2647 research outputs found
Sort by
Farmers’ Participatory Plant Selection of Lablab (Lablab purpureus (L.) Sweet) in Tanzania
Get PDFThis research article was published by Frontiers in Plant Science in 2022Farmer-participatory breeding approach is an important component in the crop
improvement of lablab (Lablab purpureus (L.) Sweet). The study was carried out to
obtain the knowledge, practices and preferences of lablab through 31 lablab growing farmers from Arusha, Kondoa, Karatu, Same and Babati districts of Tanzania toward
initiating a lablab breeding program. Semi-structured questionnaires were administered
and focused group discussions were held to collect data on the socio-demographic
factors, production practices, constraints and farmer’s preferred traits of lablab.
Selection of preferred traits and accessions was also done by the farmers in the field.
Results showed that the chief constraints of lablab production are pests and diseases,
poor marketability, low seed quality, inadequate rainfall, expensive agrochemicals, low
yield, and poor storage facilities. The major pests are pod borer (field) and bruchids
(storage). Preferred traits for lablab improvement include the development of insect
pests and disease-resistant varieties, early maturing, high yield, black colored seed for
market, short cooking time, and dense foliage. Genotypes EK2, D360, HA4, and D96
with preferred traits were identified by farmers, which forms critical decisions in crop
improvement. This study describes the current view of lablab production and generates
the understanding of farmers’ perceptions and preferences vital for breeding priorities
and programs to increase its production, utilization and consumption
Pathogenicity and Approaches for Management of Anthracnose in Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) in Africa
Get PDFThis research article was published by INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURE & BIOLOGY in 2022Common bean plays significant role for human health globally and consumption of common bean is high in Africa as
compared to other regions of the world. Despite common bean’s potential in Africa, productivity remains low due to
diseases, drought and poor crop management. Anthracnose disease plays major role in reducing common bean grain yield
in Africa. It is caused by seed-borne fungal pathogen Colletotrichum lindemuthianum leading to 100% yield loss. Limited
and fragmented information on fungal infection, pathogenicity and management of common bean anthracnose in Africa
affects decisions regarding anthracnose management. This review has been produced to collect information regarding
anthracnose disease and its management in beans in Africa, which will be of great value to bean stakeholders. C.
lindemuthianum can survive up to five years in infected seeds. During this time, seed is the main source of inoculum,
infection and transmission of pathogen to new locations. Other sources and mechanisms of transmission include infected
residues, farm tools, water, wind, and disturbance of moist foliage by animals, insects and people. Anthracnose is a
hemibiotrophic pathogen, first establishing biotrophic interactions with common bean plant before switching to
necrotrophism, causing significant yield loss. Mechanical force, chemical weapons, toxins and growth regulators facilitate
pathogenesis. Use of anthracnose-resistant varieties is recommended to control common bean anthracnose followed by
integrated anthracnose management. Future research in Africa should focus on why farmers rely heavily on local bean
cultivars as seed and should use tricot as tool to screen anthracnose-resistant varieties and evaluate anthracnose
management options for increased productivity, nutrition and income
Performance Comparison of Ensemble Learning and Supervised Algorithms in Classifying Multi-label Network Traffic Flow
Get PDFA research article was published by Engineering, Technology & Applied Science Research (ETASR) Volume: 12 | Issue: 3 |June 2022Network traffic classification is of significant importance. It helps identify network anomalies and assists in taking measures to avoid them. However, classifying network traffic correctly is a challenging task. This study aims to compare ensemble learning methods with normal supervised classification to come up with improved classification methods. Three types of network traffic were classified (Benign, Malicious, and Outliers). The data were collected experimentally by using Paessler Router Traffic Grapher software and online and were analyzed by R software. The datasets were used to train five supervised models (k-nearest neighbors, mixture discriminant analysis, Naïve Bayes, C5.0 classification model, and regularized discriminant analysis). The models were trained by 70% of the samples and the rest 30% were used for validation. The same samples were used separately in predicting individual accuracy. The results were compared to the ensemble learning models which were built with the use of the same datasets. Among the five supervised classifiers, k-nearest neighbors and C5.0 classification scored the highest accuracy of 0.868 and 0.761. The ensemble learning classifiers Bagging (Random Forest) and Boosting (eXtreme Gradient Boosting) had accuracy of 0.904 and 0.902 respectively. The results show that the ensemble learning method has higher accuracy compared to the normal supervised classifiers. Therefore, it can be used to detect malicious activities in network traffic as well as anomalies with improved accuracy
Community-based methods of using goldenberry (Physalis peruviana L.) for managing Salmonella typhi
