Agricultural Science

The Effect of the Combination Polymers – Grape Marc in the Development of Tomato Growing in Soilless

Edouard Youssef Tabet — 2025-01-29

This study examined the impact of two fertilizers (FI (CRFA) and F2 (Arizona University) and three substrates (S1(100% coconut fiber), S2 (50% coconut fiber, 50% grape marc, and 7g of polymers), and S3 (50% coconut fiber, 50% grape marc, and 13g of polymers)) on tomato growth in a soilless system. Results showed that Fertilizer F2 was the most effective overall. Substrate S3 excelled in node count and flower bud spacing, likely due to improved moisture retention and nutrient availability. Substrate S1 supported optimal stem length and node spacing. Substrate S2 yielded the highest tomato production. These findings suggest that optimizing fertilization and substrate composition can significantly improve tomato yield and quality in soilless systems. This has implications for sustainable agriculture by reducing reliance on soil-based cultivation and potentially increasing crop productivity. Further research in this area could lead to more efficient and environmentally friendly farming practices.

Effect of Different Nutrient Solutions and Multiple Bio-Stimulant Dosages on Yield and Growth of Capsicum Annuum in Soilless System

Edouard Youssef Tabet — 2025-02-12

This study evaluates the impact of two nutrient solutions (F1 and F2) and varying dosages of the plant bio-stimulant Atomes F.D.Inc. Bio Sciences PHP®, (D1 = 50 mL, D2 = 100 mL, D3 = 150 mL, and D0 = control) on the growth and yield of Capsicum annuum in a hydroponic system. The results demonstrate that F2 significantly enhanced overall plant growth and yield compared to F1, with notable increases in fruit count (25±10 vs. 24±9), average fruit width (8.31±1.02 cm vs. 8.03±1.00 cm), average fruit length (11.79±1.19 cm vs. 11.55±0.89 cm), and total yield weight (2.85±0.89 kg vs. 2.68±0.91 kg). Plants treated with D3 exhibited the highest yield, with a total fruit weight of 3.90 kg, compared to 1.69 kg in the control group (D0). D3-treated plants also produced an average of 37 fruits, while D0 produced only 13. Conversely, D0-treated plants resulted in larger individual fruit sizes, with an average fruit width of 8.98 cm and a length of 13.20 cm, compared to 7.89 cm and 10.91 cm in D3-treated plants. These findings underscore the importance of precise nutrient management and bio-stimulant applications in optimizing hydroponic bell pepper production. Future research should focus on long-term economic feasibility and large-scale implementation strategies.

Maize and Pearl Millet Production in Hot Semi-Arid North Eastern Namibia Under Conventional Tillage and Conservation Agriculture Practices

Ladislaus Kudumo — 2025-03-04

This article focuses on the results from experiments conducted to test and compare the effects of selected agricultural practices and principles on maize and pearl millet production of the major cropping systems in north-eastern regions of Namibia. Conventional Tillage (CT), Minimum Tillage (MT), Minimum Tillage with Mulch (MT-M), Minimum Tillage with Rotation (MT-R) and Minimum Tillage with Mulch and Rotation (MT-MR) were the primary treatments tested. Significant differences were observed on pearl millet grain in the first season (p=0.0496) and for maize grain in the second season (p=0.0206). For pearl millet, CT yielded the highest with 1783.0 kg ha^-1and MT (1520.8 kg ha^-1) had the lowest pearl millet grain yield at SE 240.35. For maize, CT-MR yielded the highest maize grain, 3852.3 kg ha^-1, Standard Error of Mean 240.35. Results suggest that CA has the potential to increase or maintain maize production while noting projected declines in crop production of at least 50% or more through the influence of climate change according to Namibia’s Country Climate Smart Agriculture Programme (2015 – 2030).

Climate Perception and Adaptation Decision of Apple Growers in Guanzhong Plain Region Based on Structural Equation Model

Zhou Lei — 2025-03-13

It is important to clarify the influence path of farmers' climate change perception and adaptation behavior decision-making for the further effective implementation of rural revitalization strategy. Based on structural equation model, SPSS and Amos software were used to import survey data, and then the influence path of climate change perception and adaptation behavior of apple farmers in the study area was discussed. The results showed that: (1) The individual characteristics of farmers had a significant positive effect on their objective adaptation ability, but had a negative effect on their climate change perception ability and household economic characteristics. (2) The family characteristics of farmers had a negative and significant effect on objective adaptation. (3) Farmers' climate perception had a significant positive effect on their objective adaptation ability. The indicators of each potential variable can reflect itself well and have significant representativeness. Finally, according to the test results of structural equation model, some effective suggestions are put forward for individual, family and perception.

