ABSTRACT Change in land use has a direct effect in catchment hydrologic response. It is caused by human intervention to enhance and diversify their livelihood needs, and at the same time get economic benefits from the land resources. These interventions result in changes in surface runoff, soil erosion and sediment yield among others. If the change in land use is not well managed then it will affect the quantity and quality of water resources as well as production potential of the land. Base...
ABSTRACT Crop production is influenced by on-site soil moisture availability and application of water conservation methods for dry areas. This research explored the interactive effects of spate irrigation as an application method and the soil moisture conservation techniques. The objective of this research was to analyze the effectiveness of soil moisture conservation techniques and its correlation to water productivity for sorghum production under spate irrigation. The soil water holding ca...
ABSTRACT The design of an irrigation canal is intended to ensure that water is conveyed with minimal erosion and sedimentation. The underground canal in Southwest Kano Irrigation scheme was designed to meet these conditions but over time it has been silted up to the extent that its conveyance capacity has significantly dropped. The sediment control structure at the inlet can only prevent bedload, consisting of large sediments, from entering the canal but cannot prevent entry of fine suspende...
ABSTRACT Drought is acritical stochastic natural disaster that adversely affects water resources, ecosystems and people. Drought is a condition characterized by scarcity of precipitation and/or water quantity that negatively affects the global, regional and local land-scales. At both global and regional scales, drought frequency and severity have been increasing leading to direct and indirect decline in water resources. For instance, increase in drought severity and frequency in the upper Ta...
Some physical and mechanical properties of two Nigerian beniseed accessions (Yandev-55 and E8) were determined at 5 moisture content levels of 5.3, 10.6, 16.1, 22.4, and 28.3 per cent (wet basis). These were used as inputs into designing a beniseed oil expeller, as available ones could not perform effectively with the seed. The determined physical properties were linear dimensions, size, sphericity, bulk and true densities, porosity, thousand kernel weight and coefficient of friction betw...
ABSTRACT The traditional system of producing crops using soil (geoponics) is currently facing major challenges resulting in food deficits. An alternative is the adoption of soil-less culture (hydroponics) which is regarded as key in increasing production of vegetables, herbs and ornamentals. The study aimed at preparing a hydroponic medium from black cotton soil and rice husks. The process entailed moulding, firing, size reduction and performance evaluation. The aggregates were evaluated on ...
ABSTRACT A research was carried out at the Ngongongeri Farm Kenya to determine effects of tillage depth and speed on drawbar power and performance of disc and mouldboard ploughs so as to develop a mathematical model that would assist farmers, machinery managers and policy makers to properly match implements to tractors and the size of tractors to import based on soil types and conditions. The implements used were a standard 2-bottom mouldboard plough and a 3-bottom disc plough. Tillage depth...
ABSTRACT Land use/cover change alters the hydrologic response of river catchments. The response depends on the soil characteristics such as; infiltration capacity, porosity, organic matter content and bulk density. Understanding the effect of the land use change on soil hydrologic response in Upper Njoro River catchment is crucial for formulation and adoption of proper soil and water conservation techniques for increased agricultural production. Additionally, the characteristics of extreme ev...
Abstract. Studies were conducted to evaluate the performance of drip irrigation and fertigation system on the yields of sweet maize and telfairia OCL·irtclltalis. Three treatments: watering once per week ((i.JR lures) (W;), twicc (11M:, 1itrcs) (W2), ,Ind thrice. (17.16 1itrcs) (V)) WCIC applied to sweet 1II'li;,(. Four tl'L'.;ltIIIClils: 17 litl'l:s (WI), I S7() lit res (W,), 170 litrcx ('IV}), 22.05 litrcs (W4) and lour Icrtigation levels: SLi.0kg/iJ'l (I:I!: 68.0Gkg/ha (F2); 81.92kg/ha (F...
ABSTRACT Several factors influence the quantity of charcoal production in different parts of Nigeria. The study investigated species selectivity for charcoal production in three ecological zones of Nigeria. Data were obtained through the use of structured interview schedule administered to three hundred and twenty seven respondents selected through snowball. The data were subjected to descriptive and analysis of variance. The results show that the mean age of respondents was 44, male (88.1%),...
ABSTRACT Plant biodiversity and ethnobotanical potentials of University of Agriculture Makurdi (UAM) Wildlife Park and Ikwe Games Reserve, Benue State, Nigeria, were investigated in this study. Floristic survey was conducted in the two reserves using stratified sampling technique based on the three identified microhabitats in each of the reserves. Nine plots measuring 25 m x 25 m were laid in each of the reserves to survey trees and shrubs with diameters at breast height (dbh) 5 cm and above....
ABSTRACT Wastewater irrigation can pose a variety of potential health risks and also excessive and often imbalanced addition of nutrients to the soil to affect crop production. Thus its use in agriculture without adequate safeguards has been noted to have serious drawbacks for human health and the environment. This study modelled the levels of microbial and chemical contaminants in wastewater used for peri-urban vegetable crop production for both dry and wet seasons and also assessed the eff...