Sustainability

Editorial

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5 pages, 228 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Sustainable Applications in Agriculture

by Antonio Ruiz-Canales and Manuel Ferrández-Villena García

Sustainability 2021, 13(8), 4136; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13084136 - 8 Apr 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1380

Abstract

Recently, the European Commission identified the goal to achieve a double transition—ecological and digital—as one of the greatest challenges on the areas of the planet across various sectors of the society [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Applications in Agriculture)

Research

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14 pages, 5433 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Estimation of the Evapotranspiration and Crop Coefficients of Bell Pepper Using a Removable Weighing Lysimeter: A Case Study in the Southeast of Spain

by Laura Ávila-Dávila, José Miguel Molina-Martínez, Carlos Bautista-Capetillo, Manuel Soler-Méndez, Cruz Octavio Robles Rovelo, Hugo Enrique Júnez-Ferreira and Julián González-Trinidad

Sustainability 2021, 13(2), 747; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13020747 - 14 Jan 2021

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2199

Abstract

Water use efficiency is essential in semiarid regions of Spain, and it can be achieved through a precise knowledge of the real crop water requirements (CWR). The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) offers standardized crop coefficients to establish the [...] Read more.

Water use efficiency is essential in semiarid regions of Spain, and it can be achieved through a precise knowledge of the real crop water requirements (CWR). The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) offers standardized crop coefficients to establish the CWR. However, these coefficients can change due to different conditions, such as climatic variations and cultivation practices. In this work, the evapotranspiration (

E T_{C_{l y s}}

) and crop coefficients (

K_{C_{l y s}}

) of bell pepper were obtained with a compact removable weighing lysimeter between February and August for two crop seasons (2019 and 2020).

E T_{C_{l y s}}

was determined from the water balance, and the

K_{C_{l y s}}

values were determined as the ratio of the crop evapotranspiration, measured on the removable weighing lysimeter, and the reference evapotranspiration. The

K_{C_{l y s}}

average values for the bell pepper in the initial, middle, and final stages were 0.57, 1.06, and 0.80, respectively.

K_{C}

regression models were obtained as a function of the fraction thermal units, achieving a maximum correlation of 0.67 (

R^{2}

). In general, the

K_{C}

values obtained in this research work were lower in the initial and in the final stages and larger in the middle stage in comparison with the FAO-56 values and other research works values in semiarid conditions. The bell pepper yield increased by 7.72% in 2019 and by 3.49% in 2020 compared to the yield reported by the Ministry of the Environment and Rural and Marine Areas of the Spanish Government in 2019 and with a minimum water loss through drainage. The results in this work can help farmers to determine the crop water requirements and to improve the system efficiency in semiarid locations with similar conditions to those in the study. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Applications in Agriculture)

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10 pages, 1458 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Properties of Wood Particleboards Containing Giant Reed (Arundo donax L.) Particles

by Manuel Ferrandez-Villena, Antonio Ferrandez-Garcia, Teresa Garcia-Ortuño, Clara Eugenia Ferrandez-Garcia and Maria Teresa Ferrandez Garcia

Sustainability 2020, 12(24), 10469; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su122410469 - 15 Dec 2020

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2274

Abstract

Agriculture is responsible for generating large amounts of waste that are not adequately managed in terms of their environmental treatment and economic administration. This work uses giant reed, which was traditionally used as a construction material in eastern areas of Spain. Nowadays, it [...] Read more.

