Agriculture

Palm Kernel Oil Residue (PKOR) is a waste product obtained after extracting oil from palm kernel by cottage industries. The residue is dumped at processing sites and the stench that emanates from the oxidizing product, causes nuisance to processors and nearby residents. Animal scientists are advocating the use of the fresh product as energy resource in broiler rations. This study was therefore conducted to determine the effects of partial replacement of maize in broiler rations with PKOR, on carcass parameters and sensory characteristics of broiler chicken. A total of 80 birds (5 from each treatment) were randomly selected from 160 birds fed diets containing 0% (control), 2.5%, 5.0%, 7.5%, 10%, 12.5%, 15% and 17.5% PKOR. At maturity (8 weeks old), the birds were slaughtered, and hot carcass and viscera weights were taken. Carcasses were sectioned into primal cuts after 24-hour chilling, and each part was weighed. The breast muscles were grilled for sensory evaluation. Proximate composition, ultimate pH (pHu) and peroxide value of the muscles were determined. Data obtained were analyzed using the General Linear Model of ANOVA component of Minitab software. The results indicate that PKOR inclusion up to 17.5% in broiler rations has no significant (p>0.05) effects on carcass parameters and sensory characteristics of the meat. Crude protein and fat contents of the carcasses were not significantly (p>0.05) different. However, PKOR inclusions beyond 7.5% significantly (p<0.001) increased the moisture content of the muscles. Ultimate pH (pH after 24hours of slaughter) and peroxide value after 7 days in storage were not significantly affected by the use of PKOR. The study indicated that farmers can include PKOR up to 17.5% in broiler rations without adverse effects on the carcass and sensory characteristics of the meat.

10 parental lines of cowpea were crossed and evaluated to determine the genetic behaviour of days to flowering and maturity traits through a full diallel analysis. In all, there were 45 crosses, 45 reciprocals and 10 parents to make a total of 100 entries which were evaluated in two locations, Teaching and Research Farm, Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti, and College of Education Demonstration Secondary School Farm in the early season of 2011 using a Randomized Complete Block Design with two replications. Data were collected on plant height, days to first flowering, days to 50% flowering, and days to 50% podding. Results showed that there were significant differences among the entries (p<0.05) for all traits studied. The mean for days to 50% flowering ranged between 50.07 and 51.73 days, days to pod maturity varied from 58.77 to 64.24 days. The hybrid lines exhibited the earliest flowering and pod maturity traits among the entries. General Combining Ability (GCA) for most of the traits were significant. Only days to pod maturity were not significant for Specific Combining Ability (SCA) among the traits. P1, P4, P5 and P6 are identified to be the best general combiners for most of the characters while P1 x P4, P1 x P6, P4 x P2 and P9 x P5 are excellent specific combiners for earliness traits. Mid-parents heterosis (%) was high (280.47%) among the crosses and reciprocals. The ratio of GCA to SCA ranged from less than 1 for flowering intervals to 48 for days to 50% flowering which underscores the importance of additive effect and suggesting that reasonable progress can be made using selection procedure.

The Objectives of this study were to determine the general (GCA) and specific (SCA) combining abilities and heterosis of some cotton genotypes for yield, its components and fiber traits using line × tester mating design. Thirteen parents (ten lines and three testers) alongwith their thirty F1 crosses were studied in randomized complete block Design (RCBD) with three replications during 2016 at Sakha Agriculture Research Station, Kafr El- Sheikh Governorate, Egypt. Based on line x tester analysis, the variances due to genotypes, parents, crosses and parent vs cross exhibited significant differences (P<0.01) for most yield, yield component and fiber traits. The variances due to GCA of lines and testers, and SCA of line x tester interactions were highly significant for most studied traits, indicating the importance of both additive and non-additive gene actions in controlling these traits. The proportional contribution of line × tester was higher than individual contribution of lines and testers for most studied traits. The estimates of GCA and SCA effects revealed that the parents and some crosses were having desirable and significantly GCA and SCA effects, respectively. High mean performances and desirable GCA effects values were observed of lines Pima S6, Suvin, G.90, Aust. 12 and tester C.B.58 for most investigated traits, hence these parents can be used for generating superior cotton hybrids Significant correlation coefficients (P<0.05 or P<0.01) in positive direction were obtained between all possible pairs of F1 hybrids mean, SCA and heterosis. The best values of mean performances, SCA effects and heterosis were found in the combinations Suvin x G.86 and Aus.12 x C.B.58 for most yield and yield components, and the G.90 x C.B.58 and G.95 x G.86 for fiber traits. These crosses are considered the promising crossed to be used in breeding programs for produce hybrid cotton and improvement for these traits in Egypt.

