PLOS ONE: [sortOrder=DATE_NEWEST_FIRST, sort=Date, newest first, filterJournals=PLoSONE, q=subject:"Agriculture"]PLOShttps://journals.plos.org/plosone/webmaster@plos.orgaccelerating the publication of peer-reviewed sciencehttps://journals.plos.org/plosone/search/feed/atom?sortOrder=DATE_NEWEST_FIRST&unformattedQuery=subject:%22Agriculture%22&sort=Date,+newest+first&filterJournals=PLoSONEAll PLOS articles are Open Access.https://journals.plos.org/plosone/resource/img/favicon.icohttps://journals.plos.org/plosone/resource/img/favicon.ico2024-03-28T18:06:49ZA new automatic sugarcane seed cutting machine based on internet of things technology and RGB color sensorLiu YangLoai S. NasratMohamed E. BadawyDaniel Eutyche Mbadjoun WapetManar A. OurapiTamer M. El-MesseryIrina AleksandrovaMohamed Metwally MahmoudMahmoud M. HusseinAbdallah E. Elwakeel10.1371/journal.pone.03012942024-03-28T14:00:00Z2024-03-28T14:00:00Z<p>by Liu Yang, Loai S. Nasrat, Mohamed E. Badawy, Daniel Eutyche Mbadjoun Wapet, Manar A. Ourapi, Tamer M. El-Messery, Irina Aleksandrova, Mohamed Metwally Mahmoud, Mahmoud M. Hussein, Abdallah E. Elwakeel</p>
Egypt is among the world’s largest producers of sugarcane. This crop is of great economic importance in the country, as it serves as a primary source of sugar, a vital strategic material. The pre-cutting planting mode is the most used technique for cultivating sugarcane in Egypt. However, this method is plagued by several issues that adversely affect the quality of the crop. A proposed solution to these problems is the implementation of a sugarcane-seed-cutting device, which incorporates automatic identification technology for optimal efficiency. The aim is to enhance the cutting quality and efficiency of the pre-cutting planting mode of sugarcane. The developed machine consists of a feeding system, a node scanning and detection system, a node cutting system, a sugarcane seed counting and monitoring system, and a control system. The current research aims to study the pulse widths (PW) of three-color channels (R, G, and B) of the RGB color sensors under laboratory conditions. The output PW of red, green, and blue channel values were recorded at three color types for hand-colored nodes [black, red, and blue], three speeds of the feeding system [7.5 m/min, 5 m/min, and 4.3 m/min], three installing heights of the RGB color sensors [2.0 cm, 3.0 cm, and 4.0 cm], and three widths of the colored line [10.0 mm, 7.0 mm, and 3.0 mm]. The laboratory test results s to identify hand-colored sugarcane nodes showed that the recognition rate ranged from 95% to 100% and the average scanning time ranged from 1.0 s to 1.75 s. The capacity of the developed machine ranged up to 1200 seeds per hour. The highest performance of the developed machine was 100% when using hand-colored sugarcane stalks with a 10 mm blue color line and installing the RGB color sensor at 2.0 cm in height, as well as increasing the speed of the feeding system to 7.5 m/min. The use of IoT and RGB color sensors has made it possible to get analytical indicators like those achieved with other automatic systems for cutting sugar cane seeds without requiring the use of computers or expensive, fast industrial cameras for image processing.Cohort profile: The FarmMERGE project—Merging human and animal databases to investigate the relationship between farmer and livestock health and welfare. The HUNT StudyMagnhild Oust TorskeNatalie SteenJonil Tau UrsinSteinar KrokstadHåvard NørstebøKarianne Muri10.1371/journal.pone.03010452024-03-28T14:00:00Z2024-03-28T14:00:00Z<p>by Magnhild Oust Torske, Natalie Steen, Jonil Tau Ursin, Steinar Krokstad, Håvard Nørstebø, Karianne Muri</p>
Stockmanship is an important determinant for good animal welfare and health. The goal of the FarmMERGE project is to investigate the associations between farmer health and work environment, and the health, productivity and welfare of their livestock. We merged several livestock industry databases with a major total population-based health study in Norway (The Trøndelag Health Study 2017–2019 (HUNT4)). This paper describes the project’s collection and merging of data, and the cohort of farmers and farms that were identified as a result of our registry merge. There were 56,042 participants of HUNT4 (Nord-Trøndelag County participants only, participation rate: 54.0%). We merged a list of HUNT4 participants whose self-reported main occupation was “farmer” (n = 2,407) with