African Journal of
Agricultural Research

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Agric. Res.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1991-637X
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJAR
  • Start Year: 2006
  • Published Articles: 6900

Table of Content: 4 December 2010; 5(23)

December 2010

Effects of dietary fat, vitamin E and zinc supplementation on tibia breaking strength in female broilers under heat stress

The objective of this experiment was to characterize the relationship between dietary fat and antioxidant supplementation, on tibia breaking strength (TS) and performance parameters in broiler chickens under heat stress. The chicks with a similar body weight were equally assigned to one of the two controlled-environment chambers from 21 to 56 days of age. The birds were fed diets as follows: 1) basal diet supplemented...

Author(s): R. Vakili, Ali Asghar Rashidi  and S. Sobhanirad      

December 2010

A field study on negative energy balance in periparturient dairy cows kept in small-holder farms: Effect on milk production and reproduction

Impact of negative energy balance (NEB) and its consequences on milk production and reproduction were studied in 51 dairy cows. All cows were randomly selected from 11 small-holder farms according to their calving date during December 2006 to May 2007. Body condition score and milk yield were recorded. Blood samples were collected from all cows at 2 weeks before expected calving date and at 2 and 4 weeks after calving...

Author(s): Theera Rukkwamsuk  

December 2010

Determination of the effective factors on organic olive cultivation decision

This research has been carried out to determine effective factors on decision making behavior for organic olive cultivation in the Izmir, Aydin and Çanakkale provinces where organic olive production is done intensively. Logistic regression method has been used for the determination of effective factors on decision making behavior of organic olive cultivation. Whether making or not making organic olive cultivation...

Author(s): I. CoÅŸkun Ceylan, Emine Olhan and Özdal Köksal      

December 2010

Use of models in assessing the impact of cropping system, land types and suitability on land degradation in Southwestern Nigeria

Two sites (Apomu and Alabata) measuring 10 ha and representing rainforest and savannah agro-ecological zones, respectively in South Western Nigeria were chosen to evaluate the influences of cropping system, suitability and land types on the degree of land degradation. Multiple linear step-wise forward elimination regression was use to measure the interrelationships of the land parameters measured. The result using the...

Author(s): Aruleba, J. Olusegun and Ajayi, A. Samuel      

December 2010

Constraints and potentials of the fish market in the Okavango Delta, Botswana

The Okavango Delta is the largest multi-species and multi-gear fishery in Botswana. However, there is lack of an understanding of the nature of fish market in the Delta. The objectives of the survey were (1) to identify and describe the socio economic profile of the fishers in the fishing market, (2) to describe the operations of the market and (3) to identify market constraints of fishing. A structured questionnaire...

Author(s): G. Mmopelwa and B. N. Ngwenya          

December 2010

The partnership models of agricultural sustainable development based on Multiple Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) in Iran

Sustainable development and the definition of indicators to assess progress towards sustainability have become a high priority in scientific research. The purpose of this study was two-fold: first, to determine agricultural sustainability criteria; second, to determine optimum partnership models for agricultural sustainability. This study was conducted in Ilam Province of Iran. The populations of the research...

Author(s): Alireza Poursaeed, Mehdi Mirdamadi, Iraj Malekmohammadi and Jamal F. Hosseini      

December 2010

Brassica oleracea genotypes displaying interesting fatty acid profiles for Brassica napus breeding

Brassica oleracea (CC) normally displays an erucic acid (22:1) content ranging from 28 to 63%. In the course of studies dealing with the inheritance of erucic acid content in the seed oil of Brassica species individual plants belonging to three accessions of B. oleracea conv. capitata - Kashirka 202, Ladozhskaya DS 8395 and Eisenkopf - were identified displaying low, intermediary and...

Author(s): F. Seyis, and W. Friedt    

December 2010

Vegetative propagation of Cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus L.) using semi-hardwood cuttings

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of different IBA doses on rooting capacity of Cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus L.) types in greenhouse conditions under mist propagation unit in 2008 - 2009. This species has an economic and important value for medicinal and pharmaceutical industry. Determination of suitable conditions for cutting propagation of different types is too important for economic...