Agriculture is responsible for generating large amounts of waste that are not adequately managed in terms of their environmental treatment and economic administration. This work uses giant reed, which was traditionally used as a construction material in eastern areas of Spain. Nowadays, it is no longer used, which has led to its rapid, autonomous, uncontrolled proliferation on river banks, making it a serious environmental hazard because this plant causes significant blockages of bridges and other infrastructure when uprooted by the strong currents that occur as rivers flood. The aim of this work is to develop wood and giant reed particleboards, which help to counter the high dependence on wood in industrial manufacturing by using an easily renewable resource. It will thereby be possible to achieve two general objectives: controlling the growth of a weed and obtaining a product (particleboards) from a waste material. Particleboards containing 9% urea formaldehyde composed of different proportions of sawmill wood and giant reed (0, 50, 70 and 100%) have been manufactured by applying two different pressures (2.1 and 2.6 MPa) and a temperature of 120 °C for 4 min in a hot plate press. Density, thickness swelling (TS) and water absorption (WA) after immersion in water, modulus of elasticity (MOE), modulus of rupture (MOR), internal bonding strength (IB) and screw holding strength (SH) have been tested according to european norms (EN) for wood boards. With the addition of 70% reed particles, the density, MOR and TS decrease and the MOE, IB and SH increase; therefore, adding giant reed particles to wood boards can improve their properties, bringing about considerable industrial and environmental benefits. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Applications in Agriculture)

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19 pages, 5828 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Application of Biostimulants Containing Amino Acids to Tomatoes Could Favor Sustainable Cultivation: Implications for Tyrosine, Lysine, and Methionine

by Marina Alfosea-Simón, Silvia Simón-Grao, Ernesto A. Zavala-Gonzalez, Jose María Cámara-Zapata, Inmaculada Simón, Juan José Martínez-Nicolás, Vicente Lidón, Wilbert M. Rodríguez-Ortega and Francisco García-Sánchez

Sustainability 2020, 12(22), 9729; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12229729 - 21 Nov 2020

Cited by 22 | Viewed by 4180

Abstract

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is one of the most important crops worldwide as per its production and the surface cultivated. The use of biostimulant products plays a fundamental role in mitigating the negative effects of climate change and reducing the use of [...] Read more.

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is one of the most important crops worldwide as per its production and the surface cultivated. The use of biostimulant products plays a fundamental role in mitigating the negative effects of climate change and reducing the use of conventional fertilizers. Many of these products are formulated with amino acids (AAs). This study was conducted to elucidate the effects of the foliar application of tyrosine (Tyr) (15 mM), lysine (Lys) (15 mM), methionine (Met) (15 mM), and a Tyr + Lys + Met (15 mM + 15 mM + 15 mM) mixture on the physiological and metabolic processes, vegetative growth, and nutritional state of Optima variety tomato plants. The results showed that application of the AAs, individually and combined, was beneficial for the growth of the aerial part, net assimilation of CO₂, and water use efficiency (WUE). Application of Tyr resulted in the best WUE. The metabolomics study revealed that AA treatments increased the concentration of proline, fructose, and glucose, whose role was to stimulate glycolysis and the Krebs cycle. Thus, the plants could have greater reduction power and energy, as well as more carbon molecules for their growth processes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Applications in Agriculture)

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24 pages, 2426 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Flexible Tool for Modeling and Optimal Dispatch of Resources in Agri-Energy Hubs

by Jerónimo Ramos-Teodoro, Adrián Giménez-Miralles, Francisco Rodríguez and Manuel Berenguel

Sustainability 2020, 12(21), 8820; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12218820 - 23 Oct 2020

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2337

Abstract

The dispatch of energy and resources in agricultural systems often involves the definition and resolution of optimization problems. This paper presents a novel tool composed of a set of MATLAB^® and Simulink^® files that has been developed to ease such tasks. [...] Read more.

The dispatch of energy and resources in agricultural systems often involves the definition and resolution of optimization problems. This paper presents a novel tool composed of a set of MATLAB^® and Simulink^® files that has been developed to ease such tasks. In contrast to other alternatives, it allows the consideration of multiple kinds of resources in the problem and the relationships between the inputs and outputs of the system; its parametrization can be defined graphically in Simulink^® without requiring third party software, and the entire package is freely available on Github. The package can generate the constraints in MATLAB^® code and can get the optimal dispatch schedule for the deterministic mixed-integer linear problem that represents the defined system. Its main functions and blocks as well as a case study based on a traditional Mediterranean greenhouse and a photovoltaic parking lot located in Almeria (Spain) are included to demonstrate its use and clarify how the problem is formulated. The simulation performed validates the tool as being useful for decision-making (schedule irrigation and CO₂ enrichment, as well as managing storage systems) in these and similar environments. Future implementations are intended to incorporate the interconnection of agents with opposed interests and robust optimization strategies for uncertain scenarios. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Applications in Agriculture)

