Biochar as an alternative to improve the in vitro environment for Pitaya (Hylocereus undatus Haw) and strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch) growing
March 2023
In vitro cultivation is widely used for micropropagation of several plant species; however, the increase in the gas concentration, such as ethylene gas, inside the growth vials can cause physiological changes. Thus, 4 experiments were carried out at the Federal University of Minas Gerais to evaluate the biochar use from sugarcane bagasse in vials with or without caps with porous membrane in the in vitro growing of...
Coping with catastrophe: Crop diversity and crop production in Tigray National Regional State in Northern Ethiopia
March 2023
Tigray, the most northern of Ethiopia’s ethnically based regional states, covers an area of 53 386 km2 and has a population exceeding 5.17 million of whom some 24.3% are urban dwellers. Wide agroclimatic variations result from altitudinal differences (600 to 3000 m) and rainfall patterns. The area is a center of origin of many cultivated and wild plants. The mainly agricultural rural population, farming small...
Systemic challenges hindering the flow of sustainable forestry knowledge among smallholder farmers in South Africa
March 2023
South African democratic governments instituted several policies aimed at developing the capabilities of smallholder foresters to ensure economic inclusion and rural development. Skills development to build smallholder capabilities was deemed necessary to improve productivity, food security and conserve forestry resources. However, systemic blockages within the South African skills system hinder skills development,...
Design optimization of communal solar powered irrigation system
March 2023
Communal solar-powered irrigation systems (SPIS) have the potential for sharing the upfront costs hence encouraging farmers to adopt irrigation. Conventional methods of sizing photovoltaic water pumping (PVWP) system for irrigation consider the hydraulic energy requirement by the pump and PV generator capacity separately from the available water source capacity. As a result, the potential of the technology is not...
Effects of plant densities on the performance of common bean varieties in multiple environments of northwestern Tanzania
March 2023
A study was carried out at two sites in Tanzania to assess the effect of different planting densities on growth and yield of five recently released bush bean varieties. The experiment was laid out in a split-plot design in a factorial arrangement with three replications during long and short rainy seasons of 2019/20 and 2020/21. The treatments comprised five bean varieties; TARIBEAN 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 and five plant...
Growth performance and carcass composition of African catfish (Clarias gariepinus Burchell, 1822) fed on black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens Linnaeus, 1758) larvae based diets
March 2023
A 12-week feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of replacing fishmeal with black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) meal on growth performance and carcass composition of African catfish fingerlings. Five isonitrogenous (40% CP) diets of 0 (Control), 25, 50, 75 and 100% fishmeal with BSFL were used in triplicate. A randomized complete block design was used, and 600 fingerlings (0.46±0.02g) were randomly...
Artificial intelligence and deep learning based technologies for emerging disease recognition and pest prediction in beans (phaseolus vulgaris l.): A systematic review
March 2023
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and deep learning have the capacity to reduce losses in crop production, such as low crop yields, food insecurity, and the negative impacts on a country’s economy caused by crop infections. This study aims to find the knowledge and technological gaps associated with the application of AI-based technologies for plant disease detection and pest prediction at an early stage and recommend...
Impacts of farmer field schools on food security and environmental conservation in Western Kenya
March 2023
This study assessed the impacts of Farmer Field Schools (FFS) on household food security and environmental conservation in the Western Province of Kenya. The outcome variables were: Maize yield per acre, income per acre, household food insecurity score and environmental conservation score. Principal component analysis and propensity score matching techniques were used for analyses and regression method to test the...
Exploration of challenges and associated recommendations to livestock sector development in South Africa using a stakeholder-driven approach
March 2023
Development of the livestock sector in South Africa has the potential to contribute significantly to national development. The aim of this study was to explore challenges and propose recommendations to support livestock sector development in South Africa using a stakeholder-driven approach. Interviews with high-level stakeholders across major livestock industries were conducted to gather insights. Responses were...
Determination of import demand of wheat in Kenya; A time series analysis from 2000 to 2019
March 2023
Trade influences economic growth and entails imports and exports. In Kenya, wheat imports have been expanding with no sign of slowing down and this has become a matter of great concern because the country is losing over 30 billion Kenyan shillings in importing wheat on a yearly basis. This motivated the need to estimate wheat import demand model, which was conducted using secondary time series data from 2000 to 2019....
