Agriculture

Prior knowledge about the presence of a plant pathogen in an infected plant material and natural reservoir is the first requirement for a successful disease management strategy. This becomes more crucial in case of quarantine pathogen like T. indica in order to alleviate unnecessary restrictions that prevent the movement of wheat across the globe and tells how this pathogen hinders the wheat trade of India. More over the potential risk of its dissemination in international wheat trade and germplasm exchange, there is a need for quick, sensitive, reliable and alarming method to identify T. indica to facilitate implementation of specific disease control strategies and for accurately selecting areas for quarantine. The detection of Karnal bunt (KB) is based primarily on the presence of teliospores on wheat seeds. However, accurate and reliable identification of T. indica teliospores by spore morphology alone is not always possible. Research based on genomic advances and innovative detection methods as well as better knowledge of the T. indica life cycle will facilitate their early and accurate detection, thus improving the sanitary status of cultivated plants in the near future. A new, novel, highly accurate molecular tests are emerging which help in surveillance of KB. This brief review will present the overview of classical and emerging T. indica detection and diagnosis assays and a repertoire of molecular diagnostic tools that can serve as a foundation stone for identifying and detecting T. indica inoculum load on multiple, rapid-cycling, real-time, PCR platforms both in vitro and in vivo conditions. This also provide an efficient way for disease surveillance and disease forecasting

To evaluate the natural rejection capacity of six plantain cultivars collected in five territories in the province of Maniema, in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The trial was conducted using an experimental system of subdivided plots and observations were made on the number of naturally formed shoots, the diameter, the height of the pseudo-trunk and the leaf area of the plant. The correlation between the number of shoots and these three parameters was calculated. The results obtained were as follows: 8.17 ± 2.72 shoots were produced in the control, 8.50 ± 2.62 in the sawdust and 8.26 ± 2.68 in the decomposed rice husks. The averages per cultivar for all fertilisers and per cultivar were 9.37 ± 0.11 for C6 (Otangala); followed by 8.76 ± 0.65 for C4 ((Mbonjilo) ; 8.43 ± 0.12 for C5 (Kambelekete) ; 8.03 ± 0.48 for C1 (Kyankola)1 ; 7.89 ± 0.19 for C3 (Mbudi 2) and 7.37 ± 0.48 for C2 (Mbudi 1). It was found that these numbers of rejections do not differ statistically between fertilisers and between cultivars. The correlation coefficients are therefore generally low or mogged, negative or positive. The data are heterogeneous within fertilisers and homogeneous within each cultivar.

The experiment was conducted to study the effect of varying plant population of two sorghum cultivars on growth and yield at three sites(Degain,Tendeli 8 and Tendeli 12) within the Gash delta Eastern Sudan , during 2014/15 and 2016/17) seasons. The RCBD design used for split-split plot trail. The treatments include two cultivars (Tabat andAklamoi) and three planting densities spacing within the row of 30, 45 and 60 cm between holes. Correlation analysis technique has been used for finding association between agronomic characters in the three sites. Generally the mean number of tillers, phonology, seeds/panicle, panicle length and 100-seed weight had positive strong significant correlation with plant height, and phonological attributes but they had moderate positive correlation with LAI, panicles/m2 and grain yield/ha. 100-Seed weight and panicle length were positively correlated with all characters except stem diameter, panicles/m2 and grain yield/ha. Likewise, LAI and number of tillers had significant and positive correlation with all characters. Grain yield per hectare was positively and significantly correlated with most of the studied traits. Results of analysis revealed significant and positive correlation among the variables and showed that these variables could play a vital role in increasing yield of sorghum hybrid.

This present article highlights the influence of the cutting performed on samples of agricultural products as well as their nature of products on the assessment of their convective drying quality. Sweet potato and taro were used for the study. It emerges that the size of the cut plays an important role in the evaluation of mass transfers during convective drying. At 100 minutes of drying and a temperature of 70°C, cubes with dimensions of 1cm, 1.5cm, 2cm, and 2.5cm reached moisture content levels of 40wt.%, 60wt.%, 78wt.%, and 80wt.% of their initial moisture content, respectively. This trend generalizes: the larger the size, the slower the drying. Similarly, the shape slightly influences the transfer process. Furthermore, the experiments showed that at the same temperature and similar dimensions regardless of the cutting shape, taro exhibits greater resistance to transfers than sweet potato.

