Corn

RESUMO: O trabalho objetivou avaliar o consumo de energia elétrica por meio de medidas de amperagem, sobre dois graus de moagem de grãos de milho para alimentação animal. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi inteiramente ao acaso em Esquema Fatorial, com quatro tratamentos e dez repetições. Foram utilizados dois diâmetros geométricos médios (DGM) de 865 e 570mm, grosso e fino, respectivamente, com texturas dentada e dura. Constatou-se maior consumo de energia elétrica na granulometria fina, com aumento na demanda de energia de 14 % para a moagem dos grãos de textura dura em relação aos grãos de textura dentada. Portanto, em granulometria de menor DGM (570mm) deve-se dar preferência por grãos de milho de textura dentada pelo menor consumo de energia elétrica na moagem, enquanto que em granulometria de 865mm, o consumo de energia para ambos os híbridos foi o mesmo. Palavras-chave: custos, DGM, híbridos de milho.

Emergy analysis was used to analyze three agricultural systems to compare and contrast resource use, productivity, environmental impact, and overall sustainability. Emergy analysis was appropriate for this task because of its ability to transform different types of inputs to a common form (solar energy equivalents) to allow meaningful comparisons across the three systems. The systems analyzed were conventional corn (Zea mays L.) production in Kansas, USA, blackberry (Rubus rubus Watson) production in Ohio, USA, and a Lacandon polycultural rotation system in Chiapas, Mexico. Despite these different systems and diverse inputs, emergy allowed the quantification and comparison of flows for each system on a common basis. This allowed system-level conclusions and demonstrated the utility of emergy analysis when evaluating agricultural systems. The greatest inputs of emergy across the three systems were for fertilization and irrigation of the corn system. These two inputs accounted for 95% of the purchased emergy input to the corn system. The indigenous system was most reliant on renewable resources, and therefore, had the lowest level of environmental loading. The sustainability index for the three systems ranged from 0.06 for the corn system, to 0.65 for the blackberry system, to 115.98 for the indigenous system. The respective energy and emergy yield for each system were 2.6E9 J ha À1 year À1 and 3.57E15 sej ha À1 year À1 for the indigenous system, 3.71E10 J ha À1 year À1 and 8.59E15 sej ha À1 year À1 for the blackberry system, and 1.40E11 J ha À1 year À1 and 1.30E16 sej ha À1 year À1 for the corn system. While the indigenous system has the highest level of sustainability, its energy yield was 14 times less than the blackberry system, and 53 times less than the corn system. The results confirm the need for food production systems with large yields that are more dependent on renewable energies. #

Corn is grown on small scale farmers in developing countries like India. The average kernel price is approximately twice the price of maize. Lack of Corn processing machines, especially Corn Sheller, is a major problem of Corn production, especially in our country India. A research-work for design, fabricate, and performance evaluation of a Corn Sheller consisting of feed hopper, shelling unit, separating unit and power system. The performance of the machine was evaluated in terms of throughput capacity, shelling efficiency, material efficiency and mechanical damage. Regression models that could be used to express the relationship existing between the Sheller performance indices, pod moisture content and feed rate were establish. This paper describes about the design of various components of Corn Sheller machine. Hence in this design of various parts are necessary, and design of various parts due to which the design quality of those parts will be improved. Overall, this project involves processes like design, fabrication and assembling of different components etc.

Corn is grown on small scale by farmers in developing countries like India. Corn is sold by farmers with cob. The average kernel price is approximately twice the price of cob. Hence, more income can be generated by farmers if corns are decorticated and kernels are sold by themselves in the market. But this requires a cheap, manually operated and efficient corn Sheller. Lack of corn processing machines i.e. corn Sheller, is a major problem of corn production, especially in our country India. A study designed, fabricated, and performance of a corn Sheller consisting of feed hopper with a flow rate control device, shelling unit, separating unit and power system. The performance of the machine was evaluated in terms of throughput capacity, shelling efficiency, material efficiency and mechanical damage. Regression models that could be used to express the relationship existing between the Sheller performance indices, moisture content and feed rate were establish.

