Archives of Agriculture and Environmental Science
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Farmer’s perception and adaptation strategies to climate change on potato farming in Narayan Municipality of Dailekh district, Nepal
No full textThis study was aimed to assess farmer’s perceptions of climate change and their adaptations in potato farming in Dailekh District, Nepal. A total of 97 randomly selected respondents were selected for the study. Primary data was collected through focus group discussions, direct observation, semi-structured questionnaires while secondary data was collected through review of relevant literature. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, time series regression, Logit, and Seemingly Unrelated Regression model (SUR). By analyzing the farmer perception of climate change, 75.26% of the respondent experience climate change. In contrast to 84.5% farmer perceived increased temperature, 94.85% believed decrease rainfall duration with increase in rainfall intensity. The key variables determining the climate change perception of farmer were: socio-economic variables (education, farming experience, and family size) and bio-physical variables (increase in drought, change in insect pests and diseases and lack of irrigation). Based on the study, 58.76% of the farmers adopted climate adaptations. Farmers primarily adapted to climate change through changing potato variety (61.86%), adjusting planting/harvesting time (64%), changing planting method (71.13%), pest’s management, irrigation, fertilizers, and crop rotation. Logistic regression revealed higher education and attainment of training increased adaptation by 9% and 18.54%, respectively. A link was found between farmers’ perception of climate change and the implementation of some adaptation options. Thus, socioeconomic and biophysical variables have a significant association with adaptation, as well as investment in education, extension training, and access to credit, and can be considered to increase climate change adaptation to improve farmers' well-being
Morphological and genetic diversity of local Sudanese lines of snake melon (Cucumis melo var. flexuosus)
No full textSnake melon (Cucumis melo var. flexuosus), an underutilized cucurbit with nutritional and cultural significance, is widely cultivated in Sudan but lacks comprehensive morphological and genetic characterization. This study aimed to assess the morphological diversity and genetic relationships among seven Sudanese snake melon genotypes using standardized descriptors and Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Field experiments were conducted during the 2022 winter season in Khartoum North under arid-zone conditions. Both qualitative traits (fruit skin and flesh colour, shape, pubescence,) and quantitative traits (fruit number, weight, size, stem length, and node count) were recorded. Significant (p<0.05) morphological variation was observed among genotypes. Genotype HsD11644 exhibited the highest fruit weight (635.33 g), length (48.57 cm), and vegetative vigor (stem length 181.4 cm), while HsD11555, though compact (stem length 84.67 cm), produced the same number of fruits per plant (11.00) as HsD11644. PCA revealed that the first two principal components explained 97.1% of the total phenotypic variation, with PC1 (81.96%) correlating strongly with fruit size and vegetative traits, and PC2 (15.16%) with fruit number. The PCA biplot showed distinct clustering, effectively differentiating genotypes based on their trait profiles. This study provides the first integrated morphological and multivariate analysis of local snake melon lines in Sudan. The identified genetic variability will support the conservation and genetic enhancement of snake melon in Sudan and similar agro-ecological conditions
Yield performance of wheat genotypes for resistance to spot blotch caused by Bipolaris sorokiniana (Sacc.) Shoemaker
No full textSpot blotch of wheat, caused by Bipolaris sorokiniana (Sacc.) Shoemaker, is an important wheat disease in Nepal. The purpose of the study was to assess wheat genotypes for resistance to the spot blotch and their yield potential in field conditions. A field trial was conducted with 100 wheat genotypes using an alpha-lattice design with two replications, under natural conditions at the National Maize Research Program, Rampur, Chitwan, Nepal. Disease assessment was performed using both double-digit (recorded four times at eight-day intervals) and single-digit (recorded three times at three-day intervals) scales. The single-digit visual scoring for the flag and flag-1 leaves began 97 days after sowing. Genotypes were categorized based on the final disease severity of the flag leaves. The genotypes differed significantly (p<0.001) for resistance to spot blotch. Of the 100 genotypes, one (NRN35) was found moderately resistant, 19 were moderately susceptible, 60 were susceptible, and 20 were highly susceptible. The plot grain yield (482 g) of NRN35 was the second highest among genotypes. A significant negative correlation (p<0.001) between the Area under disease progress curve and yield-attributing traits was found. In addition, a strong positive correlation (r = 0.762, p<0.001) was found between the disease incidence in the flag-1 and flag leaves. This study identifies NRN35 as a promising genotype that combines moderate resistance with high yield, making it a valuable candidate for wheat improvement programs. Its performance under natural disease pressure underscores the potential for developing spot blotch-resilient varieties through strategic breeding
Ancient natural farming: Way forward to sustainability in modern agricultural practices
