Agriculture

The study examined the energy used for milling rice in Lafia rice mill. A sample of 50 randomly selected rice mills were used for the study. Simple descriptive statistics, production function analysis and correlation analysis were used for data analysis. The result shows that the average total energy used daily for rice milling was 2427.44MJ/mill with diesel energy having the largest share (54.66%) of the average total daily energy used. Furthermore, to mill a bag of paddy about 211.06MJ of energy was required. The energy productivity was 0.37MJ/mill. Diesel and paddy were the most significant inputs that influenced the output of milled rice. The elasticity value range from 0.19 to 7.37 for paddy and diesel respectively. Rice milling in the research area was observed to be dependent on direct and non renewable energy forms especially diesel. The study recommends development of cleaner and safer energy forms such as solar energy for rice milling in the study area.

Field trial was conducted during the rainy seasons of 2009 and 2010 to study the effects of nitrogen and intra row spacing on the growth and yield of sesame. The experiment consisted of three levels of nitrogen in the form of urea (0, 50, and 100 kg N ha-1) and three intra row spacing (7.5, 15 and 22.5cm). The nine treatment combinations were laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Plant height, leaf area index, number of branches per plant, total dry matter per plant and days to 50% flowering were optimized at 100 kg N ha-1 and 22.5cm intra row spacing. Numbers of capsules per plant, capsule weight per plant, grain yield per plant and grain yield per hectare were optimized at 50 kg ha-1 of nitrogen. Maximum number capsules per plant, capsule weight per plant, grain yield per plant were recorded at 22.5cm intra row spacing while, maximum grain yield per hectare was recorded at 15cm intra row spacing. Application of 50 kg N ha-1 and planting at 15cm intra row spacing is therefore recommended for higher sesame yield in this area.

ABSTRACT The experiment was conducted during the growth season of 2013- 2014 autumn and spring at the desert of Najaf Governorate of plant cucumbers Toshika. The aim was to study the effect of soil mulches and garlic extract spray on the growth of cucumbers grown in a greenhouse. The experiment included 16 treatment interaction between soil mulches such as (without mulches , black polyethylene, transparent polyethylene and rice residues) and garlic extract spray at different rates (0.0 , 2.5 , 5.0, and 7.5 ml. L-1) on vegetative growth plants were sprayed. Then spray was adopted at two weeks internals that means two times plant were sprayed during the growing season. Design of the study was split Plot Design within Randomized Complete Block Design with three replicate. The means were compared at the probability of 0.05 by least Significant Differences (LSD). Results showed as follow. Plants grown under black polyethylene were higher in most vegetative growth Characteristics (leaves number , leaf dry matter percentage and leaf contents of nitrogen) which is Produced the highest values of the vegetative growth characteristics season as compared with control treatment (spray with distilled water only). Interaction effects between soil mulches and garlic extract spray were significant on studying vegetative growth characteristics for the two seasons. The interaction of black polyethylene with 5 ml.L-1 gave the highest means of vegetative growth as compared with the interaction of control that gave the least means for the above studied characteristics of the first and second season.

A field experiment was conducted at Firozabad region of Iran to study the effect of Effective Microorganisms Activate (EMa), EMa levels on growth, yield, Yield Components and Water Usage Efficiency of two Maize cultivars (Ns640 and Back cross 666). The experiment consisted of 10 treatments which were the combinations between two factors: two cultivars and five EMa levels.Ns640 cultivar significantly exceeded Back cross 666 in more growth characters, yield and its components. The result indicates that EMa increases growth and grain yield and water usage efficiency of Maize.

A study is conducted to investigate the effects of socio economic factors on agricultural land use in Malaysia. Relevant socio – economic variables (from 1965 to 2007) were aggregated from the databases of various international and national agencies. These data include agricultural and non agricultural land uses, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) & Gross National Product (GNI); labour force, population age distribution, numbers of cars per 1000 people; road density. GDP/capita & GNI/capita, labour efficiencies ie (ha/worker in agricultural subsectors), percentage of male and female in the agricultural labour force and % change in outputs of major crops were derived from relevant data. Data were then subjected to multiple linear regression analysis using SPSS version 18. Findings indicated that, relevant socio – economic factors in agricultural land use in Malaysia are available workforce of the population, percentage of workers engaged in plantation farming, female workforce in agriculture, farm size and the workers condition of service in non - agricultural sector. This study has revealed that labour supply and their conditions of service are major factors in agricultural land use. This study further underscores the need for technology – driven - agricultural practices in the face of better posited industries competing for available labour.

