Browsing by Browse by FOR 2020 "300299 Agriculture, land and farm management not elsewhere classified"
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Journal ArticlePublication Aggregate hierarchy and carbon mineralization in two Oxisols of New South Wales, Australia(Elsevier BV, 2015); ; ; ; The conventional model of aggregate formation suggests a hierarchy where micro-aggregates with lower porosity and therefore reduced soil organic carbon (SOC) mineralization form inside macro-aggregates. This model has however been questioned for highly weathered Oxisols where inconclusive results regarding the presence of aggregate hierarchy have been obtained to date. We hypothesized that in Oxisols (i) an aggregate hierarchy would be present (ii) the porosity of micro-aggregates would be lower than that of macro-aggregates and (iii) pore geometry of aggregates would influence SOC mineralization. We collected topsoils from Oxisols in northern New South Wales, Australia from which macro-aggregates (>250 μm), micro-aggregates (53-250 μm) and <53 μm fractions were isolated from bulk soil by wet sieving. 3D images of macro- and micro-aggregates were produced using X-ray computed tomography (μCT) showing the presence of micro-aggregates inside macro-aggregates, which confirmed the presence of an aggregate hierarchy in the Oxisols studied. Macro-aggregates were more common and SOC in higher concentrations in forest systems compared with agricultural (the cultivation or pasture) land-uses, but aggregate geometry differed little between the land-uses studied. The porosity of macro-aggregates (4%) was significantly lower than micro-aggregates (5.5%). Despite the differences in pore geometry between macro- and micro-aggregates, SOC mineralized (SOC'min') during a 2-month incubation (at 25°C) was similar in macro- (3% of SOC concentration) and micro-aggregates (2.8% of SOC concentration). We conclude that although aggregate hierarchy exists in these soils and that aggregate geometry did differ between aggregate size classes, there was no evidence to support the porosity exclusion principle and the assumption that SOC is preferentially stabilized within micro-aggregates in these soils.1333 - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Publication Open AccessJournal ArticleAggressiveness of Phytophthora medicaginis on chickpea: Phenotyping method determines isolate ranking and host genotype-by-isolate interactions(Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 2022-06) ;Bithell, Sean L; ;Harden, Steve ;Drenth, André ;Moore, Kevin; Hobson, KristyPhytophthora medicaginis causing Phytophthora root rot of chickpea (Cicer arietinum) is an important disease, with genetic resistance using C. arietinum × Cicer echinospermum crosses as the main disease management strategy. We evaluated pathogenic variation in P. medicaginis populations with the aim of improving phenotyping methods for disease resistance. We addressed the question of individual isolate aggressiveness across four different seedling-based phenotyping methods conducted in glasshouses and one field-based phenotyping method. Our results revealed that a seedling media surface inoculation method used on a susceptible C. arietinum variety and a moderately resistant C. arietinum × C. echinospermum backcross detected the greatest variability in aggressiveness among 37 P. medicaginis isolates. Evaluations of different components of resistance, using our different phenotyping methods, revealed that differential pathogen–isolate reactions occur with some phenotyping methods. We found support for our hypotheses that the level of aggressiveness of P. medicaginis isolates depends on the phenotyping method, and that phenotyping methods interact with both isolate and host genotype reactions. Our cup-based root inoculation method showed promise as a non-field-based phenotyping method, as it provided significant correlations with genotype–isolate rankings in the field experiment for a number of disease parameters.
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Publication Open AccessThesis DoctoralAgricultural Productivity, Efficiency and Growth in Botswana(2016) ;Temoso, Omphile; Agriculture plays an important role in Botswana, providing food, income, employment and investment opportunities for the majority of the rural population. However, over the last two decades, the contribution of agriculture to the economy and rural development has declined leading to a progressive increase in food imports. Low growth in the agricultural sector has been attributed to low productivity, which could be attributed to the recurring drought conditions that prevail in many parts of the country, and partly by the small scale of farms. Remarkably, this decline in agricultural performance in Botswana has coincided with a period of major policy reform, the objective of which is to improve agricultural performance. This study measures the performance of the agricultural sector and investigates the reasons for continuing decline in spite of considerable public expenditure. Using panel data from 1979 to 2012, the study calculates various indicators to assess the different drivers of the performance of the sector across different agricultural districts, agro-ecological regions, production systems and sub-sectors. A nonparametric approach is employed to examine trends in agricultural productivity in six regions of Botswana. Measures of total factor productivity (TFP) are obtained and decomposed into various sources including efficiency change (technical, scale and mix efficiency) and technical change. The results show that TFP declined due to a fall in overall efficiency at 3.1 per cent per annum. Moreover, a parametric stochastic distance frontier approach is used to examine sources of efficiency, productivity and output growth and the possible reasons for the decline in productivity. It was found that the main driver of productivity is improvement in technical efficiency. The results show that various programs introduced during the study period did not lead to any improvement in productive efficiency. Results from both parametric and nonparametric approaches indicate that overall efficiency varies from region to region, which suggest that there is a scope for improving productivity by taking a differential regional approach to efforts aimed at increasing efficiency.4169 1678 - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Publication Open AccessConference PublicationThe application of an iterative and collaborative learning design framework in AGFN100 Fundamentals of Agriculture(2022-07-28); AGFN100 Fundamentals of Agriculture is a foundational unit taken by Undergraduate Certificate, Diploma and Bachelor students, as well as postgraduate students from non-agriculture disciplines. It is designed to be taken in the first trimester of study and aims to prepare students for study of science. This unit is unique to UNE where a need was identified through engagement with students, industry and teaching staff for this foundational unit. This presentation aims to demonstrate the engagement between a junior and senior academic with an iterative and collaborative learning design framework.
