Facilitating IPM: The role of participatory workshops

Successful, long-term implementation of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) requires the integration of key technical and management activities and the participation of a wide range of stakeholders including farmers, researchers, extension officers, crop consultants, government agencies, and industry. A key issue that needs urgent attention is how to achieve the high quality interaction between these different groups which is necessary for sustained IPM. Problem specification and planning workshops (PSPWs) provide one means of facilitating an integrated strategy for tackling complex pest management issues. Since 1992, the Cooperative Research Centre for Tropical Pest Management has facilitated over 20 PSPWs, focusing on different farming systems in Australia. This paper describes the philosophy, the process involved, and the impact that these PSPWs have had. It examines three specific cases to describe the relationship between plans and results and ways of improving impact. The results reinforce the major role that social scientists can play in providing mechanisms for collaborating with technical researchers and other partners to facilitate effective, participatory ventures in IPM.

Extreme wet conditions coincident with Bronze Age abandonment of upland areas in Britain

Abandonment of farming systems on upland areas in southwest Britain during the Late Bronze Age – some 3000 years ago – is widely considered a ‘classic’ demonstration of the impact of deteriorating climate on the vulnerability of populations in such marginal environments. Here we test the hypothesis
that climate change drove the abandonment of upland areas by developing new chronologies for humanactivity on upland areas during the Bronze Age across southwest Britain (Dartmoor, Exmoor and Bodmin Moor). We find Bronze Age activity in these areas spanned 3900–2950 calendar years ago with abandonment by 2900 calendar years ago. Holocene Irish bog and lake oak tree populations provide evidence of major shifts in hydroclimate across western Britain and Ireland, coincident with ice rafted debris layers recognized in North Atlantic marine sediments, indicating significant changes in the latitude and intensity of zonal atmospheric circulation across the region. We observe abandonment of
upland areas in southwest Britain coinciding with a sustained period of extreme wet conditions that commenced 3100 calendar years ago. Our results are consistent with the view that climate change increased the vulnerability of these early farming communities and led to a less intensive use of such marginal environments across Britain.

Steps towards fully nonlinear simulations of arrays of OWSC

Abandonment of farming systems on upland areas in southwest Britain during the Late Bronze Age – some 3000 years ago – is widely considered a ‘classic’ demonstration of the impact of deteriorating climate on the vulnerability of populations in such marginal environments. Here we test the hypothesis that climate change drove the abandonment of upland areas by developing new chronologies for human activity on upland areas during the Bronze Age across southwest Britain (Dartmoor, Exmoor and Bodmin Moor). We find Bronze Age activity in these areas spanned 3900–2950 calendar years ago with abandonment by 2900 calendar years ago. Holocene Irish bog and lake oak tree populations provide evidence of major shifts in hydroclimate across western Britain and Ireland, coincident with ice rafted debris layers recognized in North Atlantic marine sediments, indicating significant changes in the latitude and intensity of zonal atmospheric circulation across the region. We observe abandonment of upland areas in southwest Britain coinciding with a sustained period of extreme wet conditions that commenced 3100 calendar years ago. Our results are consistent with the view that climate change increased the vulnerability of these early farming communities and led to a less intensive use of such marginal environments across Britain.

Winter sowing for more reliable boll filling in Central Queensland

The Central Highlands region has a unique climate that presents both challenges and novel farming systems opportunities for cotton production. We have been re-examining the Emerald climate in a bid to identify opportunities that might enable the production of more consistent cotton yields and quality in what can be a highly variable climate. A detailed climatic analysis identified that spring and early summer is the most optimal period for boll growth and maturation. However, to unlock this potential requires unseasonal winter sowing that is 4 to 6 weeks earlier than the traditional mid-September sowing. Our experiments have sought answers to two questions: i) how much earlier can cotton be sown for reliable crop establishment and high yield; ii) can degradable plastic film mulches minimise the impact of potentially cold temperatures on crop establishment and early vigour. Initial data suggests August sowing offers the potential to grow a high yield at a time of year with reduced risk of cloud and high night temperatures during boll growth. For the past two seasons late winter sowing (with and without film) has resulted in a compact plant with high retention that physiologically matures by the beginning of January. Even with the spectre of replanting cotton in some seasons due to frost in August, early sowing would appear to offer the opportunity for more efficient crop input usage, simplified agronomic management and new crop rotation options during late summer and autumn. This talk will present an overview of results to date.