Typologies of pineapple-based farming systems in Centre-Cameroon
March 2023
The high diversity in pineapple fields and farmers provide huge challenges in farm management in already dwindling pineapple production sector in the center region of Cameroon. A first step to overcome these production challenges is to manage the afore-mentioned diversity to a reasonable level without loss of detail and specific management interventions for each category or typology proposed. Field surveys were...
Factors influencing choice of milk market outlets among smallholder dairy farmers in Kuresoi north sub-county, Kenya
February 2023
Kuresoi North Sub-County has experienced a rapid expansion in milk production and there exist both formal and informal milk market outlets. With these abundant opportunities, much of the produced quantities of milk are expected to enter the market and farmers’ livelihoods be improved. However, it is not clear whether the smallholder milk producers are exploiting the existing and emerging market opportunities...
Species of the Corchorus genus: Identification, nomenclature and socio-economic role in Burkina Faso
February 2023
Indigenous leafy vegetables play a significant socio-economic role for the local population. However, most of them used at the local level have not been studied a lot and their nutritional values are less implemented. This study focuses on the local nomenclature and the socio-cultural services of the species of Corchorus genus. Therefore, a collection followed by an ethnobotanical survey was carried out in 22 provinces...
Effects of cricket frass on vegetative growth of Cleome gynandra
February 2023
Insect farming as food and feed has gained popularity. Insects require less land and water and are efficient in feed-food conversion, making them a sustainable alternative source of protein for food fortification and feed formulation. Some insects play a vital role in bio-remediation of organic waste as they feed on waste breaking it down to frass that has the potential to be used as an organic fertilizer in food...
Yields and soil chemical property changes in an intensive vegetable cropping system in the Sahel
February 2023
Irrigated vegetable production is an important agricultural activity and a significant source of income for millions of smallholder farmers in the Sahel. There is little information on the potential effects of intensive vegetable production using African Market Garden (AMG) technology on vegetable yields and soil chemical properties. Three contiguous 500-m2 plots were established to evaluate three vegetable management...
Response of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars to ridge -furrow tillage systems
February 2023
Tillage system is one of the main factors influencing growth and physiology of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), that eventually translates to high yield and good kernel quality. The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of the ridge (RT) and flat tillage (FT) systems on (i) growth and production of spring wheat, (ii) root growth and physiology and (iii) soil physical properties. Trials were conducted at...
Effects of corn-pea mixture and harvesting days on forage yield and quality
February 2023
The objective of this study was to assess the effect of mix-cropping, Yangtsepa corn variety with legume Sesbania, and single cropping on the forage yield and quality at 60-, 90-, and 120-days harvest. Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications was used as an experimental design. The corn and pea were line sown at 20 cm apart with a seed ratio of 50:50. The results showed higher corn forage yield...
Nitrogen effects on leaf gas exchange, vegetative growth and yield of black pepper plants using Gliricidia sepium as living support
February 2023
For the implantation of one hectare of black pepper (Piper nigrum), about 25 to 30 trees are removed from the Amazon Forest to produce tutors for black pepper. As an alternative to the dead wooden stake (WS), there is sustainable cultivation of black pepper with tree species, with the living supports (LS) of gliricídia (Gliricidia sepium L.). However, there is inadequate technical information on the effect of...
Role of income from rice cultivation on livelihoods of rice farmers: Evidence from Ahero Region, Kenya
February 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...
Depth and soil physiochemical properties effects on soil compaction in agricultural field
February 2023
Physical and chemical properties of the soil are key determinants of farm soil compaction. The purpose of this study is to study the effects of depth and soil physiochemical properties on soil compaction. Soil compaction was measured using a Spot On digital compaction meter. During the soil compaction field test five different depths were selected. In the soil laboratory, soil texture, soil pH, soil electric...
Effect of manure-based biochar amendment on soil chemical properties, total enzymic activities and tomato growth performance in acidic soil under controlled conditions
February 2023
The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of biochar on tomato production under controlled conditions. Trials were installed using a complete randomized block design (CRD) with 5 replications of 4 treatments: T0 (0%); T1 (8%); T2 (12%) and T3 (16%). During plant growth, parameters including height, diameter, number of leaves, number of fruits and plant biomass were collected. Plants obtained from pot that received...
Bacillus subtilis UFMT-Pant001 as a plant growth promoter in soybean in a greenhouse
February 2023
This study aims at evaluating the agronomic efficiency of the Bacillus subtilis UFMT-Pant001 strain as a plant growth promoter in soybean at three greenhouses from distinct Brazilian regions. The treatments were formulated based on this strain at a concentration of 1x109 UFC.mL-1 in volumes of 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350 or 400 mL for each 50 kg of seeds. Bradyrhizobium japonicum was added in all experiments, and the...
