Archives of Agriculture and Environmental Science
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Factors affecting the knowledge of vegetable farmers of Chitwan and Makwanpur district over pesticide use
Get PDFA study was conducted in two districts of Nepal to determine the factors influencing the knowledge of vegetable farmers regarding pesticide use. The use of pesticides in agriculture is considered necessary but can pose significant risks if handled inadequately or impractically. The study collected data from 136 vegetable growers, with 68 farmers from each district, and also involved 5 agro vets from both districts using random sampling techniques. The findings indicated that only 13.23% of the farmers were found to wear full personal protective equipment (PPE), while 83.08% used partial PPE, and 3.67% applied pesticides without any protective gear. This finding was statistically significant at the 10% level. Among the different types of protective gear, masks were the most commonly used by the farmers. The majority of farmers (62.5%) reported being poisoned during pesticide mixing and spraying, with eye irritation being the most frequently reported symptom. Farm households that underwent training in pesticide usage and vegetable cultivation experienced a statistical enhancement of 20.6% in their knowledge. Moreover, farmers who were educated, had access to extension services, had long experience in pesticide usage, or had a history of poisoning in their farm household witnessed corresponding improvements of 9%, 18%, 2.1%, and 9.3% in their knowledge of pesticide use. The study urges agricultural organizations to implement training, promote literacy, offer extension services, and raise awareness to enhance farmers' knowledge and safety, contributing to sustainable agriculture and farmer well-being
Chemical properties and shelf life of velvet apple germplasm
Get PDFThe study was undertaken to evaluate bio-chemical properties, shelf-life determination and expansion of ripe fruits of four velvet apple germplasm. The selected germplasm were local red variety, local yellow variety, PSTU Bilati gab-1 and PSTU Bilati gab-2. Ripe fruits were collected from Germplasm Center, Patuakhali Science and Technology University (PSTU) and different locations of Patuakhali district of Bangladesh. Results expressed that maximum TSS (13.93%), vitamin-C (3.68 mg/100g), non-reducing sugar (5.15%) and total sugar (7.95%) were recorded from PSTU Bilati gab-2, the highest TA (1.30%) was found in PSTU Bilati gab-1 but highest pulp pH (7.50) and TSS to TA ratio (11.11) were recorded from local yellow variety whereas highest reducing sugar (3.17%) was recorded from local red variety. The shelf life of ripe fruit varied from 3.25 – 4.75 days where the longest shelf life was obtained from PSTU Bilati gab-2 and the shortest shelf life was recorded in local red variety. But the storability was extended more than 27 days when stored in “Refrigerator” followed by “Non-perforated polybag (NPP)” (10 days), perforated polybag (8 days) and paper bag (6 days). The firmness of fruits were decreased gradually with days but the reduction was minimized when stored in different storage condition where more firmness hold in refrigerator treatment followed by NPP. Similarly, the weight loss was controlled in refrigerator followed by NPP treatment. The results of the experiments revealed that PSTU Bilati gab-2 provides superior chemical properties among the germplasm and ‘Refrigerator’ treatment exhibited best performance among other
Evaluation of local substrates as rice straw alternatives for oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) cultivation in resource-constrained Darchula, Nepal
Get PDFOyster mushroom cultivation, though cost-effective, faces constraints due to seasonality and substrate availability. An experimental study was conducted in the resource-constrained Darchula district of Nepal from February to May 2022. The aim was to identify and recommend economically sustainable alternatives to rice straw for oyster mushroom production using local substrates in regions with limited resources. Six treatments; rice straw (T1), banana leaves and pseudostem (T2), maize cob (T3), sawdust (T4), grass (Eulaliopsis sp.) (T5), and spent mushroom substrates (T6); were employed in a completely randomized design with four replications. Statistical analysis of growth and yield parameters revealed significant results (P