Get PDFThis research article was published in International Journal of Biosciences, Volume 21, 2022.Physalis peruviana has been used for the treatment of bacterial, fungal, protozoan, and viral infections. The purpose of this study was to establish knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding the ethnobotanical value of goldenberry plants in the treatment of infections. The study was conducted between April and June 2021 in five villages in the Mbeya Rural District, Tanzania. Through focused group discussion and structured questionnaires, the information was collected from 15 traditional healers and 93 household members. All data was analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The overall survey revealed that the leaves of the plant are used for typhoid fever treatment. The methods for plant preparation include boiling of leaves (33.3% and 29.8% for traditional healers and household members, respectively) and soaking of ground leaves in cold or hot water (66.7% and 70.2% for traditional healers and household members, respectively). Therefore, among the two methods, soaking leaves in water is preferable compared to boiling because it works better in terms of disease treatment. According to key informants, the differences in efficacy between the two methods could be due to the loss of some phytochemical compounds during boiling, which might be effective against the disease-causing agent. The differences in efficacy provide access for further research, especially in finding out which compounds might be effective against the disease might be present in Physalis peruviana leaves
Mathematical models for aflatoxin contamination in crops, livestock and humans: A review
Get PDFA research article was submitted to Communications in Mathematical Biology and Neuroscience volume 2022, 2022Aflatoxin is among the highest-threatening food contaminants as it affects both the health of consumers and the entire value chain. Researchers are of the view that aflatoxin contamination will increase due to the impacts of climate change. This study aimed to review studies on modelling the impacts of climate change on aflatoxin contamination to gain a deeper understanding of the progress achieved, methodologies used and potential gaps or opportunities for further studies. A critical analysis of the available literature revealed that aflatoxin contamination is a spatial-temporal phenomenon as it depends on both location and time. In many regions, data unavailability has been an obstacle in developing predictive models. We note that it is necessary for each region to have their own models according to the crop, soil characteristics and projected climate of the given area for better and more accurate results. Future studies should focus on the first; surveillance of susceptible crops and gathering of aflatoxin contamination data. Second, developing models to assess the aflatoxin contamination risk due to projected climate change, soil properties, and crop characteristics so that proper strategies can be adopted. Third, laboratory experimental results must be validated in fields to increase their usability
Ethnobotany of Oyster nut ( Telfairia pedata) in Northern Tanzania
Get PDFThis research article was published in Journal of Biodiversity and Environmental Sciences, Volume 20, 2022.Telfairia pedata (Sims) Hook is an important native climber plant commonly grown in East Africa. It bears nuts
which are eaten either raw or cooked and is consumed mostly by expectant mothers, and as cooking oil. The survey
was conducted between September 2019 to February 2020 in Sambaa, Meru, and Pare communities of Lushoto,
Bumbuli, Arumeru and Same Districts, Northern Tanzania to assess the ethnobotany of T. pedata from a sample of
346 respondents using semi-structured questionnaires. Results indicate that, 21% of respondents used T. pedata for
cooking with other staple foods while 18% claimed that the nuts are used by pregnant and lactating mothers for
medicinal and breast milk stimulation and nine (9) percent indicated that the nuts are used for cultural and ritual
purposes. Despite its importance, the cultivation of T. pedata in the study area is declining and the gap why such
decline is experienced needs to be answered in further studies. Secondly, respondents within the 36-50 age groups
reported the greatest diversity of uses of T. pedata 51% compared with those aged below 36 years old 21% signifying
that the traditional knowledge known by younger aged groups may be declining. Thus, this gap of traditional
knowledge between the groups should be addressed in order to improve utilization and conservation of this
seriously declining yet important nut in the study area and other places of Tanzania
Distribution and yield of trace metals from the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro to the coastal of Indian Ocean: impacts of natural and anthropogenic factors
Get PDFThis research articles was published in Journals Geochemistry 2022Cases of water related diseases due to metal pollution are increasing over the global. The condition is serious to most of developing countries as a results of industrialization and population growth. Dissolved and particulate trace elements influence drinking water, aquatic ecosystem health and climate change. Mt. Kilimanjaro is one of the sources of water and icon in Africa but miss studies on dissolved and particulate metals. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate geochemistry, distribution and yield of dissolved and particulate metals from Mt. Kilimanjaro to Indian Ocean. Surface water was sampled in rainy season and analyzed by high resolution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry in State Key Laboratory of Estuaries and Coastal Research. Health assessment revealed that level of Aluminium, iron, vanadium and Manganese in some stations were above recommended level, that can pose health impact to human and aquatic ecosystem. Correlation of Cobalt, Copper, Manganese and Vanadium with dissolved silicate, sulphate, calcium and dissolved organic carbon indicates that these elements were predominantly found in silicate, sulphide, carbonate and organic bounds. Positive relation between magnetic susceptibility with Copper and zinc reflects that magnetic susceptibility can be used as indicator of Copper and Zinc pollution. Rock weathering and anthropogenic activities were main sources of metals whereas redox reactions, pH, temperature and dissolved organic carbon were some of biogeochemical factors influencing level of metals. The basin transported more elements in particulate than dissolved form. Yield from Pangani River to Indian Ocean was lower than most of other rivers in East Africa
