Building capacity for assessing spatial-based sustainability metrics in agriculture

Crop yield is influenced over time and space, namely, by a wide range of variables linked with crop genetics, agronomic management practices and the environment under which the crop dynamically responds to maximize growth potential and survival. Such variability can pose substantial uncertainty and risks in the use of agricultural sustainability decision-making frameworks that include crop yield as a leading metric. Here, decision analytics can play a vital role by guiding the use of statistical-based analytics to build in a higher degree of intelligence to enable better predictive (i.e., crop yield forecasting both over the growing season and inter-annually) and prescriptive (optimization across crop areas and subdivisions) approaches. While inter-annual variability in yield can be modelled based on a deterministic trend with stochastic variation, quantifying the variability of yield and how it changes across different spatial resolutions remains a major knowledge gap. To better understand how yield scales spatially, we integrate in this study, for the first time, multi-scale crop yield of spring wheat and its variance (i.e., field to district to region) obtained within the major wheat growing region of the Canadian Prairies (Western Canada). We found large differences between the mean and variance from field to district to regional scales, from which we determined spatially-dependent (i.e., site specific) scaling factors for the mean and variance of crop yield. From our analysis, we provide several key recommendations for building capacity in assessing agricultural sustainability using spatial-based metrics. In the future, the use of such metrics may broaden the adoption and consistent implementation of new sustainable management protocols and practices under a precautionary, adaptive management approach

Caracterisation de quelques parametres physiologiques des graines de Tieghemella heckelii Pierre ex a. chev. (sapotaceae) en fonction des durees de conservation, en Cote d’Ivoire

Cette étude vise à disposer des données sur les graines de Makoré, afin de les utiliser dans les programmes de reboisements des forêts en Côte d’Ivoire, en vue de la préservation de cette espèce. Spécifiquement, il a été question de : (1) déterminer les caractéristiques physiques (poids, teneur en eau, mensuration des amandes) des différents lots de graines et (2) déterminer la coloration des amandes des différents lots de graines. Pour ce faire, cinq lots de graines ont été constitués en fonction des durées de conservation et ont subi  différents traitements. Les résultats ont montré que la variation du poids, de la teneur en eau des graines et la coloration des amandes  de Makoré sont étroitement liées à la durée de conservation. Les graines conservées pendant deux et trois semaines présentent de bonne qualité comme les graines fraiches alors que celles conservées pendant trois et six mois perdent systématiquement leur viabilité. Il ressort de cette étude que pour la production de plants de Makoré, les graines fraiches et celles séchées et conservées  pendant deux et trois semaines sont de bonnes qualité et peuvent être utilisées. Mots clés : Makoré, Espèce menacée, Conservation des graines, Paramètres physiologiques, Côte d’Ivoire.   English title: Characterization of some physiological parameters of seeds of <i>Tieghemella heckelii</i> Pierre ex a. chev. (Sapotaceae) depending on storage times, in Cote d'Ivoire This study aims to have data on Makoré seeds, in order to use them in forest reforestation programs in Côte d’Ivoire, with a view to the preservation of this species. Specifically, there has been discussion of: (1) determine the physical characteristics (weights, moisture content and measurement of the kernels) of the different seed lots and (2) determine the color of the almonds from the different seedlots. To do this, five batches of seeds were made according to the storage times and underwent different treatments. The results showed that the variation in the weight, the moisture content of the seeds and the color of the almonds of Makoré are closely related to the self life. Seeds stored for two and three weeks are better quality like fresh seeds while those kept for three and six months  systematically lose their viability. It emerges from this study that for the production of Makoré plants, the fresh seeds and those dried and stored for two and three weeks are of good quality and can be used. Keys words: Tieghemella heckelii, Threatened species, Storage seeds, physiological parameters, Côte d’Ivoire. &nbsp

Impact de l\'éclaircie sur la régénération naturelle des essences princpales, dans la forêt classée de Bossematié (Côte d\'Ivoire)