Author(s): M. Sulusoglu and A. Cavusoglu      

December 2010

Cultivar and density effects on yield of soybean in double cropping

Double cropping is a kind of multiple cropping system in which a second crop is planted after the first has been harvested. In order to study the yield of soybean (Glycine max L.) cultivars in double cropping with different densities, an experiment was conducted at Gonbad College of Agricultural Research Field of Gonbad High Educational Center (Iran). The treatments were factorial of cultivars (Williams, Gorgan 3...

Author(s): Abbas Biabani    

December 2010

Raising Trissolcus basalis for the biological control of Nezara viridula in greenhouses of Almería (Spain)

The reduction in use of crop protection products in recent years has led to the appearance of new phytophage pests such as Nezara viridula (L.) in the greenhouses of Almería (Spain). Its biological control is, however, possible, and involves the deliberate release of the wasp Trissolcus basalis (Woll.), which parasitizes the pest’s eggs. The aim of the present study was to help meet peak...

Author(s): José Manuel Cantón-Ramos and Ángel Jesús Callejón-Ferre        

December 2010

Nondestructive detection of moldy chestnut based on near infrared spectroscopy

Chestnut is one of the important agricultural products, especially in Asia. However, a large number of chestnuts are lost due to mildew after harvest. A critical method for preventing and reducing large-scale mildew is to identify and remove moldy chestnuts. Additionally, this procedure plays a significant role in the processing of chestnut-based food product. In this work, we identified moldy chestnuts by near infrared...

Author(s): J. Liu, X. Y. Li, P. W. Li, W. Wang, J. Zhang, R. Zhang and P. Liu      

December 2010

Land suitability classification of choice of trees species in District Rahim Yar Khan, Punjab, Pakistan

Pakistan especially in Province Punjab has a narrow forest resource. More than 90% of the fuel wood and almost 50% of timber requirements are being met from trees being growing on the private farm lands, based on agroforestry as compared with the state forests. It is obvious that trees have to be grown in conjunction with agricultural crops on private farm lands. The main objectives of the study pertain to prepare the...

Author(s): Syed Muhammad Akmal Rahim, Shahida Hasnain and R. A. Shamsi      

December 2010

Fungicide effect of banana column juice on tomato southern blight caused by Sclerotium rolfsii: Technical and economic efficiency

The efficiency of banana column juice was compared to that of the synthetic fungicide Maneb 80 and urea in laboratory, in pots under shed and in the field. In laboratory, the products underwent trials conducted on the culture of Sclerotium rolfsii, in pots on artificially inoculated plants, and in the field on plants installed in a completely randomized block design with three repetitions on a naturally fungus...

Author(s): Rachidatou Sikirou, Afio Zannou, Gualbert Gbèhounou, Félicien Tosso and Françoise Assogba Komlan    

December 2010

Effect of oral administration of propylene glycol during periparturient period on blood biochemical parameters and liver triacylglycerol accumulation in postparturient dairy cows

Effect of propylene glycol administered during the periparturient period on blood biochemical parameters and liver triacylglycerol accumulation was studied in 35 dairy cows. Sixteen control cows were drenched with 400 ml of water per day starting from 7 days before expected calving date to 7 days after calving, while 19 treated cows were drenched with 400 ml of propylene glycol. Body condition scores and milk yield were...

Author(s): Theera Rukkwamsuk and Supachart Panneum      

December 2010

Effect of different harvest methods on olive yield and work capacity

In this research, olives were harvested by four different methods (wood rake, wood stick, mechanical bough shaker + wood stick and electronic harvesting rake + wood stick) and an effort was made to determine their effect on olive yield. From the data obtained during a two year period, the method with the highest work capacity was determined to be the third method (mechanical bough shaker +wood stick), and the...

Author(s): G. Cicek, S. K. Sumer and  H. Kocabiyik    

December 2010

Effectiveness of phosphorus application in improving regional soybean Yields under drought stress: A multivariate regression tree analysis

Scarcity of water often reduces the regional production of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) in many areas where it is grown. Contemporary climate change is characterized by increase in frequency and intensity of drought, yet little is known about the successful strategies of soybean cropping systems to drought stress at the regional scale. An effective way to improve the understanding is how to reduce the yields...

