• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
• /
• v.25 no.3
• /
• pp.182-196
• /
• 2023

Accurate and timely estimation of crop yields is crucial for various purposes, including global food security planning and agricultural policy development. Remote sensing techniques, particularly using vegetation indices (VIs), have show n promise in monitoring and predicting crop conditions. However, traditional VIs such as the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and enhanced vegetation index (EVI) have limitations in capturing rapid changes in vegetation photosynthesis and may not accurately represent crop productivity. An alternative vegetation index, the near-infrared reflectance of vegetation (NIRv), has been proposed as a better predictor of crop yield due to its strong correlation with gross primary productivity (GPP) and its ability to untangle confounding effects in canopies. In this study, we investigated the potential of NIRv in estimating crop yield, specifically for corn and soybean crops in major crop-producing regions in 14 states of the United States. Our results demonstrated a significant correlation between the peak value of NIRv and crop yield/area for both corn and soybean. The correlation w as slightly stronger for soybean than for corn. Moreover, most of the target states exhibited a notable relationship between NIRv peak and yield, with consistent slopes across different states. Furthermore, we observed a distinct pattern in the yearly data, where most values were closely clustered together. However, the year 2012 stood out as an outlier in several states, suggesting unique crop conditions during that period. Based on the established relationships between NIRv peak and yield, we predicted crop yield data for 2022 and evaluated the accuracy of the predictions using the Root Mean Square Percentage Error (RMSPE). Our findings indicate the potential of NIRv peak in estimating crop yield at the county level, with varying accuracy across different counties.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
• /
• no.12
• /
• pp.47-50
• /
• 1970

There are many factors affecting the development of sericultural industry in Korea. The setting of a rational pricing system for sericultural products is one of important activities of the Korean Government to improve the incentives to producers. The determination o： the prices for many years were based on the production costs including a certain level of profits. Some of cost items are in conflict both in cocoon producers and silk-reeling industries. Government officials have to evaluate these conflicting problems and estimate the consequences of their decisions. In this situation the final decision often became political decisions. This analysis is aimed at providing an alternative method of setting the prices of sericultural products. The criteria of the equilibrium employed in this analysis are based on economic principle which equilibrium condition is determined by the relationships between the marginal productivity of input factors and factor prices. In order to obtain the related information Cobb-Douglas'functions were fitted using KIST computer and data were obtained mostly from the Bank of Korea and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestru, An important assumption is that "Opportunity Costs" of factors input in both cocoon production and silk-Peeling industries are same, The major finding s obtained are as followings. 1) The sum of coefficient of production elastisity in silk-reeling industries is greater than one. Silk-reeling industries are operating under the situation of increasing return to scale and it is, therefore, expected to develop the industries as the capital-intensive large scale. 2) The cocoon producing farmers are under the situations of the decreasing return to scale and it is expected to continue their cocoon farming as the labor-intensive small scale, assuming the present level of production technology. As the development of commercial farming, the resources input in cocoon production will be shifted to the production for higher profitable crops, 3) The price elastisity of production is higher in cocoon production than in silk-reeling industries. It is expected that the price changing effects on domestic production will be resulted from cocoon producers. 4) Based on analysis results of marginal productivities and the opportunity costs of resources, cocoon price for meeting equilibrium price condition is to be increased by 8-16 percent or standard price level of silk increased by 6-8 percent. There were the possibilities of over evaluation on opportunity cost of resources input in silk-reeling industries, or income transfered from the farmers to the industries. It is recommended that the prices for meeting equilibrium price conditions are to be determined by 72 percent for cocoon and 28 percent for silk-reeling costs, based on standard level of the exporting prices.

• Weed & Turfgrass Science
• /
• v.2 no.1
• /
• pp.38-46
• /
• 2013

With increasing environmental issues from synthetic chemical herbicides, microbe-originated herbicides could be a fascinating alternative in current agriculture. We isolated Streptomyces strains that produced herbicidal active metabolite(s) against a grass weed Digitaria sanguinalis. According to the result from 16S rDNA sequence comparison with the close strains, the best isolate (Code name MS-80673) was identified as Streptomyces scopuliridis KR-001. The closest type strain was Streptomyces scopuliridis RB72 which was previously reported as a bacteriocin producer. The optimal culture condition of S. scopuliridis KR-001 was $28^{\circ}C$, pH 7.0 and culture period 4 to7 days. Both of soil and foliar application of the crude culture broth concentrate was effective on several troublesome or noxious weed species such as a Sciyos angulatus in a greenhouse and field condition. Phytotoxic symptoms of the culture broth concentrate of S. scopuliridis KR-001 by foliar application were wilting and burndown of leaves, and stems followed by discoloration and finally plant death. In crops such as rice, wheat, barley, hot pepper and tomato, growth inhibition was observed. These results suggest that the new S. scopuliridis KR-001 strain producing herbicidal metabolites may be a new bio-herbicide candidate and/or may provide a new lead molecule for a more efficient herbicide.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
• /
• v.65 no.4
• /
• pp.436-446
• /
• 2020

