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In the context of increasing global food demand and the urgent need for production processes optimization, plant protection products play a key role in safeguarding crops from insects, pests, and fungi, responsible of plant diseases proliferation and yield losses. Despite the inaccurate distribution of conventional aerial spraying performed by airplanes and helicopters, Unmanned Aerial Spraying Systems (UASSs) offer low health risks and operational cost solutions, preserving crops and soil from physical damage. This study explores the impact of UASS flight height (2 m and 2.5 m above ground level), speed (1 m s−1 and 1.5 m s−1), and position (over the canopy and the inter-row) on vineyard aerial spraying efficiency by analysing Water Sensitive Papers droplet coverage, density, and Number Median Diameter using a MATLAB script. Flight position factor, more than others, influenced the application results. The specific configuration of 2 m altitude, 1.5 m s−1 cruising speed, and inter-row positioning yielded the best results in terms of canopy coverage, minimizing off-target and ground dispersion, and represented the best setting to facilitate droplets penetration, reaching the lowest parts generally more affected from disease. Further research is needed to assess UASS aerial PPP distribution effectiveness and environmental impact in agriculture, crucial for technology implementation, especially in countries where aerial treatments are not yet permitted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil cadmium (Cd) contamination has emerged as a significant global environmental concern, posing numerous risks to individual organisms and entire ecosystems. Concurrently, the global increase in pesticide usage has elevated the influx of chloride ions (Cl-) into the soil. Given Cl-'s robust ability to coordinate and complex with various heavy metal ions, understanding its influence on the migration and transformation of Cd in soil-rice systems is essential for the rational application of pesticides and the effective mitigation of soil heavy metal pollution. In this paper, we explained the effect of Cl- on the environmental behavior of Cd in the soil-rice system in terms of growth traits, Cd uptake and accumulation by rice, and Cd solid-solution phase interface behavior through pot experiments and sand culture experiments. The results showed that Cd concentrations in all parts of the rice treated with CaCl2 during the filling period were lower than those in the Ca(NO3)2-treated group, with Cd accumulation diminishing as Cl- concentration increased. This suggests that the filling period is critical for Cd uptake and accumulation in rice. Unlike the accompanying anion NO3 -, exogenous Cl- reduced Cd concentrations in the soil solution but increased them in rice. Notably, when the Cd/Cl ratio ranged from 0.625 to 2.5, Cl- formed predominantly CdCl+-complexes with free Cd2+ in the soil solution, enhancing the mobilization of Cd bound to soil particles and its subsequent absorption by rice. This study aims to assess Cl-'s effect on Cd migration and transformation in soil-rice systems, providing insights for safe rice production on Cd-contaminated soils and rational use of chlorine-containing pesticides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fertilizers play an essential role in increasing crop yield, maintaining soil fertility, and provide a steady supply of nutrients for plant requirements. The excessive use of conventional fertilizers can cause environmental problems associated with nutrient loss through volatilization in the atmosphere, leaching to groundwater, surface run-off, and denitrification. To mitigate environmental issues and improve the longevity of fertilizer in soil, controlled release fertilizers (CRFs) have been developed. The application of CRFs can reduce the loss of nutrients, provide higher nutrient use efficiency, and improve soil health simultaneously to achieve the goals of climate-smart agricultural (CSA) practices. The major findings of this review paper are (1) CRFs can prevent direct exposure of fertilizer granule to soil and prevent loss of nutrients such as nitrate and nitrous oxide emissions; (2) CRFs are less affected by the change in environmental parameters, and that can increase longevity in soil compared to conventional fertilizers; and (3) CRFs can maintain required soil nitrogen levels, increase water retention, reduce GHG emissions, lead to optimum pH for plant growth, and increase soil organic matter content. This paper could give good insights into the ongoing development and future perspectives of CRFs for CSA practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agrochemicals provide huge agronomic and economic benefits. However, excessive agrochemicals cause serious environmental pollution. The use of surfactants can effectively improve the utilization rate of agrochemicals in the soil, and an amphiphilic alginate derivative (Ugi-alg) was prepared in this work. This paper mainly discussed the affinity between Ugi-alg and soil colloids and the influence of Ugi-alg on the adsorption behavior of pesticides on colloidal particles. In the presence of 2.4 mM Ca2+, the affinity between soil colloids and Ugi-alg (30 mg/L) was enhanced (~ − 12.33 mV) compared with pure soil colloids (~ − 30 mV). The strong affinity between Ugi-alg and the colloids reduced the migration of acetamiprid. Transmission electron microscopy showed that soil colloids were wrapped by the network structure of Ugi-alg, indicating that Ugi-alg easily adhered to the surface of soil colloids. Studies of the adsorption showed the adsorption capacity of acetamiprid on soil colloids was 556 mg/g in the presence of Ugi-alg (30 mg/L) and Ca2+ (2.4 mM). And the adsorption behavior of acetamiprid in soil colloids was also not greatly affected by changes in pH and temperature. Ugi-alg is a degradable polysaccharide-based surfactant which provides a new concept and a practical method for the remediation of soil pollutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Schistosomiasis is a snail-borne parasitic disease, which is affecting almost 240 million people worldwide. The number of humans affected by schistosomiasis is continuously increasing with the rise in the use of agrochemicals. In this paper, a mathematical model is formulated and analyzed to assess the effect of agrochemicals on the transmission of schistosomiasis. The proposed model incorporates the effects of fertilizers, herbicides and insecticides on susceptible snails and snail predators along with schistosomiasis disease transmission. The existence and stability of the equilibria in the model are discussed. Sensitivity analysis is performed to identify the key parameters of the proposed model, which contributes most in the transmission of this disease. Numerical simulations are also performed to assess the impact of fertilizers, herbicides and insecticides on schistosomiasis outbreaks. Our study reveals that the agricultural pollution can enhance the transmission intensity of schistosomiasis, and in order to prevent the outbreak of schistosomiasis, the use of pesticides should be controlled. