ABSTRACT Solanum nigrum L., Cleome gynandra L. and Amaranthus spp. are some of the indigenous leafy vegetables (ILVs) that contribute to food diet, income generation, good nutrition and health to resource-poor farmers in Kisii and Trans-Mara counties. The production of ILVs is constrained by inadequate land, diseases and pests of which, root-knot nematodes (RKN) are the most damaging pests to vegetable crops causing about 30 % yield losses globally. However, there is no information about the ...
ABSTRACT Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is a valuable vegetable crop in Kenya, grown mainly by small-scale farmers.It provides food security, nutrition and income for many small-holder farmers. Despite its economic importance, tomato production faces major challenges including scarcity of high quality fruits, insect pests and diseases. Currently farmers have relied on application of pesticides to manage the tomato pests. Pesticides are expensive to the farmer and have a negative impact to ...
ABSTRACT Soybean (Glycine max. (L)Merril) is one of the most popular pulses in the world. It has been known to man for a long time since its first record goes as far as 2500 BC in China and Manchuria. Glycine max belongs to the subgenus soja, which also contains G. soja and G. gracilis. Soybean is grown primarily for the production of seed, has a multitude of uses in the food and industrial sectors, and represents one of the major sources of edible vegetable oil and of proteins for livestock ...
ABSTRACT Soybean is one of the most important sources of protein and vegetable oil in the world. The demand for soybeans in Kenya is high yet production is negligible due to various challenges, one of which is lack of a well-organized soybean seed system. Soybean seed has been known to deteriorate rapidly in the tropics but the rates vary with the environment, initial quality of the seed and genotype. The broad objective of the research was to enhance soybean seed longevity and vigor through ...
Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family. It is a major vegetable crop worldwide and develops rapidly, with a shorter time from planting to harvest than most crops. It is a monoecious annual climber or creeper that has been cultivated for over 3,000 years and is still widely cultivated today. The fruit is soft, succulent with high water content, roughly cylindrical and elongated with tapered ends. The plant shades one another, being allowed to creep on the ground ther...
ABSTRACT French bean is a major export vegetable crop in Kenya that is currently facing a steady decline in production. Two-spotted spider mite, (Tetranychus urticae Koch) is one of the major pests that has contributed to the fluctuations in French beans production. The conventional management of this pest using miticides has caused serious environmental and safety concerns particulary in the export market. Plant-based products provide safe alternatives that can be included in integrated pes...
ABSTRACT Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is a major vegetable crops, and is ranked second at 14% of total value of exotic vegetables produced in Kenya after potato with a value of 55%. It is predominantly grown by small to medium scale growers in open fields. However, open field tomato production faces many challenges including weather extremes, diseases and insect pests. The whitefly (Bemisia tabaci Gennadius), is one of the major pests of tomato capable of causing up to 80% loss in yield....
ABSTRACT A study was conducted to assess the extent of community participation in solid waste management (SWM) in Mbeya City, Tanzania. Data were collected using both structured and non-structured interviews. Field observations and secondary data supplemented the data collected using questionnaires. Purposive sampling procedures were used to obtain three representative wards. At ward level, 60 respondents each from different households were picked at random for the study leading to a sample...
ABSTRACT The power boiler ashes (BA) from burnt oil- palm mill wastes at Solive Vegetable Oil Mills Ltd, Nsukka has not been assessed for its crop-use potentials before, and its disposal could pose environmental challenge in future. Several studies have shown that recycling such ash through agronomic production system could alleviate the risks associated with its disposal and make it a value-added input in crop production with the potentials of solving the challenges posed by high cost of mi...
Slenderleaf (Crotalaria brevidens), also known as rattle pod, is a prominent species of Crotalaria used as a vegetable in Kenya. It is a highly nutritious leafy vegetable, good sources of provitamin A, Vitamin C, carotenoids, iron protein, and calcium. At an average of 3 tons per hectare production of slender leaf in Kenya is low compared to an average potential of 11 tons per hectare. Previous studies done evaluated the influence of nitrogenous and phosphoric nutrients on slenderleaf grow...
ABSTRACT Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata [L.] walp) is an ancient leguminous plant that is indigenous to Africa. Cowpea is commonly cultivated in the Middle East region, South United States, Asia, Africa, and throughout the sub-tropics and tropics. In Kenya, cowpea is the most important grain legume after common beans and pigeon peas. In Kilifi County and the entire Coastal Kenya, cowpea crop is considered as the most crucial African leafy vegetable (ALV), being the main source of dietary protein,...
ABSTRACT Spider plant (Cleome gynandraL.) is an important indigenous vegetable in Zimbabwe whose demand is increasing across all social classes due to high nutritional and medicinal qualities. Lack of efficient production technologies is leading to under utilization of its genetic potential hence growing demand cannot be met by current methods used by smallholder farmers. In view of this, a field experiment was carried out at Musena Resettlement area in Chirumanzu District to assess the perfo...
ABSTRACT This study was carried out to evaluate the contribution of urban agriculture to household poverty alleviation in Morogoro municipality. A survey was conducted covering a sample of 100 households selected using a stratified random sampling procedure. The analytical techniques used were gross margin, Gini coefficient and coefficient of variation. The findings of the study showed that urban agriculture is practiced by people from all social demographic groups. The Gross margin analysis,...
ABSTRACT This study was conducted to investigate the inclusion of small-scale producers in dynamic local and regional markets. To do so, the study provides a micro level survey. The survey was conducted on fruit and vegetable farmers, traders and supermarket operators along three districts namely Kinondoni, Ilala and Temeke in Dar es Salaam region. The Specific objectives were to (a) describe the current market structure for small-scale fruit and vegetable farmers (b) Assess various farmers�...
ABSTRACT The sun provides an abundant and clean source of energy. However the supply of this energy is periodic following yearly and diurnal cycles, intermittent, unpredictable and it is diffused. Its density is low compared to the energy flux densities found in convectional fossil energy sources like coal or oil. There have been attempts to produce solar thermal power using parabolic trough technology as was demonstrated by Luz Company which built a solar electricity generating station with ...