Applying a participatory methodology to evaluate ecosystem services in the Pampa biome: lessons learned from the Tessa methodology in Uruguay

Identifying and measuring ecosystem services involving local stakeholders has been characterised as a novel approach in the literature. This article describes the methodology used in the participatory workshops, the lessons learned, and the specific results of applying the Tessa method. The methodology was piloted with 56 researchers and technicians, more than 22 institutions, and 54 livestock producers involved with the grassland conservation initiative, Alianza del Pastizal. Identified change agents with the most significant impact include the absence of a rural workforce, the lack of family succession, and weeding and overgrazing of grasslands. The primary ecosystem services identified included the production of fodder, meat/wool, wildlife forage, way of life/culture, and medicinal plants. The methodology presented here is replicable, capable of expansion to more groups, contributes to a better understanding, by the producers, of their problems and points to the need for the development of public incentive policies.Identifying and measuring ecosystem services involving local stakeholders has been characterised as a novel approach in the literature. This article describes the methodology used in the participatory workshops, the lessons learned, and the specific results of applying the Tessa method. The methodology was piloted with 56 researchers and technicians, more than 22 institutions, and 54 livestock producers involved with the grassland conservation initiative, Alianza del Pastizal. Identified change agents with the most significant impact include the absence of a rural workforce, the lack of family succession, and weeding and overgrazing of grasslands. The primary ecosystem services identified included the production of fodder, meat/wool, wildlife forage, way of life/culture, and medicinal plants. The methodology presented here is replicable, capable of expansion to more groups, contributes to a better understanding, by the producers, of their problems and points to the need for the development of public incentive policies.Identifying and measuring ecosystem services involving local stakeholders has been characterised as a novel approach in the literature. This article describes the methodology used in the participatory workshops, the lessons learned, and the specific results of applying the Tessa method. The methodology was piloted with 56 researchers and technicians, more than 22 institutions, and 54 livestock producers involved with the grassland conservation initiative, Alianza del Pastizal. Identified change agents with the most significant impact include the absence of a rural workforce, the lack of family succession, and weeding and overgrazing of grasslands. The primary ecosystem services identified included the production of fodder, meat/wool, wildlife forage, way of life/culture, and medicinal plants. The methodology presented here is replicable, capable of expansion to more groups, contributes to a better understanding, by the producers, of their problems and points to the need for the development of public incentive policies.Identifying and measuring ecosystem services involving local stakeholders has been characterised as a novel approach in the literature. This article describes the methodology used in the participatory workshops, the lessons learned, and the specific results of applying the Tessa method. The methodology was piloted with 56 researchers and technicians, more than 22 institutions, and 54 livestock producers involved with the grassland conservation initiative, Alianza del Pastizal. Identified change agents with the most significant impact include the absence of a rural workforce, the lack of family succession, and weeding and overgrazing of grasslands. The primary ecosystem services identified included the production of fodder, meat/wool, wildlife forage, way of life/culture, and medicinal plants. The methodology presented here is replicable, capable of expansion to more groups, contributes to a better understanding, by the producers, of their problems and points to the need for the development of public incentive policies

Estudio comparativo de la estabilidad lipídica de harinas de soja, sorgo, avena, salvado y germen de trigo con y sin extrusión = Comparative study of lipidic stability of soybean, sorghum, oat, bran and wheat germ flours with and without extrusion

El consumo de harinas de grano entero está condicionado por la pérdida de calidad nutricional, funcional y sensorial durante su almacenamiento. En este estudio se evaluó el efecto del proceso de extrusión en la degradación lipídica de harina de varios tipos de granos y derivados (soja, sorgo, avena, salvado y germen de trigo). Se realizó seguimiento de ácidos grasos libres, humedad, actividad de agua y del desarrollo del descriptor “rancio-oxidado” por olfatación directa, en muestras de harina con y sin extrusión almacenadas durante 60 días en bolsa de polietileno de 30 micrones a 30-35 ºC. También se estudió la aceptabilidad de pan elaborado con 36% de incorporación de una combinación de harinas. Se realizaron medidas de color, materia grasa y actividad ureásica al inicio, medio y final del almacenamiento. Se ajustaron funciones de regresión de la diferencia “sin extrusión” y “con extrusión”, para las medidas AGL, Aw, %H. Los resultados obtenidos indicaron que la extrusión disminuye significativamente la degradación lipídica de las harinas de sorgo, salvado, soja, avena; sin embargo, la harina de germen extrudida tuvo un aumento de rancidez por oxidación. La incorporación de las harinas no extrudidas en la masa de pan disminuyó significativamente la aceptabilidad y afectó la textura y volumen del pan

