Modelling Alternative Economic Incentive Schemes for Semi-Natural Grassland Conservation in Estonia.

Semi-natural grasslands (SNGLs) in Estonia are threatened by abandonment. This threat is leading to concerns about the degradation of biodiversity within grassland communities. Despite the high relevance of economic incentives in this context, how such incentives influence land managers' decision-making regarding the agricultural use of SNGLs has not been investigated. To obtain its socio-ecological implications for policy-making, we developed regionally specific agricultural scenarios (compensation payments, livestock capacity, hey export, and bioenergy production) and an interdisciplinary modelling approach that made it possible to simulate agricultural land use changes through land managers' responses to varied economic conditions. Through this approach, we found that some economic factors hampered the use of SNGLs: the moderate profitability of beef production, labour shortages, and the relatively high profitability of mulching. We observed a positive relationship between SNGLs and habitat suitability for breeding and feeding birds. However, due to the high maintenance costs of SNGLs, the modelling results indicated that increasing the use of SNGLs through public budgets caused crowding-out effects, i.e., the deteriorating market integration of regional agriculture. This study emphasises the need for policy measures aimed at cost-effective, labour-efficient management practices for SNGLs.

Economic viability of using OvSynch and fixed timed artificial insemination protocol in breeding improvement of pastoral herds in the rangelands.

Though using Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ARTs) can improve oestrus detection, conception and pregnancy success, thus benefit breeding program implementation, empirical evidence of their economic viability is lacking to inform investment decisions in pastoral herds. This study assessed economic viability of using OvSynch and fixed Timed Artificial Insemination (TAI) protocol in Sahiwal upgrading breeding program under two hypothetical cases of best and worst in activity-based money allocations when pastoral herds deploy either optimal or low input husbandry practices. From herd owners' assessment of milk production, best-case scenarios attain on average 10 L/cow/day with optimal husbandry and 5 L/cow/day with low input husbandry. The worst-case scenarios attain 5 L/cow/day with optimal husbandry and 1 L/cow/day with low input husbandry. Benefit- Cost Analysis (BCA) estimated Net Present Value (NPV), Benefit-Cost ratio (BCR) and Internal Rate of Return (IRR) to establish economic viability of using OvSynch and TAI Protocol in pastoral breeding programs. Both best-case scenarios retuned positive NPVs (82,028 and 6,912), BCR values (1.68 and 1.08) and IRR (27.46% and 8.08%) while worst-case scenarios returned negative NPVs (-135,855 and -141,025), BCR values of below 1 (0.87 and 0.66) and IRR values below the minimum rate of returns. These economic parameters were sensitive to price changes in inputs and outputs, under both optimal and low input husbandry practices. Results indicate that using OvSynch and TAI Protocol is a profitable and economically viable investment under optimal husbandry practices but not under low input husbandry practices. By implications, use of OvSynch and TAI Protocol in Sahiwal upgrading breeding programs need be accompanied with improved husbandry practices and de-risking pastoral herd owners from price changes in input and output markets.

Private school canteens: an analysis of the economic and financial aspects of the traditional and the healthy models.

BACKGROUND: One of the reasons for the more prominent resistance of canteen managers to implementing healthy canteens is based on the belief in the economic infeasibility of these models. The research aimed to verify the economic and financial viability of traditional and healthy models of school canteens in a Brazilian metropolis. METHODS: The case study was carried out with 36 companies in the school canteen sector in a Brazilian metropolis. The classification of items sold in canteens considered the extent and purpose of food processing according to the NOVA Classification. The characterization and definition of traditional canteens and healthy canteens were proposed considering the amount of in natura or minimally processed foods and culinary preparations without the presence of ultra-processed foods; the percentage of ultra-processed foods or processed foods or culinary preparations with the presence of ultra-processed foods; and the existence of prohibited foods. The economic and financial analysis was carried out mainly through the evaluation of profitability. Data were collected through an electronic self-administered questionnaire sent to canteen managers. The Mann-Whitney test was used to compare medians and the Chi-Square/Fisher's Exact Test to compare proportions. RESULTS: The study included six companies, responsible for 36 canteen units in private schools, 30 classified in the traditional model (83.3%), and six in the healthy model (16.7%). The median percentage of natural, minimally processed foods and commercialized culinary preparations was higher among the healthy model canteens (87.9% vs. 60.0%, p < 0.001). While the median percentage of ultra-processed, processed, or preparations with the presence of ultra-processed (40.0% vs. 12.1%, p < 0.001) and prohibited foods (10.0% vs. 0%, p < 0.001) sold was higher in the traditional model canteens. The results indicated that the profitability in the healthy canteens was higher (p < 0.001) than in the traditional ones. CONCLUSIONS: Healthy school canteens showed better financial and economic results compared to traditional canteens with emphasis on greater profitability and a shorter recovery time of the initial investment.

