Εκτίμηση της αποτελεσματικότητας της γεωργίας φυτικής παραγωγής στο Bangladesh

The present study was undertaken to assess efficiency and factors affecting inefficiency of crop farming in Bangladesh. The farm accounting data of 240 crop farms were collected from the six regions of the country. The analysis was performed on three steps, in the first step; linear programming (LP) model was used to produce optimum farm plans for rice, vegetable and potato farms in the six regions of the country. In the second step; a model was developed for the whole country using linear programming (LP) technique to simulate alternative scenarios for resource optimization. In the third step; stochastic frontier analysis (SFA) and data envelopment analysis (DEA) were used to estimate technical efficiency and its determinants of crop farming. Optimum plans of rice, vegetable and potato farms among the six regions differ mainly due to soil type, climate, irrigation facility and temperature, etc. Crop production, gross output and gross margin are increased in optimum plans over existing plans because acreages of existing rotations are substituted to suitable crop rotations in optimum plans. The replacement of crop acreages from traditional varieties to high yielding varieties, timely planting and irrigation, long times multiple harvesting vegetables (Brinjal, ladys fingure, patal etc.) are the causes for increasing acreages in suitable crop rotations. After adjusting the constraints (land, labour, capital) in the developed technological matrix of the whole country, four alternative scenarios are taken to produce optimum plans by using existing resources (Scenario A), by using recommended inputs and their yields (Scenario B), by using border prices (Scenario C) and by using parametric linear programming (Scenario D). The results of the alternative scenarios bring out improvement of recombination of crop rotations which contribute to increase efficiency in the country. In all the scenarios, cropped acreages of vegetable, maize, potato and pulse are increased whereas those of rice, jute and wheat are decreased over BBS (Bangladesh Bureau of statistics) data. Quantity produces of jute and wheat are decreased in all the scenarios because of their low gross margin as compared to their competitive crops (rice, vegetable and potato). Contrary, quantity produces of vegetable and potato are increased to a large extent in all the scenarios. Hence, gross output, gross margin and labour employment are increased significantly in all scenarios. In addition, when to compare national food demand with the alternative scenarios, food security is improved in the country by the alternative scenarios in both cereal and non cereal production. The results of stochastic frontier production function (SFA) indicated that translog production function was preferred to Cobb-Douglas (using likelihood ratio test) and the parameter and of the maximum likelihood estimates are significant which means that inefficiency effects are present in the analysis and the traditional “average” production function is not an adequate representation of the data. Hence, technical inefficiency effects have significant impact on output. Mean technical efficiency obtained from SFA is slightly less than that obtained from the VRS DEA model, but greater than CRS DEA model. These results suggest that there is a substantial scope for increasing crop production in the country with the existing technology and without additional inputs. One and two step inefficiency effect models suggest that the two types of farmers, those who are more educated and those are involved with extension services are more technically efficient than others. The country could