Machine learning and analytic hierarchy process integration for selecting a sustainable tractor.

Selecting the appropriate tractor for small-scale farms is a complex process due to the multitude of technical, environmental, and economic criteria that must be evaluated. This study addresses this challenge by integrating the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) with machine learning (ML) to reduce the number of criteria and simplify the decision-making process. The research aims to determine the most relevant criteria aligned with sustainable development goals for selecting the right tractor, focusing on small farms in the Egyptian Delta. Four tractors, with horsepower ranging from 55 to 95, were evaluated based on inputs from forty-two governmental service providers in the study area. Initially, nine criteria were identified, encompassing key technical, environmental, and economic factors. These criteria were reduced to three-price, power, and maintenance costs by weights 0.142, 0.334, and 0.525, respectively-using Hierarchical Agglomerative Clustering with Euclidean distance. This reduction streamlined the selection process, making it more practical for farmers. Results show that the second tractor (T2), with a priority score of 0.326 and a normalized value of 33.4%, emerged as the optimal choice for small-scale farmers, outperforming the first tractor (T1) (28.7%) and third tractor (T3) (21%). Integrating AHP and ML simplifies tractor selection, ensuring sustainability, cost-efficiency, and operational effectiveness.

Difference between traditional brewing technology and mechanized production technology of jiangxiangxing baijiu: Micro ecology of zaopei, physicochemical factors and volatile composition.

Mechanized production of Jiangxiangxing Baijiu (JB) stands as a pivotal trend in today's Baijiu industry. This study, employing high-throughput sequencing and headspace solid phase microextraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS) technology, comprehensively analyzed the micro ecology, physicochemical factors, and volatile components during pit fermentation, comparing traditional fermentation Zaopei (TZP) and mechanized fermentation Zaopei (MZP). According to the research findings, the dominant microorganisms in the fermentation process of ZP comprise Lactobacillus, Monascus, Issatchenkia, and Zygosaccharomyces. In addition, functional microorganisms like Zygosaccharomyces, Monascus, Issatchenkia, Leiothecium, Candida, Pichia, and others exhibited differences on day 0 and throughout the fermentation process. These differences are attributed to the effects of distinct fermentation environment and physicochemical factors. Furthermore, comprehensive analysis detected 87 volatile compounds in TZP and MZP, with 56 showing significant differences, primarily including alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, acids, esters, and aromatics. Additionally, fermentation can be classified into two phases based on ethanol and volatile compounds production: the initial phase (0-12 days, P1) primarily focuses on alcohols production, while the subsequent phase (12-30 days, P2) concentrates on volatile compounds generation. The subsequent correlation analysis indicates that variations in volatile compounds primarily arise from shifts in microbial composition, with notable differences observed in fungi, specifically Monascus, Zygosaccharomyces, and Issatchenkia, which drive the disparities in volatile compounds. This study provides an important theoretical basis and practical guidance for the realization of mechanized high-quality production of JB.

Revealing the comprehensive effect of mechanization on sauce-flavor Daqu through high-throughput sequencing and multi-dimensional metabolite profiling.

Mechanization has emerged as a focal point in the modernization of traditional enterprises, offering standardized production and labor reduction benefits. However, little is known about how mechanization affects the microbiota and metabolite profiles of Daqu. To address this gap, we conducted a comprehensive comparison between traditional and mechanical sauce-flavor Daqu using a multi-omics approach. Results showed that mechanical Daqu exhibited higher acidity, amino acid nitrogen and enzyme activity, alongside lower fat and moisture levels. Following mechanization, lactic acid bacteria (LAB), Staphylococcus, Aspergillus and Saccharomycopsis were enriched and identified as biomarkers, whereas Oceanobacillus, Monascus and Scopulariopsis were notably decreased. Furthermore, significant disparities in metabolic profiles were observed between the two types of Daqu based on GC-MS, GC-IMS, and LC-MS/MS analyses. The content of volatile compounds was significantly higher in mechanical Daqu (332.82 ± 22.69 mg/kg), while that of non-volatile compounds was higher in traditional Daqu (753.44 ± 41.82 mg/kg). Moreover, OPLS-DA models identified 44 volatile and 31 non-volatile compounds as differential metabolites. Multivariate statistical analysis indicated that bacteria and fungi primarily contributed to protease and saccharification activities, respectively. Additionally, the co-occurrence network revealed that Oceanobacillus and Scopulariopsis were closely associated with non-volatile compound formation, while LAB and Rhizopus significantly influenced volatile compound production. These findings elucidate the multi-dimensional relationship between mechanization and Daqu quality, offering insights to advance the modernization of traditional industries.

