Response of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) to nutrient amendments across variable agro-climatic conditions in Ghana
September 2023
Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is an important crop with the potential to curb malnutrition in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). However, poor soil fertility is considered to be the major constraint for bean production in SSA. This study determines canopy spread, chlorophyll content, stomatal conductance, and seed yield of common beans in a field experiment conducted at Fumesua (rain-forest) and Akumadan...
Intricacies of utilizing Turnitin tool in agricultural extension content writing in Nigeria
September 2023
The study analyzed how Turnitin misjudges semantics used in agricultural extension writing in Nigeria. The paper applied thematic content analysis on 30 selected extension contents from Nigerian sources. Codes, percentage count and line graph were used in analysing data. The results show the inability of Turnitin to recognize agricultural extension semantics, such as, “The study was designed to…”, and...
Soil moisture content and maize grain yield under conventional and conservation agriculture practices - results of short term field tests in Liselo, Namibia
September 2023
This article focuses on the results from trials developed to monitor the short-term effects of conventionally tilled systems versus CA on soil quality and crop productivity under conditions of the major cropping systems in central, north-central and north-eastern regions of Namibia. Conventional tillage (CT), Minimum tillage (MT), Minimum tillage, mulch (MT-M), Minimum tillage, rotation (MT-R) and Minimum tillage, mulch...
Porter’s diamond model and Zimbabwe’s national competitiveness in the cut flower industry
September 2023
Zimbabwe’s cut flower industry has declined over the past years. We determined the national competitiveness of Zimbabwe’s cut flower industry using Porter’s diamond model of competitive advantage in 2018 using a descriptive and exploratory design that made use of qualitative and quantitative research methods. Low numbers of key players in the industry forced researchers to administer questionnaires to...
Zai pit combined with integrated nutrient management for improving soil aggregate stability, moisture content and microbial biomass in drylands of Eastern Kenya
September 2023
This study sought to assess the impact of selected soil conservation and water harvesting technologies as promising options for alleviating soil moisture crisis, enhancing soil fertility and reducing soil erosion in the drylands of Eastern Kenya. An experiment was set up to investigate the responses of soil aggregate stability, moisture contents and soil microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen (SMBC and SMBN) to Zai...
Genotype and Environment Interaction for yield performance of 12 Advanced Tongil rice genotypes with Doubled Haploid Background under Salts tress conditions in Tanzania
August 2023
Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is an important global food commodity crop. Its yield was affected by genotype, environment, and the interaction between genotype and environment that demands the development of diverse tolerant rice to increase yields and adaptation. Genotype and Environment interaction for yields of rice Tongil types with doubled haploid (DH) were evaluated in three locations. A randomized complete block design...
Environmental effects on sugarcane growth from on-farm data in the Brazilian Midwest
August 2023
Climate and soil water availability are factors that influence the growth and yield of sugarcane. These factors can also serve as valuable indicators for predicting maturity and biometric changes in sugarcane, and also enhanced productivity. The aim of this study was to determine the biometric and sucrose accumulation responses of surgarcane as a function of agrometeorological data and soil water storage. The study was...
Heterosis, combining ability and reaction of tomato parental lines and their F1 hybrids to bacterial wilt caused by Ralstonia solanacearum in Kenya
August 2023
Strategies to manage bacterial wilt disease causing 64-100% yield loss have limited effectiveness. A 10×10 diallel mating design excluding reciprocals and self was employed in this study to evaluate combing ability effects, heterosis, and reaction to bacterial wilt in 10 tomato parents. Genotypes AVTO1424 (11.87%), AVTO1429 (12.29%) and AVTO1314 (13.53%) were found to have significantly lower disease incidence,...
Maize phenology as an indicator of climate change simulated by RegCM4 under RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 in Mozambique
August 2023
The IPCC fifth assessment report indicates an increase in air temperature under future scenarios over Mozambique. It may affect the development cycle and length of phenological stages of maize, and compromise the agricultural activity in Mozambique. The goal is to quantify the response of maize phenology to referred projected changes in climate, especially highlighting changes in air temperature patterns over...
Comparison of the effectiveness of heterotic grouping methods in classifying intermediate maturing maize (Zea mays L.) inbred lines under stressful and non-stressful environments
August 2023
The effectiveness of a hybrid breeding program depends on the heterotic patterns that can be used to utilize grain-yield heterosis. This study was carried out to (a) categorize inbred lines into heterotic groups using three different methods and (b) determine the most effective heterotic grouping method for categorizing set of inbred lines. A total of 96 hybrids generated from thirty-two set of inbred lines...