Response of irrigated cotton to applied nitrogen

Like all high yielding farming systems nitrogen (N) is a key component to their productivity and profitability and Australian irrigated cotton growers are tending to apply more N than is required for the level of lint yield that is being achieved. This suggests either over application of N or inefficient systems limiting the response of cotton to N inputs. To investigate this four replicated trials were established in commercial fields during the 2014/15 season. The trials were aiming to measure the difference in response of irrigated cotton to the application of N under flood and overhead irrigation systems. The application treatments utilized eight upfront rates of applied N, ranging from 0 N kg/ha to a maximum of 410 kg N/ha, with three of the fours trials receiving a growerdetermined in-crop application of N in the irrigation water. The two flood irrigation systems had lower lint yields from similar levels of N input compared to one of the overhead irrigated sites; the result from the second overhead site was impacted by disease. This paper discusses the response of plant N uptake, lint yield and fertilizer N recovery to N application..

BYGUM – a new tool for BarnYard Grass Understanding and Management

Weed management has become increasingly challenging for cotton growers in Australia in the last decade. Glyphosate, the cornerstone of weed management in the industry, is waning in effectiveness as a result of the evolution of resistance in several species. One of these, awnless barnyard grass, is very common in Australian cotton fields, and is a prime example of the new difficulties facing growers in choosing effective and affordable management strategies. RIM (Ryegrass Integrated Management) is a computer-based decision support tool developed for the south-western Australian grains industry. It is commonly used there as a tool for grower engagement in weed management thinking and strategy development. We used RIM as the basis for a new tool that can fulfil the same types of functions for subtropical Australian cotton-grains farming systems. The new tool, BYGUM, provides growers with a robust means to evaluate five-year rotations including testing the economic value of fallows and fallow weed management, winter and summer cropping, cover crops, tillage, different herbicide options, herbicide resistance management, and more. The new model includes several northernregion- specific enhancements: winter and summer fallows, subtropical crop choices, barnyard grass seed bank, competition, and ecology parameters, and more freedom in weed control applications. We anticipate that BYGUM will become a key tool for teaching and driving the changes that will be needed to maintain sound weed management in cotton in the near future.

Investigation into various fungicides and alternative solutions for controlling postharvest diseases in papaya fruit

In Australia, Sportak® (a.i., prochloraz) has been registered since the early 1980's for the postharvest control of both anthracnose and stem-end rots in papaya fruit, despite the persistence of fruit breakdown due to disease during transit and at market destinations. Consequently, the Australian papaya industry has been concerned over the efficacy of prochloraz and whether substitute or alternative solutions were available for better disease control, particularly during times of peak disease pressure. This study therefore investigated the effects of various postharvest treatments for disease control in papaya. Fruit were harvested at colour break from coastal farms in Far North Queensland and treated with commercial rates of various fungicides, including prochloraz, imazalil, thiabendazole and fludioxonil. Additional solutions known to inhibit disease were examined, including chitosan and carnauba wax both with and without ammonium carbonate (AC). Following treatment, fruit were ripened and assessed for quality over their shelf life. Fludioxonil when applied as a hot dip was found to be a more efficacious treatment for control of disease in papaya than prochloraz. The other fungicides were moderately effective, as both thiabendazol and prochloraz exhibited an intermediate response and imazalil was the least effective. Disease severity was lowest in fruit treated with AC followed by chitosan, whilst chitosan delayed degreening. Overall, the study found that hot fludioxonil provided an effective replacement of the currently registered chemical prochloraz, and that alternate solutions such chitosan and AC may also be beneficial, particularly for low chemical input farming systems.

Estimating the demand curve for sustainable use of pesticides from contingent-valuation data

Stated-preference valuation techniques are often used to assess consumers' willingness-to-pay for food items produced in farming systems that adopt a sustainable use of pesticides (SUP). We propose an innovative valuation methodology in which dichotomous-choice contingent valuation is used to estimate the demand curve (price-quantity relationship) for such food items where price means price premium for the SUP output, quantity is the probability of choosing SUP and the conventional food product is kept available in the market at the current market price. This methodology can be used to evaluate market differentiation as a policy option to promote the SUP. The methodology is tested with data from a sample of urban consumers of fruits and vegetables in Portugal. The estimated demand curve is used to define the price level maximizing the total premium revenue for the SUP sector as a whole. This optimal level of the price premium is €77.55 (or 163% of the value of the monthly basket of fruits and vegetables at current prices). Adopting the optimal price premium will decrease the number of consumers of SUP food by 54%. The reduction is even higher for low income consumers (80%) leaving them more exposed to the risks of pesticide use.

