Asian Journal of Advances in Agricultural Research
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Social and Productive Indicators of Forage Palm and the Survival of Livestock Activity in the Semi-arid Region of Northeastern Brazil
No full textThe importance of the cultivation of forage palm (Opuntia fícus indica Mill) for the agriculturalists of the semi-arid region of Northeast of Brazil, in particular the one of the State of Paraiba, is due to its adaptability to the environmental conditions, especially, in the dry period, since it is the only alternative to feed the herd in most of the localities of this region. The plague of carmine cochineal (Dactylopius opuntiae) has been decimating the planting of this important forage in the intermediate geographic region of Campina Grande, Paraiba, Brazil. In view of this, it was necessary to carry out a quantitative and/or qualitative diagnosis of the areas cultivated with the traditional palm (giant cultivar) and its revitalization, with the introduction of new varieties resistant to this pest, in four localities of this region, these determinations being the main objectives. The territorial cut included about fifty farms in the four localities, being geo referenced using GPS and satellite imagery from Google Earth. The diagnosis consisted of the application of structured and semi-structured questionnaires, interviews and in loco observations. Data analyzes were performed using statistical distributions of measures of central, dispersion and frequency trends. The main results indicated that forage palm in the semi-arid state of Paraiba, Brazil, is the main or only source of food for ruminants. Carmine cochineal (Dactylopius opuntiae) decimated traditional palm varieties and the only alternative was to discard part of the herd and reduce livestock activity. The levels of infestation of carmine cochineal and destruction of palms are of the order of 90%. The program of revitalization of traditional palm cultivation by clams resistant to carmine cochineal has been the alternative for the continuity of livestock activity in this region, although there is a contribution of drought
Genetic Divergence and Heritability Study of Some NERICA Mutant Lines and Their Parents Using Microsatellites Marker and Morphological Traits in Rice
No full textNew Rice of Africa (NERICA) is drought tolerant and early maturing inter specific rice variety which was introduced in Bangladesh from Uganda in 2009. But the field record of NERICA was not very promising. In order to develop NERICA varieties suitable for agro-climatic conditions of Bangladesh different variations in yield contributing characters are required.In the experiment, physical mutagen treated (250, 300 and 350 Gy Gamma-rays) 18 NERICA mutant lines were selected from M4 to M5 generations along with 3 parents (NERICA-1, NERICA-4, NERICA-10) for morphological and molecular evaluation in orderto identify desired mutant linesusing 12 yield attributing characters and 3 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. We also estimated heritability, genetic advance and correlation among the studied morphological traits to identify besttraits based on which further selection could be made. Pearson’s correlation co-efficient of 12 morphological traits indicated that yield per plant had significant positive correlation with the number of tiller, number of effective tiller, panicle length, number of filled grainsper panicle and 1000 grain weight but negative correlation with Plant height and days to maturity. Broad sense heritability ( ) ranged from 71% to 99% while genetic advances in percent mean (GA%) varied from 10% to 60%. Yield per plant, unfilled grains per panicle, number of total tiller, number of effective tiller showed high heritability along with genetic advance as percent of the mean (GA%) value. A total of 24 alleles were detected by 3 SSR markers. The mean gene diversity and Polymorphism Information Content (PIC) values was 0.821 and 0.797, respectively. Dendrogram constructed based on SSR markers clustered the genotypes into six distinct clusters. Combining molecular and morphological evaluation data eight mutant lines, N10/300/P-2-3-5, N10/300/P-2-3-5, N10/300/P-2-3-5-2, N1/300/P-2-3-5, N1/300/P-2-3-5, N1/250/P-7-6-4-1, N10/300/P-2(1)-4-1 and N1/250/P-7-3-7-1were selected as desired mutant lines having good yield attributing characters and could be recommended for further evaluation in rice breeding program
Effect of Plant Growth Regulators on Chemical Quality Characteristics of Stored Seeds of Two Cotton Varieties
No full textCotton is grown purposely for its fiber, but products from cottonseed are also of economic importance. Cottonseed is currently the major source of edible oil and meal for livestock. Foliar applications of plant growth regulators are one of the approaches that have been employed to increase yield in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). Data about the effectiveness on the application of these PGRs on cotton production is limited. Field study was carried out in 2016 at Sanguli in the Saboba District in Ghana on a sandy loamy soil using Stam-129 and FK-37 varieties to evaluate two commercial plant growth regulators, Mepiquat chloride and Paclobutrazol, each was sprayed with 250ml/ha at two different periods 60 and 80 days after sowing. The design used for the experimental was a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with treatments replicated three times. The results obtained indicated that seed protein and oil content increased significantly (P<0.05) by the application of MC and PBZ on both varieties. The mean oil content for both Stam-129 and FK-37 variety was 21.41% and 21.28% respectively. The average carbohydrate content for Stam -129 and FK-37 variety was 26.26% and 26.87% respectively. The mean crude protein content after 30 days of storage was 28.97% and 30.01% for Stam-129 and FK-37 variety respectively. The average oil content of 21.54% and 21.51% was recorded for the Stam-129 and FK-37 variety respectively, whiles the mean carbohydrate content for Stam-129 and FK-37 variety was 26.18% and 26.59% respectively. The mean crude protein content after 60 days of storage was 28.84% and 29.95% for Stam-129 and FK-37 variety. The average oil content recorded for Stam-129 and FK-37 variety was 21.76% and 22.02% respectively, also, the mean carbohydrate content of 26.25% and 26.50% was recorded for Stam-129 and FK-37 variety. Similar observations were made in the 90 days of storage. It was concluded that foliar application of MC and PBZ at a concentration of (250ml/ha) positively enhanced the yield of cotton, seed oil, seed index, protein and carbohydrate content. However, they were a reduction in the value of lint percentage. From the findings of this study, it seems rational to recommend that foliar application of PGRs (MC and PBZ), could seed oil and protein content as compared with the ordinary agronomic practices carried out by Ghanaian cotton farmers
