Advances in Agriculture and Agricultural Sciences

Advances in Agriculture and Agricultural Sciences ISSN 2381-3911 Vol. 3 (12), pp. 001-006, December, 2017. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

The effect of furnace ash on crop yields and macroelement content in selected grass species

Jacek Antonkiewicz

Department of Agricultural Chemistry, Agricultural University in Krakow, Al. Mickiewicza 21, 31-120 Kraków, Poland. E-mail: [email protected]

Accepted 14 April, 2017

Abstract

The research aimed at identification of furnace ash effect on crop yield and contents of Mg, Ca, K, Na and P in various grass species. Application of a dose of 0.533 kg pot^-1 affected a significant decline in grass species yield. From among the cultivated grass species perennial ryegrass and meadow fescue produced the greatest yield, whereas meadow-grass gave the smallest. Perennial ryegrass and meadow fescue, proved the most resistant grasses then timothy and red fescue, whereas the meadow-grass proved the most ‘sensitive’ to ash application. The investigations demonstrated a significant effect of 0.533 kg^.pot ^-1 furnace ash dose on the increase in Mg, Ca and Na contents in grass species, whereas phosphorus concentrations decreased. Furnace ash influenced also an increase in potassium content in timothy, red fescue and perennial ryegrass, while it decreased these element concentrations in meadow grass and to meadow fescue. Contents of magnesium, potassium and phosphorus in the studied grass species corresponded to the standards stated for good quality forage. The level of calcium and sodium in tested grasses was not within the optimal ranges. A decreased uptake of Ca, K, Na and P by grass species was registered under the influence of ash application to the soil.

Key words: Ash, reclamation, yield, macroelements, grass species.

Advances in Agriculture and Agricultural Sciences ISSN 2381-3911 Vol. 3 (12), pp. 001-004, December, 2017. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Studying microbial, physiochemical and sensory properties of directly concentrated probiotic yoghurt

Samira Yeganehzad, Mostafa Mazaheri-Tehrani and Fakhri Shahidi

Food Science and Technology Department, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran.

Accepted 26 May, 2017

Abstract

Skim milk with 8.5% total solids was concentrated to 15 and 20% total solids by vacuum evaporation and inoculated with probiotic Lactobacillus. Yoghurts were incubated at 42^oC and stored at 4^oC. Survival of Lactobacillus, physiochemical (pH, acidity, synersis, and hardness) and sensory properties (taste and texture) of probiotic yoghurts were evaluated every 7 days to 21 days. Results showed that, increasing the total solid concentration of milk increased the survival of Lactobacillus acidophilus, acidity and hardness of yoghurt and reduced the pH and synersis. However, the survival of probiotic Lactobacillus decreased throughout the storage period at 4^oC. This work shows the importance of total solid concentration of milk on survival probiotic strains, physiochemical and sensory properties of yoghurt.

Key words: probiotic yogurt, total solids, probiotic survival, physiochemical properties, sensory properties.

Advances in Agriculture and Agricultural Sciences ISSN 2381-3911 Vol. 3 (11), pp. 001-004, November, 2017. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Field evaluation of soybean varieties at Ilorin in the southern guinea savanna ecology of Nigeria

Akande, S. R., Owolade, O.F. and Ayanwole J.A.

Institute of Agricultural Research and Training, Obafemi Awolowo University, Moor Plantation, P.M.B. 5029 Ibadan, Nigeria.

Accepted 23 April, 2017

Abstract

Twenty six newly developed soybean varieties were evaluated for two years at Ilorin in a southern guinea savanna environment of Nigeria. The reaction of the varieties to rust infection was also assessed. Effects due to year, variety and year x variety interaction were significant for all the characters evaluated except for plant height where year x variety interaction had no significant effect. Number of days to 50% flowering ranged from 42 to 47.33. Early flowering varieties included TGX 1903-8F, TGX 1903-7F and TGX 1904-2F, while late flowering ones were TGX 1924 -1F and TGX 1925-1F. Plant height varied between 25.00 and 44.17 cm. Grain yield ranged from 1017.24 to 2133.01 kg/ha. The best yielding varieties were TGX 1921-23F and TGX 1922-1F. Significantly higher grain yields were obtained in 2005 with an average value of 1602.0 kg/ha compared with 1470.13 kg/ha recorded in 2006. There was no incidence of rust infection in 2005, but in 2006 however, six soybean varieties expressed mild symptoms of the disease.

Key words: Grain yield, varietal evaluation, rust infection, savanna agro-ecology, soybean.

Advances in Agriculture and Agricultural Sciences ISSN 2381-3911 Vol. 3 (11), pp. 001-007, November, 2017. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Effects of planting location and storage time on lipids and fatty acids contents of some Madagascan rice varieties

Rasoazanakolona Voahanginirina¹* and Rafidinarivo Elie²

¹Département de Recherches Technologiques, Centre National de Recherche Appliquée au Développement Rural, BP 1690 Antananarivo 101, Madagascar.

²Institut Supérieur de Technologie d’Antananarivo, BP 8122, Antananarivo 101, Madagascar.

