Journal Description
Agriculture
Agriculture
is an international, scientific peer-reviewed open access journal published monthly online by MDPI.
- Open Access— free for readers, with article processing charges (APC) paid by authors or their institutions.
- High Visibility: indexed within Scopus, SCIE (Web of Science), PubAg, AGRIS, RePEc, and other databases.
- Journal Rank: JCR - Q1 (Agronomy) / CiteScore - Q1 (Plant Science)
- Rapid Publication: manuscripts are peer-reviewed and a first decision is provided to authors approximately 17.7 days after submission; acceptance to publication is undertaken in 2.4 days (median values for papers published in this journal in the second half of 2023).
- Recognition of Reviewers: reviewers who provide timely, thorough peer-review reports receive vouchers entitling them to a discount on the APC of their next publication in any MDPI journal, in appreciation of the work done.
- Companion journals for Agriculture include: Poultry, Grasses and Crops.
Impact Factor:
3.6 (2022);
5-Year Impact Factor:
3.6 (2022)
Latest Articles
Lactic Acid Bacteria from Bombyx mori Frass: Probiotic Properties and Antagonistic Activities
Agriculture 2024, 14(6), 924; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14060924 (registering DOI) - 11 Jun 2024
Abstract
Insect farming is gaining attention as a promising area for exploring probiotic bacteria, which can benefit both insect health and various industries. Silkworm farming is a key industry in Thailand; however, challenges such as disease susceptibility and optimising growth require innovative solutions for
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Insect farming is gaining attention as a promising area for exploring probiotic bacteria, which can benefit both insect health and various industries. Silkworm farming is a key industry in Thailand; however, challenges such as disease susceptibility and optimising growth require innovative solutions for sustainable practices. Our study addresses this by assessing lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in native Thai silkworm faeces, which accumulate as natural by-products during the rearing process. We conducted biochemical tests, including those for catalase, haemolytic activity, bile salt tolerance, antimicrobial activity, antibiotic susceptibility, and cell surface hydrophobicity, along with taxonomic classification. Out of 102 isolates, eight potential probiotics were selected, with five showing strong probiotic traits like acid and bile salt tolerance and cell surface hydrophobicity, enhancing gut survivability. These isolates also displayed antagonistic activity against pathogens like Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhimurium, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Safety assessments confirmed their safety, with no haemolytic activity and sensitivity to antibiotics like chloramphenicol and amoxicillin. These LAB isolates (SP04, SP06, SP44, SP64, and SP67), identified as Enterococcus faecalis strain NBRC 100481, show promise as in vitro probiotics for silkworm rearing, calling for further in vivo evaluation.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability and Perspectives of Edible Insect Rearing and Utilization of Their Products and Byproducts)
Open AccessArticle
Study on the Shear and Bending Mechanical Properties of Millet Stem
by
Wei Wang, Zeze Wang, Ben Pan, Qingliang Cui, Lili Zhang, Shujin Qiu and Yanqing Zhang
Agriculture 2024, 14(6), 923; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14060923 (registering DOI) - 11 Jun 2024
Abstract
To determine the patterns and influencing factors of the mechanical properties of millet stems from different varieties during the maturity period, this study employed a complete block experiment method and conducted shearing and bending tests on millet stems using the INSTRON5544 electronic universal
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To determine the patterns and influencing factors of the mechanical properties of millet stems from different varieties during the maturity period, this study employed a complete block experiment method and conducted shearing and bending tests on millet stems using the INSTRON5544 electronic universal material testing machine. The research investigated the variation in the shear strength, specific shear energy, bending strength, elastic modulus, and bending stiffness at different internode positions of the stems of Changza 466, Zhangza 16, and Jingu 21 during their maturity period. The results indicated that the variety had a significant impact on the mechanical properties of millet stems: from largest to smallest, the order of shear and bending forces was Jingu 21, Zhangza 16, and Changza 466. The shear strength and bending strength of Jingu 21 were the greatest among the three stem samples. The internode position significantly affected the shear mechanical properties of the millet stems, showing a general trend of decreasing shear strength with ascending internode position. The effect of the internode position on the bending stiffness was highly significant, whereas its impact on the bending strength and elastic modulus was not significant. The shear strength of the millet stems ranged from 3.866 ± 1.086 to 6.953 ± 2.208 MPa, significantly lower than the bending strength, which ranged from 18.934 ± 4.374 to 34.286 ± 6.875 MPa. The lowest shear strength and specific shearing energy, recorded at the fifth internode, were 4.028 ± 1.918 MPa and 15.097 ± 12.633 MJ/mm2, respectively. Jingu 21 and Changza 466 exhibit better lodging resistance than Zhangza 16. It is recommended to use a cutting-type platform for harvesting millet stems, with the cutting height set at the fifth internode position. This study provides a theoretical basis for the design of millet harvesting machinery and the selection of harvest parameters.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agricultural Machinery Design and Agricultural Engineering)
Open AccessArticle