In this study, we verified the effects of organic amendment application based on soil testing in potato cultivation. The application rate of organic amendments was determined based on the inorganicization rate of nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potassium in the organic amendments. There was no significant difference in the length, stalk number, stalk diameter, and leaf color of potato plants under organic amendment application compared with those under chemical fertilization. The quantity of potato tubers and yield of marketable tubers under organic amendment application were higher than those under chemical fertilization. The top fresh weight and top-to-root ratio were the highest under organic amendment application, followed by those under chemical fertilization and the control. The inorganic nitrogen content in the leaves and stems of potato plants was the highest under chemical fertilization. There was no difference in the phosphoric acid content between the potatoes under chemical fertilization and those under organic amendment application. The potassium content in potatoes was higher under chemical fertilization than that under organic amendment application. While the change trend of inorganic nitrogen content in the roots was similar to that in the leaves and stems, the potatoes under organic amendment application, with the highest yield, showed the highest dry weight. The tuber weight showed a positive correlation with plant length, stalk number, and stalk diameter. The higher the weight of the tuber, the higher the weight of the marketable tuber, and the higher the top fresh weight, the higher the yield. Therefore, to increase yield, it is necessary to supply nutrients to improve the top fresh weight to the optimal level. There was no difference in the utilization efficiency of nitrogen and potassium between the potatoes under chemical fertilization and those under organic amendment application. The utilization efficiency of phosphoric acid was increased by 0.1% in potatoes under organic amendment application compared with that under other treatments. Regarding soil chemistry after harvest, the soils under organic amendment application showed a higher electrical conductivity and higher nitrogen and phosphoric acid content than those under other treatments. Therefore, the organic amendment method used in this study can be an alternative to chemical fertilization. It is also advantageous for the cultivation of subsequent crops in potato fields.

• Analytical Science and Technology
• /
• v.8 no.1
• /
• pp.91-99
• /
• 1995

One of alternative conventional technologies used for treatment of livestock wastes is composting process, and recently some mechanical composting processes are being practiced. It is, however, recognized the composting process also has its own limitations such as longer time requirement, and difficulties to estimate the degree of decomposition, etc. The incomplete compost contains potentially harmful materials to crops and public health due to instabilized organic contents and pathogenic organisms. The purpose of this investigation is to develop an innovative system whereby anxious livestock wastes are thoroughly stabilized and disinfected. Thus the overall management scheme should meet the following requirements. 1. A system should be in a cost-effective and environmentally sound manner. 2. Sludges must be chemically stabilized and bacteriologically safe. 3. Odor-free by product should be applied to crop land. 4. Sludges are sources of fertilizer nutrients and/or soil amendments to enhance crop production. 5. And they can be used as potential pH adjusting agent of the acidified soils. Overall effectiveness of the developed system is experimentally tested to satisfy the preset criteria and requirements. Major experiments are divided into four categories: they are 1. chemical stability test, 2. optimal condition test of stabilization process, 3. bacteriological examination and disinfection tests, and 4. deodorization tests The stabilization process is consisted of the stabilizing reaction process and the drying process. Stabilized wastes is dried by both sun dryer and rotary dryer. It is shown that an additive dosage of about g/kg solid in wastes with a minimum of 5-minutes reaction would be necessary for effective stabilization reaction. The stabilization process is consisted of the stabilizing reaction process and drying process. Stabilized wastes are dried by both sun dryer and rotary dryer. It is shown that an additive dosage of about 300g/kg solid in wastes with a minimum of 5-minutes reaction would be necessary for effective stabilization reaction. In the stabilization reaction process, the pH of wastes is lowered from initial values of 12.3 to 8.6. High pH prevents odor production and kills pathogenic organisms. Organic matter contents in the stabilized wastes are about 50% and the sum of contents of fertilizer elements such as total nitrogen, $P_2O_5$ and $K_2O$ are about 5.3%. The livestock wastes that are stabilized chemically and hygienically can be used as a good soil conditioner and/or organic fertilizer.

