Recognizing the significance of maize cultivation, it is imperative to determine the appropriate levels of NPK fertilizer along with the supplementary inclusion of bio-digestate (an organic fertilizer), to achieve optimal soil chemical properties and crop yields. Hence, a field study was conducted in 2022 at the Teaching and Research Farm of Bowen University, Iwo, Osun State, Nigeria. The study evaluated the effects of bio-digestate fertilizer (D), applied alone and integrated with urea (N), single superphosphate (P) and muriate of potash fertilizers (K) at low (N1K1P1) and high (N2P2K2) rates on soil chemical properties, growth, and yield of maize (Zea mays (L.). The treatments consisted of application of: D at 2500 L/ha alone, D + N1 P1 K1, D + N1 P1 K2, D + N1 P2 K1, D + N1 P2 K2, D + N2 P1 K1, D + N2 P1 K2, D + N2 P2 K1, D + N2 P2 K2, Control. N1 = 60 kg N/ha, N2 = 120 kg N/ha, P1 = 30 kg P2O5/ha, P2 = 60 kg P2O5/ha, K1 = 30 kg K/ha, K2 = 60 kg K/ha. The 10 treatments were arranged in a randomized complete block design and replicated three times. Results showed that bio-digestate (D) fertilizer applied alone or integrated with NPK fertilizers improved soil chemical properties, growth, and yield of maize compared with the control. High rate of fertilizer DN2P2K2 increased soil chemical properties and growth parameters of maize relative to low rates DN1P1K1 whereas a higher yield was recorded at a low rate DN1P1K1 relative to a high rate of fertilizer DN2P2K2. Overall, the treatment DN1P1K1 demonstrated the highest grain yield. D alone increased shelled maize yield by 187.9 % relative to no application of any amendment (control), also integrating D with N1P1K1 (DN1P1K1) increased maize yield by 97.2% relative to D alone. Bio-digestate can be used for maize cultivation in lonely soil especially when integrated with NPK fertilizer. Therefore, to avoid waste of fertilizer due to cost and negative environmental effects of excessive fertilization, the lower rate of NPK fertilizer: N (60 kg N/ha), P (30 kg P2O5/ha), and K (30 kg K/ha) with 2500 L/ha of bio-digestate (DN1P1K1) is recommended for sustainable maize production.

The fertilizing effects of biodigestate produced from biogas plants on crop and soil productivity are very scarce. Hence, a field study was conducted in 2022 at the Teaching and Research Farm of Bowen University, Iwo, Osun State, Nigeria. The study evaluated the effects of biodigestate fertilizer, applied alone or in combination with urea, single superphosphate, or muriate of potash fertilizers at low (N1, K1, and P1) and high (N2, P2, and K2) rates on soil chemical properties, growth, and yield of maize (Zea mays (L.)). The treatments were biodigestate alone (D), D + N fertilizer (urea) at 60 kg·ha−1 (DN1), D + N at 120 kg·ha−1 (DN2), D + P fertilizer (single superphosphate) at 30 kg·ha−1 (DP1), D + P at 60 kg·ha−1 (DP2), D + K fertilizer (muriate of potash) at 30 kg·ha−1 (DK1), D + K 60 kg·ha−1 (DK2), D + N1 + P1 + K1 (DN1P1K1), D + N2 + P2 + K2 (DN2P2K2) (10), and control. The 10 treatments were arranged in a randomized complete block design and replicated three times. Results showed that both low and high rates of fertilizer application improved soil chemical properties, growth parameters, and yield of maize compared with the control. High fertilizer rates (N2, P2, and K2) significantly enhanced soil chemical properties and growth parameters, but lower rates (N1, P1, and K1) resulted in higher maize yield. DN1 fertilizer significantly increased maize yield compared with DN2, DP1, DP2, DK1, and DK2. Overall, the treatment of DN1P1K1 demonstrated the highest grain yield, likely due to optimal nutrient supply from N, P, and K fertilizers, along with an improved soil environment facilitated by the biodigestate. The study recommends a balanced and sustainable fertilizer application strategy of 60 kg·N·ha−1, 30 kg·P2O5·ha−1, and 30 kg·K·ha−1 with 2500 L·ha−1 of biodigestate to enhance maize production while minimizing cost and environmental impact. However, for those aiming for maize fodder production, a higher fertilizer rate of 120 kg·N·ha−1, 60 kg·P2O5·ha−1, and 60 kg·K·ha−1 with 2500 L·ha−1 of biodigestate is advised.

