Light Use Efficiency Model Based on Chlorophyll Content Better Captures Seasonal Gross Primary Production Dynamics of Deciduous Broadleaf Forests

Gross primary production(GPP)is a crucial indicator representing the absorption of atmospheric CO_(2) by vegetation.At present,the estimation of GPP by remote sensing is mainly based on leaf-related vegetation indexes and leaf-related biophysical para-meter leaf area index(LAI),which are not completely synchronized in seasonality with GPP.In this study,we proposed chlorophyll content-based light use efficiency model(CC-LUE)to improve GPP estimates,as chlorophyll is the direct site of photosynthesis,and only the light absorbed by chlorophyll is used in the photosynthetic process.The CC-LUE model is constructed by establishing a linear correlation between satellite-derived canopy chlorophyll content(Chlcanopy)and FPAR.This method was calibrated and validated utiliz-ing 7-d averaged in-situ GPP data from 14 eddy covariance flux towers covering deciduous broadleaf forest ecosystems across five dif-ferent climate zones.Results showed a relatively robust seasonal consistency between Chlcanopy with GPP in deciduous broadleaf forests under different climatic conditions.The CC-LUE model explained 88% of the in-situ GPP seasonality for all validation site-year and 56.0% of in-situ GPP variations through the growing season,outperforming the three widely used LUE models(MODIS-GPP algorithm,Vegetation Photosynthesis Model(VPM),and the eddy covariance-light use efficiency model(EC-LUE)).Additionally,the CC-LUE model(RMSE=0.50 g C/(m^(2)·d))significantly improved the underestimation of GPP during the growing season in semi-arid region,re-markably decreasing the root mean square error of averaged growing season GPP simulation and in-situ GPP by 75.4%,73.4%,and 37.5%,compared with MOD17(RMSE=2.03 g C/(m^(2)·d)),VPM(RMSE=1.88 g C/(m^(2)·d)),and EC-LUE(RMSE=0.80 g C/(m^(2)·d))model.The chlorophyll-based method proved superior in capturing the seasonal variations of GPP in forest ecosystems,thereby provid-ing the possibility of a more precise depiction of forest seasonal carbon uptake.

Research on the Production Efficiency and Utilizing Rate of Potassium Fertilizer for Rape in Yunnan Province

[Objective] This study aimed at investigating the effects of consumption of potassium fertilizer on production and biological characteristics of rape and utilizing efficiency of potassium fertilizer.[Method] Taking 0 kg/hm2 as control,nine consumptions of potassium fertilizer were designed for the experiment using single factor randomized block design with three replications and field experiment in nine rape-producing areas with different ecological types in Yunnan Province.[Result] Appropriately applying potassium fertilizer in Yunnan Province could improve the rapeseed production,the rape production could achieve 3 983-4 151 kg when applied 150-180 kg/hm2 of K2O,which had increased by 4.7-9.1% compared with the control and attained the peak in K165 treatment.When applied 1 kg of K2O,the rapeseed production could enhance 559 kg,the net profit could reach 1 229 yuan/hm2 and the partial productivity of potassium fertilizer could attain 31.32 kg/kg K2O and 3.7 kg/kg K2O,respectively.Applying potassium fertilizer could promote the growth of rape and increase rapeseed production.[Conclusion] The recommended optimal consumptions of potassium fertilizer with high production and high efficiency for rape in Yunnan Province were ranged between 150 and 180 kg K2O/hm2.However,comprehensively considering production and efficiency factors,the consumption of potassium fertilizer in Yunnan Province was around 73.9 kg/hm2,which should be appropriately increased to around 100.0 kg/hm2 in Longchuan,Yulong,Linxiang and other producing areas with similar conditions.

Productivity and technical efficiency of Robusta coffee farms at varying elevation categories in Sultan Kudarat, Philippines: implications on sustainability

