African Journal of Agronomy

African Journal of Agronomy ISSN 2375-1177 Vol. 5 (3), pp. 325-332, March, 2017. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Evaluation of polyhalite in comparison to muriate of potash for corn grain yield in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania

²Kiran Pavuluri, 1Zacharia Malley*, ³Mohamadi K Mzimbiri, ²Timothy D Lewis, 2Robert Meakin

¹Selian Agric. Research Institute, P.O. Box 6024 Arusha, Tanzania,

²Sirius Minerals, 7 – 10 Manor Court, Manor Garth, Scarborough, United Kingdom YO11 3TU, ³Agricultural Research Institute-Uyole, P.O. Box 400, Mbeya, Tanzania.

*Corresponding author E-mail: [email protected]

Accepted 07 March, 2017

Abstract

Recent exploration of new multi-nutrient potassium fertilizers such as polyhalite and a lack of understanding of their effects on corn grain yield performance motivated establishing six corn (Zea mays L.) fertilizer trials in the Southern Highland region of Tanzania, under rain-fed conditions, in 2015. The objective was to determine whether applying 20 kg ha-1of K2O from two different sources together with the recommended practice of 120 and 30 kg ha-1of N and  P2O5, respectively, with no K2O, increases corn grain yields. Fertilizer treatments were: 1) Control in which no fertilizer was applied; 2) Recommended practice of 120 and 30kg ha-1of N and P2O5(NP); 3) NP + 20 kg ha-1 of K2O as Muriate of Potash (MOP); 4) NP + 20 kg ha-1 of K2O as Polyhalite (POLY4); and 5) NP + MOP + 28 kg S ha-1as Kieserite (MOP + Kieserite). Kieserite was applied at a rate to balance the S applied in the POLY4 treatment. Measured variables were grain yield, stover weight, number of cobs, vigour and plant populations. Treatments of interest were compared by using single degree freedom linear contrasts. All fertilizer treatments significantly outperformed the Control at all locations. The NP, POLY4 and MOP+Kieserite treatments had significantly higher grain yields than MOP at one, two and two out of six locations, respectively. Similarly, NP, POLY4 and MOP+Kieserite treatments had numerically higher grain yields at four, five and five locations, respectively over MOP. When averaged across the six locations, NP, POLY4 and MOP+Kieserite treatments had grain yields 357, 621 and 662 kg ha-1higher than MOP, respectively. These results indicate the importance of sulphur nutrition for corn and that POLY4 is a source of sulphur and potassium for corn production in the Southern Highland regions of Tanzania.

Keywords: Polyhalite, Potassium, Sulphur, Corn, MOP.

African Journal of Agronomy ISSN 2375-1177 Vol. 5 (2), pp. 301-309, February, 2017. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

A study of auto-regressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model used for forecasting the production of tomato in Bangladesh

Tofael Osman, Aziz Chowdhury and Hannan Ramesh Chandra

Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, EXIM Bank Agricultural University Bangladesh.

Accepted 27 September, 2016

*Corresponding author: E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract 

Tomato is one of the most important and popular vegetables in Bangladesh. It ranks fourth in respect of production and third in respect of area in Bangladesh. It is a good source of Vitamin A and C, and it provides antioxidant elements such as lycopen which prevents cancer. Regular consumption of tomatoes can prevent short sightedness, night blindness, and other eye diseases. Tomato is also helpful in preventing joint pain problems and the respiratory disorder as well. The main purpose of this research is to identify the Auto-Regressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) model by Box-Jenkin’s methodology that could be used to forecast the tomato production in Bangladesh. This study considered the published secondary data of yearly tomato production in Bangladesh over the period of 1971 to 2013. The best selected Box-Jenkin’s ARIMA model for forecasting the tomato productions in Bangladesh is ARIMA (0,2,1). The comparison of the original series and forecasted series shows the same manner which indicates that the fitted model is statistically suitable to forecast the tomato productions in Bangladesh, that is, the models forecast well during and beyond the estimation period.

Key words: Tomato, ARIMA model, Box-Jenkin’s Methodology, Ljung-Box Test, forecasting, Bangladesh.

African Journal of Agronomy ISSN 2375-1177 Vol. 5 (3), pp. 310-324, March, 2017. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

A study of the effect of economic policy variables on domestic supply of cashew and the prospects for diversification to agro-industry

Victor Olusegun, Paul  Afolabi and Adeniyi Adebayo

Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, Faculty of Agricultural Science, Ekiti State University Ado Ekiti, Ado Ekiti, Ekiti, Nigeria.

Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]

Accepted 03 October, 2016 

Abstract

Cashew supply had lagged behind demand for it both in the domestic and foreign markets. While the agro-industry faced serious problems in procuring the kinds and quantities of the commodity they want, producers of the commodity have remained poorly linked to the agro-industrial sector and availability of the commodity as raw material to agro-industry remained inadequate and irregular. This paper therefore examined how economic policy variables affect domestic supply and the prospects for diversification of increased cashew to agro-industry. Data for the study included policy variables such as real exchange rate, interest rate, wage rate, and government investment expenditure in agriculture. Data were analyzed using simultaneous equation regression model. Variables that significantly affected cashew supply included price of cashew, price of complementary crop, rural wage rate, government investment in agriculture and interest rate on agricultural loans. Rural wage rate had significant effect on cashew supply with coefficient of -0.38 at p<0.05. Government investment on agriculture with coefficient of 0.06 had significant effect at p<0.05. Interest rate on agricultural loans, with coefficient of -0.44, had significant effect on cashew supply at p<0.05. Policy strategies to expand supply of cashew and enhance diversification to agro-industry included improved infrastructure that will ensure effective market linkages.