Genetic diversity of Cleome gynandra germplasm in Burkina Faso using SSRs molecular markers
August 2023
Cleome gynandra L. is an important traditional leafy vegetable in Burkina Faso diets. Because of its high nutritional value, it makes a good dietary supplement, providing an important nutritional and medicinal requirement. The aim of the present study was to assess the genetic diversity and intra- and interpopulation relationships of the C. gynandra collection using SSR molecular markers specific to C. gynandra. Nine...
Role of income from rice cultivation on livelihoods of rice farmers: Evidence from Ahero Region, Kenya
August 2023
In Africa, the demand for rice has increased rapidly as urbanization progresses and assistance is being provided to improve productivity and rice farming management. In the rice-cultivation area near Lake Victoria in western Kenya, where farmers are called “outgrowers”, wage labor costs put pressure on rice farming and reduce profits. However, wage laborers were rice farmers living in the same area. The...
Opportunities, perceptions and challenges in production and use of traditional grains in Semi-Arid Masvingo District, Zimbabwe
August 2023
This paper aims to understand farmers’ perceptions and challenges in production and use of traditional grains as well as feed manufacturers perceptions on inclusion of traditional grains in feed formulations. The study also seeks to ascertain the opportunities for increased adoption of traditional grains as an adaptive strategy to climate change. Climate change has contributed to a shift in seasons and...
Impact of climate change on cotton production: The case of three major cotton producing provinces in Zimbabwe
July 2023
The objective of this study was to describe effects of temperature regimes and rainfall patterns on cotton production in Zimbabwe. A 30 years climate data was sourced from Zimbabwe Department of Meteorological Services and cotton statistics from Department of Agriculture and Rural Extension (AREX), Zimbabwe. Descriptive statistics was used to determine observed trends between the recorded climatic data and the cotton...
Influences of organic waste and inorganic fertilizer for sustainable production of plantain (Musa spp. AAB) in a humid forest zone of Cameroon
July 2023
Plantain is commonly grown in gardens and small farms where productivity usually declines over time due to soil nutrient depletion. This soil fertility problem could be overcome if the nutrients removed from harvests are replaced with available fertilizers. This study assessed growth, yield, and cost effectiveness of plantain under organic and inorganic fertilization in the humid forest zone of Cameroon. The experiment...
Response of rice (Oryza sativa L.) to foliar fertilizer
July 2023
This experiment was conducted to evaluate the impact of foliar fertilizer on the growth and yield parameters of rice, due to the fact that foliar fertilizer utilization is not a common practice in field crop production in Ghana. Eight treatments comprising two (Recommended fertilizer application rate for farmers) and six others which are the foliar fertilizer (Boost Xtra foliar fertilizer) were used. The analyzed...
Adopting a three-strata forage system for an integral food, feed outputs and agro-ecological sustenance
July 2023
The exploitation of diverse cropping practices alongside residue incorporation has remained low among small-holder rural farming households in Sub-Saharan Africa. Three-stratum forage system (TSFS) which integrates forages for animal feeds with food crops is a significant sustainable strategy for enhancing residue incorporation. This study was conducted in Busia County in Kenya to; (i) determine the effects of TSFS on...
Population dynamics and infestation level of Tetranychus evansi Baker and Pritchard, 1960 (Acari: Tetranychidae) over two tomato planting seasons in Burkina Faso
July 2023
Tetranychus evansi is an invasive pest of Solanaceae in West Africa. It causes severe damage and economic losses in tomato production. This study, conducted in four sites (Loumbila, Ouagadougou, Pabré and Tanghin-Dassouri) in the central zone of Burkina Faso, assessed the density of T. evansi over two growing seasons and evaluated the infestation levels through the tomato growth cycle from planting up to harvest....
Evaluation of vibration reduction isolators for hand transmitted vibration of single-axle tractors
July 2023
The walk-behind control of single-axle tractors imposes a great workload on the operators which increases muscular fatigue. Experienced operators were involved during field experiments to investigate and establish the magnitudes of hand-transmitted vibration experienced by single-axle tractor operators with and without vibration reduction isolators during tillage operation. The results indicated that the magnitudes of...
Research progress on tomato spotted wilt virus transmitted by Thrips
July 2023
Thrip is a collective name for Thysanoptera, an agricultural pest that is widely distributed around the world and transmits viruses, in addition, to directly eating crops, causing extremely serious economic losses. Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) is one of the main viruses transmitted by thrips. Since the discovery of TSWV in 1919, much progress and achievements have been made in its characteristics, mechanism of...