Maize, known in many English-speaking countries as corn, is a grain domesticated by indigenous people in prehistoric times. The Aztecs and Mayans cultivated it in numerous varieties throughout central and southern Mexico, to cook or grind in a process called nixtamalization. The crop spread throughout America and later around the 1250 BC it spread to all corners of the region. Any significant or dense populations in the region developed a great trade network based on surplus and varieties of maize crops. After European contact with the Americas in the late 15th and early 16th centuries, explorers and traders carried maize back to Europe and introduced it to other countries through trade. Maize spread to the rest of the world due to its popularity and ability to grow in diverse climates.

"Саагун Б. де., Куприенко С. А.

Общая история о делах Новой Испании. Книги X-XI: Познания астеков в медицине и ботанике / Бернардино де Саагун, С. А. Куприенко. — Киев : Видавець Купрієнко С. А., 2013. — 218 с. : ил. — (Месоамерика. Источники. История. Человек).

ISBN 978-617-7085-07-1



В предлагаемом Вашему вниманию издании впервые осуществлен перевод на русский язык X и XI книг фундаментального труда францисканского монаха Бернардино де Саагуна (1498 или 1500–1590). Данные книги, в основном, посвящены вопросам медицины и ботаники. Для написания такого медицинского трактата автор использовал в качестве информаторов индейских лекарей, предоставивших львиную долю сведений о местных растениях, болезнях, лекарствах и методах лечения.

В отечественной науке до сих пор отсутствовали какие-либо исследования по истории медицины или ботаники астеков, поэтому публикация столь важного исторического источника должна будет восполнить этот пробел и пробудить живой интерес к наследию одной из месоамериканских цивилизаций. В своей «Истории» сам Саагун дал описания 123 лекарственным травам, в то время, как в текстах его информаторов упоминаются 266 растений. В целом же, в его книгах упоминаются 724 растения, из которых можно идентифицировать 328 видов, относящихся к 101 семье. Примечательно, что автор дал, фактически, первые описания таким растениям: кукуруза, чиа, авокадо, амарант, фасоль, тыква, агава, гуайява, черимойя, перец красный острый, табак, батат, какао, маниок, капулин, лукума, опунция, хикама, сапота, томат, ваниль, юкка и многим другим.

Книга рассчитана на студентов, аспирантов и преподавателей исторических, филологических, биологических факультетов и медицинских вузов, а также всех тех, кто интересуется доколумбовыми цивилизациями.



УДК 94(399.7)(093) +572+581.6+581.9+582+615.1+615.8+811.822

ББК Е5г + Р28г + Р.г(7) + Т3(7)213 + Ш177.16""

Maize (Zea mays), also called corn, is believed to have originated in central Mexico 7000 years ago from a wild grass, and Native Americans transformed maize into a better source of food. Maize contains approximately 72% starch, 10% protein, and 4% fat, supplying an energy density of 365 Kcal/100 g and is grown throughout the world, with the United States, China, and Brazil being the top three maize-producing countries in the world, producing approximately 563 of the 717 million metric tons/year. Maize can be processed into a variety of food and industrial products, including starch, sweeteners, oil, beverages, glue, industrial alcohol, and fuel ethanol. In the last 10 years, the use of maize for fuel production significantly increased, accounting for approximately 40% of the maize production in the United States. As the ethanol industry absorbs a larger share of the maize crop, higher prices for maize will intensify demand competition and could affect maize prices for animal and human consumption. Low production costs, along with the high consumption of maize flour and cornmeal, especially where micronutrient deficiencies are common public health problems, make this food staple an ideal food vehicle for fortification.

The contamination of Cu and Pb in corn at a certain level can cause economic loss, such as depress animal growth. The aim of this work is to validate a method of Cu and Pb analysis in corn using AAS. The result shows that the recovery of Cu and Pb is 93.6 and 93.18%, respectively. Sensitivity value for Cu and Pb is 1.37 and 0.82% with detection limit for Cu and Pb is 0.0008 + 0.0004 ppm and 0.045 + 0.0002 ppm, respectively. The concentration raise of Cu and Pb in corn in the field as between 6.0985 -7.6432 ppm and 0.005 -0.010 ppm, respectively.

