Bioformulations based on plant growth promoting rhizobacteria for sustainable agriculture: Biofertilizer or Biostimulant?
September 2021
Integrated production in sustainable agriculture aims to improve the efficiency of biological inputs through plant-based bioformulations or microorganisms, which are an excellent source of natural fertilisers. A variety of plant stimulants are increasingly used in crop production for environmentally sustainable agriculture. These products have different names and the designations are confusing. The aim of this work is...
A review of microfinance banks’ effects on smallholder development in Nigeria
September 2021
The inauguration of Microfinance Banks (MFBs) in Nigeria in 2007 by the federal government was to provide finance to the low-income poor rural entrepreneurs, which is inclusive of the smallholder farmers located in rural areas that are often excluded from conventional banks’ financing. This paper systematically reviewed literature between January 2007 and April 2019 from the Web of Science and Scopus databases on...
Fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae): State of knowledge and control methods
September 2021
The objective of this article is to review the knowledge on Spodoptera frugiperda and the possible management strategies against the pest to identify research areas for its integrated management. A review of the literature shows that S. frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) has been causing considerable damage to maize and many other crops since its detection in several African countries and it is one of the most...
Allometric functions for apple banana leaf area and above ground biomass
September 2021
Allometric relationships have been used widely as a fast approach to estimate biomass and leaf area in many plant species without destructive sampling. Several allometric functions have been developed to estimate above-ground biomass (AGB) in field-grown East African Highland Bananas (EAHB). However, it is not clear if these functions apply to potted apple bananas hence the need for this study. Plants were randomly...
Effect of drip and furrow irrigation at different irrigation levels on water use efficiency and economics of maize (Zea Mays L.) at Werer, Middle Awash, Ethiopia
September 2021
Water is a vital resource to sustain civilizations and pecuniary development and most importantly agriculture. Agriculture is the main contributor to the Ethiopian economy. The field experiment was conducted at Werer Agricultural Research center to evaluate the effects of drip and furrow irrigation under different irrigation levels on maize water use efficiency. The experiment was laid out in an RCBD split-plot...
Agronomic performance of provitamin A-rich banana cultivars in Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo
September 2021
Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is a major global health issue, contributing to morbidity and mortality. East and Central Africa face VAD prevalence that exceeds the World Health Organization (WHO) threshold of 15%. In Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), VAD prevalence is greater than 43% in rural communities. Promoting vitamin A-rich foods (including banana) is an effective and sustainable strategy to...
Chemical composition and bioactivity of Lantana camara L. essential oils from diverse climatic zones of Kenya against leaf miner (Tuta absoluta Meyrick)
September 2021
In recent years, essential oils (EOs) as alternatives to synthetic pesticides in managing pests have been assessed. The use of bioinsecticide in pest management is encouraged in agroecology for a sustainable agricultural system. Essential oils of Lantana camara L. leaves from different climatic zones of Kenya were extracted by steam distillation and analyzed through GC-MS to identify...
Cherry tomato production with different doses of organic compost
September 2021
Cherry tomato cultivation in protected environments ensures production in the off-season, reaching yields up to 100 t ha-1 with 150 days of cultivation. Fertilization with organic composts can influence the production components of cherry tomato. From this perspective, this study aimed to evaluate different doses and organic composts, based on their nitrogen contents, on the production components of cherry tomato. The...
Status and management of coffee plantations in Burundi: Reasons to worry
September 2021
Coffee is an important cash crop for smallholder farmers and provides more than 80% of hard currency in Burundi. To highlight coffee growing conditions, agronomic practices and coffee yield, a survey was carried out in Buyenzi, Kirimiro and Mumirwa natural regions of Burundi in 2008. Data on coffee yield, age after planting or after rejuvenation and agricultural practices were collected through interview with coffee...
Assessment of small holder farmers garlic (Allium sativum L.) production practices under irrigated farming system in the Highlands of Ethiopia
September 2021
Garlic is a fundamental component of many dishes in Ethiopia. However, there is a low production of this crop in the Yilmana Densa district of Amhara Region (Ethiopia). Thus, a study was initiated in 2014/2015 to assess farmer’s garlic production practices under an irrigated farming system in the Yilmana Densa district (Adet Zuria, Goshaye and Ambesit kebels) of Ethiopia. Production data were collected using...
Gender disparity in cassava farmers’ access to agricultural productive resources in Rongo Sub County, Migori County, Kenya
September 2021
The disparities in access to productive resources keep on smothering agricultural growth and development, particularly in developing countries. This study was informed by the feminist political economy (FPE) framework to assessing the relationship between gender and access to agricultural productive resources among cassava farmers in Kenya. The research utilised mixed methods including the use of a survey instrument and...
Determinants of credit demand by smallholder farmers in Morogoro, Tanzania
August 2021
Agriculture plays a great role in the economy of many countries including Tanzania where the majority depends on agriculture-based activities for their livelihoods. Access to agricultural credit is vital for growth and development of agricultural sector in Tanzania, hence financing agriculture is a key issue in rural development. Despite effort of the Government to make agricultural credit services available and...
