Modified Metaheuristics with Transfer Learning Based Insect Pest Classification for Agricultural Crops

Crop insect detection becomes a tedious process for agronomists because a substantial part of the crops is damaged,and due to the pest attacks,the quality is degraded.They are the major reason behind crop quality degradation and diminished crop productivity.Hence,accurate pest detection is essential to guarantee safety and crop quality.Conventional identification of insects necessitates highly trained taxonomists to detect insects precisely based on morphological features.Lately,some progress has been made in agriculture by employing machine learning(ML)to classify and detect pests.This study introduces a Modified Metaheuristics with Transfer Learning based Insect Pest Classification for Agricultural Crops(MMTL-IPCAC)technique.The presented MMTL-IPCAC technique applies contrast limited adaptive histogram equalization(CLAHE)approach for image enhancement.The neural architectural search network(NASNet)model is applied for feature extraction,and a modified grey wolf optimization(MGWO)algorithm is employed for the hyperparameter tuning process,showing the novelty of the work.At last,the extreme gradient boosting(XGBoost)model is utilized to carry out the insect classification procedure.The simulation analysis stated the enhanced performance of the MMTL-IPCAC technique in the insect classification process with maximum accuracy of 98.73%.

Research Progress of Selenium-enriched Agricultural Crops and Horticultural Crops in China

Selenium（Se） is one of the essential trace elements required by humans and animals. It will cause diseases for humans and animals when Se is excessive or lack in the environment.The research status of selenium-enriched agricultural crops and selenium-enriched horticultural crops, functional mechanism and application status of selenium, and the latest progress in the study of selenium enrichment were summarized in this paper.

Allelopathic effects of Mikania cordata on forest and agricultural crops in Bangladesh

Mikania cordata, an invasive weed is becom- ing a problem in the secondary degraded forests and plantations of Bangladesh, not only competing with but also releasing allelochemicals to cultivated crops. Allelo- pathic effects of the leaves of M. cordata were investigated through an experiment in the green house of the Institute of Forestry and Environmental Sciences, University of Chit- tagong, Bangladesh. Five economically important agricul- tural crops （Oryza sativa L., Triticum aestivum L., Vigna sinensis L., Abelmoschus esculentus L. and Amaranthus tricolor L.） and three forest crops （Acacia auriculiformis A. Cunn. ex Benth. ＆ Hook, Albizia procera （Roxb.） Benth., and Paraserianthes falcataria （L.） Nielson） were used as bioassay species. Experiments were conducted on trays at an average room temperature 27 ~C. The effects of dif- ferent concentrations of leaf extracts were compared to controls. Water soluble allelochemicals of M. cordata inhibited the germination and initial growth of the tested agricultural and forest crops. Germination percent of forest crops declined with increasing concentration of extracts. The inhibitory effect on root elongation of forest crops was pronounced, whereas a stimulatory effect was found on P. falcataria up to a concentration of 25 %. Abelmoschus esculentus showed poor germination （%） and low shoot development （0.5 cm） and no development of taproot or lateral roots at treatment of 100 % concentration. Theinhibitory effect was proportional to the concentrations of the extracts with higher concentrations producing stronger inhibitory effects. Lower concentrations showed some stimulatory effect. The inhibitory effect was pronounced in root and lateral root development rather than germination or shoot development of the crops. Mikania cordata should be eradicated for healthy growth and development of the forest and adjacent agricultural crops.

Allelopathic effects of Lantana camara on germination and growth behavior of some agricultural crops in Bangladesh

An experiment was conducted to understand the growth inhibitory effects of aqueous extracts derived from Lantana camara L. （a globally recognized invasive alien weed） on six popular agricultural crops of Bangladesh. The test was conducted in sterilized petridishes with a photoperiod of 24 hours and an average temperature of 29℃. The effect of different concentrations ofL. camara leaf extracts were recorded and compared with control （i.e., distil water）. Result showed different concentrations of aqueous leaf extracts caused significant inhibitory effect on germination, root and shoot elongation and development of lateral roots of receptor crops. Bioassays also indicated that the inhibitory effect was proportional to the concentrations of the extracts and higher concentration had the stronger inhibitory effect whereas the lower concentration showed stimulatory effect in some cases. The inhibitory effect was much pronounced in root and lateral root development rather than shoot and germination.

