Application of Benford's law in agricultural production statistics

The importance of food supply throughout the world has once again shown its significance in the COVID-19 pandemic period. A continuous food supply is possible with correct agricultural programming. An effective agricultural product programming can only be possible by obtaining precise agricultural data. However, it is very difficult to gather accurate agricultural production statistics from all over the world and confirm their accuracy. In this study, the compatibility of the production statistics of six important agricultural products (wheat, rice, potato, onion, banana, apple) which had been collected from local sources, and had published as opensource by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, with Benford's law was examined for the first time. Data for the last two decades are used to ignore the impact of annual fluctuations. The compatibility of theoretically expected and observed data was tested by Chi-square (X2) and Mean Absolute Deviation (MAD) tests. Although inconsistencies were found in some data by examining the numbers in the first, second, and first two digits, in general, the MAD test results gave a mostly concordant result.

Effect of coronavirus (COVID-19) on production of spices and its economy in Bangladesh

Coronavirus was detected in Bangladesh first time on March 8, 2020 officially. But Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), first reported in December 2019 from Wuhan in China, had reached the stage of a pandemic. This study was conducted to know the effects of spices against Covid-19 disease, impact of Covid-19 on agro-economy of spices crop and point out of mitigating of spices problem in Bangladesh. Major production of spices was severely affected, causing raw material shortages to the spice production of Bangladesh. Major for spices crop problem were shortages caused by the migration of the workforce due to lockdown. Continuing operation on the industry floor, in the midst of social distancing, and ensuring safety of the spices production, was also a major issue. Although the entire sectors were hit by the economic disruptions, the small-scale spice producers and processors most severely affected. The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and the prolonged lockdown have made thousands of farmers, labours and traders feel the pinch of a falling spices yield and sale. Increased production cost of onion, chilli, garlic, ginger, turmeric, coriander and black cumin due to Covid-19 situation over normal situation were 10.33, 9.54, 9.04, 11.46, 9.58, 6.21 and 7.21%, respectively. Market price of onion, chilli, garlic, ginger, turmeric, coriander and black cumin were also increased 5.00, 3.90, 1.39, 3.13, 1.40, 1.25 and 2.67 times, respectively, due to the influence of Covid-19.

IN SILICO STUDY REVEALED THE ANTI-VIRAL POTENCY OF Allium cepa BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS INHIBIT M-PRO SARS-COV-2 PROTEIN

A zoonotic disease called COVID-19 was initially spread from animals to people. SARS-CoV-2, as opposed to SARS, was a pandemic that resulted in about 274,676,729 cases globally. Numerous studies have looked into potential novel treatments for COVID-19 infection. In this study, 16 phytochemicals from Allium cepa L. were examined in silico for their potential to bind to the primary protease of COVID-19 (PDB ID: 6LU7). Lipinski's rules are used to choose the ligands. Protein protease's (Mpro) Cys-145 and His-41 are its active sites. The chosen ligands are examined using molecular docking with PyRx and Vina Wizard and 2D visualization with LigPlot+. Selected ligands' binding energy value will be contrasted with hydroxychloroquine as a control. According to the results, the compounds luteolin (CID: 5280445), isorhamnetin (CID: 5281654), and apigenin (CID: 5280443), which had binding energies of 7.4, 7.2, and -7 kcal/mol, respectively, become potential COVID-19 inhibitors. These substances have higher binding energies than the control, hydroxychloroquine (CID: 3652), which has a lower binding energy (-6 kcal/mol). Due to its important pharmacokinetic features, luteolin demonstrated the best binding efficacy to Mpro, enabling the development of new drugs. © 2022 Malaysian Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. All rights reserved.