Viability assessment for the use of floating treatment wetlands as alternative production and remediation systems for nursery and greenhouse operations.

Floating treatment wetlands (FTWs) are deployed in nursery and greenhouse water retention reservoirs to help manage and mitigate nutrient contaminants within irrigation return flow. One management issue for FTWs is the need for plant harvest to avoid releasing nutrients back into the water column when plant tissues begin to senesce. Some researchers recommend harvesting the entire plant to prevent nutrient release. Resale of plants harvested from FTWs is one possible use of this live biomass by the nursery and greenhouse industry. To determine if nursery and greenhouse operations could use FTWs to clean water and simultaneously produce saleable plants, the objectives of this study were to (1) quantify the survival and aesthetics of plants after transplant from a FTW and (2) compare the time to market between traditional (containerized) and FTW production systems. Overall, plants harvested from FTWs were resalable. Plants transplanted from FTWs had higher survival and aesthetic ratings (scale of 1-5, 5 = highest quality) when transplanted to containers (4.26) compared to directly into the ground (2.81). The growth of Panicum virgatum and Canna × generalis 'Firebird' in FTW systems was two weeks slower than that of plants grown in traditional production areas. Sustainability of FTW systems combined with the capacity to produce salable plants that will return a profit improves adoption feasibility for production horticulture.

Effects of replacing ground corn with Nopalea cochenillifera meal on the intake, performance, and economic viability of grazing steers.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of replacing different levels of spineless-cactus meal instead of ground corn on supplements for crossbred steers grazing in Urochloa brizantha cv. Marandú pastures. Forty crossbred steers with an average body weight (BW) of 261 ± 7.46 kg were distributed in a completely randomized design. In supplements, the ground corn grain was substituted with 0%, 30%, 60%, and 90% spineless-cactus meal. The substitution of spineless-cactus meal instead ground corn promoted a linear decrease in the ether extract (EE; P = 0.03) and non-fibrous carbohydrates (NFC; P < 0.01) intakes. The apparent digestibility of EE was influenced (P < 0.05) showing a linear decrease. The apparent digestibility of NFC had a quadratic effect (P = 0.03). For the neutral detergent fiber corrected for ash and protein, the apparent digestibility increased linearly (P = 0.01). The average daily gain showed a quadratic effect (P < 0.01), with a maximum response estimated at 44.94% (1055.52 g/day) substitution with spineless-cactus meal for ground corn. The cost per animal per period and the cost per hectare decreased linearly (P < 0.01). The revenue, net revenue, exchange rate, and monthly revenue of the activity showed quadratic responses to the spineless-cactus meal supplements (P < 0.01), with maximum effects at 44.99%, 47.46%, 61.25%, and 57.35%, respectively. The substitution with up to 44.94% of spineless-cactus meal for ground corn provided daily gains, increased the feed conversion, and was favorable as a cost to the production system. Moreover, the profitability increased with maximum animal performance and improved use of fiber from pastures.

Strategic Carbon Dioxide Infrastructure to Achieve a Low-Carbon Power Sector in the Midwestern and South-Central United States.

