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...
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,...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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,...
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...
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...
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...
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,...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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,...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Evaluation of soils fertility, growth, nutrient uptake and yield traits of peanut under indigenous and effective microorganism fertilizers in sandy ferralitic soils in Douala, Cameroon
March 2021
Soil fertility, growth, nutrient uptake and yield traits of peanut (Arachis hypogaea L. var. JL24) were investigated under two organic fertilizers (indigenous microorganisms (IMO) or effective microorganisms (EM) with three replications. Application of IMO or EM fertilizers had significant effects on soils fertility compared to untreated soils. Total nitrogen, organic carbon, total phosphorus, calcium and magnesium led...
Effect of seed priming on seedling emergence and growth of bitter kola (Garcinia kola) in Owerri, Nigeria
March 2021
The potted experiment was conducted in the early planting season of 2018, at the Teaching and Research Farm of Imo State University, Owerri, Nigeria to ascertain the effects of seed priming using water, coconut water and moringa leaf extract on the seedling emergence and growth of bitter kola. Completely Randomized Design was used with four treatments and three replicates. The treatments were thus; soaking of bitter...
Assessment of Organic Fertilizer usage by vegetable farmers in Ondo State South West, Nigeria
March 2021
The study analysed the assessment of organic fertilizer usage by vegetable farmers in Ondo State South West, Nigeria. Primary data were collected from one hundred randomly selected vegetable farmers through a multistage sampling procedure in the study area. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, budgetary analysis and probit regression analysis. Findings of the study revealed that larger percentage (77.0%) of...
Feed intake, digestibility and growth performance of Begait sheep kept under different feeding options
March 2021
Thirty intact growing lambs were used to evaluate feed intake, digestibility and growth performance of Begait sheep breed kept under different feeding options. Animals were used in randomized completely block design with three dietary treatments in ten replicates. Treatments were grass hay fed ad libitum to all treatments plus a mixed diet of 48% wheat bran, 15% molasses, 35% cotton seed cake, 1% salt and 1% limestone...
Effects of agrochemical application on the diversity and abundance of soil macro-fauna in cocoa-based (Theobroma cacao) agroforestry systems in Cameroon
March 2021
Cocoa farmers’ excessive use of agrochemicals in cocoa agroforests has major repercussions on soil organisms, which play a great role in soil fertility enhancement. This study was carried out to examine the relationship between agrochemical use and soil macro-fauna diversity and abundance in cocoa agroforests in Cameroon. A mixed research approach was used, and data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential...
Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) pod and haulm production in the tropical legume project States, Nigeria
March 2021
The production of groundnut pod and haulm is one way of addressing the challenge of scarcity of livestock feed as well as improving the incomes of small-scale farmers. This study examines the revenue associated with groundnut pod and haulm production, using data obtained from 253 participating farmers. The data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results showed that average haulm yield ranged from...
Small scale farmers’ perception of institutions and information channels on climate change and adaptation, Embu County, Kenya
March 2021
This study assessed the small scale farmers’ perception of institutions and information channels on climate change and adaptation in Embu County, Kenya. A survey was conducted on 411 households and 25 key informants on their perception of institutions and information channels towards climate change and adaptation where stratified random and purposive sampling was done respectively. The data were subjected to...
Water resources and food security in Algeria: Diagnosis and new strategy proposition
March 2021
Algeria as an important North African and Mediterranean country with remarkable bioclimatic, edaphic, and political characteristics is under many sorts of negative stress affecting considerably alimentary dependence. Today, Algerian agriculture presents a worrying record. Several warning signs show that the sector is only surviving thanks to massive imports of milk, grains, seeds and chemical fertilizers. The current...
Studies on Cleistopholis patens (benth.) [Magnoliales: Annonaceae] powders as fumigant and contact insecticides to Plodia interpunctella (Hübner) [Lepidoptera: Pyralidae]
March 2021
Post-harvest losses of agricultural produce caused by store grain pest most especially cereals and grains to store pest require developing cheap, ecofriendly and readily available insecticide to combat this threat and achieve the goal of food security in developing countries. This study investigated the effects of Cleistopholis patens (leaf and stem bark) on Plodia interpunctella infestation in stored maize grains....
Metribuzin and 2,4-D as potential herbicides for weed management in sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L) Moench]
March 2021
Grain sorghum demand for industrial and domestic uses has triggered increased production of sorghum. Field experiment was conducted at Egerton University Njoro, Kenya to determine the most effective herbicide(s) for weed management in sorghum. The experiment was carried out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with nine treatments replicated three times. The treatments consisted of four pre-emergence herbicides...
Agronomic feasibility of using basalt powder as soil nutrient remineralizer
March 2021
Tropical agriculture is highly dependent of soluble fertilizers, what raises the cost of production. An alternative to reduce the costs inputs is the use of low-cost alternative nutrient sources, such as the basic rocks. The aim of the work was to evaluate the effect of basalt powder on the soil chemical properties and plant growth. The experiment was arranged in a 2×2×2×3+4 factorial scheme: two soils...
Variation in beta carotene and yield in sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.) associated with ambient temperature and genotype
March 2021
This study was conducted to determine the relationship between ambient temperature during growing season on tuber β-carotene content and yield of four orange-fleshed sweetpotato varieties; Orange Chingovwa, Olympia, Kokota and Zambezi. A split plot experiment design with the environment (main plot) and variety (subplots). The environments were: High-temperature site (HTS) (average temperature of 38.5°C) and...
Effects of soil amendments and weeding regimes on growth and yield potential of rice (Oryza sativa L.) under different water sources in the Guinea Savanna
March 2021
Enhancing soil fertility and reducing the devastative effect of weed competition in rice is increasingly important and critical for ensuring a sustainable increase in rice production and secure food supply. Field experiment was conducted at Bontanga in the Northern Region of Ghana to investigate the effect of soil amendments and weeding regimes on growth and yield of rice under different moisture sources. The experiment...
Effect of climate variation on the yield of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata)
March 2021
This research was conducted to study the effects of climate variables such as rainfall, temperature, and relative humidity on cowpea yield, and evaluated in Gombe State, Nigeria, during the period of 2009 to 2018 (one decade). The ex-post facto research design was adopted for the study, utilizing secondary data obtained from meteorological and agronomic data collected from the Metrological Office and agronomic data from...
Exploring on-farm additive common bean yield potential to organic and mineral fertilizers on contrasting soils of Buganda Catena, Central Uganda
March 2021
Mineral and organic fertilizers have great potential to enhance crop yields in low fertility soils of the Buganda catena. However, the need for site-specific knowledge on use and yield of the two fertilizer types in a complex soil scape is acute among smallholder farmers exploiting any soil differences. This study evaluated on-farm grain yield response of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) to organic and mineral N and...
Growth performance, carcass characteristics and cost benefit of feeding broilers with diets containing high quality cassava peel (HQCP)
March 2021
A feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of isonitrogenous and isocaloric diets containing varying levels of high-quality cassava peel (HQCP) fine mash on broilers’ performance, carcass characteristics, and cost benefit. A feeding trial was carried out using four hundred (400) 21-day old Arbor Acres broiler chicks weighing 570 – 630 g (live weight). The chicks were randomly allocated to five...
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