Asian Journal of Research in Agriculture and Forestry
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A Comparative Study of the Daily Activity Patterns of Dog Faced Baboon (Papio anubis) in Captivity at the Kano University Zoo and Kano Zoological Garden
No full textAim: This study seeks to observed the daily activity patterns of dog faced baboon (Papio anubis) in Kano University of Science and Technology Wudil Zoo and Kano Zoological Garden.
Materials and Methods: The study was carried out daily between 6:00am to 6:00pm from December 2016 to January 2017. Digital camera was also attached to cages at the two sites. The observation in the activity patterns were recorded on recording sheet, observation is done three times a week at 20 minutes intervals.
Results: The findings on activity pattern of dog faced baboon (Papio anubis) in captivity shows that the day time activities decrease from morning to evening. Resting activities was 47.5%, movement and feeding were carried out in the morning, followed by afternoon and evening with 33.3% and 19.1% activities respectively. The results from the Kano Zoological Garden, indicated that 42.7% of the activities perform by dog faced baboon in captivity are resting, this is followed by movement which accounted for 34.9% of the activities, while feeding activities account for the least with 22.4%. Similarly, about 43.2% of the recorded activities carried out by dog faced baboon in Kano University of Science and Technology Wudil, Zoo was resting, followed by movement which constituted 34.8% of the activities and feeding activity which accounted for 22%.
Conclusion: Due to the fact that majority of the baboons activities usually take place between morning and afternoon, it is recommended that visitors interested in baboons should plan their visitation to the Zoo pen during that time. It is also recommended that feeding and harassing of animals by the visitors should be discouraged in order to ensure consistency in their behaviour
Conservation Agriculture: Present Status and Cropping Pattern Adopted by the Farmer in Khulna Region
No full textConservation agriculture (CA) based tillage technology permits direct seeding through the moderate level of crop residue. The main purposes of the study were to identify present status of agriculture along with the problem identification by farmers and also determine the present cropping pattern adopted by the farms under conservation agriculture. Data were collected from randomly selected 91 farmers of three upazilla in Khulna region with the help of personal interview method by using interview schedule during January 2017 to May 2018. Data were collected on fifteen selected categories of the farmers and problems confronting them. Most of the respondents have small to medium sized cultivable lands. Bean, cauliflower, cabbage, potato, Indian spinach, brinjal, tomato etc, were more extensively cultivated. Most farmers belong to medium practice of conservation agriculture while very few of them had low or high practice. To determine the present status of agriculture data were also collected based on the name of crop rotation, use of fertilizers and manures, intercultural operation adopted by the respondents, pest and disease infestation in the field under cultivation. Out of all independent variables, only extension media contact, level of education and organizational participation of the farmers showed positive significant relationship with conservation agriculture practice. Extension media contact and organizational participation influence the extent of CA practices at farmers’ field as confirmed by the backward linear regression model. The vital problems of conservation agriculture practices were lack of seed, high price of seed, lack of fertilizers, high price of fertilizer, impurity and high price of insecticides/ pesticides, lack of irrigation water, salinity, lack of CA knowledge. To popularize the CA practices, Government should organize more training and demonstration activities on CA involving block level extension workers as well as farmers plus strengthening research-extension-farmers linkage
Economic Analysis of Grasscutter Production (Thryonomys swinderianus) in Osun State, Nigeria: A Case of Data Envelopment Approach
No full textAim: The study estimated the technical, allocative and economic efficiency indices and further examined the factors influencing technical efficiency for the sampled Grasscutter farms in Osun State.
Study Design: The study made use of only primary data obtained from sampled Grasscutter farmers in the three agricultural zones of the State.
Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out in Osun State, Nigeria during 2017/2018 farming season.
Methodology: Twenty four respondents, each, were randomly selected from the list of Grasscutter farmers obtained from Osun State Agricultural Development Project (ADP). Data collected was analyzed using the stochastic frontier model and Tobit regression model. The overall technical efficiency was estimated with no effort of decomposing it into pure and scale efficiencies.
