Effects of different light exposure regimes on pre-sprouting and yield performance on potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) seed in Central Rift, Kenya
July 2021
Use of positive selection technique to manage yam viruses in seed yam production by Ghanaian farmers
July 2021
Positive selection technique (PST) involves physical examination of plants at vegetative stage for viral disease symptoms and using tubers from apparently symptomless plants as planting materials in seed yam production. This study determined PST use among farmers in Atebubu-Amantin and Ejura-Sekyedumase Municipalities of Ghana. Viral diseases were observed on 63 PST and 63 non-PST farms within these Municipalities. PST...
Phenotypic performance and response to selection for body weight gains of Black Bengal goat in a community breeding program
July 2021
Black Bengal goat is a potential animal genetic resource of Bangladesh. The aim of this study was to investigate the genetic improvement of growth rate (GR) in-situ through a community based breeding program under a low input production system. Data on a total of 451 individuals from 2009 to 2015 in three generations were taken. In the community, two breeding strategies (BS); mating among superior bucks and does (BS1)...
Antioxidant activity of Capsicum frutescens and its effect on sensory and carcass traits of local chickens
July 2021
This study determined the antioxidant activity of Capsicum frutescens powder and its effect on sensory and carcass characteristics of local chickens fed with either cotton seed cake or sunflower seed diets for thirty seven days. The birds were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments (0, 1.1, 2.2 and 4.4%) of C. frutescens powder. For cotton seed cake diets, 15 birds were replicated thrice per treatment whereas the...
Response of hot pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) to major fungal diseases under field and greenhouse conditions in Horo Guduru Wollega, Oromia, Ethiopia.
June 2021
Hot pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) is a national spice and vegetable of Ethiopia, produced as a cash crop. Biotic and abiotic stresses are very common throughout the pepper producing area of the country. Diseases are the major constraint to hot pepper production. An experimental trial was conducted at Harato Research site, Wollega University, Ethiopia to evaluate the reaction of five hot pepper varieties (Mareko...
Antifungal effect of plants extracts against Pestalotiopsis microspora responsible for post-harvest rot disease of pineapple (Ananas comosus (L.) Merr) fruit in Cameroon
June 2021
Rotten fruits are known to cause major losses in post-harvest conservation. One of the causal pathogen of pineapple rot was investigated and the antifungal effects of selected plants extracts were evaluated in vitro against fungal pathogen; Pestalotiopsis microspora. The fruits samples were randomly collected from farms after harvest. The samples were collected in Awae; the experiment was conducted at Agricultural...
Phenotypic characterization of the Guaymi breed in conservation centers of Panama
June 2021
Not all regions of the world have access to advanced means of analysis, such as molecular or quantitative genetics. In the absence of these or other means of selection, phenotypic analyses are used for breed differentiation as well as to evaluate productive aptitude. The objective of this work is to characterize morphometric variables and zoometric indices, as well as the morphological and phaneroptic characterization,...
Long-term spatial-temporal temperature characteristics of a pastoral ecosystem in Kajiado County, Kenya
June 2021
Kajiado County is mainly Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs) and as such it is faced with harsh climatic conditions. The county is dominantly inhabited by the Maasai pastoralists who depend on climate-sensitive natural resources for their provisions and production needs. As such, they are faced with low productivity. Therefore, the study investigated historical temperature characteristics combined with surveys on the...
Nodulation and protein content of selected chickpea varieties as impacted by spacing and n-fertiliser rates in Eastern Kenya
June 2021
Chickpea is a major legume grown in Kenya. The agronomic performance, nodulation ability and grain crude protein are not fully exploited. Field experiments were conducted at Embu, Kenya to determine the effect of plant spacing and N-fertilizer rates on nodulation and protein content of selected chickpea varieties. A split-split plot design was used and replicated three times. Treatments consisted of main factor, variety...
Preliminary evaluation of genetic inheritance of root traits of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) for tolerance to low soil phosphorus
June 2021
Common beans are an important nutritious food crop to many people in developing countries. Inadequate soil-P is one of the major constraints to high bean seed yield productivity. Information about genetic effects that control inheritance of root traits in common bean grown under low soil-P conditions is scarce, and that is a challenge for genetic enhancement. This study was therefore implemented to determine inheritance...
