Adaptation Strategies to Mitigate Impact of Climate Change on Food Crops Farming in Oyo State,Nigeria

The research investigated the adaptation strategies to mitigate consequence of climate change on food crops farming in Oyo State.120 respondents were selected for this study using multi-stage sampling procedures.Primary data was collected through interview schedule and analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics.Available results indicated that 84.2% of the respondents were male,93.3% of them were married and maize(45.8%),cassava(37.5%)are the mainly crops cultivated.Results also revealed that 70.0% of the respondents have knowledge of climate change with majority(84.17%)of them regularly accessed information on climate change through radio and 88.3%of them claimed to adopt planting crops favorable for the present weather condition as an adaptation techniques to mitigate the consequences of climate change more frequently.Chi-square and Correlation results revealed a significant relationship existed between farmers educational levels(X2=4.861;p=0.003);household size(r=-0.089;p=0.002);knowledge(r=-0.157;p=0.002),and adaptation strategies to reduce the consequences of climate change on the food crops farming.It was recommended that food crop farmers should be provided with better education and sensitized in order for them to be acquainted with adaptation techniques and coping mechanisms that are currently been offered by research.

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The Response of Consumer Food Price Index(CFPI)due to the Impact of Pandemic COVID-19 on Indian Agriculture Sector

India is an agricultural country and a core source of income for the world population.The Indian economy is greatly depending on agriculture that is decrease day by day due to pandemic COVID-19.India is a major exporter of many crop foods.India,Thailand,and Vietnam are the major exports of rice if these stopped exports it reduces the economy up to 15%.A related circumstance is built up with diverse yields too like wheat,sunflower whose fare has been stationary by Kazakhstan,Serbia individually.In India,the end of April is the main source of income to farmers because they sell their rabi crops(wheat,mustard,maize,lentil,chilies,gram,tomatoes)in the market drastically decreases of CFPI may lead to the distress of Indian agricultural economy.The change over time in the price of options on wheat futures reveals increased price volatility in response to growing uncertainty about the COVID-19 impacts.

Indigenous Knowledge on Production and Utilisation of Termite(Isoptera)in Western Kenya

The study sought to assess the level of knowledge on the utilization of termites,harvesting methods and characterise local edible termite species.Focus group discussion with key informants was used to collect data that was analysed using SPSS Version 21.0 to generate descriptive statistics.Results indicated different levels of termites’utilisation where 45%of farmers use alates as food,35%as feed for chicks and quails,while 20%use the queen to fatten young bulls.Majority of farmers(40%)prefer the use of termites as feed because it is readily available,followed with 20%that use it because of nutritive value,10%relate its use with better taste of poultry products,5%associate termite use in enhancing early maturity weight while 5%said it improves growth and strength of bulls.On harvesting,three methods are commonly used with most farmers(45%)using underground trapping method,(35%)use above ground trapping method but 20%use mound excavation.Varied plant materials are used as attractants and the effect is more when combined with dry cow dung.Farmers further characterised species based on time of emergence of alates and habitat’s physical features.Most respondents(45%)associated:big mounds with Macrotermes bellicosus(Mafendete);small mount to Macrotermes subhyalinus(Kitunda);presence of open big tunnels with Coptotermes millitaris(Riamke)while seasonal gallaries and small tunnels was a confirmatory feature of either Pseudocanthotermes militaris(Chiisiisi)and Pseudocanthotermes spiniger(Maburi).The study demonstrates the richness in indigenous knowledge on techniques of termite production and utilization.

Nanomaterials in Soil Environment: A Review

Nanomaterials(NMs)have become an integral part of our daily life,and their extensive production will only increase with the increasing time.These NMs exhibit significant contrast regarding dimension,reaction,and structure.The most important aspect of the NMs is that these can be easily manipulated and engineered to custom-suit different functions/industries.Owing to their dynamic nature,these NMs behave differently when introduced in any medium.In soil,the behavior of NMs is significantly controlled by the interactions of nanomaterials with soil phases.Although NMs are deemed beneficial for human-use,yet these also carry lethal effects.Moreover,there is a dearth of adequate research for the interactions among nanomaterials and soil physicochemical properties;their accumulation-dissolution dynamics in soil-plant systems;and their long term influence on soil health.Several NMs induce physiological stress when introduced inside the body.Thus,various researchers have devised green pathways for producing NMs,although their wide applicability is still questionable.Although the domain of nanotechnology is greatly explored,yet there remain several grey areas which need to be addressed for sustainable utilization of these unique materials in the benefit of humankind.

