Agriculture

Microbial diversity contributes to the sustainability in agriculture, horticulture, forestry and range of environment. The mycorrhizal symbiotic association appears to have evolved with plants since as a survival mechanism for fungi and higher plants. Arbuscular mycorrhizae are the most important microbial symbioses for the majority of plants thus allowing each to survive in the existing environment of low temperature, low soil fertility, periodic drought, diseases, extreme environments, P-limitation, plant community development, nutrient uptake, water relations and above-ground productivity. They also act as bioprotectants against pathogens and toxic stresses. This review gives a brief account on AMF which is necessary for the agricultural improvement and soil fertility.

The low soil fertility of the Kisangani region and the cost of chemical fertilisers on the market mean that farmers can only resort to palliative and sustainable fertilisation (organic manure). The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of soil preparation and organic amendments on the growth and yield of yam (Dioscorea cayenensis). A split splot design was set up with two factors, soil preparation mode with three modalities and organic amendment as a second factor, also three modalities. The combination of these factors resulted in 9 treatments repeated three times. Vegetative parameters and yield components were measured. The results obtained showed that: ? Soil preparation and organic manures affected yam growth and yield; ? Pig dung was the best organic manure for most of the parameters studied.

In this paper we examine the energy use patterns, energy input-output analysis and economic analysis of soybean production in Mazandaran province of Iran. The data were collected using a face-to-face questionnaire method from 95 farmers in Sari, Babolsar, Behshahr and Juibar counties. The results indicated that total energy input for soybean was about 38.7 GJha-1. Among all inputs involved, electricity (49.42%) and fertilizer (20.82%) had the highest energy values per hectare. The bene?t-cost ratio and energy ratio for cultivating for were found to be 1.56 and 2.06, respectively. Also, total cost of production was calculated 0.35 $kg-1 in the research area. The total mean expenditure for the production was 1145 $ha-1 that includes 969 $ha-1 for variable cost and 176 $ha-1 for fixed cost. Optimal consumptions of electricity and fertilizers as major inputs, minimum tillage and no tillage planting systems would be suggested.

Phosphorus is important for finger millet production in many tropical African soils with low phosphorus fertility. Knowledge of redirection of this limited resource for reproduction is fundamental in realization of potential yields. The effect of four phosphorus levels (0, 12.5, 25.0 and 37.5 kg ha-1 P2O5) and three varieties (U-15, P-224 and a local check) on the days to flowering and maturity of finger millet were evaluated in three agro-ecologies in Kenya during the raining seasons of 2014-2015. Phosphorus application significantly (P<0.05) increased early flowering and physiological maturity in Kakamega and Busia. The varieties elicited significantly different days to 50% flowering and maturation periods in all the study sites. The days to flowering and maturity were found to be lowly but negatively correlated with the grain yield of finger millet in all the sites.

This study investigated the effects of migration on agricultural productivity in Osun State, with a view to compare the socioeconomic characteristics and farm-level efficiency of migrant and indigenous farmers in the State. A multistage sampling procedure was used to select a total of 360 arable crops farmers. Data were collected of farmers’ socio-economic characteristics, migration indices as well as items of costs and returns to production. Using descriptive statistics, stochastic frontier analysis (SFA) and data envelopment analysis (DEA), the study revealed that there were no significant differences among the socioeconomic characteristics of migrant and indigenous farmers. The result further showed that indigenous farmers were more efficient (SFA-73.40%; DEA-42.6%) than the migrant farmers (SFA-60.20%; DEA-35.8%) and that the observed differences in the level of efficiencies among the two groups were statistically significant (p<0.05). It was concluded that indigenous farmers were more efficient than the migrant farmers in the study area.

This study carried out the morpho-agronomic characterization and nutritional analysis of 9 cultivars of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) in Kisangani, Democratic Republic of Congo. The experimental design was that of randomized blocks, comprising 9 treatments of sweet potato cultivars (Carrot, Damu, Elengi, Mugande, Muganderva, Monde, Mambokolo, Kandolo and Kilomo) and 4 replications. The treatments were installed on ridges of 2.5 m length and 0.5 m width. It was obtained, the cultivars with tuber of pink color (Mambokolo, Kilomoya, Elengi and Monde); light green (Kandolo, Damu); white of diamond (Mugande); chocolate with coverage of the ground by the biomass is total for the cultivars Elengi, Mungade and chocolate (Mugande) and beige (Carrot). The shapes of the leaves, round (Mambokolo); obovate (Kandolo, Elengi); elliptic (Damu, Kilomoya); oval (Mugande) and irregular (Carrot, Muganderva and Monde). As for the unit weight of the tubers, the cultivars Mambokolo (3.35kg) and Elengi (3.5kg) performed well at 5 months of cultivation and the nutritional parameters showed that the cultivars Elengi, Kandolo and Carrot are richer in crude protein respectively 4.56; 1.43 and 0.75%.

