February 2011
Natural fibre plant resources of economic value found in wetlands of Swaziland: A review
Indigenous fibre plants found in different geographical wetlands in Swaziland includeCyperus latifolius (likhwane) and Phragmites australis (umhlanga).Various products are made from these plants. Tourists place great value to natural products made from indigenous fibre plants of the wetlands and are often the biggest buyers of these handicrafts. However, global warming due to climate...
February 2011
Evaluation of the resistance of few citrus rootstocks to alkalinity by applying a faste test of secreening
Alkalinity of Moroccan soils is the major abiotic constraint on citrus production area. The best choice of citrus rootstocks adequate and resistant is a better solution to avoid this problem. The aim of this study is to develop a fast test of citrus rootstocks screening towards alkalinity. The alkaline stress was applied on ten citrus rootstocks two month old, using irrigation with a Hoagland and Arnon...
February 2011
8-Hydroxygenistein formation of soybean fermented with Aspergillus oryzae BCC 3088
The isoflavone content of soybean was studied by incubated Thai native soybean (Glycine max (L) Merr, SJ.2) with Aspergillus oryzae BCC 3088. The changes of the isoflavone analogue content were analysed by HPLC. Mass spectrometry was used to confirm the presence of substances in fermented soybean with the authentic standards. After fermentation, total glycosides content of soybean...
February 2011
An assessment of genetic diversity among marula populations using the amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) technique
Marula is a wild-growing dioecious leafy tree species indigenous to Africa. The species exhibits a high phenotypic variability, especially in fruit size and quality and these traits are exploited by indigenous communities for commercial gain. As a first step towards assessing the relationship between the phenotypic and genotypic properties of the marula species, the genetic structure of natural marula...
February 2011
The interaction between drought stress and salicylic and ascorbic acids on some biochemical characteristics of Satureja hortensis
Water is one of the most important environmental factors that regulate plant growth and development, and water deficit is considered the most important restricted factor for plant products, in that several chemical materials have been used to reduce the harmful effects of water deficit. Some of these compounds (for instance, ascorbic and salicylic acid) have antioxidant effects in plants. In order to study...
February 2011
Proteomics-based identification of storage, metabolic, and allergenic proteins in wheat seed from 2-DE gels
Proteomic approach combining two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE), mass spectrometry and bioinformatics analysis were applied to identify major proteins in extracts of mature wheat seeds. About 920 or 700 protein spots were detected on 2-DE gels by silver staining or colloidal Coomassie Brilliant Blue staining. Eighty spots with higher abundance were selected to cut for in-gel digestion followed by...
February 2011
Performance evaluation of a v-groove solar air collector for drying maize (Zea mays) in lraq
In this work, a solar drying system was constructed, consisting of three parts (solar collector, drying chamber, and air blower). Solar collector having V-corrugated absorption plate of two air passes, a single glass cover was used. The total area of the collectors is 2.04 m². The dimension of the drying chamber is 1.06, 0.66 and 0.56 m for width, depth, and height, respectively. 38 kg of corn were...
February 2011
Effect of strategic supplementation with different proportion of agro-industrial by-products and grass hay on body weight change and carcass characteristics of tropical Ogaden bulls (Bos indicus) grazing native pasture
The effect of supplementation with agro-industrial by-products and hay on body weight change and carcass characteristics of Ogaden bulls grazing natural pasture was investigated at Haramaya University beef farm. Eighteen uniform and healthy Ogaden bulls with initial mean body weight of 258.5±41.5 kg were selected from the University farm and randomly assigned to one of the three treatments. Treatment 1...
February 2011
Qualitative analysis of livestock-forage system in the stall-feeding smallholder dairy cattle system
Dynamical systems of forage biomass accumulation under continuous harvesting with and without nutrient cycling are formulated and studied. For one dimensional dynamical system with being a measure of forage intake relative to forage growth, there is bifurcation at whereas at the system exhibits discontinuous stability, and at the system collapses. For a two dimensional...
