Agriculture

This study assessed Farmers’ Perception and Attitudes towards Organic Agricultural Practices in Ishielu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State. The study employed purposive and multistage random sampling procedures in the selection of one hundred and twenty (120) respondents. Primary data were collected through field survey with the aid of a well-structured questionnaire and interview schedule. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were employed in data analysis; which was done according to the specific objectives of the study. Results showed that the major vegetable crops grown in the study area were pumpkin (100%), eggplant (75%) and plantain (50%) among others. Further analysis revealed fellow farmers (82%), radio (74%) and Farmers’ Associations (67%) as major sources of information on organic vegetable farming to the rural farmers. The result further revealed that the respondents have good knowledge about organic farming as shown by their positive perceptions about it. Multiple regression analysis was used to establish the relationship between the socio-economic characteristics of the farmers and the number of sources of information on organic farming. A high R2 of (76%) was obtained. Most of the independent variables were statistically significant and met a priori expectations. The result of factor analysis identified: financial, institutional and environmental factors as constraints to organic vegetable farming in the area. It was concluded that farmers in the study area had favorable perception towards organic farming with moderate knowledge of its benefits. Recommendations such as encouraging youths to get involved in organic vegetable farming, better enlightenments and sensitization of the entire area on the beneficial effects of organic farming were made, among others.

Vermicomposting of textile and dye sludge is an economically viable and environmentally safer method of final disposal. Use of earthworms in the industrial sludge management has been termed as vermistabilization (Neuhauser et al.,1988). The worms and microorganisms enhance the biodegradation of organic matter. During this process, important plant nutrients such as nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, calcium etc. present in the waste are converted through microbial action into forms that are much more soluble and available to plants than those in the parent substrate (Ndegwa and Thompson, 2001).. In this study, textile and dye sludge had only four per cent organic carbon content. The C: N ratio is one among the important factors that affects manure quality. To adjust the C: N ratio of the initial materials, the carbonaceous material like sawdust and crop waste were added at different proportions. At maturity phase, the highest P content was observed in the treatment that received sludge, poultry waste and saw dust (T7, T8). Kaushik and Garg (2003) reported that textile mill sludge could be potentially useful as raw substrate in vermicomposting if mixed up to 30 per cent with cow dung. E. foetida is an epigeic earthworm species which lives in organic wastes and requires high moisture content, adequate amounts of suitable organic material and dark conditions for proper growth and development (Gunadi et al., 2002). The enhancement of P in vermicompost was due to mineralization of the organic matter accompanied by a reduction in the total volume of the waste under ideal conditions. The finished vermicompost obtained by mixing 30 per cent sludge with 20 per cent poultry waste and 50 per cent crop waste contains higher nutrient status (NPK) with narrow C: N ratio (15.5).

Plants respond with changes in their pattern of gene expression and protein products when exposed to low temperatures. Thus ability to adapt has an impact on the distribution and survival of the plant, and on crop yields. Many species of tropical or subtropical origin are injured or killed by nonfreezing low temperatures, and exhibit various symptoms of chilling injury such as chlorosis, necrosis, or growth retardation. In contrast, chilling-tolerant species are able to grow at such cold temperatures. Conventional breeding methods have met with limited success in improving the cold tolerance of important crop plants involving inter-specific or inter-generic hybridization. Recent full-genome transcript profiling studies, in combination with mutational and transgenic plant analyses, have provided a snapshot of the complex transcriptional network that operates under cold stress. The changes in expression of hundreds of genes in response to cold temperatures are followed by increases in the levels of hundreds of metabolites, some of which are known to have protective effects against the damaging effects of cold stress. Various low temperature-inducible genes have been isolated from plants. Most appear to be involved in tolerance to cold stress and the expression of some of them is regulated by C-repeat/dehydration-responsive element binding (CBF/DREB1) transcription factors. Genetic analysis has revealed important roles for cellular metabolic signals, and for RNA splicing, export and secondary structure unwinding, in regulating cold-responsive gene expression and chilling and freezing tolerance. Numerous physiological and molecular changes occur during cold acclimation which reveals that the cold resistance is more complex than perceived and involves more than one pathway. The findings summarized in this review have shown potential practical applications for breeding cold tolerance in crop and horticultural plants suitable to temperate geographical locations.

