Internet technology and green productivity in agriculture

The high-quality development of agriculture requires not only sustainable growth of agricultural productivity but also green agricultural production. Internet technology has played an essential role in agricultural production and marketing in China over the past decades. This paper estimates provincial agricultural green growth in China from 1997 to 2019 and decomposes it into technological progress (TP) and efficiency changes (EC) based on the Luenberger productivity indicator method. Then an econometric model is employed to analyze the impact of the Internet on the growth of agricultural green productivity and each sub-component, and moderating role of farmer education in such effect. The empirical results indicated that annual average growth rate of agricultural green productivity in China is 1.33% from 1997 to 2019, and technological progress dominates its growth. The development of Internet technology has a significant positive impact on agricultural green productivity and its decomposition. Farmer education has strengthened the effect of Internet technology on agricultural green productivity and its decomposition TP and EC.

     

Energy productivity and environmental deregulation: the case of Greece

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Among the EU countries, Greece relies heavily on coal the most, and it has lagged behind in cutting emissions. Further, following the oil crisis of...     

Advantages of auxin analogues as plant growth and productivity regulators

The possibility of regulating productivity of potato plants by applying the promising analogues of auxin – compounds TA-12, TA-59, LN-14, LN-16 – has been proved experimentally. The compounds at optimal concentrations (TA-12 1.0, TA-59 0.5, LN-14 and LN-16 1.0 kg/ha) were found to activate the process of tuber formation, increasing the number of tubers and accumulation of assimilates in tubers. TA-12 is characterised by the highest activity: it increased the productivity of potato (~ 6.0 t/ha) as well as sugar-beet root yield (~3.0 t/ha) and sucrose content (~1.1). TA-12 is supposed to affect plant cell through the IAA receptory system.     

The impact of smart city pilots on corporate total factor productivity

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The existing literature on smart city pilots mainly focuses on the city level and rarely addresses the firm level. This paper assesses the impact of...     

Residual and cumulative effects of soil application of sewage sludge on corn productivity

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of frequent and periodic applications of sewage sludge to the soil, on corn productivity. The experiment was carried out as part of an experiment that has been underway since 1999, using two types of sludge. One came from the Barueri Sewage Treatment Station (BS, which receives both household and industrial sludge) and the other came from the Franca Sewage Treatment Station (FS, which receives only household sludge). The Barueri sludge was applied from 1999 up to the agricultural year of 2003/2004. With the exception of the agricultural years of 2004/2005 and 2005/2006, the Franca sludge was applied up to 2008/2009. All the applications were made in November, with the exception of the first one which was made in April 1999. After harvesting the corn, the soil remained fallow until the next cultivation. The experiment was set up as a completely randomized block design with three replications and the following treatments: control without chemical fertilization or sludge application, mineral fertilization, and dose 1 and dose 2 of sludge (Franca and Barueri). The sludges were applied individually. Dose 1 was calculated by considering the recommended N application for corn. Dose 2 was twice dose 1. It was evident from this work that the successive application of sludge to the soil in doses sufficient to reach the productivity desired with the use of nitrogen fertilizers could cause environmental problems due to N losses to the environment and that the residual and cumulative effects should be considered when calculating the application of sludge to soil.     

Investigating the tipping point of crop productivity induced by changing climatic variables

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - South Asia is comprised of several countries, including Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, and Sri Lanka, all ranked highly at risk of climatic variability....     

Changes in primary productivity associated with liming and reacidification of an Adirondack lake

The addition of calcium carbonate to a clearwater acidic lake had a significant effect on phytoplankton abundance and on the biomass-specific rate of production. Chlorophyll concentrations and productivity: biomass ratios were strongly correlated with changes in lake acidity associated with liming and reacidification (r2=0.89 and 0.73, respectively). Summer mean chlorophyll increased by 0.9 mg m(-3) for each unit increase in lake pH, whereas productivity:biomass ratios decreased from > 2 to < 1 with an increase in pH from 5.5 to 7.0. Higher phytoplankton standing crops after liming were attributed to lower grazing rates following the decline of the dominant zooplankton taxa. A model relating biomass-specific productivity to incident light levels was found to be useful in interpreting treatment effects on productivity. Incident light and biomass (based on chlorophyll) accounted for 81% of the variability in productivity at the treated site. Comparisons of photosynthesis-irradiance curves indicated that the maximum photosynthetic capacity was higher following the watershed liming, compared to data collected after lake liming and during reacidification.     

Conservation agricultural practices for minimizing ammonia volatilization and maximizing wheat productivity

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - A large amount of ammonia volatilization from the agricultural system causes environmental problems and increases production costs. Conservation...     

