Responding to Economic Crisis in Sub-Saharan Africa: New Farmer-Developed Pest Management Strategies in Cocoa-Based Plantations in Southern Cameroon

Cocoa is a key or source of income and poverty reduction in the humid forest of Southern Cameroon. Cameroon like other African countries went through a major economic crisis in the early 1980s with a decline in international commodity prices and significant changes in macroeconomic policies. Structural adjustment reforms following the economic crisis led to removal of fertilizers and pesticides subsidies, cocoa price liberalization and the overall withdraw of Government interventions from the cocoa sub-sector. Cocoa input price increases have been compounded by the devaluation of the CFA Franc, which doubled the prices of the imported pesticides which were considered key to the control of cocoa pests. This overall economic shock led to changes in cocoa producer's production decisions as a response to minimize cost. Among the changes the use of alternatives to imported chemicals for cocoa pest control. Farmers responded to the high prices of pesticides by developing, from local botanical knowledge and pest management strategies, which include plant extracts and plant extracts mixed with pesticides at different proportions. This is a major decision given the importance of imported chemical in the cost of production of cocoa. Valuable indigenous knowledge from farmers could be used also as an effective support system for communicating and diffusing modern knowledge and technologies to farmers. The paper describes the farmer knowledge-based alternatives to chemical pesticides for pest control in cocoa fields as a response to high pest control costs. Pest management specialists are urged to take advantage of this shift in practice and assess their effectiveness for further use. Two sets of questions are posed: (1) were the conventional insecticides, with all their problems, really necessary? and (2) are the materials derived from locally grown plants effective pest management agents or are they, in some way, placebos?     

干旱区绿洲荒漠交错带土地退化及生态重建

由于经济的发展，土地资源受到越来越大的压力。当这种压力超过了土地资源的承载能力，就导致了土地退化的发生。作为陆地生态系统的基础，土地资源的退化表现为：土壤肥力降低，生物多样性降低，以及伴随的经济发展的落后。当前世界范围内对土地退化的治理，基本方法仍是基于生态学理论的生物方法。但对土地退化的恢复与生态系统的重建的研究，需要经过谨慎设计的长期实验。绿洲荒漠交错带的重要性，不仅表现为是绿洲的保护屏障，而且在绿洲经济的发展中也起到巨大的作用。通过对国内外大量研究的回顾，讨论了在不同地区进行的长期实验所采用的方法。有人为因素参与的退化土地恢复与生态重建，可以在短期内取得明显效果。产生土地退化的原因，不仅仅是土地资源特点与自然环境这样一些自然因素，还包括一些社会与经济因素。因此退化土地的恢复与生态重建的成功，需要一种考虑自然、社会和经济因素的综合的方法。     

Simulating evolution of glyphosate resistance in Lolium rigidum II: past, present and future glyphosate use in Australian cropping

Glyphosate is a key component of weed control strategies in Australia and worldwide. Despite widespread and frequent use, evolved resistance to glyphosate is rare. A herbicide resistance model, parameterized for Lolium rigidum has been used to perform a number of simulations to compare predicted rates of evolution of glyphosate resistance under past, present and projected future use strategies. In a 30‐year wheat, lupin, wheat, oilseed rape crop rotation with minimum tillage (100% shallow depth soil disturbance at sowing) and annual use of glyphosate pre‐sowing, L. rigidum control was sustainable with no predicted glyphosate resistance. When the crop establishment system was changed to annual no‐tillage (15% soil disturbance at sowing), glyphosate resistance was predicted in 90% of populations, with resistance becoming apparent after between 10 and 18 years when sowing was delayed. Resistance was predicted in 20% of populations after 25–30 years with early sowing. Risks of glyphosate resistance could be reduced by rotating between no‐tillage and minimum‐tillage establishment systems, or by rotating between glyphosate and paraquat for pre‐sowing weed control. The double knockdown strategy (sequential full rate applications of glyphosate and paraquat) reduced risks of glyphosate and paraquat resistance to <2%. Introduction of glyphosate‐resistant oilseed rape significantly increased predicted risks of glyphosate resistance in no‐tillage systems even when the double knockdown was practised. These increased risks could be offset by high crop sowing rates and weed seed collection at harvest. When no selective herbicides were available in wheat crops, the introduction of glyphosate‐resistant oilseed rape necessitated a return to a minimum‐tillage crop establishment system.     

