African Journal of
Agricultural Research

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Agric. Res.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1991-637X
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJAR
  • Start Year: 2006
  • Published Articles: 6894

Table of Content: July 2020; 16(7)

July 2020

Assessment of genetic variability for yield and attributed traits among rice doubled haploid (DH) lines in semi-arid zone Sudan

Anther culture is one of the biotechnology tools using for quick recovery of fixed breeding pure lines in rice. The development of new rice varieties is highly dependent on genetic diversity in desirable agronomic traits. Therefore, this study aimed to identify potential genotypes having the characters of Tongil-type and to study suitable traits of tested Double Haploid (DH) lines which can be applied in breeding...

Author(s): Khalid A. Osman, Kyung-Ho Kang, Ahmed A. El-Siddg, Yassir M. Ahmed and Sara M. Abdalla  

July 2020

Growth and yield of finger millet (Eleusine coracana L.) (Garten) as affected by varying nitrogen levels at Mubi, Adamawa State, Nigeria

A field experiment was conducted at the Teaching and Research Farm of the Adamawa State College of Agriculture at Mubi, Nigeria to determine effect of Nitrogen fertilization on the growth and yield of Finger Millet (Eleusine coracana L. (Garten). Results indicated that all the growth and yield components were significantly (p ≤ 0.05) influenced by increasing nitrogen fertilizer application rates. The highest...

Author(s): Hussaini, I. Danjuma, Mohammed, Aminu, Bassi, A. Nuhu, Hassan, Ismaila and Aliyu, M. Abubakar  

July 2020

Effect of agricultural wastes on some soil physicochemical properties of ultisol, growth parameters and yield of cocoyam (Xanthosoma mafafa) at Umudike, southeastern Nigeria

This research was conducted on a degraded Ultisol at the Eastern farm of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike during 2014 and 2015 planting seasons, to determine the effect of different rates of sawdust and poultry manure application on soil physicochemical properties of acid sandy Ultisol, and growth and yield of cocoyam. The treatments comprised of two organic amendments at five levels each: Sawdust (0,...

Author(s): Iroegbu Chidinma Susan, Asawalam Damian O., Dada Olasunkanmi and Orji Jephter E.  

July 2020

Market prospects and willingness to pay for indigenous products: The case of Morama (Tylosema esculentum)

This study analyzes the market potential of the underutilized indigenous Morama (Tylosema esculentum) products by determining the consumers’ preferences and willingness to pay. Simple random sampling was used to select 372 respondents to participate in the cross-sectional survey. Contingent valuation method was used to determine the customers’ willingness to pay and the two-step Heckman selection model was...

Author(s): Keneilwe Kgosikoma, Lesego Mackenzie-Tsedi, Bernard Kelebang and Tlhalefo Ranchobolo  

July 2020

Physical and mechanical properties of cement bonded strand board produced from Gmelina arborea (Roxb.) harvesting residues

Finding use for residues from felling operations has been a major focus on increasing volume recovery of harvested woody biomass. Strands and sawdust processed from left-over of Gmelina arborea residues recovered from the forest were used to produce cement bonded composites. Physical and mechanical properties of the boards were assessed showing the relationship between diverse variables such as density, wood strand and...

Author(s): Owoyemi J. M., Ogunrinde O. S. and Oyeleye I. O.  

July 2020

Agroclimatic risk zoning of mango (Mangifera indica) in the hydrographic basin of Paraná River III, Brazil

Mango cultivation is one of the key economic agricultural activities of fruit in Brazil. In Southern Brazil, mango presents vulnerability thanks to its frost sensitivity, indicating the relevance of climate studies to improve the production and agricultural techniques, in the context of sustainable agriculture and climate change. Agroclimatic zoning should be one of the first information to be considered when starting...

Author(s): Nathan Felipe da Silva Caldana, Pablo Ricardo Nitsche, Luiz Gustavo Batista Ferreira, Alan Carlos Martelócio, Paulo Henrique Caramori, Paulo Vicente Contador Zaccheo and Jorge Alberto Martins  

July 2020

Relative costs and benefits of implementing desiccant bead drying/hermetic storage and alternative drying and storage technologies for vegetable seeds in Kenya and Tanzania

This paper assesses the relative costs and benefits of desiccant beads drying/hermetic storage and alternative drying and storage technologies. The study was conducted in Kenya and Tanzania in areas producing and trading vegetable seeds using a sample size of 280 respondents. The study revealed that costs of desiccant bead drying/hermetic storage are relatively higher for smaller quantities of seeds compared to...

