Scientific Journals of INIA (Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria)
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The region-of-origin effect in the purchase of wine: The moderating role of familiarity
Get PDFResearch on the place-of-origin effect has proliferated in recent decades, although there are still gaps in this field, especially in relation to the region-of-origin (ROO) and to the influence of certain moderating variables on the effect. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the ROO effect in the purchase of wine, paying special attention to the moderating role played by familiarity. Via a survey of 427 consumers carried out in the region of Extremadura (Spain), the paper study how variables as the region's overall image, its image as a wine producer, the perceived quality of its products, and consumer ethnocentrism affect the intention to purchase regional wines. To reach that goal, a structural equation model was applied using the Partial Least Square technique to identify the variables that explain and moderate this intention. The results show the region's overall image (2.65% of contribution to the purchase intentions explained variance), its image as a wine producer (8.39%), the perceived quality of its products (22.42%), and consumer ethnocentrism (10.23%) to affect the purchase intentions directly and indirectly. The confirmation of a moderating effect of familiarity in one of the model relationships contributes to give answer to one of the most significant questions in marketing theory about the origin effect. These results have important managerial implications for policy decision-makers, confirming the value of implementing communication campaigns that pursue improvement of the region's image as a brand
Short communication: Influence of subclinical endometritis on the reproductive performance of dairy cows
Get PDFThe aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of subclinical endometritis (SE) on the reproductive performance of dairy cows. Ninety-four dairy cows of parity 1 to 8, distributed in 25 herds, were examined once between 30 and 45 days in milk using transrectal palpation, vaginoscopy and ultrasonography. A cytological sample of the endometrium was taken only from cows with an apparent healthy uterus (n=65). Serum glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides, non-esterified fatty acids, β-hydroxybutyrate, total proteins, albumin, urea and hepatic enzymes were analyzed. Reproductive indexes were recorded during the next 11 months. Endometrial cytology was considered indicative of SE if percentage of polymorphonuclear neutrophils was superior to 5% of all cells present in the smear, except erythrocytes. Results indicated that 14.9% of the cows sampled for uterine cytology had SE, and that healthy cows become pregnant significantly before than those with SE (hazard ratio=2.35; 95% confidece interval: 1.05-5.3). From all the metabolic and productive variables analyzed, only triglycerides affected negatively to reproduction; serum albumin concentration, body condition score and milk production had positive effects on the reproductive performance. In conclusion, our results indicate that SE has a negative impact on reproductive performance and uterine cytology is necessary to diagnose it since almost 15% of the affected animals were not detected by other diagnosis methods
Analysis of Individual Tree Competition on Diameter Growth of Silver Birch in Estonia
No full textAim of study: The present study evaluates a set of competition indices including spatially explicit indices combined with different competitor selection approaches and non-spatially explicit competition indices. The aim was to quantify and describe the neighbouring effects on the tree diameter growth of silver birch trees.Area of study: Region throughout Estonia. Material and methods: Data from the Estonian Network of Forest Research Plots was used. After quantifying the selected indices, the best non-spatial indices and spatial indices (combined with neighbour selection methods) were separately devised into a growth model as a predictor variable to assess the ability of the diameter growth model before and after adding competition measures. To test the species-specific effect on the competition level, the superior indices were recalculated using Ellenberg’s light indicators and incorporated into the diameter growth model. Main results: Statistical analyses showed that the diameter growth is a function of neighbourhood interactions and spatial indices were better growth predictors than non-spatial indices. In addition, the best selections of competitive neighbours were acquired based on the influence zone and the competition elimination angle concepts, and using Ellenberg’s light values had no significant improvement in quantifying the competition effects. Research highlights: Although the best ranking spatial competition measures were superior to the best non-spatial indices, the differences were negligible.Keywords: Competition indices; zone of influence; stem diameter increment; Betula pendula Roth.ERRATUM PDF
Incorporating economic valuation into fire prevention planning and management in southern European countries
