SUAIRE (Sokoine Univ. of Agriculture)
Not a member yet
11873 research outputs found
Sort by
Bionomics, blood-host plasticity and its effect on host-choice and feeding behaviour of tsetse species from selected human- wildlife interface in Tanzania
No full textMSc. DissertationTsetse flies are vectors of trypanosome parasites which cause
human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) in human and African animal
trypanosomiasis (AAT) in livestock across Sub-Saharan Africa.
These flies feed exclusively on animals’ blood. It is during blood-
feeding process of these flies; un-infected host get infected by
parasites carried by infected vector. Several tsetse controls
programs have been implemented so as to minimize the incidences
of trypanosome infections; however, the human-wildlife interfaces
remain as the risk areas where both livestock and human being can
be infected with trypanosome parasites. Therefore, surveillance and
control of these flies is important so as to minimize the African
trypanosomiasis’ risks in these areas. This study assessed the
species composition, abundance and phylogenetic relatedness of
wild collected tsetse flies from selected human-wildlife-livestock
interface in Tanzania. Variation in host choice and feeding
behaviours of predominant species’ (Glossina morsitans) siblings
whose parents were blood-fed on different host species were also
investigated. The tsetse flies were trapped seasonally in two
selected wards within Morogoro Rural district. The study wards and
villages were purposively selected targeting those which are
bordering to protected areas. In each ward, baited NZI, Pyramidal
and Biconical traps were deployed at 200m distance apart from each
other for 72 hours before rotating to the next trapping sites. Trapped
flies were collected from the traps after 24 hours then identified
morphologically and later confirmed using the Polymerase Chain
Reaction (PCR). Moreover, a colony of tsetse flies were established
from pupa obtained from tsetse and vector control centre, Tanga.
Hatched flies were maintained on selected hosts blood until the
offsprings were obtained for the experiments. The host-choice and
feeding behaviours experiments were carried out in large semi-field
cage containing four small equal size screen cages. During the
experiments, individual host was placed in a screen cage which
allowed flies to enter through openings on each side. The groups of flies (20 per replicate) colour-marked differently basing on their
parents’ bloodmeal hosts, were released from the centre of large
semi-field cage and left to forage for 24 hours before being
collected, then, sorted basing on the location, feeding status and
parents’ bloodmeal. The total of 784 tsetseflies were collected;
Glossina pallidipes (n=371; 47.32%) and Glossina morsitans
morsitans (n=413; 52.68%). Of these, 96 flies (80-female, 16-male)
were blood-fed; 57(48-female and 9-male) G. pallidipes and 39(32-
female, 7-male) G.m. morsitans. Overall abundance of collected
tsetse significantly varied across surveyed wards (χ2=4.597, df=1, p=
0.032), villages (χ2=9.491, df=3, p= 0.023), habitats (χ2=17.239,
df=2, p<0.001), months (χ2=13.507, df=3, p= 0.004) and deployed
traps (χ2=6.348, df= 2, p= 0.04). About 78.82% of tsetse flies were
collected from Kisaki ward (n=618; p<0.001) and 21.17% (n=166;
p=0.032) from Bwakila chini. The highest proportion of these flies
were collected in Mbojoge village (62%; n= 489) followed by
Kiperege (18%; n=141) and Sebo (16%; n=129). NZI traps collected
the highest proportion of tsetse flies (n=422; 54%; 4.98 FTD)
followed by Pyramidal traps (n=281; 36%; 4.01 FTD) and Biconical
traps (n=81; 10%; 1.87 FTD). Similarly, the large proportion of tsetse
flies (78.06%) were collected in bushed grassland habitat (n=612;
55.41 FTD) followed by woodland habitat (16.45%; n=129; 20.56
FTD) and farmland (5.5%; n=43; 7.17 FTD). The phylogenetic
analysis revealed genetic relatedness of tsetse flies collected in
Tanzania with those collected from Nigeria and Senegal.