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12 pages, 4030 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sentinel-2 Satellite Imagery for Agronomic and Quality Variability Assessment of Pistachio (Pistacia vera L.)

by Enrique Barajas, Sara Álvarez, Elena Fernández, Sergio Vélez, José Antonio Rubio and Hugo Martín

Sustainability 2020, 12(20), 8437; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12208437 - 13 Oct 2020

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2409

Abstract

The objective of this work is to evaluate the agronomic, phenological, nutritional quality and organoleptic characteristics of pistachios (Pistacia vera L.) based on the NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) calculated in the phenological stage of nut filling from Sentinel satellite imagery. Based [...] Read more.

The objective of this work is to evaluate the agronomic, phenological, nutritional quality and organoleptic characteristics of pistachios (Pistacia vera L.) based on the NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) calculated in the phenological stage of nut filling from Sentinel satellite imagery. Based on this index, three pistachio tree orchards were studied and classified into two levels of vigour: high and low. The results obtained have discriminated the production per tree, which is strongly related to yield. Regarding the nutritional quality parameters, significant differences were not observed between vigour levels, although the most vigorous trees have shown nuts with a higher percentage of fibre and protein. In terms of phenology, there have not been differences between trees of different vigour, only a slight advance of some phenological stages has been observed in several high-vigour trees. Triangular tests have been made successfully to discriminate the origin of the dry nut and the vigour of the trees. In conclusion, for a given nut quality within a given orchard, the NDVI is a good index to classify different areas according to productive capacity and can be useful to apply variable management, irrigation and fertilization according to vigour. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Applications in Agriculture)

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15 pages, 2779 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Improving the Water-Use Efficiency and the Agricultural Productivity: An Application Case in a Modernized Semiarid Region in North-Central Mexico

by Julián González-Trinidad, Hugo Enrique Júnez-Ferreira, Carlos Bautista-Capetillo, Laura Ávila Dávila and Cruz Octavio Robles Rovelo

Sustainability 2020, 12(19), 8122; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12198122 - 1 Oct 2020

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2323

Abstract

The increasing population demands a greater quantity of food. In order to satisfy the world’s demand, one of the main challenges worldwide consists of modernizing the current irrigation systems. This research shows an experience carried out in a modernized irrigation module in Central-North [...] Read more.

The increasing population demands a greater quantity of food. In order to satisfy the world’s demand, one of the main challenges worldwide consists of modernizing the current irrigation systems. This research shows an experience carried out in a modernized irrigation module in Central-North Mexico following these objectives: to evaluate the impact of the modernization of the irrigation module, to analyze the agricultural productivity, and to assess a group of parameters related with the agricultural production (system conduction and distribution efficiencies, water productivity, among others) and the water volumes after and before the modernization. After a drought period, a methodology was performed in commercial parcels in 2013 to increase the yield of different crops. Some of the activities were: soil leveling, estimation of the soil properties (field capacity, wilting point, bulk density, pH, and organic matter), optimum fertilization applications, use of a model to scheduling irrigation, measure volumes extracted at the parcel level. With the modernization and the method used, around 1800 and 2000 m³ ha⁻¹ were saved with respect to the initial granted volume by the Comisión Nacional del Agua and increase in the global efficiency was also achieved (from 55% to 85%). All crop yields increased, i.e., for corn from 2.5 kg/m³ to 3.8 kg/m³. The impact of modernization accompanied with an effective operation allowed a significant increase of the crop yield and water productivity. Despite a controlled distribution of water being carried out, future research should contemplate free water demand scenarios and automation irrigation for improving the module operation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Applications in Agriculture)

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19 pages, 1170 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impact of Climate Change in West Africa on Cereal Production Per Capita in 2050

by Dimitri Defrance, Benjamin Sultan, Mathieu Castets, Adjoua Moise Famien and Christian Baron

Sustainability 2020, 12(18), 7585; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12187585 - 14 Sep 2020

Cited by 30 | Viewed by 4921

Abstract

Food security is a crucial issue in the Sahel and could be endangered by climate change and demographic pressure during the 21st century. Higher temperatures and changes in rainfall induced by global warming are threatening rainfed agriculture in this region while the population [...] Read more.