TARGETING THE MAIN PROTEASE AND THE SPIKE PROTEIN OF SARS-CoV-2 WITH NATURALLY OCCURRING COMPOUNDS FROM SOME CAMEROONIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS: AN IN-SILICO STUDY FOR DRUG DESIGNING

Despite the social distancing and hygiene rules prescribed by the WHO, the novel Corona-virus is still on the way of a significant rapid rise in deaths. Therefore, identification of chemotherapeutic drugs against Corona Viral Infection all around the world is still requires. Some medicinal plants have a valuable therapeutic effect when mixt with honey, the obtained formulations are preliminary use in Cameroon against viral infection particularly respiratory infections. In this work, we looked for the potential anti-SARS-CoV-2 molecule throw execution of in silico computational studies of six Cameroonian plants intervening in the treatment respiratory infections in apiphytotherapy. AutoDock Vina was used for docking studies against SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) and spike (SP) proteins. We further conducted of pharmacokinetics properties and the safety profile of compounds with the top score in order to identify the best drug candidates. Totally 100 compounds were screened, of these, eighteen showed high binding affinity against SARS-CoV-2 Mpro and SP. The results suggest the effectiveness of compounds 10 and 17 obtained from Citrus Sinensis as potent drugs against SARS-CoV-2 as they tightly bind to its Mpro and SP with low binding energies. The stability of the two compounds complexed with Mpro and SP was validated through MD simulation. The availability of potent protein inhibitors and diverse of compounds from Cameroon flora scaffolds indicate the feasibility of developing potent Mpro and SP proteins inhibitors as antivirals for COVID-19. Based on further in vivo and in vitro experiments and clinical trials, some of these phytoconstituents could be proposed for effective inhibition of the replication of the SARS-CoV-2.

Impact of COVID-19 lockdown on prices of potato and onion in metropolitan cities of India. (Special Issue: COVID-19 in Agricultural and Development Economics.)

Purpose: This study focuses on accessing the impact of lockdown implemented to curb the pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on prices of potato and onion crops using the time series analysis techniques. Design/methodology/approach: The present study uses secondary price series data for both crops. Along with the study of percent increase or decrease, the time series analysis techniques of autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) and generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity (GARCH), as well as machine learning;neural network autoregressive (NNAR) models were used to model the prices. For the purpose of comparison, the data from past years were taken as the period of normalcy. The behaviour of the forecasts for the normal periods and during the pandemic based on respective datasets was compared. Findings: The results show that there was an unprecedented rise in prices during the months of lockdown. It could be attributed to the decline in arrivals due to several reasons like issues with transportation and labour availability. Also, towards the end of lockdown (May 2020), the prices seemed to decrease. Such a drop could be attributed to the relaxations in lockdown and reduced demand. The study also discusses that how some unique approaches like e-marketing, localized resource development for attaining self-sufficiency and developing transport chain, especially, for agriculture could help in such a situation of emergency. Research limitations/implications: A more extensive study could be conducted to mark the factors specifically that caused the increase in price. Originality/value: The study clearly marks that the prices of the crops increased more than expectations using time series methods. Also, it surveys the prevailing situation through available resources to link up the reasons behind it.

The prices of perishable food commodities in India: the impact of the lockdown

Onions, potatoes, and tomatoes constitute an important component of the Indian diet. The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 forced the government to impose a lockdown from 25 March to 31 May. This paper uses granular data to assess the impact of the lockdown on the daily arrivals and wholesale prices of these commodities at three metropolitan markets. The impact was significant and negative on the quantity traded, and positive on prices, but the heterogeneity across commodities and markets was considerable.

Shallot (Allium cepa L.) Planted In The Ts-of-RAMSAR-Classification Ecosystem Is Still Beneficial In The COVID-19 Treatment

Rich in quercetin, shallot (Allium cepa L.) use is beneficial in controlling the COVID-19 pandemic since effective vaccines and pharmacotherapy are still in development. The study aimed to characterize functional groups of shallot tubers planted in the inorganic soil of the seasonal freshwater-wetland (IS-SFW)/Ts-of-RAMSAR-classification ecosystem. The shallot tubers that grew in IS-SFW for 60 days were manually harvested, sun-dried for seven days, and stored for two months before been pressed to produce sample juices. The peaks of wavenumber resulted from FTIR analysis were compared to the infrared database to determine possibly functional groups. The findings showed spectra changed in the fingerprint but not in the mid-IR other regions, indicated the IS-SFW did not affect functional groups beneficial in the COVID-19 treatment. The study concluded that shallot planted in IS-SFW is still beneficial in the COVID-19 treatment.