Residual of the mixture of glyphosate and 2,4-d herbicides on yellow red latosol with soybean cultivation
August 2021
The objective of this study was to evaluate the residual effect of glyphosate and 2.4-D herbicides in the initial development of the soy crop in a Yellow Red Latosol. The experiment was conducted in randomized design, consisting of 4 different doses of herbicides (0, 1, 2 and 5 times the recommended dose of the glyphosate and 2.4-D mixture), applied at intervals of 0, 3, 7 and 10 days before sowing, with 4 repetitions...
Effectiveness of three pesticides against carmine spider mite (Tetranychus cinnabarinus Boisduval) eggs on tomato in Botswana
August 2021
The carmine spider mite (CSM; Tetranychus cinnabarinus Bois.) is one of the most destructive pests of vegetables, especially tomatoes. Its management in Botswana has, for years, relied on the use of pesticides. This study evaluated the efficacy of abamectin, methomyl and chlorfenapyr against CSM eggs under laboratory conditions in Botswana. Each treatment was replicated three times. The toxic effect was evaluated in the...
Pre- and post-harvest practices influencing yield and quality of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) in Southwestern Ethiopia: A review
August 2021
Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) is one of the spices produced by smallholder farmers in Ethiopia. It becomes one of income sources and acceptable for diversification of coffee. Turmeric and ginger have wider adaptation, perform in similar ecologies. Reports indicated that 3962.03 t produced in Ethiopia in three years, and values of USD 1.26 million, export of 1233 MT rhizomes in different seasons. Turmeric becomes best...
Evaluation of the vibration levels issued by agricultural tractors
August 2021
Vibration is one of the most relevant aspects, when dealing with the subject of ergonomics in agricultural tractors, although there are still few studies developed to evaluate this parameter and its implications for occupational health. This work aimed to evaluate the levels of vibration emitted by agricultural tractors with different powers, comparing the results with the norm in force in Brazil, in addition to...
Food production: Changing the job opportunities narrative by demonstrating agro-processing possibilities
August 2021
The potential of the agro-processing sub-sector in South Africa is under siege. This paper makes a critical view of this sector by identifying its opportunities and constraints so as to guide its improvement as well as the required interventions to unlock its potential. Given the contemporary issues of exponential population growth and soaring rates of unemployment and poverty, this paper explores agro-processing...
Fruit and seed physiological quality changes during seed development and maturation in African eggplant (Solanum aethiopicum L.)
August 2021
This work aimed at determining the optimum harvest time of African eggplant (Solanum aethiopicum L.) seeds, cv. Oforiwa and cv. Kpando for maximum physiological seed quality under tropical (TCC) and temperate oceanic climatic (TOC) conditions. Fruit morphological metrics such as fruit weight and size were also related to seed physiological quality. Seeds were harvested at different maturation stages from 20 to 82 days...
Growth and yield response of okra (Ablemochus esculentus) to varying rates of different sources of organic soil amendments at Njala, Moyamba District, Southern Sierra Leone
August 2021
Synthetic fertilizers and pesticides in vegetable production have negatively impacted the soils, water quality, food security and health of farmers and consumers. Hence, sustainable, economically feasible, environmentally friendly soil fertility, pests and disease management options are needed to improve vegetable production. This study evaluated the growth and yield of okra due to varying rates of different sources of...
Design, fabrication and performance evaluation of animal feed chopping machine
August 2021
Ethiopia’s livestock population is the largest in Africa, however different factors or constraints limit the full exploitation of the agricultural sector in general and the livestock sub sector in particular. In the country, the availability, quality and quantity of feed has always been a challenge in the livestock sector. Poor feed resources management, especially those of the bulky and fibrous crop residue is...
Response of maize (Zea mays L.) to foliar and soil applied fertilizers in the Semi-deciduous forest zone of Ghana
August 2021
This experiment was conducted in 2019 major cropping season in the Semi-deciduous forest Agro-ecological zone of Ghana to solve low maize yield and improve maize productivity and enhance farmer’s income using foliar and soil applied fertilizers as nutrient sources. Eight treatments (T) were used; T1= {N, P2O5, K2O (90-60-60) kg/ha} at 2 and 6 weeks after sowing (WAS); T2= {Poultry manure (4 t/ha)} at 2 weeks...
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)...
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...
Effects of different light exposure regimes on pre-sprouting and yield performance on potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) seed in Central Rift, Kenya
July 2021
Household welfare status and crop insurance uptake by cocoa farmers in Ondo State, Nigeria
July 2021
This study examined the effect of welfare status on insurance uptake. The reason for the study is that formal insurance is still underutilized amongst farmers in Nigeria despite the incessant risk and uncertainties faced in agriculture. For this study, 200 households were randomly drawn from four local government areas of Ondo state through a 2-stage sampling technique. The analytical tools used were descriptive...
