Effects of genotypes and sowing time on phenology and yield performance traits of tef [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter] in low moisture stress environments
December 2020
Tef (Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter) is among the most important cereals in Ethiopia in terms of both acreage and production. However, its productivity is relatively low as compared to other cereals mainly due to drought and climate variability coupled with lack of drought tolerant varieties. A field experiment was conducted with the objectives of assessing the effects of genotypes and sowing dates on the growth and...
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...
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...
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....
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...
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...
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...
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...
Moving beyond manual software-supported precision irrigation to human-supervised adaptive automation
November 2020
This paper “looks across the river” to explore computer engineering applied within agriculture, particularly precision irrigation. It begins with work by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). They developed guidelines for estimating a crop’s water requirements. These guidelines describe a set of equations (Penman-Monteith form) drawn from the physics of evapotranspiration. The...
Effect of on-farm water management practices and irrigation water source on soil quality in Central Ethiopia
November 2020
Soil salinity is the major factor that limits agricultural productivity in arid and semi-arid regions. The use of improved farm management practices in such areas is becoming a highly concerning issue to sustain agricultural productivity. This study, therefore, was conducted to evaluate the effect of on-farm water management practices and irrigation water sources on soil quality. The experiment was conducted on 16...
Determinants of fish consumption in the state of Qatar: Post blockade
November 2020
This study used a count data model to analyse the factors that affect fish consumption in Qatar after the blockade; aiming for effective evaluation, formulation and implementation, of policies for the fishery sector. To achieve this, the community of Qatar is divided into three groups based on their fish consumption rate: high, moderate, and low consumer. The determinants of fish consumption were confirmed using the...
Growth, nodulation and yield response of green bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) to plant population and blended NPS fertilizer rates at Alage, Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia
November 2020
Recently Green bean production and demand is increasing in Ethiopia due to its fast maturity and nutritional value. However, various constraints are reported for its low productivity, including inappropriate uses of plant population and fertilizer rates. The objective of this study was to determine the optimum plant population and NPS rate for quality and economically feasible yield of Green bean. The experiment was...
Drivers and restrictions of range pasture improvement by agro-pastoralists in Kiruhura District, Uganda
November 2020
Range pastures provide the basic ruminant feeds resource for livestock production in semi-arid areas despite ruminant nutrition remaining a challenge affecting productivity. Different livestock development interventions have been promoted to improve livestock nutrition with low farmer adoption rate. A cross sectional exploratory study was conducted between March and July 2018 to identify the drivers of range pastures...
Evaluation of ten botanical insecticides against the sweet potato Weevil, Cylas formicarius (Fabricius, 1798) (Coleoptera: Brentidae)
November 2020
The sweet potato weevil, Cylas formicarius (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Brentidae), is a destructive insect pest that damages sweet potatoes both in the field and during storage. To identify new environmentally friendly insecticides to control this insect pest, three assays (olfactory test, anti-feeding assay, and toxicity assay) were conducted to evaluate the efficacy and mode of action of 10 botanical insecticides against...
Effect of calorie protein ratio on the growth performance and haematology of two strains of pullet chicks
November 2020
In a 56 days experiment, 432-day old chicks were used to determine the influence of varying levels of calorie:protein ratio on the growth performance and haematology of two strains of commercial pullet chicks. Each of the strains, (i)Nera Black (NB) and (ii)Isa Brown (IB) were randomly allocated to three dietary levels of calorie:protein ratio designed to contain normal calorie:protein ratio (NC:P), high calorie:protein...
Effect of sugarcane bagasse ash and manure amendments on selected soil properties in Western Kenya
November 2020
This research determined the effects of incorporating sugarcane bagasse ash and cattle manure on soil pH, available P, and cation exchange capacity (CEC) during a 2 seasons’ field experiment in Kakamega County of Western Kenya. The experiment used a Randomized Complete Block Design, 3 replications, and a 3 × 3 factorial arrangement of treatments. Sugarcane bagasse ash and cattle manure application showed...
Pesticide use in vegetable production in rural Uganda - A case study of Kabale District, South western Uganda
November 2020
A study to investigate commonly grown vegetables, commonly used pesticides, and pesticide use practices was conducted in Kabale District, in South-western Uganda. This is because indiscriminate pesticide use and poor application practices can leave pesticide residues in food rendering it unsafe for consumption. The study revealed extensive pesticide application in Brassica oleracea; var. capitata (cabbage), Brassica...
Cultivation of edible mushrooms in Namibia: Prospects and challenges of small scale farmers
November 2020
The demand for mushroom cultivation rapidly increases over years in Namibia as more people discovered its health and medical benefits, as well as the mushroom economic value. However, high temperatures at some parts of the country had made the cultivation difficult though watering in the mushroom houses was recommended as a measure to decrease temperature and rise up the humidity in the mushroom houses. In order to...