The three phases in curriculum development can be divided into design, implementation and improvement. By using an iterative approach the engagement with stakeholders where feedback is incorporated throughout the design and implementation phases, ensures the improvement is ongoing (Guru, 2017). The lecturers built the unit each week and asked for feedback from the students on additional skills and content they wished to learn. Both lecturers attended the weekly practical and tutorial, where they engaged not only with the students but each other. After each class the lecturers debriefed, adjusted the materials and created additional videos to support the students based on the questions asked in class. This inbuilt reflection allowed an iterative approach to be taken for each class leading to a unit that clearly achieved the learning outcomes.
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Publication Open AccessJournal ArticleAre diversification and structural change good policy? An empirical analysis of Norwegian agriculture(Cambridge University Press, 2019-02) ;Alem, Habtamu ;Lien, Gudbrand ;Kumbhakar, Subal CWe investigated whether diversification and/or structural change would improve Norwegian agriculture. Using a flexible technology approach to account for different technologies, we assessed economies of scope and scale of dairy and cropping farms, including regional differences. We fitted translog cost functions to farm-level panel data for the period 1991-2014. We found both economies of scope and scale on the farms. Dairy farms have an economic incentive to integrate dairying with cropping in all regions of Norway, and vice versa. Thus, policy makers should eschew interventions that inhibit diversification or structural change and that increase the costs of food production.
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Journal ArticlePublication Australian priorities for soil research and land manager engagement to improve sustainable soil management(Elsevier BV, 2022-06); ;North, Sam ;Biggs, Andrew; ;Wong, Vanessa N LAustralia has a unique set of challenges in managing an ancient landscape, farmed in European traditions unsuited to its inherently infertile and fragile nature. The need to maintain a healthy and functioning soil that is resilient and less vulnerable to climate change and land degradation is a continuing driving force for soil science in Australia (McKenzie et al., 2017). To achieve this requires a critical mass of soil scientists who can effectively undertake research and communicate knowledge to land managers so that soil is protected through the use of landscape-appropriate practices. Farmers and land managers are the stewards of soil and landscapes and these are the people who need to make informed decisions to guide improved management. Evidence of soil science expertise loss and weakened community engagement in Australia is presented, then through a series of past and current initiatives we indicate how to address the long-term soil priorities for Australia, and conclude with the future research areas where this expertise needs to focus.
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Journal ArticlePublication The benefit of leafy vegetable as catch crop to mitigate N and P leaching losses in intensive plastic-shed production system(Springer, 2021-06) ;Xiao, Hongdong ;Fan, Xin ;Sun, Haijun ;Yu, Min ;Shi, Weiming; ;Dan, AWang, HailongPurpose Significant leaching losses of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) from soil occurred during the summer fallow period of intensive plastic-shed vegetable production systems, which could be resolved by catch crops.
Materials and methods We firstly estimated the economic profits and then evaluated the efficiencies of six catch leafy vegetables on reducing N and P leaching losses. Meanwhile, responses of soil nutrient contents and the yield as well as the quality of subsequent lettuce were observed under plot-scale experiment.
Results and discussion The six leafy vegetables as catch crops can bring approximately 23, 000-43, 000 yuan RMB hm-2 extra economic profits to farmers. There were five catch treatments that reduced the NO3--N leaching losses from 22.7 kg hm-2 under the control treatment to 4.6 - 15.8 kg hm-2. The total P leaching losses were lower under all six catch crop treatments (with 10.5 - 22.3 kg hm-2) than that under the control treatment (with 39.2 kg hm-2). The mitigation efficiency of catch crops on N and P leaching losses was dependent on the vegetable variety. Overall, vegetable crops did not exhaust soil available N but increased soil available P by 42.1% and organic matter content by 16.8%. The catch crop-based vegetable plantation did not influence yield and N and P uptake capacities of subsequent lettuce. As such, the qualities of lettuce (including the soluble protein, sugar, vitamin, and nitrate contents) were also not influenced following the plantation of catch crops.
