Green labelling,sustainability and the expansion of tropical agriculture: Critical issues for certification schemes

The expansion of agricultural plantations at the expense of forest drives dramatic losses of biodiversity and carbon. Consumers are now demanding sustainability in tropical agriculture and producers are responding with questionable certification standards. Many certification schemes—including those for oil palm, soy, sugar cane and cacao—rely upon the High Conservation Value (HCV) concept to prevent unacceptable losses of biodiversity to agricultural conversion. This concept protects very rare species or habitats, exceptional concentrations of wildlife, or large landscape-level areas of forest. Yet much biodiversity persists below these thresholds yielding the spectre of unsustainable conversion of forest to certified plantation crops under a green label. To meet more rigorous standards of sustainability, tropical plantations would have to retain large patches of native forests in the matrix. We highlight six critical areas in need of consideration by conservation scientists, practitioners and certification processes. In particular, the application of HCV to sustainable agricultural development at the national-level, the use of Imperata grasslands and abandoned agriculture, the creation of Biobanks, and increased price premiums for certified crops could redound to the long-term protection of tropical biodiversity.     

从传统农业到低碳农业*-- 国外相关政策分析及启示

改革开放30年后,我国经历了从传统农业向高耗能、高排放、高产出生产方式的转变,虽然取得了粮食增产、农民收入增长等重大成就,但这种农业模式给自然环境和农业的可持续带来的巨大挑战,在自然生态环境和资源利用等方面面临增长的瓶颈。总结和分析世界上主要发达国家促进低碳农业发展的相关政策,具体包括:通过具体目标控制温室气体排放;加强对肥料和废料的管理和使用,规范农业生产环节;实施能源税,鼓励新能源应用;加强技术研究,保护以及进行生态环境综合治理;实施农业补贴,通过经济手段达到促进政策的有效性;鼓励公众和私营部门参与低碳农业实践;在农业生产中,通过碳评估对农业能源消耗和污染进行有效的监督和控制;对有机食品进行严格的标准控制等。阐述了目前发达国家的主要政策性工具,及其主要目的和作用。为应对全球气候变化的环境,探索新型农业发展模式和增长方式,从政策创新上为实现农业低能耗、低排放和低污染发展提供借鉴。     

逆境胁迫下的农业管理中土壤-植物-微生物相互作用研究进展

The expected rise in temperature and decreased precipitation owing to climate change and unabated anthropogenic activities add complexity and uncertainty to agro-industry.The impact of soil nutrient imbalance,mismanaged use of chemicals,high temperature,flood or drought,soil salinity,and heavy metal pollutions,with regard to food security,is increasingly being explored worldwide.This review describes the role of soil-plant-microbe interactions along with organic manure in solving stressed agriculture problems.Beneficial microbes associated with plants are known to stimulate plant growth and enhance plant resistance to biotic (diseases) and abiotic (salinity,drought,pollutions,etc.) stresses.The plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and mycorrhizae,a key component of soil microbiota,could play vital roles in the maintenance of plant fitness and soil health under stressed environments.The application of organic manure as a soil conditioner to stressed soils along with suitable microbial strains could further enhance the plant-microbe associations and increase the crop yield.A combination of plant,stress-tolerant microbe,and organic amendment represents the tripartite association to offer a favourable environment to the proliferation of beneficial rhizosphere microbes that in turn enhance the plant growth performance in disturbed agro-ecosystem.Agriculture land use patterns with the proper exploitation of plant-microbe associations,with compatible beneficial microbial agents,could be one of the most effective strategies in the management of the concerned agriculture lands owing to climate change resilience.However,the association of such microbes with plants for stressed agriculture management still needs to be explored in greater depth.     

农业系统中生物多样性利用的研究现状与未来思考

"现代农业"生产力高,但生物多样性简单化、生物之间的相互作用及其生态学效应常常被忽略,其生产力的稳定性主要依赖于化学肥料、农药、灌溉和高产品种等的投入。传统农业则是利用当地生物多样性(物种多样性和遗传多样性)和生物之间的相互作用来产出食物和维持系统的稳定。因而现代农业能否借鉴传统农业对生物多样性利用的经验,将工业化模式的现代农业转换为生物多样性利用与现代技术相结合的农业受到关注。本文分析了农业系统中生物多样性的特点及农业方式对农业生物多样性的影响;综述了农业系统中生物多样性利用模式与效应方面的研究进展;讨论了在现代农业系统中,利用生物多样性需要开展的研究,即区域上如何布局农业景观多样性,农田内如何根据生物之间的互惠关系配置物种多样性的种养体系,如何建设与生物多样性利用相应的田间设施和发展新型的农业机械、并建立以信息化为基础的管理体系。     