Biochemical characterization and genetic variability among thirteen black pepper genotypes
November 2020
There is limited information on the biochemical variability of black pepper genotypes in Ethiopia. Dried fruit samples from 13 introduced black pepper accessions were used for biochemical analysis. All the determinants were done in triplicates. Biochemical data ranged for essential oil between 1.70-3.60%; oleoresin, 8.30-12.15%; ash, 5.72-7.05%; acid insoluble ash, 1.97-4.06%; crude fiber, 13.61-17.96%;...
Net income analyses of maize agribusiness in Wukari Taraba State, Nigeria
November 2020
The study was carried out to ascertain effects of agribusiness functions and experience on small scale maize agribusiness operators’ net income in Wukari, Taraba State, Nigeria. A purposive sampling was used to select four area-markets namely Rafin-Kada, Gindin-Doruwa, Bantaji and Kente markets, where maize agribusiness owners predominantly carry out production and marketing of maize grain. Fifteen small scale...
Involvement of key stakeholders in controlling animal diseases in rural settings: Experiences with African swine fever in Uganda
November 2020
Key stakeholders’ involvement in the design and enforcement of effective African swine fever (ASF) biosecurity measures is very vital. Unfortunately, many times key stakeholders are less involved in the policy designing process. This study analyzed information from stakeholders in Mukono District, to assess the acceptability of enforcing ASF biosecurity measures among key stakeholders. Mukono District has a high...
Technical efficiency of pineapple production in Republic of Benin
November 2020
Assessing the technical efficiency of pineapple producers is essential to avoid waste of resources and above all to target advices for improving the productivity of the pineapple producers. For this, a survey was carried out among 365 randomly selected producers from five major pineapple-producing Communes. Using the meta-border stochastic production model, technical efficiency scores of pineapple producers are...
Economic efficiency of rubber production and affecting factors: Case of smallholder rubber production in Quang Binh Province, Vietnam
November 2020
Rubber is a perennial crop, so to evaluate economic efficiency of smallholder rubber production, the author uses long-term analysis method with values such as actual present value (NPV), Benefit Cost Ratio (BCR), Internal rate of Return (IRR) and annual value. The factors affecting the productivity of smallholder rubber are assessed through the Cobb-Douglas functional production function analysis method with input...
Demographic factors and perception in rhizobium inoculant adoption among smallholder soybeans (Glycine max L. Merryl) farmers of South Kivu Province of Democratic Republic of Congo
November 2020
The use of rhizobium inoculants fertilizer in soybean production has been practiced for over a century all over the world, but in Africa, the technology is relatively new. Rhizobium inoculants have been disseminated in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) by Nitrogen 2 Africa (N2AFRICA) project of CIAT and later IITA since 2010. However, demographic factors and perception in rhizobium adoption remain unknown. We...
Gene action analysis studies for agronomic traits in cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) genotypes developed using line by tester mating design
October 2020
Despite the significance of cassava as food, feed and industrial root crop, little is known regarding the gene action determining root dry matter content (RDMC), fresh root yield, and tolerance to cassava mosaic disease (CMD), cassava green mite (CGM), and cassava mealy bug (CMB). Thus, a study was conducted to determine the general and specific combining abilities for disease, pest, RDMC, root yield and related traits...
Effect of nitrogen rate and intra-row spacing on yield and yield components of maize at Bako, Western Ethiopia
October 2020
Maize is highly responsive to nitrogen fertilizer rates and plant spacing. Continuous efforts have been carried out to improve the yield potential of maize by modifying their architecture through breeding methods with aim of increasing maize yield through increasing number of plants ha-1. Hybrid BH-546 is the recently released variety for this purpose but its optimum nitrogen rate and spacing has not been determined...
Cassava leaves and azolla as crude protein supplement feed to east african short horned Zebu Heifers
October 2020
The study was undertaken to explore the nutritive potential of cassava leaves and Azolla as supplementary source of crude protein to cattle fed on either mixed range grass hay or Bracharia Mulato II. Two experiments were carried out, the first was the determination of the biomass yield of Azolla, its relative growth rate and doubling time while the second was a feeding trial to determine the performance of small East...
Effect of kernel type on hardness and interrelationship with endosperm chemical components of Malawian local maize (Zea mays L.) varieties during storage
October 2020
The aim of this study was to establish the attributes of kernel type based on kernel hardness and its interrelationship with maize endosperm chemical components, which are essential during storage. Three local varieties and one hybrid variety commonly grown by smallholder farmers in central Malawi were used. For storage experiment, the maize samples were infested with Prostephanus truncatus, larger grain borer (LGB) for...