Field experiments were conducted during kharif seasons of 2006 and 2007 to evaluate the effect of integrated nitrogen management nutrient uptake, quality, economics and soil fertility of pearlmillet under rainfed conditions. Applications of 50% RDN through FYM + 50% through urea, 80% RDN through vermicompost + 20% through urea and 25% RDN through FYM + 75% through urea were found the most superior and equally effective treatments in terms of total uptake of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, protein content in grain, grain yield, net returns and B:C ratio. Significantly, higher total uptake of nitrogen (66.73 kg/ha), phosphorus (14.48 kg/ha) and potassium (97.16 kg/ha), protein content in grain (11.83%), grain yield (2.22 t/ha) net returns ( 11169/ha) and B:C ratio (1.95) were recorded where 50% RDN through FYM + 50% through urea was applied. Whereas, application of 100% RDN through FYM was proved most superior treatment for improvement in post experiment soil fertility by increased soil organic carbon, N, P and K content

Greenhouse farming in Kenya is becoming a lucrative investment as well as a means of improving food production in marginal environments. The Greenhouse is intended to regulate external conditions including soil moisture content suitable to different types of crops. Many farmers use timers to control irrigation, but timers do not account to day to day changes in plant use. The aim of this study was to examine how soil moisture content in Greenhouse is currently regulated The study was guided by Mamdani Fuzzy Logic Theory that uses Nested “IF THEN RULES”. Preliminary data was collected through Observation and Interview schedules. The population of the study comprises five greenhouse farmers and four field officers. Experimental Research Methodology was applied.  The system was modeled using graphical notation in the Unified Modeling Language (UML) and developed using Experimental Prototyping. The Soil Moisture Sensor, Arduino Board, Water Pump are interfaced to develop the Intelligent System for Determination and Regulation of Soil Moisture Content. The study observed that following ways of managing the soil moisture content: Opening taps to run for 16 minutes in the morning and the evening. Checking the adequacy of soil moisture content by touching and squeezing the soil around the drip irrigation area. When the soil is squeeze and remain together then the moisture is adequate otherwise not adequate. Some Greenhouse farmers control the flow of water through the pipes by switching on and off the regulatory tap twice a day depending on the type of crop, soil and the stage of crop while Others were using a crude method which simply observing the wetness of the soil.

Sugarcane is one of the industrial crops used as raw material for several major and minor industries. In Khuzestan, which contains most of the sugarcane farms of Iran, sugarcane is harvested either in green or burnt method. Mechanized harvesting has been replaced by manual harvesting during recent years. Delay in milling of the harvested sugarcane is caused by different reasons in agro-industry units, in addition, methods of harvesting including green and burnt harvesting can cause qualitative and quantitative losses of canes. Thus, a split-plot in time design was executed, with the randomized complete block basic design in 5 replications, in Hakim Farabi agro-industry in 2015. The results showed that the interaction between time delay and harvesting method was significant in 5% level of probability in the main traits of sugarcane i.e. the amount of yellow and white sugar which is affected by other qualitative and quantitative factors. In such a way that the amount of yellow and white sugar during 5 days delay in burnt sugarcane was respectively 1.96 and 1.63 tons per each 100 tons, whereas the amount was 1.3 and 1.08 tons in green harvesting of sugarcane. Thus, compared to burnt sugarcane, green harvesting is less sensitive toward time delay. The invert, which represents loss of sugarcane quality, was separately significant in harvest and time treatments respectively in 1% and 5% levels of probability; in such a way that was 1.7 times higher in burnt sugarcane compared to green one day. The amount of invert in 5th day was 1.35 higher than 4th day.