Mechanical Leaf Removal for Improved Botrytis Bunch Rot Control in Vitis vinifera 'Pinot gris' and 'Pinot noir' Grapevines in the Northeastern United States.

Late-season bunch rot can cause substantial yield loss in grapevines grown in humid regions. Fruit-zone leaf removal has been widely used to reduce bunch rot and pesticide applications through improvements in canopy microclimate and grape cluster morphology. In this study, we evaluated whether mechanical leaf removal can be a valid alternative to a labor-intensive manual application by comparing prebloom manual (PB-MA) and mechanical (PB-ME) leaf removal. We also evaluated the effects of the timing of mechanical application, prebloom (PB-ME) versus fruit set (FS-ME), on fruit traits and bunch rot, caused by Botrytis cinerea. Our trials were conducted on two Vitis vinifera 'Pinot noir' and 'Pinot gris' vineyards in the Northeastern United States over two seasons (2017 to 2018). Major findings were overall consistent between cultivars and years. Leaf removal provided reductions in fruit-zone canopy density regardless of method or timing. In general, PB-ME provided similar shifts in cluster morphological traits to PB-MA, including lower number of berries per cluster, cluster compactness, and cluster weight compared with control (no leaf removal) vines. At harvest, both prebloom leaf removal methods equally reduced Botrytis bunch rot severity, whereas Botrytis bunch rot incidence in Pinot noir was lowest for PB-ME in 1 year and PB-MA in the next year. When comparing timing of mechanical leaf removal, FS-ME provided Botrytis bunch rot reductions similar to PB-ME, without effects on cluster weight. Thus, under our growing conditions, FS-ME was considered the best mechanical leaf removal option to help manage Botrytis bunch rot without causing undesirable yield reductions.

[Neural network analysis of mechanization's impact on coal miner's occupational health].

In order to clarify the transmission mechanism of the impact of mechanization on the occupational health of miners and to provide empirical evidence for the development of new quality productivity in the coal industry that balances health and efficiency. In August 2022, we selected a typical coal mine, constructed a comprehensive evaluation index of miners' occupational health through a questionnaire survey based on the fully connected neural network model. A Bayesian model was used to verify the influence of mechanization level on miners' occupational health. We found that: the predicted probability of occupational diseases could be used as a comprehensive indicator of the level of occupational health, providing a basis for early intervention and prevention of occupational diseases. Mechanization could directly promote the improvement of miners' occupational health level, and also indirectly affect occupational health level by influencing hazards level and work intensity. The indirect effect of mechanization on work intensity was positive, and the indirect effect of mechanization on hazards level was positive. Presented the "inverted U-shaped" process in the mechanization breakthrough semi-mechanized level would realize the economies of scale of health protection, its impact on the prevention and control of occupational hazards would turn from negative to positive.

Research status and prospect of ratoon rice in China under mechanically harvested condition.

The proportion and area of ratoon rice planting in China have been substantially increased, due to continuous improvement of rice breeding methods and consecutive innovation of cultivation technology, which has developed into one of rice planting modes with significant production efficiency. Combining the experience in research and practice, from the perspective of crop physiology and ecology, we reviewed the current situation and prospects of high-yielding formation and physiological mechanisms of ratoon rice. We focused on four key aspects: screening and breeding of ratoon rice cultivars and the classification; suitable stubble height for mechanically harvested ratoon rice, as well as water and fertilizer management; dry matter production and allocation in ratoon rice and the relationship with yield formation; regenerative activity and vigor of ratoon rice roots and their relationship with rhizosphere micro-ecological characteristics. As for the extending of mechanized low-cut stubbles ratoon rice technique, we should properly regulate the rhizosphere system, coordinate rhizosphere nutrient supply, germination of axillary buds, and tillering regeneration, to achieve the target of "four-high-one-low", that is high regeneration coefficient, high number of regeneration panicle, high harvest index, high yield, high quality, low-carbon and safe, aiming to improve the sustainability of ratoon rice industry.