The soils derived from charnockite in Ekiti State Nigeria were found to be low in zinc and phosphorus. This study was therefore conducted during the rainy seasons of 2006 and 2007 to evaluate growth and yield response of soybean TGX-1440LE from the direct effect and interaction of phosphorus and zinc. Treatments consisted of factorial combination of two levels of P(0,and 30kgPha-1), three levels of Zn(0,2,and 4kg Zns04ha-1) in a randomized complete block design in a soil developed in charnockite in Ekiti State The growth data were collected at 2 weekly intervals while yield components were taken at harvest. Stem girth, number of nodules and nodule weight significantly (P < 0.05) increased with 2kg Zn ha-1 application, which gave 111.2% yield advantage over the control treatment (0kgZn ha-1). Fertilizer rate above 2kgZn ha-1 significantly (p<0.05) decreased P uptake. The 30kgP ha-1 rate produced better growth, which was not significantly different from 0 kgP ha-1 while increase in P and Zn uptake was significant. The P x Zn interaction was significant for grain yield and Zn uptake. The treatment combination that gave the highest yield was 30kgP ha-1 and 2kgZn ha-1.

The knowledge of the women farmers on renewability potential of natural resources are critical determinants of the attitude and farmland conservation measures adopted to achieve a sustainable use. This study was carried out in Ekiti state, Nigeria to reveal the socio-economic characteristics of women farmers and their attitude towards sustainable farmland management practices in food crop production. Multistage sampling technique was adopted in selecting a total of 345 women farmers drawn from eight (8) Local Government Area of the state. Data were collected on socio-economic characteristics and attitude towards farm land management practices. The data were t analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The results revealed that majority (92.8%) of women farmers fell between the age categories of 31 -55 years and most of the farmers (69.5%) were married. Majority of the farmers inherited their farmland and majorly practiced crop rotation system. The correlation analysis revealed that there was a strong positive correlation (r=0.67, P< 0.05) between the attitude score and farmland management practices adopted by the women farmers, there is neutral attitude towards sustainable farm land management practices among women farmers in the study area. This study therefore recommend increase in awareness campaigns on farmland fertility conservation through appropriate management practices and women farmers should be given opportunity to have access to land resources like male counterpart which could be possible through adequate policy formulation on agriculture.

A field experiment was conducted at Jammu during 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 to evaluate the effect of two establishment methods (conventional sowing and zero tillage) in wheat (Triticum aestivum ) and four establishment methods (conventional transplanting of 25 days seedling, dry seeding @ 40 Kg/ha, wet seeding after puddling @ 40 kg/ha and SRI methods) and 4 sowing schedules (15th May, 25th May, 5th June and 15th June) in rice (Oryza sativa) under rice-wheat cropping system. Rice establishment methods and sowing schedules had significant impact on growth, yield attributes and yield of rice. Both the direct seeded methods of rice, being at par, recorded significantly higher mean grain yield and other growth parameters of rice as compared to conventional transplanting or SRI method. Similarly, 15th June rice sowing schedule resulted in marked increased in all the growth parameters, yield attributes and grain yield of rice as compared with other sowing schedules. However, both the establishment methods of wheat failed to cause any significant effect on growth and yield of succeeding wheat crop. Establishment methods of wheat and rice as well as sowing schedules of hybrid rice did not cause marked effect on soil physico-chemical parameters as well as available nutrient (N, P and K) content after completion of rice-wheat cycle. However, bulk density of soil at 0-15 and 15-30 cm depths was observed considerably higher with zero tilled wheat, while the minimum in system of rice intensification (SRI) method. Higher net returns and benefit cost ratio were recorded when wheat was established through zero tillage and rice through wet seeded sown on 15th of June in rice-wheat cropping system.

A field experiment was conducted at Gwalior in M.P. during the Rabi season of 2010 to study the Growth, Productivity and Economics of Cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. Capitata L.)in Gird Zone as influenced by different levels of Zinc and Sulphur levels. Results revealed that growth parameters like plant height, plant spread and number of leaves per plant at all crop growth stages (except 20 DAT), yield attributing characters, length and diameter of head and weight per head, cabbage yield per hectare net return and benefit cost ratio increased with increasing levels of sulphur from 20 to 80 kg/ha and zinc from 2 to 8 kg/ha. The crop responded only upto 60 kg S/ha and 6 kg Zn/ha.

