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
February 2021
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...
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
February 2021
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,...
Estimation of general and specific combining ability effect for yield and quality characters in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum Mill. L.)
February 2021
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....
Effect of phosphorus application rates on the quality of potato propagated from rooted apical cuttings
February 2021
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...
Perception and adoption of new agricultural technologies in a Northern Inland Mozambique
February 2021
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...
Traditional solar salt production in Lower Casamance (Senegal): Environmental and socio-economic benefits and disadvantages
February 2021
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...
Response of seven African eggplant (Solanum macrocarpon L.) cultivars produced in Benin to salinity stress at seedling stage
February 2021
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...
Effects of land fragmentation on farm efficiency in three agro-ecological zones of Embu County in Kenya
February 2021
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...
Characterization of sugarcane germplasm collection and its potential utilization for evaluation of quantitative traits
February 2021
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...
Effect of sodium hydroxide treatment in ginger lily forage (Hedychium gardnerianum, Sheppard ex Ker-Gawl) as forage for animal feeding
February 2021
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...
Managing various Musa varieties cultivated in Pissa district in the Central African Republic
February 2021
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...
Impact of water deficit on correlations and changes of some physiological traits of sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum
February 2021
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...
Effect of linear view approach of weed management in agro-ecosystem: A review
February 2021
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...
Efficiency of rhizobia selection in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil using biological nitrogen fixation in Phaseolus lunatus
February 2021
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”...
Yield response and economic benefits of groundnut to phosphorus fertilization and inoculant rates in Northern Ghana
February 2021
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...
Maize intercropped between Eucalyptus urophylla in agroforestry systems in Brazil
February 2021
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...
Evaluation of different methods of multiplying sweet potato planting material in coastal lowland Kenya
February 2021
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...
Detection and quantification of cow milk adulteration using portable near-infrared spectroscopy combined with chemometrics
February 2021
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,...
Growth, phenology, yield and yield attributes of rice as influenced by tillage, residue and nitrogen management practice in Chitwan, Nepal
January 2021
A field experiment was conducted in three factorial strip-split-plot design to evaluate the effect of two establishment methods (EM) [transplanted in puddled soil (PuTPR) and direct seeded in zero tillage (ZT-DSR)], two residue levels [residue kept at 3 t ha-1 (RK) and residue removed (RR)] with two nitrogen doses [recommended dose (100 kg N ha-1) (RD) and farmers' dose (50 kg N ha-1) (FD)] with six replications on...
Status of parthenium weed (Parthenium hysterophorus L.) and its control options in Ethiopia
January 2021
Parthenium (Parthenium hysterophorus L.) is an invasive herbaceous weed which belongs to the family Compositae. It is believed to have originated in tropical America and now occurs widely in Asia, Australia, Southern and east Africa. Parthenium has been observed to grow on road sides, gardens, waterways, in grasslands and crop fields both during the crop season and after harvest, as long as enough moisture is available....
Makafaci and Wachangu improved doubled haploid rice (Oryza sativa) varieties recommended for lowland cultivation in Malawi
January 2021
The study was conducted in 2017/2018 and 2018/2019 rainy seasons at Nanzolo, Domasi and Mkondezi in three replications using the RCBD following the Mother-Baby Trial Approach. The objective of the study was to evaluate grain yield of twelve high-yielding rice (Oryza sativa) varieties that were selected and shared from elite Doubled Haploid germplasms of a Collaborative Project of KAFACI (RDA) and AGRA at Suwon in Korea...
Factors affecting the adoption of mobile applications by farmers: An empirical investigation
January 2021
In developing countries such as Nigeria, agriculture is the main source of livelihood with over 70% of the population engaged in farming. They are mostly smallholders and subsistence farmers with minimal use of technology and low productivity. The use of mobile applications in agriculture can potentially help smallholders access agricultural information and financial services, improve access to markets and enhance...