Large-scale carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) requires development of critical infrastructure to connect capture locations to geological storage sites. Here, we investigate what government policies would be required to make the development of CO2 pipelines and large-scale CCUS in the power sector economically viable. We focus on the transition from conventional coal to non-CO2-emitting natural gas-fired Allam-cycle power with CCUS and study a system in which 156 Allam-cycle power generators representing 100 GW of capacity send their captured CO2 emissions to three geological storage locations in the central United States through 7500 miles of new pipeline. Enabling policies for this system include low-interest government loans of approximately $20 billion for pipeline construction and an extended 20-year Section 45Q tax credit, or similar longer-term carbon price incentive. Additional policy support will be needed to enable initial construction of pipelines and early-mover power generators, such as cost-sharing, governments assuming future demand risk, or increased subsidies to early movers. The proposed system will provide reliable, dispatchable, flexible zero-emission power generation, complementing the intermittent generation by renewables in a decarbonized U.S. power sector. The proposed pipeline network could also connect into future regional infrastructure networks and facilitate large-scale carbon management.

Bioherbicidal potential of different species of Phoma: opportunities and challenges.

Modern agriculture has been facing new challenges and fostering innovations to establish sustainable plant production. An integral part of these strategies is implementing new eco-friendly technologies in plant protection for better human health and a safer environment by minimizing the use of hazardous chemicals and also encouraging innovations such as the use of bio-based strategies for weed control. This specific strategy addresses the need to reduce the use and risk of pesticides, replacing conventional chemical herbicides with new bio-based solutions. In response to these issues, biocontrol strategies are gaining increased attention from stakeholders such as farmers, seed companies, agronomists, breeders, and consumers. Among these, bioherbicides have huge potential for the management of harmful weeds without affecting the natural quality of the environment and human health. In this context, this review is devoted to present an overview of the mycoherbicidal potential of Phoma sensu lato group of fungi, examining the advances in this field, including technological and scientific challenges and outcomes achieved in recent years. The mycoherbicides are eco-friendly and economically viable. KEY POINTS: • Some Phoma species have demonstrated herbicide activity. • These species secrete secondary metabolites responsible for the control of weeds. • They can be used as non-chemical, cost-effective, and eco-friendly bioherbicides.

Emerging forward osmosis and membrane distillation for liquid food concentration: A review.

As emerging membrane technologies, forward osmosis (FO) and membrane distillation (MD), which work with novel driving forces, show great potential for liquid food concentration, owing to their low fouling propensity and great driving force. In the last decades, they have attracted the attention of food industry scientists in global scope. However, discussions of the FO and MD in liquid food concentration advancement, membrane fouling, and economic assessment have been scant. This review aims to provide an up-to-date knowledge about liquid food concentration by FO and MD. First, we introduce the principle and applications of FO and MD in liquid food concentration, and highlight the effect of process on liquid food composition, membrane fouling mechanism, and strategies for fouling mitigation. Besides, economic assessment of FO and MD processes is reviewed. Moreover, the challenges as well as future prospects of FO and MD applied in liquid food concentration are proposed and discussed. Comparing with conventional membrane-based or thermal-based technologies, FO and MD show outstanding advantages in high concentration rate, good concentrate quality, low fouling propensity, and low cost. Future efforts for liquid food concentration by FO and MD include (1) development of novel FO draw solution (DS); (2) understanding the effects of liquid food complex compositions on membrane fouling in FO and MD concentration process; and (3) fabrication of novel membranes and innovation of membrane module and process configuration for liquid food processing.

Generating electrical energy through urban solid waste in Brazil: An economic and energy comparative analysis.

The search for alternative energy sources and increasing concerns over the generation of municipal solid waste are two widely discussed themes in contemporary academic literature. A possible alternative for solving both of these problems is through electrical energy generation through the use of this waste material. Although this practice is encouraged by the Brazilian National Solid Waste Policy, energy production through such methods still requires improvement. Given these considerations, this study aims to evaluate the generation of electric energy from solid waste in three different systems (biogas from sanitary landfills; methanization of organic fraction in anaerobic digesters; and combustion in incinerators) through economic and energy analysis. Economic analysis was performed with the parameters Net Present Value and Levelized Cost of Electricity. Economic viability was only seen in the cases which considered landfill biogas energy recovery, demonstrating a need for incentives and support policies to enable technologies that are environmentally more advantageous than landfills.

Framework for economic assessment of concrete waste management strategies.