Growth performance of lavender, pearl grey, royal purple and white varieties of domesticated helmeted guinea fowl (Numida meleagris) raised under intensive management system in Botswana
July 2023
The objective of this study was to evaluate growth performance of pearl grey, lavender, royal purple and white varieties of helmeted guinea fowl (Numida meleagris) raised under intensive management system. A total of 47, 43, 37 and 30 guinea fowls of pearl grey, lavender, royal purple and white varieties, respectively, were evaluated for growth performance. The guinea fowls were raised under deep litter management...
The competitiveness of The Gambia agro-food trade
June 2023
This paper examines the competitiveness of The Gambia agri-food exports from 2012 to 2021 utilizing the revealed comparative advantage index, the Kaplan-Meier survival function, and Cox regression model. The results indicate that thirteen of the twenty-four products have comparative advantages in the global market, while seven of the twenty-four products have comparative advantages in the regional market. In terms of...
Tolerance of sugarcane varieties to different levels of water depletion on soil
June 2023
Sugarcane is one of the most important crops for Brazilian agribusiness, despite water stress being one of the main limiting factors of growth and productivity. Thus, the objective was to verify if there is variation in the tolerance to water deficit among sugarcane varieties in the soil and climate conditions of Quirinópolis-GO (State of Goiás). The trial was conducted on a Red Latosol, with sugarcane...
Mitotic response of Allium cepa L. to toxicity of pharmaceutical effluents
June 2023
The need to determine the mutagenic ability of waste waters from pharmaceutical industry is on the rise. With the aid of macro and micro assay of the root tip, this study was carried out to assess the genotoxic effects of varied concentrations of three pharmaceutical effluents (Ciprofloxacin, Arthemetrin and Psuedophedrin) on Allium cepa root tip during mitosis. The chemical evaluation of the effluents confirmed the...
High-density polyethylene containers and super grain bag reduce storage insect pests’ infestation in maize and preserve grain quality
June 2023
The study evaluated the performance of polypropylene bag (PP), polyethylene drum (PD), polyethylene silo tank (PST), and super grain bag (SGB) on preserving maize quality. The trials were conducted on-station and on-farm. Insect density, grain damage, weight loss, and grain moisture content were determined monthly for six months for on-station trials. For on-farm, insect density and grain damage were assessed every two...
Phenotypic characterization and beta-carotene quantification towards selection for high beta-carotene maize accessions
June 2023
Yellow maize varieties in Ghana have low beta-carotene levels, but if improved, they could lessen the negative health effects of vitamin-A deficiency. Finding promising yellow maize accessions that could be used to breed higher beta-carotene varieties was the goal of the study. The study involved the collection of 100 local accessions, phenotypic identification, evaluation of genetic relatedness, and quantification of...
Evaluation of Zimbabwean tobacco varieties for potential as a source of tobacco seed oil (TSO)
June 2023
The impending curtailment of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) use in its traditional smoking form demands that economies previously dependent on tobacco as a cash crop find alternative sources of income. Alternatively, to enable the continued use of existing infrastructure and experience by growers, these economies could continue to grow the crop for other uses. The objective of this trial was, therefore, to explore...
Effects of selected herbicides on management of weeds in finger millet (Eleusine coracana L)
June 2023
A study was conducted to determine the suitable herbicide(s) for effective weed management in finger millet, in order to address the major biotic stress of weeds infestation and attain optimal productivity of finger millet. Field experiments were conducted in Baringo and Kericho counties in Kenya for two growing seasons, using a randomized complete block design (RCBD) and replicated three times. Three pre-emergence...
On-farm participatory evaluation and selection of crop varieties at climate changes in Southern Niger
June 2023
Participatory varietal selection (PVS) is one of the most rapid and cost-effective ways for breeders, farmers, and agronomists to identify high-yielding and well adapted varieties to current climate threats and to obtain feedback from the potential end users in the early phases of the breeding cycle (s). On the other hand, a participatory evaluation of improved and local varieties of pearl millet, sorghum, cowpea, and...
Status and management strategies of major insect pests and fungal diseases of maize in Africa: A review
June 2023
The escalating populations in Africa contribute to the already existing challenge of food insecurity, which is further exacerbated by the emergence and resurgence of pests and diseases, resulting in substantial annual yield losses. Maize, a vital staple crop in sub-Saharan Africa, serves as crucial food source, animal fodder, and raw material for industries. Nonetheless, its vulnerability to pests and diseases puts...
