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 October 2010; 5(19)

October 2010

Economics of scale and cost efficiency in small scale maize production in Mubi North Local Government in Adamawa State, Nigeria

This study presents economics of scale and cost efficiency of small scale production of maize in Mubi North Local Government in Adamawa state, Nigeria. A multi stage sampling techniques was used to select 180 farmers in the study area. The results shows that maize farming in the study area is profitable and Economics of Scale was obtained as 1.252 (ES>1), hence economics of scale exists. Results of the stochastic...

Author(s): Dia Y. Z., J. W. Zalkuwi and O. Gwandi

October 2010

The Liverpool fish market in Lagos State, Nigeria

  A survey of the Liverpool Fish Market in Lagos State, Nigeria was carried out to assess the market structure, the socio- economic characteristics of the fish marketers and the nature of fish sold. The Liverpool fish market was headed by a woman, Alhaja Aminat Abdukalim, the Iyalode of Sanni Market Apapa who co-coordinated the activities in the market. The market was dominated mostly by women and only few men...

Author(s): C. I. Ayo-Olalusi, P. E. Anyanwu, F. Ayorinde and P. O. Aboyweyere  

October 2010

Noise level analysis of a bulldozer used in constructing a forest road in Mediterranean region of Turkey

Heavy machinery utilized in forest operations, as one of the working environments with intensive noise disturbance, result detrimental effects on the workers’ health. Particularly, high level noise generated from the road construction machines causes physiologic and psychological health problems on the operators. Among these problems, one of the most important occupational problems is hearing impairment or...

Author(s): Hasan Serin and Abdullah E. Akay

October 2010

Environmental awareness of University Students in Ankara, Turkey

This study aims to present environmental sensitivity and awareness of university students. The first and fourth year students of landscape architecture, town and regional planning and environmental engineering undergraduate programs at universities throughout Ankara, Turkey were selected as participants since these programs’ curricula focus on environment. A questionnaire survey was applied to 212 students face to...

Author(s): Dicle OÄŸuz, IÅŸil Çakci and Safiye Kavas  

October 2010

Energy consumption in production of grains prevalent in Saveh, Iran

This paper examines the energy consumption of wheat, barley and maize production in Iran (Saveh area). This study was conducted over 28,400 ha of irrigated wheat, barley and maize fields and 19,300 ha of dry land wheat and barley fields in Saveh, a central city, Iran, in the harvest year of 2003 - 2004. The data was collected from three different sources: questionnaire, literature review and field measurement. Total...

Author(s): M. Safa, S. S. Mohtasebi, M. Behroozi Lar and M. Ghasemi-Varnamkhasti

October 2010

Optimum tillage system for pepper production in an alfisol of South-western Nigeria

Optimum soil tillage for different crops in different regions needs be established for good yield. For pepper production on an alfisol with soil texture on the surface soil, this paper investigated three tillage systems (Plough-Plough Till – PPT, Plough-Harrow Till – PHT and Plough-Ridge Till – PRT) and two compaction levels induced by a 50 kW MF tractor (5 and 10 tractor passes – 5P and 10P)...

Author(s): T. M. Samuel and E. A. Ajav

October 2010

Effect of phosphorus fertilizer rates on growth and yield of three soybean (Glycine max) cultivars in Limpopo Province

This study aimed at assessing the effects of phosphorus (P) rates on the growth and yield of three soybean cultivars in Vhembe district, Limpopo Province, South Africa. Field experiments were carried out at the University of Venda’s experimental farm, Thohoyandou over two seasons (season I: February – May 2006; season II: November 2006 – March 2007). The experiments consisted of a factorial combination...

Author(s): Pauline M. Mabapa, John B. O. Ogola, Jude J. O. Odhiambo, Anthony Whitbread and John Hargreaves

October 2010

The impact of irrigation water quality on water uptake by orange trees

A greenhouse lysimeter study was carried out in Tottori (Japan) during August 2000 to explore the impacts of saline irrigation on water uptake by orange trees. Two lysimeters filled with sandy soil were used. Each lysimeter was planted with a tree. During the first half of August, both lysimeters (L1 and L2)[b1]  were irrigated with non-saline water. In the second half of the month, L1 was irrigated with non-saline...

Author(s): S. L. Yang, M. Aydin, Y. Kitamura and T. Yano

October 2010

Preliminary assessment of shea butter waxing on the keeping and sensory qualities of four plantain (Musa aab) varieties

Over the last few years, the production of plantain has been increasing due to the introduction of some high yielding varieties. Unfortunately, very high post-harvest losses are incurred annually due to lack of appropriate storage technologies. This study evaluated the effect of shea butter as a food-grade wax on the pre-climacteric life and sensory qualities of four plantain varieties...

Author(s): I. Sugri, J. C. Norman, I. Egyir and P. N. T. Johnson

October 2010

Optimisation of protoplast isolation protocols using in vitro leaves of Dendrobium crumenatum (pigeon orchid)

Protoplast isolation from in vitro leaves of Dendrobium crumenatum was carried out. Factors affecting protoplast isolation, sorbitol concentration, enzyme combinations and concentration and incubation time for isolation were studied. Results obtained showed that 0.5 M sorbitol was the most effective concentration to isolate the protoplast (25.62×104 protoplasts/g FW). High yield of...

