Remote Sensing for Precision Nitrogen Management

This book focuses on the fundamental and applied research of the non-destructive estimation and diagnosis of crop leaf and plant nitrogen status and in-season nitrogen management strategies based on leaf sensors, proximal canopy sensors, unmanned aerial vehicle remote sensing, manned aerial remote sensing and satellite remote sensing technologies. Statistical and machine learning methods are used to predict plant-nitrogen-related parameters with sensor data or sensor data together with soil, landscape, weather and/or management information. Different sensing technologies or different modelling approaches are compared and evaluated. Strategies are developed to use crop sensing data for in-season nitrogen recommendations to improve nitrogen use efficiency and protect the environment

Proceedings of the European Conference on Agricultural Engineering AgEng2021

This proceedings book results from the AgEng2021 Agricultural Engineering Conference under auspices of the European Society of Agricultural Engineers, held in an online format based on the University of Évora, Portugal, from 4 to 8 July 2021. This book contains the full papers of a selection of abstracts that were the base for the oral presentations and posters presented at the conference. Presentations were distributed in eleven thematic areas: Artificial Intelligence, data processing and management; Automation, robotics and sensor technology; Circular Economy; Education and Rural development; Energy and bioenergy; Integrated and sustainable Farming systems; New application technologies and mechanisation; Post-harvest technologies; Smart farming / Precision agriculture; Soil, land and water engineering; Sustainable production in Farm buildings

Rare Earth Elements to identify archaeological strata in the Cocina Cave

Rare earth elements (REE) have been employed in a variety of different scenarios in order to identify the natural or anthropogenic nature of archaeological soils [1,2] . In this study, REE signatures were employed to better understand the layers formation in a cavity called Cocina cave, a large cavity of 300 m2 located at Barranco de la Ventana, one of the ravines flowing southwards from La Canal valley, a little plateau located in the municipality of Dos Aguas (Valencia, Spain). Cocina cave is characterized of very homogenous sediment deposition where it is difficult to understand layers formation processes just employing the traditional archaeological methods and the standardized soil analyses. The archaeological sequence encompasses last hunter-gatherer Holocene occupations in the regional sequence (Mesolithic) followed by several levels attributed to the Neolithic, Bronze Age and historic occupations until the XX century, these last regarding the use of the cavity as a pen. In order to understand the development history of the strata and the anthropogenic or natural formation of soils a total of fifty samples were taken across six different sections (A, B, C, D, E, F, G) and from each section the sampling was carried out at different depths through 1-2m deep sections. All samples were recovered from current pits excavated at the cavity corresponding with some profiles that encompass different strata including natural deposits and hunter and penning activities together with other possible uses not well defined from archaeological data. Several radiocarbon dates confirm the anthropogenic use of the cavity from the IX millennium cal BP to the contemporary times. Major, minor and trace elements including REE were determined employing XRF and ICP- MS. Results were then statistically processed and cross-referenced with archaeological data to aid interpretation. The results show that REE provide interesting details regarding the strata development history, and therefore help archaeologists to better understand the occupation, use and abandonment phases of the cave. [1] Pastor et al., TrAC 78 (2016) 48. [2] Gallello et al., JAS 40 (2013) 799

Chemical characterisation of cherts from the valley of Serpis river (Alcoy, Alicante) for archaeological purpose

Mobility range and territorial control are central questions for Archaeology in the study of human groups’ life during Prehistoric Ages. A key point to get to grips with this set of problems is to understand the dynamics of supply of natural resources such as food and raw materials. Thus, the identification of the outcrops of chert and their characterisation is essential, due to the use of this particular rock as raw material for the production of several different tools. Since the nakedeye description of stone characters (colour, translucency, presence of carbonatation or patina, etc.) often lacks to identify different outcrops and to determine the provenance of a sample, in the last decades, scientists have tried to develop methods to improve the characterisation of this rock from the chemical, mineralogical and petrographic point of view [1,2]. This contribution shows the study of some chert varieties which were widely used since the Paleolithic by the inhabitants of the valley of Serpis river [3], in the southern part of the Valencian Community. Forty-three samples of Serrat, Mariola and Serreta chert were collected from different kinds of outcrops: from the wall rock, and from fluvial and colluvial deposits. The cortex or crust and the nucleus of each sample were mechanically separated and individually analysed to control the variability caused by the amount of cortex and consequently to develop a methodological approach that permits to identify different chert sources in a restricted area. For this purpose, Xray fluorescence and Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry analyses have been carried out to determine major elements, trace elements and rare earth elements [4] of cherts affected by different depositional and post-depositional conditions. [1] Luedtke, An Archaeologist's Guide to Chert and Flint (1992) 172. [2] Skarpelis et al., J. Archaeolog. Sci.: Rep. 12 (2017) 819. [3] Molina Hernández, El sílex del Prebético y cuencas neógenas en Alicante y sur de Valencia :su caracterización y estudio aplicado al Paleolítico Medio, tesis doctoral (2015) 902. [4] Murray, Sediment. Geol. 90 (1994) 213