Physical Analysis of Hail Fall Risk in Iran and the Consequent Damages on Agricultural Crops

Hail is a meteorological phenomenon that directly concerns to agricultural sector in Iran. Hailstorms affect crop yield that depends on the crop species and the phonological time. In this investigation, climatological study of hail fall has been performed through the available dataset in 118 synoptic stations across the country during a period of 20 years (1985-2004) and hail event map was drawn. After analyzing the data and considering the produced maps, regarding the number of hail occurrence in the country, the following provinces respectively illustrate the highest annual mean of hail fall;Chaharmahal-e-bakhtiari, Ilam, Tehran and Kurdistan (about 4 times/yearly). In the next step, using the statistics of the agricultural insurance affairs during 1995-2005, cultivation areas damaged by hail fall in the farms of agricultural strategic products including;irrigated and rain fed wheat, grain, rice, cotton, sugar beet and potato have been studied, and then the classified maps of hail damage have been plotted for each province and crop. The produced maps indicate that most of the damaged area by hail fall has been related to irrigated wheat crop, with an annual average of 12690.8 hectares in the whole country, then the damaged crops were ordered respectively as following: rain fed wheat, sugar beet, potato, grain, cotton and rice.

Diesel Consumption and CO2 Emissions in Agricultural Crops： An Estimation Model and a Forestry-Based Neutralization Proposal

This research presented a mathematical model to calculate the consumption of diesel oil and the respective emissions of CO2from 41 agricultural crops （38 permanent and 3 temporary） in Brazil. It contains data obtained between 2000 and 2012, from accreditedbibliographic sources. In addition to spreadsheets containing diesel consumption, resulting from the analysis of the productive processes,this research presents data on energy conversion and forest development used to subsidize CO2 emissions and mitigation options.Specifically for C sequestration of the atmosphere, four options of forest projects were systematized： （1） reforestation with fast growingspecies; （2） forest protection projects, with enrichment plantations; （3） implementation of agroforestry systems （1 st cycle）; and （4） urbanafforestation projects （streets and parks）. Such alternatives are in line with the proposals of the ＂sectorial plan for mitigation andadaptation to climate change for the consolidation of a low C emission in agriculture＂, of the Brazilian Agricultural ResearchCorporation （EMBRAPA）. The results show that three temporary products （soybean, sugarcane and cotton） are responsible, for at least,85% of all CO2 emissions, comparatively the low consumption of diesel oil verified in the management of the 38 permanent productsstudied in this research. Therefore, in order to contribute to the reduction of the release of CO2 into the atmosphere, perennial crops andecologically rational extractivism should be more encouraged and more supported by the public authorities.

Allelopathic effects of leaf litters of Eucalyptus camaldulensis on some forest and agricultural crops

Allelopathic effects of different doses of Eucalyptus camaldulensis leaf litters were investigated through an experiment in the green house of Institute of Forestry and Environmental Sciences, Chittagong, Bangladesh. Three popular agricultural crops： Falen （Vigna unguiculata）, Chickpea （Cicer arietinum）, Arhor （Cajanus cajan） and two widely used plantation trees： Sada koroi （Albizia procera） and Ipil ipil （Leucaena leucocephala） were selected as bioassay species. Experiment was set on tray at room temperature 27℃. The effects of different doses of leaf litter extracts were compared to the control. Results suggest that leaf litters of E, camaldulesis induced inhibitory effects, It was also found that the effect depend on concentration of extract and litterfall, type of receiver species. Higher concentration of the materials had the higher effect and vice versa. Though all the bioassay species were suppressed some of them showed better performance. Vigna unguiculata, Cicer arietinum are recommended in agroforestry based on this present Experiment output. In mixed plantation, Leucaena leucochephala is a better choice while compared to Albizia procera.

Allelopathic effects of Leucaena leucocephala leaf litter on some forest and agricultural crops grown in nursery

An experiment was conducted to assess the effect of leaf litter of Leucaena leucocephala on two forest crops Sada koroi （Albizia procera）, Ipil ipil （L. leucocephala） and three agricultural crops Falen （Vigna unguiculata）, Chickpea （Citer arietinum） and Arhor （Cajanus cajan） in the nursery of the Institute of Forestry and Environmental Sciences, Chittagong University, Bangladesh, in a Randomized Block Design. Results suggested that leaf litters ofL. leucocephala induced inhibitory effects on germination and growth of bioassay. It was also found that the effect depended on concentration of extract and litterfall, type of receptor species. Higher concentration of the materials had the higher effect and vice versa. Growth response of receptor crops varied with the variation of leaf litter application. The study revealed that application of low-dose leaf litter specially litter of 10 g·m^-2 had stimulating effect on shoot growth of C. arietinum, Vunguiculata and A. procera. While in all other cases significant inhibitory effect was observed and it was significantly increased with the increase of leaf litter application. However, the trend of inhibition was uneven with treatments. Root growth was found to be more affected than shoot growth.

