Proceedings of the International Conference on Agriculture

COMMUNITY-COLLECTIVE ACTION AND RURAL FOOD SECURITY IN RESOURCE-SCARCE CONTEXTS A CASE-STUDY OF VILLAGE-IRRIGATION TANK CASCADE BASED FARMING SYSTEMS IN SRI LANKA

2023-08-23T00:44:00+0530

Sustenance of local farming systems (FS) is inevitably linked with resource-endowment and the attributes of communities associated with them, playing a key role in ensuring rural food security. Hypothesizing that the local communities adopt collective action under resource-scarce contexts in community-managed FSs, this study explores the drivers and role of collective action in sustainable management of rural FSs. The study context refers to resource scarcity induced by impacts of climate change and severe economic crisis on the FSs established under Village-Tank-Cascade-Systems(VTCS) in the rural dry zone of Sri Lanka. Medde-Rambewa cascade system located in Nawagattegama, Puttalam district of Sri Lanka was the geographical scope of the study. Case-study approach was used with mixed methods of data collection and analysis. A household questionnaire survey (n=88), focused group discussions, in-depth interviews and field observations were used for primary data collection. Based on the findings, community members were found to adopt collective strategies for scarce resource management when they perceive themselves as key stakeholders in the sustenance of resource systems, coupled with awareness on causes (X²(1, N=88) =4.29, p=0.038) and effects (X²(1, N=88) =6.41, p=0.011) of resource degradation in the FSs established under VTCS. Collective irrigation-water sharing (Bethma) in lowland FSs (92%), sharing of labour (34%) and other farming inputs (seeds, fertilizer and machinery) (64%) were found to be adopted as strategies in response to resource scarcity. Findings support the hypothesis and the study concludes that resource scarcity itself, community members’ recognition on their role as key stakeholders of resource management and awareness on the nature of resource endowment are drivers of collection action within communities managing FSs established under VTCS, ultimately contributing to ensure rural food security.

THE IMPACT OF PHYSICAL PARAMETERS DURING THE FERMENTATION PROCESS AND CRITICAL MOISTURE CONTENT DURING PRODUCT STORAGE

2023-08-24T14:46:06+0530

Trichoderma sp. is a well-known biocontrol agent of Ganoderma basal stem rot (BSR) disease in oil palms. A lot of commercial products containing the beneficial microbe are available around the world. PalmaShield, containing Trichoderma asperellum (M103), is one of the commercialized and marketed products in Malaysia by FGV Agri Services Sdn. Bhd. M103 has already been proven to suppress Ganoderma growth in in-vitro studies by causing more than 85% inhibition of radial growth and has reduced more than 50% of BSR disease infections at the nursery stage. The journey to mass produces the M103 requires optimization of the fermentation process and maintaining the stability of the final product. For the fermentation process, the physical parameters were tested. M103 can grow well in submerged fermentation with an initial pH of 3, an incubation temperature between 28 and 30°C, a shaker speed of 150 rpm, and an inoculum size of 2 to 3% v/v. The culture broth from the fermentation process is mixed with clay for the development of powder formulations. During the final stage, continuous contamination of the final product in storage would be challenging. The moisture content of the final product was found to be the critical parameter to be controlled to eliminate the risk of bacterial contamination and maintain the viability of M103. Therefore, several drying techniques were studied, and product stability was monitored for 1 year. These findings provide important parameters to be controlled during the production process of Trichoderma’s product in powder form.

INVESTIGATING THE IMPACTS OF ENSO AND IOD ON RICE PRODUCTIVITY IN SOUTH SUMATRA, INDONESIA

2023-10-08T05:25:03+0530

Agriculture is a key sector in Indonesia, with rice being a staple crop and a major source of food for the country's population. However, climate variability, including El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) events, can have significant impacts on agricultural productivity, particularly in lowland swamp areas where rice is cultivated. This research investigates the impact of both ENSO and IOD on rainfall and rice productivity in lowland swamp areas of South Sumatra, Indonesia, with a focus on food security. The study uses precipitation datasets generated by merging a satellite-gauge precipitation with precipitation observations from several rain-gauge stations located throughout South Sumatra for the period of 1983-2022. Historical data indicates that El Niño events combined with positive IOD phases lead to decreased rainfall in South Sumatra, often causing droughts. In contrast, La Niña phases with negative IOD increase precipitation, resulting in potential flooding and waterlogging issues. Rice cultivation analysis highlights Supron I as the predominant harvesting period, with 49.8% of the total harvested area. Following El Niño periods, there is a rise in harvested areas of Supron I, likely due to the transformation of dried swamps into farmable land. However, increased rainfall during La Niña adversely affects rice yields in this period. These observations highlight the importance of adaptive strategies in the face of climate variability to ensure food security in the region.