Phytochemical composition of Capsicum frutescens and its effect on body weight and carcass yield of Cobb500 broilers
June 2021
This study aimed to establish phytochemical composition and determining the effect of Capsicum frutescens powder on body weight and carcass yield of Cobb500 broilers. Four hundred and fifty broilers at 35 days were randomly assigned to treatments defined by three dietary inclusion levels (1.1, 2.2, 4.4%) of C. frutescens powder for each of the three durations (13 days, 19 days, 24 days) prior to 59 days of age. A...
Nitrate concentration and nitrate/ammonium ratio on lettuce grown in hydroponics in Southern Amazon
June 2021
Lettuce has a predisposition to nitrate accumulation and has led many researchers to develop research to reduce this accumulation. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of nitrate concentration (NO3-) and nitrate/ammonium ratio (NO3-:NH4+) on growth, production and accumulation of these nitrogen compounds in lettuce grown in a hydroponic system in southern Amazon. There were performed two experiments...
Substrate and genotype effects on kola (Cola nitida [Vent.] Schott and Endlicher.) tree cuttings growth in nursery
June 2021
The kola tree (Cola nitida) belongs to family Malvaceae grown mainly for its seed. It is highly prized for its socio-cultural and industrial uses. However, there is a significant high variability due to a high proportion of allogamy in the reproduction mode. The influence of substrate and genotype on kola tree cuttings has been studied in order to propagate it vegetatively. Six growing substrates: 100% Black soil, 50%...
Cultural heritage as a pathway for sustaining natural resources in the Maasai’s Pastoral Social-Ecological System in Kajiado County, Kenya
June 2021
The Maasai pastoralists inhabiting Kajiado County are known for rearing large herds of animals. Livestock has enabled them to attain food and nutritional security. However, natural resources are dwindling fast under the swift development context. The private holding of land is becoming more prevalent in an area formally known for its communal land setup. The emerging land tenure systems have disregarded the traditional...
Phenotypic evaluation of cassava genotypes (Manihot esculenta) under moisture stress
June 2021
Food security continues to be affected by global climatic changes which include increase of drought stress. A sustainable solution is to develop crop cultivars that are tolerant to climatic stresses. Among all crops cassava has a high potential to mitigate hunger. A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the performance of 79 cassava (Manihot esculenta) varieties under drought stress. The parameters evaluated were...
Amount of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer required to optimize growth and yield of rice
June 2021
Soil nutrient management is an important factor in plant growth for increased crop production and productivity in Sub-Saharan Africa whose food demand is over the threshold. Rice production in Uganda is still very low with current yield less than 2.5 ton ha-1. The impressive production increase is mainly on to farmer area expansion. A fertilizer trial was established to determine a New Rice for Africa (NERICA) 4 variety...
Mealybugs on fruit crops in the Sao Franciso Valley, Brazil
June 2021
Mealybugs are agricultural pests occurring all over the world. The Sao Francisco Valley is one of the most productive regions regarding the cultivation of fruit crops in Brazil, demanding a proper phytosanitary management that can be obtained through the biological control of pests. Fortnight samples of mealybugs associated with roots, trunk, leaves and fruits of grapevines, pear, apple, persimmon, guava and Barbados...
Importance and diversity of Mycorrhizae under plantain cultivation in the slash-and-burn and non-burn cropping systems in the forest region of Kisangani, Tshopo Province, D.R. Congo
June 2021
Mycorrhization is known to have beneficial effects on growth vigour and protection against certain pathogens in several plant species including plantains, which has so far been little studied in the Kisangani forest region. This study aimed to determine the importance and biodiversity of mycorrhizae under plantains in the slash-and-burn and non-burn cropping systems. This research was carried out in two experimental...
Phytochemical analysis and antifungal activity of Tithonia diversifolia and Kigelia africana extracts against Fusarium oxysporum in tomato
May 2021
Fusarium wilt can cause severe losses in many vegetables and flowers, field crops and plantation crops. The main method for controlling Fusarium wilt is through chemical methods which have the disadvantage of polluting the environment and are expensive. Thus, there is a need for more environmentally friendly and cheaper techniques for controlling Fusarium Wilt. This study screened the phytochemical compounds of two...
Constraints to banana (Musa spp) production in Beni territory of North-Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo
May 2021
The objective of this study was to characterize the banana production systems and to identify the constraints it faces. A questionnaire survey and field observations were carried out with banana producers. At the end of the surveys, three main banana production systems were found: Monoculture (10%), banana-food crops intercropping (7%) and agroforestry (83%). In addition, four types of banana (cooking banana, plantain,...