Bulk density ( ρ b ), a soil physical property critical for estimating soil carbon storing potentials, is often under-reported in many tropical soil databases because of the difficulty and tedious nature of its measurement in the field. In this study, a pedotransfer function was developed to estimate the bulk density of topsoils (0–30 cm) of Nimbia Forest Reserve, Nigeria. Easily measured soil variables including sand content, total organic carbon and moisture contents were used as predictor variables. A pedotransfer function (PTF) was derived based on multiple linear regression model. Bulk density values for the forest soils varied from 0.78 to 1.28 g/cm 3 with a mean value of 1.03 g/cm 3 . All the metrics used for the validation of the pedotransfer function show the model is statistically significant confirming its usefulness. The RMSE, R-squared and MAE of the pedotransfer function are 0.07498, 0.42231 and 0.058934, respectively. Given that this is the first PTF developed for bulk density estimation in the study area, we recommend a comparison of this new model with others that can be developed using machine learning algorithms and other statistical techniques. The PTF developed in this study will find application in the calculation of the soil organic carbon stocks in the Nimbia Forest Reserve to provide baseline estimates—a decision support tool for sustainable soil management and possible climate change mitigation.

Anaerobic digestion (AD) is a biological process that converts complex substrates into biogas and digestate under microbial activity in the absence of oxygen through four main steps: hydrolysis, acidogenesis, acetogenesis, and methanogenesis. It is one of the well-studied technologies for stabilizing organic wastes. Among the treatment technologies available for organic solid wastes, AD is quite suitable because of its environmental friendliness and high potential for energy recovery and production of quality and nutrient-rich digestates, which can in turn be processed to biofertilizers. Such positive aspects coupled with recent concerns about rapid population growth, increasing food demand, and global warming have promoted further research on the biofertilizer production process development and improvement in order to enhance the quality of biofertilizers and by extension enhance their abilities to influence crop growth and well-being and soil nutrient improvement. AD is equally known to be famous in both developed and developing countries where mostly the produced gas is used as fuel for cooking and other purposes while the digestate is used as fertilizers or soil conditioners. However, agronomic characteristics of digestates can produce harmful effects due to digestate quality in terms of pH, organic matter imbalance, and especially heavy metal content. There is therefore the need to evaluate the differences and similarities in agronomic characteristics and the values of anaerobic digestates taking cognizance of their production materials, type of biogas plant that treated it, and the prevailing environmental factors. It is important to study the chemical analyses and the availability of nutrients before applying biofertilizers. Also, crop growth and soil mineralization experiments with biofertilizers should be controlled. Lastly, lifecycle assessments must be carried out with a circular economy approach.

In recent times, research attention is focusing on harnessing agricultural wastes for the production of value-added products. In this study, the valorization of Carica papaya (Pawpaw) fruit peels was evaluated for the production of quality organic fertilizer via anaerobic digestion (AD) while the effects of the fertilizer on maize crop were also assessed. Pawpaw peel was first pretreated by thermo-alkaline methods before AD and analyses were carried out using standard methods. The resulting digestate was rich in nutrients and was dewatered to form solid organic fertilizer rich in microbes and soil nutrients. When applied to maize plants, organic fertilizer showed a better effect on plant traits than NPK 15–15–15 fertilizer and without fertilizer application. These were more pronounced at mid to high organic fertilizer applications (30-to-60-kg nitrogen/hectare (kg N/ha)) rate. Comparison between the values obtained from the field experiments reveals that the organic fertilizer showed better performance in all parameters such as the number of leaves, leaf area, plant height, stem girth, total shoot, and root biomass, and length of the root. However, the chemical fertilizer outperformed all the organic fertilizer applied rates in the average highest size of the corn ear by 1.4%. After harvesting, nutrient elements were found to have bioaccumulated in plant organs (leaves, stem, and root) with the highest values being 29.7 mg/L for nitrogen in the leaf and this value was reported from the experiment with 50 kg N/ha. For phosphorus and potassium, the highest concentrations of 7.05 and 8.4 mg/L were recorded in the plant’ stem of the experiment with 50 kg N/ha. All the treated soils recorded an increase in values of all nutrient elements over the control with the highest values recorded in the experiment with 60 kg N/ha. In soil with 60 kg N/ha, the nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium increased by 28, 40, and 22% respectively over the chemical fertilizer applied experiment while different levels of increases were also recorded for all other macro and microelements in all the experiments. Thus, agricultural practices by using anaerobic digestates as organic fertilizers is a sustainable method to overcome the dependence on inorganic fertilizers high rate.

