Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Konstantinos Apostolou, Alexandra Staikou, Smaragda Sotiraki, Marianthi Hatziioannou
Summary: This study conducted a thorough analysis of commercial snail farms in Greece, examining the impact of various parameters on annual production. The geographical location of farms significantly influenced productivity and operational duration, especially for open field farms.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Monrawee Fukuda, Dohan M. Soma, Shinya Iwasaki, Satoshi Nakamura, Takashi Kanda, Korodjouma Ouattara, Fujio Nagumo
Summary: This study evaluated the efficiency of low-grade Burkina Faso phosphate rock (BPR)-based P fertilizers, produced by acidulation and calcination, on lowland rice production and the soil factors influencing their effectiveness. The results showed that acidulated P fertilizers were as effective as conventional commercial P fertilizers on various soil types, textures, and fertility, while calcined P fertilizers were consistently effective on fine-textured soils with high basic fertility.
Article
Agricultural Economics & Policy
Kei Kajisa, Trang Thu Vu
Summary: A study in Mozambique found that traditional farm management practices, such as seed selection and field leveling, can significantly increase rice yield without the use of modern varieties or fertilizers.
Article
Agricultural Economics & Policy
Ogoudele S. Codjo, Alvaro Durand-Morat, Grant H. West, Lawton Lanier Nalley, Rodolfo M. Nayga, Eric J. Wailes
Summary: Rice consumption is increasing in Benin, with consumers shifting towards higher quality rice. Consumer preferences vary across income groups and urban/rural households, showing sensitivity to rice prices. Limited substitution is observed between imported and domestic rice, impacting strategies for domestic rice industry growth.
AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS
(2021)
Article
Agronomy
Renee P. Lorica, Alexander M. Stuart, Grant R. Singleton, Sudarmaji, Steven R. Belmain
Summary: A study compared the trap success of multiple-capture traps with linear trap barriers to single-capture traps in rice fields in Indonesia and the Philippines. It found that multiple-capture traps were significantly more effective in catching rodent pest species and capturing more individuals and species of rodents, indicating their higher efficiency in monitoring and controlling rodent populations.
PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Victor Meriguetti Pinto, Andre Froes de Borja Reis, Marina Luciana Abreu de Melo, Klaus Reichardt, Deivison Santos, Quirijn de Jong van Lier
Summary: Drought events and water use conflicts in rice-growing areas of the Brazilian Cerrado necessitate efficient water management. This study models the performance of rice cultivation and water productivity in response to irrigation management under different rainfall levels. Results show that water-saving irrigation can reduce deep percolation losses and increase water productivity in the region.
AGRICULTURAL WATER MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Basile Konmy, Pascal Abiodoun Olounlade, Erick Virgile Bertrand Azando, Christian Cocou Dansou, Renaud K. Dahoue, Sanni-yo Doko Allou, Sylvie Mawule Hounzngbe-Adote, Lamine Baba-Moussa
Summary: This study conducted a typology of rabbit farms in tropical areas to understand their production results. By analyzing a sample of 600 farms in Benin, five typological groups were identified. This typology provides insights into the operating modes, problems, and limiting factors of these farms.
Article
Agronomy
Chinaza B. Onwuchekwa-Henry, Floris Van Ogtrop, Rose Roche, Daniel K. Y. Tan
Summary: This study assessed the effectiveness of Canopeo and GreenSeeker-NDVI tools for in-season estimation of rice yield in Cambodia. The Canopeo index-weather model was found to be a flexible and effective tool for predicting rice yield and managing agricultural resources.
Article
Horticulture
Ki-Ho Son, Han-Sol Sim, Jae-Kyoung Lee, Juhwan Lee
Summary: Leaf temperature sensing integrated into a conventional smart farm system was developed and demonstrated in two greenhouse farms in South Korea. Monitoring leaf temperatures allowed for optimization of photosynthetic efficiency and resulted in increased crop yield, particularly in the morning and at high leaf temperatures. The study also emphasized the need for leaf temperature models in smart greenhouse farming that consider nutrient and water supplies.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Kirsty L. Hassall, Frederic Baudron, Chloe MacLaren, Jill E. Cairns, Thokozile Ndhlela, Steve P. McGrath, Isaiah Nyagumbo, Stephan M. Haefele
Summary: Farm typologies are frequently used in sub-Saharan Africa to simplify the classification of diverse farming systems. They can be utilized in various ways, such as designing efficient sampling schemes, targeting interventions to specific farm types, or providing contextual information. However, the process of constructing farm typologies involves subjective decisions that may not be immediately evident. A generalized framework has been developed to address this issue and quantify the impact of subjective decisions on the resulting typologies. The framework is accessible through the open-source RShiny App: TypologyGenerator, allowing users to focus on decision-making rather than implementation details.
