Publications
NIBIOs employees contribute to several hundred scientific articles and research reports every year. You can browse or search in our collection which contains references and links to these publications as well as other research and dissemination activities. The collection is continously updated with new and historical material.
2022
Authors
Elizabeth Tettey Owusu Fordjour Aidoo Linda Arhin Ritter Atoundem Guimapi Fred Kormla Ablormeti Frank Dampare Richard Ampadu-Ameyaw Jeffet Ekow Cobbah Yayra Afram Frank Kwarteng Ndede YankeyAbstract
Coconut production is significantly constrained by a wide variety of pests. Anecdotal evidence also suggests that management of these pests is influenced by gender differences. Therefore, there was a need to assess farmers' knowledge about coconut pests, farm-level pest management strategies, and institutions offering training to farmers to develop an ecologically sound management strategy. To achieve this research need, we surveyed six coconut-growing districts, three each from the Western and Central Regions of Ghana, using face-to-face interviews, discussions, and direct observations. In addition, a multistage sampling technique was used to sample the coconut farmers. The sample population for each town was determined using a proportional to population size approach. The sample population was randomly drawn from each town/village using a sampling frame based on the agricultural sector records. The results showed that a majority of the farmers mentioned Oryctes monoceros as the most important coconut pest. Significantly more females than males mentioned weaver birds in their plantations (P = 0.035). The number of women who did not mention any of the pests was significantly higher than that of men (P = 0.007). There was a significant difference between male and female farmers who used indigenous knowledge (i.e., knowledge accumulated by an indigenous [local] population over generations of living in a certain area) (P = 0.018) for pest management. However, pest management strategies did not vary in the Central Region. Our results showed a significant difference between male and female farmers who did not use any of the management strategies, suggesting that future studies and training should consider gender in developing sustainable pest management strategies for the pests.
Abstract
Seed production is an important element of weed population dynamics, and weed persistence relies upon the soil seed bank. In 2017 and 2018, we studied the relationship between the aboveground dry biomass of common weed species and their seed production. Weeds were selected randomly in the fields, and we surrounded the plants with a porous net to collect shed seeds during the growth season. Just before crop harvest, weeds were harvested, the plants’ dry weights were measured, and the number of seeds retained on the weeds was counted. A linear relationship between the biomass and the number of seeds produced was estimated. This relationship was not affected by year for Avena spica-venti, Chenopodium album, Galium aparine, or Persicaria maculosa. Therefore, the data of the two seasons were pooled and analysed together. For Alopecurus myosuroides, Anagallis arvensis, Capsella bursa-pastoris, Geranium molle, Polygonum aviculare, Silene noctiflora, Sonchus arvensis, Veronica persica, and Viola arvensis, the relationship varied significantly between the years. In 2017, the growing season was cold and wet, and the slope of the regression lines was less steep than in the dry season in 2018 for most species. Capsella bursa-pastoris was the most prolific seed producer with the steepest slope.
Authors
Michel Mench Shahlla Matin Wieslaw Szulc Beata Rutkowska Tomas Persson Arne Sæbø Aritz Burges Nadège OustriereAbstract
The INTENSE project, supported by the EU Era-Net Facce Surplus, aimed at increasing crop production on marginal land, including those with contaminated soils. A field trial was set up at a former wood preservation site to phytomanage a Cu/PAH-contaminated sandy soil. The novelty was to assess the influence of five organic amendments differing in their composition and production process, i.e. solid fractions before and after biodigestion of pig manure, compost and compost pellets (produced from spent mushroom substrate, biogas digestate and straw), and greenwaste compost, on Cu availability, soil properties, nutrient supply, and plant growth. Organic amendments were incorporated into the soil at 2.3% and 5% soil w/w. Total soil Cu varied from 179 to 1520 mg kg−1, and 1 M NH4NO3-extractable soil Cu ranged from 4.7 to 104 mg kg−1 across the 25 plots. Spring barley (Hordeum vulgare cv. Ella) was cultivated in plots. Changes in physico-chemical soil properties, shoot DW yield, shoot ionome, and shoot Cu uptake depending on extractable soil Cu and the soil treatments are reported. Shoot Cu concentration varied from 45 ± 24 to 140 ± 193 mg kg DW−1 and generally increased with extractable soil Cu. Shoot DW yield, shoot Cu concentration, and shoot Cu uptake of barley plants did not significantly differ across the soil treatments in year 1. Based on soil and plant parameters, the effects of the compost and pig manure treatments were globally discriminated from those of the untreated, greenwaste compost and digested pig manure treatments. Compost and its pellets at the 5% addition rate promoted soil functions related to primary production, water purification, and soil fertility, and the soil quality index.