Unlike developing countries, most developed countries address the problem of construction and demolition wastes (CDW) accumulation. In Egypt, CDW recycling plants are minimal. This study is devoted to understanding the economic aspects of constructing and operating a construction and demolition concrete waste recycling plant in Egypt. This includes accounting for several factors such as location, design of the recycling plant, the equipment used, and the material entering and leaving the plant. This is followed by implementing a detailed economic viability analysis that assesses the savings resulted from recycling concrete waste to produce recycled aggregate. CDW recycling plants give rise to economic viability as they seem economically viable even in the absence of specific government policies. A comprehensive case study of an actual project in New Cairo City in Egypt is presented in order to demonstrate the process of CDW disposal and illustrate the practical features of the proposed model.

Estimated crop loss due to coconut mite and financial analysis of controlling the pest using the acaricide abamectin.

Reducing the losses caused by Aceria guerreronis Keifer has been an arduous task for farmers. However, there are no detailed studies on losses that simultaneously analyse correlated parameters, and very few studies that address the economic viability of chemical control, the main strategy for managing this pest. In this study the objectives were (1) to estimate the crop loss due to coconut mite and (2) to perform a financial analysis of acaricide application to control the pest. For this, the following parameters were evaluated: number and weight of fruits, liquid albumen volume, and market destination of plants with and without monthly abamectin spraying (three harvests). The costs involved in the chemical control of A. guerreronis were also quantified. Higher A. guerreronis incidence on plants resulted in a 60 % decrease in the mean number of fruits harvested per bunch and a 28 % decrease in liquid albumen volume. Mean fruit weight remained unaffected. The market destination of the harvested fruit was also affected by higher A. guerreronis incidence. Untreated plants, with higher A. guerreronis infestation intensity, produced a lower proportion of fruit intended for fresh market and higher proportions of non-marketable fruit and fruit intended for industrial processing. Despite the costs involved in controlling A. guerreronis, the difference between the profit from the treated site and the untreated site was 18,123.50 Brazilian Real; this value represents 69.1 % higher profit at the treated site.

Assessment of alternative disposal methods to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from municipal solid waste in India.

Open dumping, the most commonly practiced method of solid waste disposal in Indian cities, creates serious environment and economic challenges, and also contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions. The present article attempts to analyse and identify economically effective ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from municipal solid waste. The article looks at the selection of appropriate methods for the control of methane emissions. Multivariate functional models are presented, based on theoretical considerations as well as the field measurements to forecast the greenhouse gas mitigation potential for all the methodologies under consideration. Economic feasibility is tested by calculating the unit cost of waste disposal for the respective disposal process. The purpose-built landfill system proposed by Yedla and Parikh has shown promise in controlling greenhouse gas and saving land. However, these studies show that aerobic composting offers the optimal method, both in terms of controlling greenhouse gas emissions and reducing costs, mainly by requiring less land than other methods.

[Cost-benefit analysis of an intervention to improve udder health in Swiss dairy farms]. / Kosten-Nutzen-Analyse einer Intervention zur Verbesserung der Eutergesundheit in Schweizer Milchviehbetrieben.

The objective of this study was to calculate the national costs associated with udder health in Switzerland and to estimate the cost effectiveness of an udder health intervention program. In 49 farms, yearly mastitis associated costs before and during an intervention were collected at herd level. Costs were calculated for each lactating cow being present in the herd. At the beginning of the intervention, 24 farms received a report with recommendations to improve the udder health. In the following year, those herds were followed-up by their veterinarian at a monthly basis. The other 25 farms were used as a negative control group and neither received any recommendations nor any follow-up. In the first year of analysis (2010), the median udder health associated costs were 209.- Swiss Francs for each lactating cow, regardless of the intervention group. During the intervention period (2012), mastitis associated costs were 191.- Swiss Francs for control farms and 396.- Swiss Francs for farms with veterinary intervention on a monthly basis. The median additional costs for herds with intervention were 159.- Swiss Francs per lactating cow. At the national level, mastitis associated costs were estimated at 129.4 millions of Swiss Francs per year. The cost effectiveness of future mastitis control programs can be evaluated with the help of the deterministic model developed during this study.