Barley is believed to have originated in Abyssinia (Ethiopia) and Southeast Asia .Sixty four barley genotypes were tested in 8x8 simple lattice design at Atsbi, Ofla and Quiha environments in Tigray region, in 2009/10. The overall objective was to determine the nature and degree of variability in morpho- agronomic traits of barley germplasm. Three types of seed/kernel colors, as quality criteria observed were white, tan/red and black in the percentage of 96.87%, except the genotypes Eritrea07 1, and ISEBON 14 with a seed color of tan red and black respectively added to the variability of 1.56% each. From this study, 60.69 % found as two-row type, 31.26% six-row types and 7.81% irregular type across locations. It was observed that from these barley genotypes had a spike density of which 6.25% were lax, 64.06% intermediate and 29.69% dense. All the testing entries were awnletted and the caryopsis or kernel covering with a percentage of the genotypes were, 21.88%, 10.94% and 65.64% stands for naked, semi-covered and covered types respectively across locations. The phenotypic diversity index values for qualitative traits ranged from 0.0 (monomorphic) for lemma/ hood to 0.86 high polymorphic for row number, for awn color (H’= 0.71), kernel covering (H’=0.84) and spike density (H’=0.82) revealed the highest diversity. Glume color (H’=0.34) and gain color (H’=0.16), relatively showed the lowest diversity

Two sets of field experiments were performed in two successive summer seasons to study the effect of soil and foliar fertilization of mungbean. The first set included the effect of late foliar applied N or K under different levels of phosphatic fertilization on mungbean yield and chemical constituents. Mungbean (Vigna radiata (L) Wilczek) var. Kawmy-l was fertilized with 0,19,38,57 and 76 Kg P205 ha-1 at sowing. Foliar applied N was sprayed as 1 % urea solution and K was applied as potassium sulphate 36% K20 solution; both N and K sprays were carried out at early pod formation stage. The second set of experiments aimed to study the effect of micronutrient application when combined with urea. The foliar applied treatments were urea (1%); and four key micronutrients; i.e. Fe (0.5%); Zn (0.1%); Mn (0.2%) and CuSO4 (0.05%). Micronutrient treatments were sprayed either alone or combined with urea at early pod formation. The obtained results showed that P fertilization significantly increased mungbean pod weight per plant, 100-seed weight, yield per plant and per hectare compared with the untreated control. Mungbean seed yield per hectare showed more response to foliar applied N than that with K. The best seed yield per hectare was reported from the combined effect of 76 Kg P205 ha-1 and foliar spraying with N. Protein percentage in mungbean seeds was not affected by either soil or foliar applications and ranged between 20.6 to 22.9%. However, protein yield kg ha-1 significantly increased when the plants were fertilized with 76 Kg P205 ha1 and foliar sprayed with N. In addition, soil application of P and foliar spray treatments showed significant effects on carbohydrate percentage and carbohydrate yield ha-1of mungbean seeds. Micronutrient application showed beneficial effects on yield and yield components from the association of urea with Zn on pod-number and with all micronutrients on pod-weight per plant. The highest seed yield per plant was recorded when the plants were foliar sprayed with Fe and Mn alone or Urea+Zn. Meanwhile, the highest seed yield per hectare was achieved by foliar spraying with Fe or Zn alone as well as by the combined application with urea Fe, Mn or Zn. Micronutrient concentrations in mungbean seeds were elevated more than in the control treatment due to foliar spray treatments but it did not reach the level of significance for Fe, Zn and Cu. It could be concluded from this study that mungbean productivity responds to combined soil application of P at 57 Kg P205 ha-1 and late foliar applied N at early pod formation stage. Foliar spray of urea combined with Fe or Zn may increase seed yield and improve the quality of seeds.

Vermicomposting of textile and dye sludge is an economically viable and environmentally safer method of final disposal. The low level of carbon content is considered as a limiting factor for the decomposition of textile and dye sludge, but it contains higher amount of calcium and micronutrients. So, it could potentially be used as an alternate substrate for vermicomposting, if it is mixed with carbonaceous materials and animal wastes. In this study, textile and dye sludge had only four per cent organic carbon content. The C: N ratio is one among the important factors that affects manure quality. To adjust the C: N ratio of the initial materials, the carbonaceous material like sawdust and crop waste were added at different proportions. The saw dust appeared to be an ideal bulking agent for composting because of its ability to absorb moisture, and its structure that provides adequate porosity in the compost heap (Mahimairaja, 1996). The C: N ratio of compost in the present investigation ranged between 15.50: 1 and 20.1:1, which could be readily utilized for crop production as suggested by Gaur (1982). The finished vermicompost obtained by mixing 30 per cent sludge with 20 per cent poultry waste and 50 per cent crop waste contains higher nutrient status (NPK) with narrow C: N ratio (15.5).