Wheat Varietal Investigation for the Hill Region of Nepal

Multilocation testing of the Coordinated Varietal Trial for Mid-hill and High Hill(CVT-MHH)of wheat genotypes were conducted at different hill research stations of Nepal Agricultural Research Council(NARC)during the normal planting season of 2012-13 and 2013-14.Twenty genotypes including two check varieties were included in Randomized Complete Block(RCB)design with three replications in the experiment.Data on the different yield attributing traits were recorded.Highly significant difference(p<0.01)among the genotypes for the days to heading,days to maturity,plant height,thousand grain weight and grain yield was observed in 2012-13.Wheat genotype BL 4061 had the highest grain yield with 3802 kg/ha followed by NL 1153(3736 kg/ha),NL 1159(3733 kg/ha),NL 1154(3674 kg/ha)and NL 1156(3462 kg/ha).In 2013-14 also a highly significant difference among the genotypes for all the recorded traits was observed and these genotypes were stable for the yield and yield attributing traits.The most promising genotype for the grain yield was NL 1153(5816 kg/ha)followed by NL 1178(5760 kg/ha),NL 1156(5454 kg/ha),NL 1159(5259 kg/ha)and NL 1179(5075 kg/ha).From the yield and other yield attributing trait wheat genotypes NL 1055,NL 1153,NL 1159,NL 1156 and NL 1179 need to be tested under farmers’field for further confirmation and release as variety.

From Novelty to Normalcy:Making Entomophagy a Common Diet

This paper presents an analysis of the future of insect eating in two dimensions:the barriers of making insect eating popular and possible pathways to make entomophagy a common diet.Firstly,the brief introduction is stated to make a clear statement of normalizing insect eating,discuss the topic's relevance with current news regarding COVID-19 and provide a clear thesis statement.Then,the obstacles that prevent many people eating insects are evaluated through the framework of Failure of Diffusion Theory and“Yuck”factors.In the last part,possible solutions are offered accordingly,to help accomplish the goal of making insect food popular.Finally,some end notes and closing thoughts are included in the conclusion.

Culture Media Options for Growth and Morphological Characterisation of Cercospora coffeicola Affecting Coffee in Zimbabwe

Cercospora leaf spot is fast turning into a critically important disease in Zimbabwe.The disease is caused by Cercospora coffeicola which significantly reduces productivity and quality of coffee.Disturbingly,optimum sporulation of Cercospora coffeicola in culture remains a limiting factor for microbial analysis and quantitative studies of Cercospora leaf spot.Faced with this challenge,an in-vitro study was conducted at Coffee Research Institute,Manicaland,Zimbabwe to examine growth of Cercospora coffeicola in different nutrient media and to determine the best media for Cercospora coffeicola analysis.Six nutrient media were assessed(corn meal agar,oat meal agar,Czapek Dox agar,malt extract agar,yeast extract agar and potato dextrose agar)for the growth of Cercospora coffeicola.The laboratory-based experiment was duplicated,laid out in a Completely Randomized Design,replicated three times and based on Cercospora coffeicola nutrient inoculation.Data were collected on radial growth,colour and texture of mycelium at 3 and 6 days after inoculation.There were significant differences(p<0.05)in the growth of Cercospora coffeicola in media after 3 and 6 days.Malt extract agar had the greatest radial growth(34 mm and 32 mm)of Cercospora coffeicola for trials 1 and 2 respectively,whilst the least growth was in the oat meal agar(14.2 mm and 15.7 mm)for trials 1 and 2 respectively.There were variations in colour and texture of mycelium with malt extract agar,potato dextrose agar and oat meal agar associated with darker colours and rough texture while smooth white mycelia were found in corn meal agar.After considering all nutrient media,malt extract agar was found to be the best media for the growth of Cercospora coffeicola in-vitro.On the basis of our findings,the authors recommend the use of malt extract agar as the primary media for identification and characterisation of Cercospora coffeicola.

Effects of Green Silver Nanoparticles on Soil Quality and Induced Germination: A Future Alternative Fertilizer or Environmental Toxicant?