The Impact of Harvesting Mechanization on Oolong Tea Quality.

Mechanization is the inevitable future of tea harvesting, but its impact on tea chemistry and quality remains uncertain. Our study examines untargeted metabolomic data from 185 oolong tea products (Tieguanyin) made from leaves harvested by hand or machine based on UPLC-QToF-MS analysis. The data revealed a minimum 50% loss for over half of the chemicals in the machine-harvested group, including catechins, theaflavin, gallic acid, chlorogenic acid, and kaempferol-3-gluocside. Integrating sensory evaluation, OPLS-DA identified the six most important metabolites as significant contributors to sensory decline caused by harvesting mechanization. Furthermore, our research validates the possibility of using DD-SIMCA modelling with untargeted metabolomic data for distinguishing handpicked from machine-harvested tea products. The model was able to achieve 93% accuracy. This study provides crucial insights into the chemical and sensory shifts during mechanization, along with tools to manage and monitor these changes.

Farmland protection and fertilization intensity: Empirical evidence from preservation policy of Heilongjiang's black soil.

The preservation of cultivated land quality stands as a vital prerequisite for ensuring food security and sustainability. In the black soil area of northeast China, a large amount of fertilizer was used to stabilize grain production in its early stages, which damaged soil structure and polluted the ecological environment. Based on the panel data of fertilization intensity of 48 districts and counties in Heilongjiang Province from 2010 to 2020, this study takes the implementation of the "Three-Year Action Plan for the Protection of Black Soil Farmland in Heilongjiang Province for the (2018-2020)" (TYAP) policy as a natural experiment, and uses the difference-in-differences (DiD) method to identify the causal effect of the policy on the local fertilization intensity. The results of the empirical study showed that the implementation of the TYAP policy significantly reduced the fertilization intensity of the black soil cultivated land implemented by the policy during the implementation period, which resulted in a decrease of 11.97% on average compared with the areas without the policy implementation. Several robustness tests provided additional confirmation of the aforementioned findings. This study further revealed that the policy mitigated fertilization intensity by fostering advancements in agricultural mechanization.

Ferryman between two cultures: The calling of a historian of science.

In well-established disciplines like history it is not common to find professionals who admit that they are driven by a "calling" or who say they have a "mission" to fulfill. In emerging disciplines, however, the situation is different: in order to gain recognition these new disciplines need highly driven practitioners, who's calling enables them to overcome opposition or neglect from the side of the established disciplines. A clear example of such a practitioner with a mission in an emerging field of knowledge is the Dutch historian of science Eduard Jan Dijksterhuis (1892-1965). His career as a mathematics teacher, historical scholar, and public intellectual was marked by the desire to re-integrate science and mathematics in culture in general. Dijksterhuis regarded the history of science as a major instrument to bring about this ideal. His magnum opus, The Mechanization of the World Picture (first published in 1950 in Dutch; translated into English in 1961), was the culmination of a lifetime of writing in the service of a cultural vision that can still inspire our own generation.

Determination of the most appropriate fertilizing method for apple trees using multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) approaches.

