Agriculture

The present study was conducted in three villages in three development blocks in Pratapgarh distrct U.P. to documents the constraints experienced by the mentha growers. The research results were grouped into technical, financial and social constraints. The study revealed that mentha cultivation are quite primitive and traditional, resulting low yield and poor quality of produce. It is evident from the study that lack of improved techniques of mentha cultivation, availability of quality seed, farm machinery, distillation plant, Procurement agency, market and related information, organized farmers are major constraints faced by the farmers. The cultivation of mentha becomes more difficult when growers are not getting credit facilities and are paying more rent for land.

The objective of this study was to describe the growth pattern in Zandi sheep using non-linear models. In total 21640 body weight records from birth to yearling were analyzed. The data set were used in this study, obtained from the Animal Breeding Center of Iran during 1992–2013. In this study growth pattern parameters (mature weight, growth rate and mature rate) estimated using four nonlinear regression model (Brody, Gompertz, logistic and Bertalanfy). Growth models were compared with coefficients of determination )R2(, adjusted coefficient of determination (R2adg), Means square error (MSe) and Akaike’s information criterion (AIC). logistic model provided the best fit of growth curve due to the generally greater values of R2 and R2adg and lower values of MSe and AIC than other models. In logistic model the estimated amount of mature weight (A), growth rate (B) and maturation rate (K) were 34. 48±0. 09, 7. 61±0. 28 and 0. 027±0.0004, respectively. This amount for Brody model were 36. 52±0. 17, 0. 9±0. 004 and 0. 009±0. 0002 respectively. For Gompertz model this amount were 35. 12±0. 11, 2. 25±0. 04 and 0. 017±0. 0002 respectively. In von Bertalanfy model the estimated amount of parameters A, B and K were 35. 48±0. 12, 0. 53±0. 006 and 0. 014±0. 0002 respectively.

 This study examines the willingness to pay for safe water by households in Ejigbo local government of Osun State. Eighty respondents were selected for the study. A multistage random sampling technique was used to select the respondents. The data used for this study are mainly primary data through the use of structured questionnaire administered via personal interviews emphasizing on the importance of safe water and willingness to pay for safe water among households in Ejigbo Local Government Area. Descriptive statistics such as tabula presentation, frequency distribution, cumulative percentages and mean were used to analyze the slated objectives. The Logit model was also used to test for the formulated hypothesis. The study revealed from the socio-economic characteristics that majority of the respondents is male while most of them are within their youthful age. Sixty percent are married, 55% of them have a household size of between 1 and 5. More than four-fifth (80%) of them get their water from wells and boreholes, 62.5% treat their water before consumption, 47.5% have a record of one illness or the other. Two-third (67.5%) prefer other water sources. The highest percentage of respondents (56.3%) was willing to pay for safe water. Marital status is statistically significant at 5% with a value of 2.079, these shows that marital status has a positive significance with the willingness to pay for water. Primary occupation is statistically significant at 5% with a value of -2.227, this implies that it has a negative significance with the wiliness to pay for safe water. Secondary occupation is statistically significant ay 5% with a value of -2230, this implies that it has negative significance on the willingness to pay for safe water. Age, primary occupation and secondary occupation have a negative marginal effect on the willingness to pay for safe water in the study area with a value of -2.192,-2227 and -2230 respectively. Even though significant, and increase in these three variables will not raise the morale to willingly pay for safe water. Conclusion was drawn that most of these respondents are willing to pay for safe water but a lot of factors inhibit their willingness to pay such as price, distance to the source of water supply and availability.

