Agriculture

Drip irrigation systems have a preference in selecting a suitable irrigation method in arid and semi-arid regions because of its high potential in uniform applying water in through a field. A proper management of drip irrigation system is, to some extent, dependent upon accurate understanding of wetting patterns distributions in soil under different combinations of soil type and emitter discharge rate. Using statistical distribution to estimate wetting front pattern in drip irrigation systems can improve their performance in different conditions. In this paper, the wetting area and water distribution on light, medium and heavy texture homogeneous soils in subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) and surface irrigation (DI) were evaluated. Experimental tests were carried out in a plexiglass lysimeter container with transparent walls. Emitters were buried at 15, 30 and 45 cm depths and discharge rates of 2.4, 4 and 6 L/h were applied. In this research, data of water front was divided into tree hourly periodic lengths of 2, 4 and 6. Then, with analysis of data in time series according to HYFA software output and goodness fit of Relative Residual Square Mean, suitable frequency distribution function for different conditions was evaluated. Based on relative frequency, the best fitted distribution for DI and SDI was found to be Normal and Pearson type III distribution (Moment method) and Normal distribution (maximum likelihood method).

Studies on orange production in Mazandaran province are necessary due to its potential for production and large cultivation area. In this study energy input-output, economic analysis and econometric modeling of energy input for orange production in Sari region of Iran were carried out. From a total of 86 farmers considered for the analysis, the total input and output energy were 54.2 and 59.2 GJ ha-1, respectively. Diesel fuel, fertilizer and water had the highest energy values per hectare, respectively. Results showed that the overall energy ratio (Energy use efficiency) was calculated as 1.09. The relationships between various energy sources and yield were found using Cobb-Douglas production function. Econometric models showed that among all energy sources chemical fertilizer, farmyard manure and water for irrigation had the most significant impact on orange yield. Additionally, economic analysis was carried out with results showing that the bene?t to cost ratio and net return for orange production were 10.6 and 16420.4 $ h-1, respectively.

The study examined the pattern of farmers land use on crop diversification in Ido Local Government Area of Oyo State. Multistage sampling technique was used to sample eighty (80) crop famers in the study area, with the aid of a well structured questionnaire and analysed using descriptive percentage, mean, frequency count and inferential statistic. The result showed that 73.8% of the crop farmers were male with mean age of 49.8 years, 83.7% were married with mean family size of 8 persons, and 43.8% of the farmers had one form of formal education, 60% used hired labour for their farm operation with minimum labour cost of N 1000- N 10000 on daily basis. 67.5% source their farm land through hired/rent and 61.2% source their capital through personal saving, 62.5% of them acquired information through radio and television. 93.7% of the farmer cultivated farm size less than 5 hectare with mean farming experience of 16.01years, 45% practice four cropping combination, which showed the extend of crop diversification among farmer in the study area. It was also revealed that 58.7% realize income of N 80,000- N 200,000, from their farm output per season, 75% of the crop farmer used inorganic fertilizer. The major dominant of crop in the area was cassava (91.3%), maize (86.3%) and vegetables (48.8%) different species, which may be inter/mixed cropping. The major land management practices adopted by the farmer in the study area were, manual method of land clearing (95%), Inorganic fertilizer (67.5%), improve varieties of crop specie(65%), crop rotation (61.2%) and cover cropping( 21.3%), while 72% apply chemical for weeding. The major problem of farmer on the land use on crop diversification, are basically land tenure, pest infestation among others. It was therefore concluded that there should be good land tenure system, farmer should be encouraged to adopt organic input method of farming, effort should be made by extension workers and research institute to the need of orientating and organizing organic farming system training program in other to improve soil fertility through combination of leguminous based cropping system should be encouraged in the study area.