Conclusions Leafy vegetable as catch crop during the fallow season increased farmer’s income while reducing N and P leaching losses. Moreover, there were no negative effects on subsequent vegetable production and qualities. We can also attempt to reduce the input of N and P chemical fertilizers to subsequent vegetable, as increased available P and organic matter were found in the catch crop treatments.727 1 - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Conference PublicationPublication Cattle grazing in alpine Australia. Where, When and Why?(AgResearch Grasslands, 2012) ;Ingram, Lachlan J ;Odeh, Inakwu ;Bishop, Thomas; ;Taranto, MariaAdams, Mark AGrazing of cattle in the high country of south-eastern Australia during summer and early-autumn has historically played an important role in allowing resting of pastures in lower lying regions. There are, however, remarkably few sound scientific studies undertaken to determine how cattle graze in these areas and thus where their impact may be greatest. The aim of this study was to determine the grazing patterns of a commercial beef herd grazing in the high country using GPS enabled collars. The study was undertaken a 500 ha privately owned property that borders Kosciuzko NP in southern NSW. The property varies in altitude from ca. 1450-1750 m and contains a mix of alpine grasslands and wooded (predominantly snow gums) vegetation. While not directly associated with this study, the property also encompasses the HighFire project, a long-term fully replicated fire x grazing interaction study being undertaken in these same vegetation communities.1064 - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
BookPublication Community Pest Management in Practice: A Narrative ApproachThis book presents a collection of practitioner and community stories that reveal how invasive species management is a community issue that can spark community formation and collective action. It combines the unique first-person narratives of practitioners on the frontline of invasive species management in Australia with three case studies of community action for wild dog management across a range of geographical landscapes. The book offers readers a new understanding of how communities are formed in the context of managing different species, and how fundamental social and political processes can make or break landholders’ ability to manage invasive species. Using narrative analysis of practitioner profiles and community groups, drawing lessons from real-world practices, and employing theories from community development, rural sociology and collective action, this book serves multiple functions: it offers a teaching tool, a valuable research contribution, and a practitioner’s field guide to pursuing effective community development work in connection with natural resource management, wildlife management and environmental governance.1173 2 - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
BookPublication Community-Based Control of Invasive SpeciesInvasive species are among the greatest challenges to environmental sustainability and agricultural productivity in the world. One of the most promising approaches to managing invasive species is voluntary citizen stewardship. However, in order for control measures to be effective, private citizens often need to make sustained and sometimes burdensome commitments. Community-Based Control of Invasive Species is based on five years of research by leading scholars in natural resource and human behavioural sciences, which involved government and citizen groups in Australia and the United States. It examines questions including, 'how can citizens be engaged in voluntarily managing invasive species?', 'what communication strategies will ensure good motivation and coordination?' and 'how can governing bodies support citizens in their efforts?'. With chapters on institutional frameworks, changing governance, systems thinking, organisational learning, engagement, communication and behavioural change, this book will be a valuable reference for researchers and practitioners involved in natural resources management.2203 4 - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Journal ArticlePublication Deadly clash between farmers and conservationA coronial inquest into the murder of NSW environment officer Glen Turner will raise critical questions of government regulation where biodiversity conservation clashes with farmers' rights.1846 2 - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Publication Open AccessJournal ArticleDeterminants of the Management of Native Vegetation on FarmsThe clearing of native vegetation on private agricultural land has contributed greatly to the loss of ecosystems and biodiversity worldwide. Native vegetation on private land may be cleared for a variety of reasons, of which the expansion of agriculture is only one. In this study, we investigate how the clearing of native vegetation on private land is influenced by (1) the utilitarian, social and hedonic objectives of landholders and (2) the way in which the presence of native vegetation interacts with the farm system to contribute to, or detract from, achieving those objectives. Using data from a survey of agricultural landholders in New South Wales, Australia, we found that the landholders' management of native vegetation was strongly influenced by their perceptions of the opportunities and threats the native vegetation on their properties presented to them. The implications are drawn for predicting the clearing of native vegetation and designing effective policy interventions to influence the extent of clearing.