Inappropriate fertilizer application usage is among the problems associated with eggplant production in Ogbomoso agro-ecological zone. Field experiment was conducted at the Teaching and Research Farm of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso to assess the effects of different fertilizers on the performance of five varieties of eggplant. The treatments consisted of five fertilizer types (No fertilizer, Inorganic fertilizer (NPK 100%), Organic fertilizer (100% compost), 50% compost + 50% NPK and 75% compost + 25% NPK) and five varieties of eggplant (Nacy, Ravenna, Nathelie, Reth and Orma). The fertilizer treatments were supplied at the equivalent rate of 60 kg N/ha. The experiment was a factorial experiment laid out in randomized complete block design. The five fertilizer types and five eggplant varieties translates to 25 treatment combinations, which was replicated three times. The agronomic and yield data collected were analyzed using the analysis of variance procedure while the treatment means were separated using the Duncan Multiple range test at 5% level of probability. It was observed that application of fertilizer improved the growth and yield attributes of eggplant when compared with where no fertilizer was applied. Combined application of 50% compost + 50% NPK and 75% compost and 25% NPK gave the highest fruit yields of 31.8 and 29.9 t/ha, respectively, which were not different significantly from each other. Ravenna variety produced the highest fruit yield (37.1t/ha). Planting of Ravenna variety with application of 50% NPK + 50% compost could be recommended for production of eggplant in the study area.

Genetic variability, correlation and path coefficient analysis were done for yield and its component characters in twenty two diverse genotypes of rape seed. The highest genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) was recorded for seed yield per plant (31.33%) followed by siliqua per plant (20.07%). Heritability estimates in broad sense were higher for the characters days to maturity (83.92%), days to flowering (72.49%) and thousand seed weight (68.13%). Days to maturity, days to flowering, thousand seed weight and length of siliqua had high heritability along with low genetic advance suggests non-additive gene action was observed controlling these characters. Correlation coefficient of days to flowering (0.406*), primary branches per plant (0.514**), length of siliqua (0.548**), siliqua per plant (0.864**), seeds per siliqua (0.335*) was positive and significantly associated with seed yield per plant at genotypic level. Primary branches per plant (1.588), days to maturity (0.185), length of siliqua (0.740), siliqua per plant (0.569) and thousand seed weight (0.590) showed positive direct effect on seed yield. Selection based on these traits would give better response for the improvement of seed yield in rapes. The results of this study are expected as the basic information on genetic variation and relationship of component traits which can be used in rape seed breeding.

Most Ghanaian foods are made from maize. Unfortunately, certain diets made from the cereal cannot be produced without processing the maize into flour. The corn mill has been the most efficient and often used tool for grinding legumes, cereals, nuts and spices. Maize is milled either dried or soaked. Dry maize is usually milled over and over again for about four times to retain a smooth texture. It is used to prepare many delicacies in different parts of Ghana. However, soaked maize is milled only once and it is ready for use. The work was conducted to find the levels of Cd, Al, Ni, Cu, Mg and Zn in the processed flour using instrumental neutron activation analyses at the Ghana Research reactor-1 Facility. As the grinding plates of the corn mills rub against each other, there is friction as well as wear and tear. This could introduce toxic metals into the corn flour. Results showed that the corn mills had no negative effects on the corn flour as the level of the elements recorded were below the required limits. Al values in the sample ranged from 1.8 ± 0.27 mg/kg to 5.40 ± 0.81 mg/kg. Cu, Cd, Zn and Mn also recorded concentration values of ranges 0.70 ± 0.11 mg/kg to 1.50 ± 0.23 mg/kg, 4.80 ± 0.72 mg/kg to 6.40 ± 0.96 mg/kg, 0.52 ± 0.08 ?g/kg and 0.90 ± 1.35 mg/kg to 4.10 ± 0.62 mg/kg respectively. No particular process recorded consistent peak value concentrations for the heavy metals. Ni recorded concentrations within the range 26.18 ± 3.23 mg/kg to 46.42±2.53 mg/kg. However, continuous consumption could lead to accumulation of these elements that could affect the body adversely.