The paper reviews pollination studies in oil palm in West Africa, the Far East and South and Central America. The main types of pollination in the oil palm, anemophily and entomophily, and other forms of pollination are discussed. The floral characters of the oil palm that promote anemophily and entomophily are: abundant smooth dry pollen grains, enlarged stigmatic surfaces, reduced perianth, coloured perianth and a raised female inflorescence. The critical role played by insects and the resulting increases in yield of fresh fruit bunches (ffb) and oil following introductions of pollinator insects into the plantations in the Far East and Central and South America are mentioned. The introduction of insect pollinators into areas in the Far East with poor fruit set rates led to the cessation of assisted pollination and increased profitability. The introduction of the insect pollinators led to as much as 36 – 80 % improvement in fruit set, a 12 % increase in fruit-to-bunch ratio and a 28 – 54 % increase in mean bunch weight. The oil-to-bunch ratio increased by 9 % and a 43 % improvement recorded in the kernel-to-bunch ratio. Insects belonging to the Elaeidobius spp. (Coleoptera: Curculiondae; Derelominae) are the main insects involved in pollination of the oil palm. Other insects listed are the Prosoestus spp., Microporium spp. (Coleoptera: Nitidilidae) and Atheta spp. (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae). Mystrops spp. are of economic importance in South and Central America. The insects generally carry pollen on their hairy bodies and wings. The bigger and more hairy insects are more efficient pollinators and contribute to adequate fruit set and increased yield. Pollinator insect populations may be conserved through the selective use of insecticides, the proper timing of application, and the mode of application to achieve sustainable production.

Water quality parameters from three sampling stations in Ikpa River, Nigeria were investigated for a period of 12 calendar months from March 2009 to February 2010. ANOVA result showed that all the parameters were significantly different (P<0.05) except transparency and pH. Sampling station and month effect on the parameters showed significance by LSD means separation in all parameters (P<0.05) except air temperature, transparency and pH, thus, some were highly significant while others were significant. pH values in all the stations remained the same indicating uniformity from the upstream to downstream. PC 1 and 2 axes in the combined stations indicated clusters of PO4-P, NO3-N and SO42- which showed that they have high positive correlations with each other, thus, there is inferred eutrophication and subsequent pollution. AT and WT showed high positive correlation in clustering together in all the stations indicated the effect of climate change which is a global environmental menace due to the increased of the earth’s surface. High positive correlation of FCO2 and BOD indicated low dissolved oxygen which endangers the lives of aquatic fauna. The clustering of TDS and transparency together was an indication of high ionic constituents of the water, thus, inferring nitrification. CCA showed effect of environmental factors on phytoplankton species and the main source of pollution to be from organic materials. Seasonal variability showed higher factor loadings during the dry season than during the wet season (P<0.05). Temporal variableness had highest factor loadings occurring in February (P<0.05). The total number of families, genera and species of phytoplankton sampled were 7, 67 and 106 respectively.

Pistachio is one of the most important export and strategic agricultural product in the word and comprehensive study on its agro-ecological requirements can lead to find out the suitable areas for producing pistachio as well as addressing the best management practices to achieve the sustainability. This paper tries to review agro-ecological requirements (climate, soil and site) for pistachio after describing the role and the limitation levels of the climatic, landscape and soil properties that influencing on the yield and quality of the pistachio trees and their nuts, respectively.

The effect of Indomie Noodle Waste Meal (IWM) based diet of the haematology and serum biochemistry of Broiler Finisher was investigated. One hundred and fifty unsexed Hypecco strain of Broilers were randomly allotted into five Isocaloric and Isonitrogenous dietary groups with graded levels of IWM to replace maize on weight basis in a Completely Randomised Design(CRD).Treatment 1 (T1),T2,T3,T4 and T5 contained IW at 0%,25%,50%,75% and 100% respectively. The experiment lasted for five weeks (5th -10th week). Dietary treatment started at 5th week of age and blood collection started at the onset of the dietary treatment and weekly thereafter. Haematological parameters investigated were Haemoglobin (Hb) concentration, Packed Cell Volume (PCV), White Blood Cells (WBC), Red Blood Cells (RBC) while the erythrocyte indices were calculated. Serum metabolites analysed for were Total Protein (TP), Albumin, Globulin, Uric acid, Calcium, Glucose, Creatinine, Bilirubin and Cholesterol. Hb, PCV and the erythrocyte indices were significantly (p<0.05) lowered by the IWM inclusion but not adversely while serum TP, Albumin, Globulin, Calcium and Cholesterol were significantly (p<0.05) elevated with the level of IWM inclusion.IWM can be used to replace maize in the diet of Broiler finisher chickens the level of which must not exceed 50% to avoid higher serum cholesterol level.

