Non-traditional land-use practices in the pastoral Maasai region in Loitokitok district of Kajiado county, Kenya
September 2012
In this paper, non-traditional land-use practices were assessed and the extent to which these practices had encroached into the traditional arid and semi-arid grazing areas in Loitokitok district of Kajiado county was established. The main goals of this study were to establish and document land-use changes taking place in the pastoral Maasai region in the wake of sedentary lifestyles promoted by the massive immigration...
Socioeconomic impact of SARO agro allied organic cocoa programme on beneficiary cocoa farmers in Nigeria
September 2012
Organic cocoa farming involves cultivation of cocoa with rational use of allowable inputs (fungicides and bio-insecticides). SARO Agro Allied Nigeria and her foreign partner ADM/Schokinag started the organic cocoa project (OCP) in 2006/2007 cocoa season in four of their major operating states in Nigeria (Ondo, Osun, Ekiti and Cross River). This study was designed to evaluate the income profile, biological and...
Analyzing the performance and the resource allocation of the dairy production in Rolim de Moura municipality, Rondônia, Brazil
August 2012
The present study aimed to calculate indicators of productivity of dairy farmers in the municipality of Rolim de Moura, Rondônia, in the north region of Brazil and to evaluate the efficiency of producers by the perspective of productive efficiency, technical and scale. The data is of primary nature, gathered through questionnaires sent to 77 farmers of the Rolim de Moura municipality. The sample for this...
Tools and approaches for vegetable cultivar and technology transfer in West Africa: A case study of new hot pepper variety dissemination in Mali
August 2012
Agricultural research and extension in sub-Saharan Africa has focused mainly on basic staples and traditional commodity exports. Despite the nutritional, medicinal and economic importance of vegetables, the subsector is largely neglected by extension services in favor of staple crops. Since 1992, AVRDC– the World Vegetable Center has been engaged in demand-driven vegetable extension through direct training of...
Role of action research in reducing farmers’ livelihood vulnerability: A case of Gotu-Onema, central rift valley, Ethiopia
August 2012
The livelihood of farmers in Gotu-Onema, central rift valley of Ethiopia has been vulnerable for recurrent drought and other socioeconomic stressors. It is getting worse despite disciplinary research and technology transfer efforts to reverse the situation. As a result of this failure, an action oriented research has been implemented between 2004 and 2009 using 64 selected pilot farming households with the objective of...
Round potato (Solanum tuberosum) production in southern highlands of Tanzania: Are smallholder farmers becoming commercial?
August 2012
The subsistence production is chosen by farmers because it is subjectively the best option. However, subsistence farming on small and fragmented plots risks not reaching even farmers’ own food requirements, let alone producing a surplus. Therefore, it would have been expected that farmers would be commercialising production of profitable food crops. One of the more profitable food crops than many others as studies...
Adoption of improved dairy husbandry practices and its relationship with the socio-economic characteristics of dairy farmers in Ada’a district of Oromia State, Ethiopia
August 2012
This study was conducted to ascertain the extent of adoption of improved dairy husbandry practices and its relationship with the socio-economic characteristics of the dairy farmers in Ada’a district of Oromia State, Ethiopia. It was undertaken in eight purposively selected peasant associations/kebeles of the district from which thirty dairy farmers were selected randomly. The study revealed that the overall extent...
Cropping system analysis of two agro ecological zones of Southwestern Nigeria
August 2012
Proper understanding of cropping system within agro ecological zone is needed if adequate agricultural development programme will be planned. Therefore, the study looked into the cropping systems practiced by farmers in Southwestern Nigeria, described the cropping system and crop combination of farmers and also described and compared the socio-economic characteristics of farmers in the agro ecological zones studied....
Predicaments of rural development interventions in Tigray region, Ethiopia
July 2012
This ethnographic study was conducted in Tigray region of Ethiopia with the aim of assessing the problems of rural development interventions during the last twenty yearsi. The main objectives of the study were; to identify major intervention areas, examine community perceptions of government led interventions and examine overall challenges and prospects of the rural development option in Tigray region, Ethiopia. The...
Making knowledge-based services more demand-oriented? An experience with ‘public funding, public delivery’ extension in Bénin
July 2012
This article examined newly emerging patterns of agricultural extension in the context of decentralization policy in Bénin. It assesses whether the promises of decentralization were met in the case of the ‘Experimental Development on Innovation’ (EDI) project. Thus, it assessed the extent to which service delivery became demand-oriented and effective in promoting production-enhancing technologies for...
