In Balochistan, Agriculture is dominated by small-scale farmers and the apple production sector is confronted with the chronic constraint of low output per unit of input. Although some agricultural policies have been ...In Balochistan, Agriculture is dominated by small-scale farmers and the apple production sector is confronted with the chronic constraint of low output per unit of input. Although some agricultural policies have been implemented in this province, studies on effectiveness and impacts of such policies over apple production and farmers' performance are still limited. This study is an effort to bridge the research gap on this potential crop in the plateau by investigating technical and scale efficiency of 181 officially designated small-scale apple farmers in mountainous district Mastung in Balochistan; then explored factors that underlie differences in production inefficiency. A two-stage input-oriented Data Envelopment Analysis(DEA) methodology was employed to evaluate technical and scale efficiency followed by truncated bootstrapped regression framework to analyze the correlative determinants to efficiency. Average technical and scale efficiencies of larger landholders were higher than medium and small landholders. Analysis indicated that there is still ample scope for inefficient sample farmers to reduce the input use by 33% without compromising the given yield level. Maximum contributions to the total input savings were from the use of urea, farm yard manure(FYM) and labor-use. Farmer's experience, farm ownership, irrigation constraints, and farmer's access to trainings, credit and extension services significantly affected apple farmers' technical efficiency. Based on the findings of this study, strategies are suggested to enhancing efficiencies by farmers' capacity development through effective extension services and trainings and provision of adequate credit.展开更多
To evaluate the potential of FT-NIR spectroscopy and the influence of the distance between the light source/detection probe and the fruit for measuring the sugar content (SC) of Fuji apples, diffuse reflectance spectr...To evaluate the potential of FT-NIR spectroscopy and the influence of the distance between the light source/detection probe and the fruit for measuring the sugar content (SC) of Fuji apples, diffuse reflectance spectra were measured in the spectral range from 12500 to 4000 cm^-1 at 0 mm, 2 mm, 4 mm and 6 mm distances. Four calibration models at four distances were established between diffused reflectance spectra and sugar content by partial least squares (PLS) analysis. The correlation coefficients (R) of calibrations ranged from 0.982 to 0.997 with SEC values from 0.138 to 0.453 and the SECV values from 0.74 to 1.58. The best model of original spectra at 0 mm distance yielded high correlation determination of 0.918, a SEC of 0.092, and a SEP of 0.773. The results showed that different light/detection probe-fruit distances influence the apple reflective spectra and SC predictions.展开更多
The Cydia pomonella granulovirus (CpGV) has been used for many years as biological agent for codling moth control in apple orchards. Resistance to the Mexican strain of CpGV was detected in orchards in Germany, France...The Cydia pomonella granulovirus (CpGV) has been used for many years as biological agent for codling moth control in apple orchards. Resistance to the Mexican strain of CpGV was detected in orchards in Germany, France and Italy. A laboratory insect colony was started from insects collected in a French resistant orchard. It was named RGV. Various virus isolates were identified as active against this resistant insect colony. Field tests were carried out in 2007 to test if the two virus isolates CpGV-I12 and NPP-R1 were effective in the field. Although these virus isolates were not able to reduce insect caused fruit damages, they significantly reduced the overwintering insect populations. NPP-R1 was subjected to eight passages on RGV larvae (NPP-R1.8) that improved its biological activity on RGV larvae. 2008 field trials were set up to test this improved virus strain, compared to CpGV-I12 and Madex plus active on RGV. These tests confirmed the ability to control both in susceptible and resistant insect populations.展开更多
基金supported by core funds of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan and the University of Balochistan (Reg.440/07),under Faculty Development Project
文摘In Balochistan, Agriculture is dominated by small-scale farmers and the apple production sector is confronted with the chronic constraint of low output per unit of input. Although some agricultural policies have been implemented in this province, studies on effectiveness and impacts of such policies over apple production and farmers' performance are still limited. This study is an effort to bridge the research gap on this potential crop in the plateau by investigating technical and scale efficiency of 181 officially designated small-scale apple farmers in mountainous district Mastung in Balochistan; then explored factors that underlie differences in production inefficiency. A two-stage input-oriented Data Envelopment Analysis(DEA) methodology was employed to evaluate technical and scale efficiency followed by truncated bootstrapped regression framework to analyze the correlative determinants to efficiency. Average technical and scale efficiencies of larger landholders were higher than medium and small landholders. Analysis indicated that there is still ample scope for inefficient sample farmers to reduce the input use by 33% without compromising the given yield level. Maximum contributions to the total input savings were from the use of urea, farm yard manure(FYM) and labor-use. Farmer's experience, farm ownership, irrigation constraints, and farmer's access to trainings, credit and extension services significantly affected apple farmers' technical efficiency. Based on the findings of this study, strategies are suggested to enhancing efficiencies by farmers' capacity development through effective extension services and trainings and provision of adequate credit.
基金Project (No. 30270763) supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China
文摘To evaluate the potential of FT-NIR spectroscopy and the influence of the distance between the light source/detection probe and the fruit for measuring the sugar content (SC) of Fuji apples, diffuse reflectance spectra were measured in the spectral range from 12500 to 4000 cm^-1 at 0 mm, 2 mm, 4 mm and 6 mm distances. Four calibration models at four distances were established between diffused reflectance spectra and sugar content by partial least squares (PLS) analysis. The correlation coefficients (R) of calibrations ranged from 0.982 to 0.997 with SEC values from 0.138 to 0.453 and the SECV values from 0.74 to 1.58. The best model of original spectra at 0 mm distance yielded high correlation determination of 0.918, a SEC of 0.092, and a SEP of 0.773. The results showed that different light/detection probe-fruit distances influence the apple reflective spectra and SC predictions.
基金supported by the French Research Agency (ANR-06-RIB-003-02) and by NPP
文摘The Cydia pomonella granulovirus (CpGV) has been used for many years as biological agent for codling moth control in apple orchards. Resistance to the Mexican strain of CpGV was detected in orchards in Germany, France and Italy. A laboratory insect colony was started from insects collected in a French resistant orchard. It was named RGV. Various virus isolates were identified as active against this resistant insect colony. Field tests were carried out in 2007 to test if the two virus isolates CpGV-I12 and NPP-R1 were effective in the field. Although these virus isolates were not able to reduce insect caused fruit damages, they significantly reduced the overwintering insect populations. NPP-R1 was subjected to eight passages on RGV larvae (NPP-R1.8) that improved its biological activity on RGV larvae. 2008 field trials were set up to test this improved virus strain, compared to CpGV-I12 and Madex plus active on RGV. These tests confirmed the ability to control both in susceptible and resistant insect populations.
