African Journal of
Agricultural Research

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Agric. Res.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1991-637X
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJAR
  • Start Year: 2006
  • Published Articles: 6932

AJAR Articles

Biomass accumulation and potassium concentrations in tissue of Teff (Eragrostis tef Zucc. Trotter) at three growth stages in Vertisols and Nitisols of the Central Highlands of Ethiopia

February 2019

Understanding the physiology and time-course of above ground biomass (AGBM) and potassium (K) accumulation pattern in plants and removal from soil is essential to simultaneously increase crop yield and synchronize K demand and K supply, thereby predict crop yield. It is also an essential criterion for optimizing fertilizer practices, and may help to enhance soil and crop quality. A pot experiment was conducted using...

Author(s): Mulugeta Demiss, Sheleme Beyene and Selamyihun Kidanu  

Comparison of bioslurry to common nitrogen sources on potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) yield and yield components in andisols and oxisols of Northern Rwanda

February 2019

This study evaluated the effect of bioslurry from on-farm biogas production units and other sources of nitrogen fertilizer on Irish potato yield and yield components in northern Rwanda. To achieve this, an on-farm experiment was undertaken in the Andisols of Musanze District and the Oxisols of Gicumbi District in 2012. Three farms were selected to host the study in each District. Six treatments were randomly tested in...

Author(s): Karemangingo Charles, Aloys Fashaho and Judith Uwihirwe

An assessment of adaptation options enhancing smallholder farmers’ resilience to climate variability and change: Case of Mbengwi Central Sub-Division, North-West Region of Cameroon

February 2019

Farmers’ implementation of suitable adaptation measures in the face of climate variability and change (CVC) depends first and foremost on their ability to perceive CVC. This paper analyzes the adaptation measures implemented by smallholder farmers (SHFs) in Mbengwi Central Sub-Division, North-West Region of Cameroon in the face of CVC as well as the determinants of smallholder farmers’ choice of adaptation...

Author(s): Nyong Princely Awazi, Martin Ngankam Tchamba and Fritz Oben Tabi  

Virulence and characterization of isolates of potato bacterial wilt caused by Ralstonia solanacearum (Smith) in Rwanda

February 2019

Bacterial wilt (Ralstonia solanacearum) is one of the major potato diseases in Rwanda. An in vitro study was carried out to identify and characterize the pathogen isolated from three potato cultivars (Kinigi, Kirundo and Gikungu) in Rwanda. This was achieved by cultural and morphological tests on triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC) and casamino peptone glucose (CPG) agar as well as biochemical tests through Gram...

Author(s): M. C. Mutimawurugo, I. N. Wagara, J. B. Muhinyuza and J. O. Ogweno  

Growth of parica seedlings (Schizolobium amazonicum Huber ex Ducke) cultivated in different organic substrates

February 2019

The forest plantations depends on appropriate initial seedling establishment, which occurs when primary factors (water, light, CO2 and nutrients) are within appropriate ranges. The purpose this study was to evaluate the growth of young parica plants (Schizolobium amazonicum Huber ex Ducke) grown in different organic substrates (chicken manure, goat manure and organic matter) in proportions of 5, 10, 15 and 20% in yellow...

Author(s): Sabrina Silva de Oliveira, Gleisson de Oliveira Nascimento, Diego Pereira de Souza, Luan de Oliveira Nascimento, Samara da Silva Oliveira, José Francisco de Carvalho Gonçalves, Josimar Batista Ferreira and Eliane de Oliveira

Maize-lupine intercrop response to applied nitrogen and phosphorus in North-Western Ethiopia

February 2019

Maize (Zea mays) is a major staple crop in North-Western Ethiopia. Narrow leaf lupine (Lupinus angustifolius) grain is a commercial concentrates for livestock feed. Maize-lupine intercropping is a sustainable and emerging crop production approach for the resource poor smallholder farmers of North-Western Ethiopia; however, there is no recommended fertilizer rate for the intercrop. Therefore, field experiment was...