Effect of aqueous extract of sun-dried neem (Azadirachta indica A) leaves on wheat yield under field condition
July 2012
A study was conducted to assess the allelopathic effects of aqueous extract of sun-dried neem (Azadirachta indica A) leaves on wheat yield and its components in the agronomic research area, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad. Grain yield and different yield components of wheat, such as number of fertile tillers, grain/spike and 1000-grain weight, and spike length showed no significant either promotive or suppressive...
Situational analysis of smallholder goat production and marketing in Central Tanzania point towards the establishment of farmers’ groups
July 2012
Small East African (SEA) goats form the largest part of the small ruminant population in Tanzania. In the view of increasing productivity of goats and improving welfare of goat keepers in the country, a participatory study was carried out to examine SEA goat keeping in two districts of Central Tanzania. The results obtained show that productivity was constrained by seasonal fluctuations of feed supplies, prevalence of...
Farmers’ evaluation of integrated soil fertility management methods in Northern Kasungu Central Malawi
June 2012
There has been extensive recognition of the necessity to rejuvenate the fertility of soils for sustainable agricultural productivity, food security, household income and poverty alleviation in sub-Saharan Africa. In 2007, laboratory analytical results of the soils from Mkanakhoti extension area of Kasungu District, Central Malawi, indicated low levels of N, P and organic carbon (OC) and sandy texture....
Agricultural education and technical competency of development agents in Ethiopia
June 2012
Agricultural education is basic to the development and maintenance of competency of development agents. The purpose of this research was to explore and describe empirically the perceived competency level of agricultural development agents working in four districts of North Gondar Administrative zone. A descriptive survey type of research was conducted to determine competency level and training needs of 100 development...
Ownership and use of mobile phones for agricultural transactions by traders: The case of the Analanjirofo and Atsinanana Regions – Madagascar
June 2012
This paper analyzes the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in improving the performance of agricultural markets. It focuses on ownership and use of mobile phone by the rural traders in the Regions of Analanjirofo and Atsinanana, a target zone of the public-private initiative "Programme de Promotion des Revenus Ruraux" (PPRR) that develops a market information services program. The paper...
What factors determine the time allocation of agricultural extension agents on farmers' agricultural fields? Evidence form rural Ethiopia
June 2012
In Ethiopia, agricultural extension (AE) agents are expected to play a key role in linking smallholder farmers to agricultural scientists and researchers. AE workers assist farmers in the adoption of improved agricultural technologies and facilitate the adjustment of the new technologies to the local agro-ecological conditions. Using data collected from a total of 236 randomly selected extension agents working in eight...
Foraging and pollination activities of Xylocopa olivacea (Hymenoptera, Apidae) on Phaseolus vulgaris (Fabaceae) flowers at Dang (Ngaoundere-Cameroon)
June 2012
To evaluate the impact of the carpenter bee (Xylocopa olivacea) on pod and seed sets ofPhaseolus vulgaris (black seed outlets), its foraging and pollinating activities were studied in Ngaoundéré, during the June-July 2009 and 2010 cropping seasons. Treatments included unlimited floral access by all visitors, bagged flowers to avoid all visits, and limited visits of X. olivacea....
Frequency of virus in some Diplodia pinea and Gremmeniella abietina isolates originated from Turkey
May 2012
Diplodia pinea and Gremmeniella abietina are common pathogens causing shoot blight and dieback of pine all over the world. D. pinea is one of the main causal agents of shoot blight of Calabrian pines in the Mediterranean countries including Turkey. G. abietina has been recently observed on saplings and seedlings of Pinus nigra, which remain under snow cover during winter...
Ash dieback caused by Hymenoscyphus pseudoalbidus in a seed plantation of Fraxinus excelsior in Austria
May 2012
Ash dieback, an emerging fungal disease incited by Hymenoscyphus pseudoalbidus (anamorphChalara fraxinea), causes immense damage to Fraxinus excelsior in many parts of Europe. There is hope that some individuals of this tree species display high levels of resistance to the disease. In 2009 and 2010, the intensity of ash dieback was investigated in an ash seed plantation in Upper Austria,...
Reestablishing the health of secondary forests “Satoyama†endangered by Japanese oak wilt: A preliminary report
May 2012
Japanese oak wilt caused by the fungus Raffaelea quercivora is increasing in secondary forests known as "Satoyama" that are surrounding rural communities. Oak wilt is occurring in stands that are 40 to 70 years old that have been used for fuel wood and charcoal production and then left unmanaged because those wood fuels were replaced with gas and kerosene since 1950s. An ambrosia...
