Traditional agriculture in transition: examining the impacts of agricultural modernization on smallholder farming in Ghana under the new Green Revolution

Following the renewed effort at achieving a new green revolution for Africa, emphasis has been placed on modernizing smallholder agriculture through the deployment of improved inputs especially mechanized technologies. In Ghana, the government has in the last decade emphasized the provision of subsidized mechanized ploughing services to farmers alongside a rapidly growing private sector tractor service market. While mechanized technology adoption rates have increased rapidly, the deployment of these technologies has been without critical analysis of the impacts on production patterns and local agrarian systems. This paper examines the distributional impacts of agriculture mechanization on cropping patterns and farm sizes of smallholder farmers in northern Ghana using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) techniques, and semi-structured interviews with smallholder farmers (n=60). Specifically, comparative analysis of the field sizes and cropping patterns of participant farmers prior to and after the adoption of mechanized technologies was conducted. In-depth interviews were used to contextualize the experiences of smallholder farmers toward understanding how mechanization may be impacting traditional agriculture. Our findings reveal a mechanization paradox in which farm sizes are expanding, while cropping patterns are shifting away from traditional staple crops (pearl millet and sorghum bicolor) to market-oriented crops (maize, rice and groundnuts). This transition we argue, has adverse implications on the cultural dimension of food security, the organization of social life, and climate change adaptation. We recommend a retooling of the current agricultural policy focus to ensure context sensitivity for a more robust battle against food insecurity.     

Effect of airborne SO_2 on performance of the turnip moth,Agrotis segetum Schiff

SO2 Pollution; rape plant (Brassica chinensis); turnip moth (Agrotis segetum); growth and developmental parameters.     

Effects of cerium on growth and physiological mechanism in plants under enhanced ultraviolet-B radiation

Effect of cerium （Ce^3＋） on the growth, photosynthesis and antioxidant enzyme system in rape seedlings （Brassica juncea L.） exposed to two levels of UV-B radiation （T1： 0.15 W/m^2 and T2：0.35 W/m^2） was studied by hydroponics under laboratory conditions. After 5 d of UV-B treatment, the aboveground growth indices were obviously decreased by 13.2%-44. 1%（T1） and 21.4%-49.3% （T2）, compared to CK, and except active absorption area of roots, the belowground indices by 14.1%-35.6%（T1） and 20.3%-42.6% （T2）. For Ce＋UV-B treatments, the aboveground and belowground growth indices were decreased respectively by 4.1%-23.6%, 5.2% -23.3%（Ce＋T1） and 10.8%-28.4%, 7.0%-27.8%（Ce＋T2）, lower than those of UV-B treatments. The decrease of growth indices appeared to be the result of changes of physiological processes. Two levels of UV-B radiation induced the decrease in chlorophyll content, net photosynthesis rate, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance and water use efficiency by 11.2%-25.9%（T1） and 20.9%- 56.9%（T2）, whereas increase in membrane permeability and activities of antioxidant enzymes including superoxide dismutase（SOD）, catalase （CAT） and peroxidase （POD） by 6.9%, 22.8%, 21.5%, 9.5%（T1） and 36.6%, 122.3%, 103.5%, 208.9%（T2）, respectively. The reduction of the photosynthetic parameters in Ce＋UV-B treatments was lessened to 3.2%-13.8%（Ce＋T1） and 4.9%-27.6%（Ce＋T2）, and the increase of membrane permeability and activities of antioxidant enzymes except POD in the same treatments were lessened to 2.4%, 8.4%, 6.6%（Ce＋T1） and 30.1%, 116.7%, 75.4%（Ce＋T2）. These results indicate that the regulative effect of Ce on photosynthesis and antioxidant enzymatic function is the ecophysiological basis of alleviating the suppression of UV-B radiation on growth of seedlings. Furthermore, the protective effect of Ce on seedlings exposed to TI level of UV-B radiation is superior to T2 level.     