February 2011
Effect of skip-a-day feed restriction on carcass yield characteristics and economic advantages of Rhode Island Red Pullets
Two hundred and forty day-old chicks with average body weight of 48.92±1.5 g were randomly distributed into 12 pens each with 20 chicks, representing four feeding regimen of T1 (Unrestricted, Control), T2 (Restricted at 7, 14, 21 and 28 days of age), T3 (Restricted at 35, 42, 49 and 56 days of age) and T4 (Restricted at 63, 70, 77 and 84 days of age). The experiment lasted for 22...
February 2011
The probable genetic introgression between Walia ibex (Capra walie) and domestic goats (Capra hircus) at Simien mountains national park (SMNP) in Ethiopia
An exploratory survey was conducted at Simien mountains national park (SMNP) and bordering districts to assess the genetic introgressions between walia ibex (C. walie) and domestic goats (Capra hircus) in Ethiopia by studying breeding strategies, production and grazing systems. About 96.9% of the farmers practiced extensive goat production system. The common goat grazing places include outside and...
February 2011
Invasion species Coleophora laricella – One of the main limiting factor of Larix decidua during the forest aforestation and recultivation
Coleophora laricella Hübner, 1817 was introduced in Serbia along with Larix deciduaMiller, 1768 (commonly used in the recultivation processes by reforestation) and as a result of the great adaptive ability, it was well-adapted to the site conditions, which differed greatly from the ones within the limits of its nature spread. It is very obstinate and harmful forest insect. In suitable places it...
February 2011
Influence of age and cropping system on tree population structure in South West Ghana
Timber tree recruitment and retention was assessed within cocoa farms and mixed perennial farms of varying age classes in south western Ghana. The rationale was to be able to understand the pattern of change in timber tree populations within farms, as well as identify the extent to which farm management activities explain these changes. Each farm was sub-categorized according to farm age into Phase I (farm...
February 2011
Performance of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) and pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) intercropped under Parkia biglobosa in an agroforestry system in Burkina Faso
In agroforestry systems, crop yields under trees are often low compared to outside. This study explored crop management under trees for improved production and income for farmers. Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) and pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) sole and intercrops were grown under and outside the shade of six randomly selected Parkia biglobosa trees during one season in south-central Burkina Faso....
February 2011
A comparative study on fatty acid composition of black cumin obtained from different regions of Turkey, Iran and Syria
The present study was carried out to determine the fatty acid composition of the black cumin (Nigella sativa L.) samples obtained from total ten different regions of Turkey, Iran and Syria and the comparison of variations in species. The fatty acid compositions of black cumin samples were determined by gas chromatography (GC). The main fatty acids of the fixed oil were linoleic acid, oleic acid and...
February 2011
Impact of watering points on vegetation changes of a semi-arid natural pasture in Tekirdag Province, Turkey
The research was carried out on natural pastures of Buzagici village of Tekirdag province, Turkey in 2005. The objective of this study was to determine effects of watering points on canopy cover, botanical composition, and hay yields of pastures using transect method. Data were collected from 4 different sites of natural pasture, two of which had watering points (sites 1 and 2), and two that had no watering...
February 2011
Ecological investigation of the weed flora in arable and non arable lands of Al-kharj Area, Saudi Arabia
A radical change has been observed in various agronomic practices including increase in crop productivity which lead to changes in the composition, diversity and abundance of weed flora in arable as well as in non-arable lands. In this context, a survey was conducted both in agricultural and non-agricultural areas in different parts of Al-Kharj (Saudi Arabia). The aim of the study was to prepare an...
February 2011
Iranian agricultural professionals’ knowledge on organic farming
Organic farming is a holistic and sustainable food production system which can be considered as an alternative to conventional agriculture in Iran. Each policy to diffusion of organic farming leads to demands on knowledge of agricultural professionals. This is therefore important to understand professionals’ knowledge on organic farming and to identify the key factors influencing it. The...