Key words: Diversification, agro-industry, processing, export, income, employment.

African Journal of Agronomy ISSN 2375-1177 Vol. 5 (1), pp. 293-300, January, 2017. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

A study of factors that determine decision to participate in grain amaranth marketing and factors which influence the level of participation

James Rugunda, Peters Basudde and Mayiga Kigozi

School of Agricultural Sciences, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia.

Accepted 03 November, 2016

*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected].

Abstract

Grain amaranth plays an important role in improving household nutritional and economic status. Grain amaranth is still a new crop in Uganda’s farming system, after being introduced by Volunteer Efforts for Development Concerns in 2005 to curb malnutrition in Kamuli district. Production and consumption of the crop is still limited mainly due to lack of market; this has limited the purpose of production to domestic consumption with no incentive of producing a marketable surplus. A cross sectional study was conducted in Kamuli district to assess the determinants of small holder participation in grain amaranth marketing. A total of 150 grain amaranth farmers obtained through a multistage sampling technique, constituted the study sample. The decision to participate in grain amaranth marketing was positively influenced by gender of household head, education levels of the household head, grain amaranth yield, selling price, and membership in a farmer group. The results further reveal that the education status of the household head and the quantity of grain yield positively influenced households to sell more grain amaranth. Yield improvements are critical if increased market participation is to be realized. Therefore, research efforts should be directed towards generation and dissemination of grain amaranth varieties that will determine participation of smallholder farmers in Uganda.

Key words: Grain amaranth, small holder farmers, market participation.

African Journal of Agronomy ISSN 2375-1185 Vol. 4 (11), pp. 288-292, December, 2016. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

The tolerance of winter wheat amitrole (TRITICUM AESTIVUM L.) to tankmixes of glyphosate with to glyphosate tankmixes

Joni Safer Rogen*, Micheal Ryan Sutherland, Seth J. Kiefer and Pierre Maslany

University of Guelph, Ridgetown Campus, 120 Main Street E., Ridgetown, Ontario, Canada

E-mail: [email protected]

Accepted 1 November, 2016

Abstract 

Two sets of experiments were conducted over a four-year period (2006-2009) to evaluate the tolerance of winter wheat to fall applications of 2 week preplant (WPP), 1 WPP, 1 day preplant (DPP) and preemergence (PRE) glyphosate tankmixes in combination with commonly used burndown herbicides (amitrole, dicamba/diflufenzopyr, chlorimuron-ethyl, dicamba, 2,4-D amine and 2,4-D ester). Glyphosate plus 2,4-D amine, 2,4-D ester or amitrole tankmixes applied 2 and 1 WPP, 1 DPP and PRE caused minimal wheat injury and no yield decrease. Glyphosate plus dicamba applied 1 DPP and PRE caused 3.6 and 6.4% injury shortly after emergence, however, this injury was transient and did not affect final yield. Glyphosate plus dicamba/diflufenzopyr applied 1 DPP and PRE caused less than 5% injury in Exeter and up to 27% in Ridgetown which resulted in a yield loss of 1.1 t ha^-1 at 1 DPP. The glyphosate plus chlorimuron-ethyl tankmix caused the most injury at all four application timings. Injury with this tankmix was evident 2 weeks after emergence and by July of the following year was as high as 54%. This tankmix caused a decrease in height of 4 to 7 cm and a yield loss of 0.7-3.1 t ha^-1.

Keywords: 2,4-D amine, 2,4-D ester, amitrole, chlorimuron-ethyl, dicamba, dicamba/diflufenzopyr, glyphosate, winter wheat

African Journal of Agronomy ISSN 2375-1185 Vol. 4 (10), pp. 280-287, November, 2016. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Efficacy of herbicide (pyroxasulfone 85WG) in combination with previously existing herbicides used for weed management

Wasim Asif Bhutto^1*, Mehdi A. Javed², Asif Malala Pervez¹ and Ali Z. Shahid³

¹Department of Agronomy, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad-38040, Pakistan

²Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad-38040, Pakistan

³Department of Agronomy, University College of Agriculture, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan

E-mail: [email protected]

Accepted 18 October, 2016

Abstract

A field trial was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of post-emergence application of herbicides on weeds reduction and yield parameters in wheat crop. Treatments comprised of post-emergence application of pyroxasulfone, clodinafop propargyl and pendimethalin alone and in various combinations and also non-treated group of wheat plot was considered as control (weedy check). Results revealed that the diversity of PHALARIS MINOR  (P. MINOR), AVENA  FATUA  (A. FATUA) and CONVOLVULUS ARVENSIS (C. ARVENSIS) decreased ominously by all the herbicides compared to non-treated control. However, clodinafop propargyl at 60 g a.i ha^-1 was found to be most effective as it severely reduced the weeds population as well as biomass with maximum mortality. Pyroxasulfone alone or with different combinations showed poor response as compared to weedy check. Maximum spike bearing tillers (354.50), number of grains spike^-1 (59.50), 1000-grain weight (58.50 g), straw yield (6.52 t ha^-1) and grain yield (4.73 t ha^-1) were recorded in response of clodinafop propargyl at 60 g a.i ha^-1 versus other herbicides. Consequently, clodinafop propargyl proved itself a potential herbicide for weed control and better yield in wheat crop.

Keywords: Weed management, herbicides application, weeds dry weight, Triticum aestivum L., clodinafop propargyl