Author(s): Alemayehu Assefa, Charles S Wortmann, Yigzaw Dessalegn, Kinde Tesfaye, Tamado Tana and Nigussie Dechassa  

Use of vegetable oils in the control of Colletotrichum sp. in banana fruits

February 2019

Anthracnose is a disease caused by the fungus of the genus Colletotrichum. It is considered an important post-harvest disease in fruits of banana (Musa sp.) which depreciates the commercial value of the fruit. The use of vegetable oils to control fungal growth and disease progression in plants is an important alternative to minimize the deleterious effects of toxic chemicals. Studies were carried out to evaluate the...

Author(s): Antonia Fabiana Barros de Lima, Luan de Oliveira Nascimento, Gleisson de Oliveira Nascimento, Ruthe Lima Souza, Josimar Batista Ferreira, William Ferreira Alves, Francisco Ian Oliveira Nascimento and Givanildo Pereira Ortega

Women involvement in the fishery activities of two coastal communities in Sierra Leone

January 2019

Women make up an important part of the fishing sector and play critical roles, particularly, in small-scale fisheries and increasingly in capture fishing and other activities. However, the roles of women are often undervalued due to the lack of attention to gender roles in fisheries, especially in Africa. This research was therefore motivated to investigate the roles of women in two coastal communities of Sierra Leone....

Author(s): Olufemi J. Olapade and Daniella F. Sesay  

Performance of garlic cultivars under rain-fed cultivation practice at South Gondar Zone, Ethiopia

January 2019

Garlic (Allium sativum L.) is an important edible bulbous crop with unique culinary and medicinal purposes. It is a major cash crop widely cultivated in Libokemkem and other districts of South Gondar zone of Amhara Region in Ethiopia. However, productivity of garlic in Ethiopia in general and in South Gondar Zone in particular is very low largely due to the use of unimproved local cultivars and traditional cultural...

Author(s): Dessie Getahun, and Mulat Getaneh,  

Efficiency of Trichoderma asperellum UFT 201 as plant growth promoter in soybean

January 2019

Filamentous fungi of the genus Trichoderma are known for their activity as plant growth promoters. The objective of this work was to evaluate the efficiency of the Trichoderma asperellum UFT 201 strain as a plant growth promoter in soybean. The ability of phosphate solubilization, indole acetic acid synthesis and the effect on soybean plant growth under greenhouse conditions were evaluated in four experiments. In vitro...

Author(s): Aloisio Freitas Chagas Junior, Lillian França Borges Chagas, Luciane de Oliveira Miller and José Claudio de Oliveira  

Socio-economic aspects related to feeding resources and practices in selected intensive dairy farms in Central Ethiopia

January 2019

Dairy cattle productivity is affected by many factors such as genetics, infectious diseases, husbandry and diet. Fodder resources, fodder availability and feeding strategies were assessed by means of questionnaires and interviews in seventeen dairy farms in Addis Ababa, Sendafa and Debre Zeit. Nutrient content was analyzed from hay sample. The farms were categorized as small, medium or large. Nutrient content, as well...

Author(s): Solomon Araya GebreMichael, Gizachew Gemete, Adane Mihret, Pascale Waelti and Rea Tschopp,  

Nutrient cycling in multifunctional agroecosystems with the use of plant cocktail as cover crop and green manure in the semi-arid

January 2019

Plant cocktails used as cover crop present a significant multifunctional resource compared to monoculture, which may increase functional diversity within crop rotation and is particularly effective for designing mixtures with characteristics that increase the multifunctionality and sustainability of the agroecosystem. The objective was to evaluate sustainable agroecosystems models that improve the efficiency of nutrient...

Author(s): Antonio Pereira Filho, José Teixeira Filho, Alessandra Monteiro Salviano, Jony Eishi Yuri and Vanderlise Giongo  

Management and organization of shina-hamusit and selamko irrigation schemes to preliminary assessment in South Gondar Zone, Ethiopia

January 2019

The utilization of small-scale irrigation schemes plays a significant role in addressing food security problems as a supplementary with rain-fed or irrigation agriculture in the basin and as a whole in the country. The conveyance efficiency values at Shina-Hamusit was 73%, while at Selamko it was 59%. These values showed that the conveyance loss is huge in both irrigation schemes, especially at Selamko that has canals...

