Lack of technology hinders advancing aquaculture; special emphases on fish intestinal microbiota research in Africa
January 2024
Fish farming plays a crucial role in aquaculture, providing protein and livelihoods to millions worldwide. Research on fish intestinal microbiota has gained increasing importance in recent years due to its critical roles in fish health, growth, disease resistance, and production. However, advanced aquaculture research, such as studying fish intestinal microbiota, faces significant challenges in Africa due to inadequate...
Effect of phytosanitary products on yield and grain quality of winter wheat in the conditions of Central Non-Chernozem region of Russia
January 2024
One of the problems with producing winter wheat is the use of phytosaniatry products to guarantee high and steady winter wheat yields. Over the course of two years (2021-2022), field tests were carried out at the Federal Research Center Nemchinovka in Russia's Central Non-Black Earth area. With respect to intensity levels, such as basic, intense, and high intensity; this study sought to assess the impact of various...
Southwestern Kenya’s smallholder dairy farmers’ climate change perceptions, knowledge and adaptation
January 2024
Globally, climate change (CC) adaptation is critical as CC compounds smallholder dairy farmers’ challenges. Farmers’ CC perceptions and knowledge could influence their CC adaptations. This study in Southwestern Kenya sought to establish smallholder dairy farmers’ CC perceptions and CC knowledge level and their relationships to CC adaptations. Concurrent Fixed Mixed Methods was used to collect data from...
Adoption and impact of fruit fly control technologies on mango losses in Senegal
January 2024
Senegal's mango production and export industry have experienced remarkable growth, contributing CFAF 8 billion to the economy and generating nearly 20,000 jobs, with women comprising half of the workforce. However, this success is threatened by fruit fly infestations, which can result in potential losses of up to 100% of production. The WAAPP Program, implemented from 2011 to 2013, aimed to combat this issue in...
Enhancing wheat productivity for small-scale farmers in the northern state of Sudan through developing a local made seed cleaner and different seeding methods
January 2024
The wheat cleaner was designed, manufactured, and tested in the workshop of the Department of Agricultural Engineering, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Dongola, and Northern State of Sudan. The purpose was to enhance productivity for small-scale farmers who traditionally plant their saved wheat seeds every season, facing risks of weed infestation and low viability. A one-season field experiment was then...
Adoption of sustainable land management practices among farmers under the Third National Fadama Development Project in Imo State, Nigeria
January 2024
This study assessed the adoption of Sustainable Land Management (SLM) practices among farmers participating in the Third National Fadama Development Project in Imo State, Nigeria. Data were collected through structured questionnaires administered to 128 randomly selected members of Fadama User Groups (FUGs) in Imo State. The analysis utilized simple descriptive statistical tools such as frequency distribution tables,...
Ethnobotanical survey to evaluate the endogenous knowledge and consequences of Taro Leaf Blight (TLB) in Sudanian climatic zone of Burkina Faso
January 2024
Leaf blight caused by Phytophthora colocasiae poses a significant threat to taro production in the Sudanian climatic zone of Burkina Faso. This study aims to assess producers' knowledge about the disease, its consequences, and field management practices. An ethnobotanical survey was conducted among taro producers between June and July 2021. Data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire and analyzed...
Growth promotion and yield attribute improvement of five groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) varieties by the application of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria
December 2023
The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the symbiotic performance of a collection of ten plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) strains on the growth and yield attributes of five groundnut varieties. The screening was conducted in the greenhouse using seeds of the varieties Essamay, Amoul Morom, 55-437, Fleur 11 and Sunu Gaal grown in 1.5 kg pots with Sangalkam soils. Leaf chlorophyll content, plant height,...
Screening sorghum local landraces for potential drought tolerance stay-green quantitative trait loci (QTLs) sources in Burkina Faso
December 2023
Sorghum serves as a staple food for rural populations in Burkina Faso, but its cultivation faces limitations due to post-flowering drought stress. Consequently, there is a need for improvement to enhance resilience to moisture stress. The current investigation aims to identify drought-tolerant germplasm to enhance local susceptible elite varieties. One hundred and ten accessions, comprising improved and exotic...