Production of indigenous poultry among smallholder farmers in Tigania West Meru County, Kenya
May 2021
The study was conducted to evaluate factors that significantly influence indigenous poultry production among smallholder farmers in Tigania west Mer County using the production function approach. The study relied on primary data collected by administering structured questionnaires to 359 respondents randomly selected from 5 wards using the multi stage stratified random sampling and probability proportionate to size...
Cocoa farmers’ perceptions of soil organic carbon effects on fertility, management and climate change in the Ashanti region of Ghana
May 2021
Farmers can play an important role in climate change mitigation through sustainable soil management practices. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in the Atwima Nwabiagya municipality of Ashanti region, Ghana, to explore farmers' knowledge and perceptions of their soils, soil fertility, applied management practices, and climate change on soil organic carbon. The interviews included topics...
Water stress affects the physio-morphological development of tomato growth
May 2021
This study aimed to differentiate and identify the best soil field capacity for good plant growth and optimization of yield. Tomato is an herbaceous crop that needs an adequate amount of water for growth and yield optimization. This experiment was conducted in pots in a greenhouse to examine the effect of water stress on the growth, yield, and shelf-life of five tomato varieties namely Padma F1, Cobra F1, Symbal F1,...
Vegetative biomass of maize, soybean, lablab and grazing vetch under different tillage and mulch practices in the foothills agro-ecological zone of Lesotho
May 2021
A field trial was conducted to determine the effect of tillage and mulch practices on the biomass response of cereal maize and soybean, lablab and grazing vetch which are legumes, when planted as fodder crops. The experiment was conducted using split-plot design with three replications. The main plot treatments were two mulch levels (Mulch and No-Mulch). The mulch was maize straw left from previous cropping season. The...
Factors influencing seed germination of Calycotome villosa (Poir.) Link. (Fabaceae) from Southern Tunisia
May 2021
As typical arid vegetation, Calycotome villosa is an annual herb playing an important role in folk medicine. In this research, the influences of temperature and salinity on germination of C. villosa seeds gotten from southern Tunisia were investigated. The germination responses of the seeds in total darkness were determined over an extensive array of temperatures (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40°C) as well as...
Screening and evaluation of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes resistance to stripe rust
May 2021
Stripe (yellow) rust caused by Puccinia striiformis f.sp. tritici, is one of the major diseases of wheat in the world. Development and use of resistant wheat cultivars is the most economical and environmentally friendly solution in combating wheat stripe rust. Field experiments were carried out at two sites in Ethiopia (Kulumsa and Meraro) and seedling tests were conducted at KARC greenhouse during the 2015 cropping...
Income mobility in diversified CSA households of Nyando Basin, South Western Kenya
May 2021
Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) strategies have been introduced in Nyando basin (comprising Kisumu and Kericho Counties) in Kenya, and farmers have comparatively taken up the practices. This has resulted in diversification of farming crops/livestock and incomes to bridge seasonal shortfalls under erratic harsh weather conditions due to climate change. The main objective of the study was to determine how smallholder...
Identification of zygotic and nucellar seedlings, originated by the largest embryo in mango seeds cv Ataulfo, using simple-sequence repeat (SSR)
May 2021
Mexico is the fourth largest producer of mango and the leading exporter worldwide, and cv ‘Ataulfo’ is the largest area sown in the country. New cultivars are required to maintain production, ensure competitiveness, and mitigate problems with pests and diseases. The purpose of the present study was to identify microsatellite (SSR) markers in zygotic and nucellar seedlings originated by the largest embryo in...
Evaluation of the physiological quality of quinoa seeds
May 2021
The variations in seed quality and scarcity vigor studies have been limiting factors in crop establishment at different regions of its Andes origin. The present study aimed to evaluate the physiological quality of quinoa seeds, from cultivars of Brazil, Colombia and Ecuador. The research was conducted in the Seeds Technology Laboratory of the University of Brasília, Brazil, through the tests of germination,...
Agronomic performance of new Jkuat papaya in different agro-ecological zones of kenya
May 2021
Papaya is one of the most important fruits crops of Kenya. However, in the recent past, papaya productivity and quality have been limited by lack of high quality seeds. Most producers depend on farmer selected and imported seeds for propagation. However, this is not satisfactory since few farmers can afford imported seeds due to their high price. On the other hand, most of the farmer selected seeds give rise to trees...
