Scientific Journals of INIA (Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria)
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Evaluating the functionality of agricultural systems: social preferences for multifunctional peri-urban agriculture. The “Huerta de Valencia” as case study
Get PDFThe debate on the multifunctionality of agriculture and its connections with territorial policies are the basis of the most appropriate approach to legitimize public interventions in the agricultural sector. The main obstacle of this public intervention is to know the goods and services provided by agricultural systems and elicitation of the social preferences for them. We created a descriptive approach for the multifunctionality of agricultural systems that is based on the review of the scientific literature focused on multifunctionality and the goods and services of agricultural systems. The review shows a large variety of activities and approaches, which can be grouped by their economic dimension, social dimension and environmental dimension. Multicriteria techniques, such as the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), can help elicit the priorities and the relative importance of different functions attributed by the society as a whole. The authorities can take into account these results to inform and support their political decisions. This paper describes a methodological approach to determine the Social Welfare Function by using AHP. The proposed methodology is applied to the “Huerta de Valencia”, a rich peri-urban agricultural system with a variety of resources, around which there is an open political-institutional debate to define a protection scheme. The results are very interesting and useful to enrich this debate
Short communication. Growth and nodulation of cowpea after 5 years of consecutive composted tannery sludge amendment
No full textTannery industry releases high amounts of tannery sludge which are currently composted and used in agricultural soils. The consecutive amendment of such composted tannery sludge (CTS) may affect soil microrganisms, such as rhizobia. In this study, we evaluated the effects of 5-year repeated CTS amendment on growth, nodulation, and yield of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.) CTS was applied in different amounts (0, 2.5, 5, 10 and 20 Mg/ha) to a sandy soil. Amendment of CTS increased soil pH, electrical conductivity (EC), sodium and chromium content. Plant growth, nodulation, N accumulation, and cowpea yield increased up to 10 Mg/ha; however, above this rate, these variables decreased. After 5 years of CTS amendment, the increase in soil chemical properties, particularly EC and Na content, exerted negative effects on the growth, nodulation, and yield of cowpea
Water requirements for wheat and maize under climate change in North Nile Delta
Get PDFDetermination of water requirements for wheat and maize under climate change is important for policy makers in Egypt. The objectives of this paper were to calculate (i) ETo and (ii) water requirements for wheat and maize crops grown in five governorates (Alexandria, Demiatte, Kafr El-Sheik, El-Dakahlia and El-Behira) located in North Nile Delta of Egypt under current climate and climate change. ECHAM5 climate model was used to develop A1B climate change scenario in 2020, 2030 and 2040. Monthly values of evapotranspiration (ETo) under the different scenarios in these governorates were calculated using Hargreaves-Samani equation (H-S). Then, these values were regressed on ETo values previously calculated by Penman-Monteith equation (P-M) and linear regression (prediction equations were developed for each governorate). The predicted ETo values were compared to the values of ETo calculated by P-M equation and the deviations between them were very low (RMSE/obs=0.04-0.06 mm and R2 =0.96-0.99). Water requirements for wheat and maize were calculated using BISm model under current climate and in 2020, 2030 and 2040. The results showed that average annual ETo would increase by low percentage in 2020 and 2030. However, in 2040 the increase would reach 8%. Water requirements are expected to increase by 2-3% for wheat and by 10-15% for maize, which would result in reduction of the cultivated area. Thus, it is very important to revise and fix the production system of wheat and maize, in terms of the used cultivars, fertilizer and irrigation application to overcome the risk of climate change
Short communication. Employment of molecular markers to develop tetraploid “supermale” asparagus from andromonoecious plants of the landrace ‘Morado de Huétor’
No full textThe aim of this work was the development of new “supermale” genotypes retaining the highest genetic diversity possible of the tetraploid asparagus landrace ‘Morado de Huétor’. The elite andromonoecious male HT664 of the ‘Morado de Huétor’ asparagus landrace and the andromonoecious hybrid male HC027, obtained by crossing between this landrace and a commercial cultivar of Asparagus officinalis, were selected for self-pollination to produce possible “supermales” with genes of ‘Morado de Huétor’ (SMHT). To confirm the hybrid nature of HC027, we characterized this genotype with EST-SSR (Expressed Sequence Tag-derived Simple Sequence Repeats) markers. We also adopted the sex-linked marker Asp1-T7 for sex determination in ‘Morado de Huétor’ and the resulting hybrids between this landrace and other commercial cultivars. Asp1-T7 marker was used for the selection and genotyping of SMHT. “All-male” cultivars with a different genetic background can be generated by crossing females with these new “supermale” genotypes, and the agronomical traits of these new cultivars would be very different from the “all-male” cultivars currently available in the market, making them extremely interesting for asparagus breeding programs
Relative importance of various regeneration mechanisms in different restoration stages of Quercus variabilis forest after selective logging
No full textAim of study: Quercus variabilis (Chinese cork oak) reproduces asexually and sexually. This study aimed to determine the status and growth of asexual and sexual recruits of Q. variabilis in different forest recovery stages.Area of study: Three selective logged stands and one unlogged stand in Q. variabilis forest, Shaanxi Province, China.Material and Methods: Origin, number, basal diameter, height and size structure of Q. variabilis shoots (height ≤200 cm) were investigated in the plots of 5, 10, and 20-years post-logging stands and unlogged stand. Effects of recovery stage on the density and growth of the three original recruits (stump sprouts, stem base sprouts and true seedlings) were analysis by One-way ANOVA.Main results: Sprouts dominated logged stands, whereas true seedlings dominated unlogged stand, stem base sprouts only existed in 20-years post-logging and unlogged stands. Stump sprout density and sprout number per stump both declined with extended post-logging time. True seedlings density increased from 7 to 20 shoots/100 m2 as the postlogging time extended, and peaked in unlogged stand (94 shoots/100 m2). An ongoing size structure was observed in true seedlings in all stands. Stump sprouts were taller and greater than true seedlings.Research highlights: Stump sprouts contributed more to Q. variabilis forest recovery in the early stage after disturbance. The contribution of true seedlings was limited in the same stage, but they were beneficial for population long-term development. Stem base sprouts were most likely to be a survival strategy rather than a reproductive strategy.Key words: asexual reproduction; true seedling; post-logging time; Chinese cork oak
