Screening of rice endophytic natives biofertilizers with plant growth-promoting characteristics
October 2021
In Mali, rice cultivation is faced with declining yields due to insufficient soil nutrients and diseases with yield losses of up to 80%. The use of endophytic bacteria and fungi is a more ecological and effective alternative compared to chemicals. This study aims to select at least one endophytic rice bacterium in combination with mycorrhizal fungi to improve the rice production in Mali and effectively control the...
Developing optimal irrigation scenario for onion (Allium cepa L.) in view of leaching requirement and drainable excess water at Werer Agricultural Center, Amibara, Middle Awash, Ethiopia
October 2021
The field experiment were performed on the site of Werer Agricultural Research Center (Ethiopia) to study optimal irrigation scenario by taking in to account the leaching requirement and drainable excess water for three successive years. Six irrigation treatments were evaluated at different growth stages of onion plant namely at initial growth stage four irrigation event 23 mm (T1), 16.2 mm (T2) 21.0 mm...
Response of plant spacing on the morphology and yield of five hot pepper lines
October 2021
This study aimed to determine the effects of plant spacing on some morphological traits and yields of 5 hot pepper lines. The trial was laid out in a 5 × 3 factorial in randomized complete block design with 4 replications. Five pepper lines (ICPN16#3, ICPN16#4, ICPN16#6, ICPN16#7, and ICPN16#9) and 3 plant spacing (70 cm × 30 cm, 70 cm × 40 cm and 70 cm × 50 cm) were used. The results revealed...
Dynamics and sustainability of urban and peri-urban vegetable farming in Yaoundé City, Cameroon
October 2021
In the context of rapid urbanisation of Cameroon, it is estimated that 70% of the total population will be dwelling in urban centres by 2060. Meanwhile, vegetable production has become an important economic activity for the urban and peri-urban poor because of its shorter production cycle. Thus, this study aims at describing the dynamics of the changes and sustainability within vegetable production systems in urban and...
Economic and environmental benefits of sunflower contract farming: Evidence from a Greek region
October 2021
Contract farming involves agricultural production carried out on the basis of an agreement between buyers and producers. The aim of the research is to study the extent to which contract farming affects the income of producers. In addition, to study the indicators for the choice of contract cultivation. A quantitative, descriptive and correlational survey was conducted using an original questionnaire which consisted of...
Impacts on access to factors of production among smallholder farmers in central Uganda during COVID-19 lockdown
October 2021
The novel coronavirus 2019 which has brought about the covid 19 pandemics has hit the whole world starting from the super economies to underdeveloped economies. The impacts are being felt hard in developing countries whose economy relies on agriculture especially Sub-Saharan Africa. Uganda is amongst the countries in Africa which observed the longest period of total confinement during the Covid 19 outbreak. Hence this...
Performance evaluation of a cassava solar dryer in Busia County
October 2021
Cassava roots are processed by peeling using knives, chopping into small pieces, then dried and milled into flour with dried maize, sorghum or millet. This traditional method of drying takes 7 to 14 days and is prone to contamination. The objective of this study was to add value to small scale farmers’ cassava in Busia County through solar drying. Fresh cassava roots were peeled and washed in running water and...
Effect of fertilizer placement on storage root yield and leaf elemental concentration of ‘Whatley/Loretan’ sweetpotato variety
October 2021
Field studies were conducted to evaluate the effect of various fertilizer placements on nutrient uptake, growth responses, storage root yield and leaf elemental concentration of Whatley/Loretan sweetpotato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.]. The fertilizer placement treatments comprised broadcast (Br), banded at two different widths (Ba), side dressing (Sd) or applied in various combinations of the above, and an untreated...
Nutritive value of common housefly (Musca domestica) prepupae reared on broiler by-products as source of animal feed
October 2021
Common housefly (Musca domestica) is one of the insects that is found in almost all parts of the world, it is found in diverse habitats making its life cycle stages such as larvae and pupae readily available for foraging poultry on free range systems. Large commercial poultry farms world-wide are experiencing low supply of animal based proteins and excess organic wastes generated from the farms. Common housefly prepupae...
On-farm phenotypic characterization of indigenous Tswana sheep population in selected Districts of Southern Botswana
October 2021
This study aimed to phenotypically characterize indigenous Tswana sheep under its natural environment and develop prediction equations for body weight using linear body measurements in Kgatleng, Kweneng, Southern and South-East districts of Botswana. Multistage purposive sampling was used for selection of districts. Data on qualitative characters and quantitative measurements were made on 665 sheep stratified by...
Environmental factors influencing the presence of the Stone Partridge (Ptilopachus petrosus) and phytoecological characterization of its habitat in Benin, Western Africa
October 2021
Understanding the habitat preference of the Stone Partridge (Ptilopachus petrosus) is a crucial step for its conservation and management across different ecosystems. This study was focused on the environmental factors and the vegetation data of the species habitat which were collected from 60 plots surveyed along 6 perpendiculars transects. Binary logistic regression was used to determine the relationship between the...
Simultaneous selection for grain yield and stability of sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] genotypes in Northeast Ethiopia
October 2021
Sorghum is an important crop in Ethiopia. However, its productivity is low owing to lack of farmer-preferred and stable improved varieties. To identify suitable cultivars, multi-environment evaluation of sorghum genotypes was carried out at four locations for two years. The result of AMMI ANOVA showed that genotype (G), environment (E) and genotype-environment interaction (G×E) significantly (P<0.01) affected...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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)...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Effects of different light exposure regimes on pre-sprouting and yield performance on potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) seed in Central Rift, Kenya
July 2021
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...
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...
Page 7 of 138, showing 50 records out of 6863 total, starting on record 301, ending on 350
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