Impact of Cost Efficiency on Bank Capital and the Cost of Financial Intermediation: Evidence from BRICS Countries

Over last two decades, emerging and developing nations have desperately endeavored for efficient banking sectors. In this study, we argue that bank efficiency generates incentives that can impact banks’ capital holdings and the cost of financial intermediation. Analyzing a panel dataset of 1190 banks from BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) countries over the period 2007–2015, we find robust evidence that more efficient banks hold higher capital and charge lower financial intermediation costs. In an extended sample over the period 2000–2015, we observe that cost efficiency had a marginal positive impact on bank capital during the global financial crisis of 2007–2009. We also observe that on average, banks increased the cost of financial intermediation during the crisis, however, greater efficiency helped banks to not charge higher intermediation costs. Our results imply the beneficial impact of bank efficiency for bank stability and real economy

Does Trade Openness Affect Bank Risk-Taking Behavior? Evidence from BRICS Countries

In this paper, we examine the impact of trade openness on bank risk-taking behavior employing a panel dataset of 899 banks from the BRICS (i.e., Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) countries over the period 2000–2017. We find that higher trade openness lowers bank risk-taking. Our results are robust when we use alternative proxies of trade openness and bank risk-taking, estimate country-wise regressions, or use alternative estimation methods such as system Generalized Methods of Moments (GMM), fixed effects, pooled Ordinary Least Square (OLS), and Vector Error Correction Model (VECM) models. We also observe higher trade openness decreases bank risk-taking in both the short and long run. Moreover, banks in more open countries perform relatively better during the crisis period further signifying the diversification benefits of openness. Together, our findings imply the beneficial impact of trade openness for financial sector stability

Effects of iso-nitrogenous fertilizers as nutrient sources on carp polyculture in Bangladesh

A 120-day long experiment was conducted to find out the effects of urea plus triple super phosphate (UT), cow manure (CM) and poultry manure (PM) having iso-nil:rogen content on pond productivity and fish yield. Three fertilizer treatments, with three replicates each, were randomly assigned into nine earthen ponds of 100 m2 each. The stocking fish were rohu (Labeo ruhita), catla ( Catla catla) and mrigal ( Cirrhinus mrigala) in each treatment pond at the rate of 10000/ha with the ratio of 1:1:1. All ponds were fertilized fortnightly at the rate of 125 kg/ha urea plus 100 kg TSP/ha, 7000 kg/ha cow manure and 3500 kg/ha poultry manure for the treatment of UT, CM and PM, respectively, having an iso-nitrogen content of 56 kg in each. Though the physicochemical water quality parameters were more or less similar in all treatment ponds, the chlorophyll-a content and abundance of total plankton were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the ponds receiving the treatment PM. Final growth as well as per unit production of fish was significantly higher (p<O.OS) with the treatment of PM (2067 kg/ha/4 months) followed by UT (1639 kg/ha/4 months) and CM (1246 kg/ha/4 months). The overall results showed that the poultry manure proved to be superior to urea plus TSP and cow manure, even when nitrogen content is similar, in carp polyculture system under prevailing conditions

Effects of iso-nitrogenous and iso-phosphorus fertilizers as nutrient sources on carp polyculture in Bangladesh

A 120 day long experiment was conducted to find out the effects of cow manure with urea and triple super phosphate (CUT), poultry manure with urea and triple super phosphate (PUT) and cow manure with poultry manure (CP) having similar quantities of nitrogen and phosphorus on pond productivity and fish yield. The stocking fish were rohu (Labeo rohita), catla ( Catla catla) and mrigal ( Cirrhinus mrigala) in each treatment pond at the rate of 10000/ha. All ponds were fertilized fortnightly at the rate of 4000 kg/ha cow manure with 62 kg/ha urea and 65 kg/ha TSP, 2700 kg/ha poultry manure with 62 kg/ha urea and 16 kg/ha TSP, and 4000kg/ha cow manure with 2700 kg/ha poultry manure for the treatment CUT, PUT and CP respectively. Each treatment contained an iso-nitrogen and iso-phosphorus of 56 kg and 46 kg respectively. Though the physico-chemical parameters were more or less similar in all ponds, the chlorophyll-a content and abundance of total plankton were significantly higher (P< 0.05) in the ponds receiving the fertilizer treatment of PUT than those of other treatments. Final growth as well as per unit production of fish of treatment PUT (1773 kg/ha) was significantly higher (P< 0.05) than that of treatment CP (1528 kg/ha) followed by that of treatment CUT (1336 kg/ha). The over all results showed that poultry manure with urea and triple super phosphate proved to be superior to cow manure with urea and triple super phosphate, and poultry manure with cow manure, even when nitrogen and phosphorus content was similar, in carp polyculture system under prevailing conditions

