African Journal of
Agricultural Research

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Agric. Res.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1991-637X
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJAR
  • Start Year: 2006
  • Published Articles: 6894

Table of Content: January, 2020; 15(1)

January 2020

Management strategies for the noxious invasive parthenium weed (Parthenium hysterophorus L.) in Uganda

Parthenium weed is a noxious invasive species that has negative effects on agriculture and also causes allergic reactions in humans. The goal of this study was to evaluate several management strategies for parthenium weed and assess the suitability of each control measure for farmers, and other stakeholders in Uganda. Field experiments were conducted in a completely randomized design, and the quadrat sampling method...

Author(s): Martha Ibore Natukunda, Kevin Natukunda, Gerald Kyeyune, Sharon Mbabazi Tusiime, Isaac Agbemafle and Jenipher Bisikwa  

January 2020

Evaluation of the pH of solid residues generated in the cellulose industry adequate to the sludge hygienization for use in agriculture

This paper looks into the possibility of using solid residues generated in the cellulose production process to hygienize sewage sludge for fertilization. During the cellulose fabrication process, dregs, grits and vegetable biomass ashes are generated. Seven experiments were conducted in the Hydraulic Research Institute´s laboratory at UFRGS, in order to determine the pH values of the three residues in...

Author(s): Saidelamine Abibe Mahadal and Gino Roberto Gehling  

January 2020

Sources of productivity growth in Ethiopian agriculture

In Ethiopia, agricultural production and productivity are very low, and hence increase in production and productivity are vital to meet increasing food demand.  This study identifies and quantifies the main sources of productivity growth in Ethiopian agriculture using the translog (TL) stochastic input distance function and the Ethiopian Rural Household Survey (ERHS) panel dataset. The true fixed effects (TFE)...

Author(s): Anbes Tenaye  

January 2020

Economic assessment of biological weed control using cover crop mixtures in maize production

The economics of using mixtures of  a vegetable cowpea, Vigna unguiculata subsp. sesquipedalis L., known locally as ‘Akidi’ (A) in Eastern Nigeria, melon (M) and sweet potato (S) Ipomea batatas  for weed management in maize were evaluated  between 2007 and  2009 in Taraba State, College of Agriculture Teaching and Research Farm, Jalingo, Treatments include 20,000(1), 30,000(2) and...

Author(s): Chukudi Goddey Michael  

January 2020

Yield responses of bush bean varieties to different planting densities and rates of phosphorous fertilizer

Common bean is commonly grown by smallholder farmers under quite diverse farming systems and it is for both food security and income generation. The impact of plant density is important to bean growers for yield optimization and the inadequate source of phosphorus leads to low productivity due to its significant in growth and development. This study focused on determining optimal spacing of different bush bean varieties...

Author(s): Deodatus Stanley Kiriba, John Wilfred Msaky, Nestory Shida Mahenge, Samwel Paul, Godfrey Adolph Kessy, Edith Kadeghe and Papias Hongera Binagwa,  

January 2020

Expression profile of sex steroid hormone estrogen receptors (ERs) in the development of juvenile hybrid grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus ♀ × Epinephelus polyphekadion ♂)

Recognized for its traditional roles, estrogen is ever-present in all vertebrates, regulates reproduction by binding and activating estrogen receptors (ERs), and also controls several functions of vertebrates, including reproductive immune, and central nervous systems. In order to access any other possible functions of the estrogen receptors in the development of the juvenile Hybrid grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus...

Author(s): Eric Amenyogbe, Gang Chen, Zhongliang Wang, JianSheng Huang, Xiaoying Lu, Mingde Lin, and Zhi Xiong Guo,  

January 2020

Evaluation of yield and yield components of low n maize (zea mays l.) varieties under low and high nitrogen conditions

Field studies were conducted at the teaching and research farm of the Osun State University Ejigbo Campus, Osun State, Nigeria, during the 2015 and 2016 cropping seasons to determine the agronomic performance of low N maize varieties under two nitrogen conditions (low and high). The aim of this experiment was to determine the response of low N maize to two levels of nitrogen fertilizer. Ten low N maize varieties were...

Author(s): M. S. Afolabi, M. A. Murtadha, W. A. Lamidi, J. A. Abdul Waheed, A. E Salami and O. B. Bello  

January 2020

Molecular profiling of growth hormone in the juvenile hybrid grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus ♀× Epinephelus polyphekadion ♂)

Many factors contribute to the underdevelopment of oceanic aquaculture. The most significant factor of the development of hybrid grouper culture is the supply of satisfactory quantities of fast growing juveniles to stock grow-out systems at a minimized cost. In order to evaluate the growth hormone status of hybrid grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus â™€× Epinephelus polyphekadion ♂), cDNA encoding growth hormone...