Appropriate tree fertilization with essential nutrients is considered as one of the major factors in enhancing the quality and quantity of horticultural crops. The most efficient way to fertilize trees is to dig holes around the trunks and fill them with appropriate chemical and organic fertilizer. Doing this operation with mechanized methods reduces costs and increases productivity compared to traditional methods. In the present study, multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) methods, including deterministic analytical hierarchy process (AHP) and fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (FAHP), technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS), fuzzy TOPSIS (FTOPSIS), and analytic network process (ANP), were used to score and select the appropriate fertilizing method for apple trees based on the growers and expert's perspectives. The criteria, including fertilizing operation cost, crop yield, the percentage of tree damages, ease of entering and moving fertilizing equipment in tree rows, field capacity (with or without machinery), comfort and safety of fertilizing operations, after-sales service, access to the required machinery and implements, crop selling price, and crop quality, were used in the above-mentioned methods. The fertilization methods (Hole digging) considered in the present study were traditional fertilization (Shovel), orchard Trencher, motor hole digger, fixed centerline tractor-mounted hole digger, and off-set tractor-mounted hole digger. Based on the results, the priority of mechanized fertilizing methods was determined as tractor-mounted hole diggers (AHP weight of 0.286, FAHP weight of 0.285, TOPSIS relative proximity of 0.65, and FTOPSIS relative proximity of 0.64), fixed centerline tractor-mounted hole diggers (AHP weight of 0.219, FAHP weight of 0.158, TOPSIS relative proximity of 0.56, and FTOPSIS relative proximity of 0.62), motor hole diggers (AHP weight of 0.171, FAHP weight of 0.079, TOPSIS relative proximity of 0.46, and FTOPSIS relative proximity of 0.31), and orchard trenchers (AHP weight of 0.12, FAHP weight of 0.057, TOPSIS relative proximity of 0.19, and FTOPSIS relative proximity of 0.20), respectively. Based on the ANP method, off-set and fixed centerline tractor-mounted hole diggers had the highest priority (weights of 0.43 and 0.27), followed by trencher (weight of 0.16), motor hole diggers (weight of 0.09), and the traditional method (weight of 0.04). Results showed that applying orchard tractors equipped with mounted diggers, especially off-set types, can play an important role in enhancing the quantity and quality of apples produced, as well as reducing the costs of fertilizing operations.

Post-harvest profile, processing and value addition of dried red chillies (Capsicum annum L.).

Chilli has dominated and retained an important place amongst the spices worldwide. They are dried ripe fruits intuitively consumed as a spice, condiment, culinary, and medicinal purposes. The global consumption pattern is intriguing because of the inherent pungency, aroma, taste, spicy flavour, and therapeutic properties. Predominantly, the colour and pungency decide the quality features and are actively responsible for organized marketing and trade of the dried chillies. India is one of the leading producers and exporters of chilli. The chemical composition of the chillies varies substantially with agro-climatic zones and post-harvest management strategies. The quantum of post-harvest loss of 25-35% hampers the farmer's income and affects the wholesale/retail marketing. This review paper is intended to provide a deep insight into the advancements in various post-harvest unit operations of dried red chillies. A detailed overview of post-harvest operations (drying, grading, destalking, packaging, storage) and processing techniques for value-added products (chilli powder, dried flakes, seeds, oleoresin) is discussed in this paper. The presented information will help the researchers and the industry personnel engaged in the post-harvest processing and value addition of dried red chillies.

Global reductions in manual agricultural work capacity due to climate change.

Manual outdoor work is essential in many agricultural systems. Climate change will make such work more stressful in many regions due to heat exposure. The physical work capacity metric (PWC) is a physiologically based approach that estimates an individual's work capacity relative to an environment without any heat stress. We computed PWC under recent past and potential future climate conditions. Daily values were computed from five earth system models for three emission scenarios (SSP1-2.6, SSP3-7.0, and SSP5-8.5) and three time periods: 1991-2010 (recent past), 2041-2060 (mid-century) and 2081-2100 (end-century). Average daily PWC values were aggregated for the entire year, the growing season, and the warmest 90-day period of the year. Under recent past climate conditions, the growing season PWC was below 0.86 (86% of full work capacity) on half the current global cropland. With end-century/SSP5-8.5 thermal conditions this value was reduced to 0.7, with most affected crop-growing regions in Southeast and South Asia, West and Central Africa, and northern South America. Average growing season PWC could falls below 0.4 in some important food production regions such as the Indo-Gangetic plains in Pakistan and India. End-century PWC reductions were substantially greater than mid-century reductions. This paper assesses two potential adaptions-reducing direct solar radiation impacts with shade or working at night and reducing the need for hard physical labor with increased mechanization. Removing the effect of direct solar radiation impacts improved PWC values by 0.05 to 0.10 in the hottest periods and regions. Adding mechanization to increase horsepower (HP) per hectare to levels similar to those in some higher income countries would require a 22% increase in global HP availability with Sub-Saharan Africa needing the most. There may be scope for shifting to less labor-intensive crops or those with labor peaks in cooler periods or shift work to early morning.

A compartmental model for Schistosoma japonicum transmission dynamics in the Philippines.