Raising the Drying Unit for Fruits and Vegetables Energy Efficiency by Application of Thermoelectric Heat Pump
by
Dmitry Tikhomirov, Aleksei Khimenko, Aleksey Kuzmichev, Dmitry Budnikov and Vadim Bolshev
Agriculture 2024, 14(6), 922; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14060922 (registering DOI) - 11 Jun 2024
Abstract
Drying food stuffs and other materials belongs to one of the most commonly used feedstock processing techniques, featuring rather high energy consumption. The major disadvantage of conventional electric convective-type household dryers is substantial thermal energy emission into the environment with a wet exhaust,
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Drying food stuffs and other materials belongs to one of the most commonly used feedstock processing techniques, featuring rather high energy consumption. The major disadvantage of conventional electric convective-type household dryers is substantial thermal energy emission into the environment with a wet exhaust, worked-out drying agent. Among other principal disadvantages common to all dryers of this type, the following have to be mentioned: spatial inhomogeneity of heating a product under processing and that of drying agent distribution due to its temperature reduction and relative humidity growth as it moves upwards. A block diagram and a breadboard model of a convective-type thermoelectric dryer employing a thermoelectric heat pump have been designed. In our approach, a product is treated with the help of a drying agent (normally, heated air) with partial exhaust-air recirculation and heat recovery. Laboratory studies of the drying process have been carried out using apple fruits as a test material in order to evaluate the power consumed for evaporation of 1 kg of water in the newly developed convective-type thermoelectric drying unit. Physical parameters of apple fruits before and after drying both in the thermoelectric drying unit and in a conventional series-produced convective-type domestic dryer have been reported. The energy efficiency of the newly designed drying unit has been compared with that of some series-produced samples. It has been found out that, unlike conventional convective-type dryers, the breadboard model of the developed thermoelectric drying unit features a smoother product drying process owing to the presence of side air channels and more effective drying agent path organization in the processing chamber. This conclusion was supported by the results of the carried out tests. Application of thermoelectric heat pumps with the function of the exhaust drying agent heat recovery will make it possible to reduce the drying agent heater installed capacity and the power consumed by the newly designed convective-type thermoelectric drying unit by up to 20% in the course of the drying process, compared to series-produced household convective-type dryers.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Energy-Powered Agricultural Machinery and Equipment)
Open AccessArticle
Experimental Warming Reduces the Grain Yield and Nitrogen Utilization Efficiency of Double-Cropping indica Rice in South China
by
Taotao Yang, Jixiang Zou, Longmei Wu, Xiaozhe Bao, Yu Jiang, Nan Zhang and Bin Zhang
Agriculture 2024, 14(6), 921; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14060921 (registering DOI) - 11 Jun 2024
Abstract
The effect of climate warming on rice production in China is profound, yet there has been limited research on how it affects the grain yield, nitrogen (N) uptake, and N utilization efficiency (NUtE) of the double-cropping indica rice in South China. To address
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The effect of climate warming on rice production in China is profound, yet there has been limited research on how it affects the grain yield, nitrogen (N) uptake, and N utilization efficiency (NUtE) of the double-cropping indica rice in South China. To address this gap, we conducted a free air temperature increase (FATI) experiment in Guangdong province during 2020 and 2021. Our findings revealed that warming led to a significant reduction in grain yield, with early rice (ER) and late rice (LR) experiencing average decreases of 5.2% and 6.3%, respectively, compared to control treatments. This decline was primarily attributed to the reduced grain weight of ER and the fewer spikelet numbers per panicle of LR under warming conditions. Although the dry matter translocation, harvest index, and N translocation efficiency of ER remained unchanged under warming conditions, these of LR decreased by an average of 58.1%, 8.8%, and 22.3%, respectively. Additionally, while warming did not affect the N uptake in ER at maturity, it significantly increased the N uptake in LR by an average of 11.0%. Therefore, under warming conditions, the NUtE of both ER and LR was markedly decreased by 6.9% and 15.5% over the two years. These results indicate that climate warming may have significant negative impacts on the grain yield and the NUtE of indica rice within double-rice cropping systems in South China. Understanding these dynamics is vital for maintaining the stability of rice yields in anticipation of future climate warming.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Rice Ecophysiology and Production: Yield, Quality and Sustainability)
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Open AccessArticle
Evaluation of Yield and Yield Components of Rice in Vertical Agro-Photovoltaic System in South Korea
by
Hyun Jo, Jong Tae Song, Hyeonjun Cho, Sangyeab Lee, Seungmin Choi, Ho-Jun Jung, Hyeong-No Lee and Jeong-Dong Lee
Agriculture 2024, 14(6), 920; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14060920 (registering DOI) - 11 Jun 2024
Abstract
Renewable energy from photovoltaic power plants has increased in amount globally as an alternative energy to combat global climate change by reducing fossil fuel burning and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. The agro-photovoltaic (APV) approach can be a solution to produce solar