increase consumption of vegetable and potato for improving nutrition deficit of its much population and export of those two crops from its widen production which are produced in the optimum plans. Therefore, this study recommends adoption of optimum plans, improvement of education and extension contact of farm household and expansion of research technologies in all the regions of the country by strengthening close coordination between extension services and research institutes through the intervention of Bangladesh GovernmentΣτην παρούσα διδακτορική διατριβή, με βάση τεχνικοοικονομικά δεδομένα 240 γεωργικών εκμεταλλεύσεων που προέκυψαν από την διενέργεια πρωτογενούς έρευνας στο Μπαγκλαντές κατά την περίοδο 2003-2004, κύριος σκοπός είναι η διερεύνηση των δυνατοτήτων αύξησης της παραγωγής βασικών προϊόντων στο Μπαγκλαντές. Η διερεύνηση αυτή πραγματοποιείται με τη βελτίωση της αποτελεσματικότητας, με την εφαρμογή των αποτελεσμάτων της έρευνας (recommended inputs - outputs) και με την αύξηση της απασχόλησης και του κεφαλαίου. Διερευνάται η επίδραση της πολιτικής στην παραγωγή προϊόντων και συγχρόνως διερευνώνται παράγοντες στους οποίους οφείλεται η αναποτελεσματικότητα της γεωργίας στο Μπανγκλαντές. Η διερεύνηση των δυνατοτήτων αύξησης της παραγωγής προϊόντων στο Μπαγκλαντές επιχειρείται με παραμετρικές και μη παραμετρικές αναλυτικοσυνθετικές τεχνικές που περιλαμβάνουν: i. την κατάρτιση γραμμικού υποδείγματος για τις έξι περιοχές τις χώρας, ώστε να διερευνηθεί η διάρθρωση των κλάδων που αξιοποιούν πλήρως την υφιστάμενη τεχνολογία. Τα άριστα σχέδια παραγωγής στις έξι περιοχές διαφέρουν μεταξύ τους εξαιτίας εγγενών χαρακτηριστικών όπως είναι οι κλιματολογικές συνθήκες, η άρδευση, οι εδαφολογικές συνθήκες κ.α.. Συγκρίνοντας τα άριστα σχέδια παραγωγής που προκύπτουν από την εφαρμογή του μαθηματικού προγραμματισμού με την υφιστάμενη κατάσταση διαπιστώνεται ότι η ακαθάριστη πρόσοδος και το ακαθάριστο κέρδος των εκμεταλλεύσεων αναμένεται να αυξηθούν. Προκύπτει αντικατάσταση των παραδοσιακών καλλιεργειών με καλλιέργειες υψηλών αποδόσεων. ii. την κατάρτιση ενός γραμμικού υποδείγματος για τη διερεύνηση τεσσάρων εναλλακτικών προσομοιώσεων αριστοποίησης των σχεδίων παραγωγής για όλη τη χώρα. Στην πρώτη προσομοίωση διερευνώνται τα άριστα σχέδια παραγωγής χρησιμοποιώντας τις διαθέσιμες ποσότητες των συντελεστών παραγωγής, στη δεύτερη προσομοίωση χρησιμοποιούνται τεχνικοοικονομικά δεδομένα που προτείνονται από ερευνητικά ιδρύματα, στην τρίτη προσομοίωση χρησιμοποιούνται οι διεθνείς τιμές, ενώ στην τέταρτη προσομοίωση εφαρμόζεται παραμετρικός προγραμματισμός με μεταβαλλόμενους συντελεστές την εργασία και το κεφάλαιο. Από τα αποτελέσματα και στις τέσσερις προσομοιώσεις το ακαθάριστο κέρδος και η ακαθάριστη πρόσοδος αυξάνεται σε σχέση με την υφιστάμενη κατάσταση. iii. την εκτίμηση του επιπέδου της τεχνικής αποτελεσματικότητας των εκμεταλλεύσεων του δείγματος που επιδιώκεται με την παραμετρική Στοχαστική Ανάλυση Ορίων και την μη παραμετρική Περιβάλλουσα Ανάλυση Δεδομένων. Παράλληλα εκτιμώνται κοινωνικοδημογραφικοί και περιβαλλοντικοί παράγοντες που ενδεχομένως καθορίζουν το επίπεδο της εκτιμώμενης αποτελεσματικότητας όπως το επίπεδο μόρφωσης του παραγωγού, η ηλικία του, το μέγεθος της εκμετάλλευσης, κ.α.. Από την ανάλυση προκύπτει ότι με βάση το εκτιμώμενο επίπεδο της τεχνικής αποτελεσματικότητας είναι δυνατή η αύξηση της παραγωγής γεωργικών προϊόντων στη χώρα με δεδομένο το επίπεδο των συντελεστών παραγωγής.. Με βάση τα αποτελέσματα των μοντέλων του ενός και των δύο σταδίων προσδιορισμού των παραγόντων της αναποτελεσματικότητας προκύπτει ότι οι πιο αποτελεσματικοί παραγωγοί είναι αυτοί που έχουν παρακολουθήσει επιμορφωτικά σεμινάρια γεωργικών εφαρμογών και αυτοί με υψηλό μορφωτικό επίπεδο