An experiment was conducted in August 2011 using air cooler type BF3 size 2500 m3/ h have motor works with two speeds. Researcher add another water pump to work with the first water pump in order to increase the amount of water drop over pads. Water consumption (liters / hour), the internal temperature°C, external temperature°C ,the temperature of the cooling water in the bottom of the cooler°C, electrical consumption (A), and cooling efficiency were studied in this experiment. The result showed that add another water pump has highly significant effect on cooling efficiency (F1, 19 =15.98, p value = 0.0018). Furthermore, add another water pump has highly significant effect on inside temperature (19, 1=58.37, P value < 0.0001) which improve the performance of air cooler. In addition, there was a highly significant effect on water consumptions (19, 1= 26.16, P value =0.0003), which is normally add another water pump mean more water will consume that because allow to the pad to become more saturation as well as don’t left any dry spot in the pad. The only sources of the air that inter to the building will be through the wet pad, and any dry spot in the pad will allow to the hot air to pass through it that will add more heat to building. Just the time play an important role on water temperate there was highly significant effect (19, 4= 50.25, P value = <.0001), because temperature afternoon is higher than in the morning or at night that will causes increase water temperature of the air cooler.

Bioindicatora are living organisms which can be used to screen the health of the natural ecosystem. Plankton assesses the ecological changes taking place in freshwater environment. The assessment of water quality using plankton promotes water quality and yield. The quality of aquatic ecosystem reflects the quality and species of organisms that colonize it. In Nigeria, the freshwater ecosystem represent over 50% of the natural resources that sustain over 45% of the over 220 million population. Water bodies of the world represent over 75% of global natural resources that sustain over 60% of world population of over 6 billion, projected to reach over 9 billion by 2055. Hence, the place of water bodies cannot be underestimated in sustainable livelihood and standard of living. Their pollution due to massive anthropogenic activities are worrisome. Hence, the constant monitoring of their quality has been called by marine and other scientists. This review details the role of plankton in water quality and yield assessment.

Brinjal (Solanum melongena L.) is an important solanaceous crop of tropics and sub tropics. An extensive survey of brinjal growers was carried to know the constraints in brinjal cultivation. The lack of suitable HYVs, technical knowhow, quality irrigation water and plant protection was the four most important factors which were found to be responsible for low productivity. To fulfil this gap a FLD (front line demonstrations) was designed during 2012-2013 on Brinjal cv. Gujarat Hybrid Brinjal-1 at ten selected farmer’s field. The main objective of FLD was to popularize good agriculture practices (GAP) among the farmers. The yield of Brinjal cv. GHB-1 was recorded 270.80q/ha from demonstration plots as compared to local check (195.50qt/ha). The percentage increase in yield over local check was demonstrated in variety GHB-1 (38.51). The highest gross return, net return and cost benefit ratio were recorded Rs. 1, 02,300 /ha, Rs. 60,100/ha and 2.42 as compared to local check respectively. The “mean knowledge score” of farmers was increased significantly by 32.42% after implementation of frontline demonstrations.

This study analysed the efficiency of resource use in cassava production in Ayedaade Local Government Area of Osun State, Nigeria. It focused on the socio-economic characteristics of cassava farmers, input-output relationship and the efficiency of resource use in cassava production. Data were collected from a random sampling of 120 cassava farmers using pre-tested questionnaire. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics, regression technique and stochastic frontier analysis (SFA). Result showed that the average age of the respondents was 49 years;average year of schooling was 7 and average households’ size consistsof 7 members. The result further revealed that the average farm size of the respondents was 4.59 hectares. The double-Log function of the multiple regression analysis gave best fit with R2 of 92.3% and it indicated that farm size, hired labour used, quantity of herbicides and fertilizer used significantly influenced cassava output. For the efficiency analysis, farm size (ha), cost of factor input and chemicals (fertilizers and herbicides) used per hectares were the major determinants of farm level efficiency among the cassava farm households in the study area.