England is as old as Methuselah. Historians can tell better. Nevertheless, agricultural historians can bear me witness that English agriculture has come of age. Under conventional conditions a generation is equivalent to one century. Therefore, eight generations require eight centuries. The question is what has made an island country conspicuous in the agricultural map of the world. Let us take a look .

Lack of appropriate technology, difficulty of measuring bed load and unclear boundary between bed load and suspended load induce experts to determine a part of suspended load as bed load. This ratio in many rivers with different conditions has the same coefficient and sometimes in a river, different experts estimate various ratios. In this study, two reach of Taleghan and Jajroud rivers was selected to determine the ratio, while stream flow was simulated by HEC-RAS software in both reaches. Bed load was calculated by Meyer-Peter-Muller, Casey, Schoklitch and Van Rijn equations, and Einstein, Chang-Simons-Richardsin, Begnold and Toffalati equations were used to estimate suspended load. After validation of equations, results showed that in both rivers, Schoklitch equation provides the best estimation for bed load. For suspended load, the Einstein and the Bagnold equations provided the best estimation for Jajroud and Taleghan rivers, respectively. R and Re tests and selecting of best equations for estimation of bed and suspended loads showed that bed load to suspended load ratio was about 3.76 and 0.14 in Jajroud and Taleghan rivers, respectively.

Greenhouse farming in Kenya is becoming a lucrative investment as well as a means of improving food production in marginal environments. The Greenhouse is intended to regulate external conditions including soil moisture content suitable to different types of crops. Many farmers use timers to control irrigation, but timers do not account to day to day changes in plant use. The aim of this study was to analyze the challenges faced in regulation of soil moisture content in greenhouses; The study was guided by Mamdani Fuzzy Logic Theory that uses Nested “IF THEN RULES”. Preliminary data was collected through Observation and Interview schedules. The population of the study comprises five greenhouse farmers and four field officers. Experimental Research Methodology was applied. The study found out that most small scale farmers had a lot of difficulties in determining and controlling soil moisture content. Apart from having a person on site at the right time to control the turning on and off of the water taps, they also mention the following as being the prevalent challenges: Lack of appropriate equipment to measure, monitor and regulate the soil moisture content, inability to determine the correct or the optimum moisture level for a particular crop, inability to determine water holding capacity of a specific type of soil in the greenhouse for a particular crop, inability to measure the nutrient concentration at a given soil moisture content and its uptake by the crop, Source of power to the Greenhouse and Lack of enough funds to buy the equipment.

The national water policy of India is not concomitant with its land use pattern. The countries constituting the SAARC recognise trade and economic relationships among the member countries of Pakistan, Bangladesh, Srilanka, Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives but does not attempt at a comprehensive land and water resources policy for the region. But the rivers flowing in the SAARC region are not confined to national boundaries. In a similar manner no such policy exists among the member states of India. Population growth, unchecked urban migration against limited land and water resources has led to piecemeal and short term approaches to management rather than attempting at holistic global solutions in land and water sharing among the member states of India. For instance in Tamilnadu, water starved state, sharing of waters from the 45 rivers from neighbouring Kerala state has not been successful so far. With the result these rivers originating in Kerala flow waste to Arabian sea. One of the major drawbacks occurring in these exercises is the Tamilnadu has so far been concerned at its own interest in procuring water from Kerala rather than attempting to point out the benefits accruing to kerala which has no space to store the water. Research done in this regard reveal that benefits accruing to Kerala state are substantial in comparison with Tamilnadu.