Spanish Journal of Agricultural Research
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The impact assessment of the EU pre-accession funds on agriculture and food companies: The Croatian case
No full textAim of study: This paper evaluates the effect of pre-accession EU grants on beneficiaries in the agri-food sector using a quasi-experimental approach on the case of Croatia. An insight into the available literature reveals a lack of rigorous research and evaluation of the results of using these funds in Croatia as well as in other beneficiary countries.Area of study: Republic of Croatia, Europe (2006–2017).Material and methods: Two datasets were used: (1) financial and structural data on the population of Croatian enterprises for the 2003–2017 period, and (2) data on SAPARD and IPARD grants in the 2007–2016 period. Data were analyzed using counterfactual impact analysis, i.e., a combination of difference-in-difference approach and propensity score matching.Main results: The grants showed to have a positive effect on firm survival, as well as positive effects on obtaining bank loans and increasing turnover, value added, employment, and total factor productivity. Heterogeneous treatment effects show that the grants resulted in the greatest additionality for micro-sized firms located in Central Croatia. Cost-benefit analysis estimates an increase in the value added, which outweighs scheme-induced costs by 120% in the short run and 90% in the mid run.Research highlights: Pre-accession programs in Croatia had a positive impact on the beneficiaries’ growth and business performance indicators in both short and mid term. This paper also promotes the application of similar research in other EU candidate countries where the same or similar funds are implemented
Effect of finishing diet on carcass characteristics and meat quality of Mos cockerel
No full textAim of study: To evaluate the effect of different diets on carcass characteristics and meat quality from Mos free-ranged cockerel.Area of study: Galicia (NW Spain).Material and methods: Cockerels (n=75) were allocated to 3 groups (n=25) according to finishing diets: commercial fodder (CF), 50% wheat and 50% corn (WH) and 33% wheat and 66% corn (CR). Meat quality was assessed in terms of physicochemical, and nutritional features.Main results: The highest live and carcass weight were obtained in CF group. Meat from CF and CR groups were similar in moisture, protein and cholesterol content in drumstick cut, meanwhile in breast piece there were no significant differences (p>0.05) in intramuscular fat (IMF), ash, and lightness (L*). On the other hand, finishing diet affected L* and redness (a*) values, showing the highest L* values in meat samples from CF treatment (49.94 for drumstick) (p<0.01), whereas a* was superior in WH samples (11.30 and 4.61, for drumstick and breast, respectively) (p<0.001). Meat shear force test was not affected (p>0.05) by diets. Finally, the finishing feed affected (p<0.05) the fatty acid and amino acid profile in both cuts (drumstick and breast).Research highlights: Present study allowed to characterize for the first time Mos cockerels fed with different diets. Some carcass features obtained were higher than previous studies with other Mos categories, and some autochthonous and industrial breeds. Meat from cockerels was characterized by a high protein percentage and lower IMF
Phylogenetics of the genus Sechium P. Brown: A review
No full textThe Sechium P. Br. genus composed of 11 species, which originated from the mountainous regions of Mesoamerica, have been domesticated and diversified. These species are clustered in two large groups: the Mexican clade and the Central American clade. Morphological and molecular studies have shown that species of the Mexican clade are formed through interspecific hybridizations and genetic flow, with the exception of S. mexicanum, which is strongly linked to the genus Sicyos. The objective of this review was to analyze the phylogenetics of Sechium based on morphological and molecular studies, which contributed to taxonomic knowledge and utilization, thereby favoring its conservation and improvement. The Central American clade is well supported with molecular data, but not so with morphological data. The species in this clade were geographically isolated and endemic. S. edule and S. tacaco are exploited species in the agricultural and industrial sectors, and both have an extensive genetic and phenotypic diversity that has allowed them to diversify and expand into different ecological niches. Finally, the Central American species of Sechium thrive in adverse environments of temperatures of mesophyll forest and high relative humidity, with characteristics that can give resistance to frosts and phytopathogenic agents, as well as cultivated species of this genus