Elevation can affect agricultural outputs,affecting farms’productivity and efficiency.This article identified the significant production inputs influencing productivity and factors influencing technical efficiency(TE)and determined the average TE scores of Robusta coffee farms at varying elevations in Sultan Kudarat,Philippines.Cross-sectional data from the Mahintana Foundation,Inc.using random stratified sampling and power analysis from September 9,2021,to January 13,2022,were used to analyze 604 farms from areas ranging from 0.33 to 1284.18 above mean sea level(amsl),classified as low,medium,and high elevation.Open-Data-Kit-based(ODK)mobile data collection systems were utilized to precisely determine the farms’coordinates and elevation.Using stochastic frontier analysis,results showed that increasing the total fertilizer amount and total trees by 1%significantly increased yield by 0.20%and 0.79%,respectively.Meanwhile,increasing the total land area by 1%,including areas unutilized for coffee farming,decreases total yield by 0.11%.Regarding TE,results showed that TE decreases by approximately 0.58%at high elevations.Meanwhile,increasing net income from coffee farming alone by 1%significantly increases TE by 0.00008%.With an average TE of 0.60,0.77,and 0.63 in low,medium,and high elevations,farms may be incentivized to improve farming practices to increase their TE further.TE improvement recommendations include promoting coffee-agroforestry systems and ecolabelling at medium elevations,such as shade-grown coffee,to promote sustainable production in Robusta coffee farms by assigning a premium to consumers demanding environmental conservation.

Efficiency and sustainability of the tourism industry in Latin America

The tourism industry is economically very important.According to the World Travel Tourism Council,in 2019,the tourism industry accounted for a quarter of all new jobs created worldwide,10.3%of all jobs,and 9.6×1012 USD of the global gross domestic product.This study aimed to calculate the tourism efficiency index for different Latin American countries from 2010 to 2021 using data envelopment analysis,which analyzes the relationships between input variables(including the number of employees in the tourism industry and the number of hotel-type establishments)and output variables(including tourism expenditures in other countries and public social expenditures in recreation and culture per capita).Additionally,this study aimed to identify the countries with greater tourism development and the factors that may affect the development of the tourism industry through the stochastic frontier production function.The results of the tourism efficiency index for Central America(including Costa Rica,Dominica,El Salvador,Honduras,Mexico,and Panama)and South America(including Argentina,Brazil,Chile,Colombia,Ecuador,Paraguay,Peru,and Uruguay)exhibited different trends.However,after the global health crisis,the tourism industry recovered,showing new opportunities to promote sustainability.The results of the stochastic frontier production function demonstrated that countries with higher levels of inbound and outbound tourism,contribution of tourism to the economy,natural resources,and literacy rate exhibited more efficient tourism industry,whereas countries with higher pollution levels exhibited less efficient tourism industry.The findings of this study could allow us to formulate suitable public policies to promote tourism,maintain natural resources,and diversify these sectors with more inclusive programmes that can facilitate growth and benefit vulnerable communities.

Effects of grazing on net primary productivity,evapotranspiration and water use efficiency in the grasslands of Xinjiang,China

Grazing is a main human activity in the grasslands of Xinjiang, China. It is vital to identify the effects of grazing on the sustainable utilization of local grasslands. However, the effects of grazing on net primary productivity （NPP）, evapotranspiration （ET） and water use efficiency （WUE） in this region remain unclear. Using the spatial Biome-BGC grazing model, we explored the effects of grazing on NPP, ET and WUE across the different regions and grassland types in Xinjiang during 1979-2012. NPP, ET and WUE under the grazed scenario were generally lower than those under the ungrazed scenario, and the differences showed increasing trends over time. The decreases in NPP, ET and WUE varied significantly among the regions and grassland types. NPP decreased as follows： among the regions, Northern Xinjiang （16.60 g C/（m2·a））, Tianshan Mountains （15.94 g C/（m2·a）） and Southern Xinjiang （-3.54 g C/（m2·a））; and among the grassland types, typical grasslands （25.70 g C/（m2·a））, swamp meadows （25.26 g C/（m2·a））, mid-mountain meadows （23.39 g C/（m2·a））, alpine meadows （6.33 g C/（m2·a））, desert grasslands （5.82 g C/（m2·a）） and saline meadows （2.90 g C/（me.a））. ET decreased as follows： among the regions, Tianshan Mountains （28.95 mm/a）, Northern Xinjiang （8.11 mm/a） and Southern Xinjiang （7.57 mm/a）; and among the grassland types, mid-mountain meadows （29.30 mm/a）, swamp meadows （25.07 mm·a）, typical grasslands （24.56 mm/a）, alpine meadows （20.69 mm/a）, desert grasslands （11.06 mm/a） and saline meadows （3.44 mm/a）. WUE decreased as follows： among the regions, Northern Xinjiang （0.053 g C/kg H2O）, Tianshan Mountains （0.034 g C/kg H2O） and Southern Xinjiang （0.012 g C/kg H2O）; and among the grassland types, typical grasslands （0.0609 g C/kg H2O）, swamp meadows （0.0548 g C/kg H2O）, mid-mountain meadows （0.0501 g C/kg H2O）, desert grasslands （0.0172 g C/kg H2O）, alpine meadows （0.0121 g C/kg H2O） and saline meadows （0.0067 g C/kg H2O）. In general, the decreases in NPP and WUE were more significant in the regions with relatively high levels of vegetation growth because of the high grazing intensity in these regions. The decreases in ET were significant in mountainous areas due to the terrain and high grazing intensity.

