Agriculture

The effects of moringa leaves and seeds fortification on the nutritional value and overall acceptability of Sorghum-Maize ‘ogi’ was investigated. The ‘Ogi’ produced from sorghum and maize was enriched with moringa leaves and seeds at substitution level of 10%. . Sorghum, maize and moringa seeds/ leaves were constituted in the ratio 45:45:10 while sorghum ogi with moringa leave/seeds was constituted in the ratio 90:10 The proximate content, mineral and vitamins content and the sensory properties of the ogi samples were determined. There was increase in the proximate content with the variation in the ratio of sorghum and maize and 10% Moringa seed enrichment. There was increase in the mineral content. The swelling capacity decreased with 10% moringa leaf and seed substitution. The ogi sample with 10% moringa seeds substitution was rated close to the unfortified ogi sample.

No one can imagine an agricultural revolution without pesticides, in addition to fertilisation and mechanisation. The world should have been more crude without food or probably highly diminished in population due to chronic competition for scarce and raw food. There is population boom due to quicker and more dependable access to food and medicare. The economic growth of citizens and nations have depended primarily on agriculture. Part of the aftermath of human civilisation is chemical and pesticide contamination/pollution. The danger lies on the pollution level of these substances in our food chain and the environment. This paper reviews the place of pesticides in crop management, environmental implications and challenges for the future. It proffers acceptance of opinions of major stakeholders: scientists, investors, farmers, government, policy makers, regulators, health professionals, environmental experts/carers, regulators and recommends the use of contaminant level pesticide in contrast to pollutant level pesticide in crop management, pending the discovery of alternatives to synthetic pesticides, including botanic or bio-pesticides, to feed a hungry world.

Effect of supplementary phytase and mineral chelators were determined in 28-day chicks’ growth assay. Six isonitrogenous, isocaloric diets, equal in minerals, sulphur amino acids and lysine were formulated; a control with no inorganic phosphorus and 5 other diets containing 0.03% phytase, 0.1% EDTA, 1.5% citric acid, 0.03% phytase + 0.1% EDTA and 0.03% phytase + 1.5% citric acid, respectively. Diets were randomly assigned to 36 individually caged chicks. Phytase, EDTA or citrate supplements resulted in increase in feed intake, body weight gain and feed efficiency improvement (P<0.05). Serum alkaline phosphatase and organs relative weights were insignificantly different (P>0.05) but a significant increase in serum phosphorus and bursa of Fabricius were observed when phytase fed combined with EDTA or citrate (P<0.05). Minerals in tibia, P and Mg in toes were increased by citrate or EDTA supplement (P<0.05). Supplementary phytase plus citrate or EDTA generates more phosphorus and enhances nutrients utilisation.

Effect of different doses of nitrogen with or without GA3 application on plant height, nutrient uptake (N,P,K and S). Yield parameters in NDR-8501 Brassica juncea cultivar in year 2013-14. Field experiment was conducted at Instructional Farm of N.D.U.A.&T., Kumarganj, Faizabad (U.P.) during Rabi season, mustard seeds were grown under different treatments. Three doses of nitrogen (90, 120 and 150 kg ha-1) and GA3 (50 ppm) spraying at 30 and 60 DAS, nutrient uptake, siliquae plant-1, seed siliquae-1, seed yield increases at 120 kg N ha-1 with spraying of GA3 at 30 DAS as compared to without GA3 spraying GA3 at 60 DAS spraying increase the observed parameters but it was low in comparison of 30 DAS. The optimum dose of nitrogen of recommended dose of fertilizer along with spraying of 50 ppm GA3 at 30 DAS can be used as optimum recommended source for improving mustard seed yield under local agro climatic conditions.