HERMETIC STORAGE TECHNOLOGY: REDUCING POST-HARVEST LOSSES OF DRIED AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES

2023-10-10T12:02:49+0530

Insect infestation and mold growth are major problems during long-term storage of dried agricultural commodities as they result in weight loss, contamination, deterioration, and increase chances of fungal contamination. Mold growth often results in mycotoxin production, which is associated with health problems including aflatoxicosis, cancer, and micronutrient deficiencies. Hermetic storage technology, a bio-generated modified atmosphere based on oxygen-depleted and carbon dioxide enriched atmosphere caused by respiring living organisms in the sealed storage, was utilized for various trials in several locations. Several installations were done using GrainPro hermetic solutions including GrainPro Cocoon, Cocoon Indoor, and GrainPro Hermetic Bags (GHBs). Maize was stored in GrainPro Cocoon in Indonesia and was monitored using EcoWiSe, wireless sensing system designed to remotely monitor temperature, % Relative Humidity, and carbon dioxide level in gastight container. From this set-up, an increase in carbon dioxide level was observed and dead insects were found after long-term storage of maize. In the Philippines, rice bran was stored in GrainPro Cocoon for two months. The Free fatty acid (FFA) level remained low due to low oxygen levels inside the Cocoon. A trial was conducted in India for storage of red chili pepper (RCPs) in Cocoon Indoor and GHBs. Cocoon Indoor and GHBs were proven to be effective in preventing aflatoxin production during storage of RCPs for six months. Hermetic storage technology minimizes storage losses, prolongs shelf-life of agricultural goods by eliminating insect infestation, preserving the quality of stored commodity, and inhibits growth of molds and toxin production.

THE EFFECT OF BIO-STIMULANT APPLICATION METHODS ON THE GROWTH AND PHYTOCHEMICAL CONTENT OF CHILLI SEEDLINGS

2023-10-18T19:46:38+0530

Bio-stimulants have gained vast recognition in recent years as vigorous research has been conducted to improve crop growth, yield, and quality. However, bio-stimulant utilization in soilless systems has been limited due to their rapid degradation and short lifespan. New formulations are essential to extend the longevity of bioactive compounds in the target site. This paper highlights the effect of different application methods, such as drenching soilless medium and foliar application, on the chlorophyll, total phenolic, flavonoid, and carotenoid contents in chilli leaf. A completely randomized block design (RCBD) consisting of five treatments and three replications with ten plants per replication was adopted in this study. Moringa leaf extract (MLE) was prepared in a nano-emulsion form while bacteria were incorporated in nano-gel. Data were analyzed using the SPSS software (IBM Statistics, version 28, USA). Foliar application of MLE nano-emulsion significantly increased the chlorophyll content (35.958±7.19 mg g^-1) in chilli leaf than the drenching method (26.545±0.5 mg g^-1) and non-encapsulated MLE foliar treatment (12.233±2.33 mg g^-1). In addition, carotenoid (2.138±1.68 mg g^-1) and phenolic contents (1.090±0.17 mg gallic acid equivalent g^-1) in chilli leaf were higher when nano-emulsion of MLE used as foliar application than non-encapsulated MLE (1.725±1.08 mg g^-1 of carotenoid and 0.993±0.16 mg gallic acid equivalent g^-1 of phenolic content). Compared to other treatments, the seedlings treated with encapsulated bacteria and nano-emulsion of MLE showed a significant increase in plant height. It was found that MLE nano-emulsion improved the photosynthetic activities of chilli plants significantly by increasing the chlorophyll and carotenoid contents when used as a foliar application. Nano-encapsulation technique protects the active ingredients in MLE and increases the absorption due to their nano-size and large surface area.