Furthermore, a total of 213 flies (72.95% of the recovered) were
attracted to the hosts. The number of flies attracted to different hosts
varied significantly (χ24= 33.685, p= 0.0001); Rodent (n=80,
p=0.006), Rabbit (n=59, p=0.331), Guinea pig (n=49, p=0.057) and
squirrel (n=25, p=0.005). The number of flies attracted to their
parent’s blood meal source varied significantly (χ212 = 56.476,
p<0.001); rabbits (n= 35, 59.32%, p<0.001), rodent (n=25, 31.25%,
p=0.043) and guinea pig (n= 19, 38.78%, p=0.45). But, only 39 flies
(18.31% of total attracted) bloodfed on the hosts; Guinea pigs (n=10,
25.64%), Rodents (n=23, 58.97%), Rabbits (n=6, 15.38%) and Squirrels (n=0,0.0%). There was significant variation in number of
flies that fed successively across hosts (χ24=49.478, p<0.001). The
present study recommends NZI and Pyramidal traps for tsetse fly
control at the interface and wet season as appropriate season for
conducting control activities. Also, the study confirms the presence
of the hosts’ differential attractiveness to flies but failed to explain
observed behaviours in relation to genetic inheritance. Therefore,
future studies are recommended to investigate the effect of
bloodmeal sources on tsetse fly siblings’ behaviours across filial
generations using small mammals.The Africa Centre of Excellence for Innovative Rodent Pest Management and Biosensor
Technology Development (ACE II IRPM-BTD)
Improving cotton fiber quality through strategic sowing: implications for phosphorus management from experiments in Chato district, Tanzania
No full textResearch articleThis study was conducted in Msilale Village, Chato District in Tanzania, to
evaluate the influence of sowing dates and phosphorus levels on cotton fiber
quality. The study was established according to a factorial trial, with varying
sowing dates (25th November 2022, 15th December 2022 and 4th
January 2023) and phosphorus levels (control, 20 kg P ha−1, 40 kg P ha−1,
60 kg P ha−1). Results revealed that early planting had a statistically signifi
cant (p < .001) effect on fiber cotton quality, including spinning coefficient
index, fiber length, fiber strength, uniformity index, short fiber content, and
grade/color. Early sowing dates (25th November 2022 and 15th
December 2022) consistently produced superior fiber quality, including spin
ning coefficient index (156.5 and 148.4), moisture content of the fiber (7.8%
and 7.7%), micronaire (3.5 μg/inch), upper half mean length (1.2 cm), unifor
mity index (84.6% and 84.2%) and shorter fiber (6.8% and 7.0%) relative to
late sowing (4th January 2023). Conversely, phosphorus levels did not sig
nificantly (p > .05) impact these parameters within the tested range. This
research underscores the critical role of selecting appropriate sowing dates
for cotton cultivation to achieve better fiber quality
Prediction of soil texture using remote sensing data. a systematic review
No full textdoi: 10.3389/frsen.2024.1;18Soil particle size fractions play a critical role in determining soil health attributes,
including soil aeration, water infiltration and retention capacity, nutrients, and
organic matter dynamics. Traditional soil mapping methods rely predominantly
on ground-based surveys and laboratory analysis which are reported to be time-
consuming and expensive. To address these challenges, there has been a global
shift towards digital soil mapping (DSM) techniques that utilize remote sensing
data. This review, conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for
Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 guideline, aims to provide
a comprehensive synthesis of the current state of soil texture prediction using
remote sensing data. In particular, the review extract and synthesizes the satellite
images used, identify the derived environmental covariates and their relative
importance, and assesses the prediction models/algorithms used in the
prediction of soil texture. Synthesis and analysis of 70 articles show that clay
content is the most predicted of the three soil particle fractions accounting for
37% of the reviewed studies predominantly from topsoil layer (74.29%). Sentinel
2 and Landsat 8 are reported as the most frequently used satellite images. Among
the covariates derived from these images, NDVI (80.4%) and SAVI (60.8%) are by
far the most derived band ratios (indices). Red (37.3%), NIR (35.3%), Green (33.3%),
Blue (33.3%), and SW2 (29.4%) bands were the five most incorporated as
covariates for soil texture prediction amongst individual satellite bands.