Author(s): Abebe Shenkut Manaze  

Effects of reduced spacing on maize productivity, CO2 assimilation and gas exchange

January 2019

The objective of this study is to evaluate the interference of reduced spacing in the physiological and characteristics production components of maize hybrids (Zea mays L.). Four line spacings (95, 80, 60 and 40 cm) were tested using three commercial hybrids (H1, H2 and H3) in Senador Guiomard, Acre, Brazil. The experimental design of randomized complete blocks was used in subdivided plots. The experiment lasted four...

Author(s): Luan de Oliveira Nascimento, Josimar Batista Ferreira, Marcio de Oliveira Martins, Gleisson de Oliveira Nascimento and Antonia Fabiana Barros de Lima  

Organic amendments applied to a degraded soil: Short term effects on soil quality indicators

January 2019

Low agricultural productivity is a threat to achieving global food security. Improving productivity of degraded soils is key to achieving sustainable food production. This study investigated the effects of four organic amendments (OAs) (Mushroom Compost, MC; PAS-100 compost, PAS; Anaerobic Digestate Solid Waste, AD_SW; and Poultry Manure, PM), applied at 10 t ha-1 and 30 t ha-1 on the physical, chemical and biological...

Author(s): UNAGWU B. O.  

Food Barley Land races Characterization in the Northwestern Highlands of Ethiopia

January 2019

Barley is an important crop for the North Gondar highlands of Amhara Region, Ethiopia. To assess the characterization of barley landraces, 180 farmers from six villages in three districts of north Gondar zone were selected and surveyed. With regard to distribution status, most of the recorded landraces of barley were endangered. The main end uses of barley in the study area were kolo, beso, tela, injera, korefe, kita...

Author(s): Daniel Tadesse, Wuletaw Mekuria, Beyene Derso and Tazebachew Asres  

Growth and yield performance of selected upland and lowland rainfed rice varieties grown in farmers’ and researchers’ managed fields at Ifakara, Tanzania

January 2019

Bridging the yield gaps is of major concern to rice breeders and agronomists under rainfed rice cultivation. The yield performance of lowland and upland rainfed rice varieties was investigated in farmers’ and researchers’ field conditions at four locations in Ifakara. Selected agronomic practices namely; recommended fertilizer (80 kgN/ha), spacing of 20 cm × 20 cm, weed free fields and high yielding...

Author(s): KITILU M. J. F., NYOMORA A. M. S. and CHARLES J.  

Mango (Mangifera indica L.) production practices and constraints in major production regions of Ethiopia

January 2019

Mango (Mangifera indica L.) is the second among fruit crops in Ethiopia in its production coverage and economical importance. However, compared to the countries’ potential, it is at the infant stage. This study was conducted to identify the main mango cultivars, production practices and constraints in east and western Ethiopia in 2016. Study areas were selected purposively based on their extensive mango...

Author(s): Tewodros B. Neguse, Fredah K. R. Wanzala, Wassu M. Ali, Willis O. Owino and Githiri S. Mwangi  

Management of the nematode of the nodule of Meloidogyne incognita in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) with extracts in a biospace condition

January 2019

For the management of the nematode of Meloidogyne incognita nodule in plants of Solanum lycopersicum L., the effectiveness of plant extracts: Ruta graveolens, Eucalyptus spp., Ocimum basilicum, Acacia farnesiana, and Nicotiana tabacum, and as a control fungus Paecilomyces lilacinus 6.5x1013 UFC/g were used. For each treatment, 5000 nematodes J2 of M. incognita/plant were used. The extracts were applied per intervals of...

Author(s): Aquino Bolaños T., Matadamas-Ortiz P. T., López Vásquez C. F. and Inés Vásquez S.  

Adjustments for axial and sieves systems of coffee harvesters

January 2019

During the mechanized harvesting of the coffee, there is a fall of fruits in the order of 10 to 20%. This coffee must be later collected. For that, it is necessary to use harvester adjustments that promote a greater picking efficiency. Therefore, the purpose of this work was to define the best adjustments for the axial and sieves system for coffee harvesters. The experiment was carried out using an axial system...