Silver nanoparticles(AgNP)synthesized from It influenced the inherent soil properties like bulk density(BD),water holding capacity(WHC),available N,P,K,urease,phosphatase activity and TOC.The apparent increment WHC,N,P,K,urease,and phosphatase in soil were observed whereas reduction of BD was noticed.Due to application of nanosolutions the pH of the soil shifted towards neutrality from 0 to 60 days.Moreover,they also did not have any toxicity upon plant as well as earthworm ecosystem.

Assessment of the Impact of Environment Protection in Rwanda:A Case Study of Rugezi Marshland

Environmental protection is one of the most important measures to achieve the long run and sustainability of living organisms in the world.The study was conducted in Burera and Gicumbi districts with the main aim of assessing the impact of environment protection in Rwanda.A case study of Rugezi Marchland.Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS statistical software version 20 and STATA statistical software vision 13.Off-farm income,occupation,educational level,age,and farm size,showed a positive relationship with Rugezi marchland protection.Variables such as value of product distance to Rugezi marchland,gender,and family size had a negative influence on Rugezi marchland protection.The study also indicated that factors such as water management,increase of grass species,increase of wild animals and birds,modern house construction,zero grazing keeping revealing a positive relationship with Rugezi marchland protection.Two most serious problems encountered are the lack of occupation and low level of education.

Constraints of Women Farmer’s Access to Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) for Agricultural Information in Oyo State, Nigeria

The study investigated constraints of women farmers access to ICTs for agricultural information in Oyo State.A total of 120 respondents were sampled.Data were retrieved using interview schedule and were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics.Statistics reveal respondents average age,average household size and average monthly income as x=45.8,x=10.6 and x=₦7,800.34 respectively,majority(86.7%)were married,58.3%representing respondents with primary education.Mobile phone(x=0.98)was the most available among the respondents while poor ICTs infrastructure(x=1.55)and difficulty in the utilization of ICTs gadgets(x=1.62)ranked highest as constraints access to ICTs for agricultural information.Significant relationship existed between respondents average monthly income(r=0.492,p=0.000),educational level(χ^(2)=4.726,p=0.021)and the constraints access to ICTs for agricultural information.Scaling up the ICTs infrastructure base around farming clusters and capacity building like training on ICTs to access agricultural information retrieval is advocated for women farmers.

Overview of the Occurrence and Prevention of Bemisia tabaci Invasion in China

Biological invasion refers to the process of invading into another new environment through natural or man-made means from the original place of existence,which includes several stages of introduction,colonization,incubation,diffusion and outbreak.Bemisia tabaci is a worldwide important agricultural pest composed of multiple biotypes.Studies have confirmed that the B biotype Bemisia tabaci that invaded China has been genetically differentiated,and the Q biotype Bemisia tabaci has replaced the B biotype in most areas of China.Bemisia tabaci has become the dominant biotype in the field.

Development of Micro Food Processing Sector through Food Processing Entrepreneurship in Manipur

Micro Food processing industry is gaining its momentum in the recent years in Northeast India and particularly in Manipur.This sector plays an important role in connecting the bridge between the agricultural production and the entrepreneurship development.The region bestows by the abundance of unique and rich agro and horticultural produce gives schemes and projects also add to the development of this sector and to the food entrepreneur by providing financial,technical,infrastructural and business support.The state sharing its border with the Myanmar has a significant impact on the food processing industry particularly in terms of marketing and trading aspects.Food Entrepreneurs should enhance their work on diversifying the horizons of the value added products,increasing job opportunities,marketing,training and technical skills etc.which will ultimately help in developing the Micro food processing sector in the state.

Cattle Feed Resource,Water Sources and Housing System in the Central Rift Valley of Oromia Regional State,Ethiopia

The study was conducted in Adami Tulu Jidokombolcha(ATJK),Bora,Dodola,Shala and Negele-Arsi districts with objective to assess main cattle feed resources,water sources and housing systems.A pre-tested,semi-structured questionnaire was used to conduct survey.About 240 respondents were identified using random sampling techniques.Collected data was analyzed by SPSS statistical software(Ver.24).Study result indicates that household in average had three hectares of land and allocated about two hectares of land for crop cultivation.Most respondents reported that cattle herding is not common during dry season while it is common during wet season.Survey result indicate that natural pasture,weed and maize tiller and stored crop residues are main feed resources in wet season while crop after math,crop residue and fodder trees are main resources during dry season.Brackish,local mineral and common salt are mineral sources for cattle in study areas.Lake,river and boreholes are important water sources in dry season where as ponds and rivers are main water sources during wet season for their cattle.The observed cattle watering frequency is mainly once a day.Housing system practiced in the study areas is mainly Kraal.The information generated from this study on land size per household,cattle herding system,feed resources,mineral sources,water sources,water utilization and housing type can be used as a baseline for any livestock development programs in those and similar areas.

