International Journal of Agricultural Sciences

International Journal of Agricultural Sciences ISSN: 2167-0447 Vol. 3 (8), pp. 621-627, October, 2013. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Prevalence of some coffee quality problems in Gomma Woreda, Jimma Zone

Techale B¹, Musema A² and Kasahun M³

^1,2,3Department of Horticulture and Plant Science, Jimma University College of Agriculture and

Veterinary Medicine, Jimma, P.O.BOX-307, Ethiopia.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]. Tel. 251-912090835

Accepted 09 September, 2013

Abstract

Despite the favorable climatic condition and long history of coffee production in Gomma Woreda, quality of coffee is declining due to poor pre and post harvest practices. Therefore; a study was conducted to assess the prevalence of some pre-identified coffee quality problems in the Woreda in 2013. For quantitative analysis respondents were drawn and data were collected from 150 households. The result indicated that majority of the respondents were headed by males (83%) with large family size (73%). In addition to that, most of the respondents (83.33%) owned old coffee trees (>20 years). The analysis on the pruning practice, harvesting stage, coffee storage method also showed that 93.3% of the respondents practice pruning and 100% of the respondents harvest coffee at full maturity stage but 80% of the respondents mix differently harvested coffee during storage and selling. From this finding we can conclude that institutional factors like age and educational status are found to be the major problems whereas, family size and household head has average effects on coffee quality. Moreover; pre and post harvest practices like age of coffee, disease and weed, compost application and mixing differently harvested coffee had significant effect on quality of coffee in the study area.

Key words: Coffee, prevalence, pre-harvest, coffee quality, cup quality and post harvest.  

International Journal of Agricultural Sciences ISSN: 2167-0447 Vol. 3 (8), pp. 610-614, August, 2013. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Critical period of weed interference in okra (Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench) in a humid forest and Rainforest-Savanna transition zones of Eastern and Western Nigeria: A Review

Kwara State University, Malete, P.M.B. 1530, Ilorin, Nigeria.

E-mail: [email protected]  or  [email protected]

Accepted 19 August, 2013

Abstract

Data for this review were obtained from the research conducted in Owerri, in the humid forest zone of Nigeria (latitudes 5⁰20’N and 5⁰27’N and between longitudes 7⁰E and 7⁰07’E) in 2007 and 2008, in Ibadan (latitude 7⁰23’N, longitude 3⁰53’E) and Ogbomosho (latitude8^O 8’N; longitude 4^O 16’E) in the rainforest – savanna transition ecological zones. The objective was to determine the critical period of weed control in okra. In both humid forest and rainforest – savanna transition ecological zones, the critical period of weed control was observed to be between 2 weeks after sowing (WAS) and harvest. However in areas dominated by Tithonia diversifolia weeds in the forest-savanna transitional zone, the critical period of weed control in okra was observed to be between 2 and 4 WAS during the rainy season and only one hoe weeding at 2 (WAS) in the dry season was enough.

Key Words: Critical period, weed interference, okra, weed control, Nigeria.

International Journal of Agricultural Sciences ISSN: 2167-0447 Vol. 3 (8), pp. 599-608, October, 2013. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Performance of hot pepper (Cupsicum annuum) varieties as influenced by nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers at Bure, Upper Watershed of the Blue Nile in Northwestern Ethiopia

¹Amare Tesfaw, Nigussie Dechassa² and Kebede W/T Sadik³

¹Lecturer (Agr. Economics, Horticulture), Debre Markos University, Ethiopia.

²Vice President for Research, Haramaya University, Ethiopia.

³Vice President for Institutional and Development Affairs, Haramaya University Ethiopia.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected] Tel. +2510931804850 

Accepted 29 august, 2013

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted to investigate the influence of N and P and evaluate the performance of hot pepper varieties. Treatments comprised three rates of N (0, 46 and 92 kg N ha^-1 and three rates of P₂O₅ (0, 69 and 138 kg P₂O₅ ha^-1)^, and three hot pepper varieties (Marako fana, Melka zala and a local variety). The experiment was laid out as a randomized complete block design in a 3 x 3 x 3 factorial arrangement with three replications. The results indicated that the interaction effect of N, P₂O₅ and variety was significant on many of the parameters considered. Treatments that received fertilizer combination of 92 kg N ha^-1 and 138 kg P₂O₅ ha^-1 gave maximum fresh fruit yield (10.92 t ha^-1)(Mareko fana), highest total dry fruit yield (1.97 t ha^-1) and the maximum marketable yield (1.91 t ha^-1) in the same variety. Using N and P₂O₅ fertilizers at the rates of 92 kg N and 138 kg P₂O₅ ha^-1 thus can feasibly be used for obtaining fresh as well as dry pods.