Food security is a crucial issue in the Sahel and could be endangered by climate change and demographic pressure during the 21st century. Higher temperatures and changes in rainfall induced by global warming are threatening rainfed agriculture in this region while the population is expected to increase approximately three-fold until 2050. Our study quantifies the impact of climate change on food security by combining climate modelling (16 models from CMIP5), crop yield (simulated by agronomic model, SARRA-O) and demographic evolution (provided by UN projection) under two future climatic scenarios. We simulate yield for the main crops in five countries in West Africa and estimate the population pressure on crop production to assess the number of available cereal production per capita. We found that, although uncertain, the African monsoon evolution leads to an increase of rainfall in Eastern Sahel and a decrease in Western Sahel under the RCP8.5 (Representative Concentration Pathway) scenario from IPCC, leading to the higher temperature increase by the end of the 21st century. With regard to the abundance of food for the inhabitants, all the scenarios in each country show that in 2050, local agricultural production will be below 50 kg per capita. This situation can have impact on crop import and regional migration. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Applications in Agriculture)

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14 pages, 1738 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessment of the Combined Effect of Temperature and Salinity on the Outputs of Soil Dielectric Sensors in Coconut Fiber

by Sebastián Bañón, Jesús Ochoa, Daniel Bañón, María Fernanda Ortuño and María Jesús Sánchez-Blanco

Sustainability 2020, 12(16), 6577; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12166577 - 14 Aug 2020

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2639

Abstract

Dielectric sensors are useful instruments for measuring soil moisture and salinity. The soil moisture is determined by measuring the dielectric permittivity, while bulk electrical conductivity (EC) is measured directly. However, permittivity and bulk EC can be altered by many variables such as measurement [...] Read more.

Dielectric sensors are useful instruments for measuring soil moisture and salinity. The soil moisture is determined by measuring the dielectric permittivity, while bulk electrical conductivity (EC) is measured directly. However, permittivity and bulk EC can be altered by many variables such as measurement frequency, soil texture, salinity, or temperature. Soil temperature variation is a crucial factor as there is much evidence showing that global warming is taking place. This work aims to assess how variations in the temperature and salinity of coconut fiber affect the output of EC5 (voltage) and GS3 (permittivity and bulk EC) Decagon sensors. The results showed that the effect of temperature and salinity on the output of the sensors can lead to substantial errors in moisture estimations. At low salinity values, permittivity readings decreased as temperature increased, while voltage readings were not affected, regardless of substrate moisture. The GS3 sensor underestimated the bulk EC when it is measured below 25 °C. The temperature dependence of the voltage of EC5 was not significant up to 10 dS m⁻¹, and the permittivity of the GS3 was more affected by the interaction between temperature and salinity. The effect that salinity has on the permittivity of the GS3 sensor can be reduced if a permittivity–moisture calibration is performed with saline solutions, while the effect resulting from the interaction between temperature and salinity can be minimized using a regression model that considers such an interaction. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Applications in Agriculture)

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13 pages, 1312 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Mineral Fertilizer Demand for Optimum Biological Nitrogen Fixation and Yield Potentials of Legumes in Northern Ethiopia

by Shimbahri Mesfin, Girmay Gebresamuel, Mitiku Haile, Amanuel Zenebe and Girma Desta

Sustainability 2020, 12(16), 6449; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12166449 - 10 Aug 2020

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 3095

Abstract

Farmers in Northern Ethiopia integrate legumes in their cropping systems to improve soil fertility. However, biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) potentials of different legumes and their mineral nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) demands for optimum BNF and yields are less studied. This study aimed [...] Read more.