Irrigation Water Demand Model as a Comparative Tool for Assessing Effects of Land Use Changes for Agricultural Crops in Fraser Valley, Canada

Available water for human needs and agriculture is a growing global concern. Agriculture uses approximately 70% of global freshwater, mainly for irrigation. The Lower Fraser Valley (LFV), British Columbia, is one of the most productive agricultural regions in Canada, supporting livestock production and a wide variety of crops. Water scarcity is a growing concern that threatens the long-term productivity, sustainability, and economic viability of the LFV’s agriculture. We used the BC Agriculture Water Demand Model as a tool to determine how crop choice, irrigation system, and land-use changes can affect predicted water requirements under these different conditions, which can aid stakeholders to formulate better management decisions. We conducted a comparative assessment of the irrigation water demand of seven major commercial crops, by distinct soil management groups, at nineteen representative sites, that use both sprinkler vs drip irrigation. Drip irrigation was consistently more water-efficient than sprinkler irrigation for all crops. Of the major commercial crops assessed, raspberries were the most efficient in irrigation water demand, while forage and pasture had the highest calculated irrigation water demand. Significant reductions in total irrigation water demand (up to 57%) can be made by switching irrigation systems and/or crops. This assessment can aid LFV growers in their land-use choices and could contribute to the selection of water management decisions and agricultural policies.

Cyazypyr^(TM) Selectivity for Three Species of Phytoseiid for Coffee and Other Relevant Agricultural Crops in Brazil

Mites belonging to the family Phytoseiidae are the most important and most widely studied among predatory mites of phytophagous mites. The phytophagous mites Brevipalpus phoenicis (Geijskes, 1939) (Tenuipalpidae) and Oligonychus ilicis (McGregor, 1917) (Tetranychidae) on coffee (Coffea spp.), are frequently found in combination with the predaceous mites Iphiseiodes zuluagai Denmark & Muma, 1972;Euseius alatus DeLeon, 1966 and Amblyseius herbicolus (Chant, 1959) (Acari: Phytoseiidae), among others. The purpose of this research was to study the effects of the product CyazypyrTM (cyantraniliprole 100 OD) on these three species of Phytoseiidae, relevant to coffee, citrus and other agricultural crops in Brazil, following standard laboratory procedures. Mated female mites were exposed to fresh-dried residues on a glass surface, with 8 treatments, 5 mites per glass plate and 6 replicates, in a completely randomized experimental design. Each test lasted eight days, with a daily count of the surviving females and of eggs laid. CyazypyrTM, in all tested doses (75, 100, 125, 150, 175 and 200 g a.i./ha), was selective for the studied species, A. herbicolus, I. zuluagai, and E. alatus. Overall the treatments resulted in low mortality rates and negligible impact on the reproduction. Therefore, based on IOBC standards, CyazypyrTMcan be classified as not harmful (class 1) or slightly harmful (class 2), comparable to the agrochemical TalentoTM (hexythiazox 500 WP-12 g a.i./ha) equivalent to a harmless standard of selectivity in the laboratory. CyazypyrTM is therefore a complement to programs of integrated pest management, to preserve the populations of predatory mites in crops of coffee and citrus, among others, in Brazil.

Temporary Crops in the Brazilian Agricultural Frontier

Food production remains one of the main challenges for humankind in this century, and Brazil is one of the largest food-producing countries that have yet some land for economically or technically profitable farming expansion. Moreover, knowing which areas constitute the Brazilian agricultural frontier is crucial for improving public policies and logistics infrastructure decisions. Data from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics from 1995 to 2019 were used in this study. We aimed to map and measure the expansion of agricultural areas in Brazil from 1995 to 2019 for temporary crops according to their mesoregions. We used a four-stage methodology, compared the results of two agglomerative clustering methods, and identified similar mesoregions based on their share trends in the Brazilian agricultural seeded area. Some mesoregions had higher positive trend values for their share of the Brazilian agricultural seeded area: Mato-grossense North (MT), Mato-grossense Northeast (MT), Mato Grosso do Sul Southwest (MS), Goiano South (GO), Extreme West Bahia (BA), Maranhense South (MA), Piauiense Southwest (PI), and Tocantins Eastern (TO). As a second leading group, the Paranaíba Upstream (MG), São José do Rio Preto (SP), Mato-grossense Southeast (MT), and Goiano East (GO), must be emphasized. Further research is recommended, including extending the study to permanent crops and applying top-down analysis targeting microregions or municipalities in the identified mesoregions.