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista PAMPA is the property of Universidad Nacional del Litoral and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Biosensor-based detection provides a rapid and low-cost alternative to conventional analytical methods for revealing the presence of the contaminants in water as well as solid matrices. Although important to be detected, small analytes (few hundreds of Daltons) are an issue in biosensing since the signal they induce in the transducer, and specifically in a Quartz-Crystal Microbalance, is undetectable. A pesticide like parathion (M = 292 Da) is a typical example of contaminant for which a signal amplification procedure is desirable. Methods/Findings: The ballasting of the analyte by gold nanoparticles has been already applied to heavy target as proteins or bacteria to improve the limit of detection. In this paper, we extend the application of such a method to small analytes by showing that once the working surface of a Quartz-Crystal Microbalance (QCM) has been properly functionalized, a limit of detection lower than 1 ppb is reached for parathion. The effective surface functionalization is achieved by immobilizing antibodies upright oriented on the QCM gold surface by a simple photochemical technique (Photonic Immobilization Technique, PIT) based on the UV irradiation of the antibodies, whereas a simple protocol provided by the manufacturer is applied to functionalize the gold nanoparticles. Thus, in a non-competitive approach, the small analyte is made detectable by weighing it down through a “sandwich protocol” with a second antibody tethered to heavy gold nanoparticles. The immunosensor has been proved to be effective against the parathion while showing no cross reaction when a mixture of compounds very similar to parathion is analyzed. Conclusion/Significance: The immunosensor described in this paper can be easily applied to any small molecule for which polyclonal antibodies are available since both the functionalization procedure of the QCM probe surface and gold nanoparticle can be applied to any IgG, thereby making our device of general application in terms of target analyte. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Iniciação Científica Cesumar is the property of Iniciacao Científica Cesumar and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Iniciação Científica Cesumar is the property of Iniciacao Científica Cesumar and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Caecilians (Gymnophiona) are commonly known as limbless amphibians and are the least understood vertebrate order. In this paper, we documented skin color, eye, jaw, snout, tentacular aperture and cloacal anomalies in 12 individuals of four species belonging to the three caecilian genera Ichthyophis, Uraeotyphlus and Gegeneophis collected from hotspots of caecilian diversity in India, the Western Ghats and Northeast India. As we found the majority of these individuals in coffee and tea plantations, we discuss the possibility that anomalies are the result of exposure to agrochemicals that are frequently used in plantations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of elasticities of substitution between inputs is a standard method for addressing the effect of a change in the mix of inputs used for production from a technical or cost standpoint. Most estimation methods use parametric production or cost functions or frontiers to estimate these elasticities. A potentially useful nonparametric alternative is data envelopment analysis (DEA). The purpose of this paper is to derive elasticities of input substitution for both technical and cost frontiers using DEA, extending the use of this approach in the field of economics and associated fields. The paper provides derivations for both Hicksian (production and cost frontier) and Morishima (cost frontier) elasticities of input substitution, as well as a parsimonious method for estimating them using DEA. The derivations are presented using an agricultural example form Kansas, USA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eudrilus eugeniae, the vermicomposing worm, is found in considerable numbers in agricultural fields in India due to their eventual transfer through vermimanure. These worms are very often exposed to pesticides, herbicides, chemical fertilisers and other soil amendments. This paper reports the effects of variable concentrations of urea, phosphogypsum (PG), paper mill sludge (PMS) and two organophosphorus agrochemicals, monocrotophos and glyphosate, on certain morphological, histological and biochemical parameters of E. eugeniae. Results indicated setal anomalies, epidermal lesions, clitellar swelling and constriction of the body. Disintegration of connective tissue, vacuolation of dermis and significant alterations in protein, lipid peroxidation levels and activities of lactate dehydrogenase, acetylcholinesterase and catalase have also been observed in the treated worms. It is proposed that setae, connective tissue, protein and enzymes in E. eugeniae could be useful markers to evaluate toxicity due to the test chemicals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Arxiu d'Etnografia de Catalunya is the property of Universitat Rovira I Virgili and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Food safety is a global public health issue, which often arises from asymmetric information between consumers and suppliers. With the development of information technology in human life, building a food traceability information sharing platform is viewed as one of the best ways to overcome the trust crisis and resolve the problem of information asymmetry in China. However, among the myriad information available from the food supply chain, there is a lack of knowledge on consumer preference. Based on the best-worst scaling approach, this paper investigated consumer preferences for vegetable, pork, and dairy product traceability information. Specifically, this paper measured the relative importance that consumers place on the traceable information. The results indicate that consumers have varying priorities for information in different cases. “Pesticide/veterinary use,” “picking/slaughtering date,” and “fertilizer/feed use” are the most preferred traceable information for Chinese consumers in the case of vegetables, while “picking/slaughtering date” and “history of illness and taking protective measures” are the most preferred information in the case of pork. In the case of dairy products, consumers prefer “processing information,” “environmental information of the origin,” and “traceable tag certification information” most. The results of this study call for the direct involvement of the Chinese government in the food safety information sharing system as following. First, given consumers’ diverse preferences, different