|
|
| ARPN Journal of Agricultural and Biological
Science
May 2010
| Vol. 5 No. 3 |
|
Title: |
Effects
of water deficit on days to maturity and yield of three
nerica rainfed rice varieties |
|
Author (s): |
Sikuku
P.A., Netondo G.W., Musyimi D.M. and Onyango, J.C |
|
Abstract: |
Water deficit is a major
problem in rice grown under rainfed conditions. It affects
plant growth and development and ultimately leads to a
considerable yield reduction or crop failure. Although the
rice crop is susceptible to water deficit, there is a marked
genotypic variation in response to water deficit. The
objective of this research was to investigate the effects of
water deficit on days to maturity and yield development of
three recently developed rainfed rice varieties that is, New
Rice for Africa ( NERICA coded as N2, N4
and N11) with a view of establishing the most
drought tolerant rice variety that can be grown under
rainfed conditions in Kenya. This study was carried out in
the University Botanic Garden, Maseno during 2005- 2006.
Plants were subjected to water deficit treatments in the
green house a factorial set up. The seeds of the three NERICA cultivars of rice were planted in 20 Litre PVC pots
arranged in a completely randomized block design (CRBD) with
four treatments and four replications. The treatments
included watering a litre of water once a day (control),
Watering every 2, 4 and 6 days. The parameters measured
included tiller number, days to 50% heading and flowering,
days to harvesting, panicle length and yield. The water
stressed plants took the longest to mature and N2
took the least number of days to maturity (109) while N11
took 114 days and N4 took 118 days. The yield
component declined with the increase in water deficit, N2
had the highest yield at higher soil moisture deficit
(1500 kg/ha) followed by N4 (818 kg/ha) and then
N11 (736 kg/ha). Results indicate that under
moisture deficit conditions N2 is least affected
and had the least reduction in panicle length, tiller number
and yield component hence can be recommended for growing
under rainfed conditions in Kenya. This will ultimately help
in poverty alleviation through increased income and increase
in food security. |
| |
|
|
|
Title: |
Fertilizer use and cocoa production in cross River state,
Nigeria |
|
Author (s): |
S.O
Agbeniyi, M.O. Ogunlade and K.A. Oluyole |
|
Abstract: |
Fertilizer usage is a
desirable step towards boosting cocoa production. This is
because the nutrients that are being lost from the soil due
to continuous usage of the soil are being replenished by
fertilizer application. However, out of ignorance or
otherwise, some farmers are not using this important farm
input and this has resulted to the declining crop yield.
This study therefore investigated the usage of fertilizer
for cocoa production in the study area. Purposive random
sampling technique was used to select three cocoa producing
Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Cross River State. Simple
random sampling technique was used to select 107 respondents
from the three LGAs in the state. Information was collected
from the respondents with the aid of structured
questionnaire and the data generated from the information
collected was analysed using descriptive statistics and
multivariate logit model. Results showed that 98.13% of the
respondents were not using fertilizer for cocoa production.
Also farmer’s level of education (p<0.01), cocoa farm size
(p<0.01), association membership of farmers (p<0.1) and
cocoa output (p<0.01) are significant factors determining
the probability of a farmer to use fertilizer for cocoa
production. The study concluded that majority of cocoa
farmers in the study area do not use fertilizer for cocoa
production and it is therefore recommended that farmers
should be enlightened on the need to use fertilizer (when
required) to enhance their production. |
| |
|
|
|
Title: |
Tissue
concentration and translocation responses of rice cultivars
to applied Cd in hydroponic studies |
|
Author (s): |
Abdullah
Niaz, A. Ghafoor and G. Murtaza |
|
Abstract: |
Four rice varieties, IRRI-6,
KS-282, Super basmati and Shaheen basmati were investigated
for growth response to Cd application and its translocation
from roots to shoots. The test varieties included. The
studies were conducted under hydroponic conditions with Cd
application rates of 0, 10, 14, 18, 22 and 26 ppm. The cv.
Shaheen Basmati produced statistically the highest root and
shoot weights followed by KS-282, IRRI-6 and Super Basmati.
Shoot Cd was low in KS-282 and Shaheen basmati. The
translocation factor of Cd was recorded to be higher in
Super basmati than the other cultivars. |
| |
|
|
|
Title: |
Price and
non-price determinants and acreage response of rice in
Cameroon |
|
Author (s): |
Ernest L.
Molua |
|
Abstract: |
Rice
is now a commodity of strategic significance in Cameroon,
driven by changing food preferences in the urban and rural
areas and compounded by increased urbanisation. This study
estimates supply response coefficients for rice in Cameroon.
