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.

Peanut Production in Central Luzon, Philippines: An Assessment of Farmer Practices, Challenges, and Profitability

Christian Misola Balba — 2025-05-12

Peanut is a crucial leguminous crop grown by farmers in Central Luzon, acknowledged for its economic and ecological significance. Peanuts function as a versatile rotation crop, thriving in warm regions with well-drained, sandy or loamy soils, and significantly contribute to sustainable farming methods by enhancing soil fertility. Central Luzon, recognized as a key peanut-producing area in the Philippines, significantly contributes to fulfilling the demand for this crop. Nonetheless, numerous challenges remain, obstructing the growth and productivity of the industry. Farmers in the region encounter challenges including restricted access to premium seeds, dependence on conventional farming techniques, and vulnerability to pests and diseases. Due to insufficient support for training, extension services, and research funding, the identified challenges result in decreased yields and variable production quality. Mechanization, especially in the context of labor-intensive harvesting, is still not fully developed, resulting in smallholder farmers relying on inefficient and time-consuming methods.

This paper presents a thorough evaluation of peanut production in Central Luzon, including an analysis of farms and farmers, an assessment of production costs and returns, identification of constraints, proposed interventions, and a review of current research and development initiatives. Notable challenges encompass restricted access to high-quality seeds, inadequate training and extension support, and a deficiency in mechanized post-harvest equipment. The demanding processes of planting, weeding, and harvesting significantly constrain the growth of peanut production areas and overall yields. To effectively address these gaps, it is essential to foster collaboration among stakeholders. This includes the development of suitable machinery for small farm holdings, the implementation of training programs, and the enhancement of investment in peanut research and extension.

A Typical Case Study of Investment in Agricultural Projects - The Case of Mokumoku Farms

Tingting Qu — 2025-05-15

In recent years, the scale of investment in agricultural infrastructure construction projects in China has shown a continuous expansion trend, a large amount of social capital into the agricultural sector at the same time, the inefficiency of resource allocation, investment efficiency does not meet expectations and other issues are becoming increasingly prominent. Particularly noteworthy is that some agricultural investment projects due to the lack of risk management mechanism leading to serious losses, exposing the agricultural project investment decision-making system needs to be improved theoretical and practical dilemma. This study adopts the typical case study method, selects Mokumoku Farm in Japan as the research object, and through systematic deconstruction of its development mode, deeply analyzes the coupling mechanism among the core elements, such as project planning, industry integration, risk control and value co-creation. It provides a new analytical framework for agricultural project investment risk management, and also provides a practical path for optimizing China's agricultural investment decision-making mechanism and enhancing the comprehensive benefits of agricultural projects, with a view to providing reference for agricultural project investment management.

Demographic Factors and Their Association with Cultivation of Dry Beans (Phaseolus Vulgaris) in Smallholder Irrigation Schemes at Vhembe District Municipality, Limpopo Province of South Africa

T. J. Mavhungu — 2025-05-26

The study was conducted at upper Mutale valley and Madimbo corridor irrigated smallholder agricultural enterprise. The purpose of the study was to investigate a demographic impact on the cultivation of dry beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) in irrigated smallholder agricultural enterprise. The questionnaire was developed to collect both qualitative and quantitative data. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect primary data at these two smallholder irrigation schemes, and administered on face-to-face interviews which embrace both open- and close-ended questions. A representative sample was based on the number of plot holders as per irrigated smallholder agricultural enterprise led by women and youth (ISHAE-WY). At least 294 women and youth plot holders were sampled for interviews and prompt responses on the investigate a demographic impact on the cultivation of dry Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) in smallholder irrigation schemes. Chi-square test was used as descriptive analysis method through application of Fischer Exact test. The study showed weak association between gender (φ = 0.097, p = 0.096), age (φ = 0.152, p = 0.033), education (φ = 0.182, p = 0.022), and income (φ = 0.081, p = 0.163) with the planting of dry beans in ISHAE-WY. In conclusion, trends based on participation to plant dry beans shows the potential for youth to middle aged, <60 years ISHAE-WY with no primary education and obtaining less than R5 000 through dry beans production. The study also suggests empowerment programs for women and youth through literacy support and training in dry bean production practices at ISHAE-WY.