Corn is an important food crop in Indonesia. Plant expansion has been hampered by soilacidity problem and the protein content of many corn varieties was low. This research initiates development of soil-acid-tolerant corn with highquality- protein content. Research was done on 12 factorial treatments and 3 replications as blocks in RCBD. The first factor was corn populations: Toray-1(G1), Toray-2(G2), GS- 5(G3) and GS-10(G4). The second factor was fertilizations: P1(69 kg N+36 kg P2O5+15 kg K2O per ha)); P2(115 kg N+54 kg P2O5+30 kg K2O per ha); and P3(161 kg N+72 kg P2O5+45 kg K2O per ha). The observed variables consisted of several agronomic traits, including the protein content. Results indicated that the corn populations, in general, showed good agronomic traits. The differences were mostly between populations, not between fertilizations, and no interaction was observed. The yield potential ranged from 4.25 to 6.47 ton dry seeds per ha. The protein content of seed resulted from c...

Using the nationally prominent cases of farmers in 1970s Gujarat, Bt cotton, the Green revolution and the current push to cultivate GMO corn (the gold revolution) as a focal point, and the history of financial practices as its setting, this essay weaves an analysis in which the plight of Indian farmers is seen through a conceptualization of a new form of alchemy.  At the heart of the analysis is the idea that financing schemes that meld credit, debt, and protective instruments into a form I call “life-finance," which are offered to farmers for the purchase of new types of factory-seeds and  ‘inputs’ that include this finance, perform a form of alchemy assuring farmers that their labour torqued through the purchased packages can be spun into gold.  The alchemical possibilities of durable value ensconced in the financial arrangements promise flowing futures as hedges against losses of livelihoods and lives in the present. These arrangements (financial practices, procedures, technologies and grammar), often extended as a panacea or tonic against precarity, remake the ecologies, lives and livelihoods of farming communities and lead them towards death.  The history of promised aspirational futurities alchemized in seeds -- a type of market alchemy -- has accumulated for decades, producing a morbid new form for farmer communities (called to the margins) who shunt golden futures promised by life-finance through foreshortened families and whose culmination is suicide.

A 42-d trial was conducted to study the influence of exogenous α-amylase on digestive and performance traits in broilers fed a corn-soybean meal diet. There were two treatments (control and α-amylase supplemented diet) and six replicates (14 Cobb male chicks caged together) per treatment. At 7 d of age, α-amylase supplementation improved daily gain by 9.4% (P ≤ 0.05) and feed conversion by 4.2% (P ≤ 0.01). At the end of the trial, birds fed the α-amylase-supplemented diet ate more and grew faster (P ≤ 0.05) and had better feed conversion (P ≤ 0.10) than broilers fed the control diet. Also, α-amylase supplementation improved apparent fecal digestibility of organic matter and starch (P ≤ 0.01) and AME n of the diet (P ≤ 0.001). However, no effects were detected (Key words: amylase, corn, digestibility, digestive organ size, broiler) 2003 Poultry Science 82:436-442 Abbreviation Key: cP = centipoise; EE = ether extract; GIT = gastrointestinal tract; NSP = nonstarch polysaccharides; OM = organic matter.

Nutritional diagnosis is an important tool for increasing quantity and quality of yield through efficient fertilization management. The Diagnosis and Recommendation Integrated System (DRIS) was developed to incorporate the importance of nutrient balance into plant analyses. Preliminary DRIS norms for corn were developed during 2012 growing season in Ismailia governorate. DRIS norms were established from a data bank of a leaf nutrient concentration (N, P, K, Ca and Mg) and grain yield with 216 samples. The data were divided into highyielding (≥ 2.8 ton fed -1 ) and low-yielding (< 2.8 ton fed -1 ) sub-populations and norms were computed using standard DRIS procedures. Such calculated DRIS norms concluded different 10 binary nutrients balance ratios assuring and securing high grain yield of corn crop. Obtained norms for corn plants were P/N, K/N,

A multiplex DNA microarray chip was developed for simultaneous identification of nine genetically modified organisms (GMOs), five plant species and three GMO screening elements, i.e. the 35S promoter, the nos terminator and the nptII gene. The chips also include several controls, such as that for the possible presence of CaMV. The on-chip detection was performed directly with PCR amplified products. Particular emphasis was placed on the reduction of the number of PCR reactions required and on the number of primers present per amplification tube. The targets were biotin labelled and the arrays were detected using a colorimetric methodology. Specificity was provided by specific capture probes designed for each GMO and for the common screening elements. The sensitivity of the assay was tested by experiments carried out in five different laboratories. The limit of detection was lower than 0.3% GMO for all tests and in general around 0.1% for most GMOs. The chip detection system complies with the requirements of current EU regulations and other countries where thresholds are established for the labelling of GMO.

