August 2009
Problems associated with pesticide usage and application in Nigerian cocoa production: A review
The use of pesticides for effective pests control has generated a lot of concerns relating to public health and environmental pollution. With the new European Union (EU) Legislation on Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) allowed on cocoa beans and its products, efforts are now intensified to seek measures towards its reduction. The Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN) has the mandate to screen...
August 2009
Luffa cylindrica - An emerging cash crop
Sponge-gourds, the fruit of Luffa cylindrica, are widely used throughout the world. It is an annual climbing crop which produces fruit containing fibrous vascular system. It is a summer season vegetable. At the moment, from the results of studies carried out on this wonder crop, it encourages the commercial cultivation of the crop because of its increasing economic importance. The objective of this...
August 2009
Comparative response of direct seeded and transplanted maize (Zea mays L.) to nitrogen fertilization at Zanyokwe irrigation scheme, Eastern Cape, South Africa
Previous studies carried out in smallholder irrigation schemes in South Africa showed that bird damage to emerging seedlings reduced crop stand and yield of maize. Transplanting offered an opportunity to improve stand but there was no information on fertiliser management of transplants. An on-farm experiment was therefore conducted to compare the response to nitrogen (N) rate (60, 120, 180, 240 and 300 kg N...
August 2009
Assessing the efficiency of hazelnut production
This study investigates production efficiency of hazelnut farmers located in the Carsamba Plain, Samsun-Turkey. A sample of 78 farmers was selected by a two-stage sampling process. Data Envelopment Analysis and Tobit Regression Analysis found that production efficiency of the hazelnut farmers ranged from 26.1 to 100.0%, with an average of 73.5%. This level of technical efficiency is consistent with the...
August 2009
Effective use of vegetative material in fig (Ficus carica L.) nursery plant production
The aim of this study is to propagate fig nursery plants with bud cuttings in relation to use vegetative material more effectively. Well grown and lignified one-year-old shoots with 15-25 cm length and two years old branches having a considerably short one-year-old shoot on its tip were cut into pieces in 5-8 cm length which have at least one bud. Cuttings were classified as tip (1)(≤0.9 cm), middle...
August 2009
Genetic analysis on wild olives by using RAPD markers
The aim of this study was to detect genetic similarities and distances among wild olive trees by RAPD-PCR technique. Olives are raised at a high range from Artvin on the north, up to Hatay on the south and up to Mardin on the Southeast part of Turkey. The Aegean, Mediterranean, Marmara and Black Sea regions of Turkey have suitable climatic conditions for olive breeding. Olive breeding had a rapid increase in...
August 2009
Occurrence of star flowers in Cardinal (Vitis vinifera L.) cv.
Star flowers are flowers that differ from normal Vitis flowers in that the calyptra breaks open from the top like the flowers of most other species plants. This is the first report of the occurrence of star flowers in Turkey. Star flowers were observed in Cardinal (Vitis vinifera L.). The structural features are compared to normal flowers. A genetic analysis using RAPD-PCR was performed to...
August 2009
An application of probit analysis to factors affecting small-scale farmers’ decision to take credit: A case study of the Greater Letaba Local Municipality in South Africa
Based on primary data collected in the Greater Letaba Local Municipality from 73 small-scale farmers in the 2006 season, this study used the probit modelling approach to analyse the influence household characteristics have on farmers’ decision to use credit. The model predicted 84.93 per cent of the sample correctly. The results revealed that farming experience, gender and marital status have positive...
August 2009
Exploring public perception of urban identity: The case of Ankara, Turkey
Urban spaces play an important role in the processes of formation, change and reproduction of urban identity. Under present day conditions where the identities of cities are rapidly deteriorating and vanishing, the importance of urban design which is a means of designing the urban spaces and their physical and social aspects is ever growing. The aims of this research are to find out the elements constituting...
August 2009
Soil physical and chemical properties under continuous maize cultivation as influenced by hedgerow trees species on an alfisol in south western Nigeria
In the sub-humid tropical Africa, the pressure of diminishing land resources resulting from the rapidly increasing population has made the traditional fallow systems used for the replenishing soil fertility impossible. Alley cropping has been suggested as an alternative to bush fallowing. This study evaluated the effects of 20 years of different species of hedgerow crops on the physical and chemical...
August 2009
A distance-independent basal area growth model for oriental spruce (Picea orientalis (l.) Link) growing in mixture with oriental beech (Fagus orientalis Lipsky) in the Artvin region, North-East Turkey
In this study, we developed an individual tree basal area growth model for oriental spruce (Picea orientalis (L.) Link) growing in mixture with oriental beech (Fagus orientalis Lipsky) in the Artvin, Turkey. In our modeling approach, the basal area growth variables were divided into 4 main groups, which included size, competition, site and mixture. The parameters of these variables were biologically...
August 2009
Can the new recorded species be established in Burullus protected area: A Ramsar site in Egypt
Invasions by alien plant species are causing major conservation problems in many regions of the world and are viewed as an important component of human caused global change. Lake Burullus (one of the protected areas and RAMSAR site in Egypt) and its surroundings are subjected to ecological constraints that relate to excessive use of resources such as the construction of an International Highway that runs...
Advertisement
Advertisement