Chemical characterisation of historic mortars to evaluate decay and construction phases

The chemical characterization of ancient mortars allowed the researchers to answer relevant questions about production technologies, raw materials supply, construction phases and state of decay. In this work one hundred and sixteen samples were collected from different structures during two archaeological excavations carried out in Sagunto’s city centre (Valencia, Spain). The studied area has been interested by several continuous phases of occupation since the Iberian Epoch (5th century BC) to the present times [1,2]. The samples were analysed employing X-ray fluorescence and Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry to determine major and trace elements. The obtained data was statistically processed with Sagunto’s Castle mortar results [3], allowing us to identify the construction phases of most of the wall structures, confirming the particular effectiveness of Rare Earth Elements analysis to distinguish mortars from different periods. In conclusion, according to this data, the state of conservation of the different mortars has been evaluated. [1] Ripollés, Opulentissima Saguntum (2004) 165. [2] Monserrat, Arse 41 (2007) 231. [3] Gallello et al., Microchem. J. 132 (2017) 251

Análisis químicos no destructivos sobre cinco mangos de marfil de Época Ibérica

Presentamos los análisis químicos realizados sobre un conjunto de cinco mangos de marfil época ibérica (s. VI – s. I a. C.). Son objetos con características técnicas, formales y decorativas muy similares entre sí, lo que que permite plantear una relación entre ellos en su proceso de producción. Sin embargo, fueron recuperados en cuatro yacimientos diferentes del área ibérica: los poblados de Turó de Montgròs (El Brull, Barcelona) y La Serreta (Alcoi, Alicante) y las necrópolis de El Cigarralejo (Mula, Murcia) y Coimbra del Barranco Ancho (Jumilla, Murcia), en esta última, se recuperaron dos de ellos. Todas las piezas, por sus contextos arqueológicos se datan entre el s. IV y principios del s. II a. C. Los análisis se llevaron a cabo con el objetivo de identificar la naturaleza y procedencia de las incrustaciones de carácter decorativo y la sustancia adherente todavía presentes en estos mangos. Si bien, en algunos de ellos, debido a su deteriorado estado de conservación, únicamente quedaban las improntas de las incrustaciones y no había restos aparentes de la sustancia de tono gris-negro que, presumiblemente, serviría para adherir las incrustaciones. Las piezas mejor conservadas son las recuperadas en lugares de hábitat. Los estudios se han realizado mediante técnicas no destructivas que no comprometiesen la integridad de las piezas. Así, se llevaron a cabo análisis por Fluorescencia de Rayos X (XRF), y por Espectrofotometría de Infrarrojo Cercano por Transformada de Fourier (FT-NIR). Todo ello se complementó mediante la revisión de los mangos con un microscopio electrónico de barrido equipado con un Sistema de Rayos X de Energía Dispersiva (SEM-EDAX-Sapphire), un microscopio óptico SMZ (NIKON) y un microscopio digital Dino-lite mod. AM7115MZT EDGE de 10x a 200x con una luz incidente por medio de un iluminador de fibra óptica y dotado de un software con funciones de medición integrales, para obtener imágenes de alta precisión. El análisis de XRF ha permitido identificar como estaño la sustancia empleada para adherir las incrustaciones decorativas en la pieza, empleando una técnica de tipo soldadura blanda. El FTNIR, por su parte, ha revelado que dichas incrustaciones fueron realizadas sobre resinas fósiles, muy probablemente ámbar. Estos resultados resultan totalmente novedosos dentro del mundo artesanal de época ibérica y, por tanto, de gran interés, evidenciando el valor de estas piezas en las que materias primas de presencia escasa en el mundo ibérico como son el marfil y el ámbar aparecen combinadas; así como el uso del estaño a modo de soldadura blanda nos revela procesos de manufactura no atestiguados hasta el momento en las industrias sobre materias duras de origen animal de la Edad del Hierro en la Península Ibérica. Cabe destacar que la realización de análisis químicos sobre piezas arqueológicas aporta datos específicos, prácticamente imposibles de obtener en un estudio macro o microscópico de los artefactos. Por ello, desde el proyecto proyecto “Madera, hueso, marfil, asta, concha ¿Artesanías marginales o marginadas?” (HAR2013-45770-P y ACOMP/2015/256) (financiado por el Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad y la Generalitat Valenciana) dirigido por la Dra. Consuelo Mata, se ha apostado por desarrollar estudios interdisciplinares, que impliquen el contacto y la comunicación entre distintos especialistas con la finalidad de conseguir resultados más sólidos y transversales

