February 2021
Detection and quantification of cow milk adulteration using portable near-infrared spectroscopy combined with chemometrics
Milk adulteration is a common phenomenon in many countries, which draws extensive attention from humans due to health hazards that might result in some fatal diseases. In this study, a portable near-infrared (NIR) spectrometer combined with multivariate analysis was used to detect and quantify milk adulteration. Fresh cow milk samples were collected from eight dairy farms in Beijing and Hebei province of China. Water,...
February 2021
Evaluation of different methods of multiplying sweet potato planting material in coastal lowland Kenya
Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.) is a staple food that contributes to food security for communities in sub-Saharan Africa. The production of sweet potato in coastal Kenya is low and this has been associated with shortage of planting material during the rainy season. A study was therefore conducted at the Pwani University farm to assess the production of sweet potato planting material using cuttings planted under...
February 2021
Maize intercropped between Eucalyptus urophylla in agroforestry systems in Brazil
The objective of this work was to evaluate the agronomic characteristics of maize intercropping with Eucalyptus urophylla at agroforestry system in two triple row distance (alleys) at different sampling distances and positions in relation to the eucalyptus external row (transect), and three positions in relation to the cardinal points: east side, west side and middle. Eucalyptus (E. urophylla) seedlings were planted...
February 2021
Yield response and economic benefits of groundnut to phosphorus fertilization and inoculant rates in Northern Ghana
Groundnut (Arachis hypogea L.) is a major source of dietary protein, cultivated for both human and animal consumption. However, in West Africa, the yields are low, renewing the interest to evaluate groundnut response to P fertilizer (P) and rhizobium inoculant (IR) application. A study was conducted on the experimental field of the University for Development Studies, Nyankpala in the Northern region of Ghana to evaluate...
February 2021
Efficiency of rhizobia selection in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil using biological nitrogen fixation in Phaseolus lunatus
The aim of this research was to evaluate the capacity of symbiotic efficiency of native rhizobia from soils of the state of Rio Grande do Sul (RS), Brazil in Phaseolus lunatus L. plants. Soil and nodule samples from predominant legume plants such as Desmodium species were collected in seven locations of the state of RS. For the isolation of the rhizobia from the soil samples, lima bean “olho de cabra preto”...
February 2021
Effect of linear view approach of weed management in agro-ecosystem: A review
Weeds are considered a pest that is detrimental to human interest. Weeds compete with cultivated and desirable plants for space, soil nutrient, and sunlight and soil moisture thereby reducing crop productivity. Weeds also serve as a host for pests and pathogens that cause plant diseases. Weeds typically produce large numbers of seeds, assisting their spread, and rapidly invade disturbed sites. Seeds spread into natural...
February 2021
Impact of water deficit on correlations and changes of some physiological traits of sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum
Changes in nutrients elements uptake, physiological characteristics, as well as, correlations analysis for these traits to each other are good factors to study the effects of drought on sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L. cv., commercial hybrid) and disclose physiological reaction to several specific levels of stress from water deficit. Water scarcity processing was carried out by irrigating the sweet pepper plants with...
February 2021
Managing various Musa varieties cultivated in Pissa district in the Central African Republic
The diversity of cultivated crops, kernel element of food security, seems today to be threatened by contemporary worldwide, regional and local agricultural mutations. This study shows that there are thirty seven (37) accessions among which one can find Musa paradisiaca (33), Musa sapientum (03) and Musa nana (01). This sharing does not depends on the ethnic diversity because many ethnic groups share among themselves a...
February 2021
Effect of sodium hydroxide treatment in ginger lily forage (Hedychium gardnerianum, Sheppard ex Ker-Gawl) as forage for animal feeding
This study evaluated the effect of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) on the chemical composition (fibrous structure) and nutritive value of Hedychium gardnerianum (ginger lily), a fibre source traditionally used in ruminant feeding in the Azores. Ginger lily samples were manually harvested and dried in a forced-air oven at 65ºC until constant weight. Treatments were applied by spraying the ginger lily with a NaOH solution at...
February 2021
Characterization of sugarcane germplasm collection and its potential utilization for evaluation of quantitative traits
This study was designed to determine the accession series with the most outstanding characteristics and the interrelationships among the variables. It also evaluated variability among the principal components and determined sugarcane accessions studied with similar characteristics from forty sugarcane accessions. Twelve quantitative traits were selected for data analysis. Series C accessions exhibited the most desirable...