The choice and setup of self-propelled forage harvesters (FHs) in the cost-effective production of quality silage must consider both energetic and zootechnical issues. A global evaluation of whole-plant harvesting operations includes an assessment of the fundamental in-field performance of the machines (theoretical field time and fuel consumption) and the physical and nutritional traits of the corn silage (particle size, dimensional fractions, and level of kernel breakage). However, finding the optimal settings for a machine while taking into account the variability of the field is difficult and experimentally expensive, as there are many factors that can influence these parameters and whose action is not yet completely known. All of these parameters were investigated through an experimental plan including different adjustments of the theoretical cut length (TCL; 10 to 20 mm), processor roller clearance (PRC), and roller speed difference (13%, 25%, and 60%) of the corn conditioner d...

Time of weed control and fertilizer application usually decide the profitability of crop production. The effects of nitrogen and weed interference duration on yield and yield components of corn was studied in the Research Station of University of Tabriz, Iran, in 2009. The experiments were carried out as split-plot, based on randomized complete block design with three replications. Nitrogen application rates (0, 70 and 140 kg/ha) were included in the main plots and 10 weed interference periods(two sets: weedy control and weed-free control) in subplots. Results showed that with increasing weed interference period, number of grain per ear, number of grain
rows per ear, 1000 seed weight and grain yield decreased. The most sensitive yield components to weed interference were the number of grain per ear. Also, nitrogen levels had not significant effect on yield and yield components. However,the maximum corn grain yield (970 g/m2) was obtained with the control treatment full season weed-free. Get more articles at: http://www.innspub.net/volume-7-number-1-july-2015-ijaar/

The development of resistant lines and hybrids is an economical way to control disease and improve yield stability. The objectives of this study were (i) to investigate if differences in resistance to gray leaf spot (GLS, caused by Cercospora zeina) exist among recombinant inbred lines (RILs) with and without the quantitative trait locus encompassing the resistance-carrying GZ204/IDP5 DNA segment (RDNAS) and to determine its effect on grain yield, and (ii) to determine general combining ability and specific combining ability effects for grain yield and GLS scores (GLSS). Four RILs (three with RDNAS [RL1_1, RL1_2, and RL2_1] and one without RDNAS [RL2_2]) were developed via marker-assisted selection from a cross between YML32 and Q11—an elite line susceptible to GLS. The four RILs and the susceptible parent (Q11) were crossed as testers with 13 maize (Zea mays L.) lines of known heterotic groups (Suwan1, Reid, and non-Reid). The three RDNAS-carrying RILs showed reduced GLSS and improved grain yield stability, but grain yield itself was not significantly increased. These three RILs also showed negative general combining ability effects for GLSS. RL2_1 was the best line for improving GLS resistance. The RILs possessing the RDNAS in crosses with lines from the Suwan1 heterotic group had lower GLSS than those from Reid and non-Reid heterotic groups, suggesting that resistance genes or quantitative trait loci, in addition to RDNAS, might be present in Suwan1.

The objective of this study was to identify factors involving in production, marketing, margin of marketing and efficiency of marketing in Labuan Toposo, district of Tavaeli, Regency of Donggala. Samples were purposively chosen from a corn prroducer area. The total number of samples used were 39 people, consisted of 30 farmers, 4 collecting seller, and 5 retailing seller. Primary and secondary data were collected by direct interview with the farmers. The results indicated that all variables were significance at α 1% on corn production with F-test (156.37) > F-table (4.18). Partially, farm area size (X 1 ) was highly significance with t-test (2.88)>t-table (2.78). Others variables shown significance were seed (X 2 ) with t-test (2.36) > t-table (2.06) and manure (X 4 ) with t-test (2.41)>t-table (2.06). The only variable shown not significance was employer (X 3 ) with t-test (1.74)>t-table (2.06). Marketing analysis showed that type one marketting channel which has margin of IDR 250 was as followed farmer, collecting seller, and consumer, respectively. It is more efficient than type two channel: farmer, collecting seller, retail seller, and consumer, respectively, having margin of IDR 750.