Seed germination and morphological characterization of traditional leafy vegetables
April 2021
Traditional leafy vegetables provide affordable sources of micronutrients to many people in Zimbabwe. They are produced by smallholder farmers with limited knowledge on the agronomic value of high-quality seed and the seed is rarely tested to determine its quality. This study was therefore conducted to evaluate the germination of seeds of three traditional leafy vegetables sourced from five different farmers and the...
Fish, Tilapia, and Shigellosis: A review
April 2021
Foodborne diseases are considered a relevant issue in health around the world due to their incidence, mortality and negative effects on the economic and productive sector. Fish is considered a food of high nutritional quality, being of global production, distribution and commercialization mainly for human consumption. Among the fish worldwide obtained from capture fisheries and mainly aquaculture for human consumption...
Soybean quality preferences by the Beninese small-scale soy food processors using conjoint analysis
April 2021
Soybean is a food crop with a growing interest in Benin. This study aims to provide insight about the main quality characteristics of the grain preferred by small-scale soy processors and the main socio-economic factors which drive their preferences. 116 small-scale processors related to three main soy food products - “Soy Amon” (soy cheese), “Soy Afitin” (soya fermented condiment) and...
Contribution of soil macro-fauna to soil fertility improvement in cocoa-based (Theobroma cacao) agroforestry systems in the Littoral Region of Cameroon: Examining cocoa farmers’ indigenous knowledge
April 2021
Soil macro-fauna play an important role in soil fertility improvement in different agricultural systems. However, limited research has been done to assess the role played by soil macro-fauna to soil fertility enhancement in cocoa-based agroforestry systems. This study was therefore initiated to fill this knowledge void. A mixed research approach was used during data collection, and data analysis was done using...
Comparative study of the effects of Herbal and chemical Coagulants in the clarification of raw water
April 2021
The use of aluminum sulphate in clarifying raw waters raises many concerns about its impact on human health. Thus, the present study was initiated to compare the effects of Moringa oleifera and aluminum sulphate besides evaluating the association between M. oleifera or aluminum sulphate with Opuntia ficus-indica or syntofloc for water treatment. The essays were carried in Jar Test using waters of 352.80 Nephelometric...
Mixtures design of Agave angustifolia Haw (Asparagales: Agavaceae) residue as a growth medium for tomato seedlings
April 2021
Tomato production under greenhouse conditions needs vigorous seedlings to reduce the loss of plants after the transplant. Different local substrates such as agave bagasse, pine bark and coconut fiber complemented with peat, expanded clay, vermiculite and pure peat for tomato seedlings production were tested. The seed germination, root ball compaction, height of the seedling, stem diameter, and total dry weight were...
Effect of planting density on yield and yield components of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) at two agro-ecologies of Ethiopia
April 2021
Use of optimum plant spacing (planting density) is one of the important agronomic practices to maximize the productivity of lettuce. A field experiment was conducted to assess the responses of two lettuce varieties to different plant spacing at Debrezeit and Holeta Agricultural Research Centers representing two different agro-ecologies in Ethiopia. Nine treatment combinations of three levels of inter-row and three...
A comparative analysis of agrochemical use among agroforestry and non-agroforestry practicing farmers in South west Cameroon: The examples of insecticides, fungicides and herbicides
April 2021
The abusive use of toxic agricultural chemicals (insecticides, fungicides and herbicides in particular) by farmers has attracted a lot of attention from environmentalists, scientists and policy makers. The use of these toxic agricultural chemicals not only contributes to environmental deterioration but equally poses major health risks to farmers and the general public. It is therefore incumbent on policy makers to...
Demographic profiling and characterization of cattle and cattle farmers in Botswana
April 2021
Most published data on Botswana’s cattle population neither represent demographics of cattle and cattle ownership nor capture political and gender factors that affect cattle farming. Decline in cattle population has largely been attributed to unthrifty climatic conditions of the predominantly semi-arid desert terrain of the nation. This demographic and characterization study estimated cattle population, its spread...
Evaluation of phenotypic and biochemical responses of Pteris vittata during growth in arsenic contaminated soil and its effect on selected soil enzymes activity
April 2021
Experiments were conducted with arsenic-hyperaccumulator, Pteris vittata, and non-hyperaccumulator, Pteris ensiformis, subjected to various arsenic toxicity levels (0 to 1500 mg As kg-1) in peat-moss or soil for up to 14 weeks, to evaluate phenotypic responses and total lipid with fatty acid profiles, and P. vittata influence on rhizosphere enzyme activities. P. ensiformis exhibited significant phenotypic toxicity...