values ranging from P>0.001 to P>0.05) across all parameters. The maize cob treatment exhibited a shorter spawn run period (20.50 days) and the earliest pinhead formation (25 days). The highest total yield (3.14 kg) across three flushes was obtained from paddy straw, followed by T2 and T5, yielding 2.05 kg and 1.43 kg, respectively. Sawdust, despite its larger stalk (1.23 cm) and pileus diameter (7.72 cm), had the lowest production (0.63 kg). Maximum biological efficiency was recorded for T1 (139.63%), followed by T2, T5, and T3, respectively. Economically, T1 resulted in the highest gross margin per 10 kg of substrate (NRs.1845.22) and the highest B:C ratio (2.51), followed by T5 and T2. These findings highlight the promise of locally abundant substrates such as banana leaves, pseudo stems, Eulaliopsis, and maize cobs as economically viable alternatives to rice straw in regions with limited straw availability or unsuitable climates for rice cultivation
Machine learning approach to detect Land Use Land Cover (LULC) change in Chure region of Sarlahi district, Nepal
Get PDFLand Use and Land Cover (LULC) changes are major global environmental issues, affecting ecological systems, climate change, and biodiversity. The Chure region of the Sarlahi district in Nepal is a critical ecological zone that has experienced significant LULC changes in recent years. In this study, our aim was to apply a machine learning approach to detect LULC changes in the Chure region using Google Earth Engine (GEE) and the Random Forest classifier. We utilized Landsat imagery of 2007 and 2022 to generate land cover maps for each year, which were then compared to identify changes over time. The major findings of this study indicate that the forest cover in the region has increased by approximately 16% over the past 15 years, while the agriculture and built-up areas have also shown a significant increase. Conversely, the barren land and water areas have decreased. The classifier obtained an overall accuracy of 85.7% and a kappa coefficient of 81.2% for the year 2022, and an overall accuracy of 82.2% and a kappa coefficient of 76.8% for the year 2007, which demonstrates the high accuracy of the proposed approach. The use of GEE and random forest classifiers provided a cost-effective and efficient method for analysing large datasets and producing accurate LULC maps. Our findings can inform policymakers and conservationists about the need for sustainable land management practices to preserve the ecological integrity of the Chure region. The approach can be applied to other regions to monitor and manage LULC changes and support effective conservation efforts
Reproductive biology and gonadal cycle of Indian Potasi, Neotropius atherinoides (Bloch 1794) in Bangladesh
Get PDFThe present study was conducted to investigate the reproductive biology of Neotropius atherinoides in Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute, Floodplain Sub-station, Santahar, Bogura, Bangladesh. A total number of 70 fish samples were collected on monthly basis from Atrai River and Jamuna River during the period from September 2021 to August 2022. The highest mean value of the gonado-somatic index (GSI) was recorded in July (12.55±2.50), whereas the lowest was found in January (0.46±0.11). Highest individual fecundity (7000±1900) and ova diameter (0.50±0.07 mm) was also observed in July. From the histological observation of the ovary, early peri-nucleolar stage, late peri-nucleolar stage, yolk vesicle stage, yolk granule stages were identified where the highest percentage (80%) of mature oocytes were observed in July. Based on the GSI, fecundity, and gonadal histology, the breeding season of N. atherinoides was observed from May to August and recorded a remarkable peak in July. In case of length weight relationship (LWR), the coefficient of determination value (r2) was found 0.95 and slope was found b=1.02 which indicated the pattern of negative allometric growth of this species as b<3. In contrast, an increase was recorded in the fecundity associated with the rise of total length, body weight, and gonad weight, showed a significant linear relationship. This study would assist in the development of induced breeding techniques and provide valuable information for the sustainable management of this population in the inland open ecosystem
Assessment of agricultural mechanization status in rice production and its challenges in the western Nepal