Author(s): Felipe Santinato, Elizabeth Haruna Kazama, Rouverson Pereira da Silva, Carlos Diego da Silva, Adão Felipe dos Santos and Roberto Santinato  

Comparative performance of commonly used portable coffee harvesters

January 2019

In mountain regions due to the high slopes, the coffee harvest is carried out manually, generating higher production costs. An alternative to reducing these costs is to use portable breakers. The objective of this work was to evaluate the efficiency of portable coffee breakers in coffee harvesting. The experiment was carried out in a field of Catucaí Amarelo 24/137, 3.5 years old. In the study, six types of...

Author(s): Felipe Santinato, Rouverson Pereira da Silva, Caio Fernando Eckhardt Souza, Victor Afonso Reis Gonçalves, Carlos Diego da Silva and Roberto Santinato  

Identification of drought selection indices of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) genotypes in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania

January 2019

A study was conducted to evaluate common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) genotypes for drought tolerance in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania. Treatments included 18 genotypes laid out in a 3×18 split plot arranged in randomized complete block design with three replications. The data on yield under water stress and non-water stress treatments were used to calculate indices that can be used for predicting tolerant...

Author(s): Karantin D. Mazengo, George M. Tryphone and Akwilini J. P. Tarimo  

Seed treatment and pre-inoculation of soybean: effect of storage period and agrochemicals on the physiological quality of seed and yield

January 2019

Industrial seed treatment of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] has increased over the last years. New technologies have been developed to allow the inoculation procedure, which is traditionally done at the day of sowing, to be performed with the industrial treatment days or even weeks before sowing. Since little is known about the compatibility of agrochemicals and pre-inoculation, the objective of this study was to...

Author(s): Itacir Eloi Sandini, Rafael Brugnera Belani, Margarete Kimie Falbo, Fabiano Pacentchuk and Jaqueline Huzar-Novakowiski  

Genetic diversity of rice (Oryza sativa L.) accessions collected from Sudan and IRRI using SSR markers

January 2019

The assessment of genetic diversity of the traditional rice varieties or landraces is an essential component in germplasm characterization and conservation to identify potential parents. In the present study SSR markers (588 SSR markers) were used for the assessment of genetic diversity and relatedness among 31 rice accessions. These included 18 accessions from Sudan and 13 from IRRI. Among the SSR markers used only 483...

Author(s): Seif Gasim, Ishraka Abuanja and Abdel-Wahab Abdalla  

Characterization of Pico Island (Azores) wood-pastures

January 2019

Wood-pastures are gaining importance in various parts of the planet, either for their role in combating desertification, protecting endemic faunas and flora, or their role in animal welfare or nutritional value in all year round grazing systems. On Pico Island and on other islands in the Azores, farmers have been using tree pastures for a long time, especially in the winter, when there is a shortage of grass and the...

Author(s): C. S. A. M. Maduro Dias, C. Ortiz, C. F. M. Vouzela, J. S. Madruga and A. E. S. Borba  

Crop abiotic stresses and nutrition of harvested food crops: A Review of impacts, interventions and their effectiveness

January 2019

In tandem with the accelerating effects of climate change, efforts to increase agricultural productivity to feed the growing population are still being extensively rolled out in Africa. That notwithstanding, a large population in the continent remains food and nutrition insecure; rendering malnutrition the biggest public health challenge. Coupled with the increased incidences of abiotic stresses, developing countries...

Author(s): Rowland M. Kamanga and Leonard Mndala  

Land Use Land Cover Change Trend and Its Drivers in Somodo Watershed South Western, Ethiopia

January 2019

Land use land cover (LULC) dynamics are a widespread, accelerating, and significant process driven by human actions. LULC changes analysis is one of the most precise techniques to understand how land was used in the past, what types of changes are to be expected in the future, as well as the forces and processes behind the changes. This study was carried out to evaluate the historical and future trends as well as...

Author(s): Fasika Alemayehu, Motuma Tolera and Gizaw Tesfaye  

Difficulties in adaptation to climate change by oil palm farmers in Southern Nigeria

January 2019

There is an increasing concern that climate change is already having an impact on poor, small scale oil palm farmers in Southern Nigeria. Researchers have shown that Nigeria is already being plagued with diverse ecological problems which have been linked to climate change. More so, increase in the severity of extreme weather events, sea level rise, coastal erosion, changes in weather pattern that affect oil palm...