This study investigated the biogas production potential of Pennisetum purpureum (Elephant grass) (El-g) co-digested with piggery manure (PM) under mesophilic condition in order to combat the menace of weed in cropping systems as well as pollution problems emanating from disposal of PM. Prior to anaerobic digestion (AD), El-g was subjected to a combination of mechanical, thermal and alkaline pretreatments. Using cattle rumen content as inoculum, the pretreated El-g was anaerobically co-digested with PM while the raw El-g was also co-digested with PM and served as control experiment. The physicochemical characteristics of feedstock were evaluated before and after the digestion period using standard methods. The initial high concentrations of chemical oxygen demand (COD) reduced significantly after digestion indicating efficiency of the digestion process. Also, there were reductions in concentrations of calcium and other parameter needed for microbial growth after the digestion which indicated their utilization by microbes to generate biogas. Biogas production began on the 5th and 7th days and was progressive until 30th and 24th days in both digestions after which a decline was observed until the end of the experiment. For the digestion period of 37 days, the total biogas recorded from the pretreated and untreated experiments were 409.5 and 184.1 m3 CH4/kg VS with average of 11.07 and 4.98 m3 CH4/kg VS/day respectively. The study concluded that co-digestion with piggery dung enhanced the biogas producing capacity of El-g hence advocated.

Protection of soil organic carbon and acid-hydrolyzable carbohydrates in aggregate-size fractions is important for appraising soil degradation and aggregation under land use types. Aggregate-associated soil organic carbon (SOC) and acid-hydrolyzable carbohydrates (R-CHO) in bulk soils and aggregate-size fractions of a sandy loam soil under Alchornea bush, Rubber, Oil palm and Teak plantations in southern Nigeria were studied. Results revealed significant differences in aggregate-associated SOC and R-CHO, bulk densities, total porosity, soil organic carbon stock and aggregate stability among the land use types. Greater SOC was stored in macro-aggregates >0.25 mm, while greater R-CHO was occluded in micro-aggregates <0.25 mm (p<0.05). The highest mean weight diameter (MWD) was 1.01 mm in Alchornea soils and 0.92 mm in Oil palm plantation at 0-15 cm topsoil. Soil organic carbon stock in 0-15 cm topsoil was 77.7, 81.8, 92.2, and 67.5 kg C ha-1 in Alchornea, Rubber, Oil palm, and Teak soils, respectively. Relationships showed a positive linear correlations between MWD and SOC (r = 0.793, p < 0.05) and R-CHO (r = 0.789. p < 0.05). Alchornea bush and Oil palm plantation increased macro-aggregate formation and macro-pores >5 µm, therefore they have greater potentials to boost protection of SOC in soil macro-aggregates.

Global population growth is placing increasing pressures on land for food and feed production as well as energy security. In particular in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), these issues require urgent attention. This is clearly stated in The United Nations Global Goals for Sustainable Development emphasizing the importance of sustainable use of land resources to increase food productivity and energy requirement. SSA lags behind most regions of the world in household food security and access to energy. The rural agriculture-dependent communities of SSA are the hardest hit by food and energy scarcity and the impact is felt most by communities in the dryland farming areas. In terms of energy supply appropriate measures and interventions are required to address this challenge. Jatropha curcas L. oil fast tracked itself from obscurity to prominence. Its main advantage is the high content of methyl ester (or bio-diesel). It conforms to EN 14214 specifications, exhibiting emission reduction potential and qualifying as a lucrative bio-diesel alternative to fossil diesel. This paper proposes a focus on Jatropha technology as a holistic approach to tackling the land, energy and food degradation challenges in unison for dry-land SSA. The new Jatropha strategy would be innovative and environmentally friendly soil resource recapitalization and supply feed stock for rural energy generation while fulfilling the criteria of delivering other benefits, such as addressing land use conflict for food and energy production