The Impact of County-Level Government Fiscal Expenditure on Rural Common Prosperity

Qilin Sheng — 2025-06-12

Common prosperity, as a core value pursuit of the socialist theoretical system with Chinese characteristics, profoundly reflects the essential attributes and distinctive features of Chinese modernization. Among these, effectively narrowing the urban-rural income gap is a critical pathway to achieving common prosperity. Scientific and rational fiscal expenditure policies, serving as an important tool for adjusting national income distribution and promoting social equity and justice, play an indispensable role in advancing common prosperity. Based on county-level panel data from China between 2000 and 2023, this study constructs a two-way fixed-effects econometric model to empirically analyze the impact of government fiscal expenditure on rural common prosperity. The findings indicate that government fiscal expenditure significantly enhances rural common prosperity, a conclusion supported by robustness tests including alternative econometric methods, lagged treatment, and winsorization. Heterogeneity analysis reveals that the fiscal expenditure elasticity in less-developed regions is significantly higher than in developed regions, and the fiscal expenditure coefficient in high-transfer regions is markedly greater than in low-transfer regions, aligning with the law of diminishing marginal utility and the Lewis dual-sector model. Mechanism analysis demonstrates that government fiscal expenditure boosts common prosperity by promoting capital deepening (i.e., stimulating fixed-asset investment) and by driving the primary and secondary industries, exhibiting partial mediating effects.

Response to the Effects of Drought Spell on Livelihoods of Agro-Pastoralists in Northern Ghana

Suhiyini Issah Alhassan — 2025-06-12

Climate shocks remains a threat to the livelihoods of agro-pastoralists in Africa, given that crop and livestock farming in the continent are mainly rain-fed. Thus, erratic rainfalls and temperatures are environmental factors bedeviling agro-pastoralism. In Ghana, northern Ghana is the food basket of the country, with over 70% of the labour force engaged in agriculture, producing both crops and livestock. Unfortunately, this part of the country for a long time has suffered from the perennial floods and droughts. In the 2024 farming season, there was a prolong drought in northern Ghana spanning for almost 50 days. In response, the government of Ghana commissioned the registration of farmers for support. However, this support was mainly limited to crop lost, with little emphasis on livestock lost. In view of this, CLIP commissioned a study to assess the effect of the drought spell on agro-pastoralists’ livelihoods in the five regions of northern Ghana. The objectives of the study are to examine agro-pastoralists drought experience, determine the perceived effect of the drought spell on agro-pastoralists’ livelihoods, and identify and analyse agro-pastoralists’ drought adaptation strategies. The study relied on primary quantitative and qualitative data. Quantitative data was collected through a survey with 745 agro-pastoralists using survey questionnaire, randomly selected from 22 districts from the five northern regions. Qualitative data was collected through interviews with 22 District Livestock Officers using unstructured interview guide and also interviews with the agro-pastoralists. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and presented in tables and charts. The results show that over 98% of agro-pastoralists experienced the drought for an average of 28 days and a maximum of 41 days, with agro-pastoralists in the Upper East region experiencing the longest drought periods of over 32 days. The results further showed that agro-pastoralists’ livelihoods were severely impacted adversely by the drought. The effect of the drought on their livelihoods manifest in the form of reduced pasture availability, stunting and mortality of livestock, increased competition over water and crop residue, outbreak of diseases among livestock, increased cost of livestock feed, and reduced farm income. Though the government of Ghana registered some farmers affected by the drought for support, only 21% of agro-pastoralists interviewed were captured in this registration. Yet, the government’s promised support targets crop lost, rather than livestock lost. Over 76% of agro-pastoralists are either not expecting any external support or not sure if there will ever be an external support for them to recover from the adverse effect of the drought. This renders their livelihoods more vulnerable to climatic shocks. Finally, the results showed that the main strategies adopted by agro-pastoralists to adapt to the effects of the drought spell are: buying more fodder for their livestock, migrating to other communities in search for pasture and water, and selling off some livestock. These strategies are not sustainable given that migrating to other communities has implications on farmer-herder relations, buying more fodder has cost implications for agro-pastoralists and selling off livestock may deplete the stock. Based on the prevailing drought spell effects on agro-pastoralists livelihoods, the policy implication is for governmental and non-governmental organisations to be intentional about the climate change effect on livelihoods of agro-pastoralists by setting up special funds to support agro-pastoralists during climate shocks such as drought and/or floods.