Pathogenicity of some fungi isolated from cankers on Cupressus sempervirens var. horizontalis in Turkey
May 2012
Natural stands of Cupressus sempervirens in Turkey are among the largest forests of this species in the world and are regarded as relicts of the centre of origin of var. horizontalis. In this study, we tested the pathogenicity of some of the most common fungal isolates originating from cankers on C. sempervirens by inoculating the isolates into the inner bark...
Nursery and field experiments to test conifers susceptibility to Pitch Canker disease
May 2012
Fusarium circinatum is the causal agent of the Pitch Canker disease, which was first detected in Spain in 2004. Not only Pinus species seedlings in nurseries were affected but also Pinus radiata plantations in the forest. Thus, the pathogen has spread out over several pine forests of northern Spain producing substantial economical losses. Consequently, a resistant and viable pine...
Soil temperatures during prescribed burning and the occurrence of Rhizina undulata Fr.
May 2012
Rhizina undulata is a postfire fungus. The ascospores germinate after heating over 35°C. The prescribed burning of one forest compartment was done in the purpose to investigate the effects of forest fire to atmosphere at Hyytiälä Forestry Field Station in Southern Finland. The soil temperature measurements were one part of that research. One year after burning, the ascocarps of R....
Presence of Viral dsRNA molecules in the Spanish population of Gremmeniella abietina
May 2012
Gremmeniella abietina var. abietina has commonly been pointed out as a species complex, which includes different races and biotypes. Among them, the Spanish population seems to be a unique population derived from type A. Furthermore, G. abietina is known to harbour infections and co-infections of putative mycoviruses belonging to different families. In particular, G. abietinatype A harbours...
Using genomics to gain insights into the evolution and biology of Pseudomonas syringae pv. aesculi on European horse chestnut
May 2012
Sarah Green1*, Bridget E. Laue1, Heather Steele1 and Paul M. Sharp2
Himalayan dwarf mistletoe (Arceuthobium minutissimum) and the leafy mistletoe Taxillus kaempferi on blue pine (Pinus wallichiana) in Bhutan
May 2012
Blue pine, Pinus wallichiana, is an important tree species in temperate conifer forests in Bhutan. Disease surveys have shown that Himalayan dwarf mistletoe, Arceuthobium minutissimum, and the leafy mistletoe, Taxillus kaempferi, are important damaging factors on P. wallichiana in this Himalayan country. The knowledge on these two parasitic flowering plants in Bhutan is reviewed. A dwarf...
Quantification of Dothistroma septosporum spores by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
May 2012
Many fungal plant pathogens can be spread over long distances by airborne or rain splash spore dispersal. These spores can infect susceptible hosts causing disease and in some cases mortality and for this reason spore monitoring followed by control is needed. Air sampling can be combined with modern sensitive molecular methods such as quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), real-time PCR (West et al., 2008,...
Dieback of ash (Fraxinus excelsior and Fraxinus angustifolia) in Eastern Austria: Disease development on monitoring plots from 2007 to 2010
May 2012
Dieback of Fraxinus excelsior and Fraxinus angustifolia, caused by Hymenoscyphus pseudoalbidus (anamorph Chalara fraxinea), is presently the most important damaging factor of hardwood trees in Austria. Results from permanent monitoring plots in Lower Austria show that disease development on mature ash trees was slow from 2008 to 2010. In 2008, mean dieback intensity ranged from 1 to 34% on...
Alien pathogens of forest trees in Austria
May 2012
Based on information in the literature and unpublished records a brief synthesis on alien pathogens of forest trees in Austria is presented. A total of 29 pathogens were recorded, consisting of one bacterium, nine Phytophthora species, 14 ascomycetes, three anamorphic fungi and two basidiomycetes. The majority of alien pathogens (23 out of 29) occur on hardwood species. Six pathogens have had a high impact on...
Ash dieback associated with Hymenoscyphus pseudoalbidus in forest nurseries in Austria
May 2012
Dieback of Fraxinus excelsior, Fraxinus angustifolia and other Fraxinus species is an emerging infectious disease caused by the ascomycete fungus Hymenoscyphus pseudoalbidus(anamorph Chalara fraxinea). Investigations in five forest nurseries in Austria from 2008 to 2011 showed that ash dieback is a common and important disease of nursery seedlings. H. pseudoalbidus was...