Modeling grassland net primary productivity and water-use efficiency along an elevational gradient of the Northern Tianshan Mountains

Mountainous ecosystems are considered highly sensitive and vulnerable to natural disasters and cli- rnatic changes. Therefore, quantifying the effects of elevation on grassland productivity to understand ecosys- tem-climate interactions is vital for mountainous ecosystems. Water-use efficiency （WUE） provides a useful index for understanding the metabolism of terrestrial ecosystems as well as for evaluating the degradation of grasslands. This paper explored net primary productivity （NPP） and WUE in grasslands along an elevational gradient ranging from 400 to 3,400 m asl in the northern Tianshan Mountains-southern Junggar Basin （TMJB）, Xinjiang of China, using the Biome-BGC model. The results showed that： 1 ） the NPP increased by 0.05 g C/（m2-a） with every increase of 1-m elevation, reached the maximum at the mid-high elevation （1,600 m asl）, and then decreased by 0.06 g C/（m2.a） per 1-m increase in elevation; 2） the grassland NPP was positively correlated with temperature in alpine meadow （AM, 2,700-3,500 m asl）, mid-mountain forest meadow （MMFM, 1,650-2,700 m asl） and low-mountain dry grassland （LMDG, 650-1,650 m asl）, while positive correlations were found between NPP and annual precipitation in plain desert grassland （PDG, lower than 650 m asl）; 3） an increase （from 0.08 to 1.09 g C/（m2.a）） in mean NPP for the grassland in TMJB under a real climate change scenario was observed from 1959 to 2009; and 4） remarkable differences in WUE were found among different elevations, in general, WUE increased with decreasing elevation, because water availability is lower at lower elevations; however, at elevations lower than 540 m asl, we did observe a decreasing trend of WUE with decreasing elevation, which may be due to the sharp changes in canopy cover over this gradient. Our research suggests that the NPP simulated by Biome-BGC is consistent with field data, and the modeling provides an opportunity to further evaluate interactions between environmental factors and ecosystem productivity.

Bootstrapping Data Envelopment Analysis of Efficiency and Productivity of County Public Hospitals in Eastern, Central, and Western China after the Public Hospital Reform

China implemented the public hospital reform in 2012. This study utilized bootstrapping data envelopment analysis（DEA） to evaluate the technical efficiency（TE） and productivity of county public hospitals in Eastern, Central, and Western China after the 2012 public hospital reform. Data from 127 county public hospitals（39, 45, and 43 in Eastern, Central, and Western China, respectively） were collected during 2012–2015. Changes of TE and productivity over time were estimated by bootstrapping DEA and bootstrapping Malmquist. The disparities in TE and productivity among public hospitals in the three regions of China were compared by Kruskal–Wallis H test and Mann–Whitney U test. The average bias-corrected TE values for the four-year period were 0.6442, 0.5785, 0.6099, and 0.6094 in Eastern, Central, and Western China, and the entire country respectively, with average non-technical efficiency, low pure technical efficiency（PTE）, and high scale efficiency found. Productivity increased by 8.12%, 0.25%, 12.11%, and 11.58% in China and its three regions during 2012–2015, and such increase in productivity resulted from progressive technological changes by 16.42%, 6.32%, 21.08%, and 21.42%, respectively. The TE and PTE of the county hospitals significantly differed among the three regions of China. Eastern and Western China showed significantly higher TE and PTE than Central China. More than 60% of county public hospitals in China and its three areas operated at decreasing return scales. There was a considerable space for TE improvement in county hospitals in China and its three regions. During 2012–2015, the hospitals experienced progressive productivity; however, the PTE changed adversely. Moreover, Central China continuously achieved a significantly lower efficiency score than Eastern and Western China. Decision makers and administrators in China should identify the causes of the observed inefficiencies and take appropriate measures to increase the efficiency of county public hospitals in the three areas of China, especially in Central China.