Author(s): Eric Amenyogbe, Gang Chen,  Jian Sheng Huang, and Zhongliang Wang,  

January 2020

Screening of chickpea genotypes for resistance to Fusarium wilt (Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. ciceris) under field conditions in Ethiopia

Fusarium wilt is one of the economical important vascular root diseases affecting chickpea. A total of 427 chickpea germplasms were grouped into two types, desi type (385) and kabuli. 42 genotypes were evaluated to identify fusarium wilt resistant sources in Debre Zeit sick plot under natural infected field. The genotypes were grown in 2017/18 main cropping season and augmented design was used without replications;...

Author(s): Asrat Zewdie and Tolesa Bedasa  

January 2020

Productivity impact of growth enhancement support scheme on maize farm households in Kano State, Nigeria

In Nigeria, farmers depend on government support for farm inputs in form of subsidies to improve farmers productivity and food security. In this article, the productivity impact of the Growth Enhancement Support Scheme (GESS) farm input subsidy support program that was  implemented in 2011. The study employs a two-stage probability design with stratification was used to collect household survey data from 390...

Author(s): Tiri G. D., Mlay G. I. and Roselyne A.  

January 2020

Screening of sesame genotypes for resistance against Fusarium wilt pathogen

Fusarium wilt is one of the most devastating diseases in sesame production in Uganda, caused by a fungus called Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. sesami. Its incidence ranges from 17.1 to 73.3%. Some sesame genotypes have been reported to resist Fusarium wilt; however, have not been precisely determined. In this study, 30 sesame genotypes that included released varieties, improved elite breeding lines and introductions were...

Author(s): Z. S. Ngamba, G. Tusiime, P. Gibson, R. Edema, M. Biruma, W. O. Anyanga, P. A. L. Masawe and E. Kafiriti  

January 2020

Management of the legume pod borer Maruca vitrata Fabricius (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) with field applications of the entomopathogenic fungus, Beauveria bassiana and a mixed formulation of the baculovirus MaviMNPV with emulsifiable neem oil

The present study assessed the effectiveness of the entomopathogen fungus Beauveria bassiana in comparison with neem oil combined with the baculovirus MaviMNPV and a synthetic insecticide deltamethrin for the control of Maruca vitrata Fabricius under field conditions. The trial was conducted in six villages at Glazoue and Djakotomey, two districts in Benin. Four treatments consisting of (1) untreated control, (2) neem +...

Author(s): Joelle Toffa Mehinto, Yeyinou Laura Estelle Loko, Ouorou Kobi Douro Kpindou, Elie Ayitondji Dannon, Karimou Zanzana, Parfait Kassa, Appolinaire Adandonon  and Manuele Tamò  

January 2020

Relationship between fruit fly (Diptera: Tephritidae) infestation and the physicochemical changes in fresh fruits

Infestation of fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) causes physical and chemical changes in fresh fruit. Moreover, each species of fruit may react differently to the injuries caused by oviposition and larva feeding. In this study, we associated fruit fly infestation with physicochemical changes in five fruit species during six storage times. Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) infestation caused change in peel firmness (PEF),...

Author(s): Léo Rodrigo Ferreira Louzeiro, Miguel Francisco de Souza-Filho, Adalton Raga and Flávio Luís Schmidt  

January 2020

Inclusion of Sargassum muticum and Parkia biglobosa in diets for African Catfish (Clarias gariepinus) elevates feed utilization, growth and immune parameters

The use of antimicrobial agents and antibiotics as remedial measures against fish diseases has been questioned. The huge amounts of antibiotics used in animal husbandry has exerted a very strong selection pressure on the resistance among bacteria, which have adapted to this situation, mainly by a horizontal and philandering flow of resistance genes. Prebiotics, probiotics and symbiotics have been proposed as strategic...

Author(s): Abdul-Malik Abdul-Qadir, Aliyu-Paiko Mohammed, Kabir Mohammed Adamu and Aliyu-Abdullahi Abdulraheem

January 2020

Factors affecting adoption of dairy cattle milk production technologies in Mosop Sub County, Nandi County, Kenya

The study was carried out with the specific objective of analyzing the socio-economic factors affecting adoption of dairy cattle milk production technologies by smallholder dairy farmers in Mosop Sub County, Nandi County, Kenya. The study was guided by Innovation Diffusion Theory and descriptive research design was used. Cluster sampling and simple random sampling techniques were used to collect data from a sample of...

Author(s): Job K. Kosgei, Elijah K. Ng’eno and Joash K. Kibett