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Renewable energy from photovoltaic power plants has increased in amount globally as an alternative energy to combat global climate change by reducing fossil fuel burning and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. The agro-photovoltaic (APV) approach can be a solution to produce solar energy and crop production at the same time by installing solar panels on the same farmland to increase land use efficiency. This study aimed to compare the yield and yield components of rice (Oryza sativa L.) between a vertical APV system and a control field across two years. The solar panels were installed around the rice field in four directions of rice cultivation. Based on the analysis of variance, the primary factor influencing measured yield and yield components was the year effect, whereas the direction effect did not show significance, except for amylose content and ripened grains. Especially for rice production, the rice yield in 2023 was 6.8 t/ha, which was significantly higher by 0.8 t/ha than in 2022. Compared with the control condition, however, there was no significant negative impact on the year-to-year rice yield of the vertical APV system across two years. As rice yield was mainly affected by year, rice yield trials will be required for multiple years to understand the genetic and environmental factors influencing rice production under the vertical APV system.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic Electrification and Sustainable Energy Systems to Improve Agriculture and Rural Areas)
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Open AccessArticle
Nutritional Quality of Early-Generation Kernza Perennial Grain
by
Evan B. Craine and Lee R. DeHaan
Agriculture 2024, 14(6), 919; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14060919 (registering DOI) - 11 Jun 2024
Abstract
Grain from improved varieties of the perennial grass Thinopyrum intermedium (Host) Barkworth & D.R. Dewey is marketed under the trade name Kernza (common name intermediate wheatgrass, IWG). While a growing body of evidence is available on the nutritional quality of Kernza, gaps exist
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Grain from improved varieties of the perennial grass Thinopyrum intermedium (Host) Barkworth & D.R. Dewey is marketed under the trade name Kernza (common name intermediate wheatgrass, IWG). While a growing body of evidence is available on the nutritional quality of Kernza, gaps exist for components such vitamins and minerals and protein quality. Therefore, we performed two studies on early-generation breeding program material, characterizing nutritional quality by quantifying macronutrients, sugars, dietary fiber, amino acid profiles, fat composition, vitamins, minerals, carotenoids, antioxidants, and antioxidant activity. The IWG studied frequently had concentrations significantly different from the reference values for whole wheat flour. For example, IWG had 50% higher protein, 129% higher dietary fiber, and 65% higher ash content than reference whole wheat flour. Calcium and selenium were 267% and 492% higher, respectively, in IWG than whole wheat flour. Riboflavin and folate were 43% and 447% higher, respectively, and niacin 74% lower in IWG versus whole wheat flour. We identified lysine as the limiting amino acid, although its concentration was 33% greater in IWG than in whole wheat flour. These results support potential benefits of Kernza for human nutrition. This work supports ongoing studies to further characterize and evaluate nutritional quality during the domestication and breeding process.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Perennial Grains and Oilseeds: Current Status and Future Prospects)
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Open AccessArticle
Detection and Instance Segmentation of Grape Clusters in Orchard Environments Using an Improved Mask R-CNN Model
by
Xiang Huang, Dongdong Peng, Hengnian Qi, Lei Zhou and Chu Zhang
Agriculture 2024, 14(6), 918; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14060918 - 10 Jun 2024
Abstract
Accurately segmenting grape clusters and detecting grape varieties in orchards is beneficial for orchard staff to accurately understand the distribution, yield, growth information, and efficient mechanical harvesting of different grapes. However, factors, such as lighting changes, grape overlap, branch and leaf occlusion, similarity
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Accurately segmenting grape clusters and detecting grape varieties in orchards is beneficial for orchard staff to accurately understand the distribution, yield, growth information, and efficient mechanical harvesting of different grapes. However, factors, such as lighting changes, grape overlap, branch and leaf occlusion, similarity in fruit and background colors, as well as the high similarity between some different grape varieties, bring tremendous difficulties in the identification and segmentation of different varieties of grape clusters. To resolve these difficulties, this study proposed an improved Mask R-CNN model by assembling an efficient channel attention (ECA) module into the residual layer of the backbone network and a dual attention network (DANet) into the mask branch. The experimental results showed that the improved Mask R-CNN model can accurately segment clusters of eight grape varieties under various conditions. The bbox_mAP and mask_mAP on the test set were 0.905 and 0.821, respectively. The results were 1.4% and 1.5% higher than the original Mask R-CNN model, respectively. The effectiveness of the ECA module and DANet module on other instance segmentation models was explored as comparison, which provided a certain ideological reference for model improvement and optimization. The results of the improved Mask R-CNN model in this study were superior to other classic instance segmentation models. It indicated that the improved model could effectively, rapidly, and accurately segment grape clusters and detect grape varieties in orchards. This study provides technical support for orchard staff and grape-picking robots to pick grapes intelligently.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Image Processing in Agricultural Applications)