Get PDFThere is a difference of 45% to 55% between the attainable yield and the potential yield of rice. This gap may be due to insufficient inputs and poor mechanization status. In this regard, agricultural mechanization is of the utmost importance to obtain satisfactory yield. This study was conducted to determine mechanization level, power per unit area, probit regression, and challenges faced by farmers to understand the mechanization status in rice cultivation. For this, 98 households in the Pyuthan municipality of Pyuthan district and 87 households in the Bhimdutta municipality of Kanchanpur district were selected using a simple random sampling method. The highest mechanization level was found in the main field tillage (90.92%), followed by threshing (85.24%), the seedbed tillage (52.42%), and irrigation (20.10%). Mechanization is lacking in transplantation, bund preparation, fertilizer application, weeding, and harvesting. Power per unit area was found to be 4.67 hp/ha. Age and family size have a negative impact while male household heads have a positive impact on mechanized tillage and threshing, both statistically significant at a 5% level. The unavailability of farm machinery and land fragmentation were the major challenges in the adoption of farm mechanization. The mechanization status in the study areas is not satisfactory, thus, the strict policy against land fragmentation, dissemination of extension services at the grass root level, and the provision of subsidies for required farm machinery could help the improvement of mechanization status in rice production in Nepal
Efficacy of various botanical pesticides against leaf eating caterpillar (Artona chorista Jordan) on large cardamom (Amomum subulatum Roxb.) field of Sankhuwasabha District, Nepal
Get PDFFour treatments (Dadaguard Plus (0.05%), mugwort (Titepati) Oil (0.05%), azadiractin (Neem) Oil (0.25%), and tobacco extract (1%) of different botanicals and an absolute control) were evaluated in a field experiment against a lepidopteran pest, the leaf eating caterpillar infesting large cardamom, in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with an area of 4.2× 3.88 m2 in each experimental unit having 5 treatments with 4 replications at Khandbari, Sankhuwasabha, Nepal. Leaf-eating caterpillars cause a white papery thin epidermis-like structure at the primary stage and defoliation of the plant, leaving the midrib of the leaves, symptoms at the severe stage. Treatment-wise application of botanicals was done by using a high-volume knapsack sprayer, and the number of larvae per plant was counted at different time intervals, viz., 3, 5, and 7 days after spraying (DAS), to access the effectiveness of the treatments. The botanical pesticides caused significant differences in their effects against the leaf-eating caterpillar. Among the different botanicals, Dadaguard Plus (0.05 %) was found highly effective in managing the leaf-eating caterpillar in large cardamom, followed by neem oil (0.25%), tobacco extract (1%), titepati oil (0.05%), and untreated control, respectively. Dadaguard could be considered an effective botanical in the successful management of the pest leaf eating caterpillar due to its efficacy.
Effects of Brewery Spent Grain (BSG) included poultry diet on growth performance and meat quality of New Hampshire chicken
Get PDFAn experiment was conducted to evaluate the inclusion effects of Dried Brewery Spent Grain (DBSG) to know its effect on growth performance and meat quality on poultry. Completely randomized design was used to compare the treatments in five replications. The treatments used were 15% DBSG (T1), 20% DBSG (T2), 25% DBSG (T3), Commercial feed (T4) and (0% DBSG) scavenging bird was used as a control. Each treatment contained 10 birds including 200 chickens in the whole investigation. The major factors body weight, carcasses and organs weight, cholesterol, total protein, albumin, and calcium were evaluated. Results showed that mean body weight of the experimental bird after 60 days was not significantly different (p>0.05) among the dietary treatments, i.e., T1 (781.46 g), T2 (738.36 g), T3 (728.91 g) and T4 (753.38 g). Carcass, breast muscle, thigh, wing, shank, liver and spleen were not significantly different (p>0.05) in weight between DBSG included diet and commercial feed. However, dressing percentage (59.3%) of T4 and gizzard (43.20 gm.) in T3 was significantly higher than other treatments. The significantly higher (p<0.05) amount of cholesterol found in T4 (312.01 mg/dl) followed by control diet (239.46 mg/dl), both of which were above than reference range (129-297 mg/dl). However, in other treatments i.e., T1, T2 and T3, the cholesterol content was in between the reference range. Similarly, same level (p>0.05) of total protein, albumin and calcium content in blood serum observed in BSG included diet and commercial diet. Hence, 15% to 20% inclusion of BSG could be the optimum level in diets of New Hampshire chickens