The presence of heavy metal residues in food products is a potential hazard to humans and animals as these metals cannot be degraded and stay permanently in the environment hence there is a need to ascertain the safety of these products for human consumption. The concentration of heavy metal residues in meat, milk and cheese were assessed in three locations in Ondo State. A total number of 120 animals (comprising 30 cows and 90 bulls) and 30 cheese samples were sampled for the investigation. The samples were digested with concentrated nitric acid and the resulting solutions were analyzed using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS) for lead, copper, zinc, cadmium and chromium. The result revealed that the concentration of each metal was significantly (P < 0.05) different due to the location. The results were compared with Maximum Recommended Limit (MRL) as set by FAO. The cadmium concentration in the kidney samples obtained from Owo has a mean concentration level of 1.23mg/kg, which is above those collected from Ondo (0.53mg/kg). However, Cadmium was not detected in kidney samples from Akure. Chromium concentration was high in kidney samples from Ondo and Owo with values of 1.11 and 1.21mg/kg respectively than those recorded in Akure (0.31mg/kg). The mean level of copper in skeletal muscle from Akure (3.17kg/kg) was higher when compared with the 2 other locations (Ondo 1.48mg/kg; Owo 1.82mg/kg). The mean concentration of lead in skeletal muscle (2.09mg/kg) and kidney samples (0.89mg/kg) were significantly higher than liver samples (0.78mg/kg). Of these skeletal muscle, kidney and liver samples, 100%, 46.7%, 73.3% exceeded the MRL by FAO respectively. For cadmium, the result showed that kidney samples of slaughtered cattle contained a mean value of 0.59mg/kg. Also, the concentration of zinc in skeletal muscle and liver of slaughtered cattle were 37.65and 50.55mg/kg out of which 36.7% and 43.3% exceeded the MRL by FAO for skeletal muscle and liver respectively. The mean concentration of chromium is higher in kidney samples (0.88mg/kg) than skeletal muscle (0.77mg/kg and liver (0.83mg/kg). Of these skeletal muscle, kidney and liver samples, 16.7%, 36.7%, 20% exceeded the MRL as set by FAO respectively. Copper mean concentration was higher in liver samples (20.57mg/kg) of which 100% of liver samples exceeded MRL by FAO. 

Experiment was set up in 2013 at the experimental field of Savannah Agriculture Research Institute to evaluate the effect of split nitrogen application on growth and yield of lowland rice. It was made up of ten treatments laid out in split plot design with three replications. Treatments were made up of two low land rice varieties (Jasmine and Degang) randomly assigned to main plots and five levels of N fertilization (control, 60 kg NPK/ha, 60 kg NPK/ha + 30 kg N/ha, 60 kg NPK/ha + 15 + 15 kg N/ha and 60 kg NPK/ha +10 + 10 + 10 kg N/ha) randomly assigned to sub plots. Fertilizers used were NPK (15-15-15) and Sulfan (24% nitrogen). Variety x split N fertilization had no significant (P>0.05) effect on all parameters measured. Main effect of variety and split N fertilization significantly (P<0.05) affected most parameters measured, especially grain yield. Jasmine proved superior to Degang in grain yield. Application of 60 kg NPK/ha + 30 N/ha optimized rice growth and maximized yield similar to 60 kg NPK/ha + 15 kg N/ha + 15 kg N/ha and 60 kg NPK/ha + 10 kg N/ha + 10 kg N /ha + 10 kg N/ha. Application of 60 kg NPK/ha + 30 N/ha is recommended for increase rice yield and income of farmers, as split application at 15 + 15 kg N/ha and 10 + 10 + 10 kg N/ha attract additional labour cost.

An experimental study was conducted under dryland conditions to determine the influence of conventional and conservation tillage systems as well as seed rate on grain yield and yield components of a wheat cultivar in the central region of Iran. The experimental design was a randomized complete block with three tillage and four seed rate treatments with three replications. Tillage treatments comprised of conventional tillage (CT: moldboard+disk), reduced tillage (RT: chisel plow+disk), and no-till (NT: direct drilling with plow no-till drill), while the seed rate treatments were 80, 100, 120, and 140 kgha^-1. Average grain yield was 1804, 1754 and 1789 kgha^-1 for CT, RT and NT, respectively. The highest wheat yield was obtained from CT and NT treatments with seed rate of 100 kgha^-1 and the lowest yield was obtained in RT treatment with seed rate of 80 kgha^-1. The trend of wheat yield with seed rate (number of plants per hectare) was approximately similar to the parabolic response curve of grain yield versus number of plants per unit area which increases quickly to a maximum and slowly decreases at higher plant densities. To achieve the maximum yield of dryland wheat in central region of Iran, applying no-till system with seed rate of 100 kgha^-1 was recommended.