Get PDFAim of study: This article describes and analyzes the links between the fire-based scientific knowledge, the social perception of fire prevention and forest fires and the economic valuation requirements to assess social preferences for fire prevention measures.Area of study: Southern European countries.Material and Methods: For that purpose, we develop a critical revision of the existing literature on economic valuation of social preferences for fire risk reduction and fire prevention in terms of its links with fire science and social perceptions and the applicability of these results in fire management policies.Research highlights: The assessment of social preferences for fire related issues is challenging due to the difficulty of setting sound valuation scenarios that can simultaneously be relevant for the respondents and derive conclusions useful for fire management. Most of the revised studies set up valuation scenarios focused on the final management outcome e.g. number of burnt hectares, what is easier for the respondents to evaluate but weakens the scientific relationship with fire management, making difficult reaching conclusions for sound management advice. A more recent set of valuation studies have been developed where risk perception of homeowners is further assessed as a key variable determining their preferences in valuation scenarios. These studies are relevant for mangers setting fire prevention programs in wildland urban interface areas as understanding the factors that may promote or hinder the enrolment of these homeowners in fire prevention activities may have direct implication in addressing communication programs to promote fire prevention management.Keywords: fire prevention; fire risk reduction; economic valuation.Abbreviations used: WTP- willingness to pay; CV- contingent valuation; CM- choice modelling
Land cover and land use changes of native forests categories: the case of the Atencio District, Argentina, in the period from 1984 to 2013
Get PDFAim of study: The aim of this work was to assess land use and land cover change in Distrito Atencio, near Feliciano, in the province of Entre Ríos, Argentina, from 1984 to 2013 and to make a projection of possible changes in the native forests of Espinal Phytogeographic Region.Area of study: Espinal Ecorregion, Atencio (Argentina)Material and Methods: Ten LANDSAT 5-TM and LANDSAT 8-OLI satellite images were used and two classes were distinguished by vectorization: NF-Native Forests and OL-Other Lands. Besides, four categories were defined by supervised classification: CNF-Closed Native Forest, ONF-Open Native Forest, RF-Riverside Forest with Shrub Jungle, and ONG-Open Native Grassland or Savanna. Main results: It was estimated NF as being 76,619 ha and 59,994 ha for years 1984 and 2013 respectively, which represented a 21.69% reduction over a period of 30 years. In 1984, 32.93% of the district surface was occupied by CNF; the same proportion was covered by ONF; and ONG followed with 16.361 ha (20.66%). In 2013, contrarily, CNF was reduced by 13.67%. Land use change was noted to be directed towards the central eastern region. By 2015, OL are expected to keep 88% of their surface, while ONG areas might suffer a 28.80% and 41.25% reduction for years 2025 and 2050 respectively.Research highlights: District’s areas with higher incidence on changes due to ecosystem fragmentation processes were identified. It is hoped that this study may contribute to settling native forests protection and recovery areas.Keywords: land change; land cover; Landsat; remote sensing; Espinal Region; spatial trend
Restoration of European yew (Taxus baccata L.) in Mediterranean mountains: importance of seedling nursery fertilization and post-planting light levels
Get PDFAim of the study: We studied the influence of nursery fertilization and post-planting light environment on the growth and survival of out-planted two-year-old yew (Taxus baccata) seedlings.Area of study: Post-planting performance was assessed at two sites in the Valsain Forest (Central Mountain Range, Segovia, Spain).Materials and Methods: Seedlings were grown using the same seed-lot, container type and fertirrigation schedule. A soluble fertilizer with two contrasting doses resulting in 239 and 376 mg N per seedling was applied during the whole culture period. Seedlings grown under the highest level of fertilization had greater root collar diameter, height, shoot to root ratio, root and shoot mass, and root growth potential before planting. Post-planting performance was assessed at two sites in the Valsain Forest (Central Mountain Range, Segovia, Spain). In each site, seedlings from both fertilization treatments were planted in three plots with contrasting light environment (full sunlight, and under Pinus sylvestris stands with moderate and deep shade conditions). Survival, diameter and height growth were monitored for six years.Main results: Nursery fertilization did not affect survival, but high fertilization enhanced post-planting growth. Survival was highest under deep shade conditions but growth in this microsite was lower than in higher light sites, revealing a trade-off for survival and growth across light levels.Research highlights: The lower fertilization rate used in this study was suitable to produce seedlings with acceptable quality. Planting under shaded conditions (light availability<30%) is recommended to maximize the initial success of yew plantations in Mediterranean mountains.Keywords: Taxus baccata; plant quality; field growth; survival; reforestation
Bending of Pinus jeffreyi in response to wind