types of traceable information should be recorded into the information sharing platform depending on food types. Second, the government could promote the step-by-step construction of such a platform based on the priority of consumers’ preferences. Third, new technology should be applied to guarantee the reliability of traceable information. Finally, local preferences in terms of the way consumers receive and understand information should be taken into consideration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are multiple in vitro and ex vivo eye irritation and corrosion test methods that are available as internationally harmonized test guidelines for regulatory use. Despite their demonstrated usefulness to a broad range of substances through inter-laboratory validation studies, they have not been widely adopted for testing agrochemical formulations due to a lack of concordance with parallel results from the traditional regulatory test method for this endpoint, the rabbit eye test. The inherent variability of the rabbit test, differences in the anatomy of the rabbit and human eyes, and differences in modelling exposures in rabbit eyes relative to human eyes contribute to this lack of concordance. Ultimately, the regulatory purpose for these tests is protection of human health, and, thus, there is a need for a testing approach based on human biology. This paper reviews the available in vivo, in vitro and ex vivo test methods with respect to their relevance to human ocular anatomy, anticipated exposure scenarios, and the mechanisms of eye irritation/corrosion in humans. Each of the in vitro and ex vivo methods described is generally appropriate for identifying non-irritants. To discriminate among eye irritants, the human three-dimensional epithelial and full thickness corneal models provide the most detailed information about the severity of irritation. Consideration of the mechanisms of eye irritation, and the strengths and limitations of the in vivo, in vitro and ex vivo test methods, show that the in vitro/ex vivo methods are as or more reflective of human biology and less variable than the currently used rabbit approach. Suggestions are made for further optimizing the most promising methods to distinguish between severe (corrosive), moderate, mild and non-irritants and provide information about the reversibility of effects. Also considered is the utility of including additional information (e.g. physical chemical properties), consistent with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's guidance document on an integrated approach to testing and assessment of potential eye irritation. Combining structural and functional information about a test substance with test results from human-relevant methods will ensure the best protection of humans following accidental eye exposure to agrochemicals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agrochemicals such as herbicides change the physical and chemical conditions of aquatic ecosystems and alter the community structure and dynamics of phytoplankton. Cyanobacteria are photosynthetic organisms found at the base of aquatic food chains. When cyanobacteria form blooms and produce toxins, they harm humans and the environment. Herbicides contaminate the aquatic environment when they are leached and transported via surface runoff from farms and industries. In this review, we show that these compounds have different mechanisms of action, but at high concentrations, they cause oxidative stress, interfere with the normal functioning of enzymes, and change the metabolic profile of microalgae and cyanobacteria. This paper demonstrates that at environmentally relevant concentrations, some herbicides facilitate the formation of cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (cyanoHABs). The formation of blooms is driven by the tolerance of cyanobacteria to herbicides, where some of these compounds are degraded and converted into non-toxic forms. The degradation by-products are also used as a source of nutrients to support cyanobacterial growth. This adaptation sometimes leads to higher concentrations of bioactive compounds such as cyanotoxins in the aquatic environment. The increased levels of cyanotoxins and herbicides in water bodies can trigger a cascading toxicological effect on non-targeted organisms and the aquatic food chain. Despite the evidence confirming herbicides influence the growth of cyanobacteria and alter the structure of the phytoplankton community toward the formation of cyanoHABs, there is a lot that remains to be done to fully understand their impact on these organisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we report on an automated procedure to capture and characterize the detailed structure of a crop canopy by means of stereo imaging. We focus attention specifically on the detailed characteristic of canopy height distribution—canopy shoot area as a function of height—which can provide an elaborate picture of canopy growth and health under a given set of conditions. We apply the method to a wheat field trial involving ten Australian wheat varieties that were subjected to two different fertilizer treatments. A novel camera self-calibration approach is proposed which allows the determination of quantitative plant canopy height data (as well as other valuable phenotypic information) by stereo matching. Utilizing the canopy height distribution to provide a measure of canopy height, the results compare favourably with manual measurements of canopy height (resulting in an R2 value of 0.92), and are indeed shown to be more consistent. By comparing canopy height distributions of different varieties and different treatments, the methodology shows that different varieties subjected to the same treatment, and the same variety subjected to different treatments can respond in much more distinctive and quantifiable ways within their respective canopies than can be captured by a simple trait measure such as overall canopy height. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The decade following the Regional Strategic Framework for Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL) elimination in 2005 has shown compelling progress in the reduction of VL burden in the Indian subcontinent. The Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR), hosted by the World Health Organization (WHO) and other stakeholders, has coordinated and financed research for the development of new innovative tools and strategies to support the regional VL elimination initiative. This paper describes the process of the TDR’s engagement and contribution to this initiative. Methodology/principal findings: Multiple databases were searched to identify 152 scientific papers and reports with WHO funding or authorship affiliation around the following 3 framework strategies: detection of new cases, morbidity reduction, and prevention of infection. TDR has played a critical role in the evaluation and subsequent use of the 39-aminoacid–recombinant kinesin antigen (rK39) rapid diagnostic test (RDT) as a confirmatory test for VL in the national program. TDR has supported the clinical research and development of miltefosine and single-dose liposomal amphotericin B as a first-line treatment against VL. TDR has engaged with in-country researchers, national programme managers, and partners to generate evidence-based interventions for early detection and treatment of VL patients. TDR evaluated the quality, community acceptance, and cost effectiveness of indoor residual spraying, insecticide-treated bed nets, insecticide-impregnated durable wall linings, insecticidal paint, and environmental management as tools for integrated vector management in reducing sandfly density. Conclusions/significance: TDR’s engagement with country policy makers, scientists, and clinicians in the development of effective diagnosis, treatment, case detection, and vector control represents an important example of TDR’s stewardship toward the elimination of VL in the Indian subcontinent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Facultad de Medicina de la Universidad Nacional de Colombia is the property of Universidad Nacional de Colombia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Purpose This paper aims to provide details of a number of recent and significant agricultural robot research and development activities.Design/methodology/approach Following an introduction, this first provides a brief overview of agricultural robot research. It then discusses a number of specific activities involving robots for precision weed control and fertiliser application. A selection of harvesting robots and allied technological developments is then considered and is followed by concluding comments.Findings Agricultural robots are the topic of an extensive research and development effort. Several autonomous robots aimed at precision weed control and fertiliser application have reached the pre-production stage. Equally, harvesting robots are at an advanced stage of development. Both classes exploit state-of-the-art machine vision and image processing technologies which are the topic of a major research effort. These developments will contribute to the forecasted rapid growth in the agricultural robot markets during the next decade.Originality/value Robots are expected to play a significant role in meeting the ever increasing demand for food, and this paper provides details of some recent agricultural robot research and development activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Indoor spraying of walls and ceilings with residual insecticide remains a primary method of malaria control. Insecticide resistance in malaria vectors is a growing problem. Novel insecticides for indoor residual spraying (IRS) which can improve the control of pyrethroid resistant malaria vectors are urgently needed. Insecticide mixtures have the potential to improve efficacy or even to manage resistance in some situations but this possibility remains underexplored experimentally. Chlorfenapyr is a novel pyrrole insecticide which has shown potential to improve the control of mosquitoes which are resistant to current WHO-approved insecticides. Method: The efficacy of IRS with chlorfenapyr applied alone or as a mixture with alpha-cypermeththrin (a pyrethroid) was evaluated in experimental huts in Cove, Southern Benin against wild free flying pyrethroid resistant Anopheles gambiae sl. Comparison was made with IRS with alpha-cypermethrin alone. Fortnightly 30-minute in situ cone bioassays were performed to assess the residual efficacy of the insecticides on the treated hut walls. Results: Survival rates of wild An gambiae from the Cove hut site in WHO resistance bioassays performed during the trial were >90% with permethrin and deltamethrin treated papers. Mortality of free-flying mosquitoes entering the experimental huts was 4% in the control hut. Mortality with alpha-cypermethrin IRS did not differ from the control (5%, P>0.656). The highest mortality was achieved with chlorfenapyr alone (63%). The alpha-cypermethrin + chlorfenapyr mixture killed fewer mosquitoes than chlorfenapyr alone (43% vs. 63%, P<0.001). While the cone bioassays showed a more rapid decline in residual mortality with chlorfenapyr IRS to <30% after only 2 weeks, fortnightly mortality rates of wild free-flying An gambiae entering the chlorfenapyr IRS huts were consistently high (50–70%) and prolonged, lasting over 4 months. Conclusion: IRS with chlorfenapyr shows potential to significantly improve the control of malaria transmission in pyrethroid resistant areas compared to pyrethroid IRS or the mixture. Thirty minute in situ cone bioassays are not predictive of the performance of chlorfenapyr IRS under field conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper utilizes the theory of compensating differentials for job risks from the labor economics literature to evaluate farmers' differences in wage-risk tradeoffs. In the context of job risks, the theory predicts that farmers who place a lower value on health status are willing to work for lower compensation on a risky job. The aim of the paper is to evaluate how the observed wage-risk tradeoff is affected by individual heterogeneity in risk preferences, by acknowledging variations in farmers' revealed attitudes toward risk, both in job-related and non-job activities. The job risk measure employed is self-reported job risk of low back pain, the most recurring health risk faced by farmers. The job-related risky activity is the application of hazardous agrochemicals and the non-job activity is smoking. The study supports the finding that individual heterogeneity in risk attitudes is an important determinant of the risk premium workers receive, i.e., individual differences in other health-related activities are influential determinants of the observed wage-risk tradeoff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Farmland size is a key factor in debates over agricultural land use, food security, agrochemical pollution, and the future of smallholder systems. This paper examines relationships between farmland size, chemical fertilizers and irrigation management, and maize and wheat yield in Mexico. We used agricultural census data to estimate the mean farmland areas and crop yields of 5.5 million farms and nine million agricultural plots in 2,455 Mexican municipalities. We also derived indices of socio-environmental and management factors to examine relationships with yield. Using multiple regression models, we found that although mean farmland area positively relates to maize and wheat yield, the relationships depend critically on the management contexts of chemical fertilizers and irrigation, which vary widely across farm size gradients. Smallholder yield gaps were associated with deficits in irrigation, rather than chemical inputs. Findings highlight the growing need for expanded irrigation access and/or water management assistance for smaller farms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we describe the population of El Huaje, Veracruz México. This village is inhabited by Italo-Mexicans. They work in the yearly Zafra (sugar cane harvest) and in chemical measures aimed to reduce the effects of the mosquito Stegomyia aegypti. Structure: This is a qualitative and multi-disciplinary study. Objectives: To describe the processes of cultivating sugar cane and the efforts made to contr ol the Stegomyia aegypti mosquito, both via agrochemicals. During this study the investigators ed ucated the local population on the use of agrochemicals. Period of study: January 2016 to December 2017. Primary data sources: Information was collected through in-depth interviews, in situ observation, audio and video recordings, and notes made "on site" as well as photographs and health questionnaires. Conclusion: The population of El Huaje is exposed to chronic agro-toxicity caused by the intensive use of agrochemicals. These chemicals are used in the sugar cane harvest as well as in the control of the mosquito: Stegomyia aegypti. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Terr@ Plural is the property of Terr@ Plural and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Our food security depends on finding a sustainable alternative to rock phosphate for fertilizer production. Furthermore, over 2 billion people worldwide are currently affected by micronutrient deficiencies, and crop concentrations of essential minerals are declining. This paper examines whether a novel multi-element fertilizer, Thallo®, can produce crop yields comparable to conventional rock phosphate derived fertilizers, and have an additional benefit of increasing essential mineral concentrations. Thallo®, produced from abattoir and recycled industrial by-products, was tested against conventional mineral fertilizers in a pot trial with wheat and grass. In soil, yields were comparable between the fertilizer types, but, in a low-nutrient substrate, Thallo® showed a yield benefit. Elemental concentrations in the plant material typically reflected the relative concentrations in the fertilizer, and Thallo® fertilized plants contained significantly more of some essential elements, such as selenium and zinc. Furthermore, concentrations of the toxic element cadmium were significantly lower in Thallo® fertilized crops. Among the fertilizers, manganese concentrations were greatest in the Thallo®, but within the fertilized plants, they were greatest under the mineral fertilizer, showing the complexity of assessing whether nutrients will be taken up by crops. In summary, fertilizers from livestock waste have the potential to improve wheat and grass concentrations of essential elements while maintaining yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agrofood companies in the region of southern Sonora, Mexico, including those in Valle del Yaqui, employ agrochemical products (insecticides, herbicides, fertilizers, adhesives, fungicides) in the production of foods and face the problem of plastic waste management, specifically from the empty containers and packages from the different products used. This paper proposes a reverse logistics model in the tomato supply chain to economically and environmentally assess the collection process and final disposal of the empty agrochemical packages using dynamic hypotheses and scenario assessment. The challenge in the proposal was to create a dynamic model to observe the current behavior with special attention to environmental pollution and its effects on the health of the communities with the greatest exposure. The results show that this proposal is viable following these stages: (1) analysis of the product supply chain; (2) characterization of the production process; (3) preparation of the causal diagram and dynamic hypotheses; (4) construction of the Forrester diagram and equations; (5) simulation and sensitivity analysis; and (6) design of the user interface. The application of the proposed model supports decision making in the organization regarding the use of containers of discarded agrochemicals, with the aim of reducing their environmental impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the impact of population and per capita income on agrochemical use in India. Traditionally, few researchers have used I = PAT equation in its original form to study the impact of population and per capita income on agrochemical use. In this paper, a variant of I = PAT is used which relates per capita income and per hectare population with per hectare agrochemical use. The sample covers the period 1990-2008 for 25 Indian states. Our results suggest that per capita income has a nonlinear relationship with per hectare agrochemical use. Observed negative relationship between pesticide use per hectare and persons per hectare is indicative of public awareness regarding harms related with intensive use of pesticides; however, a positive relationship between fartilizer consumption per hectare and population pressure, found here, reiterates importance of fertilizers for food security. An examination into dematerialization of agriculture is also carried out at all India level which indicates that declining intensity of fertilizer and pesticide use in post-1990 period is mainly attributed to structural change in the economy. In summary, the paper concludes that India needs environment friendly agriculture policies and rural infrastructure to manage agriculture-related environmental problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of agrochemical inputs has significantly enhanced agricultural yields in China; however, their excessive utilization has also caused a range of environmental issues. This paper examines the costs associated with reducing agrochemicals by employing shadow prices, which represent the value of the marginal product of agrochemicals, to further develop cost-effective environmental policy measures for reducing their usage. To this end, the shadow prices of agrochemicals have been assessed by adopting a newly developed convex expectile regression approach and using statistical data from 31 provinces in China spanning from 2005 to 2020. Furthermore, the present study investigates the disparities between shadow prices and market prices for different agrochemicals across various regions in China. The findings suggest that the costs of reducing chemical fertilizers are higher than those of reducing pesticides and plastic films. Moreover, the results indicate that central China exhibits relatively high potential for decreasing agrochemical usage. Finally, these findings can inform the Chinese government's restructuring of producer support and environmental policy in a cost-effective way to mitigate agrochemicals use in the future. Additionally, the research method employed in this study holds potential for extension to other agrochemicals-dependent countries. • Point No.1: Shadow prices of different agrochemicals are estimated in a holistic way. • Point No.2: Convex expectile regression is used to address the impacts of