COMPUTERS AND ELECTRONICS IN AGRICULTURE
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Yuwei Qin, Arpad Horvath
Summary: Food production and supply systems are major contributors to climate change, with food loss exacerbating the issue. A model was developed to estimate greenhouse gas emissions from the entire food cycle, revealing that consumer stage contributes most to food loss. Alternative packaging options and reducing consumer-level food loss can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions for various produce.
RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND RECYCLING
(2022)
Article
Soil Science
Thomas Awio, Paul C. Struik, Kalimuthu Senthilkumar, Christian O. Dimkpa, George William Otim-Nape, TjeerdJan Stomph
Summary: Enhancing use efficiency of applied fertilizer can increase farmers' returns on investment by reducing nutrient inputs and improving yields. This study in Uganda examined how indigenous nutrient supply and management practices affected nutrient uptake, efficiency, and physiological efficiency in irrigated lowland rice fields. The results showed that N, P, and K uptake were significantly higher under recommended agronomic practices with NPK fertilization compared to other practices. However, physiological efficiency was lower due to the larger effect of NPK application on uptake than on yield. Indigenous available N reduced recovery and efficiency, while P and K efficiencies decreased with increasing indigenous supply. Weeding and fertilization timing directly affected nutrient use efficiency in rice production systems, highlighting the need for site-specific fertilization strategies.
NUTRIENT CYCLING IN AGROECOSYSTEMS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Aditya Sinha, Debabrata Basu, Prashant Priyadarshi, Amitava Ghosh, Ravindra Kumar Sohane
Summary: The study examines the heterogeneity of smallholder farms in Jharkhand, India, and proposes a methodology to classify farms based on their characteristics. By analyzing various variables, the study identifies four farm types and validates the clusters through qualitative methods. The findings suggest that categorizing farmers based on their characteristics can facilitate the targeted implementation of agricultural technologies and interventions.
FRONTIERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Erika Buscardo, Jozsef Geml, Steven K. Schmidt, Helena Freitas, Anete P. Souza, Hillandia B. Cunha, Laszlo Nagy
Summary: This study quantified the relationship between soil mineral nitrogen availability, fungal community composition, and functional groups in an Amazon rainforest. The findings suggest that animal excretions, which create high-nitrogen patches, contribute to soil microbial diversity and plant community diversity.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Eleanor Brooke Collins, Nicola Blackie
Summary: The study aimed to investigate the effect of insulating lamb jackets on newborn lambs and found that while the jackets significantly increased the lambs' surface temperatures, there was no significant effect on estimated body temperatures, live weights, or average daily weight gain. There were no detrimental effects of the jackets observed, and no rejection of lambs occurred during the study.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Jonne Rodenburg, Lucie Buchi, Jeremy Haggar
Summary: Conservation Agriculture (CA) is a sustainable agricultural intensification strategy that can improve soils and sustain crop yields, but adoption rates in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are generally low due to the significant transformation required in management practices, multiple inherent trade-offs, and incompatibility with local conditions. Improving CA adoption in SSA could involve focusing on promoting CA in environments where it best fits or facilitating smallholders' adaptation of CA practices to their specific conditions and constraints.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL SUSTAINABILITY
(2021)
Editorial Material
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Jeremy Haggar, Valerie Nelson, Richard Lamboll, Jonne Rodenburg
Summary: Sustainable Agricultural Intensification (SAI) involves multiple aspects of social, economic, and environmental sustainability, with trade-offs and synergies between them. Achieving SAI requires consideration of ecological, genetic, and socio-economic factors, and assessment based on the sustainability of outcomes.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL SUSTAINABILITY
(2021)
Review
Agronomy
Lucie Buchi, Stephane Cordeau, Richard Hull, Jonne Rodenburg
Summary: Vulpia myuros, an annual grass species of Mediterranean origin, is fast-growing and highly competitive, becoming a problematic weed in winter cereals in Europe, America, and Australia. Despite increasing research, more information is needed for optimal management of this weed species, which may increase in global importance with climate change.