Honey Bee Products Marketing Practices: Challenges and Opportunities in and around Maksegnit Town, Amhara Region, Ethiopia
No full textThe study was conducted in Amhara region Maksegnit town north Gondar Ethiopia with the objective of investigating honey bee products marketing practice; opportunities and constraints. The data was collected from 40 households from four PAs by using pretested semi structure questionnaire. The collected data revealed that the major products of honey bee are honey (67.5%) and the rest (32.5%) colony itself. The major reason of keeping bees in the study area is for income source. The value obtained by ranking index revealed that middlemen, tej (a mead or honey wine) houses and retailer are the three major honey buyers with the index values of 0.30, 0.24 and 0.21, respectively. The price of honey is majorly governed by quality and color of the honey with index values of 0.4 and 0.3, respectively. The highest and the lowest price of honey in the study area was found to be 133.50 ± 6.222 and 69.25 ± 12.483 Ethiopian birr (ETB) for white and black honey, respectively. Lack of road, lack of materials for measuring the quantity of honey and the variation in the color of the honey were found to be the three major constraints of honey marketing with the index value of 0.16 of 0.143 and 0.141, respectively. The major challenge for marketing of bee colony is unavailability of organized marketing place. The Increment in number of unemployed youth, increment in price of honey and colony and the high demand of honey and colony in the area are the three major opportunities available to be engaged in beekeeping sector in the study area. To alleviate challenges of bee product and colony marketing, the government should provide important inputs and awareness should be created for the farmers
Anthelmintic Potency of Neem (Azadirachta indica) Leaf Meal on West African Dwarf (WAD) Sheep
No full textA 90-day study was conducted to determine the response of semi intensively managed West African dwarf sheep to concentrate supplement containing varying levels of neem leaf meal (NLM). Twenty (20) West African Dwarf sheep aged 5 to 6 months with an average weight of 10kg were used in a Completely Randomized Design with animals grouped into four treatments of five replicates each balanced for weight. The animals were allowed to graze on natural pastures predominantly made up of Panicum maximum in the morning with a daily supplementation of 100g concentrate diet containing varying levels of neem leaf meal at 0, 5, 10 and 15%. Blood samples were taken from the animals before the commencement of the experiment and at the end of the experiment. At the start of the experiment, faecal samples were collected from each animal to determine the faecal egg count and this was repeated once in three weeks for the 90 day experimental period. There was significant (P < 0.05) difference in the haematology indices studied with no definate pattern. The inclusion of NLM in the diets of West African Dwarf sheep significantly (P < 0.05) reduced the faecal egg counts across the treatments with a percentage reduction range of 33.38 to 88.00% for sheep on 0% and 5% NLM, respectively. This study, however, concluded that neem leaf inclusion at 5% in West African dwarf sheep’s diet had effects on the overall performance of the animals with a potential improvement in drastic reduction in faecal egg counts
Farmer’s Constraints for Vegetables Marketing in Bangladesh
No full textAgricultural produce of vegetable growers is often lost after production due to many marketing challenges which make it difficult for vegetable growers to explore full market potentials and these also reduce incentives of participation in formal (commercial) or high-value markets. The aim of the study was thus to index and analysis factors (constraints) affecting marketing of major vegetables from growers perspective. Data were collected from 113 vegetable growers, Pearson’s correlation co-efficient (r) was used to determine the relationship between the selected socio-economic characteristics of the vegetable growers and their extent of marketing constraints faced. With regard to constraints, majority (68.1%) of the respondents faced medium constraints, while 16.9% and 15% of them had low and high marketing constraints, respectively. Among eleven characteristics, growers’ training received knowledge on vegetable marketing and availability of marketing information showed significant and negative relationship with their extent of marketing constraints faced. While age, education, family member, vegetable cultivation experience, annual family income, credit availability, extension contact did not show any significant relationship with their extent of marketing constraints. Results showed that lack of access to storage facilities was ranked the most prominent constraint followed by presence of middle man, lack of market information, inadequate access roads and lack of access to credit availability and high perishability of produce. Therefore development of better infrastructure in the form of storage facilities and availability of marketing information are vital for commercialization of vegetables