agricultural databases containing production and health data from sheep, swine, dairy and beef cattle from 2017–2020. The Central Coordinating Register for Legal Entities was used as an intermediary step to achieve a link between the farmer and farming enterprise data. We identified 816 farmers (89.5% male, mean age 51.3 years) who had roles in 771 farming enterprises with documented animal production. The cohort included 675 unique farmer-farm combinations in cattle production, 139 in sheep, and 125 in swine. We linked at least one HUNT4 participant to approximately 63% of the dairy farms, 53% of the beef cattle farms, 30% of the sheep farms, and 38% of the swine farms in Nord-Trøndelag County in the 2017–2019 period. Using existing databases may be an efficient way of collecting large amounts of data for research, and using total population-based human health surveys may decrease response bias. However, the quality of the resulting research data will depend on the quality of the databases used, and thorough knowledge of the databases is required.Driving factors and grouping paths of rural sports development in China ‐ A qualitative comparative analysis based on fuzzy setsDuan YuHongwei FanNing Zhang10.1371/journal.pone.03001692024-03-28T14:00:00Z2024-03-28T14:00:00Z<p>by Duan Yu, Hongwei Fan, Ning Zhang</p>
The development of rural sports depends on many factors, but the complex causal relationship between various factors and the level of rural sports development is not clear. Using data envelopment analysis (DEA) and fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA), this study aims to examine the driving role of various factors on rural sports development and construct various grouping paths to improve the level of rural sports development in China. The results shows that the area of fitness venues and social capital participation are sufficient conditions for the development of rural sports in China. Resource endowment through government fing, social capital participation and the construction of sports venues and facilities is the key driving factor for rural sports development in China. There are four grouping paths for the high-quality development of rural sports, which are divided into three configurations by combining the grouping characteristics: the state-social capital jointly controlled type driven by economic development and the resource endowment driven by the modernization of the agriculture promotes production and the grassroots organizations that are supported by the advantage of resource endowment. The results of the study highlight the complex causal relationships and key driving factors of rural sports development in China, highlight the differences in rural sports development patterns in different regions, and provide new ideas and guidelines for improving the level and quality of rural sports development.Perceptions of 3R implementation in European animal research: A systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-synthesis of barriers and facilitatorsEdwin Louis-MaertenAoife MilfordDavid M. ShawLester D. GenevièveBernice S. Elger10.1371/journal.pone.03000312024-03-28T14:00:00Z2024-03-28T14:00:00Z<p>by Edwin Louis-Maerten, Aoife Milford, David M. Shaw, Lester D. Geneviève, Bernice S. Elger</p>
Objectives <p>The purpose of this systematic review was to examine how the scientific community in Europe that is involved with research with animals perceives and experiences the implementation of 3R (Replace, Reduce, Refine).</p> Methods <p>A systematic search of the literature published in the past ten years was performed in PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus. Publications were screened for eligibility using <i>a priori</i> inclusion criteria, and only empirical evidence (quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methodologies) was retained. Quantitative survey items were investigated by conducting a meta-analysis, and the qualitative data was summarized using an inductive meta-synthetic approach. Included publications were assessed using the Quality Assessment for Diverse Studies tool.</p> Results <p>17 publications were included (eight quantitative, seven qualitative, two mixed-methods). The meta-analysis revealed that scientists are skeptical about achieving replacement, even if they believe that 3R improve the quality of experimental results. They are optimistic concerning the impact of 3R on research costs and innovation, and see education as highly valuable for the implementation of 3R. The meta-synthesis revealed four barriers (systemic dynamics, reification process, practical issues, insufficient knowledge) and four facilitators (efficient use of animals, caring for animals, regulatory uptake, supportive workplace environment).