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Publication Open AccessJournal ArticleDielectric properties of cereal stubble infected with Bipolaris sorokiniana, Fusarium pseudograminearum and Pyrenophora teres in the microwave frequency range(Taylor & Francis Inc, 2022); ;Brodie, Graham ;Simpfendorfer, Steven; Cereal production in Australia is severely impacted by stubble-borne pathogens which can survive multiple seasons within cereal residues (stubble). Microwave radiation may be able to reduce or eliminate the pathogens, but the energy requirements first need defining. Hence, the dielectric properties of wheat and barley stubble with different pathogen loads were investigated at 10%, 15%, 30% and 100% moisture content using an open-ended coaxial probe in a spectral band covering 915, 2450, and 5800 MHz. A significant increase in dielectric constant and loss factor was observed with increasing stubble moisture. The dielectric constant and loss factor were lower in the crown (basal) section of stubble compared with the stem (20 cm from base), due to differences in density. When stubble moisture was 100%, the loss factor of barley was higher than wheat. Infection of stubble by different pathogens did not affect the dielectric properties. Microwave heating could therefore be an effective method to heat cereal stubble to eradicate a range of cereal pathogens, especially at lower frequencies and high moisture content, at which the loss factor is high. This research serves as a starting point to define requirements for further development of effective microwave radiation treatments under field conditions.
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Publication Open AccessJournal ArticleEmpowerment resources, decision-making and gender attitudes: which matter most to livestock keepers in the mixed and livestock-based systems in Ethiopia?(BioMed Central Ltd, 2022-07-16); ; ; ; Mulema, Annet AbenakyoBackground: Women's empowerment constitutes an important aspect of the development agenda. Although it is highly contextual in nature, empowerment literature so far has focussed on identifying factors associated with empowerment, neglecting the importance of understanding which empowerment resources and agency dimensions are more important for whom and under what contexts. This is important, because we cannot talk of empowerment for those who are not in a disempowered condition or who do not value it. We examine the gender differences in the relative valuations of empowerment resources and decision-making areas across different farming systems, and examine the most valued empowerment resources.
Methods: Using a mixed methods approach, data on major household decisions, empowerment resources, and their relative importance were collected. Pairwise ranking methods were used to assess their gendered relative importance. Individual interviews using Ryff's psychological well-being (PWB) items were conducted to obtain quantitative data on the key empowerment resource, which emerged as an important aspect of empowerment from the pairwise ranking exercises. Drawing on the empowerment framework and self-determination theory, we analysed the data.
Results: Our results show that the major empowerment resources and decision-makings that are valuable to men and women vary across gender and farming systems. In general, men place a greater importance on decisions about livestock, crop and finances. The women valued decisions regarding crop, livestock and social relations. Regarding empowerment resources, psychological well-being was found to be one of the most important resources, for women as well as men. Assessment of the basic psychological needs-autonomy, self-acceptance, and positive relations-statistically yielded no significant differences between the gender groups. However, the effects of location and the intersection of location with gender were both found to be statistically significant, suggesting that being men and from Horo is associated with higher scores on self-acceptance and personal relation subscales.
Conclusions: We conclude that gender and location play important roles in forming contextual conditions for empowerment and agency implying that empowerment efforts need to consider both. More specifically, policies and intervention efforts to empower individuals or groups must begin by first building their psychological assets and consider contextual gendered perceptions of resources.
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Journal ArticlePublication Environmental regulatorsIn the wake of the murder of NSW compliance officer Glen Turner, environmental law enforcers are tackling resistance to regulation born not just of corporate greed but of human nature.1852 4 - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Publication Open AccessJournal ArticleFarmers, murder and the media: getting to the bottom of the city-country divideIt's five years since government worker Glen Turner was murdered by a farmer in a confrontation over land clearing laws. Media reporting after his death frequently propagated the image of the “"poor farmer" at the mercy of laws enforced by out-of-touch city elites.
This narrative of an urban-rural divide reared its head again in recent days, when Nationals leader Michael McCormack derided "inner-city raving lunatics" who linked the bushfire crisis to climate change. Such rhetoric may appeal to a conservative party base or media audience, but does little for rural communities in the long run.