Land cover fire proneness in Europe
Get PDFAim of study: This study aims to identify and characterize the spatial and temporal evolution of the types of vegetation that are most affected by forest fires in Europe. The characterization of the fuels is an important issue of the fire regime in each specific ecosystem while, on the other hand, fire is an important disturbance for global vegetation dynamics.Area of study: Southern European countries: Portugal, Spain, France, Italy and Greece.Material and Methods: Corine Land Cover maps for 2000 and 2006 (CLC2000, CLC2006) and burned area (BA) perimeters, from 2000 to 2013 in Europe are combined to access the spatial and temporal evolution of the types of vegetation that are most affected by wild fires using descriptive statistics and Geographical Information System (GIS) techniques.Main results: The spatial and temporal distribution of BA perimeters, vegetation and burnt vegetation by wild fires was performed and different statistics were obtained for Mediterranean and entire Europe, confirming the usefulness of the proposed land cover system. A fire proneness index is proposed to assess the fire selectivity of land cover classes. The index allowed to quantify and to compare the propensity of vegetation classes and countries to fire.Research highlights: The usefulness and efficiency of the land cover classification scheme and fire proneness index. The differences between northern Europe and southern Europe and among the Mediterranean region in what concerns to vegetation cover, fire incidence, area burnt in land cover classes and fire proneness between classes for the different countries.Keywords: Fire proneness; Mixed forests; Land cover/land use; Fire regime; Europe; GIS; Corine land cover.
Effect of mechanical pruning on the yield and quality of ‘Fortune’ mandarins
Get PDFThis work compares mechanical pruning followed up by hand pruning versus manual pruning in the case of ‘Fortune’ mandarins. Yield and fruit quality were measured over a three-year period. Two mechanical pruning intensities were tested, these intensities being measured as the width of the row middles left free after mechanical pruning. Although there were differences in biomass and diameter of the branches that were cut, no differences were observed between the two mechanical pruning intensities in terms of yield or fruit quality. In all pruning treatments, fruit size reached the highest category. The pruning treatments consisted in: (i) hand pruning every year, (ii) mechanical pruning followed up by hand pruning every year, and (iii) alternating the two previous methods over the years studied. On analysing the accumulated fruit production of the three years, it can be observed that there were no significant differences in yield when mechanical pruning was alternated with hand pruning over the years. When only mechanical pruning was used for the three years, however, a 22% reduction in yield was observed with respect to the treatment involving hand pruning alone. From the economic point of view, mechanical pruning shortened the time needed to complete the follow-up hand pruning by 13% with respect to just hand pruning, but this reduction in labour does not offset the cost of the mechanical equipment
Valuation and importance of the extrinsic attributes of the product from the firms´ perspective in a Spanish wine protected designation of origin
Get PDFDesignations of origin (DOs) are commercial brands of wide use in the agro-food sector. Its use in Spain has taken place for more than three decades and although wineries managers have incorporated these new forms of protection, little is known about their opinion and their point of view during the DO implementation process. In fact, the consumers’ point of view has been the one most often analyzed in the literature. In the present study we analyzed extrinsic attributes of a wine with DO from the company point of view. In particular, we analyzed brand, product, price, packaging and label, and origin of the product following a qualitative analysis on interviews carried out with winemakers of the DO wine Ribera del Guadiana during the last decade. The qualitative analysis of the interviews was performed using the software package ATLAS/ti, designed for this type of data analysis in the form of large blocks of text. The results indicated that winemakers consider that they offer a good product to the market, and try to promote their brands using the origin of the product as a marketing strategy. From the company point of view, this protected DO (PDO) has important opportunities for positioning to create a sustainable competitive advantage, focusing on quality and the territorial differentiation
Chemical composition and bio-pesticidal values of essential oil isolated from the seed of Heracleum persicum Desf. ex Fischer (Apiaceae)
Get PDFThe present investigation was aimed to analyse the chemical composition of essential oil isolated from Heracleum persicum Desf. ex Fischer and assess its lethal and sub-lethal effects against Tribolium castaneum (Herbst). Essential oil from hydro-distilled seeds of H. persicum was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and hexyl butyrate (50.58%), octyl acetate (9.80%) and hexyl hexanoate (8.75%) were found as principal constituents. Repellent activity, contact and fumigant toxicity and antifeedant effects of this oil were assessed against the adults of T. castaneum. The essential oil strongly repelled T. castaneum adults even at the lowest concentration (0.035 μL cm-2). Complete repellency (100%) occurred when the highest concentration (0.212 μL cm-2) was applied for 8 h. T. castaneum was very susceptible to H. persicum oil at both contact and fumigant bioassays. In the fumigant toxicity, essential oil killed the larvae, pupae and adults and significantly decreased larvae emerged from treated eggs. LC10 to LC40 values of fumigation adult’s bioassay as sub-lethal concentrations were used to evaluate the antifeedant effects. H. persicum essential oil has significant antifeedant effects on T. castaneum adults and decrease of feeding happened when oil concentrations increased. The results of the present study indicate that essential oil of H. persicum, with wide bio-effects on T. castaneum, is a source of biologically active agents which may potentially prove to be efficient insecticides