August 2017
Balance of elements and tolerance of the Terminalia catappa L. to seawater salinity
The Terminalia catappa L., popularly referred to as Indian almond, adapts to different soil and climatic conditions. It is a fast growing tree and has been widely used for ornamental and medicinal purposes. This plant might also be used as a carbon sequester in areas subject to soil and water salinity problems. This paper aims at studying the balance of salts among parts of the Indian almond tree under different...
August 2017
Symptomless banana suckers sourced from Xanthomonas wilt infected fields are a viable alternative for seed within infected banana-based landscapes lacking access to clean planting materials.
Xanthomonas wilt (XW) caused by Xanthomonas campestris pv. musacearum (Xcm) is an important constraint to banana production in East and Central Africa. The use of clean planting materials (CPM) for establishing new fields/ re-planting rouged fields/mats is recommended. However, banana is mainly produced by resource-poor small-holder households with no/limited access to CPM. We assessed XW incidence in fields planted...
August 2017
Effect of heat treatment on forage quality of bio-fortified orange fleshed Ipomea batatas crop residues and roots
Post-harvest management of sweet potatoes (SP) crop residues preserves nutrients, deactivates inhibitor compounds and improves rumen degradation. The aim of the study was to determine effects of drying crop residues and heating roots on forage value of a bio-fortified orange fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) variety in South Africa. The crop was harvested at maturity and roots separated from crop residues. Roots were washed,...
August 2017
Synergy and trade-offs between economic efficiency and environmental effects of alternative land use practices using farm level static bio-economic modelling in Bale Eco-Region
In Bale Eco-Region (EBR), production and productivity mainly suffers from fertility deterioration, skyrocketing prices of fertilizer, and unsustainable interactions among different land uses systems. This study was initiated to determine synergy and trade-offs between economic efficiency and environmental effects of alternative land use practices using farm level static bio-economic modelling EBR. Data were collected...
August 2017
Silicon supplements affect yield and fruit quality of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) grown in net houses
Silicon (Si) plays an important role in plant growth and development, but the uptake, accumulation in tissue, and beneficial effects of Si differ greatly between plant species. Net house experiments were conducted with Cucumis sativus L. ‘Shabah F1’ in 2013 and repeated in 2014 to determine the effects of Si supplementation on yield, fruit quality, and chemical composition. Diatomite (86-89% SiO2) was...
August 2017
Implications of tillage practices, management of soil surface and fertilizer application on sustainable dryland agriculture: A case study of Eastern Rwanda
Conservation agriculture (CA) is becoming popular in sub-Saharan Africa as potential solution to soil degradation. However, most findings are based on large scale, mechanized agricultural production systems which are not easy to apply within the smallholder farmer’s context. This study assessed the implications of tillage practices, management of soil surface and fertilizer application on sustainable dryland...
August 2017
A gender and decent work analysis of cassava production and on-farm processing, in Kuria west sub-county, Kenya
In Kenya, cassava (Manihot esculenta) is one of the strategic crops with the ability to withstand adverse climatic conditions. It thrives well in areas with little rainfall such as Kuria west sub-county. It is an important food security crop for resource poor households and has a high potential for value addition. With limited range of crop and livestock farm enterprises that can be raised, cassava production engages...
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