Le but du présent travail était de calculer les coûts de la santé de la mamelle dans des exploitations laitières suisses et d'estimer l'efficacité économique d'une intervention en vue de l'améliorer. Pour cela on a relevé les coûts liés aux mammites sur une année dans 49 exploitations, et cela durant l'année précédant l'intervention puis dans l'année de l'intervention et on l'a divisé par le nombre de vaches en lactation. Vingt-quatre exploitations ont reçu au début de l'étude des recommandations en vue d'améliorer la santé de la mamelle et ont ensuite été suivies mensuellement durant une année par leur vétérinaire d'exploitation. Les 25 autres exploitations n'ont reçu aucune recommandation et ont été utilisées comme groupe de contrôle. Dans la première année d'analyse (2 ans avant l'intervention, 2010), les coûts moyens de la santé de la mamelle, indépendamment du groupe s'élevaient à CHF 209.­ par vache en lactation. Durant l'année de l'intervention, ils se montaient à CHF 191.­ pour les exploitations de contrôle contre CHF 396.- pour les exploitations suivies. Les dépenses supplémentaires durant l'intervention s'élevaient en moyenne à CHF 159.­ par vache en lactation. Au niveau national, on estime les coûts liés aux mammites à CHF 129.4 millions. Les modèles de calcul utilisés dans la présente étude permettent de juger à l'avenir de la rentabilité des programmes de contrôle des mammites.

Impact of sowing date and level of phosphorus application on economic returns in cotton.

This study explored the economic dynamics of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) production in Msilale village, Chato District, Tanzania. The experiment utilized a factorial design with sowing dates on November 25th, December 15th, and January 4th, and phosphorus levels at 0, 20, 40, and 60 kg P ha-1, replicated three times. Results indicated significantly higher cotton yields (6.1 t ha-1 and 6.3 t ha-1) for November and December sowings compared to January (3.8 t ha-1). This is a 61% and 66% increase in cotton yields for November and December sowings, respectively relative to January sowing. Though not significant, 20 kg P ha-1 and 40 kg P ha-1 applications yielded 5.8 t ha-1 and 5.4 t ha-1, respectively, while 60 kg P ha-1 yielded 5.3 t ha-1. This is a 9.4% and 1.9% increase in cotton yields at 20 and 40 kg P ha-1, respectively relative to absolute control and 60 kg P ha-1 application. Economic analysis revealed that late sowing (January) had the lowest net profit (Tshs. 3,723,400 ≈ USD 1,486) and benefit-to-cost ratio (BCR) of 11.2. Early sowings recorded higher net profits (Tshs. 6,679,527 ≈ USD 2,666 and Tshs. 6,861,283 ≈ USD 2,738) and BCRs (18.4 and 18.8, respectively). This is a 79% (BCR = 64%) and 84% (BCR = 68) increase in net benefits from early sowings compared to late sowing. Applications of 20, 40, and 60 kg P ha-1 resulted in net benefits of Tshs. 5,452,572 ≈ USD 2,176 (BCR = 19.2), Tshs. 5,209,904 ≈ USD 2,079 (BCR = 15.1), and Tshs. 5,748,786 ≈ USD 2,294 (BCR = 14.1), respectively, with a significant (p = 0.017) BCR at 20 kg P ha-1 indicating cost-effectiveness. This is a 36% and 7.1% economic benefit at 20 and 40 kg P ha-1, respectively compared to 60 kg P ha-1 application. Optimizing sowing dates and P levels can boost economic returns in cotton production and promote sustainability.

Economic feasibility of adopting a hydroponics system on substrate in small rural properties.

Objective is to analyze the economic feasibility of implementing a greenhouse in a hydroponics production system in substrate (sand) on a small family farm as an alternative to hydroponic cultivation using nutrient film technique (NFT). This case study was carried out in the Municipality of Dourados, Mato Grosso do Sul state, Brazil. The location was specifically selected because of the importance of agricultural activities and the need for productive diversification related to the context of the small rural producer. As a criterion for assessing economic viability, the techniques of net present value (NPV), internal rate of return (IRR), modified internal rate of return (MIRR), cost-benefit (C/B), profitability index (PI), equivalent annual value (EAV) and discounted payback (DP) were under consideration. A minimum attractiveness rate adjusted to the risk of emerging countries of 10.25% per year was considered. The viability of the project was verified, even when exposed to risk and uncertainty.

Feasibility study of faecal sludge treatment by Geotube and jute tube-based technologies.