Chalara fraxinea incidence in Hungarian ash (Fraxinus excelsior) forests
May 2012
Chalara fraxinea was identified for the first time in Hungary in the first half of 2008, in western Hungary near Kapuvár and Sárvár, in 4 to 6 years old mixed (seed and coppice shoot) origin European ash (Fraxinus excelsior) stands (Szabó, 2008). In the same time in Budapest, under an older Turkey Oak – Sessile Oak – European ash stand we also detected the symptoms and the...
Antagonistic effect and reduction of Ulmus minor symptoms to Ophiostoma novo-ulmi by elm endophytes
May 2012
The interactions between 31 elm endophytic fungi and Ophiostoma novo-ulmi were in vitrotested, and 18 endophytes inhibited the pathogen growth. Four selected endophytes were also in vivo tested against O. novo-ulmi, and three of them significantly reduced the tree wilting symptoms caused by the pathogen. Key words: Dutch elm disease, endophytes,...
REsource INFrastructure for monitoring and adapting European Atlantic FORests under Changing climatE (REINFFORCE): Establishing a network of arboretums and demonstration sites to assess damages caused by biotic and abiotic factors
May 2012
The reality of global warming is recognized worldwide, and most of the climatic models in the optimistic scenarios of IPCC forecast a 4°C temperature rise over the next 50 years. Nevertheless, the regional consequences are still fuzzy, especially in the case of ocean areas because there are many unknown factors like the climatic, economic and environmental conditions at regional level. However, some specific...
Foliage diseases on true fir (Abies spp.) in Norway
May 2012
Fir plantations in Norway are mainly for Christmas trees, a production situated to a large extent in western Norway, where the mild, humid climate is also ideal for fungal diseases. Thus, a number of airborne fungi causing foliage diseases on true fir (Abies spp.) have been found in nursery, Christmas tree, bough, and/or landscape plantings in Norway, with the most serious ones being Botryotinia...
Evaluating methyl jasmonate for induction of resistance against Fusarium oxysporum, Fusarium circinatum and Ophiostoma novo-ulmi
May 2012
Worldwide, damping off is probably the most severe disease affecting seedlings in forests nurseries. In south-western Europe, the pitch canker and the Dutch elm disease cause relevant economic looses in forests, mostly in adult trees. Plants protect themselves against a diversity of attackers through constitutive and inducible defense strategies. Exogenous applications of Methyl Jasmonate (MeJA) have been successfully...
The ash dieback pathogen Hymenoscyphus pseudoalbidus is associated with leaf symptoms on ash species (Fraxinus spp.)
May 2012
Ash dieback caused by the ascomycete fungus Hymenoscyphus pseudoalbidus (anamorphChalara fraxinea) is characterized by a wide range of symptoms. Leaf symptoms have previously been related to this emerging infectious disease. In fungal isolations from necrotic lesions on leaf petioles and rachises as well as leaflet veins of Fraxinus excelsior, H. pseudoalbidus was consistently obtained at high...
Ophiostomatoid fungi associated with the Eastern Himalayan spruce bark beetle (Ips schmutzenhoferi) in Bhutan: Species assemblage and phytopathogenicity
May 2012
A brief synthesis of recent studies on the ophiostomatoid fungi associated with the Eastern Himalayan spruce bark beetle, Ips schmutzenhoferi and on the pathogenicity of selected fungal associates of this insect to Picea spinulosa and Pinus wallichiana is presented.I. schmutzenhoferi is intimately asso-ciated with ophistomatoid fungi and eleven fungal associates belonging to the...
Adoption of improved agricultural technologies among smallholder farm households in Nakuru District, Kenya
May 2012
Households are institutions that nurture, develop and sustain capabilities, material and social resources and activities necessary for their members to sustain livelihoods. This is possible through socialisation, communication, diffusion and adoption of improved technologies. In developing countries like Kenya, adoption of improved agricultural technologies is critical in facilitating households’ productive and...
Seasonality in cocoa spot and forward markets: Empirical evidence
May 2012
This paper first describes the main features of supply and demand in cocoa spot markets. A state- variable model is proposed to describe the random evolution of cocoa forward curves over time, which essentially adapts to agricultural commodities, introduced by Borovkova and Geman (2006) for energy. In contrast to most of the literature on the subject, the first state variable is not the spot price, as it combines...
