African Journal of
Agricultural Research

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Agric. Res.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1991-637X
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJAR
  • Start Year: 2006
  • Published Articles: 6860

Table of Content: 30 March, 2017; 12(13)

March 2017

Vegetable breeding as a strategy of biofortification in carotenoids and prevention of vitamin A deficiency

Carotenoids are a class of yellow-orange-red pigments distributed in various fruits, spices, herbs and especially in vegetables. These pigments are bioactive components essential to human health. Among the numerous classes of carotenoids, a smaller number is known for having provitamin A activity. This vitamin is essential to the organism in the proper functioning of the vision and the immune system. On the other hand,...

Author(s): Ronaldo Machado Junior, Ronaldo Silva Gomes, Cleverson Freitas de Almeida, Flavia Maria Alves, Fabio Teixeira Delazari, Renata Dias Freitas Laurindo, Rafael Henrique Fernandes and Derly José Henriques da Silva

March 2017

Effect of seed-furrow openers on soybean root growth in compacted Oxisol

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of seed-furrow openers and soil compaction on parameters such as sowing quality and root growth of soybean. The experiment was conducted using a randomized blocks experimental design with split plots, with the plots arranged by compaction level (1.16, 1.20, 1.22 and 1.26 Mg m-3) and the subplots by type of furrow opener (double disk and shank type). Root growth was assessed at...

Author(s): Alcir José Modolo, Gabrielli Fiorentin Dedordi, Thiago de Oliveira Vargas, Rivanildo Dallacort, Murilo Mesquita Baesso, José Ricardo da Rocha Campos, Robson Gonçalves Trentin, Gilberto Santos Andrade and Emerson Trogello

March 2017

Effect of a biocide treatment on microbes in sweet sorghum juice

Microbial contamination of sweet sorghum juice can result in loss of fermentable sugars used as bioproducts. A carbamate-based biocide in doses of 200 and 400 ppm used in the sugarcane industry was applied to sorghum juice collected from 4 and 8 in billets, or whole stalks, and growth of microbes was evaluated. Dosing with 200 ppm biocide reduced the microbial count in juice samples by approximately 99%, but a residual...

Author(s): Maureen S. Wright

March 2017

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) cultivars performance grown during offseason in cerrado soils

The cultivation of that legume is widespread throughout the country presenting high expression in the social and economic issues. The aim of this work was to evaluate the agronomic characteristics and disease incidence in ten common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) cultivars grown in Cerrado soils. The research was developed under field conditions during two cropping years. The studied cultivars were: IAC - Galante, IAC -...

Author(s): Rodrigo Ribeiro Fidelis, Taynar Coelho de Oliveira, Sérgio Alves de Sousa, Roberto Antonio Savelli Martinez, Raphael Campestrini, Danilo Pereira Ramos, Danilo Alves Veloso, Manoel Mota dos Santos and Kleycianne Ribeiro Marques

March 2017

Live body weight and linear body measurements of indigenous sheep population in their production system for developing suitable selection criteria in Central Zone of Tigray, Northern Ethiopia

The aim of this study was to characterize phenotype indigenous sheep population in central zone of Tigray. A total of 450 adult sheep were sampled randomly for this purpose. Based on dentition adult sheep were classified into four age categories. Average BW of the sampled sheep in Tanqua-Abergelle, Kola-Tembien and Adwa districts were (20.19±0.19, 22.18±0.22 and 23.68±0.33) kg, respectively....

Author(s): H.H. Tesfay, A.K. Banerjee and Y.Y. Mummed

March 2017

Rice mutants and their responses to suboptimal temperatures in the early stages of development

The aim of this study was to verify differences in the tolerance to suboptimal temperatures of eight rice mutant genotypes in relation to their cultivars of origin in the initial stages of development. During the germination period, the germination percentage and the germination rate index were evaluated at temperatures of 25 and 13°C. For the vegetative stage enzymatic indicators, photosynthetic pigment...

Author(s): Andersom Milech Einhardt, Ariano Martins de Magalhães Júnior, Daiane de Pinho Benemann, Eugenia Jacira Bolacel Braga and José Antonio Peters

March 2017

Influence of different soil management practices on soil organisms and maize (Zea mays L.) yield in South Eastern Nigeria

The experiment was conducted at Teaching and Research Farm of University of Port Harcourt between May and August, 2016 to determine the influence of different soil management practices on soil organisms and maize yield (Zea mays L.) in South Eastern Nigeria. The experiment consisted of six treatments, namely:  control (no application), cover crop (pumpkin cover), 10 t/ha dry guinea grass mulch (dead mulch), 10 t/ha...

Author(s): Benwari A. O., Uchunor S. I. and Omovbude S.