Author(s): Ojemade, A. C., Okorji, E. C. and Enete, A. A.  

Effects of moisture stresses during vegetative and reproductive growth phases on productivity of six selected rain-fed rice varieties in Ifakara, Tanzania

January 2019

In order to study the critical growth stages and the most tolerant rice varieties in both lowland and upland rainfed ecosystems, an experiment arranged in split plots based on randomized complete block design was conducted under field conditions with 3 replications. Three stress timing irrigation treatments (no stress, vegetative moisture stress, and reproductive moisture stress) were assigned as th main plots, while 6...

Author(s): KITILU M. J. F., , NYOMORA, A. M. S. and CHARLES J.  

Responses of Moringa oleifera root growth to container size during overwintering in temperate regions

January 2019

Due to its fast growth rates, Moringa oleifera is being grown as an annual crop in temperate areas with freezing winter temperatures. Seedlings are raised under greenhouse conditions for overwintering and then transplanted outside at the beginning of spring, which allows for several cuttings prior to onset of the subsequent winter. However, there is limited information on container-size for overwintering of M. oleifera...

Author(s): Phatu W. Mashela  

Levels of some selected metals (Fe, Cu and Zn) in selected vegetables and soil around eastern industry zone, central Ethiopia

January 2019

The purpose of this study was to determine the concentration of selected metals (Fe, Zn and Cu) in vegetables and the soil contaminating levels due to irrigation, using Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (FAAS). The wet digestion and sequential fractionation extraction procedures were employed to solubilize the metals from the collected samples. The results obtained from this study showed overall concentration of...

Author(s): Dagne Bekele Bahiru and Endale Teju  

Levels of some toxic heavy metals (Cr, Cd and Pb) in selected vegetables and soil around eastern industry zone, central Ethiopia

January 2019

The purpose of this study was to determine the concentration of heavy metals (Cr, Cd and Pb) in vegetables and the soil contaminating levels as a result of irrigation using Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (FAAS). The wet digestion and sequential fractionation extraction procedures were employed to solubilize the metals from the collected samples. The results obtained from this study showed overall...

Author(s): Dagne Bekele Bahiru, Endale Teju, Tesfahun Kebede and Negash Demissie  

Assessment of technical conformity of bench terraces for soil erosion control in Rwanda

January 2019

The purpose of this paper was to evaluate technical conformity of bench terraces in the Eastern Province of Rwanda. A sample of 180 actual bench terraces from 12 sites located in this Province was tested against technical standards and models provided for by the Ministry of Agriculture of Rwanda and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. The results showed that many sites have been constructed with no...

Author(s): Eric Derrick Bugenimana, Emmanuel Mhache Patropa, Charles Karemangingo and Theoneste Bimenyimana  

Status and distribution of soil available micronutrients along a hillslope at Ekpri Ibami in Akamkpa Local Government Area of Cross River State, Nigeria

January 2019

A field study of the status and distribution of available soil micronutrients along a hillslope of Ekpri Ibami was carried out on a 50 ha land. The aim of the study is to evaluate the micronutrient status and distribution and their relationship with some selected soil properties. A total of 16 soil samples were collected from each pedogenic horizons of four profile pits dug along a hillslope classified as upper slope,...

Author(s): John Kingsley, Ayito Esther O., A. U. Akpan-Idiok and O. D. Effiom  

Evaluation of sugarcane hybrid clones for cane and sugar yield in Nigeria

January 2019

Field experiment was conducted in year 2015/2016 at the National Cereals Research Institute Badeggi, Niger State (sugarcane research field) to evaluate the performance of sixteen sugarcane genotypes. The clones were planted in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) and replicated three times. Analysis of variance showed significant differentiation among studied genotypes. The results revealed that among the evaluated...

Author(s): Mohammed A. K., Ishaq M. N., Gana A. K. and Agboire S.  