No full textThe modern agricultural system is directly associated to the food security to provide food materials to all on the planet earth. In this, the precision agriculture, hydroponics, aquaponics and vertical farming are most prevalent methods of modern agricultural system. It is directly dependent on the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, high yield varieties (HYVs), and modern machineries. The excess use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides contaminated and deteriorated the soil and cultivated agricultural crops. Thus, its consequences are soil, water, air pollution, reduction in the soil fertility and loss in the biological diversity, health issues due to the consumption of contaminated food items. The essential components for the sustainability in the agriculture are, fertile land, nutrients input, pest and pathogen repellents, irrigation water sources etc. Therefore, in most of the countries the farmers are looking for the natural farming (Rishi Kheti or Zero budget farming) and organic farming in place of modern agricultural system. The natural farming and organic farming is mostly dependent on the locally available resources such as panchagavya (cow milk, yogurt and ghee, cow manure, cow urine), plans based formulations, green manuring, crop rotation, mulching etc., that are beneficial for maintaining of soil health, water conservation, climate resilience and the produce are also free from contaminants and thus, beneficial for the human consumption and health. In this paper, we have discussed the essential components of ancient natural farming, organic farming and modern farming and have tried to made a comparative analysis of these farming systems
Genetic diversity and morphological characterization of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) landraces in Nepal
No full textThis study examined the genetic diversity and phenotypic characteristics of 60 wheat landraces from 24 districts across Nepal. The study was conducted at the National Agriculture Genetic Resources Centre (NAGRC) in Khumaltar, where it employed a non-replicated augmented block design to assess eight qualitative and sixteen quantitative traits based on Bioversity International descriptors. The Shannon-Weaver diversity index (H') for wheat landraces varies from 0.457 to 0.979 across qualitative traits. Tillering capacity shows the highest diversity at 0.979, and glume hairiness has the lowest diversity at 0.457. The coefficient of variation (CV) for the quantitative traits of wheat landraces varied widely; percentages ranged from 7.58% for days of heading, suggesting relatively low variability, to 36.56% for spike exertion, indicating high variability among the samples. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) with an eigenvalue greater than 1 revealed that five principal components accounted for 70.95% of the variability, with traits like plant height and spike exertion playing pivotal roles in genotype differentiation. A dendrogram generated using a UPGMA clustering approach organized the landraces into two groups. Cluster-I consists of 56 accessions (93.33%), and Cluster–II consist of 4 Accessions (6.67%) separated by 2374.99, indicating phenotypic differentiation between the groups. These findings underscore the importance of targeted breeding programs based on specific trait performance, supported by further correlation analysis to identify optimal characteristics for breeding. This research highlights the need to continue evaluating these landraces through environmental trials and biotechnological approaches to fully capitalize on their genetic potential for improving wheat cultivation
In vitro comparative toxicity of chemical insecticides and botanicals against ladybird beetle (Micraspis discolor F.) in Nepal
No full textMicraspis discolor F. is the most abundant ladybird beetle in rice crop ecosystems and an effective natural predator of several economically significant agricultural pests. However, the widespread use of non-selective insecticides has disrupted natural enemy populations, highlighting the need for safer alternatives to integrate into pest management strategies. Limited research exists on the toxicity of commercial and bio-rational insecticides on beneficial insects. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the toxicity of various insecticides and botanicals in a laboratory setting to determine which pesticide is safest for M. discolor and to assess its mortality. The experiment followed a completely randomized design with five treatments: Azadirachtin 0.03% EC, garlic extract, Dimethoate 30% EC, Chlorpyrifos 50% EC + Cypermethrin 5% EC, and a control, each replicated five times. Mortality rates were recorded at 24, 48, and 72 hours’ post-exposure. The results showed that M. discolor was significantly affected by Chlorpyrifos 50% EC + Cypermethrin 5% EC, which caused the highest mortality (86%) after 72 hours, followed by Dimethoate (74%). Among the tested substances, garlic extract was the safest, with a mortality rate of 54%, although still higher than the control, which exhibited no mortality. These findings highlight the potential of botanical extracts as safer alternatives for pest management, aiding in the conservation of beneficial insect populations. Furthermore, in order to promote sustainable agriculture, future research should concentrate on developing safer substitutes that reduce damage to pollinators, parasitoids, and natural predators while preserving efficient pest control
Integrated nutrient management for watermelon (Citrullus lanatus Thunb) cultivation in Rapti riverbed, Dang, Nepal
No full textA field experiment was conducted at riverbed of Rapti River, Dang, Nepal from January to June, 2019 to assess the integrated nutrients management (INM) for watermelon cultivation at riverbed. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications and eight treatments (compost manure + chemical fertilizer, vermicompost + chemical fertilizer, neem seedcake powder+ chemical fertilizer, poultry manure+ chemical fertilizer, cattle manure+ chemical fertilizer, 100% from chemical fertilizer alone, control, and farmers practice).“Mastana” variety of watermelon was used for evaluating various combination of organic and inorganic fertilizer for yield, nutrient uptake and residual soil nutrient status. Among these treatments, neem seedcake powder (55 N kgha-1) + N, P2O, K2O (55:40:40 kgha-1) from inorganic fertilizer was better with growth parameters such as vine length, number of branches, number of leaves and yield parameters like fruit weight/plant and yield (tha-1) than other treatments and significantly superior to control plot. Effect of INM on soil parameters like soil pH, total nitrogen (%), available phosphorus (kgha-1) and available potassium (kgha-1) at 0-20 and 20-50 cm depth and organic manure (%) at soil depth 20-50 cm were non-significant. The organic manure content at 0-20 cm depth was highest when neem seedcake powder+ chemical fertilizer was applied which was statistically similar with other treatments of INM but significantly higher than full dose of NPK from chemical fertilizer and control. Therefore, integration of neem seedcake powder (55N kgha-1) with chemical fertilizer NPK (55: 40: 40 kgha-1) would be best fitted for watermelon, in riverbed cultivation
