Abstract: Background: The black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) is the most promising insect candidate for nutrient-recycling through bioconversion of organic waste into biomass, thereby improving sustainability of protein supplies for animal feed and facilitating transition to a circular economy. Contrary to conventional livestock, genetic resources of farmed insects remain poorly characterised. We present the first comprehensive population genetic characterisation of H. illucens. Based on ...
Abstract: Maize is the most widely grown cereal crop worldwide, and is the most important staple crop in sub-Sahara Africa. The spotted stemborer, Chilo partellus (Swinhoe) (Lepidoptera:Crambidae) is considered among the most important pests of maize and the damage it causes may result in yield losses of up to 88%. Previous studies showed that plants damaged by herbivores release huge amounts of volatile compounds, known as herbivore-induced plant volatiles (HIPVs) into the environment, whic...
Abstract: The southern root knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) is one of the highly polyphagous species of many cultivated plants. The losses associated with RKNs in small holder vegetable farms are not quantified but may range between 30-100% in tropical and subtropics. Application of broad spectrum nematicides is the common method of control and are to be highly toxic to humans and pollute the environment, hence the need for safer alternatives for small scale crop production systems. Bi...
Abstract: Napier grass remains an important strategic grass species in east African mixed crop-livestock systems. However, production of several varieties of the grass remains constrained by phytoplasmic disease, Napier stunt disease (NSD), which is transmitted by the leafhopper, Maiestas banda. For smallholder farmers of western Kenya who rely on the grass for livestock feed and pest control in push-pull farming systems, effective control strategies of the disease and the vector remain elus...
ABSTRACT To determine the soil's primary potentials and constraints, soil characterization and pedological classification are crucial. However, much of Ethiopia’s documented soil information is scanty and inadequate relative to the large size of the country and the wide diversity of soils and landscapes. The aim of this work was to characterize and classify the morphological, physical, and chemical attributes of soils in Aregedif watershed, Northwestern Ethiopia. Samples were collected fro...
ABSTRACT The study ascertained indigenous and emerging adaptive agricultural technologies to climate change in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. Data were collected from 400 respondents through the use of semi structured interview schedule using a multi stage random sampling technique. The collected data were analyzed using percentages, mean score, and factor analysis. The findings revealed that majority (89.8%) of the respondents were aware of climate change though only 9.0% of them knew of...
ABSTRACT Background: Myzus pe.rsicae (green peach aphids) are crop pests; they are among the most destructive insect pests on cultivated plants in temperate regions. Many of them are green in color, but others may be white wooly or black (McGravin,1993).Their damage to plants has made farming a complicated venture across the whole world. From the zo9logical standpoint, they are a highly successful group of organisms (Piper, 2007). The study was conducted to evaluate .the chemical composition ...
ABSTRACT This research focused on the assessment of the effects of different land on sites in Tunga Maje, Gwagwalada AreC7 Council of the Federal Territory, having the following objectives, and to examine soil physically of various land uses (three land uses C7na control) with a sample of depth; 0-15cm (topsoil) and _I 6-30crn (subsoil), to compare in soil properties between the three lands use. It rr2aa~e -;U5.,~f.Z primary and secondary data. Primary was obtained t}2r.;_ry-ZJ"g}-;z .ses fr...
The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of land degradation on agricultural land use, planning and management in chongwe, Zambia and specifically determined farmers’ considerations of land suitability for selected types of agricultural land uses in varying cropping zones, investigated farmers’ local environmental knowledge of land degradation indicators and finally documented farmers’ land management strategies and practices for soil and sustainable Agricultural conservatio...
ABSTRACT An investigation of the effects of population pressure on the agricultural lands was conducted in Thika area Thika district. The variables considered include; causes of population growth, effects of population growth on agricultural lands and solutions for the effects of population growth on agricultural lands. In order to investigate the above variables, a general survey research design was used. Data collection tools include; interview schedule, observation checklist, literature re...
ABSTRACT The issue of water contamination and quality dilapidation in Kenya is more and more becoming a menace to the natural water resources due to modern methods of farming and industrialization which have resulted in water pollution especially in rivers. River Nyamasogota provides water for growing crops and for domestic purposes. The river passes through the areas that have many tea farms where fertilizers are heavily used and hence polluted by inorganic, organic and microbial substances....
ABSTRACT Maize is a staple food and its adequacy is a measure of food security in Busia County and across Kenya. Despite myriad efforts to increase its yield, the national level has remained low at 1.6 tons/ha relative to world average of 5.5 tons/ha and Busia County experiences much lower yield of 1.2 tons/ha. This low yield in the county coupled by high population growth rate arising from a fertility rate of 6 percent in the county when national level is 4.6 percent and a large population ...
Abstract The agro-climatic conditions in western Kenya present the region as a food surplus area yet people are still reliant on food imports. Numerous interventions through Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) practices to this front have not yielded the expected results. With this background the study sought to: (i) identify the contribution of ISFM interventions to farm productivity, (ii) to identify gaps in knowledge translation and (iii) to establish the major factors determining ...
ABSTRACT Crop production has continued to decline in sub-Saharan Africa due to soil infertility and increased cost of farm inputs. To enhance food security, farmers have adopted the use of both inorganic and organic fertilizers on their farms. The production and use of inorganic chemical fertilizers are not only expensive for family farming systems but also contribute significantly to environmental pollution. Biological nitrogen fixation using rhizobia has proven to be a cost-effective and en...
ABSTRACT The study was designed to compare productivity and efficiency of Low External Input Technology and High External Input Technology Farms in Imo State. Specifically, it aimed at comparing the socio- economic characteristics of the two groups of farmers as well as their productivities, ascertain the factors influencing aggregate and individual resource productivities, determine production efficiency and returns to scale in the two farm types. The study was conducted in Imo State, Niger...