Efforts to Stimulate Morpho-Physio-Biochemical Traits of Maize for Efficient Production under Drought Stress in Tropics Field

Maize, a major food source for the world’s tropical regions, is often impaired by droughts under a changing climate, which creates the importance of making efforts to improve the tolerance characteristics of maize under field conditions. The experiment was conducted during the dry season of the 2020–2021 period to investigate the stimulatory effects of plant growth regulator (PGR) ethephon (2-chloroethylphosphonic acid) on the morpho-physio-biochemical traits of maize and to identify suitable application approaches for efficient production under water stress. The factorial randomized complete block design was followed for the present experiment. Ethephon was applied at the vegetative 6 leaves (V6) and/or 10 leaves (V10) stages. Seven application approaches (doses in g a.i. ha−1) of ethephon, i.e., 281 at the V6 stage (E1), 281 at the V6 stage + 281 at the V10 stage (E2), 281 at the V10 stage (E3), 562 at the V6 stage (E4), 562 at the V6 stage + 562 at the V10 stage (E5), 562 at the V10 stage (E6), and no ethephon (E7), were used for maize production. Another factor was that three water levels were used, i.e., well-watered conditions (watering every week) (W1), short water stress (no watering during 48–69 days after planting) (W2), and prolonged water stress (no watering during 48–83 days after planting) (W3). Water stress negatively affected most of the morpho-physiological traits, and in W2 and W3 conditions, the grain yield was significantly lower, i.e., 4.82 and 4.27 t ha−1, respectively, compared to W1 (5.71 t ha−1). The plant height and leaf area index at the reproductive milk stage of maize (R3) were significantly reduced by all approaches of ethephon application compared to no ethephon. However, across the water levels, E3 performed better and produced a higher grain yield (5.11 t ha−1), which was mostly seen by a higher 100-grain weight (24.52 g) and a slightly higher grain number per plant (356.12). It was also positively supported by most of the physiological and biochemical traits, as they were especially higher in the relative growth rate (25.73 mg plant−1 day−1), net assimilation rate (0.79 mg cm−2 day−1) at V6-R3, heat use efficiency (3.39 kg ha−1 °C days−1), electrolyte leakage (5.69%), and proline (28.78 µmol g−1 FW). These traits, under prolonged stress, also gave the maximum drought tolerance index by E3, i.e., the relative growth rate (1.00) and net assimilation rate (1.00) at V6 to R3, heat use efficiency (1.06), relative water content (1.00), electrolyte leakage (1.65), proline (1.88), 100-grain weight (1.01), grain yield (1.11), and water productivity (1.53). A path analysis showed that the shoot weight at R3 (1.00), the stem diameter at the R3 stage (1.00), net assimilation rate (0.95), relative water content (0.95), 100-grain weight (0.90), grain number (0.76), proline (0.75), SPAD value (0.71), and total soluble sugar (0.57) were highly positive, and electrolyte leakage (−0.84) was negatively correlated with the grain yield under prolonged water stress. The maximum positive direct effect on the grain yield was found in the shoot weight (1.05), net assimilation rate (0.68), leaf area index at R3 (0.45), SPAD (0.22), and electrolyte leakage (0.21). The ethephon application as the E3 approach was more efficient in both short and prolonged stress, especially under prolonged stress, as it showed a higher energy use efficiency (1.55) and less CO2-eq emission (3603.69) compared to the other approaches of ethephon. The subsequent efficient ethephon approaches were E1 under short water stress, E6 under prolonged water stress, where E5 performed minimally, and no application of ethephon, which exhibited the worst efficiency under water stress

Farmers’ Preference, Yield, and GGE-Biplot Analysis-Based Evaluation of Four Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) Varieties Grown in Multiple Environments

The study aimed to select high-yielding, farmers-preferred quality sweet potato varieties that are suitable to grow in various environmental conditions in Bangladesh. In this context, four popular sweet potato varieties (viz., ‘BARI Mistialu-8′, ‘BARI Mistialu-12′, ‘BARI Mistialu-14′, and ‘BARI Mistialu-15′) were used in the study. These varieties were released by Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI). In the first season (2018–2019), these varieties were evaluated at nine locations, and in the second season (2019–2020), the same varieties were tested further, but only in three locations. The trial was set up in a randomized complete block design and repeated three times. After two years of observation, it was found that the fresh root yield was varied significantly due to the environment (E), genotypes (G), and their (G × E) interaction (p ≤ 0.01) by using genotype and genotype x environment (GGE) biplot analysis. The E and G × E interaction effects were found to the greater than the genotypes effect solely. In the first year, three varieties, namely ‘BARI Mistialu-8′, ‘BARI Mistialu-12′ and ‘BARI Mistialu-14′, were identified as balanced and comparatively higher in yield in nine locations. These three varieties also showed a similar trend with respect to root yield in tested three locations in the second year. Among the four varieties, ‘BARI Mistialu-12′ was found to be the highest root yielder, followed by ‘BARI Mistialu-8′ and ‘BARI Mistialu-14′. Across the locations, these varieties showed 57.89%, 61.50% and 44.30% higher yield than the local check cultivar. Therefore, these three varieties may be recommended as the best varieties of sweet potato throughout the country