The use of microchondrometer to assess test weight in small samples of triticales and oats
October 2020
The test weight or hectoliter weight is an important parameter used to classify the quality of the grain. Globally, it is evaluated by using 250, 500 or 1000 ml devices. Despite its importance, there is no standard equipment to assess it in small samples from the research plots. This study aims to test a newly developed microchondrometer (15.30 ml) in the triticale and oats. A second microchondrometer (31.26 ml) was...
Genetic diversity analysis and construction of selection index of selected tomato genotypes
October 2020
To study the genetic variability and selection index of selected tomato genotypes, an experiment was conducted at the farmer’s field of Chirirbandar Upazilla of Dinajpur District, Bangladesh. Ten tomato genotypes were evaluated in a randomized completely block design with four replications. The study results displayed high heritability plus higher genetic advance for all the traits studied. Among the traits, plant...
Field evaluation of lentil germplasms for their resistance to Ascochyta blight (Ascochyta lentis) under field conditions
October 2020
Ascochyta blight caused by Ascochyta lentis is a fungal disease with a major importance in Ethiopia. It has the potential to cause appreciable reduction in yield. The present study was conducted to identify the sources of resistance in lentil to ascochyta blight in 2018 main cropping season in hot spot area in AlemTena research station. The total of 148 accessions were received from Ethiopian Biodiversity Institute were...
Determination of solar energy requirements for indirect cooling combined with evaporative cooling for storage of fresh produce
October 2020
A solar photovoltaic (SPV) system generating power to run a 53-m3 storage for indirect air-cooling combined with evaporating cooling (IAC+EC) for providing a cool environment for storage of tomatoes under small-scale farming was evaluated. The experiment consisted of nine 330 W solar modules, twelve 230 AH Gel batteries, 145 VDC solar charge controller, 5 kW inverter, 290 W ventilation fan, 260 W water pump,...
Challenges in greenhouse crop production by smallholder farmers in Kisii County, Kenya
October 2020
Despite the success in greenhouse farming by large scale horticultural farmers in Kenya, smallholder greenhouse farming is beset by many challenges leading to over 30% failure rates. Reasons for the high failure rate are not clearly understood. The objective of this study was to assess the challenges in greenhouse crop production by small-scale farmers in Kisii County, Kenya and provide recommendations for sustained...
Response of eight sorghum varieties to plant density and nitrogen fertilization in the Sudano-Sahelian zone in Mali
October 2020
This work was conducted to study the performance of eight sorghum varieties that contrasted with intensified practices in the Sudano-Sahelian zone of Mali. Two experiments were carried out in 2018 and 2019 rainy seasons at Sotuba Agricultural Research Station in Mali. The experimental design used was a Split-split-plot with three replications and three factors including two plant densities (D1: 26666 plants ha-1 and D2:...
Biofortified bean genotypes under integrated soil fertility management across sub-humid agro-ecological zones of The Democratic Republic of Congo
October 2020
This study was implemented to evaluate the performance of biofortified bean under different integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) options and agro-ecological conditions in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). A Split-plot design with eight genotypes as main factors and four ISFM options as secondary factors was carried out in eight production zones distributed across South-Kivu, North-Kivu, and Katanga provinces....
Leaf organic content variation of 2 durum wheat genotypes under water stress by applying phytohormone (IAA)
October 2020
Water stress is the most important problem in plant growth and development. Greenhouse trial is carried out on 2 durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf) genotypes (MBB and WAHA), to evaluate the effect of water stress on the biochemical content of leaves, and the possibility of reducing this effect by applying a growth regulator Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) by seeds soaking and foliar spraying. Water stress causes a large...
Agronomic and economic evaluation of phosphate fertilizer use in maize-bean cropping systems in Western Kenya
October 2020
Effects of phosphorus rate and crop arrangement on yields and economic benefits in maize-bean cropping systems were investigated for two seasons: Short rains (SR) of 2015 and long rains (LR) of 2016 in Western Kenya. A split plot design with five crop arrangements in the main plots; one row of maize and beans alternating (conventional), maize and beans planted in the same hole (SH), two rows of maize alternating with...
Comparing productivity of rice under system of rice intensification and conventional flooding: A switching regression approach
October 2020
This paper examined the factors influencing rice productivity in Mwea Irrigation Scheme using the System of rice intensification (SRI) and conventional flooding (CF). Stratified sampling was used to obtain 364 smallholder rice farmers for interviewing. Data collection was done with the aid of a semi-structured questionnaire and analyzed using the Endogenous Switching regression Model (ESRM). The results of ESRM...
