Impact of Row Spacing, Sowing Density and Nitrogen Fertilization on Yield and Quality Traits of Chia (\u3cem\u3eSalvia Hispanica\u3c/em\u3e L.) Cultivated in Southwestern Germany

To obtain high chia seed yields and seed qualities, a suitable crop management system needs to be developed for the given growing conditions in southwestern Germany. Field experiments were conducted at the experimental station Ihinger Hof in two consecutive years (2016, 2017). The study aimed to evaluate yield and quality traits of chia depending on different (i) row spacing (35, 50 and 75 cm), (ii) sowing densities (1, 1.5 and 2 kg ha−1) and, (iii) N-fertilization rates (0, 20 and 40 kg N ha−1). It consisted of three independent, completely randomized field experiments with three replications. Results showed that chia seed yields ranged from 618.39 to 1171.33 kg ha−1 and that a thousand seed mass of 1.14 to 1.24 g could be obtained. Crude protein-, crude oil- and mucilage contents varied from 18.11–23.91%, 32.16–33.78% and 10.00–13.74%, respectively. Results indicated that the year of cultivation and the accompanied environmental conditions, like precipitation or temperature, influenced the determined traits more than the applied agronomic practices. As average seed yields exceeded those obtained in the countries of origin (Mexico, Guatemala) while having comparable quality characteristics, chia holds great potential as an alternative crop for farmers in southwestern Germany

Growth, Yield Performance and Quality Parameters of Three Early Flowering Chia (\u3cem\u3eSalvia hispanica\u3c/em\u3e L.) Genotypes Cultivated in Southwestern Germany

The combination of consumer’s ongoing demand for chia (Salvia hispanica L.) alongside the increased demand for regionally produced food products provided the impetus for this study. Its aim was to test if a regional cultivation of new chia genotypes, which were adapted to day lengths greater than 12 h, is feasible under Central European conditions. Therefore, three early flowering chia genotypes (Sahi Alba 914, W13.1, G8) were cultivated in a randomized block design at two experimental stations in Southwestern Germany (Ihinger Hof, Eckartsweier) over the course of two years (2015, 2016). Mean yields ranged from 100 to 1290 kg ha−1. Mucilage content ranged from 9.5% to 12.2%, while the crude protein content ranged from 17.2% to 25.0%. Crude oil content fell in the range of 30.9–33.7% and the PUFA:SAT ratio ranged from 4.0 to 9.4, whereas the omega6:omega3 ratio varied from 0.27 to 0.5. As chia seed yields surpassed yield levels obtained by their countries of origin and as quality parameters obtained, were in line with the genotypes cultivated in their countries of origin, it can be assumed that a regional chia production in Southwestern Germany offers great potential, being ecologically and economically profitable

The forgotten agriculture-nutrition link: Estimating the energy requirements of different farming technologies in rural Zambia with time-use data

In the quest to reduce global under- and malnutrition, which is particularly high among smallholder farmers, agriculture-nutrition linkages have received a lot of attention in recent years. Researchers have analysed the link between the quantity of food that farmers produce and nutritional outcomes and the link between farm diversity and consumption diversity. A third agriculture-nutrition link has been largely neglected in recent years: the impact of how food is produced on human energy requirements, and, consequently, nutritional outcomes. This neglect persists despite the fact that the majority of smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa rely on hand tools for farming, which implies heavy physical work and, thus, high energy requirements. To address this research gap, the present study compares the energy requirements of farm households in rural Zambia that are characterized by three different levels of mechanization: hand tools, animal draught power and tractors. Detailed time-use as well as food and nutrition data was collected from male and female adults and from children during different seasons: land preparation, weeding and harvesting/processing. Subjects recorded time-use themselves using an innovative picture-based smartphone app called “Timetracker”. The time-use data served to calculate daily energy requirements using “Ainsworth’s Compendium of Physical Activities”. To analyse the link between mechanization and energy use as well as nutritional outcomes, linear mixed models and multiple linear regressions were used. The results show that during land preparation, individuals in non-mechanized households are, on the average, not able to meet their dietary energy requirements. In subsequent farming periods, results are more mixed. Gender differences are noteworthy throughout, with men mostly having higher physical activity levels and energy requirements compared to women The findings suggest that farm technologies affect nutritional outcomes substantially and that this neglected agriculture-nutrition linkage deserves more scientific and political attention in order to reduce the prevalence of both under- and malnutrition among smallholder farmers, while safeguarding against emerging double burden of nutrition

Of trackers and tractors. Using a smartphone app and compositional data analysis to explore the link between mechanization and intra-household allocation of time in Zambia