It is observed that the rice area grown may increase 1.35%
for a ten percent increase in relative world price to
producer price. A ten percent increase in relative price of
substitute maize crop accounts for 1.17% decline in rice
area exploited. Stepwise examination of the effects of
price, weather and governmental expenditure reveal that in
the short-run a ten percent increase in current governmental
expenditure for agriculture will increase area grown by
1.35% and 1.15%, respectively. Irrigation could enhance area
by 0.74% for ten percent increase in irrigation effort. The
area supply response coefficients provide important
implications for both expansions of local market and land
resource availability.
Increased
competition could provide additional incentive for enhancing
supply pursuant to changes in policies and institutions. |
| |
|
|
|
Title: |
Classification of households
into food security status in the north-central Nigeria: An
application of RASCH measurement model |
|
Author (s): |
Obayelu Abiodun Elijah |
|
Abstract: |
The main objective of the
study was to classify households in the North-Central
Nigeria (NCN) into food security status based on certain
demographical characteristics with Rasch model. Data for the
study were generated from a cross-sectional survey of 396
household heads from the two selected states (Kogi and Kwara)
in October 2006 to January 2007. The results of the analysis
show that, only 23.7 percent households are food secure (FS)
in the study area. Further analysis revealed that 15.5
percent and 37.4 percent adults and children are food
secure. While 18 percent households are FS in the urban
areas, only 13.7percent are FS in the rural areas of the NCN.
In addition, female-headed households are found as been FS
(21.9 percent) compare to 14 percent male-headed. There
appears to be an inverse relationship between household size
and food security in the study area. Households with a small
size of ≤ 3 members are also more FS (25 percent) compared
to 15.1percent by those with a larger size of 8-11 members.
However, contrary to the adults’ food security status in the
NCN, the proportions of children who are FS in both rural
and urban are nearly the same. In all the cases, there is a
direct relationship between employment status of household
heads and the household food security status. To transit
from food insecure to food secure status, it is important to
pursue policy on birth control and gender empowerments in
the study area with the mean household size of 5.89 and
standard deviation of 2.24. |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Title: |
Seeding rate effect on seed
yield and yield
components of Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) |
|
Author (s): |
Majid Rashidi,
Behnam Zand and Saeed Abbassi |
|
Abstract: |
A four year field experiment
was conducted at the Research Site of Tehran Agricultural
and Natural Resources Research Center in Varamin, Iran to study the effect of
seeding rate on seed yield and seed yield components of
alfalfa (Medicago sativa) during 2005-2008 growing
seasons. Seeding rate treatments were 2.5 kg ha-1
(SR1), 5.0 kg ha-1 (SR2),
7.5 kg ha-1 (SR3), 10.0 kg ha-1
(SR4) and 12.5 kg ha-1 (SR5).
Seed yield and seed yield components (number of pods per
m2, number seeds
per pod and 1000-seed weight) were determined for all
treatments. The statistical results of the study indicated
that seeding rate significantly (P = 0.01) affected seed
yield and number of pods per m2,
but there was no significant difference in number seeds per
pod and 1000-seed weight. The maximum value of seed yield
(805.0 kg ha-1) and number of pods per
m2 (6610) was
obtained in case of SR1 treatment. Conversely,
the minimum value of seed yield (605.7 kg ha-1)
and number of pods per m2 (4620) was observed in case of SR5
treatment. Therefore, 2.5 kg ha-1 was found to be
more appropriate seeding rate in improving seed yield of
alfalfa in the semi-arid lands of Varamin, Iran. |
| |
|
|
|
Title: |
Impact of
varietal feeding on samia ricini donovan in spring and
autumn season of Uttar Pradesh |
|
Author (s): |
Rajesh
Kumar and S. K. Gangwar |
|
Abstract: |
The Eri silkworm (Samia
ricini Donovan) is polyphagous in nature and feeds on
leaves of several food plants viz Castor (Ricinus
communis), Tapioca (Manihot esculenta), Barara (Jatropha
curcas), and Papaya (Carica papaya). It is
multivoltine in nature and reared in indoor conditions. We
observed the effect of different food plants in relation to
the seasons on the larval growth and its economic characters
by conducting rearing as per standard rearing techniques.
The evaluation of data revealed that castor food plants have
shown supremacy over the other food plants, i.e., Tapioca,
Barera & Papaya for larval growth as well as economic
characters. The data showed that minimum larval duration
(days) in spring season (19.0) ERR % (91) SR % (14.55) and
other economic characters showed better in the spring
season. |
| |
|
|
|
Title: |
An
investigation on heterosis and inbreeding depression in the
silkworm (Bombyx mori L.) |
|
Author(s): |
E.