L\'éclaircie a été réalisée dans la forêt classée de Bossematié, pour faciliter la régénération des essences principales. Cette étude, a pour objectif d\'évaluer les impacts du traitement sylvicole, sur la régénération naturelle de la catégorie des espèces principales de meilleure qualité (P1), de la catégorie des espèces principales de qualité moyenne (P2) et de la catégorie des espèces principales de moindre qualité (P3), dix ans après son application. À cet effet, la méthode de relevé de surface a été appliquée en utilisant les grixels, pour collecter les données sur le terrain. L\'évaluation des effets de l\'éclaircie a été réalisée à travers la richesse floristique, la diversité spécifique, les densités totales et moyennes. Les indices de diversité spécifique de Shannon-Weaver et d\'équitabilité et le test t de Student ont permis d\'analyser les données. Le test t de Student a montré que dix ans après la pratique de l\'éclaircie, elle n\'a eu aucun effet sur la régénération des espèces principales dans la zone éclaircie.Thinnig has been achieved in forêt classée de Bossematié, to facilitate the regeneration of the main species. This study, aims to evaluate the impacts of the forestry treatment, on the natural regeneration of the category of main species of best quality (P1), the category of main species of medium quality (P2) and the category of main species of less quality (P3), ten years after its application. For that to make, we collected the data with the help of the grixels. The evaluation of thinning effects was carried out through the floristic richness, specific diversity, the total and average densities. The indices of specific diversity of Shannon-Weaver and equitability, the test T of Student made it possible to analyze the data. The test T of Student showed those ten years after the practice of the thinning, it did not have any effect on regeneration of the main species in the cleared area. Keywords: Éclaircie sélective, dévitalisation, régénération naturelle, essences principales, forêt semi-décidue, Bossematié, Côte d\'Ivoire./Selective thinning, removal, natural regeneration, main species, semi-deciduous forest, Bossematié, Côte d\'Ivoire.Sciences & Nature Vol. 4 (1) 2007: pp. 27-3

From Stability to Insurgency: The Root and Proximate Causes of the September 2002 Civil War in Cote d\u27Ivoire

This dissertation was an analysis of the root and proximate causes of the September 2002 civil war in Côte d’Ivoire. The central question of this study was: Why did Côte d’Ivoire, which was relatively stable under President Houphouët-Boigny, suddenly begin to experience political violence in the 1990s and an explosion in 2002? Côte d’Ivoire was an interesting case because it was stable for a long period of time, apparently making it an infertile ground for conflict. It was also interesting for comparative purposes because of the fact that several states in West Africa (for instance, Benin, Togo, and Ghana) have experienced military coups but not have civil wars. Finally, this case was an opportunity to revisit the debate on the causes of civil wars in the African context. Chapter one has outlined the entire dissertation project and contextualized the analysis that follows in the subsequent chapters. Chapter two has reviewed the literature on civil wars in general, identified the different types of civil wars, and the type the Ivoiran war is. Chapter three has examined the domestic and international political economy as a source of the civil violence in Côte d’Ivoire. Chapter four has examined the role of ethnicity and region as identities of the war, while chapter five has analyzed the role of the foreign relations in the civil war, as well as the regional political context. Chapter six has distinguished between the root and proximate causes of the Ivoirian civil war, made judgments about the relative weight of the various causes, and the extent to which the weight of the causes can be measured. The study found that the “Ivoirité” was the most important trigger of the civil war in Côte d’Ivoire. The overall conclusion of my dissertation was that the September 2002 crisis in that country was a political crisis which occured in the context of a political reform. It first started with succession problems in 1993 followed by the controversial elections in 1995 and 2000. Later, this electoral politics spread beyond electoral issues, namely citizenship matters

Nom des oiseaux et leur base de dénomination chez le peuple Gouro de la région de la Marahoué (Côte d’Ivoire)

Dans le cadre d’associer les populations locales aux programmes de gestion de la biodiversité, une étude a été réalisée durant dix-neuf mois, entre 2010 et mars 2013, à partir des enquêtes ethnozoologiques auprès du peuple Gouro vivant à proximité du Parc National de la Marahoué, dans le centre ouest de la Côte d’Ivoire. Elle a porté sur les connaissances ornithologiques et les modes d’attribution des noms des oiseaux par ce peuple. Au total, 232 espèces d’oiseaux ont été identifiées avec chacune une appellation en langue Gouro. Ces appellations sont basées sur six critères distinctifs dont le plus important est le comportement de l’espèce. Ces résultats constituent le premier registre important des noms des oiseaux en langue Gouro, portant sur un grand nombre d’espèces d’oiseaux. Ils permettent de comprendre que les peuples indigènes sont très observateurs et détiennent des connaissances écologiques traditionnelles très utiles pour la conservation de la biodiversité.   As part of involving local populations in biodiversity management programs, a study was carried out over nineteen months, between 2010 and March 2013, based on ethnozoological surveys of the Gouro people living near the National Park of Marahoué, in the center west of Côte d'Ivoire. It focused on ornithological knowledge and the ways in which the names of birds are attributed by this people. A total of 232 bird species have been identified, each with a name in the Gouro language. These designations are based on six distinctive criteria, the most important of which is the behavior of the species. These results constitute the first significant register of bird names in the Gouro language, covering a large number of bird species

