African Journal of
Agricultural Research

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Agric. Res.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1991-637X
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJAR
  • Start Year: 2006
  • Published Articles: 6832

Table of Content: 7 November; 8(43)

November 2013

Developmental response of hybrid lilies to bulb removal date

The effect of different bulb removal date on the development of underground organs particularly bulblets of four lily hybrids was investigated. Three treatments were used included the bulbs were not removed (control) or removed 6 and 8 weeks after planting .The test hybrids were "Royal show" (LA hybrids), "White heaven" (L. longiflorum hybrid), "Sorbonne" and "Premium blond"...

Author(s): Asker H. M.

November 2013

Combining ability study in oat (Avena sativa L.) for physiological, quality traits, forage and grain yield

The experimental material comprised of ten oats (Avena sativa L.) genotypes and their 45 F1 crosses evaluated for physiological parameters, forage quality, green fodder yield plant-1 (g) and grain yield plant-1(g). The highest crude protein content was recorded in SKO-208. The lowest Neutral detergent fiber (NDF) was observed in SKO-213. Lowest Acid detergent fiber (ADF) was observed in SKO-204. Lowest crude fiber was...

Author(s): Mushtaq Ahmad, Gul Zaffar, S. M. Razvi, Z. A. Dar, M. H. Khan and S. A. Ganie

November 2013

Technical efficiency of maize production in Northern Ghana

The ability of maize farmers in Ghana to increase yield levels and attain sustainable production depends on efficient farm practices, hence technical efficiency. This study applied the stochastic frontier methodology to examine the technical efficiency of maize production for the 2011/2012 cropping season. Multi-stage sampling procedure was used to obtain 360 maize households for the study. The determinants of maize...

Author(s): Shamsudeen Abdulai, Paul K. Nkegbe and Samuel A. Donkoh

November 2013

The competitiveness of the Saudi Arabian date palm: An analytical study

The Kingdom’s date production has not kept pace with export activities, where the demand of foreigners as workers or visitors in KSA is increased from year to other, so as the percentage of exports is about 6.8% of the domestic production, which is equivalent to 8.7% of the global exports, moreover, the average price of export reached 1065 US$/ton. The low export price of Saudi dates is attributed to the lack of...

Author(s): Mohammad Samir El- Habba and Fahad Al- Mulhim

November 2013

South African seaweed aquaculture: A sustainable development example for other African coastal countries

The green seaweed Ulva is one of South Africa’s most important aquaculture products, constituting an important feed source particularly for abalone (Haliotis midae L.), and utilized as a bioremediation tool and other benefits such as biomass for biofuel production and for integrated aquaculture. Besides Ulva spp, Gracilaria spp. are also cultivated. Wild seaweed harvest in South...

Author(s): Albert O. Amosu, Deborah V. Robertson-Andersson, Gavin W. Maneveldt, Robert J. Anderson and John J. Bolton

November 2013

Tolerance of fungal and bacterial biocontrol agents to six pesticides commonly used in the control of soil borne plant pathogens

The compatability of fungal (Trichoderma harzianum, Trichoderma virens and Pochonia chlamydosporia) and bacterial biocontrol agents (Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas fluorescens) was assessed to 6 pesticides viz., carbendazim, mancozeb, metalaxyl, captan, thiram, and nemacur commonly used by farmers in India for the control of soil borne plant pathogens. The compatability was assessed at different concentrations and...

Author(s): F. A. Mohiddin and M. R. Khan

November 2013

Factors influencing households participation in the Savings and Credit Cooperative (SACCO) programmes in Uganda

Uganda Cooperative Alliance established SACCO’s as a response to Governments call to provide affordable financial services to rural poor. Over the year’s membership and share capital grew. This study investigated factors influencing household’s participation in SACCO programmes. Participants were disaggregated into savers and none savers. Degree of participation was estimated, an ordered probit...

Author(s): S. Mpiira, B. Kiiza, E. Katungi, C. Staver, J. S. Tabuti, M. Kyotalimye, P. Muwumba, E. Karamura and W. K. Tushemereirwe

November 2013

Effect of interception by canopy in the IDF relation (rainfall intensity, duration and frequency) in a semiarid zone

This study has been developed on a semiarid zone located in Mexico; the objective of this research is to measure rainfall interception, and to evaluate the effect of interception in intensity, duration, frequency curves. The rainfall interception was determined from rainfall simulation at several intensity levels on grass covered vegetation samples taken from experimental zone, where income precipitation, runoff, change...

Author(s): Alvaro López-Lambraño,, Carlos Fuentes, Enrique González-Sosa, Alvaro López-Ramos, Máximo Pliego-Díaz, Domingo Gómez-Meléndez and Antonio Altamirano-Corro,

November 2013

Development of phosphorus fertilizer according to the soil test in the rape dry farming of canola (Brassica naplusl) in the south east of Khuzestan province

For development of phosphorus fertilizer needed for canola “Brassica naplusl” Hayola 401 figure according to the soil test in the dry framing 16 tests in four places and in each place 4 tests in 4 groups of phosphorus useable in the soil (less than 3 ppm, 3-6 ppm, 6-10 ppm and more than 10 ppm) in the form of randomized complete blocks design with 4 phosphorus fertilizer treatments (0, 25, 50 and 75 kg of P2...