El maíz, eje central para la alimentación del pueblo mexicano, tiene un enorme valor simbólico para la mayoría de los habitantes de nuestro país. Gran parte de sus prácticas sociales, económicas, culturales y religiosas están ligadas a su cultivo. La cosmovisión y la forma de vida de las comunidades indígenas, así como gran cantidad de las prácticas cotidianas de muchas áreas rurales y urbanas, tienen al maíz en un lugar esencial, es decir, constituye el eje de su sistema de ideas, creencias y su cultura en general. Desde la época prehispánica hasta nuestros días, los pobladores del territorio nacional han realizado una compleja serie de rituales que se llevan a cabo como parte fundamental del ciclo agrícola a lo largo y ancho de la República Mexicana. En este trabajo se presentan algunos de ellos, tanto del pasado como del presente.

The long-running "food versus fuel" debate has focussed on the impact of biofuels on food security, and, therefore, the justification of government policies to encourage biofuel production. There has been particular criticism of the impact of US and EU biofuel policies on food availability and food prices, with many reports suggesting that rising biofuel production has been largely responsible for reduced global food supplies and higher food prices. hunger. Indeed, there is an overriding need to better understand the dynamics and impacts of increased food prices on rural households in least developed countries.

In the paper, there are presented the research results aiming the promotion of the conservative agriculture concept in variants/schemes adapted to: - the soil’s properties (medium to heavy texture - 30-42 % clay in the arable layer) - the main field crops cultivated in the sothern area of Romania, in order to obtain competitive, qualitative and quantitative yields (similar to the ones obtained in the conventional agriculture), with lower costs and higher profit for the farmers by improving the soil’s properties and protecting the environment. The highest yields were obtained in the first trial – seeding after ploughing. There are significant differences between these results and the results obtained in the trials with direct seeding, due to the fact that the luvosoil at Simnic Research and Development Station is a „cold” soil, with a higher clay content, a lower aeration porosity – it needs a better mobilisation.

The author considers design features of structures of a new type which were common in Perm Cis-Urals in the 10th -11th centuries when tillage was first performed. These constructures include specialized corn pits where different types of corn were kept separately in open sections as well as pits under the ovens where kitchen utensils, ready-to-cook meals, and cleaned grain in pottery were kept.

This study evaluated the effects of a bacterial bioinoculant that produced propionic acid on fermentation characteristics and aerobic stability of ensiled, high moisture corn. Addition of Propionibacterium acidipropionici DH42 (previously isolated from ensiled, high moisture corn) increased propionic acid content [0.35 vs. 0.03 g/100 g of dry matter (DM)] after ensiling for 42 d. In addition, corn treated with P. acidipropionici DH42 had a greater acetic acid concentration, a lower pH, lower numbers of yeasts and molds, and a higher recovery of DM after ensiling for 42 d. The temperature of control corn increased after 3 d of aerobic exposure, and the temperature of corn treated with P. acidipropionici DH42 remained unchanged from the ambient temperature. After 5 d of aerobic exposure, pH and numbers of yeasts, molds, Acetobacter spp., and total aerobic bacteria increased for the control corn, indicating poorer aerobic stability. Propionic acid concentration was higher (0.61 vs. 0 g/100 g of DM) after 5 d of aerobic exposure in high moisture corn ensiled with P. acidipropionici DH42. In addition, recovery of organic matter from inoculated corn was greater after 5 d of aerobic exposure. Inoculation of high moisture corn with P. acidipropionici DH42 improved fermentation during ensiling and reduced the aerobic instability of ensiled, high moisture corn. (