Caudal fin as a proxy for dorsal muscle for nutrient enrichment monitoring using stable isotope analysis: the case of Gerres filamentosus and G. oyena from mangrove creeks of Tanzania
Get PDFThis research article was published in Western Indian Ocean Journal of Marine Science, Volume 21, Issue 2, 2022.The use of fish dorsal muscles in stable isotope studies, which is an invasive method that results in fish deaths, limits their applicability for rare and endangered fish species, as well as when large sample sizes and replicates are required, prompting research into feasible non-lethal sampling methods. The possibility of employing fin clippings (a non invasive approach) was investigated as a proxy for dorsal muscle in nutrient pollution monitoring studies using two common mangrove fish species, namely Gerres filamentosus and G. oyena, which are known to spend their early life stages primarily within mangroves. The dorsal muscles and caudal fin tissues of fish from the mangrove creeks of Kunduchi and Mbegani, Tanzania, were examined for 13C and 15N signatures. Dorsal muscles from Kunduchi (mean SD: 13C = -16.8 ± 2.86, 15N = 9.34±1.15) were more enriched than from Mbegani (mean SD: 13C = -18.60 ± 2.11, 15N = 7.27±1.09), and this enrichment was consistent across the two studied species. Caudal fins indicated similar enrichment trends. Fin tissue stable isotope values explained between 62 % and 87 % of dorsal muscle 13C and between 89 % and 98 % of dorsal muscle 15N variability. These findings support the use of fin-clipping as a non-lethal proxy for stable isotope analysis of the studied species for nutrient enrichment, and additional research into non-lethal sampling methods is recommended
Prevalence, characterization and antimicrobial resistance profiles of Salmonella isolates from healthy broiler and free-range chickens in Morogoro, Tanzania
Get PDFA research article is submitted to Tanzania Journal of Health Research Volume 23, Number 1, May 2022Background: Salmonella enterica is a group of bacteria that cause enteric and systemic infection in animals
and humans worldwide.
Objectives: The study was conducted to determine the prevalence, characterization, and antimicrobial
susceptibility profiles of Non-Typhoidal Salmonella in indigenous free-range and broiler chickens in
Morogoro Municipality.
Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2019 to May 2020 whereby 384
cloaca swab samples from health chickens from Magadu, Mzinga, and Bigwa wards were collected.
Identification was done by standard bacteriological methods, serotyping, and genetically confirmed by
PCR using Salmonella specific primers pair and Salmonella enterica primer pair (invA and iroB gene primers).
A sensitivity test was done using Ampicillin, Tetracycline, Imipenem, Gentamycin, Ciprofloxacin,
Sulfamethoxazole trimethoprim, and Cefaclor antimicrobial discs. The descriptive statistic method was
used for analysis and paired t-test assuming unequal variance was used for comparing overall prevalence
of Salmonella spp between free range and broiler chickens.
Results: Out of 384 samples, 11 (2.9%) samples were confirmed to be Salmonella of which 8(4%) were from
broilers and 3(1.6%) were from free range chickens. Of the 11 isolates, 8 were from group B serotypes and
3 isolates were from group D serotypes. Susceptibility results showed a variable level of sensitivity to the
majority of antibiotics tested; however, levels of resistance were also found in 7/11 isolates resistant to
Ampicillin, 4/11 isolates resistant to sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim, and 3/11 isolates resistant to
tetracycline. Three isolates were found to harbor Sulfamethoxazole(sulII) resistant gene.
Conclusion: This study revealed the presence of Salmonella carrier among chickens kept in Morogoro with
antimicrobial resistances from both free range and broilers chickens. The results underline the importance
of the biosecurity measures in the production and processing of chicken for human consumption, similarly,
improvement of management is recommend
Effects of Carrier Materials and Storage Temperatures on the Viability and Stability of Three Biofertilizer Inoculants Obtained from Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) Rhizosphere
Get PDFThis research article was published by MDPI in 2022Biofertilizer technology continues to be derailed by the short shelf life of inoculants. The present study investigated the suitability of wheat-bran (WB), rice-husks (RH), farmyard-manure (FYM), bagasse (BG), and sawdust (SD) in the formulation of potato-derived Klebsiella grimontii (MPUS7), Serratia marcescens (NGAS9), and Citrobacter freundii (LUTT5) under refrigerated (8 °C) and room (25 ± 2 °C) storage. The physicochemical properties of the materials were assessed before sterilization and introduction of the inoculants and assessment of their viability for 8 months. Most of the physicochemical properties of the materials varied significantly (p < 0.05). Bagasse supported the maximum growth of MPUS7 (5.331 log CFU g−1) under refrigeration and LUTT5 (4.094 log CFU g−1) under both conditions. Under room storage, the maximum growth of MPUS7 (3.721 log CFU g−1) occurred in WB. Formulations that remained viable under room storage can easily be integrated into existing agricultural distribution systems that lack refrigeration