Efficiency and productivity analysis of vegetable farming within root and tuber-based systems in the humid tropics of Cameroon

The study analyzes the technical efficiency of vegetable farmers in root and tuber-based farming systems within selected sites of the humid tropics of Cameroon. Multistage sampling was used to collect primary data from a cross-section of vegetable farmers drawn from eight selected sites in Santa sub division, Northwest region of Cameroon. Stochastic frontier analysis was used to estimate the technical efficiency of vegetable farmer and to examine its determinants. The results showed that farmyard manure was the most productive factor input, followed by farm equipment and labor. The mean technical efficiency level was 67%, revealing production shortfalls and indicating possibilities of significantly increasing production with the current input Jevels. Female, as well as more educated farmers were found to be significantly more efficient than their counterparts. The results also showed that farmers become less technical efficient as farm sizes become larger. Our study findings suggest that smallholder farmers＇ access to manure, farm implements, and increased women participation in vegetable farming, will produce huge payoffs in vegetable production efficiency in Cameroon.

The Efficiency and Productivity Analyses of the Turkish Banking Sector After the Restructuring Program

After the 2001 economic crisis, the banking sector restructuring program （BSRP） has been designed for the establishment of a stronger financial framework and the improvement of competition in the Turkish banking sector. The program constitutes the policies for solving specific problems such as the mismanaged assets of some banks and the recovery of regulating and supervising of the sector. This study aims to analyze the efficiency and productivity changes in the Turkish banking sector during 2002-2009. During this period the Banking Sector Restructuring Program has been applied. The data envolepment analysis （DEA） is conducted for the efficiency measurement under the production and intermediation approaches and it is observed that the efficiency of banks increased for both approaches. The mean efficiency values for the intermediation approach are higher than the values for the production approach, indicating a better functioning in financial intermediation as compared to their operational performance. The Malmquist index based on the intermediation approach is calculated to determine the productivity of the banking sector. It is observed that the productivity of banks increased during the period and the increase resulted mainly from investments in technology.

Calculation of Agricultural Production Efficiency Based on a Three-stage Data Envelopment Analysis Model and Analysis of the Spatial-temporal Characteristics: A Case Study of the Yangtze River Economic Belt

In response to the strategic call for the " Great Protection" of the Yangtze River Economic Belt and to fulfill the important historical tasks assigned by the state to the provinces and cities of the area,the Yangtze River Economic Belt is adjusting the agricultural industry structure,optimizing the input-output ratio,and ensuring stable and sustainable agricultural production. Based on the combination of the three-stage Data Envelopment Analysis( DEA) model and cluster analysis,this study examined the Yangtze River Economic Belt from 2008 to 2018 to measure its agricultural production efficiency and to analyze its temporal and spatial characteristics. Studies showed that exogenous environmental factors significantly( P < 5%) impacted agricultural production efficiency in the Yangtze River Economic Zone,and there were temporal and spatial differences. These included:(1) after excluding environmental factors,the overall agricultural production efficiency of the Yangtze River Economic Zone had improved. Sichuan Province and Jiangsu Province were at the forefront of efficiency,whereas the agricultural production efficiency of Shanghai had declined obviously.(2) The agricultural production efficiency of the Yangtze River Economic Belt varied year by year,with fluctuating development. The middle reaches of the Yangtze River had advanced agricultural production efficiency more than the upstream and downstream regions,and the agricultural production efficiency of the individual provinces did not match their economic and social development.(3) Increases in labor,land,irrigation,and other input factors increased agriculture production efficiency,and there was no correlation between fiscal investment,per capita gross domestic product( GDP) and agricultural production efficiency,while the disaster-affected area had a significantly negative impact on agricultural production efficiency.

Production Efficiency of Four Main Crops in the Decade in Hunan Province

The research explored productive efficiencies of main crops in the decade in Hunan by nonparametric DEA method and the results showed that net output value and net-profit rate of potato and sweet potato were extremely higher than those of rice and maize, and comprehensive efficiencies from high to low were potato, rice, sweet potato and maize. It is recommended that scales of rice, maize, and sweet potato should be reduced to certain extent and the scale of potato pro- duction extended. Besides, direct fee and labor cost should be lowered as much as possible to improve net-profit rate, accelerate crop S＆T development and improve grain productive efficiency.