Author(s): Richard O. Musebe, Daniel Karanja, Kent J. Bradford and Roger Day  

July 2020

A cluster analysis of variables essential for climate change adaptation of smallholder dairy farmers of Nandi County, Kenya

Smallholder dairy farmers occupy high potential areas of Kenya and are a source of manure, crops and milk. There is need to use other means of characterising smallholder dairy farmers as they mostly practice mixed farming. The objective of this paper is to use cluster analysis method to characterize the smallholder dairy farmers with added farmer and activity data variables. Clusters of 336 farmers in this study were...

Author(s): Jesse O. Owino, Daniel Olago, Shem O. Wandiga and Asaah Ndambi  

July 2020

Evaluation of cowpea rust disease incidence and severity on selected cowpea genotypes in Western Kenya

Cowpea production is common among smallholder subsistence farmers of Western Kenya due to its wide ecological adaptation. However, this crop is affected by cowpea rust Uromyces phaseoli var vignae (Baarel) Arth disease, causing economic yield losses with limited control measures. This study therefore, evaluated cowpea rust disease incidence (DI) and severity (DS) on growth of selected improved cowpea genotypes. A...

Author(s): Wabwayi Ndalira Odhiambo Judith Achieng and Basweti Evans Abenga  

July 2020

Nitrate contamination of groundwater: An issue for livelihood in Jaffna Peninsula, Sri Lanka

Groundwater stored in large cavities and channels of Miocene limestone is the only source of portable water in Jaffna Peninsula, Sri Lanka. It is increasingly exploited and polluted by various contaminants that results in less availability of potable water. Nitrate contamination in drinking water is one of the major concerns which causes severe health impacts, such as methemoglobinemia especially in infants and...

Author(s): J. Prabagar, S. Prabagar and S. Thuraisingam  

July 2020

Determinants of ecosystem-based adaptation to drought in the central cattle corridor of Uganda

Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) is widely recognised as an important strategy for strengthening climate change resilience. Nevertheless, there is limited evidence on the factors that facilitate or impede EbA for ecosystem services, adaptation benefits and livelihood improvement. In this study, the determinants of EbA to drought were assessed. A mixed quantitative and qualitative cross-sectional survey among 183 farmer...

Author(s): Nanfuka Susan, Mfitumukiza David and Egeru Anthony,  

July 2020

Cracking and breaking response in four rice varieties as influenced by fertilization regime and storage duration

In Northern Ghana, harvesting of the bulk of paddy, which is cultivated under rain-fed conditions, coincides with the harmattan season. This season is characterized by low relative humidity and dry weather conditions which hasten drying and increase the tendency of the paddy to crack during milling. The farmers also store paddy for longer periods in anticipation of higher price in the open market, thus the paddy may...

Author(s): Robert Kwasi Owusu, Issah Sugri, Wilson Dogbe, Desmond Sunday Adogoba and Joseph Kugbe

July 2020

Effect of growth and yield modelling on forest regulation and earnings

The elaboration of a forest schedule involves constructing and solving a forest regulation model. The regulated structure is not easy to obtain, considering the fluctuations in the effective planting area during the planning horizon, technological advances, and changes in annual demand. Nevertheless, the establishment and implementation of a regulation model often results in an improvement of the forest, in terms of the...

Author(s): Larissa Bitti Vescovi, Helio Garcia Leite, Carlos Pedro Boechat Soares, Márcio Leles Romarco de Oliveira, Daniel H. B. Binoti, Leonardo Pereira Fardin, Gabriela Cristina Costa Silva, Lucas Sérgio de Sousa Lopes, Rodrigo Vieira Leite, Ricardo Rodrigues de Oliveira Neto and Simone Silva  

July 2020

Relationship between leaf rolling and some physiological parameters in durum wheat under water stress

Durum wheat is an important staple food in Morocco. Wheat and barley are mostly grown in drought prone areas in this country. Drought is the most limiting factor under Mediterranean climate. Leaf rolling ability has been identified as a potential selection criterion for drought tolerance in cereals. The objective of this study is to test this hypothesis. The role of leaf rolling in water stress tolerance was assessed in...

Author(s): Amal Ben-Amar, Said Mahboub, Abdelaziz Bouizgaren, Mohammed Mouradi, Nasser Elhaq Nsarellah and Keltoum El Bouhmadi  

July 2020

Assessment of the effects of water stress on seed yield of common bean genotypes

Drought stress is among the most important abiotic factors that contribute to the significant yield reduction of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). Due to unreliable and poor distribution of rainfall, drought tolerance has become the important train in common bean in bean growing areas. The objective of this study was to evaluate 16 common bean genotypes for drought tolerance under three moisture regimes and identify...

Author(s): Julius Peter Mbiu, Susan Nchimbi–Msolla, Magdalena N. William and Jean Claude Rubyogo