inefficiency. • Point No.3: Different types of market distortion are identified. • Point No.4: Suggest suitable cost-effective environmental management measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The investigation presented a novel finding regarding mitigating stress induced by chlorpyrifos in Eisenia fetida by incorporating biochar derived from rice straw and fly ash as soil amendments. It was observed that phenolic compounds exhibit solubility in methanol, and the methanolic fraction exhibited notable inhibitory effects on lipid peroxidation and displayed antioxidant properties. The defence mechanism of E. fetida, comprising catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and various other enzymes, remained effective in neutralizing stressors without disruption when the earthworm was subjected to diverse chemical agents or stressful conditions. These enzymes served as indicative markers of toxicity induced by pesticide exposure, even at sublethal concentrations. The scavenging of free radicals by these enzymes ultimately safeguarded the organism. Fly ash and biochar emerged as two organic alternatives capable of alleviating stress by providing a protective mechanism. In this context, the study examined the impact of biochar and fly ash amendments on earthworm biomarkers. The mortality rate at the median lethal concentration of chlorpyrifos was reduced to less than 50% through 3% and 5% modifications. In contrast to the non-amendment group exposed to sublethal doses, the amendment group exhibited higher levels of oxidative stress and lower protein content. This observation indicated the presence of stress induced by the accumulation of free radicals, which increased in number with higher doses of chlorpyrifos. Moreover, the study highlighted the interconnected nature of total antioxidant capacity and total phenolic capacity values, with a decrease in these parameters signifying a shift in earthworm biomarkers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increase in the world population and the intensification of agricultural practices have resulted in the release of several contaminants into the environment, especially pesticides and heavy metals. This article reviews recent advances in using adsorbent and catalytic materials for environmental decontamination. Different materials, including clays, carbonaceous, metallic, polymeric, and hybrid materials, are evaluated for their effectiveness in pollutant removal. Adsorption is an effective technique due to its low cost, operational simplicity, and possibility of adsorbent regeneration. Catalytic processes, especially those using metallic nanoparticles, offer high efficiency in degrading complex pesticides. Combining these technologies can enhance the efficiency of remediation processes, promoting a more sustainable and practical approach to mitigate the impacts of pesticides and other agricultural pollutants on the environment. Therefore, this review article aims to present several types of materials used as adsorbents and catalysts for decontaminating ecosystems affected by agricultural pollutants. It discusses recent works in literature and future perspectives on using these materials in environmental remediation. Additionally, it explores the possibilities of using green chemistry principles in producing sustainable materials and using agro-industrial waste as precursors of new materials to remove contaminants from the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In April 2021, the government of Sri Lanka abruptly banned chemical fertilizers and other agrochemicals in a bid to safeguard the country's agricultural industry, particularly its farmers and consumers, from various health and environmental concerns. Therefore, it is critical to assess the impact of prohibiting chemical fertilizers and other agrochemicals on the smallholder tea production in the country. Additionally, understanding the smallholders' awareness of agrochemicals and their attitudes toward transitioning to organic farming is essential, as these factors hold significant importance for various aspects of the economy. The Ratnapura district was selected as the research area, owing to its extensive tea cultivation across numerous Divisional Secretary (DS) divisions. For this study, a sample of 120 tea smallholders was randomly chosen from three DS divisions (Balangoda, Opanayaka, Imbulpe), representing the entire district, who supply green leaves to the ABC tea factory in Balangoda. Research data were collected through a field survey conducted between September and November 2022. Descriptive statistics and paired t-tests were employed for data analysis. Additionally, the costs incurred for chemical fertilizers and other agrochemicals, the total cost of production, as well as tea production before and after the implementation of the fertilizer policy, were analyzed using paired t-tests. The results obtained indicate that the majority of tea smallholders possess a high level of education, with most owning tea lands ranging from 0.5 to 1.0 acre. Furthermore, a vast majority of them demonstrate understanding of both the positive and negative aspects of agrochemicals. Notably, the analysis reveals a significant increase in the cost of chemical fertilizers and other agrochemicals, as well as the total cost of production, following the implementation of the fertilizer policy. Conversely, tea production has shown a significant decrease. Moreover, farmers express willingness to transition gradually from conventional farming practices if suitable alternatives are available. However, they currently face a myriad of challenges due to the lack of effective alternatives for chemical fertilizers and agrochemicals. Consequently, there is a pressing need to identify and implement better alternatives to address their concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study was carried out during kharif season of 2022 and 2023 at the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU)-Regional Research Station (RRS), Ballowal Saunkhri (SBS Nagar) with the objective to find out the impact of foliar spray of agrochemicals on biophysical parameters, PAR interception and heat use efficiency of rainfed mung bean (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek) under variable sowing dates. Timely sown crop (second fortnight of July) resulted in higher leaf area index, chlorophyll index, PAR interception and heat use efficiency (HUE) as compared to late sowing (first fortnight of August). Significantly higher seed yield, stover yield and biological yields were obtained in timely sowing during both the years of study. Foliar spray of KNO3 @ 1.5% recorded significantly higher leaf area index, chlorophyll index, PAR interception, heat use efficiency (HUE) and helio-thermal use efficiency (HTUE) but it was statistically similar with foliar spray of N:P:K (20:20:20) @ 1.5%. Foliar spray of KNO3 @ 1.5% and N:P:K (20:20:20) @ 1.5% gave statistically similar seed, stover and biological yields and