Asian Journal of Agricultural and Horticultural Research
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Effect of Bagging on Quality and Shelf Life of Mango (Mangifera indica L.) cv. BARI Mango- 4
No full textThe study was conducted to manage mango pests with maintaining fruit quality through fruit bagging technology. This research was executed from April, 2019 to August, 2019 for ensuring safe mango production with minimum use of pesticides. The fruits were bagged at the age of 45 to 50 days with different types of bags. Four treatments viz: No bagging (control), Brown paper double-layered bag; White paper single-layered bag; Transparent polythene bag were included. Apparently, brown and white paper bag showed maximum fruit weight (557.90 g and 498.67g), fruit length (10.77 and 10.67 cm), fruit diameter (24.90 and 24.67 cm) and pulp weight (465 and 453 g) respectively, compared to control treatment while polythene bag gave the minimum result. Meanwhile in bagging fruit chemical parameters of ascorbic acid, reducing and non reducing sugars, total sugars, total soluble solids, percent of citric acid and β-carotene were improved over polythene bag and control. The fruit color was non-persistent in brown paper bag. The sensory attributes of color and flavor in fruits of brown bags were improved over control. Fruit retention was significantly enhanced with brown paper bag (88.67%), white paper bag (87.00%) and control (82.33%) compared to polythene bag (61.33%). Fruits with brown paper bag gave the highest shelf life up to 12.67 days with the lowest weight loss and good physical appearances as against 10.67 days of control fruits. The infestation of fruit fly also had reduced by pre-harvest fruit bagging. These results indicate that fruit bagging can enhance fruit quality and shelf life of mango cv. BARI mango-4 through reduction insect-pest attack
Arthropod Pests and Tomato Value Chain: Review of Research Cocktails in Nigeria
No full textBackground: Tomato is an essential and remunerative staple food widely grown and consumed in all parts of Nigeria. The northern parts of the country produce ninety-eighth percent of the tomatoes consumed annually. However, higher percentages of tomatoes produced in these regions are lost due to gaps recorded in its value chain.
Principal Findings: Tomato value chain needs to be strengthened from production to processing, preservation and good marketing structure. Challenges bedevilling tomato value chain in Nigeria include poor accessibility to production inputs such as seeds, nurseries, fertilizers; poor packing systems and transportation problems; marketing challenges and yield reduction caused by a complex of arthropod pests attacking the crop. The major arthropod pests inflicting economic damage on tomato include fruit borer, whitefly, aphid, thrips and leaf miners.
Interventions: Considering the Nigerian Government’s recent interventions: “close border”, increased tariffs on the importation, and different incentives such as “tax holiday” and introduction of zero percent import duty on greenhouse equipment, soft loans through Bank of Agriculture as well as a national collaborative effort against the menace of tomato leaf miner (Tuta absoluta) invasion; How much of these interjectory efforts have translated to the realization of national self-sufficiency in the tomato value chain?
Conclusion: This paper highlights the general introduction of tomato, its botany, nutritional benefits, tomato value chain in Nigeria, Nigerian government interventions towards its sustainability with particular focus on research cocktails at combating the problems of arthropod pests on the tomato to identify the probable critical solutions to these harmful pests.
 
Effects of Potassium on the Growth, Yield and Physico-chemical Properties of Three Garden Pea (Pisum sativum) Varieties
No full textAn experiment was conducted at the Horticulture Research Farm, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Dinajpur, Bangladesh during November 2015 to March 2016 to find out the effects of potassium on the growth, yield and physico-chemical properties of three garden pea (Pisum sativum) varieties. The experiment comprise three Garden pea varieties viz. V1 = IPSA Motorshuti-3, V2 = Broad Bean Master Piece and V3 = BARI Motorshuti-1 and four levels of potassium viz. K0 (Control), K1 (25 kg ha-1), K2 (50 kg ha-1) and K3 and (75 kg ha-1), respectively. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The results of the experiment reviled that K nutrition and genotypic variation significantly (p < 0.05) determined the yield of the garden pea. Different levels of potassium had significant influences on almost all the parameters studied these three varieties. Maximum plant height (166.67 cm), branches plant-1 (7.00), pods plant-1 (39.00), sugar content (15.40%) was obtained from V1K2 (IPSA Motorshuti-3 with 50 kg K2O ha-1) treatment. Whereas highest pod length (8.533 cm), pod breadth (9.47 mm), number of seeds pod-1 (8.67), green seed weight (305.00 g), Magnesium content, (0.29%) was obtained under the treatment V2K2 (Broad Bean Masterpiece with 50 kg K2O ha-1). The maximum green pod yield (12.78 t ha-1), calcium content (0. 20%), vitamin- A (1.03 mg/kg), was obtained from V3K2 (BARI Motorshuti -1 with 50 kg K2O ha-1)
Root-shoot Growth and Water Status of Garden Egg in Moisture Stressed Conditions in Ghana
No full textGarden egg (Solanum spp) growth and development is affected in varying drought and poor soil conditions in Ghana. A study was conducted to identify the response patterns of garden egg genotypes root growth and plants water status under varying moisture stressed conditions of the Coastal and Sudan Savannahs of Ghana. A two year experiment was conducted on sixteen genotypes of the crop in Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications at Manga Agricultural Research Station in the Upper East Region, and University of Ghana, Legon experimental farm in the Greater Accra Region. At the first fruit maturity stages of around 80-90 days after transplanting, genotypes roots and shoots dry matter and leaf relative water contents (LRWC) data were collected and analyzed using GenStat Statistical Software. The genotype x location interaction significantly affected the genotypes LRWC and root growth in the dry season and moisture-stressed conditions. The moisture stressed tolerant genotypes maintained relatively high LRWC and root-shoot dry matter across locations of Manga and Legon. There were varied and location specific genotypes in root growth and LRWC, with the conditions of Manga favouring higher root growth than Legon; and that of Legon favouring higher retention of LRWC than Manga. The genotypes under the moisture stressed conditions had their LRWC varying from 50.6% to 65% at Legon and from 47.4% to 56% at Manga. Their root-shoot ratios varying from 0.24-0.35 at Legon and from 0.39-0.52 at Manga. The contributions of roots to total plant dry matter also varied from 15.6% to 20.5% at Legon and 22.5% to 30.1% at Manga. The genotypes that sustained higher root growth and retained LRWC of 57% and above under the moisture stressed conditions across locations were A3, A6B, A7, A8, A9A, and A11. These are attractive genotypes for garden egg improvement under moisture stressed conditions of the Coastal and Sudan Savannah agro-ecologies of Ghana. 