Chickpea grain damage in various forms, in which splitting is more important than other aspects, because of quantitative losses. This paper investigates the mechanical strength of chickpea kernels in relation to splitting. In this relation, three varieties (Bivanij, ILC482 and Philip 93-93) of chickpea at three levels of moisture content (15.5, 20.8 and 25.6 % wet bases) and three loading orientations (Length, Width and Thickness of kernel) were tested under quasi-static uni-axial compression. Measured and calculated parameters were including rupture force, maximum strain and deformation, rupture energy, maximum normal contact stress and apparent modulus of elasticity. Moisture content had a considerable effect on all mechanical parameters. In addition, the results showed that values of chickpea strength properties were lowest when loaded in the length direction. The minimum values of modulus of elasticity and rupture energy were equal to 6.75 MPa and 43.28 mJ, respectively, at 26%(w.b.). According to statistical results, Philip 93-93 variety had the highest resistance to damage and splitting in comparison to two other varieties. Several linear and nonlinear models were developed for prediction of chickpea strength parameters that presented in the article.

Poor soil fertility is among the major production problems responsible for poor growth and low yield of sesame in Nigeria. A field experiment was conducted at the Teaching and Research Farm of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Nigeria to determine the effect of application of organic and mineral fertilizers on growth and yield of sesame plants and rates of Nitrogen fertilizer application on the performance of sesame var E8. There were 12 factorial treatment combinations of three types of fertilizers namely; tithonia compost, maize compost, and urea and four rates of Nitrogen; 0, 60, 80, and 100 kg N/ha. Progressive increment in growth and seed yield parameters was observed as fertilizer rates increased up to 80 kg N/ha and decreased at 100 kg N/ha. Application of 80 kg N/ha produced the highest growth and yield of sesame. Application of 60, 80, and 100kg N/ha fertilizer resulted in 140, 350 and 170 % over the control. Tithonia compost produced the highest yield of sesame compared with maize compost and urea fertilizer. Generally, inorganic fertilizer (urea) resulted in lower yields compared to organic fertilizer (tithonia compost) in the production of sesame. Soil nutrient status was also enhanced as residual N increased slightly in all the treatment. However, phosphorus accumulation was highest with the application of tithonia compost at 80kg /ha. From the results of these experiments, it is indicative that application of tithonia compost at the rate of 80 kg N/ha is most suitable for the production of sesame and have the potential of improving the soils in the southern Guinea Savanna of Ogbomoso, Nigeria.

This study was carried out to investigate the effects of using treated wastewater on quantitative and qualitative characteristics of festuca in greenhouse conditions in Sa'dabad of the Dashtestan, Iran. Experiment was performed in a randomized complete block design with 5 treatments and 4 replicates. Treatments included: fresh water, fresh water + 25% treated wastewater, fresh water + 50% treated wastewater, fresh water + 75% treated wastewater, and 100% treated wastewater. Based on the results, it can be concluded that the impact of wastewater had significant effect on growth and physiological characteristics. Root weight (5.7 g), leaf weight (2.3 g), leaf area (7/54), root length (29 cm) and plant height (9.9 cm) showed a significant increase in compared to the control. In relation to the characteristics of protein, phosphorus and ash, the same trend was observed.