Open AccessArticle
Identifying Credit Accessibility Mechanisms for Conservation Agriculture Farmers in Cambodia
by
Punlork Men, Lyda Hok, Panchit Seeniang, B. Jan Middendorf and Rapee Dokmaithes
Agriculture 2024, 14(6), 917; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14060917 - 10 Jun 2024
Abstract
As the expected cost of conservation agriculture (CA) inputs becomes an issue for farmers, financial institutions (FIs) play an essential role in promoting CA, a set of agricultural management practices with multiple positive effects. This research aimed to determine influencing factors, to rank
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As the expected cost of conservation agriculture (CA) inputs becomes an issue for farmers, financial institutions (FIs) play an essential role in promoting CA, a set of agricultural management practices with multiple positive effects. This research aimed to determine influencing factors, to rank challenges, and identify mechanisms for farmers to access agricultural credit for adoption of CA management practices in Cambodia. It was administered by conducting a survey of 242 randomly selected households for face-to-face interviews and conducting key informant interviews from purposive samples of 28 participants in Battambang and Preah Vihear provinces. The results indicated that influencing factors, including the family, adult labor and total farm size, had a positive relationship with farmers’ accessibility to agricultural credit, whereas age was negative. However, education year, farm size for main crops, on-farm income and farm experience were not significantly associated. High interest rates were the significant first-order challenge ranked, followed by document process complication, limited agricultural credit information, limited collateral security and a few other challenges. Support and improved process mechanisms to enhance credit accessibility are required to engage with multiple stakeholders, including farmers, FIs, non-government organizations (NGOs) and government officers. There has been a reduction in agricultural credit interest rates and incentives for importing CA inputs by the government, while provision of information support for agribusiness plans by NGOs which have implemented development project activities were considered as the main support mechanism. An improved process mechanism at the farmers’ level needs to include access to credit with low interest rates and a straightforward documentation process, whereas the FI level requires a business plan for lending decisions. It is evident that high lending rates hinder access to agricultural credit and the improvement of support and improved process mechanisms are necessary to better promote CA practices among farmers in Cambodia.
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(This article belongs to the Section Agricultural Economics, Policies and Rural Management)
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The Lifting Performance and Experimental Study of a Variable Spiral Spike-Toothed Crop Divider
by
Jing Bai, Shaochun Ma and Chao Cheng
Agriculture 2024, 14(6), 916; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14060916 - 9 Jun 2024
Abstract
The contact between a traditional crop divider and sugarcane is unstable, and the sugarcane easily slides off of its surface. By analyzing the movement process of sugarcane, the influence of traditional spiral flightings on lifting performance was studied, and shortcomings were also found.
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The contact between a traditional crop divider and sugarcane is unstable, and the sugarcane easily slides off of its surface. By analyzing the movement process of sugarcane, the influence of traditional spiral flightings on lifting performance was studied, and shortcomings were also found. Based on previous research and analysis, the variable spiral spike-toothed crop divider was designed by research groups. For sugarcane with different lodging states, the contact separation rule between the sugarcane and the spike tooth was studied, and the action time and angle of the spike tooth on sugarcane were obtained. At the same time, the interaction mechanism between sugarcane and the spike tooth was analyzed, and the conditions for lodged canes to be lifted were obtained. The influence of the spike tooth on the lifting performance was explored, and the working advantages were found for the spike-toothed crop divider. Then, a simulation test was conducted to obtain the contact force between the sugarcane and the crop divider. Finally, the crop divider was optimized and integrated into the harvester, and a field harvesting test was carried out to verify the working performance of the crop divider. This study was expected to provide a reference for the design of crop dividers and a theoretical basis for the analysis of the lifting process.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Agricultural Technology)
Open AccessArticle
The Baboon Gene Encodes Three Functionally Distinct Transforming Growth Factor β Type I Receptor Variants in Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata
by
Yuxing Zhang, Feng Chen, Lin Jin and Guoqing Li
Agriculture 2024, 14(6), 915; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14060915 - 9 Jun 2024
Abstract
The Transforming Growth Factor-β (TGF-β) cascade plays a critical role in insect metamorphosis and involves cell-surface receptors known as type I and II, respectively (TβRI and TβRII). In Drosophila melanogaster, the TβRI receptor, Baboon (Babo), consists of three variants (BaboA, BaboB, and