Chemical and textural properties of floodplain forest soils in the Eastern Amazon, Brazil
January 2023
Soils in floodplain ecosystems are sedimentary and subject to removal, transport, and deposition processes caused mainly by the water cycle, contributing to frequent variations in landscape patterns and continuous transformation of the floodplain environment. Given the constant disturbance caused by flood pulse variability, it is difficult to assess soil properties in floodplain ecosystems. Soil samples were collected...
Farm diversification benefits and technology choice: A case of the coffee-banana farming system in Central Uganda
January 2023
Diversification has been argued to be the future of small farms and more so in developing countries given its benefits to mitigating against risk, increase economic and social benefits. This study was built on an earlier study by Mpiira et al. (2021). 247 respondents were interviewed using pre-tested and semi-structured questionnaires in three districts of Central Uganda: Kiboga, Nakaseke and Sembabule. Using a...
Influence of seed co-inoculation with Bradyrhizobium species and Azospirillum brasilense on soybean development in Southern and Southeastern Brazil
January 2023
Bioinoculants are widely used in Brazil, based on efficient and low-cost. This study aimed to evaluate the agronomic efficiency of co-inoculation with Bradyrhizobium species and Azospirillum brasilense in soybean seeds. Field trials were established in four regions of Brazil using a randomized block design with 8 treatments and 4 replications as follows: T1 - Control, T2 - 200 kg ha-1 N, T3 - Bradyrhizobium spp....
Emergency response to the Spodoptera frugiperda invasion in Africa: What do maize producers in Burkina Faso think and do?
January 2023
Spodoptera frugiperda, the fall armyworm (FAW), has become a major pest of maize since its appearance in Burkina Faso in 2017 requiring appropriate emergency response. A survey was conducted with 161 maize farmers from 9 regions and 48 villages in the Sudano-Sahelian and Sudanese agro-climatic zones, the main maize-growing areas in Burkina Faso to collect their perceptions. For this purpose, a questionnaire designed on...
Protective equipments use by veterinarians in Nigeria
January 2023
The transmissible nature of certain diseases makes anthropozoonosis an important hazard associated with veterinarians. For this reason, the attitude and compliance of veterinarians in Nigeria to personal protective equipment (PPE) use was studied using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire. Questionnaires were administered at the 2017 Veterinary continuing education seminar held at Akure (Ondo state),...
Agricultural livelihood systems typology for coping with diversity in smallholder farming system research: A demonstrative case in South-western Burkina Faso
January 2023
Smallholder farms’ populations are characterized by their heterogeneity giving the diversity of farms’ livelihood settings. Integrated farming system modelling therefore requires a preliminary clear identification of the farm types in a location and for a given population. This study aims to formulate empirically agricultural livelihood system (ALS) typology for the purpose of integrated modeling of...
Fertilization options for improved cassava productivity and economic profitability in the Pissa and Damara areas, Central African Republic: Comparative Approach
January 2023
This study aimed to identify fertilization options for improving cassava productivity and profitability in two contrasting regions of the Central African Republic. The Pissa (guinea forest) and Damara (savannah). The study adopted a randomized complete block design with four treatments replicated four times in a plot size of 7 m by 7 m. The treatments were; T1 (Control), T2 (Peasant practice), T3 (sole NPK), and T4 (Cow...
Pasting properties of high-quality cassava flour of some selected improved cassava varieties in Tanzania for baking
January 2023
Partial substituting wheat with high-quality cassava flour (HQCF) in bread making would be economically beneficial in Tanzania. However, cassava varieties with the best pasting quality for this use are unknown. In addition, the appropriate time of harvesting the varieties to attain the best pasting quality is also unknown. This study, therefore, aimed at identifying the most appropriate cassava varieties and their...
Xanthomonas wilt of enset in Ethiopia: Geographical spread, impact on production systems and the effect of training on disease management practices
January 2023
Xanthomonas wilt of enset is a major bacterial disease affecting the entire enset-growing belt in the southern Ethiopian highlands, impacting food security and livelihoods of small-holder subsistence farmers. Through extensive interviews and field validation visits with 354 households covering 19 communities (kebeles), we show 70% of the farms to present current and past enset Xanthomonas wilt infections, with a median...
