BACKGROUND This paper discusses how hashish produced by the local population of Tyup, Kyrgyzstan became an important source of cash in an agricultural semi-subsistence economy. METHODS The paper is based on a research study conducted between 2009 and 2010 that adopted a mixed-method approach to data collection. I gathered 64 semi-structured interviews, 147 structured interviews and made ethno...

The use of lignocellulosic biomass as a substrate in agricultural biogas plants is very popular and yields good results. However, the efficiency of anaerobic digestion, and thus biogas production, is not always satisfactory due to the slow or incomplete degradation (hydrolysis) of plant matter. To enhance the solubilization of the lignocellulosic biomass various physical, chemical and biologica...

BACKGROUND Global demand for food has led to increased land-use change, particularly in dry land ecosystems, which has caused several environmental problems due to the soil degradation. In the Cuatro Cienegas Basin (CCB), alfalfa production irrigated by flooding impacts strongly on the soil. METHODS In order to analyze the effect of such agricultural land-use change on soil nutrient dynamics ...

The objective of this study was to relate earthworm assemblage structure with three different soil use intensities, and to indentify the physical, chemical, and microbiological soil variables that are associated to the observed differences. Three soil uses were evaluated: 1-Fifty year old naturalized grasslands, low use intensity; 2-Recent agricultural fields, intermediate use intensity, and 3-...

BACKGROUND Guatemala has experienced a substantial increase in overweight and obesity in recent years, yet physical activity patterns and consequent energy expenditure are largely unexplored in this population. METHODS To describe overall physical activity levels (PAL) and activities contributing to daily energy expenditure, we analyzed time spent in daily activities as reported by 985 women ...

By the repeated use of the doubly labeled water method (DLW), this study aimed to investigate (1) the extent of changes in energy expenditure and physical activity level (PAL) in response to increased agricultural work demands, and (2) whether the seasonal work demands induce the changes in the fairly equitable division of work and similarity of energy needs between men and women observed in ou...

b-biotype bemisia tabaci is a severe insect pest worldwide in many ornamental, agricultural, and horticultural crops. control of this insect is obstructed by resistance to many acetylcholinesterase (ache)-inhibiting insecticides, such as organophosphates and carbamates. in the present work, we evaluated the acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity of six monoterpenoids namely α-pinene, terpineo...

Weeds represent a global agronomic problem that threatens the productivity of cultivated crops. Weeds compete with cultivated crops for the available moisture, nutrients and light. Consequently, weeds significantly reduce either crop yield or quality. Control of weeds is essential to maintaining the production of economic crops. Weed control may be achieved either through manual eradication or ...

abstract agriculture activity is obvious type of unsafely and risky activities that this part had dealt with lack of trast about amount of production and price as unpleasant atmosphere phenomona, calamities, kind of plant diseases and change in prices. insurance is one of important cases for decreasing risk in agriculture. the main of this research is consideration crop insurance’s affect on op...

Antioxidant activity of six Brassica crops-broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, nabicol and tronchuda cabbage-was measured at four plant stages with DPPH and FRAP assays. Samples taken three months after sowing showed the highest antioxidant activity. Kale crop possessed the highest antioxidant activity at this plant stage and also at the adult plant stage, while cauliflower showed the highest...