As farmers face the ever-worsening impacts of drought and climate change, strong environmental protections are required to protect water and other resources. We must better understand how divisive narratives, often serving political interests, are devised and dispersed.2055 218 - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Publication Open AccessDatasetFarmers’ decision making to switch from rice to more adaptive and profitable systems in the Vietnamese Upper Mekong Delta - Dataset(University of New England, 2024-01-30)Le, Thi Ha LienThe dataset includes (i) the input data used for the agent-based model collected from secondary data and discussions with farmers and experts; (ii) coding files for running the agent-based model; (iii) the results of the agent-based model used in the thesis216 37 - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Publication Open AccessReportFinal Report for ADP/2015/004: Farmers' capabilities, productivity and profitability: A case study of smallholders in selected agro zones in Pakistan(Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), 2016) ;Steen, John ;Ahmad, Shabbir ;Verreynne, Martie-Louise; ;Burki, Abid ;Khan, Muhammad Azeem ;Hussain, Abid ;Jabbar, Abdul ;Akmal, NadeemAustralian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR)The overall aim of this project was to identify constraints that impede smallholders' capacity to adopt innovative farming practices and better marketing strategies to improve farm-level productivity and profitability. The key objectives of this SRA were: • To understand the technological, institutional and capacity constraints that cause a wide range of differences in productivity outcomes for smallholders. • To identify the main factors influencing productivity improvement for farmers and the kind of policy measures can be adopted to improve these criteria. • To review the marketing strategies adopted by smallholders to maximize their returns and, thus, identify policy options to accelerate market reform. • To evaluate: (a) the agricultural support strategies implemented by the government and donors to increase farm productivity, and (b) the capacity of these strategies to support productivity development. This research that addressed these objectives involved several stages, including: (a) reviewing the literature and analysing the existing policies to promote pro-poor agricultural growth; (b) developing survey tools and econometric methods to measure the main sources of horticultural sector performance and various constraints that are hindering smallholders' productivity and profitability; (c) policy workshop(s) and consultation with stakeholders including academics, government officials, international donors and industry representatives; (d) focus-group interviews with smallholders to identify priority area for reform; and (e) dissemination of research findings through conference participation and policy briefs.2293 - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Publication Open AccessJournal ArticleThe golden native drone fly (Eristalinus punctulatus) is an effective hybrid carrot pollinator that lives within Australian crop agroecosystems(Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 2023); ; ; ;Martin, Lucie ;Harrington, Samantha ;Rocchetti, Maurizio ;Hocking, Brad ;Wright, Derek ;Spurr, Cameron ;Cook, David; ;South Pacific Seeds, Griffith, New South Wales, Australia ;Costa Exchange Group, Corindi, New South Wales, Australia ;seedPurity Pty Ltd., Margate, Tasmania, AustraliaDepartment of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Kensington, Western Australia, Australia1. Native insect flower visitors can be important contributors to crop pollination, yet little is known of their pollination abilities and the resources (habitat) they need to be supported within crop agroecosystems.
2. Here, we compared the abundance and pollination abilities of the golden drone fly (Eristalinus punctulatus) to the European honey bee (Apis mellifera) in hybrid carrot crop fields known to produce variable seed yields in regional New South Wales, Australia. We further observed the egg-laying behaviours of female golden drone flies at a commercial berry orchard to provide insight into the habitat needs of this species.
3. In hybrid carrot crop fields, golden drone flies were far less abundant flower visitors than European honey bees" however, these flies deposited more carrot pollen grains on average (8.21±3.04SE) onto carrot flowers than European honey bees (3.45±1.06SE). Both insects also deposited pollen onto a similar number of carrot flowers (pollinated) per visit (about 2 out of 18).
4. Golden drone flies were observed laying eggs within masses of discarded red raspberry plant roots and soil (root balls) at a commercial berry orchard. The natural habitat utilised by these flies, as well as their egg-laying behaviours, were described for the first time.
5. Our results indicate that golden drone flies are effective pollinators of hybrid carrot crop plants. The habitat that these flies utilised to lay eggs (discarded plants and water) is cheap and commonly found in crop agroecosystems. Therefore, we recommend placing this low-cost habitat within, or nearby, crop fields as a potential management practice to support the lifecycle needs of golden drone flies and other non-bee pollinators.
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Publication Open AccessJournal ArticleHeterogeneous Effects of Agricultural Technology Adoption on Smallholder Household Welfare in GhanaThis study uses a marginal treatment effects approach and farm household rice survey data from Northern Ghana to examine the heterogeneous effects of agricultural technologies on household welfare. Results indicate significant heterogeneity in the gains from the adoption of improved rice technologies among farmers. We found significant evidence of a pattern of positive selection on unobserved gains from the adoption of agricultural technologies on rice yield and household dietary diversity scores (HDDS). Moreover, the policy-relevant treatment effects suggest that reducing the distance to sources of agricultural technologies increases rice yield and HDDS through technology adoption.
