E
Published: July 2017

Vicia faba exists in several forms including the familiar field and broad beans. Though the species occasionally produces very heavy crops and the seeds are rich in protein, yields are more often low, and its use in UK agriculture has steadily declined. This article examines the traditional field bean plant and the extent to which genetic variation, some of it new, can both contribute to an understanding of the plant's physiology and produce lines with better and more stable yields.
The management of clay soils on hilly land: a model for a Mediterranean environment
Authors: Chisci G C
Published: July 2017

Clay soils of the Italian Apennines are subject to erosion and landslides. Up-and-down-slope deep ploughing in preparation for the winter cereal crop can aggravate such erosion. Alternative techniques are minimum tillage which enhances water infiltration, the use of soil conditioners, and tile drainage transversely to the maximum slope to control run-off. But the provision of a legume forage crop cover probably represents the most generally effective conservation measure.
Vertisol soils of the tropics and sub-tropics: their management and use
Authors: Jewitt T N , Law R D , Virgo K J
Published: July 2017

Large expanses of vertisols currently used, especially in Africa, for low-intensity live-stock or rain-fed agriculture could beneficially be brought under irrigation. They generally have favourable chemical characteristics with relatively few instances of salinity or alkali hazard. Whilst slow rates of water movement through the soils may limit water application and restrict artificial drainage, these vertisols are capable of sustained productivity, under irrigation, of a wide range of crops.
Plant breeding and improvement of the cotton plant
Authors: Niles G A
Published: July 2017

Cotton breeding research is directed to the development of cultivars that can be grown with maximum economic profit. Yield is a function of bolls per unit area, seed per boll and lint per seed, and its improvement depends on favourable alternatives to one or more of these components. Some breeding programmes place emphasis on fibre and spinning characteristics, while resistance to disease and insect pests and adaptation to mechanized harvesting are increasingly important objectives.
Developments in post-emergence herbicide applicators
Authors: Wills G D , Mcwhorter C G
Published: July 2017

Post-emergence herbicide application has always presented problems of drift and insufficient selectivity. Recirculating sprayers and a variety of ‘wipe-on’ applicators have been developed more to counter such difficulties than to conserve spray material though, clearly, with the high cost of chemicals, minimal dosage is an important factor. The development of rope wick applicators to apply glyphosate has made most progress, but much remains to be learned in this new technology.
Potentials and problems of simplified cultivation and conservation tillage
Authors: Cannell R Q
Published: July 2017

It is widely recognized that, in many crop situations, the use of herbicides instead of tillage confers advantages, not least of which is the control of erosion. On the other hand, simplified cultivation is not always reliable, and for a number of reasons zero tillage is not yet used extensively. Further research is needed to widen the applicability of these techniques, and the rate of adoption depends on motivating factors whose importance may differ from one country to another.
Dutch elm disease: an ecological accident
Authors: Heybroek H. M. , Elgersma D. M. , Scheffer R. J.
Published: July 2017

Dutch elm disease has been so devastating in Europe and some other parts of the northern hemisphere as to have transformed the landscape in the worst afflicted areas. This article reviews the nature and origin of the disease; the way in which it spreads and possible methods of prevention and treatment.
The use of in vitro methods for plant genetic conservation
Authors: Wilkins C. P. , Bengochea T. , Dodds J. H.
Published: July 2017

The preservation of genetically stable tissue for future propagation is of fundamental importance to plant breeders. In many cases this can be done by storing seed under carefully controlled conditions but there are many plants for which this is not possible or may not be economically feasible. This article reviews current techniques of long-term conservation of plant genetic material by tissue culture methods.
Trends in Soviet agriculture
Authors: Brown Lester R.
Published: July 2017

Militarily, the United States and Russia are roughly equally matched, but agriculturally there has been a dramatic shift in the balance of power during the last decade. Whereas both countries were exporters of grain in 1970, in 1981 Russia imported 45 m tons and America exported 115 m tons: more than one-half of the present Russian deficit will come from America. This imbalance, which is not limited to grain, has important political implications. Following the death of Brezhnev, who gave high priority to agriculture after his accession to power in 1964, his successor Yuri Andropov indicated in an important statement on 12 December 1982 that a comprehensive attack on weaknesses in the agricultural system will remain in the forefront of Soviet agricultural policy.
The chemical retardation of grass growth
Authors: Field Roger J.
Published: July 2017

Interest in plant growth regulators is mainly concerned with general or selective stimulation of growth. This is largely true of grass but there are large areas of grassland–-some 9.2 million ha in the United States alone–-where growth has to be controlled for amenity reasons: examples are parks, golf courses, roadside and railway verges, and industrial estates. The rising cost of fuel and labour for mowing favours the development of chemical agents for this purpose. This article reviews progress in this field, with special reference to mefluidide.
Potentialities of short-rotation forestry for developing countries
Authors: Steinbeck Klaus
Published: July 2017

An old forest management system holds new promise for meeting the fuel, food, and fibre demands of bourgeoning humanity. Intensively practised coppice forestry adapted to local conditions, can be an important source notably of fuelwood but also of raw material for reconstituted wood products and a possible source of other fuels such as alcohol or gas.
The Asswan High Dam and its impact on Egyptian agriculture
Authors: Balba A. Monem
Published: July 2017

More than thirty years have elapsed since the proposal to build the High Dam at Asswan was accepted and thirteen since it was completed. From the outset it has been a centre of controversy–-initially for political and economic reasons and later because of misgivings about its environmental side-effects. This article reviews the case for construction of the dam and its impact on Egyptian agriculture.