</p> Conclusion <p>These findings show actionable levers at the local and systemic levels, and may inform regulators and institutions in their 3R policies.</p> Trial registration <p>The protocol was registered into the PROSPERO database under the number CRD42023395769.</p>Plant nutrient removal and soil residual chemical properties as impacted by maize planting date and densityKoffi DjamanDorlote S. DjamanNaveen PuppalaMurali Darapuneni10.1371/journal.pone.02991932024-03-28T14:00:00Z2024-03-28T14:00:00Z<p>by Koffi Djaman, Dorlote S. Djaman, Naveen Puppala, Murali Darapuneni</p>
This study aimed to measure maize (<i>Zea mays</i>) plant nutrient content and nutrient removal in grain, and to evaluate the residual soil nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium as impacted by planting date and density. Field experiments were conducted to evaluate six plant densities and seven planting dates using a split-split plot design with three replications. Besides the crop growth and yield parameters, six plants were collected at the maturity and soil was sampled from each plot for nutrient analysis. Plant N, P, and K concentrations varied with planting date and density and within the ranges of 0.6–1.024%, 0.054–0.127%, and 0.75–1.71%, respectively. Grain N, P, and K concentrations decreased with plant density and varied from 1.059 to 1.558%, 0.20 to 0.319%, and 0.29 to 0.43%, respectively. Soil residual nutrient varied with depth, planting density and date. Residual N concentration in the topsoil varied from 0.6 to 37.2 mg kg<sup>-1</sup> in 2019 and from 1.5 to 11.2 mg kg<sup>-1</sup> in 2020 and was high under the last two planting dates. Soil residual N concentration was higher in the second layer than in the topsoil. The N concentration in the third layer varied from 0.1 to 33.2 mg kg<sup>-1</sup> and was impacted by plant density. Topsoil P did not vary among planting dates and densities. The second and third soil layers P concentration was not affected. There was 83% increase in topsoil K in 2020 compared to 2019, and a decrease of 65 and 23% in soil K was observed in the second and third soil layers, respectively. For maize production system sustainability, future research should use a holistic approach investigating the impact of planting date, plant density on crop growth, yield, nutrient uptake and remobilization, and soil properties under different fertilizer rates to develop the fertilizer recommendation for maize while reducing the environmental impact of the production system.Human-animal entanglements in bushmeat trading in Sierra Leone: An ethnographic assessment of a potential zoonotic interfaceJack JenkinsWahab LawundehTommy HansonHannah Brown10.1371/journal.pone.02989292024-03-28T14:00:00Z2024-03-28T14:00:00Z<p>by Jack Jenkins, Wahab Lawundeh, Tommy Hanson, Hannah Brown</p>
‘Bushmeat’ markets are often portrayed as chaotic spaces where exotic wild animals are sold. They are hypothesized to be important sites for zoonotic disease transmission, given the prolonged and intense nature of the cross-species encounters that occur within them. Whilst such markets have received some attention from researchers, rich qualitative descriptions of everyday practices in these markets are rare. Depictions of wild animal markets as sites for potential viral amplification often rely on exoticizing assumptions and narratives rather than actual evidence, and in some cases are based more on ideology than on science. We provide an in-depth ethnographic account of two bushmeat markets in Bo, Sierra Leone. Our analysis goes beyond common assumptions that zoonotic risk is located solely in the knowledge and behaviours of traders. Our account sheds light on the modes of touch, closeness and contact that shape this hypothesised zoonotic interface, outlining the possible risks to different people who use and spend time in the market. We found that inadequate infrastructure and sanitation facilities created risks of zoonotic disease transmission for diverse actors including traders, customers, children, and the wider public. Butchering and trading practices frequently