Elaboración de pan multigrano con harinas precocidas por extrusión = Multigrain bread processing with extruded flours

Se estudió el efecto en la calidad del pan según el proceso de elaboración y del nivel de sustitución (20%, 36%) de una harina precocida por extrusión preparada en base a combinación de avena, soja y salvado de trigo en la calidad del pan. Se caracterizó la harina compuesta según sus propiedades funcionales (Índice de Absorción de Agua), granulometría y propiedades nutricionales (proteína, fibra total, fibra soluble, cenizas, materia grasa). Se realizó seguimiento del volumen, índice de blancura, medidas reológicas (dureza, cohesividad, elasticidad y masticabilidad) de los panes. Las condiciones del proceso de elaboración fue lo que generó mayor impacto en la calidad del pan. Los cambios operativos realizados provocaron un incremento del 37% en el volumen, 6% de elasticidad y 15% de cohesividad, y una disminución del 44% de dureza y 34% de masticabilidad. Esta tendencia se mantuvo en los cuatro días siguientes al día de elaboración. El nivel de sustitución de harina compuesta no provocó cambios significativos en la dureza, elasticidad y masticabilidad del pan, pero se observaron cambios en la cohesividad y volumen. El pan con 36% de sustitución resultó un 7% menos cohesivo y con un 27% menos de volumen que el de 20% de sustitución

Chips de papa, la fritura en vacío y beneficios para la salud = Potatoes chips, vacuum frying and health profits

Existe una tendencia del mercado al consumo de alimentos más saludables que ha motivado a la industria alimentaria a innovar en tecnologías. La fritura en vacío es una tecnología alternativa a la fritura tradicional que preserva las propiedades sensoriales del snack frito y mejora la calidad nutricional. El objetivo del trabajo fue estudiar los beneficios nutricionales y para la salud y las características organolépticas de chips de papa elaborados por fritura en vacío en relación a los elaborados por fritura tradicional y diferenciarlos de los actualmente presentes en el mercado uruguayo. Los chips elaborados por fritura en vacío presentaron un 61% menos de materia grasa y 90% menos de acrilamida que los chips elaborados por fritura tradicional. Sensorialmente fueron muy bien evaluados en todos los atributos menos en la percepción de intensidad de sabor salado

A Methodology of spatial data analysis applied on forage plant

Dois experimentos e um levantamento por amostragem foram analisados no contexto de dados espaciais. Os experimentos foram delineados em blocos completos casualizados sendo que no experimento um (EXP 1) foram avaliados oito cultivares de trevo branco, sendo estudadas as variáveis Matéria Seca Total (MST) e Matéria Seca de Gramíneas (MSGRAM) e no experimento dois (EXP 2) 20 cultivares de espécies forrageiras, onde foi estudada a variável Percentagem de Implantação (%IMPL). As variáveis foram analisadas no contexto de modelos mistos, sendo modelada a variabilidade espacial através de semivariogramas exponencias, esféricos e gaussianos. Verificou-se uma diminuição em média de 19% e 14% do Coeficiente de Variação (CV) das medias dos cultivares, e uma diminuição em média de 24,6% e 33,3% nos erros padrões dos contrastes ortogonais propostos em MST e MSGRAM. No levantamento por amostragem, estudou-se a associação espacial em Aristida laevis (Nees) Kunth , Paspalum notatum Fl e Demodium incanum DC, amostrados em uma transecção fixa de quadros contiguos, a quatro tamanhos de unidades amostrais (0,1x0,1m; 0,1x0,3m; 0,1x0,5m; e 0,1x1,0m). Nas espécies Aristida laevis (Nees) Kunth e Paspalum notatum Fl, existiu um bom ajuste dos semivariogramas a tamanhos menores das unidades amostrais, diminuíndo quando a unidade amostral foi maior. Desmodium incanum DC apresentou comportamento contrario, ajustando melhor os semivariogramas a tamanhos maiores das unidades amostrais.Two experiments and one sample survey were analysed used methods for spatial statistical analysis. The experiments were in randomized blocks; in the first (EXP 1), measurement of total dry matter (MST) and dry weight of seeds (MSGRAM) were recorded for nine cultivars of white clover. In the second experiment (EXP 2), percentage of take (%IMPL) was recorded for 20 cultivars of forage plant species. Variables were analysed in the context of mixed models, with spatial variability modeled in terms of exponential, spherical and Gaussian semivariograms. A mean reduction of 19% an 13.7% was found for the Coefficient of Variation (CV) for the cultivar means, and a mean reduction of 24.6% and 33.3% was found for the standard errors of orthogonal contrast for MST and MSGRAM. In the sample survey, the spatial association was studied for Aristida laevis, Paspalum notatum and Desmodium incanum, sampled on a fixed transect for adjacent plots, for four sizes of sampling units (0.1 x 0.1m; 0.1 x 0.3 m; 0.1 x 0.5 m and 0.1 x 1 m). For the species Aristida laevis and Paspalum notatum, semivariograms fitted well for the smaller sampling units, but goodness of fit declined with increasing size of sampling unit. The opposite was found for Desmodium incanum, were semivariogram fit was better for larger sampling units