Get PDFAim of study: To evaluate the degree of trunk sway in relation to wind velocity, with varying temporal integration and to compare this relation among seasons.Area of study: Sierra de Juárez, Baja California, MéxicoMaterials and Methods: Displacements of a 19 m tall Jeffrey pine tree were recorded at 6 m from a three dimensional digital compass during one year, at c. 4 Hz. Adjacent wind speed at 6 m was recorded at 1 Hz.Main results: Sway was essentially unaffected by wind in the same second but increasing dependence of cumulative displacement on average sustained wind speed was found for intervals of 1 to 60 minutes (r2 up to 0.89). The relation is generally log-linear but apparently differs in parameters between seasons.Research highlights: Wind-sway relations are clear from integration of several-to-many minutes. However, to estimate cumulative stress, sub-second data on sway are essential. Sub-second, precision measurements of sway can be registered from small, inexpensive sensors.Keywords: biomechanics; Pinus jeffreyi; seasonality; stress accumulation; time series; tree bending
Biochemical changes in barberries during adventitious root formation: the role of indole-3-butyric acid and hydrogen peroxide
Get PDFPeroxidase, polyphenol oxidase (PPO), phenolic compounds and total sugars (TS) were investigated during root formation in cuttings of Berberis vulgaris var. asperma (BVA) and Berberis thunbergii var. atropurpurea (BTA) treated with indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) and IBA+H2O2. Rooting was observed on BTA cuttings but not on BVA cuttings. The BTA cuttings treated with IBA and IBA+H2O2 showed higher rooting percentages, number of roots, and root length over the control. Those treated with IBA+H2O2 recorded the lowest peroxidase activity after planting. BTA cuttings treated with IBA+H2O2 showed the highest peroxidase activity at 50 d after planting; BVA cuttings under different treatments showed no significant difference for peroxidase activity at planting time or up to 80 d after planting. PPO activity for the BTA cuttings in the control treatment was lower than for other treatments during root formation. The cuttings in the IBA and IBA+H2O2 treatments showed increased PPO activity from 0 to 50 d after planting and a slight decrease in PPO activity from 60 to 80 d after planting. PPO activity for the BVA cuttings was significantly lower than for BTA during root formation. The BTA cuttings treated with IBA and IBA+H2O2 showed the highest phenolic compound content during root formation. The BVA cuttings displayed higher TS than BTA during the initial stage of root formation. A comparison of the anatomical structure of easy-to-root and difficult-to-root cuttings indicated that physical inhibitors did not affect the rooting capacity of BVA
Estimation of national and regional phosphorus budgets for agriculture in Turkey
No full textThis paper presents national and regional phosphorus (P) budgets for agriculture in Turkey by using Eurostat/OECD common methodology. Regional P budgets presented in this paper are the first estimations for Turkey known to date. In Turkey, the values of P surplus for agriculture (PS) and P use efficiency for agriculture (PUE) in 2011 were 2 kg P ha-1 yr-1 and 77%, respectively. PS values varied from -2 to 15 kg P ha-1 yr-1 among regions in 2011. In 2008, PS and PUE values (0 kg P ha-1 yr-1 and 96%, respectively) were lower than the average EU values (3 kg P ha-1 yr-1 and 104%), including Norway and Switzerland. The relationship between PS values and some socio-economic properties in Turkey regions were also analyzed. According to the results, the correlations of PS with gross domestic product per capita, permanent meadows and pastures share in utilized agricultural area (UAA), population density, illiterate share and arable land share in UAA were statistically significant. We can conclude from the study results that the environmental effect of agricultural phosphorus on water bodies varies greatly both among regions in Turkey and among European countries because of high variations in PS values
The behavior of tillage tools with acute and obtuse lift angles
Get PDFAn experimental investigation was conducted to study the trend of draft force against forward speed and working depth for a range of lift angles beyond acute angles for a simple plane tillage tool. The experiments were performed in an indoor soil bin facility equipped with a tool carriage and a soil preparation unit propelled by an integrated hydraulic power system. The system was also equipped with electronic instrumentation including an Extended Octagonal Ring Transducer (EORT) and a data logger. The factorial experiment (4×3×3) with three replications was used based on Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD). The independent variables were lift angle of the blade (45, 70, 90 and 120°), forward speed (2, 4 and 6 km h-1) and working depth (10, 25 and 40 cm). The variance analysis for the draft force shows that all independent variables affect the draft force at 1% level of significance. The trend of the draft force against working depth and forward speed had almost a linear increase. However, the trend of the draft force against the lift angle is reversed for lift angles >90. This finding, conflicts with the results of analytical and numerical studies which extrapolate the results achieved for acute lift angles to obtuse lift angles and have not been reported experimentally