New development: Eight and a half propositions to stimulate frugal innovation

This article distills some key ideas and practices which research indicates can stimulate innovation in public services in thrifty ways. Some propositions may be surprising, given the conventional wisdom about innovation. The propositions are intended to provoke policy-makers, public managers and academics, challenging thinking and encouraging new approaches to innovation.     

小议玉米种子的贮藏方法及检查措施

玉米种子安全储藏的关键是提高入库质量,降低种子水分。玉米种子储藏有穗藏法和粒藏法两种,各地可根据气候条件、仓房条件和种子质量选择采用。相对湿度低于80%的地区以穗藏为宜,相对湿度超过80%的地区,则以粒藏为宜。那么,如何对玉米种子进行贮藏是至关重要的。实践证明,玉米种子的安全贮藏很重要,但也很难。为此,本文针对玉米种子贮藏技术进行简要探讨。     

浅谈芹菜的高产栽培技术

芹菜是伞形花科、二年生的草本植物,又名芹、药芹、蒲芹。芹菜可分为四季栽培,里面含有丰富的矿物质、盐类、维生素和芹菜油,营养丰富,具芳香味,能增进食欲,又能降低血压、健脑和清肠利便的作用,所以,深受消费者的喜爱,并且栽培技术不难,因此,我们为栽培技术提供了以下一些参考。     

我国蔬菜种业发展进程的政府与企业功用:鲁省个案

山东寿光蔬菜种业发展经验显示,种业内部专业化分工正在不断加快,但我国种子研发仍主要依赖于外资种业企业,种业价值链构成也不均衡。面对这种种业格局,政府已在政策、资金、人才等方面采取多种措施,但作为市场主体的种业企业在创新能力、经营水平和农业社会化服务功能等方面仍然处于较低层次。要扭转我国蔬菜种业的被动局面、增强种业环节的农业社会化服务功能,政府、种业企业、科研单位等多方主体应共同参与,在进一步完善扶持政策的基础上,优化种业布局,强化自主研发能力,逐步形成符合我国农业现代化特色的种业发展新模式。     

The economics of adventitious presence thresholds in the EU seed market

Since settling on its mandatory labeling rules for genetically modified (GM) foods in the late 1990s, the European Commission has considered a number of times setting tolerance levels (thresholds) for the accidental presence of GM material in conventional seeds. In every case, it has opted to defer the decision. In the absence of such thresholds, current European labeling laws require that seeds be labeled as GM if they contain any detectable trace of GMOs approved for cultivation in the EU. Conventional seeds with detectable traces of GMOs that have not been authorized for cultivation cannot be sold in the European market altogether. As the acreage of GM crops has continued to grow at a fast pace around the world, industry calls to the EU Commission for setting “practical” adventitious presence (AP) thresholds for conventional seeds in the EU have multiplied. In this paper, we examine the economics of alternative AP thresholds for conventional seeds in Europe from the perspective of those who must comply with the regulation – EU seed firms. Specifically, we first examine the operational changes that might be necessary for seed firms to comply with alternative AP thresholds for conventional seeds. Then, we analyze the associated market uncertainties, compliance costs and their implications on firm and industry competitiveness.     

On Solving the Multirotational Timber Harvesting Problem with Stochastic Prices: A Linear Complementarity Formulation

This article develops a two-factor real options model of the harvesting decision over infinite rotations assuming a known stochastic price process and using a rigorous Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman methodology. The harvesting problem is formulated as a linear complementarity problem that is solved numerically using a fully implicit finite difference method. This approach is contrasted with the Markov decision process models commonly used in the literature. The model is used to estimate the value of a representative stand in Ontario's boreal forest, both when there is complete flexibility regarding harvesting time and when regulations dictate the harvesting date.     

浅谈山西省杨树局种苗产业发展

文章分析了山西省杨树局面临的机遇和发展种苗产业的优势。提出了杨树局应抓住全社会重视生态建设的机遇,充分发挥实验局土地、人才、科技、资源、市场等优势,根据各林场的立地条件,分区经营,打造龙头企业,带动多种形式,大力发展种苗产业。     

Welfare Impacts of Intellectual Property Protection in the Seed Industry

We examine the welfare impact of different intellectual property protection (IPP) regimes in private sector seed research and development (R&D). We take into account the period after expiration of legal IPP, and require simultaneous equilibrium in markets for R&D, seeds, and final product. Optimal IPP is remarkably insensitive to alternative parameterizations, except for R&D productivity. Results suggest that optimal IPP is greater than IPP in the U.S. seed corn market, but lower than the IPP that could be attained with genetic use restriction technologies. Optimal IPP is much higher than IPP achieved under open-pollinated crops or where legal IPP is limited.     

Information Barriers to Adoption of Agricultural Technologies: Willingness to Pay for Certified Seed of an Open Pollinated Maize Variety in Northern Uganda

We examine smallholder farmers’ willingness to pay for agricultural technology and whether information is a constraint to adoption of certified maize seed in Northern Uganda. The uptake of improved maize varieties by smallholder farmers in Uganda remains persistently low, despite the higher yield potential compared to traditional varieties. A recently growing body of literature identifies information constraints as a potential barrier to adoption of agricultural technologies. We used incentive compatible Becker‐DeGroot‐Marschak auctions to elicit willingness to pay for quality assured improved maize seed by 1,009 smallholder farmers, and conducted a randomised evaluation to test the effect of an information intervention on farmers’ knowledge of seed certification. Our results show that the randomised information treatment enhanced farmers’ knowledge of certified seed. However, using the information treatment as an instrumental variable for knowledge, we find no evidence of a causal effect of knowledge on willingness to pay, suggesting that even though farmers are information constrained, this constraint does not affect adoption of certified seed directly. Nevertheless, only 14% of sampled farmers were willing to pay the market price, which corresponds closely with actual observed demand for certified seed in the previous season. This suggests that there are other barriers to adoption than information and awareness.     

油脂定性试验菜籽油中棉籽油检出测量不确定度评定的探讨

探讨油脂定性试验——菜籽油中棉籽油检出测量不确定度的评定。用已知棉籽油含量的菜籽油进行检测分析测量过程的不确定度分量,合成相对不确定度(Uc)=18.21%。选择与被测样色泽接近的油脂加标对照,可以有效提高测定准确性。