Exploring Constraints and Opportunities for Sorghum Production in Dry Regions of Zimbabwe

The objective of the study was to explore the constraints and opportunities for small-holder sorghum farmers in dry regions.Two hundred and fifty farmers were sampled by using the simple random and snowball sampling to provide the information that answered the research questions.Questionnaire and interviews were used as the research instruments.Out of 250 participants,80%were males and 20%were females showing that more males were selected for the research.Data was coded and processed using excel.Descriptive statistics were used to describe results.Of all the participants,4%were in the age range of 25-30 years,10%in the age range of 31-35 years,14%in the age range of 36-40 years,16%in the age range of 41-45 years and 56%in the age range of 46 years and above.Out of all the participants,20%attained primary education while 68%had attained secondary education.Only 12%had tertiary education.Results indicated availability of resources(60%)such as certified seed,fertilizers,herbicides and draught power as the major constraint in the production of sorghum.Lack of technical knowhow(20%)of sorghum production,poor farming methods(9.6%)such as mono-cropping,Striga weed(12%),outbreak of fall armyworm(14.4%)and marketing of produce(8%)were also amongst the major constraints indicated by most participants.66%of the 250 participants showed that they produce sorghum due to its drought tolerant nature.Beer brewing was just slightly above half(52%)whilst making mealie meal was slightly below half(48%).Lack of knowledge,resources and poor markets hindered sorghum production in dry regions.Farmers were using retained seeds which are populated and affected by diseases and this contributed to low yields.Opportunities such as reducing poverty,food insecurity and income generation drives some farmers to venture into sorghum production.

Saline Irrigation Water Retards Growth of Amaranthus in Coastal Kenya

Salinity is a major biotic factor that negatively affects growth and yield of crops.Over 90%of the coastal region of Kenya is arid and semi-arid,most farmers in the region use borehole irrigation water which is saline.Amaranthus spp.is one of the main vegetables grown in coastal region.There is limited information regarding the effect of salinity on amaranthus production.The study sought to determine the effect of saline irrigation water on amaranthus growth in coastal Kenya.Two experiments were set up,one at Mivumoni Secondary School farm in Kwale County and another at Pwani University farm in Kilifi County from beginning of September 2019 to the end of January,2020.The experiments were laid out in a randomized complete block design and replicated three times.The six treatments tested were:fresh water alone,75%saline water alone,100%saline water alone,fresh water+DAP,75%saline water+DAP,100%saline water+DAP.Crop growth data collected were:emergence rate,plant height,leaf number,leaf area,chlorophyll content,stem thickness,root density,root weight,root volume and total plant biomass.Data obtained were subjected to analysis of variance using SAS statistical package(SAS,Version 10)and treatment effects were tested for significance using F-test.Significant means at F-test was ranked using Tukey's test at 5%level of significance.Amaranthus seeds sown in fresh water had higher emergence rate compared to seeds sown in saline water.Salinity regardless of concentration used and application of DAP,resulted in decrease in height,leaf number,leaf area,stem thickness,chlorophyll content,root length,root weight,root volume and total biomass.The study demonstrates that saline irrigation water in coastal Kenya has a negative effect on Amaranthus growth.

Management Practice and Comparison of Reproductive and Productive Performance of Dairy Cattle between Beneficiary and None Beneficiary of Estrus Synchronization and Mass Insemination in North Shewa Zone,Amhara Region,Ethiopia