Effects of irrigation regimes at different growth stages on seed yield and yield components of two soybeans (Glycine max L. (Merr.)) varieties in semi-arid conditions
December 2023
Water stress is the most limiting abiotic stress factor for soybean growth, development and production in semi-arid regions. The development of new soybean cultivars with high efficiency and ability to drought resistance is very important. Field experiment was conducted to investigated the impact of irrigation regimes at different growth stages (Full irrigation, irrigation regimes at vegetable growth, flowering, and pod...
Agronomic efficiency and grain yield response index of wheat varieties as influenced by nitrogen rates in semi-arid zone of southern Niger
December 2023
Wheat productivity in southern Niger is hampered by the utilization of local wheat varieties that exhibit a low response to fertilizer. A field experiment was conducted over two dry seasons in Djirataoua to investigate the efficiency and responsiveness of four wheat varieties under four nitrogen doses (0, 100, 150 and 200 kg N ha-1). The experiment followed a split-plot design with three replications. Results revealed...
Effect of biochar on soil physical properties, growth parameters and yield of soybeans on a five-year fallow
December 2023
The potential of biochar as a soil amendment in agricultural fields is a recently recognized and yet underutilized technology. The objective of this study was to investigate the mid/long-term effects of a single biochar application on soil physical properties, growth parameters and the yield of soybeans in a sandy clay loam. Biochar was added to a highly weathered tropical soil at rates of 40 tons ha-1 five years prior...
Comparative analysis of immediate and residual effects of farmyard manure, triple superphosphate, and lime on maize yields in western Kenya
November 2023
The effects of farmyard manure (FYM) and triple superphosphate (TSP) as sources of phosphorus, when applied with or without lime, on selected soil chemical properties, and the initial and residual maize yields, were compared for two consecutive seasons at two acidic, phosphorus-deficient sites, Khwisero and Maseno, in western Kenya. Nutrient inputs, consisting of two sources of phosphorus: TSP and FYM, applied as sole...
Antioxidant activity of phenolic compounds in Hibiscus sabdariffa from Congo
November 2023
Hibiscus sabdariffa is a plant of the Malvaceae family, commonly found in tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, Asia, and the Americas. Its leaves, seeds, and calyxes are utilized in both human and animal nutrition. The objective of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant activity of phenolic compounds in leaves and calyxes harvested from H. sabdariffa plants that were fertilized with chicken manure in Congo....
Land tenure security and agricultural production in the rural areas of Burkina Faso
November 2023
The security of land tenure is a critical aspect of enhancing agricultural production in rural areas of Burkina Faso. The aim of this analysis is to examine the impact of land tenure security on agricultural production and utilize the Mixed Conditional Process method to derive estimators in a recursive equation model. Panel data from the Programme National de Gestion des Terroirs was employed spanning the cropping...
Floral biology and phenology of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas [L.] Lam.) in Cuba: Bases for genetic improvement
November 2023
Despite the fact that some aspects related to the flowering of the sweet potato have been studied previously, to date, in Cuba and tropical regions, only general descriptions have been documented without detailed information on the biology and floral phenology of the sweet potato, aspects of interest for genetic improvement. To carry out the research, four sweet potato genotypes obtained and released by the genetic...
The impact of safety net programs on household asset building in Ethiopia: Propensity scope matching model results
November 2023
The study analyzed the impact of the Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP) on Household Asset Building (HAB) in drought-prone areas of Southern Ethiopia. Cross-sectional survey data were collected from 180 randomly sampled households, including both PSNP beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries. The analysis included both inferential and descriptive methods, utilizing a Propensity Score Matching (PSM) technique to estimate...
Market value chain of honey production in Northern Ethiopia
November 2023
Farm commodities that are grown to sell for profit and purchased by parties separate from a farm are seen as cash crops. Coffee, cotton, and honey are produced for sale in South and Western Ethiopia. As honey emerged as a cash commodity, farmers in Northern Ethiopia became involved in honey production as an income source. Studies on honey production have focused on central, south, and western Ethiopia. Northern and...
Assessment of input-output relationship of crop enterprises in the different climate change adaptation options among farmers in Borno State, Nigeria
October 2023
The study analyzed the input-output relationship of crop enterprises in response to different climate change adaptation options among farmers in Borno State, Nigeria. The research was conducted in two agroecological zones (AEZ) within the state, employing a multi-stage sampling procedure to select 360 farmers for the study. Data analysis involved the use of means, frequencies, and multiple regression techniques. The...