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Journal ArticlePublication Impacts of biochar concentration on the growth performance of a leafy vegetable in a tropical city and its global warming potential(Elsevier BV, 2020-08-10) ;Shen, Ye ;Song, Shuang ;Thian, Brian Wen Yao ;Fong, Siew Lee ;Ee, Alvin Wei Liang ;Arora, Srishti; ;Li, Sam Fong Yau ;Tan, Hugh Tiang Wah ;Dai, YanjunWang, Chi-HwaUrban farming has been gaining popularity but the poor urban soil quality has raised concern regarding soil productivity. Biochar generated from waste wood has been widely applied as a soil conditioner, but few studies investigated its effects when used in high concentrations on urban soil. In this study, the effects of biochar on the growth of the leafy vegetable, xiao bai cai (Brassica rapa Cultivar Group Pak Choi Green-petioled Form) were investigated with its concentrations in urban soil varying from 0 to 100% (v/v). The results demonstrated that the 30% biochar and soil mixture (v/v) was best in terms of fresh weight, dry weight and leaf number gain over those of the control (0% biochar). Analysis of the growing medium showed that by increasing the biochar concentrations, available nitrate and potassium as well as cation exchange capacity increased accordingly, while available phosphate decreased. A life cycle assessment showed that the global warming potential could be reduced when applying waste wood-generated biochar as an urban soil amendment for vegetable production.
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Journal ArticlePublication Impacts of macrocyclic lactones on larval survival, growth and development of three dung beetle species (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)(John Wiley & Sons, Inc, 2022-02) ;Mackenzie, Sigrid L ;Hall, Graham; Macrocyclic lactones (MLs) are some of the most pervasive chemicals used in cattle management to control internal parasites. However, the drenches can have a range of lethal and sublethal impacts, potentially impacting the efficiency of adult dung beetles at burying dung and negatively impacting their larval growth, development and survival. Here, we assess the impacts of adult dung beetles provisioning their larvae with cattle faecal residues containing three commonly used cattle drenches in Australia – moxidectin, abamectin and doramectin. We used the larvae of two introduced tunnelling (paracoprid) species: Onthophagus binodis and Onitis viridulus, and one introduced rolling (telecoprid) species: Sisyphus rubrus. We anticipated that dung beetle larvae feeding on dung containing an ML would have altered growth patterns to those larvae feeding on untreated dung. Further, beetle larvae exposed to an ML in the dung would have different growth patterns, depending on the time the chemical took to be excreted from the treated cattle, with the anticipation that the chemical may have a peak excretion time. We also expected that dung beetle larvae feeding on dung containing an ML would have a decreased survival rate compared to dung beetle larvae feeding on untreated dung. We found that abamectin and doramectin were more toxic to beetle larvae than moxidectin and control dung, across all three species, and these chemicals also had the greatest negative impact on larval growth and development. Abamectin excreted 7 days after treatment resulted in few live larvae. Overall, moxidectin was the least toxic ML to the larvae assessed, and generally, the drench impacts were reduced as time since exposure increased.
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Publication Open AccessDatasetImproved performance of broilers by structural manipulation of feed: Evidence from gizzard development, nutrient digestibility, gut microflora and gene expression(2018-01-18) ;Wu, Shubiao ;Choct, Mingan ;Swick, RobertSpreadsheet and document details from trials supporting a PhD Thesis. Thesis Abstract: The legislation to ban the use of in-feed antibiotics in the poultry industry in European Union and voluntarily removal of antibiotics in animal feed have led to the emergence of wet litter problems, imbalanced gut microflora and reduced nutrient digestibility due to enteric disorders such as necrotic enteritis. Thus, the performance, health and welfare of broilers are affected and the profitability in the industry compromised. There has been a concerted effort to find alternative strategies to modulate gut microflora, augment the immune response and reduce pathogens through management and nutritional intervention, such as the inclusion of fibre and large particle size in diet, in an attempt to improve health and digestive efficiency of broilers. The current thesis examined a variety of strategies to minimise and tackle the issues that raised after the ban of in-feed antibiotics in the poultry industry.1646 495 - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Publication Open AccessJournal ArticlePathways to Empowerment:Case Studies of Positive Deviances in Gender Relations in EthiopiaDevelopment efforts have increased women's perceived empowerment and freedom, yet have failed to sustainably alter gender norms. There is a lack of research investigating reasons for this anomaly. This study, departing from the conventional approach, tries to fill this gap by employing an interpretative phenomenological approach to assess how women have managed to achieve expanded agency while living within a constraining normative environment. We argue that women have the capacity to deviate and the intentions that lead to new behaviors emerge not only from individuals' attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control, as suggested by the Theory of Planned Behavior, but also in combination with demographic and economic factors. Individuals need to make decisions in three areas -self-conviction (attitude and perceived behavioral control), subjective norms (within household and community), and structures (state and non-state institutions). The results shed light on alternative empowerment pathways that could potentially inform the design of transformational interventions.