A model to achieve sustainable improvement and innovation in organisations, industries, regions and communities

The achievement and measurement of improvements and innovations is not often an overt practice in the design and delivery of government services other than in health services. There is a need for specific mechanisms proven to increase the rate and scale of improvements and innovations in organisations, communities, regions and industries. This paper describes a model for the design, measurement and management of projects and services as systems for achieving and sustaining outcomes, improvements and innovations.The development of the model involved the practice of continuous improvement and innovation within and across a number of agricultural development projects in Australia and nternationally. Key learnings from the development and use of the model are: (1) all elements and factors critical for success can be implemented, measured and managed; (2) the design of a meaningful systemic measurement framework is possible; (3) all project partners can achieve and sustain rapid improvements and innovations; (4) outcomes can be achieved from early in the life of projects; and (5) significant spill-over benefits can be achieved beyond the scope, scale and timeframe of projects

METODOLOGIAS PARTICIPATIVAS DE INVESTIGACIÓN: UN APORTE AGROECOLÓGICO , AL DESARROLLO ENDÓGENO

La generación de graves problemas de naturaleza social, económica y ecológica tras la implementación de la Agricultura Industrializada en el primer mundo y de la Revolución Verde en el tercero durante este siglo, ha provocado respuestas tanto de movimientos sociales como de los estamentos científicos que desde un punto de vista amplio se hallan implicados en la elaboración de estrategias de desarrollo rural. Ello ha generado una crítica a los modelos de investigación y transferencia tecnológica hasta ahora vigentes y la propuesta de nuevas metodologías que pretenden corregir la degradación que aquellos modelos ocasionan tanto en la naturaleza como en la sociedad. No obstante, tales propuestas abarcan un amplio abanico que va desde las elaboradas por los Centros Internacionales de la Revolución Verde en un intento de adaptarse a los nuevos tiempos, hasta aquellas que conllevan una fuerte crítica al conocimiento científico "formal': En la siguiente comunicación nos proponemos: 1. Caracterizar las nuevas metodologías de investigación en función de su génesis y su adscripción a los distintos paradigmas científicos. 2. Analizar desde el punto de vista crítico las aportaciones de cada metodologia al desarrollo de la Agroecología.

Climatic classification: the semi-arid tropics and its environment a review.

This paper analyses the advantages and limitations in using the Troll, Hargreaves and modified Thornthwaite approaches for the demarcation of the semi-arid tropics. Data from India, Africa, Brazil, Australia and Thailand, were used for the comparison of these three methods. The modified Thornthwaite approach provided the most relevant agriculturally oriented demarcation of the semi-arid tropics. This method in not only simple, tut uses input data that are avaliable for a global network of stations. Using this method the semi-arid tropics include major dryland or rainfed agricultural zones with annual rainfall varying from about 400 to 1,250 mm. Major dryland crops are pearl millet, sorghum, pigeonpea and groundnut. This paper also presents the brief description of climate, soils and farming systems of the semi-arid tropics.

Integrated pest management and the (un)sustainable use of pesticides

Doutoramento em Engenharia Agronómica - Instituto Superior de Agronomia - UL

Ruminal methane emission by dairy cattle in southeast Brazil.

ABSTRACT: Ruminal gases, particularly methane, generated during the fermentative process in rumen, represent a partial loss of feed energy and are also pointed to as an important factors in greenhouse effect. This study aimed at quantifying methane (CH 4) emission rates from lactating and dry cows and heifers, 24 month-old in average, on pasture under Southeast Brazil tropical conditions, using the tracer gas technique, sulphur hexafluoride (SF 6), four animals per category, distributed in four blocks. Measurements were performed in February and June, 2002, with Holstein and Brazilian Dairy Crossbred (Holstein ¾ x Gir (Zebu) ¼), maintained on fertilized Tanzania-grass (Panicum maximum Jacq. cv. Tanzania) and fertilized Brachiaria-grass (Brachiaria decumbens cv. Basilisk) pastures. Heifers of both breeds were maintained on unfertilized Brachiaria-grass to simulate conditions of extensive cattle farming systems. CH 4 and SF 6 levels were measured with gas chromatography. Differences in CH4 emissions were measured (p < 0.05) for genetical groups. Holstein produced more methane (299.3g day?1) than the Crossbred (264.2 g day?1). Lactating cows produced more methane (353.8 g day?1) than dry cows (268.8 g day?1) and heifers (222.6 g day?1). Holstein, with greater milk production potential, produced less CH4 (p < 0.05) per unit of dry matter intake (19.1 g kg?1) than the Crossbred (22.0 g kg?1). Methane emission by heifers grazing fertilized pasture (intensive system) was 222.6 g day?1, greater (p < 0.05) than that of heifers on unfertilized pasture (179.2 g day?1). Methane emission varied as function of animal category and management intensity of production system.

Conversão de sistemas de produção e doenças de plantas.

2009