Analysis of the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the prices of basic food sold in traditional markets: the case of Jakarta province, Indonesia

The purpose of this study was to analyze the development and fluctuation of basic food prices in traditional markets in Jakarta before and during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. The study used performance reports from the Indonesian Central Statistical Institute (BPS), National Center for Food Price Information (PHPI), various government agencies, the latest news from reliable online media, and similar studies. The scope of the research focused on the development of basic food prices in traditional markets from January 2019 to May 2021 in Jakarta, Indonesia. The basic food prices discussed in this study were shallots, rice, red chili, and garlic. Results showed that, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the price fluctuations of shallots in the traditional markets of Jakarta was not significant. During the COVID-19 pandemic, rice prices remained stable due to the government's welfare program. The price of red chili in traditional markets tended to decrease due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The COVID-19 pandemic caused fluctuations in garlic prices in traditional markets in Jakarta, and this was because garlic imports from China faced logistical difficulties.

Potential immunomodulatory and antiviral food effect in the context of COVID-19 pandemic

Background: Up to date drug-based treatments for COVID-19 have not been approved. The most effective way to face this public health problem is prevention with adequate nutrition, hygiene, and protection measures. Food has historically been used by people to improve their nutrition and complement the treatment or prevention of diseases. The various bioactive compounds of some foods are known, which in experimental studies demonstrated their antiviral and immunomodulatory action.

Comparative investigation of toxicity induced by UV-A and UV-C radiation using Allium test.

Organisms are increasingly exposed to ultraviolet (UV) rays of sunlight, due to the thinning of the ozone layer and its widespread use in sterilization processes, especially against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The present study was conducted with the purpose of evaluating the damages of UV-A and UV-C radiations in Allium cepa L. roots. The effects of two different types of UV on some physiological, biochemical, cytogenotoxic, and anatomical parameters were investigated in a multifaceted study. Three groups were formed from Allium bulbs, one of which was the control group. One of the other groups was exposed to 254 nm (UV-C) and the other to 365 nm (UV-A) UV. Growth retardation effect of UV was investigated with respect to germination percentage, total weight gain, and root elongation, while cytogenotoxicity arisen from UV exposure was analyzed using mitotic index (MI) and chromosomal aberration (CA) and micronucleus (MN) frequency. Oxidative stress due to UV application was investigated based on the accumulation of malondialdehyde (MDA) and the total activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) enzymes. Also, anatomical changes induced by UV-A and UV-C were analyzed in root meristematic cells. UV treatments caused significant reductions in growth-related parameters. Both UV treatments caused a significant increase in MDA levels and induction of SOD and CAT enzymes in root meristematic cells. A decrease in MI and an increase in the frequency of MN and CAs were observed in root tip cells, indicating the cytogenotoxic effect of UV application. Anatomical damages such as epidermis cell damage, cortex cell damage, necrotic zones, giant cell nucleus, and indistinct transmission tissue occurred in cells exposed to UV. All of the physiological, biochemical, cytogenetic, and anatomical damages observed in this study were more severe in cells treated with UV-C compared to UV-A. This study suggested that UV exposure triggered growth inhibition, cytogenotoxicity, oxidative stress, and meristematic cell damages in A. cepa roots depending on the wavelength.

