Food and Energy Security最新文献

This study aims to balance yield and quality by selecting varieties and optimizing agronomic management practices. In 2023, field trials evaluated 35 new rice varieties for yield and grain quality. In 2024, four varieties with varying yield and quality performance underwent a split-plot design for further investigation with two sowing dates (S1: 14th May and S2: 29th May) and two nitrogen (N) rates (N1: 120 and N2: 180 kg N ha⁻¹). In 2023, the grain yield of these varieties ranged from 7.3 to 10.2 t ha⁻¹, with chalkiness degree 3.7%–29.0%. The selected variety Cheng Liang You (CLY607) in 2024 reached a peak yield of 9.3 t ha⁻¹ with early sowing on 14th May and 180 kg N ha⁻¹. The increased yield was attributed to higher N uptake, improved grain filling percentage, increased biomass, and a higher harvest index. Delayed sowing resulted in lower daily radiation but maintained heat stress in a hot year of 2024, which reduced leaf area index (LAI) and biomass, lowered grain filling percentage and head rice rate, but increased chalkiness. Early sowing with a low N rate improved eating quality due to the reduced protein content and stabilized amylose levels, yet led to increased chalkiness. It also altered protein composition to more glutelin and less prolamin. On the contrary, a high N rate increased total protein content in grain but negatively affected rice taste quality. In conclusion, CLY607 showed high-temperature tolerance for yield and quality; delaying sowing did not relieve the detrimental impact of high temperatures on crop yield and quality in extreme heat years; a high N rate increased resilience to high temperature by boosting yield and reducing chalkiness, but lowered eating quality.

This study aims to balance yield and quality by selecting varieties and optimizing agronomic management practices. In 2023, field trials evaluated 35 new rice varieties for yield and grain quality. In 2024, four varieties with varying yield and quality performance underwent a split-plot design for further investigation with two sowing dates (S1: 14th May and S2: 29th May) and two nitrogen (N) rates (N1: 120 and N2: 180 kg N ha⁻¹). In 2023, the grain yield of these varieties ranged from 7.3 to 10.2 t ha⁻¹, with chalkiness degree 3.7%–29.0%. The selected variety Cheng Liang You (CLY607) in 2024 reached a peak yield of 9.3 t ha⁻¹ with early sowing on 14th May and 180 kg N ha⁻¹. The increased yield was attributed to higher N uptake, improved grain filling percentage, increased biomass, and a higher harvest index. Delayed sowing resulted in lower daily radiation but maintained heat stress in a hot year of 2024, which reduced leaf area index (LAI) and biomass, lowered grain filling percentage and head rice rate, but increased chalkiness. Early sowing with a low N rate improved eating quality due to the reduced protein content and stabilized amylose levels, yet led to increased chalkiness. It also altered protein composition to more glutelin and less prolamin. On the contrary, a high N rate increased total protein content in grain but negatively affected rice taste quality. In conclusion, CLY607 showed high-temperature tolerance for yield and quality; delaying sowing did not relieve the detrimental impact of high temperatures on crop yield and quality in extreme heat years; a high N rate increased resilience to high temperature by boosting yield and reducing chalkiness, but lowered eating quality.

Over the past three decades, Somalia has experienced recurrent civil conflic and prolonged droughts. These crises have displaced farming communities, weakened traditional seed systems and disrupted local crop diversity. Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp) is Somalia's most important food crop after maize and sorghum, where it provides households with affordable protein and supports the sustainability of low-input farming systems. This study aimed to assess the current status of cowpea production, identify breeding priorities across three agroecological zones in southern Somalia, and establish a core germplasm collection for future breeding programs. Farmer surveys were conducted in Baidoa, Afgoie and Jowhar, involving interviews with 150 farmers using a semi-structured questionnaire. Over 60% of farmers cultivated cowpea for both household consumption and market sale. While cowpea was predominantly grown as an intercrop, nearly 45% of farmers in Afgoie produced it as a sole crop. Regional differences in varietal preferences were evident: more farmers in Afgoie preferred erect, uniformly maturing cultivars with dark-red seeds, while other regions showed more diverse preferences. Production constraints also varied by region, with drought being the primary limitation in Baidoa, and pests and diseases the major challenges in Afgoie and Jowhar. A germplasm collection representing Somalia's cowpea diversity from pre- and post-civil war periods was established, supplemented by global diversity and accessions with desirable agronomic traits. These genetic resources, together with farmer insights, provide a foundation for targeted breeding to improve cowpea productivity and support future food security in Somalia.