Liming can influence crop growth by altering pore geometry, pore size distribution and water retention characteristics in acid soils. The aim of this work is to determine liming effects on the soil structure based on analysis of water retention data using a cubic spline adjustment function. For that, the authors investigated the effect of three lime rates (0, 15 and 20 t ha-1) on soil water retention characteristics and pore size distribution of a silty-clay "Cambissolo Háplico Alumínico" (Dystrudept) located in the SE region of the Paraná State, Brazil. Soil cores were collected after 31 months of the experiment at 0-10 cm and 10-20 cm soil layers. Eleven matric potentials (from 0 to -7000 cm H2O) were employed to calculate soil water retention and pore size distribution curves. The pore size distribution curves revealed trimodal soil porosity with three distinct peaks. Equivalent pore diameters ranging from 9.18 µm to 13.18 µm separated structural and matrix domains. Small differences exist in the pore size distribution curves due to liming and between layers for all peaks. With no-till plus surface liming, the volume of large pores diminished at the two layers and the volume of small pores increased at the surface layer.

Northern Guinea Savanna of Nigeria soils are continuously and intensively cultivated, resulting in soil quality degradation, carbon stock depletion, accelerated soil erosion and soil nutrient depletion. Effects of land use change on soil carbon stocks (SOC) are of concern regarding greenhouse gas emissions mitigation and sustainable crop production, because there is a need for food sufficiency while conserving the environment. Also, managing soils under intensive use and restoring degraded soils are top priorities for a sustained agronomic production while conserving soil and water resources. Hence, this study; “Tillage, Desmodium intortum, fertilizer rates for carbon stock, soil quality and grain yield in Northern Guinea Savanna” is aimed at devising possible mitigating measures for soil quality degradation, carbon stock depletion and impoverished crop yields using Zea mays as test crop. The study was a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) in split-split plot arrangement with four replicates. The four main tillage and Desmodium intortum combination treatments were: 1) Maize − without Desmodium + Conventional tillage (MC), 2) Maize + Desmodium live-mulch incorporated and relayed + Conservation tillage (MDIC), 3) Maize + Desmodium in no-tillage system (MDNT), 4) Maize + Desmodium in strip tillage (MDST). The main treatment plots were each divided to accommodate four (4) rates of N (60, 80, 100 and 120 kg·ha−1) as sub plots, while the N rate plots were further divided to accommodate three (3) rates of P (6.6, 13.2, and 26.4 kg·ha−1) as sub-subplots. Findings support that Desmodium intercrops with Maize treatments (MDIC, MDNT, and MDST) resulted in increased organic carbon contents in 2013, with MDNT resulting in significantly higher organic carbon content (7.37 g·kg−1 in 2012 and 8.37 g·kg−1 in 2013) than the other treatments. Also, zero tillage practice (MDNT) sequestered significantly higher carbon stock (18.06 t C ha−1), followed by minimum tillage (MDIC) that sequestered 15.99 t C ha−1 than the other treatments. Highest grain yield of 2.61 tha−1 under MDIC and MDNT was followed by MDST and least under MC. Total score of soil quality assessment gave least score values of 13 under MDIC and MDNT; thus best soil quality (SQ1) was ascribed to the minimum tillage with D. intortum intercrop and relayed (MDIC) and Zero tillage with D. intortum (MDNT) treatments. Maize Strip cropped with D. intortum treatment (MDST) was ranked SQ2.

A significant decline in soil quality has occurred across Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) through adverse changes in soil properties causing serious challenge to regional food security. This paper presents the new Jatropha technology for soil quality improvement and its importance for meeting rural energy demand in SSA. The paper starts from the premise of Jatropha agriculture and its impact on soil quality improvement with reference to examples from the drylands of Nigeria and Mali. Having reviewed the sweeping claims on Jatropha's role and ability as alternative energy source, its 'alleged' cheap domestication and rush for mega plantations of Jatropha, the paper weighs the controversies surrounding the sustainable production, land grabbing and consequent economics of Jatropha productivity in mega plantation settings. It suggests the need to focus Jatropha agriculture and research in SSA toward rehabilitation of degraded lands, wastelands and badlands while, promoting Jatropha hedge-row fencing for small-holder farming. In addition to technical availability in terms of soil improvement and seed yield, it is suggested that indiscriminate tree-felling for fuel wood in SSA can be checked through a shift from current petrochemical technologies to biodiesel alternatives. The main conclusion is that first, SSA must consider as germane, a natural resource improvement approach based on a new green and bioenergy revolution, and secondly that a regional, pro-active and strategic direction is required to promote Jatropha research for innovation to deliver solutions to addressing the hydra-head environmental challenge of declining soil quality and fuel wood scavenging in the region.

