17 pages, via online journal, The greatest challenge now facing agricultural science is not how to increase production overall but how to enable resource-poor farmers to produce more.
The transfer-of-technology (TOT) model of agricultural research is part of the normal professionalism of agricultural scientists. In this model, scientists largely determine research priorities, develop technologies in controlled conditions, and then hand them over to agricultural extension to transfer to farmers. Although strong structures and incentives sustain this normal professionalism, many now recognise the challenge of its bad fit with the needs and conditions of hundreds of millions of resource-poor farm (RPF) families. In response to this problem, the TOT model has been adapted and extended through multi-disciplinary farming systems research (FSR) and on-farm trials. These responses retain power in the hands of scientists. Information is obtained from farmers and processed and analysed in order to identify what might be good for them. A missing element is methods to encourage and enable resource-poor farmers themselves to meet and work out what they need and want.
8 pages, via Online journal, The use of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) grafting is gaining traction across the United States, but small-scale growers face the challenge of creating optimum postgrafting healing conditions. The practice of blocking light for a period of 2 to 4 days while maintaining high humidity is commonly recommended for healing grafted tomato transplants; however, research is exploring alternatives to this practice. The present study investigated a low-input healing method for grafted tomato transplants with a specific focus on light and the use of propagation heat mats to regulate substrate and healing chamber air temperatures during the 7-day healing process. We hypothesized that 4 days of light exclusion and the use of propagation heat mats would improve grafted tomato transplant survival and growth. ‘Cherokee Purple’ was used as the scion and ‘RST-04-106-T’ was used as the rootstock. The whole plot factor was heat [propagation mats set at 80 °F (heat) or no propagation mat (no heat)] and the subplot factor was light exclusion (0, 4, or 6 days of dark). The highest survival rate among treatments was 97% in 0 days of dark with no heat treatment; survival decreased to 84% in 4 and 6 days of dark with no heat treatments. The plant survival rate was 96% with 0 days of dark and heat treatment; however, the survival rates were 63% and 45% for the 4- and 6-day dark treatments, respectively. The scion stem diameter was largest for transplants grown in 0 days of dark, but there was no difference in stem diameter due to heat treatments. There were no differences among scion or rootstock biomasses due to heat or light treatments. These results demonstrate that propagation mats set at 80 °F to regulate the substrate temperature were detrimental to grafted transplant survival under extended periods of light exclusion. However, this finding creates the basis to explore lower levels of substrate temperature modification. Our work also indicates that light exclusion may not be necessary for healing grafted tomato plants regardless of root-zone temperature treatments. Future work should examine the interactions of various substrate and air temperatures under full light conditions and their effects on grafted tomato transplant survival and growth. This work contributes to the ongoing research of how to optimize low-input healing methods that may be readily adopted by small-scale tomato growers.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 199 Document Number: D09935
Notes:
NCR-90 Collection, From Document D09933, "Department of agricultural journalism University of Wisconsin-Madison: Faculty and graduate student research, 1993". Pages 4-5.
Harris, Lynn (author), Keim, Kathryn S. (author), Liddil, Audrey (author), Ruby, Mary Lou (author), Stimpson, Janice (author), and University of Idaho, Boise Center
Format:
Conference paper
Publication Date:
1994
Published:
USA
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 97 Document Number: C07897
Notes:
James F. Evans Collection, Ham, Mimeographed, 1994. 1 p. Presented at the Society for Nutrition Education, Portland, OR, July 16-20, 1994., To develop a nutrition education program that will result in behavior change, one must know the current food intake behavior and nutrition knowledge base of the consumer. This descriptive study assessed the current nutrition knowledge base of consumers concerning fiber food sources and fiber-health relationships and food intake reflective of fiber sources. A survey was developed, piloted and mailed to 1,003 randomly selected households using a modified Dillman method. The survey included knowledge questions and food frequency and demographic information. A total of 466 usable surveys (52% usable return rate) and analysis of variance, form the basis of the following results. Sixty-six percent of the respondents were female and 34% were male. The majority were over the age of 30 (88%) and 66% had more than a high school education. Consumers with vocational training and come college education (mean +or- SD, 4.1 +or- 1.6) had a significantly higher knowledge score (score range 0-7) concerning food sources of fiber and fiber-health relationships than those who had a high school education (3.9 +or- 1.6) (p < 0.05). There was a trend of more fiber containing foods being consumed as the age of the consumer increased (p=0.057). When looking at food intake by food group, females consumed significantly more fruits and vegetables than males (p<0.05). From this information it should appear that extension nutrition about food sources of fiber and fiber-health relationships should target younger, non-college educated consumers and especially men.