Author(s): Chong Siang Tee Pui Sinn Lee, Anna Ling Pick Kiong and Maziah Mahmood

October 2010

Mycoflora and nutritional components of cocoa powder samples in South West Nigeria

The production of cocoa powder (CP), the major ingredient of cocoa-based beverages, has been on the increasing trend in Nigeria without much concern for whether or not they meet the microbiological criteria for food safety. This study was, carried out to investigate the mycroflora and intrinsic factors of twenty four brands of cocoa powder samples bought from different sources in South-West Nigeria with a view to...

Author(s): Jayeola C. O. and Oluwadun A. O.

October 2010

Effect of different plant growth regulators on callus induction in Catalpa bungei

The present study describes a reliable method for callus induction of Catalpabungei plant. Calli were in vitro initiated from leaves, stem and petiole segments using DKW basal media. The effect of combinations of BA (6-benzyl adenine) and NAA (α-naphthalene acetic acid) on callus induction was investigated. It was found that growth regulators and their concentrations have obvious effects on the...

Author(s): Lin Juan, Wu Lihua, Liang jing and Wang Junhui

October 2010

Changes of the lipid peroxidation and chlorophyll amount of green bean genotypes under drought stress

One of the environmental stresses, and maybe one of these important drought stresses, cause deterioration of oxidative on the plant cell. Beans is one of the vegetables influenced by high level of drought. Drought stress deterioration effects on beans and its aim determines these effects either as been different or not caused by drought stress dependent on 10 item beans (Phaseolus...

Author(s): Fikret Yasar, Ozlem Uzal and Taylan Ozpay

October 2010

The screening wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) plants for moderate phytate content using colorimetric values of semi-grain seeds

To select wheat cultivars with moderate phytate content, in this experiment the authors found out a new method quickly screening individual plant in huge offspring. Twenty-three wheat cultivars were twice planted at two places. For one part of the seeds harvested, they randomly cut them into two semi-grain seeds one by one, the semi-grain seeds without embryos were assayed by colorimetric values in some micro-test...

Author(s): Xinglin Li, Tianjian Xiao, Dandan Wang, Jie Gao, Liming Zhang, Dong Liu, Limei Li, Fuping Lu, and Wen-Yuan Gao

October 2010

Evaluation of drought tolerance of some corn (Zea mays L.) hybrids in Iran

The effect of drought stress on yield and its components was studied on 28 new hybrids of maize along with 6 commercial control hybrids at the Khorasan Razavi Agricultural Research and Natural Resources Institute Mashhad, Iran in 2010. The study was conducted in a completely randomized block design with three replications under normal irrigation and drought stress conditions. There were significant differences among...

Author(s): Mohammad Golbashy, Mohsen Ebrahimi, Saeid Khavari Khorasani and Rajab Choukan

October 2010

Inheritance of hyper sensitive response to Striga parasitism in sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench]

Striga parasitism involves a series of events occurring beneath the soil surface. The complex nature of host/parasite interactions and the influence of environmental factors have limited our knowledge of host plant resistant mechanisms and their genetics and slowed the breeding for resistance efforts. However, the development of the new laboratory screening assays in our laboratory, have improved our understanding...

Author(s): Abdalla H. Mohamed, T. L. Housley and G. Ejeta

October 2010

Detection and identification of Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. phaseoli on bean seed collected in Serbia

Laboratory assays were conducted to detect and identify Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. phaseoli on bean seeds collected from naturally contaminated commercial crops. Semi-selective media, viz. Xanthomonas campestris pv. phaseoli agar and milk tween agar were used to detect the bacterium from whole bean seed extract. Colonies of the bacterium were yellow, mucoid and convex on these media...

Author(s): Tatjana Popović, Jelica Balaž, Zorica Nikolić, Mira Starović, Veljko Gavrilović, Goran Aleksić, Mirjana Vasić and Svetlana Živković  

October 2010

Organic and inorganic carbon stocks and balance of Adana city soils in Turkey

Carbon stocks are calculated between from 0 - 100 cm depths of Adana great soil groups (GSG). Total carbon stock is 567.19 Tg in 0 - 100 cm, 168.37 Tg of which is organic carbon (OC) and 398.83 Tg of which is inorganic carbon (IC). While 77.81% of soil organic carbon consists of alluvial, brown and non-calcareous brown forest soils, 59.77% of soil inorganic carbon (SIC) consists of alluvial, colluvial and brown forest...

Author(s): E. Sakin, A. Deliboran, E. D. Sakin and E. Tutar

October 2010

Antifungal activity of an antibiotic produced by a newly isolated bacterium

A newly isolated bacterium as well as its antibiotic had a potent antifungal activity. The antifungal activities of this bacterium against eight plant pathogenic fungi had been assessed. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MICs) for the antibiotic against eight plant pathogenic fungi had also been determined. The results show that...

Author(s): Chen-Xiaoxi

October 2010

Smallholder dairy production in Southern Vietnam: Production, management and milk quality problems

  The aim of this study was to investigate the prerequisites for dairy production at smallholder farms in Southern Vietnam and to identify the strengths and weaknesses in management at farm level. Data on milk production, management routines and heat stress were collected during farmer interviews and field observations on 120 smallholder dairy farms. Individual milk samples were taken from 360 cows. The average...

Author(s): Vo Lam, Ewa Wredle, Nguyen The Thao, Ngo Van Man and Kerstin Svennersten-Sjaunja