The decentralized standalone treatment of faecal sludge is a generally cumbersome, energy-intensive, and expensive process. Particle size enlargement, dewatering, and disinfection are the crucial unit operations that contribute to the major portion of the operational expenditure. Therefore, the present study took up the task to investigate and yield a natural alternative to each of the above-delineated unit operations. Crushed seed powders of Moringa, Guilandina bonduc, Nirmali, tamarind, soap nut, nutmeg, jackfruit, and custard apple were experimented as natural coagulants, while a double-stitched cow dung-lined jute tube was utilized as the media for solid-liquid separation. Finally, the powder of Neem and custard apple seed and leaf were considered herbal disinfectants for the separated liquid and solid fractions, respectively. The findings of the physicochemical and biological analyses of the above unit operations were compared with a conventional polymer-based Geotube-driven treatment scheme. The natural alternatives registered some promising outcomes. However, the combined treatment efficiency of 79.32% (mean value of TS, TSS, TDS, COD, and BOD percentage removal) for pollutant removal and disinfection could not exceed the value of 97.98% offered by the conventional method. Further, the financial comparison for processing a 10 KL batch of FS indicates that the conventional scheme is considerably cheaper (USD 7.95) than the herbal alternate (USD 22.1). Therefore, though the present findings depict promising alternatives for sustainable and eco-friendly faecal sludge treatment, the authors advocate conducting further research to address the existing challenges to facilitate their seamless implementation on a field-scale level.

Sugarcane Straw as a Source of Arabinoxylans: Optimization and Economic Viability of a Two-Step Alkaline Extraction.

Sugarcane processing produces a significant amount of byproducts in the form of straw and bagasse, which are rich in cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. This work aims to provide a valorization approach to sugarcane straw by optimizing a two-step alkaline extraction of arabinoxylans by a response surface methodology to evaluate a potential industrial-scale production. Sugarcane straws were delignified using an alkaline-sulfite pretreatment, followed by alkaline extraction and precipitation of arabinoxylan, a two-step process optimized using a response surface methodology. A KOH concentration of (2.93-17.1%) and temperature (18.8-61.2 °C) were chosen as independent variables, and the arabinoxylan yield (%) as a response variable. The model application shows that KOH concentration, temperature, and the interaction between both independent variables are significant in extracting arabinoxylans from straw. The best-performing condition was further characterized by FTIR, DSC, and chemical and molecular weight evaluation. The straws arabinoxylans presented high purities levels, ca. 69.93%, and an average molecular weight of 231 kDa. The overall estimated production cost of arabinoxylan from straw was 0.239 €/g arabinoxylan. This work demonstrates a two-step alkaline extraction of the arabinoxylans method, as well as their chemical characterization and economic viability analysis, that can be used as a model for industrial scale-up production.

Nutrient Intake, Performance, Carcass Characteristics, Meat Quality, and Cost Analysis of Sheep Submitted to Intermittent Supplementation on Masai Grass Pastures.

This study aimed to assess nutrient intake, performance, intake behavior, carcass characteristics, and meat quality of sheep managed on Masai grass pastures along with intermittent concentrate supplementation, in addition to the economic impacts of applying that strategy. A sample of 24 Santa Inês sheep (12 males and 12 females) was kept for 80 days on Panicum maximum cv. Massai pastures and was supplemented daily or every other day. The voluntary intake of dry matter and nutrients was estimated. Mean daily weight gain and total weight gain were calculated and intake behavior parameters were assessed. The males were slaughtered and the weight and yield of the carcasses and meat cuts were assessed. The meat was analyzed for cooking losses, shear force, and color. The gross margin of the system was estimated from the difference between total income and operational cost. No effect was seen of the interaction between supplementation frequency and sex for any parameter assessed (p > 0.05). Intermittent supplementation of Santa Inês sheep managed with Masai grass is recommended since the strategy does not impact nutrient intake, performance, intake behavior, carcass characteristics, or meat quality, but lowers the costs of producing 1 kg of meat by 15%.

Long-term response of dragon fruit (Hylocereus undatus) to transformed rooting zone of a shallow soil improving yield, storage quality and profitability in a drought prone semi-arid agro-ecosystem.