Evaluation of yield and agronomic traits of spring rice (Oryza sativa L.) genotypes in sub-tropical zone of Sunsari, Nepal
No full textRice is a high-value economic crop and a primary food source for a large portion of the global population. Enhancing its potential yield is crucial to meet the growing food demands driven by population increase and changing climatic conditions. This research work was aimed to evaluate the phenological, morphological, and yield-contributing characters of seven genotypes of rice, a check variety (Chaite-5), under the prevailing spring season conditions to choose good genotypes with better productivity for potential cultivation in such agro-climatic regions. The experiment was conducted in spring season during the year 2024 under a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications on the research farm. Phenological, morphological, and yield traits like yield, biomass production, harvest index, grains/spike, and sterility percentage were taken into consideration. Statistical analysis with correlation coefficients was carried out to ascertain the relationship between traits and grain yield. The results revealed significant (p<0.05) genetic variability among the genotypes. Among them, IR 17L 1420 was recorded with highest biomass and grain yield, while IR 16L 1619 exhibited the highest harvest index of rice. In contrast, the check variety Chaite-5 demonstrated lower productivity and higher sterility. Correlation analysis showed significant and positive relationships between grain yield and traits such as biomass, harvest index, and grains per spike of rice. These findings suggest that selecting genotypes with high biomass, superior harvest index, and low sterility rates could effectively enhance rice productivity. The study provides valuable insights for rice breeding programs and cultivar improvement under spring-season cultivation conditions
Environmental factors affecting Trichoderma spp. and their biocontrol potential in post-harvest disease management
No full textTrichoderma species are filamentous fungi inhabiting soil environments and employed in agriculture due to their capacity to enhance plant growth, disease resistance, and tolerance to adverse environmental conditions. This research aimed to examine the influence of NaCl concentration, temperature, pH, and photoperiodicity on the growth of four Trichoderma species, and to evaluate the potential of Trichoderma spp. as a biological control agent against five post-harvest fungal pathogens under laboratory conditions. Mycelial growth of Trichoderma species exhibited a negative correlation with salinity. Maximum growth rates (4.35-4.59 cm) were observed at control salinity (0 µM). Potato Dextrose Agar media consistently supported significantly (p ≤ 0.05) higher mycelial growth (4.33-4.35 cm) than Malt Extract Agar, Carrot Agar, and Komada for all Trichoderma species. The optimal temperature for mycelial growth of Trichoderma spp. ranged from 25-30°C, with maximum growth rates of 4.12-4.40 cm. Temperatures below 20°C and above 35°C resulted in substantial growth reduction, demonstrating temperature's critical influence on mycelial development. Besides, the optimal pH for mycelial growth of Trichoderma spp. ranged from 5 to 7, with maximum growth rates of 4.12-4.43 cm. Mycelial growth of Trichoderma spp. was significantly enhanced under a 12-hour light/dark cycle (4.33-4.43 cm) compared to continuous light (2.24-2.79 cm) and continuous darkness (2.28-2.56 cm) conditions. Therefore, Trichoderma spp. treatments significantly inhibited the mycelial growth of five fungal pathogens compared to the control group, among them, T. koningii demonstrated the highest level of inhibition, ranging from 0.28 cm (B. cinerea) to 1.65 cm (A. niger)
Comparative analysis of microbial contamination in vegetables sourced from farms, markets and street vendors in cape coast, Ghana
No full textSafety of fresh vegetables has become a critical public health concern, especially in urban centers where contamination can occur at multiple points along the food supply chain. This study enumerated the microbial load of some selected vegetables (lettuce, cabbage, green pepper, and carrot) collected from farms, markets, and street food vendors within the Cape Coast metropolis. A total of 24 fresh vegetables were conveniently sampled from 3 locations and analyzed for certain microbial contaminants such as Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella species. Standard microbial techniques were used for the culture and identification of the selected microbes. Results showed E. coli counts ranged from 4.53 log10 CFUg-1 (UCCSM-L) to 2.23 log10 CFUg-1 (UCCBV-L) while S. aureu ranged from 3.68 log10 CFUg-1 (UCCBV-L) to 0 log10 CFUg-1 with six of the samples recording the least count. Aerobic Mesophilic counts ranged from 3.23 to 6.72 log10 CFUg-1. Salmonella species were present in 16.67% samples, while L. monocytogenes was absent in all samples. The cabbage, carrot and lettuce samples collected from the Cape Coast Metropolis had high microbial loads followed by green pepper samples. Therefore, the detection of pathogenic microorganisms such as E. coli, S. aureus, and Salmonella spp. underscores a serious public health concern. The presence of these pathogens suggests poor hygienic practices during transport and vending of these vegetables