甜菜夜蛾抗药性的研究进展

甜菜夜蛾是一种重要的农业害虫，其对许多杀虫剂都产生了抗药性。本文对甜菜夜蛾的抗药性发展状况及其抗药性机制进行综述，并总结了有效的抗性治理策略。     

“三北”防护林甘青宁类型区土地沙漠化遥感调查研究

本文是“七五”期间“三北”防护林甘青宁类型区土地沙漠化遥感调查成果总结。该区沙漠化土地面积为２５８７８．３７ｋｍ２，其中轻度、中度、重度和极度沙漠化土地分别为３０２０．３０ｋｍ２，７２７７．４４ｋｍ２、７０８５．５９ｋｍ２ｔ和８４９５．０４ｋｍ２．文中对沙漠化土地的分布及影响因素进行了分析，最后筛出合理的农林牧用地结构。     

江河源区草地资源现状及其可持续发展

在分析青海省江河源区草地资源现状的基础上，进一步剖析了造成该区域草地生态环境恶化的综合因素，提出了合理利用和保护天然草地，优化草地生产结构，加强基础设施建设，建立饲草料生产基地，遏制草地退化，使草地生态进入良性演替，实现江河源区草地资源可持续利用和草地畜牧业可持续发展的对策。     

赤峰市松山区土地利用动态变化及其原因分析

以TM遥感资料为信息源 ,利用 3S技术手段 ,对内蒙古自治区赤峰市松山区 1987,1993,2 0 0 0年的土地利用变化进行了分析。结果表明 ,在不同年度内 ,其主要的土地利用类型为耕地、草地和林地。土地利用类型的总量变化也以这 3种土地利用类型和建设用地变化最大。而从年变化速率看 ,1987- 2 0 0 0年 ,以建设用地的增加和未利用土地类型的减少最为快速。从土地利用类型转化的方向看 ,以耕地、草地和林地相互之间的转化最为频繁。从土地利用类型的空间稳定性看 ,耕地的稳定性最高 ,其次为草地 ;而最不稳定的土地利用类型为未利用土地。利用相关分析所作的土地利用变化动因显示 ,该地区土地利用变化的驱动因素主要是社会与经济因素 ,其中以总人口、农业总产值、粮食作物产量总计、农牧民人均纯收入、化肥使用面积和化肥实物量等因子的作用最大 ,而自然因素对该地区土地利用变化的影响极小。     

我国北部农牧交错区城郊土地利用时空变化—以包头市为例

以包头市城郊区为例 ,在地理信息系统支持下 ,以乡镇 (苏木 )为研究单元 ,研究本地区土地利用时空动态变化过程 ,并分析其变化驱动因素。从微观角度分析了北方农牧交错区城郊区土地利用变化特征。农牧交错区是人类活动影响强烈之地带 ,土地利用变化与土地持续研究利用 ,对生态安全和地区持续发展具有十分重要的意义。     

不同覆盖方式对旱地玉米田土壤环境及玉米产量的影响

分析普通地膜覆盖、小麦秸秆覆盖及露地栽培3种不同处理对旱地玉米田土壤环 境、玉米产量构成因素的影响,结果表明:覆盖栽培能改善土壤环境,降低土壤容重,提高土壤 水分利用率,调节土温、湿度,协调水热资源利用的同步性;秸秆覆盖能增加土壤养分含量,特 别是速效钾含量;在玉米生长后期,提高叶面积指数,延长叶片功能,提高玉米的光合能力从而 防止玉米早衰,增加穗重,提高玉米产量。     

检疫害虫稻水象甲的控制技术研究进展

稻水象甲(Lissorhoptrus。oryzophilus Kuschel)是一种毁灭性的水稻害虫，也是一种重要的检疫害虫。近年来在很多省市发生为害，且发生程度不断加重并呈扩大蔓延趋势。本文概述了近年来稻水象甲大发生危害的情况及原因，深入分析了其发生规律，提出了加强植物检疫、农业防治、化学防治、生物防治、物理防治等综合治理的措施。