ABSTRACT Nitrogen (N) is the critical plant nutrient. Low maize (Zea mays L.) yields in smallholder farms of Malawi are attributable to declining N fertility, aggravated by the ever increasing price of fertilizer. Maize, the country’s staple, has a high nitrogen demand. Little effort has been made to establish the best nitrogen rate in a maize- cowpea and maize-bean intercrop under variable soil conditions as a way of improving production, and was the objective of the current study. Field ...
ABSTRACT Agro-forestry has continued to receive increasing attention from researchers and policy makers especially in coffee farming systems but there is lack of sufficient evidence on its role in productivity and profitability of coffee farming in Kenya. There is also lack of empirical evidence on whether factors that influence adoption of shade technology have the same effect on productivity and profitability of coffee. The general objective of the study was to examine the adoption of agro...
ABSTRACT Thirty days old rice seedlings of 300 F5:6 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from a cross between a salt sensitive, IR29 (indica), and a salt tolerant, Hasawi (indica), were evaluated for salinity tolerance and thereafter QTLs linked to salinity tolerance were identified. Large variation in salinity tolerance among the RILs was detected. Final salinity injury scores ranged from highly tolerant to highly sensitive with a transgressive segregation towards sensitive parent. Howev...
Abstract Among the key uncertainties in the sustainable management of forest for non-timber forest products (NTFPs) is the high diversity of species and paucity of information on indigenous use pattern. In designing appropriate strategies for sustainable management of non-timber forest products, therefore, it is important to identify species with high local importance with the potential for sustainable and profitable extraction in a managed system. In this study, we assessed the use of two q...
ABSTRACT A study was conducted under screenhouse and field conditions at Sokoine University of Agriculture to evaluate the effects of commercial chemical and microbiological products on growth and yields of SITUKA maize variety grown on an Ultisol soil. The study soil had medium organic matter, low available phosphorous (1.02 mg/kg) and very low extractable zinc (0.34 mg/kg) hence the soil was of medium fertility status and only moderately suitable for maize production. Commercial products e...
ABSTRACT Sorghum is one of the most drought tolerant cereal crops currently under cultivation. Semi-arid regions in Tanzania are among of the areas cultivating sorghum to a large extent, and these regions are most vulnerable to food insecurity. Despite the assumption that sorghum has contribution on household food security, a wide assessment has not been done in Tanzania to examine the extent of its contribution. The study intended to: determine the quantity of sorghum and other grains produ...
ABSTRACT This study assessed the effectiveness of exit strategies in development projects in Tanzania through two selected projects in Bahi District. These are the Agriculture and Food Security and Leadership Development projects intervened by World Vision Tanzania through Chipanga Area Development Programme. The study, therefore, analysed the design and implementation of exit strategies adopted; evaluated their success and finally, examined challenges experienced in the course of implement...
ABSTRACT Tobacco has been the most important traditional cash crop in Urambo district since. But 1960s, the production of tobacco in the district has been declining due to world market price. Due to this price decline, farmers have now shifted to paprika production. The economic benefit of tobacco vis a vis paprika production in Urambo district has not yet been exploited. This study describes and analyses two crop production systems namely tobacco and paprika growers. Specifically, the objec...
ABSTRACT Field experiments were conducted simultaneously from April to July 2012 at agroecologies; Bambi (Latitude 06o 09’S, Longitude 039o 16’E; and Altitude 20m above sea level) Central District and Kizimbani (Latitude 05o 54’S, Longitude 039o 16’E; and Altitude 20 m above sea level) Western Unguja district. The aim was to investigate the effectiveness of selected cultural practices (weeding and hilling-up once, twice and thrice), vine portions (apical, middle and basal) and variet...
EXTENDED ABSTRACT A study was done to enhance the understanding of the diversity of begomoviruses and to identify tomato varieties resistant to Tomato yellow leaf curl disease (TYLCD) that can be used by farmers in the coastal belt of Tanzania. Twenty four out of 225 diseased leaf samples collected tested positive for DNA-A component for primer pairs VD360/CD1266 and VD360/AC1048. No DNA-B or satellites were detected. Their phylogenetic tree constructed with other closely related sequences f...
ABSTRACT Despite potential contribution livestock marketing has in Tanzania to national economy, quality beef marketing has received less priority in national investments, research and export development. This study attempts to bridge the gap by assessing beef marketing efficiency focusing on Dar es Salaam and Arusha. The general objective of the study was to evaluate the relative efficiency of existing beef marketing system and explore potential market opportunities for quality beef in Tanz...
ABSTRACT Groundnut rosette disease is the most constraint to the production of groundnut causing annual economic loss of US $156 millions in sub-Saharan African countries. The present study evaluated 220 (F5) Recombinant inbred lines (RIL) derived from 12991 X ICGV 86124 resistant and susceptible parents respectively, for resistance to groundnut rosette disease so as to identify resistant Recombinant Inbred Lines (RIL) and markers linked to Groundnut Rosette Disease resistance. The RIL were ...
ABSTRACT This study identifies the perceptions and adoption decisions of Enhanced Freshness Formulation (EFF) technologies among potentially banana growers in Morogoro, Tanzania. The study establishes whether men and women are likely to have equal preferences in adoption of new technologies and explores whether women who are able and those who are unable to adopt technologies face similar adoption challenges. The present study revealed that, potential adopters of EFF technologies seem to att...
EXTENDED ABSTRACT Smallholder dairy farmers produce about 70% of cow milk in Tanzania. As the dairy industry grows, it is increasingly becoming important to focus on milk quality and safety in order to produce and retain the existing markets. This study was conducted in order to assess the milk quality and safety in smallholder dairy farming systems in Mbeya rural and Mbozi districts. A cross sectional study was conducted using a structured questionnaire, observation as well as collection of...
ABSTRACT The phenomenon of increasing rice importation defying several policy interventions has been of great concern in Nigeria. This rising importation is however driven by increasing demand, shortage in domestic supply and consumers’ preference for imported rice. Yet, comprehensive national studies on determinants of demand, supply response and preference switch for rice are scarce. Thus, the determinants of demand, supply response and preference switch for rice were investigated. Seco...