Different stocking densities and species combinations effects the growth and production in carp polyculture
Get PDFA comparative experiment was undertaken to assess the effectiveness of different carp species i.e., Rohu (Labeo rohita), Catla (Catla catla), Mrigal (Cirrhinus cirrhosus), and Silver Carp (Hypophthalmicthys molitrix) with variable stocking densities. Three treatments each with three replicates were maintained and the stocking densities of carps were 40, 80, and 120 fish/decimal in T1, T2, and T3, respectively. The stocking ratio of Rohu, Catla, Mrigal, and Silver Carp was 2:1:2:1. The experimental diet included rice bran (25%), wheat bran (25%), fish meal (25%), and mustard oil cake (25%), with a total protein content of 28%. This dietary supplement was administered twice daily. The fish were supplemented with 5% of their body weight for the first month, 4.5% for the next three months, and 2% for the final two months. The water quality parameters i.e., pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen and transparency were measured every 14 days interval. In T1, Silver Carp obtained the highest weight (188.86±17.86g) followed by Mrigal (106.78±14.23g), Catla (74.0±3.80g), and Rohu (67.72±6.03g). In T1, Silver Carp also attained the highest length at 26.33±0.63 cm, followed by Catla at 14.40±2.10 cm, Mrigal at 14.09±0.89 cm, and Rohu at 14.07±0.59 cm, respectively. Nevertheless, both weight gain and length gain were lowest for all species in T3. The highest SGR% was found in T1 for Silver Carp (3.22±0.06), whereas the lowest SGR% was found in T3 for Catla (1.69±0.06). In addition, T2 yielded the highest production (3090.91±119.57 kg/ha), followed by T3 (2949.80±137.67 kg/ha) and T1 (2946.21± 129.00 kg/ha). The experimental findings suggest that, the stocking density of 80 fingerlings/decimal (T2) yielded the highest production in carp polyculture
Growth performance of Thai Pangus (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus) using different synthetic amino acids in plant protein based formulated diets
Get PDFAn experiment was carried out for a period of 120 days to evaluate three formulated diets among of which T1 was formulated based on animal protein, T2 was partially replaced animal protein with plant protein and adding amino acid whereas the T3 was formulated with fully plant protein with adding amino acid to assess the growth performance of Thai Pangus, Pangasionodon hypophthalmus. Each treatment had three replicates using 9 (nine) mini experimental ponds. The stocking density was 120 fish/decimal. Initially, the fish were fed twice daily at a rate of 5% of their body weight, which was progressively reduced to 2% by the end of the experiment. During the experimental period, the water quality parameters observed (temperature 26.0°C-31.5°C, pH 7.50-8.44, DO 4.30-5.94 mgL-1, ammonia-nitrogen 0.01 to 0.03 mgL-1, and total alkalinity 155-185 mgL-1) were found to be optimal and stable. The mean weight gains (WG) of Thai Pangus were 421.6±4.71 g, 407.34±1.97 g and 345.89±4.44 g for T1, T2 and T3, respectively and significantly (p<0.05) highest WG was obtained in T1 and T2 followed by T3. The specific growth rate (SGR) was found highest in T2 (2.70±0.03) followed by T1 (2.53±0.06) and T3 (2.16±0.04), respectively. The highest feed conversion ratio (FCR) was found in T1 (1.62) whereas lowest FCR obtained from T2 (1.52±0.01) followed by T3 (1.55). The protein efficiency ratio (PER) values were ranged between 2.03 and 2.13 and highest was found in T2 (2.13±0.05). The highest production was attained from T1 (13557.50±51.60 kg ha-1) followed by T2 (13227.71±50.72 kg ha-1) and T3 (11450.60±49.87 kg ha-1), respectively. The findings of this study revealed that, the partial replacement of animal protein with plant protein adding limited amino acid (lysine and methionine) exhibited the best performance on the basis of nutritive value and growth performance