Technical efficiency of cocoa farms at varying elevation levels in Davao City, Philippines: implications to sustainable upland farming systems

Elevation is one of many components that influence agriculture, and this in turn affects the level of both inputs and outputs of farmers. This article focuses on the productivity and technical efficiency of 100 cocoa farms using cross-sectional data from areas ranging from 190 to 1021 m above sea level which were classified as low, medium, and high elevation in Davao City, considered as the chocolate capital of the Philippines. Using stochastic frontier analysis, the results showed that the cost of inputs per ha and the number of cocoa trees per ha significantly increase yield. Farms at high elevations were less technically efficient, as this entails lower temperatures and increased rainfall, and cocoa farming in those areas and conditions can be more challenging, especially with changes in farming practices, terrain, and distance to markets. Other significant variables were age of cocoa farms, married farmers, and age of the farmers. Older farms may be more developed, farmers who are married benefit from their spouses being able to readily contribute as farm labor, and lastly, older farmers' inefficiency may likely stem from nonadaptation of newer farming practices. With an average technical efficiency of 0.61, 0.63, and 0.26 in low, medium, and high elevation areas, respectively, farmers therefore have an incentive to improve farm practices and consider topographical variations found in high elevation areas. Recommendations for the improvement of technical efficiency of cocoa farms are better connectivity to markets, enhancing farm practices, and continuation and improvement of government programs on cocoa with an added emphasis on research. For farmers in high elevation areas, mitigating solutions such as sustainable agriculture practices and ecolabelling are key to improving efficiency and minimizing the potential negative impact on upland farming systems. Moreover, such adaptation measures may also contribute to sustainability of cocoa farming in high elevation areas.

Experimental Study on Improving Performance and Productivity of Pyramid Solar StillUsing Rotation Technique

Globally,potable water scarcity is pervasive problem.The solar distillation device is a straightforward apparatus that has been purposefully engineered to convert non-potable water into potable water.The experimental study is distinctive due to the implementation of a rotational mechanism within the pyramidal solar still(PSS),which serves to enhance the evaporation and condensation processes.The objective of this research study is to examine the impact of integrating rotational motion into pyramidal solar stills on various processes:water distillation,evaporation,condensation,heat transfer,and energy waste reduction,shadow effects,and low water temperature in saline environments.Ultimately,the study aims to enhance the production of distilled water.An economic evaluation was undertaken in order to ascertain the extent of cost reduction.Experiments measuring freshwater productivity and thermal performance were conducted over a three-month period at the University of Science and Technology in Tehran.The entire pyramid structure was rotated using a direct current motor driven by a photovoltaic cell.The research methodology entailed the operation of a PSS with varying rotational speeds(0.125,0.25,1,and 1.5 rpm)and without rotation,from 9 am to 4 pm.The findings suggested that the productivity of the distillation apparatus in terms of distilled water increased as the rotation speed rose,with the most pronounced increase occurring at 1 rpm in comparison to the other conditions.The presence of turbulence in the water enhanced the heat transfer occurring between the absorber plate and thewater.At 2:00 p.m.on an experimental day,this effect was observed when the absorber plate temperature reached 79.1°C at 1.5 rpm.In contrast,its temperature decreased to 78°C when not in a state of rotation,as the intensity of solar radiation was higher in the non-rotation state.At 1 rpm,the solar pyramid distiller achieved a 30.2%increase in output compared to its non-rotating state.At 1 rpm,the distiller achieved a 20.6%increase in output compared to 0.25 revolutions per minute.In addition to the control condition,the thermal efficiency of the solar still varied as follows:at 1,1.5,0.25,and 0.125 rpm,it was 46.2%;at 44.2%,37.8%;at 35.3%;and at 36.6%,respectively.Furthermore,distilled water generated by a pyramid solar still with rotation(PSSR)is priced at$0.03 per liter,whereas it costs$0.0317 per liter when produced by a pyramid solar still without rotation(PSS without R).