Regarding the DSM algorithms, Random Forest (RF) appeared in most
reviewed articles followed by Support Vector Machines (SVM), and Quantile
Regression Forest (QRF). The comparative model performance analysis
showed that RF and Artificial neural network (ANN) had a good trade-off
across validation metrics indicating their best performance in the prediction of
both clay, sand, and silt. The RF performance showed a decreasing trend with
increasing depth interval for clay and sand prediction and inconsistent for silt
prediction
Growth, yield and wood properties of teak (Tectona grandis) provenances at longuza forest plantation, Muheza District, Tanzania
No full textMaster Degree of Science in ForestryA comprehensive study was conducted at Longuza Forest Plantation
in Tanzania to enhance the production of Teak (Tectona grandis) in
response to increasing demand for improved Teak provenances for
productive plantations. The study aimed to evaluate the growth
performance and wood properties of 12 provenances established in
2011, comprising 41 families. The experiment used a randomized
complete block design with 8 replications, each plot containing 6
trees. The growth performance assessment included survival,
diameter at breast height (Dbh), height (Ht), basal area (BA), volume
(Vol), and mean annual increment (MAI). Additionally, the study
examined stem straightness and the physical properties. Statistical
analysis was carried out using SAS® software version 9.4,
NPAR1WAY and rank procedures. The results showed non-
significant differences (p > 0.05) in survival among provenances but
highly significant differences (p < .0001) for Dbh, Ht, Vol, BA, and
MAI, the average values for these parameters were 68.70 ± 5.64 %,
21.35 ± 4.04 cm, 18.65 ± 2.2 m, 304.83 ± 135.37 m3 ha−1, 9.96 ±
3.60 m2 ha−1, and 27.71 ± 12.30 m3 ha−1 yr−1 respectively. The study
identified superior performing provenances, including the East Africa
Longuza seed stand, East Africa Longuza Provenance Trial, and
East Africa Longuza Progeny Trial. Furthermore, the results
revealed significant variation in stem straightness among
provenances with the average score of 1.9 ± 0.8. Provenances like
East Africa Mtibwa, CSIRO Thailand, and East Africa Longuza seed
stand showed superior stem straightness. However, no substantial
variations in physical properties were observed among the
provenances. The average basic density was 0.571 ± 0.059 g cm−3,
with mean ranging from 0.469 ± 0.053 in CSIRO Thailand to 0.545 ±
0.071 g cm−3 in East Africa Longuza Progeny Trial. Based on the
findings, the study recommends planting East Africa Longuza seed
stand, East Africa Longuza Provenance Trial, and East Africa
Longuza Progeny Trial in pilot plantations at Longuza and in areas
with similar climatic and soil conditions. Furthermore, the studyTanzania Forest Services Agency (TFS
Potential of moringa oleifera leaf extract in ground beef preservation
No full textMSc. DissertationThis study explored the diverse potential of Moringa oleifera leaf
extract as a natural preservative in ground beef, with a specific
focus on its impact on microbiological and physico-chemical
properties during refrigerated storage. The study explored varying
concentrations of Moringa oleifera (0.5%, 1%, 1.5% and 2.0%) in
comparison to a preservative-free control group, investigating their
impact on microbial parameters, including Total Bacteria Counts
(TBC), Total Coliform Count (TCC), Staphylococcus, Salmonella,
and E. coli. The results unveiled a dose-dependent relationship,
where in all concentrations exhibited lower TBC compared to the
control group, with the 2.0% concentration demonstrating the most
substantial reduction, underscoring Moringa oleifera's potential to
inhibit bacterial growth in ground beef.
In terms of TCC, higher concentrations of Moringa oleifera showed
enhanced effectiveness in reducing coliform bacteria, particularly
the 1.5% and 2.0% concentrations, which significantly decreased
counts by 31% and 32% compared to the control group. The study
also spotlighted Moringa oleifera's dose-dependent antibacterial
activity against Staphylococcus and E. coli, with escalating doses
correlating with significant reductions in these microorganisms.