Schistosomiasis is a chronic and debilitating neglected tropical disease (NTD), second only to malaria as one of the most devastating parasitic diseases. Caused by a parasitic flatworm of the genus Schistosoma, infection occurs when skin comes in contact with contaminated freshwater that contains schistosome-hosting snails. The disease continues to be endemic in many regions of the Philippines, where it poses a significant public health challenge due to a lack of healthcare resources. In the Philippines, additional mammalian reservoirs for the S. japonicum parasite, especially bovines such as carabaos, also facilitate the spread of schistosomiasis. We extend existing compartment models to include human, snail, bovine, and free-living Schistosoma for a comprehensive look at the transmission dynamics of the disease. Sensitivity analysis of model parameters shows that the carabaos themselves can sustain the endemicity of schistosomiasis. Thus, we consider the control method of farming mechanization to avoid contaminated freshwater sources. We find that a reduction of contaminated water contacts by at least 77% will break the transmission cycle and eliminate the disease. However, reducing the contact by about 70% will still result in decrease of human schistosomiasis prevalence to under 1% in 15 years or less. Achieving such high reduction of contact rates could be a daunting task, especially in rural areas. Still, the potential to eliminate or at least reduce the schistosomiasis prevalence should be considered an additional benefit of mechanization efforts in the Philippines.

The role of agricultural mechanization services in reducing pesticide input: promoting sustainable agriculture and public health.

An increasing amount of pesticide input is posing a serious threat to the environment and public health. However, the quantitative analysis of the impact of agricultural mechanization services (AMS) on reducing pesticide input is not yet clear. In this study, the impact of AMS on pesticide input was estimated by using the Chinese Family Database and the endogenous switching regression model. Subsequently, testing the robustness of the model using the substitution variable method. The impact of AMS on different types of pesticides and the influence of farmers' choices of AMS on pesticide input under different terrain conditions and farm sizes were analyzed as well. The results demonstrate that AMS has a significant and negative impact on pesticide input, reducing pesticide expenditures by 56.08% for farmers who adopt AMS. For farmers who do not adopt AMS, adopting such services is assumed to reduce pesticide input by 14.97%. AMS can also reduce the use of insecticides and herbicides by over 54%. Compared to mountainous and hilly areas, AMS in plain areas increase the effectiveness of pesticide input reduction by 30.40%. Furthermore, small-scale farmers who adopt AMS can increase pesticide input reduction by 90 yuan/mu compared with large-scale farmers. Therefore, promoting the development of socialized AMS, strengthening AMS in mountainous and hilly areas, and expanding the scale of operation for small-scale farmers can help improve the effectiveness of pesticide input reduction. The results of this study can inform the development of strategies to reduce chemical pesticide use in agricultural soil.

Ratoon Rice System of Production: A Rapid Growth Pattern of Multiple Cropping in China: A Review.

In this review, the significance of ratoon rice was introduced, and the research status and development trends of ratoon rice were also summarized. It is pointed out that mechanically harvested ratoon rice is the developing direction of future ratoon rice. On this basis, we analyzed the relationship between the yield of ratoon rice and many factors, such as variety characteristics, sowing date, water control, fertilizer, and many others. It is important to construct a comprehensive and practical evaluation system for rice regeneration that can provide a basis for high-yield cultivation of machine-harvested ratoon rice. At the same time, it is suggested that combining high-yield cultivation with the green ecological efficiency of rice can achieve better production and improve the quality of rice. Finally, some problems with ratoon rice development were put forward. An in-depth study on the rhizosphere biology and regulation techniques of ratoon rice and the effective ecological compensation mechanism increased the capacity and quality of ratoon rice. Further, the functioning of such research can enhance the planting area for ratoon rice and improve food security.

Summer pruning in Mediterranean vineyards: is climate change affecting its perception, modalities, and effects?

