Green Technologies for a More Sustainable Agriculture

For U.S. agriculture to continue along a sustainable path of economic development, further production increases must be generated by technologies that are both profitable and more environmentally benign. In this context, we assess the role of these green or sustainable technologies in steering agriculture along a more sustainable path. However, the lack of markets for the environmental attributes associated with green technologies can limit their development. In addition, simply making a technology available does not mean it will be adopted. Experience with green technologies such as conservation tillage, integrated pest management, enhanced nutrient management, and precision agriculture demonstrates that even when technologies are profitable, barriers to adopting new practices can limit their effectiveness.sustainable agriculture, natural capital, nonrenewable resources, renewable resources, environmental services, green technology, integrated pest management, conservation tillage, enhanced nutrient management, precision agriculture, Environmental Economics and Policy, Farm Management,

Spartan Daily, February 3, 1984

Volume 82, Issue 5https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/spartandaily/7123/thumbnail.jp

Science with a lunar low-frequency array: from the dark ages of the Universe to nearby exoplanets

Low-frequency radio astronomy is limited by severe ionospheric distortions below 50 MHz and complete reflection of radio waves below 10-30 MHz. Shielding of man-made interference from long-range radio broadcasts, strong natural radio emission from the Earth's aurora, and the need for setting up a large distributed antenna array make the lunar far side a supreme location for a low-frequency radio array. A number of new scientific drivers for such an array, such as the study of the dark ages and epoch of reionization, exoplanets, and ultra-high energy cosmic rays, have emerged and need to be studied in greater detail. Here we review the scientific potential and requirements of these and other new scientific drivers and discuss the constraints for various lunar surface arrays. In particular we describe observability constraints imposed by the interstellar and interplanetary medium, calculate the achievable resolution, sensitivity, and confusion limit of a dipole array using general scaling laws, and apply them to various scientific questions. Whichever science is deemed most important, pathfinder arrays are needed to test the feasibility of these experiments in the not too distant future. Lunar low-frequency arrays are thus a timely option to consider, offering the potential for significant new insights into a wide range of today's crucial scientific topics. This would open up one of the last unexplored frequency domains in the electromagnetic spectrum.Comment: 36 pages, many figures, accepted for publication by New Astronomy Review

Status report on sugar cane agrochemicals management : Agrochemicals in the sugarcane industries: health and environmental challenges and solutions

The progress in agricultural yields resulting from the introduction of agricultural chemicals has not come without cost for human health and the environment. While the pesticide requirements of sugarcane crop are relatively modest compared to other similar cash crops, agrochemicals continue to generate harmful impacts especially in the major sugarcane producing developing countries. Institutional weaknesses as well as the lack of � nancial and human resources often prevent e¿ ective chemicals regulation and the implementation of good pesticide application practices. This document reviews some of the key problems and challenges associated with agrochemical use in sugarcane production, and examines possible solutions. The report focuses on the negative impacts of inappropriate agrochemical use, and therefore addresses nei- ther the many positive impacts of pesticide use, nor the other potential social and environmental problems associated with sugarcane cultivation. Apart from the intergovernmental treaties in the area of chemicals regulation in general (e.g. the Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions) many international initiatives speci� c to sugarcane seek to foster better use of agrochemicals and alternative management practices such as Integrated Pest Management and organic farming. Such initiatives include multistakeholder e¿ orts to pro- mote better production practices (e.g. Better Sugarcane Initiative, Roundtable of Sustainable Biofuels), international codes of practice, and sustainability certi� cation schemes. The govern- ments and chemicals industry in the developed world should redouble their e¿ orts to provide technical assistance and capacity building to developing countries in the areas of chemicals regulation, including implementation and enforcement. As part of their corporate social respon- sibility, the chemicals companies should collaborate with governments, pesticide users and farm- ers in fostering the adoption of alternative pest management practices, providing training and information to chemical users, and implementing adequate risk assessment and chemicals regulation procedures. ( Résumé d'auteur)

Transverse Beam Profiles

The performance and safe operation of a particle accelerator is closely connected to the transverse emittance of the beams it produces. For this reason many techniques have been developed over the years for monitoring the transverse distribution of particles along accelerator chains or over machine cycles. The definition of beam profiles is explained and the different techniques available for the detection of the particle distributions are explored. Examples of concrete applications of these techniques are given.Comment: 37 pages, 53 figure

