International Journal of Agricultural Sciences ISSN 2167-0447 Vol. 6 (10), pp. 1178-1182, October, 2016. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper                                    

Drip and micro sprinkler irrigation on pollen characteristics in cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.)

C.Krishnamoorthy* and K.Rajamani**

*Assistant Professor, Vanavarayar Institute of Agriculture, Pollachi, Tamil Nadu, India.

**Professor and Head, Department of Medicinal and Aromatic Crops, TNAU, Tamil Nadu, India.

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

Received 17 September, 2014; Revised 18 October, 2014; Accepted 21 October, 2014 and Published 24 November, 2016

Abstract                                                                                                                                       

An experiment was conducted during 2010 and 2011 to investigate the impact of N, P and K fertilizers through fertigation on pollen features of cocoa was conducted at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, India. The study was laid out in randomized block design with thirteen treatment combinations. The study shown that, fertigation with 125 % Recommended Fertilizer Dose as water soluble fertilizer through fertigation by micro sprinkler irrigation (T₁₀) recorded the highest number of pollen characters viz., area of pollen grain (504.1 µm²), equivalent diameter of the pollen grain (27.4 microns), radius of the pollen grain (13.3 microns), pollen output (34.9), pollen viability (89.2 %), pollen germination (88.1 %) and pollen tube length.

Key words: Fertigation, fertilizer, drip, micro sprinkler, pollen grains.

International Journal of Agricultural Sciences ISSN 2167-0447 Vol. 6 (10), pp. 1172-1177, October, 2016. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

A comparative study of the oils from the seed arils of Trichilia emetica from Mozambique

Amália Uamusse¹ * and Samuel Owusu Yeboah² *

¹Department of Chemistry, Eduardo Mondlane University, PO Box 257, Maputo, Mozambique.

²Chemistry Department, University of Botswana, P/Bag 0022, Gaborone, Botswana.

Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]

Received 31 July, 2016; Revised 21 September, 2016; Accepted 10 October, 2016 and Published 24 October, 2016

Abstract

The physicochemical properties and fatty acid composition of the edible aril oils from four variants of Trichilia emetica Vahl (Meliaceae), obtained by Soxhlet extraction, were determined. The oil yields ranged between 42.2 – 53.8% (w/w). Determination of the stability parameters, acid value (AV) and peroxide value (PV), indicated that all four oil samples were stable to hydrolytic and oxidative stress (AV = 0.88 – 1.02 mg KOH/g and PV = 2.02 - 2.62 mEq/kg). The refractive indices (RI = 1.466 – 1.467) and the iodine values (IV = 63.42 – 78.02 mEq/kg) indicated that the four oil samples were all moderately unsaturated, while the saponification values (SV = 183.71 – 189.03 mg KOH/g) indicated that the oil samples consisted mainly of medium length fatty acid chains. GC-MS determination of the fatty acid profiles (16:0 = 40.29 – 46.76%, 18:1 = 25.28 – 30.44%, 18:2 = 24.99 – 27.64%) confirmed the moderate unsaturation and showed that all four oil samples consisted mainly of C16 and C18 carbon chains. The GC-MS findings were closely corroborated by ¹H-NMR determination of the fatty acid classes. The study showed that the characteristics of the oil from the seed arils from the four variants of T. emetica were all similar to each other and compared favourably with the properties of some well-known edible household oils such as palm oil and olive oil. Hence, the four variants are all equally suitable for further evaluation towards commercial exploitation of the fruit oil.

Key words: Trichilia emetica Vahl, mafura, seed aril oil, fatty acid composition, physicochemical properties, stability parameters, oil yield. 

International Journal of Agricultural Sciences ISSN 2167-0447 Vol. 6 (10), pp. 1157-1171, October, 2016. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Daily and seasonal variations of soil respiration and contributions of above-and below ground litter in the rain forest of south western Cameroon in Central Africa

Monique Abossolo Angue¹, Boris Volkoff², Thérèse Chone³, Dieudonné Lucien Bitom¹

¹Laboratory of Soil Science - Faculty of Science - University of Yaoundé 1 - PO Box 812 Yaoundé (Cameroon).

²Centre de Recherche d’Ile-de-France - 32, avenue Henri Varagnat - 93143 Bondy (France).

³Centre de Pédologie Biologique, Rue Notre-Dame des Pauvres, PO Box 554501, Vandœuvre-Lès-Nancy.

Corresponding author's E-mail:[email protected]; Tel. (237)677686088.