Reference values and diagnostic ranges to assess the degree of nutritional balance for cacao plants
No full textAim of study: The interpretation of results of leaf analysis can be performed by nutritional balance methods, such as Kenworthy method (KW) and diagnostic levels of contents, whose achievements for cacao constitute the main objective of this work.Area of study: Bahia, Brazil.Material and methods: The database covered cacao trees in two cultivation systems: agroforestry systems and full sun. The reference populations were composed of plots with relative yield higher than the average plus half a standard deviation of each of these cultivation systems, in addition to a combined population of both systems.Main results: The norms of the KW method were compared by the t test, for mean, with 72% concordance; and F, for variance, 82% concordant. The diagnoses made based on specific norms per cultivation system and the general norm agreed on average of 91%. Potential response curves were obtained as a function of the Balanced Indices of Kenworthy (BIK) for each nutrient, by the boundary-line method, in addition to sufficiency ranges for BIK and for leaf contents for cacao.Research highlights: It is concluded that the general KW norms associated with the original Kenworthy ranges or the specific ranges for cacao are efficient in the nutritional diagnosis of cacao
Effect of plant growth regulators on two different types of eggplant flowers regarding style length and fruit setting
No full textAim of study: (i) to explore differences between eggplant flowers capable of setting fruit including long (LGs) and medium style flowers (MEs) and those which suffer from severe problems with fertility and fruit setting including short style ones (SRTs); (ii) to study the effect of plant growth regulators on floral morphology and fruit setting.
Area of study: Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran, 2017 and 2018.
Material and methods: First the floral morphology and initial fruit setting of 13 eggplant genotypes from Iran were investigated. Then the differences between LGs and SRTs of two genotypes were explored. Finally, the effect of 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and spermidine (Spd) on floral morphology and initial and final fruit setting of these two genotypes was determined.
Main results: Results showed SRTs were not capable of fruit setting. Compared to SRTs, LGs had larger central canals, higher protein, total sugar, reducing sugar and K concentrations, as well as longer polar axis and pollen tubes and greater pollen viability. Although 1.5 mM Spd and 20 mg L-1 NAA resulted in increasing of LGs and MEs, and also total initial fruit set, surprisingly, no significant differences were observed in the final yield and final fruit set between the control and these treatments.
Researching highlights: Since the rate of fruit dropping was higher in those treatments compared to the control, plants with more SRTs likely regulate their final load by abscising their flowers, and plants with more LGs regulate them by abscising their fruits
User-centred design to promote the effective use of rear-mounted foldable roll-over protective structures (FROPSs): prototype evaluation among novice and expert farmers
No full textAim of study: We tested the perceived quality in use of a prototype of a handling supporting device, developed through a user-centred design process intended for rear-mounted foldable rollover protective-structures (FROPSs).Area of study: The study was performed in the Province of Cuneo, which has the largest number of farms and the highest share of utilized agricultural area (UAA) in Piedmont Region, NW Italy.Material and methods: Three groups of users, novice-novice (NN), novice-expert (NE) and expert-expert (EE) were asked to raise two rear-mounted FROPSs: a traditional one and a second one equipped with a supporting device which consisted of a gas spring and a rod. A questionnaire has been used to record the perceived quality in use of both FROPSs (effort, physical discomfort, temporal demand and ease of use) and perceived usefulness and attitudes toward the adoption of the supporting device.Main results: All groups reported less physical effort, more stable postures, higher ease of use in handling the FROPS equipped with the supporting device; NN users, in particular, declared to be willing to adopt the supporting device in the future on their tractors when commercially available.Research highlights: Previous studies reported discomfort in operating the FROPS as the main cause of its improper use. A solution to improve FROPS reachability was developed and tested with users. Benefits were perceived by both novice users and expert users
Biotechnological approaches to develop nitrogen-fixing cereals: A review