Farmers in Northern Ethiopia integrate legumes in their cropping systems to improve soil fertility. However, biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) potentials of different legumes and their mineral nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) demands for optimum BNF and yields are less studied. This study aimed to generate the necessary knowledge to enable development of informed nutrient management recommendations, guide governmental public policy and assist farmer decision making. The experiment was conducted at farmers’ fields with four N levels, three P levels, and three replications. Nodule number and dry biomass per plant were assessed. Nitrogen difference method was used to estimate the amount of fixed N by assuming legume BNF was responsible for differences in plant N and soil mineral N measured between legume treatments and wheat. The result revealed that the highest grain yields of faba bean (2531 kg ha⁻¹), field pea (2493 kg ha⁻¹) and dekeko (1694 kg ha⁻¹) were recorded with the combined application of 20 kg N ha⁻¹ and 20 kg P ha⁻¹. Faba bean, field pea and dekeko also fixed 97, 38 and 49 kg N ha⁻¹, respectively, with the combined application of 20 kg N ha⁻¹ and 20 kg P ha⁻¹; however, lentil fixed 20 kg ha⁻¹ with the combined application of 10 kg N ha⁻¹ and 10 kg P ha⁻¹. The average BNF of legumes in the average of all N and P interaction rates were 67, 23, 32 and 16 kg N ha⁻¹ for faba bean, field pea, dekeko and lentil, respectively. Moreover, faba bean, field pea, dekeko and lentil accumulated a surplus soil N of 37, 21, 26 and 13 kg ha⁻¹, respectively, over the wheat plot. The application of 20 kg N ha⁻¹ and 20 kg P ha⁻¹ levels alone and combined significantly (p < 0.05) increased the nodulation, BNF and yield of legumes; however, 46 kg N ha^-1 significantly decreased BNF. This indicated that the combination of 20 kg N ha⁻¹ and 20 kg P ha⁻¹ levels is what mineral fertilizer demands to optimize the BNF and yield of legumes. The results of this study can lead to the development of policy and farmer guidelines, as intensification of the use of legumes supplied with starter N and P fertilizers in Northern Ethiopian cropping systems has the multiple benefits of enhancing inputs of fixed N, improving the soil N status for following crops, and becoming a sustainable option for sustainable soil fertility management practice. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Applications in Agriculture)

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11 pages, 1633 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of Particle Size on the Properties of Boards Made from Washingtonia Palm Rachis with Citric Acid

by Maria Teresa Ferrandez-Garcia, Antonio Ferrandez-Garcia, Teresa Garcia-Ortuño, Clara Eugenia Ferrandez-Garcia and Manuel Ferrandez-Villena

Sustainability 2020, 12(12), 4841; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12124841 - 13 Jun 2020

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 2623

Abstract

The manufacture of technical materials of mineral and synthetic origin currently used for thermal insulation in buildings consumes a large amount of energy and they are not biodegradable. In order to reduce the environmental problems generated by their manufacture, an increasing amount of [...] Read more.

The manufacture of technical materials of mineral and synthetic origin currently used for thermal insulation in buildings consumes a large amount of energy and they are not biodegradable. In order to reduce the environmental problems generated by their manufacture, an increasing amount of research is being carried out on the use of renewable and ecological resources. Consequently, the use of plant fibers and natural adhesives in the development of new thermal insulating products is increasing worldwide. Palm trees were used as a replacement for wood in some traditional constructions in places with scarce wood resources. This paper discusses the use of palm pruning waste in the manufacture of particleboards, using citric acid as a natural binder. Five particle sizes of Washingtonia palm rachis were used as the raw material for manufacturing the boards and the citric acid content was set at 10% by weight, in relation to the weight of the rachis particles. Single-layer agglomerated panels were made, applying a pressure of 2.6 MPa and a temperature of 150 °C for 7 min. Twenty panels were produced and their density, thickness swelling, water absorption, modulus of rupture, internal bonding strength and thermal conductivity properties were studied. Smaller particle size resulted in better mechanical properties. The boards had an average thermal conductivity of 0.084 W/m^·K, meaning that these boards could be used for thermal insulation in buildings. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Applications in Agriculture)

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16 pages, 1092 KiB

Open AccessArticle

How High-Quality Urbanization Affects Utilization Efficiency of Agricultural Water Resources in the Yellow River Basin under Double Control Action?

by Xiling Zhang, Yusheng Kong and Xuhui Ding

Sustainability 2020, 12(7), 2869; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12072869 - 3 Apr 2020

Cited by 23 | Viewed by 2832

Abstract

To promote the high-quality development of the Yellow River Basin, the total amount and intensity of agricultural water must be controlled. Further speaking, an urbanization development system should be established that is compatible with water resources and the water environment. We adopted the [...] Read more.

