Advancing Efficiency Sustainability in Poultry Farms through Data Envelopment Analysis in a Brazilian Production System

The production efficiency factor is widely used to measure the zootechnical performance of a batch of broilers. The unit cost of production brings new elements to improve efficiency evaluation and financial sustainability for this activity in agriculture. This research aims to evaluate the production efficiency level of the crop to maximize the return on investment. This study uses Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) with the computational processing of the SIAD software (Integrated Decision Support System). The variables selected were poultry housing, age at slaughter, feed consumed, mortality, and unit cost. The chosen output variable was the total available weight. The analysis spans 31 decision-making units (DMUs) composed of integrated producers, unveiling a frontier of efficiency delineated by the most exemplary DMUs. Notably, only two DMUs, specifically DMU 4 and DMU 23, approached the threshold of maximum relative efficiency. This research illuminates the critical role of unit cost in enhancing the assessment of production efficiency and financial sustainability within the agriculture environment. By setting benchmarks for efficient management and operational protocols, our findings serve as a cornerstone for improving practices among less efficient DMUs, contributing significantly to the literature on agricultural efficiency and offering actionable insights for the poultry farming sector.

Impact of Cultivation and Storage Conditions on Total Mal d 1 Content and Isoallergen Profile in Apples

The allergen Mal d 1 is often responsible for adverse allergic reactions to fresh apples in northern and central Europe. The Mal d 1 content and isoallergen profile are proposed to have an impact on the allergenic potential of the fruit. Therefore, we investigated the impact of the cropping system on the Mal d 1 content and the isoallergen profile of apples by mass spectrometry for the varieties 'Jonagored' and 'Topaz'. To monitor the impact of storage time and conditions, apples of the varieties 'Santana' and 'Jonagold' were stored for up to 12 weeks under regular air (RA), under RA in combination with 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) treatment, and under a controlled atmosphere (CA). The impact of the cropping system (integrated production vs organic production) was negligible. However, a significant increase in the Mal d 1 content during storage was observed, being higher when stored under CA conditions than under RA conditions. An additional treatment with 1-MCP prior to RA storage drastically reduced the level of Mal d 1 expression in the flesh of the apples by ∼50%. Furthermore, the content of isoallergens 1.03 and 1.06 increased disproportionately under CA conditions, while under RA conditions, only isoallergen 1.06 was affected. With the 1-MCP treatment, no changes in the isoallergen profile were obvious.

Chemometric Characterization of Strawberries and Blueberries according to Their Phenolic Profile: Combined Effect of Cultivar and Cultivation System

Chemical characterizations of leaves and fruits that were obtained from organically and integrally produced strawberries ('Favette', 'Alba', and 'Clery') and blueberries ('Bluecrop', 'Duke', and 'Nui') from western Serbia were undertaken in this study. Phenolic analysis was done while using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to a linear ion trap-Orbitrap hybrid mass analyzer, while total phenolic content (TPC), total anthocyanin content (TAC), and radical-scavenging activity (RSA) by spectrophotometry. In general, leaves and fruits from blueberry showed higher levels of TPC and TAC as compared to strawberry. These chemical traits were larger in organic grown fruits and larger in leaves than fruits. The most abundant phenolics in leaves and fruits of blueberry was 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid, followed by quercetin 3-O-galactoside, while catechin, quercetin, and kaempferol 3-O-glucosid were dominant in the leaves and fruits of strawberry. cis, trans-Abscisic acid was detected in all fruit samples, but not in leaves. Blueberries (both fruits and leaves) were separated from strawberries, but only organic blueberry fruits were distinguished from integrated fruits, according to principal component analysis. Quercetin, kaempferol, 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid, ferulic acid, caffeic acid, catechin, p-coumaric acid, and p-hydroxybenzoic acid were the most influential phenolic compounds for the separation. Much higher contents of TPC, RSA, TAC, quercetin 3-O-galactoside, and quercetin were found in fruits and TPC, RSA, catechin, p-hydroxybenzoicacid, p-coumaricacid, and ferulic acid in leaves in all three blueberry cultivars and the strawberry cultivar 'Clery'. These phenolic compounds are good sources of antioxidant compounds with potentially high beneficial effects on human health.

Bt maize and integrated pest management--a European perspective

The European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis), the Mediterranean corn borer (Sesamia nonagrioides) and the western corn rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera) are the main arthropod pests in European maize production. Practised pest control includes chemical control, biological control and cultural control such as ploughing and crop rotation. A pest control option that is available since 1996 is maize varieties that are genetically engineered (GE) to produce insecticidal compounds. GE maize varieties available today express one or several genes from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) that target corn borers or corn rootworms. Incentives to growing Bt maize are simplified farm operations, high pest control efficiency, improved grain quality and ecological benefits. Limitations include the risk of resistance evolution in target pest populations, risk of secondary pest outbreaks and increased administration to comply with licence agreements. Growers willing to plant Bt maize in the European Union (EU) often face the problem that authorisation is denied. Only one Bt maize transformation event (MON810) is currently authorised for commercial cultivation, and some national authorities have banned cultivation. Spain is the only EU member state where Bt maize adoption levels are currently delivering farm income gains near full potential levels. In an integrated pest management (IPM) context, Bt maize can be regarded as a preventive (host plant resistance) or a responsive pest control measure. In any case, Bt maize is a highly specific tool that efficiently controls the main pests and allows combination with other preventive or responsive measures to solve other agricultural problems including those with secondary pests.

Bt maize and integrated pest management--a European perspective

The European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis), the Mediterranean corn borer (Sesamia nonagrioides) and the western corn rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera) are the main arthropod pests in European maize production. Practised pest control includes chemical control, biological control and cultural control such as ploughing and crop rotation. A pest control option that is available since 1996 is maize varieties that are genetically engineered (GE) to produce insecticidal compounds. GE maize varieties available today express one or several genes from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) that target corn borers or corn rootworms. Incentives to growing Bt maize are simplified farm operations, high pest control efficiency, improved grain quality and ecological benefits. Limitations include the risk of resistance evolution in target pest populations, risk of secondary pest outbreaks and increased administration to comply with licence agreements. Growers willing to plant Bt maize in the European Union (EU) often face the problem that authorisation is denied. Only one Bt maize transformation event (MON810) is currently authorised for commercial cultivation, and some national authorities have banned cultivation. Spain is the only EU member state where Bt maize adoption levels are currently delivering farm income gains near full potential levels. In an integrated pest management (IPM) context, Bt maize can be regarded as a preventive (host plant resistance) or a responsive pest control measure. In any case, Bt maize is a highly specific tool that efficiently controls the main pests and allows combination with other preventive or responsive measures to solve other agricultural problems including those with secondary pests.