Evaluation of a motorized cassava peeler with four lining materials
October 2020
Cassava processing requires peeling, which is mainly done manually and not effective for large scale processing, hence, the need to mechanise the peeling process. A motorized cassava peeler with four drum and disc linings (concrete, metal, rubber and wood) was designed. The prototype was tested at three disc speeds; (250, 350 and 500 rpm) to determine peeling capacity, peel removal efficiency, and flesh loss. The...
Cultural practices and pesticides contamination level of tomato in two gardening sites in the region of Boucle du Mouhoun, Burkina Faso
October 2020
The present study consisted of evaluation of cultural practices and pesticides contamination level of tomato in some gardening sites in the region of Boucle du Mouhoun (Burkina Faso). A survey of phytosanitary practices among 30 producers was carried out at the Di and Dedougou sites. The pesticide contamination level of tomatoes collected was determined by the QuEChERS method. The survey revealed a low level of literacy...
Spatiotemporal hotspot patterns of wheat rust incidence and severity in Ethiopia
September 2020
Wheat rusts, stem rust, leaf rust, and stripe or yellow rust are the major biotic constraints in all wheat-growing regions of Ethiopia. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to identify the temporal-spatial hot spot pattern of wheat rust incidence and severity in Ethiopia. A GIS-based hotspot analysis tool was employed to identify the spatial distribution of hot spot patterns and temporal trends using survey...
Depletion of phosphate rock reserves and world food crisis: Reality or hoax?
September 2020
Phosphate rock (PR) deposits are the major source of phosphate (P) fertilizers for soil fertility replenishment. The demand for P fertilizers in the year 2014 was 42,706,000 tons and was expected to reach 46,648,000 tons in 2018. Majority of PR deposits are found in only a few countries including Morocco, USA and China. There is however conflicting information on the extent of world PR reserves, therefore, complicating...
Growth performance of royal purple and white guinea fowl varieties and their crosses under an intensive management system
September 2020
Commercialization of guinea fowl production in many countries is growing and the demand for their meat is high. The study evaluated the growth of crossbred royal purple x white variety relative to purebred royal purple and white varieties. Twenty pure-bred white, 20 purebred royal purple and 20 cross-bred keets were housed together in 4 houses resulting in 4 replications. The keets were fed broiler starter crumbs from...
Pastoral farming system and its temporal shift: A case of Borana zone, Oromia National Regional State, Ethiopia
September 2020
The study was conducted in Borana zone, which is located at about 570 km from Addis Ababa with the objective of understanding the farming system of Borana pastoral area. The primary data was collected using survey questionnaires from 160 households selected using multistage sampling design. The study confirmed that the farming system in Borana pastoral area has been increasingly diluted, unlike the earlier decades where...
Evaluation of blended fertilizer on growth performance and yield of onion (Allium cepa L.) at irrigated conditions Tselemti District North Western Tigray, Ethiopia
September 2020
Onion has economically important crop in the study area. However, its low production is due to poor soil fertility management. Thus, the present study was initiated to determine the optimal rate of blended fertilizer required for onion production. A field experiment was conducted for two consecutive years during 2018 and 2019 at farmer's field Tselemti district, the experiment had 8 treatments arranged in a...
Household determinants of food security in rural Central Uganda
September 2020
This study contributes to the literature by presenting empirical evidence on the drivers of rural household food security, which is critical for food security policy implementation. We used household survey data collected from 265 households from rural central Uganda, and a binary logistic regression model to estimate the determinants of household food security. Households with more land size, no livestock, and smaller...
Banana pest risk assessment along banana trade axes running from low to high altitude sites, in the Eastern DR Congo and in Burundi
September 2020
Pests and diseases greatly contribute to the decline in banana yields, food and income insecurity in the Great Lakes region of Africa. Understanding people’s role in pest and disease spread at landscape level is crucial for effective pest and disease management. To determine this, focus group discussions (FGDs) targeting 10 experienced farmers (50% female and 50% male) were conducted in 27 villages along four...
Effect of different planting techniques and sowing density rates on the development of quinoa
September 2020
Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is a crop of increasing interest due to its agro-ecological adaptability and high nutritional properties. Few information is available on the adaptability of quinoa in the Sahel region, and on genotype’s phenological, morphological and agronomical responses to different planting methods and sowing density rates. To test the effect of planting and sowing methods, two separate...
Field evaluation of introduced and local cowpea genotypes performance in Botswana
September 2020
A set of twenty four cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) genotypes were evaluated in field conditions for three consequtive seasons based on 13 quantitative characters. A combined analysis of variance revealed a highly significant difference among the genotypes for most of the traits (P <0.001). Introduced genotypes performed better in nine of the characters, revealing the advantage of introduced genotypes. Principal...
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