significantly better than other treatments. There was an increase of 33.3% in seed yield with foliar spray of KNO3 @ 1.5% and increase of 29.1% with foliar spraying of N:P:K (20:20:20) @ 1.5%, when compared with control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cocoa is one of the major cash crops in Nigeria and its production is directly related to the effective utilization of agrochemicals. This paper analysed the factors influencing cocoa farmers' compliance with agrochemical safety regulations. The data were collected from 326 cocoa farmers from Ogun and Osun states, using multi-stage sampling procedures. The data were analysed with Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and an Endogenous Tobit Regression model. The results showed that majority of the farmers were primarily growing cocoa and average ownership of personal protective equipment (PPE) was less than two. Awareness of manufacturers' instructions was high for insecticides and fungicides, while majority of the farmers were not eating or drinking while handling agrochemicals. Safety compliance indicators were significantly influenced (p < 0.10) by farmers' ownership of PPE, education, age, awareness of manufacturers' safety instructions and health status. It was concluded that utilization of PPE was very low among the farmers and efforts to facilitate safety training on the use of different agrochemicals will facilitate safety compliance through proper understanding of manufacturers' instructions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is used for aerial spraying, the downwash airflow generated by the UAV rotor will interact with the crop canopy and form a conical vortex shape in the crop plant. The size of the vortex will directly affect the outcome of the spraying operation. Six one-way spraying were performed by the UAV in a rice field with different but random flying altitude and velocities within the optimal operational range to form different vortex patterns. The spraying reagent was clear water, which was collected by water sensitive paper (WSP), and then the WSP was analyzed to study the droplets deposition effects in different vortex states. The results showed that the formation of the vortex significantly influenced the droplet deposition. To be specific, the droplet deposition amount in the obvious-vortex (OV) state was about 1.5 times of that in the small-scale (SV) vortex state, and 7 times of that in the non-vortex (NV) state. In the OV state, the droplets mainly deposited directly below and on both sides of the route. The deposition amount, coverage rate and droplet size increased from top to bottom of the crops with the deposition amount, coverage rate, and volume median diameter (VMD) ranging 0.204–0.470 μL/cm2, 3.31%-7.41%, and 306–367μm, respectively. In the SV state, droplets mainly deposited in the vortex area directly below the route. The deposition amount in the downwind direction was bigger than that in the upwind direction. The maximum of deposition amount, coverage rate and droplet size were found in the middle layer of the crops, the range are 0.177–0.334μL/cm2, 2.71%-5.30%, 295–370μm, respectively. In the NV state, the droplet mainly performed drifting motion, and the average droplet deposition amount in the downwind non-effective region was 29.4 times of that in the upwind non-effective region and 8.7 times of the effective vortex region directly below the route. The maximum of deposition amount, coverage rate and droplet size appeared in the upper layer of the crop, the range are 0.006–0.132μL/cm2, 0.17%-1.82%, 120–309μm, respectively, and almost no droplet deposited in the middle and lower part of the crop. The coefficient of variation (CV) of the droplet deposition amount was less than 40% in the state of obvious-vortex and small-scale vortex, and the worst penetration appeared in the non-vortex amounting to 65.97%. This work offers a basis for improving the spraying performance of UAV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Constructed wetlands are sustainable technologies for the treatment of wastewater. These biological systems have been widely studied throughout the world for more than 30 years; however, most studies have focused on the effects of design and engineering on pollutant removal from wastewater. Undoubtedly, agro-technical aspects have been given too little consideration by research. This paper reports the main results of a set of experiments carried out on two pilot horizontal subsurface flow systems in Sicily (Italy). Festuca, Lolium and Pennisetum spp. in combination and three emergent macrophytes–Arundo donax L., Cyperus alternifolius L. and Typha latifolia L.–alone, were assessed. The aim of the study was to demonstrate that, under predetermined hydraulic and design conditions, the choice of plant species and the management of the vegetation can significantly affect the pollutant removal performance of constructed wetlands. In addition, wastewater (after treatment) can also be used for agricultural purposes leading to increased sustainability in agricultural systems. Arundo and Typha-planted units performed better than Cyperus-planted units in terms of chemical, physical and microbiological contaminant removal. All the species adapted extremely well to wetland conditions. Polyculture systems were found to be more efficient than monocultures in the removal of dissolved organic compounds. The reuse of treated wastewater for the irrigation of open fields and horticultural crops led to significant savings in the use of freshwater and fertilizers. The results of physical-energy characterization of A. donax above-ground plant residues and pellets highlighted the fact that a constructed wetland could also be a potential source of bioenergy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Different setups and protocols have been developed for investigating insecticide effects on Anopheles (An.) mosquitoes, vectors of malaria. However, chemical uptake resulting from their tarsal contact with insecticide-treated material has seldom been investigated. To address the challenges encountered in the interpretation of bioassay data, a high throughput method for chemical analysis on malaria vectors was developed and validated for five selected insecticides including alpha-cypermethrin (aCYP), deltamethrin (DM), etofenprox (EPX), permethrin (PM), pirimiphos-methyl (PPM). Methods: The method includes a single chemical extraction step via an ultrasound probe on mosquito samples and analysis via liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). The protocol was established for two malaria vector species, Anopheles gambiae senso stricto (s.s.) and An. stephensi, both males and females. Recovery rates ranged from 70 to 100% without any influence of sex or species. The method was efficiently applied to female An. gambiae s.s. of the KISUMU1 reference strain, after susceptibility tests using the World Health Organization’s standard protocol. Results: Susceptibility tests revealed 13.4–18.4 