Maize （Zea mays L.） is an important food crop in Niger, but low and irregular rainfall combined with sandy soils having low fertility level limit productivity. A two-year study was conducted at Institut National de ...Maize （Zea mays L.） is an important food crop in Niger, but low and irregular rainfall combined with sandy soils having low fertility level limit productivity. A two-year study was conducted at Institut National de Recherche Agronomique du Niger （INRAN） stations in Tarna/Maradi and Bengou/Gaya in 2014 and 2015 in order to evaluate maize agronomic and economic fertilizer use efficiency. The experimental design was a randomised complete block design （RCBD） with three replications. Results indicate higher effect of fertilizer in 2015 compared to 2014. At low N rates 20 kg N/ha and 40 kg N/ha, application of 20 kg P/ha increased maize grain yield across locations and years. The highest agronomic efficiency of N （AEN） was recorded with 60 kg N/ha in 2015 at Bengou and Tarna with 9.65 kg and 14.05 kg grain yield per kg of applied N, respectively. At Tarna, the low N rates of 20 kg N/ha and 40 kg N/ha recorded important AEN of more than 12 kg yield increases per kg of applied N. The highest rainfall use efficiency （RUE） of 6.13 kg/year/mm was obtained with application of 80 kg/ha N, 0 kg/ha P and 40 kg/ha N, 20 kg/ha P in 2015 at Tarna. Without P, the highest value cost ratio （VCR） value of 4.31 was recorded at Tarna in 2015 with 60 kg/ha N, and the lowest value of 0.08 at Bengou in 2014 with 20 kg/ha N. Based on VCR and RUE derived from this study, the optimal fertilizer recommendation for maize in the semi-arid conditions of Niger could be 40 kg/ha N, 20 kg/ha P and 0 kg/ha K.展开更多
To increase customers'satisfaction and promote product's competitiveness,a customized extended warranty(EW)policy is proposed,where the diversities in both the usage rate and purchase date are considered.The m...To increase customers'satisfaction and promote product's competitiveness,a customized extended warranty(EW)policy is proposed,where the diversities in both the usage rate and purchase date are considered.The marginal approach is applied to describe the product's two-dimensional failure in terms of age and usage,respectively.Moreover,minimal repair is adopted to restore the failure,and the virtual age method is applied to depict the effect of preventive maintenance(PM).On this basis,an optimization model is established to minimize the maintenance cost and warranty cost from the manufacturer's view,and multiple factors are taken into account,including the PM's intensity and its period,and EW's interval,etc.A numerical case study is provided to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.The results show that by considering the product's usage rate and the purchasing date of EW,the number of failures as well as the cost of maintenance and warranty can be reduced effectively.展开更多
The study examined the impact of using power tiller as a means of mechanizing lowland rice production in Nigeria. The study was carried out in Bida area, Niger State, where the sawah rice production was disseminated b...The study examined the impact of using power tiller as a means of mechanizing lowland rice production in Nigeria. The study was carried out in Bida area, Niger State, where the sawah rice production was disseminated by Watershed Initiative in Nigeria （WIN）. And in Ajase Ipo of Kwara State, some of the parameters assessed during the study included average speed of operation, average wheel slip/travel reduction, average draught of implement, and fuel consumption. The cost of operation and yield over five years of usage at Niger State and two years in Kwara State was determined and it was therefore concluded that the power tiller is the most appropriate field machinery for tillage operations such as puddling, leveling on lowland rice production in Nigeria.展开更多
In accordance with a revision of the Containers and Packaging Recycling Law, there is an accelerating trend towards charging for plastic shopping bags （PSBs） in Japan for the purpose of reducing their discharge. The...In accordance with a revision of the Containers and Packaging Recycling Law, there is an accelerating trend towards charging for plastic shopping bags （PSBs） in Japan for the purpose of reducing their discharge. The objectives of this research were to gauge, by means of a questionnaire survey, the opinions of retailers with regard to charging for PSBs, and to consider future directions for reducing the quantity of waste discharged. A questionnaire survey on charging for PSBs was conducted for retail stores in Shizuoka City. The survey was carried out in two phases. The results of the first phase （August to October 2008） showed that supermarkets were generally positive, while conversely other retailer types were negative. The results of the second phase （November to December, 2010）, targeting only supermarkets that had introduced charging after the first survey, showed that there was no major confusion and the shift proceeded relatively smoothly. In addition, the number of customers did not decline on account of charging, and the ratio of shoppers bringing their own reusable ＂eco bags＂ jumped dramatically. On these accounts, it is evident that charging for PSBs is an effective means of reducing usage of PSBs. The authors view it as important for the relevant governmental agencies to work towards promoting charging at retailers and simultaneously repeatedly explaining to consumers the necessity for charging.展开更多