Production response to price risk and market liberalization of Nigerian major agricultural crops

This study models supply response for major agricultural crops in Nigeria which include the standard arguments and price risk. The data comes from Central Bank of Nigeria annual reports and statement of account, National Bureau of Statistics＇ abstract of statistics and annual Agricultural survey manual. The data are analyzed using autoregressive distributed lag and cointegration and error correction models. The results indicate that producers are responsive not only to price but also to price risk and exchange rate.

Partnering crops with root-associated microbes for soil health and agricultural sustainability

Increasing global demand for food presents a significant challenge to maintaining soil health and sustainable production of agricultural crops. As plant root-associated microbial fitness is greatly impacted by community growth, development, and nutrient acquisition, the cultivation of functional assembly of root-associated microbes may provide solutions for achieving food security while maintaining healthy soils. Here, we propose a four-part strategy to promote soil health and agricultural productivity by partnering crops with root-associated microbes.

A dual-RPA based lateral flow strip for sensitive,on-site detection of CP4-EPSPS and Cry1Ab/Ac genes in genetically modified crops

Traditional transgenic detection methods require high test conditions and struggle to be both sensitive and efficient.In this study,a one-tube dual recombinase polymerase amplification(RPA)reaction system for CP4-EPSPS and Cry1Ab/Ac was proposed and combined with a lateral flow immunochromatographic assay,named“Dual-RPA-LFD”,to visualize the dual detection of genetically modified(GM)crops.In which,the herbicide tolerance gene CP4-EPSPS and the insect resistance gene Cry1Ab/Ac were selected as targets taking into account the current status of the most widespread application of insect resistance and herbicide tolerance traits and their stacked traits.Gradient diluted plasmids,transgenic standards,and actual samples were used as templates to conduct sensitivity,specificity,and practicality assays,respectively.The constructed method achieved the visual detection of plasmid at levels as low as 100 copies,demonstrating its high sensitivity.In addition,good applicability to transgenic samples was observed,with no cross-interference between two test lines and no influence from other genes.In conclusion,this strategy achieved the expected purpose of simultaneous detection of the two popular targets in GM crops within 20 min at 37°C in a rapid,equipmentfree field manner,providing a new alternative for rapid screening for transgenic assays in the field.

Spatio-Temporal Agricultural Drought Quantification in a Rainfed Agriculture, Athi-Galana-Sabaki River Basin

This study employs a quantitative approach to comprehensively investigate the full propagation process of agricultural drought, focusing on pigeon peas (the most grown crop in the AGS Basin) planting seasonal variations. The study modelled seasonal variabilities in the seasonal Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and Standardized Agricultural Drought Index (SADI). To necessitate comparison, SADI and SPI were Normalized (from −1 to 1) as they had different ranges and hence could not be compared. From the seasonal indices, the pigeon peas planting season (July to September) was singled out as the most important season to study agricultural droughts. The planting season analysis selected all years with severe conditions (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2017 and 2022) for spatial analysis. Spatial analysis revealed that most areas in the upstream part of the Basin and Coastal region in the lowlands experienced severe to extreme agricultural droughts in highlighted drought years. The modelled agricultural drought results were validated using yield data from two stations in the Basin. The results show that the model performed well with a Pearson Coefficient of 0.87 and a Root Mean Square Error of 0.29. This proactive approach aims to ensure food security, especially in scenarios where the Basin anticipates significantly reduced precipitation affecting water available for agriculture, enabling policymakers, water resource managers and agricultural sector stakeholders to equitably allocate resources and mitigate the effects of droughts in the most affected areas to significantly reduce the socioeconomic drought that is amplified by agricultural drought in rainfed agriculture river basins.