Since the era of the Green Revolution, Agricultural production worldwide experienced much efficiency with a remarkable aim to eradicate threats of food insecurity. This breakthrough was anchored on science and technology. Among the interventions this era saw to date were the use of fertilizers and pesticides in our day-to-day farming activity to boost yield and control pests/diseases. The study assessed farmers’ knowledge in the use of Agrochemicals given their environmental effects such as on water bodies, occupational hazard and safety, disposal, and storage regarding product use. Questionnaires were administered to farmers cultivating vegetables, food, and cash crops under Open-field and Greenhouse managements in respective Production Specification; Organic and Inorganic productions. The study revealed that 85% of respondents who cultivated cash crops such as Cocoa and Rubber heavily relied on the use of inorganic fertilizers and pesticides. 35.40%, 32.74%, and 19.47% of respondents disposed of Agrochemical containers using Pit burial, Burn/Incinerate, and Indiscriminate methods, respectively, while 12.39% used ecological (biodegradable) materials. 92.7% of the respondents had knowledge about perilous consequence and yet didn't garment recommended protective apparels during application. It was concluded and recommended that the necessity of Agrochemical for pest, disease and weed control were unavoidable in the smallholder farming business in Ghana, despite the gradual rise of inorganic fertilizer and Integrated Pest Management control products. However, needful actions such as Government policy on educational campaign/programs must be intensified. to help appropriately redress misapplications and chemical residue on fresh food produce.

The regular maintenance of the fields and harvesting of the pods had in itself made it possible to maintain a good sanitary state of the Congolese plantations. Black rot and mirid diseases were still under control at that time. The plantations managed by the planters under the supervision of the "CABEN" Company, Cacaoyère de Bengamisa, were well maintained and monitored. However, in recent years, farmers, especially those in the Bengamisa cocoa zone, have observed their production to be declining.In order to accurately determine the level of this disease in this zone, where abnormal production losses have been reported, observations were carried out in the cocoa farms at the Kisangani, Kapalata and Yangambi posts in the Banalia Territory in the Democratic Republic of Congo "DRC".Weekly passages during which pods affected by black rot and healthy pods were counted revealed very high and increasing levels of infection over two successive harvest seasons (2018 and 2019) (i.e. a growth rate of 17.5 in Kisangani, 14.08 in Kapalata and 9.25 in Yangambi). These rates are similar to those recorded in countries where Phytophtora megakarya, a species known for its aggressiveness, regularly occurs. This serious disease becomes more important in 2019, which evokes the evolution of the latter from year to year. However, it remains understood that the environmental conditions created by the demotivation of coffee and cocoa growers from 1980 onwards, combined with the lack of maintenance of orchards, would have favoured a rapid emergence of black rot. Lasiodiplodia theobromae is becoming a major constraint to cocoa production in DRC. This study is the first to report the effects of L. theobromae causing the decline of cocoa pods in DRC.

Incidence of guava orchards decline was surveyed in different localities of District Larkana. The samples were collected from trees showing clear disease attack. Pure culture was obtained by transferring single spore/ piece of mycelium to PDA plates. Identification was made by using microscopic characters and taxonomical keys. The fungal pathogens responsible for guava orchard decline were fusarium oxysporium f.sp. psidii. and Botryodiplodia theobromae.

Soil, plant and indicators are the main criteria to recognize the function of natural ecosystems and evaluate their potentials. Rangeland ecosystem contains various patches with different functions. The structural and functional characteristics of fertilized patches in Bozdaghy rangeland, in North-Khorasan Province was measured and analyzed in this study. A group of measurable and simple indices of landscape function analysis (LFA) methods were used to evaluate these characteristics. The data were measured from seven land unit which is developed from overlaying of geology map on the dem and slope map. In this research the length and width of ecological patches by the forms of Grass, forb, shrub and bare soil with litter measured. Also we measured 11 soil surface parameters on three, 50 meters transects in the seven mentioned regions. These 11 parameters are belonging to 3 major attributes of soil: Stability, infiltration and nutrients. Statistical analysis of data using the software landscape function analysis, carried. Using multivariate analysis of variance and Duncan's test, functional characteristics associated with each of the land units were studied. Stability, infiltration and nutrients indices of Shrub, forbs and Grass showed significant differences in seven land unit (p<0.05). shrub was most important ecological indicators of areas.

This paper examines agroforestry as a panacea to food insecurity in Nigeria. Agroforestry is defined as a combination of agriculture and forestry, resulting in better management of natural resources and sustainable use of land. It is the planting of trees among crops so as to help sustain environments and livelihoods. The practice of agroforestry is a dynamic, ecologically based, natural resources management system that, through the integration of trees on farms and in the agricultural landscape, diversifies and sustains production for increased social, economic and environmental benefits for land users at all levels. It has some characteristic features which could either be intentional or interactive. Intentional agroforestry is designing and managing combinations for a planned result. Intentional agroforestry can be intensive or integrated. In practice of intensive agroforestry, components are managed to maintain production and environmental benefits. Integrated agroforestry is a blend of agriculture, forestry and environmental science. Interactive agroforestry is designed to minimize negative and maximize positive interactions between trees, other crops, livestock and humans. The goal is to enhance the production of more than one component at a time while providing for environmental benefits. The paper discusses some characteristic features of agroforestry as either intentional or interactive. Silvopastoral, agrisilviculture and agrisilvopastoral are discussed as types of agroforestry systems while alley cropping, forest farming, riparian buffer strips and windbreaks or shelterbelts are described as the most common or popular agroforestry practices. Some limitations to agroforestry practices are also mentioned in the paper.