Over the past three decades, Somalia has experienced recurrent civil conflic and prolonged droughts. These crises have displaced farming communities, weakened traditional seed systems and disrupted local crop diversity. Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp) is Somalia's most important food crop after maize and sorghum, where it provides households with affordable protein and supports the sustainability of low-input farming systems. This study aimed to assess the current status of cowpea production, identify breeding priorities across three agroecological zones in southern Somalia, and establish a core germplasm collection for future breeding programs. Farmer surveys were conducted in Baidoa, Afgoie and Jowhar, involving interviews with 150 farmers using a semi-structured questionnaire. Over 60% of farmers cultivated cowpea for both household consumption and market sale. While cowpea was predominantly grown as an intercrop, nearly 45% of farmers in Afgoie produced it as a sole crop. Regional differences in varietal preferences were evident: more farmers in Afgoie preferred erect, uniformly maturing cultivars with dark-red seeds, while other regions showed more diverse preferences. Production constraints also varied by region, with drought being the primary limitation in Baidoa, and pests and diseases the major challenges in Afgoie and Jowhar. A germplasm collection representing Somalia's cowpea diversity from pre- and post-civil war periods was established, supplemented by global diversity and accessions with desirable agronomic traits. These genetic resources, together with farmer insights, provide a foundation for targeted breeding to improve cowpea productivity and support future food security in Somalia.

High nitrogen (N) application usually increases protein content to impair rice cooking and eating quality. Mitigating this deterioration under high N conditions remains to be explored. Alternate wetting and moderate drying irrigation (AWMD) can interact with N fertilizer to improve rice quality. To investigate the effects of AWMD on rice protein content and cooking and eating quality, Nanjing 9108 (NJ9108), a superior-tasting japonica variety, was planted. With 150 kg N hm⁻² applied as the base-tiller fertilizer, four panicle-stage N rates (0, 70, 140, and 210 kg hm⁻², denoted as 0, 70, 140, and 210 N, respectively) were tested. Two irrigation regimes of conventional irrigation (CI) and AWMD were implemented during the grain-filling stage. The results showed that increasing panicle N fertilizer enhanced the contents of protein and total amino acids (TAAs) in milled rice, as well as the activities and gene expressions of the key enzymes involved in protein synthesis. Compared with CI, AWMD increased the contents of protein and TAAs and enzymatic activity and gene expressions under 0 and 70 N treatments, but it reduced these parameters at high panicle N rates (140 and 210 N). Principal component analysis indicated that expression levels of OsAAT and OsAlaAT1 genes and TAAs content can be key parameters for evaluating protein synthetic capacity in rice grains. Correlation analysis revealed that the measured parameters related to protein synthesis had a significant negative correlation with rice cooking and eating quality. These results suggest that the AWMD regime can alleviate the decline in rice cooking and eating quality by reducing protein content at high panicle N fertilizer levels. The taste quality of superior taste japonica rice can be improved by adopting the AWMD regime under high panicle N fertilizer conditions.

High nitrogen (N) application usually increases protein content to impair rice cooking and eating quality. Mitigating this deterioration under high N conditions remains to be explored. Alternate wetting and moderate drying irrigation (AWMD) can interact with N fertilizer to improve rice quality. To investigate the effects of AWMD on rice protein content and cooking and eating quality, Nanjing 9108 (NJ9108), a superior-tasting japonica variety, was planted. With 150 kg N hm⁻² applied as the base-tiller fertilizer, four panicle-stage N rates (0, 70, 140, and 210 kg hm⁻², denoted as 0, 70, 140, and 210 N, respectively) were tested. Two irrigation regimes of conventional irrigation (CI) and AWMD were implemented during the grain-filling stage. The results showed that increasing panicle N fertilizer enhanced the contents of protein and total amino acids (TAAs) in milled rice, as well as the activities and gene expressions of the key enzymes involved in protein synthesis. Compared with CI, AWMD increased the contents of protein and TAAs and enzymatic activity and gene expressions under 0 and 70 N treatments, but it reduced these parameters at high panicle N rates (140 and 210 N). Principal component analysis indicated that expression levels of OsAAT and OsAlaAT1 genes and TAAs content can be key parameters for evaluating protein synthetic capacity in rice grains. Correlation analysis revealed that the measured parameters related to protein synthesis had a significant negative correlation with rice cooking and eating quality. These results suggest that the AWMD regime can alleviate the decline in rice cooking and eating quality by reducing protein content at high panicle N fertilizer levels. The taste quality of superior taste japonica rice can be improved by adopting the AWMD regime under high panicle N fertilizer conditions.