Relative importance of functions of innovation system on cassava climate smart farming in Kenya
June 2023
Functions of innovation systems framework have established their value as tools for exploring socio-technological transitions and economic development. Although the “seven functions” model has demonstrated its academic value across a vast literature, there have been few attempts to explore the role of the model in climate smart farming. Therefore, the aim of this study is to determine relative importance of...
Effect of molybdenum and nitrogen rates on the growth and vegetative structure of Megathyrsusmaximus (Syn. Panicum maximum)
June 2023
The objective of this study was to identify the rate of molybdenum that when associated with nitrogen fertilization, would provide the best responses on the vegetative structure of Mombasa grass. Forty days after planting, a uniform pruning was made when the established levels of molybdenum were applied and the experimental period started. The experimental design was a randomized block, with four replications (blocks),...
Characterizing the cycle of heavy metals in horticultural production for Mbare Musika in Harare, Zimbabwe
June 2023
Heavy metal cycles in horticultural systems in areas supplying vegetables to Mbare Musika were characterized with reference to the soil, water, fertilizers used and crops grown from different ecological zones of Zimbabwe. Apart from inherent soil heavy metal properties, anthropogenic sources contributed through irrigation water and fertilizers. Different areas specialized in growing peculiar vegetables through influence...
Determinants of farmers’ choice of fodder market outlets in Laikipia County, Kenya
May 2023
Commercial fodder farming is rapidly expanding in Laikipia County, Kenya and there is an emerging market formation involving different market actors. Several market outlets are at the farmers’ disposal for channelling their fodder to consumers. The purpose of this study was therefore, to determine the factors which influence choices of fodder market outlets in Laikipia County. Using data from 204 fodder farmers,...
Ethnobotany and perceptions on the value of taro (Colocasia esculenta) among farmers in Benin Republic
May 2023
Taro (Colocasia esculenta) is a widely grown vegetatively propagated food crop in the Benin Republic. The taro leaf blight (TLB) epidemic in 2009, caused by Phytophthora colocasiae, has destroyed taro production and wiped out many taro landraces in West Africa. A survey was conducted in the southern region of Benin to assess the status of taro and TLB, ethnobotany, farmers' perceptions of taro, and identify...
Sweetpotato breeding priority and preferred traits to increasing its utilisation in Niger and Nigeria
May 2023
Sweetpotato is an important food, feed and vegetable crop in Niger and Nigeria. The adoption of a new variety depends on famers and consumers preferences. The objective of this study was to identify sweetpotato preferred traits by end-users in Niger and Nigeria. The study was conducted in two countries through participatory rural appraisal. The results revealed that sweetpotato is produced by men in Niger, while it is...
Characterization and classification of greenbelt soils in Yambio and Nzara counties, Western Equatoria State, South Sudan
May 2023
The objectives of this study were to characterize, classify and evaluate the potential and constraints of the soils of Sakure and Nginda Payams in Nzara and Yambio counties in the Greenbelt zone of Western Equatoria State, South Sudan. Ten soil pits were dug, described and sampled based on FAO soil profile description guideline and samples were analysed using standard routine lab analyses for physical and...
Nutritional evaluation of twenty-four disease and pest resistance tomato varieties
May 2023
Tomato, a fruit vegetable, is widely used in many dish components such as soup, stew/sauce, salad, and juice with many benefits. Even though annual and perishable, tomatoes are required yearly for use. Tomato production thus serves as a livelihood and food security activity across the country with different varieties. Some of these varieties, however, do not meet production criteria and consumer preferences. As such,...
Harvest timing and nitrogen fertilization alter the production of biomass and antioxidant compound in the parsley
May 2023
Parsley is a plant widely used in cooking as a condiment and it has potential for pharmaceutical use due to flavonoids production, including the apiin, which has antioxidant activity. The current study investigates the influence of N fertilization on the biomass production, soluble fractions, total flavonoids and apiin in the parsley plants at 28 and 56 days after germination (DAG). The experiment was carried out in the...
Effect of salinity on physiological, and biochemical traits of two forage species: Albizia lebbeck and Faidherbia albida
May 2023
To maximize the productivity of crops in salty areas, the search for plant species having economic importance and able of reducing the amount of salt is therefore the main selection criterion for a regeneration program. So, the determination of salinity tolerance capacity during the vegetative stage of Faidherbia albida and Albizia lebbeck was studied. The seeds of each species were germinated and transplanted...
