ABSTRACT Tea plantations of Southdown estate are deficient in nutrients such as Copper, Magnesium, and Zinc. This was shown by leaf analysis done in 2012 to mature tea in several tea gardens of Southdown estate. These nutrients have been given little attention in Zimbabwe tea fertilizer recommendations despite their continual removal from the tea fields during harvesting. A study was therefore conducted to assess the effect of Copper, Magnesium and Zinc foliar fertilizers on yield and quality...
ABSTRACT The use of Trichoderma has been widely used to control R. solani but however there is need to evaluate the different mechanisms used to administer the Biological Control Agent into the plant environment. A greenhouse experiment to compare the efficacy of three T. harzianum application methods i.e. seed bio-priming, seed coating and soil treatment to control R. solani in peas was carried at Kutsaga Research Station. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of T. h...
ABSTRACT Production of vegetables in the smallholder sector of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is affected by poor soil fertility with nitrogen (N) being the most limiting nutrient. Continued nutrient mining without adequate replenishment has led to a corresponding decline in soil fertility and crop yields due to failure by farmers in SSA to purchase inorganic fertilisers. Leguminous multipurpose tree (MPT) prunings have widely been promoted as alternative sources of N but nutrient release is affect...
ABSTRACT Root-knot nematodes cause significant yield losses in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum). Their management is essential for the grower to maximize production. Nematodes migrate up and down the soil profile in response to host availability. The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of tobacco rotations on the spatial and temporal distribution of nematodes. Sampling was done every month from September 2010 to April 2011. The experimental design was a split-plot in a randomized com...
ABSTRACT Potato is one of the most widely grown tuber crop that contribute significantly to human nutrition and food security. Potato is a cool season crop and high temperatures are inhibitory to tuberization resulting in low yields. This is mainly due to production of high levels of gibberellins at high temperatures that promote vegetative growth at the expense of tuberization. The balance of hormones that control tuberization can be managed by using anti-gibberellin synthesis such as paclob...
ABSTRACT Field experiment was conducted on naturally Striga hermonthica infested field in the Kassena-Nankana East District of the Upper East Region during the 2018 cropping season. This was to investigate effects of Striga tolerant pearl millet varieties intercropped with cowpea on S. hermonthica, crop yield and yield components. The study was a 4 x 3 factorial experiment consisting of four pearl millet varieties (Akad kom, Kaanati, Naad kohblug and Waapp naara) and three cropping patterns (...
Abstract An experiment was conducted at the Teaching and Research farm of the Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Nigeria, Nsukka in the 2006 cropping season, to assess the effects of planting distance and organic manure rates on yield and nutrient composition of waterleaf at Nsukka. in Southeastern Nigeria. Treatments comprised five planting spacings and four manure rates. The planting spacings were 25cm x 10cm, 25cm x 15cm, 25cm x 20cm, 25cm x 25cm and 25cm...
ABSTRACT Drought stress and striga parasitism are major constraints to maize (Zea mays L.) production in Northern Ghana. Two experiments were conducted to screen some genotypes of maize for tolerance to drought and Striga hermonthica at Nyankpala in the Guinea Savanna agro ecological zone of Ghana. In Experiment 1, seeds were planted in pots of 0.01 m3 volume arranged in rows on a platform in a screen house at Nyankpala. Genotypes were replicated three times in a completely randomized desig...
ABSTRACT The pulse beetle, Callosobruchus maculatus (F.) is a key pest to stored cowpea. There is limited information on host plant resistance management of this pest on cowpea in Northern Ghana. A laboratory experiment was conducted to test for varietal resistance of some improved varieties against this pest in cowpea. The experiment was laid out in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD). Seven varieties of cowpea namely; Padi-tuya, Songotra, Apagbaala, Zaayura, Bawutawuta, Marfo-tuya and a lo...
ABSTRACT Anthracnose is the most serious leaf and vine epiphytotic disease of yam that causes yield loss. Severe infection results in vine dieback, defoliation, and tuber rot. Aqueous extracts of Azadirachta indica A Jus seed (Neem tree seed), Jatropha curcas ( L) seed (Jatropha plant seed) and Nicotiana tabacum (L) leaf (Tobacco plant leaf) extracts were evaluated for the control of anthracnose disease of yam (Dioscorea rotundata Poir). The pathogen was isolated, identified and its growth w...
ABSTRACT The use of cassava stems as planting materials is limited by scarcity, poor quality, high cost and inappropriate field techniques (land preparation, planting spacing, and field maintenance). To enhance the supply of stem for planting cassava varieties, the existing production practices were evaluated and techniques for increasing the number and quality of cassava planting materials were investigated. Seventy-four cassava farms, purposively selected in 11 major cassava growing S...
Stem borers are among the major biotic stresses limiting the grain yield of maize, an important cereal crop in Africa. Breeding for multiple resistance to maize stem borers has been reported to be a promising method of control. Understanding the genetic variability of crop populations will help in improving them for pest resistance. Thus, genetic variability for dual resistance to two stem borer species were determined in a white (DMR ESR-W) and a yellow (DMR ESR-Y) maize populations to ...
ABSTRACT Successful land management for tree crop production requires good knowledge of the soil variation and suitability for specific tree crops. Most of the traditional rubber growing areas in Nigeria have not been evaluated for their suitability and production potential. Characterisation and evaluation of the land for rubber production was therefore conducted. Soils of two rubber producing areas: Iyanomo, Edo State and Akwete, Abia State were characterised and evaluated using local, Unite...
ABSTRACT Stem borers are among the major biotic stresses limiting the grain yield of maize, an important cereal crop in Africa. Breeding for multiple resistance to maize stem borers has been reported to be a promising method of control. Understanding the genetic variability of crop populations will help in improving them for pest resistance. Thus, genetic variability for dual resistance to two stem borer species were determined in a white (DMR ESR-W) and a yellow (DMR ESR-Y) maize populations...
ABSTRACT Use of single soil specific extractants to determine plant available phosphorus and exchangeable potassium for crops such as bell pepper, are costly, laborious and time wasting. Bell pepper, rich in antioxidants, requires phosphorus and potassium for high quality fruit yield. Mehlich-3 (M3), a multi-purpose extractant could extract phosphorus and potassium simultaneously. However, M3 has not been evaluated and adapted for Nigerian soils. Therefore, M3 as a multi-purpose extractant of...