Relative contributions of diverse, managed ecosystems to greenhouse gases are not completely documented. Th is study was conducted to estimate soil surface fluxes of carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), and nitrous oxide (N₂O) as affected by management practices and weather. Gas fluxes were measured by vented, static chambers in Drummer and Raub soil series during two growing seasons. Treatments evaluated were corn cropped continuously (CC) or in rotation with soybean (CS) and fertilized with in-season urea-ammonium nitrate (UAN) or liquid swine manure applied in the spring (SM) or fall (FM). Soybean (SC) rotated with CS and restored prairie grass (PG) were also included. The CO₂ fluxes correlated (P ≤ 0.001) with soil temperature (ρ: 0.74) and accumulated rainfall 120 h before sampling (ρ: 0.53); N₂O fluxes correlated with soil temperature (ρ: 0.34). Seasonal CO₂–C emissions were not different across treatments (4.4 Mg ha¯¹ yr¯¹) but differed between years. Manured soils were net seasonal CH₄–C emitters (0.159–0.329 kg ha¯¹ yr¯¹), whereas CSUAN and CCUAN exhibited CH₄–C uptake (−0.128 and −0.177 kg ha¯¹ yr¯¹, respectively). Treatments significantly influenced seasonal N₂O–N emissions (P < 0.001) and ranged from <1.0 kg ha¯¹ yr¯¹ in PG and SC to between 3 and 5 kg ha¯¹ yr¯¹ in CCFM and CSUAN and >8 kg ha¯¹ yr¯¹ in CCSM; differences were driven by pulse emissions after N fertilization in concurrence with major rainfall events. These results suggest fall manure application, corn–soybean rotation, and restoration of prairies may diminish N₂O emissions and hence contribute to global warming mitigation.

Eco-efficiency is defined as the quantity or economic value of a product by its environmental influence, and it identifies
the sustainability of a system in socio-economic and environmental aspects. The objective of this research was
to evaluate the ecoefficiency of three models of agricultural production of hard corn present in the Shushufindi canton,
Ecuador. The models identified in the study were the conventional model (MC), semi-conventional (MS) and
traditional (MT). The environmental influence was determined through two impact indicators contemplated in the
Life Cycle Analysis, such as GHG emissions, according to the IPCC guidelines (IPCC, 2006a), and the water footprint
(HH) through the components stated by Hoekstra et al., (2011). For the evaluation of ecoefficiency, the guidelines of
Ribal et al. (2009) were considered, applying a non-linear programming optimization (LPG) model. GHG emissions
per MC were 2926.92 kgCO2eq ha􀀀1 year􀀀1 and an HH of 1157.86 m3 ton􀀀1, MS contributed 1209.45 kg CO2eq ha􀀀1
year􀀀1 and a HH of 1201.85 m3 ton􀀀1, while the resulting MT emissions were 570 kg CO2eq ha􀀀1 year􀀀1 and a HH
of 1008.16 m3 ton􀀀1, and it was determined that the MT is the most eco-efficient model with a value of 0.99. The
results allowed to know the impacts associated to the models of agricultural production of maize, its contribution to
the Climate Change (CC) in sensitive ecosystems like those of the Ecuadorian Amazon, so that in this way sustainable
agricultural practices are implemented

Rheological and nutritional properties of corn based extrudates incorporated with selected dehulled legumes (black gram, green gram, lentil and peas) made using low cost collet extruder at 5%, 10% and 15% levels were studied. There was a decreasing trend of all viscosity properties and degree of gelatinization with increase in legumes incorporation level. With increase in legumes incorporation, protein content showed an increasing trend and fat, fiber, ash content and sensory score remain almost same. Thus, dehulled legumes (up to 15%) incorporated corn extrudates have showed a promising trend for the production of low cost expanded snacks and instant flour.