Received 07 February, 2016; Revised 02 July, 2016; Accepted 06 July, 2016; and Published 11 October, 2016

Abstract

Soil respiration in plots either with natural litter or without but on which was added above ground litter was examined in order to evaluate its periodic variability and the contributions of above and below-ground litter to the total soil respiration. This work was conducted within a one year period in the South western region of Cameroon. During the day, the mean soil respiration reached a seasonal peak rate (917 ± 19 mg CO₂ m^-2 h^-1) in May (rainy season) and a trough (345 ±96 mg CO₂ m^-2 h^-1 ) was observed  in February (dry season) indicating a clear relation with soil moisture. The maximum diurnal values of soil respiration appeared in May between 8 and 10 am and in February between 14 and 16 pm. This evolution was proportional to air and soil temperatures. The contribution of aboveground litter to the total soil respiration was in average 34 to 43% while that of below ground litter was 57 to 66% in which is included probably about 10 to 20% of labile carbon pool. The exclusion or addition of litter to the soil surface thus modified the total soil respiration.

Key words: Tropical forest, soil respiration, variability, environmental factors, litter contribution.

International Journal of Agricultural Sciences ISSN 2167-0447 Vol. 6 (10), pp. 1148-1156, October, 2016. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Characterization of layer poultry production in Rwanda

MBUZA Francis, HABIMANA Richard, SIMBANKABO Thomas, MAJYAMBERE Denis

¹college of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine.

¹School of animal science and veterinary medicine.

²Center for livestock research and development (UR-CLRD).

Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]. Tel. +250788774300

Received 30 June, 2016; Revised 18 July, 2016,  Accepted 04 August, 2016 and Published 02 October, 2016

Abstract

Improved poultry production systems in Rwanda are recent, uncharacterized and not documented. This study was to establish current status, identify the challenges and recommend improvements to layer production systems in Rwanda. The study was conducted on 172 layer poultry farmers from all the four provinces and Kigali city using questionnaires. The majority of farmers kept Rhode Island Red (RIR) 76% and chicks were mainly (73%) imported from abroad. Permanent poultry premises were commonly present (63%) and majority of them (91.9%) were correctly oriented however, lacked proper ventilation and Stocking levels were generally very low as the majority of farmers 75% kept less than 1000 birds. The deep litter system using saw dust predominated (91.5%). Majority of farmers (92.5%) practiced on- farm feed mixing and birds were always fed manually, and those below four weeks were generally underfed. The duration of lighting in poultry pens was within the recommended ranges. Diarrhea was mostly reported (61%) followed by skin diseases (15%), flu (12%) and paralysis (12%) as the commonest diseases. The production parameters with regard to growth and survival traits were inferior to international standards. Lack of quality feeds (38%), credit (20%) and poor market accessibility (19%) were the main challenges reported.

Key words: Layers, egg production, efficiency, challenges, Rwanda.

International Journal of Agricultural Sciences ISSN 2167-0447 Vol. 6 (9), pp. 1141-1147, September, 2016. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Response of maize to fertilization on alluvial soil in Arba Minch, Gamo-Gofa, Southern Ethiopia

Parshotam Datt Sharma, Kiya Adare, Amare Girma, Berhanu Lemma

Department of Plant Sciences, College of Agriculture, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, P.O. Box 21, Ethiopia.

Corresponding author: E-mail: [email protected]

Received 21 June, 2016; Revised 27 July, 2016; Accepted 02 August, 2016; Published 22 September, 2016

Abstract

Assessing crop response to fertilizer application is essential to recommend or preclude the fertilizer use in an area. A field experiment was conducted on Arba Minch University research site having alluvial soil to know the response of maize crop to combined levels of N, P and K with or without farm yard manure (N₀ P₀ K_0, N₁₀₀ P₀ K_0, N₁₀₀ P₅₀ K_0, N₁₀₀ P₅₀ K_50, N₅₀ P₂₅ K_25, N₅₀ P₂₅ K₂₅ + FYM @10 t ha^-1, N₁₀₀ P₅₀ K₅₀ + FYM @10 t ha^-1, N₁₅₀ P₇₅ K_75, N₁₅₀ P₇₅ K₇₅ + FYM @10t ha^-1, FYM @10 t ha^-1)  under irrigated conditions. There was, in general, no significant response of maize (var., BH 140) in terms of growth, yield components and grain yield to the application of fertilizer nutrients in balanced and integrated manner along with farm yard manure. The grain yield without fertilization (93.4 q/ha) was at par with yield in treatment with higher level of nutrients like N₁₅₀ P₇₅ K₇₅ (109.5 q/ha). Therefore, for the present, fertilizer application may not be recommended for higher maize productivity on alluvial plain soils in Gamo-Gofa zone. The soils, however, need to be monitored over the years for any fertility decline and replenishment of nutrients through addition of fertilizers. The high fertility of soils may be exploited advantageously for growing of organic produce, fetching premium price in domestic and international markets.

Key words: Maize, NPK fertilizer response, integrated nutrient management, alluvial plain soil, Southern Ethiopia.