Supplemental value of exo-enzyme in the utilization of cassava fibre meal by broiler-chickens
January 2021
This study assessed the supplemental value of Roxazyme® G2 in the utilization of cassava fibre meal (CFM) by broiler-chickens in a 56 day feeding trial. A batch of three hundred and sixty day-old Arbor acre broiler-chicks was allotted to twelve treatments replicated five times of six birds in a 4 × 3 factorial in complete randomization. Cassava fibre meal was substituted for maize at 0, 20, 40 and 60% levels...
Effects of cyanotoxins in germination, growth and DNA damages of Lettuce sativa (Lettuce) and Coriandrum sativum (Coriander)
January 2021
The use of irrigation water containing cyanobacterial toxins can cause significant impacts in agricultural and consequently environmental health. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of cyanotoxins (microcystin-LR and saxitoxin) on germination, growth and micronuclei formation in lettuce (Lettuce sativa) and coriander (Coriandrum sativum). Seeds of lettuce and coriander were exposed during 7-9 days to...
The preventive impact of vermicompost on bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) salinity resistance: An evaluation
January 2021
This work aims to identify the impacts of vermicompost leachate (VCL) toward its salt resistance stress in plants. Young Capsicum annuum L seedlings were subjected to salinity (160 mM NaCl added to a nutrient solution) over a course of seven days during or following the adding of 7 mL L−1 VCL. The exposure to salt stress resulted in a notable decrease of dry and fresh leaf weights, K+ concentrations, and leaf...
Indigenous knowledge of Striga gesnerioides (Willd.) Vatke, in Burkina Faso
January 2021
Striga gesnerioides is one of the major constraints to cowpea production in West Africa. In Burkina Faso, Striga is a national phenomenon despite the control measures proposed by research. This study aims to collect farmers' perceptions of S. gesnerioides. Thus, a survey was conducted among cowpea producers in 15 localities across the four agroclimatic zones of Burkina Faso. Data collected were related to...
Assessment of sixteen varieties of groundnut in two agro ecological zones in Burkina Faso for yield and tolerance to aflatoxin
January 2021
In Burkina Faso, groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is produced in almost the entire country except the north. Its multiple uses make it a highly appreciated oil seeds and leguminous crop. However, the presence of aflatoxins in grains constitutes a public health risk and thus limits its marketing to international markets. The present study evaluated sixteen (16) short duration (90 days) groundnut varieties (15 varieties...
Effect of different vermicomposts and bioslurry on growth, yield and postharvest quality of statice
January 2021
An experiment at Egerton University in Kenya studied effects of vermicomposts and bioslurry on growth, yield and postharvest quality in statice. Three vermicomposts prepared from Kitchen waste (V1), mowed lawn grass (V2) and Weed biomass (V3) were mixed at a rate of 40% by volume with garden soil and tested against the untreated control (V0). Bioslurry from a digester at Tatton Agricultural Park in the university was...
Climate-Smart Agricultural (CSA) practices and its implications to food security in Siyadebrina Wayu District, Ethiopia
January 2021
Climate change poses a major threat to agricultural production and food security in Ethiopia. Temperature rise and variability in rainfall patterns have had serious consequences on crop and livestock production. Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) is one of the solutions that simultaneously address the issues of food security, climate change and agricultural productivity. The objective of this study was to examine trends...
The effect of multi-component fertilizer and lime application on yield of common bean in Western Kenya
January 2021
Soil acidity and micronutrient deficiency is a major constraint affecting common bean production in Western Kenya. Farmers in the region have access to the two fertilizers Mavuno and Sympal fortified with different micronutrients and recommended for legumes; however, the performance of beans in the region remains low. A field experiment was, therefore, conducted in two sites in Nandi county, western Kenya, to determine...
A review of food buffer system for urban areas: Case study of Jakarta
January 2021
Food is a human basic need and its provision should be secured by the government. In this regard, the government must control the stability of food price particularly in urban areas in which its food demand depends mostly on food supply from surrounding areas as a food buffer. However, the current food buffer system for urban areas has not been able to stabilize food price volatility experienced every year. This is...