Agricultural crops especially fruit trees are constrained by edaphic stresses in shallow soils with low water retention and poor fertility. Therefore, interventions of shifting to trench planting for better root anchorage and replacing the filling soil were evaluated for 8 years in dragon fruit (Hylocereus undatus) cultivated in Deccan Plateau of peninsular India. When averaged for last 5-years, 44 % higher fruit yield (18.2 ± 1.0 Mg ha-1) was harvested from trees planted in trenches filled with 1:1 mixture (T-mixed) of native soil (loamy sand with 26.7 % stones (>2mm), field capacity, FC 0.20 cm3 cm-3; organic carbon, OC 0.17 %; Av-N 54.6 kg ha-1) and a black soil (clay 54.4 %; FC 0.42 cm3 cm-3; OC 0.70 %; Av-N 157.1 kg ha-1) than the recommended pit planting (12.4 ± 1.2 Mg ha-1). Improvements in fruit yields with trenches filled with black (T-black) and native (T-native) soil were 32 and 13 %, respectively. Yield losses (total- marketable yield) were reduced by 40, 20 and 18 % over pit method with T-mixed, T-black and T-native soil, respectively. Marketable quality attributes like fruit weight, fruit size metrics and pulp/peel content were further improved under T-mixed soil. Accumulation of total soluble solids (TSS), sugar content, phenolic and flavonoid compounds were higher in fruits from T-native soil. During storage, fruits from T-native soil and pit planting exhibited minimum physiological weight loss and retained more firmness, TSS, sugars, titratable acidity, phenolic-flavonoids contents, FARP and DPPH activities. T-mixed soil provided better hydrozone and nutrients for resilience of fruit plants while protecting from aeration problems envisaged in poorly drained black soils. With B:C ratio (1.85) and lower payback period (4-years), T-mixed soil showed superior economic viability. Therefore, soil management module of planting in trenches filled-in with mixture of native and black soils can be recommended to boost productivity of fruits from shallow soils under water scarce degraded regions without penalising agro-ecosystem.

Microbiological Survey and Antimicrobial Resistance of Foodborne Bacteria in Select Meat Products and Ethnic Food Products Procured from Food Desert Retail Outlets in Central Virginia, USA.

In food desert areas, low-income households without convenient transportation often shop at small, independently owned corner markets and convenience stores (SIOMs). Studies indicate a higher potential for reduced product quality and safety of foods sold at SIOMs, with more critical and non-critical code violations in the region. This study aimed to assess the difference in market scale on the microbiological quality in select food products procured from food deserts in Central Virginia. A total of 326 samples consisting of meat products (i.e., ground beef, chicken, and sausage), ethnic food products (i.e., ox tail, stock fish bite, egusi ground, and saffron powder), and food packaging surfaces procured from ten registered SIOMs and nine large chain supermarkets (LCSMs) between August 2018 and March 2020 were evaluated. Higher levels of aerobic mesophile and coliform counts were found in SIOMs-acquired samples than in LCSMs-acquired samples, as demonstrated by the lower food safety compliance rate of SIOMs. Regardless of SIOMs or LCSMs, Campylobacter, E. coli, Listeria, and Salmonella were detected in 3.6%, 20.9%, 5.5%, and 2.7% of samples, respectively. The majorities of Campylobacter (75%, 6/8) and Salmonella (83.3%, 5/6) detected were from SIOMs-acquired samples including ethnic food products. Among the tested antimicrobials, AMP (100%) and TOB (100%) showed the highest frequency of resistance among Campylobacter, TCY (69.9%) among E. coli, NAL (100%) among Listeria, and TCY (50%) among Salmonella, respectively. The prevalence of multi-drug resistance (MDR) and non-susceptibility in Campylobacter and non-susceptibility in Listeria isolated from SIOMs-acquired food products were lower than those isolated from LCSMs-acquired samples. A higher price of the same brand name commodity sold at SIOMs than those sold at LCSMs was also observed, indicating an increased financial burden to economically challenged residents in food desert areas, in addition to food safety concerns. Elaborated and in-depth research on a larger-scale sample size with a greater diversity of products is needed to determine and intervene in the cause(s) of the observed differences in the prevalence of the pathogens and AMR profiles.