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Book ChapterPublication Prebiotic properties of algae and algae-supplemented productsResearch to date, in vitro and on animal models, has confirmed the benefits of macro-algal carbohydrates, including changes in microbial profiles, concentrations of short-chain fatty acids and pH of the media. Other compounds have been shown to regulate cell proliferation, gas emission and cardiovascular function. Algal products will become more appealing if they are further processed and marketed beyond their current areas of production and consumption. It may be necessary to purify the native products to more functional active compounds. Many of the products may find application in prevention and treatment of digestive and cardiovascular diseases in future.1105 - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Journal ArticlePublication Quantifying disease and defect carcass losses at processing to improve feedback in the lamb supply chain: an arthritis case studyContext. Lamb producers are currently limited in their ability to make informed on-farm management changes with respect to disease and defects identified at processing. This is due to the limited accuracy and detail of information included in disease and defect feedback supplied by processors. Increasing transparency of the feedback can allow producers to make more informed on-farm decisions, and, subsequently, improve productivity and animal welfare.
Aims. Using arthritis as a case study, the aim was to develop a scoring system that estimates hot standard carcass weight (HSCW) losses due to trimming at processing, so as to improve feedback to lamb producers.
Methods. An observational cross-sectional study was conducted at a southern New South Wales commercial processing facility, over 6 months and in five week-long blocks, from 21 February 2019 to 5 July 2019. Carcass trim components removed due to the presence of arthritis (shank or leg) were recorded for 217 of the 42 164 lamb carcasses processed. Utilising average lot HSCWs, the total proportion of HSCW lost due to arthritis trimming (TPL) was calculated for each arthritic carcass. Linear regression analysis, with a logit-transform of TPL, was fitted to the data.
Key results. Processing lot and trim-component category were found to be significant (P << 0.001) explanatory variables for variation in TPL. Trim-component categories that were not significantly (P > 0.05) different were combined, with final categories being assigned arthritis trim scores as follows: 1, any forequarter shank; 2, any hindquarter shank; 3, any forequarter leg; and 4, any hindquarter leg. At an over-the-hooks carcass price of AU$7.83/kg and an average HSCW of 23.13 kg, these scores were used to estimate producer revenue losses per carcass (range AU$2.95–AU$18.08).
Conclusions. The accuracy and detail of information provided as feedback to lamb producers can be improved. For arthritis, this can be achieved using a trim-scoring system.
Implications. Altering feedback to include HSCW losses for processed lots in both kilograms and dollars against the associated disease or defect will better equip producers to make cost-effective on-farm management changes and reduce the impact on the lamb supply chain.
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Journal ArticlePublication The Scottish Highland Clearances and their Place in History and in the World ImaginationThis article considers the policy of genocide known as the Scottish Highland Clearances. The cultural uses of this memory are then traced across the nineteenth century, the Scottish diaspora found congenial places elsewhere in the world, while paradoxically the English found new interest in Scotland itself. The Clearances are then traced through their appearance in twentieth century memory and imagination, including the continuity of Scottish passion and the renewal of distinctively Scottish practices.1253 - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Publication Open AccessJournal ArticleThe Segmented Colour Feature Extreme Learning Machine: Applications in Agricultural RoboticsThis study presents the Segmented Colour Feature Extreme Learning Machine (SCF-ELM). The SCF-ELM is inspired by the Extreme Learning Machine (ELM) which is known for its rapid training and inference times. The ELM is therefore an ideal candidate for an ensemble learning algorithm. The Colour Feature Extreme Learning Machine (CF-ELM) is used in this study due to its additional ability to extract colour image features. The SCF-ELM is an ensemble learner that utilizes feature mapping via k-means clustering, a decision matrix and majority voting. It has been evaluated on a range of challenging agricultural object classification scenarios including weed, livestock and machinery detection. SCF-ELM model performance results were excellent both in terms of detection, 90 to 99% accuracy, and also inference times, around 0.01(s) per image. The SCF-ELM was able to compete or improve upon established algorithms in its class, indicating its potential for remote computing applications in agriculture.