Results: The results showed that the range of efficiency indices varies greatly with minimum of 0.742, 0.263 and 0.168 and maximum of 1.0 for technical, allocative and economic efficiencies, respectively. The mean efficiencies which indicate the average potential therein in Grasscutter production in the study area were 0.96, 0.63 and 0.83 for technical, allocative and economic efficiency, respectively. Only one, out of the seventy two grasscutter farmers involved in the analysis was found to be technically, allocatively and economically efficient. Many sampled grasscutter farmers employed the ‘wrong’ input mix, given input prices, so that, on average, costs were (37%) higher than the cost minimizing level. However, farms have the potential to reduce their physical input, on average, by (4%) and still produce the same level of output.
Conclusion: There was a great potential to improve the output of grasscutter farms and save cost, if variable inputs were adjusted to the optimal level along the short-run isoquant. Education and farming experience significantly influenced technical, allocative and economic efficiencies, respectively, while inefficiency results, in large part, from allocative rather than technical inefficiency. 
Growth and Yield Components of Groundnut (Arachis hypogeal L.) as Affected by Phosphorous Fertilizer Application on the Jos Plateau
No full textThe experiment was conducted in Federal College of Forestry demonstration farm Jos, Plateau State to determine the growth and yield components groundnut as affected by phosphorous fertilizer application on the Jos plateau. The experimental design used was a randomized complete block design (RCBD) comprising of four treatments (0, 20, 40 and 60 kg P ha-1) that were replicated four times on groundnut (SAMNUT 25). Data was collected on germination percentage, plant height, leaf count, number of branches, days to 50% flowering, number of pods/plant, 100 seeds weight, total yield and biomass weight which were analysed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) at 5% level of probability with Minitab 23. Where significance was declared, Fisher LSD method was used to separate the means. The result reveals that no significant effect was recorded for germination percentage. Highly significant effect of phosphorous was observed on the growth and yield components of groundnut. The highest (34.63 cm) plant height, leaf (100.78) count, number (27.13) of branches, days (27.75 days) to 50% flowering, number (34.50) of pods/plant, 100 seeds (52.08 g) weight, total (2.26tha-1) yield and biomass (5.42 tha-1) weight at the application of 60 kg P ha-1. Thus, groundnut farmers are encouraged to engage in the application of 60kg P ha-1 for optimum growth and yield. Further research on other varieties should be conducted to ascertain the best variety and phosphorous rate for optimum groundnut production in the study area
Vegetable Farmer’s Awareness and Perception of Pesticides on the Environment and Health in Eastern Sri Lanka
No full textIn Sri Lanka excessive use of pesticides in paddy and vegetable farming has caused much concern in terms of its impact on the environment and humans. A study was done in Eastern Sri Lanka to find out vegetable farmer’s awareness of hazard levels of pesticides, perception of pesticide impact on the environment and their health, and awareness about different methods of pest control among farmers. A multi-staged random sample of 96 vegetable farmers in five Agrarian Service Center ranges in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka was studied, during October to November 2017, using a structured questionnaire. Frequencies estimation and Chi Square tests were done to find relationships. The results indicated that the degree of awareness on the hazardous levels of pesticides was minimal, but their perceptions on the impacts of the pesticides on the environment, humans, animals and on food items sold was high among the vegetable farmers. There was a significant spatial variation in knowledge on hazardous level of pesticides used in vegetable production. Significant differences existed between areas studied on the perception of farmers of the impact of pesticides on humans, animals, food and environment. Most of the farmers were aware about crop rotation, chemical control and manual control methods to get rid of pests. Only a low percentage of farmers were aware about biological control, cultural control and seed treatment to curtail pest attack. There were significant spatial differences in farmers’ awareness on available pest control methods. Policy makers and institutions intervening to regulate pesticides usage need to adopt multiple strategies to create awareness on the impact of pesticides on humans and the environment, through designing policies to enhance farm extension services and to encourage adoption of alternative methods of pest control
The Effect of Seed Source and Pre-sowing Treatment on Germination of Canarium schweinfurthii [Engl] Seeds
No full textThis study examined the effect of seed source and pre-sowing treatment on germination of Canarium schweinfurthii [Engl] seeds. The seeds were sourced from Unubi in Anambra state (T1) and Jos in Plateau state (T2) in Nigeria. The experiment was conducted at the University of Benin and lasted for 14 weeks. It was laid out in a completely randomized design (CRD) pattern using 2x7 factorial combinations of 2 sources and 7 pre-sowing treatments.