中国有机农业发展:贡献与启示

改革开放40年以来,中国农业和农村经济取得了令人瞩目的成就。当前,农业和农村发展正从数量型向质量和数量型并重的模式转变,需要对农业发展模式和措施进一步优化,其中有机农业近年来得到较快发展。到2016年底,中国有机农业耕地面积（180万hm²）约占全国耕地面积的1.5%,有机产值和销售额分别达1 323亿元和450.6亿元。有机农业发展,具有显著的环境、经济和社会效益,特别是在促进物质循环利用、发挥农业生态系统内生能力、加强生产者与消费者互动、振兴乡村经济、创造宜居环境等方面能够发挥重要作用。有机农业也面临着无法充分保障氮素供应以及适度规模化困难等挑战,需要在发展中考虑和关注。政府应制定和实施相应政策,采取生态补偿等具体措施,引导有机农业合理、有序发展。此外,发展有机农业更重要的意义在于对常规农业进行生态化改造,将有机农业理念、原则和技术在常规农业中推广应用,促进中国农业的健康和可持续发展。     

中国农业中硫的消费现状、问题与发展趋势

近年来,施用硫肥效果显著的报道逐渐增多,硫对农业生产的重要性被广泛认可。基于农业部统计数据、农户调查和行业统计数据,对农业生产中硫的输入状况与硫肥消费特征的分析表明,中国硫肥消费存在很大盲目性。过于集中在过磷酸钙的生产或施用地区,缺乏整体的科学引导;各种作物的单位面积硫输入量有较大差异;与各自适宜的推荐量相比,水稻、小麦和玉米的硫输入量偏高,油菜和棉花的硫输入量偏低,而豆类的硫输入量严重不足。为引导含硫肥料合理消费,需要启动全国尺度土壤硫肥力和硫肥技术研究,跟踪环境硫的状况,科学预测农业硫需求,稳定传统含硫肥料的投入并研发新的硫肥产品,以满足局部地区作物的需求。     

可持续的中国农业养分管理: 挑战与展望

China has to raise agricultural productivity in its limited and shrinking farmland to guarantee food security for its huge and ever-growing population. Sustainable soil nutrient management is of paramount importance to the world's most populous country. Critical challenges the country is facing in sustaining soil fertility and in alleviating the hazardous impact of intensive fertilizer use are discussed in this paper. It is emphatically pointed out that national strategies as well as area-specific action plans with respect to scientific nutrient management are urgently needed to balance productivity and sustainability in the future. Relevant proposals for addressing those challenges are also presented.     

Litter quality and nitrogen release in tropical agriculture: a synthesis

 Litter of high quality is required for increased soil organic matter turnover and improved crop production in tropical agroecosystems. Studies on litter quality using plant residues have produced inconsistent results. This study reports on previously published data on litter quality, in an attempt to define universal chemical determinants controlling N release in tropical agriculture. N concentrations and polyphenol/N ratios are determinants of the N release of plant residues with limited N concentrations, i.e. of <2% and <1%, respectively. Lignin levels and lignin/N ratios were not observed to be good predictors of N release. The C/N ratio was found to be the best determinant of N release for a wide range of residue N concentrations. More specifically, critical levels of C and plant nutrients which limit the enzyme activities of microbial decomposers were found to be important for determining nutrient release. Received: 9 February 1999     

Advancement of noble metallic nanoparticles in agriculture: A promising future

Since the last decades, nanotechnology has gained the attention of researchers in the field of plant sciences. The characteristics of nanoparticles are reliant on their shape and size. Formulations involving noble metallic nanoparticles(NMNPs) offer novel technologies to boost agricultural productivity and minimize conventional pesticide use. The application of nanoparticles as nanofertilizer improves plant growth and enhances nutrient uptake efficiency. Noble metallic nanoparticles act as antim...     

设施蔬菜连作障碍原因综合分析与防治措施

  目的  为了探索种养模式下,不同品种蚯蚓对连作土壤微生态及西瓜长势的影响,阐释蚯蚓防控西瓜连作障碍机制。  方法  基于连作6 a的西瓜设施大棚,以连作障碍成因为切入点,设置不投放蚯蚓（CK）、投放0.6 kg m⁻²赤子爱胜蚓（T1）、投放0.6 kg m⁻²威廉环毛蚓（T2）3个处理,监测不同时期土壤微生态、西瓜长势的变化动态,并分析它们之间的相关性。  结果  与CK相比,西瓜移栽前,T1、T2增加了土壤总养分（23.92% ~ 31.90%）、有效养分（10.67% ~ 13.70%）的含量;西瓜种植季,T1、T2显著降低土壤的pH（2.03% ~ 8.25%）、总酚酸（23.98% ~ 60.80%）、容重（3.79% ~ 5.39%）、西瓜枯萎病病原菌的数量（22.93% ~ 59.18%）,显著提高了细菌数量、土壤细菌/真菌比值,显著降低了西瓜枯萎病的发病率（10.00%以上）,促进了主蔓生长（增加了71.43%以上）。而与T1相比,T2能更好的改善土壤微生态环境,降低连作障碍的发生。  结论  蚯蚓能显著改善土壤微生态,促进西瓜生长,从而缓解连作障碍,而且土壤微生态、西瓜长势均与土壤微生物密切相关。     

Zinc biofortification in rice: leveraging agriculture to moderate hidden hunger in developing countries