Wage labor in rice cultivation areas near Lake Victoria in Western Kenya
April 2021
Rice is now the most rapidly growing food commodity in sub-Saharan Africa. This growth is mainly driven by urbanization. There is substantial research on the wage labor dynamics in rice production in Asia, but in Africa, there is limited analysis of the labor used in rice cultivation-the attributes, numbers, and costs which make it difficult to understand the actual market, such as how products are procured. This study...
Evaluation of the on-farm dairy technologies in Ethiopia: A review
April 2021
The objective of this review is to provide an overview of the major achievements of on-farm dairy technologies in Ethiopia by reviewing a variety of documents from proceedings, articles, journals, and original research papers. Following the on-station generation and evaluation of dairy technologies, on-farm participatory verification of improved dairy cattle production packages has started. Since then, there are...
Extension training for banana value addition among smallholder farmers in Meru and Tharaka-Nithi counties, Kenya
April 2021
Extension training is intended to increase the efficiency and performance of the human resource that acts responsibly in a society based on a communication interaction with knowledge sources. The main objective of this study was to assess the effect of training farmers on banana value addition among smallholder farmers in Meru and Tharaka-Nithi counties. The study adopted a pragmatic paradigm and a cross-sectional...
Differential vegetation status of Okomu National Park and Okomu Forest Reserve, Edo State, Nigeria
April 2021
Okomu National Park and Okomu Forest Reserve were established to protect the rich flora and fauna resources. Studies comparing the impact of these two approaches in conserving the rich flora and fauna resources have not been carried out on the study sites. This study is aimed at filling the knowledge gaps and assessed the differences in vegetation status of Okomu National Park and Okomu Forest Reserve. The purpose is to...
Understanding the effects of COVID-19 on food security in Ghana
April 2021
The relationship between hunger and poverty has become clear with the outbreak of the coronavirus. Restricted people movement and border closures used to control the spread of the virus have implications for food security. Governments are challenged with allocating their scarce resources to cover additional healthcare costs and social protection expenditures which did not exist before. The Food and Agriculture...
Nitrogen fertilization on soybean crop over straw of forage sorghum intercropped with Urochloa ruziziensis
April 2021
The experiment was carried out to evaluate the influence of N on the agronomic characteristics of soybean crop under no-tillage system over forage sorghum intercropped with Urochloa ruziziensis and on straw degradation. Four treatments (nitrogen doses) were used: 0; 20; 40 and 60 kg of N ha-1. N were applied at V3-V4 stage, using ammonium nitrate as the N source, containing 30% N. The experimental design was a...
Effect of powder and extract of Ritchiea reflexa (Thonn.) Gilg et Benedict and Ctenium elegans Kunth on Amitermes evuncifer Blattodea, Termitinae
April 2021
Termites play key roles in the ecosystems functioning, especially in the recycling of organic matter. However, few are considered pests because they cause damages to crops and wooden structures. Long based on the use of synthetic pesticides, the control of pestiferous termites is now focused on environmental friendly means including the use of plant extracts. Here, powder, acetonic and ethanolic extracts of Ctenium...
Diversity and distribution of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in maize (Zea mays) cropping fields in South Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo
April 2021
Arbuscular Mycorhizal Fungi (AMF) occur naturally in agroecosystems and interact symbiotically with crops, facilitating nutrition. This study aimed at assessing the occurrence, abundance and diversity of AMF communities in the maize cropping system and their relation to soils properties in two agroecological zones in South Kivu, eastern DR Congo. Soil samples were collected from eight sites, with 4 sites in highland at...
Physiological, developmental and growth responses to desiccation induced stress in four seed coat colour varieties of Vigna unguiculata (L. Walp).
April 2021
Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) is a widely grown leguminous crop in Ghana. This study was conducted using four varieties of cowpea based on the colour of the seed coat namely; red, brown, black and cream cowpea varieties, and were subjected to three different watering regimes, namely: Normal, moderate and severe water stress regimes. These different watering regimes were used as potential screening criteria to...
Nutrients balance approach with emphasis on base cations and ratios concepts as a decisions-support tool in optimizing fertilizers use
April 2021
Thirty-six soil samples collected from 24 sites were used to investigate the relationships between cation-ratio concepts and sufficiency level approaches in plant nutrition. Based on threshold values, about 25.0% of the soils had calcium:magnesium (Ca:Mg)-ratio fallen outside developed favorable range, despite the sufficient levels of individual elements in soils, violating the base cation ratio concept. Similarly,...
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