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In recent years, food security, especially supply, has been an important issue in China’s agricultural production. The stability of grain prices is related to the stability and development of the grain market. Based on agricultural production data from 1970 to 2015, this paper explores the influence of agricultural product price fluctuation on grain production by using the cobweb theory and vector error correction (VEC) model. The results show that changes in grain production in China are affected by fluctuations in agricultural product prices, that the production change lags behind the price change, and that there is a long-term equilibrium relationship between grain yield and agricultural product price. A Granger causality test shows that the change in agricultural product price is the Granger cause of grain yield change.

In recent years, food security, especially supply, has been an important issue in China’s agricultural production. The stability of grain prices is related to the stability and development of the grain market. Based on agricultural production data from 1970 to 2015, this paper explores the influence of agricultural product price fluctuation on grain production by using the cobweb theory and vector error correction (VEC) model. The results show that changes in grain production in China are affected by fluctuations in agricultural product prices, that the production change lags behind the price change, and that there is a long-term equilibrium relationship between grain yield and agricultural product price. A Granger causality test shows that the change in agricultural product price is the Granger cause of grain yield change.

Root–soil mechanical interactions are of vital importance in soil reinforcement by plant roots. However, it is unclear how the angles of the roots in the soil affect the root–soil mechanical interactions. To better understand the effect of this factor on root–soil mechanical interactions, pullout tests were conducted on alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) roots with five root diameter groups (0.10–0.30 mm, 0.31–0.50 mm, 0.51–0.70 mm, 0.71–0.90 mm and 0.91–1.10 mm) and four embedding angles (30°, 45°, 60° and 90°) in sandy loam soil. Root tensile tests were also carried out to understand the process of root failure in the pullout tests. The results showed that the roots had two failure modes, slippage failure and breakage failure. The critical diameter of the two failure modes was 0.35 mm. Peak pullout force and pullout energy were positively related to the root diameter in power functions. Displacement was negatively related to the root diameter and embedding angle in exponential functions. Peak pullout force, root–soil friction coefficient and pullout energy all increased and then decreased with increasing embedding angles. The peak pullout force and root–soil friction coefficient reached their maximum values under an embedding angle of 60°, and pullout energy reached the maximum value under an embedding angle of 45°. Pullout energy was suggested as a preferred index of root–soil mechanical interactions for both thick/fine roots and inclined/upright roots.

Root–soil mechanical interactions are of vital importance in soil reinforcement by plant roots. However, it is unclear how the angles of the roots in the soil affect the root–soil mechanical interactions. To better understand the effect of this factor on root–soil mechanical interactions, pullout tests were conducted on alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) roots with five root diameter groups (0.10–0.30 mm, 0.31–0.50 mm, 0.51–0.70 mm, 0.71–0.90 mm and 0.91–1.10 mm) and four embedding angles (30°, 45°, 60° and 90°) in sandy loam soil. Root tensile tests were also carried out to understand the process of root failure in the pullout tests. The results showed that the roots had two failure modes, slippage failure and breakage failure. The critical diameter of the two failure modes was 0.35 mm. Peak pullout force and pullout energy were positively related to the root diameter in power functions. Displacement was negatively related to the root diameter and embedding angle in exponential functions. Peak pullout force, root–soil friction coefficient and pullout energy all increased and then decreased with increasing embedding angles. The peak pullout force and root–soil friction coefficient reached their maximum values under an embedding angle of 60°, and pullout energy reached the maximum value under an embedding angle of 45°. Pullout energy was suggested as a preferred index of root–soil mechanical interactions for both thick/fine roots and inclined/upright roots.

Flash floods are one of the most serious natural disasters, and have a significant impact on economic development. In this study, we employed the spatiotemporal analysis method to measure the spatial–temporal distribution of flash floods and examined the relationship between flash floods and driving factors in different subregions of landcover. Furthermore, we analyzed the response of flash floods on the economic development by sensitivity analysis. The results indicated that the number of flash floods occurring annually increased gradually from 1949 to 2015, and regions with a high quantity of flash floods were concentrated in Zhaotong, Qujing, Kunming, Yuxi, Chuxiong, Dali, and Baoshan. Specifically, precipitation and elevation had a more significant effect on flash floods in the settlement than in other subregions, with a high r (Pearson’s correlation coefficient) value of 0.675, 0.674, 0.593, 0.519, and 0.395 for the 10 min precipitation in 20-year return period, elevation, 60 min precipitation in 20-year return period, 24 h precipitation in 20-year return period, and 6 h precipitation in 20-year return period, respectively. The sensitivity analysis showed that the Kunming had the highest sensitivity (S = 21.86) during 2000–2005. Based on the research results, we should focus on heavy precipitation events for flash flood prevention and forecasting in the short term; but human activities and ecosystem vulnerability should be controlled over the long term.

Flash floods are one of the most serious natural disasters, and have a significant impact on economic development. In this study, we employed the spatiotemporal analysis method to measure the spatial–temporal distribution of flash floods and examined the relationship between flash floods and driving factors in different subregions of landcover. Furthermore, we analyzed the response of flash floods on the economic development by sensitivity analysis. The results indicated that the number of flash floods occurring annually increased gradually from 1949 to 2015, and regions with a high quantity of flash floods were concentrated in Zhaotong, Qujing, Kunming, Yuxi, Chuxiong, Dali, and Baoshan. Specifically, precipitation and elevation had a more significant effect on flash floods in the settlement than in other subregions, with a high r (Pearson’s correlation coefficient) value of 0.675, 0.674, 0.593, 0.519, and 0.395 for the 10 min precipitation in 20-year return period, elevation, 60 min precipitation in 20-year return period, 24 h precipitation in 20-year return period, and 6 h precipitation in 20-year return period, respectively. The sensitivity analysis showed that the Kunming had the highest sensitivity (S = 21.86) during 2000–2005. Based on the research results, we should focus on heavy precipitation events for flash flood prevention and forecasting in the short term; but human activities and ecosystem vulnerability should be controlled over the long term.

Sustainable food supply has gained considerable consumer concern due to the high percentage of spoilage microorganisms. Food industries need to expand advanced technologies that can maintain the nutritive content of foods, enhance the bio-availability of bioactive compounds, provide environmental and economic sustainability, and fulfill consumers’ requirements of sensory characteristics. Heat treatment negatively affects food samples’ nutritional and sensory properties as bioactives are sensitive to high-temperature processing. The need arises for non-thermal processes to reduce food losses, and sustainable developments in preservation, nutritional security, and food safety are crucial parameters for the upcoming era. Non-thermal processes have been successfully approved because they increase food quality, reduce water utilization, decrease emissions, improve energy efficiency, assure clean labeling, and utilize by-products from waste food. These processes include pulsed electric field (PEF), sonication, high-pressure processing (HPP), cold plasma, and pulsed light. This review describes the use of HPP in various processes for sustainable food processing. The influence of this technique on microbial, physicochemical, and nutritional properties of foods for sustainable food supply is discussed. This approach also emphasizes the limitations of this emerging technique. HPP has been successfully analyzed to meet the global requirements. A limited global food source must have a balanced approach to the raw content, water, energy, and nutrient content. HPP showed positive results in reducing microbial spoilage and, at the same time, retains the nutritional value. HPP technology meets the essential requirements for sustainable and clean labeled food production. It requires limited resources to produce nutritionally suitable foods for consumers’ health.