Mulching and weed management effects on performance of non-puddled transplanted rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Farmers’ in the tropics and subtropics of Asia traditionally transplant rice seedlings in puddled soil (Singh et al., 2014) for easy crop establishment and weed control. This traditional puddling method is labour and capital intensive and destructive to soil health and economic environment in various ways (Islam et al., 2014). Adoption of non-puddled rice cultivation might be a very good alternative to puddled transplanting but is criticized for high weed pressure. Herbicides can control weeds but are threatened for resistance to weeds. Mulching may be used as an alternative to herbicides. Non-puddled rice transplanting technology based on mulch retention are being developed in Bangladesh but the optimum weed control for crops in the cropping sequence is yet to be developed. This present study was under taken to determine the effectiveness of mulch retention relative to herbicides and hand weeding on weed control and yield of non-puddled rice transplanted after mustard

Weed seed bank dynamics in long term trials of conservation agriculture

Conservation agriculture (CA) has been identified as an effective tool for sustainably increasing the crop yields but weed control is perceived as one of the most challenging issues (Pittelkow et al., 2015). Due to the reduction in tillage operations, weed seed bank composition and dynamics in CA will change compared to conventional tillage. Soil weed seed bank is the reservoir of weed seeds in the soil which determines the species composition. The seed bank is the most important source of weeds and represents a significant point in the weed life cycle and weed population is directly related to their seed bank. Knowledge of the seed bank size and its composition can be used to predict the future weed infestation and control strategies, weed seed production after the cropping season, estimation of crop-weed competition and crop yield loss and the crop economics as well (Begume et al., 2006). There are very few studies examining the effects of CA principles on weed seed bank dynamics. These types of studies are needed to include weed control in cost-benefit analyses concerning the adoption of CA. Considering this fact, long terms CA trials were conducted to examine the effect of CA principles on weed seed bank dynamics

On-farm non-puddled rice yield response to crop residue retention

In Asia, rice (Oryza sativa L.) is established generally by seedling transplanting in puddled soil. Generally, lands are prepared by 3-4 ploughing and cross ploughing operations followed by levelling in standing water. This traditional method is costly in terms of labour, fuel, time and irrigation water, and is detrimental to soil health (Islam et al., 2014). Adoption of non-puddled transplanting may be a good alternative to soil puddling which has potential to achieve savings in labour, energy, water and time during rice establishment (Islam et al., 2012). Retaining previous crop residues maintains soil microbial activity which can also lead to weed suppression by the biological agents leading to increases in crop yield (Kennedy, 1999). Considerable research work has been done on puddled transplanting, but there is a limited information on the effect of crop residue retention level on the performance of non-puddled transplanting of rice

Yield improvement of non-puddled transplanted Aman rice as influenced by effective weed control under conservation agricultural systems

Traditional puddled transplanting (PT) can successfully be replaced by strip-tilled non-puddled transplanting (STNT) because it saves energy, fuel, labour and cost of cultivation (Haque et al., 2016; Islam et al., 2012). Moreover, STNT provides better rice yield than the conventional PT (Haque et al., 2016). But heavy weed infestation can cause a significant yield loss in STNT (Zahan et al., 2014). While conservation agriculture (CA) systems highly relies on herbicide for controlling weeds (Muoni et al., 2014), this study was undertaken to find out the effective herbicidal weed control for strip-tilled non-puddled transplanted aman rice that can ensure the optimum grain yield

Broadleaved weed management in wheat with post-emergence herbicides under strip tillage system

Conventionally wheat is grown in well prepared land followed by 3-4 full tillage which carry out degradation of natural resources and contribute to an increased cost of cultivation. Adopting strip tillage (single shallow pass) technology in wheat reduces the expenditure on field preparation and saves more than 30-60% fuel and time as well as advances the sowing time compared to conventional tillage practices (Mahal et al., 2009). But, early season weed control is critical for successful strip-till production (Mitchell et al., 2009). Moreover, weed can cause grain yield reduction in wheat by 50-80% (Montazeri et al., 2005). Both grass and broadleaved weeds infest wheat, but heavy broadleaved weed infestation causes significant wheat yield reduction (Zand et al., 2007), deteriorates the quality of wheat resulting low market value and also causes obstruction in harvesting. Broadleaved weed control in wheat could be easy and convenient if appropriate post-emergence herbicide can apply. Therefore, the study had taken to evaluate the efficacy of available post-emergence herbicides to control broadleaved weeds and to select a number of efficient post-emergence herbicides under strip tillage system