resulted in people directly and indirectly encountering animal fluids. We also discuss how public health management of these markets focused on individual behaviours rather than on improving conditions. Urgent sanitary reform and infrastructure upgrades in these sites that support the economic needs of traders could encourage voluntary compliance with biosafety measures amongst traders seeking to balance responsibilities to family and public health. Our study reveals the value of moving beyond exoticized narratives about bushmeat markets to yield situated insights for reducing risk at this interface.Comparison of nutritional value of snakehead fish from Guangdong and Deqing varietiesZeguo ZengMiao ZhengMengxiao ZhaoJing GuoShuifa ZhuXianguo ZouQingxiang Zeng10.1371/journal.pone.03012032024-03-27T14:00:00Z2024-03-27T14:00:00Z<p>by Zeguo Zeng, Miao Zheng, Mengxiao Zhao, Jing Guo, Shuifa Zhu, Xianguo Zou, Qingxiang Zeng</p>
Environmental pollution and overfishing of wild fish resources have led to a significant decrease in snakehead fish, thus leading to the increased demand for breeding the snakehead fish. Guangdong and Deqing snakehead fish are two common consumed varieties. However, their nutritional value was unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the nutritional value of snakehead fish from Guangdong and Deqing varieties feeding with different fodders by analyzing and comparing the proximate composition, fatty acids and amino acids. Results showed that the contents of carbohydrate, energy and fat contents in Guangdong variety were lower than that in Deqing variety feeding commercial fodder or offal. Besides, Guangdong variety contained the highest contents of polyunsaturated fatty acids (27.99 ± 1.99%) and EPA + DHA (2.70 ± 0.04%), as well as total essential amino acid content (2550.29), compared to Deqing variety feeding commercial fodder or offal. Overall, snakehead fish from Guangdong variety displayed the highest nutritional value, and thus was a reasonable choice for farmers and consumers. The findings of this study would help farmers to choose the suitable feeding variety and patterns of snakehead fish from the perspective of fish nutritional value, which is beneficial to the sustainable fish farming.Exploring the drivers of agricultural wages growth in China: A comprehensive framework utilizing input-output and structural decomposition methodsPeijiang ZhengYang LiYingying Qi10.1371/journal.pone.02990672024-03-27T14:00:00Z2024-03-27T14:00:00Z<p>by Peijiang Zheng, Yang Li, Yingying Qi</p>
This study explores the factors driving agricultural wages growth in China from 1981 to 2020. We propose a comprehensive framework that combines input-output analysis and structural decomposition analysis to investigate the drivers of agricultural wages growth from four perspectives: supply, demand, industrial linkages, and agricultural support policies. The findings indicate that changes in consumer demand, investment demand, and labor mobility play significant roles in driving the growth of agricultural wages in China. Additionally, agricultural support policies have contributed to an increase in agricultural wages to some extent. However, changes in industrial linkages negatively affect agricultural wages growth. A notable strength of this study lies in the methodology employed, which ensures a comprehensive and systematic analysis encompassing diverse factors rather than a restricted perspective.The impact of climate change on the agriculture and the economy of Southern Gaul: New perspectives of agent-based modellingNicolas BernigaudAlberte BondeauJoël GuiotFrédérique BertoncelloMarie-Jeanne OuriachiLaurent BoubyPhilippe LeveauLoup BernardDelphine Isoardi10.1371/journal.pone.02988952024-03-27T14:00:00Z2024-03-27T14:00:00Z<p>by Nicolas Bernigaud, Alberte Bondeau, Joël Guiot, Frédérique Bertoncello, Marie-Jeanne Ouriachi, Laurent Bouby, Philippe Leveau, Loup Bernard, Delphine Isoardi</p>