Accepted 04 March, 2017

Abstract

Lipid and fatty acid composition of some Madagascan rice varieties were analysed by both Soxhlet method and Gas Chromatography based on variety, planting location and the storage time of rice grain. The results showed that there was a significant variety effect. This work also highlighted an agro-ecological site influence on the lipid content, the oleic and arachidic acids. Finally, fatty acid composition of Madagascan rice obeyed Keys‘s rule few time (14 days and 30 days) after harvest and after one year of storage for one variety out of three. Keys’s rule was related to variety, to site and to storage time. Mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids were significantly influenced by storage time.

Key words: Lipid, fatty acids, Madagascan rice, site, storage time.

Advances in Agriculture and Agricultural Sciences ISSN 2381-3911 Vol. 3 (10), pp. 001-007, October, 2017. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

The sustainability of a groundnut plus maize rotation over 12 years on smallholder farms in the sub-humid zone of Zimbabwe

Stephen Robert Waddington¹*, Johannes Karigwindi² and John Chifamba²

¹CIMMYT, PO Box 6057, Gulshan, Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh.

²CIMMYT Southern Africa Regional Office, PO Box MP163, Mount Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe.

Accepted 25 April, 2017

Abstract

An experiment was conducted on four smallholder farms and on-station in the sub-humid zone of northeast Zimbabwe for 12 years to assess how the rotation of groundnut with NPK-fertilized and unfertilized maize affected the productivity and sustainability of this common smallholder cropping system. At the sandy-soil Domboshava station, maize grain yield declined over 12 years of continuous maize cropping, and the rate of decline was larger when fertilizer was used. Maize grain yield was already low (around 0.7 t ha^-1 without fertilizer) on the smallholder farm fields when the experiment began, and there was little evidence of further decline. A 3-year groundnut plus maize plus maize rotation raised maize grain yield on station both when fertilizer was used on maize and when not, with some benefits persisting into the second year of maize after groundnut. Three cycles of the rotation with fertilizer at Domboshava increased maize yields by 0.21, 2.92 and 2.26 t ha^-1 in the first year after groundnut. With unfertilized maize, grain yields rose by 2.15, 1.52 and 3.61 t ha^-1, which was double or more than double those from continuous maize plots. Accumulated over three rotation cycles (nine years) on station, the rotation gave 3.54 t ha^-1 (13.2%) more maize grain than continuous maize with fertilizer and 5.33 t ha^-1 (42.2%) more when fertilizer was not used, as well as almost 1 t ha^-1 of groundnut grain. On the farms, overall yields of groundnut and maize were much smaller, because soils and management were poorer, and inputs few. Groundnut crops averaged less than 0.13 t ha^-1 grains. The rotation raised maize grain yield only when no fertilizer was used on maize, where three cycles of the rotation raised maize grain yields by 0.21, 0.38 and 0.32 t ha^-1. Accumulated over three rotation cycles, the rotation without fertilizer gave 0.51 t ha^-1 (15.1%) more maize grain than continuous maize on the farms, and 0.4 t ha^-1 of groundnut grain. It was concluded that the rotation of groundnut with maize can sustain the productivity of smallholder maize systems in sub-humid northeastern Zimbabwe in moderately fertile station conditions and can contribute on nutrient -depleted smallholder fields even when the crops are grown without fertilizer and with few management practices.

Key words: Groundnut, maize, crop rotation, soil infertility, longer-term experiment, on-farm research, sustainability, sub-humid zone, Zimbabwe.

Advances in Agriculture and Agricultural Sciences ISSN 2381-3911 Vol. 3 (10), pp. 001-004, October, 2017. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

The impact of propiconazole (Tilt 250 EC) on the growth and the breathing of hard wheat isolated roots (Triticum durum, GTA and Vitron varieties)

Meksem, L.¹, Rouabhi, R^2*, Djebar-Berrebbah, H.¹ and Djebar, M. R.¹

¹Laboratory of Cellular Toxicology, Sciences Faculty, Annaba University, 23000, Annaba. Algeria.

²Life and Nature Sciences institute, Biology department, Tebessa University center, 12000, Tebessa, Algeria.

Accepted 10 March, 2017

Abstract

Fungicides are recognized as non-toxic compounds, or have a weak ecotoxicological risks. The use of these products is responsible for an important part of the increase of the cereals output. However, the exhibition of the consumers to residues in food remained especially preoccupying with regard to some metabolites that put more problems in relation with the human health. In our work we investigate the effects of the propiconazole (Tilt 250 EC) at three concentrations 35, 70, 140 and 280 µM, on some parameters of the growth and on the respiratory metabolism of roots isolated from two varieties of wheat: the Vitron and GTA variety. Our results show that Tilt 250 EC inhibits strongly the number and the length of the roots of GTA variety, but there are no effects on Vitron variety roots. The respiratory metabolism results of isolated roots show that in Vitron variety there is an enhancement of breathing (about 25%), contrarily in GTA variety where we observe a reduction in respiration rate (about 100%).

Key words: Propiconazole, tilt 250EC, wheat; Triticum durum, GTA, vitron.