Banana field resistance to insect-vector transmission of bacterial wilt caused by Xanthomonas campestris p.v musacearum

January 2019

Banana, a major staple in East and Central Africa is constrained by banana Xanthomonas wilt (BXW) caused by Xanthomonas campestris pv. musacearum (Xcm). Xcm-infected plants are rapidly destroyed leading to 100% yield loss. Cultural controls are effective but laborious attracting laxity among farmers. This has led to epidemic resurgence in areas where BXW had been contained hence spread to new regions. Reliable control...

Author(s): B. Mudonyi, L. Vanhaelewyn, G. Tusiime, F. Ssekiwoko, J.Kubiriba, W. K. Tushemereirwe and C. M. Changa        

Natural occurrence of Diadiplosis megalamellae (Barnes) in mealybugs on roses in Kenya

January 2019

Over the last decade there has been an increasing adoption of Integrated Pest Management on rose farms in Kenya. As a consequence, there has been a rise in secondary pests on rose plants, including in particular the citrus mealybug Planococcus citri (Risso). On cut flowerrose farms in Kenya, the presence of the predatory midge Diadiplosis megalamellae (Barnes) (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) was observed. Therefore, a survey...

Author(s): Anouk H. J. Hoogendoorn, Ruth Murunde, Evans Otieno and Henry Wainwright  

Degradation assessment of wetlands under different uses: implications on soil quality and productivity

January 2019

The assessment of degradation status of wetland soils under five different land use types (LUTs) in Ogun state, Nigeria were studied. The laboratory study was conducted to determine the physical, chemical and biological properties of these wetlands and the results obtained were compared with the food and agriculture organization (FAO) standard indicators and criteria for land degradation assessment. The textural...

Author(s): O.A. Osinuga and C.O. Oyegoke  

Review on bio-intensive management of African bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera (Hub.): Botanicals and semiochemicals perspectives

January 2019

African bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner), is a serious pest of cereals, sorghum, cotton, pepper, maize, sunflower, flax and niger. To control this insect pest, doses of insecticides have been used. The use of indiscriminate synthetic insecticides causes adverse effect like environmental pollution, human and animal health hazards, and development of pesticide resistance. To alleviate these bottleneck...

Author(s): Tariku Tesfaye Edosa  

Malt barley commercialization through contract farming scheme: A systematic review of experiences and prospects in Ethiopia

December 2018

In Ethiopia, smallholder commercialization and integration into the market has been one of the policy directions. Though Ethiopia managed to raise economic growth recently, there is languished pace of agricultural commercialization. This study investigates malt barley commercialization process through contract farming scheme, and its experience, effect and prospects in Ethiopia. A systematic review system was employed....

Author(s): Addisu Bezabeh Ali  

A glance at Mozambican dairy research

December 2018

The Mozambican dairy industry landscape is not well known because the research about it presents numerous inconsistencies which are possibly due to miscommunication between scholars, entrepreneurs, the government and other actors, besides major events such as the civil war and policy changes and overall lack of coordination. This study aimed to catalog and relates the major studies and findings in Mozambican dairy...

Author(s): Edgar Cambaza,  

Host preference and performance of cabbage aphid Brevicoryne brassicae L. (Homoptera: Aphididae) on four different brassica species

December 2018

Host preference and performance of cabbage aphid Brevicoryne brassicae were studied on seven brassica varieties under Greenhouse. Nymphs, apterous and alate aphids were significantly different on day three and day 15 among tested varieties. Higher total number of aphids per plant was recorded on Brassica carinata and lower on Brassica oleracea. Alates of B. brassicae preferred more to feed and reproduce on B. carinata...

Author(s): Amlsha Mezgebe, Ferdu Azerefegne and Yibrah Beyene  

Evaluation of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes for resistance against stem rust (Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici) diseases at seedling and adult stages

December 2018

Bread wheat is the most important food crops among cereals cultivated in the world and consume in various diets. However, the production of bread wheat majorly affected by fungal diseases especially rust diseases. Of the rust diseases, stem rust is the most destructive due to the frequent emerging of new races of the pathogen. The field experiment was conducted at Kulumsa Agricultural Research Debre Zeyit sub-center...

