ABSTRACT The poultry industry in Kenya is a key contributor to the local economy as well as food security and income with over 90% of households owning a flock of chicken (Kingori et al., 2010). The main objective of this study was to investigate the challenges faced by rural and peri urban chicken farmers in Katulani District, Kitui County. The study focussed on understanding the challenges affecting chicken farming, factors affecting technology adoption, access to institutional support serv...
ABSTRACT The production of common bean Phaseolus vulgaris in Kenya has been reducing due to declining soil fertility. The use of synthetic fertilizers has been linked to soil acidification, which constrains plant growth and interferes with beneficial rhizosphere biota. The application of composts is being encouraged, and farmers in Western Kenya are being trained on composting of locally available organic materials. However, there is need to establish the performance of such farmerproduced co...
ABSTRACT Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is an economically important edible oilseed legume in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Smallholder farmers, who account for 75% of producers, depend on it for food and income. However the yields are far below the world averages. Groundnut rosette disease (GRD) is a major constraint of groundnuts in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) causing up to 100% yield losses. The disease is caused by two synergistic viruses; groundnut rosette assistor virus (GRAV, genus Luteoviru...
ABSTRACT This research is aimed at developing a Crop Disease Detection and Control Advisory System which assists the farming community. The idea of developing the system came as a way of mitigating the problems affecting the organization that include poor and slow service delivery in FCC shops when assisting farmers or giving advice to farmers. Farmers from remote areas have to travel long distances to get assistance and be advised on how they can cure certain diseases affecting their plants...
ABSTRACT The Root-Knot Nematode (RKN), Meloidogyne incognita and fungus Botryodiplodia theobromae, are important pests that cause yield losses in cassava and other crops. Chemicals have been used to manage these pests but with undesirable side effects. Information on pathogenicity of M. incognita, its interaction with B. theobromae and its biocontrol in Nigeria is very little. Therefore, pathogenicity of M. incognita on cassava, its interaction with B. theobromae and management with biocontr...
ABSTRACT Quality seeds constitute one of the basic and the most important inputs in any vegetable crop production endeavour. A post-certification surveillance was undertaken to evaluate the quality of certified imported and local vegetable seeds at commercial retailers’ end in the distribution and marketing chains in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. Structured questionnaires were administered to 18 commercial vegetable seed retailers who constituted the main vegetable seed delivery channe...
ABSTRACT Sylepta derogata, Fabricius a major insect pest, defoliates and causes enormous yield loss in Abelmoschus esculentus (L) Moench. Control of the pest with chemicals and other methods have not been successful due to scanty information on the biology and ecology of the pest. This study was conducted to assess the biology and ecology of Sylepta derogata on Abelmoschus esculentus. Abelmoschus esculentus was planted in early (March-June, 2009), mid (July-September, 2009) and late (Novembe...
ABSTRACT Viral diseases usually occur as multiple infections and significantly reduce yield in cowpea. Planting resistant cowpea varieties is economical and effective in controlling viral diseases. However, information on mode of inheritance of virus resistance required for cowpea breeding programmes is limited. Thus, single and multiple resistance and inheritance patterns of resistance to viral diseases were investigated in some selected cowpea breeding lines. Nine cowpea genotypes compris...
ABSTRACT Cowpea, Vigna unguiculata, is an important human and livestock protein source in Nigeria, but its production is constrained by ravages of pests and climate change. Conventional breeding efforts used to fortify it against these constraints had resulted into its narrow genetic base. In order to overcome this challenge, other mutation procedures such as physical and chemical mutagens could be used. Nevertheless, information on gamma and ultra-violet (UV) irradiated cowpea seeds and pol...
ABSTRACT Weed infestation of soyabean field causes 65% yield reduction in the forestsavanna transition ecosystem of Nigeria. Single weed control method is often less effective. However, Integrated Weed Management (IWM), will ensure more effective and environment friendly control. There is little information on IWM application on soyabean field. This study was therefore aimed at investigating response of soyabean to IWM. Field study was carried out in the 2008 and 2009 planting seasons to as...
ABSTRACT Fusarium verticillioides is a major fungal pathogen of maize causing rots in seed, root, stalk and ear; seedling blight and fumonisin mycotoxin contamination of grains. Use of chemicals is being discouraged due to its human and environmental health hazards. Information on eco-friendly control method against the pathogen is scanty. Therefore, the efficacies of selected botanicals and microbial agents as eco-friendly control against F. verticillioides were determined. Six Quality Prot...
ABSTRACT Soil nutrient depletion in lowland rice growing ecologies in Northern Ghana is one of the major causes of low rice yields. Most nutrients applied to enhance the fertility of soil are lost through leaching due to the low CEC of the soils caused mainly by low organic matter and low colloidal clay content of the soils. The application of biochar has been found to improve soil fertility through its enhanced nutrient retention leading to increased nutrient uptake and consequently in...
ABSTRACT A field trial was conducted during the 2016/2017 dry season at Research and teaching farm of Federal University Dutsinma, Katsina State, in the Sudan Savanna agro-ecological zone of Nigeria to evaluate the influence of different levels of nitrogen and poultry manure on the performance of Amaranthus hybridus. The treatment consist of three levels of nitrogen (0, 40, and 80kg N ha-1) and four levels of poultry manure (0, 5, 10 and 15 t ha-1) arranged in a randomized complete block de...
The preponderance and effect of extra application of synthetic insecticide, lamda-cyhalothrin and botanical, neem seed extracts to control pod sucking bugs of cowpea were investigated in 2007 and 2008, respectively at Samaru, Zaria, Nigeria. The design used was Randomized Complete Block Design. The cowpea variety used was SAMPEA-7, which was sown on 4th and 6th August in 2007 and 2008, respectively. Six treatments were used which w...
ABSTRACT Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is the future of communication and it is integral to human interaction and ease of doing things. It is important in the 21st century for almost all human endeavors. This study was aimed to assess the accessibility of ICT by Gender among Famers in Taraba State, Nigeria. Both purposive and multi-stage random sampling techniques were adopted for the selection of 214 respondents. Primary data were collected using structured questionnaires a...