Evaluation of some soil test methods in acid soils for available phosphorus for soybean of Imphal East District, Manipur (India)
February 2015
Evaluation of nutrient status in soil is important for nutritional, environmental and economical aspects. Phosphorus is a very important nutrient for leguminous crops. In order to evaluate the phosphorus availability, six soil test methods were carried out for predicting response of soybean to phosphorus application on twenty surface soils (0 - 15 cm) of Imphal East District, Manipur were studied. The suitability of...
Effect of biochar application on microbial biomass and enzymatic activities in degraded red soil
February 2015
To assess biochar effect on soil microbial biomass, community and enzymatic activities, degraded acidic soil was amended with three different rates (0.5, 1.0 and 2.0%) of oak wood biochar (W0.5, W1.0 and W2.0) and bamboo biochar (B0.5, B1.0 and B2.0), with control as 0%. The soil and the biochar were mixed thoroughly, wetted and incubated at a constant temperature of 25°C. The amended soil properties were evaluated...
Chemical profile, somatic cell count and milk production of Holstein, Girolando and Jersolando cows
February 2015
The aim of this study was to evaluate the chemical profile, somatic cell count (SCC) and milk production of Holstein, Girolando and Jersolando cows. Fresh milk samples were collected from 34 high-production cows, averaging 31 L/day, belonging to three genetic groups (Holstein, Girolando and Jersolando). Experimental design was completely randomized, in which data collected were submitted to analysis of variance...
Economic viability of cucumber cultivation under NVPH
February 2015
The economic analysis was conducted for cultivation of parthenocarpic cucumber cv. Dinamik under naturally ventilated polyhouse for two consecutive years, 2013 and 2014. The actual value of economic inputs along with subsidy component (65 and 75%) imparted by Government of Gujarat in coordination with Government of India was considered for fitting into simulation model. The differences in net realization of Rs....
Evaluation of indigenous technologies of fresh cocoyam (Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott) Storage in Southeastern Nigeria
February 2015
Cocoyam (Colocasia esculenta) also referred to as taro is an herbaceous root crop and its non availability throughout the year has implicated lack of good storage methods. Survey and storage experiments were therefore, conducted at the Department of Crop Science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka to establish the scientific basis for adopting the indigenous technologies by the farmers and indentify the best among the...
Analysis of light transmission ratio and yield advantages of pigeonpea in relation to intercrop and different plant population
February 2015
A field experiment was conducted at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, during kharif 2011 to optimize the spacing for medium maturation pigeonpea at different planting geometry and row proportions under intercropped and irrigated situation. The experiment was laid out in Randomized block Design with 3 replications. Adjacent to the treatment plots, sole pigeonpea and greengram were also raised in dummy plots...
Growth, yield and quality responses to plant spacing in Irish potato: A review
February 2015
A review of literature was conducted on how growth, yield and quality respond to plant spacing in Irish potato. A number of parameters were considered: stem length, stem number, tuber numbers, tuber size categories, total yield, marketable yield, dry matter content and specific gravity. Some contradictions were exposed showing the need for further researches concerning how spacing interacts with the environment and...
Effect of recharge, irrigation and soil nature on the variation of nitrate in the groundwater of Wadi Nil (Jijel – North-East Algeria)
February 2015
This paper presents the effect of recharge, irrigation and soil nature on the variation of nitrate in the groundwater of Wadi Nil (Jijel – North-East Algeria) where the intensive use of fertilizers and the recycling of irrigation water have resulted in an alarming increase in nitrate concentrations. In this plain, the groundwater is increasingly polluted by excessive use of fertilizers in agriculture. Indeed, in...
Extrusion cooking on pasting properties and relative viscosity of selected starch crops
February 2015
Rheological properties of food are very important indicators of the quality and texture of food products. In this study, the relative viscosity and pasting characteristics (cold and hot paste viscosity) of extrudates from a locally developed extruder (L/D 12:1, CR 4.4:1, 4 KW) were determined. The extrudates were processed from the flour and starch of cassava and maize and wheat flour. Stepwise regression and other...
Towards understanding the diversity of banana bunchy top virus in the Great Lakes region of Africa
February 2015
The genetic variability of banana bunchy top virus (BBTV) isolates from the Great Lakes region of Africa (GLRA) spanning Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda was assessed to better understand BBTV diversity and its epidemiology for improved disease management. DNA-R and DNA-S fragments of the virus genome were amplified and sequenced in this study. These two BBTV fragments were previously used to...
