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Title: |
Production, status and impact of traditional
leafy vegetables in household food security: A case study of
Bondo District-Siaya County, Kenya |
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Author (s): |
Opiyo
A. M., Mungai N. W., Nakhone L. W. and Lagat J. K. |
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Abstract: |
Traditional African Leafy Vegetables play an
important role in African agricultural and nutritional
systems, but previously received little attention in most
“research and development” programs. Production has mainly
been on a subsistence basis; and confined to the rural
areas. Traditional vegetables offer a significant
opportunity for the poorest people to earn a living as
producers and/or traders without requiring large capital
investments. These vegetables provide an economic pillar
upon which women’s rural livelihood is supported. They play
a crucial role in food security and in improving the
nutritional status of poor families. The study was
carried out in Bondo District (Kenya). This study shows that
about 80% of the households in Bondo district are food
insecure. Women and young people should be the main target
groups for interventions in increasing production of
traditional vegetables. They should be facilitated in terms
of inputs especially certified seed, as well as market
information and access. |
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Title: |
Different
breeding scenarios of closed nucleus strategy in Iranian
buffaloes using computer simulation |
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Author (s): |
Morteza
Salehinezhad, Ghobad Asgari Jafarabadi and Ali Asghar
Sadeghi |
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Abstract: |
The aim of this study was to compare genetic
gain, aggregate genotype values and inbreeding coefficients
in different breeding scenarios of closed nucleus using a
computer simulation and to introduce suitable scenarios of
closed nucleus for Iranian native buffaloes breeding
schemes. Four traits including milk production (MP) milk fat
production (MF), age at first calving (AFC) and interval
between first and second calving (CI) data were obtained
from 9278 milk and 8050 milk fat percentage test day records
of Iranian native buffaloes and were included in selection
index and breeding goal. Computer simulation program was
written with R software. Superior males and females were
selected from base population and then distributed in to
commercial herds under 18 different scenarios, including
three levels of herd size and herd number and two levels of
transfer rate of sires from nucleus to herds. Results
represented that genetic gain in all of closed nucleus
scenarios were increasing as aggregate genotype value and
inbreeding for 10 generation of selection. The highest value
for aggregate genotype (H) was 898. 34 that represented in
scenario 18 by herd size, herd number and transfer rate of
50, 50 and 1, respectively. Cumulative genetic gain in
closed nucleus after 10 generations of selection was 1056.85
kg, 26.07 kg, -12.42 months and -17.93 days for milk yield,
milk fat, AFC and CI, respectively. Also average inbreeding
coefficient was 0.04 percentages in the scenario lower than
other scenarios that represent it’s more suitable than other
scenarios. |
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Title: |
A novel technology in
agricultural management systems: Adjuvant plus herbicide
application |
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Author (s): |
Saber Shahim Germi and Bahram
Mirshekari |
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Abstract: |
Dose-response and surfactant application
studies are an important tool in weed science. At 65 days
after emergence the plots were differently foliar sprayed
by100%, 80% and 60% of registered dose respectively along
with two different adjuvants of Kimia and D-octil. Plots
receiving no herbicide treatment served as control. In over
dose of metribuzin time to flowering happened 52.4 days
after crop emergence. Whereas, in 560 g and 420 g ai ha-1
doses of metribuzin 50% flowering stage happened 61.2 and 59.4 days after emergence.
Size of tubers affected significantly by herbicide dose and
adjuvants. Weight of tubers per potato plants ranged from
321 g in 420 g ai ha-1 of
metribuzin with and in absent of surfactant of kimia up to 560 g ai ha-1
of metribuzin with surfactant materials used of D-octil and kimia. Weeds
biomass was a dose dependent trait in potato along
with surfactants, and good responded
to herbicide application. There is a positive response in
tuber yield to surfactant use when 80% of registered dose of
metribuzin sprayed.
In dilute solutions of metribuzin, surfactant using did not influenced tuber yield. It
may be necessary for the farmers reduce herbicide application to
80% of registered dose by surfactant usage. The time to flowering, stolon number per plantand weeds
biomasshad a marked increasing effect on the tuber yield of
potato. |
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Title: |
Kinetin and abscisic effects on seed germination and seedlings growth of
maize (Zea Mays L.) under salt stress condition |
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Author (s): |
Abdollah
Bahrani |
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Abstract: |
Soil salinity severely affected establishment
of seedlings at early growth stages of crop plants.