The aim of this study was to assess the overall management practice and comparison of reproductive and productive performance between beneficiaries and none beneficiaries of oestrus synchronization and mass insemination(OSMI)of dairy cattle in north shewa zone of dairy cattle.Data were obtained by interviewing 270 estrus synchronization and mass insemination beneficiaries and 135 none beneficiaries’dairy farmers.Data were analyzed using Statistical Packaging for social science(SPSS)version 20.Natural pasture and crop residue were the most common feed resources in the study areas.River water was the major source of water for their cattle and well water was used when river water is not available.In their order of importance;FMD,mastitis,and abortion were the major diseases of cattle in the study area.The reproductive performance of dairy cows in OSMI beneficiaries were age at first service(30.81±7.6),calving interval(6.9±5.2),lactation length(8.95±2.46),day open(5.3±3.18)and number of service per conception(1.5±0.38)whereas in none beneficiary age at first service(32.88±6.64),calving interval(18.18±5.8),lactation length(9.6±0.54),day open(5.17±3.43)and number of service per conception(1.22±0.54)months.There was a significant(p<0.05)difference in milk yield between beneficiaries and none beneficiaries in HFC,HHFC and JERC dairy cows per day per cow.The major factors affecting reproductive performance of dairy cows are management,nutritional status,genotype,and disease.Therefor the productive and reproductive performance of the dairy cows reared by the participants were better than those of the nonparticipants.

Vermicompost and Cow Dung Admixture Increases Rhizosphere Bacterial Population and Promotes Rapid Physiological Maturity in Maize (Zea mays L.)

Incessant application of chemical fertilizers to the agricultural fields may alter the composition and activities of soil microbiota.Thus,the shift of cultivation practices from chemical to organic is considered to be the need of the hour in order to maintain soil health.A study was conducted in the agricultural fields of the University of Burdwan,India to observe the impact of organic manure on the rhizosphere bacterial community.The experiments were conducted on maize plants,supplemented with the recommended dose of chemical fertilizer and organic manure(vermicompost and cow dung mixture).Corresponding changes in the plant phenological events and soil health in terms of soil physico-chemical factors and rhizosphere bacterial groups up to the level of CFU g-1×105 dry soil was noted.The results showed a significant increase in population of phosphate solubilizing bacteria during 30DAS.However,at 90 DAS,significant increase in the population of phosphate solubilizing bacteria,nitrifying bacteria,asymbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria and protein hydrolyzing bacteria was observed in the organically treated plots.The growth of rhizosphere bacteria was attributed to the type of organic manure supplied to the agricultural fields.In addition,a strong correlation was observed between Zn and protein hydrolyzing bacteria.The soil organic carbon and available nitrogen were strongly correlated with nitrifying,fat solubilizing and phosphate solubilizing groups of bacteria.

Use of Bitter Leaf(Vernonia amygdalina)Extract and Pasteurization Aim at Improving the Sensory Quality and Shelf-life of Mpedli,a Traditional Opaque Sorghum White Beer from Northern Cameroon

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the sensory property and shelf life of the processed mpedli beer using aqueous leaves extract of Vernonia amygdalina(VA)and heat treatment.The white sorghum beer was made at the laboratory scale using home-made procedure(Control).Following filtration,the beer was blended with an aqueous leaf extract(1/10,v/v)of VA(BUB).Pasteurization(60°C/30 min)was performed on a portion of the VA blended sample(BPB).The sensory parameters and shelf life of the three samples were evaluated at room temperature during a month storage.The sensory characteristics of blended and non-supplemented mpedli beer differed significantly(p<0.05).During storage,the colour,bitterness,aroma,odour,viscosity,texture,and overall acceptability of the processed samples were improved.Bitterness(r=0.898;p<0.01)and odour(r=0.930;p<0.01)were both highly correlated with the acceptance of the processed beer.The non-supplemented samples had the highest sensory scores 48 hours after preparation,while the relevant sensory ratings in processed BUB and BPB samples were recorded from the 12th to the 21st and 27th day of storage,respectively.The findings suggest that combining pasteurization with addition of aqueous leaf extract of VA may help small-scale brewers for improving the sensory quality and extending the shelf life of mpedli.According to the findings,the use of bitter leaf could be proposed as an alternative hop in the local brewing industry and may increase incomes of producers of local sorghum beer.

Subsistence Farming Towards Sustainable Economic Agriculture of Small Farmers in the Developing Countries

Subsistence farming,a form of cultivation in which almost all crops or livestock are used to maintain farms and the farm family,leaving little,surplus for sale and trade.Pre-industrial farming peoples all over the countries of the worldwide apply subsistence agriculture system and take advantage of the possibilities available to them from land and water resources in all locations of agriculture sites.The agricultural production has become more specialized and developed in the subsistence farming system,and farmers have produced abundant production from many horticulture crops that are traded among them and achieve their selfsufficiency from those crops.