Economic threshold level (ETL) of okra shoot and fruit borer, Earias spp. on okra
February 2015
Shoot and fruit borer (SFB), Earias spp. is the second major pest on okra after cotton jassid under Punjab conditions. High incidence of this pest has been reported mainly in the pre- and post- rainy seasons. The farmers are using indiscriminate sprays of insecticide on this crop. Since crop is harvested on every alternate day, thus, insecticide residues on this crop are of great concern. Therefore to develop more safe...
Implication of Bakolori dam irrigation activities on its physical resources
February 2015
Amidst positive effects of irrigation, there are some negative effects which potentially appear in irrigation areas. The most important are water erosion on sloping fields; caused by depreciating irrigation structures, resulting in siltation of water canals, growth of weeds, debris and other materials that has capacity to inhibit flow of water. This in turn affects surface and ground water quality. The soil...
Crop water requirement determination of chickpea in the central vertisol areas of Ethiopia using FAO CROPWAT model
February 2015
Chickpea (Cicer arntimum) is one of the major grain legumes with an inimitable sources of dietary protein in the developing world where there is very scarce animal protein or unaffordable expensive otherwise. Ethiopia is considered as one of the secondary centers of genetic diversity for chickpea. The crop has been grown for multiple purposes since antiquity in the country. Chickpea production under residual moisture is...
Conservation for livelihood improvement through cooperation of rural communities and the related externalities: A case of Moepel farms in Limpopo Province, South Africa
February 2015
Optimal use of land in rural areas has the potential to reduce poverty and attain rural economic development. Conservation with tourism benefits could potentially reduce poverty in rural areas where agricultural potential is limited. However, land use conflicts exacerbated by multiple interests for land use are prevalent and can hinder rural development. This paper explored the potential for rural communities to...
Engaging smallholder farmers with seasonal climate forecasts for sustainable crop production in semi-arid areas of Zimbabwe
February 2015
Small holder farmers in the semi-arid areas have not been able to utilize seasonal climate forecasts in making crop management decisions due to limited exposure as well as failure to interpret it. Three participatory meetings were held with farmers in Lower Gweru and Lupane Districts of Zimbabwe soon after the release of the 2008/2009 and 2009/2010 seasonal climate forecast in September of each season. This was done to...
Chemistry, nitrogen and carbon stocks in different land-use systems in a tropical environment
February 2015
Considering the occurrence of land degradation and the need for sustainable practices, it is necessary to conduct studies that evaluate the content of organic carbon and nitrogen in the soil, as well as its chemical attributes. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the content and stock of carbon and nitrogen and the chemical attributes of soil in an area that was classified as a Typic Hapludox and was treated under...
Climate change impacts on South African hop producer prices
February 2015
Climate change impacts caused South Africa to breed unique hop cultivars which are adapted to shorter and warmer winters and shorter day length in summer. However, climate change impacts in South African include further increases in temperature along with noticeable inter-seasonal variation in rainfall patterns. These changes have demanded a re-evaluation of the ability of South African hop farmers to adapt to climate...
Factors influencing agricultural credit demand in Northern Ghana
February 2015
The greatest challenge to food security is low productivity emanating from slow growth in the agricultural sector and one of the reasons for this is little or no access to financial resources by producers. Credit is one of the empowerment tools that have the potential to boost the productivity, increase food security and change the life of farmers from a situation of abject poverty to a more dignified life in the long...
Technical efficiency of wheat and paddy farms in irrigated saline environment in Haryana State, India: An assessment
February 2015
The farmers in certain areas of Western Yamuna Canal Command in Haryana State, India, face problems of water logging and salinity in the absence of adequate drainage; and sustainability of their farm operations is highly vulnerable due to fluctuations in rainfall. A study was undertaken to analyse the farm specific production processes and productivity in paddy and wheat farms and find out effect of socio-economic...
Biotechnology in agriculture: The perception of farmers on the inclusion of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) in agricultural production
February 2015
The aim of this study was to determine the perceptions and attitudes towards biotechnology in the insertion of genetically modified (GM) crop production. The data analyzed in this article were obtained through qualitative research, via a semi-structured questionnaire administered in June 2014, with 20 associated cooperatives of farmers at Campos Gerais region. It was found, from the speech of farmers, there are...