In recent time, there is increasing interest in diversified agricultural production systems to obtain higher yields per unit area through better use of natural resources, minimizing the incidence of insect pests and diseases, greater stability and crop insurance offered by intercropping systems. Field experiment was conducted during the rainy seasons of 2011 and 2012 at the Teaching and Research Farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, Nasarawa State University, Keffi – Lafia Campus to study the effect of poultry manure and planting arrangement on the soil physico-chemical properties and yield of Sesame/groundnut mixture. The experiment consisted of four rates of poultry manure (0, 3.0, 6.0 and 9.0 t ha-1) and two planting arrangement (single alternate row and double alternate row planting arrangement). The eight treatment combinations were laid out in randomized complete block design with four replications. The results obtained showed that the soil physical structure was slightly improved; total N, available P and organic carbon of the experimental soil were increased by 20, 62 and 6% respectively after the experiment. Yield and yield characters of the two crops were significantly increased by the application of 6 t ha-1 of poultry manure and double row planting arrangement. Land equivalent ratio was greater than unity indicating that the intercropping system was advantageous.

The study measures dairy research in in top three milk producing countries (i.e. India, USA and China) and identify leading players in dairy research during 2001-2010, based on number of parameters, including publication, citation, impact, p-index, h-index and global publication share. The 20 most productive countries were selected and evaluated. The status of research output and milk production in G-7 countries and developing countries were examined. The data on publication citation and h-index were drawn from two databases i.e. Web of Science and Scopus. USA is giving maximum output in quantity and quality of publications, Other major players are UK, France, Germany, Netherland, Canada, Switzerland and Australia. Production of milk is highest in India and it has 10th rank in GDP but lagged behind in dairy research. The developing countries like India, China, Pakistan, Brazil, Poland, Mexico, Argentina and Romania are producing significant amount of milk but share in the research output is very less.

This study focused on the production of fuel briquettes from wheat offal. The variables investigated are particle size and blending ratio. The wheat offal used was sourced from Maiduguri Flour Mill. The material was sieved into fine, medium and coarse particle sizes using 1mm and 2mm wire mesh. Each particle size was thoroughly mixed with gelatinous cassava starch in ratios; 90:10, 85:15, 80:20 and 75:25 by weight. The blended material was then hand-fed into a 3.11cm x 40.50cm cylindrical mould and compressed at a pressure of 10.76kg.cm-2. In order to have enough briquettes for material testing, each production was replicated 10 times. The physical properties; stability of the briquettes was evaluated as a function of compressed and relaxed density, relaxation ratio, moisture content while the combustion properties; %volatile matter, %ash content, %fixed carbon and heat value were evaluated for each production. The result shows that all the physical properties of the briquette were greatly influenced by particle size (p<0.001). In density, there is no significant effect of the binder level on the briquette produced but gives the highest result when medium particles size was used with the valued of 1.06g/cm3 and lowest in coarse particle 0.46g/cm3, binder level had no significant effect on briquette produced (p= 0.281).The EMC was best in medium particle size with the value 131.25% at 25% binder level with the value 135.63%, EMC was significantly affected by binder level. Volatile matter was not influenced by particle size and binder level at (p=0.581) and (p=0.980) respectively but has better performance in medium particle size of 4.30% at 15% with the value of 4.14%. Ash content was not significantly influenced by particle size at (p=0.0069) but significantly influenced by binder level at (p<0.002) and was preferable in medium particles of 2.40% at 10% binder level with the value 2.08%. Fixed carbon was not influenced by particle size at (p=0.150), also better in medium particle of 93.84% at 20% binder level with value 94.01%, while Heat value was influenced by particle size and binder level at( p=0.005)and (p=0.0021) respectively, highest with medium particles of 33.52mj/kg at 20% level of binder with the value 33.59mj/kg. It was observed that better and combustible briquette can be obtained from medium particles of wheat offal at low binder ratio.

During the recent decade, the anthropogenic activities have become dominating factor towards the problem of climate variability and change. This climate variability has become the centre of many scientific studies. The objective of this paper was to investigate the total wheat yield during the time period of 1989-2009 and the overall impact of climate on the wheat yield in the provinces of Pakistan. The key meteorological variables that influenced the wheat yield were identified, the correlation and regression functions between climate relevant wheat yield and these variables were established. The correlation analysis revealed a significant relationship between wheat yield and climatic variable and regression analysis revealed that high level of variance in wheat production could be explained by climatic parameters under study. The findings of the research suggested an intensification of research as well as the appropriate measures at raising wheat yields.