Scientific Journals of INIA (Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria)
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Participative forest planning: How to obtain knowledge
Get PDFAim of study: To develop a methodology to obtain knowledge in public participation processes.Area of study: Fonsagrada-Os Ancares (Spain), region located in the northern Iberian Peninsula.Material and methods: This study proposes a new method for generating questionnaire survey in participative forest plan with four stages. The validation of this method is performed in the context of a tactical sub-regional forest plan.Main results: The questionnaires based on criteria and indicators proved to be effective in obtaining key information for planning. The method used offers tools to reach the consensus on natural resource management, through the knowledge gained by selecting relevant information (preferences, opinions, and expectations) from past, present, and future forest activity, focusing on solutions to conflicts.Research highlights: The use of appropriate indicators and criteria in the planning phase allows for obtaining knowledge concerning the preferences and future challenges for forest management
Challenges in the use of Near Infrared Spectroscopy for improving wood quality: A review
Get PDFAims of study: Forestry-related companies require quality monitoring methods capable to pass a large number of samples. This review paper is dealing with the utilization of near infrared (NIR) technique for wood analysis.Area of study: We have a global point of view for NIR applications and characterization of different kind of wood species is considered.Material and methods: NIR spectroscopy is a fast, non-destructive technique, applicable to any biological material, demanding little or no sample preparation. NIR spectroscopy and multivariate analysis serve well in laboratories where the conditions are controlled. The main challenges to NIR spectroscopy technique in field conditions are moisture content and portability.Results: In this review, the methods and challenges for successfully applying NIR spectroscopy in the field of wood characterization are presented. Portable equipment need to record NIR spectra with low noise and low sensitivity to temperature and humidity variations of the air in forest environments. Studies concerning the sample preparation effects on the robustness of the calibrations are thus required.Research highlights: This paper examines traditional applications and practical aspects as well as innovative modern adaptations applied, for example, in hyperspectral imaging and genetic studies
Understory effect on tree and cork growth in cork oak woodlands
Get PDFAim of study: Cork oak is one of the main forest tree species in Portugal that typically occurs in montado, where operational practices oriented to the tree, crop or animal management may influence several of the ecosystem components. This study aimed at contributing to fulfil the a lack of knowledge on the effect of these practices on the cork and wood growth, by comparing the wood diameter growth and the annual cork increment under two different understory management options.Material and methods: An experimental trial implemented on an uneven-aged cork oak pure stand during a cork rotation period of 9 years, was established with the specific goal of comparing understory management options: a yellow lupine pasture versus spontaneous vegetation. Cork samples were taken at the beginning and end of the period and were used to measure cork thickness and annual cork rings. The differences between treatments were assessed performing a non-parametric test and a more robust approach using linear mixed model. Precipitation and treatment levels were jointly considered on the analysis.Main results: A slight effect was found on the cork thickness regarding the treatment with lupine application. However, no distinct effect was found, regarding wood and the annual cork increment pattern. Additionally, annual cork ring width showed a positive correlation with precipitation and a negative correlation with ring age.Research highlights: The results of this study indicate no distinct pattern regarding the annual cork and wood increment when comparing the understory effect of yellow lupine pasture versus spontaneous vegetation
Rapid discrimination of wood species from native forest and plantations using near infrared spectroscopy
Get PDFAim of study: To verify how well near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy is able to discriminate wood specimens from natural and planted forests. This study was carried out using tropical trees from Brazil.Area of study: Wood specimens coming from Lavras (21°10′S, 44°54′W), Paraopeba (19°16′S, 44°24′W) and Belo Oriente (19°17′S, 42°23′W) cities, Minas Gerais state, southeastern Brazil were insvetigated.Material and methods: NIR spectra were recorded in the radial surface of wood specimens of four native species (Cedrela sp., Apuleia sp., Aspidosperma sp. and Jacaranda sp.) and two commercial clones (Eucalyptus for bioenergy and pulp & paper).Main results: The principal component analysis (PCA) of spectral information revealed that it is possible to distinguish wood from planted and native forests. The dispersion of scores in the graphic formed by the first and second principal component formed two groups allowing differentiating very clearly the Eucalyptus clones from the native woods. The partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) allowed the prediction of group of species with a high degree of correct classification. The PLS-DA models performed from untreated NIR spectra obtained 86 to 100% accuracy for the natural wood species.Research highlights: From PLS-DA of treated NIR spectra, no Eucalyptus wood sample was classified as a natural forest species and vice versa. NIR technique associated with multivariate statistics are promising to discriminate wood specimens from native or planted forests and thus identify frauds
A method to evaluate the perceived ease of use of human-machine interface in agricultural tractors equipped with Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