A field study was conducted to determine the yield potential of three promising lines of long staple cotton (Gossypium barbadense L.) and the effect of environment (soil moisture and fertility) on the fibre properties of these lines. The cotton lines were planted on three different dates, depicting three different soil moisture scenarios. Five fertilizer (N:P:K) levels (0:0:0, 30:13:13, 60:26:26, 90:39:39, and 120:52:52) and three lines [Pima S2, Giza 45, and Bar 14/25(79)24], were arranged in a split-plot design with cotton lines assigned to the main plot and fertilizer levels to the sub-plots. Boll weight, seed cotton yield, and seed and lint yields were significantly influenced by soil moisture conditions. Fibre length, fineness, and fibre strength increased with increase in soil moisture conditions. Soil fertility levels had no impact on seed cotton and lint yields and on fibre properties except for fineness. Genotype Giza 45 had the finest fibre and a moderate fibre length.

This study investigated the impact of three adjacent land use systems [land under arable cropping (ARL), cattle grazing fallow (GFL) and Jatropha curcas L. Orchard (JCL)] on selected soil physical quality indicators in a Northern Nigeria Savanna Alfisol. GFL had significantly higher organic carbon content (26.2–32.1% higher) and bulk density (4.5–9.2% higher) than JCL and ARL respectively. Higher bulk density (ρb) in GFL aided by trampling induced compaction resulted in its high relative field capacity (RFC), permanent wilting point (PWP) and micro-pore spaces (PMIC). Continuous tillage in ARL created loose soil in the plough layer (<20 cm) which turn out to its low bulk density (ρb) and high plant-available water capacity (PAWC), total pore spaces (f) and macro-pore spaces (PMAC) over JCL and GFL. Total nitrogen content, dry stability of large macro-aggregate fractions [5–2 mm, (LMag)] and mean weight diameter (MWD) were higher in JCL than GFL and ARL to about 47.2–60.6, 12.5–68.8 and 8.57–44.76%, respectively. This showed some possibilities of JCL in improving the nitrogen content and stability of soil. Yet, long term studies on the impact of J. curcas L. on the soil quality are needed in order to evaluate if such possibilities are sustainable or not.

Quantification of soil physical quality (SPQ) and pore size distribution (PSD) can assist understanding of how changes in land management practices influence dynamics of soil structure, and this understanding could greatly improve the predictability of soil physical behavior and crop yield. The objectives of this study were to measure the SPQ index under two different land management practices (the continuous arable cropping system and natural bush fallow system), and contrast the effects of these practices on the structure of PSD using soil water retention data. Soil water retention curves obtained from a pressure chamber were fitted to van Genuchten's equation, setting m (= 1-1/n). Although values for soil bulk density were high, soils under the continuous arable cropping system had good SPQ, and maintained the capacity to support root development. However, soils under the natural bush fallow system had a worse structure than the continuous arable system, with restrictions in available water capacity. These two management systems had different PSDs. Results showed the inferiority of the natural bush fallow system with no traffic restriction (which is the common practice) in relation to the continuous arable cropping system in regard to physical quality and structure.