CHARACTERIZATION OF IPOMOEA BATATAS 'CILEMBU' NON TYPICAL AGRICULTURAL LAND USING THE ELECTRICAL RESISTIVITY TOMOGRAPHY (ERT) AND MICROTREMOR APPROACH

2023-10-19T11:24:50+0530

Soil characterization investigations for the distribution of fertile soils have been carried out on non-typical agricultural lands with the aim that farmers can assess soil fertility problems which can increase crop productivity. This characterization was carried out using a high-precision agricultural approach with currently developing geophysical technology. The geoelectrical method is one of the geophysical methods that can be used to map spatial and temporal variations of soil physical properties. while Microtremor measurements can also be used in soil structure surveys to determine subsurface conditions. From these two methods, data were processed using geopsy software and RES2DINV which produced parameters of dominant frequency (f0), amplification (A), and resistivity (ρ). The processing results obtained resistivity values from 100 to 600 Ωm, dominant frequency values from 3.697 to 4.545 Hz and amplification values from 3.1 to 5.4. The study area shows resistivity values ranging from 100 to 600 Ωm, this indicates an alluvial soil type area that is rich in minerals and suitable for cultivating organic Cilembu sweet potato. This agricultural area also has a frequency value below 4 which indicates that the area has thick sediment, this is due to the decreasing topography of the land from east to west so that there are differences in elevation on agricultural land. This agricultural area also has an amplification value above 4 which indicates that in this area the soil is heterogeneous, dense enough to allow the soil to absorb water better so that in that area the soil is more fertile than soil with low amplification (< 4).

CHARACTERIZATION OF CILEMBU IPOMOEA BATATAS TYPICAL AGRICULTURAL LAND USING ELECTRICAL RESISTIVITY TOMOGRAPHY (ERT) AND MICROTREMOR APPROACHES

2023-10-20T11:16:01+0530

Agricultural productivity is highly correlated with soil physical characteristics. Generally, the characterization of agricultural land is done traditionally, but this research raises a new problem in agriculture where the characterization of the physical properties of agricultural land is determined based on microtremor data processed using the HVSR method. Determination of the physical characteristics of the soil in this study was conducted to determine the relationship between the physical properties of the soil on the productivity of sweet potato farming land. This research was conducted on sweet potato farms in Cilembu village. The results of this study provide information about the structure of shallow soil layers in Cilembu sweet potato farms, also can be used by farmers to determine good land for planting sweet potato by knowing the thickness of the layer and the friability of the soil based on the value of the dominant frequency and amplification obtained from microtremor processing data. The results of HVSR method show that the more fertile areas frequency values are in range 9 – 14 Hz, and amplification from the range 2.5 – 4. Meanwhile, the range of resistivity values shows a quite large value in range 100 – 2400 Ωm, indicated that the soil in the Cilembu area originates from weathering of young volcanic rocks.

THE EFFECTS OF PINEAPPLE CAPSULAR AND MICROBIAL FERTILISERS WITH DIFFERENT APPLICATION RATES ON FRUIT MORPHOLOGY, BIOCHEMICAL CHANGES, AND SOIL NUTRIENTS IN PEAT SOILS

2024-03-18T15:10:37+0530

The MD2 variety of pineapple exhibits a substantial level of demand from both China and the Middle East, emphasising the significance of this crop in these regions. Most pineapple cultivation in Malaysia occurs in peat soil, requiring substantial fertiliser application throughout growth. Peat soil exhibits limited productivity and does not adequately facilitate optimal plant growth. A research investigation was undertaken to mitigate the reliance on traditional fertilisers by utilising capsular fertilisers and microbes to improve the growth of pineapple crops in peat soil. Seven treatments and four replications were performed using conventional pineapple fertiliser and capsule fertiliser with microbes at various fertiliser application rates. The pineapple cultivar employed in this study is MD2. The findings indicate no statistically significant impact on pineapple morphology when comparing capsule fertiliser and microbes to conventional fertiliser. However, the fruit weight of conventional fertiliser is slightly heavier. Nevertheless, in terms of flavour, pineapple cultivated with capsule and microbial fertiliser exhibits a more pronounced sweetness than conventional fertiliser. The observed nutrient content in the soil did not demonstrate a statistically significant impact across all treatment conditions. Nevertheless, utilising capsule fertilisers containing microbes with lower application rates than conventional fertilisers proves to be a viable approach in mitigating the overreliance on chemical fertilisers while concurrently fostering the growth of pineapple plants..