Operation, facilities and management in public and private abattoirs in Ethiopia
February 2015
This study was conducted to evaluate the operation, facilities and management of public (Adama, Hawassa and Mekelle) and private (Elfora Kombolcha) abattoirs in Ethiopia. Direct observation, photograph and discussion with the workers were used to collect information. The results of this study revealed that lairage was not divided into compartments to accommodate different classes and types of slaughter cattle in two of...
Enzymes activities, hydroxymethylfurfural content and pollen spectrum of some Algerian honey
February 2015
Forty honey samples from Apis mellifera were collected in different parts of Algeria during 2007 to 2010 and were analysed for parameters including hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), invertase and diastase activities. The spectra of pollen of the honeys collected in those areas were also studied. The results show that the amylase activity ranged from 4.40 to 30.15 DN, with only one sample having a low diastase number than 8...
Practical tool in classification of animals for slaughter by fuzzy logic
February 2015
This paper treats of the classification of animals for slaughter, using concepts of fuzzy logic as a tool to assist in decision making. The entries (inputs) were made by measurements of body length and weight of animals. The output values corresponded to the classification as ideal weight for slaughtering. In this paper were developed three simulations involving three lambs from a group to be sent to slaughter. The two...
Compost of garbage and tree pruning used as substrates for production of irrigated wild poinsettia seedling
February 2015
The high nutrient content in organic composted waste is an alternative source of fertilizer for use in agriculture and for re-establishment of native forests. This work had as an objective is aimed to evaluate the growth of Pterogyne nitens (wild poinsettia) seedlings, a rainforest native species, on substrates containing composts of organic garbage and tree pruning. A greenhouse experiment was conducted, in which...
Combination of resistant cultivars, botanical insecticides, and biological control for Plutella xylostella management on cabbage
February 2015
Novel strategies for Plutella xylostella management in cabbage need to be evaluated in order to increase its control and reduce adverse impacts on the environment. Thus, we evaluated the combined effects of the cabbage cultivars Ruby Ball, Matsukase Sakata, and Sessenta Dias, the aqueous extracts of Azadirachta indica, Aspidosperma pyrifolium, and Melia azedarach, and the parasitoid Oomyzus sokolowskii on P. xylostella...
Effect of sowing dates, varieties and weather factors on the occurrence and severity of Alternaria leaf blight and yield of Indian mustard
February 2015
Field experiments were undertaken to determine the effect of sowing dates and weather parameters on the disease progression or severity of Alternaria blight of rapeseed mustard and their impact on yield for the two consecutive years 2008-2009 and 2009-2010. Disease severity gradually increased with delay in sowing irrespective of three different varieties (Binoy, Seeta and Bhagirathi). The crop sowing from 20th October...
Marcelo Carvalho Minhoto Teixeira Filho1*, Salatiér Buzetti1, Cássia Maria de Paula Garcia1, Cleiton Gredson Sabin Benett2, Katiane Santiago Silva Benett3, Marcelo Andreotti1 and Fernando Shintate Galindo1
February 2015
Productivity and longevity of sugarcane plantations may currently be affected by the expanded cultivation activities in low fertility areas, which can result in micronutrient deficiencies. Zinc is important in this regard because its deficiency in sugarcane can cause reduced tillering, shorter internodes and thinner stalks. Therefore, the agronomic performance of sugarcane was evaluated (plant-sugarcane and...
Soil carbon dioxide flux in a no-tillage winter system
February 2015
Soil carbon dioxide flux is a complex process which depends on variations of different factors related to climate and soil. The objective of this study was identifying the abiotic factors that most contributed to this flux during different phonologic stages of the sequence black oat-vetch, cultivated under the no tillage system, in the winter, and find out the most important factors. Soil carbon fluxes were measured...
Nitrogen and potassium fertilizer influenced nutrient use efficiency and biomass yield of two plantain (Musa spp. AAB) genotypes
February 2015
Nitrogen and potassium are key nutrients for optimum productivity in Musa species. In this study, optimum doses of N and K were determined for two plantain genotypes. The growth and dry matter yield (DMY) of ‘PITA 24’ (a hybrid plantain of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture) and a landrace, ‘Agbagba’ were evaluated on factorial doses of N (0, 200, 400 and 600 kg.ha-1) and K2O (0,...
Treatment and post-treatment effects of neem leaves extracts on Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae)
February 2015
The diamond back moth, Plutella xylostella Linnaeus, 1758 (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) is improperly controlled with synthetic insecticides in vegetable crops. This practice, which pollutes the environment, led to human and animal health problems, and P. xylostella resistance. Neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss) is reported in the literature as a natural alternative to synthetic insecticides in the control of many insect...