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Publication Open AccessDatasetSoil Microbiome analysisAntibiotic resistance is a major global health threat. Agricultural use of antibiotics is considered to be a main contributor to the issue, influencing both animals and humans as defined by the One Health approach. The purpose of the present study was to determine the abundance of antibiotic-resistant bacterial populations and the overall bacterial diversity of cattle farm soils that have been treated with animal manure compost. Soil and manure samples were collected from different sites at Tullimba farm, NSW. Cultures were grown from these samples in the presence of 11 commonly-used antibiotics and antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) colonies were identified. Soil and manure bacterial diversity was also determined using 16S rRNA next-generation sequencing. Results showed that ARB abundance was greatest in fresh manure and significantly lower in composted manure. However, the application of composted manure on paddock soil led to a significant increase in soil ARB abundance. Of the antibiotics tested, the number of ARB in each sample were greatest for antibiotics that inhibited bacterial cell wall and protein synthesis. Collectively, these results suggest that the transfer of antibiotic resistance from composted animal manure to soil may not be solely mediated through the application of live bacteria and highlight the need for further research into the mechanism of antibiotic resistance transfer. ** this dateset provides the soil microbiome analysis478 181 - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Publication Open AccessThesis DoctoralThe spatial influence of scattered paddock trees on soil and pasture attributes(2012); ; ;Reid, Nick; Lockwood, PeterScattered paddock trees are keystone features in temperate grazing landscapes in Australia. These scattered trees provide a range of ecological functions, and the impact of these trees on the environment is large relative to the small area they individually occupy. However, our understanding of the influence of these trees on their immediate environment is limited. In this thesis, the effects of scattered mature Eucalyptus trees on both native and sown pasture systems are examined in the temperate landscapes of the Northern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia. Specifically, the influence of scattered trees on soil fertility, litter distribution, the nutrient pools in litter, pasture production and nutrient status, as well as the root distribution of a mature tree and the influence of shade on pasture biomass, are observed. The coarse tree roots (≥10 mm) of a scattered tree decreased with increasing depth in the soil and distance from the tree, forming a broad inverted conical structure. Most roots were largely restricted to within 2 canopy radii of the tree, and 80% of coarse roots were found below 20 cm in the soil profile. This suggests that coarse tree roots and pasture roots are unlikely to compete for the same soil resources because they occur largely at separate depths in the soil profile.2043 745 - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Conference PublicationPublication Student’s perception of Work Integrated Learning (WIL) in agricultureCONTEXT
Snodgrass (1974) indicated the need for work experience was common in agricultural courses prior to the 1950s in the USA. More recently, work integrated learning (WIL) is making the boundaries of university more permeable and may include visits to industry experts, virtual simulations and practicums (Ferns, Campbell and Zegwaard, 2014). In developing the Australian TLOs in consultation with employers, work experience was highlighted as a requirement to help students gain employment and to improve understanding of the industry. This also aligns with the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) level 7 requirement for knowledge and skills in professional work (Acuña et al., 2014). The way in which Australian universities approach WIL varies but at the University of New England, WIL activities are embedded in units along with the traditional industry placement as a formal course requirement for agricultural students. Bachelor of Rural Science students complete 16 weeks approved practical work in four or more enterprise categories, and the remaining agricultural courses complete 12 weeks in three or more enterprise categories (School of ERS, 2019).
AIM
This presentation aims to evaluate the perceptions of students and academic staff of the practical work experience (industry placement) component of WIL.
METHODS
Undergraduate agriculture students (both part time and full time students) were invited to participate in an anonymous online survey, with over a quarter of enrolled students completing the survey (122 students). Agricultural academic teaching staff were invited to participate in an anonymous online survey with 13 (65%) responding. Both online surveys
ACTUAL OUTCOMES
Of the student respondents 50% had completed some or all of their courses work experience requirement. Over 65% of respondents were already employed whilst studying, and of these 62% were employed in the agriculture industry. The majority of students (89%) felt work experience was important and/or added to their employability. Of the respondents who have completed work experience, 80% said it increased their confidence in finding employment with the remaining 20% already employed.
Academic staff were asked if practical work experience was important and contributed to student employability; 12 of the 13 respondents supported industry placement, providing reasons such as context, relevance and motivation for study, practical application and networking.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Both students and staff have identified the strong benefits of formal practical work experience across various enterprises to gain exposure to a wide range of skills, circumstances and industry context in line with the requirements of an AQF level 7 course. UNE has reaffirmed the need to continue to use embedded WIL from strong industry links along with formal work experience requirements to ensure graduates are workplace-ready.1931 6 - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
DatasetPublication A Tactical Approach to Unlocking the Value of Digital Agriculture for Family Farming Businesses(University of New England, 2021-12-10) ;Leonard, Emma; ; ; Wells, ReubenThe dataset consists of data sets from two separate sample populations:
1) audio or video recorded interviews with Commercial providers of digital agricultural hardware, software or services to broadacre or mixed farming businesses in the winter rainfall region of Australia. Thematic text analysis of this data using Nvivo.
2) Surveys, responses to video tutorials and feedback and scores from the use of evaluation tools, part of the Digital Agriculture Adoption Framework. All data was collected remotely from the five farming business Teams consisting of at least one Manager, one Operator and one external Trusted Adviser for a broadacre or mixed farming business operating in the winter rainfall region of Australia. Analysis includes thematic analysis, descriptive statics, and subjective validation of the digital knowhow self-assessment and digital process maturity evaluation tools.1381 30