ABSTRACT This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of inclusion of bio-char on milk yield and composition of dairy cows in the JUCAVM dairy farm. Ten milk samples (in three day interval for 30 days) were collected separately and aseptically from all treatments. The General Linear Model (GLM) procedure of SAS version 9.2 were used to analyze milk yield and composition traits by using treatments and parity as fixed effect. The results showed that, milk yield was not significantly affecte...
Land degradation is a major cause of decreasing yields and loss of dryland ecosystems resilience in the Kenyan drylands. One of the solutions to land degradation is the application of Sustainable Land Management (SLM) technologies. However, adoption of SLM practices in Kenyan drylands is low. This study sought to enhance adoption of SLM practices by improving farmers capacity through social learning in a Community of Practice (CoP). The study employed Participatory Action Research (PAR) desig...
Despite the importance of Global-GAP standards in promoting production and marketing of quality French beans in Kenya, compliance is still low. Using data from randomly selected 492 French beans, farmers, the study sought to determine the link between risk preferences, Global-GAP certification, observed poverty, and vulnerability to future poverty. The study used social experiment and 5-point Likert scale to solicit risk attitudes parameters, binary Logit model to determine the effect of risk...
Scarcity and seasonality of supply of cereals (for human and livestock feed) causes fluctuation in quantity, quality and increase in feed cost. This results in poor livestock growth, low reproductive performance and high production cost. Prosopis juliflora pods have been used to mitigate this, but success has been hampered by their high content of anti-nutritive compounds (ANC); tannins, crude fibre (CF) phytic acid and aflatoxins. Fermentation has been reported to reduce ANC concentrations. ...
The goat industry plays a key role in provision of economic and social benefits to a significant population in Kenya. Therefore improving their performances would contribute to food security, poverty reduction and economic empowerment of resource poor rural households. Reproductive performances and estimation f response to selection are considered among the essential pillars of economic viability of dairy operations. This thesis evaluated reproductive performance and response to selection of ...
Small farmer commercialization was an indispensable pathway towards sustainable food security based on production specialization of food crops. The common staple food crops in Mwala and Yatta sub-counties which are the main semi-arid areas in Machakos County were green grams and pigeon peas. However, the factors affecting productivity and the resultant output for commercialization are not fully understood. The main objectives were therefore to assess the extent and determinants of the levels ...
Small scale potato enterprises play a central role in creation of jobs and wealth creation for 3.8 million potato farmers along the potato value chain in Kenya. Although, potato roduction and marketing emerges as a promising farm enterprise that can contribute to increased incomes fosmallholder potato farmers. There is little or lack of mpetitiveness among potato farmers.This study intended to fill this knowledge gap by determining the effect of entrepreneurial behaviour on the competitive ad...
Globally, sustainable intensification in rice growing systems and practices has been accelerating in response to the declining productivity trends and the high market demand, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa where uptake of improved technology is low. However, in Oluch irrigation scheme, Rangwe Sub-County, Kenya, weak networks and low innovative capacity are associated with smallholder rice farmers’ which has significantly contributed to limited uptake of system of rice intensification (S...
Abstract: Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is a highly heterozygous and has complex tetrasomic inheritance that make difficult to understand the inheritance of traits and implement in hybridization program. However, the genetic variation created in F1 generation could be exploited through asexual propagation. Research efforts carried out in Ethiopia related to improving potato through crossing were limited in scope of breeding works. Thus, this study was conducted at Adet in 2018 to assess the ...
Abstract: In Ethiopia, rice variety development program was started recently but many rice varieties were recommended for production. But recommendation of varieties and introduction of new genotypes alone might not be enough to increase rice yield. This required conducting a multi-location evaluation of varieties and identified wide to specific adaptable variety is critical steps in breeding. Therefore, this research was conducted to determine the effect of genotype (G), environment (E) and...
Abstract: The field experiment was conducted to assess the extent of genetic variability and traits associations in soybean genotypes for yield and its related traits and thereby generate information as well as identify superior genotypes for further improvement program. A total of thirty-six soybean genotypes were evaluated using simple lattice design at Fedis eastern Ethiopia during the 2018 cropping season. Data were recorded for major qualitative and quantitative traits and analyzed usin...
Abstract: Assessment of genetic variability in crop species is one of the major activities of plant breeding which helps to design breeding methos.Keeping this in view, the present study was conducted to assess the genetic variability and character associations among yield and yield related traits in Ethiopian linseed genotypes.Fortiy nine linseed genotypess including four released varieties were evaluated in 7x7simple lattice design at Debre Berhan,North Shewa in 2018 main cropping season.T...
Abstract: Haramaya University had developed Haramaya I carrot variety which does not require vernalization for seed production, However, rates of blended NPS fertilizer and plant population were not determined to produce high seed yield and quality from the variety. This research was conducted to determine the effect of blended NPS fertilizer rates and plant spacing on yield and quality of carrot seed, and to estimate the cost-benefit of blended NPS fertilizer rates in carrot seed production...
Abstract: Sorghum is one of the major staple food crops in eastern Ethiopia where the area is known with an uncertainty of rainfall. Therefore, this study was conducted to assess genetic variability among sorghum genotypes, and to estimate associations among yield and yield-related traits of sorghum genotypes. Thirty-four sorghum genotypes and two improved varities in 6x6 simple lattice designs at Fedis Agricultural Research Center in 2018 cropping season. Results of analysis of variance rev...
Abstract: Quality protein maize (QPM) is a type of maize whose nutritional value has been enhanced through conventional breeding. The production of hybrid QPM is started very recently in Ethiopia that requires extensive research to exploit heterosis to increase the productivity of the crop. Exploitation of heterosis through the production of hybrids is proven breeding method to improve the yield of maize. Accordingly, the objectives of this study were to estimate the magnitude of heterosis a...