Changing spatial pattern, trend and regional imbalances in pulse production in Eastern Uttar Pradesh, India
April 2012
Inspite of being the major source of protein and staple food for the majority of population the production of pulses is stagnated at all India level between 12 and 15 million tonnes. It is believed that the demand of pulses will increase upto 20 million tonnes during 2020 A.D. Thus, a need arise to find out the causes for such stagnation and to suggest some remedial measures for increasing the area and production under...
Discrimination of the cultivation systems for coffea arabica L. via the incidence of filamentous fungi using the zip model on the Bayesian approach
April 2012
Coffea arabica beans can be produced when basically considering two system types, conventional and organic. The main difference lies in the fact that the conventional system sues chemical fertilizers and pesticides whereas, in the organic system the produce use inputs derived from organic matter. Naturally, the presence or absence of filamentous fungi occurs in both systems. In conventional farming, the fungi found...
Allelopathic effect of aqueous extracts of different parts of Tinospora cordifolia (Willd.) Miers on some weed plants
April 2012
The present study was conducted to investigate the allelopathic effects of Tinospora cordifoliaweed on seed germination and seedling growth of weed plants (Chenopodium album L.Chenopodium murale L., Cassia tora L. and Cassia sophera L.). Leaf and stem aqueous extracts of Tinospora at 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 and 4.0% concentrations were applied to determine their effect on seed germination...
Provisioning ecosystem services income extend comparison between organic and conventional agricultural fields in Puducherry-India
April 2012
Agriculture supplies provisioning services- food, fodder, fuel, timber, medicine and ornamental in ecosystem service parlance. Management of ecosystem services is vital to maintain and improve the productivity of agricultural systems in order to meet the food demands of the growing human population. However, conventional management practices can severely reduce the ecological and financial contribution of agriculture,...
Household vulnerability and small ruminant benefits in the transitional zone of Ghana
March 2012
This study investigated household vulnerability and small ruminant benefits in the transitional zone of Ghana. The dimensions of vulnerability considered were the sex and socio-economic status of the household head, and household morbidity and mortality. Data was collected from 11 key informants, four focus groups, 113 census households, 60 survey households and 10 case study households. Sex of the household head did...
Econometric evaluation of rice profitability determinants in Kogi State, Nigeria
March 2012
The study was designed to determine the level of profitability of rice and factors influencing rice profitability in Kogi State, Nigeria. Primary data was randomly collected from 120 rice farmers with the aid of a set of structured questionnaire and interview schedule. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and regression analyses models applying four functional forms. The lead equation, semi-log model, was...
Opportunities and challenges of honey production in Gomma district of Jimma zone, South-west Ethiopia
March 2012
The study was conducted in Gomma district South west Ethiopia to assess the various opportunities and its constraints of beekeeping in the area. For this study, 6 Peasant Associations (PAs) were selected using systematic random sampling technique and interviewed using pre-tested structured questionnaires. The opportunities for beekeeping in the study areas were the existence and abundance of honeybee, availability...
Production and price of indigenous naked neck and full feathered chicken reared under rural scavenging system in Bangladesh
March 2012
A total of 63 farm families and 63 consumers from Gazipur and Mymensingh districts were randomly selected to assess the production and local market price of indigenous naked neck (Nana) and full feathered (nana) chickens reared under rural scavenging system. Data were collected through personal interviews using semi-structured and pre-tested interview schedules for the period of July to December, 2009. Clutch size, egg...
Proximate analysis of Sphenostylis stenocarpa and Voadzeia subterranean consumed in South –Eastern Nigeria
February 2012
Proximate analyses of two traditional grain legumes consumed in Eastern Nigeria- Bambara groundnut (Voadzeia subterranean) and African yam beans (Sphenostylis stenocarpa) were carried out. Bambara groundnut was found to contain 2.86±0.02% moisture, 32.40±0.02% protein, 7.35± 0.02% fat, 5.78±0.02% ash, 2.68±0.02% crude fiber and 51.78±0.02% total carbohydrates. African yam...
Challenges and prospects of privatization of agricultural extension service delivery in Nigeria
February 2012
Privatization of extension service delivery has been considered lately as the only option to remedy the decline in both the funding and overall organization and administration of extension due to so many challenges facing effectiveness of publicly funded extension delivery, particularly since the withdrawal of the World Bank sponsorship of agricultural programmes in Nigeria. The adoption of privatization of extension in...
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