Author(s): Haifeng Zheng, Liding Chen, Xiaozeng Han, Yan Ma and Xinfeng Zhao    

December 2010

Evaluating the climatic potentials of saffron cultivation in Khuzestan province using GIS (Geographical Information System)

This research has been conducted to evaluate the climatic and environmental conditions of Khuzestan Province for saffron cultivation and determine the areas susceptible for this product using geographical information system. To conduct this research the meteorological data related to12 synoptic stations of the province in a 20-year statistical period (2006 to 1987) have been used in the form of monthly average and daily...

Author(s): Reza Borna Gholamreza Roshan and Masuma Moghbel      

December 2010

Effects of El Nino/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) on rainfall characteristics in Katsina, Nigeria

Annual rainfall amount, onset and termination dates, duration of the rainy season, the number of wet and dry days and August rainfall characteristics in Katsina, Nigeria were compared between the ENSO years, La Niña years and normal years over a period of 31 years (1972 - 2002). In ENSO years annual rainfall amount is lower than the long term mean, onset is later and the termination of...

Author(s): Ojonigu Friday Ati, Edwin O. Iguisi and Saidu O.Mohammed      

December 2010

Variations in sludge effects on selected properties of four soil types and vegetable yield

This study investigated the degree of modification of selected properties of soils in a semi-arid environment as a result of sludge application, in an endeavour to understand variations in percentage improvement with sludge application rate (SAR). Sludge was applied to a calcic luvisol (luvisol 1), a ferric luvisol (luvisol 2) an arenosol, and a vertisol at different rates and after three months, each soil-sludge...

Author(s): V. M. Ngole    

December 2010

Evaluation of agricultural wastes and food supplements usage on growth characteristics of Pleurotus ostreatus

As agricultural wastes are easily accessible and quite free sources, re-use of them could be considered as a break through in production management, especially if it sustains the production efficiency as standard materials do. In this study, we evaluated combination usage of substrates including wood chips, boll, Sugar Beet Pellet Pulp (SBPP) and palm fiber along with wheat bran, rice bran, soya cake powder, Soya Cake...

Author(s): Mehrdad Jafarpour, Alireza Jalali Zand, Banafsheh Dehdashtizadeh  and Shahin Eghbalsaied        

December 2010

Halogen chemistry of borehole water used in drinking troughs on game ranches in the Musina area, Limpopo Province, South Africa

This study was initiated due to recent complaints of game farmers in the Musina area, Limpopo Province, South Africa regarding suspicious borehole water quality. Water samples obtained from 36 drinking troughs supplied from boreholes on game ranches in the Musina area, were analysed using an Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry (ICP-AES) technique for their fluorine (F), chlorine (Cl), bromine (Br)...

Author(s): Dirk Wessels, Georges-Ivo Ekosse and Antoinette Jooste      

December 2010

Adoption rate of land clearing techniques and their effects on some soil fertility parameters of an Alfisol in southwestern Nigeria

This study aims at investigating the determining factors of land clearing techniques and their effects on some soil fertility parameters of an alfisol in a derived savanna agroecology of southwestern Nigeria. The stratified simple random technique was used to obtain primary data using structured questionnaire and also to collect topsoil from 33% of the respondents’ farms for the soil physicochemical properties in...

Author(s): M. B. Adewole and U. C. Anyahara      

December 2010

Purslane and natural vegetation as bioremediation tools to cope salinity in Satsuma mandarin orchards

The objective of this study is to compare the Na and Cl removal capacity of natural vegetation (spontaneous flora) and cultivated purslane, as bioremediation techniques to overcome salinity in Satsuma mandarin plantations. An experimental orchard was established on two different rootstocks, (Poncirus trifoliata L.) Raf. and Troyer citrange (Poncirus trifoliata x Citrus sinensis)) and  the orchard was...

Author(s): Cenk Ceyhun Kılıç, Dilek Anaç, Uygun Aksoy and Süer Anaç.        

December 2010

Empirical determination of the motion resistance of pneumatic bicycle wheels for on and off-road performance

Brassica oleracea (CC) normally displays an erucic acid (22:1) content ranging from 28 to 63%. In the course of studies dealing with the inheritance of erucic acid content in the seed oil of Brassica species individual plants belonging to three accessions of B. oleracea conv. capitata - Kashirka 202, Ladozhskaya DS 8395 and Eisenkopf - were identified displaying low, intermediary and...

Author(s): F. B. Akande, D. Ahmad, O. B. Jamarie, S. Sulaiman and A. B. Fashina