Agriculture

Investigation was carried out to study the effect of the forward speed and tire inflation pressure of the farm tractor on gross power losses, and tractive efficiency. The studied variables are the equipment (moldboard plough, disk plough and disk harrow), tire inflation pressure (80, 140 and 160 kPa) and five different forward speeds (3.86, 4.18, 4.76, 5.82 and 7.21 km/h). The ploughing depths were (15-20 cm) and average soil moisture content (14.56 %). the soil texture was found to be a (Clay). The study was focus on the rate of drawbar pull, drawbar specific fuel consumption, travel redaction (slip), tractive efficiency and gross power losses. The experiment was carried out by using split-split plot with complete randomized block design in three replicates. The obtained results, for the range of tests, showed that the use of 80 kPa tire inflation pressure superposed the (140 and 160 kPa), in recording lowest rate of slip (6.31 %), and higher rate of drawbar pull (16.097 kN). The forward speed (3.86 km/h) superposed in recording lowest rate of gross power losses (5.29 kW), and higher rate of tractive efficiency (74.017 %) and drawbar specific fuel consumption (0.98 l/kW.h). While the fifth forward speed (7.21 km/h) was superior on other forward speed in recording higher rate of drawbar pull (17.12 kN), in the meantime the moldboard plough recorded higher rate of tractive efficiency (75.37 %) and drawbar pull (20.69 kN), While the use of disk harrow recording lowest rate of slip (4.898 %) and power losses (7.40 kW). The relationship fits the experimental data on studying the effect of tire inflation pressure (I.P) and forward speed (FS) on reduce of gross power losses (Lpower) by prediction regression equations.

The formation of ECOWAS was seen as the beginning of a new era in the history of economic cooperation in West Africa. Its overall aim was to promote cooperation and integration, with a view to establishing an economic and monetary union as a means of stimulating economic growth and development in West Africa. Since the emergence of ECOWAS, the organization has been saddled with a lot of challenges and intra-regional crises without much economic integration being achieved. The paper sets to examine why ECOWAS lags behind in its quest to integrating the economies of West African region. Basically, the study is primarily qualitative. The findings reveal that ECOWAS that needs serious reforms in order to maximally benefit from integration mechanisms the way other regions have done. The prospects are great. The paper concludes by affirming that the current economic turmoil afflicting the region may be seen as a temporary setback, and that a new ECOWAS with a new set of leaders will emerge to realize the dreams of the founding fathers of one larger political and economic union.

Nowadays, controlling herbal pest and spraying operation are considered as important and inevitable activities in agriculture. In case the mentioned operation is performed in a proper manner and chosen a suitable sprayer, the cost of spraying and following operation will decrease and the yield will increase. Given the fact that Eurygaster Integriceps has been known as the most important pest of wheat which is a strategic product throughout the world, farmers use different sprayers in order to control this pest. In this study, micronair, electrostatic atomizer, atomizer, lance, and simple backpack sprayers were compared in the form of randomized complete blocks with four iterations, for controlling the Eurygaster Integriceps. The obtained data were analyzed through SPSS software. The results of the evaluation at the level of 5% revealed that, regarding the operation effect grade for controlling Eurygaster Integriceps pest, micronair sprayer with a 82.09% of died pest was at the highest rank, and electrostatic atomizer sprayer with a 75.88%, atomizer sprayer with a 72.40%, lance sprayer with a 66.60%, and simple backpack sprayer with a 62.58 % of died pests are at the next ranks. Given the obtained results in this study, for controlling Eurygaster Integriceps in the region of Kermanshah, micronair, electrostatic atomizer, atomizer, lance, and backpack sprayer were recommended, respectively.

In order to evaluate induction of tolerance to salt stress CP73-21 sugarcane commercial cultivar in tissue culture conditions an experiment was conducted in 2014-2015 year, in tissue culture laboratory of Islamic Azad University of Ahvaz. 6 treatments for callus induction (2,4-D at levels: 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3 and 3.5 mg/l) were investigated in a randomized complete block design with four replications. The highest callus value (67.5%) was obtained from treated with 3 mg/l. The effect of different levels of salinity 0, 33, 66, 99 and 132 mM were investigated to tolerance of callus in completely randomized design. After 8 weeks, the callus value reduction by 33, 66, 99 and 132 treatments in compare to control were obtained 31, 33, 22 and 26%, respectively.

According to the Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis, (2009) Kenya’s poverty levels are estimated to be on the decline, while the number of those living below the poverty line is estimated to have increased from 13.4 million in 1997 to about 16.6 million in 2006. The incidence of poverty is higher in rural areas at 49.1 per cent compared with 33.7 per cent in urban areas. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of linkages on small scale livestock farming in Baringo County. The study adopted the stakeholder’s theory by (Friedman, 1984) which states that the organization itself should be thought of as grouping of stakeholders who manage their interests, needs and viewpoints. He posits that the parties involved in an enterprise, includes governmental bodies, political groups, trade associations, trade unions, communities, financiers, suppliers, employees, and customers, who play a significant role in enterprise success. The research employed stratified random and simple random sampling for data collection. A structured questionnaire using interviews was administered to a representative sample of 67 small-scale livestock farmers. Data was collected on types of links, incidence of links and function of identified link formations. The study hypothesis was tested using Chi-square at 0.05 level of significance. Study findings showed a significant relationship between linkages and small scale livestock performance. The study recommends that agricultural stakeholders such as KVDA, KARI, KLMC and MLFD should partner with the farmers in providing relevant information, so as to facilitate better management of their livestock, training on better technologies, breeding options, and ensure enterprise growth for sustainable economic development. Research on the establishment of community ranches and a meat processing firm within the county be carried for the benefit of the farmers and provide ready market with less exploitation from middlemen.

