ABSTRACT A study was carried out at the Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture Experimental Farm, University of Nigeria, Nsukka to: (i) evaluate the growth and yield of four improved cassava varieties, (ii) determine optimum NPK fertilizer rate for increased productivity and (iii) determine the best mode of fertilizer application for increased productivity. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Four varieties of cassava; TMS 01-...
ABSTRACT Rodent damage to maize and other cereal crops is a chronic problem to Kenyan farmers and occasional outbreaks are reported. According to a report by the Ministry of Agriculture in the year 2008, damage of between 1 and 5 % are common but damages of 20-100 % have also been recorded. In this study, a survey was carried out in Rongai Division, a cereal growing region in the Kenyan Rift Valley, to identify the general crop husbandry and farm enterprises, knowledge on problem rodents, fa...
Abstract Two field experiments were conducted for two consecutive rainy seasons of 2011/12 and 2012/13 at Umhojar Village, Kabkabiya Locality- North Darfur State, Sudan to study the effect of different rainwater harvesting techniques on growth and yield of pearl millet intercropped with cowpea. The area lies on sandy clay loam soil at Latitude 13o. 04" N and Longitude 24o.08" E,). Split plot design with four replicates was used in which five water harvesting techniques viz.; W1 (Terracing sy...
ABSTRACT Tissue culture techniques have opened a new frontier in agricultural science for addressing food security and poverty issues. These techniques have involved development of suitable plant regeneration protocols that can reduce disease infestation by producing healthy plants rapidly and hence increase yields in Kenya. The current research focus in sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam) has been the development of transgenic sweet potatoes, with ability to resist viral diseases of whic...
ABSTRACT Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea Linn) is an important legume in western Kenya, but yields are low and declining. Pests and diseases are ranked high among the yield reducing factors. Groundnut rosette disease (GRD) is the main disease and can cause up to 100% yield loss. Rosette is transmitted mainly by the groundnut aphid, Aphis craccivora Koch and to a lesser extent by Aphis gosypii Glover and Myzus persicae Sulzer. Rosette is caused by two synergistic viruses; groundnut rosette assisto...
ABSTRACT African nightshade (Solanum scabrum Miller) is a vegetable, widely distributed throughout the tropics including East Africa. It is an important vegetable in Kenya but consumer demands have not been met due to low yields and partly due to attack by Aphis fabae Scopoli. The aphids cause serious damage through sucking plant cell sap from phloem leaving the plant weakened, dehydrated, stunted in growth and eventually under heavy infestation the leaves curl making the vegetables unattract...
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 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 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 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 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...