Despite extensive research on climate-related vulnerabilities in Bangladesh's wetland ecosystems, there remains limited empirical evidence on the drivers of combined harvester adoption in rice cultivation, particularly in flash flood-prone regions. This study examines the determinants of combined harvester adoption and its subsequent effects on market participation and household welfare among smallholder farmers in the wetland areas of Sunamganj district in Bangladesh. Leveraging a multistage random sampling technique, we collected household-level data from 200 boro rice growers. The empirical strategy employs a Probit model to identify the determinants of combined harvester adoption and a Heckman two stage selection model to account for potential selection bias in estimating the effects on market participation and welfare outcomes. Our findings indicate that combined harvester adoption is significantly influenced by farm size, household income, land tenure arrangement, and access to agricultural information. Landowners exhibit an 11.4% higher likelihood of adoption, while access to information increases adoption probability by 16.1%, underscoring the salience of information asymmetries in technology diffusion. Moreover, combined harvester adoption significantly enhances market participation, leading to higher per capita income and expenditure among smallholders. Additionally, Heckman two stage estimates indicate that adopters benefit from increased productivity and reduced labor constraints than non-adopters. These findings highlight the importance of improving information access, strengthening extension services, and enabling land consolidation to promote combined harvester adoption in the clmate vulnerable wetland areas. Overall, expanding information access, strengthening extension services, and supporting larger farm operations can significantly boost combined harvester adoption and market participation, ultimately improving smallholder resilience and livelihoods.

Despite extensive research on climate-related vulnerabilities in Bangladesh's wetland ecosystems, there remains limited empirical evidence on the drivers of combined harvester adoption in rice cultivation, particularly in flash flood-prone regions. This study examines the determinants of combined harvester adoption and its subsequent effects on market participation and household welfare among smallholder farmers in the wetland areas of Sunamganj district in Bangladesh. Leveraging a multistage random sampling technique, we collected household-level data from 200 boro rice growers. The empirical strategy employs a Probit model to identify the determinants of combined harvester adoption and a Heckman two stage selection model to account for potential selection bias in estimating the effects on market participation and welfare outcomes. Our findings indicate that combined harvester adoption is significantly influenced by farm size, household income, land tenure arrangement, and access to agricultural information. Landowners exhibit an 11.4% higher likelihood of adoption, while access to information increases adoption probability by 16.1%, underscoring the salience of information asymmetries in technology diffusion. Moreover, combined harvester adoption significantly enhances market participation, leading to higher per capita income and expenditure among smallholders. Additionally, Heckman two stage estimates indicate that adopters benefit from increased productivity and reduced labor constraints than non-adopters. These findings highlight the importance of improving information access, strengthening extension services, and enabling land consolidation to promote combined harvester adoption in the clmate vulnerable wetland areas. Overall, expanding information access, strengthening extension services, and supporting larger farm operations can significantly boost combined harvester adoption and market participation, ultimately improving smallholder resilience and livelihoods.

Low dairy sector performance is a significant barrier to agricultural transformation in developing countries, where improving dairy productivity can drive market participation and commercialization. Smallholder farmers often struggle to realize the benefits of commercialization due to institutional challenges and supply-side constraints that limit productivity and reduce marketable surpluses. This study investigates the socioeconomic, infrastructural, and institutional factors affecting dairy sector performance and its role in boosting smallholder commercialization in Bangladesh. Using data from rural smallholder farmers in the Sirajganj district, the study employs Cragg's Double-Hurdle model to examine dairy commercialization as a two-step process: market participation and the extent of participation (sales volume). The findings reveal that higher milk production enhances both market participation and sales volume. Moreover, household head age and experience positively influence market participation, while education level, vocational training, and family labor increase sales. However, greater market distance hinders participation, underscoring the need for improved infrastructure. Policy recommendations include increasing milk production through training and resources, enhancing market infrastructure, reducing transport costs, expanding vocational training, addressing gender barriers, and promoting education. These measures can strengthen smallholder dairy farmers' market engagement and improve their economic outcomes, contributing to agricultural transformation in Bangladesh.

Low dairy sector performance is a significant barrier to agricultural transformation in developing countries, where improving dairy productivity can drive market participation and commercialization. Smallholder farmers often struggle to realize the benefits of commercialization due to institutional challenges and supply-side constraints that limit productivity and reduce marketable surpluses. This study investigates the socioeconomic, infrastructural, and institutional factors affecting dairy sector performance and its role in boosting smallholder commercialization in Bangladesh. Using data from rural smallholder farmers in the Sirajganj district, the study employs Cragg's Double-Hurdle model to examine dairy commercialization as a two-step process: market participation and the extent of participation (sales volume). The findings reveal that higher milk production enhances both market participation and sales volume. Moreover, household head age and experience positively influence market participation, while education level, vocational training, and family labor increase sales. However, greater market distance hinders participation, underscoring the need for improved infrastructure. Policy recommendations include increasing milk production through training and resources, enhancing market infrastructure, reducing transport costs, expanding vocational training, addressing gender barriers, and promoting education. These measures can strengthen smallholder dairy farmers' market engagement and improve their economic outcomes, contributing to agricultural transformation in Bangladesh.