What impact did the Roman Climate Optimum (RCO) and the Late Antique Little Ice Age (LALIA) have on the rise and fall of the Roman Empire? Our article presents an agent-based modelling (ABM) approach developed to evaluate the impact of climate change on the profitability of vineyards, olive groves, and grain farms in Southern Gaul, which were the main source of wealth in the roman period. This ABM simulates an agroecosystem model which processes potential agricultural yield values from paleoclimatic data. The model calculates the revenues made by agricultural exploitations from the sale of crops whose annual volumes vary according to climate and market prices. The potential profits made by the different agricultural exploitations are calculated by deducting from the income the operating and transportation costs. We conclude that the warm and wet climate of the Roman period may have had an extremely beneficial effect on the profitability of wine and olive farms between the 2<sup>nd</sup> century BCE and the 3<sup>rd</sup> century CE, but a more modest effect on grain production. Subsequently, there is a significant decrease in the potential profitability of farms during the Late Antique Little Ice Age (4<sup>th</sup>-7<sup>th</sup> century CE). Comparing the results of our model with archaeological data enables us to discuss the impact of these climatic fluctuations on the agricultural and economic growth, and then their subsequent recession in Southern Gaul from the beginning to the end of antiquity.Initial agronomic benefits of enhanced weathering using basalt: A study of spring oat in a temperate climateKirstine SkovJez WardmanMatthew HealeyAmy McBrideTzara BierowiecJulia CooperIfeoma EdehDave GeorgeMike E. KellandJim MannDavid ManningMelissa J. MurphyRyan PapeYit A. TehWill TurnerPeter WadeXinran Liu10.1371/journal.pone.02950312024-03-27T14:00:00Z2024-03-27T14:00:00Z<p>by Kirstine Skov, Jez Wardman, Matthew Healey, Amy McBride, Tzara Bierowiec, Julia Cooper, Ifeoma Edeh, Dave George, Mike E. Kelland, Jim Mann, David Manning, Melissa J. Murphy, Ryan Pape, Yit A. Teh, Will Turner, Peter Wade, Xinran Liu</p>
Addressing soil nutrient degradation and global warming requires novel solutions. Enhanced weathering using crushed basalt rock is a promising dual-action strategy that can enhance soil health and sequester carbon dioxide. This study examines the short-term effects of basalt amendment on spring oat (<i>Avena sativa L</i>.) during the 2022 growing season in NE England. The experimental design consisted of four blocks with control and basalt-amended plots, and two cultivation types within each treatment, laid out in a split plot design. Basalt (18.86 tonnes ha<sup>−1</sup>) was incorporated into the soil during seeding. Tissue, grain and soil samples were collected for yield, nutrient, and pH analysis. Basalt amendment led to significantly higher yields, averaging 20.5% and 9.3% increases in direct drill and ploughed plots, respectively. Soil pH was significantly higher 256 days after rock application across cultivation types (direct drill: on average 6.47 vs. 6.76 and ploughed: on average 6.69 vs. 6.89, for control and basalt-amended plots, respectively), likely due to rapidly dissolving minerals in the applied basalt, such as calcite. Indications of growing season differences in soil pH are observed through direct measurement of lower manganese and iron uptake in plants grown on basalt-amended soil. Higher grain and tissue potassium, and tissue calcium uptake were observed in basalt-treated crops. Notably, no accumulation of potentially toxic elements (arsenic, cadmium, chromium, nickel) was detected in the grain, indicating that crops grown using this basaltic feedstock are safe for consumption. This study indicates that basalt amendments can improve agronomic performance in sandy clay-loam agricultural soil under temperate climate conditions. These findings offer valuable insights for producers in temperate regions who are considering using such amendments, demonstrating the potential for improved crop yields and environmental benefits while ensuring crop safety.Prevalence and concentration of pesticides in European waters: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysisManuel Serrano ValeraNuria VelaGrasiela PiuvezamFrancisco Mateo-RamírezIsac Davidson Santiago Fernandes PimentaIsabel Martínez-Alcalá10.1371/journal.pone.02823862024-03-26T14:00:00Z2024-03-26T14:00:00Z<p>by Manuel Serrano Valera, Nuria Vela, Grasiela Piuvezam, Francisco Mateo-Ramírez, Isac Davidson Santiago Fernandes Pimenta, Isabel Martínez-Alcalá</p>