Étude de la durabilité économique et environnementale de la production de manioc sur ferralsols

Objective: To evaluate the components of the sustainability of cassava cropping systems that rely on alley cropping. Methodology and results: The study consisted to cultivate improved cassava ( Yavo ) / green soybeans ( Mung Bean) / Gliricidia sepium with a basal dressing ( NPK [ 20: 36 : 36] or chicken manure [10 t / ha] ) compared to the traditional system consisting of a local variety of cassava and peanut intercropping on ferralsols. The sum of the new factors of production allowed a significant increase in the food output. In addition to bean production, organic manure and, potentially, fuel wood from G. sepium, the yield of cassava of the introduced variety Yavo was 40 t/ha compared to 13 t/ha in the traditional. The plant architecture of the new systems allowed a good soil cover, thus reducing the frequency of weeding, done traditionally by women. Conversely, workload for men increased. The new system was also economically viable. Conclusion and application of findings: As a whole, the suggested system appears to have a potential to contribute to agronomic, environmental, economic and social sustainability. The new systems could be recommended for the intensification of the cassava crop.Keywords: cassava, Gliricidia sepium, green soya, ferralsol, sustainability

Comparaison de l’efficacite Antifongique de l’huile Essentielle d’Ocimum Gratissimum L. et du Fongicide de Synthese Mancozebe Contre le Mycopathogene Tellurique, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. Radicis-lycopersici en Cultures de Tomate (

Une étude a été menée à la fois in vitro et in vivo afin d’évaluer l’activité antifongique du mancozèbe et de l’huile essentielle d’Ocimum gratissimum L. sur Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. radicis-lycopersici (Forl). Une corrélation positive a été établie entre l’inhibition de la croissance radiale mycélienne du mycopathogène et la concentration de chaque produit. Les concentrations minimales inhibitrices (CMI) ont été significatives à 500 ppm et très significatives à 250 ppm pour le mancozèbe et l’huile essentielle d’Ocimum gratissimum, respectivement. Le produit (huile essentielle) a montré des taux d’inhibition nettement supérieurs au seuil de signification (25 %) pour la plus faible dose. Aucune reprise de la croissance mycélienne n’a été observée durant les 7 j d’évaluation à 500 ppm pour l’huile essentielle et 4000 ppm pour le mancozèbe. Par ailleurs, l’application du mancozèbe ou de l’huile essentielle d’Ocimum gratissimum sur les plants de tomate inoculés a entrainé une inhibition de l’expression de la fusariose 30 j après inoculation. La biomasse des plants de tomate inoculés avec l’huile essentielle a augmenté de plus de 30 % par rapport à la biomasse sèche racinaire et de plus de 40 % pour la biomasse foliaire sèche chez Tropimech, variété la plus sensible  à Forl.Mots clés : Activités antifongiques, huiles essentielles, Ocimum gratissimum, mancozèbe, Côte d’IvoireA study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of mancozeb and the essential oil of Ocimum gratissimum in both in vitro and in vivo against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. radicis-lycopersici (Forl). A positive correlation was found between the radial growth of the fungus mycelium and the concentration of each product. The minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) were found to be significant at 500 ppm and highly significant at 250 ppm for mancozeb and the essential oil of Ocimum gratissimum, respectively. The rates of inhibitions of the essential oil were by far superior to the significant level (25 %) at the lowest rate of the inhibitor. No radial growth was found during the seven days at 500 ppm for the essential oil and 4000 ppm for mancozeb. Furthermore, the application of mancozeb, or the essential oil of Ocimum gratissimum on tomato plants inoculated reduced the severity of the disease caused by Fusarium 30 days after inoculation. The tomato plants inoculated and treated with the essential oil increased the dry root biomass by more than 30 % and the dry foliar biomass by more than 40 % for the Tropimech cultivar, the most sensitive tomato variety to Forl.Key words : Antifungal activity, essential oil, Ocimum gratissimum, mancozeb, Côte d’Ivoir