Digital tools may help to study socioeconomic aspects of agricultural development that are difficult to measure such as the effects of new technologies, policies and practices on the intra-household allocation of time. As new technologies, policies and practices may target different crops and tasks, they can affect time-use of men, women, boys and girls differently. Development strategies that overlook such effects can fail or have negative consequences for vulnerable household members. In this paper, the effects of agricultural mechanization on time-use in smallholder farming households in Zambia were investigated. For this, a novel data collection method was used: a pictorial smartphone application that allows real-time recording of time-use to eliminate recall bias. Existing studies analyzing intra-household allocation of resources often focus on adult males and females. This study paid particular attention to boys and girls. The study also addressed seasonal variations. For data analysis, compositional data analysis was used, which yields higher accuracy than univariate analysis by accounting for the co-dependence and sum constraint of time-use data. The study found that women benefit relatively more from mechanization with regard to time-use during land preparation, which leads to gender differentiation; for households using manual labor, such differentiation was not found. There was some evidence that the time "saved" is used for off-farm and domestic work. No negative second-round effects (such as higher labor burdens) during weeding and harvesting/processing and no negative effects on children were found. The study debunks some myths related to gender roles in African smallholder agriculture, opens the field to more studies on technology adoption and time-use and suggests that gender roles are changing with agricultural transformation

Impact of Row Spacing, Sowing Density and Nitrogen Fertilization on Yield and Quality Traits of chia (Salvia Hispanica L.) Cultivated in southwestern Germany

To obtain high chia seed yields and seed qualities, a suitable crop management system needs to be developed for the given growing conditions in southwestern Germany. Field experiments were conducted at the experimental station Ihinger Hof in two consecutive years (2016, 2017). The study aimed to evaluate yield and quality traits of chia depending on different (i) row spacing (35, 50 and 75 cm), (ii) sowing densities (1, 1.5 and 2 kg ha−1) and, (iii) N-fertilization rates (0, 20 and 40 kg N ha−1). It consisted of three independent, completely randomized field experiments with three replications. Results showed that chia seed yields ranged from 618.39 to 1171.33 kg ha−1 and that a thousand seed mass of 1.14 to 1.24 g could be obtained. Crude protein-, crude oil- and mucilage contents varied from 18.11–23.91%, 32.16–33.78% and 10.00–13.74%, respectively. Results indicated that the year of cultivation and the accompanied environmental conditions, like precipitation or temperature, influenced the determined traits more than the applied agronomic practices. As average seed yields exceeded those obtained in the countries of origin (Mexico, Guatemala) while having comparable quality characteristics, chia holds great potential as an alternative crop for farmers in southwestern Germany

Short telomeres, telomerase reverse transcriptase gene amplification, and increased telomerase activity in the blood of familial papillary thyroid cancer patients

Background: Differentiated papillary thyroid cancer is mostly sporadic, but the recurrence of the familial form has been reported. Short or dysfunctional telomeres have been associated with familial benign diseases and familial breast cancer. Objective: The aim of our work was to study the telomere-telomerase complex in the peripheral blood of patients with familial papillary thyroid cancer (FPTC), including the measurement of relative telomere length (RTL), telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) gene amplification, hTERT mRNA expression, telomerase protein activity, and search of hTERT or telomerase RNA component gene mutations. Patients: Cumulating a series of patients seen at the University of Siena and a series at the University of Rome, the experiments were conducted in 47 FPTC patients, 75 sporadic papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) patients, 20 patients with nodular goiter, 19 healthy subjects, and 20 unaffected siblings of FPTC patients. Results: RTL, measured by quantitative PCR, was significantly (P < 0.0001) shorter in the blood of FPTC patients, compared with sporadic PTCs, healthy subjects, nodular goiter subjects, and unaffected siblings. Also by fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis, the results confirmed shorter telomere lengths in FPTC patients (P = 0.01). hTERT gene amplification was significantly (P < 0.0001) higher in FPTC patients, compared with the other groups, and in particular, it was significantly (P = 0.03) greater in offspring with respect to parents. hTERT mRNA expression, as well as telomerase activity, was significantly higher (P = 0.0003 and P < 0.0001, respectively) in FPTC patients, compared with sporadic PTCs. RTL, measured in cancer tissues, was shorter (P < 0.0001) in FPTC patients, compared with sporadic PTCs. No mutations of the telomerase RNA component and hTERT genes were found. Conclusion: Our study demonstrates that patients with FPTC display an imbalance of the telomere-telomerase complex in the peripheral blood, characterized by short telomeres, hTERT gene amplification, and expression. These features may be implicated in the inherited predisposition to develop FPTC. Copyright © 2008 by The Endocrine Society