There is currently a growing interest in the so-called emerging pollutants, such as pesticides, pharmaceuticals, personal hygiene care products, drugs, etc., whose presence in natural ecosystems is not necessarily recent, but the development in latest years of new and more sensitive methods of analysis has allowed their detection. They can be present in the natural environment, food, and many products of everyday origin, which suggests that human exposure to them is massive and universal. Therefore, the study of this type of substances is becoming one of the priority lines of research of the main agencies dedicated to the protection of public and environmental health, such as the World Health Organization (WHO), United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) or European Union (EU). In this sense, it is of vital importance to know the nature and quantity of this type of contaminants, to establish preventive mechanisms that minimize its presence in aquatic systems, with special requirements for human consumption. This study aimed to describe a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the status of pesticides in European waters. We will search for original studies in the PubMed/Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, EMBASE, ScienceDirect databases. Prevalence studies of emerging contaminants (pesticides) in water resources (watersheds, aquifers, rivers, marine and springs), wastewaters (influent and effluent), and drinking water should be included. Two reviewers will independently screen and assess the included studies, with any disagreements being resolved by a third reviewer. We will summarize the findings using a narrative approach and, if possible, conduct a quantitative synthesis (meta-analysis). We will conduct the protocol following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses Protocols (PRISMA-P) guidelines. The review will summarize the current evidence on the presence of pesticides in European waters such as glyphosate, chlorpyrifos, pyrethroid pesticides, neonicotinoid pesticides, and/or fungicides, in samples of different water resources like wastewaters and drinking water. We expect that this systematic review will establish preventive mechanisms that minimize the presence of pesticides in water in the environment.GNViT- An enhanced image-based groundnut pest classification using Vision Transformer (ViT) modelVenkatasaichandrakanth P.Iyapparaja M.10.1371/journal.pone.03011742024-03-25T14:00:00Z2024-03-25T14:00:00Z<p>by Venkatasaichandrakanth P., Iyapparaja M.</p>
Crop losses caused by diseases and pests present substantial challenges to global agriculture, with groundnut crops particularly vulnerable to their detrimental effects. This study introduces the Groundnut Vision Transformer (GNViT) model, a novel approach that harnesses a pre-trained Vision Transformer (ViT) on the ImageNet dataset. The primary goal is to detect and classify various pests affecting groundnut crops. Rigorous training and evaluation were conducted using a comprehensive dataset from IP102, encompassing pests such as Thrips, Aphids, Armyworms, and Wireworms. The GNViT model’s effectiveness was assessed using reliability metrics, including the F1-score, recall, and overall accuracy. Data augmentation with GNViT resulted in a significant increase in training accuracy, achieving 99.52%. Comparative analysis highlighted the GNViT model’s superior performance, particularly in accuracy, compared to state-of-the-art methodologies. These findings underscore the potential of deep learning models, such as GNViT, in providing reliable pest classification solutions for groundnut crops. The deployment of advanced technological solutions brings us closer to the overarching goal of reducing crop losses and enhancing global food security for the growing population.Oral administration of phytochemicals protects honey bees against cognitive and motor impairments induced by the insecticide fipronilLina M. GarcíaValentina Caicedo-GarzónAndre J. Riveros10.1371/journal.pone.03008992024-03-25T14:00:00Z2024-03-25T14:00:00Z<p>by Lina M. García, Valentina Caicedo-Garzón, Andre J. Riveros</p>