Inorganic fertilizer use among agroforestry and non-agroforestry practicing farmers in South West Cameroon: A comparative assessment and policy ramifications
January 2021
Continuous and excessive use of inorganic fertilizers by farmers across the world is causing more harm than good to croplands. This is because most of these inorganic fertilizers are toxic, which in essence defeats the very purpose for which they are produced. This paper sought to comparatively assess the use of inorganic fertilizer among agroforestry and non-agroforestry practicing farmers in south west Cameroon. Data...
Effect of crop canopy manipulation on light interception, growth, and development of wild proso millet and giant foxtail in row-cropping systems
January 2021
Crop canopy architecture is known to affect weed performance. Field experiments were conducted to examine the effect of altered crop canopy architecture and light interception on growth and development of wild proso millet and giant foxtail, two problematic weed species. Crop canopy architecture was manipulated by planting two sweet corn varieties contrasting in canopy architecture (Bonus-has a dense leaf canopy and...
Assessment of fertilizers usage and cropping patterns in study area of Naypyitaw, Myanmar
January 2021
A study was conducted to observe the demographic characteristics of farmers, to assess the use of fertilizers application by farmer and to identify the current status of cropping pattern in the study area. The demographic profiles of 60 respondents stated that the age ranged from 30 to 78 years and land holding ranged from 0.10 to 2.80 ha. The majority of farmers (40%) had a primary educational level. Farmers utilized...
Impact of tank geometry on production of African Catfish (Clarias gariepinus)
January 2021
Geometry of fish tanks tends to affect the growth and yield of fish. The impact of tank geometry on the production of Clarias gariepinus was evaluated. Circular, rectangular and ellipsoid tanks were used to test the variation of water temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen and total suspended solids on African catfish growth performance. Results on water temperature, pH, DO, were within the acceptable ranges of...
Screening of okra (Abelmoschus species) genotype for resistance to root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne species)
January 2021
Okra has significant area under cultivation in Africa and Asia, despite it has been considered as a minor crop and not much attention has been given to okra improvement in international research program. Niger produced during 2008, 2794 t of okra in 5288 ha with mean productivity of 0.39 t.ha-1. This poor average productivity is far below than the mean productivity of East Africa (6.2 t.ha-1) and North (8.8 t.ha-1)....
Relative time of planting of legumes (cowpea, soybean and groundnut) on weed suppression and yield in cassava cropping system
January 2021
Weeds are a serious problem farmer’s face in tropical Africa, which significantly reduces yield. Field trials were conducted from September 2013 to September 2014 to determine the appropriate relative time of planting of legumes in cassava cropping system for optimum weed suppression. The experimental design was a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replicates. Treatments consisted of combinations...
A comparative economic analysis of aquaculture production systems in Southern Agricultural Zone of Cross River State, Nigeria
January 2021
This study was undertaken to determine the factors that influence the output of aquaculture production and the profitability of three production systems (concrete tank, earthen pond, and mobile tank) in Southern Agricultural Zone of Cross River State. A multi-stage stratified random sampling technique was used to select 140 farmers from three LGAs in the study area. Structured questionnaire was used for data...
Estimation of magnitudes of heterosis for grain yield and yield contributing traits of conventional maize (Zea mays L.) single cross hybrids
December 2020
This study was initiated with the objective of estimating magnitude of heterosis of selected conventional maize inbred lines. Ten elite inbred lines were selected based on over per se performances. The crosses were done in a 10 x 10 half-diallel mating design to produce 45 F1 single crosses hybrids during 2016. The experiment was conducted at Bako National Maize Research Center in 2017 main cropping. The experimental...
Effects of two growth hormones and three manure formulas on a variety of papaya (Carica papaya L.) in the Sudano-Sahelian zone of Mali
December 2020
This study was conducted in the orchard of the Rural Polytechnic Institute for Training and Applied Research (IPR / IFRA) in Katibougou to assess the growth and production of solo papaya (Carica papaya L., 2n = 18) in Sudano-Sahelian zone of Mali as well as the effects of the hormone and manuring formulas. A split plot device, comprising 2 factors with 3 levels of variation each, was used. The main factor was the...