The objective of this work is to provide breeders in the pig industry with technical and economic data that can be used for the proper functioning of a piggery. This is an analysis of pig production in the Province of Maniema in general, more precisely in the town of Kindu. The methodology uses surveys (transversal and retrospective) among producers targeting the profile of breeders, their practices, zootechnical and socio-economic performances. The majority of breeders are Catholic Christians, most of whom are employed and practice breeding as a secondary activity. They are 90% men. The pigsties are either semi-modern (6/10) or modern (4/10). The food is based on rice bran and corn flour which are used by all breeders. Fish meal is used by 80% of breeders and cassava by 70%. Large White pigs dominate the different farms. The average herd is 86 pigs. The age at first farrowing varies between 11 to 14 months and the average number of farrowings per year is two. The average numerical productivity per female per farrowing is 10 piglets. The age at weaning varies between 45 and 90 days. The dominant pathologies remain external parasitoses and digestive diseases causing diarrhea. These pathologies are present in all the farms visited. The farms display an average annual gross profit between 40 and 60 pigs/year depending on their size, based on 3600 FC/kg or 2.1 $ dollars per carcass. Once we can estimate that the farm generates a result of 2,400 $ to $3,600 dollars per year or $ 200 to $ 300 dollars per month in income for the family. Young sows are put into breeding at 10 or 12 months when their weight reaches 80 or 100 kg live weight. Litter size is 8-12 piglets born alive and 6-8 piglets are weaned on average. Females are mated on average two to three times during heat, until the sow refuses mating. Future breeders are sold at $ 40 to $ 70 for piglets 2 to 3 months old. Breeders sell their pigs to commission agents who act on their behalf and make group purchases from breeders before proceeding with slaughter. The slaughter and consumption of pigs is also done locally. The animals are purchased at a price of 3,600 FC per kg of carcass. Slaughtering takes place at the slaughterhouse after payment of a tax of 1,500 FC. Once the animals have been slaughtered, skinned and inspected, the carcass is then transported on the back of a cart or on a motorcycle taxi to be sold at the Kindu central market at a price of 4,500 FC to 5,000 FC/kg. The roasters, for their part, offer meat skewers or pieces of cooked pork to consumers at prices ranging from 1000 FC per skewer at the restaurant bar and 1000 FC or 2000 FC per piece of meat. This study shows that pig farming is a very profitable activity as long as it is well managed. The constraints remain linked to management, the quality of production and processing. Improvement strategies should focus on the organization, accountability and supervision of stakeholders for better management of production in the interest of the development of this breeding.

A study of delineation of Iron (Fe) and Manganese (Mn) status in soils of Central Research station, Akola was conducted during the year 2006 and 2007. Detailed maps of micronutrient also prepared. Delineation of study area was completed with help of global positioning system and for predicting available cationic micronutrient status extraction with chelating agent such as di ethylene triamine penta acetic acid (DTPA) is used. The soils of Central Research Station were found 20 per cent deficient in iron and 7 per cent deficient in manganese. While the available micronutrient status of Central Research Station soils was found as iron 0.12 to 16.32 and manganese 0.32 to 16.78.

Faced with soil impoverishment due to the population explosion, a study was undertaken on maize cultivation at kilometer point 12 in the hinterlands of the city of Kisangani. The objective was to test, on degraded soil, the effect of a small amount of pig manure, integrated with the compost of hedge trimmings from the green carpet and enriched with increasing microdoses of NPK, on the growth and yield of maize grown in the Plates under Green Carpet (ATV) system. The experimental design was a split-plot, with the first factor being the production systems (ATV and CIB) and the second, the fertilisers. The results showed that organo-mineral fertilisation under ATV influenced the duration of the vegetative and reproductive phases in addition to yield. The organo-mineral fertilisers under ATV with composts resulted in a yield that was 1.2 times higher than that obtained with the control and the CIB. Also, the organo-mineral manures under ATV tended to shorten the crop cycle and promote better plant growth and development. The use of these fertilizers in maize cultivation could constitute an alternative to the drastic consequences of soil degradation.

It is important to evaluate the capacity of soils to support arable crop production for proper land use planning and sustainable management. The soils developed on schists in southern guinea savannah zone (Kabba) and older granites in dry upland rainforest zone (Ado-Ekiti) were mapped and classified with Land Capability Classification. Profile pits were dug and described in sixteen pedons delineated at both locations. Soils samples were collected from the pedons for the analysis of some soil physico-chemical properties. Data on climate and physiographic features were also collected. The capability groupings of the soils are as follows: KA-IIIS3,4; KB, KF, KH, AB and AF- IIIS4; KC, KD, KE, KG and AA- IIIS4, while AC, AD, AE and AG were VS4, VS3,4, IVS4 and VW2S4.The capabilities of the 16 pedons were limited by low nutrient capacity, shallow depth and wetness due to high water table. Appropriate fertility management scheme and land use were suggested for both sites.

The zone wise Sindh land resources analysis finds sufficient evidence that Sindh Southern Province of Pakistan is naturally divided in different zones and every zone offers excellent product potential of its own. The central cropping zone has been found suitable for crop cultivation and horticultural farms. The coastal and hilly areas are suitable for forest tourism and fishing. The arid zone boasts of great potential for live stock breeding and hunting grounds with range land forest. The policy makers neglected the absolute advantages of each and every zone during policy formulation since long. This paper tries to finds potential of livestock’s in Sindh, main problems in its development and feasible policy recommendations for further development of the sector and concludes that low level of feeding, traditional method of breeding, inadequate health facilities institutional mismanagements and low extent of markets and infrastructure are major obstacles in its development. The study also concludes that livestock sub sector naturally offer great potential particularly in arid zone and need policy maker’s immediate attention.

The use of molecular and genomic techniques namely: nucleic acid, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE); terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP), polymerase chain reaction (PCR) have revolutionized ways of assaying biodiversity. This paper reviews their contributions to knowledge of soil microbial diversity.