February 2011
Seasonal precipitation forecasts: Agro-ecological knowledge among rural Kalahari communities
Increasing climate variability in the semi-arid Kalahari environment calls for better and timely seasonal precipitation forecasts to enable decisions at farm level and avoid disruption of livelihoods dependent on the natural resource base. This study revealed the growing importance of precipitation forecasts among agro-pastoral communities, particularly the amount, timing, duration and distribution of...
February 2011
Effectiveness of field practical training for competence acquisition among students of Botswana College of Agriculture
Field practical training is a requirement for all students who enrol in any program in the Botswana College of Agriculture, as it has been discovered that, experiential learning complements theoretical classroom teaching. The effectiveness of Field Practical Training (FPT) for competence acquisition among students was examined through a descriptive survey. A simple random sampling technique was used to select...
February 2011
The role of television in the enhancement of farmers’ agricultural knowledge
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of television as an educational tool to the enhancement of farmers’ knowledge. This study was a randomized subject, pretest-posttest design among farmers who were working and residing in Kohgiluyeh va Buyer Ahmad province, Iran. The subjects of the study included 161 farmers who were selected randomly from rural areas. After determining the educational...
February 2011
Detection of Staphylococcus species and staphylococcal enterotoxins by ELISA in ice cream and cheese consumed in Burdur Province
In this study, 50 ice cream and 50 cheese samples from Burdur Province of Turkey were examined for total mesophilic aerobic bacteria, Micrococcus/Staphylococcus and Staphylococcus aureus. In ice cream, total aerobic mesophilic microorganisms, Micrococcus/Staphylococcus and S. aureus were determined at levels of 4.29, 3.78 and 3.00 log10cfu/g, respectively. In cheese, these organisms were present at 8.21, 6.21...
February 2011
Effect of garlic (allium sativum l.) in fattening chicks nutrition
The paper examines the effects of garlic (Allium sativum L.) and Cu separately as well as their combined effects on the production parameters and carcass quality in broiler chicks. Garlic has antimicrobial, antihypertensive and antioxidative properties, while high copper levels in feed (100 ppm) displays stimulating and bacterial effects, which may be an alternative to antibiotics whose use is...
February 2011
Behavior of aluminum adsorption on cell wall of pineapple root apices
Pineapple (Ananas comosus (L.) Merrill) is commonly grown in strongly acid soil, in which high aluminum (Al) concentration is often toxic to the roots of plants. The root apices of plants are most sensitive to Al toxicity. This paper is to evaluate the effect of Al on the growth of roots of four pineapple cultivars: Cayenne, Tainung No.6, Tainung No.13 and Tainung No.17 in Taiwan. The differences in the...
February 2011
Opportunities and constraints of tomato production in Eritrea
Tomato is an important vegetable in Eritrea, grown across the entire country. Yields in Eritrea are comparatively low, due to agronomic, institutional and market constraints. We carried out a survey throughout the country based on a participatory rural appraisal, discussion groups and interviews with staff members of the Ministry of Agriculture. Results showed that farmers preferred varieties with a prolonged...
February 2011
Cross compatibility between Lilium x fomolongi group and Lilium.brownii
Lilium is an ornamental plant with great worldwide commercial importance. Obtaining intra- and interspecific hybrids is a known approach to introduce new traits into the commercial groups and cultivars. However, considering the incompatibility of many intra- and interspecific crosses, resulting from pre-fertilization and post-fertilization barriers, various methods have been employed to obtain new hybrids. L....
February 2011
Improving the production of radish (Raphanus sativus L.cv. local black) by Fe-EDDHA and carrots (Daucus carrota L. var. sativus cv. nates by indole-3-butyric acid (IBA)
Seeds of local black radish cultivar (experiment 1) were sown in plots, then plants were sprayed twice after thinning 2 weeks latter by Fe-EDDHA at rates of 0, 20, 30 or 40 mgL-1. Whereas, seeds of nates carrot cultivar (experiment 2) were sown on plots and furrows, then plants were sprayed twice after thinning and once more at the commencement of root swollen after 3 months by indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) at...