The choice and setup of self-propelled forage harvesters (FHs) in the cost-effective production of quality silage must consider both energetic and zootechnical issues. A global evaluation of whole-plant harvesting operations includes an assessment of the fundamental in-field performance of the machines (theoretical field time and fuel consumption) and the physical and nutritional traits of the corn silage (particle size, dimensional fractions, and level of kernel breakage). However, finding the optimal settings for a machine while taking into account the variability of the field is difficult and experimentally expensive, as there are many factors that can influence these parameters and whose action is not yet completely known. All of these parameters were investigated through an experimental plan including different adjustments of the theoretical cut length (TCL; 10 to 20 mm), processor roller clearance (PRC), and roller speed difference (13%, 25%, and 60%) of the corn conditioner device (CCD) on three different models of self-propelled forage harvesters (425 to 606 kW engine power) with two headers (6.0 and 7.5 m), used for harvesting whole-plant corn silage at different sites (crop yield of 37.12 to 66.96 t ha-1, and dry matter content of 35.93% to 44.52%). The collected data were then processed by performing several statistical analyses (ANOVA), and the coefficients of the regression models (response surface modeling, RSM) were calculated. From this analysis, it was evident which factors influenced the analyzed responses, and several numerical models, approximating the real behavior of the machines within the ranges of the tested factors, were generated. The aim of this work was to demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach in investigating the relationships among these variables to evaluate and properly set up the machines. The results revealed some general correlations among variables and responses, particularly with regard to the quality of the final product, and they provided some basic criteria for refining the settings of the cutterhead of the forage harvesters, particularly the TCL, and of the crop processor, specifically the clearance and speed difference of the rollers.

ABSTRACTWith no local outlet to sell their corn harvests as a result of neoliberal policies, residents on the Mexico–Guatemala border pursued an alternative strategy. They mobilized to smuggle corn from Mexico to Guatemala and asserted that this constituted legitimate “free trade.” Residents reinterpreted free trade to imply their right to “freely” sell corn over the border, thereby challenging the implications of official free-trade policies that were anything but free. Yet, as locals participate in this growing trade and negotiate with state officials, they may contribute to the neoliberal economic dynamics, increasing regional inequalities, and patron–client state relations they otherwise protest.

The labelling of products containing GMO is linked to their quantification since a threshold for the presence of fortuitous GMO in food has been established. This threshold is calculated from a combination of 2 absolute quantification values: 1 for the specific GMO target and the 2nd for an endogenous reference gene specific to the taxon. Thus, the development of reliable methods to quantify GMO using endogenous reference genes in complex matrixes such as food and feed is needed. Plant identification can be difficult in the case of closely related taxa, which moreover are subject to introgression events. Based on the homology of beta-fructosidase sequences obtained from public databases, 2 couples of consensus primers were designed for the detection, quantification, and differentiation of 4 Solanaceae: potato (Solanum tuberosum), tomato (S. lycopersicum), pepper (Capsicum annuum), and eggplant (S. melongena). Sequence variability was studied 1st using lines and cultivars (intraspecies sequence variability), then using taxa involved in gene introgressions, and finally, using taxonomically close taxa (interspecies sequence variability). This study allowed design of 4 highly specific TaqMan-MGB probes. A duplex real time PCR assay was developed for simultaneous quantification of tomato and potato. For eggplant and pepper, only simplex real time PCR tests were developed. The results demonstrated the high specificity and sensitivity of the assays. It is therefore concluded that beta-fructosidase can be used as an endogenous reference gene for GMO analysis.

In the article, the approach on the development of management decisions for correct selection of trucks is presented, in the conditions of uncertainty and the stochastic nature of demand for transportation of a grain on the section of a supply chain named &quot;a grain elevator - the sea terminal&quot;. The main problems arising at delivery of grain cargoes in a supply chain with the participation of automobile and sea transports were described for justification of relevance of the research. A mathematical definition of the researching tasks was made for the search for the rational management decision at forming a rational structure of the park of the trucks transporting the agricultural products to the sea terminal. Numerous management decisions based on the principles of fuzzy logic have been developed. The values of the input factors are proved in the form of a set of linguistic variables for making a correct management decision. Cargo capacity of the ship coming to the port and ...

Abstract. In the paper, there are presented the research results aiming the promotion of the conservative agriculture concept in variants/schemes adapted to:- the soil’s properties (medium to heavy texture- 30-42 % clay in the arable layer)- the main field crops cultivated in the sothern area of Romania, in order to obtain competitive, qualitative and quantitative yields (similar to the ones obtained in the conventional agriculture), with lower costs and higher profit for the farmers by improving the soil’s properties and protecting the environment. The highest yields were obtained in the first trial – seeding after ploughing. There are significant differences between these results and the results obtained in the trials with direct seeding, due to the fact that the luvosoil at Simnic Research and Development Station is a „cold ” soil, with a higher clay content, a lower aeration porosity – it needs a better mobilisation.