Therefore, high germination rate and vigorous early growth
under salty soils is preferred. In this study germination
and seedling growth of a maize (Zea mays L.) cultivar
was assessed using three replicates of 50 seeds in a
factorial laid out in two separate experiments as Completely
Randomized Design (CRD) testing combinations of three levels
of salinity (0, 80, 160 and 240 mMol NaCl Lit) and four
levels of kinetin (0, 10, 20 and 30 m mMol Lit) in the
first experiment and the same salinity levels with three
levels of abscisic acid (0, 2, 4 and 6 m Mol Lit) in the second experiment.
Germination percentage was reduced by salinity compared to
non-salinity condition. Salinity decreased germination
percentage to about 15, 43 and 89% of controls. Kinetin
increased germination percentage to 10 m gr Lit, but
applying more decrease it. ABA decreased germination
percentage to about 44% in 6 m Mol than control. On average
at 80, 160 and 240 mMol NaCl salinity germination rate was
about 80, 400 and 700 %, respectively of control. Kinetin
and ABA decreased germination rate. When seeds were in 160
and 240 m M NaCl kinetin significantly improved germination. Priming with kinetin and
ABA decreased radicle length and
hypocotyl length relatively. Priming with kinetin could not
improve radicle and hypocotyl length
in all salinity levels. Dry weight of radicle and hypocotyls
decreased significantly under salinity condition compared
with non salinity condition. Priming with 10 m Mol Lit
kinetin showed maximum radicle and
hypocotyl length and higher amount decreased both traits.
ABA decreased seedling fresh and dry weight to about 10 and
12% in 4 m Mol Lit than control. In general, Increasing of
kinetin and ABA levels more than 10 and 2 m Mol Lit caused
decrease in all traits under salinity condition. |
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Title: |
Effect of
four types of packaging on the physico-chemical quality of
cocoa beans (Theobroma cacao L.) during the
conservation |
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Author (s): |
Kakou Kouassi Ernest, Soro Doudjo, Akmel Djédjro
Clément, Abouo N’Guessan Verdier, ASSIDJO Nogbou Emmanuel and
Niamké Sébastien Lamine |
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Abstract: |
The influence of four types of packaging on
the physico-chemical quality of cocoa beans during
conservation has been studied. These are the jute bags (SJ),
woven polypropylene bags (SP), and on the other hand
polyethylene bags wrapped in jute bags (SPJ) and
polyethylene bags wrapped in polypropylene bags (SPP). These
batches of cocoa beans are preserved in natural atmosphere
in a store during 51 weeks (one year). The temperature and
relative humidity of the ambient air were the aerothermal
parameters studied and the monitoring of the physico-chemical
quality has been done through the water content, pH, total
and volatile acidity and the free fatty acid (FFA) content.
During the conservation, the average values of temperatures
and relative humidity of the air were respectively 28.59
±1.53 °C and 70.90 ± 8.40 %. Overall, the four types of
packaging are subdivided into two similar groups. These are
on the one hand the batches of cocoa beans packed directly
in the jute bags (SJ) and woven polypropylene bags (SP) and
on the other hand lots of cocoa beans packed in polyethylene
plastic bags wrapped in jute (SPJ) and polypropylene bags (SPP).
By the third week of conservation, the characteristics of
the lots SJ and SP differed from the initial quality unlike
the lots of SPJ and SPP which have remained relatively
stable. The average values of the water contents of
these four beans lots, during the study, are approximately 9%
for the first group (SP and SJ) against 6% for the second
group (SPJ and SPP). As to FFA, the average values during
the study, are around 2.62 ± 1.55 and 2.66 ± 1.57% of cocoa
butter respectively for SP and SJ, and 0.89 ± 0, 20 and 0.88
± 0.16% of cocoa butter respectively for SPP and SPJ. Thus,
polyethylene plastic films can slow down the degradation of
beans in storage. |
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