摘要:

Alternatives to contemporary agricultural practices are urgently required if the increasing degradation of Australia's agricultural lands is to be halted and reversed. One such alternative is the group of practices encompassed by the term ‘organic farming’. A predominantly questionnaire survey identified 50 commercial, organic farms, covering a wide range of farm types, sizes and environments throughout Australia. The majority are run by experienced farmers, applying a broad range of techniques, although only a few farms are wholly organic if purist criteria are used. Most of the respondents are manifestly successful farmers, demonstrating that organic methods are applicable in Australia's harsh pedological and climatic environments relative to those parts of the world in which organic farming methods have long been applied. Moreover these methods are environmentally benign, and a wider adoption of them by more conventional farmers would be beneficial in relation to the objectives of maintaining soil and environmental quality. Nevertheless, all organic farmers experience difficulties, of which the most important is the lack of sound advice and information. If these farmers had available to them a supporting infrastructure similar to that enjoyed by their conventional counterparts, then it seems reasonable to expect that a marked improvement in their performance would follow.

ISSN:0144-8765    

DOI:10.1080/01448765.1983.9754404

出版商:Taylor & Francis Group    

年代:1983

数据来源: Taylor

摘要:

Some gross features of changes in energy use in United States agriculture during the past decade were examined using time series data on consumption of fuels and energy and of chemicals manufactured using energy (fertilizers and pesticides). Although energy prices were increasing sharply during that period, most forms of energy consumption at best have increased at slower rates than formerly, while others have continued to increase at historical rates. The observed behaviour of U.S. agriculture as a whole suggests that energy problems would have to become much more serious before energy became a powerful inducement for instituting far-reaching changes. When examined in the light of production costs not directly related to energy, energy price increases thus far have compelled fundamental changes only in certain especially energy-intensive production systems, although more modest adjustments have been made throughout U.S. agriculture.

ISSN:0144-8765    

DOI:10.1080/01448765.1983.9754405

出版商:Taylor & Francis Group    

年代:1983

数据来源: Taylor

摘要:

The term ‘iatrogenic disease’ has been used recently to refer to those defects or diseases occurring in plants or animals which can be directly ascribed to aspects of the husbandry system producing the plants, etc. They are the undesirable side effects of production systems. However, this term is misleading and should probably not be used in an agricultural context. If such terms are necessary, we prefer the more classically correct term of ‘agricologenic’, or farmer-induced disease.

ISSN:0144-8765    

DOI:10.1080/01448765.1983.9754406

出版商:Taylor & Francis Group    

年代:1983

数据来源: Taylor

摘要:

Two perennial herbs, lemon balm and marjoram, were tested on five different growth media for development and regeneration ability under outdoor conditions. The best medium for growth of both species was the digested slurry, while peat moss and rock wool were inferior. Fine volcanic ash (Scoria) was better than coarse ash for both species. Under the experimental conditions marjoram failed to regenerate while regeneration of lemon balm was good. Ten days of shipping simulation followed by fourteen days under house conditions did not cause any damage to the tested plants. The possibility of using these herbs as pot plants was discussed.

ISSN:0144-8765    

DOI:10.1080/01448765.1983.9754407

出版商:Taylor & Francis Group    

年代:1983

数据来源: Taylor

摘要:

Under low available soil N conditions, leaf area and leaf number at five sampling stages were strongly correlated with shoot weight in cowpea. Leaf area determination is proposed as a simple method for the identification of superior genotypes when breeding for enhanced N-fixation in cowpea.

ISSN:0144-8765    

DOI:10.1080/01448765.1983.9754408

出版商:Taylor & Francis Group    

年代:1983

数据来源: Taylor

ISSN:0144-8765    

DOI:10.1080/01448765.1983.9754409

出版商:Taylor & Francis Group    

年代:1983

数据来源: Taylor

ISSN:0144-8765    

DOI:10.1080/01448765.1983.9754410

出版商:Taylor & Francis Group    

年代:1983

数据来源: Taylor

ISSN:0144-8765    

DOI:10.1080/01448765.1983.9754411

出版商:Taylor & Francis Group    

年代:1983

数据来源: Taylor

ISSN:0144-8765    

DOI:10.1080/01448765.1983.9754403

出版商:Taylor & Francis Group    

年代:1983

数据来源: Taylor