Genomics,genetics and breeding of tropical legumes for better livelihoods of smallholder farmers

Legumes are important components of sustainable agricultural production, food, nutrition and income systems of developing countries. In spite of their importance, legume crop production is challenged by a number of biotic (diseases and pests) and abiotic stresses (heat, frost, drought and salinity), edaphic factors (associated with soil nutrient deficits) and policy issues (where less emphasis is put on legumes compared to priority starchy staples). Significant research and development work have been done in the past decade on important grain legumes through collaborative bilateral and multilateral projects as well as the CGIAR Research Program on Grain Legumes (CRP‐GL). Through these initiatives, genomic resources and genomic tools such as draft genome sequence, resequencing data, large‐scale genomewide markers, dense genetic maps, quantitative trait loci (QTLs) and diagnostic markers have been developed for further use in multiple genetic and breeding applications. Also, these mega‐initiatives facilitated release of a number of new varieties and also dissemination of on‐the‐shelf varieties to the farmers. More efforts are needed to enhance genetic gains by reducing the time required in cultivar development through integration of genomics‐assisted breeding approaches and rapid generation advancement.     

Systems approaches to innovation in crop protection. A systematic literature review

The objective of this paper is to explore the extent to which systems approaches to innovation are reflected in the crop protection literature and how such approaches are used. A systematic literature review is conducted to study the relation between crop protection and systems approaches to innovation in 107 publications. The analysis of the crop protection literature demonstrates that only a small fraction is systems-oriented as compared to the bulk of publications with a technology-oriented approach. The analysis of agricultural innovations systems literature shows that, although crop protection is addressed, the potential of this systems approach remains largely unexplored for crop protection innovation. A large share of the publications included in this review focus on cropping or farming ‘systems’ while ‘innovation’ often equals the development, transfer, adoption and diffusion of crop protection technologies at farm level. There is relatively little attention for the institutional and political dimensions of crop protection and the interactions between farm, regional and national levels in crop protection systems. The traditional division of roles and responsibilities of researchers as innovators, extension personnel as disseminators, and farmers as end-users, is challenged only to a limited extent. The majority of publications discusses ways to optimise existing features of crop protection systems, without exploring more structural transformations that may be required to enhance the resilience of crop protection systems.     

贮木场原木输送机械类型分析

本文介绍了贮木场选材机械的类型,通过分析,为贮木场选材机械合理选型提供参考。     

绿色防控技术采纳行为的影响因素和生产绩效研究——基于四川省水稻种植户调查数据的实证分析

绿色防控技术的应用推广顺应了当前农业绿色发展的迫切需要,但现有针对农户绿色防控技术采纳行为的研究在影响因素的综合分析和生产绩效的分析方法上存在不足。本文以四川省水稻种植户为例,对采纳绿色防控技术的影响因素和生产绩效进行定量分析,旨在为促进四川省农业绿色防控技术的有效推广提供政策参考,丰富绿色防控技术应用推广的理论研究。本文基于四川省水稻种植户调查数据,采用Logit模型分析影响农户绿色防控技术采纳行为的主要因素并估算绩效倾向得分,运用DEA-PSM模型分析农户采纳绿色防控技术对生产绩效的影响效应。结果表明:性别为男性、受教育程度越高、种植面积越大、加入合作社、距离乡镇和县城越近、参加过绿色防控技术培训、采纳绿色防控技术生产的安全农产品能够获得市场溢价、认为农业生态环境质量不好、愿意减施农药的农户,采纳绿色防控技术的可能性越大。调查农户的水稻生产绩效介于0.103～1.000,绩效平均值为0.471,在不改变技术水平以及投入规模的情况下,仍有52.9%的绩效提升空间;大部分农户的生产绩效处于0.4～0.6,农户生产效率普遍不高。而从调查区域来看,邛崃、宣汉、泸县的水稻生产绩效均值分别为0.558、0.379和0.467,区域间生产绩效存在显著差异。采用最近相邻匹配法、半径匹配法和核匹配法,测算绿色防控技术采纳对水稻生产绩效的影响效应,结果表明是否采纳绿色防控技术的生产绩效差异较小,且绿色防控技术采纳对水稻生产绩效的影响也不显著。因此,营造农户绿色防控技术采纳的外部环境、激发农户绿色防控技术采纳的内生动力,发挥绿色防控技术的节本增收效应,是推动该技术应用推广的关键。     

Factors Driving Aquaculture Technology Adoption

Technology adoption has played a key role in the global development and increase in agricultural productivity. However, the decision to adopt a new technology on farms is complex. While the factors that drive the adoption of new technologies have been well studied in agriculture, less attention has been paid to drivers of technology adoption in aquaculture. Aquacultural technologies have developed and advanced rapidly in recent decades, but not all technologies have been adopted readily by farmers. This review paper summarizes some of the critical factors that influence aquaculture technology adoption decisions such as: (1) method of information transfer, (2) characteristics of the technology, (3) farm characteristics, (4) economic factors, and (5) sociodemographic and institutional factors. Fish farmers have tended to adopt technologies that are perceived to be more advantageous than others in terms of productivity, cost efficiency, and ease of management. Price of aquaculture products and profit expectations from business ventures were key economic factors influencing adoption decisions. Given the wide array of species, production practices, and global nature of aquaculture, the intensity and the extent of adoption of technologies depend on the nature of the industry in which they are adopted and their economic, social, political, and regulatory environments.     

Educational Needs of Precision Agriculture

Reluctance towards implementation of precision agriculture seems to be based upon accessibility to well-trained, knowledgeable people, and the cost and availability to obtain quality education, training, and products. Given that precision agriculture is rapidly changing and the current trend for accelerated information exchange, educators of precision agriculture face the challenge of keeping pace and providing quality educational programs. This paper addresses how precision agriculture educational programs can be improved. Specific barriers to adoption of precision agriculture are discussed. The learning process of precision agriculture technologies and methods are outlined as six sequential steps. These steps represent a process of increased learning and skill proficiency against which those individuals developing precision agriculture education can use to build and target their programs. The optimal value of information for precision agriculture will be best achieved by producers, agribusinesses, and educators as they improve their: 1) agronomic knowledge and skills, 2) computer and information management skills, and 3) understanding of precision agriculture as a system for increasing knowledge.     

中国书院精神之探析

文章首先界定了书院精神的内涵,然后从自主精神、平等精神、兼容并蓄精神和践履精神等四个方面阐述了书院精神的特征。作者认为,对中国书院精神取其精华、去其糟粕,并加以批判地继承,实为当今中国教育特别是高等教育所必需。