Get PDFAt the end of the 20th century the adoption of the Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) was one of the disruptive technological advances in agricultural tractors. Several changes in the Human Machine Interface (HMI) of the tractor cab have been introduced to accommodate this technology. HMIs are known to raise issues about their ease of use; however, this topic has been under-investigated in the agricultural sector. The present study introduces a method to investigate the perceived ease of use of the HMI of agricultural tractors equipped with technological innovations. The HMI required to manage a CVT tractor was evaluated by sixteen tractor drivers (8 novices and 8 experts). During the first contact with the machine and after having performed two targeted tasks with the tractor, participants filled in a questionnaire about the ease of use of the controls and of the touch-screen display, and evaluated the general perception of ease of use, safety, quality and solidity of the machine. The trial pointed out some significant differences between novices and experts, thus confirming the validity of the proposed method. In particular, novice users showed some difficulties when interacting for the first time with the HMI of the CVT tractor working station, whereas experts did not report similar difficulties. Thus, expertise seems to play a role in determining the quality of the interaction with the HMI. Training interventions should be designed to help novices in increasing their expertise effectively, avoiding effort and errors and improving user’s comfort and system performance
Factors influencing the stay-exit intention of small livestock farmers: empirical evidence from southern Chile
Get PDFThis study analyses the factors driving the stay-exit intention of small livestock farmers located in southern Chile. Technical, economic, and social characteristics from 212 farmers were included in this study. Through an empirical probit model we identified the variables that should be considered when developing rural policies aimed at increasing the likelihood to stay in farming. The results showed that 12 out of the 30 parameters were significant (p<0.10), with an extremely good fit of the model (McFadden pseudo-R2 = 0.25, Count R2 = 75.9%). Particularly, ‘female farmer’, ‘positive expectation about future farming life’, ‘capacity of farm income to cover the expenses of the whole family’, ‘mixed production’, ‘participation in an association’, and ‘distance to the nearest city’ were positively associated with the stay intention. Moreover, our study also indicates that ‘existence of a defined retirement age’, ‘existence of a defined sale price for the farm’, ‘a mixed farm focused on livestock production’, ‘the possibility to make own decisions’, ‘age squared’, and the ‘number of people living at the farm’ were negatively associated with the stay intention. Our empirical findings suggest that farmer characteristics (gender, family size), the farming system (multi-activity production, efficiency), and social aspects of the rural society (associations, protection of agricultural products) are also important aspects that should be considered by rural development policies aimed at improving the likelihood of staying, in addition to the technical characteristics of the farming which have been traditionally addressed in developing countries
Nitrogen replenishment using variable rate application technique in a small hand-harvested pear orchard
Get PDFPrecision agriculture is a management approach for sustainable agriculture. It can be applied even in small fields. It aims to optimize inputs, improve profits, and reduce adverse environmental impacts. In this study, a series of measurements were conducted over three growing seasons to assess variability in a 0.55 ha pear orchard located in central Greece. Soil ECa was measured using EM38 sensor, while soil samples were taken from a grid 17 × 8 m and analysed for texture, pH, P, K, Mg, CaCO3, and organic matter content. Data analysis indicated that most of the nutrients were at sufficient levels. Soil and yield maps showed considerable variability while fruit quality presented small variations across the orchard. Yield fluctuations were observed, possibly due to climatic conditions. Prescription maps were developed for nitrogen variable rate application (VRA) for two years based on the replacement of the nutrients removed by the crop. VRA application resulted in 56% and 50% reduction of N fertiliser compared to uniform application
Do increasing prices affect food deprivation in the European Union?
Get PDFThe rise of prices of agricultural commodities in global markets during 2007-2012 was followed by increased consumer food prices around the world. More expensive food may have an impact on consumer food access and thus on their welfare, not only in developing countries but also amongst the most vulnerable in developed countries. Using a longitudinal database from the Statistics on Income and Living Conditions and population-averaged models, we tested whether increasing food prices had an impact on household food deprivation in 26 European Union (EU) member states. Results revealed a significant relationship between food deprivation and the consumer food price index and disposable income. Households in the lowest income quintile in the member states recently acceded to the EU were the most vulnerable to food deprivation. Results also showed that low-income households in densely populated areas were more vulnerable to food deprivation. This should be taken into account when evaluating food assistance programmes that focus on the segments of the population most at risk of food deprivation
Genetic diversity and population structure in caprifigs (Ficus carica var. caprificus) using SSR markers
Get PDFAbundant wild and cultivated fig germplasm can be found in Turkey, a center of diversity for figs; however, many of these valuable genetic resources have not yet been identified or characterized using molecular markers. In the present study, microsatellite markers were used to characterize a set of 96 caprifig (Ficus carica var. caprificus) accessions from Turkey. The caprifig accessions showed considerable polymorphism with an average of 8.3 alleles per locus. The number of alleles per locus varied from three for the loci LMFC18 and LMFC23, to 14 for the loci FCUPO38-6 and FCUPO08. Genetic distance values and cluster analyses revealed high genetic similarities, except for the reference group, among the caprifig groups. Factorial correspondence analysis also separated the caprifig groups, suggesting that caprifig populations from Turkey were unmixed, probably because of low gene flow, likely because germplasm has not yet been moved among geographical areas and because many caprifig populations arose from propagation by seed. In our population structure analysis, the caprifig accessions could be grouped according to the regions from where they were sampled. Our molecular data revealed great genetic diversity within this caprifig germplasm. This genetically rich caprifig germplasm resource will be useful for both fig breeding programs and analysis of the complex genetic structure of figs that reproduce using various pollination strategies