Combined effect of rates, insecticides and action mode on the controlling the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda on maize
May 2023
This work aimed to evaluate the combined effect of rates, insecticides and of action mode to control the Fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda in the corn crop. The trial was conducted in, Vilankulo distrit, Mozambique, based on a completely randomized block design, on factorial arrangement, consisting of three factors: (i) Application rate, with five levels: 100% - recommended, -5% below the recommended, -10% - below...
Cocoa (Theobroma cacao) and local fruit species interaction: Case of Beilschmiedia mannii in traditional agroforestry systems in western Côte d'Ivoire
May 2023
Cocoa (Theobroma cacao) cultivation in Côte d'Ivoire faces many constraints and remains one of the main causes of deforestation. However, cocoa-based agroforestry and the domestication of cocoa companion trees would be an alternative to overcome these constraints. This study was conducted to improve the sustainability of cocoa production through its association with "Bitéi" (Beilschmiedia...
Economics of rice/ paddy production in Kano and Niger States of Nigeria in the presence of technological heterogeneity
May 2023
For decades, debates among African leaders have centred on possible solutions to the continent's food security dilemma. If not addressed, the continued increase in population density and the accompanying pressures from conflicting demands for land in many Sub-Saharan African nations, including Nigeria, have the potential to exacerbate the arable land situation in the near future. To achieve increased production,...
The effects of agricultural R&D investments on poverty and undernourishment in sub-Saharan Africa
April 2023
The analysis explores the relationship between agricultural R&D investments, and rural poverty and undernourishment in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Agricultural R&D knowledge stocks (KS) account for the lagged effects of research. Causal mediation analysis assesses the impacts of KS and measures the effect of KS-induced productivity growth on poverty and undernourishment. Evidence suggests that growth in KS helped...
Challenges and opportunities for up-scaling indigenous farming practices for adaptation to climate change induced food insecurity in Busega District, Simiyu Region, Tanzania
April 2023
In spite of their vulnerabilities to the impacts of climate change, smallholder farmers have managed to utilize indigenous farming practices to adapt to the impacts of climate change and variability but only at low scale which needs to be scaled up. This paper explores the challenges and opportunities involved in such scaling up of indigenous farming practices. Specifically, the paper assesses existing indigenous...
Effect of harvesting stage on yield and nutritive value of antelope grass (Echinochloa pyramidalis) hay under natural pasture in Nuer Zone of Gambella, Ethiopia
April 2023
The study was conducted to evaluate and identify the appropriate harvesting stage of growth and quality of antelopegrass (Echinochloa pyramidalis) hay under natural pasture. DM%, fresh biomass yield (FBY), dry matter yield (DMY) and gross energy (GE) were determined. The main analysis such as ash, crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), acid detergent lignin (ADL), ether extract...
Raising crop productivity of smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa: Long-term Ugandan fertilizer study
April 2023
Peri-urban small-holder farms throughout Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are predominantly run by women who traditionally use livestock manure as a fertiliser. The rates applied are often inadequate for optimum crop yields contributing to low farmer income and exacerbating food insecurity in the region. This report summarises targeted fertilizer experiments in Uganda from 2010 to 2019 aimed to improve crop yield. Preliminary...
Economic Injury level and yield loss assessment for carmine spider mite (Tetranychus cinnabarinus Boisduval) on tomato Solanum lycopersicum under greenhouse conditions
April 2023
A study was undertaken over two cropping seasons, 2018/2019 and 2019/2020, to determine the economic injury level for carmine spider mite, Tetranychus cinnabarinus (Boisduval) on tomato Solanum lycopersicum in Botswana. Tomato plants were infested with adult spider mites for durations of 0 (no exposure), 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 weeks (complete exposure). The corresponding treatments were 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 and 0 sprays...
Contrasting responses to prolonged drought stress and mitigation effects of manure application on plant growth of two tropical forage legumes
April 2023
Glycine and siratro are tropical forage legumes that especially thrive in regions with low precipitation such as sub-Saharan Africa. This study investigated legume responses to drought stress and cattle manure application in a greenhouse pot experiment aiming to contribute to their cultivation. Glycine was affected by drought stress-reducing plant physiology and growth expressed by leaf relative water content, stomatal...
Assessment of different rates of neem extracts as bio-pesticide for the control of insect vectors and associated viral diseases in okra
April 2023
Neem extract as bio-pesticide is effective in reducing insect pest populations. However, farmers lack information on the effective application rate. This study ascertained the effective neem extract concentration for reducing insect vector numbers, incidence and severity of the viral diseases. Three rates 20, 30 and 40 ml/L of neem extract, commercial pesticide Akape® and water as control were sprayed as treatments...
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