Agriculture

The level of poverty in the developing countries of the world is becoming increasingly alarming given the figures consistently reported for the area. This study examined the effect of agricultural cooperatives as a means of alleviating poverty among farmers in Iwo Local Government Area of Osun state. A total of 100 questionnaires were administered out of which 90 were retrieved. 57 of the respondents were participants of cooperatives while 33 of them were non participants. The data was analysed using descriptive statistics, Foster, Greer and Thorbecke (FGT) and probit regression models. It was discovered that poverty exists among all categories of farmers (participants and non-participants of cooperatives). Though, non participants of cooperatives had the highest poverty incidence, depth and severity of 0.47, 0.17 and 0.56 respectively. The analysis of socio-economic characteristics showed that age, educational status, household size, farm size and land acquisition have relationship with incidence of poverty among participants of cooperatives and non-participants. Income and farm size significantly and positively influence the effectiveness of cooperatives on household poverty status at 0.05 and 0.01 level of significance respectively. The study therefore recommends that the farmers should engage themselves in other income generating activities to have a higher purchasing power in order for them to break out of poverty.

Present study revealed that thermophile fungal species richness on different substrate in different temperature gradients like room, 35,45,55,650C.Total 23 fungal species were found from six different organic substrate. Among six substrates, vermiompost (57) and Farm Yard Manure (FYM) (52) were recorded highest species richness and % incidence while less in ash (14). Among isolated thermophilic fungi, Aspergillus species found abundant in all the substrate and temperature ranges while poor incidence in case of Trichoderma harzianum, Rhizoctonia, Geotrichum, Alternaria species, Aspergillus tamari and Peniillium cinnamon. Among the thermophiles Aspergillus niger and A. flavus were found on all the substrates itself act as thermotolerent. Every temperature gradient showed the growth incidence in all substrate but room temp and 350C showed richness of fungal incidence. Even some species showed the growth on some substrate at higher temp (65^•C) in some extent.

The need for intensive germplasm collection to broaden the genetic base of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) breeding to safeguard the vulnerability and the rate at which wild oil palm are becoming extinct as these wild oil palms are very imperative. The paper highlights oil palm accessions that were collected from the Central Region of Ghana. Thirty seven (37) accessions were collected from seven (7) locations in the Central Region. Data on stem height, bunch weight, bunch length, bunch breadth, bunch depth, stalk weight, weight of ten fruits, weight of ten nuts, mesocarp to fruit ratio, fruit length, fruit diameter, nut diameter, kernel diameter, shell thickness and other qualitative traits were examined. The mean, co-efficient of variation and range of the individual traits, were statistically analysed using standard procedures. Differences in the qualitative traits were recorded with most of the oil palm accessions having nigrescens fruits. The Tenera (T) type recorded the highest mesocarp to fruit ratio of 63.8%. These prospected germplasm accessions are being germinated and raised for future planting in the germplasm fields of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (C.S.I.R) - Oil Palm Research Institute (OPRI) to be introduced for breeding programmes.

The present paper describes the effect of a single and an iterated use of organophosphorous insecticide chlorpyrifos on three species nitrogen fixing cyanobacteria. Treatment levels of 0.5 µg/ml-4.0 µg/ml were applied once or twice with two weeks interval. Graded concentrations higher than 2.5 µg/ml showed affect on the growth of cyanobacteria. Maximum yellowing was seen to be at 4 µg/ml in all three species. The reduction in bili protein started at 2.5 µg/ml concentration of the insecticide. Three algal species showed varying degrees of sensitivity to the insecticide. Calculated no observed effect concentration (NOEC) values after treatments were 0.021, 0.024 and 0.075mg/ml for first application and 0.17 and 0.19 and 0.064mg/ml after second application for Anabaena sp, Nostoc sp and Oscillatoria sp respectively. Normal agricultural use of chlorpyrifos (250gm/1000lit/hectare) in rice fields will likely to be toxic to these ubiquitous nitrogen fixing cyanobacteria. Low dose application 2.5 µg/ml enables growth of more tolerant cyanobacteria as biofertilizer.

Assessment of climate variability at local level, where the driver of the economy is agriculture, has enormous advantage in Ethiopia, . This study was then initiated to analyze the variability of rainfall features and their likely implications on long season growing crop; sorghum in Alamata Wereda. Daily climate data was obtained from the National Meteorological Agency of Ethiopia (NMA) and the historical temporal variability of the rainfall features was assessed using Instat and Mann-Kendall statistical softwares. Apart from the interannual variability (26.2%), the annual rainfall has also revealed a decreasing trend. Similarly, the Belg (FMAM) rainfall demonstrated a significant decreasing trend with a very high seasonal variability (53.1%). The Markov chain first order model indicates that the probability of 15 and 20 days consecutive dry spell occurrence on May (90%) and June (75%) were very high signaling that sowing on these months could possibly lead to complete or partial failure of seedling establishments. Even though the correlations between yield and monthly rainfalls was positive, only April (r=0.48) and September (r=0.55) rainfall was statistically significant. This indicates that for sorghum production, rainfall during April (for seedling establishment) and September (grain filling) appears to be particularly important (sensitive). Hence, as there is early cessation and high rainfall variability during the Belg season (part of sowing period for sorghum), different adaptation strategies such as soil moisture conservation and early maturing cultivars should be practiced to minimize the impact of rainfall variability on sorghum production.