Technologies for climate change adaptation: agricultural sector

This Guidebook presents a selection of technologies for climate change adaptation in the agricultural sector. A set of twenty two adaptation technologies are showcased that are primarily based on the principals of agroecology, but also include scientific technologies of climate and biological sciences complemented with important sociological and institutional capacity building processes that are required to make adaptation function. The technologies cover monitoring and forecasting the climate, sustainable water use and management, soil management, sustainable crop management, seed conservation, sustainable forest management and sustainable livestock management. Technologies that tend to homogenize the natural environment and agricultural production have low possibilities of success in conditions of environmental stress that are likely to result from climate change. On the other hand, technologies that allow for, and indeed promote, diversity are more likely to provide a strategy which strengthens agricultural production in the face of uncertain future climate change scenarios. In this sense, the twenty two technologies showcased in this Guidebook have been selected because they facilitate the conservation and restoration of diversity while at the same time providing opportunities for increasing agricultural productivity. Many of these technologies are not new to agricultural production practices, but they are implemented based on assessment of current and possible future impacts of climate change in a particular location. Agro-ecology is an approach that encompasses concepts of sustainable production and biodiversity promotion and therefore provides a useful framework for identifying and selecting appropriate adaptation technologies for the agricultural sector. The Guidebook provides a systematic analysis of the most relevant information available on climate change adaptation technologies in the agriculture sector. It has been compiled based on a literature review of key publications, journal articles, and e-platforms, and by drawing on documented experiences sourced from a range of organizations working on projects and programmes concerned with climate change adaptation technologies in the agricultural sector. Its geographic scope is focused on developing countries where high levels of poverty, agricultural production, climate variability and biological diversity currently intersect. Key concepts around climate change adaptation are not universally agreed. It is therefore important to understand local contexts – especially social and cultural norms - when working with national and sub-national stakeholders to make informed decisions about appropriate technology options. Thus, decision-making processes should be participative, facilitated, and consensus-building oriented and should be based on the following key guiding principles: increasing awareness and knowledge, strengthening institutions, protecting natural resources, providing financial assistance and developing context-specific strategies. For decision-making the Community–Based Adaptation framework is proposed for creating inclusive governance that engages a range of stakeholders directly with local or district government and national coordinating bodies, and facilitates participatory planning, monitoring and implementation of adaptation activities. Seven criteria are suggested for the prioritization of adaptation technologies: (i) The extent to which the technology maintains or strengthens biological diversity and is environmentally sustainable; (ii) The extent to which the technology facilitates access to information systems and awareness of climate change information; (iii) Whether the technology support water, carbon and nutrient cycles and enables stable and/or increased productivity; (iv) Income-generating potential, cost-benefit analysis and contribution to improved equity; (v) Respect for cultural diversity and facilitation of inter-cultural exchange; (vi) Potential for integration into regional and national policies and can be scaled-up; (vii) The extent to which the technology builds formal and information institutions and social networks. Finally, recommendations are set out for practitioners and policy makers: • There is an urgent need for improved climate modelling and forecasting which can provide a basis for informed decision-making and the implementation of adaptation strategies. This should include traditional knowledge. • Information is also required to better understand the behaviour of plants, animals, pests and diseases as they react to climate change. • Potential changes in economic and social systems in the future under different climate scenarios should also be investigated so that the implications of adaptation strategy and planning choices are better understood. • It is important to secure effective flows of information through appropriate dissemination channels. This is vital for building adaptive capacity and decision-making processes. • Improved analysis of adaptation technologies is required to show how they can contribute to building adaptive capacity and resilience in the agricultural sector. This information needs to be compiled and disseminated for a range of stakeholders from local to national level. • Relationships between policy makers, researchers and communities should be built so that technologies and planning processes are developed in partnership, responding to producers’ needs and integrating their knowledge

Design, Fabrication, and Testing of a Capsule With Hybrid Locomotion for Gastrointestinal Tract Exploration

Abstract—This paper describes a novel solution for the active lo-comotion of a miniaturized endoscopic capsule in the gastrointesti-nal (GI) tract. The authors present the design, development, and testing of a wireless endocapsule with hybrid locomotion, where hybrid locomotion is defined as the combination between internal actuation mechanisms and external magnetic dragging. The cap-sule incorporates an internal actuating legged mechanism, which modifies the capsule profile, and small permanent magnets, which interact with an external magnetic field, thus imparting a dragging motion to the device. The legged mechanism is actuated whenever the capsule gets lodged in collapsed areas of the GI tract. This allows modification of the capsule profile and enables magnetic dragging to become feasible and effective once again. A key com-ponent of the endoscopic pill is the internal mechanism, endowed with a miniaturized brushless motor and featuring compact design, and adequate mechanical performance. The internal mechanism is able to generate a substantial force, which allows the legs to open against the intestinal tissue that has collapsed around the capsule body. An accurate simulation of the performance of the minia-turized motor under magnetic fields was carried out in order to define the best configuration of the internal permanent magnets (which are located very close to the motor) and the best tradeoff operating distance for the external magnet, which is responsible for magnetically dragging the capsule. Finally, a hybrid capsule was developed generating 3.8 N at the tip of the legged mechanism and a magnetic link force up to 135 mN. The hybrid capsule and its wireless control were extensively tested in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo, thus confirming fulfilment of the design specifications and demon-strating a good ability to manage collapsed areas of the intestinal tract. Index Terms—Capsule endoscopy, endoscopic capsule, magnetic locomotion, robotic surgery. I