Secondary Traits for Maize (Zea mays L.) Tolerance to Drought Combined with Reduced N Fertilization Rate
No full textThe secondary trait for a given abiotic stress tolerance, should be of strong correlation (r) with grain yield, high heritability (h2b) and high genetic advance (GA) under stressed conditions. The main objective of the present investigation was to identify secondary trait(s) for drought and/or low-N tolerance in maize genotypes. A two-year experiment was conducted, using a split-split-plot design. Main plots were allotted to two irrigation regimes, i.e. well watering (WW) and water stress at flowering (WS), sub-plots to three N fertilizer rates, i.e. low (LN), medium (MN) and high (HN) and sub-sub-plots to nineteen maize genotypes. Analysis of variance of randomized complete blocks design (RCBD) was also performed under each of the six environments (WW-HM, WW-MN, WW-LN, WS-HN, WS-MN and WS-LN). Tolerance to drought and/or low-N was strongly correlated with grain yield/plant (GYPP) under stressed environments. GYPP had high (h2b) and (GA); thus it is considered the best indicator of drought, low N or both stresses tolerance. The best secondary traits are high 100-kernel weight (100-KW), ears/plant (EPP), kernels/row (KPR), and short anthesis-silking interval (ASI) for low-N tolerance, high EPP, 100-KW, plant height (PH) and short ASI for drought tolerance, high 100-KW, EPP, KPR, PH and short ASI, for tolerance to drought combined with low N, and high 100-KW, rows/ear (RPE) and KPR under optimum conditions (WW-HN), since they show high (r), high (h2b) and high (GA) estimates under the respective environments. Under low-N and/or drought, future research should focus on the incorporation of secondary traits such as EPP, KPR, 100-KW, PH, ASI in the selection programs along with the grain yield trait
Use of Mobile Phones in Improving Livelihoods among Horticultural Farmers in Parts of Kaduna Northern Guinea Savannah Eco-zone: Empirical Study of Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State
No full textThe study examined the use of mobile phones in improving the livelihoods of rural horticultural crop farmers in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State. Eighty (80) questionnaires were sampled among horticultural crop farmers who own and use mobile phones and seventy-six (76) questionnaires were retrieved. A multistage sampling technique was used in sampling the respondents. The data collected is analyzed using descriptive statistics and regression analysis. The results showed that 46.05% are males and 53.95% are females, 26.32% were between 31-40 years, 55.26% were married and 52.63% had at least secondary education. Data further revealed that 52.63% have owned handsets for at least 4-6years and 56.58% obtained the sets from personal savings. Mobile phone usage improved the livelihood in reducing transport cost which was highlighted by 96.05% of the sampled farmers, reduced exploitation/low pricing by middlemen and improved income of producers (84.21%). It also enhanced interaction among rural horticultural crop farmers at different locations (92.11%). Poor network coverage (39.47%), poor power supply (19.74%) and theft/loss of handsets (10.53%) are the major constraints associated with mobile phone usage. The regression analysis showed significant relationship between age, household size, educational status and use of mobile phone (P<0.05) level of significance. Therefore, it is recommended that Federal Government should improve electricity supply to rural farm communities and provides economic incentives, such as tax deductions for imported equipment, for mobile service providers to expand their mobile service coverage in rural/horticultural production areas. Furthermore, the state and local government should improve rural electricity supply to enable rural horticultural crops farmers utilize the full potentials of mobile phones
Physiological Mechanism Involved in the Response to Four Lettuce Varieties to a Pre-transplant Root Restriction and a 6, benzyl aminopurine (BAP) Spray
No full textVegetable yield is positively related to the environment and negatively affected by the pot root restriction during both the nursery and post-transplant stages. Root restriction is a physical stress imposed on the root system when plants are grown in small containers, which leads to a pronounced decrease in root and shoot growth at both the transplant and pot stages. Based on the assumption that the plant responses are mainly associated with a negative hormonal signaling from roots, some researchers have proposed that these abiotic stresses may be overridden by using a pre-transplant spray with benzyl amino purine (BAP), a synthetic cytokinin able to regulate plant metabolism. Although the physiological mechanisms induced by BAP have been described, the implementation of commercial applications of BAP for vegetables is still a pending issue. The aim of this work was to analyze growth changes in four lettuce genotypes in the presence of different root restrictions degree by the use of different plug cell volumes but sprayed with a single BAP spray under the hypothesis that it would play a role as abiotic stress alleviators. Our results showed that the higher biomass accumulation in lettuce plants non root-limited and BAP-sprayed ones are supported by higher photosynthetic rates, by higher leaf number initiation and expansion and by photo assimilate partition to shoots. Understanding the plant responses to this hormonal manipulation and the physiological mechanism involved will allow adjusting the agronomic advice for different vegetables and reaching commercial yields to each of them
Perception Practice and Existing Knowledge Level of Farmers towards Agrochemical Use in Sitakunda Upazilla of Bangladesh
No full textAims: This study aimed to know the knowledge level and perception of the farmers regarding the use and impact of agrochemical and to find out the correlation of knowledge level and pesticide use with their age, education, farm size, number of pesticide use.
Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out in the Chittagong District of Bangladesh in four different unions of Sitakunda Upazilla between May 2018 and June 2018.
Methodology: We surveyed 142 farmer households from nine villages of three unions, selected through multistage purposive random sampling. They were interviewed through a semi-structured questionnaire. A key informant survey was done by interviewing Upazila agriculture officers and agrochemical retailers.
Results: No overuse of fertilizer and pesticide were found. Findings showed that 66.2% of farmers were medium knowledgeable, with 14.79% low and 19.01% high knowledgeable. Applications of obsolete pesticides were found to be used. Farmers’ knowledge level is significantly correlated with the education level and the number of pesticide uses.
Conclusion: There was a gap between amounts of fertilizer applied than the recommended level except for gypsum. Most of them did not know the standard application rate of fertilizer and pesticide. Farmers’ knowledge level should be improved and the adoption of rational use of agrochemicals is needed through extension activity to get proper yield and to inform them of precautionary measures
Review of Opportunities and Challenges of Agricultural Extension and Advisory Services among Rural Farm Households in Nigeria during Pandemics
No full textThere is urgent need for increased institutional investment in ameliorating the adverse effects of pandemics among rural households. These effects are multi-faceted with governmental and other concerned agencies ignoring the socio-economic outcomes among rural households. The number of confirmed cases of Covid 19 patients in Nigeria rose from an index case on 27th February to 30,476 by 10th July 2020. About 82 Million Nigerians live in poverty. With a score of 27.9, Nigeria is ranked 93rd out of 117 countries on the 2019 Global Hunger Index. The objective of this review is to access the opportunities and challenges of agricultural extension and advisory services among rural farm households in Nigeria during pandemics. Data for the study were sourced from the World Health Organization, Food and Agricultural Organization, National Centre for Disease Control and other scientific documents. The identified impact of pandemics among rural households included increase in vulnerability, shortage of farm labor and worsening healthcare system etc. Dissemination of information in real time, encouraging healthy agricultural production system, providing market linkage for rural farmers, and effective interface with government were the major opportunities for rural advisory services. Extension must overcome the challenges of low utilization of modern technology by rural households, increasing housing deficit and poor infrastructural development in rural communities. The review recommends that more efforts should be targeted at ensuring that while the extension system is provided with all they need for optimal provision of services; policymakers are to develop more interest for rural development
Effect of Rejuvenation Pruning on the Vegetative Growth and Productivity in Olive under Hot and Arid Environment of Mexico
No full textCurrently in Mexico there are few studies on agronomic management in olive production. The objective of this experiment was to evaluate three rejuvenation pruning intensities (25, 33, 50% and Control “traditional pruning”) in olive tree cv Manzanilla under hot and arid environment of Mexico. The experiment was carried out during four consecutive years from 2016 to 2019 at National Research Institute for Forestry, Agriculture and Livestock (INIFAP) in the Experimental Station Coast of Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico. The experiment was carried out on 25-year-old olive orchard cultivar Manzanilla, planted at distance of 8 x 8 m (156 trees ha-1) and under surface irrigation. The variables evaluated were: vegetative parameters (wood weight, canopy diameter and plant height), olive yield and fruit characteristics (fruit weight and pulp-pit ratio). The experiment was organized as a randomized complete block design with five replications. Our results showed statistical differences (P<0.01) in all parameters evaluated with exception of fruit characteristics. During the rejuvenation process of the olive tree the treatment that obtained the higher yield was pruning with 25% intensity removing one trunk per year, which obtained an average yield in four years of 39.2 kg tree-1, while in the control treatment the yield was of 34.1 kg tree-1. Thus, it is possible to rejuvenate an olive orchard in four years without to affect olive yield