Studies on direct selection parameters for seed yield and its component traits in pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.]
February 2015
Twenty three pigeonpea genotypes were evaluated in a randomized block design during Kharif 2012-13. The aim of this research was to estimate genetic variability utilizing various quantitative traits for overall improvement in pigeonpea crop. Results showed that sufficient amount of variability was present in entire gene pool for all the characters. Based on mean performance for yield along with some of the component...
First report in Southern Brazil of Alternaria alternata causing Alternaria leaf spot in alfalfa (Medicago sativa)
February 2015
Alfafa plants with symptoms of Alternaria leaf spot from the Atlantic forest biome and Pampa biome, Brazil, were collected to identify the pathogen associated in this disease. The pathogen was isolated, analyzed morphologically according to literature and later molecularly identified. After that, pathogenicity tests were conducted in a greenhouse to confirm the Koch’s postulates. The first symptoms occurred after...
Effect of temperature and pre-germination treatments on seed germination of juerana branca (Stryphnodendron pulcherrimum)
February 2015
Aiming to define simple and effective methods to accelerate and standardize the germination of juerana branca (Stryphnodendron pulcherrimum) (white juerana), seeds of this species were subjected to four types of pre-germination treatments, testing at temperatures of 25 and 30°C. The treatments were: immersion in sulfuric acid for 15 min, immersion in water at 80°C for 5 min, immersion in water at 80°C for 10...
Anti-nutritional compounds in fresh and dried lychee fractions (Litchi chinensis Sonn.)
February 2015
The present study evaluated the anti-nutritional factors of “Bengal” lychee (Litchi chinensis Sonn.), in the fresh pulp, peel and seed, both fresh and processed. The samples were analyzed for the levels of phenolic compounds, nitrate, oxalic acid and inhibitory activities of trypsin, lipase and α-amylase. Drying influenced the activity of all enzyme inhibitors, resulting in a reduction in the...
Phenological and quantitative plant development changes in soybean cultivars caused by sowing date and their relation to yield
February 2015
The study of soybean (Glycine max) biometry and phenology can detect characteristics that interfere with yield, and quantitative plant development may vary according to the interaction between the genotype and the environment, and in different phenological development stages of the plant. This study evaluated the quantitative changes and phenological development caused by sowing date and their relation to grain yield of...
Experimental analysis of air flow patterns in perfomance of flat plate solar collectors
February 2015
Solar drying is one of the promising methods of reducing post-harvest losses in rural areas. Studies have shown that, heat transfer mechanisms in a solar collector influences the performance of solar dryers. This study aims at improving heat transfer in flat plate solar collectors by designing different air flow patterns inside the collector. Three flat plate solar collectors were constructed by using Pterocarpus timber...
Physical and chemical parameters, total phenols and the antioxidant activity of Pequi (Caryocar brasiliense Camb)
February 2015
Pequi is a Brazilian cerrado fruit with nutritive and sensory characteristics and good taste and is used in numerous typical dishes. The purpose of this study was to analyze the physical and chemical characteristics, total phenols and the antioxidant activity and the scanning electron microscope (SEM) of pequi pulp, mesocarp and peel. Physical and chemical analyses such as antioxidants and phenolic compounds...
Estimation of annual yield and quality of “Valência†orange related to monthly water deficiencies
February 2015
The State of São Paulo, Brazil is the major orange producer in the world. The “Valência” orange is one of the most important cultivars for industry with a high efficiency of processed juice. Climate is the main factor of influence for citrus yield and quality and its study is fundamental for understanding the climatic requirements of the crop. The estimation of yield and quality by...
Seed quality of three soybean varieties as influenced by intercropping time and arrangement in maize
February 2015
The response of soybean varieties J499, SCS-1 and La suprema, with different growth habits, to intercropping conditions when grown in association with maize H614D was evaluated in a study at Bukura Agricultural College (0° 06'' N; 34° 50'' E), Kenya. The soybean was sown either at the same time as maize or two weeks later in pure stands or intercropped with maize either in the same hill or in...
Irrigation water pricing in Awash River Basin of Ethiopia: Evaluation of its impact on scheme-level irrigation performances and willingness to pay
February 2015
Irrigation water pricing has been considered as a tool to enhance water conservation in irrigated agriculture. We have evaluated the effects of water pricing on water management practices in Awash Basin Authority (ABA). The water charge has been collected over years with the aim to generate money for the Awash Basin Authority to cover operational expenses. Both the authority and water users see the charges paid as the...