March 2017

Determination of the soil compaction in real time on field with plate penetrometer and data filtering system

Soil compaction due to traffic is the process whereby soil bulk density is increased. The compaction level depends on the weight of the vehicle, and the soil susceptibility to compaction, which is characterized by its mechanical properties (that is, the stress-strain relationships). The plate penetrometer can be used to quantify the levels of soil compaction in-situ and supply a larger number of information on the...

Author(s): Joaquim Odilon Pereira, Juliano Rodrigo Lamb, João Cândido Bracarense, Pauline Défossez, Guy Richard, Suedemio de Lima Silva, Roberto Vieira Pordeus and Marineide Jussara Diniz

March 2017

Distribution and abundance of emerging invasive weeds in central Western part of Ethiopia

Invasive alien weed species; are non-indigenous species that have adverse economic, environment and ecological effects on habitats where they have been introduced, either accidentally or deliberately, outside their normal past or present distribution. The objective of this study was to determine the distribution and abundance of emerging invasive weeds in West Shewa and East Wollega Zones of Western Oromia. The...

Author(s): Amare Fufa, Taye Tessema and Niguse Hundessa

March 2017

Root and shoot growth responses of sorcoll163/07 and sorcoll141/07 sorghum landraces (Sorghum bicolor L.) Moench to different salt concentration levels

Salt stress is one of the most adverse abiotic environmental factors that inhibit growth and productivity of plants. This experiment was carried out at physiology laboratory, Addis Ababa University. Sorghum landraces (sorcoll163/07 and sorcoll141/07) were collected with many other landraces from different sorghum growing regions of Ethiopia and they were selected for their stay-green traits and drought tolerance...

Author(s): Awol Assefa TOIB and Mekbib Fekadu GELAW

March 2017

The determinants of small-scale irrigation practice and its contribution on household farm income: The case of Arba Minch Zuria Woreda, Southern Ethiopia

This study was conducted at Arba Minch Zuria Woreda. The area lacks in-depth studies to identify the determinant factors that influence the use of irrigation water.  In the study area it is also not well known to what extent the households using irrigation water were better-off than those who depend on rain-fed agriculture. Therefore, the study was focused on assessing the determinants of small-scale irrigation...

Author(s): Agidew Abebe

March 2017

Threshold aluminium toxicity in finger millet

At high concentrations, Aluminium (Al) can be a serious threat to agricultural production because it inhibits growth of the roots, inducing oxidative stress, callose induction, peroxidation of the cellular membrane, nutrient imbalances and ends with cell death. This finding aimed to investigate threshold toxicity level of Al on finger millet varieties. The threshold value was determined by wrapping and germinating...

Author(s): Haftom Brhane, Edossa Fikru, Teklehaimanot Haileselassie and Kassahun Tesfaye

March 2017

Evaluation of a set of near isogenic lines (NILS) for rice yellow mottle virus (RYMV) resistance and farmers’ participatory varietal evaluation in Sierra Leone

Rice yellow mottle virus (RYMV) is the most important rice - infecting virus in Africa.  Isolates of the virus were collected from Eastern, Southern and Northern Provinces of Sierra Leone and evaluated for pathogenicity on rice, using visual symptom rating and other disease-related traits such as plant height and yield depression. Near Iso-lines NIL 2, NIL 16, NIL 54 and NIL 130, developed by AfricaRice and...

Author(s): Taylor D. R. and Jalloh A. B.

March 2017

Behavior and water needs of sesame under different irrigation regimes: III. Production and hydric efficiency

This study aimed to identify the irrigation depth (305, 436, 567 and 698 mm), applied on the basis of crop evapotranspiration- ETc (the depth of 567 mm was equal to 100% of ETc) for best yield (Y) and water use efficiency (WUE) for irrigation and soil water stress tolerance (Ky) of sesame BRS 196 CNPA G4. The experiment was conducted at Embrapa Cotton, Barbalha County, CE State, Brazil, in 2012. The experimental design...

Author(s): José Rodrigues Pereira, Hugo Orlando Carvallo Guerra, João Henrique Zonta, José Renato Cortez Bezerra, Érica Samara Araújo Barbosa de Almeida and Whéllyson Pereira Araújo

March 2017

Study of chemical residues from Nemarioc-AL and Nemafric-BL phytonematicides in tomato fruit

Pesticide chemical residues in produce and products are a global concern in human and animal diets. Nemarioc-AL (a.i. cucurbitacin A) and Nemafric-BL (a.i. cucurbitacin B) phytonematicides serve as alternatives to synthetic nematicides in the management of root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) in tomato (Solanum lycorpersicum) production. Cucurbitacins are the bitterest chemical compounds, and therefore, could affect...

Author(s): Kagiso Given Shadung, Phatu William Mashela, Maboko Samuel Mphosi and Vusimuzi Ludwig Mulaudzi