This study was conducted to evaluation of wheat application on barley yield under drought condition at RCBD design with 3 replications. First factor included wheat (application of cytokenin and control) and second factor was drought stress (control, mild stress, sever stress). At the end of experiment some properties were studied such as height, spike length, number of seeds per spike, 1000seed weight and yield. SAS statistical software was performed for analysis and by Duncan's multiple range test used at the level of 5% for mean comparisons. Totally, results showed that drought stress had significant effect on studied traits, so severe stress led to 31, 38, 34, 37 and 60% reduction of height, spike length, number of seeds per spike, 1000seed weight and yield in compare to control, respectively. Also cytokenine led to 21, 20, 21, 22 and 40% increasing of height, spike length, number of seeds per spike, 1000seed weight and yield in compare to control, respectively

Vegetation and soil management needs a holistic approach which is already devised into the state and transition model and other ecological, while abolished, models. But these models have some disadvantages and limitations that disable them for managerial purposes. Here in this paper, using a case study to prove the idea, another complementary state and transition model is introduced. This model is more comprehensive and gives managers a more wide view into ecological processes undergoing in a site.

Nitrogen (N) fertilizer management is a challenge in potato production. Therefore, a study was carried out to known the impact of varieties and nitrogen levels on leaf chlorophyll content and tuber size of potato. All possible combination of two varieties of potato viz. Kufri Sadabahar (V1) and Kufri Surya (V2) and five nitrogen levels (0, 75, 150, 225 and 300 kg N/ha) were replicated thrice in factorial randomize block design. Two year pooled data shows that vareties did not varies significantly for chlorophyll content ‘a’ and ‘b’ of potato leaves but the it was affected significantly by nitrogen levels and recorded highest with treatment N3 (0.74 and 0.90 mg/ g leaves, chlorophyll ‘a’ and ‘b’, respectively). Interaction effect of treatment V1N4 gave maximum chlorophyll ‘a’ content but variation among treatments interaction were non significant for chlorophyll ‘b’ content. 0-25 g and >75 g tuber number recorded higher in Kufri Surya (V2) having 255.91 and 275.70 thousand/ha, respectively, while, yield of 0-25 g tubers higher in Kufri Sadabahar (V1) i.e. 1.58 t/ha, other grade tuber yield showed non significant variation for varieties. The size of tuber was increased with increase in nitrogen levels. The number and weight of smaller size tuber observed higher with lower lever levels of nitrogen, while, number and weight of larger size tubers observed higher with higher level nitrogen. Interaction of varieties and nitrogen levels affect significantly to number and weight of different size tubers.

This study was performed to evaluation of salicylic acid and Paclobutrazol application on the growth characteristics of annual sports grass. The experiment was carried out as factorial in a completely randomized design that the first factor was salicylic acid levels (0, 100 and 200 ppm) and the second factor included paclobutrazol at four levels (0, 5, 15 and 30 mg per liter) with 3 replications. At the end of experiment some properties were determined such as RWC, Shoot fresh weight, Shoot dry weight, Root length, Membrane stability index. Totally, Means of all traits increased with increasing levels of salicylic acid from 100 to 200 ppm and highest means of RWC (92%), shoot fresh weight (9.7 grams per 5 cm), shoot dry weight (1.27 grams per 5 cm), root length (24.5 mm) and membrane stability index (84%) were obtained by treatment of 200 ppm. Also, paclobutrazol led to increasing of RWC but it led to reduction in other traits. Therefore, according to obtained results, application of 200 ppm salicylic acid and 30 ppm paclobutrazol recommended for sports grass planting

The cultivation of fresh tomatoes at Tono irrigation scheme by mostly the lowly educated youth is bedevilled by so many challenges. However, even though the full cost of producing fresh tomato at Tono appear to be increasing rapidly over the years under review, the venture is still economically beneficial but with decreasing profitability by using conventional statistics. The average return on investment for 2006 dry season was 4.22 while that for 2010 dry season was 2.34. Thus, there was a general decline in profits over the years. Time series analysis was therefore, carried out to forecast for the next five years which confirmed the declining profits nature of the industry. It was realised that, various interventions from government and policy markers were needed to arrest the appalling situation and make the industry one of the keys to alleviating the chronic poverty in the Upper East Region of Ghana.