1 - 5 of 5
Number of results to display per page
Search Results
2. Farmer knowledge and perception of production constraints in Northwest Cambodia
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Montgomery, Stephanie C. (author), Martin, Robert J. (author), Guppy, Chris (author), Wright, Graeme C. (author), Tighe, Matthew K. (author), and Agronomy and Soil Science, School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England
- Format:
- Online journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2017-11
- Published:
- Australia: Science Direct
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 106 Document Number: D10937
- Journal Title:
- Journal of Rural Studies
- Journal Title Details:
- 56(2017) : 12-21
- Notes:
- 9 pages, via online journal, Upland farming in Northwest Cambodia has developed rapidly over the last 20 years, with limitations to the plough based system now apparent, including soil degradation and reductions in yield and profitability. A survey was conducted in order to prioritise the main constraints to production, to aid in future research planning, and to identify potential beneficial modifications to the current system. Three hundred and ninety one farmers were interviewed regarding their current farming system constraints, knowledge of conservation agriculture and their future plans in the Districts of Samlout in Battambang Province and Sala Krau in Pailin Province. Perceived major problems in the farming system were extreme climate events such as droughts and heavy rain, declining crop yields, and cash flow shortages, particularly in the pre-monsoon period. This is a plough based farming system, yet 66% of farmers had heard of conservation agriculture, and 59% wanted to learn more about conservation agriculture practices. Two thirds of farmers were interested in how to grow crops in the post-monsoon dry season on residual soil moisture. The survey highlighted opportunities for farmer education and adoption of farming system modifications to improve productivity and sustainability of the farming system in Northwest Cambodia, and assist with climate change adaptation.
3. Learning by doing: Applying the concept of pollen viability in a horticulture classroom
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Perez, Kauahi (author) and University of Hawaii and Manoa
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2017-08
- Published:
- United States: American Society for Horticultural Science
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 12 Document Number: D10362
- Journal Title:
- HortTechnology
- Journal Title Details:
- 27(4) : 461-464
- Notes:
- 4 pages., Via journal article., Learning by doing plays a critical role in a learner’s conceptual understanding. By actively engaging with a concept, students gain experience and develop an enduring understanding of the concept. The concept of pollen viability is a critical component in the field of plant breeding and can be used to explain various aspects of pollen quality. An inquiry activity was designed to expose undergraduate students in a horticulture course to the concept of pollen viability and its application. The entire class was tasked with collaborating to identify an in vitro germination medium optimized to germinate plumeria (Plumeria rubra) pollen. To determine optimum sucrose and pH concentrations of the medium, student groups were assigned treatments of pollen from two plumeria cultivars that were germinated in Brewbaker and Kwack media of differing sucrose and pH concentrations. Students calculated the percentage of germinated pollen and assessed pollen tube integrity and used these variables as evidence of an optimized medium. Although undergraduates were engaged in authentic research practices during the inquiry activity, lack of time and resources impeded completion of the activity. However, students were exposed to methods and instrumentation directly related to evaluating pollen viability. Moreover, they were exposed to the basic practice of pollen quality assessment that they can use to carry out investigations on pollen fertility. In addition, insight was gained to improve the inquiry activity in the future. Now, well-informed modifications to the inquiry activity can be made to pilot this activity in a formal horticulture laboratory section.
4. Peer influence on household energy behaviours
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Wolske, Kimberly S. (author), Gillingham, Kenneth T. (author), and Schultz, P. Wesley (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2020-01-27
- Published:
- UK: Nature Portfolio
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 207 Document Number: D13073
- Journal Title:
- Nature Energy
- Journal Title Details:
- V.5
- Notes:
- 11 pages, Studies across multiple disciplines demonstrate the importance of peers in shaping energy-related behaviours. Research on this process is wide ranging, from documenting spatial peer effects in the adoption of rooftop solar—when an individual’s behaviour is influenced by the behaviours of neighbours—to showing how neighbour comparisons can be used to reduce household electricity consumption. However, gaps exist in our understanding of how and why these peer effects occur. In this Review, we examine recent findings on social influence in energy behaviour and discuss pathways through which social influence can result in peer effects. We propose a conceptual framework for predicting which social influence processes will most often result in peer effects, depending on the targeted energy behaviour. We also review the limitations of social influence as well as evidence for when it is expected to be the strongest.
5. Social norms and farm animal protection
- Collection:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center (ACDC)
- Contributers:
- Delon, Nicolas (author)
- Format:
- Journal article
- Publication Date:
- 2018-11-09
- Published:
- UK: Springer Nature
- Location:
- Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 208 Document Number: D13215
- Journal Title:
- Humanities & Social Sciences Communications
- Journal Title Details:
- V.4, N.139
- Notes:
- 6 pages, Social change is slow and difficult. Social change for animals is formidably slow and difficult. Advocates and scholars alike have long tried to change attitudes and convince the public that eating animals is wrong. The topic of norms and social change for animals has been neglected, which explains in part the relative failure of the animal protection movement to secure robust support reflected in social and legal norms. Moreover, animal ethics has suffered from a disproportionate focus on individual attitudes and behavior at the expense of collective behavior, social change, and empirical psychology. If what we want to change is behavior on a large scale, norms are important tools. This article reviews an account of social norms that provides insights into the possibility and limitations of social change for animals, approaching animal protection as a problem of reverse social engineering. It highlights avenues for future work from this neglected perspective.