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The Transforming Growth Factor-β (TGF-β) cascade plays a critical role in insect metamorphosis and involves cell-surface receptors known as type I and II, respectively (TβRI and TβRII). In Drosophila melanogaster, the TβRI receptor, Baboon (Babo), consists of three variants (BaboA, BaboB, and BaboC), each with isoform-specific functions. However, the isoforms and functional specifications of Babo in non-Drosophilid insects have not been established. Here, we examined babo transcripts from seven coleopteran species whose genomes have been published and found that mutually exclusive alternative splicing of the third exon produces three babo isoforms, identical to the Drosophila babo gene. The same three transcript variants were accordingly recognized from the transcriptome data of a coleopteran Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata. RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated knockdown of all three babo transcripts at the fourth-instar larval stage hindered gut modeling and arrested larval development in H. vigintioctopunctata. All the resultant larvae became arrested prepupae; they were gradually dried and darkened and, eventually, died. Depletion of HvbaboA rather than HvbaboB or HvbaboC is similar to the phenotypic alterations caused by simultaneous RNAi of all three babo isoforms. Therefore, our results established diverged roles of the three Babo isoforms and highlighted the regulatory role of BaboA during larval-pupal transition in a non-Drosophilid insect species.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physiological, Biochemical and Molecular Biology Research on Agricultural Pests)
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Molecular Basis of Energy Crops Functioning in Bioremediation of Heavy Metal Pollution
by
Shuoqi Huang, Zhenqiang Lu, Xiaoxin Zhao, Wenbo Tan, Hao Wang, Dali Liu and Wang Xing
Agriculture 2024, 14(6), 914; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14060914 - 9 Jun 2024
Abstract
Heavy metal pollution is a gradually growing environmental issue that hinders the growth and development of plants, and also destabilizes soil. Consequently, eco-friendly phytoremediation methods have gained traction, with energy crops emerging as a particularly effective solution. Energy crops not only provide high-quality
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Heavy metal pollution is a gradually growing environmental issue that hinders the growth and development of plants, and also destabilizes soil. Consequently, eco-friendly phytoremediation methods have gained traction, with energy crops emerging as a particularly effective solution. Energy crops not only provide high-quality plant materials for detoxification and remediation of heavy metal pollution, but also possess energy properties conducive to biofuel production. Therefore, this paper delves into the tolerance mechanism of energy crops towards heavy metal toxicity, elucidating processes such as root complex-mediated inhibition of metal migration and response to reactive oxygen species (ROS) through heavy metal-related proteins, enzyme systems, reactive nitrogen species (RNS), and hormones. Moreover, it summarizes the heavy metals remediation mechanisms of energy crops, including uptake, translocation, chelation, immobilization, and sequestration. This paper explores applications of energy crops in heavy metal pollution remediation, emphasizing the methods for efficient biochar remediation and biofuel generation. Furthermore, potential challenges in using energy crops for heavy metal pollution remediation are outlined. By systematically examining the function mechanisms and prospective applications of energy crops in heavy metal pollution bioremediation, this paper serves as a valuable reference for both research and practical implementation in this field.
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(This article belongs to the Section Agricultural Soils)
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Study on the Mitigation Effect and Promotion Mechanism of Agricultural Digitalization on the Agricultural Land Resource Mismatch
by
Junguo Hua, Meng Tian, Yan Zhao, Kaiyuan Zhou and Fuchun Mei
Agriculture 2024, 14(6), 913; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14060913 - 9 Jun 2024
Abstract
The objective of this research is to explore the impact mechanism of agricultural digital transformation in alleviating the mismatch of agricultural land resources and provide an effective path for the formation of new quality agricultural productivity. Using the balance panel data of 29
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The objective of this research is to explore the impact mechanism of agricultural digital transformation in alleviating the mismatch of agricultural land resources and provide an effective path for the formation of new quality agricultural productivity. Using the balance panel data of 29 provinces in China from 2011 to 2022, this paper analyzed the mitigation effect and mechanism of agricultural digitalization on agricultural land resource misallocation from the perspectives of land scale management and agricultural socialization services. The results indicate that agricultural digitalization can alleviate the misallocation of agricultural land resources, promote the large-scale management of agricultural land, and improve the level of agricultural socialization services, all significant ways to reduce the mismatch of agricultural land resources. The heterogeneity test showed that the mitigation effect of agricultural digitalization on the agricultural land resource mismatch in eastern and central China and major grain-producing areas was better than that in western China and non-major grain-producing areas. Hence, we ought to strengthen the construction of agricultural digital infrastructures and play into the role of agricultural land scale management and agricultural socialization services in slowing down the mismatch of agricultural land resources.
