June 2008
Biodiversity of Date palm in the Sultanate of Oman
Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) is the primary crop in Oman occupying 49% of cultivated area and 82% of all fruit crops grown in the country. Oman is currently the eighth’s largest world producer of dates with a production of 238, 000 metric tones (MT) in 2005. Oman has diverse topographical and climatic eco-regions that allow for cultivation of various types of date palm cultivars, particularly...
June 2008
Participatory sunflower production, technology dissemination and value addition in Southwest Kenya
Sunflower is widely adapted and one of the major oil crops grown in Southwest Kenya. It is regarded as a high value cash crop and a source of high qualityedible vegetable oil in Kenya. Southwest Kenya lies within the Lake Victoria region and is suitable for sunflower production. During Participatory Rural Appraisals (PRAs) farmers attributed the low production to poor agronomic practices,...
June 2008
Division of labour in nakati (Solanum aethiopicum) production in central Uganda
Nakati (Solanum aethiopicum) production is labour intensive. This paper reports on the division of labour in the production of this crop in central Uganda. There is significant division of labour between husbands and wives. Heavy duty land preparation is mostly done by husbands and hired male labour in order to do it fast when a large acreages of Nakati are involved. Hired labour (35%) does most of the land...
June 2008
Enhancing off-season yam production in Nigeria
Yam cultivation in dry season was tested in the farmer’s field at inland valley in Niger state, Nigeria. Water yam (Dioscorea alata) variety TDa 95/00328 had the greater response to the gibberellin inhibitor prohexadione-calcium (PC). The sprouting period of PC treated tuber was 21 – 27 days at December. After tuber sprouting, the plants grew in the field during January to September. Shorter...
June 2008
Reproductive performance of rabbits re-mated at different intervals post-partum
Investigations on post-partum re-mating intervals were conducted using 27 primiparous Dutch and Chinchilla crosses. Three treatments comprising re-mating intervals at 3, 4 and 5 weeks designated Ta, Tb, and Tc, respectively were used for the investigations. Nine does were randomly assigned to each of the treatments. The does were fed concentrate at the rate of 210 g doe-1 day-1, fresh forage and clean...
June 2008
Cooking loss components of beef from Nguni, Bonsmara and Angus steers
The effects of breed and ageing on beef cooking loss components were investigated. Correlations among the beef cooking loss components were also determined. Longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) muscle steaks from Nguni, Bonsmara and Angus steers were prepared by an electric oven-broiling method using direct radiant heat at 260°C. They were placed in an oven pan on a rack to allow meat...
June 2008
Isolation and molecular characterization of Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) isolates occurring in South Africa
Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV), a Tospovirus, causes high economic losses in many crops worldwide. A typical Tospovirus was isolated from naturally infected pepper (Capsicum sp.) in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), South Africa (SA). The identity of the virus was confirmed as TSWV using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), electron microscopy, and protein analysis. Genetic...
June 2008
Wild animals in ethnozoological practices among the Yorubas of southwestern Nigeria and the implications for biodiversity conservation
A questionnaire-guided ethno-zoological survey of the Yoruba speaking communities of Ogun state (Nigeria) was conducted. Forty Traditional Medical Practitioners (tmps) and ten hunters were interviewed. The choice of species utilised in fauna-based traditional medicinal preparations were found to be guided by many factors which in addition to the bioactive constituents, also include some morpho-physiological...
June 2008
Economic evaluation of greenhouse for cultivation of rose nursery
Raising of rose nursery is quit difficult due to low temperature in winter season. Looking to the importance and temperature requirement for nursery raising for proper growth in winter, rose (Rosa-chinensis) were selected for experiment under arch shape greenhouse. The total construction cost of 80 m2 arch shape greenhouse was Rs.100000/-. Out of total 80 m2 floor area, 55 m2 area is used for...
June 2008
Facilitating food crop production in Lungwena, Mangochi District in Malawi: Lessons from a farmer-based pass-on seed support model
Lungwena extension planning area is a coastal community on the south end of Lake Malawi. Due to a unimodal rainfall pattern, food shortages are common for two to five months before the next harvest. In order improve food production, a farmer-based seed multiplication program was initiated in 2005/06 season in three selected villages. Focus group discussions (FGD’s) were used to identify important...
June 2008
Testing biological methods to treat rubber effluent
A study was conducted with the aim of treating and disposing of the effluent of an indigenous rubber company rich in PO43- and NH4+ and also determine the effect of the effluent on soil fertility. The basic method used for the biological treatment was aerobic digestion with glucose and magnesium amendments. Most naturally occurring aerobic heterotrophic bacteria in the rubber effluent were found to...
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