Pollution produced by exposure to pesticides is a major concern for food security because the negative impacts on pollinators. Fipronil, an insecticide broadly used around the globe has been associated with the ongoing decline of bees. With a characteristic neuroactive toxicodynamic, fipronil leads to cognitive and motor impairments at sublethal dosages. Despite of regional bans, multilevel strategies are necessary for the protection of pollinators. Recent evidence suggests that specific nutrients in the diets of bees may induce protection against insecticides. Here, we evaluated whether the administration of three phytochemicals, namely rutin, kaempferol and p-coumaric acid provide protection to the Africanized honey bee <i>Apis mellifera</i> against oral administration of realistic dosages of fipronil. We tested the potential impairment produced by fipronil and the protection induced by the phytochemicals in learning, 24h memory, sucrose sensitivity and motor control. We found that the administration of fipronil induced a concentration-dependent impairment in learning and motor control, but not 24h memory or sucrose sensitivity across a 24h window. We also found that the administration of rutin, p-coumaric acid, kaempferol and the mixture was innocuous and generally offered protection against the impairments induced by fipronil. Overall, our results indicate that bees can be prophylactically protected against insecticides via nutrition, providing an alternative to the ongoing conflict between the use of insecticides and the decline of pollinators. As the studied phytochemicals are broadly present in nectar and pollen, our results suggest that the nutritional composition, and not only its production, should be considered when implementing strategies of conservation via gardens and co-cropping.Optimizing bandwidth utilization and traffic control in ISP networks for enhanced smart agricultureEmad S. HassanAyman E. A. AbdelaalAhmed S. OshabaAtef El-EmaryMoawad I. DessoukyFathi E. Abd El-Samie10.1371/journal.pone.03006502024-03-25T14:00:00Z2024-03-25T14:00:00Z<p>by Emad S. Hassan, Ayman E. A. Abdelaal, Ahmed S. Oshaba, Atef El-Emary, Moawad I. Dessouky, Fathi E. Abd El-Samie</p>
As the demand for high-bandwidth Internet connections continues to surge, industries are exploring innovative ways to harness this connectivity, and smart agriculture stands at the forefront of this evolution. In this paper, we delve into the challenges faced by Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in efficiently managing bandwidth and traffic within their networks. We propose a synergy between two pivotal technologies, Multi-Protocol Label Switching—Traffic Engineering (MPLS-TE) and Diffserv Quality of Service (Diffserv-QoS), which have implications beyond traditional networks and resonate strongly with the realm of smart agriculture. The increasing adoption of technology in agriculture relies heavily on real-time data, remote monitoring, and automated processes. This dynamic nature requires robust and reliable high-bandwidth connections to facilitate data flow between sensors, devices, and central management systems. By optimizing bandwidth utilization through MPLS-TE and implementing traffic control mechanisms with Diffserv-QoS, ISPs can create a resilient network foundation for smart agriculture applications. The integration of MPLS-TE and Diffserv-QoS has resulted in significant enhancements in throughput and a considerable reduction in Jitter. Employment of the IPv4 header has demonstrated impressive outcomes, achieving a throughput of 5.83 Mbps and reducing Jitter to 3 msec.UV reflectance in crop remote sensing: Assessing the current state of knowledge and extending research with strawberry cultivarsMegan HeathDavid St-OngeRobert Hausler10.1371/journal.pone.02859122024-03-25T14:00:00Z2024-03-25T14:00:00Z<p>by Megan Heath, David St-Onge, Robert Hausler</p>
Remote sensing of spectral reflectance is a crucial parameter in precision agriculture. In particular, the visual color produced from reflected light can be used to determine plant health (VIS-IR) or attract pollinators (Near-UV). However, the UV spectral reflectance studies largely focus on non-crop plants, even though they provide essential information for plant-pollinator interactions. This literature review presents an overview of UV-reflectance in crops, identifies gaps in the literature, and contributes new data based on strawberry cultivars. The study found that most crop spectral reflectance studies relied on lab-based methodologies and examined a wide spectral range (Near UV to IR). Moreover, the plant family distribution largely mirrored global food market trends. Through a spectral comparison of white flowering strawberry cultivars, this study discovered visual differences for pollinators in the Near UV and Blue ranges. The variation in pollinator visibility within strawberry cultivars underscores the importance of considering UV spectral reflectance when developing new crop breeding lines and managing pollinator preferences in agricultural fields.