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(This article belongs to the Section Agricultural Economics, Policies and Rural Management)
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Evaluating the Effect of Fiscal Support for Agriculture on Three-Industry Integration in Rural China
by
Jing Li, Haoyang Liu and Wei-Yew Chang
Agriculture 2024, 14(6), 912; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14060912 (registering DOI) - 9 Jun 2024
Abstract
The integration of the primary, secondary, and tertiary industries in rural areas, known as three-industry integration, is a crucial strategy for developing rural industries and implementing the rural revitalization initiative in China. The government’s fiscal support for agriculture serves as a cornerstone for
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The integration of the primary, secondary, and tertiary industries in rural areas, known as three-industry integration, is a crucial strategy for developing rural industries and implementing the rural revitalization initiative in China. The government’s fiscal support for agriculture serves as a cornerstone for the sustainable development of agriculture and rural regions. This study investigates the mechanisms through which fiscal support for agriculture facilitates the integration of the rural three-industry sectors by driving industrial innovation, enhancing the circulation of production factors, and optimizing resource utilization in rural areas. Using panel data from 30 provinces in China spanning from 2008 to 2020, we evaluate the level of three-industry integration in rural areas using an entropy method and analyze the effects of fiscal support for agriculture on this integration. Our findings reveal that: (1) fiscal support for agriculture significantly promotes the incorporated development of rural three-industry integration in China by acting as a catalyst for horizontal and vertical integration; (2) fiscal support enhances rural infrastructure quality, fosters market connectivity, and attracts business clusters, while also optimizing factor markets and facilitating the efficient allocation of land, finance, and resources, thereby enabling new business entities, such as leading enterprises, to benefit from economies of scale and to expand the rural industrial value chain; (3) the effects of fiscal support for agriculture exhibit significant regional and agricultural development heterogeneity, with Central China and major agricultural provinces demonstrating the most pronounced role in promoting rural three-industry integration.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic Low Carbon Economy and Sustainable Development)
Open AccessArticle
Agronomic Biofortification Increases Concentrations of Zinc and Storage Proteins in Cowpea Grains
by
Caroline Figueiredo Oliveira, Matheus Gomes Silva, Gutierres Nelson Silva, Karina Renostro Ducatti, Maurisrael de Moura Rocha, André Rodrigues Reis, Flávio Henrique Silveira Rabêlo, José Lavres and Elcio Ferreira Santos
Agriculture 2024, 14(6), 911; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14060911 - 9 Jun 2024
Abstract
Zinc (Zn) is crucial for both plant metabolism and human nutrition, with its deficiency being a global health concern. Strategies to increase its availability in food, such as agronomic biofortification, have gained prominence. This study evaluated the impact of foliar spraying of Zn
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Zinc (Zn) is crucial for both plant metabolism and human nutrition, with its deficiency being a global health concern. Strategies to increase its availability in food, such as agronomic biofortification, have gained prominence. This study evaluated the impact of foliar spraying of Zn [at full bloom stage: 0 (control) and 600 g ha−1, as ZnSO4⋅7H2O] on the nutritional quality of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) grains. Field experiments involving 20 cowpea genotypes were carried out over two seasons in a Typic Quartzipsamment under a no-tillage system. The photosynthetic responses of cowpea plants and the concentrations of Zn, amino acids, sucrose, total sugars, and storage proteins (glutelin, albumin, prolamin, and globulin) in grains were analyzed. All genotypes showed enrichment of Zn in grains in response to ZnSO4⋅7H2O application compared to untreated plants. Foliar spraying of ZnSO4⋅7H2O during initial grain filling was ideal for increasing Zn concentration in grains and improving plant physiological processes. Additionally, Zn fertilization led to higher concentrations of storage and total amino acids and proteins in the grains, supporting the rational application of Zn in cowpea production to improve the nutritional quality of grains and increase plant productivity.
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(This article belongs to the Section Crop Production)
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YOLOv7-Based Intelligent Weed Detection and Laser Weeding System Research: Targeting Veronica didyma in Winter Rapeseed Fields
by
Liming Qin, Zheng Xu, Wenhao Wang and Xuefeng Wu
Agriculture 2024, 14(6), 910; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14060910 - 8 Jun 2024
Abstract
In recent years, rapeseed oil has received considerable attention in the agricultural sector, experiencing appreciable growth. However, weed-related challenges are hindering the expansion of rapeseed production. This paper outlines the development of an intelligent weed detection and laser weeding system—a non-chemical and precision
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In recent years, rapeseed oil has received considerable attention in the agricultural sector, experiencing appreciable growth. However, weed-related challenges are hindering the expansion of rapeseed production. This paper outlines the development of an intelligent weed detection and laser weeding system—a non-chemical and precision agricultural protection method of weeding Veronica didyma in winter rapeseed fields in the Yangtze River Basin. A total of 234 Veronica didyma images were obtained to compile a database for a deep-learning model, and YOLOv7 was used as the detection model for training. The effectiveness of the model was demonstrated, with a final accuracy of 94.94%, a recall of 95.65%, and a [email protected] of 0.972 obtained. Subsequently, parallel-axis binocular cameras were selected as the image acquisition platform, with binocular calibration and semi-global block matching used to locate Veronica didyma within a cultivation box, yielding a minimum confidence and camera height values of 70% and 30 cm, respectively. The intelligent weed detection and laser weeding system was then built, and the experimental results indicated that laser weeding was practicable with a 100 W power and an 80 mm/s scanning speed, resulting in visibly lost activity in Veronica didyma and no resprouting within 15 days of weeding. The successful execution of Veronica didyma detection and laser weeding provides a new reference for the precision agricultural protection of rapeseed in winter and holds promise for its practical application in agricultural settings.