Author(s): Ebrahim Fatahi Nejad

November 2013

Competition and facilitation-related factors impacts on crop performance in an agro-forestry parkland system in Burkina Faso

Parkia biglobosa and Vitellaria paradoxa are known to improve soil fertility and redistribute water under their crowns in parkland systems. A field experiment was conducted to separate above and belowground interactions between these species and associated Sorghum bicolor using root trenching and crown pruning during three cropping seasons. Trenching increased soil water availability...

Author(s): Bayala J., Bazié H. R. and Sanou J.

November 2013

Genotypic variation in yield in wheat to cold sensitive response at high altitude

Low temperature becomes an important limitation for production of grains in wheat cultivars as altitude increases. An alteration of growth habit accompanied with changes in morphology of leaf, shoot and root characteristic and cool temperature induced sterility in florets seemed to be associated with yield loss. The extent of variability of these characters, their relationship and contribution to grain yield were...

Author(s): B. B. BANDYOPADHYAY

November 2013

Evaluating the effect of aflatoxin food safety concerns on Iran’s pistachio trade with gravity model

How food safety affects international trade is an important factor to be studied for low-income countries which continue to rely on agricultural exports. Iran, as the greatest pistachio exporter in the world, encounters a  serious problem of aflatoxin contamination. This food safety shocks affected Iran’s  income which has  caused a lot of damages to  the country’s economy. The paper...

Author(s): Ashktorab, Niloofar and Shahnoushi, Naser

November 2013

Acclimatization of micropropagated Musa cavendischii cultivar roatan plants submitted to doses of fertigation and auxin

Micropropagation of banana is suggested to produce great number of healthy plants but the success depends on the ability to transfer plants from in vitro conditions to greenhouse or field environment, at low cost and with high survival rates. In this study, the effects of the fertilization and indolebutyric acid (IBA) applied in the nutritive solution on growth of Musa cavendischii plantlets were evaluated during...

Author(s): Miguel-Luna Maura Elisama, Enríquez-del ValleJosé Raymundo, Velasco-Velasco Vicente Arturo, Campos-ÁngelesGisela Virginia and Chavez-ServiaJosé Luis

November 2013

Influence of the storage conditions on moisture and bixin levels in the seeds of Bixa orellana L.

This study was conducted to analyze the changes in the moisture and bixin levels in the seeds of Bixa orellana L. under four storage conditions: Storage without tarp (SB), storage over tarp (BD), seeds fully covered with tarp (BE) and storage in a room chilled to 4°C (OB). For 13 weeks, moisture content and bixin levels were monitored. The decreases in bixin after 13 weeks of storage at the different storage modes...

Author(s): Biego G. H. M., Yao K. D., Koffi K. M., Ezoua P. and Kouadio L. P.

November 2013

Improving effects of mycorrhizal symbiosis on sorghum bicolor under four levels of drought stress

This study was conducted to determination the symbiotic effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi on the shoot and root characteristics and mycorrhiza influence on relationships between minerals (phosphorus and Nitrogen) acquisition and yield components under drought stress in Sorghum bicolor. A pot experiment was carried out in Shiraz, Iran in 2010 growing season. The experiment was conducted using split-plot...

Author(s): Amir Hossein Nasr, Mahdi Zare, Omid Alizadeh and Nima Mehdizadeh Naderi,

November 2013

Agricultural income, land size and food insecurity in Pakistan

Hundred rural-based households (50 landowners and Sharecroppers each) were interviewed regarding income-consumption in relation with land-size, household-size and debt through ANCOVA model. The Marginal Propensity to Consume (MPC) was greater than one (MPC>1) while, intercept found negative (C<0) describes the serious gap in income and expenditures leading to negative savings produces the debt on respondent. We...

Author(s): Bilal Ahmed

November 2013

Relationships between the physiological and biochemical modifications in soybean seeds under different temperatures

The aim was to analyze the effect of the stress caused by different temperatures, for a period of 24 h, on seed germination and initial growth of soybean seedlings to relate these variables with the antioxidant defense system. For this, three seed lots were exposed for 24 h at temperatures of 15, 25, 35 and 40°C, being evaluated for germination, first germination counting (FGC), germination speed index (GSI),...

Author(s): Juliana de Magalhães Bandeira, Patrícia Marini, Andrea Bicca Noguez Martins, Isabel Cristina Gouvea de Borba, Luciano do Amarante and Dario Munt de Moraes

November 2013

Economic of biodiversity: The importance of studies aimed at assessing the economic value of biological diversity

Biological diversity has constituted the focal point of environmental economics and public politics increasingly over recent years. Ecological and economic approaches guide the determination of accurate policies for a sustainable future and in drawing an efficient roadmap. Based on an extensive literature review, this study reveals both the importance and limitations of studies aimed at the economic value of biological...

Author(s): Aynur Demir