Authors
Ali Hosseini Hans-Christian Teien Till Seehusen Merete Myromslien Marit Nandrup Pettersen Justin Brown Brit Salbu Deborah Helen OughtonAbstract
A series of 131I tracer experiments have been conducted at two research stations in Norway, one coastal and one inland to study radioiodine transfer and dynamics in boreal, agricultural ecosystems. The hypothesis tested was that site specific and climatological factors, along with growth stage, would influence foliar uptake of 131I by grass and its subsequent loss. Results showed that the interception fraction varied widely, ranging from 0.007 to 0.83 over all experiments, and showing a strong positive correlation with biomass and stage of growth. The experimental results were compared to various models currently used to predict interception fractions and weathering loss. Results provided by interception models varied in the range of 0.5–2 times of the observed values. Regarding weathering loss, it was demonstrated that double exponential models provided a better fit with the experimental results than single exponential models. Normalising the data activity per unit area to remove bio-dilution effects, and assuming a constant single loss rate gave weathering half-times of 22.8 ± 38.3 and 10.2 ± 8.2 days for the inland and coastal site, respectively. Whilst stable iodine concentrations in grass and soil were significantly higher (by approximately a factor of 5 and 7 times for grass and soil respectively) at the coastal compared to the inland site, it was not possible to deconvolute the influence of this factor on the temporal behaviour of 131I. Nonetheless, stable iodine data allowed us to establish an upper bound on the soil to plant transfer of radioiodine via root uptake and to establish that the pathway was of minor importance in defining 131I activity concentrations in grass compared to direct contamination via interception. Climatological factors (precipitation, wind-speed and temperature) appeared to affect the dynamics of 131I in the system, however the decomposition of these collective influences into specific contributions from each factor remains unresolved and requires further study. The newly acquired data on the interception and weathering of radioiodine in boreal, agricultural ecosystems and the reparametrized models developed from this, substantially improve the toolbox available for Norwegian emergency preparedness in the event of a nuclear accident.
Abstract
VIPS is a technology platform for prognosis, monitoring and decision support for integrated pest management in crops in Norway. The service facilitates access to a Danish decision support tool, IPMwise, for the management of weeds. This tool, called VIPS-weeds in Norway, is adjusted to the Norwegian conditions for cereals. VIPS-weeds selects and adjusts the dose of herbicides according to weed species, weed density and temperature. The tool is being tested each year for local adaptations and updating. In 2021, four experiments were performed in spring wheat and barley. The experiments were designed in completely randomised blocks with three replications, and each included a control (unsprayed), a VIPS-weeds, and an adviser choice plot as well as plots for a variety of herbicides that are common in these crops. The weed species and density, development stage and possible herbicide resistance of each species in the control plots as well as crop information and temperature data were registered in VIPS-weeds three days before the normal spraying time. The suggested herbicides (set to be suggested based on the price) were applied to the VIPS-weeds plots. The effect of suggested herbicides and their dose was assessed as the reduction of weed coverage (%) in sprayed plots compared to the control plots 3-4 weeks after spraying. The average efficacy targets for the weed species (observed at least in two fields) Spergula arvensis, Viola sp., Stellaria media, Galeopsis sp., Chenopodium album, and Fumaria officinalis were predicted to be at 91, 84, 65, 83, 80, and 72% respectively, by VIPS-weeds. The results showed an average efficacy of 45, 58, 79, 80, 91 and 82% for these weeds, respectively. The VIPS-weeds solution was economically reasonable and gave similar results as adviser choice in terms of weed control and yield.
Authors
Cristina Micheloni Frank Willem Oudshoorn Paula Quintana Fernández Sari Autio Andrea Beste María Isabel Blanco Penedo Marie-Christine Bourin Jacopo Goracci Matthias Koesling Eligio Malusá Bernhard Speiser Jan van der Blom Felix WäckersAbstract
The Expert Group for Technical Advice on Organic Production (EGTOP) was requested to advise on the use of several substances in organic production. The Group discussed whether the use of these substances is in line with the objectives and principles of organic production and whether they should therefore be included in Annex III of Reg. (EU) 2021/1165. With respect to feed the Group recommends the following: - Leonardite should not be included in Annex III. - Sepiolitic clay should be included in Annex III, part B. - Peat should not be included in Annex III. With respect to pet food, the Group recommends the following: - Locust bean gum should be included in Annex III, part B with the following conditions/limits: only for pet food and obtained only from the roasting process and from organic production, if available. - Acacia-Arabic gum should be included in Annex III, part B with the following conditions/limits: only for pet food and from organic production, if available. - Carrageenan should be included in Annex III, part B with the following conditions/limits: only for pet food. - Ammonium chloride should be included in Annex III, part B with the following conditions/limits: only for pet food intended to be used for special nutritional purposes for cats. - (Ortho-)phosphoric acid should not be included in Annex III. - Taurine should be included in Annex III, part B with the following conditions/limits: only for cats and dogs, not from GMO origin and if possible not from synthetic origin. - Methionine should not be included in Annex III. - Disodium dihydrogen diphosphate (SAPP) should be included in Annex III, part A with the following conditions/limits: only for pet food. - Pentasodium triphosphate (STPP) should be included in Annex III, part A with the following conditions/limits: only for pet food.