Key words: Generalized linear model, interaction effect, mareko fana, melka zala, (Cupsicum annuum).

Full Length Research Paper

A serological survey for infectious bursal disease virus antibodies among village chickens in Yobe State Nigeria

¹Sule A G, ²Umoh JU, ³Abdu PA, ²Ajogi J,  ⁴Jibrin UM ¹tijjani AO ¹Atsanda NN, ¹Gidado AS.

¹Department of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine, University of Maiduguri, Nigeria.

²Department of Veterinary public Health and Preventive Medicine Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria.

³Department of Veterinary Surgery and Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria.

⁴Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries Development, Damaturu, Yobe state, Nigeria.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]. Tel. +2348029805011

Accepted 26 June, 2013

Abstract

A serological survey to detect the presence and prevalence of antibodies against infectious bursal disease virus among village chickens was conducted in 17 villages of Yobe State, Nigeria.  Five chickens were randomly selected from up to 10 households in each of the 17 sampled villages and bled from their wing vein. Serum was extracted from clotted blood and screened for antibodies to infectious bursal disease virus using Agar gel precipitation method. The study was able to detect antibodies to infectious bursal disease virus among village chickens in Yobe state at a prevalence of 63%. The results could serve as a base line data for future studies.

Key words: Nigeria, Seroprevalence, Village chickens, Infectious Bursal Disease, Nigeria

International Journal of Agricultural sciences ISSN: 2167-0447 Vol. 3 (7), pp. 586-595, September, 2013. © International Scholars Journals

Full length research paper

Aerobic Rice: Identification of suitable rice hybrids adaptability to aerobic condition in water-short areas

^*1Rajkumar S and ¹Ibrahim S. M

Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Agricultural College and Research Institute,

Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Madurai-625 104, India.

*Corresponding author e-mail: [email protected]

Accepted 1 August, 2013

Abstract

The investigation was carried out under aerobic condition using the line x testers mating design and studied for yield and its components traits. The objective of this study was carried out to identify the best combining parents and their hybrids suitable for aerobic cultivation. One hundred and thirty six hybrids along with eight lines, seventeen testers and one check CORH 3 were raised in randomized block design with two replications under aerobic condition. Nineteen hybrids showed desirable performance for all the yield traits. However, most of the hybrids involving aerobic and upland genotype as male parent exhibited hybrid vigor for yield and its component traits. Parental lines of the hybrids also had high per se performance for grain yield. Out of nineteen hybrids, five hybrids viz., IR 68897 A x MAS – 946 -1, IR 68888 A x BI 33, IR 58025 A x IR 65912 R, IR 68888 A x MAS 26, TNAU CMS 2A x Vandana advocated for commercial exploitation since grain yield with its contributing characters manifested significantly for standard heterosis. Among this hybrid standard heterosis ranged from 78.77 percent in grain yield to -15.33 percent in flowering duration and showed marked variation in the expression of standard heterosis for yield component traits. Finally these hybrids as well as parents can be commercially exploited under aerobic condition.

Key words:  Rice hybrids, heterosis, yield components, aerobic condition, water-short areas.

International Journal of Agricultural Sciences ISSN: 2167-0447 Vol. 3 (7), pp. 571-578, September, 2013. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Herbicide utilization by farmers in Moro Local Government Area of Kwara State

Imoloame E. O.

Department of Crop Production and Forest Resource Management, Kwara State University, Malete, P.M.B. 1530, Ilorin, Nigeria. E-mail:[email protected]

Accepted 22 August, 2013

Abstract

A survey was conducted in 2013, to determine the extent of use of herbicides by farmers in Moro Local Government Area of Kwara State. Five major villages, namely, Malete, Jehunkunu, Shao, Elemere and Olooru were selected, which constituted a representative sample for the survey. Questionnaires were administered on 150 farmers consisting of 30 farmers each from the above five villages of Moro local Government Area. Results show that a greater percentage of farmers (48.7%) were above the age of 50 years. Also, majority of the respondents (72.2%) were males, married (96.3%), in full-time farming (75.0%) and were mostly illiterate (62.1%). Most of the respondents (79.3%) were subsistence farmers, cultivating between 1 – 6 hectares (ha) of land without access to funds (84.5%).  Most of the respondents (55.4%) used herbicides to control weeds on their farms, however, greater percentage of them (56.2%) purchased herbicides from the open market. Furthermore, 100% of the respondents did not calibrate their knapsack sprayer before using it. However, 79.2% of the respondents use one type of protective clothing or the other while applying herbicide, but 20.8% of the respondents did not protect themselves at all during the application of herbicides. It is recommended that farmers need to be subjected to training in the safe and profitable use of herbicides in Moro Local Government Area. 

Key words: Herbicide, utilization, farmers, Moro Local Government Area, Kwara State, Nigeria.