Physico-chemical parameters, macronutrients and micronutrients evaluation in the soil of Trenabougou, rural commune of Siby, Mali
January 2023
The insufficiency of nutrients in the soils has been identified as one of the factors that have affected the productivity of crops. An investigation was carried out to assess the trophic level of soil in the region. Using a non-probability sampling technique, a total of 70 representative surface soil samples were collected between February and April, 2021. The sampling depth ranged from 0 to 30 cm, according to the root...
Rice ratooning as a sustainable climate smart adaptation for agriculture in Liberia
January 2023
Rice (Oryza glaberrima) is a staple food for many people in Africa. In West Africa, especially Liberia, it is the main dish and plays a major role in the political stability of the country despite its insufficient production. The objective of the study was to evaluate how varied cutting heights affected rice yields. The experiment was set up in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three treatments and three...
Development and testing of a vertical-spikes shelling machine for bambara groundnuts
December 2022
This paper aim to develop a low-cost Bambara groundnuts sheller that uses vertical spikes as the shelling mechanism. A vertical spike shelling machine was designed, constructed and evaluated. The Bambara groundnut shelling machine consisted of a hopper, shelling system, frame, motor and power transmission system. The Bambara groundnut sheller used a low-cost shelling mechanism of spikes and shaft system, as it has...
Assessment of health hazards and risk perceptions of market garden producers towards the effects of pesticides in Western Region Cameroon
December 2022
The increased health effect of pesticides on the agrarian population in Africa, particularly in Cameroon is a challenging concern. Therefore, this study aims to assess the health risks and risk perceptions of market garden producers towards the effects of pesticides in Cameroon. Using a multi-stage sampling technique, a sample of 560 producers in the Noun Division, Western Region of Cameroon was obtained and an ordered...
Phenotypic expressions of diverse Sorghum bicolor [L.] Moench genotypes exposed to cold and warm temperatures
December 2022
Low temperatures at the reproductive stages of sorghum limit its performance and promotion in the dry highlands of Kenya. Two hundred and fifty sorghum genotypes were evaluated in 2020 and 2021 on a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications in two sites. Egerton University a cool highland region and Marigat a warm lowland. The daily temperature range at Egerton was recorded as 20/9?C while that of...
Estimating crop water requirements for irrigation scheduling of tomato using Aquacrop 5.0 and Cropwat 8.0 models under scarcity and unreliability of rainfall in Harare
December 2022
In the face of increased competition for water resources, optimal irrigation scheduling is necessary for sustainable development of irrigated agriculture. However, the most favourable irrigation scheduling has many constraints and conflicting objectives and deals with an environment which has a lot of uncertainty. In this study, a comparative approach was undertaken for irrigation scheduling using Aquacrop 5.0 and the...
Assessing the host status of banana and other plant species to the enset root mealybug Paraputo ensete (Williams & Matile-Ferrero) (Hem.: Pseudococcidae) in Ethiopia
December 2022
Ninety backyard gardens in the south-eastern Ethiopian highlands with enset (Ensete ventricosum (Welw.) Cheesman), banana and various annual crops were assessed for the presence of enset root mealybugs (Paraputo ensete (Williams & Matile-Ferrero)). This study presents the first observation of enset root mealybugs on banana. This pest has until now been exclusively recorded on enset in Ethiopia. In the Dilla Zuria...
Effects of sodium chloride on seed germination and seedling establishment of sorghum genotypes
December 2022
Salinity and climate change are major threats that affect crop productivity in arid and semi-arid fields globally. Sorghum is a climate smart crop but wide range of sorghum genotypes grown is sensitive to salt. Sorghum was screened for salt tolerance using sodium chloride (NaCl) at different concentrations. There were 250 evaluated sorghum genotypes using factorial arrangement in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD)...
Estimation of genetic variability, interrelationships and path analysis for yield and yield related traits in NERICAs upland rice (Oryza sativa L.) in White Nile State, Sudan
December 2022
The yield of rice landraces in the Sudan has been low due to genetic ceiling in the existing varieties. It is necessary to carry out breeding programs that deal with the production of high yielding, adaptable new varieties. Therefore, this study aimed to estimate genetic variability, heritability, genotypic performance and interrelationships among the traits. 18 upland rice genotypes and two checks evaluated at White...
Growth performance and economic analysis of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fed on black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens)
December 2022
The depletion of fish stocks in Lake Victoria is putting severe strain on fish supplies for human consumption and aquaculture feed formulation. Due to the fish stocks high demand and limited supply, fishmeal prices are rising, increasing the cost of feed for aquaculture. As a result, up to 70% of variable aquaculture expenditures are related to feed. Alternative feed sources, such as insect meals, have been heavily...