The pre-sowing treatments were complete removal of seed coat (CR), partial cracking (PC), burning under dry grass (BG), 70% H2S04 (7H), 80% H2S04 (8H), 3 days (72 hours) soaking in water (SW) and control (CT). Germination parameters investigated were days to germination, germination percentage, germination energy, germination period and germination value. Data collected were subjected to Analysis of variance (ANOVA) at 5% significance and significant means were separated using LSD. There was no significant difference in the mean days to germination (20.7 days in T1 and 21 days for T2) and mean germination percentages (31.14% in T1 and 31.71% for T2) of the sources. The treatments days to germination were significantly different with CR being the first to germinate (12 days) while 7H germinated last (41 days). There was significant difference in the mean germination period (31.71 days in T1 and 23.57 days for T2), germination energy (1.24 in T1 and 2.38 for T2) and germination values (0.3 in T1 and 0.54 for T2) in the investigated sources, while the mean germination percentages of the pre-sowing treatments irrespective of source were significantly different. Treatments BG had the best mean germination percentage followed by treatment SW and CT while 8H had the poorest.
It is therefore recommended that treatment BG is the best followed by SW for increase in germination percentage. But where seedlings are needed in little quantity within a short time, treatments CR and PC are recommended. Acid treatment is unsuitable for the seeds of Canarium schweinfurthii
Adoption of Agroforestry Practices among Farmers in Gwaram Local Government Area of Jigawa State, Nigeria
No full textThis study assessed the adoption of agroforestry practices among farmers in Gwaram Local Government Area of Jigawa State, Nigeria. The multistage sampling procedure was used to select 120 farmers from four (4) out of the six (6) districts in the Local Government Area for the study. Primary data were collected through the use of questionnaires and oral interview and were subjected to both descriptive and logit regression analysis. Findings from the study revealed that the mean age of the farmers was 39 years. Majority of the farmers were male and mostly married. The study also showed that majority of the respondents had at least one form of education with a mean farming experience of 7 years and a mean farm size of 3.5 hectares. A greater percentage of the respondents acquired their farmlands through inheritance. The greater proportion of the farmers affirmed to have had contact with extension agents three times in a year and the majority of them aware of agroforestry. The average number of agroforestry practices adopted by the farmers is approximately 2 with home garden adopted by the majority of the farmers. The results also revealed that the mean annual income of respondents is N113,529. The logit regression result showed that educational level, income, membership of cooperatives and land tenure had a significant relationship with the adoption of agroforestry practices at different levels of probabilities. The major constraints to agroforestry practices as opined by the respondents include; land and tree tenure rights, long gestation period to obtain benefits, lack of knowledge and skills in agroforestry, low awareness of agroforestry practice and the high cost associated in adopting agroforestry. The study recommended the formulation of a good land use policy so that farmers can acquire land titles to guarantee the security of their land
Agronomic Performance of Hevea brasiliensis Muell. Arg. Clone IRCA 331 Grown in Southwestern Côte d'Ivoire
No full textIn order to test the agronomic performance of the newly developed clones, a Large-Scale Clone Trial (LSCT) comprising Hevea brasiliensis clones GT 1, IRCA 202, IRCA 331, IRCA 707, PB 280 and PB 310 was established in southwestern Côte d'Ivoire. They were planted in completely randomized blocks with six clone treatments and four replications of 112 trees per clone. The measured parameters included isodiametric growth of the trunk, rubber yield, trees stand, latex physiological parameters and sensitivity to tapping panel dryness (TPD). Collected data was analyzed using Statistica 7.0 statistical software. After ten years of downward tapping and four years of upward tapping, clone IRCA 331 showed significantly higher rubber productivity than all other clones. Its productivity