文摘Maize （Zea mays L.） is an important food crop in Niger, but low and irregular rainfall combined with sandy soils having low fertility level limit productivity. A two-year study was conducted at Institut National de Recherche Agronomique du Niger （INRAN） stations in Tarna/Maradi and Bengou/Gaya in 2014 and 2015 in order to evaluate maize agronomic and economic fertilizer use efficiency. The experimental design was a randomised complete block design （RCBD） with three replications. Results indicate higher effect of fertilizer in 2015 compared to 2014. At low N rates 20 kg N/ha and 40 kg N/ha, application of 20 kg P/ha increased maize grain yield across locations and years. The highest agronomic efficiency of N （AEN） was recorded with 60 kg N/ha in 2015 at Bengou and Tarna with 9.65 kg and 14.05 kg grain yield per kg of applied N, respectively. At Tarna, the low N rates of 20 kg N/ha and 40 kg N/ha recorded important AEN of more than 12 kg yield increases per kg of applied N. The highest rainfall use efficiency （RUE） of 6.13 kg/year/mm was obtained with application of 80 kg/ha N, 0 kg/ha P and 40 kg/ha N, 20 kg/ha P in 2015 at Tarna. Without P, the highest value cost ratio （VCR） value of 4.31 was recorded at Tarna in 2015 with 60 kg/ha N, and the lowest value of 0.08 at Bengou in 2014 with 20 kg/ha N. Based on VCR and RUE derived from this study, the optimal fertilizer recommendation for maize in the semi-arid conditions of Niger could be 40 kg/ha N, 20 kg/ha P and 0 kg/ha K.
基金The National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.71671035)the Project of 2018 Intelligent Manufacturing Comprehensive Standard of Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of Chinathe Open Fund of Jiangsu Wind Power Engineering Technology Center of China(No.ZK19-03-03)。
文摘To increase customers'satisfaction and promote product's competitiveness,a customized extended warranty(EW)policy is proposed,where the diversities in both the usage rate and purchase date are considered.The marginal approach is applied to describe the product's two-dimensional failure in terms of age and usage,respectively.Moreover,minimal repair is adopted to restore the failure,and the virtual age method is applied to depict the effect of preventive maintenance(PM).On this basis,an optimization model is established to minimize the maintenance cost and warranty cost from the manufacturer's view,and multiple factors are taken into account,including the PM's intensity and its period,and EW's interval,etc.A numerical case study is provided to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.The results show that by considering the product's usage rate and the purchasing date of EW,the number of failures as well as the cost of maintenance and warranty can be reduced effectively.
文摘The study examined the impact of using power tiller as a means of mechanizing lowland rice production in Nigeria. The study was carried out in Bida area, Niger State, where the sawah rice production was disseminated by Watershed Initiative in Nigeria （WIN）. And in Ajase Ipo of Kwara State, some of the parameters assessed during the study included average speed of operation, average wheel slip/travel reduction, average draught of implement, and fuel consumption. The cost of operation and yield over five years of usage at Niger State and two years in Kwara State was determined and it was therefore concluded that the power tiller is the most appropriate field machinery for tillage operations such as puddling, leveling on lowland rice production in Nigeria.
文摘In accordance with a revision of the Containers and Packaging Recycling Law, there is an accelerating trend towards charging for plastic shopping bags （PSBs） in Japan for the purpose of reducing their discharge. The objectives of this research were to gauge, by means of a questionnaire survey, the opinions of retailers with regard to charging for PSBs, and to consider future directions for reducing the quantity of waste discharged. A questionnaire survey on charging for PSBs was conducted for retail stores in Shizuoka City. The survey was carried out in two phases. The results of the first phase （August to October 2008） showed that supermarkets were generally positive, while conversely other retailer types were negative. The results of the second phase （November to December, 2010）, targeting only supermarkets that had introduced charging after the first survey, showed that there was no major confusion and the shift proceeded relatively smoothly. In addition, the number of customers did not decline on account of charging, and the ratio of shoppers bringing their own reusable ＂eco bags＂ jumped dramatically. On these accounts, it is evident that charging for PSBs is an effective means of reducing usage of PSBs. The authors view it as important for the relevant governmental agencies to work towards promoting charging at retailers and simultaneously repeatedly explaining to consumers the necessity for charging.