Limestone application effects on common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) yield and grain iron and zinc concentration on a Ferralsol soil in Uganda
December 2020
Soil acidification has major ramifications on crop production because low pH soils are less productive. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of limestone application on yield and grain iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) concentration in newly released high iron and zinc, drought resilient varieties of common bean (NAROBEAN 1 and 3). Using a split-plot in time design, an experiment was set up using three common...
Use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) as an innovation in agriculture
December 2020
Facing up with the effects of climate change, increasing human population, reduction of natural resources, and degradation of soils the agricultural sector has the challenge of meeting the world's demand for food. In this scenario, the interest of scientific communities for the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) in the agricultural sector has increased in recent years. The aim of this article is to provide a...
Managed bees as pollinators and vectors of bio control agent against grey mold disease in strawberry plantations
December 2020
Pollination by bees and other animals significantly increase both crop yields and quality. Bees also support the transfer of bio-control agents for suppression of crop pests and diseases through bio-vectoring technology that has not been applied in Africa. Two farms were set up to test the ability of managed bees to disseminate Trichoderma harzianum to control Botrytis cinerea, on strawberries. At on-station farm, three...
Farmers’ preferences towards breeding objective for indigenous chickens in different agro-ecologies of Ethiopia
December 2020
A study was conducted in different agro-ecologies of Ethiopia with the objective of understanding the farmers’ preferences towards breeding objectives in indigenous chickens. For the interview, 245 households (60 from lowland, 100 from midland and 85 from highland) were randomly selected. Farmers in lowland had significantly (p<0.05) lower chicken populations while comparing with the remaining agro-ecologies....
Effect of ploughing and weeding frequencies on growth, yield and yield components of Teff [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter] in Mirab Abaya Area, Southern Ethiopia
December 2020
Inappropriate ploughing and weed control practices are among the major limiting factors for teff productivity in Ethiopia. Hence, this study was conducted to evaluate the effect of ploughing and weeding frequencies on growth and yield of teff varieties in Mirab Abaya district of southern Ethiopia during short cropping season of 2019. The treatments as combinations of three levels of ploughing (ploughing six times, four...
Effects of impurity on the efficiency of a legume threshing machine
December 2020
A motorized legume thresher was redesigned to utilize coefficient of friction to separate grains from impurities, the thresher performance was evaluated and best combination of parameters for highest separation efficiency determined. The study was carried out using a randomized design of three batch weights (BW): 100, 150 and 200 g, four surfaces (S) mild steel, plywood, rubber carpet and rug at an angle of inclination...
Genetic diversity of elite wheat mutant lines using morphological characters and molecular markers
December 2020
Genetic diversity is the material basis for crop improvement. The genetic diversity of 17 wheat genotypes was evaluated using 25 agro-morphological characters and 10 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. The objective of this study was to determine the genetic diversity of elite stem rust resistant mutant lines in comparison with their adaptable but susceptible parent varieties using morphological traits and molecular...
Correlation between Arbuscular Mycorrhiza (AM) fungi and plant growth of two cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) clones under Bentex ‘T’(Benomyl+Thiram) soil treatments
December 2020
Growth response of two clones of Manihot esculenta Crantz (Cassava), TMS 30555 and TMS 30572 to Bentex T soil treatment was studied. Mycorrhizal root colonization in relation to growth parameters such as stomata size, plant water content, plant foliation, as well as height and stem circumference was examined. Bentex T, a fungicide which could be used to limit the growth of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal (AM) fungi was added to...
Effects of DEM resolution on the RUSLE-LS factor and its implications on soil and water management policies through the land cover seasonality
December 2020
This study aimed to demonstrate the effects of spatial resolution in modeling water erosion by the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE). In this study, three specific objectives were defined: Evaluation of the effect of the geographic information source on water erosion, seasonal effects on the potential production of sediments, as well as public policies concerning the different scenarios. The topographic...
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