Fruit morphological characteristics at different maturity stages of coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) improved hybrids (PB113+, PB121+) and their parent males (RIT+, WAT+)
October 2023
Cocos nucifera L. is an important coastal crop in Côte d'Ivoire, with 53 coconut cultivars. The present study was carried out to compare the morphophysical characteristics of C. nucifera L. fruit of the improved parents Rennell Island Tall (RIT+) and West Africa Tall (WAT+) and their hybrids PB113+ and PB121+, harvested at different maturity. The ANOVA results showed that cultivar and maturity had a...
Use of information communication technologies by cricket farmers
October 2023
Cricket farming is an upcoming enterprise to most households in rural communities. Apparently, there is no documented evidence on how farmers access agricultural information on cricket value chain. This study was carried out to assess the use of information communication technologies (ICTs) by farmers to access value chain information. ICTs application in cricket farming means ease to access cricket value chain...
A study on the susceptibility of maize genotypes against the maize weevil, Sitophilus zeamais (Motschulsky) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)
October 2023
Several maize varieties with high-yield potential have recently been created; however, their resistance to storage pests is unknown. This study compares the resistance ability to Sitophilus zeamais of four open-pollinated varieties (OPVs) and thirteen hybrid maize varieties using Dobie's susceptibility index (SI). The genotypes were tested in a completely randomized design with three replications at a temperature of...
Evaluation of soil fertility status in the Kyoga Basin of Uganda: A physio-chemical study in Buyende and Serere districts
October 2023
Nutrients present in the soil are important elements required for the healthy growth of plants. This study, therefore, sought to examine the physio-chemical properties of soils in Buyende and Serere districts, in the Kyoga basin, Uganda. Using soil auger, soil samples were purposively picked from Serere (23) and Buyende (17) districts at depth of (0-25 cm). Routine soil analysis was done for the macro soil...
Irrigation management of sugarcane in the Brazilian Cerrado
October 2023
The State of Goiás is the second-largest producer of sugarcane in Brazil. However, it still faces low productivity, primarily due to the lack of sugarcane varieties adapted to this region and its typical water deficit. Therefore, the objective of this work is to evaluate the performance of two sugarcane varieties subjected to different irrigation management practices in the Cerrado of Goiás. The study was...
Less water treatment: Fusion of drip irrigation and hydroponics method in agriculture
October 2023
Agriculture is a major area in the production of food crops and a way to increase productivity with minimal water usage. Traditional agriculture can take a certain amount of time and yield good and healthy crops. However, this research focuses on an innovative fusion of agriculture to improve yield in a shorter period of time, providing a more efficient and effective result when compared to the hydroponics and Cocopeat...
Evaluation of salinity tolerance of lowland rice genotypes (Oryza sativa L.) at the reproductive stage
October 2023
Developing salt tolerant varieties is the best solution to the increasing soil salinity problem of rice growing areas all over the world. This study evaluated salinity tolerance of 72 lowland rice genotypes at the reproductive stage in field experiments conducted in coastal Marovoay, Madagascar. Field salinity levels were controlled at 2 and 4 dS m-1 through irrigation. Tolerance of selected genotypes was validated in...
Allelopathic potential of green manure, cover crops, mulching plants, and weeds found in tea plantations
October 2023
The allelopathic activity of cover crops, green manure, mulching plants, and weeds commonly found in tea plantations was evaluated employing laboratory bioassays, greenhouse experiments and field trials. The results of laboratory and greenhouse experiments concluded that the green manure plants, Gliricidia sepium, Erythrina lithosperma, Eupatorium inulifolium, Tithonia diversifolia, Artemisia vulgaris and mulching...
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...
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...
Effect of paddy sourcing methods on the volume of rice milled by small and medium-scale rice millers in Mwea, Kirinyaga County, Kenya
September 2023
The purpose of the study was to determine the effect of paddy sourcing methods on the volume of rice milled by small and medium-scale rice millers in Mwea, Kirinyaga County, Kenya. Data were collected using semi-structured questionnaires from 90 small-scale millers and 70 medium-scale millers amounting to a total of 160 rice millers. The results from a Multinomial Endogenous Switching Regression (MESR) show that direct...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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,...
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...
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....
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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),...
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