A restricted dietary range and a deficit of essential minerals such as zinc (Zn) characterize the diets of under-nourished people. Zn deficiency is a global nutritional problem and intensity of the issue is even severe in developing countries. Cereal grains are key to fulfill a person’s daily energy requirements, but they have very low grain Zn concentrations, especially when grown in Zn-deficient soils. Zinc deficiency can be addressed in several ways viz., nutritional diversification, food enrichment and biofortification. Several limitations regarding nutritional diversification and food enrichment favored Zn biofortification as a perpetual solution of malnutrition. Among the potential biofortification options to rectify Zn deficiency, plant breeding approaches and agronomic biofortification offers major advantage. Current review appraised the possible role of Zn in plants, its uptake, translocation and partitioning efficiencies in cereal grains that is driven by various agronomic, breeding and biotechnological approaches. Moreover, review also discussed Zn application methods, Zn-phosphate hostility and indicators of Zn bioavailability which may improve Zn-use efficiency in rice. There is a genuine need to integrate Zn in rice production systems by using agronomic and conventional breeding tools. Likewise, agronomic biofortification is economically sustainable and practically adoptable solution to overcome the Zn deficiency issue in rice.     

Women in agriculture: risks for occupational injury within the context of gendered role

Women continue to make significant contributions to farming. Not only do women participate in the traditional roles of homemaker, caregiver, and wife, they also work side-by-side with their spouses in keeping the farm viable. More daughters are entering the farming business, either as partners with other family members or as independent operators. Each year since the United States Department of Agriculture began including gender in the Census of Agriculture, the percentage of women engaged in agriculture has increased, and women's participation in agriculture is increasing faster than in other business segments. This article examines the role of women in agriculture and how sociocultural, economic, and physical factors may affect women's exposure to injury-producing events and their knowledge and beliefs about injury prevention. To date, few studies have examined work-related unintentional injuries among farm women. Even less is known about the extent to which occupational risks are recognized when women seek medical care. Differences in size and stature, increased physical strain, and low maximal oxygen uptake may predispose women to ergonomic-related injuries. Limitations of current research and recommendations for future analyses are discussed.     

现代烟草农业的碳效应核算与分析——以陕西省烟草合作社为例

通过构建烟草农业碳效应核算体系,运用调研获取的陕西省烟草专业合作社393户烟农数据,对农户在烟草种植各个环节产生的碳排放量、碳汇量、碳效率、碳密度和碳强度等多项综合碳效应指标进行测算与分析,探究陕西省烟草农业碳效应水平,更具针对性地制定减排政策,以促进烟草农业的低碳化发展。研究结果表明：调研区域烟农种植的641.17 hm²烟田总计碳排放量为3 276.27 t,每公顷碳排放量5.11 t。其中农用能源消耗排放量最大,占碳排放总量的68.21%;其次是农资投入环节,占碳排放总量的24.88%;农业废弃物处理、农田管理以及农田耕地土壤N₂O排放所产生的碳排放量所占比重较低。各地区每公顷碳排放量由大到小依次为宝鸡、商洛、安康、汉中。调查烟田的总碳汇量为1 361.86 t,每公顷碳汇量2.12 t。通过秸秆还田、免耕、化肥与有机肥合理配施等措施引致的土壤固碳占总碳汇量的81.12%。各地区每公顷碳汇量排序为商洛、宝鸡、汉中、安康。总净碳汇量为-1 914.41 t,每公顷净碳汇量-2.99 t。研究区烟草农业总碳排放量大于碳汇量,呈现负的净碳汇效应。此外,汉中烟草专业合作社通过采取调整管理经营模式、优化农户投入结构、提高农资利用效率、改进烟草农业技术和转变农户耕作方式等措施,使其碳效率、碳强度和碳密度等综合碳效应均呈现为最优,每公顷净碳汇量最大。     

Nonprotein amino acids of plants: significance in medicine,nutrition, and agriculture

Those nonprotein amino acids found in food and fodder plants and known to be toxic to man and domestic animals are described. These include toxins from many legume genera including Lathyrus, from other higher plant families, from seaweeds, and from fungi. Some inhibit protein synthesis, while others are incorporated into proteins with toxic effects. Basic processes such as urea synthesis and neurotransmission may be disrupted. The probable roles of nonprotein amino acids in protecting plants against predators, pathogens, and competing plant species are considered. The need to learn more of the nutritive value of nontoxic nonprotein amino acids and to explore the potential of others either as drugs or as leads to drugs in human and veterinary medicine is emphasized.     

青海浅山区梯田护埂植物——甘蒙柽柳

对青海浅山区梯田地埂上种植的甘蒙柽柳的生物、生态学特性、生长状况、成活率、抗逆性、水保效益、生态效益、经济价值等方面进行了系统的研究.甘蒙柽柳抗逆性强,根系发达、萌发力强、耐干旱、耐盐碱.在地埂上栽培成活率高,生长量大,直根系,不串根,栽培技术简单,插穗来源广泛,易被群众接受,易于推广.甘蒙柽柳不仅有很好的水保效益和观赏价值,而且有很高的经济价值,具有广阔的发展前途和良好的推广价值.