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(This article belongs to the Section Digital Agriculture)
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Fuzzy Mathematical Model of Photosynthesis in Jalapeño Pepper
by
Luz del Carmen García-Rodríguez, Joel Artemio Morales-Viscaya, Juan Prado-Olivarez, Alejandro Israel Barranco-Gutiérrez, José Alfredo Padilla-Medina and Alejandro Espinosa-Calderón
Agriculture 2024, 14(6), 909; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14060909 - 8 Jun 2024
Abstract
Photosynthesis is one of the essential processes for life on the planet. Photosynthesis cannot be measured directly because this complex process involves different variables; therefore, if some variables of interest are integrated and measured, photosynthesis can be inferred through a mathematical model. This
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Photosynthesis is one of the essential processes for life on the planet. Photosynthesis cannot be measured directly because this complex process involves different variables; therefore, if some variables of interest are integrated and measured, photosynthesis can be inferred through a mathematical model. This article presents a fuzzy mathematical model to estimate photosynthesis. This approach uses as input variables: Soil moisture, ambient temperature, incident radiation, relative humidity, and leaf temperature. The fuzzy system was trained through data obtained from experiments with jalapeño pepper plants and then validated against the LI−COR Li−6800 equipment. The correlation coefficient (R2) obtained was 0.95, which is a higher value than some published in the literature. Based on the Takagi−Sugeno method, the proposed model was designed and implemented on the MATLAB platform using ANFIS (adaptive neuro−fuzzy inference system) to determine the parameters, thus achieving a high−precision model. In addition, the fuzzy model can predict photosynthesis at different temperature changes, soil moisture levels, and light levels. The results of this study indicate the possibility of modeling photosynthesis using the fuzzy logic technique, whose performance is much higher than other methods published in recent articles.
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(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Machine Learning and Data Analysis in Agriculture)
Open AccessArticle
Phenotypic Dissection of Drought Tolerance in Virginia and Carolinas within a Recombinant Inbred Line Population Involving a Spanish and a Virginia-Type Peanut Lines
by
Naveen Kumar, David C. Haak, Jeffrey C. Dunne and Maria Balota
Agriculture 2024, 14(6), 908; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14060908 - 8 Jun 2024
Abstract
Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is a rainfed crop grown in both tropical and subtropical agro-climatic regions of the world where drought causes around 20% yield losses per year. In the United States, annual losses caused by drought are around $50 million. The
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Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is a rainfed crop grown in both tropical and subtropical agro-climatic regions of the world where drought causes around 20% yield losses per year. In the United States, annual losses caused by drought are around $50 million. The objective of this research was to (1) identify genetic variation for the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), canopy temperature depression (CTD), relative chlorophyll content by SPAD reading (SCMR), CO2 assimilation rate, and wilting among recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from two diverse parents N08086olJCT and ICGV 86015, to (2) determine if the physiological traits can be used for expediting selection for drought tolerance, and (3) experimental validation to identify lines with improved yield under water-limited conditions. Initially, 337 lines were phenotyped under rainfed production and a selected subset of 52 RILs were tested under rainout shelters, where drought was imposed for eight weeks during the midseason (July and August). We found that under induced drought, pod yield was negatively correlated with wilting and CTD, i.e., cooler canopy and high yield correlated positively with the NDVI and SPAD. These traits could be used to select genotypes with high yields under drought stress. RILs #73, #56, #60, and #31 performed better in terms of yield under both irrigated and drought conditions compared to check varieties Bailey, a popular high-yielding commercial cultivar, and GP-NC WS 17, a drought-tolerant germplasm.
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(This article belongs to the Special Issue Precision Agriculture Technologies for Crop Management)
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Open AccessArticle
YOLOv8MS: Algorithm for Solving Difficulties in Multiple Object Tracking of Simulated Corn Combining Feature Fusion Network and Attention Mechanism
by
Yuliang Gao, Zhen Li, Bin Li and Lifeng Zhang
Agriculture 2024, 14(6), 907; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14060907 - 8 Jun 2024
Abstract
The automatic cultivation of corn has become a significant research focus, with precision equipment operation being a key aspect of smart agriculture’s advancement. This work explores the tracking process of corn, simulating the detection and approach phases while addressing three major challenges in
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The automatic cultivation of corn has become a significant research focus, with precision equipment operation being a key aspect of smart agriculture’s advancement. This work explores the tracking process of corn, simulating the detection and approach phases while addressing three major challenges in multiple object tracking: severe occlusion, dense object presence, and varying viewing angles. To effectively simulate these challenging conditions, a multiple object tracking dataset using simulated corn was created. To enhance accuracy and stability in corn tracking, an optimization algorithm, YOLOv8MS, is proposed based on YOLOv8. Multi-layer Fusion Diffusion Network (MFDN) is proposed for improved detection of objects of varying sizes, and the Separated and Enhancement Attention Module (SEAM) is introduced to tackle occlusion issues. Experimental results show that YOLOv8MS significantly enhances the detection accuracy, tracking accuracy and tracking stability, achieving a mean average precision (mAP) of 89.6% and a multiple object tracking accuracy (MOTA) of 92.5%, which are 1% and 6.1% improvements over the original YOLOv8, respectively. Furthermore, there was an average improvement of 4% in the identity stability indicator of tracking. This work provides essential technical support for precision agriculture in detecting and tracking corn.