To promote the high-quality development of the Yellow River Basin, the total amount and intensity of agricultural water must be controlled. Further speaking, an urbanization development system should be established that is compatible with water resources and the water environment. We adopted the stochastic frontier analysis model to measure the agricultural water utilization efficiency of the Yellow River Basin from 2007 to 2017. We also adopted the dynamic panel difference generalized method of moments (GMM) and system GMM models to verify the driving factors, in which population urbanization, economic urbanization, and equilibrium urbanization levels were selected as the key variables. The results show that the overall efficiency of agricultural water utilization maintained a steady upward trend during the research period. The spatial differentiation was generally characterized by higher efficiency levels in the eastern region and lower levels in the western region. The variation coefficient of water utilization efficiency showed a downward trend in general, which indicates a space spillover effect. Agricultural water utilization efficiency continued to converge from 2007 to 2017, and the upper reaches area converged relatively more quickly. Regarding the influencing factors, the population urbanization, economic urbanization, balanced urbanization, crop planting ratio, and rice planting ratio had negative effects on agricultural water utilization efficiency. Urbanization did not positively affect agricultural water use efficiency as the related theories, so urbanization quality and urban–rural integration should be paid more attention. However, technology innovation was significantly positive in agricultural water utilization efficiency. The influencing factors of per capita water availability and annual precipitation did not pass the significance test. Therefore, the government should vigorously promote the development of high-quality new-type urbanization, scientifically formulate the scale and speed of urbanization, strengthen the urban, rural, and industrial integration, and promote the adjustment of planting structures and agricultural deep processing. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Applications in Agriculture)

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Review

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18 pages, 351 KiB

Open AccessReview

Towards a Sustainable Greenhouse: Review of Trends and Emerging Practices in Analysing Greenhouse Ventilation Requirements to Sustain Maximum Agricultural Yield

by Mohammad Akrami, Alaa H. Salah, Akbar A. Javadi, Hassan E.S. Fath, Matthew J. Hassanein, Raziyeh Farmani, Mahdieh Dibaj and Abdelazim Negm

Sustainability 2020, 12(7), 2794; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su12072794 - 1 Apr 2020

Cited by 31 | Viewed by 5544

Abstract

Cultivation in open fields mainly depends on the location and time of farming, which itself highly depends on the quality and quantity of water for irrigation, weather conditions and soil characteristics. Water resources are highly dependent on the limited freshwater resources from the [...] Read more.

Cultivation in open fields mainly depends on the location and time of farming, which itself highly depends on the quality and quantity of water for irrigation, weather conditions and soil characteristics. Water resources are highly dependent on the limited freshwater resources from the groundwater system, or rainwater. Countries in MENA (the Middle East and North Africa) rely mostly on desalination technologies for agriculture, due to water scarcity. Therefore, greenhouse (GH) agriculture can be developed to succeed in dealing with the water scarcity and provide sufficient sources of agricultural products as a sustainable solution. These indoor agriculture facilities, which are enclosed by transparent covers, can produce different sources of fruits and vegetables, using a controlled amount of water. By reducing the exchange rate of air with the outside environment, which is known as the confinement effects, greenhouses generate a suitable environment for the plants to grow under transparent covers to trap the sunlight. This raises the inside temperature above the maximum threshold levels, especially within the warm season, due to the high solar radiation intensity, having an adverse influence on the microclimate conditions and consequently the crop growth. In order to sustain maximum agricultural yield, greenhouse ventilation is an important parameter in which its trends and emerging practices were reviewed in this study. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Applications in Agriculture)

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