Until quite recently, human urine has been tagged a ‘waste’, especially in Africa, even though the eastern, and western worlds have for centuries reaped the immense blessings associated with this “liquid gold”. It is in the light of this that this paper discusses the research work conducted to ascertain the fertilizer value of human urine and its utilization in agriculture in Kumasi, Ghana. The study investigated the maximum storage time of human urine that would result in increased NPK for crop use under green house conditions using maize as the test crop. Some morphological characteristics; number of leaves, leave length, plant height and leave width were measured. Perceptions of farmers and consumers on urine use in agriculture were also examined. In a randomized complete block design, fresh urine (0), 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 months’ old urine and NPK 15:15:15 chemical fertilizers were applied to maize crops in a green house. Prior to planting and application of plant nutrients, soil and human urine NPK contents were analysed using standard methods. Fresh urine produced the highest Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium contents of 884.572mg/L, 68.044mg/L, and 180.763mg/L respectively compared to the six months old urine which yielded 700.450mg/L, 0.578mg/L and 0.096mg/L of Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium contents respectively. The amounts of NPK in urine decreased with storage duration. Percentage decrease of urine NPK over the six months of storage were 20.8%, 31% and 22% respectively. Fertilization of maize crops with urine, produced crops with morphological characteristics comparable to plants fertilized with NPK mineral fertilizer – 15:15:15. Farmers, though unaware of the fertilizer value of human urine, were willing to use it in farming. Consumers however were unwilling to patronize vegetables fertilized with human urine.

Most organic vegetable farmers in Central Luzon apply the required amount of organic fertilizers only once during planting. Hence, nutrient requirement of vegetables during vegetative or reproductive stages are no longer available. This condition seriously affects the growth and development of vegetables and subsequently affecting the yield performance that may result to low yield. In order to reduce the effect of nutrient deficiency on organic vegetable production particularly on green pepper, the research aimed to: a) establish frequency of organic fertilizer application employing split application; and b) determine the yield performance and net return based on the different treatments used. The research was conducted for two consecutive dry seasons (2014 and 2015) under full organic system. Twice application of the recommended rate of organic fertilizer obtained the highest yield of 4.21 t/ha while thrice application of the recommended rate of organic fertilizer obtained the second highest with 4.14 t/ha. Basal application obtained the lowest yield of 3.89 t/ha during the first trial. Second trial of the study showed that comparable yield was obtained by twice application and thrice application with 5.03 t/ha and 5.02 t/ha, respectively. Basal application consistently produced the lowest yield. Cost and return analysis of 1000 m2 green pepper following the different treatments evaluated showed that the highest net income during the first trial was obtained from twice application of the recommended rate of organic fertilizer with PhP7,740.00 net income with an ROE of 85.05% which was lower than the ROE of the basal application with 89.76%. Lower net income was obtained from basal application of organic fertilizer due to lower yield obtained. Second trial showed that the highest net income was obtained from two split application of the recommended rate of organic fertilizer with PhP11,020.00 registering an ROE of 121.09%, the highest among the three treatments evaluated.

Pot culture experiment was conducted to study the impact of organic and inorganic phosphorus source on major and micronutrient availability for main and residual crop. Organic and inorganic Phosphorus sources (farmyard manure, poultry manure, vermicompost, sewage sludge and single superphosphate), to supply 34 kg P2O5 ha-1, were used as treatments with no phosphorus source as control. These six treatments replicated four times, making a total of 24 pots. In main groundnut crop all the phosphorus sources improved soil organic carbon and major and micronutrient contents. Among them poultry manure had the greatest influence on the availability of phosphorus, nitrogen, potassium and sulphur. In the residual sunflower crop phosphorus source improved the nutrient availability and soil organic carbon content. Among them, poultry manure registered higher soil available nitrogen and phosphorus content and sewage sludge treatment increased potassium and sulphur content. Residual iron, zinc and copper content was higher and comparable in sewage sludge and farmyard manure treatment. And residual manganese content was higher in single super phosphate treatment.