February 2011
Effects of different osmotic solutions on onion seed emergence
This experiment was aimed at the optimisation of emergence with onion seeds. For this reason, onion seeds (Allium cepa L.) short-days cultivars (Aki and Alix) and long-days cultivars (Banko and Suluova) were primed with different concentrations of polyethylene glycol (PEG 6000) in inorganic salts (KNO3 and KH2PO4) for different periods of time (3 and 6 days or until 1% radicle emergence) at...
February 2011
Decline in soil quality as a result of land use change in Ghareh Aghaj watershed of Semirom, Isfahan, Iran
Land use change, if not based on proper scientific investigation affects physical, chemical, and biological properties of soil and leading to increased destruction and erosion. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of changing rangelands into farmlands on certain soil physical, chemical, and biological properties. Undisturbed soil samples were collected from a 10 cm depth of soil surface...
February 2011
The vertical distribution and their relationship of dissolved organic carbon and exchangeable metals in Chinese old-growth forest soils
Many unmanaged temperate and tropical old-growth forests are shown to retain their capability to sequester carbon (C) from the atmosphere, but the C sequestration mechanisms in the soil were unknown. Seven thin soil layers within a depth of 20 cm were sampled from one unmanaged tropical seasonal old-growth rain forest and three unmanaged temperate old-growth forests (e.g. Betula ermanii, Picea...
February 2011
Arthropod assemblage dynamics on cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) in a subtropical agro-ecosystem, South Africa
Arthropod assemblages were monitored on cowpea during the 2008/2009 cropping season in the Transkei area of South Africa. A total of 5953 insects belonging to 21 species, in 12 families and 5 orders (Coleoptera, Hemiptera, Orthoptera, Homoptera and Lepidoptera) were counted from 18 observations on cowpea from seedling to maturity. Aphids, Lepidoptera larvae, blister beetles and pod-sucking bugs accounted for...
February 2011
Variety selection based on net return per hectare in durum wheat (Triticum durum L.)
This study aimed to assess a variety selection and preference criteria based on net return ha-1 in durum wheat (Triticum durum L). Regional yield trials with 25 entries were planted in Diyarbakir, Hazro and Ceylanpinar locations in southeast Anatolia in 2004/05 and in Diyarbakir and Hazro in 2005/2006 growing season. A randomized complete block design with 4 replications was employed....
February 2011
Sheep marketing performance: A case study of Khartoum State, Sudan
The main objective of this study is to investigate the possibility of improving marketing efficiency, regarding the emphasis concerning marketing cost and margins. The study was based on both primary and secondary data. Primary data was collected through questionnaires, and the questionnaires were applied to the wholesalers, producers and retailers through stratified random sampling, while secondary data was...
February 2011
Sweet corn yield response to alternate furrow irrigation methods under different planting densities in a semi-arid climatic condition
A field study was conducted to investigate sweet corn variety KCS 403 performance for yield and yield components under treatments of every furrow irrigation (EFI), semi-alternate furrow irrigation (SAFI) and alternate furrow irrigation (AFI), with different planting densities in shallow and deep groundwater regimes. Plots under SAFI were irrigated every other furrow from sowing till six weeks, followed by...
February 2011
Concentrations of metal contaminants, vitamin and mineral in waxed caviar from Mugil cephalus (L.,1758)
In the research to determine the compositions of metal contaminants, vitamin, mineral and fatty acids upon the Mugil cephalus (L.,1758) caviar imported from Mauritania and waxed in Turkey. It has been found that the fish samples that the caviar belonged to, were caught in waters which were rich in terms of zinc (Zn) and cadmium (Cd) and their amount has been determined as 11.35 and 0.004...
February 2011
A case study on cryopreservation of African sheep semen for the Red Maasai, Dorper breeds and their crosses
The objective of this study was to examine the effect of different concentrations of trehalose and raffinose in Tris-citric acid-glucose (TCG) egg yolk extender for the sperm freezability of Red Maasai sheep, another African breed- the Dorper and their crosses. The results showed that Red Maasai, Dorper and their crosses sperm could be cryopreserved by extending with 0.075 to 0.01 M trehalose...
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