有机氮替代比例对冬小麦/夏玉米轮作体系作物产量及N2O排放的影响

控制农业温室气体排放(如N_2O)是减缓全球气候变暖的一个重要措施.本研究通过动态监测小麦-玉米轮作体系N_2O排放通量,探究不施任何肥料(对照,CK)、单施氮磷钾化肥(NPK)、75%NPK+25%(有机氮M)(25%M)、50%NPK+50%M(50%M)、25%NPK+75%M(75%M)以及100%M,即不同有机氮替代比例对陕西关中塿土冬小麦/夏玉米轮作体系N_2O排放及作物产量的影响.结果表明,各处理N_2O排放通量在施肥、降雨或灌水后出现排放峰值.在小麦季各处理变化幅度为-1.33~144.2μg·(m~2·h)~(-1),其中NPK处理峰值最高.玉米季各处理变化幅度为88.2~1 800.1μg·(m~2·h)~(-1),50%M处理峰值最高.小麦/玉米一个轮作年不同处理N_2O排放总量为429.8~2 632.1 g·hm~(-2),且50%M25%MNPK75%M100%MCK.无论小麦、玉米还是一个轮作年总产量,施肥处理产量均显著高于对照.小麦季,施用有机肥的处理小麦产量均显著高于单施化肥处理,增幅达26.1%~50.0%.玉米季,50%M和75%M处理产量与NPK相似,而25%M和100%M处理玉米产量显著低于NPK处理.小麦/玉米轮作总产量变幅为9 166~17 496 kg·hm~(-2),其中50%M和75%M处理显著高于NPK处理,25%M和100%M处理与NPK处理无显著差异.综合考虑塿土小麦/玉米轮作体系有机氮替代化肥氮75%最好,可以保证作物产量、实现N_2O减排.     

双氰胺对冬闲稻田和油菜地N2O排放的影响

冬季的温室气体排放往往被忽视,而最新的研究结果表明,冬闲稻田和冬季油菜地N_2O排放仍较大,研究相应的减排措施及减排机制对于减少农田土壤N_2O排放有重要意义.在中国科学院桃源农业生态试验站选择冬闲稻田和油菜地两种不同土地利用方式,并设置添加和不添加双氰胺(DCD)处理,采用静态箱采集和气相色谱法结合监测N_2O排放动态,利用分子生物学手段分析氨氧化古菌(AOA)和氨氧化细菌(AOB)的群落结构和丰度变化.结果表明,添加DCD后明显抑制了冬闲稻田和油菜地N_2O排放,分别减少了36.7%和23.6%.DCD施入抑制了冬闲稻田AOA和AOB的丰度但只改变AOA的群落结构,DCD使AOA和AOB丰度分别减少了59.3%和73.7%.与此相反,添加DCD只改变油菜地AOB的群落结构同时只抑制了AOB的丰度.本研究表明,施加DCD能有效减少冬闲稻田和冬季油菜地N_2O排放,但减排机制不一致.     

施肥与秸秆还田对太湖稻-油复种系统春季杂草群落特征的影响

掌握不同管理模式下稻田杂草群落特征，可以为杂草综合防治及农田生物多样性的保持提供理论依据和技术途径。借助稻-油复种系统长期定位施肥试验（江苏吴江，始于1987年），于2007年春季监测长期不同施肥和秸秆还田对农田杂草群落的影响。施肥与秸秆还田对春季稻田杂草群落结构特征存在显著作用。长期有机无机肥配合施用下（化肥+猪粪+秸秆）杂草生物多样性和生物量均下降；长期不施氮肥下杂草总密度显著增高，达1 810 ind./m2；长期不施肥时，田间野老鹳草成为优势种群，其相对密度达879%；全年秸秆还田（化肥+油菜秸秆+水稻秸秆）下，田间优势杂草种群为禾本科的看麦娘，其相对密度达697%；秋熟水稻秸秆还田下杂草生物量下降，而生物多样性显著提高。上述结果表明，通过合理施肥和秸秆还田措施，可以对稻油复种模式中春季杂草群落进行有效调控。     

高台位旱地石灰性紫色土培肥研究

本文研究了高台位旱地石灰性紫色土的肥力退化因子,并针对紫色母岩矿质养分丰富、易风化成土的特点,以一种培肥耕作法-聚土免耕耕作法培肥土壤。结果表明,采用此耕作法的土壤具有防蚀、抗旱、培肥和自调能力,能提高系统生产力。     

湖北稻区农业资源特点和耕作方式新发展

本文论证了湖北稻区的资源具有三大特点。因此,认定该区应细分为:东南部早三熟双季稻区,中部单、双季稻两热三熟并存区,西北部单季稻两熟区。笔者认为,本区近10年发展麦稻、油稻稻、油稻减少肥稻稻、肥稻其主流是好的;讨论了紫云英大量减步后如何解决有机肥源匮乏的问题。主张今后应积极开发冬种,积极提倡冬作起厢分带间套,既稳定大宗作物的发展,又增产经作、饲料、蔬菜、绿肥,以提高稻田的经济效益。