This study has been conducted to explore the effect of frying on the physical and chemical characteristics of corn and sunflower oils. For the purpose of this study, corn and sunflower oils and potatoes were obtained from the local market; the oils were reused for frying five days consecutively. After each frying process a sample of oil was taken daily after it cools. The samples were physically and chemically tested, all the physicochemical characteristics were changed. The colour of corn and sunflower oils increased from 0.9 to 6.4 and from 0.4 to 5.1, respectively. Whereas the refractive index of corn and sunflower oils increased from1.4750 to1.4820, and from 1.4750 to 1.4810, respectively. On the other hand, the viscosity of corn oil and sunflower oil increased from 28.7 to 31.0, viscosity of sunflower oil increased from 28.7 to 31.0. The free fatty acids increase in corn oil from 0.125 to 200.0 whereas in sunflower oil they increased from 0.110 to 0.150. In case of peroxide value in both oils the study showed that it was not constant. It worth mentioning here that the frying process followed in this study is the same that is usually used at homes.

This paper presents a weed/crop classifica-tion method using computer vision and morphologi-cal analysis. Subsequent supervised and unsupervised learning methods are applied to extract dominant mor-phological characteristics of weeds present in corn and soybean fields. The novelty of the presented technique resides in the feature extraction process that is based on spatial localization of vegetation in fields. Features from the weed leaf area distribution are extracted from the cultivation inter-rows, then features from the crop are inferred from the mixture model equation. Those extracted features are then passed to a naive bayesian classifier and a gaussian mixture clustering algorithm to discriminate weed from crop plant. The presented tech-nique correctly classifies an average of 94 % of corn and soybean plants and 85 % of the weed (multiple species) without any prior knowledge on the species present in the field.

In the present study, the effects of different cadmium (Cd) levels of irrigation water (0, 5, 10 and 20 mg L -1 ) on corn plants (foliage) under different irrigation intervals (1, 3, and 7 days) were investigated. Clear Cd toxicity symptoms appeared on the plants at the end of the experiment. The results showed that stem dry weight (DW) followed by transpiration (T) and plant height were the measured plant parameters most sensitive to increasing Cd levels of irrigation water. In addition, Cd reduced water uptake by corn and led to more soil moisture. The results also demonstrated that corn might produce more shoot biomass with Cd application, which should be taken into consideration if no visible symptoms of Cd toxicity and considerable amounts of the metal uptake are present. Cadmium application through irrigation did not show a marked impairment in the nutrient status of the plants. Moreover, accumulation of Cd in the leaves was more than the stems by 24, 56, and 27% at 1, 3, and 7-day irrigation frequencies, respectively. Also, corn stem was found to be more sensitive to Cd than leaf. The results showed that corn might be used for phytoremediation of Cd under optimum moisture conditions and light contamination of the soil. Furthermore, shoot Cd concentration followed an asymptote pattern as a function of soil Cd, which was expressed by a plateau-type model under each irrigation interval.

We investigate selectivity bias in the evaluation of biotech hybrid productivity. The analysis is applied to experimental data on Wisconsin corn yields from 1990 to 2010. Relying on a Heckman-like factor that accounts for selectivity, we find evidence of selection bias, indicating that some of the observed yield advantage associated with GM hybrids can be attributed to their conventional genes. We document how the rising market concentration of biotech firms has contributed to increasing selectivity bias in corn yield. The impact, however, is offset by the negative effect of the rising adoption rate of GM corn on selectivity bias.

The long-running "food versus fuel" debate has focussed on the impact of biofuels on food security, and, therefore, the justification of government policies to encourage biofuel production. There has been particular criticism of the impact of US and EU biofuel policies on food availability and food prices, with many reports suggesting that rising biofuel production has been largely responsible for reduced global food supplies and higher food prices. hunger. Indeed, there is an overriding need to better understand the dynamics and impacts of increased food prices on rural households in least developed countries.