Study on the optimum nutrient solution concentration for the growth of Mint (Mentha genus)
July 2021
Mint (Mentha genus) is an herbaceous herb that is fragrant useful for centuries with spices and medicinal herbs. Study on optimum nutrient solution sufficient to meet the plants’ demands regarding soilless culture of mint would be helpful for its application in plant factory, but was less reported. In the current study, 0.5 fold (×), 0.75×, 1.0× and 1.25× concentrations of Yamazaki formula...
Coinoculation of rhizobia and mycorrhiza in cowpea beans (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp) in Calixto García Municipality, Cuba
July 2021
The research goal is to evaluate the rhizobia and mycorrhiza application on Cowpea bean (Vigna unguiculata L) cv. Carita Blanco growth. The experiments were developed at Calixto García municipality, Cuba. It was conducted from April to June 2020, on brown Sialitic soil without carbonate. This design was a random block with three treatments (Control, Rhizobium and Rhizobium + Mycorrhizas). It entailed indicators...
Growth efficiency and profitability indices of African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) fingerlings fed with different levels of Adansonia digitata (Baobab) seed meal
July 2021
The effects of diet with different inclusion levels of baobab seed meal inclusions on the growth and gross margin analysis of Clarias gaiepinus fingerlings was evaluated under a controlled laboratory condition. Five inclusion levels of Baobab Seed Meal (BSM) to replace soya bean meal were studied at 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20% dietary protein. The experimental diets were uniform by targeting 40% crude protein with energy level...
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...
Impact of row spacing on soybean morphological parameters and yield
July 2021
The variable distribution of soybean seeds in rows can reduce the final stand and compromise grain yield. This article assesses the impact of seed distribution on the morphological characteristics of some plants and on the final yield of soybeans. The study was carried out in the experimental area of ??the federal university of Santa Maria, Frederico Westphalen campus, in the state of rio grande do sul, Brazil, in a...
Profitability analysis of smallholder cocoa production in South West Region of Cameroon
July 2021
Over the years, cocoa production in Cameroon has served as a source of employment for many smallholder farmers. However, aging trees amongst other factors is a limiting factor in the productivity of cocoa. The study compared the economic performances of different crop ages of smallholder cocoa production using primary data obtained by means of semi-structured questionnaires. Multi-stage random sampling was adopted to...
Agricultural zoning and recommendations for the seeding of wheat (Triticum species) in the Central-Southern Mesoregion of Parana State in Brazil
July 2021
Wheat is one of the most cultivated cereals and is essential for human and animal feeding. Since it is a sensible species to the meteorologic conditions, the climate changes can alter all its cultivation areas and practices known in the present agriculture. This paper aims to make the zoning of climatic risk for agriculture for the wheat crop (Triticum species) and recommend the planting window for the central-southern...
From yield to application: Nutrient requirement of maize (Zea maize) in Southeastern and Southwestern Ethiopia at zonal level
July 2021
Optimal nutrient application is required for sustainable crop production and farm profitability in Ethiopian smallholder farmer. In this study, N, P and K requirement of maize was estimated for the current and future maize production levels in East Shewa and Jimma zones of Ethiopia. Current yield was assessed from Spatial Production Allocation Model (SPAM) database and yield responses and agronomic N, P and K use...
Contribution of multi-nutritional blocks and treatment of roughage for the resilience of beneficiary of rural households in Niger
July 2021
The aim of this study was to assess the effect of using multi-nutritional blocks and roughage processing as alternatives for the resilience of beneficiary households in the study area. The study was conducted in the rural communes of Sakoira and Kourtheye (Department of Tillaberi) through a survey of 32 producers of multi-nutritional blocks and treated straw. The structure by age class reveals, among the Peulh ethnic...
Determinants of farmers’ adoption decision of improved crop varieties in Ethiopia: Systematic review
July 2021
Determinants of adoption decision have been studied by many researchers for a long time. This systematic review applied weight analysis method to summarize and synthesize the most common factors from twenty-one studies that determine the farmers’ adoption decision of improved crop varieties in a regular pattern in Ethiopia. Hence, the result revealed that factors like Access to credit, Participation in social...
Phosphorus management issues for crop production: A review
July 2021
Phosphorus (P) is an essential element for plant growth. On account of its low solubility in soil, P is often a limiting factor to optimum crop growth and therefore P fertilisation is an important aspect of nutrient management plans to ensure profitable and sustainable crop production. Plant P availability is controlled by sorption, desorption and precipitation of P from P released during weathering of P minerals and...
Implementation of COVID-19 control measures: Effect on fertilizer supply and soil fertility in Africa
July 2021
The unexpected outbreak of novel COVID-19 in late 2019 and continual spread across the world has disrupted the agricultural value chain. The World Health Organization (WHO) prescribed border closure, lockdown, social distancing, wearing a mask, and handwashing to combat the pandemic. These control measures, especially the closure of borders, have affected the importation and supply of fertilizer for crop production. The...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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%...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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