Heavy metals levels and adult health risk assessment in horticultural systems in Mbare Musika and Mutoko, Zimbabwe
December 2022
Levels of cadmium, chromium, cobalt, nickel and lead were determined in cabbages, tsunga (mustard), green beans and tomatoes from Mbare Musika vegetable market in Harare and one of its major supplier, Mutoko. Cabbages and tsunga exceeded the stipulated safe limit for lead levels whereas the tomatoes and sugar beans went above the 0.02 ppm threshold for cadmium. Hazard Quotients (HQ) of the vegetables showed adult health...
Effect of applying low rates of lime and manure on bean growth and yield on Ferralsols of Lake Victoria crescent agro-ecological Zone-Central Uganda
December 2022
An experiment was conducted to determine the effect of applying low rates of lime and chicken manure on bean (var. NABE 15) growth and yield on Ferralsols. Using split plot factorial randomized complete block design, lime (0.0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 t ha-1) as the main plot and chicken manure (0.0, 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 t ha-1) as sub plot, were replicated three times. The experiment was conducted for three rainy seasons,...
Farmers’ perceptions of fertilizer micro-dosing adoption and continued use in Burkina Faso
November 2022
This study analyzes fertilizer micro-dosing adoption and focuses on farmers' perceptions. Data used are from households selected based on agroecological characteristics. The bivariate probit model estimation results show that fertilizer microdosing adoption is a process. After the first adoption, 22.67% of farmers continued to apply fertilizer micro-dosing compared to 33.25% who discontinued. In addition, analysis...
Differences in smallholder farmers’ compost pits in terms of production and quality across Burkina Faso: The case of Eastern Region
November 2022
Sub Saharan African soils have low organic matter contents, hence applying compost is therefore instrumental to improve their fertility. This study investigated the quantity and the quality of compost produced by smallholder farmers in five provinces (Gnagna, Gourma, Komondjari, Kompienga and Tapoa) from Eastern Burkina Faso. Compost quality was determined by the main physical and chemical characteristics including bulk...
Cassava use in southern Benin: Importance and perception of actors involved in the value chain
November 2022
In Benin, many families resort not only to consumption but also to the therapeutic use of cassava (Manihot esculenta). The study assessed the impact of socio-economic factors on the use of cassava, and the perception of the actors involved in the value chain in Benin. Four areas of high production and processing, with 516 producers and processors of cassava roots were surveyed. The results reveal that...
Variation of some growth, agronomical and biochemical parameters of Vigna unguiculata (L. Walp) under salinity stress
November 2022
The variation of some growth, agronomical and biochemical parameters of Vigna unguiculata (L. Walp) under salinity stress were investigated in the greenhouse and farm conditions. Plants were subjected to 0, 50, 100 and 200 mM NaCl. The increases of NaCl in the culture medium significantly (P< 0.001) decreased the growth parameters (number of leaves, noose diameter, leaf area and stem height), dry biomass (roots,...
Study of the combined effect of sowing date and sowing method on vegetative development of new rice paddy (Oryza sativa) varieties in Senegal River Valley under low temperatures
November 2022
Rice paddy cultivation in Senegal is subject to climatic fluctuations that affect its vegetative development. Although climatic conditions are a concern, we hypothesized that the new rice paddy ISRIZ would be better adapted to these fluctuations and would allow double cropping. We studied the vegetative behavior according to the date and mode sowing under low temperatures. An experiment was carried out in a split-split...
Evaluation of seventeen cowpea genotypes across years for grain yield, yield components and yield stability in Nsukka, South-east Nigeria
November 2022
Fifteen improved and two local genotypes of Vigna unguiculata were evaluated for their performance in grain yield, yield components and yield stability from 2016 to 2018. Experiments were laid out in a Randomised Complete Block Design, with three replications. Data were collected on grain yield and yield components and subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA). Stability analysis for grain yield was conducted using...
Production and utilisation of Bambaranut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.) in Northern and Eastern Uganda
November 2022
Bambaranut (BN) (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.) Is a nutrient rich, drought tolerant food legume that can contribute to food security and community resilience. In Uganda however, production and utilization remain in relative obscurity. A study was conducted in Northern and Eastern Uganda to determine production and utilization practices and identify challenges and opportunities for BN improvement. Primary data on...
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