Summer pruning encompasses a series of operations typically performed on the grapevine during the growing season. This review provides an update on the research conducted over the last 20 years on the modalities and strategies of main summer pruning operations, which include shoot positioning and thinning, shoot trimming, leaf removal, and cluster thinning, with a special focus on their adaptation to climate change occurring in Mediterranean areas. Three main novelties emerged from the survey. First, due to a common need to shelter clusters against overheating and sunburn-related damages, shoot thinning and leaf removal are practices that are now being applied in a much more cautious and conservative manner. Second, the meaning of summer pruning is evolving because operations are being used as precious tools to direct ripening toward a desired direction rather than being received passively. Third, some operations, such as leaf removal, have disclosed very high plasticity, which means that, depending on the timing and modalities of the intervention, yield can be either increased or decreased and ripening anticipated or postponed. In an era where economic and environmental sustainability have to find a good compromise, cluster thinning is increasingly being depicted as an extraordinary operation that should be left to occasional occurrences of overcropping. Moreover, summer pruning is a tool through which growers can, to an extent, exploit the potentialities offered by climate change. For instance, the crop-forcing technique, under the different configurations of single and double cropping within the same season, has been trialed promisingly in several regions and cultivars. The principle of forcing is to unlock the dormant bud during the first year by removing at least the young organs present on the shoot within a time window between the end of the flowering and pea-size stages. In particular, when it is applied in a double-cropping mode, the preliminary results related to Pinot noir, Grenache, Tempranillo, and Maturana tinta indicate that two harvests separated by 30-50 days can be obtained, with the latter having superior quality in terms of a lower level of pH and higher levels of acidity, anthocyanins, and phenolics.

Determinants of farm mechanization in central and southeast oromia region, Ethiopia.

The study has been conducted to assess the farm mechanization level and tried to identify the determinants. The research utilizes primary data, collected through personal interview of 397 farm households located in the four districts of central and southeast Oromia region of Ethiopia. Multi-stage, purposive and random sampling procedures were used to select the respondents using probability proportional to size from each district. Mechanization Index (MI) based on the matrix use of animate and mechanical energy inputs that incorporate cost factors was used to estimate farm mechanization level, while Tobit model was employed to analyze factors that determine the farm mechanization level. Household's sex, educational background, experience in farming, family labor availability and social capital, location of household, access to all-weather roads and distance to farm mechanization service providers centers, participation in market and off-farm activities, landholding, land fragmentation and size of livestock owned (TLU) are statistically significant in determining level of farm mechanization. Land consolidation, availing infrastructural facilities and facilitating adult education and short-term trainings are important recommendations to enhance farm mechanization level in the study area.

Impact of Agricultural Mechanization Level on Farmers' Health Status in Western China: Analysis Based on CHARLS Data.

Agricultural mechanization is an important component of agricultural modernization, as it contributes to the improvement of agricultural technology and the rapid transformation of agricultural development. However, research on the connection between agricultural mechanization and farmers' health status is scarce. Thus, using the 2018 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Survey (CHARLS) data, this study explored how agricultural mechanization can affect farmers' health. OLS and 2SLS models were used for the study's analysis. Furthermore, we used a PSM model to check the robustness of our analysis. The findings showed that: (1) the current state of agricultural mechanization in western China harms the health of rural residents; (2) agricultural mechanization can mitigate the adverse effects on health by increasing farmers' living expenditure and improving their living environment; and (3) agricultural mechanization's effects on farmers' health are regionally and income-heterogeneous. Agricultural mechanization has a more significant impact on health in Tibetan areas and high-income regions. It has an almost minimal effect in non-Tibetan and low-income areas. This paper suggests approaches that can be used to encourage the rational development of agricultural mechanization and improve rural populations' health.

Can agricultural mechanization services narrow the income gap in rural China?

This paper examines the impact of agricultural mechanization services (AMS) on rural household income and income gap, utilizing the recentered influence function regression method and publicly available data collected through the China Labor-force Dynamics Survey. The results of this study shed light on various impacts of AMS. First, agricultural mechanization services can significantly increase rural household income, but there is heterogeneity in the impact on rural household income in different quantiles. The effect of income growth on medium-income and low-income groups is greater. Second, agricultural mechanization services help to narrow the income gap between rural households and alleviate income inequality in rural areas. Third, the effect of agricultural mechanization services on reducing the income gap between rural households in the eastern and western regions is significantly stronger than that in the central region. Finally, further analysis based on income source structure reveals that agricultural mechanization services can significantly reduce the non-agricultural income gap of rural households, but the impact on the agricultural income gap is negligible. Our findings highlight the importance of government's efforts in promoting the development of agricultural mechanization service market in order to improve the income inequality in rural areas.