Metabolómica de compuestos bioactivos: nuevos desarrollos metodológicos y aplicaciones

Tesis Doctoral inédita leída en la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Facultad de Ciencias, Departamento de Química Física Aplicada. Fecha de lectura: 14-09-2017Esta tesis tiene embargado el acceso al texto completo hasta el 14-03-201

Plant Genetics and Molecular Biology

This book reviews the latest advances in multiple fields of plant biotechnology and the opportunities that plant genetics, genomics and molecular biology have offered for agriculture improvement. Advanced technologies can dramatically enhance our capacity in understanding the molecular basis of traits and utilizing the available resources for accelerated development of high yielding, nutritious, input-use efficient and climate-smart crop varieties. In this book, readers will discover the significant advances in plant genetics, structural and functional genomics, trait and gene discovery, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, epigenomics, nanotechnology and analytical & decision support tools in breeding. This book appeals to researchers, academics and other stakeholders of global agriculture

XVI Agricultural Science Congress 2023: Transformation of Agri-Food Systems for Achieving Sustainable Development Goals

The XVI Agricultural Science Congress being jointly organized by the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS) and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) during 10-13 October 2023, at hotel Le Meridien, Kochi, is a mega event echoing the theme “Transformation of Agri-Food Systems for achieving Sustainable Development Goals”. ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute takes great pride in hosting the XVI ASC, which will be the perfect point of convergence of academicians, researchers, students, farmers, fishers, traders, entrepreneurs, and other stakeholders involved in agri-production systems that ensure food and nutritional security for a burgeoning population. With impeding challenges like growing urbanization, increasing unemployment, growing population, increasing food demands, degradation of natural resources through human interference, climate change impacts and natural calamities, the challenges ahead for India to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set out by the United Nations are many. The XVI ASC will provide an interface for dissemination of useful information across all sectors of stakeholders invested in developing India’s agri-food systems, not only to meet the SDGs, but also to ensure a stable structure on par with agri-food systems around the world. It is an honour to present this Book of Abstracts which is a compilation of a total of 668 abstracts that convey the results of R&D programs being done in India. The abstracts have been categorized under 10 major Themes – 1. Ensuring Food & Nutritional Security: Production, Consumption and Value addition; 2. Climate Action for Sustainable Agri-Food Systems; 3. Frontier Science and emerging Genetic Technologies: Genome, Breeding, Gene Editing; 4. Livestock-based Transformation of Food Systems; 5. Horticulture-based Transformation of Food Systems; 6. Aquaculture & Fisheries-based Transformation of Food Systems; 7. Nature-based Solutions for Sustainable AgriFood Systems; 8. Next Generation Technologies: Digital Agriculture, Precision Farming and AI-based Systems; 9. Policies and Institutions for Transforming Agri-Food Systems; 10. International Partnership for Research, Education and Development. This Book of Abstracts sets the stage for the mega event itself, which will see a flow of knowledge emanating from a zeal to transform and push India’s Agri-Food Systems to perform par excellence and achieve not only the SDGs of the UN but also to rise as a world leader in the sector. I thank and congratulate all the participants who have submitted abstracts for this mega event, and I also applaud the team that has strived hard to publish this Book of Abstracts ahead of the event. I wish all the delegates and participants a very vibrant and memorable time at the XVI ASC