Different land-use affects the organization of mineral soil particles and soil organic components into aggregates and the consequent arrangement of the aggregates will influence essential ecosystem functions. We investigated a continuous rubber plantation (forested), land fallowed for 10 y (fallow), 10-y continuous arable cropping land and cropped land with top soil removed (TSR) for concentrations of C, N, and P in bulk soil and dry aggregates. Results showed that a high level of soil disturbance decreased the proportion of surface (0–15 cm) soil aggregate stability (low mean weight diameter) in TSR by 149% and arable cropping by 125% compared with the forested. Aggregate associated SOC was higher in aggregate-size fractions of forested land-use when compared with that in 10-y fallow, continuous arable cropping, and TSR. For aggregate associated N, fallow and forested land-use types concentrated higher proportion across aggregate sizes than the arable cropping and TSR. Macro aggregate fractions generally contained higher concentrations of C, N, and P compared with the micro-aggregates. Water transmission indicators like total porosity and saturated hydraulic conductivity recorded higher values with forested and fallow land-use than the others. We can thus conclude that long-term soil disturbance due to cultivation and removal of top soil reduces the accumulation of soil C, N, and P in bulk soil and decreases water transmission properties. On the other hand, aggregate-associated C, N and P accumulations are dependent on the level of soil surface disturbance and aggregate sizes.

Continuous monitoring of soil physical quality is essential in determining sustainability of land use in natural and managed ecosystems particularly; mountainous systems such as the Ethiopian highlands, where soil deterioration and degradation can become major threats to ecosystem and productivity. This study focused on assessment of soil physical quality (SPQ) by comparing values of soil indicator properties to their corresponding ‘ideal ranges’ established in literature and determining soil structural stability and aggregate associated carbon as influenced by land use types. It further employs factor analysis to identify appropriate SPQ indicators and soil structural indices that are dominantly influenced by each land use type in the three watersheds (namely; Jeldu, Diga and Fogera) of the Ethiopian highlands. Surface soil samples were collected from four adjacent agricultural land use types (namely; Grass fallow, Tree fallow, Homestead and Continuous field cropping) within each of the three watersheds for study of Dexter “S” index, aggregate associated carbon and aggregate stability and other SPQ indicators. Results revealed that soils were only adequate in Relative Field Capacity and Plant Available Water Capacity in all watersheds. The soils of the watersheds still maintained good physical quality but there are strong indications of low soil structural resilience and tendency to degrade. Factor analysis grouped SPQ indicators and structural indices into three factors: (Factor 1) structural stability (with soil organic carbon, aggregate associated organic carbon and aggregate size being the most dominant soil quality indicators); no dominant attribute for Factor 2 and Factor 3 is mainly soil texture (with clay being the most dominant). Soil improvement programme in the watersheds lies in management practices that will promote proper management of organic carbon as it is the principal SPQ indicator that influenced variation in other soil attributes.

The emergence of Jatropha curcas was surrounded with much hype; sweeping claims were made on the shrub's ability to grow on any soil type, its high drought tolerance capacity, ability to produce an average seed yield of 3.8tons ha -1 y -1 with little or no fertilizer input and a high seed oil content of 30-35%.2][3] All these hype, without any quantitative information backed by research, had raised enthusiasm for the shrub.This global enthusiasm backed by a desire for profit resulted in the springing up of mega plantations of Jatropha with companies like D1 Oils (www.d1plc.com),Viridas PLC (www.viridasplc.com) and Energem Resources Inc (www.energem.com)involved in this high risk venture; 4 with an estimated 900,000 ha of land under cultivation globally to Jatropha by 2008.

To gain additional knowledge and better understand forest soil management on a small scale, geostatistical analytical tools were employed to examine the spatial distribution in dry aggregate mean weight diameter (MWD) and other selected soil properties and to assess the possible relationships between MWD and other soil properties. Selected properties of forest soils collected along a 300-m transact in the Nimbia Forest Reserve of Nigeria exhibited moderate to high variability in distribution with sodium ion displaying the greatest variability [coefficient of variation (CV, 91.2%)] and principal component analysis revealed the exchange complex cluster as influencing total variation of field soil properties. The autocorrelation function showed significant spatial correlation from 1 lag in soil organic carbon up to 17 lags (51 m) in soil moisture content (.). The spherical and Gaussian semivariogram models described the spatial structure of most soil properties; however, for clay, cation exchange capacity (CEC), and soil organic carbon (SOC), an exponential model analyzed their spatial dependence.

1 Department of Crop Production and Protection, Federal University, Dutsin-Ma, Nigeria. 2 Department of Rural Engineering, FAEM/UFPel, CP 354, 96001-970 Pelotas, RS, Brazil.. 3 Federal College of Forestry, Jos, Nigeria. 4Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA. 5 School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia 61004 Pine Lane, Davis, CA 95616, USA Motivation