Authors
Cristina Micheloni Frank Willem Oudshoorn Paula Quintana Fernández Sari Autio Andrea Beste María Isabel Blanco Penedo Marie-Christine Bourin Jacopo Goracci Matthias Koesling Eligio Malusá Bernhard Speiser Jan van der Blom Felix WäckersAbstract
The Expert Group for Technical Advice on Organic Production (EGTOP) was requested to advise on the use of several substances in organic production. The Group discussed whether the use of these substances is in line with the objectives and principles of organic production and whether they should therefore be included in Annex III of Reg. (EU) 2021/1165. With respect to feed the Group recommends the following: - Calcium hydroxide should not be included in Annex III. - Calcium pidolate should not be included in Annex III. - Algal oil should be included in Annex III, part A. - The trace elements; Copper (II) chelate of protein hydrolysates, Iron (II) chelate of protein hydrolysates, Manganese chelate of protein hydrolysates and Zinc chelate of protein hydrolysates should be included in Annex III, part B. - The feed for special nutritional purposes; Propylene glycol should be included in Annex III, part A. - The feed for special nutritional purposes; Calcium chloride should be included in Annex III, part A. - The feed for special nutritional purposes; Calcium propionate should not be included in Annex III. - The feed for special nutritional purposes; Iron dextran should be included in Annex III, part B. - The feed for special nutritional purposes; Iron (II) fumarate should not be included in Annex III. - Vegetable charcoal should not be included in Annex III. - Selenised yeast saccharomyces cerevisiae cncm i-3060, inactivated, should be included in Annex III, part B. With respect to pet food, the Group recommends the following: - Algae flour should not be included in Annex III. - Papain should be included in Annex III, part B.
Authors
Cristina Micheloni Frank Willem Oudshoorn Paula Quintana Fernández Sari Autio Andrea Beste María Isabel Blanco Penedo Marie-Christine Bourin Jacopo Goracci Matthias Koesling Eligio Malusá Bernhard Speiser Jan van der Blom Felix WäckersAbstract
The Expert Group for Technical Advice on Organic Production (EGTOP) was requested to advise on the use of several substances with plant protection or fertilising effects in organic production. The Group discussed whether the use of these substances is in line with the objectives and principles of organic production, and whether they should therefore be included in Reg. (EU) 2021/1165. With respect to Annex I to Reg. (EU) 2021/1165, the Group recommends the following: - Aqueous extract from the germinated seeds of sweet Lupinus albus should be included in Annex I, part 2 (low risk active substances). - Low risk active substances of plant or animal origin should be authorised generically in Annex I, part 2, provided that they are not of GMO origin. This would mean that they can be used in organic production as soon as they are approved under pesticide legislation, without the need for evaluation by EGTOP and without explicit mentioning in Annex I to Reg. (EU) 2021/1165. - Ferric pyrophosphate should be included in Annex I, part 2 (low risk active substances). - The entries for deltamethrin and lambda-cyhalothrin should be modified as follows: (i) for both substances, the authorisation should be limited until 2026; (ii) for the time period until 2026, deltamethrin should also be authorised against Rhagoletis completa with the same restrictions as for other uses, i.e. ‘only in traps with specific attractants’. With respect to Annex II to Reg. (EU) 2021/1165, the Group recommends the following: - The entry on ‘Composted or fermented household waste’ should be changed to ‘Composted or fermented bio-waste’. - Recovered struvite and precipitated phosphate salts should be included in Annex II with the following restrictions: (i) Products must meet the requirements defined by Reg. (EU) 2019/1009, for products derived from waste materials. (ii) Animal manure as source material cannot have factory farming origin. - Bone charcoal should not be included in Annex II. - Potassium chloride (muriate of potash) should be included in Annex II with the following restriction: Only of natural origin. - Phosphogypsum should not be included in Annex II. - Comment on widespread environmental contamination: In the Group’s opinion, circular economy is important and should be widely adopted also in organic production. However, recycled materials may be contaminated with undesirable substances such as microplastic, heavy metals, veterinary drugs or pesticides. The Group does not recommend any changes in the organic legislation at the moment. However, the Group highlights these risks and recommends that the European Commission and Member States take them into consideration within the framework of policies and regulations concerning organic farming development, circular economy and environmental protection. Moreover, these risks should be continuously monitored and preventively managed in the use of pesticides, veterinary drugs, plastic or any other potentially polluting materials and in the production of organic fertilizers from recycled materials. Finally, the organic sector should be aware that the proposed measures can reduce contaminations (in frequency and in amounts), but may not always completely eliminate them from the organic production chain. Under these circumstances, a certain level of contamination can be difficult to avoid in organic products. The issue of how to handle such residues is hotly debated at the moment. The Group would welcome harmonization among EU member states of control practises and on actions taken in case of detections of residues of non-allowed products on organic products and in organic farms.
Abstract
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Abstract
No abstract has been registered