gain, relative to the reference control GT 1, was 63% in downward tapping and 80% in upward tapping. Despite its high level of productivity, the annual rate of isodiametric growth of clone IRCA 331 tree trunks (2.56 cm/year) remained statistically equivalent to that of clone GT 1 (2.62 cm/year) at latex harvesting stage. In addition, the physiological profile of clone IRCA 331 was good and similar to that of the control. Clones IRCA 331, GT1 and PB 280 got the lowest sensitivity to TPD. However, only clones GT1 and IRCA 331 maintained a good stand of tappable trees throughout the experimental period. This experiment highlighted the agronomic performance of the clone IRCA331 and allowed to put it in class 1. Clone IRCA 331 can therefore be used as a clone of first choice to improve national productivity
Cassava Productivity Growth in Nigeria
No full textCassava has gained prominence in the world and has become economic crop in the Nigerian agricultural sector. Secondary data was used for this study. The required variables were extracted from General Household Survey Panel Data (GHS-P). The GHS-P is a nationally representative survey of households across Nigeria covering urban and rural sectors. Analytical tools used included Total factor productivity and Markov chain. 82% of populations of Cassava farmers are in the rural areas and close to 73% were young adults including both male and female involved in cassava production. Approximately 65% of the cassava based farmers were single that not yet married and most of the farmers were educated and about 80% and 98% of the cassava based farmers did not have access to credit facilities and extension personnel respectively. Generally, the cassava productivity growth was erratic and very small proportion of cassava farmers that were in lower productivity reduced overtime, while the minimal proportion of cassava farmers that moved into both moderate and high productivity increased overtime respectively. Generally, there is more to be done to increase and attain sustainable high level cassava productivity growth in Nigeria
Forecasting the Future Farm Size in Grasscutter Production in Osun State, Nigeria: A Markov Chain Approach
No full textAim: The study investigated the prospects of increasing Grasscutter production and projecting the future farm size of its production in the study area. Specifically described socio-economi characteristics and some management practices of the respondents, assessed and predicted the pattern of change and the equilibrium farm size of the Grasscutter enterprise in the study area, examined the costs and returns to grasscutter production and examined the relationships between gross margin and some selected socio-economic characteristics.
Study Design: A simple random sampling technique was employed in selecting 60% of the total population of registered grasscutter farmers.
Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out in Osun State, Nigeria between years 2016 and 2017.
Methodology: Primary data were collected through a well-structured questionnaire administration from the three agricultural zones in the State. Twenty four Grasscutter farmers each were randomly selected from each of the agricultural zones. Data were collected on demographics of grasscutter farmers, production activities in terms of inputs, outputs and their respective prices for the years 2016 and 2017. Data were analyzed through Descriptive statistics, Markov chain, Gross margin and Pearson r test of correlation.
Results: The study revealed that male respondents (85%) dominated Grasscutter production in the study area while the mean age of respondents was 43 years. Majority (97%) of the respondents had formal education with an average grassutter farming experience of 11 years while the mean flock size was 2.5 colonies. The gross margin results showed that grasscutter production had a profit margin of ₦11,333.33/respondent/month. The mean grasscutter farm size revealed an upward trend in farm size until the year 2025 and thereafter stabilizes at about 3.3 colonies of grasscutter farm size. The correlation analysis showed significant relationship between gross margin and level of education and farming experience with r-values of 0.817 and 0.697 respectively.
Conclusion: Grasscutter production, though in small scale, is profitable in the study area and the grasscutter farmers in the study area have great potential to boost local productio