The Impact of Modern Agricultural Parks on Regional Agricultural Economic Growth: A Case Study of Modern Agricultural Parks in Southwest China

Ke Rujuan — 2025-03-21

The level of agricultural economic development is a critical indicator for assessing the achievements of rural revitalization and the construction of a modern agricultural power. How to elevate agricultural economic standards remains a significant challenge for China today. This study treats modern agricultural parks as a quasi-natural experiment and employs a multi-period difference-in-differences (DID) model to analyze panel data from 98 modern agricultural parks in southwest China, aiming to explore whether the construction of modern agricultural parks can influence regional agricultural economic growth. The findings demonstrate that the establishment of modern agricultural parks significantly enhances the level of agricultural economic development. This effect remains robust after conducting parallel trend tests, placebo tests, and propensity score matching (PSM)-DID checks. Further mechanism analysis reveals that such parks drive agricultural economic growth through innovations in agricultural technology. Additionally, heterogeneity analysis indicates that the policy effect of modern agricultural parks varies across regions, with stronger impacts observed in areas with moderate development levels compared to less developed regions. These research findings provide valuable insights for accelerating the construction of a socialist modern agricultural power in the new era and offer a theoretical foundation for advancing the modernization of agriculture and rural areas.

Evolution of Traditional Chinese "Salt-Leaching and Alkali-Washing" Technology and Strategies for Improving Productive Coastal Saline-Alkali Land Landscapes – A Case Study of Cixi City

Shiyuan Lou — 2025-03-24

“Salt-leaching and alkali-washing” is a traditional Chinese technique for reclaiming saline-alkali land, widely used in China’s eastern coastal regions. This technique uses irrigation and drainage to reduce soil salinity and alkalinity, transforming land originally unsuitable for farming into highly productive farmland. In Cixi City, with the establishment of modern agricultural parks represented by Zhengda Agriculture, this traditional technique has been combined with modern technology to develop a new “salt-leaching and alkali-washing” method. This greatly increased the efficiency of saline land improvement, converting large areas of heavily saline-alkali land into arable land with mild salinity and achieving very high economic returns. This paper reviews the development history of “salt-leaching and alkali-washing” from ancient times to the present and examines its current applications, and also analyzes how “salt-leaching and alkali-washing” shapes the landscape and its potential for future landscape transformation.

Effects of Two Different Feeds on the Growth of Australian Freshwater Lobster

Li Yongbo — 2025-03-25

The main objective of this study was to investigate the effects of two different feeds on the growth of Australian freshwater lobster. The experimental data clearly showed that the different feeds had significant effects on the growth rate and weight gain of freshwater lobsters. In particular, feeds rich in microorganisms had the most obvious effect on the growth of lobsters and could effectively promote the rapid increase of their weight. the selection of appropriate feed types and formulations is crucial in freshwater lobster culture. This study not only revealed the effects of two different feeds on the growth of Australian freshwater lobster, but also provided a strong theoretical guidance for freshwater lobster culture practice. In order to improve the breeding efficiency and promote the sustainable development of the industry, we can improve freshwater lobster culture continue.

Analysis of the Main Factors Inducing Mortality in Artificial Ponds for Australian Freshwater Lobsters

Li Yongbo — 2025-04-03

With rising demand for Cherax quadricarinatus due to advancing aquaculture technology and consumer preference, this imported species faces strict environmental needs and technical challenges. Poor water quality and temperature extremes during breeding often cause mortality and yield losses, impacting farmers economically. This study analyzes primary mortality causes in artificial ponds through breeding experiments, collecting data on temperature, dissolved oxygen, ammonia nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen, and Vibrio infection. Key factors identified include temperatures ≤10°C or ≥31°C, dissolved oxygen ≤1.0 mg/L, and ammonia nitrogen or nitrate nitrogen ≥0.5 mg/L. These findings enhance understanding of artificial pond conditions affecting C. quadricarinatus, offering a reference for improving aquaculture practices.

Study On the Detection of Dry Matter in Silage Corn Feed Based on Near Infrared Spectroscopy

Changfeng Shao — 2025-04-13

This study explored the application of a portable near-infrared (NIR) spectrometer for analyzing silage corn feed quality, specifically focusing on developing a quantitative detection model for dry matter content. Spectral data were collected within the 855-1890 nm range using a portable NIR spectrometer, and the dataset was partitioned into calibration and prediction sets using the SPXY algorithm. An Extreme Learning Machine (ELM) model optimized by Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) was employed for modeling. Five preprocessing methods were evaluated: Moving Average Filter (MAF), Savitzky-Golay Filter (SGF), Multiplicative Scatter Correction (MSC), Standard Normal Variate (SNV) transformation, and First Derivative (FD). To enhance model performance, feature wavelengths were selected using three methods: Bootstrap Soft Shrinkage (BOSS), Competitive Adaptive Reweighted Sampling (CARS), and Iterative Retained Information Variable (IRIV). The optimal model combining SNV preprocessing with BOSS feature selection achieved a prediction correlation coefficient () of 0.8708 and Root Mean Square Error of Prediction (RMSEP) of 0.6802. These results demonstrate the potential of portable NIR spectroscopy for rapid dry matter content determination in silage corn feed.