Filocrono de Paspalum notatum Fl. e Coelorhachis selloana (Hack.) Camus em pastagem natural

Leaf appearance rate and phyllochron are related variables which play a central role in forage production. Phyllochron is the time interval between the appearance of successive leaves and varies according to a number of environmental factors, among which temperature is the most important. The experiment was conducted in natural pasture with the aim of testing phyllochron variation under different seasons, herbage allowances, and topographic positions. Marked tillers were used to define the phyllochron, establishing a relationship between the number of leaves produced against thermal time during the sampling period. The time (expressed in °C) needed for the emergence of a leaf is equal to 1/b, where b is the slope coefficient of the regression. The lines for the season combinations, herbage allowances and topographic positions sampled were compared. Under Spring and Summer conditions, the phyllochrons for P. notatum and C. selloana were 156°C and 238°C respectively, regardless of treatment.A taxa de aparecimento de folhas (TAF) e o filocrono são conceitos associados, que exercem forte influência na produção de forragem. O filocrono é o intervalo de tempo entre o aparecimento de duas folhas sucessivas acima do pseudocaule e varia de acordo com alguns fatores ambientais, sendo a temperatura o fator determinante. O experimento foi conduzido em pastagem natural em Eldorado do Sul, RS, com o objetivo de testar a variação no filocrono em diferentes estações do ano, níveis de oferta de forragem (NOF) e posições topográficas (PT). Para a definição do filocrono, foram amostrados perfilhos marcados e estabeleceuse a relação entre número de folhas produzidas e a soma térmica do período amostral. A soma térmica (em °C) necessária para que a planta emita uma folha é igual a 1/b, sendo b o coeficiente angular verificado na regressão. As retas obtidas para as combinações entre estações, NOF e PT foram comparadas. Em condições de primavera e verão, se obteve filocrono de 156°C para P. notatum e de 238°C para C. selloana, independentemente dos tratamentos avaliados

Practices to Reduce Milk Carbon Footprint on Grazing Dairy Farms in Southern Uruguay: Case Studies

Carbon footprint (CF) is an increasingly important indicator of the impact of a product on climate change. This study followed international guidelines to quantify the CF of milk produced on 24 grazing-based dairy farms in southern Uruguay. Cows grazed all year-round and were supplemented with concentrate feeds. Dairy farms varied in annual milk yield per cow (5672 ± 1245 kg fat and protein corrected milk [FPCM]), milk production per ha (4075 ± 1360 kg FPCM/ha), cow stocking rate (0.71 ± 0.12 cows/ha), feed intake (13.3 ± 2.2 kg dry matter [DM]/cow/day) and percentage of concentrate in the diet (36 ± 12% DM) giving an average CF of 0.99 ± 0.10 kg CO2 (equivalent [eq]/kg FPCM) over all farms. Total milk production per ha, milk yield per cow and dry matter intake explained most of the variation in CF. Strategies that provide the highest milk production per ha using high yielding cows and a high portion of lactating cows in the herd were identified as the best management practices for reducing CF. Low forage intake in Uruguay is often a consequence of low yielding pastures and high stocking rates. Overall, this study concluded that a reduction in CF is not achieved through increased concentrate intake unless forage consumption is also unconstrained. Improved pasture and feeding management can be used to reduce the CF of milk produced in Uruguay

Manejo do pastejo em sistemas integrados de produção agropecuária : desenvolvimento e rendimento de grãos de soja