Vegetable value chains during the COVID- 19 pandemic in Ethiopia: evidence from cascading value chain surveys before and during the pandemic

The researchers combine in-person survey data collected in February 2020 (i.e., just before the pandemic was declared) with phone survey data collected in March 2021 (i.e., one year into the pandemic) and August 2021 (i.e., approximately 18 months into the pandemic) to study how vegetable value chains in Ethiopia have coped with the COVID-19 pandemic. Focusing on the major vegetable value chain connecting farmers in East Shewa zone to consumers in Addis Ababa, the researchers applied a cascading survey approach in which the researchers collected data at all levels of the value chain: vegetable farmers, urban wholesalers, and retailers. In March 2021 and August 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic is having only a limited impact on this major vegetable value chain. Farmers' access to credit, labor or extension services have not markedly changed since the pre-pandemic period in February 2020. The main concern among farmers relates to the soaring prices of key inputs with prices of key fertilizers having increased by more than 40 percent between February 2020 and March 2021. Among the many pandemic related policy adjustments was the relocation of the wholesale vegetable market from a crowded area in the city center to the outskirts of Addis Ababa. Most wholesale traders viewed that while the pandemic itself has had a limited impact on their business activity, the re-location of the wholesale market had a considerably larger negative impact. Most wholesaler traders reported that they are trading less vegetables and have fewer clients to sell in March 2021 compared to the situation in February 2020. Almost all of these wholesaler traders identified the re-location of the vegetable wholesale market to the outskirts of Addis Ababa as the primary reason for the declined sales and clientele, and thus, as a major concern for their trading activities. The urban retailers seem to have been relatively more affected by the pandemic than farmers and wholesalers, although many reported to have also been negatively affected by the relocation of the wholesale market. Out of the 210 retailers interviewed in February 2020, 32 had quit their business by August 2021. Out of these 32 traders that quit, only 4 responded that the pandemic was the main factor for quitting, 9 responded at it was a factor while the remaining 19 responded that the pandemic played no role in their decision to quit. In March 2021, nearly two-thirds of the retailers reported that there is less choice with respect to transporters from wholesale markets compared to the situation in February 2020. Nearly 80 percent of retailers who reported a decrease in choice of transporters, said that the change was due to the re-location of the wholesale market, while 19 percent said it was due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The researchers document considerable volatility in prices and marketing margins using four rounds of vegetable price data collected at all levels of the value chain. For instance, onion prices soared during the first months of the pandemic when imports from Sudan came to halt. Encouraged by these price increases, many farmers began allocating more land to onions. This, together with important markets being closed because of instability and conflict in some parts of the country, led to a considerable oversupply of onions in Addis Ababa which in turn resulted a sizable drop in farm gate and final consumer prices between May 2020 and February 2021. Combined with soaring input costs, these plummeting onion prices must have led to considerable losses among farmers. This price volatility was identified by many farmers, wholesalers, and retailers as the most pressing concern to their farming or trading activities. Finally, the researchers attempted to estimate post-harvest losses along the vegetable value chain. Using the data from the March-2021 survey round, the largest losses are estimated for tomato (11.5 percent), head cabbage (11.8 percent) and Ethiopia kale (10.5 percent) and lowest for green pepper (7.2 percent) and onion (2.6 percent). Interestingly, the main origin of

Development of a Rapid UHPLC-PDA Method for the Simultaneous Quantification of Flavonol Contents in Onions (Allium cepa L.).

Onion, one of the most consumed vegetables in the world, is also known to contain high levels of antioxidant compounds, with protective effects against different degenerative pathologies. Specifically, onion is rich in flavonols, mainly quercetin derivatives, which are compounds with high antioxidant and free radical scavenging power. For this reason, it is of the utmost importance to count on optimal analytical methods that allow for the determination and quantification of these compounds of interest. A rapid ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC)-photo-diode array (PDA) method for the separation of the major flavonols in onions was developed using a Box-Behnken design in conjunction with multiresponse optimization on the basis of the desirability function. The conditions that provided a successful separation were 9.9% and 53.2% of phase B at the beginning and at the end of the gradient, respectively; 55 °C column working temperature; and 0.6 mL min-1 flow rate. The complete separation was achieved in less than 2.7 min with excellent chromatographic characteristics. The method was validated, and its high precision, low detection and quantification limits, good linearity, and robustness were confirmed. The correct applicability of the method improves the analysis of the raw material, increasing the quality of onions and its subproducts in terms of bioactive compounds and functional characteristics for consumers.