Effect of Phosphorus and Irrigation Levels on Yield,Water Productivity,Phosphorus Use Efficiency and Income of Lowland Rice in Northwest Pakistan

With decreasing availability of water for agriculture and increasing demand for rice production, an optimum use of irrigation water and phosphorus may guarantee sustainable rice production. Field experiments were conducted in 2003 and 2004 to investigate the effect of phosphorus and irrigation levels on yield, water productivity （WP）, phosphorus use efficiency （PUE） and income of low land rice. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design with split plot arrangements replicated four times. Main plot consisted of five phosphorus levels, viz. 0 （P0）, 50 （P50）, 100 （P100）, 150 （P15o）, and 200 （P200） kg/hm2, while subplots contained of irrigation times, i.e. 8 （I8）, 10 （I10）, 12 （I12）, and 14 （I14） irrigation levels, each with a water depth of 7.5 cm. Mean values revealed that P150 in combination with I10 produced the highest paddy yield （9.8 t/hm2） and net benefit （1 231.8 US$/hm2） among all the treatments. Phosphorus enhanced WP when applied in appropriate combination with irrigation level. The highest mean WP [13.3 kg/（hm2-mm）] could be achieved at Plso with 18 and decreased with increase in irrigation level, while the highest mean PUE （20.1 kg/kg） could be achieved at P100 with I10 and diminished with higher P levels. The overall results indicate that P150 along with I10 was the best combination for sustainable rice cultivation in silty clay soil.

Layering Precision Land Leveling and Furrow Irrigated Raised Bed Planting: Productivity and Input Use Efficiency of Irrigated Bread Wheat in Indo-Gangetic Plains

Stagnating yield and declining input use efficiency in irrigated wheat of the Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP) coupled with diminishing availability of water for agriculture is a major concern of food security in South Asia. The objective of our study was to establish an understanding of how wheat yield and input use efficiency can be improved and how land leveling and crop establishment practices can be modified to be more efficient in water use through layering of precision-conservation crop management techniques. The “precision land leveling with raised bed” planting can be used to improve crop yield, water and nutrient use efficiency over the existing “traditional land leveling with flat” planting practices. We conducted a field experiment during 2002-2004 at Modipuram, India to quantify the benefits of alternate land leveling (precision land leveling) and crop establishment (furrow irrigated raised bed planting) techniques alone or in combination (layering precision-conservation) in terms of crop yield, water savings, and nutrient use efficiency of wheat production in IGP. The wheat yield was about 16.6% higher with nearly 50% less irrigation water with layering precision land leveling and raised bed planting compared to traditional practices (traditional land leveling with flat planting). The agronomic (AE) and uptake efficiency (UE) of N, P and K were significantly improved under precision land leveling with raised bed planting technique compared to other practices.

Photosynthetic performance of switchgrass and its relation to field productivity：A three-year experimental appraisal in semiarid Loess Plateau

To reveal photosynthetic characteristics and biomass yield is important for evaluating introduced species adaptation to local environments. A field experiment was conducted over three consecutive years（2011–2013） to evaluate photosynthetic characteristics, soil water content, aboveground biomass accumulation, and water use efficiency（WUE） in switchgrass（Panicum virgatum L.） populations exposed to three row spacing（20, 40 and 60 cm） treatments in two growth months（June and August） on the semiarid Loess Plateau of China. Results indicated that net photosynthetic rate（Pn）, transpiration rate（Tr）, instantaneous water use efficiency（WUEi） and plant height of switchgrass showed an increased trend, but aboveground biomass production and WUE showed an decreased trend with enlarged row spacings over the three years. The maximum daily mean Pn values（17.9, 18.4 and 19.7 μmol CO2 m^（-2） s^（-1）） were observed in 2011, and the highest aboveground biomass production（67 771.8, 6 976.8 and 6 609.2 kg ha^（-1）） were recorded in 2012 for 20, 40 and 60 cm, respectively. A close correlation between tiller numbers and aboveground biomass production（r=0.907） was observed. Pn was positively and significantly correlated with biomass per tiller, but it showed a negative correlation with aboveground biomass production. Our results confirm that wide row spacing is beneficial for single plant development, while narrow row spacing favors biomass production and water use of switchgrass in the region. It also implies that single leaf growth and performance could explain the switchgrass community density differences, while fails to account for the aboveground biomass production.

Effects of deep vertical rotary tillage on the grain yield and resource use efficiency of winter wheat in the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain of China