Grazing livestock in integrated crop-livestock systems can cause impacts in the subsequent crop cycle. Aiming to investigate how grazing could affect soybean, the 9th crop cycle of a pasture/soybean rotation was assessed. Treatments were grazing intensities (10, 20, 30 and 40 cm of sward height) applied since 2001 in a mixed of oat and annual ryegrass; and an additional no grazing area as control. Treatments were arranged in a completely randomized block design with three replicates. Grazing affected soybean population and the mass of individual nodules (P0.05). Soybean yield showed differences among treatments, but no difference was found between grazed and non-grazed areas. Grazing intensities impact the coverage and frequency of weeds (P>0.05). In conclusion, grazing intensity impacts different parameters of soybean yield and development, but only the grazing intensity of 10 cm can jeopardize the succeeding soybean crop.Em Sistemas Integrados de Produção Agropecuária, a presença dos animais em pastejo pode provocar alterações na produção das culturas subsequentes. Com o objetivo de verificar como diferentes manejos do pasto poderiam afetar o cultivo de soja, a 9ª fase de lavoura em rotação pecuária/lavoura foi avaliada. Os tratamentos foram intensidades de pastejo (10; 20; 30; 40 cm de altura do pasto), aplicados desde 2001, em pasto misto de aveia e azevém anual, além de área sem pastejo utilizada como testemunha. O delineamento experimental foi de blocos ao acaso, com três repetições. Houve diferença na população inicial de plantas e na massa do nódulo (P0,05). O rendimento de soja foi diferente entre os tratamentos, porém, não houve diferença entre áreas pastejadas e não pastejadas. Houve diferença para cobertura e frequência de espécies indesejáveis entre tratamentos (P>0,05). Em conclusão, diferentes intensidades de pastejo afetam os parâmetros de rendimento e desenvolvimento da soja, mas apenas a intensidade de pastejo de 10 cm pode comprometer a safra de soja subsequente

Changes produced in oils during vacuum and traditional frying of potato chips

In this study the effect of vacuum frying (VF) and traditional frying (TF) on oil degradation, fatty acid composition and alpha-tocopherol content was investigated. Two different refined sunflower oils were used: sunflower oil with high oleic acid content (HOSO) and sunflower oil with synthetic antioxidant (tertiary-butylhydroquinone) (TBHQ-SO). Oil degradation was monitored by measuring the free acidity (FFA),peroxide (PV), p-anisidine (p-AV),) total polar compounds (TPC) and oxidative stability (OE). Oils samples were taken every 4 h of frying during 10 consecutive days. Values of FFA, p-AV, TPC using TBHQ-SO with traditional frying were (0.201, 207.0, 25.0) significantly higher than the obtained values with vacuum frying (0.073, 25.8, 11.2). The same parameters by using HOSO were (0.327, 82.0, 21.9) with traditional frying and (0.099, 33.3, 6.4) with vacuum frying. The EO was 2.44 and 7.95 with TBHQ-SO traditional and vacuum frying respectively, and with for HOSO 0.65 and 2.67, respectively. The polyunsaturated fatty acids percentage decreased in all treatments except in TBHQ-SOv. The alpha-tocopherol content decreased in all treatments at different rates. At the end of the frying processes the percentages of alpha-tocopherol reduction were TBHQ-SOv (4.90%), TBHQ-SOt (53.62%), HOSOv (96.87%), HOSOt(99.76%)

Manejo do pastejo em sistemas integrados de produção agropecuária : desenvolvimento e rendimento de grãos de soja

Grazing livestock in integrated crop-livestock systems can cause impacts in the subsequent crop cycle. Aiming to investigate how grazing could affect soybean, the 9th crop cycle of a pasture/soybean rotation was assessed. Treatments were grazing intensities (10, 20, 30 and 40 cm of sward height) applied since 2001 in a mixed of oat and annual ryegrass; and an additional no grazing area as control. Treatments were arranged in a completely randomized block design with three replicates. Grazing affected soybean population and the mass of individual nodules (P0.05). Soybean yield showed differences among treatments, but no difference was found between grazed and non-grazed areas. Grazing intensities impact the coverage and frequency of weeds (P>0.05). In conclusion, grazing intensity impacts different parameters of soybean yield and development, but only the grazing intensity of 10 cm can jeopardize the succeeding soybean crop.Em Sistemas Integrados de Produção Agropecuária, a presença dos animais em pastejo pode provocar alterações na produção das culturas subsequentes. Com o objetivo de verificar como diferentes manejos do pasto poderiam afetar o cultivo de soja, a 9ª fase de lavoura em rotação pecuária/lavoura foi avaliada. Os tratamentos foram intensidades de pastejo (10; 20; 30; 40 cm de altura do pasto), aplicados desde 2001, em pasto misto de aveia e azevém anual, além de área sem pastejo utilizada como testemunha. O delineamento experimental foi de blocos ao acaso, com três repetições. Houve diferença na população inicial de plantas e na massa do nódulo (P0,05). O rendimento de soja foi diferente entre os tratamentos, porém, não houve diferença entre áreas pastejadas e não pastejadas. Houve diferença para cobertura e frequência de espécies indesejáveis entre tratamentos (P>0,05). Em conclusão, diferentes intensidades de pastejo afetam os parâmetros de rendimento e desenvolvimento da soja, mas apenas a intensidade de pastejo de 10 cm pode comprometer a safra de soja subsequente