Soil samples were collected from charnockitic soils of Ekiti state, Nigeria by random sampling using the soil map of Ekiti state as a guide. Surface samples and sub surface samples were dug covering about 100ha. The soils were sandy to loamy sand on the surface to sandy clay in the sub-soil. All the pedons, show consistently increasing clay with depth, pointing to argillic horizon development. Chemical analysis shows that the soil are characterized by high base saturation (>35% by NH4 OAc). The CEC, organic carbon, available phosphorus (Bray1) and total nitrogen were generally low. Most of the nutrient elements decreased with increase in depth.

This study assessed the involvement of rural children in farming activities in Odeda local government area of Ogun state. Interview schedules were used to obtain information from 80 children from the study area. The study revealed that the mean age of the respondents is 14 years with more than half (55%) between 13 and 15 years. Majority (92.5%) of the children are schooling. Also, about three out of every four children (76.25%) are involved in about 13 farming activities. Boys are more involved at a higher level in farming activities than girls. Chi-square analyses revealed that there is significant difference at p<0.05 in male/female involvement in land clearing (?² = 13.265), ridging (?² = 19.163), planting (?² = 23.474), fertilizer application (?² = 9.172), staking (?² = 10.889), harvesting (?² = 26.000), transporting (?² = 11.607) and marketing (?² = 9.053). It can further be deduced from the study that farming in the study area by the children cannot be regarded as child labour as most of their involvement is done on weekends. The study concluded that children should be involved in farming at a low to medium level depending on age as this serves as means through which a child can acquire basic survival skills that will be needed for the child’s personal development and, in the long run, resulting in sustainable national development.

This study was performed to evaluation of inoculated sulfur with Thiobacillus sp on some growth traits of marigold under salinity condition. Experimental design was split split plot with 3 replications. First factor was sulfur (200 and 400 kg/ha) also second and third factor included bacteria (inoculated and no inoculated) and salinity stress (0, 15, 35 and 55 mm/L), respectively. After the experiment, some morphological characters and morphological of marigold were evaluated such as height, yield of fresh and dried flowers, number of flowers per plant, grain yield, petals, seed weight. Totally, result showed that 400kg/ha had best effect on studied characteristics, It was also found that with increased stress levels from 0 to 16 dS, the height, fresh yield of flowers, yield of flower dry weight, number of flowers per plant, grain yield, petals and seed weight, showed 45, 65, 64, 20, 78, 17 and 39 percent of reduction, respectively. On the other hand, it was determined that the use of bacteria and sulfur can reduce the effects of stress.

Feed restriction is one of the methods used in commercial treatment in poultry breeding industry to reduce the cost of production. This study was carried out to examine the effect of feed restriction on growth performance characteristics of broiler chickens. A total of sixty Anak broiler chicks were used. The birds were allotted into four dietary treatments in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD). Each treatment was replicated three times with five birds per replicate. The dietary treatments were identified as T1, T2, T3 (which was commercial diet from Vital feed industry) and T4. The study lasted for a period of 8 weeks which includes 2 weeks of acclimatization prior to the starting of experiment. Birds on T1 were on ad libitum feeding throughout the experimental period, T2 were on 70% ad libitum for the first 21 days followed by ad libitum feeding for the last 21 days, T3 were on 70% ad libitum throughout the experimental period and T4 were on 70% of commercial diet + 30% sun-dried maize sievette throughout the experimental period. Analysis of data showed that the final body weight of T1 and T4 were significantly difference among other treatments (p<0.05). Feed intake values of T1 and T4 were significantly (p<0.05) higher than T2 and T3. Feed efficiency did not differ between treatments. Result on carcass quality revealed that there was a significant difference between the slaughtered weight of T1 and other treatments. But similarities existed between T2 and T4. No significant differences were found between T1, T2 and T4 for the breast, drum stick/thigh, wing and gizzard weight but T3 remains the lowest among the treatments. From the result, birds on T1 had the highest feed intake followed by T4, T2 and T3. T3 had the least net return. Based on this experiment, T4 was found to be of more economic value.

The reckless release of cassava effluent into the environment has posed diverse environmental challenges. Its effects on phytotoxicity, nutrient quality and stability on compost were assessed under windrow composting method. There were two carbon (Rice bran and Sawdust) and nitrogen (Poultry manure and Cow dung) sources. Each of the carbon and nitrogenous feedstock were combined in ratio 1:3 with or without cassava effluent applied at 15 litres per pile. There were two replications. Ambient temperature and those of the composting piles were taken daily. Turning and moisture content were monitored. At compost maturity, composite compost samples were subjected to proximate analysis and phytotoxicity assessment by raising cowpea seedling in the compost extracts in the dark for 72 hours. There were four compost types and two compost extract concentration levels including 50 and 100 %. Two checks including distilled water and raw cassava effluent were considered for comparison. There were two replications laid out in completely randomized design. Data assessed showed that cassava effluent significantly reduced Mn and Fe concentrations in the compost. It further reduced number of days to attain stability by 9 and 19 days in rice bran and sawdust based compost respectively. It also increased the nitrogen content and alkalinity in the compost. Feedstock decomposition rate was increased by 54% in sawdust based compost. Its ability to greatly improve germination index of cowpea with values above the 100 % from distilled water growing medium at both concentrations levels showed the possibility of cassava effluent under aerobic composting condition to release growth stimulating substances into the growing medium.