These findings collectively suggest that Moringa oleifera holds
promise in augmenting food safety by curbing the proliferation of
harmful bacteria, thereby acting as an effective natural preservative
and enhancing the microbiological quality of refrigerated ground
beef. The investigation extended to the antimicrobial effects of Moringa
oleifera
aqueous
extract
on
ground
beef,
assessing
physico-chemical, microbial, and organoleptic qualities during
refrigerated storage at 4°C. The results revealed that the 1.5%
crude extract significantly improved (p<0.05) various sensory
attributes, including pH, juiciness, texture, flavor, taste, and overall
acceptability, surpassing both the control and other treated
samples. Furthermore, microbial load, as indicated by the Aerobic
Plate Count (APC), exhibited a significant decrease in treated
samples (p<0.05), with the 2% treatment proving to be the most
effective.
The color parameters (L*, a*, b*) of ground beef were influenced by
Moringa oleifera extract, manifesting a decrease in values,
particularly with the 2% concentration. Notably, the pH of ground
beef experienced a slight increase during storage, but Moringa
extract did not significantly (p>0.05) impact this parameter. In
conclusion, this study underscores the potential of natural additives
such as Moringa oleifera to not only extend the shelf life of ground
beef but also to significantly enhance its microbiological and
sensory properties. This aligns with the escalating consumer
preference for safe and natural food products, emphasizing the
need for further exploration and application of Moringa oleifera in
the realm of food preservation and safety
Information Development - Sage Journals
No full textWildfire, Uluguru Mountains, radio, mobile phones, television, climate change, wildfire information, AFIS MerakaAbstract
This study sought to determine the contribution of radio, television and mobile phones used by local communities in disseminating and accessing information about wildfire hazards in the Uluguru Mountains Nature Reserve and assessed the extent of their usage in disseminating wildfire information. It also aimed at identifying barriers to their use in reporting wildfire incidences in the Uluguru Mountains and determined the available wildfire reduction strategies which can be improved by use of other types of ICTs. A descriptive survey method and purposive and conveniently sampling techniques were employed to select a sample of 15 key informants and 90 villagers from the three villages that were purposively selected. Questionnaires, focus group discussions, interview with key informants and participants observations were used to collect both quantitative and qualitative data. The finding show that the community living around Uluguru Mountains Nature Reserve own Radio and mobile phones although few of them owned televisions. Very few respondents reported wildfire incidence using their mobile phone, while the majority used their mobile phone for other social-economic activities. However, internet based AFIS Meraka system and handheld GPS were the most common technologies used to disseminate wildfire information. In general radio, mobile phones and televisions are not fully beneficial to the local communities. Based on the results, it was recommended that the role of modern ICTs in detecting and disseminating wildfire be encouraged among the authorities
Community responses to corona virus disease (covid-19) in Africa in the face of “infodemic”: a scoping review
No full textJournal ArticleGlobally, Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) has significantly affected communities in various
aspects. The World Health Organization proposed different measures to prevent the pandemic.
However, these measures in some instances have not effectively minimized the impacts of COVID-
19, due to innumerable factors, inter alia, considerable “infodemic” related to myths, misinfor
mation, and misconceptions. Knowledge of the “infodemic” on COVID -19 can lead to effective
interventions to rid societies of COVID-19, hence reduction of COVID-19-related risks and out
comes. This article explores the “COVID-19 infodemic” that affected community responses to
COVID-19 in Africa. The study employed a scoping review approach involving peer-reviewed
articles from numerous search engines and databases. The keywords involved in the search
query were: “COVID-19 infodemic, COVID-19 false news, COVID-19 in Africa, ‘knowledge of
COVID-19, ‘myths, misinformation, and misconceptions on COVID-19, ‘history of COVID-19’,
‘community responses to COVID-19 in Africa”. Findings show that 5G technology transferred
coronavirus, high temperature and alcohol can kill coronavirus, blacks are immune to COVID-19,
COVID-19 vaccine development has been rushed hence not very effective and safe and also causes
infertility. Diverse community responses have been registered which in some ways frustrated
efforts in combating the pandemic. Therefore, the “infodemic” consisting of myths, mis
conceptions, and misinformation have been resulting from the history of COVID-19 which first
affected white people more than blacks. Also, low knowledge of how the virus is transmitted and
affect human being; and the notion that COVID-19 affects richer than poor people, hence since
white people are richer than black people then they were the first to be affected by the pandemic.