minutes knockdown times for 50% mosquitoes during exposure to EPX and pyrethroids. The mortality rates 24 hours post-exposure to insecticides were mostly 99–100%, except in two PM and three PPM assays suggesting possible or confirmed resistance to these insecticides. The mean insecticide uptake in dead mosquitoes ranged from 23 pg (aCYP) to 1812 pg (EPX) per specimen. However, the mean uptake in survivors to PM and PPM was reduced by at least 25%, suggesting that acute doses were not achieved in these specimens during bioassays. Conclusions: The developed and validated UHPLC-MS/MS method could be used to address some limitations of bioassays or to assess the penetration of insecticides in mosquito matrix with reference to cuticle thickness and other insecticide resistance mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Studying soil nutrient variability and its effect on the growth and development of crops under a traditional tillage mode is the foundation for comprehensively implementing precision agriculture policies at the field scale and ensuring excellent crop management. In this paper, a 28.5 hm2 winter wheat field under the traditional cultivation model in Tianzhuang town of Huantai County was selected as the research area. The mesh point method was utilized for sampling (60×60 m), and the characteristics of soil available nitrogen (AN), available phosphorus (AP) and available potassium (AK) variations in the before sowing, reviving, jointing, and filling stages of winter wheat were analyzed using geostatistical and GIS methods. Moreover, Pearson correlation analysis was used to study the response of wheat growth and development to soil nutrient variations. As the growth stages progressed, 1) each nutrient showed the characteristics of low-high-low and moderate variability. The highest AN and AK contents were found at the reviving stage, while AP reached a turning point at the jointing stage. The order of variability of each nutrient was AN>AP>AK. 2) The nutrient variations first increased and then decreased and showed medium to strong spatial correlation. The three nutrients were strongly spatially correlated in the before sowing stage and moderately spatially correlated during the reviving stage. During the jointing and filling stages, AN had moderate spatial correlation, and AP and AK had strong spatial correlation. The spatial correlation of each nutrient was the weakest in the reviving stage, and the spatial correlation of AN was strongest in the before sowing stage, while the spatial correlations of AP and AK were strongest in the jointing stage. The spatial correlation of each soil nutrient decreased from the before sowing stage to the reviving stage and from the jointing stage to the filling stage, and the spatial correlation increased from the reviving stage to the jointing stage. 3) The soil nutrient content first increased and then decreased, and the grades of the nutrients gradually decreased. 4) The correlation between soil nutrients and wheat growth gradually increased. AN had the highest correlation with wheat growth, followed by AK and AP. The effect of soil nutrients on the growth of wheat at the reviving stage was greater than the effect of nutrients in the current stage. The growth of wheat at the jointing stage was mainly influenced by nutrients in the current stage, while the growth of wheat at the filling stage was influenced by the nutrient contents of both the previous and current stages. Thus, the date of fertilizer supplementation should be postponed properly. In this study, the soil nutrient dynamics and their influence on the growth of wheat during the winter wheat growth period under the traditional field model were well described, and these results could provide a theoretical basis for the precision management of soil nutrients in the northern winter wheat area where the planting environment and cultivation management are relatively uniform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Driven by factors such as an increased reliance on genetically modified crops, government policies, and market forces, the crop mix in South Dakota and elsewhere in the United States has become less diverse and moved toward the production of corn and soybeans as the most predominant cash crops over the past two decades. Coinciding with a reduced complexity of crop rotation practices, the prevalence of mono-cropping has increased and crop chemical usage has changed as well. Overall, the reduced reliance on traditional crop rotation practices for mitigating pests corresponds with an increase in crop acres treated with insecticides, expressed as a proportion of total cropland acres, and referred to in the literature as the extensive usage of insecticides. In this paper, we identify how changing cropping patterns in South Dakota have affected the extensive usage of insecticides, an aspect often overlooked by producers and policy makers. Results indicate that increased corn production has contributed to an increase in the share of cropland acres treated with insecticides at the county level in eastern South Dakota. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies highlight a growing concern over the limited adoption of climate smart agricultural (CSA) practices despite their potential benefits on adaptation, mitigation and productivity. Literature indicates several factors behind the lack of adoption including socio-demographic and economic conditions, agro-ecological scales and the nature of the practices. This paper examines to what extent and under which conditions such factors influence the adoption of CSA practices at farm, household and community level across three study sites in different continents: Vietnam, Nicaragua and Uganda. While cost benefit analysis (CBA) is employed to assess the farm-level profitability of CSA practices, the aggregate community impact disaggregated by different groups of farmer typologies with specific socio-economic features is derived from the adoption rate estimated by the relative advantage of practices and the income level of each group. Our main findings show great variation of farm-profitability of CSA practices across scales. Similar practices could generate different profitability depending on crop typologies, input access and prices, household types and local context. Regarding the aggregate profitability of CSA practices at regional scale, we found that under particular conditions, relevant factors of adoption matter to the adoption pattern and thereby affects the ranking. Such conditions include (i) high income inequality, (ii) large profitability gap of prioritized CSA practices, and (iii) large proportion of cost and benefit of the practices in the level of income. This study contributes to enhancing the prioritization process of CSA practices and provides practical guidance for research and policy to tailor the investment to appropriate end-users to assure the greatest impact for the community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]