Review
Plant Sciences
Immaculate M. Mwangangi, Lucie Buchi, Stephan M. Haefele, Lammert Bastiaans, Steven Runo, Jonne Rodenburg
Summary: Host plant defense mechanisms (resistance and tolerance) and plant nutrition are key components for controlling Striga weeds in tropical cereal production systems. However, neither alone is effective in preventing parasitism and crop losses. Improved plant nutrition can enhance plant resistance and tolerance against Striga. Advances in parasitic plant research, combined with insights from phytopathology and plant physiology, can help identify opportunities and gaps to develop strategies combining genetics and plant nutrition for sustainable Striga control.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Jeremy Haggar, Jonne Rodenburg
Summary: The paper summarizes three aspects of Sustainable Agricultural Intensification and emphasizes the importance of facilitating farmers' access to information and services. The research shows that local social, economic, and environmental conditions have a significant impact on the outcomes of SAI. In order for more smallholders, women, and youth to benefit from SAI, it is crucial to promote the participation of local stakeholders in adapting SAI to local conditions.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL SUSTAINABILITY
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Stella Kabiri, Jonne Rodenburg, Aad van Ast, Stefanie Pflug, Hanna Kool, Lammert Bastiaans
Summary: The facultative root parasitic annual forb Rhamphicarpa fistulosa negatively affects the photosynthesis of rice and light use efficiency, with a stronger impact at higher parasite densities. There is a considerable time lag between the parasite's benefit acquisition from the association and the reduction of host photosynthesis. The parasite affects host growth by extracting assimilates and making considerable gains before impacting host photosynthesis.
JOURNAL OF PLANT PHYSIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Agronomy
Kalimuthu Senthilkumar, Fitta Silas Sillo, Jonne Rodenburg, Christian Dimkpa, Kazuki Saito, Ibnou Dieng, Prem S. Bindraban
Summary: The study demonstrates that applying micronutrients along with NPK can significantly increase rice yields in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in environments without drought stress. Foliar application is effective only under moist conditions across different rice growing environments.
FIELD CROPS RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Runyambo Irakiza, Derek W. Makokha, Itambo Malombe, Thomas Le Bourgeois, Alfred. K. Chitiki, Jonne Rodenburg
Summary: Weeds are a major obstacle to rice production globally. This study investigated weed species in seasonally flooded rice production fields across East Africa, identifying 42 new species and significant floristic differences between altitude classes. Weed species diversity was highest at medium altitudes.
SOUTH AFRICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY
(2021)
Review
Agronomy
Jonne Rodenburg, Dennis E. Tippe, Amadou Toure, Runyambo Irakiza, Juma Kayeke, Lammert Bastiaans
Summary: Competition from weeds is the most important yield reducing factor in African rice production systems. Effective and affordable weed management strategies are highly needed in the face of challenges such as lack of water management infrastructure, access to herbicides, and knowledge and equipment for safe and effective application. The literature review suggests the importance of developing integrated weed management strategies that reduce weed recruitment, seed bank sizes, and improve crop competitiveness.
FIELD CROPS RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Jonne Rodenburg, Eefke Mollee, Richard Coe, Fergus Sinclair
Summary: While agroforestry is a well-established approach for agroecological intensification, the integration of rice with trees is less common compared to other annual staple crops. This study reviews the existing literature on integrating trees in rice production worldwide and provides perspectives for future research, with a focus on Africa. The study identifies six improved rice agroforestry practices and finds that the addition of trees can lead to a 38% increase in rice yield. However, the impacts on yield depend on the specific agroforestry practice used and its interaction with fertilizer application. Further research is needed to explore the wider environmental, social, and economic sustainability aspects of integrating trees with rice cropping.
FIELD CROPS RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Jonne Rodenburg, Kazuki Saito
Summary: This research provides an overview of the challenges faced by the rice production sector in sub-Saharan Africa and the historical efforts in agronomy research. It also presents six main recommendations for future research, including increasing focus on rainfed rice-based systems, developing integrated cropping and farming systems, and prioritizing sustainability.
FIELD CROPS RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Rachel R. Chase, Lucie Buchi, Jonne Rodenburg, Nicolas Roux, Abebe Wendawek, James S. Borrell
Summary: Climate resilient crops, such as enset in Ethiopia, play an increasingly important role in ensuring food security for smallholder farmers in regions prone to climate extremes. This study shows that frequent severe drought events have led to an increase in enset production area, highlighting the adaptive capacity of indigenous agrisystems. The findings suggest that promoting the cultivation of perennial and storable crops can contribute to improving food security and resilience in the face of climate variability.
PLANTS PEOPLE PLANET
(2023)