• The Journal of the Korean Institute of Forest Recreation
• /
• v.22 no.4
• /
• pp.11-22
• /
• 2018

This study analyzes the economic feasibility on the transition of production structure to increase income for a local forest village in Laos PDR. The study area was the Nongboua village in Sangthong district where the primary product is rice from rice paddy. Possible strategies were considered to increase the villagers' revenue, and Noni (Morinda citrifolia) was production in the short-term. We assumed that the project period was for 20 years for the analysis, and a total of 1,100 Noni tree was planted in 1 ha by $3m{\times}3m$ spacing. This study classified basic scenario one, scenario two, scenario three by the survival rate and purchase pirce of Noni. Generally Noni grows well. However, the seedlings' average survival rate (= production volume) was set up conservatively in this study to consider potential risks such as no production experience of Noni and tree disease. The scenario one assumed that the survival rate of Noni seedlings was 50% for 0-1 years, 60% for 0-2 years, and 70% for 3-20 years; the scenario two, 10% less, i.e., 40%, 50%, and 60%; and the scenario three, 10% less, i.e., 40%, 50%, 60% and purchase price 10% less, i.e., $0.29 to $0.26, respectively. Our analysis showed that all 3 scenarios resulted in economically-feasible IRR (internal rate of return) of 24.81%, 19.02%, and 16.30% of with a discounting rate of 10%. The B/C (benefit/cost) ratio for a unit area (1ha) was also analyzed for the three scenarios with a discounting rate of 10%, resutling in the B/C ratio of 1.71, 1.47, and 1.31. The study results showed that the Nongboua village would have a good opportunity to improve its low-income structure through planting and managing alternative crops such as Noni. Also the results can be used as useful decision-making information at a preliminary analysis level for planning other government and public investment projects for the Nonboua village.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
• /
• v.25 no.4
• /
• pp.33-47
• /
• 2022

Wild boars(Sus scrofa) are expanding their range of behavior as their habitats change. Appearing in urban centers and private houses, it caused various social problems, including damage to crops. In order to prevent damage and effectively manage wild boars, there is a need for ecological research considering the characteristics and movement characteristics of wild boars. The purpose of this study is to analyze home range and identify land cover types in key areas through tracking wild boars, and to predict the movement connectivity of wild boars in consideration of previous studies and their preferred land use characteristics. In this study, from January to June 2021, four wild boars were captured and tracked in Jinju city, Gyeongsangnam-do, and the preferred land cover type of wild boars was identified based on the MCP 100%, KDE 95%, and KDE 50% results. As a result of the analysis of the home range for each individual, it was found that 100% of MCP was about 0.68km², 2.77km², 2.42km², and 0.16km², and the three individuals overlapped the home range, refraining from habitat movement and staying in the preferred area. The core areas were analyzed as about 0.55km², 2.05km², 0.82km², and 0.14km² with KDE 95%., and about 0.011km², 0.033km², 0.004km², and 0.003km² with KDE 50%. When the preferred land cover type of wild boar was confirmed based on the results of analysis of the total home range area and core area that combined all individuals, forests were 55.49% (MCP 100%), 54.00% (KDE 95%), 77.69% (KDE 50%), respectively, with the highest ratio, and the urbanization area, grassland, and agricultural area were relatively high. A connectivity scenario was constructed in which the ratio of the land cover type preferred by the analyzed wild boar was reflected as a weight for the resistance value of the connectivity analysis, and this was compared with the connectivity evaluation results analyzed based on previous studies and wild boar characteristics. When the current density values for the wild boar movement data were compared, the average value of the existing scenario was 2.76, the minimum 1.12, and the maximum 4.36, and the weighted scenario had an average value of 2.84, the minimum 0.96, and the maximum 4.65. It was confirmed that, on average, the probability of movement predictability was about 2.90% better even though the weighted scenario had movement restrictions due to large resistance values. It is expected that the identification of the movement route through the movement connectivity analysis of wild boars can be suggested as an alternative to prevent damage by predicting the point of appearance. In the future, when analyzing the connectivity of species including wild boar, it is judged that it will be effective to use movement data on actual species.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
• /
• v.25 no.3
• /
• pp.142-150
• /
• 2023

As global warming continues, the time of invasion of Spodoptera frugiperda has been advanced and the inflow rate has been increasing, leading to great increases in damage to crops. In this study, in order to minimize crop damage caused by S. frugiperda, the control period was set for corn fields through control thresholds, and the control effects according to the chemical spraying methods were investigated in forage corn filed. Even under the condition of 4% injury level during the corn silking stage, the damage rate of ear was 70%, showing an aspect of extensive damage. The economic injury level of S. frugiperda second instar larvae was shown to be 0.7 larvae per stalk, and the control threshold level was shown to be 0.6 larvae. The income was calculated by applying the corn wholesale unit price, and according to the result, even under the condition of injury level of 4%, there was a loss of KRW 895,221/10a, and the higher the injury level, the greater the decrease in income. To control S. frugiperda, the insecticidal effects of 10 single formulations registered for S. frugiperda were tested, and according to the results, four types(emamectin benzoate, chlorantraniliprole, indoxacarb, and spinetoram) showed high insecticidal activity not lower than 93.3%, and three types (chloran- traniliprole, spinetoram, and indoxacarb) were considered to be effective in controlling S. frugiperda as they showed high residual effects through insecticidal effect persistence tests. Therefore, conventional control and aerial control were conducted twice at 7-day intervals with indoxacarb SC and chlorantraniliprol WP, which show high activity against S. frugiperda, respectively, prior to the silking of forage corn. As a result, conventional control showed higher control values, 46.3%p in the case of indoxacarb SC and 21.7%p in the case of chlorantraniliprol WP, than aerial control through the primary control. In the secondary control too, higher control values of 26.7%p in the case of indoxacarb SC and 40.4%p in the case of chlorantraniliprol WP were found in conventional control than in aerial control. Therefore, it is considered necessary to prepare measures to improve the control effects in the recent situation where alternative methods for manpower control are widely used.