Obviously in presence of such myths, misconceptions, and misinformation; community responses
in combating COVID-19 have not been very effective in Africa. For these interventions to be
effective, collective efforts involving various stakeholders to raise awareness of COVID-19 are
needed
Digital literacy and crop productivity: evidence from cross- sectional data in Hai and Moshi districts, Kilimanjaro-Tanzania
No full textJournal articleAccess to information through digital platforms particularly social media has the potential to
improve agricultural productivity, henceimprovement of smallholder farmers' well-being. This is
anticipated where farmers can significantly access, understand, evaluate and apply information
obtained in agricultural-related activities. However, this depends, inter alia, on the extent to
which farmers are digital literate, despite notable access and general use of digital platforms by
farmers, there is a need to empirically understand how farmers digital literacy contributes to crop
productivity . The study explored the use of social media and the Internet through digital platforms by
smallholder farmers and determined the contribution of digital literacy to agricultural productivity.
The study adopted a cross-sectional research design; data were collected using a structured
questionnaire from 200 purposefully selected smallholder farmers. Focus group discussions and
key informant interviews were used to collect complementary data. Descriptive statistical analysis
was used to explore the use of the internet and social media, multiple linear regression analysis
was used to determine the contribution of digital literacy to agricultural productivity. The results
show that 70.5 per cent of smallholder farmers have access to social media. However, the majority
(95%) lack awareness of agricultural information apps. Although digital literacy had a negative
but significant effect on maize productivity, it nonetheless had a positive and significant effect
on common beans' productivity. It is concluded that smallholder social media and the internet
contribute to agricultural productivity. It is recommended that the agricultural and ICT departments
in Hai and Moshi districts and other interested stakeholders should conduct awareness campaigns
and training in rural areas on accessing information concerning agricultural activities through
the use of digital platforms towards improved productivity
Co-decided agriculture information radio program needs: a case study of women crop farmers in Dodoma city, Tanzania
No full textThe shift from top-down programming to co-decision-making, aimed at capturing listeners' needs, has been significant. However, there is a notable gap in studies assessing how gender considerations factor into radio programming for listeners' needs. This study addresses this gap by investigating co-decided agricultural radio program needs, specifically focusing on women crop farmers in Dodoma City, Tanzania. Utilizing a sample of 32 participants selected purposively for in-depth face-to-face interviews, supplemented by Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and key informant interviews, the study employed content analysis to analyze the collected data. The findings reveal variations in co-decided agricultural information radio programs among radio programmers, indicating a lack of alignment with the specific needs of women crop farmers. In light of these findings, the study recommends that the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) should address financial constraints hindering the co-decision approach to work accurately. With the accurate working of the co-decision approach intended listeners’ needs will be identified
Climate vulnerability of agroecological and conventional smallholders in Mvomero district, Tanzania: using mixed-methods to uncover local experiences and motivations of farming for the future
No full textJournal articleChanging rainfall patterns make farmers increasingly vulnerable to crop failure,
income loss and food insecurity. Agroecology is proposed to reduce climate
vulnerabilities of farmers, as such practices and social movement aim to create
more resilient farm and food systems. It is however fairly unknown if, and to what
extent, agroecological farmers are better able to cope with climate induced
exposures as compared to conventional smallholders. We conducted 194
surveys with agroecological and conventional smallholders to explore the three
components of climate vulnerability: exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity.
We combined this with field observations and interviews, and an analysis of long-
term rainfall data. We also followed up the initial survey analysis with additional
focus group discussions. Just as climate change occurs incrementally over
time, we highlight modest, yet important differences between conventional and
agroecological farmers. We find that agroecological farmers are less vulnerable
to short-term dry spells, due to a combination of farming practices that improve
soil water retention, like mulching and the use of cover crops. However, the
use of botanicals might induce new vulnerabilities, as their processing requires
additional labor, and sometimes expenditures, and may not protect the crops
from pests and diseases. We also find limitations to agroecology in terms of
scale, as most farmers are unable to use botanicals on all their farmland. Yet,
agroecological farmers process and apply botanicals for health benefits both
in production and consumption of foods, and they can occasionally sell their
organic farm products for a higher price than conventional famers. With this
study, we emphasize that farmers’ reasons to practice agroecology is not just to
boost productivity and become more climate resilient, but rather for improving
the long-term health of producers, consumers, soils and the environment