February 2021
Effects of land fragmentation on farm efficiency in three agro-ecological zones of Embu County in Kenya
This paper is based on a study that was carried out to evaluate the effect of land fragmentation on farm efficiency in three agro-ecological zones of Embu County in Kenya from July 2017 to March 2018. The study used data collected from 384 farm-households that were randomly selected from three agro-ecological zones (AEZs) in the Embu County, using the multistage stratified sampling method. The AEZs were the...
February 2021
Response of seven African eggplant (Solanum macrocarpon L.) cultivars produced in Benin to salinity stress at seedling stage
Salt stress is one of the abiotic factors that cause a depressive effect on plants. This work aims to evaluate the effect of salt stress on growth of young plants of 7 cultivars (Adja-ouere, Côte d’Ivoire, Dangbo, Kpinman, Kombara F1, Lanman and Togan) of African eggplant (Solanum macrocarpon) produced in Benin, locally called Gboma, in order to determine their relative salt-resistance levels. Five NaCl...
February 2021
Traditional solar salt production in Lower Casamance (Senegal): Environmental and socio-economic benefits and disadvantages
To produce salt, women in Lower Casamance (southern Senegal) traditionally practice artisanal fire salt-farming (AFS) by heating a brine with a biofuel (mangrove wood). The thermal energy produced favors the evaporation of water, the saline concentration and the precipitation of crystallized salts. In recent years, artisanal solar salt-farming (ASS) has been introduced in the region using the thermal energy provided by...
February 2021
Perception and adoption of new agricultural technologies in a Northern Inland Mozambique
The debate on the factors constraining the adoption of agricultural technologies in Southern African countries is still open. This paper assesses the perception and the level of adoption of a set of agricultural technologies by the key actors in a Northern Inland Mozambique. These key actors formed two groups: (1) Technicians, who are the local government officials and are responsible for the adoption of agricultural...
February 2021
Effect of phosphorus application rates on the quality of potato propagated from rooted apical cuttings
This study determined the effect of phosphorus application rates on quality of potato tubers. Field experiments were set up at Egerton University, Njoro and Kenya Agricultural Livestock and Research Organization (KARLO), Molo. A randomized complete block design with split plot arrangement and three replicates were used. Main plot factors were varieties (Shangi, Dutch Robyjn, Unica and Wanjiku). Sub plot factors were...
February 2021
Estimation of general and specific combining ability effect for yield and quality characters in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum Mill. L.)
A study was conducted in a 8 × 8 half diallel cross set of tomato excluding reciprocals to estimate the general combining ability and speciï¬c combining ability for marketable fruit yield per plant (kg) and yield components, namely number of fruits per plant, individual fruit weight (g) fruit length (cm), fruit diameter (cm) and fruit thickness (cm) including some quality traits as TSS, pH and pericarp thickness....
February 2021
Effect of phosphorus fortified compost on growth and yield of maize (Zea mays L.) and Lablab (Lablab purpureus L.) intercropped maize in acidic soils of Western Kenya
Phosphorus deficiency majorly constrains maize (Zea mays L.) production in acidic soils of western Kenya. This requires high doses of expensive inorganic P fertilizers to correct. Recommended rock phosphates and manures are lowly adopted because of low solubility and P content respectively. A Randomized Complete Block Design experiment was conducted for two seasons to assess effect of a cheaper alternative P source,...
February 2021
Contribution of soil macro-fauna diversity and abundance to soil fertility enhancement in cocoa-based (Theobroma cacao) agroforestry systems in the Littoral Region of Cameroon: An appraisal of cocoa farmers’ local knowledge
Soil macro-fauna diversity and abundance greatly influence soil fertility. However, little has been done to confirm this hypothesis in cocoa-based agroforestry systems. It was in this light that this research work was undertaken in order to fill the knowledge gap. Through the use of a mixed research method for data collection and appropriate data analysis procedures, findings showed that diverse soil macro-fauna were...
February 2021
Organic amendments effects on soil dry aggregate stability in Chipata, Zambia
Organic amendments have been known to improve soil physical and chemical properties in sub-Saharan Africa. However, research information on how organic amendments affect aggregate stability and the degree of their effects in comparison to others is inadequate in Zambia. The study was carried out to assess the effect of organic amendments on soil dry aggregate stability and organic matter on soils from Chipata, Zambia....
February 2021
Variation in genetic variability and heritability of agronomic traits in Faba bean (Vicia faba L.) genotypes under soil acidity stress evaluated with and without lime in Ethiopia
Fifty faba bean is a multipurpose crop used as human food, animal feed, soil fertility restoration and income source for farmers and the country at large. However, the productivity of this crop is low as constrained by biotic and abiotic factors in which soil acidity takes the lions share in the highlands of Ethiopia. In order to estimate genetic variability on grain yield and related traits under soil acidity stress,...
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