Near-Surface Soil Chemical Properties as Affected by Cover Crops Over Time in the Lower Mississippi River Valley

Typical row-crop agricultural practices can potentially be harmful to soil health and future sustainability. The use of cover crops (CC) as a mechanism to improve soil health on a wide scale remains underutilized. Soil health remains a major concern for the sustainability of agricultural productivity, therefore, research into CC implementation as a mean to preserve or improve soil health is warranted. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of CC on the soils in the eastern Arkansas portion of the Lower Mississippi River Valley (LMRV) over time for various chemical soil parameters, including pH, soil organic matter (SOM), soil elemental contents (i.e., P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Na, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, and B), soil respiration, and a generalized soil health score index. Soil pH decreased over time under both CC and no-cover-crop (NCC) treatments, by −0.3 and −0.2, respectively. Soil OM decreased over time under NCC by −0.1%, but did not differ between CC treatments. Soil N availability decreased over time under NCC (−22.6 kg·ha−1), but did not change over time under CC. Soil respiration decreased over time under both CC and NCC, by −76.1 mg·L−1 and −77.3 mg·L−1, respectively, though there was no effect of CC treatment. The Haney soil health score index decreased under CC (−7.0) and NCC (−6.8) without an effect from CC treatment. Results of the study place emphasis on the temporal nature of soil health as influenced by cover crops and their potential to improve soil health.

Demography and Socio-Economic Aspects on Irrigated Smallholder Agricultural Enterprises and Their Association with the Cultivation of Maize (Zea mays L.) as a Selected Field Crop

The purpose of this study is to correlate demography and socio-economic aspects at Irrigated Smallholder Agricultural Enterprises and their association with the Cultivation of Maize in order to determine its positive impacts at irrigated smallholders’ agricultural entrepreneurs’ household. Chi-square test was used as descriptive analysis method. The Fischer Exact tests were employed to test demography (gender, age, education, and income) in winter and summer production season of irrigated smallholder agricultural enterprises and their association with the cultivation of selected field crop (i.e. maize). The results show that gender results were not being statistically significant, as measured by the Phi measure of effect size, φ = 0.149, p = 0.011, and φ = 0.05, p = 0.392 in summer. As far as age is concern, it appears to be a statistically significant association between cultivating maize and age in winter, φ = 0.046, p = 0.730 in winter and φ = 0.172, p = 0.013. Education winter result not being statistically significant, the effect size showed a weak association, as measured by the Phi measure of effect size, φ = 0.112, p = 0.305 and φ = 0.035, p = 0.948 in summer. Income result not being statistically significant, as measured by the Phi measure of effect size, φ = 0.049, p = 0.399 and φ = 0.081, p = 0.166 in summer. In conclusion, the study shows that the development of best management practices must be based on a comprehensive analysis of the livelihoods and irrigated smallholder agricultural enterprise farming styles of participating irrigated smallholder agricultural entrepreneurs.

Mixed Integer Robust Programming Model for Multimodal Fresh Agricultural Products Terminal Distribution Network Design

The low efficiency and high cost of fresh agricultural product terminal distribution directly restrict the operation of the entire supply network.To reduce costs and optimize the distribution network,we construct a mixed integer programmingmodel that comprehensively considers tominimize fixed,transportation,fresh-keeping,time,carbon emissions,and performance incentive costs.We analyzed the performance of traditional rider distribution and robot distribution modes in detail.In addition,the uncertainty of the actual market demand poses a huge threat to the stability of the terminal distribution network.In order to resist uncertain interference,we further extend the model to a robust counterpart form.The results of the simulation show that the instability of random parameters will lead to an increase in the cost.Compared with the traditional rider distribution mode,the robot distribution mode can save 12.7%on logistics costs,and the distribution efficiency is higher.Our research can provide support for the design of planning schemes for transportation enterprise managers.

Guarantee Strategy for the Safety of Agricultural Industry in Hunan Province

The safety of agricultural industry in Hunan Province shows an upward trend from"basically safe"to"very safe",but the state in the"safe"or"very safe"range is still unstable.In view of this,Hunan Province should guarantee the agricultural production ability,cultivate and enhance the core competitiveness of agriculture,firmly grasp the agricultural control power,attach importance to the export quality of agri-cultural products and other aspects to ensure the safety of agricultural industry.

Harm of Hail to Crops and Countermeasures of Artificial Hail Suppression in Ulanqab City

Hail is one of meteorological disasters affecting crop growth in Ulanqab City.It happens frequently from May to September,and this period is also the main growing season of crops.In this period,hail will cause damage to crops,make farmland soil harden,and bring varying degrees of harm to agricultural production.Artificial hail suppression is an important scientific and technological means for disaster prevention and mitigation.It is necessary to strengthen the monitoring,analysis and forecast of severe convection weather,intensify the release of early warning information of hail weather,provide accurate and reliable real-time information for the implementation of artificial hail suppression operations,strengthen the implementation of artificial weather modification,effectively carry out artificial hail suppression operations,and avoid and reduce the impact of hail disaster.