Author(s): Desalegn Negasa Soresa  

Variability of morpho-metric traits and oleaginous biofuel potential of Jatropha curcas L. (Euphorbiaceae) seeds in Burkina Faso

December 2018

In the recent decades, Jatropha curcas has received attention as a potential source of bio fuel production in many West African countries. To detect performant accessions for improvement and breeding programmes, the degree of variability of morphological traits and oil content of seeds in a large range of accessions were assessed in this study. The morphological traits and oil content of seed of 40 accessions of J....

Author(s): Hemayoro Sama, Bassiaka Ouattara, Adama Hilou, Abdoul-Nassiré Derra, Bathélémy Yélémou and Victor Hien  

Evaluation of improved chickpea varieties for resistance to Fusarium wilt (Fusarium oxysporum) under field condition in sick plot

December 2018

Chickpea Fusarium wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp ciceris is a devastating disease of chickpea in Ethiopia. This study was done to evaluate the resistance of the improved chickpea varieties to fusarium wilt disease. About nine kabuli and ten desi types including one JG-62 differential were evaluated in RCBD Design with three replications in Debre Zeit sick plot in 2017. Results of the study showed that there are...

Author(s): Asrat Zewdie and Tolesa Bedasa  

Grass production Tifton 85 and nutrient extraction with swine wastewater doses

December 2018

Swine wastewater (SW) is considered as a source of nutrients for agriculture. The quantities and frequencies applied may vary according to the soil class, the nature and composition of the waste, the climatic conditions and the cultivated plant species. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of application of five Swine wastewater doses (0, 500, 1000, 2000 and 2500 m³ ha-1) in the production of...

Author(s): Vinícius de Oliveira Rezende, Luís César Dias Drumond, André Mundstock Xavier de Carvalho, Regina Maria Quintão Lana and Marcos Vieira de Faria  

Phytochemicals (phenolic acids, flavonoids, and alkaloids) contribution to the feeding value of mulberry (Morus spp.) for rabbits

December 2018

The feeding value of mulberry leaves for rabbits was quantitatively evaluated based on a single-factor design with five levels in diets (0, 5, 10, 15 and 20%). Results showed that rabbits given mulberry at 20 and 15% had a relatively lower body weight gain, higher feed conversion ratio, and lower meat ether extract contents than that in the 0% group (P < 0.05). Increased activities of antioxidant enzymes and reduced...

Author(s): Q. R. Hou, W. G. Zhao, T. Chen, and L. Li,  

Gender differences in the use of plant health information services: A case of plant clinics under Plantwise Program in Kenya

December 2018

A total of 8,699 female and 12,928 male farmers visited plant clinics in Kenya between 2012 and 2016. The lower clinic attendance by women farmers indicates they may lack information on plant health problems. This study aimed to understand the environment plant clinics operate in, identify the reasons for low clinic attendance by women, and possible strategies to reach more female farmers. Stratified random sampling was...

Author(s): Musebe, R. O., Mugambi, I., Williams, F., Mulaa, M., Nambiro, E. and Chege, F.  

Proximate, physical and chemical composition of leaves and seeds of Moringa (Moringa oleifera) from Central Malawi: A potential for increasing animal food supply in the 21st century

December 2018

The nutritive composition of Moringa (Moringa oleifera Lam) leaves and seeds were evaluated for their possible inclusion in livestock feed formulation because of the limited availability of conventional protein concentrates like soybean (Glycine max) seeds. Moringa seeds contained 50.70 g kernels and 19.03 g hulls per 100 seeds representing 72.71 and 27.29% as a fraction of the whole seed, respectively. The 100 seeds...

Author(s): Lesten Eliez Chisomo Chatepa and Emmanuel Chidiwa Mbewe  

Physiologically meaningful moisture content determination for Brazil nut (Bertholletia excelsa Bonpl.) seeds

December 2018

Brazil nut (Bertholletia excelsa Bonpl.; Lecythidaceae) seeds are large, and the oily embryo (edible part) is covered by a thick, woody seed coat. Difficulties in seed storage may be due to desiccation sensitivity of the seeds, and prior variable results may be related to procedures for seed moisture content (MC) determination. This study first compared 3 methods of preparation of whole seeds, prior to MC determination:...

Author(s): Diana Soares Bentes, Geângelo Petene Calvi and Isolde Dorothea Kossmann Ferraz,  

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