Tillage represents an important practice that is used to dynamically regulate soil properties,and affects the grain production process and resource use efficiency of crops.The objectives of this 3-year field study carried out in the Huang-Huai-Hai(HHH) Plain of China were to compare the effects of a new deep vertical rotary tillage (DVRT) with the conventional shallow rotary tillage (CT) on soil properties,winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grain yield and water and nitrogen use efficiency at different productivity levels,and to identify a comprehensive management that optimizes both grain yield and resource use efficiency in the HHH Plain.A split-plot design was adopted in field experiments in the winter wheat growing seasons of 2016–2017 (S1),2017–2018 (S2) and 2018–2019 (S3),with DVRT (conducted once in June 2016) and CT performed in the main plots.Subplots were treated with one of four targeted productivity level treatments (SH,the super high productivity level;HH,the high productivity and high efficiency productivity level;FP,the farmer productivity level;ISP,the inherent soil productivity level).The results showed that the soil bulk density was reduced and the soil water content at the anthesis stage was increased in all three years,which were due to the significant effects of DVRT.Compared with CT,grain yields,partial factor productivity of nitrogen (PFP_(N)),and water use efficiency (WUE) under DVRT were increased by 22.0,14.5 and 19.0%.Path analysis and direct correlation decomposition uncovered that grain yield variation of winter wheat was mostly contributed by the spike numbers per area under different tillage modes.General line model analysis revealed that tillage mode played a significant role on grain yield,PFP_(N) and WUE not only as a single factor,but also along with other factors(year and productivity level) in interaction manners.In addition,PFP_(N) and WUE were the highest in HH under DVRT in all three growth seasons.These results provided a theoretical basis and technical support for coordinating the high yield with high resource use efficiency of winter wheat in the resource-restricted region in the HHH Plain of China.

Evaluation for Use Efficiency of Agricultural Resources in Grain Production:A Case Study of Changshu,Taihe and Ansai in China

This paper aims to establish an index system for evaluation of agricultural resources use efficiency(ARUE) in grain production and discuss the causes of low efficiency and high consumption of agricultural resources in Changshu of Jiangsu Province,Taihe of Jiangxi Province and Ansai of Shaanxi Province in China by analyzing the data about meteorology,soil,water consumption and grain production. Agro-ecological Zone(AEZ) method was adopted to calculate the potential productivity,and synthetically multivariate equation was used to evaluate the ARUE of study areas. This paper can be concluded as:1) the agricultural resources in grain production can be classified into five categories,i.e.,climatic resources,water resources,land resources,biological resources and assistant resources,and 15 indexes were selected to evaluate their use efficiency in grain production;2) the values of ARUE in grain production are 0.5868,0.6368 and 0.5390 respectively in Changshu,Taihe and Ansai;and 3) Changshu ranks the highest among the three study areas in terms of the use efficiency of climatic resources and biological resources(evaluation values are 0.0277 and 0.1530) ,but Taihe tops the three in terms of the use efficiency of water resources,land resources and assistant resources(evaluation values are 0.0502,0.2945 and 0.1379 respectively) . However,the ARUE remains always low in Ansai for all the resources. The inefficiencies are caused by poor grain revenue in Changshu,deficient agriculture investments in Taihe and unfavorable natural conditions in Ansai.

Measurement of Technical, AIIocative and Economic Efficiency of Tomato Farms in Northern Pakistan

The study measures productive efficiency of tomato growers in village Akbarpura of Disctrict Nowshera in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa （KPK） province of Northern Pakistan. The study uses household level data collected in summer 2010 from sample farmers selected by multi-staged sampling. The study uses a theoretical framework to measure productive efficiency and estimates the Cobb-Douglas frontier production and cost models. The study found that technical efficiency indices varied significantly, with technical efficiency index averaging at 65%. The indices of allocative efficiency also varied widely, with an average of 56%. There was a wide gap between the highest and lowest economic efficiency indices, with a mean economic efficiency of 35%. The study concluded that farmer education, extension visits, age and access to credit contributed significantly and positively to productive efficiencies. A policy implication of this study is that there is enough potential for farmers to increase tomato production and net profits. The study recommends that the government should further invest in public education and strengthen extension services farmer education and because extension visits constituted important determinants of productive efficiencies.

Production Efficiency Change and Convergence Analysis of Japonica Rice in China

Using DEA- Malmquist index method,we perform an empirical analysis of Japonica rice production input- output panel data in 12China's major Japonica rice producing areas during 2001- 2012,calculate the total factor input- output efficiency of China's major Japonica rice producing areas,and analyze TFP change and convergence of Japonica rice. It is found that from 2001 to 2012,the average growth rate of total factor productivity( TFP) was- 2. 3% and the technological progress was- 2. 2%,and the decline of technical progress was the main cause of the decrease of TFP. Moreover,significant differences exist between the TFP of these provinces,and the TFP of Heilongjiang and Jiangsu is higher than that of other provinces. Further convergence test indicates that TFP of the main producing areas shows σ convergence trend.