Talebi, G. Subramanya and Shivakumar Bakkappa |
|
Abstract: |
The aim of
our study was to define heterosis and inbreeding depression
in the four silkworm races namely C108, NB4D2,
Pure Mysore and
Nistari for four important characters including larval
weight, cocoon weight, shell weight and shell percentage.
Larval weight and cocoon weight showed highly significant
heterosis in F1 hybrids ranging from 11 to 23%
and 14 to 27 %, respectively, while inbreeding depression in
the F2 progeny ranged from -0.366 - 10.814% and
2.682 - 12.312%, respectively. Shell weight showed low level
of heterosis in F1 hybrids (14 to 20 %), whereas
the effect of inbreeding depression in F2 progeny
was -4.369 to 8.467% for
this character. C108 ×
NB4D2 hybrids proved that can
be a good specific combiner by making higher contribution
towards heterosis both in F1 hybrids and in F2
generation. |
| |
|
|
|
Title: |
Fruits/seeds weights, flight patterns and dispersal
distances of some Nigerian rainforest tree species |
|
Author (s): |
Dike M.C.
and Aguguom A.C. |
|
Abstract: |
Fruits/seeds weights, flight
patterns and dispersal distances of 17 plant families
consisting of 30 tree species and 180 individuals were
studied at the rainforests at Umudike and Oban Forest
Reserve, Nigeria. The weight was measured using the Ohus
Scout sensitive weighing balance; while the length and width
of 30 fruits and 30 seeds of each tree species were measured
using Digital Mitutoyo Japan Caliper. Cup anemometer was
used in measuring wind speed. The flight pattern was
observed using Audubon Swift binocular. A total of 33.33
percent of the tree fruits/seeds had dispersal appendages.
Dust fruits/seeds were not observed. Ceiba pentandra
had the furthest dispersal distance of 95.63 m because of
it’s possession of the silk cotton. Pterocarpus soyauxii,
Terminalia superba and Hildegardia barteri had
89.70, 56.99 and 56.88 m, respectively. Weight of fruit/seed
had a lot of adverse effects on the dispersal of plant
fruits/seeds. A negative co-relationship existed between the
dispersal distance and the weight of fruits observed. The
plant species producing drupe fruits had a weight range of
between 2.02 and 106.88 g. The drupe fruits dropped
vertically down. Plant species having samara/capsule fruit
types had a weight range of between 0.23 and 83.77 g. The
weight and the position of the seed such as those of the
genera Entandrophragma favoured helical trajectory at
the general wind speed of between 0.1 and 3.0 ms-1.
It was observed that many fruits such as those of
Milicia excelsa have no dispersal appendage and dropped
vertically down. It was observed that such a drupe, berry
and achene fruits clustered under the crown of the
dispersing tree. Such fruits depended on gravitational
force, bats and animals for dispersal. These vertebrate
animals were not frequently seen feeding on the fruits and
most of the fruits fell vertically down due to gravitational
force. Their entry to adequate microsites for seed
germination and seedling establishment depended on chance.
Most seedlings of the dispersing tree species under the
crown of dispersing tree rarely establish and grow to pole
size. There is the need for man to assist in the selection
of adequate microsite best for each plant species’ seed
germination and seedlings’ establishment or these plants
species could become listed as endangered or rare. If the
tropical rainforest is to survive, potential sources of
desirable seeds are required for plant colonization of
abandoned areas. |
| |
|
|
|
Title: |
Study on
the incidence of powdery mildew disease in agro-climatic
conditions of Lucknow region of Uttar Pradesh |
|
Author (s): |
Seema Chauhan, Amit
Srivastava and Krishna Singh |
|
Abstract: |
Mulberry is the sole host
plant of the silkworm Bombyx mori Linn which produces
silk. The disease caused by fungus Phyllactinia corylia
makes mulberry leaves unsuitable to feed the silkworm. The
Disease severity is ranging from a few individual spots to
numerous lesions nearly covering entire leaves as a result
there decrease in the production of quality leaves by 50%
which greatly effects silkworm rearing as well as
sericulture industry. With a view of adopting control
measures, the incidence of powdery mildew were studied for
eight different mulberry varieties namely Tr-10, S-1, S-146,
S-13, S-1635, AR-12, AR-14, Br-2 in autumn season. The
results of the present study revealed that powdery mildew is
significantly less prevalent in Br-2 variety (F=21.84;
p<0.01) of mulberry during autumn season of Lucknow. |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