• KDI Journal of Economic Policy
• /
• v.12 no.3
• /
• pp.27-45
• /
• 1990

Two opposing views prevail regarding the economic impact of rural out-migration on the rural areas of origin. The optimistic neoclassical view argues that rapid rural out-migration is not detrimental to the income and welfare of the rural areas of origin, whereas Lipton (1980) argues the opposite. We developed our own alternative model for rural to urban migration, appropriate for rapidly developing economies such as Korea's. This model, which adopts international trade theories of nontraded goods and Dutch Disease to rural to urban migration issues, argues that rural to urban migration is caused mainly by two factors: first, the unprofitability of farming, and second, the decrease in demand for rural nontraded goods and the increase in demand for urban nontraded goods. The unprofitability of farming is caused by the increase in rural wages, which is induced by increasing urban wages in booming urban manufacturing sectors, and by the fact that the cost increases in farming cannot be shifted to consumers, because farm prices are fixed worldwide and because the income demand elasticity for farm products is very low. The demand for nontraded goods decreases in rural and increases in urban areas because population density and income in urban areas increase sharply, while those in rural areas decrease sharply, due to rapid rural to urban migration. Given that the market structure for nontraded goods-namely, service sectors including educational and health facilities-is mostly in monopolistically competitive, and that the demand for nontraded goods comes only from local sources, the urban service sector enjoys economies of scale, and can thus offer services at cheaper prices and in greater variety, whereas the rural service sector cannot enjoy the advantages offered by scale economies. Our view concerning the economic impact of rural to urban migration on rural areas of origin agrees with Lipton's pessimistic view that rural out-migration is detrimental to the income and welfare of rural areas. However, our reasons for the reduction of rural income are different from those in Lipton's model. Lipton argued that rural income and welfare deteriorate mainly because of a shortage of human capital, younger workers and talent resulting from selective rural out-migration. Instead, we believe that rural income declines, first, because a rapid rural-urban migration creates a further shortage of farm labor supplies and increases rural wages, and thus reduces further the profitability of farming and, second, because a rapid rural-urban migration causes a further decline of the rural service sectors. Empirical tests of our major hypotheses using Korean census data from 1966, 1970, 1975, 1980 and 1985 support our own model much more than the neoclassical or Lipton's models. A kun (county) with a large out-migration had a smaller proportion of younger working aged people in the population, and a smaller proportion of highly educated workers. But the productivity of farm workers, measured in terms of fall crops (rice) purchased by the government per farmer or per hectare of irrigated land, did not decline despite the loss of these youths and of human capital. The kun having had a large out-migration had a larger proportion of the population in the farm sector and a smaller proportion in the service sector. The kun having had a large out-migration also had a lower income measured in terms of the proportion of households receiving welfare payments or the amount of provincial taxes paid per household. The lower incomes of these kuns might explain why the kuns that experienced a large out-migration had difficulty in mechanizing farming. Our policy suggestions based on the tests of the currently prevailing hypotheses are as follows: 1) The main cause of farming difficulties is not a lack of human capital, but the in­crease in production costs due to rural wage increases combined with depressed farm output prices. Therefore, a more effective way of helping farm economies is by increasing farm output prices. However, we are not sure whether an increase in farm output prices is desirable in terms of efficiency. 2) It might be worthwhile to attempt to increase the size of farmland holdings per farm household so that the mechanization of farming can be achieved more easily. 3) A kun with large out-migration suffers a deterioration in income and welfare. Therefore, the government should provide a form of subsidization similar to the adjustment assistance provided for international trade. This assistance should not be related to the level of farm output. Otherwise, there is a possibility that we might encourage farm production which would not be profitable in the absence of subsidies. 4) Government intervention in agricultural research and its dissemination, and large-scale social overhead projects in rural areas, carried out by the Korean government, might be desirable from both efficiency and equity points of view. Government interventions in research are justified because of the problems associated with the appropriation of knowledge, and government actions on large-scale projects are justified because they required collective action.