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(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Applications of Remote Sensing and Machine Learning in Smart Agriculture)
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Response of Biostimulants Based on Native Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi of the Glomeraceae on Maize Yield in a Farming Environment
by
Luckman Tokumbo Alao, Codjo Gaston Ouikoun, S. Mohamed Ismaël Hoteyi, Ricardos Mèvognon Aguégué, Abdel Djihal Koda, Sylvestre Abado Assogba, Olaréwadjou Amogou, Corentin Apkodé, Marcel Yévèdo Adoko, Nadège Adoukè Agbodjato, Nestor Ahoyo Adjovi, Adolphe Adjanohoun, Olubukola Oluranti Babalola and Lamine Baba-Moussa
Agriculture 2024, 14(6), 906; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14060906 - 7 Jun 2024
Abstract
In the face of persistent soil degradation in Benin caused by poor agricultural practices, including excessive use of chemical fertilizers, it is urgent to find solutions that take into account the microorganisms of interest. This study aimed to assess the effect of combining
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In the face of persistent soil degradation in Benin caused by poor agricultural practices, including excessive use of chemical fertilizers, it is urgent to find solutions that take into account the microorganisms of interest. This study aimed to assess the effect of combining three strains of indigenous arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on maize production in northern Benin. The study involved 34 growers in Ouénou, Bagou and Kokey. The experimental setup consisted of three elementary plots with three treatments. Growth parameters were measured every 15 days, from the 15th to the 60th day after sowing, on ten plants per plot. Plant nutritional status, grain yield and mycorrhization were measured. The results showed that biostimulant + 50% NPK_Urea (N = nitrogen, P = phosphorus and K = potassium) had similar positive effects on growth parameters to those induced by the application of 100% NPK_Urea. Gains of 30.25% to 36.35% were recorded in plant height at Kokey. On the other hand, biostimulant+ 50% NPK_Urea induced a better phosphorus uptake of 21.08% to 27.77%. In addition, the grain yield of mycorrhizal plants was 8.37% higher than that of plants receiving 100% NPK_Urea at Ouénou. These results show that this technology could be integrated into the agricultural system to promote sustainable maize growing in Benin.
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(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Research of Rhizosphere Microbial Activity—Series II)
Open AccessArticle
Can Migrant Workers Returning Home for Entrepreneurship Increase Agricultural Labor Productivity: Evidence from a Quasi-Natural Experiment in China
by
Lulin Shen and Fang Wang
Agriculture 2024, 14(6), 905; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14060905 - 7 Jun 2024
Abstract
One of the effective ways to crack the “Three Rural Issues” and promote rural revitalization is to improve agricultural labor productivity (ALP). However, at this stage, improving China’s ALP is still facing many obstacles and bottlenecks. Promoting migrant workers returning home for entrepreneurship
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One of the effective ways to crack the “Three Rural Issues” and promote rural revitalization is to improve agricultural labor productivity (ALP). However, at this stage, improving China’s ALP is still facing many obstacles and bottlenecks. Promoting migrant workers returning home for entrepreneurship is an important breakthrough point for solving this problem. This paper regards the pilot policy of migrant workers returning home for entrepreneurship as a quasi-natural experiment and empirically investigates the influence of migrant workers returning home for entrepreneurship on ALP and explores its potential mechanism and heterogeneity using county area panel data from 2011–2019. It found the following: Firstly, the policy of migrant workers returning home for entrepreneurship significantly increases ALP. Secondly, migrant workers returning home for entrepreneurship indirectly leads to a rise in ALP through the promotion of agricultural mechanization production. Thirdly, the heterogeneity test demonstrates that migrant workers returning home for entrepreneurship purposes have a significant influence in enhancing ALP in the eastern areas, plains areas and non-agricultural strong areas. The findings of this paper not only provide an important real-world basis for the government to further support migrant workers returning home for entrepreneurship but also provide useful policy insights for the modernization and development of agriculture and rural areas.
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(This article belongs to the Section Agricultural Economics, Policies and Rural Management)
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