Performance of Skim Goat Milk Mineral Content Subjected to the Block Freeze Concentration Process
No full textThe aim of this study was to evaluate the goat milk mineral performance concentrated by block freeze concentration process. Twenty batches of skim goat milk, each one with one liter, were subjected until the third stage of the freeze concentration process. The initial skim goat milk, concentrated, and ice fractions obtained were analyzed by calcium, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus, sodium and potassium content. Results showed that phosphorus content not increased (P < 0.05) with the increase of freeze concentration stages, for concentrated and ice fractions. In the first stage of freeze concentration process, the magnesium element showed the higher (P < 0.05) efficiency (95%). However, the higher (P < 0.05) concentration factor was determinate to calcium element in the third stage of the process. Also, it was observed an increase in the minerals contents evaluated with the increasing of freeze concentration stages of skim goat milk. Based on results obtained in the present study, the skim goat milk concentrated obtained in the first stage showed the best performance of skim goat milk mineral content concentration
Rice Production and Poverty Reduction in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State, Nigeria
No full textThe study was carried out to analyzed rice production and poverty reduction in Agatu local government area of Benue state, Nigeria. To this end, a multi-stage sampling technique was used. The first stage involved the purposive selection of five wards noted for high production of rice. Secondly, a simple random sampling was used to select twenty five respondents each from the five wards to sum up to one hundred and twenty five respondents used for the study. The analytical tools employed included simple descriptive statistics like mean, frequency distribution, percentages and tables and inferential statistics like logit regression model. The data used were from primary source and this was collected by administering of structured questionnaires to illicit information from the farmers. The results of the analysis revealed farmers to be in their active age, mostly married, males’ dominance, highly experienced and educated with large families. Annual income from rice production was significant in reducing poverty in the study area pseudo R2 value of 0.886. The overall Chi-Square value was significant at 1% level of probability, also log likelihood value of 135.27. The study recommends the need for credit to be extended to poor farmers to help stimulate their investment in order to increase their income. Farmers are also encouraged to engage in non-farm activities to raise their level of income
Effect of Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) Variety and Plant Spacing on Grain and Fodder Yield
No full textA field experiment was conducted to examine the effect of plant spacing on grain and fodder yield of four cowpeas varieties. Four cowpea varieties i.e. Asetenapa, Asomdwe, Hewale and Videza were sown with three plant spacing i.e. 30 x 15 cm, 45 x 15 cm and 60 x 15 cm at Samboligo in the Bongo District of the Upper East of Ghana. The experiment was laid in randomized complete block with four replicates in factorial fashion. Cowpea variety and plant spacing significantly influenced grain yield, 1000 seed weight, nodules per plant and plant height. Plant spacing had no significant effect on stem girth, pods per plant, pod length and seed per pods. Variety ‘Hewale’ produced the highest grain yield of 991.3 kg ha-1 while Asetenapa produced the highest fodder yield of 1025.5 kg ha-1. Interactive effect between Asomdwe and 45 x 15 cm had the highest 1000 seed weight (170.6 g) while Asetenapa and 30 x 15 cm produced the highest grain yield (1072.9 kg ha-1). Variety ‘Hewale’ is recommended for commercial grain production while Asetenapa for fodder production. Asetenapa and 30 x 15 cm combination is recommended for commercial grain production
Subclinical Mastitis Survey on Milk Composition in Dairy Sheep in Kurdistan Region of Iraq
No full textMastitis is an inflammatory condition of the mammary gland, characterized by the changes in the physical characteristics of the udder or milk. A cross sectional study was carried out in June, 2017 to December, 2018 to estimate the effect of subclinical mastitis (SCM) on milk composition in dairy sheeps in Kafri city of Kurdistan region of Iraq. Milk samples were gathered from residences of 295 sheeps with subclinical mastitis (California mastitis test (CMT) positive and somatic cell counts (SCC) >600,000 cells/ml in individual quarter foremilk), as well as from 50 healthy controls. Contrasted to the levels watched in milk from healthy quarters, milk from quarters with subclinical mastitis exhibited raised high chloride (>0.12 in contrast with <0.12 g/dl), pH (5.65 in comparison to 5.57), sodium (86.87 vs 47.81 mg/dl), albumin (4.52 in contrast with 1.75 g/dl), immunoglobulins (24.66% in comparison to 5.73%) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity (1344.14 vs 449.84 IU/L). In compare, reduced values were discovered for potassium (147.47 in comparison to 161.34 mg/dl), inorganic phosphorous (19.42 in comparison to 26.48 mg/dl), calcium (86.35 vs 121.12 mg/dl), β-lactoglobulin (30.22% in comparison to 52.18%) and α- lactalbumin (19.15% vs 24.52%). In this study, no changes were seen in blood serum LDH activity. Moreover, an increase in positive response to CMT was found to be accompanied by an almost proportionate increase in immunoglobulin values to 44.32% and reduce of α-lactalbumin levels in milk serum (p<0.01). These alterations in LDH activity, pH, mineral concentrations and protein fractions in milk of quarters display the presence of tissue injury provoked by SCM. Therefore, these parameters can be used in the diagnosis of mastitis. The current study revealed that changes of the foremilk chemical composition are connected to the subclinical mastitis; and that mastitis progression of quarters (CMT scores) influenced protein fractions in milk