Soil/litter beetle abundance and diversity along a land use gradient in tropical africa (oumé, ivory coast)

Beetles represent acomponent of arthropods that contributes to enrichment and circulation of mineral elements retained in litter and the topsoil. We have studied beetle abundance, diversity, and distribution in response to anthropogenic activities (farming, urbanization, etc.). Two collecting methods were used: soil monoliths extraction, and sifting and processing of soil and litter samples in a mini-winkler extractor. This study was conducted in the central-western part of Ivory Coast, near Oumé in eight agroecosystems with five types of habitats. Our results showed that secondary forests had the highest beetle abundance, but the highest diversity was found in the fallows. The families represented in the majority of agroecosystems are Staphylinidae, Scydmaenidae, Curculionidae, Pselaphidae, Scarabaeidae and Carabidae. The regenerating forest plantations and cocoa plantations were characterized by lower beetle abundance and diversity. The study demonstrated that beetle abundance and diversity were affected by human activities and depended on the intensity of land use.Les Coléoptères sont une composante des arthropodes qui participent à l’enrichissement et à la circulation des éléments minéraux de la litière et du sol. L’abondance et la diversité des Coléoptères ont donc fait l’objet d’une étude pour voir l’impact des activités anthropogéniques (agriculture, urbanisation, etc.). Deux méthodes de collecte ont été utilisées : extraction à partir des monolithes du sol, et extraction des Coléoptères à partir des winklers après tamisage des échantillons de sol et de litière. Les travaux se sont déroulés dans le centre ouest de la Côte d’Ivoire, près de Oumé dans 8 agroécosystèmes formant cinq types d’habitat. Il ressort des résultats que les forêts secondaires ont l’abondance la plus élevée mais, la diversité la plus élevée est trouvée en jachères. Les familles présentes dans la majorité des agroécosystèmes sont les Staphylinidae, Scydmaenidae, Curculionidae, Pselaphidae, Scarabaeidae et les Carabidae. Les agroécosystèmes reboisés et les cacaoyères sont caractérisés par les plus faibles abondances et diversités. Ces travaux ont montré que l’abondance et la diversité des Coléoptères du sol sont affectées par les activités humaines et cela dépendent de l’intensité d’utilisation du sol.Keywords: Beetle, abundance, diversity, agroecosystems, anthropogenic activitie

Antibacterial properties studies of trunk barks of terminalia ivorensis (Combretaceae), a commercial and medicinal specie, on some methicillin-resistant Staphylococci spp strains.

Background: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus infections are a worldwide concern. Terminalia ivorensis, of Combretaceae family plant, is widely used traditional medicinal in Côte d’Ivoire to treat dermal diseases (affection in which Staphylococci are implied) including local inflammation and also to treat voice-loss.Objectives: This study focused to investigate the effect in vitro of the extracts of trunk barks of Terminalia ivorensis on some methicillin/oxacillin-resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis, coagulase-negative S. and reference strain of S. aureus ATCC 25923.Methods: Antibacterial activity of aqueous, 70% ethanolic 70% and aqueous residue extracts was assessed using agar disc-diffusion method and liquid medium microdilution method in 96 multi-well micro-titer plates. This method led us to determine minimum inhibition concentration (M.I.C.) and minimum bactericidal concentration (M.B.C.). The presence of chemical groups major was detected qualitatively.Results: Aqueous and 70% ethanolic 70% extracts showed significant activity against all the bacteria except aqueous residue when compared with the standard antibiotic oxacillin (5μg/ml). M.I.C. for aqueous and 70% ethanolic 70% extracts ranged from 0,83-16,67 mg/ml and 0,156-13,33 mg/ml respectively. Viable cell determination revealed the bactericidal nature of the two barks extracts. The 70% ethanolic 70% extract exhibited the highest activity according to the M.B.C. values. The phytochemical analysis indicates the presence of tannins, saponins, flavonoids, terpen/sterols, coumarins, polyphenols and traces of alkaloid.Conclusion: The in-vitro antibacterial efficacy shown by the barks of this plant and his lushness in chimical compounds, would justify use of this one in the traditional treatment of some diseases of microbial origin. These compounds could be suggested to provide alternative solution to the development of new therapeutic agents.Keys words: Terminalia ivorensis, Dermal diseases, Methicillin-resistant, Côte d’Ivoire