Monitoring of outcrops waters quality in the watershed UBÃ creek
February 2015
This study aimed to monitor the effects of anthropic action on outcrops waters quality located in the Ubá city - Brazil. For this study, ten outcrops waters had their physical, chemical and microbiological characteristics monitored throughout the year 2013, for five times. The results showed that there was a great environmental degradation and only 30% of outcrops waters monitored presented adequate fresh...
Growth, yield and quality responses to plant spacing in potato (Solanum tuberosum) varieties
February 2015
A field experiment was conducted from November to March during the 2012 / 2013 planting season at Africa University farm, Mutare, Zimbabwe to evaluate the effects of plant spacing and different potato varieties on growth, yield and quality of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.). The experiment was designed as a randomized complete block design with 4 × 3 factorial arrangements of treatments. The first factor was plant...
Study on biochemical constituents of Sclerotium rolfsii, a causal agent of stem rot of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.)
January 2015
Sclerotium rolfsii is a ubiquitous soil-borne fungal pathogen known to cause disease on worldwide range of agricultural and horticultural crops. In spite of economic loss caused by this pathogen, very few reports were available on this aspect, biochemical characterization of the S. rolfsii; hence the present study was under taken to study the biochemical characterization of S. rolfsii. Qualitative and quantitative...
Evaluation of agro-morphological diversity of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) in Niger
January 2015
This work evaluated a collection of hundred groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) varieties from different origin using twenty four (24) agro-morphological traits that can help to enhance selection efficiency in crop improvement. The experiment was carried out at the experimental station of INRAN-Tarna, in the region of Maradi (Niger) during the rainy season of 2010. Analysis of variance showed a large variability among...
Initial growth of Moringa oleifera Lam. under different planting densities in autumn/winter in south Brazil
January 2015
Plant densities that decrease interplant competition can improve Moringa oleifera growth and yield by better use of resources and information about its cultivation in the autumn/winter season is necessary. An experiment was conducted to investigate the viability for the cultivation under the edafoclimatic conditions of the southern Brazil, region of subtropical climate. In addition, it was determined effect of planting...
Impact of age and gender on postural stress of dairy workers
January 2015
Postural stress was measured by assessing time spent in different body postures, frequency of adopting various body postures and angle of body deviations in lumber region of dairy workers during milking. Findings of study suggested that squatting posture was adopted for the longest period of time along with standing posture as a frequently adopted posture by all dairy workers. Further, time spent in different posture...
Analysis of the laying characteristics of Nera black hens in a hot and humid environment
January 2015
The study was conducted to analyze the laying characteristics of Nera black hens in a hot and humid environment and assess the physical characteristics of good, intermediate and poor layers. Seventy-five eight months old Nera black hens of mean body weight 1.35 ± 0.24 kg (range: 1.20 -1.65 kg) in their 12th week of lay and housed individually in battery cages were used for the study. Eggs were collected daily and...
Evaluation of different fungicides, bioagents and botanicals against Alternaria blight caused by Alternaria helianthi (Hansf) of sunflower
January 2015
Alternaria blight (Alternaria helianthi Hansf) is one of the major diseases of sunflower during Kharif season in Maharashtra. Present Lab study was conducted at Department of Plant Pathology and field experiment at Oilseed Research Station, College of Agriculture, Latur, VNMKV, Parbhani, Maharashtra, India. Here, six fungicides were evaluated at 500, 1000, 2000 and 2500 ppm; five botanicals each at 10 and 20%) by...
Production and bromatological composition of cultivars of Brachiaria brizantha and Campo Grande stylo monocropped and intercropped under different planting methods
January 2015
This study was conducted to assess the production and bromatological composition of cultivars of Brachiaria brizantha (cvs. Marandu and Xaraés) and Campo Grande stylo (Stylosanthes ssp) monocropped and intercropped under different planting methods for a period of two years. The experimental design used consisted of randomized complete blocks, with four replicates. The treatments consisted of the following forage...
Impact of nutrient management technologies in transplanted rice under irrigated domains of Central India
January 2015
An experiment on impact of different approaches of nutrient management in transplanted rice was conducted in participatory mode on mixed red to shallow black soils under irrigated domains in Kymore Plateau and Satpura Hills zone of central India. The study was carried out for three consecutive years since kharif 2008. The results revealed that the application of organic inoculants viz. blue green algae (BGA) and...
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