No full textAgricultural yields are often limited by nitrogen (N) availability, especially in countries of the developing world, whereas in industrialized nations the application of chemical N fertilizers has reached unsustainable levels that have resulted in severe environmental consequences. Finding alternatives to inorganic fertilizers is critical for sustainable and secure food production. Although gaseous nitrogen (N2) is abundant in the atmosphere, it cannot be assimilated by most living organisms. Only a selected group of microorganisms termed diazotrophs, have evolved the ability to reduce N2 to generate NH3 in a process known as biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) catalysed by nitrogenase, an oxygen-sensitive enzyme complex. This ability presents an opportunity to improve the nutrition of crop plants, through the introduction into cereal crops of either the N fixing bacteria or the nitrogenase enzyme responsible for N fixation. This review explores three potential approaches to obtain N-fixing cereals: (a) engineering the nitrogenase enzyme to function in plant cells; (b) engineering the legume symbiosis into cereals; and (c) engineering cereals with the capability to associate with N-fixing bacteria
The impact of tillage systems and crop residues on microbial mass and soil structure stability indices
No full textAim of study: This research investigated the effects of management practices, including plant residues and tillage practices, on soil stability indices, microbial biomass carbon, and the number of bacteria.Area of study: Northern Khorasan Province, Iran.Material and methods: This study explored the effects of the three year-old tillage systems of conventional tillage (CT), minimum tillage (MT), and no-tillage (NT) at three levels 0, 40, and 70% of plant residues on soil physical and microbiological properties for a rotation of three years (wheat, canola, and wheat). Variables measured in this study included the whole soil stability index, the normalized stability index, the percentage of aggregate destruction (PAD), the number of bacteria, and microbial biomass carbon.Main results: Management practices could affect variables, such as soil structure stability as well as the number of bacteria. The results also showed that soils of higher stability were more resistant to soil degradation. In addition, by reducing tillage and adding plant residues, the PAD index decreased significantly. NT and MT practices improved soil structure stability indices and significantly increased the number of bacteria as well as microbial biomass carbon in contrast to CT, what could be attributed to the increased soil organic matter.Research highlights: Reduced tillage practices showed the potential for enhancing soil physical quality only through improving aggregate stability. Therefore, NT with 70% residue retention was found to be suitable to improve soil sustainability indices and increased soil microbial population
Supplement levels and functional oils to replace virginiamycin for young bulls during early dry season on grasslands and finishing phase in feedlot systems
No full textAim of study: To assess the effects of replacing virginiamycin (VM) by functional oils (FO) from castor beans and cashew nut on beef cattle system during the early dry season (Experiment I) and during the finishing phase were evaluated the historical effect, keeping the treatments and methods intact (Experiment II).Area of study: These experiments were conducted at the Forage Crops and Grasslands section of São Paulo State University, “Julio de Mesquita Filho” (Unesp–Jaboticabal, São Paulo, Brazil).Material and methods: Two supplementation levels combined with two additives (four treatments in total) were evaluated: LSVM, low supplementation (0.3% body weight [BW]) with VM; LSFO, low supplementation (0.3% BW) with FO, HSVM, high supplementation (0.6% BW) with VM, and HSFO, high supplementation (0.6% BW) with FO. In both experiments, the experimental design was completely randomized with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement (supplementation levels × additives).Main results: In Exp. I, the additive effect of VM provided greater average daily gain (ADG, p=0.02), higher supplementation level resulted in higher ADG (p=0.04) and the greatest crude protein apparent digestibility (p=0.002). However, no effects were observed between supplementation levels, additives, and interactions (p≥0.11) on voluntary intake and ruminal parameters. In Exp. II, LSVM treatment resulted in lower dry matter intake (p=0.04). Animals maintained on LSFO during the early dry season exhibited lower carcass yield (p=0.004).Research highlights: FO can be used to replace VM in beef cattle diet during the finishing phase in the feedlot without altering animal performance