Amelioration of alkali soil using flue gas desulfurization byproducts: productivity and environmental quality

In this study, flue gas desulfurization (FGD) byproducts are used to ameliorate alkali soil. The average application rates for soils with low exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP), mid ESP, and high ESP are 20.9, 30.6, and 59.3 Mg ha(-1), respectively. The experimental results obtained for 3 consecutive years reveal that the emergence ratios and yields of the crops were 1.1-7.6 times and 1.1-13.9 times those of the untreated control, respectively. The concentrations of Cr, Pb, Cd, As, and Hg in the treated soils are far below the background values stipulated by the Environmental Quality Standard for Soils (GB15618-1995). Their concentrations in the seeds of corn and alfalfa grown in the treated soils are far below the tolerance limits regulated by National Food Standards of China. The results of this research demonstrate that the amelioration of alkali soils using FGD byproducts is promising.     

Correction to: Energy productivity and environmental degradation: the case of Greece

Environmental Science and Pollution Research -     

Temporal and spatial characteristics of green total factor productivity in energy-intensive industry in China

China’s energy-intensive industry (EII) is characterized by high pollution, high energy consumption, and high emissions. It is essential to boost this sector’s green total factor productivity (GTFP) in order to support the sustainable development of the China’s economy and help to achieve the objective of carbon neutrality. This work measures the evolution of GTFP in EII and its subsectors at provincial and regional level from 2001 to 2019, identifies the causes of these changes, and finally analyzes the particular spatial aggregation effect of GTFP in EII. It is discovered that the GTFP of China’s EII has significantly improved throughout the sample period and exhibits a spatial structure of “high in the coastal areas and low in the west and center.” The main driver of GTFP growth for China’s EII and its subsectors was technological advance. Smelting and pressing of ferrous metals (SPFM) and smelting and pressing of non-ferrous metals (SPNM) were the industries with the most significant technological progress. Remarkable spatial correlations existed among the GTFP of EII at provincial level. The GTFP values of EII in coastal regions were relatively high and tend to benefit the adjacent provinces but there was a polarization effect in the Middle Reaches of Yellow River (YR). Finally, policy implications are provided for the sustainable development of China’s EII.

     

The total factor productivity index of freshwater aquaculture in China: based on regional heterogeneity

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Continuously improving freshwater aquaculture efficiency will promote the sustainable development of freshwater aquaculture, which is crucial to...     

Factors affecting the performance of a solar still and productivity enhancement methods: A review

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Good-quality drinking water is an essential requirement for a healthy and sustainable future. In the current scenario, people living in remote areas...     

Flue gas desulfurization by-products additions to acid soil: alfalfa productivity and environmental quality

Flue gas desulfurization (FGD) by-products are created when coal is burned and SO2 is removed from the flue gases. These FGD by-products are often alkaline and contain many plant nutrients. Land application of FGD by-products is encouraged but little information is available related to plant responses and environmental impacts concerning such use. Agricultural lime (ag-lime) and several new types of FGD by-products which contain either vermiculite or perlite were applied at 0, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 times the soil's lime requirement (LR) rate to an acidic soil (Wooster silt loam). The highest FGD by-products application rate was equivalent to 75.2 Mg ha(-1). Growth of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) was significantly increased compared to the untreated control in the second year after treatment with yields for the 1 x LR rate of FGD approximately 7-8 times greater compared to the untreated control and 30% greater than for the commercial ag-lime. Concentrations of Mo in alfalfa were significantly increased by FGD by-products application, compared to the untreated control, while compared to the ag-lime treatment, concentrations of B increased and Ba decreased. No soil contamination problems were observed, even at the 2xLR rate, indicating these materials can be safely applied to agricultural soils.     

The total accumulation of heavy metals in body in connection with the dairy productivity of cows

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Monitoring of health status and metabolism of dairy cows is essential for modern milk production. At the current level of productivity of dairy cows,...     

Flood pulse alterations and productivity of the Tonle Sap ecosystem: a model for impact assessment

Tonle Sap Lake is a large and complex data-deficient ecosystem in the Mekong River Basin. Highly valuable in biodiversity and natural livelihoods capital, it is susceptible to degradation when the flood pulse that drives its productivity is altered as a result of hydropower and irrigation development on the Mekong River. To date, there are no tools to assess the consequences of such flood pulse alterations, leaving the Tonle Sap underrated in water-resources use and planning. A combined ecological-hydrodynamic model is presented for the production potential of the Tonle Sap ecosystem and its likely response to hydrological changes.     

Wheat productivity responses in the rice-based system under different no-till techniques and nitrogen sources

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - No-till wheat is gaining popularity in rice-based cropping system as it provides a better chance for timely planting of wheat, management of crop...